Method and system for creating a synchronized presentation from different types of media presentations

• US 5,455,910 A
• Filed: 01/06/1993
• Issued: 10/03/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, William J., Welch, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bowler, Alyssa H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAH, ALPESH
• Application Number:
  US08/000,999
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 395/800, 395/700, 395/650, 395/550, 395/275, 395/200, 395/157, 395/154, 395/153, 395/118, 364/514
• US Class Current: 715/251
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/438 Presentation of query results

Abstract

A presentation made up of plural descriptions is provided. Each description specifies the data that is to be played by selected output devices, as well as parametrical values for playing the data on the selected output devices. The presentation is readied for execution by processing each description and loading the specified data into memory. An element containing the parametrical values and the location of the data is loaded into a queue. The presentation is executed by taking each element in turn from the queue and executing the specified data on the selected output devices.

Claims

1. A method of creating a production from plural multimedia output devices connected to a data processing system, said method being implemented on said data processing system, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a presentation that contains plural descriptions, with each description specifying data that is to be provided to a selection of said output devices, each description specifying parametrical values for playing said respective data on said respective selection of output devices;

b) said step of providing said presentation further comprises the step of ordering said descriptions in a list in a predetermined order,

c) said step of providing said presentation further comprises the step of providing synchronizing information which provides that specific plural descriptions are synchronized so as to be executed at the same time;

d) readying said presentation for execution by processing each description, said step of processing each description further comprising loading said respective data into memory and loading an element corresponding to said description into a queue in said predetermined order, said queue being separate from said memory that has said respective data loaded therein, said element comprising said parametrical values and the location of said data in said memory;

e) said step of readying said presentation for execution further comprises the step of processing each description in said predetermined order,

f) said step of readying said presentation for execution further comprises the step of determining from said synchronizing information which descriptions are synchronized and linking together in said queue those elements that correspond to said synchronized descriptions;

g) executing said presentation by taking each of said elements in turn from said queue and executing said specified data on said selection of output devices in accordance with said parametrical values;

h) said step of executing said presentation further comprises the step of executing said linked elements together.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of providing synchronizing information further comprises the steps of providing said synchronizing information as one of the parametrical values of said synchronized descriptions and providing with each synchronized description the number of said synchronized descriptions that are synchronized.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a presentation further comprises the step of specifying for one of the parametrical values of each description a specified time that said respective data is to be provided to said selection of output devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a presentation further comprises the step of specifying for one of the parametrical values of each description a qualified source of said data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of providing a presentation further comprises the step of specifying for one of the parametrical values of each description an offset of said qualified source representing the starting part in said qualified source for said respective data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of providing a presentation further comprises the step of specifying for one of the parametrical values of each description a length from said offset representative of the amount of said respective data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a presentation further comprises the step of specifying for one of the parametrical values of each description a repetition count representing the number of times said respective data is to be played.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a presentation further comprises the step of specifying for one of the parametrical values of each description a function for playing said data on said output devices.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein:

a) said step of providing said presentation further comprises the step of providing a synchronized description that is out of order in said presentation;

b) said step of readying said presentation for execution further comprises the step of storing and linking together said elements corresponding to said synchronized descriptions in temporary storage until all of said elements corresponding to said synchronized descriptions, as determined by the number of synchronized descriptions, have been linked together and then loading said linked elements together in said queue.

10. A method of creating a production from plural multimedia output devices connected to a data processing system, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a presentation that contains plural descriptions, with each description specifying data that is to be provided to a selection of said output devices, each description specifying parametrical values for playing said respective data on said respective selection of output devices;

b) said step of providing said presentation further comprises the step of ordering said descriptions in a list in a predetermined order;

c) said step of providing said presentation further comprises the step of providing synchronizing information which provides that specific plural descriptions are synchronized so as to be executed at the same time;

d) said step of providing synchronizing information further comprises the steps of providing said synchronizing information as one of the parametrical values of said synchronized descriptions and providing with each synchronized description the number of said synchronized descriptions that are synchronized;

e) said step of providing said presentation further comprises the step of providing a synchronized description that is out of order in said presentation;

f) readying said presentation for execution by processing each description, said step of processing each description further comprising loading said respective data into memory and loading an element corresponding to said description into a queue in said predetermined order, said element comprising said parametrical values and the location of said data in said memory;

g) said step of readying said presentation for execution further comprises the step of processing each description in said predetermined order;

h) said step of readying said presentation for execution further comprises the step of determining from said synchronizing information which descriptions are synchronized and linking together in said queue those elements that correspond to said synchronized descriptions;

i) said step of readying said presentation for execution further comprises the step of storing and linking together said elements corresponding to said synchronized descriptions in temporary storage until all of said elements corresponding to said synchronized descriptions, as determined by the number of synchronized descriptions, have been linked together and then loading said linked elements together in said queue;

j) executing said presentation by taking each of said elements in turn from said queue and executing said specified data on said selection of output devices in accordance with said parametrical values;

k) said step of executing said presentation further comprises the step of executing said linked elements together.

