System and method for manipulation and interaction of time-based mixed media formats

• US 6,839,059 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2000
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaPlatform, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Interactive Voice Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Jensen, Richard Prentiss, Sharfman, Joshua Dov Joseph, Anderson, Matthew Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US09/654,101
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 345/501, 345/502, 345/520, 345/522, 345/473, 345/474, 345/475, 707/102, 707/100, 707/101, 709/246, 709/247
• US Class Current: 345/501
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355

Abstract

A system and method for efficiently creating a multi-media presentation, as well as allowing for searching through the presentation to retrieve and display desired subject matter within the presentation. The invention provides software that allows a user to record audio clips for one or more of the screens of the presentation, in any order, and in various manners. In addition, the invention maintains a searchable text file to allow a user to find desired subject matter within the presentation, and to display the corresponding screen(s).

Claims

1. A method of processing data, comprising:

receiving plural sets of data corresponding to respective digital assets;

receiving continuous stream media data for one or more of the digital assets;

processing the sets of data to extract particular information from the data, and writing the extracted information to a data file;

compressing the continuous stream media data; and

assembling the digital assets, compressed data, and the data in the data file into an executable file;

wherein assembling the digital assets, compressed data, and the data in the data file into an executable file comprises;

creating a single output file;

copying executable code to the output file;

writing destination information to the output file to designate the destination directory of the executable file;

writing plural blocks of data to the output file, each block containing identification information and corresponding data;

writing a block containing a clean-up program to the output file if the destination information corresponds to a temporary file; and

writing auto-start file information to the output file to designate a file to be opened when the output file is executed, if an auto-start file is specified by an author.

2. The method of claim 1, further including designating one of the files to be opened when the executable file is extracted.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting timing information from the respective assets, and wherein assembling includes assembling the timing information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data comprises receiving the data from a disk.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data comprises receiving the data from an author.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data comprises receiving the data over a communication network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein compressing the data comprises compressing the data using a compression format selected by an author.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving plural sets of data comprises receiving data for insertion into respective screen slides.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving plural sets of data comprises receiving data for insertion into a spread sheet.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving plural sets of data comprises receiving plural video clips.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein processing the data comprises extracting frames from the video clips.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein processing the data comprises extracting closed captioning information from the video clips.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving continuous stream media clips comprises receiving audio clips.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein processing the data comprises extracting key words from the audio clips.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving continuous stream media clips comprises receiving video clips.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving continuous stream media clips comprises receiving clips of animation.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving continuous stream media clips comprises receiving audio and video clips.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving continuous stream media clips comprises receiving telemetry clips.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the data comprises copying text into a data file.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein copying the text comprises initially copying the text to a text object.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein writing plural blocks comprises writing the corresponding data in a compressed format.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein writing the blocks comprises writing a block start flag for each block.

23. The method of claim 1, further including receiving user input to identify the destination directory.

24. The method of claim 1, further including writing a source-identifying block to the output file to indicate the source of the file.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) providing plural templates, each having command parameters and plural tags, wherein the tags include instructions for insertion of particular data;

(b) retrieving one of the templates;

(c) processing the command parameters to determine the template identity;

(d) accessing corresponding data based on the template identity;

(e) processing one of the tags in the template to determine the data to be inserted in place of the tag;

(f) extracting a corresponding portion of the accessed data and inserting the data into the template in place of the tag; and

(g) repeating steps (e) and (f) until all of the tags in the template have been processed.

26. The method of claim 25, further including repeating steps (b) through (g) until all of the templates have been processed.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein accessing corresponding data comprises accessing data in a playlist object.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein each template includes a hierarchy of tags.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein accessing corresponding data comprises accessing data relating to a multi-media presentation.

30. The method of claim 1, further including:

providing the executable file including executable code and a plurality of blocks of data;

running the executable code to identify one of the blocks;

processing identification information contained in the block to determine the contents of the block;

reading data in the block and creating a corresponding directory if the block is a destination directory block;

decompressing the data in the block and writing the decompressed data to an appropriate directory if the block is a compressed file block;

writing the data in the block to a temporary directory if the block contains a clean-up program; and

saving the information in the block if the information contains auto-start path information.

