Automatic generation of video from structured content

• US 9,330,719 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2015
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sundaysky Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sundaysky Incorporated
• Inventors: Axen, Yaniv, Weller, Shmuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/846,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20160005436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 239 Days
• Field of Search: 386/278, 386/263, 386/291, 386/353, 386/326, 386/314
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/32 on separate auxiliary tracks of the same or an auxiliary record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8233 the additional signal being a character code signal

Abstract

Apparatus for generation of playable media from structured data, comprises a structured data reading unit for reading in of content of a first structure, a transformation unit for transforming said content into a second structure, said transformation comprising incorporating media play instructions, and a rendering unit for rendering content from the second structure using said media play instructions to generate playable media from the content.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a structured data reading unit comprising at least one processor, the structured data reading unit configured to;

access structured data, the structured data comprising an assembly of media elements, the assembly being specific to a subject, the media elements of the assembly being a source of content for a dynamic part of a customized document for the subject, and the customized document being a non-playable document displayed with a static part applicable to more than one subject and the dynamic part customized for the subject based on at least one of the media elements;

a transformation unit comprising at least one processor, the transformation unit configured to;

access a template; and

process the accessed structured data in accordance with one or more rules that control generation of a customized video for the subject by automatically generating, using the accessed template, a renderable script for the customized video that integrates at least one static portion applicable to more than one subject with at least one dynamic portion based on the media elements that are the source of content for the dynamic part of the customized document; and

a video rendering unit comprising at least one processor, the video rendering unit configured to;

render the customized video for the subject based on the renderable script automatically generated by the transformation unit, the customized video being a playable video that includes the at least one static portion applicable to more than one subject and the at least one dynamic portion customized for the subject based on the at least one of the media elements used to customize the dynamic part of the customized document.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the structured data reading unit is configured to access the structured data from a product database;

the subject is a product;

one of the media elements represents a price for the product;

the customized document is a product webpage that displays the price of the product; and

the customized video is a product video that displays the price of the product.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the subject is a user;

one of the media elements represents information related to the user;

the customized document is a personal user webpage that displays the information related to the user; and

the customized video is a user-specific video that displays the information related to the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the video rendering unit is configured to:

render a batch of customized videos based on a batch of renderable scripts automatically generated by the transformation unit for multiple subjects, each of the customized videos in the batch being a playable video that includes the at least one static portion applicable to more than one subject, the customized videos in the batch including dynamic portions customized for the multiple subjects based on media elements used to customize dynamic parts of customized documents for the multiple subjects.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the structured data unit is further configured to receive an indication that one of the media elements of the assembly has been updated;

and

wherein the structured data reading unit is configured to access the structured data in response to receiving the indication that one of the media elements of the assembly has been updated.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one static portion of the customized video applicable to more than one subject comprises at least one of a static node that defines a decision applied in customized videos for more than one subject, a static media element displayed in customized videos for more than one subject, and a static attribute for video scenes generated in customized videos for more than one subject.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the renderable script comprises time information, stage direction, camera direction, and content playing information.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein to render the customized video for the subject, the video rendering unit is configured to render a customized video for the subject that includes scene changes including cut and fade, camera instructions including pan and zoom, and filler material to link between scenes according to a storyboard.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the media elements comprise text and wherein the transformation unit comprises a text-to-speech engine to render the text as speech in the customized video.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the media elements comprise an image and wherein the renderable script comprises instructions to combine information with the image.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the video rendering unit comprises a synthesis engine configured to composite a scene of the customized video, frame by frame.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein to process the accessed structured data in accordance with one or more rules, the transformation unit is further configured to apply a timing framework which defines timing of play.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the template comprises media play commands with filler or enhancement instructions for providing additional play to link between different media elements.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the transformation unit is further configured to access additional media elements that comprise a virtual narrator, background music, and captions and generate the renderable script for the customized video by integrating the media elements of the assembly with the virtual narrator, background music, and captions.

