Method and system for temporally formatting data presentation in time-dependent documents
First Claim
1. A method of temporally formatting first and second temporally related media items included in a time-dependent document in an information presentation system;
- the information presentation system including memory for storing data, a processor connected for accessing the data stored in the memory, and at least one media presentation device;
the data stored in the memory including instruction data indicating instructions the processor executes;
the method comprising;
operating the processor to obtain, for each of the first and second media items, at least one pair of temporally adjacent media item event data items, referred to as a pair of temporally adjacent events, identifying a media item segment;
each event in each pair of temporally adjacent events marking a point in time in the respective media item such that a second event in the pair of events follows a first event in time;
each media item segment indicating whether occurrence of the media item segment in the time-dependent document is predictable or unpredictable;
operating the processor to obtain temporal constraint data indicating a time ordering relation value specified between first and second temporally related event data items, referred to hereafter as a pair of temporally related events, identified from among the temporally adjacent events;
a first one of the temporally related events being an event included in a media item segment in the first media item and a second one of the temporally related events being an event included in a media item segment in the second media item;
operating the processor to obtain a durational time data item, hereafter referred to as a duration, for each respective media item segment;
each durational time data item indicating an elapsed time for presenting the respective media item segment on the at least one media presentation device;
each durational time data item further indicating whether the duration is predictable or unpredictable;
each predictable duration indicating a range of predictable elapsed presentation durations for a respective media item segment; and
for each respective media item segment having a predictable occurrence and a predictable media segment duration, operating the processor to assign a document presentation time value to each event included in the respective media item segment using the range of predictable elapsed presentation durations indicated for the respective media item segment and using the temporal constraint data specified between the respective media item segment and a second media item segment;
each respective media item segment for which document presentation time values are assigned having a computed presentation duration falling within the range of predictable elapsed durations for the respective media item segment;
the document presentation time values assigned satisfying the temporal constraint data specified between the respective media item segment and the second media item segment.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system automatically produce a temporal layout for controlling the presentation of a multimedia document. A partial temporal layout, or schedule, is produced during a compiletime phase of the method from duration information about the media items included in the document, and from the temporal relationships between the media items, as specified by a document author. Several temporal relationships are supported, including "simultaneous with", for synchronization of two media items or events, and relationships such as "before by 10 seconds." The temporal formatter positions media data items having predictable behavior in time according to the specified temporal relationships and using the specified durations, and creates an auxiliary temporal layout with unresolved times for each media data item or event therein having unpredictable behavior. The temporal formatter automatically produces temporal layouts for documents that include media items for which internal events and continuously adjustable durations are specified, thereby providing for very flexible positioning of media items in time without the author'"'"'s involvement. The author of the document may specify a flexibility metric at the media or event level related to the continuously adjustable durations that provides the temporal formatter with guidance as to how to best position temporally related media items in time. In an illustrated embodiment, the flexibility metric consists of duration-adjustment costs, and the temporal formatter uses linear programming to solve for solutions to equations formulating the temporal constraints between connected components in the document.
