System and method for script based event timing

• US 20030090507A1
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Bouchard, Stephan, Schaem, Stephan, Randall, Mark, Ocel, Thomas Lee
• Granted Patent: US 7,665,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/731
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

An integrated and interactive real-time media creation system and method are disclosed that visually link the order and execution of media events to a scrolling on-screen text script that is spoken. As the user speaks, the on-screen text script scrolls under user control. Adjacent to the script text are visual images which represent associated media events. The visual images maintain a constant relative spatial relationship with the text. When the text reaches a predetermined region of the screen it is spoken out loud by the user and the media events are caused to occur at that time. The invention allows a single user with a single personal computer to easily self-produce a multimedia presentation of undetermined and variable length, featuring media events appropriately inserted in real-time without the assistance of a director or other operator.

Claims

1. In a multimedia creation system having a processing unit and a graphical user interface including a display and a selection device, a method for producing a real-time presentation of variable length and inserting media events in same, comprising:

providing the opportunity for a user to display a text script on a display;

providing the opportunity for a user to position a plurality of visual images representing a plurality of media events adjacent to said text script on said display such that each visual image'"'"'s spatial relationship corresponds to the words in said text script that said media events are desired to occur with during a presentation;

scrolling said text script on said display while maintaining said spatial relationship between said text script and said visual images; and

causing each media event represented by said visual images to occur approximately upon the corresponding words of the text script scrolling through a predetermined region of said display during said presentation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising typing said text script onto said display.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing said text script onto said display from another location within a processing unit.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising varying the scrolling speed of said text script based on user input.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising varying said scrolling speed with a computer mouse.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising varying said scrolling speed with a computer joystick.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising varying said scrolling speed with a computer keyboard.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising varying said scrolling speed with a foot pedal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined region is in the approximate shape of a horizontal rectangle.

10. In a computer program product for creating real-time multimedia presentations, a method for synchronizing particular media events with particular words of a text script, comprising:

providing the opportunity for a user to display a text script on a display;

providing the opportunity for a user to position a plurality of graphical icons representing a plurality of media events adjacent to said text script on said display such that each graphical icon'"'"'s spatial relationship corresponds to the words in said text script that said media events are desired to occur with during a presentation;

scrolling said text script on said display while maintaining said spatial relationship between said text script and said graphical icons; and

causing each media event represented by said graphical icons to occur approximately upon the corresponding words of the text script scrolling through a predetermined region of said display during said presentation.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising typing said text script onto said display.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising placing said text script onto said display from another location within a processing unit.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising varying the scrolling speed of said text script based on user input.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising varying said scrolling speed with a computer mouse.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising varying said scrolling speed with a computer joystick.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising varying said scrolling speed with a computer keyboard.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising varying said scrolling speed with a foot pedal.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein said predetermined region is in the approximate shape of a horizontal rectangle.