Container chaining for automated process completion

Abstract

A method obtains a configuration for an automated process that includes discrete tasks. The configuration specifies a corresponding container image, of a plurality of different container images, for each discrete task of the discrete tasks, and further specifies a sequence in which to instantiate a plurality of containers from the plurality of container images to perform the discrete tasks and complete the automated process. The method identifies from the configuration a next container image from which to instantiate a next container for execution to perform a next discrete task, the next discrete task corresponding to the next container image and next container instantiated from the next container image. The method initiates instantiation of the next container from the next container image to initiate execution of the container to perform the next discrete task. The method also repeats the identifying and the initiating instantiation for each next container image.

Intra-Media Demarcation

Abstract

The invention provides a mechanism to allow users to demarcate a section of a media's timeline at the desire of the user. The system takes an existing media recording (examples include but are not limited to video and audio), obtained through various mechanisms, and allows the user to mark one or more sections of the media's timeline for later reference. The highlighted section data will be stored in such a fashion that the author of the highlights as well as other users may view the highlighted sections of the media while still retaining the ability to experience the media in its entirety. The demarcation data, relating the media to the author of the demarcation, and the demarcation data itself can be stored as meta-data related to the media to be later merged with the media at the time of playback to create the new function of media plus demarcations to be viewed at that time. The enhanced player provides the mechanism to create the demarcations in the first instance, but to replay the combined media (still retaining its original length and form) with the demarcated areas. The original media, therefore, is not modified based on the creation of the demarcated timeline showing portions of the media with elevated importance.