RU2342692C2 - Time references for multimedia objects - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics; computer technology.

SUBSTANCE: present invention pertains to coupling time with multimedia objects, and more specifically, to provision for time references for multimedia objects. These elements are linked to other elements, which can be part of another external document. Elements of the external document are grouped in time packages, which are set forth when the elements are to be played back, when elements of separate documents are to be played back, and when multimedia objects are to be played back. Other documents can assume playback synchronisation based on the link to the separate document. The external document can contain a listener element, which reacts on an event, acting on the elements in the separate document.

EFFECT: provision for time references on multimedia objects through a separate document, containing elements which are indirectly referenced on the multimedia objects.

40 cl, 4 dwg

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The systems and methods described herein generally relate to associating time with multimedia objects, and more particularly, systems and methods that provide and / or override temporary references for multimedia objects.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Multimedia presentations are composed of discrete multimedia or audio / video (A / B, A / V) objects (multimedia objects). Multimedia objects can be formed from a single source, such as a digital universal disk (DVD), reproduced in the drive of a personal computer (PC, PC). In other cases, multimedia objects can be formed (i.e., organized into a stream) from a variety of sources and reproduced on a common target device. For example, multimedia objects can be generated from multiple Web sites and played on a PC. Multimedia presentations can include and combine multimedia objects from television broadcast films, DVDs, and multimedia objects from the Internet Web site (that is, developing broadcast broadcasting over the Web).

Multimedia objects include A / V frames, images, video clips, sound clips, and sound samples. Multimedia objects can describe various formats, which include static image formats, animations, video and text formats. Still image formats include portable network graphics (PNG) format; format developed by the Joint Expert Group on Photography (JPEG); format developed by the Moving Image Expert Group (MPEG). Animation formats include Multiple Image Network Graphics (MNG) format. Video formats include MPEG video format, audio and video interleaving (AVI) format, and various streaming formats. Text formats include Extensible Markup Language (XML), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), and Extensible HTML (XHTML).

Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) is a declarative language for describing structural, spatial, and temporal effects, such as animation during presentations. The SMIL listing or SMIL document describes when media objects are displayed. More specifically, the SMIL document uses “temporary containers” that group data (i.e., multimedia objects). Temporary SMIL containers include a tag (non-displayable document markup element) <par>, which "plays" chunks of data in parallel (ie at the same time); tag <seq>, which plays the data sequentially (i.e., one after the other according to the list of the temporary container); and an <excl> tag that reproduces a chunk of data excluding the rest of the data (i.e. without a specific sequence).

Although data or media objects can be generated from one or from multiple sources, when using SMIL, data or media objects must be “linked” together in a single SMIL document. In other words, you need one SMIL document to link media objects to each other.

An "element" is the basic unit of an XML document. An element may include other elements and text, and begins with the opening tag <name> and ends with the closing tag </ name>. Tags that start with <? and end with?> are processing instructions that indicate the specific style sheets to be used. Style sheets are separate documents that define the format for the tags of an XML document.

XML tags identify and describe the data or media objects that are contained in the element or that the element refers to. The attributes of an element further describe the purpose and content of the data or multimedia elements of that element.

Data that is part of an XML document, in particular an element, is available to other XML documents.

Schemas are associated with the XML document that are used to describe which tags can be used and in which XML documents. Such schemes include tag formatting performed through an extensible style sheet language for object formatting (XSL-FO) or cascading style sheets.

An XSL-FO document is a converted XML document that contains information regarding the structure and appearance. External style sheets can be represented as links to documents containing information about the structure and appearance. In other words, external style sheets provide the ability to describe the appearance and structure of objects in other documents; however, external style sheets and XML documents have the ability to describe when objects should be reproduced or presented.

XML does not provide temporary references for multimedia objects. SMIL provides temporary references for media objects, however SMIL is relatively inflexible and requires a single SMIL document to directly reference media objects. In other words, unlike extensible text markup languages like XML, SMIL does not allow one document to manage other documents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The systems and methods described herein include referencing multimedia objects through elements in a document, these elements being further associated with other elements that are arranged to indicate playback synchronization.

In some embodiments, an external document is used to provide playback synchronization.

Some specific embodiments provide that the external document is aware of events affecting the document.

