Methods and systems for facilitating storytelling using visual media

The disclosure includes a method of facilitating storytelling using visual media. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving, via a storyteller device associated with a storyteller, an input. The method may also include identifying, via a processing device communicatively coupled to the storyteller device, visual media based on the input. As well, some embodiments include the step of presenting, via at least one of the storyteller device and a listener device communicatively coupled to the processing device, the visual media. The listener device may be associated with a listener.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of Invention

The present disclosure generally relates to the field of data processing. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to methods and systems for facilitating storytelling using visual media.

Description of Related Art

People communicate and interact with each other daily through various means of communication such as text-messages, video messages, audio messages and stories. Apart from this, communication between people can be generalized into verbal communication and non-verbal communication. Verbal communication is mediated between two or more parties through speech while non-verbal communication involves a person's facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, posture, etc.

Further, storytelling is a form of communication that is known to be highly effective, as it presents information to a listener in an organized and memorable series of events. The concept of storytelling dates back to ancient times. Storytelling allows people to share information with one another for entertainment, and sometimes for instructional purposes.

Recently, storytellers have started realizing the benefits of sharing stories using pictures and/or visual presentations in order to narrate a story. Until now, storytelling has typically been non-interactive and non-responsive in a way that does not allow direct, real time communication between the storyteller and a listener.

Further, while several software tools have been developed to enable storytellers to prepare and share stories online, storytellers are still burdened with the task of creating or finding visual media, and sharing it with their respective listeners in order to narrate a story. Moreover, existing software tools provide very little customization of such visual media according to the needs of a storyteller and/or listeners.

Furthermore, in some scenarios, such as remote presentation, storytellers have limited to no information regarding their listeners. In other words, storytellers remain unaware about their listener's preferences and other details, such as a listener's demography, favorite story genre, favorite story characters, etc.

Moreover, existing media used for storytelling are limited with regard to a listener's ability to explore a character in greater detail. This often presents a problem for listeners who wish to delve deep into a character.

Thus, there is a need for methods and system for facilitating storytelling using visual media that may overcome one or more of the above-mentioned problems and/or limitations.

SUMMARY

According to some embodiments, a method of facilitating storytelling using visual media is provided. The method may be performed, for example, by an online platform that may be in communication with electronic devices (e.g. smartphone, laptop computer, desktop computer, wearable computer, etc.) operated by a storyteller and one or more listeners.

The method may include a step of receiving, using a communication device, an input criterion from a storyteller device operated by the storyteller. The input criterion may generally represent a context for a story. For example, the input criterion may include one or more of a story title, keywords associated with the story, an excerpt of the story, an abstract of the story and/or the entirety of the story. Alternatively, in some instances, the input criterion may include profile information corresponding to one or more of the storyteller and one or more listeners. The profile information may include, for example, topics of interest, demographic data, history of stories presented and/or listened to, etc.

Further, the method may include a step of identifying, using a processing device, visual media based on the input criterion. The visual media may include, for example, images, videos, animation, multimedia and so on. For example, based on a theme of the story, one or more relevant images and videos may be identified by querying a database. Further, the method may include a step of transmitting, using the communication device, the visual media to the storyteller device. Accordingly, the visual media may be presented to the storyteller. Further, the storyteller may be enabled to perform one or more selections associated with the visual media presented. Furthermore, the one or more selections may also identify one or more regions within an image/video where one or more additional media (text, image, video, audio, multimedia etc.) may be embedded. Accordingly, the one or more selections may also indicate the one or more additional media.

Accordingly, the method may include a step of receiving, using the communication device, the one or more selections from the storyteller device. Additionally, the method may include a step of generating, using the processing device, embedded visual media based on the one or more selections. Further, the embedded visual media may be in a format that may facilitate capturing of user interactions with the embedded visual media. The user interactions may include, for example, a touch input, a mouse hovering event, a mouse click event, etc.

