Abstract:
An embodiment of the present invention embeds image data within a multimedia file including audio information in a manner providing storage capacity tailored to the size of the image. Thus, the resulting file structure for audio content is tailored to incorporate image data, where the image data is an integral part of the file structure. In addition, embedded image data is synchronized with audio information to enable display of the images at specific instances of an audio presentation. Synchronization data is further integrated in the multimedia file, where audio, image and synchronization data are bound together in the same file and format. This allows the file to have any sufficient size and to display and synchronize all desired images with an audio presentation.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/800,398, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Storage, Retrieval, and Synchronization of Multimedia Data” and filed May 16, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention embodiments pertain to storage, retrieval, and synchronization of multimedia data. In particular, the present invention embodiments pertain to embedding image data within audio information in a manner accommodating various sized images and enabling synchronization of the embedded image data with specific instances of an audio presentation. 
         [0004]    2. Discussion of Related Art 
         [0005]    Digital audio information is typically stored in a file for use by a processing system to provide audio presentations to a user. For example, MP3 type files typically include audio information to play music. These types of file formats may further include a tag disposed prior to and/or subsequent the audio content and containing text describing the music and associated image data. However, the tag includes a specific total size limitation. This may limit the amount of image information stored in the file, thereby restricting the image resolution and types of stored images. Further, since the tag is a separate item added to the MP3 file, additional specific processing is needed to process the tag. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Accordingly, the present invention embodiments embed image data within a multimedia file including audio information in a manner providing storage capacity tailored to the size of the image. Thus, the resulting file structure of the present invention embodiments for audio content is tailored to incorporate image data, where the image data is an integral part of the file structure. In addition, the present invention embodiments synchronize the embedded image data with audio information to enable display of the images at specific instances of an audio presentation. Synchronization data is further integrated in the multimedia file, where audio, image and synchronization data are bound together in the same file and format. This allows the file to have any sufficient size and to display and synchronize all desired images with an audio presentation. 
         [0007]    The above and still further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof, particularly when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals in the various figures are utilized to designate like components. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic illustration of a network topology employed by a present invention embodiment to transfer multimedia information to a user multimedia device. 
           [0009]      FIGS. 2A-2C  are illustrations of an exemplary data structure or file format for embedding and synchronizing image data with audio information according to a present invention embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3A  is an illustration of an exemplary file format indicating selected songs for playback to a user according to a present invention embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3B  is an illustration of an exemplary file format indicating selected stories for presentation to a user according to a present invention embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    An exemplary network topology for transferring multimedia data according to a present invention embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Specifically, the topology includes one or more server systems  10 , a network  20  and one or more end-user systems  30 . The end-user and server systems  30 ,  10  may be implemented by any conventional or other computer systems preferably equipped with a display or monitor, a base (e.g., including the processor, memories and/or internal or external communications devices (e.g., modem, network cards, etc.)) and optional input devices (e.g., a keyboard, mouse or other input device). End-user system  30  is coupled to server system  10  via network  20 . Network  20  may be implemented by any quantity of any suitable communications media (e.g., WAN, LAN, Internet, Intranet, etc.). The end-user system  30  may be local to or remote from the server system  10 . 
         [0013]    The server system  10  stores various multimedia information for downloading to end-user system  30 . The end-user system  30  may be utilized to transfer the multimedia information to a multimedia or audio/visual (A/V) device  40  for presentation to a user. Device  40  typically includes a processor  42  to process multimedia information, a memory unit  43  to store multimedia and other information, a display or monitor  44 , audio components  46  (e.g., speakers, etc.) to provide audio signals to the user and input devices or controls  48  to control operation of the device  40 . The components of device  40  may be implemented by any conventional or other components performing the desired functions (e.g., speaker, microprocessor, circuitry, display device, memory device, buttons, joystick, etc.). The device  40  may further include a communication port  49  (e.g., Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, etc.) to communicate with end-user system  30  and receive the multimedia information for storage in memory unit  43 . Alternatively, the multimedia information may be stored on a storage device  45  that is removably coupled to or accessed by A/V device  40  via a connection port  47 . The storage device  45  may be implemented by any conventional or other storage unit (e.g., card, cartridge, memory unit, memory stick, Secure Digital (SD) card, etc.) and may be pre-loaded with the multimedia information or receive that information from end-user system  30 . Ports  47 ,  49  may be implemented by any conventional or other ports enabling access or communication with external devices (e.g., USB, wireless, SD card port, etc.). 
