Collaborative remote operation of computer programs

• US 7,334,026 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2004
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hall, Steven, Samra, Sukendeep, van den Bergen, Mark A., Dyson, Stephen, Peterson, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter; Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US10/807,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20040179025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 709220-222, 709/227, 709/228, 717/121
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems

Abstract

A system providing a user interface to annotate different items in a media production system such as in a digital non-linear post production system. Parts of the production, such as clips, frames and layers, that have an associated annotation are provided with a visual annotation marker. The annotation marker can use shape, color or animation to convey source, urgency, status or other information. Annotations can be text, freehand drawing, audio, or other. Annotations can be automatically generated. Annotations can be compiled into records, searched and transferred. A state of an application program can be stored and transferred to a remote system. The remote system attempts to recreate the original state of the application program. If the remote system is unable to do so, an image of the state of the application program is obtained, instead. Assignment of control to various functions of an application program is achieved by associating a function (i.e., modifying a parameter) with a user control at a remote location.

Claims

1. A method for conveying the state of an application program to a remote location, wherein the application is operating in an application program environment, the method comprising

capturing the current state of operation of the application program;

saving one or more settings of a current state of the application program; and

transferring the saved settings to a remote location and information for the current state of operation, wherein if the remote location cannot recreate the state of the application program, the remote location uses the information for the current state of operation to display the information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

wherein the information for the current state of operation comprises an image of a screen display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information for the current state of operation allows the remote location to display the information without having the application program present on the remote location.

4. A method for recreating the state of an application program at a process executing at a location remote from the application program, wherein recorded application parameters include settings for recreating the state of the application program, wherein the application program is operating in an application program environment, the method comprising

receiving, over a digital network, one or more of the recorded application parameters;

executing another instance of the application program at the location remote from the application program; and

using the instance and the one or more of the recorded application parameters to recreate the state of the application program at the location remote from the application program;

determining that the instance cannot be used to recreate the state of the application program at the location remote from the application program; and

in response to the step of determining, displaying information that shows the state of the application program.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the information that shows the state of the application program is stored on a network.

6. the method of claim 5, wherein the step of determining includes a substep of

determining that a needed application program is not present at the location remote from the application program, wherein the information that shows the state of the application program is still displayable without the needed application program being present at the location remote from the application program.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein a recorded parameter file is used.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the recorded parameter file includes image information.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the recorded parameter file includes setting information.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the recorded parameter file is transferred over a network.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the information comprises a screen image from the state of the application program.

12. An apparatus for conveying the state of an application program to a remote location, wherein the application is operating in an application program environment, the apparatus comprising

a process for capturing the current state of operation of the application program;

a process for saving one or more settings of an executing application program; and

a process for transferring the saved settings to a remote location and information for the current state of operation, wherein if the remote location cannot recreate the state of the application program, the remote location uses the information for the current state of operation to display the information.

13. A computer-readable storage medium including instructions for conveying the state of an application program to a remote location, wherein the application is operating in an application program environment, the computer-readable storage medium comprising

one or more instructions for capturing the current state of operation of the application program;

one or more instructions for saving one or more settings of an executing application program; and

one or more instructions for transferring the saved settings to a remote location and information for the current state of operation, wherein if the remote location cannot recreate the state of the application program, the remote location uses the information for the current state of operation to display the information.