Synchronizing multimedia parts with reference to absolute time, relative time, and event time

• US 6,188,396 B1
• Filed: 03/29/1996
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: King, Dennis Donald, Boezeman, John Junior, Consolatti, Scott Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Application Number:
  US08/625,084
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: 345/302, 345/326, 345/327, 345/328, 345/333, 345/473, 707/501, 707/513, 707/514
• US Class Current: 715/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring

Abstract

A multimedia title comprised of a plurality of parts is synchronized on a computer system. A co-tool automatically synchronizes at least one of the parts with reference to relative time. The co-tool may comprise a co-begin tool, a co-end tool, a co-occur tool, or a meet tool.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing on a computer system a multimedia title which is comprised of a plurality of parts, comprising the steps of:

displaying an at-a-glance visual layout of synchronization of the plurality of parts;

synchronizing at least one of the parts with reference to absolute time represented by a time-line associated with said visual layout;

automatically synchronizing with at least one user selectable co-tool associated with said visual layout at least one of the parts with reference to relative time; and

synchronizing at least one of the parts with reference to event time represented by an arbitrary event raised by an arbitrary part.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically synchronizing with at least one user selectable co-tool associated with said visual layout at least one of the parts with reference to relative time comprises the step of:

automatically synchronizing start times of said parts with a user selectable co-begin tool.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically synchronizing with at least one user selectable co-tool associated with said visual layout at least one of the parts with reference to relative time comprises the step of:

automatically synchronizing end times of said parts with a user selectable co-end tool.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically synchronizing with at least one user selectable co-tool associated with said visual layout at least one of the parts with reference to relative time comprises the step of:

automatically synchronizing start and end times of said parts with a user selectable co-occur tool.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically synchronizing with at least one user selectable co-tool associated with said visual layout at least one of the parts with reference to relative time comprises the step of:

automatically synchronizing a start time of said at least one of the parts with an end time of said at least one other of the parts with a user selectable meet tool.

6. A system for synchronizing on a computer a multimedia title which is comprised of a plurality of parts, comprising:

means for displaying an at-a-glance visual layout of synchronization of the plurality of parts;

means for synchronizing at least one of the parts with reference to absolute time represented by a time-line associated with said visual layout;

means for automatically synchronizing with at least one user selectable co-tool associated with said visual layout at least one of the parts with reference to relative time; and

means for synchronizing at least one of the parts with reference to event time represented by an arbitrary event raised by an arbitrary part.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said means for automatically synchronizing with at least one user selectable co-tool associated with said visual layout at least one of the parts with reference to relative time comprises:

a user selectable co-begin tool for automatically synchronizing start times of said parts.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said means for automatically synchronizing with at least one user selectable co-tool associated with said visual layout at least one of the parts with reference to relative time comprises:

a user selectable co-end tool for automatically synchronizing end times of said parts.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said means for automatically synchronizing with at least one user selectable co-tool associated with said visual layout at least one of the parts with reference to relative time comprises:

a user selectable co-occur tool for automatically synchronizing start and end times of said parts.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said means for automatically synchronizing with at least one user selectable co-tool associated with said visual layout at least one of the parts with reference to relative time comprises:

a user selectable meet tool for automatically synchronizing a start time of said at least one of the parts with an end time of said at least one other of the parts.

11. A computer program product recorded on computer readable medium for synchronizing a multimedia title which is comprised of a plurality of parts, comprising:

computer readable means for displaying an at-a-glance visual layout of synchronization of the plurality of parts;

computer readable means for synchronizing at least one of the parts with reference to absolute time represented by a time-line associated with said visual layout;

computer readable means for automatically synchronizing with at least one user selectable co-tool associated with said visual layout at least one of the parts with reference to relative time; and

computer readable means for synchronizing at least one of the parts with reference to event time represented by an arbitrary event raised by an arbitrary part.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said computer readable means for automatically synchronizing with at least one user selectable co-tool associated with said visual layout at least one of the parts with reference to relative time comprises:

computer readable means for automatically synchronizing start times of said parts with a user selectable co-begin tool.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said computer readable means for automatically synchronizing with at least one user selectable co-tool associated with said visual layout at least one of the parts with reference to relative time comprises:

computer readable means for automatically synchronizing end times of said parts with a user selectable co-end tool.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said computer readable means for automatically synchronizing with at least one user selectable co-tool associated with said visual layout at least one of the parts with reference to relative time comprises:

computer readable means for automatically synchronizing start and end times of said parts with a user selectable cooccur tool.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said computer readable means for automatically synchronizing with at least one user selectable co-tool associated with said visual layout at least one of the parts with reference to relative time comprises:

computer readable means for automatically synchronizing a start time of said at least one of the parts with an end time of said at least one other of the parts with a user selectable meet tool.