Abstract: Video, stills, panorama, sound and all forms of media as Rich Media in a Multimedia Vehicle Repository (MVR) file editable with a Rich Media Content description file. The Rich Media Content description file enables users to specify a vocabulary that defines the media elements and relations among the media elements thereby permitting the users to easily create and edit the Rich Media Content and compose various raw or compressed Rich Media components using any text editor. A multimedia authoring server side processor accepts the raw formatted Rich Media Content along with description text file in XML format and outputs the Rich Media, text and graphic components as an edited MVR file in accordance with user's design for execution on a multimedia player.

Abstract: Video, stills, panorama, sound and all forms of media as Rich Media in a Multimedia Vehicle Repository (MVR) file editable with a Rich Media Content description file. The Rich Media Content description file enables users to specify a vocabulary that defines the media elements and relations among the media elements thereby permitting the users to easily create and edit the Rich Media Content and compose various raw or compressed Rich Media components using any text editor. A multimedia authoring server side processor accepts the raw formatted Rich Media Content along with description text file in XML format and outputs the Rich Media, text and graphic components as an edited MVR file in accordance with user's design for execution on a multimedia player.

Abstract: Video, stills, panorama, sound and all forms of media as Rich Media in a Multimedia Vehicle Repository (MVR) file editable with a Rich Media Content description file. The Rich Media Content description file enables users to specify a vocabulary that defines the media elements and relations among the media elements thereby permitting the users to easily create and edit the Rich Media Content and compose various raw or compressed Rich Media components using any text editor. A multimedia authoring server side processor accepts the raw formatted Rich Media Content along with description text file in XML format and outputs the Rich Media, text and graphic components as an edited MVR file in accordance with user's design for execution on a multimedia player.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for enforcing the sequential playback of a multimedia file. In one aspect of the method, a sending server stores a multimedia file which is then partitioned into a plurality of sequential data blocks. The server generates a plurality of enabling tokens each corresponding to one of the plurality of sequential data blocks. The server then encodes each respective one of the pluralities of sequential data blocks with a corresponding one of the plurality of enabling tokens, producing a plurality of encoded sequential data blocks. The server then transfers the encoded sequential data blocks to a receiving client. The server also transfers the plurality of enabling tokens to the receiving client. In this manner, the server retains control over the client receiver's playback of the multimedia file.

Abstract: A system, method and program product uses tags as markers for incorporating local content in a communications stream, e.g., TV broadcast, cable transmission. A transmitter generates a communication stream including program content for transmission to a receiver. The transmitter includes an authoring tool for generating two types of tags for incorporation into the program content. The receiver captures the program content and stores the tags in tables. One type of tag initiates local action in the program content in the communication stream. A second type of tag is capable of modifying the first type of tag in the tables. When the time for a local action according to a first type of tag is detected, the program content is interrupted by splicing or inserting the local content.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing the creation, storage, search and delivery of rich media optimized for e-commerce in a distributed information network, e.g., the Internet. In an illustrative embodiment, a content creation phase generates rich media content in a single multimedia file in the format of a HotMedia file for delivery to a Rich Media Build Engine (RMBE). Rich media content is extracted from the file using pluggable and modular extractors providing an input to a commerce-based search engine and a full-text search engine. The outputs of the search engine are combined as a search result from which a searchable database directory is created. The output is stored in a conventional database, e.g., DB2. A web client is coupled to the search system through a web server providing a search query to the rich media database and receiving an output from the search engine.

Abstract: A system and method for efficiently conducting a fundraising campaign over a wide-area network is provided. In accordance with the invention a method for conducting an efficient fundraising campaign by an organization over a wide-area network includes hosting a website, registering on the website, making a charitable donation on the website, contacting third parties via email messages soliciting charitable donations, and providing one or more reports, on the website, including information on the status of the fundraising campaign. The method further includes contacting third parties, via email messages, to provide information about one or more teams participating in a competition associated with the fundraising campaign. The method further includes providing information, in the reports, about the third parties that have been contacted via email messages.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A database in a computer system linked to a network is discloses. The database is configured to store one or more organizations' data. Each organization comprises one or more sub-organizations. The database is partitioned into one or more virtual data islands, wherein each virtual data island stores data of an organization. Each virtual data island is further partitioned into one or more sub-islands, wherein each sub-island stores data for a sub-organization. There are one or more constituent records (CR) in each sub-island, each CR including one or more fields with data. A sub-organization can share data from selected fields with multi-level organizations and other sub-organizations. The database further comprises a masking means allowing the sub-organization, individual donors or volunteers to mask one or more fields in the CR, wherein data in the masked fields are not shared with organizations and other sub-organizations.

