Abstract:
A method is provided for digitally presenting physical media content including obtaining a physical media content having a plurality of pages, each page having at least one visual aspect and one audible aspect. For each page, rendering the visual aspect into a digitally stored visual file component. For each page, rendering the audible aspect into a digitally stored audio file component. For each page, associating the visual file component with the audio file component for each page. Storing the associated visual and audio file components for each of the pages into a single digital media file representing the physical media content as a digital media file. Placing the digital media content file in a format for storage and playback in a viewing device.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is related to and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/686,964, filed on Jun. 2, 2005, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a system and method for media delivery. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for digitally presenting physical media content.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Currently, the market for digital media device is primarily dominated by video game, DVD, and music content. Such devices provide hours of entertainment to both adults and children. Also, with the rise of mobile digital media devices, users can now not only view the digital content at home but can just as easily take such content on the road. In the case of parenting, these mobile digital devices are useful to keep children occupied during riving or other such tasks which require their concentration like shopping. However, the typical content of digital media tends to be mindless entertainment oriented. Obviously, fixed location digital devices can be used similarly by parents when cleaning or performing other home chores.  
         [0004]     One alternative to such devices is to use books, however, they are much more substantial in size than typical mobile gaming devices in travel situations, and are not as attractive to some children who in many cases prefer the newer digital media format.  
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY  
       [0005]     The present invention looks to overcome the drawbacks associated with the prior art and provide a system and method for taking preexisting physical media content such as books, and convert them to a format for playback on digital devices such as mobile digital devices.  
         [0006]     Furthermore, the system and method of the present invention advantageously presents or reads the book to the user, keeping the feel of book, rather than that of a video or continuous playing file.  
         [0007]     To this end, the present invention is directed to a method for digitally presenting physical media content by obtaining a physical media content having a plurality of pages, where each page has at least one visual aspect and one audible aspect. For each page of physical media content, the visual aspect is rendered into a digitally stored visual file component corresponding to each of the pages and likewise for each page of the physical media content, the audible aspect is rendered into a digitally stored audio file component corresponding to each of the pages.  
         [0008]     For each page of the physical content, the visual file component and the audio file components are associated with one another for each page and stored into a single digital media file representing the physical media content as a digital media file. The digital media content file is stored in a format for storage and playback in a viewing device.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with features, objects, and advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a typical physical media content, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the components of a physical to digital conversion system, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart for converting the physical media content from  FIG. 1  into a digital media file, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a user media playback device for playing the digital media file, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is flow chart for playing the digital file on the playback device from  FIG. 4 , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     The system and method of the present invention is configured to convert a physical media content into a digital media file for viewing on digital playback device, such as a personal mobile digital device. To this end, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a physical media content  10  is shown in the form of a standard book. It is understood that any physical media content such as pamphlets, brochures, comic books etc. . . . may be converted for to a digital media file via the present invention. For illustrative purposes however, book  10  is referred to throughout interchangeably with physical media content  10 .  
         [0016]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , book  10  maintains a plurality of pages  12  each of which have a visual aspect  14  and an audible aspect  16 . Visual aspect  14  refers to any images contained on the page and audible aspect  16  generally refers to any text that may be read. The present invention contemplates that children&#39;s books, which have many visual aspects  14  to accompany the audible content  16 , are the focus of the system and method of the present invention, as many adult books only have an audible content  16 . However, the invention is not limited in this respect.  
         [0017]     In one embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the physical to digital conversion system  20  (referred to hereinafter as system  20 ), maintains a visual input module  22 , an audio in put module  26 , a visual rendering module  24 , a processor  28 , editing module  30 , and a storage module  32 .  
         [0018]     Visual input module  22  is configured to receive visual aspects  14  from book  10 . This can be done by scanning the pages  12  of book  10  via a typical scanner. Alternatively, digital representations of visual aspects  14  of page  12  may be directly imported on-line from outside or third party source such as a publisher or writer. Any additional methods of inputting physical images to digital format are also within the contemplation of the present invention. Visual rendering module  24  is configured to render the imported visual aspects  14  of page  12  into an accessible and storable format.  
         [0019]     Audio input module  26  is configured to receive audio input, such a voice over input via a microphone or other such sound collection device. This audio input corresponds to the audible aspect  16  of pages  12  of book  10 . Audio module  26  is preferably outfitted with some form of editing software allowing the operator of system  20  to place the generated audio files into some manageable format. Ideally, audible aspects  16  input through audio input module  26  and visual aspects  14  input via visual input and visual rendering modules  22  and  24  are in compatible or even the same format (program).  
         [0020]     Processor module  28  is configured to generate a digital media file corresponding to the physical media content  10  (book  10 ) using the input from audio input, visual input and visual rendering modules  22 ,  24  and  26 . In one embodiment of the present invention, processor  28  is configured such that for each page  12  of book  10 , the input visual aspects  14  are correlated with the corresponding audible aspects  16 . This data can be stored in storage module  32 . Once each page  12  of book  10  is stored, processor  28  is further configured to generate a single digital media file that corresponds to the entire physical media content  10 .  
         [0021]     The digital media file generated by system  20  for book  10  may be in any available format that stores combined audio and visual components including but not limited to .mov, H264, . mp4, wmv, 0.3 gp, etc. . . .  
