 |
Claims  |
|
|
What is claimed is:
1. A method in a data processing system including a processor, for
providing a link from a reference point within a hierarchy of a formatted
text stream in an on-line book, to a multimedia object, comprising the
steps of:
storing a formatted text stream in said data processing system, said
formatted text stream including a link description which includes
multimedia device-type information, object location information and
multimedia control information for a target multimedia object, said
formatted text stream further including a link tag associated with said
link description said tag identifying a source location in said formatted
text stream from which a link is established to said target multimedia
object;
storing said multimedia object in said data processing system at a location
identified by said location information, said object including multimedia
data representing a multimedia presentation;
storing a multimedia handler program in said data processing system, said
processor controlling operations of a multimedia output device
characterized by said multimedia device-type information, when said
processor executes said handler program;
displaying said formatted text stream in said data processing system;
activating said link tag in said data processing system and in response
thereto, transferring from said link description to said processor, said
multimedia control information;
executing said multimedia handler program in said processor using said
control information and in response thereto, transferring from said
location identified by said location information to said multimedia output
device, said multimedia data from said multimedia object;
producing said multimedia presentation with said multimedia output device
in using said multimedia data from said multimedia object;
said link description includes a first object name, a first object location
and first device control information for a first multimedia object and
said link description further includes a second object name, a second
object location and second device control information for a second device
control information for a second multimedia object;
(a) determining with said processor executing said multimedia handler
program whether said multimedia output device is capable of producing said
multimedia presentation with said first multimedia object;
(b) producing said multimedia presentation with said multimedia output
device using said multimedia data from said first multimedia object, upon
determining that said multimedia output device is capable of producing
said presentation;
(c) determining with said processor executing said multimedia handler
program whether said multimedia output device is capable of producing said
multimedia presentation with said second multimedia object upon
determining that said multimedia output device is not capable of producing
said presentation with said first object;
(d) producing said multimedia presentation with said multimedia output
device using multimedia data from said second multimedia object upon
determining that said multimedia output device is not capable of producing
said presentation with said first object.
2. A method in a data processing system including a processor, for
providing a link from a reference point within a hierarchy of a formatted
text stream in an on-line book, to a multimedia object, comprising the
steps of:
storing a formatted text stream in said data processing system, said
formatted text stream including a link description which includes
multimedia device-type information, object location information and
multimedia control information for a target multimedia object, said
formatted text stream further including a link tag associated with said
link description said tag identifying a source location in said formatted
text stream from which a link is established to said target multimedia
object;
storing said multimedia object in said data processing system at a location
identified by said location information, said object including multimedia
data representing a multimedia presentation;
storing a multimedia handler program in said data processing system, said
processor controlling operations of a multimedia output device
characterized by said multimedia device-type information, when said
processor executes said handler program;
displaying said formatted text stream in said data processing system;
activating said link tag in said data processing system and in response
thereto, transferring from said link description to said processor, said
multimedia control information;
executing said multimedia handler program in said processor using said
control information and in response thereto, transferring from said
location identified by said location information to said multimedia output
device, said multimedia data from said multimedia object;
producing said multimedia presentation with said multimedia output device
in using said multimedia data from said multimedia object;
storing an I/O support profile in said data processing system, specifying
said multimedia output device which is coupled to said data processing
system;
determining with said processor executing said multimedia handler program
to determine whether said multimedia output device is capable of producing
said multimedia presentation with said multimedia object;
producing said multimedia presentation with said multimedia output device
using said multimedia data from said multimedia object, upon determining
that said multimedia output device is capable of producing said
presentation.
