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Claims  |
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We claim:
1. A multimedia system for outputting digital information from documents,
the multimedia system comprising:
memory means for storing a plurality of documents, each of the documents
including
a discrete number of pages that may each be accessed with a single user
input, each page containing
at least one asset file to be accessed by the system,
a page execution script for specifying logical operations to be performed
on the asset files contained in the same page, and
a set of exit conditions, each exit
condition specifying an action to be executed upon receipt of a
corresponding input signal;
processing means, coupled to the memory means, for accessing the documents
from the memory means, for executing the logical operations specified in
the page execution scripts of the pages in the documents, and for
performing the actions specified in the exit conditions of the pages in
the documents;
user input means, coupled to the processing means, for permitting a user of
the multimedia system to provide input signals corresponding to the exit
conditions of the pages in the documents; and
output means, coupled to the processing means, for outputting to the user
information from ones of the documents accessed by the processing means.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the pages in each of the documents
is associated with at least one level, the level indicating a degree of
detail of the information in the associated page.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the set of exit conditions for a selected
one of the pages includes access of a page at a level above or below the
level of the selected page.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein the user input means includes
a keyboard with keys indicating the selection of a page on the level above
or below the level of the selected page.
5. The system of claim 2 wherein the pages in each of the documents are
organized into one of a plurality of associated chapters containing
summary information describing the associated pages, and
wherein each of the chapters is on the same level.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the each of the pages in each of the
documents is organized into a predetermined series, and
wherein the set of exit conditions for a selected one of the pages includes
access of the next page in the predetermined series.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein the user input means includes
a keyboard with keys indicating the selection of next page in the
predetermined series.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein the memory means contains a log of the
pages having page execution scripts with logical operations that have been
executed, the pages being organized in the order of the execution of the
page execution script logical operations, and
wherein the set of exit conditions of a selected one of the pages includes
access to the one of the pages accessed immediately prior to the selected
page.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein the user input means includes
a keyboard with keys indicating the selection of the page which was
accessed immediately prior to the selected page.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein the user input means includes
a keyboard with a plurality keys, and
signaling means, coupled to the keyboard, for generating the input signals
when the keys are selected by the user.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of keys includes
next page keys which correspond to exit conditions for a selected one of
the pages, the exit conditions for the selected page each specifying the
access of another one of the pages, and
a pause key which cause the processing means to freeze execution of the
logical operations in the page execution scripts.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein the plurality of pages are organized
into at least three levels, and wherein next page keys include
a first key indicating the selection of a page on the level immediately
higher than the level of the selected page,
a second key indicating the selection of a page on the level immediately
lower than the level of the selected page,
a third key indicating the selection of the page which is next in a
predetermined sequence, and
a fourth key indicating the selection of the page which was accessed
immediately prior to the selected page.
13. The system of claim 1 wherein one of the pages in each of the documents
is a title page containing a title for the associated document.
14. The system of claim 1 wherein the output means includes a video
display.
15. The system of claim 14 wherein one of the pages in at least one of the
documents is a menu page which causes the video display to include at
least one hot spot area on the video display for enabling a user to supply
a user input to specify one of the exit conditions for the menu page, and
wherein the processor means includes means for executing any action in the
exit condition specified by each of the hot spots in the menu page.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein the menu page is a table of contents
page listing the pages in a corresponding one of the documents in a
predetermined sequence, and
wherein associated with each of the pages listed in the table of contents
page is an associated hot spot which corresponds to an exit condition that
causes access of the associated page.
17. The system of claim 15 wherein the menu page is an index page listing a
plurality of characteristics in a corresponding one of the documents and,
for each of the characteristics, the ones of the pages having that
characteristic, and
wherein associated with each of the pages listed in the index page is an
associated hot spot which corresponds to an exit condition that causes
access of the associated page.
18. The system of claim 1 wherein selected ones of the documents include at
least one menu page, each of the menu pages containing an array of logical
processing options for the processing means to perform.
