Method of preparing a multimedia recording of a live presentation

A method of preparing a multimedia recording of a live presentation, where the presentation comprising a plurality of events, is provided. The method includes the steps of, (a) preparing a recording means and gathering information associated with said presentation, (b) recording the events of said presentation, (c) digitizing any event recording not digitally recorded, (d) transferring said recordings to said electronic storage medium, (e) processing said recordings to create a digital multimedia presentation wherein said events are presented in a visual and audio format and the staging of said visual and audio formats are automatically synchronized, and displaying said digital multimedia presentation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As used herein, “digital storage medium” includes, but is not limited to, CD-ROMs, DVDs, tape media, magnetic media, and flash memory. As used herein, “transferred” when used in association with a digital recording or a computer file includes both “copying” and “moving” as those words are used in the industry. As shown in FIG. 1, a method of preparing a multimedia recording begins with the preparation 10 . The preparation 10 for recording a presentation 30 includes gathering 12 information about the presentation 30 . Information gathered 12 may include, for example, the name of the organization sponsoring the presentation, the names of those who will be making the presentation, the date and time of the presentation, and a list of attendees. This basic information is then stored electronically as an electronic record. The electronic record can be used to begin designing a document that can be viewed with a web browser. Additionally, the visual aids to be used by each speaker 100 can be incorporated into the electronic record. Typically, these visual aids will be computer files used to create projected images or “slides.” If the speaker 100 is more traditional and has only film slides or overhead projector transparencies, the film slides or overhead projector transparencies can be prepared for incorporation to the digital record by digitizing 14 the film slides or overhead projector transparencies. As shown on FIG. 2, a speaker 100 typically uses an electronic slide system that includes a series of electronic slides stored on a computer 102 and a projector 104 . A display program on the speaker's computer 102 is structured to display the electronic slides through the projector 104 . The speaker 102 will switch between slides by using the computer mouse 106 or similar input device. For example, the speaker 100 starts the display program and displays the first slide. Pressing one button on the mouse 106 will cause the display program to show the next electronic slide in the series. If the mouse 106 is a two button mouse, pressing on the second button will cause the display program to show the prior slide in the series. A further step in the preparation is to install 16 a logging program on the computer 102 of each speaker 100 . The logging program includes a time index and monitors the display program. The logging program creates a data log that is a record of the time that each electronic slide is displayed, e.g. the data log is a record of each slide in the presentation and at what time the speaker 100 presses a mouse button. The logging program also records when other programs, such as a media player, is started and what media file is played. The logging program is started by a batch program, which is also copied to the speaker's computer 102 . That is, the logging program, and therefore the time index, starts when the batch program is run. Alternatively, the data log can be created manually. To accomplish this a worker 108 with a computer 110 attends the presentation. The computer 110 used by the worker 108 includes a manual logging program with a time index. Each time the speaker 100 uses a slide, the worker 108 inputs data into the manual logging program. The input from the worker 108 indicates when and which slide was displayed. A further step in the preparation is to install 18 an audio and/or video recording device at the presentation site. Preferably, a digital recording device is used, such as a digital video recorder 110 or a digital audio recorder 112 . The recording device 110 , 112 is structured to record an audio recording and/or a video recording. The audio recording and/or a video recording includes a time index in the audio recording and/or the video recording. The recording device 110 , 112 is started by the batch program installed on the speaker's computer. That is, the recording device 110 , 112 , and the time index, starts when the batch program is run. The batch program is also structured to start the display software. Thus, a single icon on the computer 102 used by the speaker 100 , e.g. an icon labeled “press here to begin,” runs the batch program which starts the display program, the logging program, and recording device. When the logging program and recording device are started by the batch program, the logging program time index and recording device time index are synchronized. After the preparations are made, the presentation is made and recorded 30 . The presentation typically includes many events. An event includes, but is not limited to, such things as the speaker 100 speaking, and visual events such as the speaker 100 displaying one or more slides, or the speaker 100 showing a video presentation. Each event is recorded, preferably in a digital format. The recording begins when the speaker runs the batch program previously installed on their computer 102 . This batch program starts both the recording device and the logging program. Thus, the recording and the data log created by the logging program have a synchronized time index. Alternatively, as noted above, the data log may be created manually. After the presentation is over, there is a time indexed recording of the presentation and a time indexed data log as to when the visual events occurred. If any recording of an event is not recorded in a digital format, the recording is converted 32 to a digital format. The audio recording is preferably transferred 40 to a stenographer 116 who prepares 42 a transcript. The transcript is stored in an electronic format. The electronic transcript is coded 44 with a time index. The electronic transcript is further coded with “markers,” which are computer codes that are not displayed as part of the transcript. The markers relate a portion of the electronic transcript to a point in the time index. For example, the portion of the transcript for the speaker's introduction is related to the beginning of the time index. A digital word index of the electronic transcript is also created 46 . The time indexed audio and/or video recording, the time indexed data log, and/or the time indexed transcript are transferred 50 to a processing computer 120 . The digital recordings, the data log and electronic transcript may be transferred over an electronic network 118 , such as a company intranet or the Internet. Alternatively, the digital recordings, data log and electronic transcript may be transferred to a digital storage medium and transported to the processing computer 120 . The processing computer 120 is structured to create a media stream that includes both audio and visual components. The visual components include the slides, any video presentation, the recorded video and the electronic transcript. The processing computer 120 automatically assembles 60 the media stream by incorporating the components into an integrated file. The timing of when the slides or video presentation are displayed in the media stream relative to audio and/or video recording and the timing of what portion of the electronic transcript is displayed in the media stream relative to audio and/or video recording is controlled by the time index. Thus, the media stream 130 includes synchronized audio and visual components. The media stream 130 may also include additional advertising materials. Once the processing computer 120 creates the media stream 130 , the media stream 130 is stored on a digital storage medium. If the digital storage medium is a CD-ROM, the CD-ROM may be shipped to a user 200 . Alternatively, a user 200 may access 80 the digital storage medium through an electronic network 118 . The media stream 130 may be viewed and heard on a device such as a computer 202 . As shown on FIG. 3 , the user's computer 202 includes a multimedia program that is structured to display the slides 302 and the electronic transcript 304 . The multimedia program also plays the audio recording and/or video recording 306 . The multimedia program may also display the additional advertising materials 308 . The multimedia program is also structured to allow the user 200 to search 310 the word index of the electronic transcript. When a user 200 locates a certain word or phrase, the multimedia program will display that portion of the media stream 130 . If the media stream 130 is accessed via an electronic network 118 , it is convenient to construct 82 a web page relating to the presentation. The web page may include information gathered as part of the preparation 10 . The web page will also gather 90 user feed back, such as their name, e-mail address, occupation, and so forth. The user information is stored in the electronic record. A user may need to pay for access to the media stream, so the web page may be structured to collect information such as a credit card number. The web page may also be structured to allow the user to submit comments regarding the presentation. User comments, as well as other information in the electronic record, may be used for marketing purposes. For example, users who attended and/or viewed a presentation regarding banking may be alerted to a future presentation regarding banking or similar services. While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. For example, there is no requirement that electronic transcript be prepared. The media stream could be produced having only the audio and/or video recording synchronized with the visual events. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of invention which is to be given the full breadth of the claims appended and any and all equivalents thereof.