Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer conferencing – Demand based messaging
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-13
2001-06-05
Dinh, Dung C. (Department: 2757)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer conferencing
Demand based messaging
C705S012000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243740
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention relates to the field of document generation systems, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for utilizing public interaction for dynamically varying document content where the document is publicly displayed for concurrent adjustment by the interactants. The invention is particularly applicable to a large screen display of a narrative document in a public setting wherein the document content, e.g., a storybook of modular image elements, or its prospective sequence is adjusted based upon public communication of a signal by a signaling device made in response to the display. A public setting refers to a physical setting where multiple people can share a physical as distinct from merely sharing a virtual or “cyberspace” presence. Without limitation, examples of public settings include a street, a plaza, a shopping mall, an arena, a theater, a convention or exposition hall, a store front, a club, bar or restaurant, an amusement park or a ride or attraction therein, or a shared space in a work place or school building, such as an auditorium, gymnasium, cafeteria, atrium, lobby, corridor or conference room. However, the subject invention is applicable to any environment or system which provides generation of a document in a physical setting that presents an opportunity for communication of a plurality of reactions to the viewing of the document.
Interactive computer games are usually played by single users in a private setting. They require that the user be equipped with a personal computer and a CD-ROM. Although there are known instances of multi-user shared computer experiences, these are not publicly viewed. Typically, each player sits in the privacy of his or her own home, and the interaction with other players is entirely virtual. Special equipment (a PC, software, maybe a pair of virtual reality goggles or a data glove) is also required. Some specific examples are multi-user games, Dan's Apartment (a public access television show) and multi-user dungeons, such as LambdaMOO.
Arcade video games are also known where two players play against each other while spectators may crowd around and watch. Special equipment (the arcade machine) is required. There is a sharp demarcation between the players, who are fully engaged with the game and who interact physically with the arcade machine, and the spectators, who do not. There are no casual interactions with the game, and no one who is both a spectator and a participant.
Some systems, such as Lorna (an interactive laser art disk) have been devised for the private direction of a narrative story through a number of alternative paths and endings, as implemented in the interactive disk. Such a system lacks the important aspect of being publicly displayed and suitable for public interaction with the story.
Current personal computer systems allow multi-user interaction with commonly displayed visual images in such systems as on-line chat rooms or multi-player interactive games. Although the multi-user participation results in a document having varying content as a result of the participation, the document itself is not interactive, it has no internal “story” time frame, and there are no narrative forms wherein the sequential portions of the documents themselves are intended to communicate the story. There is typically no shared participation of users in a common public physical space. The sharing, such as it is, is virtual, not physical.
No known systems provide the rich, exciting experience of interaction among many spectator-participants in a public place to effectively coauthor a fictional or other narrative document, viewable by all of the spectator-participants, to evolve the narrative both in a real time and in its own internal “story” time, wherein the narrative is communicated by the resulting sequence evolution as a direct result of the public interaction.
Indeed, there are only a few known instances of public interactive documents and these have notable limitations. Interactive films have a large granularity. There are only one or two branch points and, at most, a few possible branches. For example, in a 90 minute film, the audience gets to pick one of four 15-minute endings. Cinematrix comprises a “ping-pong paddle” system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. , , . Here the spectator-participants (or, “interactants”) all must be equipped with special hardware, in this case a special red-green ping-pong paddle.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention contemplates a new and improved document generating system which overcomes the limitations of interactive participation with known mass media systems to effectively combine the advantageous features of a public interaction for evolving a narrative document with a communication scheme involving a commonly available communication device.
In accordance with the present invention in one aspect there is provided a method and system of publicly authoring a narrative document by parallel and ongoing communication of a plurality of signals comprising public reactions to portions of the document, the signals being generated via one or more signaling devices. A display illustrates an introductory portion of the document intended to engender a public interest in the document and an emotive or intellectual reaction thereto. The document can comprise a dependent set of associated document elements which are sequentially variable for variation of document content to evolve different document narratives. Persons viewing the display communicate, via their signaling devices, one or more signals indicative of their reactions and for effecting one or more prospective scene selections in the document content that, in turn will vary the narrative.
The signal is identified by monitoring a plurality of frequencies assigned to such signaling devices by monitoring signal strength on those frequencies. When a signal is detected, the display is adjusted by selecting a next document element in response to the signal, thus varying the overall display of document element sequence so that the narrative document is continually revised in respect to the communicating of the signal.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the document comprises video and audio data and the generating of the document elements includes displaying the data in a storage device such as segregable scene and sound directories. The video data can comprise a plurality of tokens to elicit the response, such as colors, text, or images.
In accordance with a more particular aspect of the present invention, the publicly displaying comprises disposing the document in a billboard format in a location viewable by a large number of people.
In accordance with yet another more particular aspect of the present invention, monitoring the signals comprises recognizing a time when the signal is communicated in association with the displaying of a token indicative of the emotive or intellectual reaction.
One benefit obtained by the present invention is a generation of a new kind of public document through an interactive participation of any member of the public viewing the document and possessing a signaling device. The co-creation of the document provides for a publicly shared experience in helping to construct the narrative which can be sensitive to a predominant public emotion or even individual reactions to the display of the document. However, the public interaction need not be cooperative, in that public participation can be limited merely by proximity to the display and not with regard to any threshold qualifications.
Another benefit obtained from the present invention is the repurposing of everyday objects for use as signaling devices in the creation of the document. Garage door openers, key fobs, remote controls, pagers, even automobile headlights or horns, can be utilized for communicating the determinative signals. Typically, in the embodiments to be described, a radio signaling device is preferable and most convenient.
A further benefit of the present invention is
Crane Margaret
MacDonald Dale
Minneman Scott
Winet Jon
Dinh Dung C.
Fay Sharpe Fagan Minnich & McKee LLP
Xerox Corporation
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