19. A method of executing actions corresponding to a desired page in a
document in a multimedia system for outputting digital information from
asset files in said desired page of said document, wherein the document
includes a plurality of pages, each page including at least one asset file
and a page execution script specifying logical operations to be performed
on the asset files and a set of exit conditions, wherein each page is
accessible by a single user input, wherein each exit condition specifies
an action to be executed upon receipt of a corresponding input from a user
of the multimedia system, the method including the steps, performed by the
multimedia system, of:
executing the page execution script of the desired page;
determining the presence of an input from the user; and
executing, when a user input is present, the one of the actions in the exit
conditions which corresponds to that user input for said desired page.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the multimedia system also includes a
plurality of additional pages, and wherein the actions specified for each
of the exit conditions is an access to a corresponding one of the
additional pages, and
wherein the step of taking the one of the actions specified in the exit
conditions includes the substep of
accessing the one of the additional pages identified in the corresponding
exit condition.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein the multimedia system includes a memory
with a current page data portion containing the information for a current
one of the pages whose page execution script is currently being executed
by the multimedia system;
wherein the method also includes the steps of
designating a selected one of the pages as the current page, and
storing in the current page data portion information for the current page;
and
wherein the substep of selecting the one of the pages identified in the
corresponding exit condition includes the substep of
designating the selected page as the current page.
22. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of executing the page execution
script of the page includes the substep of
outputting to a output device the information in one of the asset files.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein one of the user inputs is a PAUSE
instruction and wherein the multimedia system has a visual output device
displaying a visual output; and
wherein method further includes the steps, performed by the multimedia
system upon receipt of the PAUSE instruction, of ceasing the execution of
the page execution script; and
maintaining on the visual output device the visual output currently being
displayed.
24. The method of claim 19 wherein the multimedia system includes a
plurality of pages organized into at least one document, and
wherein the method further includes the step, performed by the multimedia
system, of
opening a selected one of the documents.
25. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of opening a selected document
includes the substeps of
presenting a list on a display device of the documents in the multimedia
system capable of being opened, and
receiving an input from the user indicating the selected one of the
documents.
26. In a multimedia system which outputs digital information, a method of
accessing a desired page within a document containint a plurality of pages
with a single user input, each page including at least one asset file and
a page execution script specifying logical operations to be performed on
the asset files and a set of exit conditions, wherein each page is
accessible by a single user input, wherein each exit condition specifies
an action to be executed upon receipt of a corresponding input from a user
of the multimedia system, the method comprising the steps, performed by
the multimedia system, of:
executing the page execution script for said desired page specifying
logical operations to be performed on asset files in said desired page,
the asset files including digital information;
receiving a user input indicating an action to be executed; and
performing a corresponding exit condition in response to the received user
input for said desired page.
27. In a multimedia system which outputs digital information, a memory
containing the digital information organized into a plurality of page
objects which represent a document, each of the page objects comprising:
at least one asset file to be accessed by the system;
a page execution script for specifying logical operations to be performed
on the asset files contained in the corresponding one of the page objects;
and
a set of exit conditions each specifying an action to be taken upon receipt
of a corresponding input signal.
28. In a multimedia system which outputs digital information, a memory
containing the digital information organized into a document object, the
document object including at least one page object and comprising:
at least one asset file to be accessed by the system;
at least one page execution script file corresponding to each page object
in the document object for specifying logical operations to be performed
on the asset files pages; and
a set of exit conditions corresponding to each page object, each of the
exit conditions specifying an action to be executed upon receipt of a
corresponding input signal.
29. The document object of claim 28 wherein the document also contains
a title page object including the name of the document. |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of multimedia information
systems and, more particularly, to interactive multimedia systems that
provide storage and retrieval of digital information.
Multimedia systems are generally understood to be microprocessor-based
systems which can store and display more than one from of information. In
this context, information can take the form of video information, textual
information, photographic information, graphic information including
animation and visualization, or audio information. Multimedia systems are
finding increasing use in a variety of applications, such as point of sale
terminals in retail stores and directories in public buildings, and for
education and training in a variety of settings.
Multimedia systems almost always include some interactive capability which
allows a user to select and control the output of the different types of
information. As used in the following description, the term "interactive"
refers to processes by which user inputs cause a system to follow
pre-established logical procedures.
Virtually all modern computers can display both text and graphics, and many
can produce sound. These computers, however, are not generally considered
to be multimedia systems, as that term is generally understood to include
systems having a greater capability of displaying both sound and visual
information, including motion video, than do conventional computers.
One type of existing multimedia system uses videodisks to store video and
audio information. Such systems usually also include a standard computer
keyboard as well as other input devices, such as a mouse, a joystick, or a
touch sensitive display screen. There are even videodisk systems that use
voice recognition units as input devices.
