Authoring system for computer-based information delivery system

• US 6,658,418 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2002
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Datamize LLC
• Original Assignee: Datamize LLC
• Inventors: Burns, Kevin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Application Number:
  US10/157,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20030103078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/508, 707/100-104, 345/333-335, 345/501, 345/739, 345/709, 345/826, 345/745, 345/650, 345/657, 345/676, 715/508, 705/27
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A multimedia kiosk authoring system for use in developing and maintaining user interface screens for multimedia kiosk systems. The authoring system enables the user interface for each individual kiosk to be customized quickly and easily within wide limits of variation, yet subject to constraints adhering the resulting interface to good standards of aesthetics and user friendliness. The system may be used to provide custom interfaces expeditiously even for hundreds of kiosks presenting information from numerous independent information sources. The authoring system uses the methods of object oriented programming to define specialized object classes for instantiation on individual kiosk interface screens subject to pre-defined limitations on variability. Links are provided to an appropriate database for multimedia presentations on an interface screen of content bearing information from the information providers.

Claims

1. A method for providing customized assortment of information content from a plurality of information providers for display in one or more customized interface screens in a plurality of computers, comprising:

enabling selection of a customized assortment of information content from information content from said plurality of information providers;

enabling selection of at least one interface screen element from a plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements for inclusion in said customized interface screens,

said screen elements having on-screen characteristics subject to pre-defined constraints providing a generally uniform look and feel with other interface screens of said plurality of computers; and

associating a selection of a customized assortment of information content for a first computer of said plurality and a selection of at least one screen element for said first computer for display on said first computer in said one or more customized interface screens.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes at least one of a window object, a button object, a text object, a video object, an animation object, an image object, or a hotspot.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said pre-defined interface screen elements provides for variation in one or more of the on-screen characteristics thereof in conformity with said pre-defined constraints and said method further comprises:

enabling selection of said one or more on-screen characteristics.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the one or more variable on-screen characteristics include at least one of a location, a size, a style of a control, a foreground color, a background color, a border style, or a font type.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein selection of said customized assortment of information content and selection of said at least one interface screen element are enabled to be performed at said first computer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein selection of said customized assortment of information content and selection of said at least one interface screen element are enabled to be performed at a different computer from said first computer.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said information content from said information providers is referenced from a data structure.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said data structure comprises a plurality of related tables.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling selection of an association of at least a portion of said customized information content with at least one of the selected interface screen elements.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements and said information content from said plurality of information providers are provided by a server.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein selection of said customized assortment of information content and selection of said at least one interface screen element are enabled to be performed at said first computer.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein selection of said customized assortment of information content and selection of said at least one interface screen element are enabled to be performed at a different computer from said first computer.

47. The method of claim 1 wherein said selection of a customized assortment of information content and said selection of said at least one interface screen element are enabled to be performed over a global computer network.

48. The method of claim 1 wherein the association of said selection of a customized assortment of information content and said selection of at least one screen element is maintained on said first computer.

49. The method of claim 1 wherein the association of said selection of a customized assortment of information content and said selection of at least one screen element is maintained on a different computer from said first computer.

50. The method of claim 1 wherein the association of said selection of a customized assortment of information content and said selection of at least one screen element is maintained in a data structure.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein said data structure comprises a plurality of related tables.

52. The method of claim 50 wherein said selection of said one or more on-screen characteristics is maintained in said data structure.

53. The method of claim 3 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes a window object, said method further comprising:

enabling selection of a background color as an on-screen characteristic of said window object.

54. The method of claim 7 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements are referenced from said data structure.

55. The method of claim 54 wherein said data structure comprises a plurality of related tables.

56. The method of claim 9 wherein said association of said selection of a customized assortment of information content and said selection of at least one screen element is maintained in a data structure.

57. The method of claim 6 wherein said selection of said one or more on-screen characteristics is maintained in said data structure.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein said data structure comprises a plurality of related tables.

