Embedded multimedia control code method and apparatus

• US 5,899,700 A
• Filed: 09/22/1997
• Issued: 05/04/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Didacticom Partners, LLC
• Original Assignee: Didacticom Partners
• Inventors: Williams, John C., Keyston, Douglas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US08/935,370
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 434/118, 434/169, 434/178, 434/185, 434/307 R, 434/308, 434/315, 434/316, 434/317, 434/318, 434/319, 434/365, 382/306, 382/309, 382/312, 382/318, 382/320, 382/181, 369/1-5, 369/14, 395/702, 706/927, 345/302, 345/145, 345/168
• US Class Current: 434/308
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/062 Combinations of audio and printed presentations, e.g. magnetically striped cards, talking books, magnetic tapes with printed texts thereon
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/0033 with cards or other card-like flat carriers, e.g. flat sheets of optical film
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/927 Education or instruction

Abstract

Methods and apparatus of integrating multimedia materials with didactic printed materials present selected relevant multimedia material in response to the sensing of control codes embedded in context sensitive and/or content sensitive didactic printed material. A store of multimedia information is created, and the store is correlated to related context and/or content sensitive didactic printed material. The store is categorized to transmit certain categories of the stored information from the store to a multimedia display in response to the reception of certain input signals obtained from certain codes embedded in the didactic printed material. The printed didactic material controls the display of the multimedia material. Either preexisting didactic printed material or currently created didactic printed material can be efficiently and economically integrated with multimedia materials to display certain selected multimedia materials at sensitive places of the printed materials.

Claims

1. A method of integrating multimedia materials with didactic printed materials to present selected relevant multimedia material in response to the sensing of control codes embedded in context or content sensitive didactic printed material, said method comprising,

creating a store of multimedia information which is correlated to related context or content sensitive didactic printed material and which is categorized to transmit certain categories of the stored information from the store to a multimedia display in response to the reception of certain input signals obtained from certain codes embedded in said didactic printed material,

sensing a code embedded in said didactic printed material,

transmitting an input signal corresponding to that sensed code to said store,

receiving the transmitted input signal at the store,

transmitting a certain category of the stored information to the multimedia display in response to the reception of the input signal, and

displaying the transmitted category of multimedia information on the display,

whereby the printed didactic material controls the display of the multimedia material and either preexisting didactic printed material or currently created didactic printed material can be efficiently and economically integrated with multimedia materials to display certain selected multimedia materials at sensitive places of the printed materials.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the sensitive places are content sensitive places.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the sensitive places are context sensitive places.

4. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the printed didactic materials are preexisting printed materials and including embedding codes in said preexisting printed materials.

5. The invention defined in claim 1 including embedding codes in the printed didactic materials as the printed materials are being created.

6. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the store of multimedia information includes information stored on a CD ROM.

7. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the store of multimedia information includes information stored in non-volatile memory.

8. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the store of multimedia information includes information stored on a hard drive of a computer.

9. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the store of multimedia information includes information stored on an audio tape of an audio tape player.

10. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the store of multimedia information includes information stored at a web site of a global communications network.

11. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the store of multimedia information includes audio and visual information.

12. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the store of multimedia information includes information stored on a video tape of a video tape recorder.

13. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the store of multimedia information includes information stored on a laser disk.

14. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the embedded code comprises bar codes located adjacent to certain sensitive places of the didactic printed material.

15. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the embedded code comprises numeric codes located adjacent to certain sensitive places of the didactic printed material.

16. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the embedded code comprises captions located adjacent to certain sensitive places of the didactic printed material.

17. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the embedded code comprises certain letter strings located at or within certain sensitive places of the didactic printed material.

18. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the embedded code comprises certain bolded letter strings located at or within certain sensitive places of the didactic printed material.

19. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the embedded code comprises certain italicized letter strings located at or within certain sensitive places of the didactic printed material.

20. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the embedded code comprises magnetic code located at or within certain sensitive places of didactic printed material.

21. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein sensing the embedded code includes scanning the embedded code with a light wand scanner.

22. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein sensing the embedded code includes visually scanning the embedded code with the eye of the reader of the didactic printed material and then transmitting said input signal corresponding to that sensed code to said store.

23. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein sensing the embedded code includes visually scanning the embedded code with the eye of the reader of the didactic printed material and then transmitting said input signal corresponding to that sensed code to said store by typing information on the keyboard or keypad of a computer.

24. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein sensing the embedded code includes visually scanning the embedded code with the eye of the reader of the didactic printed material and then transmitting said input signal corresponding to that sensed code to said store by speaking information into a microphone.

25. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the display is an audio visual display device which is capable of displaying certain animation, voice, music, sounds, charts, text, motion, film and other information relevant to the certain didactic printed materials associated with a certain embedded and sensed code and transmitted input signal.

26. Apparatus for integrating multimedia materials with didactic printed materials to present selected relevant multimedia material in response to the sensing of control codes embedded in context or content sensitive didactic printed material, said apparatus comprising,

a created store of multimedia information which is correlated to related context or content sensitive didactic printed material and which is categorized to transmit certain categories of the stored information from the store to a multimedia display in response to the reception of certain input signals obtained from certain codes embedded in said didactic printed material,

embedded code means comprising certain codes embedded in said didactic printed material at certain context or content sensitive locations,

sensing means for sensing a code embedded in said didactic printed material,

signal transmitting means for transmitting an input signal corresponding to the sensed code to said store,

receiving means for receiving the transmitted input signal at the store,

categorized information transmitting means for transmitting a certain category of the stored information to the multimedia display in response to the reception of the input signal, and

displaying means for displaying the transmitted category of multimedia information on the display,

whereby the printed didactic material controls the display of the multimedia material and either preexisting didactic printed material or currently created didactic printed material can be efficiently and economically integrated with multimedia materials to display certain selected multimedia materials at sensitive places of the printed materials.

27. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the sensitive places are content sensitive places.

28. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the sensitive places are context sensitive places.

29. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the printed didactic materials are preexisting printed materials and wherein the embedded code means were added to said preexisting printed materials.

30. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the embedded code means were embedded in the printed didactic materials as the printed materials were created.

31. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the store of multimedia information includes information stored on a CD ROM.

32. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the store of multimedia information includes information stored in non-volatile memory.

33. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the store of multimedia information includes information stored on a hard drive of a computer.

34. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the store of multimedia information includes information stored on an audio tape of an audio tape player.

35. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the store of multimedia information includes information stored at a web site of a global communications network.

36. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the store of multimedia information includes audio and visual information.

37. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the store of multimedia information includes information stored on a video tape of a video tape recorder.

38. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the store of multimedia information includes information stored on a laser disk.

39. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the embedded code comprises bar codes located adjacent to certain sensitive places of the didactic printed material.

40. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the embedded code comprises numeric codes located adjacent to certain sensitive places of the didactic printed material.

41. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the embedded code comprises captions located adjacent to certain sensitive places of the didactic printed material.

42. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the embedded code comprises certain letter strings located at or within certain sensitive places of the didactic printed material.

43. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the embedded code comprises cranbolded letter strings located at or within certain sensitive places of the didactic printed material.

44. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the embedded code comprises certain italicized letter strings located at or within certain sensitive places of the didactic printed material.

45. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the embedded code comprises magnetic code located at or within certain sensitive places of the didactic printed material.

46. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the sensing means include a light wand for scanning the embedded code.

47. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the embedded code is visually scanned with the eye of the reader of the didactic printed material and wherein the reader then transmits said input signal corresponding to that sensed code to said store.

48. The invention defined in claim 47 wherein the signal transmitting means include keys for transmitting said input signal corresponding to that sensed code to said store by typing information on the keyboard or keypad of a computer.

49. The invention defined in claim 47 wherein the signal transmitting means include a microphone for transmitting said input signal to said created store of multimedia information.

50. The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the displaying means include an audio visual display device which is capable of displaying certain animation, voice, music, sounds, charts, text, motion, film and other information relevant to the certain didactic printed materials associated with a certain embedded and sensed code and transmitted input signal.