282 Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A method of temporally formatting first and second temporally related media items included in a time-dependent document in an information presentation system;
- the information presentation system including memory for storing data, a processor connected for accessing the data stored in the memory, and at least one media presentation device;
the data stored in the memory including instruction data indicating instructions the processor executes;
the method comprising;operating the processor to obtain, for each of the first and second media items, at least one pair of temporally adjacent media item event data items, referred to as a pair of temporally adjacent events, identifying a media item segment;
each event in each pair of temporally adjacent events marking a point in time in the respective media item such that a second event in the pair of events follows a first event in time;
each media item segment indicating whether occurrence of the media item segment in the time-dependent document is predictable or unpredictable;operating the processor to obtain temporal constraint data indicating a time ordering relation value specified between first and second temporally related event data items, referred to hereafter as a pair of temporally related events, identified from among the temporally adjacent events;
a first one of the temporally related events being an event included in a media item segment in the first media item and a second one of the temporally related events being an event included in a media item segment in the second media item;operating the processor to obtain a durational time data item, hereafter referred to as a duration, for each respective media item segment;
each durational time data item indicating an elapsed time for presenting the respective media item segment on the at least one media presentation device;
each durational time data item further indicating whether the duration is predictable or unpredictable;
each predictable duration indicating a range of predictable elapsed presentation durations for a respective media item segment; andfor each respective media item segment having a predictable occurrence and a predictable media segment duration, operating the processor to assign a document presentation time value to each event included in the respective media item segment using the range of predictable elapsed presentation durations indicated for the respective media item segment and using the temporal constraint data specified between the respective media item segment and a second media item segment;
each respective media item segment for which document presentation time values are assigned having a computed presentation duration falling within the range of predictable elapsed durations for the respective media item segment;
the document presentation time values assigned satisfying the temporal constraint data specified between the respective media item segment and the second media item segment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- the information presentation system including memory for storing data, a processor connected for accessing the data stored in the memory, and at least one media presentation device;
-
15. A method for use in a processor-controlled machine for temporally formatting a time-dependent document, hereafter referred to as a multimedia document, including a plurality of media items each capable of producing human perceptions when presented by a media presentation device;
- the processor-controlled machine including memory for storing data, and a processor connected for accessing the data stored in the memory;
the data stored in the memory including instruction data indicating instructions the processor executes to control operation of the machine;
the method comprising;obtaining from memory, for each media item included in the multimedia document, media item duration data, flexibility metric data, and temporal constraint data;
the media item duration data indicating a range of durational presentation time values, referred to as durations, for the respective media item;
the range of durations including an optimum duration;
the flexibility metric data indicating a measurement associated with each of selected durations other than the optimum duration within the range of durations;
the measurement indicating the temporal constraint data indicating a time ordering relation value specified between a respective media item and a second media item; andassigning document presentation time values to media items using the media item duration data, the flexibility metric data, and the temporal constraint data;
each document presentation time value assigned to a respective one of the media items producing a computed duration within the range of durations indicated for the respective media item, and satisfying the temporal constraint data specified between the respective media item and a second media item;
the document presentation time values assigned to media items being computed by solving a function that optimizes a measurement associated with lengthening and shortening media item durations for respective media items;
the function being subject to a plurality of constraints selected from a group of constraints including media item durations, flexibility metric data for respective media item durations, and temporal constraint data between pairs of media items. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
- the processor-controlled machine including memory for storing data, and a processor connected for accessing the data stored in the memory;
-
19. A method of temporally formatting a plurality of media items included in a time-dependent document in an information presentation system;
- the information presentation system including memory for storing data, a processor connected for accessing the data stored in the memory, and a plurality of media presentation devices;
the data stored in the memory including instruction data indicating instructions the processor executes;
the method comprising;operating the processor to obtain, for each media item, at least one pair of temporally adjacent media item event data items, referred to as a pair of temporally adjacent events, identifying a media item segment;
each event in a pair of temporally adjacent events marking a point in time in the respective media item segment such that a second event in the pair of events follows a first event in time with no intervening media item events specified between the pair of temporally adjacent events;
each media item segment indicating whether occurrence of the media item segment in the time-dependent document is predictable or unpredictable;operating the processor to obtain a durational time data item, hereafter referred to as a duration, for each respective media item segment;
each durational time data item indicating an elapsed time for presentation of the media item segment by a respective one of the media presentation devices;
each durational time data item further indicating whether the duration is predictable or unpredictable;
each predictable duration including a range of predictable elapsed presentation durations including a minimum duration, an optimum duration, and a maximum duration for presenting the respective media item segment;
the optimum duration indicating a durational time value that produces a preferred presentation quality for the respective media item segment when the respective media item segment is presented by a respective one of the media presentation devices for the optimum duration;