LIST OF DRAWINGS FIGURES

Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a multimedia presentation described using relationships of objects, content documents (information-relevant performance), a synchronization document, and events that affect elements in a content document;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating how playback synchronization is provided for media objects; FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a system of multimedia broadcast devices supplying multimedia and presentation objects to a network connected to multimedia devices in order to reproduce multimedia objects and presentations;

4 is a block diagram illustrating a typical example of a computer that can be used as a multimedia device for reproducing multimedia objects based on synchronization of visual reproduction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

1 shows documents and objects that are used to define a multimedia presentation 100. A multimedia presentation 100 includes objects 105. Objects 105 may be one or more multimedia objects described by various formats, which include still image formats. , animations, video formats and text formats. Formats can include PNG, JPEG, MPEG, MNG, AVI, XML, HTML, and XHTML. In the example, objects 105 include the object object1 105 (1) and the object object2 105 (2). Object object1 105 (1) and object object2 105 (2) can be formed from different sources, despite the fact that they are shown as a group and as objects formed from one source (i.e., objects 105).

The multimedia presentation 100 includes the document Doc01.xml 110. The document Doc01.xml is a “content document” formatted by a text markup language such as XML, HTML, or standard generalized markup language (SGML). Doc01.xml 110 includes tagged elements that reference multimedia objects. Doc01.xml 110 document-restricted tags are element1 and element2. In the example, the tagged elements of the document Doc01.xml 110 refer to objects object1 105 (1) and object2 105 (2). The parent element, element n, may include elements element1 and element2. It is believed that element n is one level higher than element1 and element2.

In Doc01.xml 110, an identifier can be used to identify element n. Such an identifier may be “ID1”. Unique identifiers can also be used to identify elements element1 and element2.

The elements of the document Doc01.xml 110, shown as a group 112 in FIG. 1, are composed as follows:

<element n>

<element1> object1 </element1>

<element2> object2 </element2>

</ element n>

In other embodiments, element1 and element2 are grouped separately.

Multimedia presentation 110 additionally includes the Timing.xml 115 document. Although the Doc01.xml 110 and Timing.xml 115 documents are logically different types of documents, they can be packaged into a single logical file. Timing.xml 115 is a "synchronization document" that can also be formatted in a text markup language such as XML. Timing.xml 115 includes a temporary container 117, which describes the behavior of elements element1 and element2 from Doc01.xml 110. Temporary containers provide playback synchronization for elements, which in turn can refer to multimedia objects. The temporary container 117 of Timing.xml 115 shown in FIG. 1 is represented as follows:

<par>

<cue select = "element1" />

<cue select = "element2" />

</par>

The cue element is used to indicate the target element or to refer to specific elements in a synchronized document. In the above example, "cue" is used to refer to the elements element1 and element2 from the document Doc01.xml 110. The document Doc01.xml 110 is considered as a synchronized document.

The temporary container 117 shown in Timing.xml 115 includes a “par” element, which is used to group elements, in particular cue elements, that reference element1 and element2. A temporary container with the element "par" ensures that the elements of the temporary container are visualized or reproduced at the same time or in parallel with one another. Therefore, the above example shows that through the use of "cue" element1 and element2 are reproduced or rendered starting at one point in time. Since element1 refers to object1 105 (1) and element2 refers to object2 105 (2), then object1 105 (1) and object2 105 (2) are reproduced or rendered at the same time.

Temporary containers can also use the "seq" and "excl" elements to group specific elements and media objects referenced by these specific elements. An example of a temporary container with the seq element is the following:

<seq>

<cue select = "element1" />

<cue select = "element2" />

</seq>

In the above temporary container containing the "seq" element, element1 is rendered or played before element2 in accordance with the sequence in which they are listed in the temporary container. In other words, element1 is rendered before element2 according to an ordered list. The media objects referenced by element1 will be rendered or played before the media elements referenced by element2.

An example of a temporary container with an excl element is the following:

<excl>

<cue select = "element1" /> <cue select = "element2" />

</excl>

In the above temporary container containing the "excl" element, element1 can be rendered or played before or after element2. The excl element provides the exclusion of elements element1 and element2 when rendering or reproducing. It does not matter in what order the elements are listed in the temporary container. The media objects referenced by element1 are rendered or rendered, excluding the media objects referenced by element2. In particular, temporary containers can use SMIL conventions with the addition of the <cue> element. The <cue> element in the Timing.xml 115 synchronization document may have child elements that can describe the actions applicable to another element1 element in the synchronized Doc1.xml 110 document.