Abstract: A system and method for efficiently conducting a fundraising campaign over a wide-area network is provided. In accordance with the invention a method for conducting an efficient fundraising campaign by an organization over a wide-area network includes hosting a website, registering on the website, making a charitable donation on the website, contacting third parties via email messages soliciting charitable donations, and providing one or more reports, on the website, including information on the status of the fundraising campaign. The method further includes contacting third parties, via email messages, to provide information about one or more teams participating in a competition associated with the fundraising campaign. The method further includes providing information, in the reports, about the third parties that have been contacted via email messages.

Abstract: Hypervideo data is encoded with two distinct portions, a first portion which contains the video data and a second portion, typically much smaller than the first, which contains hyperlink information associated with the video data. Preferably, the first and second portions are stored in separate and distinct files. The encoding of the hyperlink information is preferably made efficient by encoding only key frames of the video, and by encoding hot link regions of simple geometries. A hypervideo player determines the hot link regions in frames between key frames by interpolating the hot link regions in key frames which sandwich those frames.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A network implementing HotMedia architecture provides real time measurement and prediction of bandwidth for adaptive content delivery of rich media according to available user bandwidth. The rich media file created at the creation station is transmitted by the delivery station to the client station in steaming Java applets having a framework including a thumbnail frame and a media frame. In real-time, the client station detects the bandwidth used by the Java applet; predicts the available bandwidth for next media delivery based on the detected bandwidth and fetches the corresponding sensitive bandwidth media fame from a web server according to a linear or non-linear prediction algorithm resulting in bandwidth sensitive rich media content delivery from the delivery station to the client station for display and user interaction.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A computer network including a server for receiving and sharing a presentation of foils with a plurality of user clients under the control of a presenter. Each user client has a terminal for displaying the foils; a browser for interacting with the server and a cache for storing the foils. Each foil is contained in a data structure, typically a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) page including a time line of past foils which enables a user through an interface to view each foil, scan over the time line to view any past foil and quickly reset the presentation to the current foil viewed on the network by the other user clients. Each user or viewer in scanning or browsing through the past foils does not interfere with other user clients viewing the presentation or to the presenter.

Abstract: Video, stills, panorama, sound and all forms of media as Rich Media in a Multimedia Vehicle Repository (MVR) file editable with a Rich Media Content description file. The Rich Media Content description file enables users to specify a vocabulary that defines the media elements and relations among the media elements thereby permitting the users to easily create and edit the Rich Media Content and compose various raw or compressed Rich Media components using any text editor. A multimedia authoring server side processor accepts the raw formatted Rich Media Content along with description text file in XML format and outputs the Rich Media, text and graphic components as an edited MVR file in accordance with user's design for execution on a multimedia player.

Abstract: A television companion device (TCD) is a device comprising a communication transceiver capable of receiving a signal from a television set, the signal having one or more types of information split from a broadcast signal received by the television set and an output that presents one or more segments of one or more of the types of information. This device enables the personal viewing of information selected specifically for the individual. This information can be different than and/or unrelated to that displayed on the television. The information displayed on each individual TCD may be video clips or video programs, audio clips or audio programs, data, graphical images, still images, and/or animations. The device may also comprise an input that sends one or more messages through the communication transceiver to the television, thereby allowing the viewer to send requests for information to the television or send messages to other television companion devices.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for enforcing the sequential playback of a multimedia file. In one aspect of the method, a sending server stores a multimedia file which is then partitioned into a plurality of sequential data blocks. The server generates a plurality of enabling tokens. each corresponding to one of the plurality of sequential data blocks. The server then encodes each respective one of the pluralities of sequential data blocks with a corresponding one of the plurality of enabling tokens, producing a plurality of encoded sequential data blocks. The server then transfers the encoded sequential data blocks to a receiving client. The server also transfers the plurality of enabling tokens to the receiving client. In this manner, the server retains control over the client receiver's playback of the multimedia file.

Abstract: An automatic, multi-stage rich media content creation system includes a network based server executing an operating system, a text editing program, typically XML editor, and an authoring or batch processing program for combining Rich Media in a Multimedia Vehicle Repository (MVR) file. Video, stills, panoramas, sound, film, etc are combined as raw Rich Media from one or more sources and transmitted to the server in a framework over a digital network. The raw Rich Media is incorporated into the framework as a series of related frames. The raw Rich Media is stored on a storage device, typically a disk at the network based server. A creator using a standard graphical or text editing tools has access to the raw media assets on the disk for preparing a textual specification description, typically XML in an electronic template of desired Rich Media content.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus are disclosed for selectively inserting interactive content into a live TV or recorded broadcasting presentation and tracking the usage of the inserted content by end user viewers of the presentation. The method and apparatus enable operators to watch the live audiovisual programming feed, view and navigate product lists from e-commerce servers, control the insertion of interactive content into the audiovisual programming, monitor the content insertion status, and track the usage by client viewers of the inserted content in real time. It is especially useful for interactive e-commerce applications.