PROCESS AND SYSTEM FOR MEDIA CREATION AND PUBLISHING
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a process and system for media creation and publishing, and more particularly, the invention relates to an integrated enterprise- wide approach to media asset creation, management, publication, distribution, and presentation.
Background of the Invention
The Internet is fast becoming an important source of news, information, and entertainment for many people. Many web sites provide information about events, products, and services, advertisements, and announcements, among other things, in a variety of formats, such as images, streaming video, text, audio, and other manners.
The increase in Internet traffic has resulted in an increased demand for Internet content, including multimedia presentations for presentation over the Internet. Present methods for creating and presenting multimedia presentations over the Internet may suffer from- the drawback of being difficult, time intensive, and costly to create. Once created, Internet multimedia presentations may difficult to present to a number of viewers.
Creation and distribution of media is undergoing radical transformation. Digital technology allows media to be produced, distributed, and experienced with far greater speed and flexibility than ever before. The growth of broadband distribution channels and the Internet as a mass medium is expanding the way media reaches audiences. New distribution mechanisms, such as the Web, digital cable, digital broadcast, and IP satellite, and new devices for accessing media, such as interactive televisions, specialized Internet appliances, cellular telephones, and personal digital assistants are redefining peoples relationships with the media they consume.
The Internet is fast becoming an important source of news, information, and entertainment for many people. The Internet is feeding a paradigm shift in media consumption from the passive receiver model of traditional radio and television broadcast, toward a more interactive two-way broadcast model. Interactive television, targeted advertising through networked devices (from automatic teller machines to refrigerators), real-time information through personal communication devices, and other emerging technologies will also provide outlets for rich interactive media.
Interactive media, from Web sites to interactive television, provide information about events, products, services, advertisements, and announcements, among other things, in a variety of formats, such as images, streaming video, text, audio, and other manners.
Effective interactive media may combine a number of media objects produced in one or more formats into an integrated multimedia presentation.
Present methods for creating and presenting multimedia presentations over the Internet and other channels of interactive media may suffer from the drawback of being difficult, time intensive, and costly to create. Once created, Internet multimedia presentations may be difficult to present to a number of viewers in a number of formats. Porting multimedia presentations between various distribution channels and end user devices may be difficult. Component media objects may be difficult to identify and manage for reuse.
The combination of streaming media with other media content (including other non-sequential streaming media) may present challenges for ease of navigation and presentation continuity. Existing technologies for combining other media objects with streaming media involve providing a secondary interface (e.g., frame, control panel, popup window, etc.) for navigating other media objects and may involve interruptions to the streaming media.
Other drawbacks may also exist.
Summary of the Invention
An object of the present invention is to overcome these and other drawbacks in existing systems and methods.
Another object of the invention is to provide a system and methodology for enabling a user to create media content once and allow presentation of a multimedia presentation to a number of users.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. To achieve these objects and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a process for creating and publishing multimedia presentations comprises creating a plurality of media content, managing the plurality of
media content, wherein the step of managing comprises assembling the plurality of media content to form at least one multimedia presentation, publishing the availability of the at least one multimedia presentation, distributing the at least one multimedia presentation to at least one server, and enabling presentation of the at least one multimedia presentation by a user at an end viewer device, where the end viewer device receives the at least one multimedia presentation from the at least one server.
In a further aspect, a system for creating and publishing multimedia presentations comprises a creation module for creating a plurality of media content, a manager module for managing the plurality of media content, wherein the managing comprises assembling the plurality of media content to form at least one multimedia presentation, a publisher module for publishing the availability of the at least one multimedia presentation, a distribution module for distributing the at least one multimedia presentation to at least one server, and a presentation module for enabling presentation of the at least one multimedia presentation by a user at an end viewer device, where the end viewer device receives the at least one multimedia presentation from the at least one server.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a flowchart illustrating the steps of the process for creating and publishing media content according to an embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a system for implementing one or more of the processes described according to an embodiment of the invention.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to corresponding elements.
Fig. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the steps of the process for creating and publishing media content according to an embodiment of the invention. At step 110, a plurality of media objects are created out of media data. At step 120, the various media objects are managed. The multimedia presentation is published at step 130, and distributed at step 140. Publishing the media objects includes assembling the plurality of
media objects to form at least one multimedia presentation including linked media objects. At step 150, the multimedia presentation is presented. The flow chart of Fig. 1 will be described in greater detail below, including various substeps within each step.
