TECHNIQUES TO AUTOMATICALLY MANAGE OVERLAPPING OBJECTS

• US 20090183080A1
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Thakkar, Pulin, Singh, Noor- E-Gagan, Jain, Stuti, Hawkins, Quinn, Ix, Sharma, Kapil, Bhattacharjee, Avronil
• Granted Patent: US 8,327,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/733
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums

Abstract

Techniques to automatically manage overlapping objects are described. An apparatus may include a context module operative to receive context information for a multimedia event, and determine various context parameters and control parameters for the multimedia event. The apparatus may further comprise a blending module communicatively coupled to the context module, the blending module operative to receive multiple media content streams for multiple media content views for the multimedia event, and blend the media content streams for the multiple media content views based on one or more control parameters to form a blended media content stream. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining context information for a multimedia event;

determining control parameters based on the context information;

receiving multiple media content streams for multiple media content views;

blending the multiple media content streams based on the control parameters to form a blended media content stream.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising displaying overlapping media content views on a display using the blended media content stream.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising determining an order parameter representing an order of viewing layers for the multiple media content views based on the context information.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising determining an overlap parameter representing an amount of overlap between two or more media content views based on the context information.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising determining a blending parameter representing an amount of blending for the overlapping media content views based on the context information.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising determining a context parameter for the multimedia event to include a refresh time parameter representing a time interval between refresh events for media content for a media content view.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising determining a context parameter for the multimedia event to include a reference parameter representing a number of times a media content view is referenced by a meeting participant.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising determining a context parameter for the multimedia event to include a relevance parameter representing a relative value of a media content view relative to other media content views for the multimedia event.

9. An article comprising a computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that if executed enable a system to:

determine context parameters to include a refresh time parameter, a reference parameter and a relevance parameter based on context information for a multimedia event;

determine control parameters to include an order parameter, an overlap parameter and a blending parameter for multiple media content views based on the context parameters;

receive multiple media content streams for multiple media content views;

blend the multiple media content streams based on one or more control parameters.

10. The article of claim 9, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to display overlapping media content views on a display using the blended media content stream.

11. The article of claim 9, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to:

determine the order parameter representing an order of viewing layers for the multiple media content views based on the context information;

determine the overlap parameter representing an amount of overlap between two or more media content views based on the context information; and

determine the blending parameter representing an amount of blending for the overlapping media content views based on the context information.

12. The article of claim 9, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to determine a context parameter for the multimedia event to include a refresh time parameter representing a time interval between refresh events for media content for a media content view.

13. The article of claim 9, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to determine a context parameter for the multimedia event to include a reference parameter representing a number of times a media content view is referenced by a meeting participant.

14. The article of claim 9, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to determine a context parameter for the multimedia event to include a relevance parameter representing a relative value of a media content view relative to other media content views for the multimedia event.

15. The article of claim 9, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to buffer one or more of the media content streams to synchronize the media content streams prior to performing blending operations.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a context module operative to receive context information for a multimedia event, and determine various context parameters and control parameters for the multimedia event; and

a blending module communicatively coupled to the context module, the blending module operative to receive multiple media content streams for multiple media content views for the multimedia event, and blend the media content streams for the multiple media content views based on one or more control parameters to form a blended media content stream.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, comprising a display module communicatively coupled to a display, the display module to receive the blended media content stream, and display the blended media content stream as multiple overlapping media content views on the display.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, the context module operative to determine various context parameters including a refresh time parameter representing a time interval between refresh events for media content for a media content view, a reference parameter representing a number of times a media content view is referenced by a meeting participant, or a relevance parameter representing a relative value of a media content view relative to other media content views for the multimedia event.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, the context module operative to determine various control parameters including an order parameter representing an order of viewing layers for the multiple media content views based on the context information, an overlap parameter representing an amount of overlap between two or more media content views based on the context information, and a blending parameter representing an amount of blending for the overlapping media content views based on the context information.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, comprising a content decoder to receive one or more of the media content streams, decode the media content streams, and output the decoded media content streams to the blending module.