         [0014]    By way of example only, A/V device  40  presents multimedia information to the user in the form of a story or song. The multimedia information includes image data embedded therein to enable the images to be displayed by device  40  during an audio presentation of the story or song. The present invention embodiments embed the image data within audio content while tailoring to the size of each image. In addition, the present invention embodiments synchronize the embedded images to the audio information to enable display of the images at specific instances of the audio presentation as described below. 
         [0015]    An exemplary data structure or file format to embed image data within audio content according to a present invention embodiment is illustrated in  FIGS. 2A-2C . Initially, the file format and corresponding fields are preferably configured for use by a processor with a sixteen bit format; however, the file format and fields may be modified accordingly to accommodate any suitable processor configuration. In particular, a file format to store multimedia information includes an information header section  50 , a text description section  60 , a digital rights management section  70 , an encoded audio section  80 , an image data section  90  and an event synchronization section  100 . Information header section  50  includes information indicating the locations of the other sections within the file (e.g., text description section  60 , digital rights management section  70 , encoded audio section  80 , image data section  90 , event synchronization section  100 , etc.), while text description section  60  includes information associated with characteristics of the multimedia information (e.g., title, artist, album, author, composer, etc.) as described below. 
         [0016]    Digital rights management section  70  includes information relating to access and use rights for the multimedia information with encoded audio section  80  including encoded audio and/or speech data (e.g., information to reproduce audio and/or speech, such as a song or story) as described below. Image data section  90  includes the embedded image data, while event synchronization section  100  includes information synchronizing the embedded image data with the encoded audio content to display the embedded images at specific instances of the audio information as described below. 
         [0017]    Information header section  50  includes information indicating the locations of the other sections (e.g., text description section  60 , digital rights management section  70 , encoded audio section  80 , image data section  90 , event synchronization section  100 , etc.) within the file. This information is in the form of an offset address or, in other words, the location or displacement of a section relative to the start of the file. Information header section  50  includes a plurality of fields  54  to contain information relating to the file format. By way of example, information section  50  includes a header field  54 A, a text description field  54 B, a digital rights management field  54 C, an encoded audio field  54 D, an image data field  54 E, an event synchronization field  54 F and an additional field  54 G. These fields  54 A-G preferably store corresponding information in the form of binary data. 
         [0018]    Header field  54 A includes header information, and occupies the initial thirty-two bytes of section  50  (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 00-1F within header information section  50 ). This field  54 A may contain various information about the file and/or multimedia information (e.g., length, size, encoding scheme, etc.). Text description field  54 B includes the offset address or location relative to the start of the file for text description section  60 . The text description field  54 B includes four bytes (i.e., thirty-two bits) and is sequentially disposed within section  50  (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 20-23 within header information section  50 ) after header field  54 A. 
         [0019]    Digital rights management field  54 C includes the offset address or location relative to the start of the file for digital rights management section  70 . The digital rights management field  54 C includes four bytes (i.e., thirty-two bits) and is sequentially disposed within section  50  (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 24-27 within header information section  50 ) after text description field  54 B. Encoded audio field  54 D includes the offset address or location relative to the start of the file for encoded audio section  80 . The encoded audio field  54 D includes four bytes (i.e., thirty-two bits) and is sequentially disposed within section  50  (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 28-2B within header information section  50 ) after digital rights management field  54 C. 
         [0020]    Image data field  54 E includes the offset address or location relative to the start of the file for image data section  90 . The image data field includes four bytes (i.e., thirty-two bits) and is sequentially disposed within section  50  (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 2C-2F within header information section  50 ) after encoded audio field  54 D. Event synchronization field  54 F includes the offset address or location relative to the start of the file for event synchronization section  100 . The event synchronization field  54 F includes four bytes (i.e., thirty-two bits) and is sequentially disposed within section  50  (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 30-33 within header information section  50 ) after encoded audio field  54 E. Additional field  54 G includes twelve bytes and is currently reserved. This field  54 G is sequentially disposed within section  50  (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 34-3F within header information section  50 ) after event synchronization field  54 F. 