An event may occur that affects elements in a synchronized Doc1.xml 110 document. An event is a special object that is created when something happens, for example, user input. An example of an event is the user pausing playback by activating the pause button (event "pause button").

Events in Doc1.xml 110 can be processed through the Event Listener structure component of the Document Object Model (DOM), as defined by the WWW Consortium (W3C). In particular, events can be retrieved and processed through a structural component that defines a listener element.

In the above example, the pause button event 120 occurs, which can affect element1 or element2 from the Doc1.xml 110 document. The Doc1.xml 110 document may include a listener element 124, which is represented as follows:

<listener

event = "pause button"

observer = "ID1"

handler = "stop"

/>

The listener element 124 is configured to track the pause button event 120. The value "ID1" identifies element n, which may be, for example, one of the elements element1 or element2. An element may be the “target” that is affected by the event. For example, element1 and / or element2 may be target elements that are affected by pause button event 120. The observer element may or may not be the target element affected by the pause button event 120, but it is aware of the event affecting the elements (ie, target elements) that are located relative to it at the lower levels ( i.e., they are children of the parent element observer). For example, element n can be an observer element, provided that element1 and element2 are target elements. The observer attribute in element 124 uses the identifier "ID1" to identify element n. The handler attribute is activated when an event occurs in the target element. In the example above, the handler attribute names the "stop" application that needs to be activated. The stop application may be specific instructions in the Doc01.xml document to instruct elements to pause playback.

Since the Timing.xml 115 Timing Document defines the timing for the synchronized Doc1.xml 110 document, it may be aware of the pause button event 120 affecting elements in the Doc1.xml 110 Document.

Timing.xml 115 provides a proxy 126 listener, which is presented as follows:

<listener = "proxy"

event = "pause button"

observer = pointer to "ID1"

handler = "pause"

/>

The listener proxy 126 is also configured to track the pause button event 120. Instead of the observer attribute, which directly identifies element n through the identifier "ID1", a pointer to "ID1" is used in the observer attribute of the mediation element 126 listener. In the example shown, the observer attribute of the mediation element 126 lictener has been extended to be a selector (i.e. using pointers such as XPointer in XML). The syntax structure "ID1" refers to the identifier of the element (ie, element n) in the document Doc1.xml 110, and not to the element of the document Timing.xml 115. The handler attribute can be activated when the 120 "pause button" event occurs in target element (e.g. in element1 or element2). In the mediation element 126 listener, the handler attribute names the application “pause”, which instructs the temporary container 117 to pause playback.

The mediation element 126 listener in the Timing.xml 115 synchronization document does not require or does not rely on the presence of element 124 listener in the document Doc01.xml. The mediation element 126 listener directly points to such an element using a pointer to "ID1".

Doc01.xml 110 may include information about the behavior of another content document and, more specifically, elements of another content document. In the above example, the elements element1 and element2 of the document Doc01.xml 110 include information about the behavior of the elements element3 and element4 of the document Doc02.xml 130.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the elements of Doc02.xml 130 are conceptually shown as follows:

<element3> element1 </element3>

<element4> element2 </element4>

In this scheme, the Doc02.xml document can be associated with its own synchronization document (i.e., with a separate Timing2.xml). Both Doc01.xml and Doc02.xml can use the same synchronization document; however, usually this may be a special case of a more general scheme. Timing.xml 115 Timing Document can be directly applied to multiple content documents, either directly or indirectly. If you need to make changes to the synchronization, then these changes are made in the Timing.xml 115 synchronization document, or the Timing.xml 115 synchronization document can be replaced by another synchronization document that refers to elements in the Doc01.xml 110 document.

Although the Timing.xml 115 document is shown as an XML document, other synchronization document constructs can be applied. For example, cascading style sheets (CSS) can be used. CSS is defined by the W3C consortium and is the language for the full description of the content of an XML document.

Media playback synchronization

2 shows a process 200 that provides playback synchronization for multimedia objects.

At step 205, the first set of elements, which may be in a document written in extensible text markup language, for example, in XML document Doc01.xml 110 of FIG. 1, refers to one or more multimedia objects that can be formed from one or more sources. A link can be made by specifically accessing multimedia objects in document elements. A link can also be made using pointers in elements pointing to multimedia objects.