The processors controlling the interactive functions of such
videodisk-based multimedia systems generally rely upon standard computer
operating systems, such as MS-DOS from Microsoft Corporation, the
Macintosh operating system from Apple Computer, Inc., or some version of a
Unix operating system. This is where the standardization ends, however. To
create, manipulate and output a specific body of information (sometimes
called a "document") in a multimedia system of this type, the processors
must use special run-time modules and which are frequently, but not
always, specific to each document.
Videodisk-based systems also have disadvantages which limit their use. Many
of these disadvantages arise from the analog nature of the video
information stored on the disk. For example, because videodisk-based
systems must usually handle digital as well as analog data, such systems
require two separate storage devices and two separate display terminals.
Furthermore, analog information of the type which can be stored on a
videodisk cannot be transmitted over telephone lines or other transmission
media which can transmit digital data.
There currently exist multimedia systems which use only digital information
and thus avoid some of the disadvantages of videodisk-based systems. Such
systems had been too expensive for mass commercial use, but Intel
Corporation recently released a relatively low cost chip set incorporating
a technology which has been given the name "Digital Video Interactive"
(DVI). Add-on boards for microprocessors based on the DVI technology have
been marketed under the trademarks ACTIONMEDIA 750 and ACTIONMEDIA II, and
the chips presently available are designated the 82750PB and the 82750DB.
The DVI technology has made an all-digital multimedia system economically
practical for a wide range of consumers.
Even these all-digital systems have their limitations, however. Currently
there are no standard conventions for storing or accessing multimedia
information or for using or creating multimedia documents. There are not
even standard conventions for assigning file names or for operating input
devices. Thus, a user must learn a new set of conventions whenever he
changes systems and/or documents.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a standard set of
conventions and formats for multimedia information systems and documents.
It is further an object of this invention to provide an interactive,
all-digital multimedia system having predetermined conventions and
standards for documents.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a set of standard
conventions for multimedia systems which makes it relatively easy for a
user to create, select and manipulate the digital information in the
various documents used in the system.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a common document
structure which can be used for many different types of multimedia
information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purpose of the invention,
as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention provides a
standard document structure for organizing and storing all information in
documents used in a digital multimedia system. Each document includes at
least one page, and each page contains at least one asset or file, a page
execution script for displaying the contents of the page, and exit
conditions for defining what actions to take, such as opening or executing
another page, upon receipt of certain input instructions from the user.
More particularly, a multimedia system of this invention for outputting
digital information from documents, comprises memory means for storing a
plurality of documents, each of which includes a discrete number of pages.
Each of the pages contains at least one file accessible by the system, a
page execution script for specifying the logical operation to be performed
on the files contained in the corresponding one of the pages, and a set of
exit conditions each specifying an action to be taken upon receipt of a
corresponding input signal from the user. The multimedia system also
comprises processing means, user interface means and output means. The
processing means is coupled to the memory means and accesses the documents
from the memory means, executes the logical operations specified in the
page execution scripts of the pages in the documents, and performs the
actions specified in the exit conditions of the pages in the documents.
The user input means is coupled to the processing means and permits a user
of the multimedia system to provide input signals corresponding to the
exit conditions specified to the pages. The output means is coupled to the
processing means and, in response to commands from the user input means,
outputs to the user the information from documents selected by the
processing means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part
of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and,
together with the description, serve to explain the objects, advantages
and principles of the invention. In the drawings:
FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the principal components of a preferred
implementation of the multimedia system of this invention.
FIG. 2A shows a block diagram of the different components of a document
using the standard multimedia-user interface structure in accordance with
this invention.
FIG. 2B shows a block diagram of the conventional hierarchical menu
structure currently in use in known multimedia systems.
FIG. 2C shows a block diagram of a document organized according to this
invention which includes menu pages.
7 FIG. 3 shows a document object for use in the preferred implementation of
this invention.
FIG. 4 shows a page object for use in the preferred implementation of this
invention.
FIG. 5 shows a portion of the screen display of a menu page configured as a
table of contents or an index for use with a preferred implementation of
this invention.
FIG. 6 shows an example of the screen display of a menu page configured as
a graph for use with a preferred implementation of this invention.
FIG. 7 shows a schematic of a memory system in accordance with a preferred
implementation of this invention.