31. The method of claim 1, further including:

unpackaging the executable file;

beginning the display of data at a preselected position;

determining the current position of the display;

comparing the determined position with a set of event data for the respective digital assets;

displaying one of the digital assets based on the comparison of the position with the event data;

calculating a timeout based on the determined position and the event data;

setting a clock to fire upon reaching the timeout;

initiating a polling process when the clock fires to determine the position of the display;

displaying a different digital asset based on a comparison of the determined position with the event data; and

calculating a new timeout and resetting the clock to fire upon reaching the new timeout.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein comparing the determined position with the event data comprises comparing the determined position with the event data related to a slide.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein comparing the determined position with event data comprises comparing the determined position with event data related to text data.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein determining the current position comprises determining the position within a continuous stream media file.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving the assets comprises receiving the assets over a communication network.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising collecting timing information from the respective assets, and wherein assembling includes assembling the timing information.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein compressing the single file comprises compressing the single file using a compression format selected by an author of the presentation.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving plural digital assets comprises receiving plural screen slides.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein processing the assets comprises copying text from the screen slides.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein copying the text comprises initially copying the text to a text object.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein storing the respective assets comprises storing the screen slides in a graphical file format.

42. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving plural digital assets comprises receiving spread sheet data.

43. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving plural digital assets comprises receiving plural video clips.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein processing the assets comprises extracting frames from the video clips.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein processing the assets comprises extracting closed captioning information from the video clips.

46. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving continuous stream media clips comprises receiving audio clips.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein processing the assets comprises extracting key words from the audio clips.

48. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving continuous stream media clips comprises receiving video clips.

49. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving continuous stream media clips comprises receiving clips of animation.

50. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving continuous stream media clips comprises receiving audio and video clips.

51. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving continuous stream media clips comprises receiving telemetry clips.

52. A method of processing data, comprising:

providing plural templates, each having command parameters and plural tags, wherein the tags include instructions for insertion of particular data;

retrieving one of the templates;

processing the command parameters to determine the template identity;

accessing corresponding data based on the template identity;

processing one of the tags in the template to determine the data to be inserted in place of the tag;

extracting a corresponding portion of the accessed data and inserting the data into the template in place of the tag;

repeating said processing one of the tags step and said extracting step until the tags in the template have been processed in order to create a presentation;

receiving plural sets of data corresponding to respective digital assets related to the presentation;

receiving continuous stream media data for one or more of the digital assets;

processing the sets of data to extract particular information from the data, and writing the extracted information to a data file;

compressing the continuous stream media data; and

assembling the digital assets, compressed data, and the data in the data file into an executable file.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein accessing corresponding data comprises accessing data in a playlist object.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein each template includes a hierarchy of tags.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein accessing corresponding data comprises accessing data relating to a multi-media presentation.

56. A method of processing data, comprising:

receiving plural sets of data corresponding to respective digital assets;

receiving continuous stream media data for one or more of the digital assets;

processing the sets of data to extract particular information from the data, and writing the extracted information to a data file;

compressing the continuous stream media data; and

assembling the digital assets, compressed data, and the data in the data file into an executable file;

providing the executable file including executable code and a plurality of blocks of data;

running the executable code to identify one of the blocks;

processing identification information contained in the block to determine the contents of the block;

reading data in the block and creating a corresponding directory if the block is a destination directory block;

decompressing the data in the block and writing the decompressed data to an appropriate directory if the block is a compressed file block;

writing the data in the block to a temporary directory if the block contains a clean-up program; and

saving the information in the block if the information contains auto-start path information.

57. A method of processing data, comprising:

receiving plural sets of data corresponding to respective digital assets;

receiving continuous stream media data for one or more of the digital assets;

processing the sets of data to extract particular information from the data, and writing the extracted information to a data file;

compressing the continuous stream media data; and

assembling the digital assets, compressed data, and the data in the data file into an executable file;

unpackaging the executable file;

beginning the display of data at a pre-selected position;

determining the current position of the display;

comparing the determined position with a set of event data for the respective digital assets;

displaying one of the digital assets based on the comparison of the position with the event data;

calculating a timeout based on the determined position and the event data;

setting a clock to fire upon reaching the timeout;

initiating a polling process when the clock fires to determine the position of the display;

displaying a different digital asset based on a comparison of the determined position with the event data; and

calculating a new timeout and resetting the clock to fire upon reaching the new timeout.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein comparing the determined position with the event data comprises comparing the determined position with the event data related to a slide.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein comparing the determined position with the event data comprises comparing the determined position with event data related to text data.

60. The method of claim 57, wherein determining the current position comprises determining the position within a continuous stream media file.