Method and apparatus for creating multimedia presentations

[0001] The invention relates to multimedia authoring application. Specifically, a method and apparatus for easily creating dynamic customized interactive menus is disclosed.

[0002] Multimedia authoring applications allow user to create and edit multimedia items for distribution. These multimedia items often have menu presentations. The presentations typically include a graphical display and a selectable menu separate from the graphical display. The menus allow users to play the multimedia item or advance to a particular scene in the multimedia item.

[0003] Some embodiments of the invention provide a computerized method for creating and editing a multimedia item. The method provides a menu theme for a multimedia item. The menu theme includes a background graphics for displaying a multimedia item and selectable menu text. A menu theme may include one or more dropzones wherein a still image, a set of still images for a slideshow, or a movie may be dropped.

[0015] In the following description, numerous details are set forth for purpose of explanation. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the invention may be practiced without the use of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order not to obscure the description of the invention with unnecessary detail.

Multimedia Authoring Application Overview

[0016] The present invention introduces a multimedia authoring application to create and edit multimedia items, such as Digital Versatile Discs (DVDs), for distribution. The system of the present invention allows a user to easily create a dynamic and interactive menu presentation for the multimedia item. These menu presentations keep a viewer of the multimedia item occupied and entertained until the user selects one of the menu items displayed to the user.

[0017] The multimedia authoring application allows the user to create dynamic menu presentations using one of many pre-designed menu ‘themes.’ Each menu theme is a template menu that may be customized by the user. Each menu theme may include background graphics, selectable menu text, and special effects that affect the appearance the menu theme. The background graphics vary for each menu theme. The background graphics may include still images, image slide shows, and short movies. The user may modify the background graphics. The selectable menu text is modifiable and it serves as an interactive menu that allows the user to begin viewing the multimedia item (play the movie for a DVD), navigate to submenus, view additional features, advance to a specific scene in the multimedia item, or navigate to other features.

[0018] The multimedia authoring application displays the menu theme in a display area and allows a user to add additional multimedia graphics to the menu theme. The user is allowed to select a multimedia graphic from a list of multimedia graphics and easily import the selected multimedia graphic into the menu theme display area. The added multimedia graphics may comprise still images, a set of images to be displayed in a slide show or a short motion picture. Once the user selects a multimedia graphic, the multimedia authoring application formats the multimedia graphic to apply the special effect that is build into the menu theme and displays the menu multimedia graphic in the menu theme's background graphics.

[0019] The ability to easily create and edit multimedia presentations by adding a dynamic menu presentation is advantageous. Dynamic menu presentations not only keep a user entertained at the first instance of inserting the multimedia item into a multimedia player, but also enhance the overall appearance of the multimedia item. One advantageous feature of the menu page is that it may provide the user with a glimpse of the multimedia content that is on multimedia item.

Example Multimedia Authoring Application Usage

[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a flow diagram of one possible interaction between the user and the multimedia authoring application for creating and editing a multimedia item. Each of the steps in FIG. 1 will be further described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 8. Initially, at step 110, a user selects a button or icon on their computer screen to launch the multimedia authoring application. FIG. 2 illustrates one possible embodiment of a multimedia authoring application 200, such as a DVD multimedia authoring application for creating and editing multimedia items. The multimedia authoring application 200 includes a display area 210 and several selectable buttons 220 to 270.

[0021] The display area 210 is used by the multimedia authoring application 200 to display the menu that is being created including menu graphics and menu text. The menu graphics may consist of still images, slideshows of still images, and short motion pictures. Audio clips may also be added to a menu theme. In one embodiment, a default menu theme is loaded when the application is launched. FIG. 2 illustrates a simple theatre menu theme that consists of a pair of animated theatre curtains.

[0022] The selectable buttons 220 to 270 of the multimedia authoring application 200 allow the user to perform various different operations such as importing menu graphics. The customize button 220 allows the user to customize settings of the multimedia authoring application 200, such as brightness, contrast, volume etc. The folder button 230 allows the user to navigate to various folders on the user's computer for either retrieving or saving various types of data including the menu being created for the multimedia item. The slide show button 240 allows the user to import several slides in a slideshow format for displaying on the multimedia authoring application 200. The motion button 250 allows the user to toggle whether or not any motion pictures in the menu will be displayed in motion. The preview button 260 allows the user to perform a simulation of how the interactive menu will operate if created. The burn button 230 allows the user to produce a final multimedia object, such as a DVD, with the created multimedia menu. In a DVD system, the burn button composites all of the graphics that define the menu and creates a single MPEG video that will be displayed behind the selectable menu text.

