Patent Publication Number: US-2011055678-A1

Title: Multimedia system for mobile devices

Description:
This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/239,296, filed Sep. 2, 2009, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference thereto. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to mobile devices, in particular to a system for use in conjunction with a mobile device such as a mobile telephone or personal digital assistant (PDA). 
     BACKGROUND 
     Mobile telephones are becoming increasingly sophisticated, many now allowing computing applications to be loaded and run. For example, a range of mobile based games exists, some of which allow for collaborative gaming over the mobile network. Mobile applications are also being developed to allow users access to remote computer systems. Indeed, there is a drive towards allowing consumers to conduct banking activities using their mobile telephones. Another area where mobile applications are likely to be deployed may be productivity tools for corporate use, such as e-mail and schedule access, as well as tools to provide mobile sales staff with access into their corporate systems. 
     Despite the advances in the art, there remains a need for a system for use in conjunction with a mobile device that allows the mobile device to augment books such as printed textbooks, the mobile device functioning as an interactive learning aid and information resource. 
     SUMMARY 
     A system for use in conjunction with a mobile device is disclosed according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system receives multimedia data as an input and generates a corresponding software-based application that is configured for installation into a mobile device. The application is a user-interactive presentation of the data upon a visually perceivable display of the mobile device. 
     An embodiment of the present invention is a system for use in conjunction with a mobile device. The system includes a pre-processor configured to receive input data from a plurality of multimedia sources, generate Extensible Markup Language output links relating to the input data, and generate outputs comprising at least one of images, thumbnails, and rich media. The outputs are assembled into a mobile device application. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further features of the inventive embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the embodiments relate from reading the specification and claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a multimedia system for mobile devices according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an example presentation of a title portion of a software-based application generated by the system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an example presentation of a table of contents portion of a software-based application generated by the system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an example presentation of a list of slides of a software-based application generated by the system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an example presentation of slide of a software-based application generated by the system of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 6  shows a magnified view of a portion of the example slide of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The general arrangement of a system  10  for use in conjunction with a mobile device is shown in  FIG. 1 . System  10  includes a pre-processor  12  that receives as input  14  data from a variety of types of multimedia sources. Pre-processor  10  generates Extensible Markup Language (XML) output links  16  relating to input data  14 . Additional output data generated by pre-processor  12  includes images  18 , thumbnails  20  (i.e., reduced-size versions of images) and rich media  22  that may include text, audio, video and animation in an interactive form. These outputs are assembled into a mobile device application  24 . 
     As a non-limiting example, input data  14  may be a series of study aids for a textbook, such as slides containing ancillary information, photographs, diagrams, animations, and so on intended to augment the material presented in the textbook. Preprocessor  12  utilizes the input data  14  in the manner previously described to generate the study aids in the form of an application that is downloadable into a mobile device such as a mobile telephone or a PDA. The study aids are organized and arranged to correspond to the arrangement of the textbook. Non-limiting example visually perceivable images that may appear upon a display of the mobile device are shown in  FIGS. 2 through 6 . 
     The present invention may be used or adapted to be used with any mobile telephone, portable media player, mobile computing device or personal digital assistant now known or later developed. An example mobile telephone includes so-called “smart phones” having computing capability, such as the iPhone® produced by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. A non-limiting example portable media player is the iPod® and iPod Touch®, also produced by Apple, Inc. Likewise, a non-limiting example mobile computing device is the iPad®, produced by Apple, Inc. 
     While this invention has been shown and described with respect to a detailed embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the scope of the claims of the invention.