Further, the method may include a step of transmitting, using the communication device, the embedded visual media to the storyteller device and the one or more listener devices. Accordingly, the embedded visual media may be rendered at the one or more listener devices. For example, the embedded visual media may be transmitted during narration of the story. Accordingly, an experience of storytelling and listening may be enhanced.

Further, the one or more listeners may interact with the embedded visual media by performing operations such as viewing, zooming, panning, activating presentation of the one or more additional media and so on. In an instance, such operations may be performed via touch actions on a touch sensitive screen displaying the embedded visual media. Alternatively and/or additionally, such operations may be performed via input devices such as a mouse, stylus, keyboard, joystick, haptic interface, voice based interface and so on. Such user interactions may be recorded by the one or more listener devices and transmitted to the online platform. Accordingly, the method may further include a step of receiving, using the communication device, the user interactions from the one or more listener devices. Further, the method may include a step of transmitting, using the communication device, the user interactions to the storyteller device. Accordingly, information regarding the user interactions may be presented to the storyteller. In an instance, the information may be presented in a leaderboard format.

In some embodiments, information pertaining to user interactions may be presented in the form of a heat-map, wherein a temperature, represented by a color, associated with a region of the embedded visual media may be indicative of a number of user interactions from the one or more listeners on the region. For example, the region may correspond to the one or more additional media associated with the embedded visual media. Accordingly, the storyteller may be able to view in real-time responses of the one or more listeners to the embedded visual media.

Additionally, the disclosure includes a method of facilitating storytelling using visual media. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving, via a storyteller device associated with a storyteller, an input; identifying, via a processing device communicatively coupled to the storyteller device, visual media based on the input; and presenting, via at least one of the storyteller device and a listener device communicatively coupled to the processing device, the visual media, wherein the listener device is associated with a listener. The visual media may include at least one of an image, a video, an animation, voice, contextual music, and multimedia.

In some embodiments, the input includes at least one of a story title, keywords associated with a story, an excerpt of the story, an abstract of the story, and an entirety of the story. Additionally, the input may comprise profile information about at least one of the storyteller and the listener. Even still, the profile information may comprise at least one of topics of interest, demographic data, a history of stories presented, and a history of stories listened to.

Methods may include identifying, via the storyteller device, at least one region within the visual media to present embedded visual media. The embedded visual media may comprise at least one of a text, an image, a video, audio data, an interactive animation, and multimedia data. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the method includes presenting, via the listener device, the embedded visual media.

Methods may also include generating, via the processing device, embedded visual media based on one or more selections. The embedded visual media may define a format that facilitates capturing of one or more listener interactions with the embedded visual media. The one or more listener interactions may comprise at least one of a touch input, a mouse hovering event, a mouse click event, viewing, zooming, panning, and activating a presentation of the embedded visual media. Additionally, the one or more listener interactions may be performed using at least one of a mouse, stylus, keyboard, joystick, haptic interface, and voice based interface.

In some embodiments, the method includes recording, via the listener device, the one or more listener interactions. Methods may also include presenting, via the storyteller device, an indication of the one or more listener interactions. The one or more listener interactions may be presented via the storyteller device in a leaderboard format.

Methods may also include presenting in real-time, via the storyteller device, responses of the one or more listener interactions to the embedded visual media. Additionally, methods may include presenting, via at least one of the storyteller device and the listener device, the embedded visual media. The embedded visual media may be simultaneously presented during narration of the story.

In some embodiments, the storyteller device comprises at least one of a first smart phone, a first tablet, and a first computer, and the listener device comprises at least one of a second smart phone, a second tablet, and a second computer. As well, the presenting step may be performed via an online platform that communicatively couples the processing device, the storyteller device, and the listener device together.