[0023] Referring back to FIG. 1, the user may next select the customize button 220 to bring up a list of options for customizing the menu. FIG. 3 illustrates how the multimedia authoring application may appear on the user's computer screen after selecting the customize button 220.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 3, the customize button 220 brings up a customization list 310 that lists a number of different tools 330 to 380 that may be used to customize the menu. The user may select the menu themes button 330 to bring up a library of alternative menu themes that may be selected. The user may select the settings button 340 to bring up a list of settings that may be changed to affect how the menu is presented. The settings list allows the user to change display area parameters, such as brightness, contrast, sharpness, etc. The user may select the audio button 350 to bring up a library of different audio clips that may be added to the menu. The user may select the photos button 360 to bring up a library of digital images that may be added to the menu. The user may select the movies button 370 to bring up a library of movies that may be added to the menu. The user may choose an item displayed in any of these libraries or import their own menu theme, audio, photo, or movies using the file folder button 230. The user may either store an imported item in a library or use it directly in the multimedia authoring application 200.

[0025] Referring back to FIG. 1, at step 130 the user may select the menu themes button 330. Selecting the menu themes button 330 causes the menu authoring program to display the library of alternative menu themes in item display area 400 as shown in FIG. 4. The menu theme library includes several selectable menu themes 410 to 440. A user may select any of the menu themes 410 to 440 displayed in the menu theme library or install their own menu theme into the menu theme library for later use. Four menu themes 410 to 440 are illustrated within the item display area 400. Additional menu themes may be accessed by scrolling down the item display area 400 with the scroll bar 490.

[0026] Referring back to FIG. 1, at step 140 the user may select one of the menu themes 410 to 440 from the menu theme library 400. The selection may be made by having the user click on a particular menu theme using a computer mouse. Alternatively, the user may also use a keyboard, a touch screen, or similar method to select the desired menu theme. Once the user clicks on any of the menu themes 410 to 440, the multimedia authoring application 200 highlights the selected menu theme in the display area 400 indicting the selection and displays the selected menu theme in display area 210. For example, if the user selects the projector menu theme 420, it is highlighted and displayed in the display area of the multimedia authoring application as shown in FIG. 5.

Editing a Menu

[0027] FIG. 6 illustrates the theatre menu theme. The theatre menu theme provides a theatrical setting by having animated theatre curtains that open and close as a special effect. The theatre menu theme also includes a ‘dropzone’ area 650 and a selectable menu 660. The text of the selectable menu 660 may be modified by the user and the menu items may be linked to additional menu pages, a movie, a slideshow, or to other areas. A user may customize any menu theme with a dropzone area by placing customized graphics in the dropzone area. In a preferred embodiment, a user may drop a still image, a set of still images, or a movie on a drop zone area. If a still image is placed in the dropzone area, the still image will be displayed in the dropzone area. If a set of still images is placed in a dropzone area, those still images will be displayed sequentially in a slideshow style. If a movie is dropped in the dropzone area then several seconds of that movie will be displayed in the dropzone area in a looped manner.

[0028] Referring back to FIG. 1, at step 150 the user may select the customize icon 220 to customize the menu with an image, set of images or movie. This selection causes the multimedia authoring application to present the item menu 310. Finally, at step 160 the user may customize the menu with an image, a set of images or a movie. To add a still image or a set of images for a slideshow, the user needs to select photos button 360 item from the item menu 310. Selecting the movies item 370 causes the multimedia authoring application to present a movies library 700 as illustrated in FIG. 7. Note that in FIG. 7, the curtains of the movie theatre are in a different position since the curtains are continually animated.

[0029] The movies library 700 of FIG. 7 contains only one selectable movie 720. (Normally more movies would be displayed in movies library 700.) A user may add movie 720 to the menu display by dragging movie 720 to the dropzone 650 in the center of the menu display. For example, A user may drag the movie 720 of Johnny's visit to the barbershop onto the dropzone 650 and released it. Once dropped there, the theatre curtains will open and close over the movie showing Johnny's visit to the barbershop. FIG. 8 illustrates how the menu will appear after the movie has been dropped onto the dropzone 650. The amount of the movie that will be played can be specified by the user. In one embodiment, the curtain opens and closes every 30 seconds. Thus, the user can synchronize the movie in the dropzone with the curtains by specifying that only 30 seconds of the movie should be played. The opening and closing curtain effect is implemented by creating a menu theme that includes a movie of opening and closing curtains that is over laid on top of dropzone 650. The curtains in the curtain movie are deemed opaque with an alpha channel and the opening between the curtains is deemed transparent.