59. The method of claim 10 wherein the association of said selection of a customized assortment of information content and said selection of at least one screen element is maintained on said server.

60. The method of claim 10 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements and said information content from said plurality of information providers are provided by said server over a global computer network.

13. A method for providing customized assortment of information content from a plurality of information providers for display in one or more customized interface screens in a plurality of computers, comprising:

selecting a customized assortment of information content for a first computer of said plurality from information content from said plurality of information providers; and

selecting at least one interface screen element for said first computer from a plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements for inclusion in said customized interface screens,

said screen elements having on-screen characteristics subject to pre-defined constraints providing a generally uniform look and feel with other customized interface screens of said plurality of computers.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes at least one of a window object, a button object, a text object, a video object, an animation object, an image object, or a hotspot.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the selection of said customized assortment of information content and the selection of said at least one interface screen element are performed at said first computer.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the selection of said customized assortment of information content and the selection of said at least one interface screen element are performed at a different computer from said first computer.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising selecting a plurality of interface screen elements for said first computer.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the selection of said customized assortment of information content and the selection of said plurality of interface screen elements are performed at said first computer.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the selection of said customized assortment of information content and the selection of said plurality of interface screen elements are performed at a different computer from said first computer.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein said customized assortment of information content is selected from information content provided by a server and wherein said at least one interface screen element is selected from said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements provided by said server.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the selection of said customized assortment of information content and the selection of said at least one interface screen element are performed at said first computer.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the selection of said customized assortment of information content and the selection of said at least one interface screen element are performed at a different computer from said first computer.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the selection of said customized assortment of information content and the selection of said at least one interface screen element are performed at said server.

61. The method of claim 13 wherein said selection of a customized assortment of information content and said selection of said at least one interface screen element are enabled to be performed over a global computer network.

62. The method of claim 20 wherein the selected customized assortment of information content and the selected at least one interface screen element are provided by said server over a global computer network.

24. A computer program storage medium readable by a computing system and encoding a computer program for executing a computer process for providing customized assortment of information content from a plurality of information providers for display in one or more customized interface screens in a plurality of computers, comprising:

enabling selection of a customized assortment of information content from information content from said plurality of information providers;

enabling selection of at least one interface screen element from a plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements for inclusion in said customized interface screens,

said screen elements having on-screen characteristics subject to pre-defined constraints providing a generally uniform look and feel with other interface screens of said plurality of computers; and

associating a selection of a customized assortment of information content for a first computer of said plurality and a selection of at least one screen element for said first computer for display on said first computer in said customized interface screens.

25. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes at least one of a window object, a button object, a text object, a video object, an animation object, an image object, or a hotspot.

26. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein at least one of said pre-defined interface screen elements provides for variation in one or more of the on-screen characteristics thereof in conformity with said pre-defined constraints and said computer process further comprises:

enabling selection of said one or more on-screen characteristics.

27. The computer program storage medium of claim 26 wherein the one or more variable on-screen characteristics include at least one of a location, a size, a style of a control, a foreground color, a background color, a border style, or a font type.

28. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein selection of said customized assortment of information content and selection of said at least one interface screen element are enabled to be performed at said first computer.

29. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein selection of said customized assortment of information content and selection of said at least one interface screen element are enabled to be performed at a different computer from said first computer.

30. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein said information content from said information providers is referenced from a data structure.

31. The computer program storage medium of claim 30 wherein said data structure comprises a plurality of related tables.

32. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein said computer process further comprises enabling selection of an association of at least a portion of said customized information content with at least one of the selected interface screen elements.

33. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements and said information content from said plurality of information providers are provided by a server.

34. The computer program storage medium of claim 33 wherein selection of said customized assortment of information content and selection of said at least one interface screen element are enabled to be performed at said first computer.

35. The computer program storage medium of claim 33 wherein selection of said customized assortment of information content and selection of said at least one interface screen element are enabled to be performed at a different computer from said first computer.

63. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes a window object.

64. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes at least one of a button object.

65. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes a text object.

66. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes a video object.

67. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes an animation object.

68. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes an image object.

69. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes a hotspot.

70. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein the association of said selection of a customized assortment of information content and said selection of at least one screen element is maintained on said first computer.

71. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein the association of said selection of a customized assortment of information content and said selection of at least one screen element is maintained on a different computer from said first computer.

72. The computer program storage medium of claim 24 wherein said association of said selection of a customized assortment of information content and said selection of at least one screen element is maintained in a data structure.

73. The computer program storage medium of claim 72 wherein said data structure comprises a plurality of related tables.

74. The computer program storage medium of claim 26 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes a window object and said computer process further comprises:

enabling selection of a background color as an on-screen characteristic of said window object.

75. The computer program storage medium of claim 30 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements are referenced from said data structure.

76. The computer program storage medium of claim 75 wherein said data structure comprises a plurality of related tables.

77. The computer program storage medium of claim 32 wherein said association of said selection of a customized assortment of information content and said selection of at least one screen element is maintained in a data structure.

78. The computer program storage medium of claim 77 wherein said selection of said one or more on-screen characteristics is maintained in said data structure.

79. The computer program storage medium of claim 78 wherein said data structure comprises a plurality of related tables.

36. A computer program storage medium readable by a computing system and encoding a computer program for executing a computer process for providing customized assortment of information content from a plurality of information providers for display in one or more customized interface screens in a plurality of computers, the computer process comprising:

enabling selection of said a customized assortment of information content for a first computer of said plurality from information content from said plurality of information providers; and

enabling selection of at least one interface screen element for said first computer from a plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements for inclusion in said customized interface screens,

said screen elements having on-screen characteristics subject to pre-defined constraints providing a generally uniform look and feel with other customized interface screens of said plurality of computers.

37. The computer program storage medium of claim 36 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes at least one of a window object, a button object, a text object, a video object, an animation object, an image object, or a hotspot.

38. The computer program storage medium of claim 36 wherein the selection of said customized assortment of information content and the selection of said at least one interface screen element are enabled to be performed at said first computer.

39. The computer program storage medium of claim 36 wherein the selection of said customized assortment of information content and the selection of said at least one interface screen element are enabled to be performed at a different computer from said first computer.

40. The computer program storage medium of claim 36, said computer process further comprising enabling selection of a plurality of interface screen elements for said first computer.

41. The computer program storage medium of claim 40 wherein the selection of said customized assortment of information content and the selection of said plurality of interface screen elements are enabled to be performed at said first computer.

42. The computer program storage medium of claim 40 wherein the selection of said customized assortment of information content and the selection of said plurality of interface screen elements are enabled to be performed at a different computer from said first computer.

43. The computer program storage medium of claim 36 wherein said customized assortment of information content is enabled to be selected from information content provided by a server and wherein said at least one interface screen element is enabled to be selected from said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements provided by said server.

44. The computer program storage medium of claim 43 wherein the selection of said customized assortment of information content and the selection of said at least one interface screen element are enabled to be performed at said first computer.

45. The computer program storage medium of claim 43 wherein the selection of said customized assortment of information content and the selection of said at least one interface screen element are enabled to be performed at a different computer from said first computer.

46. The computer program storage medium of claim 43 wherein the selection of said customized assortment of information content and the selection of said at least one interface screen element are enabled to be performed at said server.

80. The computer program storage medium of claim 36 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes a window object.

81. The computer program storage medium of claim 36 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes at least one of a button object.

82. The computer program storage medium of claim 36 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes a text object.

83. The computer program storage medium of claim 36 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes a video object.

84. The computer program storage medium of claim 36 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes an animation object.

85. The computer program storage medium of claim 36 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes an image object.

86. The computer program storage medium of claim 36 wherein said plurality of pre-defined interface screen elements includes a hotspot.