Patent ID: 7427988

Claim:
An image data distribution system comprising: (a) a first station comprising an animation designer that designs an animation , wherein the animation comprises: (i) first locked animated objects having first locked characteristics, wherein said locked characteristics comprise object primitives and geometrical attributes of the animation; and (ii) second modifiable animated objects separate to said first animated objects, wherein said second animated objects comprise second modifiable characteristics of the animation, and said second animated objects further comprise a broadcast part, a distribution part, and a viewer part, wherein each part is modified, after the animation has been designed, by a broadcaster station, a distributor station, and viewer station respectively; (b) a second station comprising: (i) receiving means arranged to receive said first locked animated objects and said second modifiable animated objects from said first station; and (ii) processing means arranged to modify said second modifiable characteristics based on the broadcast part if the second station comprises the broadcaster station, the distribution part if the second station comprises the distribution station, and the viewer part if the second station comprises the viewer station, wherein: ( 1 ) when said animation is displayed, said second animated objects display additional information in said animation; ( 2 ) the second station renders the first locked animated object and said second modifiable animated objects into an executable graphic file before passing the executable graphic file onto a subsequent station in a distribution chain.