each predictable duration further indicating flexibility metric data measuring a deviation from the preferred presentation quality of the respective media item segment at each respective duration within the range of durations when the media item segment is presented by the at least one media presentation device for the respective duration;
the flexibility metric data indicating a penalty value for adjusting the predictable elapsed presentation duration of a respective media item segment to an adjusted duration different from the optimum duration;operating the processor to obtain temporal constraint data indicating a time ordering relation value specified between first and second temporally related event data items, referred to hereafter as a pair of temporally related events, identified from among the temporally adjacent events;
a first one of the temporally related events being an event included in a first media item segment and a second one of the temporally related events being an event included in a second media item segment;operating the processor to identify media item segments indicating a predictable occurrence and a predictable media segment duration as having predictable behavior, and to identify media item segments indicating an unpredictable occurrence or an unpredictable media segment duration as having unpredictable behavior; for each respective media item segment having predictable behavior, operating the processor to assign a document presentation time value to each event included in the respective media item segment;
each document presentation time value assigned producing a computed duration within the range of durations indicated for the respective media item segment, and satisfying the temporal constraint data specified between the respective media item segment and a second media item segment;
the computed duration being an adjusted duration when document presentation time values cannot be assigned that are consistent with the optimum duration for the respective media item segment and still satisfy the temporal constraint data;
the adjusted duration being determined using the flexibility metric data and producing assigned document presentation time values satisfying the temporal constraint data specified between the respective media item segment and a second media item segment while producing a presentation quality that deviates by an acceptable amount from the preferred presentation quality of the respective media item segment, as measured by an acceptably small penalty value indicated by the flexibility metric data; andfor each respective media item segment having unpredictable behavior, operating the processor to assign an unresolved document presentation time to a starting event in a media item segment having an unpredictable occurrence, and to assign an unresolved document presentation time assigned to an ending event in a media item segment having an unpredictable duration. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
- the information presentation system including memory for storing data, a processor connected for accessing the data stored in the memory, and a plurality of media presentation devices;
-
26. A method for use in a processor-controlled multimedia authoring system for temporally formatting a multimedia document including a plurality of media items each capable of producing human perceptions when presented by a media presentation device;
- the multimedia authoring system including input circuitry connected to a user input device for producing user signals indicating actions of a system user;
memory for storing data;
at least one media presentation device; and
a processor connected for receiving the user signals from the input circuitry, for accessing the data stored in the memory, and for presenting signals indicating a media item to the media presentation device;
the data stored in the memory including instruction data indicating instructions the processor executes;
the method comprising;receiving first user signals from the user input device indicating actions identifying media items to be included in a multimedia document; in response to the first user signals, producing a media item data structure for each respective media item identified for inclusion in the multimedia document;
the media item data structure indicating starting and ending events in the media item;receiving second user signals from the user input device indicating actions assigning durations and duration measurement data to each respective media item; in response to the second user signals, modifying the media item data structure to further indicate a durational time data item, hereafter referred to as a duration, used by a media presentation device for presentation of the media item from the starting event to the ending event;
a duration indicating a range of elapsed presentation durations for a respective media item including an optimum duration;
a duration further indicating flexibility metric data associating duration measurement data at selected durations other than the optimum duration within the range of elapsed presentation durations when the media item is presented by a media presentation device for the selected duration;receiving third user signals from the user input device indicating actions assigning temporal constraints to pairs of media items; in response to the third user signals, producing and storing temporal constraint data indicating a time ordering relation value specified by the user between media items; receiving fourth user signals from the user input device indicating a request to produce a main schedule for the media items included in the multimedia document; and in response to the fourth user signals, assigning document presentation time values to events included in respective media items;
the document presentation time values assigned producing a computed duration for each media item that falls within the range of elapsed presentation durations for the respective media item while satisfying the temporal constraint data specified between a respective pair of media items;
the computed duration for a respective media item being an adjusted duration when the optimum duration specified for a respective media item would not produce document presentation time values that satisfy the temporal constraint data specified between a respective pair of media items;
the adjusted duration being determined by solving a function to optimize an overall measurement associated with lengthening and shortening media item durations for respective media items;
the function being subject to a plurality of constraints selected from a group of constraints including media item durations, the flexibility metric data associated with selected durations, and temporal constraint data. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
- the multimedia authoring system including input circuitry connected to a user input device for producing user signals indicating actions of a system user;
-
30. A machine for temporally formatting a time-dependent document, hereafter referred to as a multimedia document, including a plurality of media items each capable of producing human perceptions when presented by a media presentation device;
- the machine including memory for storing data, and
