System for creating media presentations of computer software application programs

Abstract

A system for producing presentations of computer application programs. The system also allows the inclusion of advertising, or other information, into a presentation. When the presentation is viewed online, the ads can be updated by a central ad server. This allows different ads to be inserted into the presentation, tailoring ads to the viewer, etc. When the presentation is viewed offline, default ads are kept in the presentation. Authoring software is used to create a sequence of screenshot images of an application program to be presented. Each screenshot is a slide in the presentation and is displayed for an interval of time during playback of the presentation. The authoring software also allows control of cursor movement animation to be played back during the presentation. Text description in the form of “bubble text,” “memo text,” “questions,” etc. can be specified along with the position, size and other properties of the text. Various controls are provided for selection, editing, arrangement of the slides. Characteristics such as cursor shape, speed of movement, starting and ending positions, alignment, etc. can be set by the author. The author can specify a “click area” in association with a question, or prompt, to the viewer of the presentation. This allows the presentation to ask the viewer to click on a button or control on a slide and to detect whether the viewer has complied. In response, additional feedback can be provided to the viewer as to whether the proper action was performed or not. After an author completes a sequence, the sequence is compressed into a small self-contained package. In a preferred embodiment, the package includes two files that can be played back without any dedicated engine or specialized application that could require a separate download. A typical user with a web browser can quickly obtain a presentation from the Internet and play back the presentation instantly.

1 - 11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . A method for creating with a computer system a presentation of subject matter, comprising: 
 generating from a computer application program at least one screen display of subject matter of a presentation;    displaying at least a portion of the screen display;    displaying a cursor starting point;    displaying a cursor ending point; and    controlling an animation of movement of a cursor for creating the presentation of the subject matter.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  additionally comprising storing at least a portion of the screen display.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  additionally comprising storing the cursor starting point.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  additionally comprising storing the cursor starting point prior to displaying the cursor starting point.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  additionally comprising storing the cursor starting point at the time of storing the at least one screen display.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said generating from a computer application program at least one screen display comprises generating a first screen display, and generating a second screen display.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said controlling animation of movement of a cursor comprises receiving signals from a user input device of the computer system to allow manipulation of a cursor position and to specify cursor animation during playback of the presentation of the subject matter.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 12  additionally comprising displaying the cursor starting point within the at least one screen display.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 12  additionally comprising specifying a cursor transition during playback of the presentation of the subject matter.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said specifying a cursor transition comprises accepting signals from a user input device of the computer system.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 12  additionally comprising displaying text in association with the at least one screen display.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein said displaying text comprises accepting signals from a user input device of a computer system.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 12  additionally comprising compressing the presentation prior to a playback of the presentation of the subject matter.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said generating from a computer application program at least one screen display comprises executing the computer application program.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 12  additionally comprising manipulating the at least one display screen for placing the display screen in a sequence for the presentation of the subject matter.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 12  additionally comprising editing the at least one display screen by adding text to the at least one display screen.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 12  additionally comprising indicating a number for the display screen for placing the display screen at a location in a sequence of display screens.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 12  additionally comprising playing the presentation of the subject matter, and controlling the animation of movement of the cursor during the playing of the presentation of the subject matter.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said controlling an animation of movement of a cursor is between the cursor starting point and the cursor ending point.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 12  additionally comprising previewing the animation of movement of the cursor.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 12  additionally comprising controlling an amount of time for displaying the at least one display screen.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 12  additionally comprising controlling a sequence of the presentation of the subject matter.  
   
   
       34 . A system to implement the method of  claim 12 .  
   
   
       35 . A computer to implement the method of  claim 12 .  
   
   
       36 . A method for creating with a computer system a presentation of subject matter, comprising: 
 generating from a visual information application at least one screen display of subject matter of a presentation;    displaying at least a portion of the screen display; and    animating a cursor, in response to a signal from a user input device of a computer system, for creating the presentation of the subject matter.    
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein said animating a cursor comprises animating a cursor between a cursor starting point and a cursor ending point.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36  additionally comprising displaying a cursor starting point; and displaying a cursor ending point.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 36  wherein said visual information application comprises images viewed on a viewer.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 36  wherein said visual information application comprises web pages.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 36  wherein said visual information application comprises an operating system display.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 36  wherein said visual information application comprises a digital video.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 36  wherein said visual information application comprises an application program.  
   
   
       44 . A method for creating a screen shot presentation from a computer application program, comprising: 
 generating from a computer application program at least one screen shot;    displaying at least a portion of the screen shot;    designating a cursor starting point;    designating a cursor beginning point; and    manipulating a cursor position for specifying an animation of a cursor to create a screen shot presentation from the computer application program.    
   
   
       45 . A method for producing with a computer system a presentation of subject matter comprising: 
 generating from a computer application program at least one screen display of subject matter of a presentation;    displaying at least a portion of the screen display;    displaying a cursor starting point;    displaying a cursor ending point; and    playing the at least one screen display of subject matter of the presentation while controlling an animation of movement of a cursor during the playing of the screen display for producing the presentation of the subject matter.    
   
   
       46 . A method for using a computer system to create a presentation of subject matter, comprising: 
 generating from a visual-information application at least one screen display of subject matter of a presentation;    storing at least a portion of the at least one screen display to produce at least one stored screen display portion;    storing at least one cursor position at the time of storing the at least one screen display to produce at least one stored cursor position;    displaying the at least one stored screen display portion;    displaying the at least one stored cursor position; and    accepting signals from a user input device of a computer system to allow manipulation of a cursor position.    
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46  wherein said accepting signals from a user input device of a computer system specifies cursor animation during playback of the presentation of the subject matter.  
   
   
       48 . A computer-readable media for directing a computer system to create a presentation of subject matter, comprising: 
 instructions for generating from a visual information application at least one screen display of subject matter of a presentation;    instructions for displaying at least a portion of the screen display; and    instructions for animating a cursor, in response to a signal from a user input device of a computer system, for creating the presentation of the subject matter.    
   
   
       49 . The computer-readable media of  claim 48  wherein said instructions for animating a cursor comprises instructions for animating a cursor between a cursor starting point and a cursor ending point.  
   
   
       50 . The computer-readable media of  claim 48  additionally comprising instructions for displaying a cursor starting point; and instructions for displaying a cursor ending point.  
   
   
       51 . The computer-readable media of  claim 48  wherein said visual information application comprises images viewed on a viewer.  
   
   
       52 . The computer-readable media of  claim 48  wherein said visual information application comprises web pages.  
   
   
       53 . The computer-readable media of  claim 48  wherein said visual information application comprises an operating system display.  
   
   
       54 . The computer-readable media of  claim 48  wherein said visual information application comprises a digital video.  
   
   
       55 . The computer-readable media of  claim 48  wherein said visual information application comprises an application program.  
   
   
       56 . A computer incorporating the computer readable media of  claim 48 .  
   
   
       57 . An operating system incorporating the computer-readable media of  claim 48.