Both the foregoing summary and the following detailed description provide examples and are explanatory only. Accordingly, the foregoing summary and the following detailed description should not be considered to be restrictive. Further, features or variations may be provided in addition to those set forth herein. For example, embodiments may be directed to various feature combinations and sub-combinations described in the detailed description. The embodiments described above include many optional features and aspects. Additionally, features and aspects of the embodiments can be combined. Other objects and advantages of the embodiments herein will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure includes many aspects and features. Moreover, while many aspects and features relate to, and are described in, the context of providing a regulatory research toolbar in web based platform, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to use only in this context. For example, the disclosed techniques may be used to search for law related documents on the Internet. Similarly, The content for narration is not limited to only stories and would extend to education, entertainment and the like.

System Embodiments

FIG. 1illustrates a platform consistent with various embodiments of the present disclosure. By way of non-limiting example, an online platform100(also referred to herein as a visual based interactive storytelling platform) for facilitating storytelling using visual media may be hosted on a centralized server102, such as a cloud computing service. The centralized server102may be communicatively coupled to at least one of a mobile device106, other electronic device110, and any device arranged and configured to communicate via a wireless connection, by means of a communication network104, such as an Internet. The mobile device106may include at least one of a smartphone, a laptop, a tablet computer, and the like. The other electronic device110may include at least one of a desktop computer, server computer, and the like.

In some embodiments, a user112of the platform may include at least one of a storyteller, listener, researcher, teacher, instructional designer, and the like. The user112of the platform may define any party relevant to the storytelling and listening experience. Accordingly, at least one of the mobile device106and the electronic device110may be operated by the one or more users112, and may be in communication with the platform100. For example, the mobile device106may be operated by a technician who is listening to a story uploaded by an instructional designer on the online platform100.

The user112may access platform100through at least one of a web based software application and a web browser. The web based software application may include at least one of a website, a web application, a desktop application, a mobile application compatible with a computing device600, and the like.

In an exemplary scenario, a storyteller may access the online platform100via a storyteller device (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop/desktop computer) in order to deliver a story to at least one listener. Accordingly, at least one listener device (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop/desktop computer) may be in communication with the online platform100. Further, each of the storyteller and the at least one more listener may be registered on the online platform as users. Accordingly, user accounts, such as a storyteller account and one or more listeners' accounts, may be created on the online platform. The accounts may include profile information of associated users such as topics of interest, demographic data, history of stories presented and/or listened to, etc.

Further, upon accessing the online platform100, the storyteller may be presented with at least one visual media. The storyteller may select at least one visual media in order to support a storytelling session. For example, if the storyteller intends to tell a story called, “The Secret Garden”, an input criterion may be provided in the form of keywords, such as a garden, kids, and swings. Accordingly, the online platform may access a database of visual media to identify at least one visual media that may be relevant to the storyteller and/or the one or more listeners. In an instance, the storyteller may specify at least one of a title of the story and a keyword describing a theme of the story. Accordingly, the online platform100may identify the at least one visual media based on the at least one of the title and the keyword, and present the visual media to the storyteller. In some embodiments, the at least one visual media may be in the form of digital images. Accordingly, the at least one visual media presented by the online platform may be conceptually related to the story that the storyteller wishes to share with the one or more listeners.

Subsequently, the storyteller may perform one or more selection to indicate one or more visual media that may be used during a storytelling session. Additionally, the one or more selection may also identify one or more region within a visual media where one or more additional media (e.g., text, image, video, audio, multimedia) may be embedded. Accordingly, the one or more selections may also indicate the one or more additional media. Based on the one or more selection, the online platform100may generate an embedded visual media. Further, the embedded visual media may be in a format that may facilitate capturing a user interaction with the embedded visual media. The user interactions may include a touch input, a mouse hovering event, a mouse click event, and the like.

In some embodiments, the online platform100may transmit the embedded visual media to the storyteller device and the one or more listeners' device. Accordingly, the embedded visual media may be rendered at the one or more listeners' device. Further, a timing associated with presentation of the embedded visual media may be controlled by the storyteller. Furthermore, in some embodiments, one or more timings associated with presentation of the one or more additional media may also be controlled by the storyteller. Accordingly, the storyteller may orchestrate presentation of the one or more additional media and/or the embedded visual media with greater flexibility.

