DVD random shuffle method

• US 20040022520A1
• Filed: 05/13/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Praxair S.T. Technology, Inc. (Linde Plc), Screenlife, LLC (Paramount Global (f/k/a ViacomCBS Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Screenlife, LLC (Paramount Global (f/k/a ViacomCBS Inc.))
• Inventors: Patterson, William J., Kinzer, Craig E., Long, David, Kuper, William, Hendricks, John
• Granted Patent: US 6,987,925 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/69
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/04 Card games combined with other games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00018 played along an endless track
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00135 Board games concerning cinema or films
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00249 all parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00488 with means for limiting the size of the playing field A63F2003/00971 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/202 the game platform being a DVD player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8064 Quiz
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00006 Board games played along a linear track, e.g. game of goose, snakes and ladders, along an endless track A63F3/00028 - A63F3/00157, A63F3/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0023 Foldable, rollable, collapsible or segmented boards A63F3/027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00895 Accessories for board games A63F3/00697 takes precedence; game accessories of general use A63F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/18 Question-and-answer games
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

A method for randomly shuffling through a large set of video and/or audio clips using a media player and related readable media is disclosed. In one form, the total number of entries in the set of clips is a prime number. An initial current clip value is randomly generated between one and the total number of entries in the set. A jump value is randomly generated between one and the total number of entries in the set minus one. To select a subsequent current clip, the current clip value and the jump value are added together. This sum is divided by the number of entries in the set. The remainder from this division is saved as the subsequent current clip value.

Claims

1. A method for selecting and playing clips on a media player selected from a set of clips, without repeating the selection of any clip in the set, and without tracking those clips that have been selected, the method comprising:

(a) initializing a current clip value, the current clip value referencing a clip in the set;

(b) initializing a jump value; and

(c) repeatedly;

(i) selecting and playing a clip in the set referenced by the current clip value;

(ii) dividing the sum of the current clip value and the jump value by the number of clips in the set; and

(iii) saving the remainder of the division as the current clip value, wherein the number of clips in the set and the jump value are such that the clips are selected and played without repeating any clip in the set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of clips in said set is a prime number.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said jump value is a number greater than or equal to one and less than the number of clips in the set.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said jump value is a number greater than or equal to one and less than the number of clips in the set.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the initialized current clip value is a random number greater than or equal to one and less than or equal to the number of clips in the set.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the initialized jump value is a random number greater than or equal to one and less than the number of clips in the set.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

periodically updating a counter value;

monitoring for a user response; and

terminating the updating of the counter value upon detecting a user response; and

wherein initializing the current clip value comprises dividing the sum of the counter value and the current clip value random number by the number of clips in the set, the remainder forming the current clip value.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising determining whether the random numbers are usable random numbers, and if not:

obtaining a user'"'"'s selection of an entry in an initial values table, each entry in the initial values table comprising a predetermined clip value and a predetermined jump value;

initializing the clip value with the predetermined current clip value; and

initializing the jump value with the predetermined jump value.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

periodically updating a counter value;

monitoring for a user response; and

terminating the updating of the counter value upon detecting a user response; and

wherein initializing the current clip value comprises dividing the sum of the counter value and the current clip value random number by the number of clips in the set, the remainder forming the current clip value.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining whether the random number is a usable random number, and if not:

obtaining a user'"'"'s selection of an entry in an initial values table, each entry in the initial values table comprising a predetermined clip value and a predetermined jump value;

initializing the clip value with the predetermined current clip value; and

initializing the jump value with the predetermined jump value.

11. The method of claim 5 further comprising determining whether the random number is a usable random number, and if not:

obtaining a user'"'"'s selection of an entry in an initial values table, each entry in the initial values table comprising a predetermined clip value and a predetermined jump value;

initializing the clip value with the predetermined current clip value; and

initializing the jump value with the predetermined jump value.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining a user'"'"'s selection of an entry in an initial values table, each entry in the initial values table comprising a predetermined clip value and a predetermined jump value; and

wherein the initialized current clip value is the predetermined clip value; and

wherein the initialized jump value is the predetermined jump value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the set of clips is stored on a removable optical media disc.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the initial values table is stored on the removable optical media disc.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of clips is stored on a removable optical media disc.