15. A method comprising:

accessing structured data, the structured data comprising an assembly of media elements, the assembly being specific to a subject, the media elements of the assembly being a source of content for a dynamic part of a customized document for the subject, and the customized document being a non-playable document displayed with a static part applicable to more than one subject and the dynamic part customized for the subject based on at least one of the media elements;

accessing a template;

processing the accessed structured data in accordance with one or more rules that control generation of a customized video for the subject by automatically generating, using the accessed template, a renderable script for the customized video that integrates at least one static portion applicable to more than one subject with at least one dynamic portion based on the media elements that are the source of content for the dynamic part of the customized document; and

rendering the customized video for the subject based on the renderable script automatically generated, the customized video being a playable video that includes the at least one static portion applicable to more than one subject and the at least one dynamic portion customized for the subject based on the at least one of the media elements used to customize the dynamic part of the customized document.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

accessing structured data comprises accessing structured data from a product database;

the subject is a product;

one of the media elements represents a price for the product;

the customized document is a product webpage that displays the price of the product; and

the customized video is a product video that displays the price of the product.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the subject is a user;

one of the media elements represents information related to the user;

the customized document is a personal user webpage that displays the information related to the user; and

the customized video is a user-specific video that displays the information related to the user.

18. The method of claim 15, the method further comprising:

rendering a batch of customized videos based on a batch of renderable scripts automatically generated for multiple subjects, each of the customized videos in the batch being a playable video that includes the at least one static portion applicable to more than one subject, the customized videos in the batch including dynamic portions customized for the multiple subjects based on media elements used to customize dynamic parts of customized documents for the multiple subjects.

19. The method of claim 15, the method further comprising:

receiving an indication that one of the media elements of the assembly has been updated; and

accessing the structured data in response to receiving the indication that one of the media elements of the assembly has been updated.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one static portion of the customized video applicable to more than one subject comprises at least one of a static node that defines a decision applied in customized videos for more than one subject, a static media element displayed in customized videos for more than one subject, and a static attribute for video scenes generated in customized videos for more than one subject.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the renderable script comprises time information, stage direction, camera direction, and content playing information.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein rendering the customized video comprises rendering a customized video for the subject that includes scene changes including cut and fade, camera instructions including pan and zoom, and filler material to link between scenes according to a storyboard.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the media elements comprise text;

and

wherein the method further comprises rendering the text as speech in the customized video.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the media elements comprise an image and wherein the renderable script comprises instructions to combine information with the image.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein rendering the customized video comprises compositing a scene of the customized video, frame by frame.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein processing the accessed structured data in accordance with one or more rules comprises applying a timing framework which defines timing of play.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the template comprises media play commands with filler or enhancement instructions for providing additional play to link between different media elements.

28. The method of claim 15, the method further comprising accessing additional media elements that comprise a virtual narrator, background music, and captions, wherein automatically generating the renderable script for the customized video comprises integrating the media elements of the assembly with the virtual narrator, background music, and captions.

29. A system comprising:

a structured data reading unit comprising at least one processor, the structured data reading unit configured to;

access structured data, the structured data comprising an assembly of media elements, the assembly being specific to a subject, the media elements of the assembly being a source of content for a dynamic part of a customized document for the subject, and the customized document being a non-playable document displayed with a static part applicable to more than one subject and the dynamic part customized for the subject based on at least one of the media elements;

means for;

accessing a template; and

for

processing the accessed structured data in accordance with one or more rules that control generation of a customized video for the subject by automatically generating, using the accessed template, a renderable script for the customized video that integrates at least one static portion applicable to more than one subject with at least one dynamic portion based on the media elements that are the source of content for the dynamic part of the customized document; and

a video rendering unit comprising at least one processor, the video rendering unit configured to;

render the customized video for the subject based on the renderable script, the customized video being a playable video that includes the at least one static portion applicable to more than one subject and the at least one dynamic portion customized for the subject based on the at least one of the media elements used to customize the dynamic part of the customized document.

30. A system comprising:

a structured data reading unit comprising at least one processor, the structured data reading unit configured to;

access structured data, the structured data comprising an assembly of media elements, the assembly being specific to a subject, the media elements of the assembly being a source of content for a dynamic part of a customized document for the subject, and the customized document being a non-playable document displayed with a static part applicable to more than one subject and the dynamic part customized for the subject based on at least one of the media elements;

a transformation unit comprising at least one processor, the transformation unit configured to;

access a template; and

process the accessed structured data in accordance with one or more rules that control generation of a customized video for the subject by automatically generating, using the accessed template, a renderable script for the customized video that integrates at least one static portion applicable to more than one subject with at least one dynamic portion based on the media elements that are the source of content for the dynamic part of the customized document; and

means for;

rendering the customized video for the subject based on the renderable script automatically generated by the transformation unit, the customized video being a playable video that includes the at least one static portion applicable to more than one subject and the at least one dynamic portion customized for the subject based on the at least one of the media elements used to customize the dynamic part of the customized document.