3. A method in a data processing system including a processor, for
providing a link from a reference point within a hierarchy of a formatted
text stream in an on-line book, to a multimedia object, comprising the
steps of:
storing a formatted text stream in said data processing system, said
formatted text stream including a link description which includes
multimedia device-type information, object location information and
multimedia control information for a target multimedia object, said
formatted text stream further including a link tag associated with said
link description said tag identifying a source location in said formatted
text stream from which a link is established to said target multimedia
object;
storing said multimedia object in said data processing system at a location
identified by said location information, said object including multimedia
data representing a multimedia presentation;
storing a multimedia handler program in said data processing system, said
processor controlling operations of a multimedia output device
characterized by said multimedia device-type information, when said
processor executes said handler program;
displaying said formatted text stream in said data processing system;
activating said link tag in said data processing system and in response
thereto, transferring from said link description to said processor, said
multimedia control information;
executing said multimedia handler program in said processor using said
control information and in response thereto, transferring from said
location identified by said location information to said multimedia output
device, said multimedia data from said multimedia object;
producing said multimedia presentation with said multimedia output device
in using said multimedia data from said multimedia object;
(a) storing an I/O support profile in said data processing system,
specifying said multimedia output device which is coupled to said data
processing; said link description includes a first object name, a first
object location and first device control information for a first
multimedia object and said link description further includes a second
object name, a second object location and second device control
information for a second multimedia object;
(b) determining with said processor executing said multimedia handler
program whether said multimedia output device is capable of producing said
multimedia presentation with said first multimedia object;
(c) producing said multimedia presentation with said multimedia output
device using said multimedia data from said first multimedia object, upon
determining that said multimedia output device is capable of producing
said presentation with said first object;
(d) determining with said processor executing said multimedia handler
program whether said multimedia output device is capable of producing said
multimedia presentation with said second multimedia object upon
determining that said multimedia output device is not capable of producing
said presentation with said first object;
(e) producing said multimedia presentation with said multimedia output
device using multimedia data from said second multimedia object upon
determining that said multimedia output device is not capable of producing
said presentation with said first object.
4. A data processing system including a processor, for providing a link
from a reference point within a link from a reference point within a
hierarchy of a formatted text stream in an on-line book, to a multimedia
object, comprising:
a memory in said system for storing a formatted text stream in said data
processing system;
said formatted text stream including a link description which includes
multimedia device-type information, object location information and
multimedia control information for a target multimedia object
said formatted text stream further including a link tag associated with
said link description, said tag identifying a source location in said
formatted text stream from which a link is established to said target
multimedia object;
said memory storing said multimedia object in said data processing system
at a location identified by said location information, said object
including multimedia data representing a multimedia presentation;
said memory storing a multimedia handler program in said data processing
system, said processor controlling operations of a multimedia output
device characterized by said multimedia device-type information when said
processor executes said handler program;
a display coupled to said memory in said system, for displaying said
formatted text stream in said data processing system;
said processor coupled to said memory in said system, for activating said
link tag in said data processing system and in response thereto, accessing
said multimedia control information;
said processor executing said multimedia handler program sing said control
information and in response thereto, transferring from said location
identified by said location information to said multimedia output device,
said multimedia data from said multimedia object;
said multimedia output device producing said multimedia presentation using
said multimedia data from said multimedia object;
said link description includes a first object name, a first object location
and first device control information for a first multimedia object and
said link description further includes a second object name, a second
object location and second device control information for a second
multimedia object;
said multimedia output device producing said multimedia presentation using
said multimedia data from said first multimedia object, upon determining
that said multimedia output device is capable of producing said
presentation with said first object;
said processor determining by executing said multimedia handler program
whether said multimedia output device is capable of producing said
multimedia presentation with said second multimedia object upon
determining that said multimedia output device is not capable of producing
said presentation with said first object;
said multimedia output device producing said multimedia presentation using
multimedia data from said second multimedia object upon determining that
said multimedia output device is not capable of producing said
presentation with said first object.
