Interactive applications for stored video playback

• US 20040040041A1
• Filed: 08/22/2002
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Crawford, Jeffrey D.
• Application Number:
  US10/225,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20040040041A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/88
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 for generating interactive applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8583 by creating hot-spots

Abstract

An interactive application uses Digital Video Record (DVR) features to create one or more video segments and associated indexes from broadcast television programming. The video segments and associated indexes may be obtained from independent sources and, in any event, are used by the application to create an enhanced programming viewing experience.

Claims

1. A method for playing back video content obtained from independent sources in an audio/video entertainment system comprising the steps of:

recording video content received from independent sources;

categorizing the received video content;

receiving video indices associated with the recorded video content;

displaying categories of the recorded content wherein receiving a selection of a category displays a list of items of recorded video content related to the category;

receiving a selection of one of the listed items; and

playing the selected item of recorded video content in accordance with the associated video indices.

2. The invention as in claim 1 wherein the categorizing step further includes the steps of:

receiving video content listing data;

extracting an Event Identifier associated with the received video content;

matching the Event Identifier with the video content listing data; and

categorizing the received video content based on the video content listing data.

3. The invention as in claim 1 wherein the video content is obtained from different broadcast television programs.

4. The invention as in claim 1 wherein the video content is thematically categorized.

5. The invention as in claim 4 wherein the video content is categorized as News items relating to a particular topic.

6. The invention as in claim 4 wherein the video content is categorized as Sports highlights.

7. The invention as in claim 4 wherein the video content relates to a celebrity event.

8. The invention as in claim 7 wherein the celebrity event is an awards show.

9. The invention as in claim 4 wherein the video content relates to previews of a particular theme.

10. The invention as in claim 1 wherein the video content is obtained from a storage unit accessed by the entertainment system.

11. The invention as in claim 10 wherein the storage unit is a DVD unit.

12. The invention as in claim 1 wherein the video content is downloaded from the Internet.

13. The invention as in claim I wherein the video content is downloaded as streaming media from a server.

14. A method for creating an interactive program having one or more segments of video data in an audio/video entertainment system comprising the steps of:

receiving and storing video data;

receiving event log data corresponding to entry points in the video data to thereby define segments of video data;

executing an application program defining rules for playing back the segments of video data;

requesting user input at a discrete entry point in one of the segments of video data in accordance with the defined rules;

playing a different video segment in accordance with a response received from the user.

15. The invention as in claim 14 wherein the application program relates to a movie.

16. The invention as in claim 14 wherein the application program creates an interactive game.

17. The invention as in claim 16 wherein the interactive game is based on a television program.

18. The invention as in claim 14 further comprising the step of

matching an Event ID assigned with the event log data with an Event ID assigned to the stored video data;

and

associating the stored video data with event log data when the Event IDs are the same.

19. The invention as in claim 17 further comprising the step of

discarding the event log data when the Event ID associated therewith does not match an Event ID associated with the stored video data.

20. The invention as in claim 14 further including the steps of

deleting the stored video data;

and

automatically deleting the event log data when the stored video data is deleted.

21. The invention as in claim 14 further including the steps of

deleting the stored video data;

and

automatically deleting the application program when the stored video data is deleted.