Subsequently, the one or more listeners may interact with the embedded visual media by performing operations such as viewing, zooming, panning, activating presentation of the one or more additional media, and the like. According to some embodiments, the one or more listeners may also use pre-defined touch and hand gestures to interact with the embedded visual media. Such user interactions may be recorded by the one or more listeners' device and transmitted to the online platform. Further, the user interactions may be transmitted to the storyteller device.

Accordingly, information regarding the user interactions may be presented to the storyteller. In an instance, the information may be presented in a leaderboard format. As well, the information may be presented in the form of a heat-map, wherein a temperature, represented by a color, may be associated with a region of the embedded visual media may be indicative of a number of user interactions from the one or more listeners within the region. For example, the region may correspond to the one or more additional media associated with the embedded visual media. Accordingly, the storyteller may be able to view responses of the one or more listeners to the embedded visual media in real-time or near real-time. It should be appreciated that the term “near” may be defined as a short amount of time, or an insignificant amount of time, such as less than 5 seconds.

Furthermore, the storyteller may also be presented with contextual information pertaining to a listener. Such contextual information may include the listener's demography, favorite stories, favorite characters, favorite story genres based upon a listener's previously listened stories, and the like. In some embodiments, the contextual information may also depict feedback shared by the one or more listeners.

FIG. 2illustrates a flowchart of a method of facilitating storytelling using visual media, including presentation of visual media with an audio story, in accordance with some embodiments.

First, the online platform100may receive, from the mobile device106operated by a storyteller, an input criterion. The input criterion, also called “input”, may include at least one of a textual story, a theme of a story, a keyword associated with a story, and the like. In some embodiments, the storyteller may access the online platform through the mobile device using at least one of a mobile app and a web application.

In some embodiments, the online platform100may facilitate automatic conversion of textual story uploaded by a storyteller into a visual story. The online platform100may use at least one keyword associated with the textual story to convert the textual story into a visual story. For example, if the keywords related to the textual story “Cinderella” are fairy godmother and a magic wand, the visual media may be presented accordingly. In this case, the visual media may include the digital image showing a fairy having a magic wand in her hand. According to further aspects, the method may include NLP processing for assisting the online platform in conversion of textual story into the visual story. Further, the online platform may present the visual story to the storyteller before further processing. In some embodiments, the visual story provided by the online platform may include visual media that is editable. Accordingly, the storyteller may edit the visual media provided by the online platform.

In some aspects, the visual based storytelling platform may allow a storyteller to manually make a visual story. In some embodiments, the online platform may include a repository of visual story templates that may be edited to be later shared with the listener's mobile device.

In some embodiments, the online platform may also present, on a storyteller's mobile device, a choice to select embeddable content related to the visual story, such as, but not limited to, an audio track, a video, and an animation. For example, if the storyteller wants to share a story called, “The Jungle Book”, the audio track associated with “The Jungle Book” may include sounds of a lion, a bear and a snake. In some aspects, the embedded visual media may respond to a listener's interaction, such as a touch input. In an instance, the embeddable visual media may start an animation when the listener's interaction is received.

According to further aspects, the visual media may be rendered using a JSON based format. In some aspects, the JSON based format may include background image information such as a URL and an image size. In some embodiments, the visual media needing animation may first be declared as an array of image information. Further, the image information may contain URL of an animatable image, image size, and vertical and horizontal distances from the background image. The image information array may also include animation information for an image. Further, the animation information may include an object attribute and an action attribute. The “object” attribute indicates index of an object to animate from the image information array. The “action” attribute can have either of two values, i.e. touch and none. Accordingly, if the action is touch, then animation object may start or stop touch events, and, if the action is none, the animation object may start animation automatically and may not wait for a touch event.

