Method, system and user interface for creating and displaying of presentations

• US 8,850,320 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2011
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert C. Taylor
• Original Assignee: Robert C. Taylor
• Inventors: Taylor, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Matt
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lu, Hua
• Application Number:
  US13/159,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20120023407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• US Class Current: 715/730
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method and system for creating at least one presentation, comprising: at least one computer; at least one application operable on the at least one computer, the at least one application configured for: receiving a plurality of assets; and allowing at least one user to define the at least one presentation over the time that the at least one presentation is to be displayed, using at least two assets to be simultaneously presented for at least one selected point in time.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for interactive delivery by a processor of a pre-stored electronic presentation of a predetermined duration, the electronic presentation represented by at least one content asset to user computers associated with a plurality of users, the user computers each including an information display, the user computers coupled to the processor by a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a playback request, at the processor, from a first user computer, to play the electronic presentation in an automatic mode at the information display of the first user computer;

at a selected point in time during the predetermined duration of the playback of the electronic presentation, receiving, at the processor, a widget selection command from the first user computer to select a first interactive widget asset of a plurality of interactive widget assets, each of the interactive widget assets providing a computer-executable function for modifying a context of the electronic presentation;

in response to receiving the widget selection command;

suspending the automatic mode;

entering a manual mode in the playback of the electronic presentation; and

executing the function of the first interactive widget asset;

receiving a collaboration request while in the manual mode, at the processor, from the first user computer, to enter a collaboration mode with a second user computer, the second user computer displaying content other than information associated with the selected point in time of the playback of the electronic presentation, the collaboration mode comprising;

synchronously displaying information associated with the selected point in time of the playback of the electronic presentation as displayed on the information display of the first user computer on an information display of the second user computer;

receiving a request from the second user computer to execute the function of the first widget asset; and

in response to receiving the request from the second user computer, synchronously executing the function of the first interactive widget asset on the first user computer and the second user computer;

in response to an end collaboration request, at the processor, from the first user computer to end the collaboration with the second user computer, terminating the collaboration mode, said terminating including terminating the synchronously displaying of the electronic presentation and terminating the function of the interactive widget asset with respect to the second user computer; and

in response to a request from the first user computer, at the processor, to revert to the automatic mode;

terminating, by the processor, the manual mode, said terminating of the manual mode including terminating the function of the first interactive widget asset with respect to the first user computer; and

resuming, by the processor, the play of the electronic presentation in the automatic mode at the selected point in time.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving, at the processor, a second widget selection command from the first user computer to select a second interactive widget asset of the plurality of interactive widget assets, the function of the selected second widget to be executed contemporaneously with the first widget.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the collaboration mode further comprises the step of receiving, at the processor, an execution request from the first user computer to execute the function of the first interactive widget asset; and

synchronously executing the function of the first interactive widget asset on the first user computer and the second user computer.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of interactive widget assets comprise one or more of the widgets selected from the group consisting of:

a text chat widget, an audio/video chat widget, a browser widget, a discussion widget, an audio/video editing widget, a document editing widget, a slide show editing/viewing widget, a diagram editing/viewing widget, a polling widget, a survey widget, an assessment widget, a spreadsheet widget, a user list widget, and a calculator widget.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein one or more of the interactive widget assets comprise at least one user-selectable property.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the first interactive widget asset is a video chat widget comprising at least one user-selectable property including a record property, the record property configured to record the audio/video input of the first user.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, at the processor, a second widget selection command from the second user computer to select a second interactive widget asset of the plurality of interactive widget assets; and

in response to receiving the second widget selection command, synchronously executing the function of the second interactive widget asset on the first user computer and the second user computer.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one content asset of the pre-stored electronic presentation comprises one or more pre-set interactive widget assets; and

the computer-implemented method further comprises the step of receiving, at the processor, a pre-set widget selection command from the first user computer to select the one or more pre-set interactive widget assets in the automatic mode.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the pre-stored electronic presentation is configured for displaying one or more content assets, in a particular arrangement, relative to the information display of the first user computer at the point in time.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

in response to receiving the widget selection command from the first user computer;

displaying, by the processor, the first interactive widget asset on the information display of the first user computer; and

resizing, by the processor, the display of at least one of the one or more content assets relative to the information display of the first user computer such that the first interactive widget asset and each of the one or more content assets are visible on the information display of the first user computer.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the automatic mode comprises the play of the electronic presentation for the predetermined duration in a pre-stored configuration.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the manual mode comprises the play of the electronic presentation in an at least partially altered configuration as the pre-stored configuration.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the pre-stored electronic presentation is created and received from a presentation creation user computer.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the presentation creation user computer is not the first user computer.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the presentation creation user computer is not the second user computer.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

while the first user computer and the second user computer are in the collaboration mode, receiving a second playback request from a third user computer at the processor, to play the electronic presentation in the automatic mode at approximately a beginning of the predetermined duration; and

in response to receiving the second playback request, executing the playback of the electronic presentation on the third user computer at approximately the beginning of the predetermined duration independent of the collaboration by the first and second user computers.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the collaboration request while in the manual mode, at the processor, from the first computer to enter the collaboration mode comprises a request to enter the collaboration mode with n user computers, wherein n>

1.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second user computer displaying content other than information associated with the selected point in time of the playback of the electronic presentation comprises the second user computer displaying no content.