At step 102, media objects are created from media data. According to an embodiment of the invention, standard creating software and or custom code may be used to create the media content. Media data may be any data, information or material used for creating media objects. Media data may include audio (e.g., live recording, sound effects, synthesized sounds, etc.) data from step 111, dynamic image data from step 112 (e.g., video, digital video, film animation, etc.), static image data from step 113 (e.g., photographs, illustrative, graphic elements, backgrounds, two and three dimensional image data from step 114, etc.), text (e.g., documents, scripts, relational data, financial data, etc.), or any material that a user desires to assemble into a multimedia presentation. Media objects may include a single type of media data or may include a variety of different types. Media objects may contain other media objects. Media objects may also include non-linear flow logic (e.g., using hyperlinks, tags, or other methods for directing presentation flow). Media objects may include interactive flow logic to provide user defined navigation of the media content within the media object. Navigation tools may be imbedded within the media objects or may be provided through compatibility with presentation applications (e.g., a Web browser, media player, interactive television application, or other application for the presentation of digital content).
By way of example, a user may take analog audio and video files (e.g., media data) and convert them to digital audio and video files (e.g., media objects) to be stored on a processor. A user may convert pictures and film to a digital format for presentation in a digital format, and perform frame capturing on portions of a digital film to obtain static images. By way of example, a user may employ Nirage® creation software, to create media objects.
At step 120, the user manages the media objects. According to an embodiment of the invention, managing media objects may comprise organizing media objects for later assembly into a multimedia presentation, such as an Internet multimedia presentation or an interactive television program. In one embodiment, managing media objects may include linking a variety of media objects into an interactive program. A user may search the media object database to find the appropriate media objects for a media presentation. Standard management software, or customized developed management software may be
used. By way of example, the T.E.A.M.S.® management software may be used to read data produced using the Nirage® creation software.
Using such management software with media objects and media data, whether standard software or custom developed software, searches may be performed, the version of a particular media objects may be altered and/or controlled, or other functions related to management may be performed.
According to an embodiment of the invention at step 121, media objects may include metadata associated with the media object and/or various aspects of the media object and media data within the media object. Metadata may include tags associated with specific portions of a media object. Metadata may include descriptions of media object content, format, subject matter, authorship, ownership, user rights, navigation tags, and other data. Metadata may be integrated into the media object itself or provided through an associated data source (e.g., a metadata database indexed by media object identifiers). By way of example, metadata produced by a standard creation software program, such as Nirage®, may be stored on an Oracle 81 database. Storing media objects may permit a user to later access the media content, including use in other multimedia presentations.
Managing media objects may also include providing search capabilities and extensions of metadata tracking and capturing of stored media content. Once media content is created and stored, such as in a media datasbase at step 125, a user may search for the content for later multimedia presentations. According to an embodiment of the invention, media contented may be searched based on metadata.
In one example of step 120, a documentary on classic automobiles may be created as a plurality of media objects. A series of interviews and video sequences may be recorded on location at a classic car show using traditional analog video equipment. Those interviews and video sequences may be converted to digital format, edited, and linked into a sequential framework. A title sequence and credits may be created using a computer program and placed in appropriate places in the sequential framework. The documentary media object may be provided with a unique identifier and metadata descriptive of the content, format, authorship, and other information. Metadata may also be added to describe various portions of the documentary, such as each scene or even each frame of the documentary. The documentary media object, including the associated metadata, may be saved in a media object data source for later use. Unused and/or
unedited portions of the interviews and video footage, research materials, and other media data that are not contained in the documentary media object may be saved as additional media objects, with appropriately descriptive metadata.
A proxy for each media content may be created. According to one embodiment of the invention, a proxy of each media content is created at step 123, which may result in a low resolution proxy at step 124. Each low resolution proxy may be associated with metadata for the media content. When searching for media content, such as by searching metadata, a low resolution proxy may be provided for viewing, allowing the search to confirm that the media content is desired. According to an embodiment of the invention, a low resolution proxy may require less storage in a system, as less memory is required for the low resolution proxy than for the original media content. The low resolution proxy may act as a preview of the media content.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a high resolution proxy may be generated at step 122. Various levels of storage may be used for high resolution proxies (as well as low resolution proxies), including use of servers, analog tapes, digital media tapes, optical disks, or other storage devices.
At step 130, the multimedia presentation is published. According to an embodiment of the invention, publishing the multimedia presentation may comprise publishing the multimedia presentation as well as indicating the availability of the multimedia presentation. Standard publishing software and/or custom developed publishing software may be used to publish the multimedia presentation. By way of example, ATG Dynamo® publishing software may be used with the present invention.
