System for Managing Multi-Media Content Across Multiple Software Applications

• US 20090077469A1
• Filed: 09/14/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I-Fax.com Incorporated
• Original Assignee: I-Fax.com Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Ping, Worthington, Cristian Alfred
• Granted Patent: US 8,627,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/733
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A system is provided to i) Allow a computer to access multiple streams of multi-media content, such as video, audio and RSS content; ii) put a “place holder” inside software applications into which the multi-media content can be directed; and iii) direct the multi-media content to any software application running in the foreground that contains a place holder.

Claims

1. A method of managing multi-media content across a plurality of software applications displayed on users'"'"' computers, each user'"'"'s computer having a memory and a computer display able to provide a graphical user interface and being accessible to multiple streams of multi-media content and a system manager, the method comprising:

i) providing in each said software application a place holder comprising means to output a blank bitmap having pre-defined characteristics comprising background color, width, height and location;

ii) registering said place holder for each said software application with the system manager;

iii) compiling said multiple streams of multi-media content; and

iv) directing the multi-media content to a software application running in the foreground of said interface that contains a place holder into which said compiled multi-media content can be directed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said place holder comprises a control element that contains instructions to register the application with said system manager when the application is executed.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said place holder is registered by initiating a registration protocol between the place holder and said system manager whereby said system manager is notified of any software application provided with a place holder which is running.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said registration protocol step comprises:

i) during the execution of the software application the place holder checks to see if the system manager is running;

ii) if the system manager is not already running in the background, the system manager is executed and runs in the background;

iii) during the execution of the software application, the place holder sends a message to the system manager to indicate that the application is running;

iv) the system manager responds with a message to the place holder to acknowledge receipt of the message;

v) if the place holder does not receive acknowledgment from the system manager it continues to announce that it is running by sending a message indicating it is running.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said compiling step comprises:

i) communicating with a source of multi-media content and receiving said streams of multi-media content into said computer'"'"'s memory;

ii) separating multi-media content into video or audio format; and

iii) assembling video media into a single image file comprising;

a) video content;

b) buttons and controls; and

c) graphic features to form a media object.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said directing step comprises:

i) the system manager maintaining a list of the software applications that are running and contain place holders;

ii) the system manager comparing the identity of each registered software application to the identity of the software application that is running in the foreground;

iii) when the system manager detects that a registered software application is running in the foreground, the system manager sends a message to the place holder in the software application that is running in the foreground indicating that the system manager is ready to display the media object;

iv) the place holder in the software application that is running in the foreground receives the message;

v) the place holder in the software application that is running in the foreground sends a message to the system manager indicating the characteristics of the place holder;

vi) the system manager receives the characteristics of the place holder and adjusts the size of the media object;

vii) the system manager displays the media object in the space provided by the place holder.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said directing step comprises the further step of playing the related audio media in the background by means of a sound device.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said directing step comprises the further steps of:

viii) the system manager sends a message to the place holder in the software application that is running in the foreground for post-display actions;

ix) the place holder in the software application that is running in the foreground receives the message for post-display actions; and

x) the place holder in the software application that is running in the foreground performs the post-display actions.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said post-display action is adjusting the height of the toolbar to match the actual height of the place holder.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said directing step comprises:

i) the system manager maintaining a list of the software applications that are running and contain place holders;

ii) the system manager comparing the identity of each registered software application to the identity of the software application that is running in the foreground;

iii) when the system manager detects that a registered software application is running in the foreground, the system manager sends a message to the place holder in the software application that is running in the foreground indicating that the system manager is ready to display multi-media content;

iv) the place holder in the software application that is running in the foreground receives the message;

v) the place holder in the software application that is running in the foreground sends a message to the system manager indicating the characteristics of the place holder;

vi) the system manager receives the characteristics of the place holder and adjusts the size of the multi-media content;

vii) the system manager displays the multi-media content in the space provided by the place holder.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said directing step comprises the further step of playing the related audio media in the background by means of a sound device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said multi-media content is selected from the group comprising video, audio and RSS content.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said control element is the Tool Bar Control feature of a software application.

14. A computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon, wherein the program code, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 1.

15. A computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon, wherein the program code, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 4.

16. A computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon, wherein the program code, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 6.