Multimedia communication system and method
Inventors
Greer, Neil • Blank, Bennett • Depew, Bryan
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-8356253-B2
Publication Date
2013-01-15
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for creating, editing, sharing and distributing high-quality, media-rich web-based communications. The communications are created in a layered fashion that integrates user-selected text, colors, background patterns, images, sound, music, video, or other media. The systems and methods are used to generate, edit, broadcast, and track electronic presentations, brochures, advertisements (such as banner advertisements on highly trafficked media websites), announcements, and interactive web pages, without the need for the user to understand complex programming languages.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a multimedia communication system and multimedia communication method implemented as a SaaS model with a server computer and a client computer. A thin client graphical user interface on the client computer accesses, via a network, a media repository that stores communication project templates and media assets of a number of content types. A project builder provides controls for selecting communication project templates and media assets, and enables assembling a communication project from selected templates and assets.
The system renders the assembled communication using a project viewer connected through the network and displayed in the graphical user interface. The communication is a collection of slides that includes a grouping of design layers, design elements, and content containers, and the slides are displayed by the project viewer using either auto-play on or auto-play off.
Template customization is implemented through an interview/query process that selects relevant template classes and media assets, and uses media asset palettes and content-type classification. The invention also supports distribution and tracking through a distribution program, and sharing via programs that provide administrative sharing including live, linked, and smart sharing with real-time update behavior for main and derivative communications.
Claims Coverage
The partial claims include two independent claims that cover a multimedia communication system and a multimedia communication method. The claims center on access to a media repository, selection through a project builder or interactive interview, and rendering or generating a slide-based communication with auto-play control.
Media repository of templates and media assets accessible via client graphical user interface
A media repository storing communication project templates and media assets of a number of content types, accessible by a graphical user interface on a client computer via a network.
Project builder for selecting templates and media assets to assemble a communication
A project builder providing the graphical user interface for the client computer, with controls for selecting at least one communication project template and at least one of the media assets for integration into the communication project template for assembling a communication.
Project viewer rendering slide-based communications with design layers, design elements, and content containers
A project viewer connected via the graphical user interface via the network that renders the communication in the graphical user interface, wherein the communication is a collection of slides comprising a grouping of design layers, design elements, and content containers, the slides displayed by the project viewer using either auto-play on or auto-play off.
Server-provided interactive interview for collecting user preferences
Providing, from a server computer, an interactive interview to a graphical user interface of a client computer and receiving, via the interactive interview, information about a user to indicate user preferences for a communication project template and a set of associated selectable media assets.
Palette-based template and media asset selection to generate a slide-based communication with auto-play control
Providing, in the graphical user interface, a palette of at least one communication project template and a palette of selectable media assets of at least one content type for selection by the user to generate a communication, wherein the communication is a collection of slides comprising a grouping of design layers, design elements, and content containers, the slides displayed by the project viewer using either auto-play on or auto-play off.
Across the independent claims, the coverage centers on accessing a media repository of templates and media assets via a client graphical user interface, enabling selection through a project builder and/or a server-provided interactive interview, and rendering or generating a layered, slide-based communication in which slides are displayed with either auto-play on or auto-play off.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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