         [0021]    Text description section  60  includes information associated with characteristics of the multimedia information (e.g., title, artist, album, author/composer, etc.) and is sequentially disposed within the file after header information section  50 . Text description section  60  includes a plurality of fields  62  to contain information relating to the multimedia information. By way of example, text description section  60  includes a type field  62 A, a title field  62 B, an artist field  62 C, an album field  62 D, a composer field  62 E, and an additional field  62 F. These fields  62 A-F preferably store corresponding information in the form of text. 
         [0022]    Type field  62 A indicates the type of multimedia content (e.g., song or story). The type field  62 A occupies the initial two bytes (i.e., sixteen bits) of text description section  60  (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 00-01 within text description section  60 ) and preferably stores a specific value to indicate the type of multimedia content (e.g., a value of zero to indicate a song and a value of one to indicate a story). However, any desired values may be utilized to indicate any desired types of multimedia content. This field is typically utilized by device  40  to display appropriate information or menus to the user in accordance with the type of multimedia content (e.g., song, story, etc.) within the file. Title field  62 B includes information indicating the title of the work (e.g., song, story, etc.) within the multimedia data. The title field  62 B may include a maximum of two-hundred fifty-six bytes and is sequentially disposed within section  60  after type field  62 A. Artist field  62 C includes information indicating the artist of the work within the multimedia data. The artist field  62 C may include a maximum of two-hundred fifty-seven bytes and is sequentially disposed within section  60  after title field  62 B. 
         [0023]    Album field  62 D includes information indicating the album containing the work within the multimedia data. The album field  62 D may include a maximum of two-hundred fifty-eight bytes and is sequentially disposed within section  60  after artist field  62 C. Composer field  62 E includes information indicating the author/composer of the work within the multimedia data. The composer field  62 E may include a maximum of two-hundred fifty-nine bytes and is sequentially disposed within section  60  after album field  62 D. Additional field  62 F is currently reserved and generally utilized to align the ending boundary of text description section  60  (e.g., used as filler to align the end of section  60  with a particular address or boundary). This field  62 F is sequentially disposed within section  60  after composer field  62 E. 
         [0024]    Digital rights management section  70  includes information relating to access and use rights (e.g., license information, etc.) for the multimedia information and is sequentially disposed within the file after text description section  60 . Digital rights management section  70  includes a rights field  72  including two hundred fifty-six bytes (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 00-FF within digital rights management section  70 ) and containing information relating to copyright management (e.g., license information). This information is utilized to prevent unauthorized access, use and/or copying of the multimedia information and may be pre-stored in the file or, alternatively, may be provided by server system  10  ( FIG. 1 ) during a download. The rights field  72  preferably stores the corresponding information in the form of binary data. 
         [0025]    Encoded audio section  80  includes encoded audio and/or speech data (e.g., information to reproduce audio and/or speech, such as a song or story) and is sequentially disposed within the file after digital rights management section  70 . Encoded audio section  80  includes a plurality of fields  82  to contain information relating to the actual audio content (e.g., a song or speech conveying a story). By way of example, encoded audio section  80  includes a length field  82 A and an audio field  82 B. These fields  82 A-B preferably store corresponding information in the form of binary data. 
         [0026]    Length field  82 A indicates the length of the audio field or the amount of data for the audio content. The length field  82 A occupies the initial four bytes (i.e., thirty-two bits) of encoded audio section  80  (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 00-03 within encoded audio section  80 ). Audio field  82 B includes actual audio content (e.g., a song or speech conveying a story). The audio field  82 B is of variable length and may include any desired storage capacity to accommodate the audio content. The audio field  82 B is sequentially disposed within encoded audio section  80  after length field  82 A. 
         [0027]    Image data section  90  includes the embedded image data and is sequentially disposed within the file after encoded audio section  80 . Image data section  90  includes one or more image sections  92  each sequentially disposed within image data section  90 . Each image section  92  is associated with a particular image and a plurality of fields  94  that contain information relating to that image. By way of example, image data section  90  includes for each image section  92  an image type field  94 A, an image width field  94 B, an image height field  94 C, and an image field  94 D. These fields  94 A-D preferably store corresponding information in the form of binary data. 
