Data processing: presentation processing of document – operator i – Presentation processing of document – Layout
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-23
2004-07-27
Shah, Sanjiv (Department: 2176)
Data processing: presentation processing of document, operator i
Presentation processing of document
Layout
Reexamination Certificate
active
06769094
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A multimedia project in this context is understood to be a spatial presentation in time of a set of data displayable by means of a computer system. The majority of multimedia projects permit the user to interact to a certain extent with the project. Examples of multimedia projects are homepages callable via the Internet or an Intranet or interactive company catalogs, which can be stored on CD-ROMs, for example.
One of the major standard multimedia authoring tools for authoring multimedia projects is the Macromedia Inc. Director® program. Director® provides the user with immense possibilities in authoring and editing multimedia projects. Due to this high versatility the user is forced, however, to reckon with a lengthy training period in getting used to the program.
The way in which Macromedia Director® (simple termed Director® in the following) works will now be briefly described. When authoring a new multimedia project, termed “movie” in Director® language, the user begins with an empty Director® film. He is first required to define his “actors” by entering “contents”—which may be e.g. texts, images, films, sounds etc—into the casting list, the so-called “cast”. The “actors” are then positioned in the display on the so-called “stage”, while features such as position and size are defined. At the same time the actors are listed in the script, the so-called “score”, in which the presence in time is defined, i.e. the point in time of an actor appearing on or leaving the stage. The “score” is a table whose columns correspond to time units and in the lines of which the actors are listed for the duration of their staging in the multimedia project. Motion effects of each actor or functions such as e.g. links, events actuated by mouse movements, etc. can be assigned to the actors at the corresponding position in the score via a Lingo® script. Lingo® is a programming language of Director®.
A “page” of a multimedia project consists in the simplest (stationary) case of a column of the score, i.e. a single point in time of the movie. Where motion effects or video films are involved a “page” may also extend over a time window making use of several score columns.
Extensive multimedia projects involving intricately interlinked pages quickly become confusing. Since each page incorporates all contents and links, the copying of pages facilitates the job only to a limited degree when working with a standard multimedia authoring tool hitherto available.
One object of the invention is thus to provide a method by means of which the user is able to generate a multimedia project easier than with methods hitherto.
A further object of the invention is to provide an easy-to-use, user-friendly computer program for generating a multimedia project.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is achieved by a method for generating a multimedia project comprising at least one page with the aid of a computer, a storage medium which the computer can access, an input device, a display and a standard multimedia authoring tool comprising the following steps:
providing the multimedia elements desired for the multimedia project on the storage medium,
providing one or more templates generated in the format of the standard multimedia authoring tool with predefined dummies on the storage medium,
defining the structure of the multimedia project with the aid of the input device, the display and computer by defining the desired number of pages of the multimedia project and assigning the pages to desired templates,
saving the structure on the storage medium,
assigning to the dummies the desired multimedia elements and functions with the aid of the input device, the display and the computer and saving the assignments on the storage medium,
communicating the data stored in the two preceding steps to the standard multimedia authoring tool,
generating the multimedia project with the standard multimedia authoring tool using the data communicated in the previous step.
Since the structure and layout of the multimedia project can at first be developed independent of the standard multimedia authoring tool, and thus no knowledge of the standard multimedia authoring tool is required, the work process is simplified for the user. Making use of ready-made templates for generating the pages of the multimedia project is an additional simplification. Now, the user is able to generate a complicated multimedia project practically with no knowledge of the standard multimedia authoring tool since once the structure and layout have been generated subsequent translation of the information thus defined into a multimedia project occurs in an automated way by the standard multimedia authoring tool.
A user is thus able to simply generate a complicated multimedia project without having to familiarize himself with the wealth of details hitherto needed for him to generate a multimedia project with current standard multimedia authoring tools. Now, the user simply selects via a user interface in ready-made menus the desired structure of the project and the templates for the individual pages occurring in the structure of the project and assigns the desired multimedia elements to the dummies on the templates. The data thus defined is then communicated to a standard multimedia authoring tool comprising universal options. This permits simple and efficient generating of multimedia projects, especially of standardized multimedia projects the configuration of which is repeated in many projects making the generation of templates worthwhile without having to sacrifice the wealth of options provided by a standard multimedia authoring tool, since, where necessary, page layout can be done in the standard multimedia authoring tool when single pages require an individual layout and no suitable templates are available.
The method in accordance with the invention allows the generation of a multimedia project to be easily distributed among various users differingly qualified since editing of the templates, of the structure and of the content is tiered separately in processing. This enables e.g. users in different fields such as graphics specialists, managers and developers to work simultaneously on a multimedia project.
The method is implemented to advantage with the aid of a computer program (Multimedia Generation Program, MGP) permitting information as to the defined structure, the generated templates, the dummies used as well as their properties and functions to be communicated to the standard multimedia authoring tool. The conversion itself may be done by a MGP component running in this standard multimedia authoring tool.
In this context it is good practice when information as to dummy properties is available to various components of the program.
Making use of the method in accordance with the invention greatly simplifies the tasks, as compared to using the standard multimedia authoring tool alone, since layout and structure of the multimedia project are separated as well as due to the enhanced flexibility in editing a project already existing or currently being generated since the page content is not contained in the layout but merely references thereto saved in a data base.
Preferably, editing of the templates, defining the structure and assigning of the multimedia elements to the dummies is done via intercommunicating MGP components each differing from the other.
The method is expandable by writing the generated multimedia project on a CD.
The preferred standard multimedia authoring tool is Macromedia Director® in the version 7.02 or higher.
The method in accordance with the invention is preferably implemented via a user interface in a computer system for generating a multimedia project comprising at least one page, including
an input device for converting information as to the structure of a multimedia project consisting of information as to the desired number of pages of the multimedia project and as to the assignment of the pages to templates containing desired predefined dummies and information as to the assignm
Loesch Jochen
Stephens-Wuersig Shailia
Wuersig Heiko
Friedman Stuart J.
Sanafir New Media & Online AG
Shah Sanjiv
LandOfFree
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