Automating applications in a multimedia framework

• US 8,413,110 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leung, Kai C.
• Original Assignee: Leung, Kai C.
• Inventors: Leung, Kai C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEBERT, THEODORE E
• Application Number:
  US12/150,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20080270978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 717/106
• US Class Current: 717/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

The present invention provides a multimedia software framework system that allows development of customized multimedia plug-in applications for use within the system. Users can customize fields in the data entry, database, query and report forms without any programming effort. The information is packaged in an Application plug-in module which can be transported to any personal computer or network server. The information can be integrated into a core multimedia framework with features for video capturing, image processing, video and image broadcasting, entity work space elaboration, and instant multimedia messaging. The present invention also provides Internet Service Providers with a new opportunity for hosting application servers because the system resources in the core multimedia framework server can be partitioned for different applications and user accounts without any additional programming effort.

Claims

1. A method of implementing an extensible multimedia software system for an entity, wherein the system automatically generates a customized multimedia plug-in application without entity written programming code, the method comprising:

a) installing the system onto a computer with a processor and memory storage, over a computer network from a remote server;

b) designing at least one plug-in application demographic database with a graphical user interface database layout tool, wherein the graphical user interface database layout tool allows the selection of one or more data fields to the plug-in application demographic database, further wherein the graphical user interface database layout tool allows modification of the data types contained by selected data fields, wherein the plug-in application demographic database must contain at least one data field to identify the entity;

c) in response to step b) above, the system automatically generates demographic database specific XML files for storage on the computer;

d) designing at least one plug-in application session database with the graphical user interface database layout tool, wherein the graphical user interface database layout tool allows the selection of one or more data fields to the plug-in application session database, further wherein the graphical user interface database layout tool allows modification of the data types contained by selected data fields, wherein the plug-in application session database must contain at least a first data field to identify the entity and a second data field to identify a session date and time;

e) in response to step d) above, the system automatically generates session database specific XML files for storage on the computer;

f) designing a demographic entry form with a graphical user interface form layout tool, wherein the graphical user interface database layout tool allows the selection of one or more data entry fields to the demographic entry form, further wherein the demographic entry form comprises at least one data entry field for inputting data into the data fields of the plug-in application demographic database;

g) automatically generating demographic entry form specific XML files for storage on the on the computer;

h) designing a session entry form with the graphical user interface form layout tool, wherein the graphical user interface database layout tool allows the selection of one or more data entry fields to the session entry form, further wherein the session entry form comprises at least one data entry field for inputting data into the data fields of the plug-in application session database;

i) automatically generating session entry form specific XML files for storage on the computer;

j) designing a report entry form with the graphical user interface form layout tool, wherein the graphical user interface database layout tool allows the selection of one or more data entry fields to the report entry form, further wherein the report entry form comprises at least one data field for outputting data from the data fields of the plug-in application demographic and session databases;

k) automatically generating report entry form specific XML files for storage on the computer;

l) designing a data query form with the graphical user interface form layout tool, wherein the graphical user interface database layout tool allows the selection of one or more data entry fields to the data query form, further wherein the data query form comprises at least one data entry field for inputting data into the data fields of the plug-in application demographic and session databases;

m) automatically generating data query form specific XML files for storage on the computer;

n) translating the XML demographic and session database files, the XML demographic entry, session entry, report entry, and data query form layout files into structured query language (SQL) statements;

o) transmitting the SQL statements to the remote server over the computer network for demographic and session database storage and queries;

p) installing the plug-in application onto a designated end-user computer over the network;

q) transmitting the SQL statements to the designated end-user computer and translating the SQL statements to XML files;

r) converting the XML files into viewable forms on the designated end-user computer; and

s) repeating steps g), i), n), and o) each time any new data is entered into the data entry fields of the demographic entry form and the session entry form.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inputting a data search query into the data entry field of the data query form, automatically generating updated data query form XML files, translating the updated data query form XML files into updated data query form SQL statements, transmitting the updated data query form SQL statements to the remote server, performing the data search query on the demographic and session database, locating the data in the demographic and session databases, transmitting search result SQL statements to the designated end-user computer, translating the search result SQL statements into XML result form layout files, and converting the XML result form layout files into viewable result forms on the designated end-user computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein designing a session entry form with the graphical user interface form layout tool, wherein the session entry form comprises at least one data entry field for inputting data into the data fields of the plug-in application session database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity may be selected from the group consisting of an individual, a business entity, an event, and a sales account.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote server may be a plurality of computers, each attached to the computer network, wherein each computer has a processor and storage memory.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote server may comprise an additional static database that stores entity user account information and passwords.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface form layout tool allows the selection data entry fields to include labels, text boxes, combo boxes, groups, video, images, and lines.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a new plug-in application session database is designed for each event of an entity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data entry fields of the demographic entry form allow input and storage of video and image files captured by a camera connected to the end-user computer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data entry fields of the session entry form allow input and storage of video and image files captured by a camera connected to the end-user computer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the data fields of the plug-in application demographic database receive and store video and image files transmitted from the end-user computer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the data fields of the plug-in application session database receive and store video and image files transmitted from the end-user computer.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the data entry fields of the report entry form output video and image files stored in the demographic and session databases of the remote server.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the data entry fields of the demographic entry form allow input and storage of data with voice commands.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the data entry fields of the session entry form allow input and storage of data with voice commands.