System and method for assembling discrete data files into an executable file and for processing the executable file

• US 6,922,702 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2000
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MediaPlatform, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Interactive Voice Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Jensen, Richard Prentiss, Sharfman, Joshua Dov Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Debbie M.
• Application Number:
  US09/654,102
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/101, 707/104.1, 707205-206, 715/522, 715/526, 717/106, 717/107, 717/115
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

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 for processing a plurality of files to create a single, executable file, for use in providing a presentation to a user, comprising:

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;

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;

wherein the plural blocks of data include presentation slides for use in displaying the presentation to the user;

wherein the plural blocks of data include first multimedia data that is associated with a first slide of the presentation;

wherein the plural blocks of data contain second multimedia data that is associated with a second slide of the presentation;

wherein the first multimedia data is to be presented to the user based upon presentation of the first slide to the user;

wherein the second multimedia data is to be presented to the user based upon presentation of the second slide to the user.

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

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

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

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

6. The method of claim 1, further including:

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 the 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.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the plural blocks of data comprise multimedia digital assets for use in being displayed during the presentation, further including:

beginning a display of data at a preselected position;

determining a 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.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein reading the data further comprises determining whether the data corresponds to a temporary directory, and creating an entry to execute the clean-up program if the data corresponds to a temporary directory,

wherein the clean-up program is operative to delete a file contained in a temporary file.

9. The method of claim 6, further including determining whether the clean-up program is needed, and writing the clean-up program to the temporary directory only if it is needed.

10. The method of claim 6, further including determining, after the blocks have been written to the appropriate destinations, if an auto-start file is specified, and opening the auto-start file if it is specified.

11. The method of claim 6, further including processing a source-identifying block to verify the source of the executable file.

12. A method of unpackaging and launching an executable file, for use in providing a presentation to a user, comprising:

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 the 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

wherein the plural blocks of data include presentation slides for use in displaying the presentation to the user;

wherein the plural blocks of data include first multimedia data that is associated with a first slide of the presentation;

wherein the plural blocks of data contain second multimedia data that is associated with a second slide of the presentation;

wherein the first multimedia data is to be presented to the user based upon presentation of the first slide to the user;

wherein the second multimedia data is to be presented to the user based upon presentation of the second slide to the user;

wherein the data in the block is written to a temporary directory if the block contains a clean-up program.

13. The method of claim 12, further including

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

wherein reading the data further comprises determining whether the data corresponds to a temporary directory, and creating an entry to execute the clean-up program if the data corresponds to a temporary directory.

14. The method of claim 13, further including determining whether the clean-up program is needed, and writing the clean-up program to the temporary directory only if it is needed.

15. The method of claim 14, further including determining, after the blocks have been written to the appropriate destinations, if an autostart file is specified, and opening the auto-start file if it is specified.

16. The method of claim 12, further including processing a source-identifying block to verify the source of the executable file.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the executable file was provided to a host web site, wherein the host web site streams the decompressed data to the user.

18. The method of claim 12, further including 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.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the first multimedia data is audio data to be played to the user based upon presentation of the first slide to the user;

wherein the second multimedia data is audio data to be played to the user based upon presentation of the second slide to the user.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the first multimedia data is video data to be played to the user based upon presentation of the first slide to the user;

wherein the second multimedia data is video data to be played to the user based upon presentation of the second slide to the user.

21. A method for processing a plurality of files to create a single, executable file, for use in providing a presentation to a user, comprising:

creating a single 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;

wherein the plural blocks of data include presentation display data for use in displaying the presentation to the user;

wherein the plural blocks of data include first multimedia data that is associated with first display data of the presentation;

wherein the plural blocks of data contain second multimedia data that is associated with second display data of the presentation;

wherein the first multimedia data is presented to the user based upon presentation of the first display data to the user;

wherein the second multimedia data is presented to the user based upon presentation of the second display data to the user.

22. The method of claim 21, further including copying executable code to the output file.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first multimedia data is audio data to be played to the user based upon presentation of the first display data to the user;

wherein the second multimedia data is audio data to be played to the user based upon presentation of the second display data to the user.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first multimedia data is video data to be played to the user based upon presentation of the first display data to the user;

wherein the second multimedia data is video data to be played to the user based upon presentation of the second display data to the user.

25. The method of claim 21, further including 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, wherein the first display data includes a presentation slide, wherein the second display data includes a presentation slide.