[0030] As mentioned earlier, in addition to movies, the user may add a photo or slideshow to the menu using the same process. Specifically, to place a still image in the dropzone 650, the photos button 360 is selected to display a set of digital images and then one of the images is dragged onto the drop zone 650. The curtains will open and close on top of the still image in that case. To place a slide show on to the menu, the user selects the photos button 360 to display a set of digital images and then drags a set of images onto the drop zone 650. The images in set of images will be displayed in sequential order in a slideshow manner. Again, the curtain will open and close over the slideshow.

[0031] As mentioned earlier, each menu theme also includes a selectable menu 660. The selectable menu includes several text selections. The user may select these text selections to play a movie, display a slideshow, or navigate to submenus. The user may modify the selectable menu text at anytime to add or delete any selectable text options.

[0032] The selectable menu text may be linked to submenus that are created from their own menu theme pages. For example, if the user selects the scene selection menu item from the selectable menu 660, a scenes submenu may be displayed. FIG. 9 illustrates an example of one possible submenu that displays scene selections. The submenu screen of FIG. 9 includes four dropzones where the user may drop in movies associated with the scenes.

Multimedia Authoring Application Architecture

[0033] FIG. 10 illustrates a high level block diagram of the architecture of the multimedia authoring application system. In one embodiment, the multimedia authoring application 1000 operates on a eXtensible Markup Language (XML) file that describes a menu theme. The XML files for menu themes are known as Menu Theme Description files. Similar to the manner in which HTML files describe web pages, the Menu Theme Description files describe how a menu theme will appear and where the various menu links in the menu theme are linked to. The Menu Theme Description file is supported by a number of other files that are used to render the menu. Specifically, the Menu Theme Description file refers to image files 1020 that define the background and may be placed in drop zones, audio files 1030 that are to be played in the background while the menu is displayed, movie files 1040 that make up the animations in animated menus and may be placed in dropzones, fonts 1050 that are used to render the selectable menu text, and patch files 1060 that implement special effects. The menu themes are created with a menu theme editing application 1090 that is similar to HTML editing programs.

[0034] Of particular interest in the Menu Theme Description file is the description of the dropzones. The dropzones are defined by a number of different parameters including a size and orientation, a default image for that area, a highlight image that is displayed when the mouse is moved over the dropzone, a set of special effects associated with the dropzone, an alpha value that specifies transparency, a Z-level (depth) of the dropzone, and any filters applied to graphics placed in the dropzone (For example, a Black & White filter would make all graphics appear black & white). The following XML defines a dropzone in one embodiment:

[0035] <key>dropzones</key>

[0036] <array>

• • [0037] <dict>
    • [0038] <key>BoundBox</key>
    • [0039] <array> <!--Define Dropzone Bounding Box-->
      • [0040] <integer>111</integer>
      • [0041] <integer>64</integer>
      • [0042] <integer>420</integer>
      • [0043] <integer>250</integer>
    • [0044] </array>
    • [0045] <key>contentscale</key>
    • [0046] <integer>1</integer>
    • [0047] <key>defaultcontentsFileList</key>
    • [0048] <array>
      • [0049] <string>dropzonedefcontent.tif</string>
    • [0050] </array>
    • [0051] <key>defaultcontentsIsImage</key>
    • [0052] <true/>
    • [0053] <key>defaultcontentsIsSlideshow</key>
    • [0054] <false/>
    • [0055] <key>defaultDropBehavior</key>
    • [0056] <integer>0</integer>
  • [0057] <!--Define highlight image-->
    • [0058] <key>highlightFile</key>
    • [0059] <string>chalk6.Highlight.tif</string>
    • [0060] <key>highlightIsImage</key>
    • [0061] <true/>
  • [0062] <!--specify patch file that controls operation-->
    • [0063] <key>imagePatchFile</key>
    • [0064] <String>Dropzone</string>
    • [0065] <key>maskFile</key>
    • [0066] <string>chalk6.Mask.tif</string>
    • [0067] <key>maskIsImage</key>
    • [0068] <true/>
    • [0069] <key>shapeFile</key>
    • [0070] <string>chalk6.shape.tif</string>
    • [0071] <key>shapeIsImage</key>
    • [0072] <false/>
    • [0073] <key>slideshowPatchFile</key>
    • [0074] <string>Dropzone</string>
    • [0075] <key>videoPatchFile</key>
    • [0076] <string>Dropzone</string>
    • [0077] <key>zLevel</key> <!--Define depth-->
    • [0078] <integer>0</integer>
  • [0079] </dict>

[0080] </array>

[0081] While the invention has been described with reference to numerous specific details, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the invention is not to be limited by the foregoing illustrative details, but rather is to be defined by the appended claims.