Claims
- 1. A method for permitting the development of an event by a client, the method comprising:
a) displaying a development interface on a client computer; b) receiving scheduling information for the event from the client; c) receiving one or more selections of user-perceptible attributes of a player for use with the event from the client; d) receiving content uploaded from the client computer for use with the event; e) receiving an indication from the client to identify a type of streaming media for use with the event; and f) receiving an indication from the client to include one or more functional features in the event.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the client can design the event using either a freeform approach or a wizard approach.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises receiving at least a title for the event, a link to the event, and a date when the event will occur.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the link is a uniform resource locator.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-perceptible attributes comprise a player structure and a player skin, and step (c) comprises:
receiving a selection of the player structure from the client; and receiving a selection of the player skin from the client.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the player structure comprises at least a streaming media window.
- 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the player structure comprises at least an image window.
- 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the image window displays slides.
- 9. The method of claim 5, wherein the player structure comprises at least a browser window.
- 10. The method of claim 5, wherein the player structure comprises controls to run the player.
- 11. The method of claim 5, wherein the player skin defines a graphical look of the player.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the player skin is defined by a theme.
- 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the theme comprises a plurality of images positioned so as to define the graphical look of the player.
- 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the theme comprises a plurality of colors.
- 15. The method of claim 1, wherein a directory on a centralized, content management system is associated with the client and the method further comprises:
storing the scheduling information in the directory; storing the selections of the user-perceptible attributes in the directory; storing the content uploaded from the client computer in the directory; storing the type of streaming media in the directory; and storing the indication of the functional features in the directory.
- 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the type of steaming media is a live video feed.
- 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the type of steaming media is a live telephony feed.
- 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the type of steaming media is a live audio feed.
- 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the type of steaming media is pre-encoded media.
- 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the functional feature indicated by the client is an animated graphics display.
- 21. The method of claim 1, wherein the functional feature indicated by the client is a slide display.
- 22. The method of claim 1, wherein the functional feature indicated by the client is a registration form.
- 23. The method of claim 1, wherein the functional feature indicated by the client is a poll.
- 24. The method of claim 1, wherein the functional feature indicated by the client is a questionnaire.
- 25. The method of claim 1, wherein the functional feature indicated by the client is a survey.
- 26. A method of designing and controlling a web-cast event, the method comprising:
(a) prompting a client to input information related to user-perceptible attributes of the web-cast event; (b) storing the information in an event directory associated with the client; (c) generating a web-cast player to be displayed on a computer device of the end user using the stored information in response to a request from the end user to receive the web-cast event; (d) streaming a media feed through a media window in the web-cast player; and (e) delivering content through a content window in the web-cast player.
- 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the media feed is live.
- 28. The method of claim 26, wherein the media feed is archived.
- 29. The method of claim 26, wherein the media window is embedded in the web-cast player.
- 30. The method of claim 26, wherein the content window is an image window and the content is an image.
- 31. The method of claim 26, wherein the content window is a browser window and the content is a web page.
- 32. The method of claim 26, wherein the request comprises the end user clicking a link having an event identifier embedded therein and step (c) further comprises:
accessing the event directory associated with the event identifier; retrieving the stored user-perceptible attributes; and populating generation software with design properties associated with the stored user-perceptible attributes.
- 33. The method of claim 32, wherein the generation software uses a dynamic hypertext mark-up language to generate the web-cast player.
- 34. The method of claim 32, wherein the generation software uses a cascading style sheet technology to generate the web-cast player.
- 35. The method of claim 32, wherein the event identifier is associated with a stream identifier and step (d) further comprises:
accessing the event directory associated with the event identifier; retrieving the one or more streams associated with the stream identifier; and deliver the stream to the media window in the web-cast player.
- 36. The method of claim 32, further comprising arranging the one or more streams into a playlist.
- 37. The method of claim 26, further comprising:
prompting the client to select content to be pushed to the web-cast player; generating a reference file comprising properties of the selected content; passing the reference file to the media feed; encoding the reference file into the media feed; and updating the web-cast player based upon the properties stored in the reference file.
- 38. The method of claim 37, wherein the properties comprise a name identifier, a type identifier, and a location identifier.
- 39. The method of claim 38, wherein the name identifier points to the selected content.
- 40. The method of claim 38, wherein the type identifier indicates characteristics of the selected content.
- 41. The method of claim 38, wherein the location identifier indicates a location in the web-cast player to include the selected content.
- 42. The method of claim 41, wherein the selected content is an image and the location identifier indicates an image window.
- 43. The method of claim 41, wherein the selected content is a web page and the location identifier indicates a browser window.
- 44. The method of claim 37, wherein the web-cast player is updated in real-time.
- 45. A system for the design and administration of a web-cast event, the system comprising:
a centralized, server system interconnected via a public network to one or more clients and end users; a development component stored on the server system for prompting the clients to select user-perceptible attributes of a player and to upload content associated with the web-cast event; a generation component stored on the server system for generating the player and communicating the content to end users; and a live event administration component stored on the server system for allowing the client to administer the web-cast event.
- 46. The system of claim 45, wherein the development component displays a graphical interface on a computer of the client.
- 47. The system of claim 45, wherein the user-perceptible attribute is a structure of the player.
- 48. The system of claim 45, wherein the user-perceptible attribute is a skin of the player.
- 49. The system of claim 45, wherein the user-perceptible attribute is a functional feature to be included in the player.
- 50. The system of claim 45, further comprising an interaction component for enabling the end user to interact with the web-cast event.
- 51. The system of claim 50, wherein the interaction component enables one or more of the end users to answer a question.
- 52. The system of claim 51, wherein the interaction component returns results to the end users.
- 53. The system of claim 45, wherein the server system is operative with the live event administration component to:
receive an instruction from the client to push content; generate a reference including information for the content; encode the reference in a media stream being delivered to the player; and update the player using the reference.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/268,514, filed on Feb. 13, 2001.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/US01/47058 |
11/6/2001 |
WO |
|