Annotating temporally-dimensioned multimedia content

A method for managing temporal annotations of a multimedia document, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a post request which specifies (i) identification data representing an identifier of the multimedia document, (ii) content data representing substantive content of a temporal annotation, and (iii) relative time data representing a relative time within the multimedia document with which the temporal annotation is associated;
• forming a temporal annotation entry which includes the content data and the relative time data;
• and
• storing the temporal annotation entry in a pre-existing temporal annotation database such that the temporal annotation entry is associated with the multimedia document.

A method for selectively incorporating display of temporal annotations in a display of a multimedia document, the method comprising the steps of:

• requesting one or more temporal annotations which are related to the multimedia document from a temporal annotation server;
• receiving the one or more temporal annotations from the temporal annotation server;
• displaying the multimedia document to a user;
• filtering the one or more temporal annotations according to filtering criteria selected by the user to select one or more selected ones of the one or more temporal annotations;
• and
• incorporating display of the selected temporal annotations with the display of the multimedia document.

A computer readable medium useful in association with a computer which includes a processor and a memory, the computer readable medium including computer instructions which are configured to cause the computer to display a multimedia document stored in a memory of a computer system by performing the steps of:

• retrieving the multimedia document from the memory of the computer system;
• determining, from an identifier of the multimedia document, that one or more temporal annotations are associated with the multimedia document;
• retrieving the one or more temporal annotations;
• and
• incorporating display of the one or more temporal annotations in the display of the multimedia document.

A computer readable medium useful in association with a computer which includes a processor and a memory, the computer readable medium including computer instructions which are configured to cause the computer to manage temporal annotations of a multimedia document by performing the steps of:

• receiving a post request which specifies (i) identification data representing an identifier of the multimedia document, (ii) content data representing substantive content of a temporal annotation, and (iii) relative time data representing a relative time within the multimedia document with which the temporal annotation is associated;
• forming a temporal annotation entry which includes the content data and the relative time data;
• and
• storing the temporal annotation entry in a pre-existing temporal annotation database such that the temporal annotation entry is associated with the multimedia document.

A computer readable medium useful in association with a computer which includes a processor and a memory, the computer readable medium including computer instructions which are configured to cause the computer to selectively incorporate display of temporal annotations in a display of a multimedia document by performing the steps of:

• requesting one or more temporal annotations which are related to the multimedia document from a temporal annotation server;
• receiving the one or more temporal annotations from the temporal annotation server;
• displaying the multimedia document to a user;
• filtering the one or more temporal annotations according to filtering criteria selected by the user to select one or more selected ones of the one or more temporal annotations;
• and
• incorporating display of the selected temporal annotations with the display of the multimedia document.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory operatively coupled to the processor;
• and
• a temporal annotation manager which executes in the processor from the memory and which, when executed by the processor, causes the computer to display a multimedia document by performing the steps of:
• retrieving the multimedia document from the memory;
• determining, from an identifier of the multimedia document, that one or more temporal annotations are associated with the multimedia document;
• retrieving the one or more temporal annotations;
• and
• incorporating display of the one or more temporal annotations in the display of the multimedia document.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory operatively coupled to the processor;
• and
• a temporal annotation manager which executes in the processor from the memory and which, when executed by the processor, causes the computer to manage temporal annotations of a multimedia document by performing the steps of:
• receiving a post request which specifies (i) identification data representing an identifier of the multimedia document, (ii) content data representing substantive content of a temporal annotation, and (iii) relative time data representing a relative time within the multimedia document with which the temporal annotation is associated;
• forming a temporal annotation entry which includes the content data and the relative time data;
• and
• storing the temporal annotation entry in a pre-existing temporal annotation database such that the temporal annotation entry is associated with the multimedia document.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory operatively coupled to the processor;
• and
• a multimedia document player which executes in the processor from the memory and which, when executed by the processor, causes the computer to selectively incorporate display of temporal annotations in a display of a multimedia document by performing the steps of:
• requesting one or more temporal annotations which are related to the multimedia document from a temporal annotation server;
• receiving the one or more temporal annotations from the temporal annotation server;
• displaying the multimedia document to a user;
• filtering the one or more temporal annotations according to filtering criteria selected by the user to select one or more selected ones of the one or more temporal annotations;
• and
• incorporating display of the selected temporal annotations with the display of the multimedia document.