According to some embodiments, the online platform may include cloud-based servers configured to synchronize story elements, such as the visual media and the audio track. The cloud-based servers may include an API server and one or more streaming servers. The API server may be responsible for processing information related to the visual media such as, but not limited to, width, height, vertical offset, horizontal offset, and the like. The one or more streaming servers may include a metadata processing feature. Thereafter, the API server and the one or more streaming servers may work in conjunction to synchronize information captured in the visual media and the audio track associated with the visual story.

Further, the method may include sharing a synchronized visual story with the one or more listeners on the one or more listeners' device. Accordingly, in some embodiments, a synchronized visual story may be uploaded on the server. Thereafter, the synchronized visual story may be fetched by the one or more listeners' device. Thereafter, the one or more listeners may view or download the visual story using the web application (i.e., a client application) installed on the one or more listeners' device.

According to some aspects, the online platform may provide both live and on-demand stories. In an instance, the one or more listeners may raise a request related to a story, wherein the online platform may receive the request. In response, the online platform may search for an appropriate story related to the request. Further, the online platform may present the story under an on-demand stories tab. In an instance, all telecasted live stories may be made available as on-demand.

According to further aspects, in a case of a live story session, the visual media and the embedded visual media may be available before the live story session begins. Further, the audio associated with the embedded visual media may be streamed during the live story session. In an instance, the online platform may provide the storyteller with an option to select the visual media prior to displaying it to the one or more listeners.

According to further aspects, the online platform may allow a storyteller to control a pace of the story, as well as decide when to change/show a particular visual media to the one or more listeners.

FIG. 3illustrates a flowchart of a method of facilitating storytelling using visual media including capturing and receiving user interaction information from one or more listeners, in accordance with some embodiments.

First, the method may include receiving interaction information from the one or more listeners. In an instance, the one or more listeners may interact with the embedded visual media. Accordingly, the embedded visual media may have interaction points that trigger animation. Further, the one or more listeners may touch any interaction point on the embedded visual media. According to some embodiments, the one or more listeners may also use pre-defined touch/hand gestures to interact with the story.

Further, the method may include providing an automated response associated with the interaction information. In some embodiments, the online platform may show an animation as a response to the one or more listeners' interaction with the visual media. For example, if the one or more listeners are viewing a story called “The Princess and the Goblin”, the one or more listeners may touch the avatar of princess, upon which an animation may be shown to the one or more listeners on the one or more listeners' device.

Further, in some embodiments, the one or more listeners' device may display information related to a particular character of the story that the one or more listeners have touched. For example, if the one or more listeners, while viewing the story called “The Jungle Book”, touches and/or clicks a fictional character of Mowgli, then information related to the fictional character of Mowgli may appear on the screen, such as, but not limited to, Mowgli's goal, likes, dislikes, personality and appearance.

In some embodiments, the interaction information may be sent to the API server for further processing. Thereafter, the interaction information is passed on to the web application (or client application) installed on the mobile device of a storyteller. In an instance, the storyteller may receive a notification on the storyteller's mobile device.

Further, the storyteller may be able to view the interaction information and then act and/or respond accordingly. In some embodiments, the storyteller may respond by sharing another picture associated with the story based upon the interaction information. For example, the online platform may be used by a teacher who is teaching “Applications of Bernoulli's Theorem”. Further, the visual based interactive story telling platform may share the visual media (or a digital image) of an airplane during takeoff to explain an application of “Bernoulli's Theorem”. Further, the one or more listeners, who is a class 11 student, may interact with the picture by touching and/or clicking on a wing of the airplane. Thereafter, the interaction information (here touching the wing of the plane) may be shared with the teacher. Further, the teacher may share another picture showing further details of an airplane wing.

FIG. 4illustrates a flowchart of a method of facilitating storytelling using visual media, including receiving contextual information related to one or more listeners and presenting the contextual information to the storyteller, in accordance with some embodiments.