5. A data processing system including a processor, for providing a link
from a reference point within a link from a reference point within a
hierarchy of a formatted text stream in an on-line book, to a multimedia
objects, comprising:
a memory in said system for storing a formatted text stream in said data
processing system;
said formatted text stream including a link description which includes
multimedia device-type information, object location information and
multimedia control information for a target multimedia object;
said formatted text stream further including a link tag associated with
said link description, said tag identifying a source location in said
formatted text stream from which a link is established to said target
multimedia object;
said memory storing said multimedia object in said data processing system
at a location identified by said location information, said object
including multimedia data representing a multimedia presentation;
said memory storing a multimedia handler program in said data processing
system, said processor controlling operations of a multimedia output
device characterized by said multimedia device-type information when said
processor executes said handler program;
a display coupled to said memory in said system, for displaying said
formatted text stream in said data processing system;
said processor coupled to said memory in said system, for activating said
link tag in said data processing system and in response thereto, accessing
said multimedia control information;
said processor executing said multimedia handler program sing said control
information and in response thereto, transferring from said location
identified by said location information to said multimedia output device,
said multimedia data from said multimedia object;
said multimedia output device producing said multimedia presentation using
said multimedia data from said multimedia object;
said memory storing an I/O support profile in said data processing system,
specifying said multimedia output device which is coupled to said data
processing system;
said processor executing said multimedia handler program to determine
whether said multimedia output device is capable of producing said
multimedia presentation with said multimedia object;
said multimedia output device producing said multimedia presentation using
said multimedia data from said multimedia object, upon determining that
said multimedia output device is capable of producing said presentation.
6. A data processing system including a processor, for providing a link
from a reference point within a link from a reference point within a
hierarchy of a formatted text stream in an on-line book, to a multimedia
object, comprising:
a memory in said system for storing a formatted text stream in said data
processing system;
said formatted text stream including a link description which includes
multimedia device-type information, object location information and
multimedia control information for a target multimedia object;
said formatted text stream further including a link tag associated with
said link description, said tag identifying a source location in said
formatted text stream from which a link is established to said target
multimedia object;
said memory storing said multimedia object in said data processing system
at a location identified by said location information, said object
including multimedia data representing a multimedia presentation;
said memory storing a multimedia handler program in said data processing
system said processor controlling operations of a multimedia output device
characterized by said multimedia device-type information when said
processor executes said handler program;
a display coupled to said memory in said system, for displaying said
formatted text stream in said data processing system;
said processor coupled to said memory in said system, for activating said
link tag in said data processing system and in response thereto, accessing
said multimedia control information;
said processor executing said multimedia handler program sing said control
information and in response thereto, transferring from said location
identified by said location information to said multimedia output device,
said multimedia data from said multimedia object;
said multimedia output device producing said multimedia presentation using
said multimedia data from said multimedia object;
said memory storing an I/O support profile in said data processing system,
specifying said multimedia output device which is coupled to said data
processing system;
said link description includes a first object name, a first object location
and first device control information for a first multimedia object and
said link description further includes a second object name, a second
object location and second device control information for a second
multimedia object;
said processor executing said multimedia handler program to determine
whether said multimedia output device is capable of producing said
multimedia presentation with said multimedia object;
said multimedia output device producing said multimedia presentation using
said multimedia data from said multimedia object, upon determining that
said multimedia output device is capable of producing said presentation
with said first object;
said processor executing said multimedia handler program to determine
whether said multimedia output device is capable of producing said
multimedia presentation with said second multimedia object upon
determining that said multimedia output device is not capable of producing
said presentation with said first object;
said multimedia output device producing said multimedia presentation using
multimedia data from said second multimedia object upon determining that
said multimedia output device is not capable of producing said
presentation with said first object.
7. A method in a data processing system including a processor, for
providing a control form a reference point within a hierarchy of a
formatted text stream in an on-line book, to a multimedia output device,
comprising the steps of:
storing a formatted text stream in said data processing system, said
formatted text stream including a link information which identifies a
source location in said formatted text stream from which a link is
established to a target multimedia object and an object location and
multimedia device control information for a multimedia output device;
storing said multimedia object in said data processing system at said
object location identified by said link information, said object including
multimedia data representing a multimedia presentation;
storing a multimedia handler program in said data processing system, said
processor controlling operations of said multimedia output device, when
said processor executes said handler program;
activating said link in said data processing system and in response
thereto, transferring to said processor said multimedia control
information;
executing said multimedia handler program in said processor using said
control information and in response thereto, transferring from said object
location identified by said link information to said multimedia output
device, said multimedia data from said multimedia object;
producing said multimedia presentation of said multimedia data with said
multimedia output device under control of said multimedia handler program
using said control information;
storing an I/O support profile in said data processing system, specifying
said multimedia output device which is coupled to said data processing
system;
determining with said processor executing said multimedia handler program
whether said multimedia output device is capable of producing said
multimedia presentation with said multimedia object;
producing said multimedia presentation with said multimedia output device
using said multimedia data from said multimedia object, upon determining
that said multimedia output device is capable of producing said
presentation.
