Multimedia communication system and method
Systems and methods are disclosed for creating, editing, sharing and distributing high-quality, media-rich web-based communications. The communications are created in a layered fashion that integrates user-selected text, colors, background patterns, images, sound, music, video, or other media. The systems and methods are used to generate, edit, broadcast, and track electronic presentations, brochures, advertisements (such as banner advertisements on highly trafficked media websites), announcements, and interactive web pages, without the need for the user to understand complex programming languages.
1 . A multimedia communication builder system comprising:
a server computer configured to communicate with a plurality of client computers via a global computer network; and
a project builder hosted by the server computer and configured to be accessible by the plurality of client computers via the global computer network, the project builder configured for providing one or more project templates, and one or more media assets and metadata to populate each of the one or more project templates, the project builder further configured for creating a communication project structured as a project object configured for selective electronic distribution to one or more devices associated with one or more recipients, the project object comprising a plurality of design layers having one or more media assets, the plurality of design layers including a first layer configured for underlying content, a second layer configured for main content, and a third layer configured for overlay elements, the project object further comprising metadata for configuring one or more rendering formats of the communication project associated with the one or more devices, the project object further configured to include one or more custom components that dynamically integrate one or more data feeds into one or more design layers during playback, and a timeline associated with the design layers that governs sequencing and duration of content across the design layers; and
the server computer further configured to interpret the project object and associated metadata to select one or more rendering formats for electronic distribution to the one or more devices, and to determine a playback sequence for the communication project for playback of the communication project in a device-specific rendering format, the server computer further configured to convert one or more layers of the communication project to a multimedia file for distribution via the global computer network to each of the one or more devices associated with the one or more recipients.
2 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a media repository associated with the server computer for storing, by the project builder, the one or more project templates, one or more media assets and metadata, and for storing the communication project once configured by a user of the at least one client computer.
3 . The system in accordance with 3 , wherein the one or more project templates, one or more media assets, metadata, and the communication project are stored in a digital machine-readable format.
4 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the one or more media assets include one or more of text, a font type, an audio clip, a video clip, an image, and an animated file.
5 . The system in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the one or more media assets are selectable from one of the one or more project templates for inclusion in one of the plurality of design layers.
6 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the one or more media assets and metadata that populate each of the one or more project templates is configured according to input by the user via the client computer.
7 . The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the overlay elements include one or more navigation controls.
8 . A multimedia communication builder system comprising:
a server computer accessible by at least one client computer via a global computer network,
and configured for presenting one or more project templates, one or more media assets and metadata to populate each of the one or more project templates to the at least one client computer, the server computer further configured to create a communication project structured as a project object configured for selective electronic distribution to one or more devices associated with one or more recipients, the project object comprising a plurality of design layers including one or more media assets, the plurality of design layers including a first layer configured for underlying content, a second layer configured for main content, and a third layer configured for overlay elements, the project object further comprising metadata for configuring one or more rendering formats of the communication project associated with the one or more devices, and a timeline associated with the design layers that governs sequencing and duration of content across the design layers;
the server computer further configured for interpreting the project object and associated metadata to select one or more rendering formats for electronic distribution to the one or more devices, and to determine a playback sequence for the communication project, the interpreting further including coordinating the plurality of design layers for playback of the communication project in a device-specific rendering format of the one or more rendering formats, the server computer further configured to convert one or more layers of the communication project to a multimedia file for distribution via the computer network to each of the one or more devices associated with the one or more recipients.
9 . The system in accordance with claim 8 , further comprising a media repository associated with the server computer for storing the one or more project templates, one or more media assets and metadata, and for storing the communication project once configured by user.
10 . The system in accordance with 9 , wherein the one or more project templates, one or more media assets, metadata, and the communication project are stored in a digital machine-readable format.
11 . The system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the one or more media assets include one or more of text, a font type, an audio clip, a video clip, an image, and an animated file.
12 . The system in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the one or more media assets are selectable from one of the one or more project templates for inclusion in at least one of the plurality of design layers.
13 . The system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the one or more media assets and metadata that populate each of the one or more project templates is configured according to input by a user via the client computer.
14 . The system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the project object is further configured to include one or more custom components that dynamically integrate one or more data feeds into one or more design layers during playback.