At 210, a first set of elements is associated with a second set of elements that are arranged to indicate synchronization. The second set of elements may be part of the first document, where the first document may be an XSL-FO file. In other cases, the second set of elements is in the second document, such as an external style sheet.

At step 215, a second set of elements is arranged to indicate synchronization. In particular, the layout is performed using a temporary container, such as that illustrated in the Timing.xml 115 synchronization document of FIG. 1. As described above, the cue element is used in the Timing.xml 115 synchronization document to associate with elements in the first Doc01.xml 110 document.

At step 220, multimedia objects are reproduced based on the layout of the second set of elements providing synchronization, since the second set of elements is associated with the first set of elements that refer to multimedia objects.

Illustrative system example

FIG. 3 shows a system 300 of multimedia devices and broadcast devices for providing multimedia objects and multimedia presentations. It is assumed that each media object is identified by a specific name. The name can be placed in the header or in the listing file of a multimedia object and can be read by a multimedia device.

Network 305 includes a local area network, wide area network, private network, private / public networks, including the Internet. Hardwired (eg, cable) and / or wireless networks may constitute a network 305. The network 305 is designed to provide for the transfer of data (eg, multimedia objects) from one object to another object.

A television broadcasting point 310 in system 300 provides multimedia presentations. The television broadcasting station 310 reproduces multimedia objects from the A / B source 315. The television broadcasting station 310 can mix objects from the A / B source 315 with multimedia objects, such as commercial advertising or product promotion, that come from the additional content source 320.

The television broadcasting station 310 is connected to a satellite dish parabolic antenna 325, which is the start of the uplink to satellite 330. Satellite dish parabolic antenna 325 transmits signals carrying multimedia objects to satellite 330. Satellite dish parabolic antenna 335 receives downlink signals transmitting objects multimedia from satellite 130. Network 305 is directly connected to a satellite dish parabolic antenna 335 for receiving multimedia objects. Alternatively, the network 305 may be directly connected to a television broadcast clause 310. Television broadcasting station 310 may also transmit radio frequency (RF) signals carrying multimedia objects via an antenna 340. Such RF signals may be received by various multimedia devices, which include television devices.

The multimedia device 345 is a standalone unit, not connected to the network 305, but capable of receiving multimedia objects from paragraph 310 of the television broadcast. The multimedia device 345 includes an A / B display unit 345-A, which may be a television or monitor having a tuner and A / V inputs and outputs. The multimedia device 345 may further include a multimedia player 345-B, such as a DVD player, and a multimedia recorder 345-C. A multimedia device 345 is connected to an antenna 350, which receives RF signals from sources such as antenna 340, while the RF signals carry multimedia objects. Multimedia objects can additionally be received by the multimedia device 345 via a satellite dish parabolic antenna 355, wherein the satellite dish parabolic antenna 355 receives signals from the satellite 330. The media objects can be recorded by the media recorder 345-C.

Broadcasting of multimedia objects can also be done via the Internet. Typically, this phenomenon is known as "broadcast broadcast over the Web", and provides digital transmission of multimedia objects. Web broadcasting point 360 may include an interactive Web site accessible via network 305. Web broadcasting point 360 receives a multimedia presentation from A / B source 365 to which multimedia objects are mixed from multimedia source 370 of additional content. Alternatively, such objects may come from other sources.

The webcasting item 360 delivers multimedia objects on the network 305 for access by various multimedia devices connected to the network 305. Alternatively, the webcasting item 360 can deliver multimedia objects via satellite, as described above. The multimedia device 375 is connected to the network 305 and receives multimedia objects from various sources, including a television broadcasting point 310 and a Web broadcasting point 360. The multimedia device 375 includes an A / B display unit 375-A, which may be a television receiver or monitor having a tuner and A / V inputs and outputs. The multimedia device 375 may further include a multimedia player 375-B, such as a DVD player, and a multimedia recorder 375-C. Multimedia objects and mixed multimedia objects may be recorded by the multimedia recording device 375-C. Multimedia devices and stand-alone units include Web television units (Web TV) and personal video recording devices (PVR). The personal computer 380 may also be considered as a multimedia device.

