International Business Machines Corporation

Arun Ramchandra

Jai P Menon

James Sargent Lipscomb

Keeranoor G Kumar

Liang-Jie Zhang

Sih-Pin Subrina Chang

Shu-Chun Jeane Chen

Edward Charles Snible

Robert C Plotkin

Shu-Chen Jeane S Chen

Eric H Hoffman

Sreedhar Rochan

A multi-media information system enables tracking of user interactions to media presentations. A content creation phase enables a creator to specify presentation events or user interactions that can be tracked. A token(s) is introduced into the content by the creator to represent each piece of information to be tracked. A deployment delivery phase delivers the presentation to a web page for a user experience phase and interaction. Trackable information is communicated by the user to the tracking server at different instances of time. Each pre-authored trackable information can be flagged to be 'real-time' or otherwise at the granularity of the token or at the granularity of each trackable context. When trackable information is not 'real-time', the information is put into one of several information clusters of different priority. When each cluster achieves a critical mass, the cluster moves to a ready state for transmission to the tracking server.

System and method for tracking user interactions and navigation during rich media presentations

The present invention is directed to a system and method of reconciling multiple control inputs to a processor and controlling an output in an interface. The method provides a degraded output response when the control inputs are asserted simultaneously, and provides an increased output response when the inputs act individually and alternately. This system and method acts to provide feedback to the operator or operators controlling the inputs so as to encourage the operator(s) to assert the inputs individually, and discourage the operator(s) from asserting the inputs simultaneously.

System and method for reconciling multiple inputs

A system and method composes heterogeneous media components into a unified environment for rich spatio-temporal hotlink authoring and action enablement in low-bandwidth presentations. The media client master coupled to the server receives a first heterogeneous media file. The master parses the file to identify the various media tracks in the file, their types, and the object which would render them. When the master encounters a media frame, an internal table is checked to verify whether a media object has been instantiated to handle the corresponding media track. If not, the master fetches the appropriate object from the server and instantiates the object in the media track. The master verifies the frame to determine if an action enablement kernel has been created. If not, the master fetches the appropriate object from the server and instantiates the object in the frame, to activate an action enabler for display of the action.

System and method for composing heterogeneous media components into a unified environment for rich spatio-temporal hotlink authoring and action enablement in low-bandwidth presentations

A system and method for unifying hotspot subject to non-linear transformation and interpolation in heterogeneous media representations includes a content creator for creating Rich Media, e.g. stills, animation, panorama and a delivery system including an action handler for responding to a hotspot in the Rich Media when selected by a user interacting with a projected image display. The hotspot is expressed in the media as an area defined in terms of a Euclidean, rectangular coordinate system for transformation and mapping of the media image hotspot coordinates into corresponding coordinates of a hotspot location in the projected image display. Unfortunately, the image coordinates in the media do not necessarily map directly into corresponding coordinates in the projected image. Flat media images can be linearly transformed to projected image coordinates. However, panorama media require non-linear transformation of media coordinated to projected image coordinates. The coordinates for the media hotspot are stored in a centralized action handler independent of the non-linearities in the media. As a result of a user selecting or picking a hotspot in the projected image, the pick may fall outside of the corresponding hotspot in the case of non-linear media. The hotspot in the media and the projected image may be unified by increasing the number of points in the area geometry which makes more reliable that a pick in the projected image hotspot will fall within the hotspot area in the media. When the projected image hotspot is picked by a mouse or other input device, a signal is transmitted to the media indicating the coordinates of the input device with respect to the media. The media transforms the input coordinates and queries the action handler for a stored hotspot at the location of the input device. The action handler returns the hotspot, if any at the queried location The media displays the hotspot, if any at the location and the input device location on the media. When the pick falls within the media hotspot area and is actuated, the action handler initiates events associated with the picked hotspot in the projected image.

System and method for unifying hotspots subject to non-linear transformation and interpolation in heterogeneous media representations

A single file contains all information for a complete presentation. Each presentation file contains both data and software for the presentation. It includes both the data and software provided to the user and that retained by the server for the performance of the presentation. The basic building block for a presentation is a frame. The presentation file can contain a file header frame and multiple media frames, and one or more meta data frame. Of the frame types, the file header frame is the only one whose presence is mandatory in the presentation file format. The file header frame identifies the subject matter and contents of the presentation file providing information on the media types and total length of the file. The most degenerate yet useful version of a presentation file would have the file header frame followed by a media frame containing a thumbnail description. A thumbnail description may constitute a simple still picture or written description of the subject matter. Other media frames can be animated or full motion descriptions of the subject matter. Meta data frames are frames that contain non-media specific data file level behavior and user information. Meta data frames are presented only in cases where non-fault behavior and configuration are desired or in cases where actions and abstract navigational semantics are to be incorporated.

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Danbury, CT, United States of America

Arun Ramchandra