16. A readable media containing executable instructions that when executed:

(a) initialize a current, clip value, the current clip value referencing a clip in the set;

(b) initialize a jump value; and

(c) repeatedly;

(i) select and play a clip in the set referenced by the current clip value;

(ii) divide the sum of the current clip value and the jump value by the number of clips in the set; and

(iii) save the remainder of the division as the current clip value;

wherein the number of clips in the set and the jump value are such that the clips are selected and played without repeating any clip in the set.

17. The readable media of claim 16, wherein the number of clips in said set is a prime number.

18. The readable media of claim 17, wherein said jump value is a number greater than or equal to one and less than the number of clips in the set.

19. The readable media of claim 16, wherein said jump value is a number greater than or equal to one and less than the number of clips in the set.

20. The readable media of claim 16, wherein the initialized current clip value is a random number greater than or equal to one and less than or equal to the number of clips in the set.

21. The readable media of claim 20, further comprising determining whether the random number is a usable random number, and if not:

obtaining a user'"'"'s selection of an entry in an initial values table, each entry in the initial values table comprising a predetermined clip value and a predetermined jump value;

initializing the clip value with the predetermined current clip value; and

initializing the jump value with the predetermined jump value.

22. The readable media of claim 20, wherein initializing the jump value comprises obtaining a random number greater than or equal to one and less than the number of clips in the set, and saving the obtained random number as the jump value.

23. The readable media of claim 22, further comprising determining whether the obtained random numbers are usable random numbers, and if not:

obtaining a user'"'"'s selection of an entry in an initial values table, wherein each entry in the initial values table comprises a predetermined clip value and a predetermined jump value;

initializing the clip value with the predetermined current clip value; and

initializing the jump value with the predetermined jump value.

24. The readable media of claim 22, further comprising:

periodically updating a counter value;

monitoring for a user response; and

terminating the updating upon detecting a user response;

and

wherein initializing the current clip value comprises dividing the sum of the counter value and the current clip valve random number by the number of clips in the set, the remainder forming the current clip value.

25. The readable media of claim 24, further comprising determining whether the obtained random numbers are usable random numbers, and if not:

obtaining a user'"'"'s selection of an entry in an initial values table, wherein each entry in the initial values table comprises a predetermined clip value and a predetermined jump value;

initializing the clip value with the predetermined current clip value; and

initializing the jump value with the predetermined jump value.

26. The readable media of claim 16, wherein initializing the jump value comprises obtaining a random number greater than or equal to one and less than the number of clips in the set, and saving the obtained random number as the jump value.

27. The readable media of claim 22, further comprising determining whether the random number is a usable random number, and if not:

obtaining a user'"'"'s selection of an entry in an initial values table, each entry in the initial values table comprising a predetermined clip value and a predetermined jump value;

initializing the clip value with the predetermined current clip value; and

initializing the jump value with the predetermined jump value.

28. The readable media of claim 16, further comprising:

obtaining a user'"'"'s selection of an entry in an initial values table, each entry in the initial values table comprising a predetermined clip value and a predetermined jump value;

and

wherein the initialized current clip value is the predetermined clip value; and

wherein the initialized jump value is the predetermined jump value.

