Method and system for generating flexible time-based control of application appearance and behavior

• US 20040010771A1
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ESW Holdings, Inc. (ESW Capital, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ensequence Incorporated
• Inventors: Westerman, Larry Alan, Wallace, Michael W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,260,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• 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: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4431 characterized by the use of Application Program Interface [API] libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/654 Transmission by server directed to the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/818 OS software
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method, a computer readable medium, and a system are provided for generating control information for controlling computer system operation during execution of the computer system. At least one attribute change of a computer system to occur during execution of the computer system is identified. The attribute change is associated with an event taking place during computer system execution. An index point is created identifying the attribute point as triggering the attribute change, and the index point is associated with the attribute change in the computer system. The index point is stored in a format configured to be used by the computer system to initiate the attribute change upon the index point being reached during the execution of the computer system.

Claims

1. A method for generating control information for controlling computer system operation during execution of the computer system, the method comprising:

identifying at least one attribute change of a computer system to occur during execution of the computer system;

associating the attribute change with an event taking place during computer system execution;

generating an index point identifying the event as triggering the attribute change;

associating the index point in the computer system with the attribute change; and

storing the index point in a format configured to be used by the computer system such that the computer system is configured to automatically initiate the attribute change upon the index point being reached during the execution of the computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the index point associated with the attribute change is collected in an index table.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the index table includes a first column listing the index point and a second column listing the associated attribute change.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the index table is ordered by sequential occurrence of a plurality of index points.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the index point is associated with an index property controlling a characteristic of how the attribute change is initiated by the index point.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the index property includes a timing characteristic indicating whether the attribute change associated with the index point will be initiated if the execution of the computer system commenced after an event associated with the index point has been reached.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of attribute changes are collected in a state table.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a plurality of attribute changes triggered by a common index point are grouped into a common state change.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the state table lists the attribute changes along a first dimension of the state table and the state changes along a second dimension of the state table such that as each current state change is reached, each attribute change associated with the current state change is triggered.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising separately storing the index point and the attribute change such that loading one of the index point and the attribute change does not necessitate loading both the index point and the attribute change.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the index point and the attribute change are revisable independently of each other such that changing one of the index point or the attribute change does not necessitate changing both the index point and the attribute change.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the attribute change and the index point are configured to be correlated with an underlying program such that execution of the computer system uses the index point to correlate the attribute change presented to a program user with the event.

13. The method of claim 12, including providing an authoring environment allowing a program author to observe the underlying program while one of creating the attribute change and the associating of the attribute change with the event taking place during the execution of the computer program.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the authoring environment allows the program author to revise one of the attribute change, the associating of the index point with the attribute change, and the generating of the index point for the event taking place during the execution of the computer program.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the authoring environment allows the program author to revise index properties of the index point.

16. The method of claim 1, the execution of the computer system can be simulated to review operation of the attribute changes.

17. The method of claim 1, including transmitting data including at least one of the index point and the attribute change to remote locations such that a remote computer system can initiate the attribute change contemporaneously with receiving the data.

18. A method for providing an authoring environment for generating an attribute change correlating with an underlying program to be executed by a computer system, the method comprising:

providing a program monitor configured to monitor an underlying program;

providing a timeline configured to represent execution of the underlying program;

providing an attribute editor configured to allow one of creation, modification, and deletion of an attribute change;

providing an index editor configured to allow one of creation, association, modification, and deletion of an index point correlating the attribute change with an event taking place during execution of the underlying program;

providing an attribute monitor configured to observe execution by the computer system of the underlying program and the attribute change correlated with the underlying program; and

providing an attribute generator configured to store the attribute change and the index point such that a computer system configured to execute the underlying program and the attribute change initiate the attribute change upon the index point being reached during execution of the computer system.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the authoring environment is configured with a graphical user interface.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the attribute editor is further configured to display at least one of a position attribute, a content attribute, and an appearance element of the attribute change.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the attribute editor is further configured to display the index point with which the attribute has been associated.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the attribute editor is further configured to display a state table collating a plurality of attribute changes.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the attribute editor is configured to group a plurality of attribute changes triggered by a common index point into a common state change.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the state table lists the attribute changes along a first dimension of the state table and state changes along a second dimension of the state table such that as each current state change is reached, each attribute change associated with the current state change is triggered.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the index editor is further configured to display at least one of an index property and the event with which the index point is associated.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the index property includes a timing characteristic indicating whether the attribute change associated with the index point will be initiated if the execution of the computer system commenced after event associated with the index point has been reached.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the attribute editor is further configured to display an index table collecting a plurality of index points.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the index table includes a first column listing the index point and a second column listing the associated attribute change.

29. The method of claim 18, including transmitting data including at least one of the index point and the attribute change to remote locations such that a remote computer system can initiate the attribute change contemporaneously with receiving the data.

