Patent Publication Number: US-2005132289-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for creating and publishing animated print media

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      This present invention relates to a method and apparatus for creating and publishing an ‘animated’ print media, and in particular, to a computer-based method and apparatus for modeling and printing an ‘animated’ tablet.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The publishing of personalized stationary and other personalized items has become an increasingly popular trend in both personal and business settings. At present, there are several companies that produce personalized stationary, personalized checks, and other personalized items. Enhancing personalization of items is a key factor in maintaining a viable business position in this environment.  
      Presently, a computer language entitled Adobe® PostScript® (see “PostScript® Language Reference Manual (Second Edition)”, Copyright 1985, from Adobe Systems Incorporated of San Jose, Calif.) permits the programming of various methods for manipulating images and text, and publishing documents in various media. PostScript® allows publishers to manipulate text and graphics to increase personalization of printed items.  
      However, there are presently no commercially available programs for generating and publishing a print media (e.g., paper tablet) containing a series of animated pictures on separate pages which may be viewed by ‘fanning’ the series of pages.  
      Thus, there is presently a need for a system and method for generating and publishing such an ‘animated’ tablet.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      An exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a method for creating an animated image for publishing on print media including the steps of: selecting at least one first image, selecting at least one second image, selecting a movement path for the at least one second image, and creating a plurality of image frames, wherein the at least one first image comprises a background image which remains stationary in each of the plurality of image frames, and wherein the at least one second image moves along the selected movement path so that it is disposed in a different position in each of the plurality of images frames.  
      An exemplary embodiment of the present invention also comprises a computer system including at least one server computer and, at least one first client computer coupled to the at least one server computer through a network, wherein the at least one server computer includes at least one program stored thereon, said at least one program performing the following steps: selecting at least one first image, selecting at least one second image, selecting a movement path for the at least one second image and creating a plurality of image frames, wherein the at least one first image comprises a background image which remains stationary in each of the plurality of image frames, and wherein the at least one second image moves along the selected movement path so that it is disposed in a different position in each of the plurality of images frames.  
      An exemplary embodiment of the present invention also comprises a computer readable medium having embodied therein a computer program for processing by a machine, the computer program including a first code segment for permitting the selection of at least one first image, a second code segment for permitting the selection of at least one second image, a third code segment for permitting the selection of a movement path for the at least one second image and a fourth code segment for creating a plurality of image frames, wherein the at least one first image comprises a background image which remains stationary in each of the plurality of image frames, and wherein the at least one second image moves along the selected movement path so that it is disposed in a different position in each of the plurality of images frames.  
      An exemplary embodiment of the present invention also comprises a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave including a first code segment for permitting the selection of at least one first image, a second code segment for permitting the selection of at least one second image, a third code segment for permitting the selection of a movement path for the at least one second image and a fourth code segment for creating a plurality of image frames, wherein the at least one first image comprises a background image which remains stationary in each of the plurality of image frames, and wherein the at least one second image moves along the selected movement path so that it is disposed in a different position in each of the plurality of images frames.  
      An exemplary embodiment of the present invention also comprises a tablet including a plurality of sheets of paper secured together by an adhesive, said tablet formed by the following steps: selecting at least one first image, selecting a movement path for the at least one first image, creating a plurality of image frames, wherein the at least one first image moves along the selected movement path so that it is disposed in a different position in each of the plurality of images frames and printing the plurality of image frames on a corresponding plurality of sheets of paper. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing a computer system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a flow diagram showing a method for generating and publishing according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is an exemplary image frame showing exemplary images.  
      FIGS.  4 ( a )- 4 ( i ) show exemplary image frames. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      An exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a computer-based method for generating and publishing an ‘animated’ tablet or other ‘animated’ print media. The exemplary method involves selecting at least a background image and a moving image, and thereby generating a plurality of animation frames for publishing onto print media, such as a paper tablet.  
       FIG. 1  shows a computer system  10  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The system includes at least one server computer  12 , and a plurality of user computers (clients)  25 . The server computer  12  and the user computers  25  may be connected by a network  16  (e.g., Internet, Intranet, etc.). The user computers  25  may be connected to the network  16  by a modem, Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), or other equivalent connection means.  
      Each user computer  25  preferably includes a video monitor  18  for displaying information. Additionally, each user computer  25  preferably includes an electronic mail (e-mail) program  19  (e.g., Microsoft Outlook®) and a browser program  20  (e.g., Microsoft Internet Explorer®, Netscape Navigator®, etc.), as is well known in the art.  
      The server computer  12  and the plurality of user computers  25  may be coupled to a printer  50  through the network  16 . As discussed in detail below, the printer  50  may be used to print a plurality of images onto some print medium (e.g., paper).  
      The server computer  12  preferably includes at least one program module  22  stored thereon which permits a user stationed at user computers  25  to create, manage and publish print media. The program module  22  preferably comprises an image management and publishing program which permits a user to generate and manage a series of images for producing onto some print media (e.g., paper, etc.). An example of such a program is Adobe® PostScript® (available from Adobe Systems Incorporated of San Jose, Calif.). In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the program module  22  comprises a program for generating an Adobe® PostScript® file.  
      It will be noted that although a client/server system  10  is described above, the program module  22  may be loaded directly on the user computer  25 , and the printer  50  may be directly coupled to the user computer, as is well known in the art.  