FIG. 8 shows the structure of a current page in the memory system of FIG. 7
in accordance with a preferred implementation of this invention.
FIG. 9A shows an overhead view of a preferred implementation of a keyboard
that can be used with the system in FIG. 1.
FIG. 9B shows a cross-section of the keyboard in FIG. 9A.
FIG. 10 shows a diagram of the system software in a preferred
implementation of the present invention.
FIG. 11 shows a flow diagram of a preferred procedure for opening a
document in accordance with a preferred implementation of the present
invention.
FIG. 12 shows a flow diagram of a preferred procedure for executing a page
in accordance with a preferred implementation of the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a procedure for forming assets in
accordance with this invention.
FIG. 14 shows a flow diagram of a preferred procedure for creating a page
object in accordance with this invention.
FIG. 15A shows an example of page execution script created using the
procedure in FIG. 14.
FIG. 15B shows an example of page exit conditions created using the
procedure in FIG. 14.
FIG. 16 shows a flow diagram of a preferred procedure for creating a
document in accordance with this invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Reference will now be made in detail to the construction and operation of a
preferred implementation of the present invention which is illustrated in
the accompanying drawings. In those drawings, like elements and operations
are designated with the same reference characters. The preferred
implementation described below is merely an example of the present
invention. The present invention is not limited to this example, but may
be realized in other implementations.
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a multimedia system 100 which is a
preferred implementation of the system of this invention. System 100
includes a document memory 110, a central processing unit (CPU) 120,
system software 125, user input devices 130, a compression/decompression
(CODEC), digital to analog converter (DAC) device 140, and output devices
150.
In accordance with the present invention, the multimedia system includes
memory means for storing a plurality of documents. In the present
invention, documents provide the framework for organizing and storing the
information in the multimedia system. In system 100, such memory means
includes document memory 110. Preferably, document memory includes a
primary RAM memory for fast access to information in current use, as well
as a secondary memory for storage of information not currently being used.
The precise memory configuration is not critical to this invention,
however. The preferred organization of memory will be discussed further in
connection with the explanation of CPU 120 and system software 125.
Document memory 110 stores the components of the documents used by
multimedia system 100 in a specific structure. In this invention,
documents have a defined, standard structure which facilitates access to
and review of the stored information. The same document structure is used
whether the stored information is text, graphics, video, still
photographs, audio or anything else which is desired to be accessed and
output on the multimedia system 100.
FIG. 2A is a diagram showing a document implemented in accordance with the
present invention. Document 200 includes a title page 205 along with
several other pages. The pages in document 200 can be at the same relative
level of detail, such as pages 210, 220, 230, 240, 250 and 260 relative to
each other, or at a relatively greater level of detail, such as pages 270
and 271 would be relative to page 210, or pages 272 and 273, 274 and 275,
pages 220, 230, 240, 250 and 260, respectively. The document structure of
this invention permits the use of levels, but the use of multiple levels
is not required to practice every aspect of the invention. The functional
importance of levels and relative detail is discussed more fully below.
The structure shown in FIG. 2A applies to documents regardless of whether
the information is text, video, audio, still pictures, graphics, or any
other type of information. This structure allows the present invention to
be expanded to different types of information without having to rewrite
software or retrofit the system for the new types of information.
The concept of a page is also very important to an understanding of this
invention. A page in this invention represents a portion of the document
which the system allows a user to access with a single input action. The
exact parameters of the page are determined by the author of the document,
and there are no set rules for how the author must determine the size or
number of pages. In general, however, the pages should not be so large as
to contain too much information to use effectively, nor too small as to
force a user to access several pages to gain certain basic information.
The detail provided by each page can differ according to the organization
of the document. This involves the use of levels, as mentioned briefly
above. Levels can, but need not, be used to differentiate between the
amount of detail in the information contained in a page. If levels are
used, then pages with the same detail are placed in different levels, In
FIG. 2A, the information in pages 210 and 220 would have a similar amount
of detail, but, as explained above, page 270 would have more detailed
information than would page 210.
The pages in a document are also preferably organized to reflect a
relationship between the information in the pages. For example, the path
between pages 210 and 270 indicates that the information in pages 270 is
related in some way to that in page 210.