30. A computer readable medium for generating control information for controlling computer system operation during execution of the computer system, the computer readable medium comprising:

first computer program code means for identifying at least one attribute change of a computer system to occur during execution of the computer system;

second computer program code means for associating the attribute change with an event taking place during computer system execution;

third computer program code means for generating an index point identifying the event as triggering the attribute change;

fourth computer program code means for associating the index point in the computer system with the attribute change; and

fifth computer program code means for storing the index point in a format configured to be used by the computer system such that the computer system is configured to automatically initiate the attribute change upon the index point being reached during the execution of the computer system.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 30, including sixth computer program code means for collecting the index point associated with the attribute change in an index table.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the index table includes a first column listing the index point and a second column listing the associated attribute change.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the sixth computer program code means orders the index table by sequential occurrence of a plurality of index points.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 30, including seventh computer program code means for associating an index point with an index property associating a characteristic of how the attribute change is initiated by the index point with the index point.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the index property includes a timing characteristic indicating whether the attribute change associated with the index point will be initiated if the execution of the computer system commenced after an event associated with the index point has been reached.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 30, including eight computer program code means for collecting a plurality of attribute changes in a state table.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein a plurality of attribute changes triggered by a common index point are grouped into a common state change.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the state table lists the attribute changes along a first dimension of the state table and the state changes along a second dimension of the state table such that as each current state change is reached, each attribute change associated with the current state change is triggered.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 30, including ninth computer program code means for separately storing the index point and the attribute change such that loading one of the index point and the attribute change does not necessitate loading both the index point and the attribute change.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein the index point and the attribute change are revisable independently of each other such that changing one of the index point or the attribute change does not necessitate changing both the index point and the attribute change.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 30, including tenth computer program code means for correlating the attribute change and the index point with an underlying program such that execution of the computer system uses the index point to correlate the attribute change presented to a program user with the event.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 30, including eleventh computer program code means for providing an authoring environment allowing a program author to observe the underlying program while one of creating the attribute change and the associating of the attribute change with the event taking place during the execution of the computer program.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein the authoring environment allows the program author to revise one of the attribute change, the associating of the index point with the attribute change, and the generating of the index point for the event taking place during the execution of the computer program.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 43, wherein the authoring environment allows the program author to revise index properties of the index point.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 30, including twelfth computer program code means for simulating the execution of the computer system to review operation of the attribute changes.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 30, including thirteenth computer program code means for transmitting data including at least one of the index point and the attribute change to remote locations such that a remote computer system can initiate the attribute change contemporaneously with receiving the data.

47. A computer readable medium for providing an authoring environment for generating an attribute change correlating with an underlying program to be executed by a computer system, the computer readable medium comprising:

first computer program code means for providing a program monitor configured to monitor an underlying program;

second computer program code means for providing a timeline configured to represent execution of the underlying program;

third computer program code means for providing an attribute editor configured to allow one of creation, modification, and deletion of an attribute change;

fourth computer program code means for providing an index editor configured to allow one of creation, association, modification, and deletion of an index point correlating the attribute change with an event taking place during execution of the underlying program;

fifth computer program code means for providing an attribute monitor configured to observe execution by the computer system of the underlying program and the attribute change correlated with the underlying program; and

sixth computer program code means for providing an attribute generator configured to store the attribute change and the index point such that a computer system configured to execute the underlying program and the attribute change initiate the attribute change upon the index point being reached during execution of the computer system.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 47, including seventh computer program code means for providing the authoring environment is configured with a graphical user interface.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 47, wherein the third computer program code means is further configured to display at least one of a position attribute, a content attribute, and an appearance element of the attribute change.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 47, wherein the third computer program codes means is further configured to display the index point with which the attribute has been associated.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 50, wherein the third computer program code means is further configured to display a state table colleting a plurality of attribute changes.

52. The computer readable medium of claim 51, wherein the third computer program code means is configured to group a plurality of attribute changes triggered by a common index point into a common state change.

53. The computer readable medium of claim 51, wherein the state table lists the attribute changes along a first dimension of the state table and state changes along a second dimension of the state table such that as each current state change is reached, each attribute change associated with the current state change is triggered.

54. The computer readable medium of claim 47 wherein the fourth computer program code means is further configured to display at least one of an index property and the event with which the index point is associated.

55. The computer readable medium of claim 54, wherein the index property includes a timing characteristic indicating whether the attribute change associated with the index point will be initiated if the execution of the computer system commenced after event associated with the index point has been reached.

56. The computer readable medium of claim 50, wherein the fourth computer program code means is further configured to display an index table collecting a plurality of index points.

57. The computer readable medium of claim 56, wherein the index table includes a first column listing the index point and a second column listing the associated attribute change.

58. The computer readable medium of claim 47, including fifth computer program code means for transmitting data including at least one of the index point and the attribute change to remote locations such that a remote computer system can initiate the attribute change contemporaneously with receiving the data.

