Interactive multimedia system and method

• US 20050220439A1
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tellx, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tellx, Inc.
• Inventors: Carton, Owen A., Serrano, Martha C.
• Application Number:
  US11/084,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20050220439A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/240
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71

Abstract

A method of authoring a DVD with indexed promotional and informational content; a system for delivering indexed promotional and informational content for video scenes streamed from a DVD disc or a PVR; and a system for accessing this promotional and informational content via a remote control, a computer input device, or the fascia buttons of DVD players, thereby providing viewers with reference information regarding all scene content, providing video feature producers and advertising agencies with new advertising options to sell to advertisers, and providing video feature directors with a new channel for delivering additional content features for the purpose of entertainment, information, or education.

Claims

1. A method of providing an interactive video feature, the method comprising:

providing a video sequence for a viewer;

indexing objects in said video sequence with reference information;

overlaying icons on said indexed objects; and

enabling said icons to be selected by said viewer, whereby selecting one of said icons returns said reference information about said indexed object linked to said selected icon.

2. A method of providing promotional content for video content, the method comprising:

associating video content with promotional content and storing information about said association in an index; and

storing said index and said promotional content on a digital video medium containing said video content, thereby allowing a viewer of said video content to, using controls of a device for displaying said video content, enable the display of, graphically navigate to, and directly interrogate on-screen icons, whereby said icons link to and activate the display of said promotional content regarding scene content for the purposes of promotion, advertising, education, entertainment, or otherwise, wherein the display of said promotional content is initiated by intercepting a menu button command and returning a content promotion screen.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said digital video medium is a DVD.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said digital video medium is a DVD, and said video content is stored on said DVD.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said digital video medium is a digital medium of a personal video recorder.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said digital video medium is a digital medium of a personal video recorder, and said video content is broadcast, streamed, downloaded, or otherwise acquired for display by said personal video recorder.

7. A content promotion article comprising:

a DVD containing video content, index data, and promotional content associated with said video content, said DVD authored such that said video content is divided into scenes with said promotional content associated with one or more of said scenes by said index data, wherein said DVD is operable to;

play said video content from a DVD player;

set a bit in general purpose registry memory of said DVD player that indicates the extent to which said DVD player is content promotion capable;

access a content promotion screen directly from video play by intercepting a menu button command from a DVD player control, wherein selecting Menu during said video play of a scene containing said associated promotional content pauses said video play and presents a viewer with said content promotion screen having viewer-selectable content promotion icons overlaying items from said scene, wherein selecting one of said content promotion icons returns an associated content promotion banner; and

resume said video play, upon viewer selection, at a location of said scene containing associated promotional content, where said video play was interrupted to access said content promotion screen.

8. The article of claim 7, wherein said DVD is further operable to automatically enable menu button access to content promotional screens.

9. The article of claim 7, wherein said DVD is further operable to enable a viewer to toggle menu button access to content promotional screens.

10. The article of claim 7, wherein said DVD is further operable to test the extent to which said DVD player is capable of displaying said promotional content from menu button access.

11. The article of claim 7, wherein said DVD is further operable to retrieve content promotion screens by chapter number for DVD players that are not capable of retrieving said content promotion screens by index number.

12. The article of claim 7, wherein said DVD is further operable to enable a viewer to navigate content promotion screens from a content promotion menu.

13. A system for providing video content and metadata associated with said video content in an index, said system comprising:

video content storage means for storing said video content;

metadata storage means for storing said metadata;

index storage means for storing said index;

processor means for receiving and processing said video content from said video content storage means, said metadata from said metadata storage means, and said index from said index storage means;

display means for receiving and displaying said video content and said metadata;

input means for communicating with said processor means how and when to display selected parts of or all of said video content and said metadata.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said video content is selected from the group consisting of digitized video, broadcast television signal, and cable television signal.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said video content storage means is selected from the group consisting of DVD, hard disk memory, RAM, flash memory, tape memory, and optical memory.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said metadata storage means is selected from the group consisting of DVD, hard disk memory, RAM, flash memory, tape memory, and optical memory.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein said index storage means is selected from the group consisting of DVD, hard disk memory, RAM, flash memory, tape memory, and optical memory.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein said processor means is selected from the group consisting of set-top DVD player, DVD-enable computer, personal digital assistant, personal computer, Internet server.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein said display means is selected from the group consisting of television screen and computer screen.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein said input means is selected from the group consisting of DVD remote control, DVD set-top box control, and computer input device.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein said metadata and said index are stored on a DVD.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein said metadata and said index are stored in a personal video recorder.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein said metadata and said index are broadcast or streamed from an external source.

24. A method of providing promotional content for video content, said method comprising:

associating video content with promotional content and storing information about said association in an index;

storing said index and said promotional content on a digital video medium containing said video content

enabling a viewer to mark scenes, having indexed promotional content, without interrupting play of said video content;

displaying marked scenes such that icons overlay indexed objects, wherein selecting an icon returns information about a selected object.

25. A content promotion article comprising:

a DVD containing video content, index data, and promotional content associated with said video content, said DVD authored such that said video content is divided into scenes with said promotional content associated with one or more of said scenes by said index data, wherein said DVD is operable to;

play said video content from a DVD player;

enable a viewer to mark said scenes, having said promotional content, by activating a currently selected button, wherein marking said scenes stores viewer selections in general parameter register memory of said DVD player, thereby providing uninterrupted viewing;

create an index of marked scenes for later review of said promotional content associated with said marked scenes; and

provide access to a content promotion menu for accessing content promotion screens, and marked content promotion screens, wherein said content promotion screens have viewer-selectable content promotion icons overlaying items from a scene, wherein selecting a content promotion icon returns an associated content promotion banner.

26. The article of claim 25, wherein said DVD is further operable to display visual cues during video play, wherein said visual cues indicate that a currently playing scene contains said promotional content, thereby indicating that said currently playing scene is capable of being marked by a viewer for later review.

27. The article of claim 25, wherein said DVD is further operable to enable a viewer to toggle whether said scenes display visual cues indicating that a currently playing scene contains said promotional content.

28. The article of claim 25, wherein said DVD is further operable to provide a timeline of marked scenes for viewer to access for navigation of marked scenes.

29. The article of claim 25, wherein said DVD is further operable to provide an array of marked scenes for a viewer to review sequentially.