The use of varying levels and the detailed organization of the pages can be
important for multimedia documents as it allows a user to find the desired
portion of the document quickly and then determine how much information to
obtain. For example, if one were seeking information on Ludwig van
Beethoven, one may wish to access pages at a high level of detail and
obtain only general information. Alternatively, one may wish to proceed to
a greater level of detail and access either more detailed textual
information on Beethoven's life or audio recordings of his works.
The arrows in FIG. 2A show the types of progressions through a document
which are possible with the standard multimedia user interface. The
standard multimedia user interface shown in FIG. 2A reflects a four way
structure indicative of the four exit paths available from each of the
pages in document 200. For example, at page 220, one path exists to a
(presumed) previously-accessed page 210; a second path exists to the next
page 230 in sequence on the same level as page 220; a third path exists to
page 220; and a fourth path exists to page 272 which is the first in a
sequence of pages having more detailed information than page 220.
The standard multimedia-user interface stands in stark contrast to a
conventional two-way tree structure 206 shown in FIG. 2B. In FIG. 2B, the
only allowable paths between portions of the documents are between levels,
and the levels do not necessarily represent relative amounts of detail.
Traversal of portions at the same "level" requires movement upward to a
common parent, and then downward to the desired portion.
In some sense, the four-way standard multi-user interface shown in FIG. 2A
reflects the manner in which printed documents, such as books, are used.
When one looks through a book, one normally proceeds sequentially through
pages. One can look to the chapter summary if less detail is needed, or
look at the footnotes on a page (or other source material such as
appendices or glossaries) for more detail. The interface shown in FIG. 2A
provides that same ease of use for multimedia documents.
In the present invention, each document must contain at least one page,
called the title page. The title page identifies the title of the
corresponding document and is the entry point (i.e., the first page
displayed) when the corresponding document is selected. In FIG. 2A, page
205 is the title page for document 200.
The preferred implementation of documents and pages in this invention
employs object-oriented software techniques. A software "Object" is a
well-known concept for software engineers and is understood to represent a
collection of software modules, such as algorithms or data, or both, which
collectively perform a specific task. As demonstrated below, objects can
include other objects.
FIG. 3 shows a document object 300 which can represent document 200 for
purposes of understanding this invention. Document object 300 includes a
document configuration file 302, which contains the information required
by the standardized runtime module to open the corresponding document.
Although the precise contents and organization of document configuration
file 302 will depend on certain conventions required by CPU 120 and system
software 125, most of the design of document configuration file 302 will
be determined by the architect of system 100 based upon information needed
to open a file. File 302 will typically include information regarding the
title of the corresponding document, its location in memory 110, as well
as its size and structure.
Document object 300 also includes a number of page objects 305, 310, 320,
330, 340, 350, and 360. Each page object corresponds to a different page
in the document represented by document object 300. For example, if
document object 300 represents document 200 in FIG. 2A, then, page object
310 could represent page 210, page object 320 could represent page 220,
etc. Obviously, document object 300 would need to have a much greater
number of page objects if it were to represent document 200 accurately.
Each page object includes certain files: a page execution file. For
example, title page object 305 preferably includes title page execution
script file 306, title page exit condition file 307, and various asset
files from the pool of assets. Each document object contains a pool of
asset data files 308, representing digitized visual and audio information.
Page object 310 includes page execution script file 311, exit condition
file 312, and asset files 313, 314, 315 and 316. The asset files, are in a
"pool" and can be part of more than one page object.
Page execution script files 306, 311, 321, 331, 341, 351, and 361 each
contain software modules which are processed when the corresponding pages
of the particular document are selected. For example, a page execution
script file might cause the display of a portion of text with some
graphics, or the running of a video clip.
The digitized information which is decoded and converted to analog output
as a result of processing an execution script file is called an asset. An
asset is the smallest body of information in the multimedia system of the
invention. Generally, an asset consists of a discrete body of digital data
stored as an individual file in document memory 110 of system 100. An
asset may consist of binary data equivalent to a photograph, a video clip,
a sound recording, a body of text, a computer program, a graphic (still or
animated), or any portion of the above. A given asset can also be
incorporated into more than one page and can be used more than once in the
same page.
Each page must have at least one asset, but the number of determining what
information should be in an asset, but generally the amount of information
will typically be a coherent body of information, coherence being
determined by content, and the amount of information in an asset should be
small enough to promote sharing of assets, but large enough to minimize
the steps needed in forming a page object from assets in the pool.
