Collaborative remote operation of computer programs

• US 20040179025A1
• Filed: 03/22/2004
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SONY CORPORATION AND SONY ELECTRONICS, INC.
• Original Assignee: SONY CORPORATION AND SONY ELECTRONICS, INC.
• Inventors: Hall, Steven, Samra, Sukendeep, van den Bergen, Mark A., Dyson, Stephen, Peterson, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 7,334,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems

Abstract

A system providing a user interface to annotate different items in a media production system such as in a digital non-linear post production system. Parts of the production, such as clips, frames and layers, that have an associated annotation are provided with a visual annotation marker. The annotation marker can use shape, color or animation to convey source, urgency, status or other information. Annotations can be text, freehand drawing, audio, or other. Annotations can be automatically generated. Annotations can be compiled into records, searched and transferred. A state of an application program can be stored and transferred to a remote system. The remote system attempts to recreate the original state of the application program. If the remote system is unable to do so, an image of the state of the application program is obtained, instead. Assignment of control to various functions of an application program is achieved by associating a function (i.e., modifying a parameter) with a user control at a remote location.

Claims

1. A method for annotating an item in a user interface of a media production system, the method comprising

accepting signals from a user input device to select a part of a production being processed by the media production system;

creating annotation information; and

storing the annotation information in association with the selected part of the production.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

accepting signals from a user input device to create the annotation information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the information includes text information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the information includes capture of drawing information.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the information includes audio information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the annotation information is automatically generated by a process executing on a digital system.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising

wherein the annotation information is automatically generated at a predetermined time.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising

wherein the annotation information is automatically generated upon the occurrence of a predetermined event.

9. A method for conveying the state of an application program to a remote location, the method comprising

determining to capture the current state of operation of the application program;

saving one or more settings of a current environment of the application program as a recorded environment; and

transferring the recorded environment to a remote location.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising

storing an image of a screen display for retrieval by a process at the remote location if the remote location is unable to recreate the state of the application program.

11. A method for recreating the state of an application program at a process executing at a location remote from the application program, wherein a recorded environment includes settings for recreating the state of the application program, the method comprising

receiving, over a digital network, the recorded environment;

executing another instance of the application program at the location remote from the application program; and

using the instance and the recorded environment to recreate the state of the application program at the location remote from the application program.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein an image of the state of the application program is stored on a network the method further comprising

determining that the instance cannot be used to recreate the state of the application program at the location remote from the application program;

and

in response to the step of determining, displaying the stored image at the location remote from the application program.

13. A method for providing control of an application executing on a first digital system at a first location to a user of a second digital system at a second location, wherein the first and second digital systems are coupled by a communication link;

wherein the application includes a user interface control to modify a parameter, wherein the first and second digital systems include first and second user input devices, respectively;

the method comprising

accepting signals from the first user input device to associate the user interface control with the second user input device; and

accepting signals generated by the second user input device at the first digital system to modify the parameter.