Accordingly, the method may include receiving the contextual information on a posted story, such as, but not limited to, the one or more listener's location, favorite stories, favorite characters, and favorite story genres based upon the one or more listener's previously listened stories. In some embodiments, the contextual information may also depict feedback shared by the one or more listeners. In some embodiments, the feedback may be given using buttons corresponding to actions such as like, dislike, comment, ask, report, and the like. According to some embodiments, the system may also receive feedback and/or the contextual information from the one or more listeners in form of pre-defined touch/hand gestures. For example, the one or more listeners may use a thumbs-up hand gesture to like the story.

According to some aspects, the method may include processing the contextual information received from the one or more listeners. Accordingly, the contextual information may be processed by the cloud based servers, such as the API server and a contextual information processing engine. First, the API server may receive the contextual information from the one or more listeners, such as, but not limited to, the one or more listener's location, favorite stories, favorite characters, and favorite story genres based upon the one or more listener's previously listened stories. Further, the API server may store the contextual information in the database and then send the contextual information to the contextual information processing engine for further processing. Thereafter, the contextual information processing engine may process the contextual information and share results with the API server. For example, the contextual information processing engine may process the one or more listener's location and send it in the form of a Google map address. Further, the API server may perform post processing of the results and then send across the results to the web application installed in the mobile device of a storyteller. In some embodiments, the storyteller may access the results after clicking “Know Your Audience”. The “Know Your Audience” feature may allow the storyteller to receive contextual information (e.g., location) related to the one or more listeners. In an instance, the one or more listeners of the story may be termed as an audience. The contextual information may include information such as, but not limited to, the one or more listener's favorite story genres and favorite characters based on their previously listened stories.

According to some aspects, the “Know Your Audience” feature may be available only in a case of a live story session. Usually, the contextual information is processed only when the one or more listeners registers for a live story session. In some embodiments, the live story session may only be available when both the storyteller and the one or more listeners are active on the online platform. In some embodiments, the one or more listeners may also manually invite the storyteller for a live story session, subsequent to which the storyteller may receive a notification on her mobile device.

FIG. 5illustrates an exemplary visual media including representation of user interaction based on user pins, in accordance with some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the online platform may provide graphical representation of user interaction based on user pins. Accordingly, whenever a listener performs a user interaction with a region of the embedded visual media, a user pin associated with the listener may be added to the region. In an instance, the user pin may include a picture of the listener who has interacted with the embedded visual media. Further, whenever a new user interaction is observed, a new user pin may be added to the region where the user interaction was recorded. Similarly, the new user pin may also depict the picture of the listener who has interacted with the embedded visual media. Further, the story teller may also be able to see the user pins, which represent the users who interacted with the region.

According to some aspects, the user pin may include a shaded circular portion. Further, the shaded circular portion of the user pin may include the picture of one or more listeners. For example, the shaded portion of each user pin may include a picture of the corresponding listener who interacted with the region. Likewise, multiple user pins with different pictures in corresponding shaded circular portion may be displayed on the region, in a case wherein multiple listeners interacted with the region.

Furthermore, when the number of listeners becomes very large, the region involving the user interaction may have a single pin instead of multiple user pins (in a case wherein multiple users interact with the embedded visual media). Accordingly, the shaded portion of the user pin may display a count, such that the count may refer to the number of listeners who have interacted with the embedded visual media. Further, once the shaded portion of the user pin is selected by the storyteller and/or the one or more listeners, the online platform may show a list of all listeners.

FIG. 6illustrates a block diagram of a system including computing device600. Consistent with an embodiment of the disclosure, the aforementioned storage device and processing device may be implemented in a computing device, such as computing device600ofFIG. 6. Any suitable combination of hardware, software, or firmware may be used to implement the memory storage and processing unit. For example, the storage device and the processing device may be implemented with computing device600or any of other computing devices618, in combination with computing device600. The aforementioned system, device, and processors are examples, and other systems, devices, and processors may comprise the aforementioned storage device and processing device, consistent with embodiments of the disclosure.