11. A system for creating a production from plural multimedia output devices connected to a data processing system, comprising;

a) means for providing a presentation that contains plural descriptions, with each description specifying data that is to be provided to a selection of said output devices, each description specifying parametrical values for playing said respective data on said respective selection of output devices,

b) said means for providing said presentation further comprises means for ordering said descriptions in a list in a predetermined order,

c) said means for providing said presentation further comprises means for providing synchronizing information which provides that specific plural descriptions are synchronized so as to be executed at the same time;

d) means for readying said presentation for execution by processing each description, said means for processing each description further comprising means for loading said respective data into memory and for loading an element corresponding to said description into a queue in said predetermined order, said queue being separate from said memory that has said respective data loaded therein, said element comprising said parametrical values and the location of said data in said memory;

e) said means for readying said presentation for execution further comprises means for processing each description in said predetermined order;

f) said means for readying said presentation for execution further comprises means for determining from said synchronizing information which descriptions are synchronized and for linking together in said queue those elements that correspond to said synchronized descriptions;

g) means for executing said presentation by taking each of said elements in turn from said queue and executing said specified data on said selection of output devices in accordance with said parametrical values;

h) said means for executing said presentation further comprises means for executing said linked elements together.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said means for providing synchronizing information further comprises means for providing said synchronizing information as one of the parametrical values of said synchronized descriptions and for providing with each synchronized description the number of said synchronized descriptions that are synchronized.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said means for providing a presentation further comprises means for specifying for one of the parametrical values of each description a specified time that said respective data is to be provided to said selection of output devices.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said means for providing a presentation further comprises means for specifying for one of the parametrical values of each description a qualified source of said data.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said means for providing a presentation further comprises means for specifying for one of the parametrical values of each description an offset of said qualified source representing the starting part in said qualified source for said respective data.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said means for providing a presentation further comprises means for specifying for one of the parametrical values of each description a length from said offset representative of the amount of said respective data.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein said means for providing a presentation further comprises means for specifying for one of the parametrical values of each description a repetition count representing the number of times said respective data is to be played.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein said means for providing a presentation further comprises means specifying for one of the parametrical values of each description a function for playing said data on said output devices.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein:

a) said means for providing said presentation further comprises means for providing a synchronized description that is out of order in said presentation;

b) said means for readying said presentation for execution further comprises means for storing and linking together said elements corresponding to said synchronized descriptions in temporary storage until all of said elements corresponding to said synchronized descriptions, as determined by the number of synchronized descriptions, have been linked together and then for loading said linked elements together in said queue.

20. A system for creating a production from plural multimedia output devices connected to a data processing system, comprising:

a) means for providing a presentation that contains plural descriptions, with each description specifying data that is to be provided to a selection of said output devices, each description specifying parametrical values for playing said respective data on said respective selection of output devices;

b) said means for providing said presentation further comprises means for ordering said descriptions in a list in a predetermined order;

c) said means for providing said presentation further comprises means for providing synchronizing information which provides that specific plural descriptions are synchronized so as to be executed at the same time;

d) said means for providing synchronizing information further comprises means for providing said synchronizing information as one of the parametrical values of said synchronized descriptions and for providing with each synchronized description the number of said synchronized descriptions that are synchronized;

e) said means for providing said presentation further comprises means for providing a synchronized description that is out of order in said presentation;

f) means for readying said presentation for execution by processing each description, said means for processing each description further comprising means for loading said respective data into memory and for loading an element corresponding to said description into a queue in said predetermined order, said element comprising said parametrical values and the location of said data in said memory;

g) said means for readying said presentation for execution further comprises means for processing each description in said predetermined order;

h) said means for readying said presentation for execution further comprises means for determining from said synchronizing information which descriptions are synchronized and for linking together in said queue those elements that correspond to said synchronized descriptions;

i) said means for readying said presentation for execution further comprises means for storing and linking together said elements corresponding to said synchronized descriptions in temporary storage until all of said elements corresponding to said synchronized descriptions, as determined by the number of synchronized descriptions, have been linked together and then for loading said linked elements together in said queue;

j) means for executing said presentation by taking each of said elements in turn from said queue and executing said specified data on said selection of output devices in accordance with said parametrical values;

k) said means for executing said presentation further comprises means for executing said linked elements together.