Website 385 is an example of a source in which a multimedia device accesses additional content, such as updated files, which may include synchronization documents, such as document Doc01.xml 110 of FIG. 1. Broadcast points, such as a television broadcast point 310 and a Web broadcast point 360, can organize a stream of new multimedia objects that needs to be streamlined with existing content on various multimedia devices.

Illustrative Computing Environment

(multimedia device environment)

The invention is described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, executed by one or more multimedia devices, such as the multimedia devices 345, 375 and 380 of FIG. 3. In general, program modules include procedures, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform specific tasks or implement specific abstract data types. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the invention can be practiced using other configurations of computing systems, including portable devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframes (mainframes) and etc. In a distributed computing environment, program modules can reside on both local and remote storage devices.

Figure 4 shows a General example of a computer 430 used in accordance with the invention. Computer 430 is shown as an example of a computer that can act as a multimedia device. Computer 430 includes one or more processors or processing units 432, system memory 434, and a bus 436 that couples various system components, including system memory 434, to processors 432.

Bus 436 represents one or more arbitrary types of several types of bus architecture, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus using an arbitrary bus architecture (organization) from among many possible bus architectures. System memory includes read only memory (ROM) 438 and random access memory (RAM) 440. Basic input / output system (BIOS) 442, containing basic programs that help transfer information between elements of computer 430, for example , at startup, stored in ROM 438. Computer 430 further includes a hard disk drive 444 for reading from a hard disk and writing to a hard disk (not shown), a magnetic disk drive 446 for reading from a removable magnetic disk 448, and writing to and a removable magnetic disk 448, and optical disk drive 450 for reading from removable optical disk 452 or writing to a removable optical disk 452 such as a ROM, CD-ROM (CD ROM) or other optical media. A hard disk drive 444, a magnetic disk drive 446, and an optical disk drive 450 are connected to a bus 436 via a small computer system interface (SCSI) 454 or some other suitable interface. Drives and drives and their associated computer-readable media provide non-volatile storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data for computer 430.

Although the illustrative embodiment described herein uses a hard disk, a removable magnetic disk 448, and a removable optical disk 452, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other types of computer-readable media can also be used in the illustrative example of an operating environment. that can store data that can be accessed by a computer, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video discs, random access memory devices (OZ U), read-only memory (ROM), etc.

A number of program modules can be stored on a hard disk, magnetic disk 448, optical disk 452, in ROM 438 or RAM 440, the program modules including an operating system 458, one or more application programs 460, other program modules 462, and program data 464 .

The user can enter commands and information into the computer 430 via input devices such as a keyboard 466 and pointing device 468. Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, and the like. These and other input devices are connected to the processing unit 432 via an interface 470 that is connected to the bus 436. A monitor 472 or other type of display device is also connected to the bus 436 through an interface, such as a video adapter 474.

Computer 430 operates in a network environment using logical connections with one or more remote computers, such as remote computer 476. Remote computer 476 can be another personal computer, server, router, network PC, peer, or other public network node, and typically includes includes many or all of the elements of the above elements related to the computer 430, although FIG. 4 shows only the storage device 478. The logical connections shown in FIG. 4 include a local area network (LAN, LAN) 480 and a wide area network (HS, WAN) 482. Such a network environment is common for institutions, enterprise-wide networks, internal networks and the Internet.

When used in a LAN network environment, computer 430 is connected to a local area network 480 via a network interface or adapter 484. When used in a LAN network environment, computer 430 typically includes a modem 486 or other means for establishing communication in a wide area network 482, such as the Internet. The modem 486, which may be internal or external, is connected to the bus 436 via the serial port interface 456. In a networked environment, program modules depicted related to personal computer 430, or portions thereof, can be stored on a remote memory device. It should be appreciated that the network connections shown are an illustrative example and other means of establishing a communication link between computers can be used.

In general, computer processors 430 are programmed by instructions stored at various points in time on various computer-readable media on a computer. Programs and operating systems are usually distributed, for example, on floppy disks or on CDs. From these media they are installed or downloaded into the secondary memory of the computer. When executed, they are loaded, at least in part, into the electronic primary memory of the computer.

The invention described herein includes these and various other types of computer-readable media, provided that such a medium contains instructions or programs for implementing the steps described below with reference to FIG. 4 in conjunction with a microprocessor or other data processor.

