Method and apparatus for creating, editing, and displaying works containing presentation metric components utilizing temporal relationships and structural tracks

• US 6,544,294 B1
• Filed: 05/27/1999
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Screenplay Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Write Brothers, Inc.
• Inventors: McNally, Michael, Huntley, Chris, Greenfield, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bashore, William L.
• Application Number:
  US09/323,166
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 707/526, 707/101, 707/104.1, 707/500.1, 717/1, 345/340, 345/473, 345/348, 345/328, 345/302, 463/1, 386/52
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/328 Management therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/35 Clustering; Classification
• 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: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

The invention comprises a computer-based system for creating, editing, and displaying works such as, for example, books, screenplays, speeches, or multimedia works, that include textual components that have a presentation metric associated with them. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the presentation metric is the time that passes when the component is delivered to the intended audience. In one or more embodiments, the components of a work are referred to as “events.” The invention creates graphical representations of events that visually display the presentation metric of the events and the temporal relationships between events. Events may be subsets of other events. In one or more embodiments, a hierarchy of events is displayed upon parallel levels, each of which represents a different level in the hierarchy. In this embodiment, changes to the presentation metrics of events at one level in the hierarchy are appropriately reflected in the presentation metrics of events in other levels of the hierarchy. One or more embodiments of the invention allow associations between events and certain user selected characteristics, features, resources, concepts or other items or things (collectively referred to as “structures”) to be displayed. In one or more embodiments, “structural tracks” are displayed, each of which represents one or more of such structures. These structural tracks are displayed parallel to the event presentation metric lines. Links identify events that have a relationship to the structure represented by the structural track.

Claims

1. A method for electronically displaying a work having a first associated presentation metric, said work comprising a plurality of dynamically editable components, said method comprising the steps of:

generating said plurality of dynamically editable components;

determining a hierarchy among said dynamically editable components;

determining a second associated presentation metric for a dynamically editable component of said work;

dynamically creating a graphical representation of said dynamically editable component having a dimension related to said second associated presentation metric; and

dynamically registering said graphical representation of said dynamically editable component along a time line representing said first associated presentation metric of said work wherein said step of dynamically registering comprises;

grouping said dynamically editable component with a second dynamically editable component wherein said dynamically editable component and said second dynamically editable component have a same level attribute in said hierarchy, wherein said dynamically editable component and said second dynamically editable component are one of an act, a scene or a chapter, and wherein said work is one of a script, a screenplay, play or a book.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first presentation metric comprises a total time of said work.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said second presentation metric comprises a time of said component of said work.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said second presentation metric comprises an elapsed time of said work.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said second presentation metric comprises a reading time of said work.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said second presentation metric comprises elapsed pages of said work.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein said second presentation metric comprises a proportion of story completed of said work.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein said second presentation metric comprises a component position.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said first presentation metric comprises an elapsed time of said work.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said first presentation metric comprises a reading time of said work.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said first presentation metric comprises elapsed pages of said work.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said first presentation metric comprises a proportion of story completed of said work.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said first presentation metric comprises a component position.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein a change in one of said first and second presentation metric is reflected in the other of said first and second presentation metric.

15. A method of electronically displaying a work containing dynamically editable textual components comprising:

generating said dynamically editable textual components;

determining a hierarchy among said dynamically editable components;

dynamically generating and displaying a first time dimensioned graphical representation associated with a presentation time of said work;

generating and displaying a second time dimensioned graphical representation associated with a dynamically editable component of said work, where said dynamically editable component is a subset of said work and has a component presentation time; and

dynamically displaying said first and second time dimensioned graphical representations such that a ratio of size of said second time dimensioned graphical representation to said first time dimensioned graphical representation is equivalent to a ratio of said component presentation time to said presentation time wherein said step of dynamically displaying said first and second time dimensioned graphical representations comprises;

grouping said second time dimensioned graphical representation with a third time dimensioned graphical representation wherein said third time dimensioned graphical representation is associated with a second dynamically editable component and wherein said dynamically editable component and said second dynamically editable component have a same level attribute in said hierarchy, wherein said dynamically editable component and said second dynamically editable component are one of an act, a scene or a chapter, and wherein said work is one of a script, a screenplay, play or a book.

16. The method of claim 15 further including automatically adjusting the size of said second time dimensioned graphical representation when said work is modified and correspondingly adjusting the size of said first time dimensioned graphical representation so that said ratio is maintained.

17. The method of claim 15 further including the step of automatically adjusting said second time dimensioned graphical representation when another graphical representation is added to said work.

18. The method of claim 15 further including navigating to said component of said work by interacting with second time dimensioned graphical representation.