Multi-feature media article and method for manufacture of same

• US 8,064,753 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2003
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hot Java Productions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hot Java Productions, Inc.
• Inventors: Freeman, Alan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/379,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20040175095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,184 Days
• Field of Search: 386/95, 386/96, 386/97, 386/98, 386/125, 386/126, 704/270, 463/1, 434/307.R, 345/173, 707/517
• US Class Current: 386/338
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2541 Blu-ray discs; Blue laser DVR discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8233 the additional signal being a character code signal

Abstract

A media member, such as a DVD disc, which includes thereon a combination of visually presented text material, such as a conventional book, an audio narration of the text material which is synchronized with the text material, and a plurality of successively presented visual images which portray various selected scenes described in the text material.

Claims

1. A media article, comprising:

a non-transitory media member capable of providing a combined visual and audio activity to a user, the media member being executable and displayable by a separate playback display device, wherein the media member is separable as a unit from the playback display device, wherein the separate playback display device directly and automatically reads and executes the media member, automatically presenting to the user at the separate playback display device, without the use of a microprocessor, the following material pre-synchronized on the media member ;

visual text material comprising a book or instructional work;

an audio narration identical to the text material; and

a plurality of successive non-text visual images, wherein the text material is inserted below or superimposed on the non-text visual images and then combined with the audio narration to produce a combined pre-synchronized work on the media member, wherein the text material, audio narration and non-text images are not separate files on the media member but are combined in the pre-synchronized work during manufacture of the media member, wherein the combined work is executed directly by the playback display device, showing to the user synchronized text material, non-text visual images and audio narration, without using a microprocessor to obtain the text material, audio narration and non-text images from separate files on the media member and then synchronizing them for display to the user, wherein the visual text material, the audio narration and the non-text visual images comprise the media member in such a manner that it is unitary, self-contained, non-interactive and unchangeable in content, wherein the relationship between the text material, the non-text visual images and the audio narration is pre-established for the entire media member and cannot be changed by the user during execution of the media member and display of the combined work to the user, and wherein a microprocessor is not required in the playback display device to execute the media member.

2. An article of claim 1, wherein the text material comprises at least 50,000 words.

3. An article of claim 1, wherein the book is a fiction work.

4. An article of claim 1, wherein the book is a non-fiction work.

5. An article of claim 1, further including sound effects which are also related to the text material.

6. An article of claim 1, wherein the visual images directly portray particular scenes described in the text material.

7. An article of claim 1, including at least 1,000 separate visual images.

8. An article of claim 1, wherein the visual images include illustrations.

9. An article of claim 1, wherein the visual images include photographs.

10. An article of claim 1, wherein the visual images include video sequences.

11. An article of claim 1, wherein the audio narration is done with a single narrator.

12. An article of claim 1, wherein the audio narration is done by more than one narrator.

13. An article of claim 1, wherein the media member is a DVD disc.

14. A method of manufacturing a media article, comprising the steps of:

producing a non-transitory media member which is insertable into and removable as a unit from a separate playback display device;

producing on the media member visual text material comprising a book or instructional work, an audio narration identical to the text material synchronized with the text material as the text material is presented to the user during execution of the media member by the separate playback display device, and a plurality of successively presented non-text visual images combined with and pre-synchronized with the text material, wherein the text material is inserted below or superimposed on the non-text visual images and then combined with the audio narration to produce a combined, pre-synchronized work on the media member, wherein the text material, audio narration and non-text images are not separate files on the media member but are combined in the pre-synchronized work during manufacture thereof, so that the display device can directly read and present the pre-synchronized text, audio narration and non-text visual images to a user, without using a microprocessor to obtain the text material, audio narration and non-text visual images from separate files on the media member and then synchronizing them for display to the user, wherein the steps of producing the visually presented text material, audio narration and non-text visual images are carried out in such a manner that the resulting text material, audio narration and non-text visual images are recorded in a pre-synchronized manner on the media member and comprise the entire media member such that it is unitary, self-contained and such that it cannot be modified, altered or interacted with by a user during execution of the media member and display of the combined work to the user, and further such that the media article does not require a microprocessor at the display device to execute the media member.

15. A method of claim 14, wherein the book is a fiction work.

16. A method of claim 14, wherein the book is a non-fiction work.

17. A method of claim 14, further including sound effects which are also related to the text material.

18. A method of claim 14, wherein the visual images directly portray particular scenes described in the text material.

19. A method of claim 14, including at least 1,000 separate visual images.

20. A method of claim 14, wherein the visual images include illustrations.

21. A method of claim 14, wherein the visual images include photographs.

22. A method of claim 14, wherein the visual images include video sequences.

23. A method of claim 14, wherein the media member is a DVD disc.