Verifying multimedia linking for a multimedia presentation

• US 5,430,872 A
• Filed: 03/12/1993
• Issued: 07/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumtotal Systems Incorporated (Cornerstone Ondemand Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Asymetrix Corp.
• Inventors: Dahod, Shabbir M., Whitten, Arthur T., Sargent, Lori
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Application Number:
  US08/031,008
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/700, 395/12, 395/154, 395/156, 364/DIG. 1, 364/DIG. 2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/748 Hypervideo linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object in the context of video distribution systems H04N21/858
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

The Check Multimedia Linking functionality provides a mechanism for users to verify that all media links to media elements in the current multimedia presentation are still valid. A media link is valid if the media element (media file or external data as in CD data) can be located. If a media element cannot be located, the check media links feature of the present invention allows users to remedy invalid media links by either locating one or more specific media elements, or by changing (adding) a path to the current search path that the media manager uses to locate media elements. Additionally, the user has the option of disabling a media element if the link cannot be found. A disabled media element will not show up in the check links list in the next verification search.

Claims

1. For a programmed computer having memory, means for storing and retrieving files and data, a multimedia directory and media links corresponding to media elements, a process for providing conditions and altering the conditions of the media links for a single multimedia presentation, the media links being the old names identifying locations to the media elements, the media elements being information associated with the single multimedia presentation, the process comprising the steps of:

obtaining the multimedia directory;

enumerating all of the media elements in the single multimedia presentation to provide a numbered listing of enumerated media elements;

locating the media links in the multimedia directory corresponding to the enumerated media elements for determining ones of the media links corresponding to the enumerated media elements which are presently invalid media links;

determining the conditions of the invalid media links, the conditions including disabled and open name;

enabling selected ones of the invalid media links having the disabled condition;

locating the enumerated media elements having the open name condition;

storing the old names of selected ones of the invalid media links having the open name condition;

setting new names to the selected ones of the invalid media links having the open name condition; and

using the new names for accessing the selected ones of the invalid media links having the open name condition.

2. A process, as in claim 1, wherein the step of locating the enumerated media elements comprises the step of browsing through the memory of the programmed computer for the invalid media links to determine the new names.

3. A process, as in claim 2, wherein after the step of browsing the step of locating the enumerated media elements comprises the step of setting flags after finding ones of the invalid media links with the open name condition.

4. A process, as in claim 3, wherein after the step of setting the flags the step of setting the new names comprises the step of adding a directory to a current search path.