         [0028]    Image type field  94 A indicates the type or format of the image content (e.g., monochromatic, gray scale, color, etc.). The image type  94 A field occupies the initial two bytes (i.e., sixteen bits) of an image section  92  (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 00-01 within the image section) and preferably stores a specific value to indicate the type or format of the image (e.g., a value of zero to indicate a monochromatic image, a value of one to indicate an image including four gray levels with two bits for each image pixel, a value of two to indicate an image with sixteen gray levels with four bits for each image pixel, a value of three to indicate an image including four colors with two bits for each image pixel, a value of four to indicate an image including sixteen colors with four bits for each image pixel, a value of five to indicate an image including two hundred fifty-six colors with eight bits for each image pixel and a value of six to indicate an image including 4,096 colors with twelve bits for each image pixel). However, any desired values may be utilized to indicate any desired types or formats of the image. 
         [0029]    Image width field  94 B includes information indicating the width of the associated image. The image width field  94 B includes two bytes (i.e., sixteen bits) and is sequentially disposed within an image section  92  (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 02-03 within the image section) after image type field  94 A. Image height field  94 C includes information indicating the height of the associated image. The image height field  94 C includes two bytes (i.e., sixteen bits) and is sequentially disposed within an image section  92  (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 04-05 within the image section) after image width field  94 B. Image field  94 D includes actual image data and is of variable length. This enables the image field  94 D to include any desired storage capacity to accommodate the image data. Since the field size is not pre-defined, the present invention embodiments tailor to the sizes of each individual image, thereby accommodating any image resolutions and types of images as described above. A succeeding image section  92  starts at the end of the image field  94 D of a preceding image section. 
         [0030]    Event synchronization section  100  includes information indicating particular events and synchronizing data with those events (e.g., synchronizing the embedded images with specific instances of the audio content for display), and is sequentially disposed within the file after image data section  90 . Event synchronization section  100  includes one or more event sections  102  each sequentially disposed within event synchronization section  100 . Each event section  102  is associated with a particular event (e.g., displaying an image in image data section  90 ) and includes a plurality of fields  104  that contain information relating to that event. By way of example, event synchronization section  100  includes for each event section  102  an event identification field  104 A, a time field  104 B, and an image address field  104 C. Event identification field  104 A preferably stores corresponding information in the form of text, while time field  104 B and image field  104 C each preferably store corresponding information in the form of binary data. 
         [0031]    Event identification field  104 A indicates the type of a desired event (e.g., display of an associated image). The event identification field  104 A occupies the initial two bytes (i.e., sixteen bits) of an event section  102  (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 00-01 within the event section) and preferably stores a specific value to indicate the type of event (e.g., a value of one indicates display of an image). However, any desired values may be utilized to indicate any types of events. 
         [0032]    Time field  104 B includes information indicating the time (e.g., hours/minutes/seconds format (HH:MM:SS)) of an event. By way of example, this field  104 B may indicate the time within a multimedia presentation (e.g., time within the song or story of the encoded audio data) to display an image. The time field  104 B includes four bytes (i.e., thirty-two bits) and is sequentially disposed within an event section  102  (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 02-05 within the event section) after event identification field  104 A. Image address field  104 C includes the offset address or location within the file of the image to be displayed (e.g., the location of an image section  92  containing the image to be displayed and the corresponding image information) when the event identification field  104 A indicates the event to include display of an image (e.g., the event identification includes a value of one as described above). The image address field  104 C includes ten bytes (i.e., eighty bits) and is sequentially disposed within an event section  102  (e.g., hexadecimal address range of 06-0F within the event section) after time field  104 B. A succeeding event section  102  starts at the end of an image address field  104 C of a preceding event section. Thus, the present invention embodiments enable images to be synchronized with specific instances of the audio content, where the images displayed for the audio content may be controlled and changed in any desired fashion. 