59. A system for generating control information for controlling computer system operation during execution of the computer system, the system comprising:

a user interface including;

a first component configured to identify at least one attribute change of a computer system to occur during execution of the computer system;

a second component configured to associate the attribute change with an event taking place during computer system execution;

a third component configured to generate an index point identifying the event as triggering the attribute change; and

a fourth component configured to associate the index point in the computer system with the attribute change; and

a processor configured to store the index point in a format configured to be used by the computer system such that the computer system is configured to automatically initiate the attribute change upon the index point being reached during the execution of the computer system.

60. The system of claim 59, including a fifth component configured to collect the index point associated with the attribute change in an index table.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein the index table includes a first column listing the index point and a second column listing the associated attribute change.

62. The system of claim 60, wherein the index table is ordered by sequential occurrence of a plurality of index points.

63. The system of claim 59, including a sixth component configured to associate the index point with an index property controlling a characteristic of how the attribute change is initiated by the index point.

64. The system of claim 59, wherein the index property includes a timing characteristic indicating whether the attribute change associated with the index point will be initiated if the execution of the computer system commenced after an event associated with the index point has been reached.

65. The system of claim 59, including a seventh component configured to collect a plurality of attribute changes in a state table.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein a plurality of attribute changes triggered by a common index point are grouped into a common state change.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the state table lists the attribute changes along a first dimension of the state table and the state changes along a second dimension of the state table such that as each current state change is reached, each attribute change associated with the current state change is triggered.

68. The system of claim 59, including an eighth component configured to separately store the index point and the attribute change such that loading one of the index point and the attribute change does not necessitate loading both the index point and the attribute change.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein the index point and the attribute change are revisable independently of each other such that changing one of the index point or the attribute change does not necessitate changing both the index point and the attribute change.

70. The system of claim 59, including a ninth component configured to correlate the attribute change and the index point to be correlated with an underlying program such that execution of the computer system uses the index point to correlate the attribute change presented to a program user with the event.

71. The system of claim 70, including a tenth component configured to provide an authoring environment allowing for observing the underlying program while one of creating the attribute change and the associating of the attribute change with the event taking place during the execution of the computer program.

72. The system of claim 71, wherein the authoring environment allows revising of one of the attribute change, the associating of the index point with the attribute change, and the generating of the index point for the event taking place during the execution of the computer program.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein the authoring environment allows for revising of index properties of the index point.

74. The system of claim 59, including an eleventh component configured to simulate the execution of the computer system to review operation of the attribute changes.

75. The system of claim 59, including a twelfth component configured to transmit data including at least one of the index point and the attribute change to remote locations such that a remote computer system can initiate the attribute change contemporaneously with receiving the data.

76. A system for providing an authoring environment for generating an attribute change correlating with an underlying program to be executed by a computer system, the system comprising:

a user interface comprising;

a first component configured to provide a program monitor configured to monitor an underlying program;

a second component configured to provide a timeline configured to represent execution of the underlying program;

a third component configured to provide an attribute editor configured to allow one of creation, modification, and deletion of an attribute change;

a fourth component configured to provide an index editor configured to allow one of creation, association, modification, and deletion of an index point correlating the attribute change with an event taking place during execution of the underlying program;

a fifth component configured to provide an attribute monitor configured to observe execution by the computer system of the underlying program and the attribute change correlated with the underlying program; and

a processor configured to provide an attribute generator configured to store the attribute change and the index point such that a computer system configured to execute the underlying program and the attribute change initiate the attribute change upon the index point being reached during execution of the computer system.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein the authoring environment is configured with a graphical user interface.

78. The system of claim 76, wherein the attribute editor is further configured to display at least one of a position attribute, a content attribute, and an appearance element of the attribute change.

79. The system of claim 76, wherein the attribute editor is further configured to display the index point with which the attribute has been associated.

80. The system of claim 76, wherein the attribute editor is further configured to display a state table colleting a plurality of attribute changes.

81. The system of claim 80, wherein the attribute editor is configured to group a plurality of attribute changes triggered by a common index point into a common state change.

82. The system of claim 76, wherein the state table lists the attribute changes along a first dimension of the state table and state changes along a second dimension of the state table such that as each current state change is reached, each attribute change associated with the current state change is triggered.

83. The system of claim 76, wherein the index editor is further configured to display at least one of an index property and the event with which the index point is associated.

84. The system of claim 83, wherein the index property includes a timing characteristic indicating whether the attribute change associated with the index point will be initiated if the execution of the computer system commenced after event associated with the index point has been reached.

85. The system of claim 76, wherein the attribute editor is further configured to display an index table collecting a plurality of index points.

86. The system of claim 85, wherein the index table includes a first column listing the index point and a second column listing the associated attribute change.

87. The system of claim 76, including a sixth component configured to transmit data including at least one of the index point and the attribute change to remote locations such that a remote computer system can initiate the attribute change contemporaneously with receiving the data.