         [0022]     In one embodiment of the present invention, processor  28  is further configured to insert a ring, bell, or tone noise instruction between each page  12  stored in the digital media file for book  10 . As explained below, when a user views the digital media file and changes pages, the user will hear the tone to let them know that the current view is literally from a different page  12  from the original physical media content than from the previously viewed page  12 .  
         [0023]     Likewise, processor  28 , is further configured to insert a page flipping image/animation instruction between each page  12  stored in the digital media file for book  10 . As explained below, when a user views the digital media file and changes pages, the user sees the flipping page image to let them know that the current view is literally from a different page  12  from the original physical media content  10  than the previously viewed page  12 . These characteristics assist in generating the feel of reading an actual book rather than viewing a movie or cartoon, even though it is being viewed on a personal digital device.  
         [0024]     Editing module  30  is configured to allow a user to review the digital media file created from book  10 , allowing each page  12  view to be edited or re-mastered to enhance stored visual and audible aspects  14  and  16  to ensure that they look as close to page  12  of book  10  as possible and that the audible aspect  16  matches the stored audio portion of the file for that page  12 . Furthermore, editing module  12  can also be used to insert certain embellishments such as background music or sound effects to accompany each page view.  
         [0025]     To form the digital media file, processor  28  and editing module  30  may employ such programs as Flash, Pinnacle, Premier, Final Cut, Windows Movie Maker etc., although any similar editing and program creation software may be employed.  
         [0026]     It is understood that the above modules and descriptions for system  20  are intended only as exemplary modules to illustrate the salient features of the invention. For example, any of the various modules may be combined or further subdivided for performing their functions and such modules may be implemented as either hardware or software. Furthermore, modules such as storage module  32  may be located off-site or handled by third party vendors. It is shown above only to illustrate its function within system  20 . It is understood that the present invention contemplates any system  20  that employs similar functional modules to perform similar tasks as described below.  
         [0027]     Thus, according to one embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the process for converting book  10  into a digital book file via system  20  begins at step  100  where a user selects a book  10  to be converted into a digital media file. At step  102 , the visual aspect  14  of each page  12  is entered into system  20  via visual input and visual rendering modules  22  and  24 . At step  104 , the audible aspects  16  are added (by way of voice over recordings etc. . . . ) by way of audio input module  26 .  
         [0028]     At step  106 , processor  28 , for each page  12  of original book  12 , correlates the visual and audible aspects  14  and  16  to one another. Next, at step  108 , processor  28  collects the correlated visual and audible aspects  14  and  16  from each page  12  and stores it in storage module  32  as a single digital media file that corresponds to book  10 . Optionally, at step  110 , the user may use editing module  30  to review the file to re-master any of the visual or audible aspects  14  and  16  from pages  12  or to add background music or sound effects to the file.  
         [0029]     It is understood that the above description of the generation of a digital media file from book  10  is by way of example only. Any similar process using similar components from system  20  is within the contemplation of the present invention.  
         [0030]     Turning now to the viewing of the digital media file of book  10 , in one embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a user has a digital playback device  200 , such as a mobile viewing device having a storage module  202 , a viewer  204  and an interface  206 . It is contemplated that digital playback device can be any one of televisions, computers, personal video players, gaming devices, pocket computers/PDA&#39;a, mobile phones, automobile entertainment centers and others. Furthermore, it is contemplated that device  200  employ a program that can run digital audio/visual files, including but not limited to Windows Media, Real Player, Quicktime, Flash, and other such programs.  
         [0031]     The operation of such device  200  begins at step  300 , illustrated in  FIG. 5 , where by the user contact system  20  or some or some other secondary host of the digital media files and selects a book  10 . At step  302 , device  200  is then given the information via upload from a physical media or through download from the internet or other wireless communication. The present invention contemplates that the digital media file for book  10  may communicated to playback device by way of, but not limited to mobile streaming, mobile on demand, satellite streaming, satellite on demand, Internet streaming, Internet on demand, and hard media, including but not limited to CD, DVD, CF, SD. At step  304 , the digital media file for book  10  is stored in storage module  202 .  
         [0032]     Next, at step  306 , the user access the digital media file for book  10  and selects a playback mode. An example of a first playback mode is a continuous mode where each page  12  of book  10  is displayed for a pre-defined time and then the next page is automatically cued up. Alternatively, a non-continuous manual mode may be selected whereby the user can first initiate a digital media file for book  10  and then each successive page  12  turn is initiated through some interaction with interface  206 . This process is repeated until book  10  is finished or the viewer interrupts viewing via interface  206 .  
         [0033]     It is understood that the above description of the viewing of a digital media file from book  10  is by way of example only. Any similar process using similar components is within the contemplation of the present invention.  
         [0034]     As such, the present invention contemplates a system and method for converting a book or other physical media content  10  into a digital format using system  20 . Viewers may then purchase the books  10  and download them to their viewing devices  200 . The digital file plays to the viewer with the feel of a real book, rather than as a typical digital file such as a movie or cartoon. Such books  10  can be purchased by the user for a fee or advertisements may be added before the content of the digital media file by a sponsor so that the file may be downloaded for free by the viewer.  
         [0035]     Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.