19. A system for interactive delivery of a pre-stored electronic presentation of a predetermined duration, the system comprising:

an electronic database for storing the electronic presentation, wherein the electronic presentation is represented by at least one content asset and is configured for display to user computers associated with a plurality of users; and

a processor communicably coupled to the electronic database, wherein the processor is configured to;

receive the electronic presentation from a presentation creation user computer and store the electronic presentation in the electronic database;

receive a playback request from a first user computer, to play the electronic presentation in an automatic mode at an information display of the first user computer, wherein the first user computer is coupled to the processor by a computer network;

in response to receiving the playback request from the first user computer, retrieve the electronic presentation from the electronic database and play the electronic presentation in the automatic mode at the information display of the first user computer;

at a selected point in time during the predetermined duration of the playback of the electronic presentation, receive a widget selection command from the first user computer to select a first interactive widget asset of a plurality of interactive widget assets, each of the interactive widget assets providing a computer-executable function for modifying a context of the electronic presentation;

in response to receiving the widget selection command;

suspend the automatic mode;

enter a manual mode in the playback of the electronic presentation; and

execute the function of the first interactive widget asset;

receive a collaboration request while in the manual mode from the first user computer to enter a collaboration mode with a second user computer, the second user computer coupled to the processor by a computer network and displaying content other than information associated with the selected point in time of the playback of the electronic presentation, the collaboration mode comprising;

synchronous display of information associated with the point in time of the playback of the electronic presentation as displayed on the information display of the first user computer on an information display of the second user computer; and

synchronous execution of the function of the first interactive widget asset on the first user computer and the second user computer;

in response to an end collaboration request from the first user computer to end the collaboration with the second user computer, terminate the collaboration mode, said terminating including terminating the synchronous display of the electronic presentation and terminating the function of the interactive widget asset with respect to the second user computer; and

in response to a request from the first user computer to revert to the automatic mode;

terminate the manual mode, said terminating of the manual mode including terminating the function of the first interactive widget asset with respect to the first user computer; and

resume the play of the electronic presentation in the automatic mode at the selected point in time.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a second widget selection command from the first user computer to select a second interactive widget asset of the plurality of interactive widget assets, the function of the selected second widget to be executed contemporaneously with the first widget.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the processor is further configured to receive an execution request from the second user computer to execute the function of the first interactive widget asset; and

synchronous execution of the function of the first interactive widget asset on the first user computer and the second user computer comprises, in response to receiving the execution request from the second user computer, synchronous execution the function of the first interactive widget asset on each of the first and second user computers.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of interactive widget assets comprise one or more of the widgets selected from the group consisting of:

a text chat widget, an audio/video chat widget, a browser widget, a discussion widget, an audio/video editing widget, a document editing widget, a slide show editing/viewing widget, a diagram editing/viewing widget, a polling widget, a survey widget, an assessment widget, a spreadsheet widget, a user list widget, and a calculator widget.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein one or more of the interactive widget assets comprise at least one user-selectable property.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the first interactive widget asset is a video chat widget comprising at least one user-selectable property including a record property, the record property configured to record the audio/video input of the first user.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a second widget selection command from the second user computer to select a second interactive widget asset of the plurality of interactive widget assets; and

in response to receiving the second widget selection command, synchronously execute the function of the second interactive widget asset on the first user computer and the second user computer.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the at least one content asset of the pre-stored electronic presentation comprises one or more pre-set interactive widget assets; and

the processor is further configured to receive a pre-set widget selection command from the first user computer to select the one or more pre-set interactive widget assets in the automatic mode.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the pre-stored electronic presentation is configured for displaying one or more content assets, in a particular arrangement, relative to the information display of the first user computer at the point in time.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to receiving the widget selection command from the first user computer:

display the first interactive widget asset on the information display of the first user computer; and

resize the display of at least one of the one or more content assets relative to the information display of the first user computer such that the first interactive widget asset and each of the one or more content assets are visible on the information display of the first user computer.

29. The system of claim 19, wherein the automatic mode comprises the play of the electronic presentation for the predetermined duration in a pre-stored configuration.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the manual mode comprises the play of the electronic presentation in an at least partially altered configuration as the pre-stored configuration.