29. The readable media of claim 28, wherein the readable medium is a removable optical media disc.

30. The readable media of claim 29 wherein the set of clips are stored on the removable optical disc.

31. The readable media of claim 30, wherein the initial values table is stored on the removable optical media disc.

32. The readable media of claim 29, wherein the initial values table is stored on the removable optical media disc.

33. A method of generating a plurality of initial values table entries, each entry comprising a current clip value and a jump value useful by a player to select clips from a set of clips for play during a session without repeating the selection of any clip during the session and without tracking which clips have been selected, the method comprising:

determining the number of entries to be entered into an initial values table by dividing the number of clips in the set of clips by a predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session;

identifying a plurality of non-overlapping regions in the set of clips corresponding to the number of entries to be entered into the initial values table; and

for each identified non-overlapping region;

obtaining a starting position for the non-overlapping region;

storing the obtained starting position in the initial values table as the corresponding entry'"'"'s current clip value; and

initializing the corresponding entry'"'"'s jump value, the corresponding jump value causing the player to iterate through the clips in the set of clips beginning with the starting position.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein each non-overlapping region includes the predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is a first number of entries, further comprising:

obtaining an average number of clip selections per session;

determining a starting position for a second number of entries in the initial values table by offsetting the current clip value of each entry in the first number of entries in the initial values table by the average number of clip selections per session;

storing the determined starting positions in the initial values table as corresponding entry'"'"'s current clip values; and

initializing the jump value of the entry corresponding to the determined starting position.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein each non-overlapping region includes the predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein the jump value associated with the first number of entries is the same as the jump value associated with the second set of entries.

42. The method of claim 33, wherein the starting position of a non-overlapping region is at the beginning or the end of the non-overlapping region.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein initializing the corresponding entry'"'"'s jump value comprises:

determining whether the starting position is at the beginning or the end of the non-overlapping region; and

if the starting position is at the beginning of the non-overlapping region, setting the corresponding entry'"'"'s jump value to one; and

if the starting position is at the end of the non-overlapping region, setting the corresponding entry'"'"'s jump value to the number of clips in the set of clips minus one.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

50. A readable media that, when read, generates a plurality of initial values table entries, each entry comprising a current clip value and a jump value useful by a player to select clips from a set of clips for play during a session without repeating the selection of any clip during the session and without tracking which clips have been selected by:

determining the number of entries to be entered into an initial values table by dividing the number of clips in the set of clips by a predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session;

identifying a plurality of non-overlapping regions in the set of clips corresponding to the number of entries to be entered into the initial values table; and

for each identified non-overlapping region;

obtaining a starting position for the non-overlapping region;

storing the obtained starting position in the initial values table as the corresponding entry'"'"'s current clip value; and

initializing the corresponding entry'"'"'s jump value, the corresponding jump value causing the player to iterate through the clips in the set of clips beginning with the starting position.

51. The readable media of claim 50, wherein each non-overlapping region includes the predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

52. The readable media of claim 51, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

54. The readable media of claim 50, wherein the number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is a first number of entries, further comprising:

obtaining an average number of clip selections per session;

determining a starting position for a second number of entries in the initial values table by offsetting the current clip value of each entry in the first number of entries in the initial values table by the average number of clip selections per session;

storing the determined starting positions in the initial values table as corresponding entry'"'"'s current clip values; and

initializing the jump value of the entry corresponding to the determined starting position.

55. The readable media of claim 54, wherein each non-overlapping region includes the predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

56. The readable media of claim 55, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

57. The readable media of claim 54, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

58. The readable media of claim 54, wherein the jump value associated with the first number of entries is the same as the jump value associated with the second set of entries.

59. The readable media of claim 50, wherein the starting position of a non-overlapping region is at the beginning or the end of the non-overlapping region.

60. The readable media of claim 59, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

61. The readable media of claim 60, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

62. The readable media of claim 59, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

63. The readable media of claim 56, wherein initializing the corresponding entry'"'"'s jump value comprises:

determining whether the starting position is at the beginning or the end of the non-overlapping region; and

if the starting position is at the beginning of the non-overlapping region, setting the corresponding entry'"'"'s jump value to one; and

if the starting position is at the end of the non-overlapping region, setting the corresponding entry'"'"'s jump value to the number of clips in the set of clips minus one.

64. The readable media of claim 63, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

65. The readable media of claim 64, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.

66. The readable media of claim 63, wherein the determined number of entries to be entered into the initial values table is the integer resulting from dividing the number of clips in the set by said predetermined maximum number of clip selections per session.