A user may use publishing software to assemble media objects into one or more multimedia presentations. A user may assemble media objects, such as video, audio, graphics, text, and other content into a single multimedia presentation, such as a single "RP file" for a Real Player® video player. Using publishing software to assemble a multimedia presentation may include not only assembling media content, but also assembling advertising, providing commerce functionality (e.g.,, product ordering and payment functions), and providing enhanced information. According to an embodiment of the invention, a user may provided interactive functionality in a multimedia presentation, where the viewer of the presentation may interact, thereby customizing the presentation to the viewer's taste.
According to an embodiment of the invention, manual or assisted publishing may be performed at step 131. A user may access low resolution proxies of media content for selecting the contents of a media presentation, and manual create a media presentation based on the media content viewed. By way of example, a user may access and view various types of media content (video, audio, commercials, text, etc.) by viewing the low resolution proxy. One or more media content are joined to create a media presentation. Once created, the user may forward the media presentation for approval at step 134. Approval may comprise running or viewing media presentation to ensure that it complies with the desired goals for the media presentation. Alternatively, a user may provide a set of rules at step 132, and have the system perform dynamic publishing at step 133. According to an embodiment of the invention, the users inputs rules for creation of the media presentation, the system automatically selects the media content based on the rules, and creates the media presentation based on the media content. By way of example, a user may set rules to select all media content related to gardening. The system may select a television show directed toward gardening, and commercials related to lawn equipment, fertilizers, and grass seed. Other rules may also be used. The created media presentation is forwarded to an approval at step 134.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a user may create a media presentation with a combination of manual publishing (such as at step 131) and automated publishing (at steps 132 and 133). A user may view some media content, and set rules for other media content. By way of example, a user may view all media content related to the entertainment portion of a media presentation, while setting rules for selecting the commercials for the media presentation. Other combinations may also be used. Publishing software may also provide the ability for a user of the present invention to automatically assemble multimedia presentation, moved a multimedia presentation to an accessible network location, add to "available shows for scheduling," and provide stages for multimedia presentation for channel publishing.
One example of step 130 is the publishing of a media presentation including linked media objects. For example, an interactive television program may be assembled to provide a core video stream with associated text, video, audio, e-commerce, and advertising content to be accessed by user's interested in the interactive functionalities. To continue the example from step 120 regarding the classic automobile documentary,
the documentary media object may be identified to provide the core video stream for an interactive television program. A search of a media object may also identify the full length versions of the interviews, unedited video sequences from the car show, research materials including detailed written descriptions of various cars featured in the documentary, and other related content. These conceptually related media objects may be used to assemble the linked interactive content of the interactive television program. By inserting links, into the metadata associated with various portions of the core documentary media object, the additional media objects may be associated with an appropriate portion of the documentary media object. Alternatively, the associated data objects may be bundled with the core documentary media object and an appropriate application for retrieving associated materials, such as one which identifies media objects related to the portion of the core media object based upon comparisons between metatag descriptions of the associated object and the metadata description of the core media object portion. Using the publishing software, a user also may associate certain commerce items with one or more multimedia presentations. By way of an example, a user may associate sporting equipment with a multimedia presentation about sports. While watching the professional hockey championship, hockey merchandise, such as equipment, jerseys, and souvenir items, may be associated with the presentation and made available to the viewer. Additionally, dynamic rules may be created to optimize the content on the multimedia presentation.
When a media presentation has been approved at step 134, the media presentation is finalized at step 135. According to an embodiment of the invention, the media presentation may be finalized in the appropriate environment, such as for a web page, a television program, or other environment. According to an embodiment of the invention, publishing software may enable a user to schedule presentations of one or more multimedia presentation, create on-demand directory, send channel rundowns to broadcast manager, and send channel guides to channel distribution systems. Scheduling a multimedia presentation for presentation to a user may comprise moving a presentation from staging into timeslots in channel rundown. Moving a multimedia presentation may be performed by a variety of methods, such as designated a location for the multimedia presentation to be moved, or using a web based drag and drop interface.
Creating an on-demand directory comprises tagging shows in staging for on- demand availability. Tagging multimedia presentations results in the shows inclusion in a hierarchical directory of on demand content for a program guide.
One example of step 130 is publishing an interactive television program to one or ■ more interactive television networks. To continue the classic example of automobile documentary, media presentation of the documentary may be identified as available for distribution. Plot summaries, content samples, advertising materials, and other media objects may be linked to the media presentation object and/or made available to the interactive television networks for review and use in promotion of the program. Metadata for the publication media object may include terms of use for the publication media object. The publication media object may include metadata tags for identifying locations in which advertising, custom content, or other content may be inserted into the publication media object during presentation.