In the preferred implementation, assets are stored as asset files and
incorporated in page objects, which in turn are incorporated into document
objects. As FIG. 3 shows, document object 300 has several asset files. For
example, asset files 313, 314, 315 and 316 could be incorporated in page
object 310 as well as in other page objects.
An asset can also contain logical algorithms to control exit conditions.
For example, if the multimedia document were a training manual, one of the
assets could be an algorithm to analyze answers given to a series of
multiple choice questions. Based on the answers to those questions, one of
several different pages could be accessed next. Alternatively, if the
document were a test, the next page to be accessed could depend on the
score of the test.
The page exit condition files 307, 312, 322, 332, 342, 352, and 362
determine the actions to be taken upon receipt of a corresponding input
signal. This concept is explained in greater detail below, but briefly,
the exit conditions define the next page to be executed when the user
presses certain keys or otherwise indicates user choices.
FIG. 4 shows an individual page object 400 which includes a page execution
script file 410, an exit conditions file 420, and asset files 430, 435,
440, 445, 450, 455, 460, 465, and 470.
Another type of page is the menu page. The menu page differs from other
pages in that it provides more than one exit condition. Menu pages
preferably contain one or more "hot spots," which are locations on a
display. Each hot spot corresponds to its own exit condition, which can be
either another page or another hot spot on the same or a different page.
One type of menu page is a table of contents page, such as is embodied by
the screen display of table of contents 500 shown in FIG. 5. Table of
contents 500 lists the different pages of a document in a predetermined
sequence, such as the sequence which the pages are intended to be
traversed. The author would associate a hot spot with each listing, and
the user could select a page for access directly by selecting the hot spot
associated with that page. Hot spots are preferably selected using the
same basic user inputs provided for in the user input devices described
below.
Table of contents 500 also shows chapters into which the pages are
organized. Chapters, such as chapters 290, 291, and 293 in FIG. 2A, are
the highest level of detail of the pages under the title page 205 and can
be used to organize and summarize the information in several other pages.
The chapters in the document being illustrated have thus the same
function, in a general sense, as chapter summaries in a book, or the
headlines in a newspaper, and a user can select a chapter to find out
general information covered in greater depth in the chapter's pages.
A menu page that is similar to the table of contents is the index file. In
fact, FIG. 5 can also be an illustration of an index file. An index file
would contain a listing of various characteristics or features of a
document, similar to the index of a book. A hot spot would be associated
with each feature, and selection of a hot spot would cause multimedia
system 100 to access the associated page.
Another use of menu pages is to present a useful key to certain
information, such a graph 600 in FIG. 6. In graph 600, each displayed
portion would be a hot spot, and selection of one of the hot spots would
cause multimedia system 100 to access a page with information about that
portion. For example, if the document were an agricultural guide
reflecting the percentage of a state's production due to each of several
products, selection of a portion could cause access to a page with summary
agricultural information for that product. More detailed information could
be obtained as explained above.
With the understanding of menus provided above, the use of menus in the
standard multimedia user interface system of this invention can be
appreciated. FIG. 2C shows a multi-level document structure which includes
menus in accordance with this invention. FIG. 2C also shows a document
menu containing listings of all the documents available to multimedia
system 100. AS FIG. 2C illustrates, a document 650 would be listed on
document menu 640. Once the title of document 650 were chosen from
document menu 640, the next page accessed by system 100 would be title
page 655 of document 650. Title page 655 would have as exit conditions
either a table of contents menu page 660, a chapter summary page 661, or a
publishing detail page 656. Publishing detail page 656 would contain the
information now included on the copyright page of a book.
If table of contents menu page 660 were chosen, it would appear with a
number of hot spots that would each correspond to a different one of the
pages shown in FIG. 2C. For simplicity of drawing, not every page is
separately identified, and the only exit condition paths which are shown
are to chapters 661, 662, 663, 664, 665, 666, and 667. Typically, table of
contents page 660 would include an exit condition path to each of the
pages in document 650.
In a like manner, index menu page 670 only shows exit condition paths to
certain of the pages, but in actuality, there would likely be a path to
each of the pages in document 640.
FIG. 2C also demonstrates an interesting manner of organizing the sequence
of the pages. When there are a series of pages at the same level, and the
pages all have the same "parent,"such as pages 691, 692, and 693, under
parent 690, the author must decide which page should be the next one
accessed in order after the last page in the series. For example, page 693
is the last page in a sequence, and there is no necessary choice for the
next page.
