Combining and displaying multimedia content

• US 7,979,790 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Shahpurwala, Shabbir Abbas, Truelove, Benjamin Nicholas, Lewis, William Mountain, Chan, Chunkit, Park, Jae Pum
• Primary Examiner(s): Ries; Laurie
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, TIONNA M
• Application Number:
  US11/363,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20070204209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,960 Days
• Field of Search: 715/203, 715/234
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums

Abstract

A method and system to manage rendering of multimedia content are provided. A theme specifies a collection of layouts defining multimedia content placement. The multimedia content is processed to extract one or more characteristics. The layouts are selected and populated with multimedia content based on the one or more characteristics associated with the multimedia content. The multimedia content is rendered by transitioning through the selected layouts.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to display multimedia content, the method comprising:

receiving multimedia content comprising video and image content;

extracting characteristics from the multimedia content;

selecting a theme having a collection of layouts to organize the multimedia content based on the extracted characteristics, wherein the layouts simultaneously display video and image content;

populating the layouts with the multimedia content based on characteristics of the multimedia content; and

displaying the layouts having the multimedia content by way of camera movements and content movements, the layouts include a default display time, and the default display time for layouts having video content is equated to a play duration time associated with the video content and the camera movements to a subsequent layout is initiated when the play duration time is close to expiration.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein displaying the layouts having the multimedia content by way of camera movements further comprises, presenting the layouts in a sequence associated with the theme.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, wherein the sequence is selected based on an aspect ratio associated with the multimedia content.

4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, wherein the sequence is altered based on a count of multimedia content remaining to be displayed.

5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the sequence is altered based on a count of multimedia content remaining to be displayed.

6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein multimedia content is scaled to fit placeholders provided by the layout.

7. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein placeholders provided by the layout for the multimedia content are scaled to fit the multimedia content.

8. One or more memory devices storing a data structure that provides a graphical layout, the data structure comprising:

a collection of multimedia content; and

one or more themes to organize the multimedia content, wherein the themes further comprises,

a collection of layouts describing placement of the collection of multimedia content, wherein the layout includes placeholders that scale to fit the multimedia content and a default display time used to simultaneously display video and image content,

a cadence defining transitions between layouts in the collection based on characteristics associated with the multimedia content, wherein the cadence specifies the sequence of transitions between the layouts by camera movements and content movements, and the default display time for layouts having video content is equated to a play duration time associated with the video content and the camera movements to a subsequent layout is initiated when the play duration time is close to expiration.

9. The memory devices according to claim 8, wherein the one or more themes specify default parameters for the collection of layouts.

10. The memory devices according to claim 8, wherein the transitions are camera movements.

11. The memory devices according to claim 8, wherein the placeholders are geometric shapes.

12. The memory devices according to claim 8, wherein the layout is described in a markup language.

13. A computer to manage multimedia content, the computer comprising:

a collection having multimedia content and layouts;

a synthesizer to select layouts based on characteristics associated with the multimedia content and to generate buffers for the multimedia content, wherein the synthesizer calculates aspect ratios associated with the multimedia content and selects the layout based on the aspect ratio of the multimedia content,

a graphics-processing unit to render the multimedia content in the buffers, wherein the graphics-processing unit receives the buffers, populates the selected layout and simultaneously renders the multimedia content associated with video and images on a display component; and

a display component to display the layouts having the multimedia content by way of camera movements and content movements, the layouts include a default display time, and the default display time for layouts having video content is equated to a play duration time associated with the video content and the camera movements to a subsequent layout is initiated when the play duration time is close to expiration.

14. The computer according to claim 13, wherein the buffers are periodically updated with multimedia content.

15. The computer according to claim 14, wherein the layout includes background content related to previously rendered multimedia content.

16. The computer according to claim 15, wherein the buffers are rendered on the background content.