Multi-media tool for creating and transmitting artistic works

• US 20070094328A1
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bebo Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.), PIGS In Flight Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bebo Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Birch, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,596,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system for collaboratively producing artwork includes a server and a plurality of user computers coupled to a network. The server transmits a request for submissions to collaborators and who prepare portions of the artwork using multimedia tools provided by the server computer. The collaborators transmit their completed portions of the artwork back to the server computer where they are compiled and transmitted to a recipient on a designated time.

Claims

1. A system for creating collaborative electronic artwork comprising:

a computer network;

a server computer that is coupled to the network;

a multi-media program running on the server computer having a graphical user interface, a work page and a plurality of tool programs for creating artworks;

a first client computer that uses one of the drawing tools to create a first portion of the artwork; and

a second client computer that uses the photo tool or the drawing tool to create a second portion of the artwork;

wherein the server compiles the first portion of the collaborative artwork from the first client computer and the second portion of the collaborative artwork from the second computer and transmits the entire collaborative artwork to a recipient computer that is coupled to the network.

2. The system for creating collaborative electronic artwork of claim 1 wherein the collaborative artwork includes a user display having a graphical display showing a first name associated with the first client computer and selecting the first name with a pointing device coupled to the recipient computer causes the first portion of the collaborative artwork to be displayed.

3. The system for creating collaborative electronic artwork of claim 1 wherein the collaborative artwork includes a user display having a graphical display showing a first icon associated with the first client computer and selecting the first icon with a pointing device coupled to the recipient computer causes the first portion of the collaborative artwork to be displayed.

4. The system for creating collaborative electronic artwork of claim 1 wherein the collaborative artwork includes a user display having a graphical display showing a plurality of icons arranged in a two dimensional array, a first icon is associated with the first client computer and a second icon is associated with a second client computer, selecting the first icon with a pointing device coupled to the recipient computer causes the first portion of the collaborative artwork to be displayed and selecting the second icon with a pointing device coupled to the recipient computer causes the second portion of the collaborative artwork to be displayed.

5. The system for creating collaborative electronic artwork of claim 1 wherein the collaborative artwork includes a user display having a graphical display showing a plurality of icons arranged in a three dimensional array, a first icon is associated with the first client computer and a second icon is associated with a second client computer, selecting the first icon with a pointing device coupled to the recipient computer causes the first portion of the collaborative artwork to be displayed and selecting the second icon with a pointing device coupled to the recipient computer causes the second portion of the collaborative artwork to be displayed.

6. The system for creating collaborative electronic artwork of claim 1 wherein the multi-media program includes a drawing tool and an audio recording tool.

7. The system for creating collaborative electronic artwork of claim 6 wherein the first portion of the collaborative artwork includes a drawing and the second portion of the collaborative artwork includes an audio recording.

8. A method for creating collaborative electronic artwork comprising the steps:

providing a server computer, a plurality of user computers that are coupled to a computer network and a multi-media program running on the server computer having a graphical user interface and a plurality of tool programs for creating and displaying the collaborative electronic artwork;

inputting a recipient and a send date into the server computer;

transmitting a notification of a collaborative artwork and the send date to a plurality of collaborators;

producing a first portion of the collaborative artwork through a first user computer using a drawing tool and saving the first portion of the electronic artwork on the server computer;

producing a second portion of the collaborative artwork through a second user computer and saving the second portion of the collaborative artwork on the server computer;

combining the first portion of the collaborative artwork and the second portion of the collaborative artwork in the server computer; and

sending the entire collaborative artwork from the server computer to a recipient computer on the send date.

9. The method for creating collaborative artwork of claim 8 further comprising the steps:

displaying a screen of the recipient computer having a first area associated with the first portion of the collaborative artwork and a second area associated with the second portion of the collaborative artwork on the recipient computer; and

displaying the first portion of the collaborative artwork if the first area is selected with a pointing device coupled to the recipient computer.

10. The method for creating collaborative artwork of claim 9 further comprising the step:

playing the second portion of the collaborative artwork if the second area is selected with the pointing device;

wherein the second portion of the collaborative artwork is created with an audio recording tool.

11. The method for creating collaborative artwork of claim 9 further comprising the step:

playing the second portion of the collaborative artwork if the second area is selected with the pointing device;

wherein the second portion of the collaborative artwork is created with an video editing tool.

12. The method for creating collaborative artwork of claim 9 further comprising the step:

displaying the second portion of the collaborative artwork if the second area is selected with the pointing device;

wherein the second portion of the collaborative artwork is created with an photo tool.

13. The method for creating collaborative artwork of claim 9 further comprising the step:

playing the second portion of the collaborative artwork if the second area is selected with the pointing device;

wherein the second portion of the collaborative artwork is created with an animation editing tool.

14. The method for creating collaborative artwork of claim 9 further comprising the step:

displaying the second portion of the collaborative artwork if the second area is selected with the pointing device;

wherein the second portion of the collaborative artwork is created with a text tool.

15. The method for creating electronic art of claim 9 further comprising the step:

playing the second portion of the collaborative artwork if the second area is selected with the pointing device;

wherein the second portion of the collaborative artwork is created with an interactive tool.

17. The method for creating the collaborative artwork of claim 9 further comprising the step:

playing the second portion of the collaborative artwork if the second area is selected with the pointing device;

wherein the second portion of the electronic artwork is created with an video tool.

18. The method for creating the collaborative artwork of claim 9 further comprising the step:

displaying the second portion of the collaborative artwork if the second area is selected with the pointing device;

wherein the second portion of the collaborative artwork is created with an photo tool.

19. The method for creating the collaborative artwork of claim 9 further comprising the step:

playing the second portion of the collaborative artwork if the second area is selected with the pointing device;

wherein the second portion of the collaborative artwork is created with an animation editing tool.

20. The method for creating the collaborative artwork of claim 9 further comprising the step:

displaying the second portion of the collaborative artwork if the second area is selected with the pointing device;

wherein the second portion of the collaborative artwork is created with a text tool.

16. A method for creating collaborative artwork comprising the steps:

providing a server computer, a plurality of user computers that are coupled to a computer network and a multi-media program running on the server computer having a graphical user interface and a plurality of tool programs for creating and displaying a collaborative artwork;

inputting a recipient and a send date into the server computer;

transmitting a notification of the collaborative artwork and the send date to a plurality of collaborators;

producing a first portion of the collaborative artwork through a first user computer using a drawing tool and saving the first portion of the collaborative artwork on the server computer;

producing a second portion of the collaborative artwork through a second user computer and saving the second portion of the collaborative artwork on the server computer;

transmitting a reminder message to the first user computer if the first portion of the collaborative artwork is not received by the server computer by a predetermined time prior to the send date;

transmitting a reminder message to the first user computer if the first portion of the collaborative artwork is not received by the server computer by a predetermined time prior to the send date;

combining the first portion of the collaborative artwork and the second portion of the collaborative artwork in the server computer;

sending the combined collaborative artwork from the server computer to a recipient computer on the send date;

displaying a first icon associated with the first portion of the collaborative artwork and a second icon associated with the second portion of the collaborative artwork on a display coupled to the recipient computer;

displaying the first portion of the collaborative artwork if the first icon is selected using a pointing device coupled to the recipient computer; and

displaying the second portion of the collaborative artwork if the second icon is selected using a pointing device coupled to the recipient computer.