Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-08
2004-09-07
Cabeca, John (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06788318
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a software-based multimedia authoring application and particularly to a method for manipulating multiple multimedia objects within a multimedia production, which has a graphic user interface more user-friendly than a conventional one.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A graphical image manipulation computer program, such as Ulead Photo Impact or Adobe Photoshop 4.0, may store a graphical image as a set of image layers. Such a program builds a final image by compositing the image layers together.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional graphical image document
1
includes a set of image layers, denoted as layers L
1
,
2
, . . . , Ln, organized in a layer stack. For example, the image layer L
1
typically includes an image
11
and compositing controls
12
. The compositing controls
12
may include a global opacity
12
a
and a transfer mode
12
b
. The global opacity
12
a
controls, in essence, the transparency of the entire image layer L
1
, whereas the transfer mode determines how the colors in the image layer L
1
mix with the colors accumulated from the underlying layers. The compositing controls may also be considered to include dynamic masks.
Additionally, a multimedia production may be stored as a set of layers.
FIG. 2
shows an animation with dynamic images and sounds. The animation comprises four multimedia objects which are a fixed rectangle
21
, a fixed wall
22
and two moving balls
23
a
and
23
b
. Their interactions is explained below.
1. Graphical Interaction
A. The fixed rectangle
21
has the greatest depth of field among the other image. It is always covered where the fixed rectangle
21
overlaps with any one of the images of the other three objects.
B. The depths of field of the wall
22
and balls
23
a
and
23
b
are the same. When the balls
23
a
and
23
b
bump into the wall
22
, off of which they will rebound. This makes the motion of the balls
23
a
and
23
b
bounded by the wall
22
and their images will never meet.
2. Sound Interaction
A. The fixed rectangle
21
has no sound interaction with the others.
B. A bumping sound effect is given off when any one of the balls bumps into the wall
22
.
According to the above interactions of the four objects, the animation can be stored as a set of three layers L
1
, L
2
and L
3
.
The fixed rectangle
21
is stored alone in the layer L
1
because it graphically interacts with all the others.
The fixed wall
22
is also stored alone in the layer L
2
because it interacts with the fixed rectangle
21
in image, and the balls
23
a
and
23
b
in sound.
Since the two balls
23
a
and
23
b
interact with each other in neither image nor sound (they never bump into each other and no sound effect is given off), i.e. they are independent from each other, they are both stored in the layer L
3
.
Conventionally, when editing or authoring the above image document or animation using a software-based multimedia authoring application, such as Adobe Photoshop, users select the layer to be accessed through another select window or menu graphically independent from a main window (workspace). Besides, the objects of the selected layer are displayed in the same way as those of the other layers not selected. The users can easily confuse the objects in the different layers. Furthermore, editing of the objects in the other unselected layers is accessible through a simple right-click. Thus, users are also subject to mistakenly moving to the other layers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a software-based multimedia authoring application with a graphic user interface making it easier for users to associate objects with layers.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a method for manipulating multiple multimedia objects in a computer. The method comprises the steps of: storing a multimedia production as a set of layers with each layer having objects independent from each other, displaying a plurality of tabs, each of which refers to a page displaying the contents of a layer and allowing edition of that content, selecting one or more of the tabs, and displaying the page referred to by the selected tab and the contents of the constituent layer.
The present invention further provides a computer program, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for manipulating multiple multimedia objects. The computer program comprises instructions for causing a computer to store a multimedia production as a set of layers, each of which having objects independent from each other, display a plurality of tabs, each of which refers to a page displaying the contents of a layer and allowing edition of that content, select one of the tabs, and display the page referred to by the selected tab and the objects of the layer marked on the selected tab upon the displayed page.
In the present invention, a notebook-like interface is provided by the tabs marked with the layers and pages referred thereto. Users select the layers as they would tabbed sections of a paper notebook. Thus, the interface is more easily used.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5337161 (1994-08-01), Hube
patent: 5745716 (1998-04-01), Tchao et al.
patent: 6134568 (2000-10-01), Tonkin
patent: 6163784 (2000-12-01), Taguchi
patent: 6301573 (2001-10-01), Mcllwaine et al.
patent: 6442523 (2002-08-01), Siegel
patent: 6549300 (2003-04-01), Motamed et al.
patent: 6621506 (2003-09-01), Burbidge
Cabeca John
Thai Cuong T.
Ulead Systems Inc.
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