With reference toFIG. 6, a system consistent with an embodiment of the disclosure may include a computing device or cloud service, such as computing device600. In a basic configuration, computing device600may include at least one processing unit602and a system memory604. Depending on the configuration and type of computing device, system memory604may comprise, but is not limited to, volatile (e.g. random access memory (RAM)), non-volatile (e.g. read-only memory (ROM)), flash memory, and any combination thereof. System memory604may include operating system605, one or more programming modules606, and may include a program data607. Operating system605, for example, may be suitable for controlling computing device600's operation. In one embodiment, programming modules606may include image encoding module, machine learning module and image classifying module. Furthermore, embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in conjunction with a graphics library, other operating systems, or any other application program and is not limited to any particular application or system. This basic configuration is illustrated inFIG. 6by those components within a dashed line608.

Computing device600may have additional features or functionality. For example, computing device600may also include additional data storage devices (removable and/or non-removable) such as magnetic disks, optical disks, or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated inFIG. 6by a removable storage609and a non-removable storage610. Computer storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. System memory604, removable storage609, and non-removable storage610are all computer storage media examples (i.e., memory storage.) Computer storage media may include, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store information and which can be accessed by computing device600. Any such computer storage media may be part of device600. Computing device600may also have input device(s)612such as a keyboard, a mouse, a pen, a sound input device, a touch input device, etc. Output device(s)614such as a display, speakers, a printer, and the like may also be included. The aforementioned devices are examples and others may be used.

As stated above, a number of program modules and data files may be stored in system memory604, including operating system605. While executing on processing unit602, programming modules606(e.g., application620such as a media player) may perform processes including, for example, one or more stages of methods, algorithms, systems, applications, servers, databases as described above. The aforementioned process is an example, and processing unit602may perform other processes. Other programming modules that may be used in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure may include sound encoding/decoding applications, machine learning application, acoustic classifiers, etc.

Method Embodiments

The disclosure also includes methods of facilitating storytelling using visual media. As illustrated inFIGS. 7-9, methods may include receiving, via a storyteller device900associated with a storyteller, an input800(at step700). The input800may include any portion of a story, such as a story title, at least one keyword associated with a story, an excerpt of the story, an abstract of the story, and an entirety of the story. It should be appreciated that the input800may include narration of a story. Even still, the input800may include profile information about at least one of the storyteller and the listener. The profile information may comprise topics of interest, demographic data, a history of stories presented, a history of stories listened to, and/or the like. In some embodiments, the storyteller device900and/or processing device904may assign a character name and image to each of the listeners and/or listening devices902. In this regard, the storyteller may assign a character to each listener and pictures or face pictures of the listeners may be augmented with the assigned characters and presented to the listeners while narration for providing an immersive experience.

Methods may thereby include identifying, via a processing device904communicatively coupled to the storyteller device900, visual media802based on the input800(at step702). In many embodiments, the visual media802includes an image, a video, an animation, music, multimedia, and/or the like. It should be appreciated that the visual media802may include any type of media to assist and enhance in the storytelling process. Methods may thereby include presenting, via at least one of the storyteller device900and a listener device902communicatively coupled to the processing device904, the visual media802(at step704).

Methods may also include identifying, via the storyteller device900, at least one region within the visual media802to present embedded visual media804(at step706). The embedded visual media804may include a text, an image, a video, audio data, an interactive animation, and/or multimedia data. Similar to the visual media802, the embedded visual media804may include any type of media to assist and enhance in the storytelling process.