15 . A multimedia communication builder system for distributing a communication to at least one client computer via a network, the system comprising:
a server computer connected to the at least one client computer, the server computer being accessible by a user of the at least one client computer via the computer network; and,
a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of the server computer, perform steps comprising:
provide one or more project templates, one or more media assets and metadata to populate each of the one or more project templates;
create a communication project structured as a project object configured for selective electronic distribution to one or more devices associated with one or more recipients, the project object comprising a plurality of design layers, including a first layer configured for underlying content, a second layer for main content, and a third layer configured for overlay elements, the project object further including one or more media assets and metadata, and a timeline associated with the design layers that governs sequencing and duration of content across the design layers, the project object further configured to format the communication project in one or more rendering formats associated with the one or more devices;
the server computer further configured to allow the user to view the one or more project templates and one or more media assets via the computer network;
convert one or more design layers of the communication project to a multimedia file for distribution of the communication project to each of the one or more devices associated with the one or more recipients; and
determine a playback sequence for the communication project for playback of the communication project in a device-specific rendering format of the one or more rendering formats.
16 . The system in accordance with claim 15 , further comprising a layer interface configured to enable communication between the plurality of design layers of the project object to convert the communication project to the device-specific rendering format for distribution of the communication project to each of the one or more devices associated with the one or more recipients.
17 . The system in accordance with claim 15 , further comprising a media repository associated with the server computer for storing the one or more project templates, one or more media assets and metadata, and for storing the communication project once configured by the user.
18 . The system in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the one or more media assets include one or more of text, a font type, an audio clip, a video clip, an image, and an animated file.
19 . The system in accordance with claim 18 , wherein the one or more media assets are arranged in one of the one or more project templates as the one or more design layers.
20 . The system in accordance with claim 15 , wherein playback of the communication project in a device-specific rendering format of the one or more rendering formats includes an auto-play state based on the parameters of the project object, the auto-play state including an auto-play on state or an auto-play off state.
21 . The system in accordance with claim 15 , wherein one or more overlay elements include one or more navigation controls.
22 . The system in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the project object is further configurable to include one or more custom components via a name/value pair hash and configured to dynamically integrate external data feeds or user-provided media assets.
23 . A multimedia communication builder system comprising a server computer connected to at least one client computer via a computer network, the system comprising:
a project builder accessible by the at least one client computer via the network, the project builder configured for providing one or more project templates to a user of the at least one client computer, and one or more media assets and metadata to populate each of the one or more project templates, the project builder further configured for creating a communication project structured as a project object configured for selective electronic distribution to one or more devices associated with one or more recipients, the project object comprising a plurality of design layers having one or more media assets, the plurality of design layers including a first layer configured for underlying content, a second layer for main content, and a third layer configured for overlay elements, the project object further comprising metadata that includes a format of the communication project in one or more rendering formats associated with the one or more devices, and a timeline associated with the design layers that governs sequencing and duration of content across the design layers; and
the server computer further configured to allow the user to view the one or more project templates and one or more media assets of the project object, and to define a layout of the communication project, the layout comprising one or more of a positioning of content, width and height of the communication project based on each of the one or more rendering formats, the server computer further configured to load and interpret the received project object to determine the one or more rendering formats based on the selective electronic distribution to the one or more devices, and to determine a playback sequence for the communication project for playback of the communication project in a device-specific rendering format, the server computer further converting one or more layers of the communication project to a multimedia file for distribution to each of the one or more devices associated with the one or more recipients for distribution via the computer network to each of the one or more devices associated with the one or more recipients.
24 . The system in accordance with claim 23 , wherein the media repository is associated with the server computer and further configured for storing, by the project builder, the one or more project templates, one or more media assets and metadata, and for storing the communication project once configured by the user.
25 . The system in accordance with claim 23 , wherein the one or more media assets include one or more of text, a font type, an audio clip, a video clip, an image, and an animated file.
26 . The system in accordance with claim 23 , wherein the one or more media assets are selectable to be included in one of the one or more project templates as one or more design layers.
27 . The system in accordance with claim 23 , wherein the server computer provides standalone software to the one or more devices for live viewing of the communication project by the one or more recipients.
28 . The system in accordance with claim 23 , wherein the project object is further configured to include one or more custom components via a name/value pair hash that dynamically integrate one or more data feeds into one or more design layers.