At step 140, the user distributes one or more multimedia presentations. According to an embodiment of the invention, distribution software may enable the user to distribute the multimedia presentations to various servers for further distribution to viewers such as through public or private networks, content delivery, services, or distributed hosting. Distribution software may be any standard distribution software and/or custom developed distribution software. By way of example, Real Studio Producer® may be used to distribute the multimedia presentation.
At step 141, distribution of a media presentation may occur over a private network, such as over an intranet, a closed-circuit transmission (cable, broadcast, etc.), or other types of private networks. At step 142, distribution of a media presentation may occur over a content delivery system, such as a cablecast system, a broadcast system, or other form of content delivery. At step 143, distribution of a media presentation may occur by a distributed hosting, such as a server over the internet. Other manners of distribution may also occur. The media presentation may then be distributed at step 144, such as via broadband, wireless application protocol (WAP), satellite, analog broadcasting, digital broadcasting, press (e.g., newspapers, magazines, etc.) The distribution software enables the acceptance of channel rundowns from
Broadcast Automation System, Unicast live and pre-produced content to high availability streaming media servers on edge-node distribution network. Channel distribution servers accept program guide data from channel publishing system, thereby generating a play list
for a viewer at an end viewer device. The play list allows a viewer to obtain information about one or more multimedia presentations, and select the desire multimedia presentation from the channel distribution system. The play list may include dates and times the multimedia presentation is available (e.g., when a live event is held), the ran time for the multimedia presentation, a summary of the multimedia presentation, and other information.
According to an embodiment of the invention, a user may enable interaction between viewer and the multimedia presentation, as well as the system of the present invention. A viewer may receive messages during event management system, such as advertisements, or messages from other viewers. Additionally, a view may set reminders, such as a reminder that a particular multimedia presentation is available. Messages and reminders may be in any type of format, including, but not limited to, audio, video, text, or graphics.
The distribution software may also provide updates to channel schedules, such as when the availability of a multimedia presentation changes. Further, the system may switch between live and pre-produced multimedia presentations on the fly. By way of example, during a live sporting event, the system may switch to a pre-produced commercials during a stoppage of time.
The channel distribution system synchronizes local files tagged for on-demand availability with remote file systems on Broadband Distribution Network. The system may also show on the air XML generator.
As an example of step 140, an interactive television program may be distributed to a plurality of interactive television networks or network servers. To continue the classic automobile documentary example, the publication media object may be provided to a number of network servers to be distributed according to a number of different presentation schedules and formats. For example, the classic automobile network may place the documentary in its standard line-up for presentation at 8:00 pm Sunday evening. The classic automobile network also maintains a Web site and a Web server capable of providing on demand Web casts of the documentary. At step 150, the multimedia presentation is presented to the viewer. According to an embodiment of the invention, a viewer may use standard presentation software and/or custom developed presentation software to view the multimedia presentation. By way of example, a Real Player ®, Microsoft Internet Explorer® 5, and/or a flash plug in may be
used to view a multimedia presentation. The presentation software may include an installer component to ensure that the viewer has the proper tools to view a multimedia presentation. By way of example, a user selects a multimedia presentation in a Real Player ® format. The installer component scans the tools resident on the end viewer device to ensure that the multimedia presentation can be properly viewed. The installer may then load and install Real Player ®, if necessary, thereby allowing the viewer to view the multimedia presentation.
The presentation software may also include a channel selector for allowing the viewer to manipulate a channel play list. A view may obtain information about multimedia presentations, and select the desired multimedia presentation for presentation at the end viewer device. The presentation software may also serve as an end user viewer manager, enabling an end viewer device, and therefore the viewer, to indicate which multimedia presentations are on the air and which are on demand, to receive and interact with commerce elements of the multimedia presentation (e.g., view information about a product and purchase the product), to log-in to the channel distribution system, and to use other features.
As an example of step 150, a user, on demand or according to a broadcast schedule, may view an interactive television program. In the classic automobile documentary example, a viewer tunes in to the classic car network on their interactive digital television at 8:00 pm on Sunday night. She views the streamed documentary media object as rendered by the interactive television applications. At various points throughout the program an icon indicates the availability of additional content. The viewer uses buttons on her remote control for accessing and or storing links to the associated media objects during portions of the documentary that interest her. Simultaneously, through a sub-interface (such as a frame or window), or after the program, through an alternate interface (such as an interactive content manager channel), the viewer views a full length interview with the designer of a car model she particularly liked and accesses text describing the details of the model. A banner advertisement for a local hobby shop carrying plastic models of car she liked may be provided upon accessing the additional media objects, and a video advertisement media object for manufacturers of replica car kits is inserted at the end of the complete interview.