8. A method in a data processing system including a processor, for
providing a control form a reference point within a hierarchy of a
formatted text stream in an on-line book, to a multimedia output device
comprising the steps of:
storing a formatted text stream in said data processing system, said
formatted text stream including a link information which identifies a
source location in said formatted text stream from which a link is
established to a target multimedia object and an object location and
multimedia device control information for a multimedia output device;
storing said multimedia object in said data processing system at said
object location identified by said link information, said object including
multimedia data representing a multimedia presentation;
storing a multimedia handler program in said data processing system, said
processor controlling operations of said multimedia output device, when
said processor executes said handler program;
activating said link in said data processing system and in response
thereto, transferring to said processor said multimedia control
information;
executing said multimedia handler program in said processor using said
control information and in response thereto, transferring from said object
location identified by said link information to said multimedia output
device, said multimedia data from said multimedia object;
producing said multimedia presentation of said multimedia data with said
multimedia output device under control of said multimedia handler program
using said control information;
(a) storing an I/O support profile in said data processing system,
specifying said multimedia output device which is coupled to said data
processing system; said link information includes a first object name and
a first object location and said control information includes first device
control information for a first multimedia object and said link
information further includes second device object name and a second object
location and said control information includes a second control
information for a second multimedia object;
(b) determining with said processor executing said multimedia handler
program to determine whether said multimedia output device is capable of
producing said multimedia presentation with said first multimedia object;
(c) producing said multimedia presentation with said multimedia output
device using said multimedia data from said first multimedia object, upon
determining that said multimedia output device is capable of producing
said presentation with said first object;
(d) determining with said processor executing said multimedia handler
program to determine whether said multimedia output device is capable of
producing said multimedia presentation with said second multimedia object
upon determining that said multimedia output device is not capable of
producing said presentation with said first object;
(e) producing said multimedia presentation with said multimedia output
device using multimedia data from said second multimedia object upon
determining that said multimedia output device is capable of producing
said presentation with said first object. |
|
 |
|
 |
Claims |
|
|
|
Description |
|
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The invention disclosed broadly relates to data processing and more
particularly relates to the display of multimedia presentations from an
on-line book.
2. Background Art
Large, softcopy documents have been stored in data processing systems for
later retrieval and display. The retrieval of documents using a computer
has been a prominent application in both business and library science.
However, the presentation of large, softcopy documents for display on a
monitor screen, has been in a serial, page-by-page format. The
page-by-page presentation has made the on-line review of large, softcopy
documents a slow and inefficient operation. To solve this problem of
page-by-page presentation, softcopy book reading programs have been
devised. For example, the IBM BookManager (.TM.) READ program helps the
user manage, search and look at on-line books. There are two complementary
BookManager products, BookManager BUILD creates on-line books from files
marked-up with Generalized Markup Language. The BookManager READ product
can then manage, search and show the on-line books created by BookManager
BUILD. The BookManager READ program product is described in the IBM
publication "BookManager (.TM.) READ, Displaying On-Line Books,"
publication number SC23-0449-0, February 1989. The BookManager BUILD
program product is described in the IBM publication "BookManager (.TM.)
BUILD--Preparing On-Line Books," publication number SC23-0450-0 , February
1989. These books are available from IBM branch offices.
Conventional softcopy book reading programs typically display the pages of
the softcopy book on a conventional monitor display screen. Multimedia
presentation formats such as audio presentation., video presentation,
sequential image animation presentation, and the like have not been
considered a part of the presentation format which can be included and
displayed in softcopy on-line books. Among the problems confronting the
prior art which have prohibited the provision of multimedia presentation
from on-line books is the lack of standardization in multimedia output
devices and software drivers. This is due in part to the rapid rate of
development of new multimedia output devices and it is further due in part
to a lack of organized standards in the industry.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved softcopy
book reading method.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved softcopy book
reading method capable of multimedia presentations.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide an improved
softcopy book reading method which provides generalized links to arbitrary
multimedia objects.
