System for managing multi-media content across multiple software applications

• US 8,627,205 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2008
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I-Fax.com Incorporated
• Original Assignee: I-Fax.com Incorporated
• Inventors: Worthington, Cristian Alfred, Chen, Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuyetlien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ayeni, Abimbola
• Application Number:
  US12/210,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20090077469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,941 Days
• Field of Search: 719313-323, 719328-329, 715/733
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A system is provided to i) Allow a computer to access multiple streams of multi-media content, such as video, audio and RSS content; ii) put a “place holder” inside software applications into which the multi-media content can be directed; and iii) direct the multi-media content to any software application running in the foreground that contains a place holder.

Claims

1. A method of managing multi-media content across a plurality of software applications running on users'"'"' computers, each user'"'"'s computer having a memory and a computer display able to provide a graphical user interface adapted to display a software application in a foreground window when said software application is selected to run in the foreground of said interface, said user'"'"'s computer being accessible to multiple streams of multi-media content and comprising a system manager, the method comprising:

i) providing in the toolbar of each said software application a place holder adapted to provide a space within the software application'"'"'s foreground window for the display of said multiple streams of multi-media content by said system manager, said place holder comprising means to output a blank bitmap having pre-defined characteristics comprising background color, width, height and location;

ii) registering said place holder for each said software application with the system manager;

iii) compiling said multiple streams of multi-media content;

iv) directing one or more of said compiled multiple streams of multi-media content to be simultaneously displayed over said placeholder within the software application'"'"'s foreground window when each said software application is running in the foreground of said interface; and

v) providing separate control of the sound volume for each simultaneously displayed stream of multi-media content;

wherein said place holder comprises a window control feature of a software application that contains instructions to register the software application with said system manager when the application is executed; and

wherein said directing step comprises;

i) the system manager maintaining a list of the software applications that are running and contain place holders;

ii) the system manager comparing the Process ID of each registered software application to the Process ID of the software application that is running in the foreground;

iii) when the system manager detects that a registered software application is running in the foreground, the system manager sends a message to the place holder in the software application that is running in the foreground indicating that the system manager is ready to display the multi-media content;

iv) the place holder in the software application that is running in the foreground receives the message;

v) the place holder in the software application that is running in the foreground sends a message to the system manager indicating the characteristics of the place holder;

vi) the system manager receives the characteristics of the place holder and adjusts the size of the multi-media content;

vii) the system manager displays the multi-media content in the space provided by the place holder.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said place holder is registered by initiating a registration protocol between the place holder and said system manager whereby said system manager is notified of any software application provided with a place holder which is running.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said registration protocol step comprises:

i) during the execution of the software application the place holder checks to see if the system manager is running;

ii) if the system manager is not already running in the background, the system manager is executed and runs in the background;

iii) during the execution of the software application, the place holder sends a message to the system manager to indicate that the application is running;

iv) the system manager responds with a message to the place holder to acknowledge receipt of the message;

v) if the place holder does not receive acknowledgment from the system manager it continues to announce that it is running by sending a message indicating it is running.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said compiling step comprises:

i) communicating with a source of multi-media content and receiving said streams of multi-media content into said computer'"'"'s memory;

ii) separating multi-media content into video or audio format; and

iii) assembling each said stream of video multi-media content into a single image file comprising;

a) video content;

b) buttons and controls; and

c) graphic features to form a media object.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said directing step comprises the further step of playing the related audio media in the background by means of a sound device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said directing step comprises the further steps of:

viii) the system manager sends a message to the place holder in the software application that is running in the foreground for post-display actions;

ix) the place holder in the software application that is running in the foreground receives the message for post-display actions; and

x) the place holder in the software application that is running in the foreground performs the post-display actions.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said post-display action is adjusting the height of a toolbar to match the actual height of the place holder.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said multi-media content is selected from the group comprising video, audio and RSS content.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon, wherein the program code, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 1.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon, wherein the program code, when executed by a computer, performs the method of claim 3.