The invention also includes the computer itself, provided that it is programmed in accordance with the methods and techniques described below. Moreover, some subcomponents of the computer may be programmed to perform the functions and steps described below. The invention includes such subcomponents, provided that they are programmed as described. Furthermore, the subject matter described herein includes the data structures described below as being embodied on various types of media.

For purposes of illustration, data, programs, and other executable software components, such as an operating system, are shown as discrete blocks in this document, although it is understood that such programs and components are located at various points in time on various computer components for storing data, and are executed by the data processor (s) of this computer.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in the context of a particular language with specific structural features and / or methodological actions, it should be understood that the present invention, as defined in the attached claims, is not necessarily limited to the described specific features or actions. On the contrary, specific features and actions are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementation of the claimed invention.

Claims (40)

1. A method of synchronizing multimedia objects, comprising stages in which reference is made to one or more multimedia objects by means of a first set consisting of one or more elements; associating a first set consisting of one or more elements with a second set consisting of one or more elements; composing a second set of one or more elements to indicate synchronization of multimedia objects referenced by the first set of one or more elements; receive input to trigger an event affecting an element in a first set consisting of one or more elements; and provide an intermediary element in a second set of one or more elements that is configured to reference an event application. 2. The method according to claim 1, in which the assignment of links is performed by pointers in the first set, consisting of one or more elements pointing to multimedia objects. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein linking and linking are performed through the same document. 4. The method according to claim 1, in which the composition is carried out by means of a temporary container, which defines a second set consisting of one or more elements. 5. The method according to claim 4, in which the temporary container is defined by means of language conventions SMIL. 6. The method according to claim 4, in which the temporary container determines that the elements of the second set, consisting of one or more elements, are reproduced simultaneously. 7. The method according to claim 4, in which the temporary container determines that the elements of the second set, consisting of one or more elements, are reproduced one after another in accordance with an ordered list. 8. The method according to claim 4, in which the temporary container determines that the elements of the second set, consisting of one or more elements, are reproduced with mutual exclusion. 9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of reproducing multimedia objects based on composing a second set of one or more elements. 10. The method according to claim 1, additionally containing a stage in which they associate a second set consisting of one or more elements with a third set consisting of one or more elements. 11. The method according to claim 1, in which the assignment of links is performed by the first document, and the binding is performed by the second document. 12. The method according to claim 11, in which the first and second documents are written in XML. 13. The method according to claim 11, in which the first document is written in XML, and the second document is a style sheet. 14. A multimedia device containing means for defining references to one or more multimedia objects by means of a first set consisting of one or more elements; means for linking a first set of one or more elements to a second set of one or more elements; means for composing a second set of one or more elements for indicating synchronization of multimedia objects referred to by a first set of one or more elements; means for receiving input to trigger an event, acting on an element in a first set consisting of one or more elements; and means for providing an intermediary element in a second set consisting of one or more elements that is configured to reference an event application. 15. A personal computer containing processor and memory containing instructions executed by the processor, which, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor specify references to one or more multimedia objects by means of a first set consisting of one or more elements; associate a first set of one or more elements with a second set of one or more elements; to compose a second set of one or more elements to indicate the synchronization of multimedia objects referred to by the first set of one or more elements; receive input to trigger an event affecting an element in a first set of one or more elements; and provide an intermediary element in a second set of one or more elements that is configured to reference an event application. 16. A method for synchronizing multimedia objects, comprising stages in which specify links to one or more multimedia objects by means of a first set consisting of one or more elements and located in the first document; connecting the first set consisting of one or more elements and located in the first document, with the second set consisting of one or more elements and located in the second document; composing a second set of one or more elements and located in the second document to indicate the synchronization of multimedia objects referenced by the first set of one or more elements and located in the first document; receive input to trigger an event affecting an element in the first set consisting of one or more elements and located in the first document; and provide an intermediary element in a second set consisting of one or more elements and located in the second document, which is configured to reference the application of the event. 17. The method according to clause 16, in which the assignment of links is performed by pointers in the first set, consisting of one or more elements and located in the first document, which indicate one or more multimedia objects. 18. The method according to clause 16, in which the composing is performed by means of a temporary container, which defines a second set consisting of one or more elements and located in the second document. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the temporary container is defined by SMIL conventions. 