a processor connected for accessing the data stored in the memory; the data stored in the memory including instruction data indicating instructions the processor executes; the processor, in executing the instructions stored in the memory, obtaining from memory, for each media item included in the multimedia document, media item duration data and temporal constraint data;
the media item duration data indicating a range of durational presentation time values, referred to as durations, for the respective media item;
the range of durations including an optimum duration;
the media item duration data further indicating flexibility metric data associating a measurement with each of selected durations other than the optimum duration within the range of durations;
the temporal constraint data indicating a time ordering relation value specified between a respective media item and a second media item;the processor, further in executing the instructions stored in the memory, assigning document presentation time values to media items;
each document presentation time value assigned to a respective one of the media items producing a computed duration within the range of durations indicated for the respective media item, and satisfying the temporal constraint data specified between the respective media item and a second media item;
the document presentation time values assigned to media items being computed by solving a function to optimize a measurement associated with lengthening and shortening media item durations for respective media items;
the function being subject to a plurality of constraints selected from a group of constraints including media item durations, flexibility metric data for respective media item durations, and temporal constraint data between pairs of media items. - View Dependent Claims (31)
- the machine including memory for storing data, and
-
32. A processor-controlled multimedia authoring system for producing, temporally formatting, and presenting a multimedia document including a plurality of media items;
- the system including
input circuitry connected to a user input device for producing user signals indicating actions of a system user; a media signal source for storing or receiving a plurality of sets of signals;
each set of signals indicating a media item capable of producing human perceptions when presented by a media presentation device;first output circuitry connected to a first media presentation device having a display area for presenting images; second output circuitry connected to a second media presentation device for receiving audio signals and presenting sound using the audio signals; a processor connected for receiving the user signals from the input circuitry, connected for providing images to the first output circuitry, and connected for providing audio signals to the second output circuitry; memory for storing data;
the data stored in the memory including instruction data indicating instructions the processor executes;the processor being further connected for accessing the data stored in the memory; the processor, in executing the instructions, receiving first user signals from the user input device indicating actions identifying media item segments of media items to be included in a multimedia document;
the processor, in executing the instructions in response to the first user signals, producing a media item data structure indicating data for a respective one of the media items included in the multimedia document;
the media item data structure indicating at least one pair of temporally adjacent media item event data items, referred to as a pair of temporally adjacent events, identifying a media item segment;
each event in each pair of temporally adjacent events marking a point in time in the respective media item such that a second event in the pair of events follows a first event in time;
the media item data structure further indicating whether occurrence of the media item segment in the time-dependent document is predictable or unpredictable;the processor, further in executing the instructions, receiving second user signals from the user input device indicating actions assigning durations and measurement values to respective media item segments;
the processor, in executing the instructions in response to the second user signals, modifying the media item data structure indicating a respective media item segment to further indicate a durational time data item, hereafter referred to as a duration, used by a media presentation device for presentation of the media item segment;
the media item data structure further indicating whether the duration is predictable or unpredictable;
each predictable duration indicating a range of predictable elapsed presentation durations for a respective media item segment indicating a range of durations including an optimum duration;
the optimum duration indicating a durational time value that produces a preferred presentation quality for the respective media item segment when the respective media item segment is presented by a media presentation device for the optimum duration;
each predictable duration further indicating cost data measuring a cost of deviation from the preferred presentation quality of the respective media item segment at respective durations other than the optimum duration within the range of predictable elapsed presentation durations when the media item segment is presented by a media presentation device for the respective duration;the processor, further in executing the instructions, receiving third user signals from the user input device indicating actions assigning temporal constraints to pairs of media item segments;
the processor, in executing the instructions in response to the third user signals, producing and storing temporal constraint data indicating a time ordering relation value specified by the user between events, identified from among the temporally adjacent events indicated by each media item data structure;
a pair of events having a time ordering relation value specified therefor being referred to as a pair of temporally related events;the processor, further in executing the instructions, receiving fourth user signals from the user input device indicating a request to produce a main schedule for media items included in the multimedia document having predictable occurrences and predictable durations;
the processor, in executing the instructions in response to the fourth user signals, assigning document presentation time values to events included in respective media item segments;
the document presentation time values assigned satisfying the temporal constraint data specified between a respective pair of temporally related events while producing a presentation quality for a respective media item segment that deviates, when necessary, by an acceptable amount from the preferred presentation quality of the respective media item segment, as measured by the cost data;
the processor, further in executing the instructions for assigning document presentation time values, solving a function to optimize an overall cost of lengthening and shortening media item segment durations for respective media item segments;
the function being subject to a plurality of constraints that are selected from a group of constraints including media item segment durations, the cost data associated with deviating from the optimum duration by shortening or lengthening the optimum duration of a respective media item segment, and temporal constraint data. - View Dependent Claims (33)
- the system including
Specification