Accordingly, some methods include generating, via the processing device904, embedded visual media804based on one or more selections806(at step708). The generating step804may be automatically or manually performed. Even still, methods also include presenting, via at least one of the storyteller device900and the listener device902, the embedded visual media804(at step710). In many embodiments, the embedded visual media804is simultaneously presented during narration of the story. The embedded visual media804may include any such operation, event or input, such as a touch input, a mouse hovering event, a mouse click event, viewing, zooming, panning, activating a presentation of the embedded visual media, and/or the like.

The embedded visual media804may define any format that facilitates capturing of one or more listener interactions806with the embedded visual media804. Accordingly, methods may include recording, via the listener device902, the one or more listener interactions806(at step712). As illustrated inFIG. 8, the one or more listener interactions806are performed using at least one of a mouse, stylus, keyboard, joystick, a haptic interface, a voice based interface, and/or the like.

Methods may thereby include presenting, via the storyteller device900, an indication of the one or more listener interactions806(at step714). In some embodiments, the methods even include presenting in real-time or near real-time, via the storyteller device900, responses of the one or more listener interactions806to the embedded visual media804(at step716). Any of the presenting steps disclosed herein may be performed via an online platform that communicatively couples the storyteller device900, the listener device902, and the processing device904together.

The storyteller device900may include at least one of a smart phone, a tablet, and a computer, and/or the like. Likewise, the listener device902may include at least one of a smart phone, a tablet, a computer, and/or the like. Additionally, the processing device904may include at least one of a smart phone, a tablet, a computer, a server, and/or the like.

Interpretation

None of the steps described herein is essential or indispensable. Any of the steps can be adjusted or modified. Other or additional steps can be used. Any portion of any of the steps, processes, structures, and/or devices disclosed or illustrated in one embodiment, flowchart, or example in this specification can be combined or used with or instead of any other portion of any of the steps, processes, structures, and/or devices disclosed or illustrated in a different embodiment, flowchart, or example. The embodiments and examples provided herein are not intended to be discrete and separate from each other.

The section headings and subheadings provided herein are nonlimiting. The section headings and subheadings do not represent or limit the full scope of the embodiments described in the sections to which the headings and subheadings pertain. For example, a section titled “Topic 1” may include embodiments that do not pertain to Topic 1 and embodiments described in other sections may apply to and be combined with embodiments described within the “Topic 1” section.

Some of the devices, systems, embodiments, and processes use computers. Each of the routines, processes, methods, and algorithms described in the preceding sections may be embodied in, and fully or partially automated by, code modules executed by one or more computers, computer processors, or machines configured to execute computer instructions. The code modules may be stored on any type of non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or tangible computer storage device, such as hard drives, solid state memory, flash memory, optical disc, and/or the like. The processes and algorithms may be implemented partially or wholly in application-specific circuitry. The results of the disclosed processes and process steps may be stored, persistently or otherwise, in any type of non-transitory computer storage such as, e.g., volatile or non-volatile storage.

The various features and processes described above may be used independently of one another, or may be combined in various ways. All possible combinations and subcombinations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. In addition, certain method, event, state, or process blocks may be omitted in some implementations. The methods, steps, and processes described herein are also not limited to any particular sequence, and the blocks, steps, or states relating thereto can be performed in other sequences that are appropriate. For example, described tasks or events may be performed in an order other than the order specifically disclosed. Multiple steps may be combined in a single block or state. The example tasks or events may be performed in serial, in parallel, or in some other manner. Tasks or events may be added to or removed from the disclosed example embodiments. The example systems and components described herein may be configured differently than described. For example, elements may be added to, removed from, or rearranged compared to the disclosed example embodiments.

The term “and/or” means that “and” applies to some embodiments and “or” applies to some embodiments. Thus, A, B, and/or C can be replaced with A, B, and C written in one sentence and A, B, or C written in another sentence. A, B, and/or C means that some embodiments can include A and B, some embodiments can include A and C, some embodiments can include B and C, some embodiments can only include A, some embodiments can include only B, some embodiments can include only C, and some embodiments include A, B, and C. The term “and/or” is used to avoid unnecessary redundancy.