Time marker for synchronized multimedia

• US 6,654,030 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1999
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hui, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, THANH T
• Application Number:
  US09/282,577
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 345/719, 345/720, 345/721, 345/722, 345/723, 345/727, 345/728, 345/760, 345/738
• US Class Current: 715/720
• 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: G06F 16/489 using time information

Abstract

A time marker based on extensible mark-up language (XML) for a synchronized multimedia presentation. The time marker defines up to plural text-based elements that, in turn, define entry points other than the beginning of a multimedia presentation and from which the multimedia presentation may be commenced. In connection with a browser-based display of a synchronized multimedia presentation, the browser displays a navigation bar labelled with the text-based elements. Upon user-selection of a text-based element from the navigation bar, the multimedia presentation is re-started commencing at a point corresponding to the navigation entry point.

Claims

1. An XML-based time marker for multimedia elements in a synchronized multimedia presentation, comprising:

at least one label-based list elements, each list element corresponding to a navigable entry point in user interface for the synchronized multimedia presentation; and

at least one item for each list element, each item corresponding to a time offset in a multimedia element in the synchronized multimedia presentation, and each item defining an entry point into its corresponding multimedia element for its respective list element,

wherein at least one navigable entry point is other than a beginning of the synchronized multimedia presentation.

2. An XML-based time marker according to claim 1, wherein labels for the label-based list elements are comprised of text-based labels.

3. An XML-based time marker according to claim 1, wherein labels for the label-based list elements are comprised of icon-based labels.

4. An XML-based time marker according to claim 1, wherein labels for the label-based list elements are comprised of image-based labels.

5. An XML-based time marker according to claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a timeline and a user-manipulable pointer.

6. An XML-based time marker according to claim 5, wherein the timeline includes labels from each label-based list element.

7. An XML-based time marker according to claim 1, wherein the user interface is comprised of a timeline labelled with labels from each label-based list element.

8. An XML-based time marker according, to claim 1, wherein each item for each list element is playable concurrently in the synchronized multimedia presentation.

9. An XML-based time marker according to claim 1, wherein the time offset for each multimedia element is defined by a “

begin”

attribute.

10. An XML-based time marker according to claim 1, wherein the at least one item corresponds to a settable offset into its corresponding multimedia element.

11. In an XML-based browser that displays a multimedia presentation, a method for processing an XML-based time marker that includes label-based list elements each having items that define a time offset into a multimedia element of the multimedia presentation, said method comprising:

parsing the time marker so as to identify each label-based list element;

displaying a navigation user interface, with the user interface including labels corresponding to the labels in each list element;

maintaining an entry point corresponding to each time offset defined by items in each item in the time marker;

displaying the multimedia presentation; and

responsive to user selection of one of the labels in the user interface, causing the multimedia presentation to be synchronized to the entry point corresponding to the selected list element, and commencing playback of the multimedia presentation from that entry point.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein labels for the label-based list elements are comprised of text-based labels.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein labels for the label-based list elements are comprised of icon-based labels.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein labels for the label-based list elements are comprised of image-based labels.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein the user interface includes a timeline and a user-manipulable pointer.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the timeline includes labels from each label-based list element.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein the user interface is comprised of a timeline labelled with labels from each label-based list element.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein each item for each list element is playable concurrently in the synchronized multimedia presentation.

19. A method according to claim 11, wherein the time offset for each multimedia element is defined by a “

begin”

attribute.

20. A computer-readable medium storing computer executable process steps to process an XML-based time marker that includes label-based list elements each having items that define a time offset into a multimedia element of the multimedia presentation, the process steps comprising:

a parsing step to parse the time marker so as to identify each label-based list element;

a displaying step to display a navigation user interface, with the user interface including labels corresponding to the labels in each list element;

a maintaining step to maintain an entry point corresponding to each time offset defined by items in each item in the time marker;

a displaying step to display the multimedia presentation; and

a responding step to respond to user selection of one of the labels in the user interface, causing the multimedia presentation to be synchronized to the entry point corresponding to the selected list element, and commencing playback of the multimedia presentation from that entry point.

21. A computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein labels for the label-based list elements are comprised of text-based labels.

22. A computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein labels for the label-based list elements are comprised of icon-based labels.

23. A computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein labels for the label-based list elements are comprised of image-based labels.

24. A computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the user interface includes a timeline and a user-manipulable pointer.

25. A computer-readable medium according to claim 24, wherein the timeline includes labels from each label-based list element.

26. A computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the user interface is comprised of a timeline labelled with labels from each label-based list element.

27. A computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein each item for each list element is playable concurrently in the synchronized multimedia presentation.

28. A computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the time offset for each multimedia element is defined by a “

begin”

attribute.