         [0033]    The file format described above includes information for a single multimedia presentation (e.g., one song or story). However, an additional format may be employed to enable presentation of plural sequential multimedia presentations (e.g., songs or stories). An exemplary file format for a plurality of mulitmedia presentations in the form of songs is illustrated in  FIG. 3A . Specifically, the file format includes a list  110  of information pertaining to the desired songs. List  110  includes a song quantity field  112  and a plurality of filename fields  114 . These fields  112 ,  114  preferably store corresponding information in the form of text (e.g., ASCII codes, etc.). The song quantity field  112  includes the desired quantity of songs, while the filename fields  114  each include the filename of a corresponding file arranged in the format described above ( FIGS. 2A-2C ) and including a desired song and corresponding images. The quantity of filename fields  114  within the file is based on the quantity of songs indicated in the song quantity field  112  (e.g., one filename for each desired song). Device  40  (see  FIG. 1 ) retrieves the information from list  110  and accesses the indicated files to sequentially present the songs and associated images to a user. The file format with desired songs may be created by a user on end-user system  30  (see  FIG. 1 ), where the created file format and associated multimedia files are downloaded to device  40  for storage in memory unit  43 . In this case, the created file format may indicate various songs within an electronic album. Alternatively, the file format may be created by a user on device  40 . 
         [0034]    An exemplary file format for a plurality of mulitmedia presentations in the form of stories is illustrated in  FIG. 3B . Specifically, the file format is similar to the format described above for  FIG. 3A  and includes a list  120  of information pertaining to the desired stories. List  120  includes a story quantity field  122  and a plurality of filename fields  124 . These fields  122 ,  124  preferably store corresponding information in the form of text (e.g., ASCII codes, etc.). The story quantity field  122  includes the desired quantity of stories, while the filename fields  124  each include the filename of a corresponding file arranged in the format described above ( FIGS. 2A-2C ) and including a desired story and corresponding images. The quantity of filename fields  124  within the file is based on the quantity of stories indicated in the story quantity field  122  (e.g., one filename for each desired story). Device  40  ( FIG. 1 ) retrieves the information from list  120  and accesses the indicated files to sequentially present the stories and associated images to a user. The file format with desired stories may be created by a user on end-user system  30  ( FIG. 1 ), where the created file format and associated multimedia files are downloaded to device  40  for storage in memory unit  43 . In this case, the created file format may indicate various chapters within an electronic storybook. Alternatively, the file format may be created by a user on device  40 . 
         [0035]    Operation of a present invention embodiment is described with reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A- 2 C and  3 A- 3 B. Initially, a user desires to initiate a multimedia presentation (e.g., song or story) on device  40 . The user may convey multimedia information to device  40  in the format described above via removable storage device  45  (e.g., card, cartridge, etc.) preloaded with the desired presentation. Alternatively, the user may retrieve one or more desired presentations from server system  10  for downloading to device  40  or storage device  45  via end-user system  30  as described above. Further, the user may utilize lists  110 ,  120  ( FIGS. 3A-3B ) to indicate a plurality of desired multimedia presentations. 
         [0036]    Once device  40  receives the multimedia information, the user may manipulate device controls  48  to select and initiate the desired presentation. Device processor  42  retrieves the file formatted as described above ( FIGS. 2A-2C ) and associated with the desired presentation to provide the presentation to the user. In particular, processor  42  utilizes header information section  50  within the associated file to determine the locations of the other file sections (e.g., text description section  60 , digital rights management section  70 , encoded audio section  80 , image data section  90 , event synchronization section  100 , etc.) containing information for the presentation. The processor  42  initially verifies the user rights to view the presentation based on the information within digital rights management section  70 . This information may be pre-stored in the file or, alternatively, may be provided by server system  10  during a download to prevent unauthorized access and copying of the multimedia information as described above. Processor  42  subsequently accesses the encoded audio information within encoded audio section  80  to start the story or song in response to proper verification. 
         [0037]    During playback of the story or song to a user via audio devices  46 , the processor  42  utilizes the information within event synchronization section  100  (e.g., time field  104 B, image address field  104 C, etc.) to display a corresponding image in image data section  90  on display  44  at an appropriate time within the story or song. In addition, processor  42  may display information stored in text description section  60  (e.g., title, artist, album, composer, etc.) on display  44  pertaining to the story or song. In the case of a list, the processor successively retrieves the list entries or filenames ( FIGS. 3A-3B ) and processes the associated files in the manner described above to provide the desired presentations. Device controls  48  may be manipulated by the user to control the presentation and/or information displayed (e.g., start, stop, replay, reverse scan, forward scan, selection, display information, create lists, etc.). 