Fig. 2 illustrates a System 900 according to an embodiment of the present invention. System 900 comprises multiple end user devices 905a-905d (or "computers")
used by borrowers to connect to Network 902 through multiple Connector Providers (CPs) 910. Network 902 may be any network that permits multiple borrowers or computers to connect and interact. According to an embodiment of the invention, Network 902 may be comprised of a dedicated line to connect borrowers, such as the Internet, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless network, or other type of network. CP 910 may be a provider that connects the borrowers to the Network 902. For example, CP 910 may be an internet service provider (ISP), a dial-up access means, such as a modem, or other manner of connecting to network 902. In actual practice, there may be significantly more CP's 910 connected to System 900 than shown in Fig. 8. This would mean that there would be additional borrowers which are connected through the same CPs shown or through other CPs. Nevertheless, for purposes of illustration, the discussion will presume four end user devices 905a-905d are connected to Network 902 through two CPs 910.
According to an embodiment of the invention, end user devices 905a - 905d may each make use of any device (e.g., computer, wireless telephone, personal digital assistant, etc.) capable of accessing Network 902 through CP 910. Alternatively, some or all of end user devices 905a - 905d may access Network 902 through a direct connection, such as a Tl line, or similar connection. Fig. 2 shows four end user devices 905a - 905d, each having a connection to Network 902 through a CP 910a and 910b. End user devices 905a - 905d may each make use of a personal computer such as a computer located in the borrower's home, or may use other devices which allow the borrower to access and interact with others on Network 902. Central controller module 920 may also have a connection to Network 902 as described above. Central controller module 920 may communicate with one or more data storage modules 935, the latter being discussed in more detail below.
Each computer 905a-905d used by borrowers may contain a processor module 904, a display module 908, and a user interface module 906. Each computer 905a-905d may have at least one user interface module 906 for interacting and controlling the computer. The user interface module 906 may be comprised of one or more of a keyboard, joystick, touchpad, mouse, scanner or any similar device or combination of devices. Each of the computers 905a-905d used by requesters may also include a display module 908, such as a CRT display or other device.
System 900 further includes a central controller module 920. Central controller module 920 may maintain a connection to Network 902 such as through network device 915. Network device 915 may comprise a conventional device which enables central controller module 920 to interact with Network 902. According to an embodiment of the invention, network device 915 may be integral with central controller module 920. The connection to Network 902 by central controller module 920 and computers 905a-905d may be a high speed, large bandwidth connection, such as a though Tl or T3 line, a cable connection, a telephone line connection, DSL connection, or other type connection. Central controller module 920 functions to permit borrower devices 905a-905d to interact with each other in connection with various applications, messaging services and other services which may be provided through System 900.
Central controller module 920 preferably comprises either a single server computer or a plurality of multiple server computers configured to appear to end user devices 905a-905d as a single resource. Central controller module 920 communicates with one or more data storage modules 935. According to an embodiment of the invention, a data storage module 935 may be located on one or more data storage devices, where the data storage devices are combined or separate from central controller module 920.
While System 900 of Fig. 2 discloses a computer 905a-905d connected to Network 902, it is understood that a personal digital assistant ("PDA"), a mobile telephone, a television, or other device that permits access to Network 902 may be used to arrive at the system of the present invention.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a computer-usable and computer- writeable medium having a plurality of computer readable program code stored therein may be provided for practicing the method of the present invention. For example, the computer-usable medium may comprise a CD ROM, a floppy disk, a hard disk, or any other computer-usable medium. One or more of the components of the system may comprise computer readable program code in the form of functional instructions stored in the computer-usable medium such that when the computer-usable medium is installed on a computer system, those components cause the computer system to perform the functions described.
According to one embodiment, central controller module 920, application creating module 925, and other architecture described herein may comprise computer-readable
code that, when installed on one or more computers or computer systems, perform the functions described above. Also, only some of the components may be provided in computer-readable code.
According to one specific embodiment of the present invention, a system may comprise components of a software system. The system may operate on a network and may be connected to other systems sharing a common database. Other hardware arrangements may also be provided.
Other embodiments, uses and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. The specification and examples should be considered exemplary only. The intended scope of the invention is only limited by the claims appended hereto.