Method and System for Providing Web Based Interactive Lessons with Improved Session Playback

Abstract

The system and method of the present invention provides for realistic, live on live with webcams, interactive, golf lessons from a golf professional who is located at a distance from the golfer. The lesson experience is enhanced by providing tools to the professional for annotating the lesson both verbally and visually, as well as by providing for the recording of the lesson and later playback of same, with enhanced synchronization of audio/visual data streams.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of providing an interactive lesson among a plurality of participants, the method comprising:
 recording by a server at least portions of the data streams received during the interactive lesson from computing devices of the participants in the interactive lesson, the at least portions of the data streams being recorded in respective media files that are associated with the interactive lesson;   generating a lesson file associated with the interactive lesson, the lesson file storing identifiers of the media files recorded during the interactive lesson and of one or more media files used during the interactive lesson that were received by the server in connection with the interactive lesson; and   storing in the lesson data file one or more indicators in association with at least one of the identifiers, the at least one of the identifiers associated with at least one media file communicated by the server to at least one of the computing devices for display during the interactive lesson, the one or more indicators being associated with timing during the interactive lesson when the at least one media file was one or more of played, paused, rewound or skipped to a position in the at least one media file.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises storing in the lesson data file a command associated with an event and timing of the event occurring during the interactive lesson, the event affecting display of the data streams and media files during the interactive lesson. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the event is one of a session event, drawing event, data stream event, video event, and message event. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the event is a session event, the session event including one of starting, saving or ending a session associated with the interactive lesson. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the event is a drawing event, the drawing event including graphical markings in association with a media file. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the event is a data stream event, the data stream event including one of stream in, stream out, and start full screen associated with a data stream. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the event is a video event, the video event including one of play, pause, rewind and skip in association with a media file. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the event is a message event, the message event including one of text message and lesson note communicated to the computing devices for display during the interactive lesson. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the command is a split screen command that affects display locations of a first media file in a relationship to a second media file during the interactive lesson. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the relationship is a side-by-side display of the first media file and the second media file. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the command is a switch command that affects switching display locations of the data streams during the interactive lesson. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the command is a switch command that affects switching display locations of a data stream and a media file during the interactive lesson. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the command is a drawing command that affects display of graphical markings in association with the at least one media file during the interactive lesson. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving a request from a computing device of a participant to replay the interactive lesson; and   forwarding the lesson data file, recorded and received media files associated with the interactive lesson to the computing device for replay of the media files according indicators and commands associated with the media files stored in lesson data file.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 assigning a lesson identifier to the interactive lesson; and   associating the lesson file with the lesson identifier of the interactive lesson.   
     
     
         16 . A system to provide an interactive lesson among a plurality of participants, the system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 recording at least portions of the data streams received during the interactive lesson from computing devices of the participants in the interactive lesson, the at least portions of the data streams being recorded in respective media files that are associated with the interactive lesson; 
 generating a lesson file associated with the interactive lesson, the lesson file storing identifiers of the media files recorded during the interactive lesson and of one or more media files used during the interactive lesson that were received in connection with the interactive lesson; and 
 storing in the lesson data file one or more indicators in association with at least one of the identifiers, the at least one of the identifiers associated with at least one media file communicated to at least one of the computing devices for display during the interactive lesson, the one or more indicators being associated with timing during the interactive lesson when the at least one media file was one or more of played, paused, rewound or skipped to a position in the at least one media file. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise storing in the lesson data file a command associated with an event and timing of the event occurring during the interactive lesson, the event affecting display of the data streams and media files during the interactive lesson. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the event is one of a session event, drawing event, data stream event, video event, and message event. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the event is a session event, the session event including one of starting, saving or ending a session associated with the interactive lesson. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the event is a drawing event, the drawing event including graphical markings in association with a media file. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the event is a data stream event, the data stream event including one of stream in, stream out, and start full screen associated with a data stream. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the event is a video event, the video event including one of play, pause, rewind and skip in association with a media file. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the event is a message event, the message event including one of text message and lesson note communicated to the computing devices for display during the interactive lesson. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the command is a split screen command that affects display locations of a first media file in a relationship to a second media file during the interactive lesson. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the relationship is a side-by-side display of the first media file and the second media file. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the command is a switch command that affects switching display locations of the data streams during the interactive lesson. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the command is a switch command that affects switching display locations of a data stream and a media file during the interactive lesson. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the command is a drawing command that affects display of graphical markings in association with the at least one media file during the interactive lesson. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving a request from a computing device of a participant to replay the interactive lesson; and   forwarding the lesson data file, recorded and received media files associated with the interactive lesson to the computing device for replay of the media files according indicators and commands associated with the media files stored in lesson data file.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 assigning a lesson identifier to the interactive lesson; and   associating the lesson file with the lesson identifier of the interactive lesson.   
     
     
         31 . A method of providing an interactive lesson among a plurality of participants, the method comprising:
 recording by a server at least portions of the data streams received during the interactive lesson from computing devices of the participants in the interactive lesson, the at least portions of the data streams being recorded in respective media files that are associated with the interactive lesson;   generating a lesson file associated with the interactive lesson, the lesson file storing identifiers of the media files recorded during the interactive lesson and of one or more media files used during the interactive lesson that were received by the server in connection with the interactive lesson;   storing in the lesson data file one or more indicators in association with at least one of the identifiers, the at least one of the identifiers associated with at least one media file communicated by the server to at least one of the computing devices for display during the interactive lesson, the one or more indicators being associated with timing during the interactive lesson when the at least one media file was one or more of played, paused, rewound or skipped to a position in the at least one media file;   storing in the lesson data file a command associated with an event and timing of the event occurring during the interactive lesson, the event affecting display of the data streams and media files during the interactive lesson; and   forwarding the lesson data file, recorded and received media files associated with the interactive lesson in response to a request of a computing device for replay of the media files according indicators and commands associated with the media files stored in lesson data file.