20. The method according to p, in which the temporary container determines that the elements of the second set, consisting of one or more elements, are reproduced simultaneously. 21. The method according to p, in which the temporary container determines that the elements of the second set, consisting of one or more elements, are reproduced one after another in accordance with an ordered list. 22. The method according to p, in which the temporary container determines that the elements of the second set consisting of one or more elements are reproduced with mutual exclusion. 23. The method according to clause 16, further comprising connecting a second set consisting of one or more elements and located in the second document, with a third set consisting of one or more elements and located in the third document. 24. The method according to item 23, in which the first, second and third documents are written in XML. 25. The method according to clause 16, in which the first and second documents are written in XML. 26. The method according to clause 16, in which the first document is written in XML, and the second document is a style sheet. 27. A personal computer containing processor and memory containing instructions executed by the processor, which, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor specify links to one or more multimedia objects by means of a first set consisting of one or more elements and located in the first document; to associate a first set consisting of one or more elements and located in the first document with a second set consisting of one or more elements and located in the second document; to compose a second set consisting of one or more elements and located in the second document to indicate the synchronization of multimedia objects referred to by the first set consisting of one or more elements and located in the first document; receive input to trigger an event affecting an element in the first set, consisting of one or more elements and located in the first document; and provide an intermediary element in a second set consisting of one or more elements and located in a second document that is configured to reference an event application. 28. A multimedia device containing means for defining links to one or more multimedia objects by means of a first set consisting of one or more elements and located in the first document; means for linking the first set consisting of one or more elements and located in the first document, with the second set consisting of one or more elements and located in the second document; means for composing a second set of one or more elements and located in the second document for indicating synchronization of multimedia objects referred to by a first set of one or more elements and located in the first document; means for receiving input to trigger an event affecting an element in the first set consisting of one or more elements and located in the first document; and means for providing an intermediary element in a second set consisting of one or more elements and located in a second document that is configured to reference an event application. 29. The multimedia device according to p, in which the synchronization of playback is determined by the temporary container. 30. The multimedia device according to claim 28, wherein the temporary container is defined through SMIL language conventions. 31. The multimedia device according to claim 28, wherein the instructions are further configured to link the third set of elements from the third document to the second set of elements from the second document. 32. The multimedia device according to claim 28, wherein the instructions are further configured to receive input data that trigger the event and inform the second document of the occurrence of the event. 33. The multimedia device according to claim 28, wherein the instructions are further configured to link the first set of elements from the first document to the third set of elements from the third document. 34. A processor-readable medium containing processor-executable instructions for reference to one or more multimedia objects by means of a first set of one or more elements; linking a first set consisting of one or more elements to a second set consisting of one or more elements; composing a second set of one or more elements to indicate the synchronization of multimedia objects referenced by the first set of one or more elements; receiving input to trigger an event affecting an element in a first set consisting of one or more elements; and providing an intermediary element in a second set of one or more elements that is configured to reference an event application. 35. The medium readable by the processor according to claim 34, wherein the reference is performed by instructions for operating with pointers in a first set consisting of one or more elements pointing to multimedia objects. 36. The processor-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the compositing is performed by instructions for configuring a temporary container that defines a second set of one or more elements. 37. A processor-readable medium containing processor-executable instructions for assigning links to one or more multimedia objects by means of a first set consisting of one or more elements and located in the first document; linking the first set consisting of one or more elements and located in the first document with the second set consisting of one or more elements and located in the second document; composing a second set of one or more elements and located in the second document to indicate synchronization of multimedia objects referred to by the first set of one or more elements and located in the first document; receiving input to trigger an event affecting an element in a first set consisting of one or more elements and located in the first document; and providing an intermediary element in a second set of one or more elements and located in a second set of one or more elements and located in a second document that is configured to reference an event application. 38. The processor-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the reference is performed by instructions for operating with pointers in a first set of one or more elements and located in a first document that point to one or more multimedia objects. 39. A system for synchronizing multimedia objects, comprising a broadcast point providing multimedia objects; and a multimedia device that receives multimedia objects, a first document that refers to multimedia objects, and a second document associated with the first document that synchronizes the playback of multimedia objects, while the multimedia device further receives input data that trigger an event in the first document, and informs second document. 40. The system of claim 39, wherein the multimedia device further receives a third document referenced by the second document.

Images