For document 650, the author decided that the last page in the series under
one parent would be immediately succeeded by the first page in series
after the parent of the current page. For example, the current page is
page 693, the next page would be page 695, which is at the next higher
level and which is also the next page after page 690, page 693's parent
page. This is just one implementation, however, and the author of document
can make other choices.
In table 650, the author also decided to make a menu page the next page to
be accessed after the absolute last page at a particular level were
accessed. This menu is a document ending menu 680. When the last page at
any level is reached, and a user presses an key seeking the next page of
that level, document menu page 680 would be accessed which would give the
user a message that there are no more pages at that level. The user would
also be presented with several options, such as closing the document or
accessing pages at a different level.
One other feature of table 640 which is not shown is the backtrack
function. This feature is described in more detail below.
To use the document structures described above, the multimedia system must
have some processing capability. In accordance with the present invention,
the multimedia document system includes processing means, coupled to the
memory means, for accessing the documents from the memory means, for
executing the logical operations specified in the page execution script of
the pages in the documents, and for performing the actions specified in
the exit conditions of the pages in the documents. In the preferred
embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the processing means includes CPU 120 and
system software 125. System software 125 may reside in the same memory
devices as document memory 110 or in a separate device.
CPU 120 and system software 125 preferably include a standard computer
platform, such as the microprocessor chips of the IBM PS/2 and the OS/2
operating system, along with run-time modules that operate in a manner
consistent with the description of this invention. The operation of system
software 125 is discussed below following a description of the hardware
components of system 100.
FIG. 7 shows a memory system schematic of the preferred orientation of the
memory system as it relates to the elements in FIG. 1. Preferably, the
system software 125 and the CPU 120 are coupled to the document memory 110
which includes a document data portion 710 and a current page data portion
720. Document data portion 710 includes all the data for the documents
which can be accessed by system 100, and current page data portion 720
includes only that data needed for the page currently being processed by
system 100.
As explained above, document memory 110 preferably includes a primary RAM
and secondary memory such as a disk or tape. Document data portion 710 is
preferably stored in secondary memory. Document data portion 710 can also
be stored in RAM, but this may be impractical for large documents and
multimedia systems. It is also possible, through proper memory management
techniques, to place part of document data portion in secondary storage
and part in RAM.
Assets are preferably stored as binary digital files in document data
portion 710. To save memory space, the assets can be stored in compressed
format.
Preferably, current page data portion 720 is stored in RAM to allow fast
access by the CPU 120 and to provide efficient and quick output to devices
150.
FIG. 8 shows a schematic of the memory structure 800 for the current page
data portion 720. Page memory structure 800 includes the page name portion
810 for the page currently being processed, as well as a new page name
portion 820 recorded as the result of executing an exit condition.
Page memory structure 800 also includes a sequential page list portion 830
which is required to execute the backtrack function. The backtrack
function, which is optional, makes it possible to access, in reverse
order, the pages previously accessed.
Also included in the current page memory structure 800 are a current page
execution script 840 and current exit conditions 850. Current page
execution script 840 is the execution script for the page currently being
processed. Current exit conditions 850 define the exit conditions for the
page currently being processed. More specifically, exit conditions 850
identify a page for each of the possible user inputs. For example, page
name 852 corresponds to the page to be accessed when a rightward pointing
arrow key is pressed; page name 854 corresponds to the page to be accessed
when a downward pointing arrow key is pressed; page name 856 corresponds
to the page to be accessed when an upward pointing arrow key is pressed;
and page name 858 corresponds to the page most recently accessed and is
used to implement the backtrack function, if that option is selected by
the author.
Page memory structure 800 also allows the implementation of additional user
input options. Such options might include direct access to a table of
contents or index page, access to a help page, or assistance in opening or
closing a document. All such options could also be implemented through
other means, for example, other keyboard inputs, functions, or options
such as assets with logical algorithms. Options location 860 is provided
in structure 800 for such functions or options.
Also in accordance with the present invention, the multimedia system
includes user input means, coupled to the processing means, for permitting
a user of a multimedia system to provide input signals corresponding to
the exit conditions of pages in the document. In the preferred
implementation, such user input means includes user input | | |