       FIG. 2  shows a method  100 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, carried out by program module  22 . As an initial step in the method  100 , at least one ‘background’ image  1000  and at least one ‘moving’ image  1010  should be selected by a user (steps  101 ,  102 ) (See  FIG. 3 ). Selection of both a background image  1000  and a moving image  1010  is not required according to the exemplary method (i.e., only the selection of a moving image is required), however, the presence of a background image adds to the effectiveness of the displayed animation. The background image  1000  is preferably printed in the same position on every page of the print media (e.g., tablet). Conversely, the moving image  1010  will appear in different locations on each page of the print media. For example, the background image  1000  may comprise an image of a train station, and the moving image may comprise a train, as shown in  FIG. 3 . Once the background and moving images have been selected, the images may be uploaded, or otherwise selected by, an image management and publishing program (step  103 ), such as the aforementioned Adobe® PostScript® program.  
      At least one ‘personalized’ image  1020  may also be selected by a user for inclusion on the ‘animated’ tablet (step  104 ). The personalized image  1020  may be created using the image management and publishing program (e.g., by the insertion of stylized text or stock images which form part of the program), or may be uploaded to the program in the same manner as the background and moving images  1000 ,  1010 .  
      The above-described image management and publishing program should have the ability to create a movement path for the moving image  1010  (Adobe® PostScript® has such a capability). In particular, the Adobe® PostScript® program includes a function called ‘PATH’ which permits a user to select a particular pattern across which an image, or images, may be moved. Such a path may be in the shape of straight line, or in other various geometric shapes selected by the user.  
      After the images  1000 ,  1010 ,  1020  (optional) and the movement path have been selected, the image management and publishing program is used to create a finite series of image frames. The exact number of image frames necessary to create an animation is dependent upon the images themselves, the complexity of the desired animation, etc. For ease of explanation, it will be assumed that at least nine (9) image frames are necessary to create a proper animation. If available, the PATH function of the image management and publishing program is used to create 9 images frames, such that the moving image  1010  is in a different location along the path in each of the 9 frames. If the image management and publishing program does not have a PATH or similar function, the individual frames may be created by the user, but simply moving the moving image  1020  slightly and saving each time the moving image is displaced as a separate file (e.g., in the above example, there would be nine (9) separate files).  
      FIGS.  4 ( a ) through  4 ( i ) show a plurality of exemplary image frames  1100 - 1108  which are used to create an animation of a train passing by a station. This image frames  1100 - 1108  are preferably displayed on a computer screen (e.g., video monitor  18  of user computer  25 ) as part of an image management and publishing program (e.g., Adobe® PostScript®). For example, images may be imported into the image management and publishing program, and subsequently transformed into a plurality of image frames  1100 - 1108  through the above-described ‘PATH’ function, or through manipulation by the user.  
      As will be noted, the path of the animation is a straight line across the bottom of each of the image frames  1100 - 1108 . Although this is one exemplary path, it will be noted by those skilled in the art that the path may comprise various configurations and shapes (e.g., circle, square, spiral, etc.).  
      Once the images, movement path, and number of image frames have been selected, the program module  22  generates a computer file including all the information necessary to print the image frames onto some print media (e.g., paper). As discussed above, this computer file is preferably in the format of an Adobe® PostScript® computer file (e.g., a “.ps” file). The computer file instructs a printer (e.g., printer  50 ) to print the image frames onto some print media (e.g., paper).  
      The result of the printing the predetermined number of image frames (e.g., image frames  1100 - 1108 ) onto some print media (e.g., paper) is a set of pages, each page preferably including one of the image frames. Using the above example, printing the nine (9) images frames  1100 - 1108  will result in nine (9) separate pages.  
      Each of the image frames  1100 - 1108  may be printed on a separate sheet of paper (as mentioned above), or all may be printed onto a single piece of paper, and then later divided by a cutting process. For example, an exemplary printer may have the ability to print twelve (12) images frames per piece of paper, and thus the image management and publishing program would print the image frames in successive order on each piece of paper. For example, the first sheet would include a first set of image frames, and the first three (3) image frames of the following (second) set (totaling 12 images), and the second sheet would include the last six (6) images of the second set of image frames, along with six (6) images from the third set of image frames, and so on. If the tablet were to include on hundred and eight (108) total pages, nine (9) such sheets (of 12 images each) would need to be printed. Once the predetermined number of sheets (e.g., 9) is printed, the sheets may be cut into the predetermined number of tablet sheets (e.g., 12 each), each tablet sheet (sub-component) comprising a single image frame.  
      Once the proper number of tablet sheets has been printed and cut to size, the tablet sheets are stacked together in groups and secured together by an adhesive (e.g., glue). The tablet sheets should be maintained in the order in which they were printed to maintain the proper animation when the tablet is fully assembled. A firm support member (e.g., cardboard) may also added to the underside of the stack of tablet sheets before the adhesive is applied.  
      Although the present invention has been described above with reference to a memo or notation tablet, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the presently described method is applicable to various print media, such as for example, check books, legal tablets, adhesive notes (e.g., Post-it® notes), and other equivalent products known to those of ordinary skill in the art.  
      Although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be construed broadly to include other variants and embodiments of the invention which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention.