Interactive multimedia content playback system

• US 8,438,482 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2010
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Adaptive Music Factory, LLC
• Original Assignee: The Adaptive Music Factory, LLC
• Inventors: Amarasingham, Simon Rumi, Amarasingham, Julien Kemal
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, RUAY L
• Application Number:
  US12/853,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20110041059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 715200-277, 715700-867, 700701-866, 709201-229, 705 50- 79, 345 30-111
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10537 Audio or video recording
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10944 Real-time recording or reproducing, e.g. for ensuring seamless playback of AV data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

A computer implemented method and system is provided for controlling playback of multimedia content in real time. An interactive media application is provided to a first user and a second user. The first user defines multiple controls for the multimedia content and parameters associated with the defined controls using the interactive media application. The interactive media application renders a graphical representation of the defined controls with the multimedia content on an interface on the second user'"'"'s computing device. The interactive media application acquires one or more control inputs from the second user. The control inputs provide a selection of values for the defined parameters associated with the defined controls. The interactive media application executes the defined controls based on the selected values for modifying one or more variables of the multimedia content. The interactive media application renders the multimedia content in accordance with the modified variables to the second user.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for controlling playback of multimedia content in real time, comprising:

providing a computer system comprising at least one processor, said computer system communicatively coupled to a non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions executable by said at least one processor, said at least one processor configured to implement said method, said method comprising;

providing an interactive media application executable by said at least one processor for playing back said multimedia content;

defining one or more of a plurality of controls for said multimedia content by a first user and defining parameters associated with said defined one or more controls by said first user using said interactive media application;

rendering a graphical representation of said defined one or more controls with said multimedia content on an interface displayed on a computing device of a second user by said interactive media application;

acquiring one or more control inputs from said second user by said interactive media application, wherein said one or more control inputs acquired from said second user provide a selection of values for said defined parameters associated with said defined one or more controls;

generating a plurality of data files by associating said acquired one or more control inputs, and said selection of values for said defined parameters associated with said defined one or more controls by said interactive media application, comprising;

a first data file comprising data related to one or more playback patterns of said multimedia content;

a second data file comprising data related to said defined one or more controls, said defined parameters associated with said defined one or more controls, information regarding said one or more variables of said multimedia content to be modified corresponding to said defined parameters, and modes of modifying said one or more variables of said multimedia content; and

a third data file comprising data related to locations of digital files constituting said multimedia content, said multimedia content, names of said one or more variables of said multimedia content, information pertaining to time, duration, start time, and end time of said multimedia content;

executing said generated plurality of files on said at least one processor, wherein said execution defines one or more controls based on said selected values of said defined parameters for modifying one or more variables of said multimedia content by said interactive media application;

rendering said multimedia content in accordance with said modified one or more variables on said interface displayed on said computing device of said second user by said interactive media application; and

invoking an instance of said interactive media application on said computing device of said second user for controlling playback of one or more pieces of said multimedia content;

whereby said modification of said one or more variables of said multimedia content controls said playback of said multimedia content.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein said interactive media application enables continuous modification of said one or more variables of said multimedia content by acquiring said control inputs from said second user for controlling said playback of said multimedia content in said real time.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein said defined controls permit said second user to modify a predetermined set of variables of the multimedia content, and wherein said interactive media application renders said multimedia content in accordance with said modified variables on said interface displayed on said computing device, and wherein said modification of said variables of said multimedia content controls said playback of said multimedia content.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein said graphical representation of said defined one or more controls is one or more of a toggle switch, a slidable control, a tactile control, and a clickable control.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein said graphical representation of said defined one or more controls with said multimedia content is rendered on said interface displayed on said computing device of said second user in a three dimensional interactive environment by said interactive media application for enabling said control of said playback of said multimedia content.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein said second user provides said control inputs to said interactive media application via a plurality of input modes.

7. A computer implemented system for controlling playback of multimedia content in real time, comprising:

an interactive media application configured to play back said multimedia content comprising;

an interactive media player authoring tool configured to enable a first user to define one or more of a plurality of controls for said multimedia content and to define parameters associated with said defined one or more controls;

an interactive media player configured to render a graphical representation of said defined one or more controls with said multimedia content on an interface displayed on a computing device of a second user;

said interactive media player configured to acquire one or more control inputs from said second user, wherein said one or more control inputs acquired from said second user provide a selection of values for said defined parameters associated with said defined one or more controls;

said interactive media player configured to generate a first data file comprising data related to one or more playback patterns of said multimedia content, wherein said interactive media player records said one or more playback patterns of said multimedia content on said first data file;

said interactive media player authoring tool configured to generate a plurality of data files, comprising;

a second data file comprising data related to said defined one or more controls, said defined parameters associated with said defined one or more controls, information regarding said one or more variables of said multimedia content to be modified corresponding to said defined parameters, and modes of modifying said one or more variables of said multimedia content;

a third data file comprising data related to locations of digital files constituting said multimedia content, said multimedia content, names of said one or more variables of said multimedia content, information pertaining to time, duration, start time, and end time of said multimedia content;

an interactive media engine configured to execute said generated said first data file, said second data file and said data third file, wherein said execution defines one or more controls based on said selected values of said defined parameters for modifying one or more variables of said multimedia content;

said interactive media player configured to communicate with said interactive media engine for rendering said multimedia content in accordance with said modified one or more variables on said interface displayed on said computing device of said second user; and

said interactive media player configured to invoke an instance of said interactive media application at least on one another computing device for controlling playback of one or more pieces of said multimedia content on said at least one another computing device.

8. The computer implemented system of claim 7, wherein said interactive media application further comprises an interactive media engine authoring tool configured to enable said first user to author said multimedia content for providing said authored multimedia content to said second user.

9. The computer implemented system of claim 7, wherein said interactive media engine in communication with said interactive media player is configured to enable continuous modification of said one or more variables of said multimedia content by acquiring said control inputs from said second user for controlling said playback of said multimedia content in said real time.

10. The computer implemented system of claim 7, wherein said interactive media player renders said graphical representation of said defined one or more controls with said multimedia content on said interface displayed on said computing device of said second user in a three dimensional interactive environment for enabling said control of said playback of said multimedia content.

11. The computer implemented system of claim 7, wherein said interactive media player renders a plurality of graphical representations of one or more of said defined one or more controls with said multimedia content on said interface displayed on said computing device of said second user for modifying different sets of said one or more variables of said multimedia content.

12. The computer implemented system of claim 7, wherein said interactive media application further comprises a storage device configured to store digital files that constitute said multimedia content, said generated data files for said playback of said multimedia content, said plurality of controls for said multimedia content, said parameters associated with said controls, and data files.

13. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, wherein said computer program product comprises:

a first computer program code for providing an interactive media application for playing back multimedia content;

a second computer program code for enabling a first user to define one or more of a plurality of controls for said multimedia content and to define parameters associated with said defined one or more controls using said interactive media application;

a third computer program code for rendering a graphical representation of said defined one or more controls with said multimedia content on an interface displayed on a computing device of a second user by said interactive media application;

a fourth computer program code for acquiring one or more control inputs from said second user by said interactive media application, wherein said one or more control inputs acquired from said second user provide a selection of values for said defined parameters associated with said defined one or more controls;

a fifth computer program code for generating a plurality of data files by associating said acquired one or more control inputs, and said provided said selection of values for said defined parameters associated with said defined one or more controls by said interactive media application, comprising;

a first data file comprising data related to one or more playback patterns of said multimedia content;

a second data file comprising data related to said defined one or more controls, said defined parameters associated with said defined one or more controls, information regarding said one or more variables of said multimedia content to be modified corresponding to said defined parameters, and modes of modifying said one or more variables of said multimedia content, and

a third data file comprising data related to locations of digital files constituting said multimedia content, said multimedia content, names of said one or more variables of said multimedia content, information pertaining to time, duration, start time, and end time of said multimedia content;

a sixth computer program code for executing said generated plurality of files, wherein said execution defines one or more controls based on said selected values of said defined parameters for modifying one or more variables of said multimedia content by said interactive media application;

a seventh computer program code for rendering said multimedia content in accordance with said modified one or more variables on said interface displayed on said computing device of said second user by said interactive media application; and

an eighth computer program code invoking an instance of said interactive media application on at least one another computing device for controlling playback of one or more pieces of said multimedia content on said at least one another computing device.

14. A computer implemented method, executed by at least one processor, for controlling playback of multimedia content in real time, comprising:

providing an interactive media application for playing back said multimedia content;

defining one or more of a plurality of controls for said multimedia content by a first user and defining parameters associated with said defined one or more controls by said first user using said interactive media application;

rendering a graphical representation of said defined one or more controls with said multimedia content on an interface displayed on a computing device of a second user by said interactive media application;

acquiring one or more control inputs from said second user by said interactive media application, wherein said one or more control inputs acquired from said second user provide a selection of values for said defined parameters associated with said defined one or more controls;

executing said defined one or more controls based on said selected values of said defined parameters for modifying one or more variables of said multimedia content by said interactive media application;

rendering said multimedia content in accordance with said modified one or more variables on said interface displayed on said computing device of said second user by said interactive media application; and

invoking an instance of said interactive media application on said computing device of said second user for controlling playback of one or more pieces of said multimedia content;

whereby said modification of said one or more variables of said multimedia content controls said playback of said multimedia content.