Enhanced capture, management and distribution of live presentations

• US 7,689,898 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Echo 360 Continuing Education LLC (Echo 360, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Astute Technology LLC (Echo 360, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koehler, Torsten, Merril, Jonathan, Roy, Rita, Kandarpa, Padma
• Primary Examiner(s): RIES, LAURIE ANNE
• Application Number:
  US11/580,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20070033528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 715/273, 715/201, 715/202, 715/203, 715/204, 345/632, 345/633
• US Class Current: 715/201
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0816 by means of one or more reflecting elements
• 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 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00249 with a photographic apparatus, e.g. a photographic printer or a projector photographic apparatus per se G03B, G03D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00267 with a viewing or projecting apparatus, e.g. for reading image information from a film H04N1/00262 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/641 Multi-purpose receivers, e.g. for auxiliary information H04N9/642 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8047 using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 : using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals

Abstract

Techniques are provided for converting live presentations into electronic media and managing captured media assets for distribution. An exemplary system includes capture devices that capture media assets of live presentations comprising a session, including image data of sequentially presented visual aids accompanying the live presentations and audio data. Each capture device has an interface for real-time image data marking of the image data for identification of individual images and session marking of the image data for demarcation of individual presentations of the session. A centralized device processes the captured media assets and automatically divides the captured media assets into discrete files associated with the individual presentations based on the session markings. An administrative tool manages the processed media assets to produce modified presentations and enables modification of the visual aid images identified by the image data markings. A production device formats the modified presentations for distribution on distribution media.

Claims

1. A system for capturing and distributing presentations, comprising:

at least two capture devices configured to capture media assets of live presentations comprising a session, the media assets including

     1) image data of a plurality of sequentially presented visual aids accompanying the live presentations and

     2) audio data, wherein at least two of the visual aids are selected from the group of images consisting of slides, photographs, graphs, discrete motion picture clips, and text, and wherein each capture device includes an interface that enables real-time

     1) image data marking of the image data for identification of individual images and

     2) session marking of the image data for demarcation of individual presentations of the session;

a centralized device configured to process the captured media assets from each capture device, wherein the centralized device is configured to automatically divide the captured media assets for the session into discrete files associated with the individual presentations based on the session markings;

an administrative tool configured to manage the processed captured media assets to produce modified presentations, wherein the administrative tool enables modification of the visual aid images identified by the image data markings; and

a production device configured to format the modified presentations of at least one session for distribution on distribution media.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the centralized device includes at least one of the capture devices.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an editing interface configured to enable modification and confirmation of the markings for each presentation.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of (1) at least one capture device and (2) the administrative tool includes the editing interface.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the image data for a presentation includes visual aid images displayed during the presentation and further includes video images of a presenter of the presentation.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the centralized device is configured to apply optical character recognition to the image data of the visual aid images to enable text searching of the presentations for the session.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the centralized device is configured to apply speech recognition to the audio data to enable transcription of the spoken words during the presentations to permit text searching of the presentations for the session.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the centralized device is configured to analyze the image data to automatically generate thumbnail images for each presentation to enable navigation of the presentations.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the centralized device is configured to analyze the image data by detecting changes in sequences of visual aid images to mark the image data.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the administrative tool is configured to enable modification of parameters for detecting the changes in sequences of visual aid images.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the administrative tool enables deletion of the visual aid images identified by the image data markings to produce the modified presentations.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the administrative tool enables replacement of the visual aid images identified by the image data markings with replacement image data to produce the modified presentations.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the administrative tool is configured to produce the modified presentations by stitching together the image data and the replacement image data.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the replacement image data includes at least one of advertisements, presentation previews, information related to presentations, and information related to presenters.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the administrative tool is configured as a web-based application.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the production device is configured to format the modified presentations of at least one session for on-line media distribution.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the production device is configured to format the modified presentations of at least one session for physical media distribution.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the production device is configured to divide the formatted presentations of at least one session into logical units when the formatted presentations span multiple physical media.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the production device is configured to format the modified presentations to enable navigation of the formatted presentations on the distribution media.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the production device is configured to enable end-user selection of desired formatted presentations for distribution on the distribution media.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the production device is configured to enable incorporation of customized sponsorship information into the formatted presentations for distribution on the distribution media.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the production device is configured to enable incorporation of additional media associated with the formatted presentations for distribution on the distribution media.

24. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a certification tool configured to track credits awarded to an attendee for completing a course by attending a live presentation to prevent awarding additional credit to the attendee for completing the same course on-line or for completing the same course using hardcopy materials.

25. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a testing tool configured to enable a presenter to identify weaknesses of attendees prior to delivering a presentation.

3. The system of clam 1, wherein each capture device is configured to synchronize the captured media assets for each presentation by generating time-stamp data during capture of the media assets.

26. A method for capturing and distributing presentations, comprising:

capturing media assets of live presentations comprising a session, the media assets including

     1) image data of a plurality of sequentially presented visual aids accompanying the live presentations and

     2) audio data, wherein at least two of the visual aids are selected from the group of images consisting of slides, photographs, graphs, discrete motion picture clips, and text, and wherein the capturing includes real-time

     1) image data marking of the image data for identification of individual images and

     2) session marking of the image data for demarcation of individual presentations of the session;

processing the captured media assets for the session, wherein the processing includes automatically dividing the captured media assets for the session into discrete files associated with the individual presentations based on the session markings;

managing the processed captured media assets to produce modified presentations, wherein the managing includes modifying the visual aid images identified by the image data markings; and

formatting the modified presentations of at least one session for distribution on distribution media.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the capturing the image data comprises capturing video images of presenters of the presentations.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the capturing comprises synchronizing the captured media assets for each presentation by generating time-stamp data.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising editing the captured media assets.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the editing comprises modifying the markings for a presentation.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the editing comprises confirming the markings for each presentation.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the processing comprises applying optical character recognition to the image data of the visual aid images to enable text searching of the presentations for the session.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein the processing comprises applying speech recognition to the audio data to enable transcription of the spoken words during the presentations to permit text searching of the presentations for the session.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein the processing comprises analyzing the image data to automatically generate thumbnail images for each presentation that enable navigation of the presentations.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the analyzing comprises detecting changes in sequences of visual aid images to mark the image data.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the managing comprises modifying parameters for detecting the changes in sequences of visual aid images.

37. The method of claim 26, wherein the managing comprises deleting the visual aid images identified by the image data markings to produce the modified presentations.

38. The method of claim 26, wherein the managing comprises replacing the visual aid images identified by the image data markings with replacement image data to produce the modified presentations.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the replacing comprises stitching together the image data and the replacement image data.

40. The method of claim 26, wherein the formatting comprises formatting the modified presentations of at least one session for on-line media distribution.

41. The method of claim 26, wherein the formatting comprises formatting the modified presentations of at least one session for physical media distribution.

42. The method of claim 26, wherein the formatting comprises dividing the formatted presentations of at least one session into logical units when the formatted presentations span multiple physical media.

43. The method of claim 26, wherein the formatting comprises generating mechanisms for navigating the formatted presentations on the distribution media.

44. The method of claim 26, wherein the formatting comprises enabling a user to select desired formatted presentations for distribution on the distribution media.

45. The method of claim 26, wherein the formatting comprises incorporating customized sponsorship information into the formatted presentations for distribution on the distribution media.

46. The method of claim 26, wherein the formatting comprises incorporating additional media associated with the formatted presentations for distribution on the distribution media.

47. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

tracking credits awarded to an attendee for completing a course by attending a live presentation to prevent awarding additional credit to the attendee for completing the same course on-line or for completing the same course using hardcopy materials.

48. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

identifying weaknesses of attendees prior to delivering a presentation to customize the presentation in accordance with the identified weaknesses.

49. A distribution medium comprising a formatted presentation produced according to the method of claim 26.

50. A system for capturing and distributing presentations, comprising:

means for capturing media assets of live presentations comprising a session, the media assets including

     1) image data of a plurality of sequentially presented visual aids accompanying the live presentations and

     2) audio data, wherein at least two of the visual aids are selected from the group of images consisting of slides, photographs, graphs, discrete motion picture clips, and text;

means for real-time image data marking of the image data for identification of individual images;

means for real-time session marking of the image data for demarcation of individual presentations of the session;

means for processing the captured media assets, the processing means configured to automatically divide the captured media assets for the session into discrete files associated with the individual presentations based on the session markings;

means for managing the processed captured media assets to produce modified presentations, the managing means configured to modify the visual aid images identified by the image data markings; and

means for formatting the modified presentations of at least one session for distribution on distribution media.