It is still a further object to provide an improved softcopy book reading
method wherein the nature, representation and presentation of multimedia
objects are not constrained by the mechanism that invokes the link from
the book to the object.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved softcopy
book reading method which enables the easy updating of multimedia objects
contained in the book, to new editions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects, features and advantages are provided by the
invention disclosed herein. A method, program and data processing system
are disclosed, for providing a generalized link from a reference point
within an organized hierarchy of a formatted text stream in an on-line
book, to an arbitrary type multimedia object. The method begins by storing
a formatted text stream in the data processing system. The formatted text
stream includes a link description which contains multimedia type
information, object location information and multimedia control
information for a target multimedia object. The formatted text stream
further includes a link tag associated with the link description, which
identifies a source location in the formatted text stream from which a
link is established to the target multimedia object.
The method continues by storing the multimedia object in the data
processing system at a location identified by the location information,
the object including multimedia data representing a multimedia
presentation. The method then continues by storing a multimedia handler
program in the data processing system, the handler program controlling
operations of a multimedia output device characterized by the multimedia
type information.
The method then continues by displaying the formatted text stream in the
data processing system. The method then continues by activating the link
tag in the data processing system and in response thereto, transferring
from the link description to the multimedia handler program the multimedia
control information. The method then continues by executing the multimedia
handler program using the control information and in response thereto,
transferring from the location identified by the location information to
the multimedia output device, the multimedia data from the multimedia
object. The method concludes by producing the multimedia presentation with
the multimedia output device using the multimedia data from the multimedia
object.
Multimedia objects may be represented by data separate from the book or
they may be encapsulated within the book. A description of the link is
encoded in the softcopy book, which includes information about the type
and location of the multimedia object to be referenced, and which includes
multimedia control information. The softcopy book reading program
embodying the method, invokes the appropriate multimedia handler program
to support the presentation of the multimedia object. The nature,
representation and presentation of the multimedia object are not
constrained by the mechanism that invokes the link.
Many different kinds of multimedia objects can be linked into a softcopy
book. Multimedia objects such as high resolution, photographic quality
graphics, motion video, or sound can be supported by the invention. In
addition, other functions which can be included in an expanded definition
of multimedia, can also be presented, such as a spread sheet, or an
engineering diagram using a computer aided design data base.
The author of a softcopy book can specify several types of multimedia
presentation and the method of the invention selects the type which is
compatible with the hardware available in the workstation where the book
is read.
An additional feature of the invention is the ability to dynamically update
the softcopy book to new editions with new multimedia presentations.
The resulting data processing method provides a generalized link from a
reference point in a softcopy, on-line book to an arbitrary multimedia
object, which accommodates a variety of multimedia hardware and updating
of books to new editions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects, features and advantages will be more fully
appreciated with reference to the accompanying figures.
FIG. 1 is an organizational diagram of a softcopy book file 100.
FIG. 1a illustrates the link description tags 102 in the softcopy book file
of FIG. 1.
FIG. 1b illustrates the softcopy book text with tags 104 in the softcopy
book file of FIG. 1.
FIG. 1c illustrates the internal animation object 106 in the softcopy book
file of FIG. 1.
FIG. 1d illustrates the internal audio object 108 in the softcopy book file
of FIG. 1.
FIG. 1e illustrates the internal graphics object 110 in the softcopy book
file of FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 illustrates the external video object 195.
FIG. 3a illustrates the relationship between the bit mapped frames in an
animation sequence format and the corresponding displayed appearance of
the frames.
FIG. 3b illustrates how a sampled analog sound signal is converted into
audio data for an audio object.
FIG. 3c illustrates the relationship between displayed graphics and the
graphics data which generates the display.
FIG. 4 is an architectural diagram of an example workstation for displaying
a softcopy book using the method of invention.
FIG. 5 illustrates a user's workstation profile which characterizes the
workstation of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram of the softcopy book READ program in
| | |