         [0038]    It will be appreciated that the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings represent only a few of the many ways of implementing a method and apparatus for storage, retrieval and synchronization of multimedia data. 
         [0039]    The network topology employed by the present invention embodiments may include any quantity of end-user systems and server systems. The end-user and server systems employed by the present invention embodiments may be implemented by any quantity of any personal or other type of computer system (e.g., IBM-compatible, Apple, Macintosh, laptop, palm pilot, etc.), and may include any commercially available operating system (e.g., Windows, OS/2, Unix, Linux, etc.) and any commercially available or custom software (e.g., browser software, communications software, server software, etc.). These systems may include any types of monitors and input devices (e.g., keyboard, mouse, voice recognition, etc.) to enter and/or view information. The computer systems of the present invention embodiments may alternatively be implemented by any type of hardware and/or other processing circuitry. 
         [0040]    The communication network may be implemented by any quantity of any type of communications network (e.g., LAN, WAN, Internet, Intranet, VPN, etc.). The computer systems of the present invention embodiments (e.g., end-user systems, server systems, etc.) may include any conventional or other communications devices to communicate over the network via any conventional or other protocols. The computer systems (e.g., end-user system, server system, etc.) may utilize any type of connection (e.g., wired, wireless, etc.) for access to the network. 
         [0041]    The data structures or file formats of the present invention embodiments may be available on any suitable recordable and/or computer readable medium (e.g., magnetic or optical mediums, magneto-optic mediums, floppy diskettes, CD-ROM, DVD, memory devices, cards, sticks, cartridges, etc.) for use on stand-alone systems or devices, or systems or devices connected by a network or other communications medium, and/or may be downloaded (e.g., in the form of carrier waves, packets, etc.) to systems or devices via a network or other communications medium. The removable storage device may be implemented by any conventional or other memory or other device with a computer readable medium (e.g., card, memory stick, cartridge, etc.) to store information. The removable storage device may include any suitable storage capacity (e.g., kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, etc.). The removable storage device may alternatively be integral with or permanently attached to the A/V device. 
         [0042]    The A/V device  40  may be implemented by any suitable processing device to provide a multimedia presentation. The device processor  42  may be implemented by any conventional or other processing device or circuitry, while the memory unit may be implemented by any quantity of any conventional or other type of memory device (e.g., RAM, etc.) with any suitable storage capacity (e.g., kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, etc.). The device  40  may include any quantity of any conventional or other types of audio components  46  to convey audio signals to a user (e.g., speakers, headphone or other jacks or ports, etc.). The device  40  may include any type of conventional or other display  44  of any shape or size (e.g., LCD, LED, etc.) and any quantity of any types of ports  47 ,  49  (e.g., USB, card ports, cartridge ports, network ports, etc.) to communicate with any external devices. The device  40  may include any quantity of any types of input devices (e.g., buttons, slides, switches, joystick, dials, keys, etc.) to enter any information and/or control any desired device functions (e.g., volume, brightness, selection, reverse scan, forward scan, etc.). The device components  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  46 ,  47 ,  48 , and  49  may be arranged in any desired fashion and disposed at any suitable device locations. 
         [0043]    The data structure or file format of the present invention embodiments may include any quantity of sections, each including any quantity of fields to store any desired information (e.g., actual data, attributes, etc.). The sections and/or fields may be arranged in any desired fashion or order. The sections and/or fields may include any desired information to delineate boundaries for the audio, images or other information (e.g., start and ending addresses for content, special symbols or delimiters for the content, a length field indicating the length of the content, etc.). The reserved fields may be utilized to store any desired information for any suitable purpose. The data structure may be formatted for compatibility with any suitable processor configuration (e.g., sixteen bit, thirty-two bit, etc.). The fields may be of any quantity, may include any desired storage capacity or length, and may store any desired information, where the data may be of any type or form (e.g., numeric, text or string, integer, real, binary, hexadecimal, octal, etc.). The header information section  50  may include any quantity of fields to store any suitable pointers or addresses (e.g., direct addresses, offsets or indirect addresses relative to any suitable starting address, etc.) to indicate the locations of other sections. The header field may include any desired information. 
