Browseable narrative architecture system and method

• US 20040070595A1
• Filed: 10/11/2002
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Douglas K. Smith, Jane Simkin Smith
• Original Assignee: Web River Media, Inc.
• Inventors: Atlas, Larry, Smith, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/137 Hierarchical processing, e.g. outlines
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A browseable narrative having an architecture that enables browsing, so that a user may progress from a point to any other point in the narrative in a manner determined by the user. The browseable narrative includes a scene or scenes without any predefined beginning, middle, or end which can be displayed in a non-linear manner. The narrative also includes links which interrupt the display of one scene and initiate the display of another. Maps may also exist in the narrative.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a narrative on a client device comprising:

retrieving from a repository a first non-BME scene and a second non-BME scene, the repository including a browseable narrative that includes said first non-BME scene and said second non-BME scene;

executing a first display instruction wherein at least a portion of said first non-BME scene is displayed;

executing a link; and

executing a second display instruction wherein at least a portion of said second non-BME scene is displayed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and said second non-BME scenes is a dynamic non-BME scene.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein executing one or both of a first display instruction and executing a second display instruction includes:

displaying a third non-BME scene upon the occurrence of a condition specified in said narrative.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the repository includes a plurality of links, and executing a link includes executing a link from the repository.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein executing a link includes formulating a link.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein executing a link includes receiving a user instruction to execute a link.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein executing a link includes determining whether a link condition has occurred.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein executing a link includes receiving user inputs and selecting or formulating links based on the received inputs.

9. A method, in a server computer connected to a client device, for displaying a narrative comprising:

receiving a request to display a first non-BME scene from the client device;

retrieving from a first repository a first non-BME scene, the first repository including a first portion of a browseable narrative that includes said first non-BME scene;

transmitting to the client device at least any part of said first non-BME scene;

receiving a link instruction from the client device;

retrieving from a second repository a second non-BME scene, the second repository including a second portion of a browseable narrative that includes said second non-BME scene; and

transmitting to the client device at least any part of said first non-BME scene.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first repository and the second repository are the same.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first repository and the second repository are located on separate, storage devices which are connected to the server computer via a network.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the client device is connected to the server computer via a network.

13. A client device comprising a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the client device is configured to perform the steps of:

retrieving from a repository a first non-BME scene and a second non-BME scene, the repository including a browseable narrative that includes said first non-BME scene and said second non-BME scene;

executing a first display instruction wherein at least a portion of said first non-BME scene is displayed;

executing a link; and

executing a second display instruction wherein at least a portion of said second non-BME scene is displayed.

14. The client device of claim 13, wherein the client device includes a storage device, and wherein the storage device has stored thereon at least a portion of the repository.

15. The client device of claim 13, wherein the step of retrieving from a repository includes retrieving a repository stored on a storage device connected to the client device via a network.

16. The client device of claim 13, wherein the step of executing one or both of a first display instruction and executing a second display instruction includes:

displaying a third non-BME scene upon the occurrence of a condition specified in said narrative.

17. The client device of claim 13, wherein the step of executing a link retrieves the link from the repository.

18. The client device of claim 13, wherein the step of executing a link includes formulating a link.

19. The client device of claim 13, wherein the step of executing a link includes receiving user inputs and selecting or formulating links based on the received inputs.

20. An article comprising:

a storage medium having stored thereon a computer executable program for performing the steps of;

retrieving from a repository a first non-BME scene and a second non-BME scene, the repository including a browseable narrative that includes said first non-BME scene and said second non-BME scene;

executing a first display instruction wherein at least a portion of said first non-BME scene is displayed;

executing a link; and

executing a second display instruction wherein at least a portion of said second non-BME scene is displayed.

21. The article of claim 20, wherein the step of executing one or both of a first display instruction and executing a second display instruction includes:

displaying a third non-BME scene upon the occurrence of a condition specified in said narrative.

22. The article of claim 20, wherein the step of executing a link includes executing a link retrieved from the repository.

23. The article of claim 20, wherein the step of executing a link includes formulating a link.

24. The article of claim 20, wherein the step of executing a link includes receiving a user instruction to execute a link.

25. The article of claim 20, wherein the step of executing a link includes determining whether a link condition has occurred.

26. The article of claim 20, wherein the step of executing a link includes receiving user inputs and selecting or formulating links based on the received inputs.