Framework for progressive hierarchial and adaptive delivery rich media presentations and associated meta data

• US 6,356,921 B1
• Filed: 03/12/1999
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Menon, Jai, Kumar, Keeranoor, Lipscomb, James, Ramchandra, Arun
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Sanjiv
• Application Number:
  US09/268,537
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 707/501.01, 707/513, 707/102, 707/104, 709/303, 709/224, 704/243, 704/247, 345/866, 345/302, 345/335, 345/9, 700/90, 386/52, 717/11, 705/26, 705/219, 705/27, 711/114
• US Class Current: 715/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A single file contains all information for a complete presentation. Each presentation file contains both data and software for the presentation. It includes both the data and software provided to the user and that retained by the server for the performance of the presentation. The basic building block for a presentation is a frame. The presentation file can contain a file header frame and multiple media frames, and one or more meta data frame. Of the frame types, the file header frame is the only one whose presence is mandatory in the presentation file format. The file header frame identifies the subject matter and contents of the presentation file providing information on the media types and total length of the file. The most degenerate yet useful version of a presentation file would have the file header frame followed by a media frame containing a thumbnail description. A thumbnail description may constitute a simple still picture or written description of the subject matter. Other media frames can be animated or full motion descriptions of the subject matter. Meta data frames are frames that contain non-media specific data file level behavior and user information. Meta data frames are presented only in cases where non-fault behavior and configuration are desired or in cases where actions and abstract navigational semantics are to be incorporated.

Claims

1. A method of providing media presentations from a server to a user'"'"'s terminal over a network comprising:

maintaining in a single file a presentation containing data for presenting multiple media descriptions of an object contained in a plurality of data frames interspersed with software segments for use in the server and the user'"'"'s terminal to render the presentation;

accessing the file at a request from a user'"'"'s terminal separating the software segments from the data frames;

transmitting to the user'"'"'s terminal at least two data frames, one being a file header frame identifying the presentation and another being one containing one of the media descriptions of the object;

providing certain of the software segments to the user'"'"'s terminal for interpreting the file header frame and rendering the one media description;

using meta data frames to establish a semantic relationship that allows dynamic delivery of semantically related data segments; and

retaining other data frames and related software segments of the presentation at the server until requested by the user'"'"'s terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 including interrelating business and media process to trigger a business reaction to a media process action.

3. The method of claim 1 including identifying the type of data frame and its content in a header for the frame.

4. The method of claim 3 including using the file header frame to identify the content of the file, its length and various media types contained in the file.

5. The method of claim 4 including providing multiple media frames containing in whole or in part one of a still, animated or full video description of the object.

6. The method of claim 1 including meta data frames to insert media related indices that allow search and retrieval using queries based in terms of media descriptions.

7. The presentation file of claim 6 wherein each frame contains a header for the frame that identifies the type of data in the frame.

8. The method of claim 6 including labeling media and meta frames to comprise semantically related groups.

9. The presentation file of claim 8 wherein one of the frames is a file header frame which identifies the content of the file, the files length and the various media types contained in the file.

10. A presentation file format for use in the rendering of media descriptions on a network, a presentation stored in a single presentation file containing multiple media descriptions arranged in multiple data frames interspersed with software segments and having meta data frames to establish a semantic relationship that allows dynamic delivery of semantically related data segments, said file being configured for:

separating the software segments from the data frames;

providing certain of the software segments to a user'"'"'s terminal for interpreting the file header frame and rendering one of the media descriptions; and

retaining other data frames and related software segments of the presentation at the server until requested by the user'"'"'s terminal for use by a network server and a user'"'"'s terminal to render the presentation.

11. The presentation file of claim 10 including multiple media frames each containing one of a still, animated or full video description of an object rendered in whole or in part by the media frame.

12. The presentation file of claim 10 wherein the software that will render media segments is contained in and specified by name in the same file.

13. The presentation file of claim 10 including an implicit specification in the presentation file of the order in which software for various media segments in it is fetched from the server and executed.

14. The presentation file of claim 10 including a new header and different frame displacement values on a segment of a previously created file to create a new entity.

15. The presentation file of claim 10 including meta data frames for providing to the user'"'"'s terminal descriptions and business related attributes about a product or device described in a media by media frames.

16. The presentation file of claim 15 including meta data frames for providing to the user'"'"'s terminal new descriptions or business related attributes that represent on the fly replacements to previously communicated descriptions or attributes.

17. The presentation file of claim 10 including media frames for providing to the user'"'"'s terminal new behavior information intended to dynamically change a presentations behavior at the user'"'"'s terminal.

18. The presentation file of claim 10 including meta data frames for providing to the user'"'"'s terminal descriptions of spatio-temporal contexts in the presentation of media.

19. The presentation file of claim 18 including meta data frames carrying descriptions of actions that are linked to meta data frames carrying descriptions of spatio-temporal contexts for performing a described action at the user'"'"'s terminal in connection with a linked context.

20. The presentation file of claim 19 including software for performing an action on the user'"'"'s terminal in response to a pre-specified user interaction that acts as a trigger.

21. The presentation file of claim 20 including means for dynamically fetching from the network server the software for performing the action.

22. The presentation file of claim 21 wherein the software for performing the action is specified by name in a meta frame describing the action.

23. The presentation file of claim 22 wherein the action is business related, commerce related or information gathering related.

24. The presentation file of claim 21 wherein the software performing the action includes parameters and data to link the action to the context.