         [0044]    The text description section  60  may include any quantity of fields to store any desired attributes (e.g., title, composer, album, artist, year, etc.) of the multimedia information. The multimedia type may be indicated by any desired alphanumeric or other values to indicate any types of multimedia content (e.g., story, song, etc.). The digital rights management section  70  may include any quantity of fields to store any desired information pertaining to access or other rights (e.g., copy, play, display, etc.) for the multimedia content. The encoded audio section  80  may include any quantity of fields to store the audio content and/or any desired attributes (e.g., length, etc.) of that content. The audio content may include a plurality of selections, where each selection may be stored in one or more fields. The audio content may be encoded in any desired fashion (e.g., compressed, encrypted, formatted, raw, etc.). 
         [0045]    The image data section  90  may include any quantity of images  92 . The images  92  may be of any type or resolution (e.g., compressed, uncompressed, color, gray scale, etc.). The image data section  90  may include any quantity of image sections, each including any quantity of fields to store an image and/or any desired attributes of that image (e.g., width, height, type, etc.). The image attributes pertaining to image dimensions may be indicated in any desired fashion (e.g., inches, centimeters or other units of measurement, pixels, display or screen locations, etc.). The image type may be indicated by any desired alphanumeric or other values to indicate any types of images, colors and/or resolutions (e.g., monochromatic, gray scale, color, etc.). Each image section may include or be associated with any quantity of images. 
         [0046]    The event synchronization section  100  may include any quantity of events  102  of any kind (e.g., display an image, etc.). The event synchronization section  100  may include any quantity of event sections, each including any quantity of fields to store any desired attributes of an event (e.g., type, time or other indicator of occurrence, etc.). The event attribute pertaining to time may be indicated in any desired fashion (e.g., time of day, time from a reference point, etc.). The event identification may be indicated by any desired alphanumeric or other values to indicate any types of events (e.g., display of an image, etc.). The image address may be indicated by any suitable pointers or addresses (e.g., direct addresses, offsets or indirect addresses relative to any suitable starting address, etc.) to indicate the locations of the image. Each event section may include or be associated with any quantity of events, where each event may control display of any quantity of images. The event section may include any type of identifier to indicate the proper time for occurrence of an event (e.g., a specific time or time range, range of addresses or data accessed, etc.). 
         [0047]    The file format of the present invention embodiments for a plurality of presentations may include any quantity of fields to store any desired information (e.g., quantities, filenames or other file addresses or attributes, etc.). The fields may be arranged in any desired fashion or order. The fields may be of any quantity, may include any desired storage capacity or length, and may store data of any type or form (e.g., numeric, text or string, integer, real, binary, hexadecimal, octal, etc.). The file format may include any quantity of multimedia or other selections and may indicate the order for presentation in any fashion (e.g., a field may indicate the order or type of order, the order of the fields may indicate presentation order, etc.). 
         [0048]    It is to be understood that the data structures, file formats and software for the computer systems and device processor of the present invention embodiments may be implemented in or utilize standards or syntax of any desired computer languages or file formats (e.g., tags, etc.). The data structures or file formats may be implemented by any suitable types of data structures (e.g., file, record, linked list, array, etc.) and be stored on any suitable device with a computer readable medium. Further, the software for the computer systems and device processor could be developed by one of ordinary skill in the computer arts based on the drawings and functional descriptions contained in the specification. Further, any references herein of software performing various functions generally refer to computer systems or processors performing those functions under software control. 
         [0049]    The present invention embodiments are not limited to the specific applications described above, but may be utilized to embed and synchronize any types of information with other information (e.g., embed and synchronize text with images, audio or video, embed and synchronize audio with text, images or video, etc.). 
         [0050]    From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the invention makes available a novel method and apparatus for storage, retrieval and synchronization of multimedia data, wherein image data is embedded within audio information in a manner accommodating various sized images and enabling synchronization of the embedded image data with specific instances of an audio presentation. 
         [0051]    Having described preferred embodiments of a new and improved method and apparatus for storage, retrieval and synchronization of multimedia data, it is believed that other modifications, variations and changes will be suggested to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings set forth herein. It is therefore to be understood that all such variations, modifications and changes are believed to fall within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.