Creation and transmission of rich content media

• US 20070100904A1
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cook, Charles, Casey, Steven, Selvadurai, Gnanasegeran, Sprenger, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,856,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/914 Video

Abstract

A method of playing a rich content stream that includes a media stream and a descriptive stream. The method may include the steps of receiving the rich content stream at a media player, where the descriptive stream is generated from a rich content file executed separately from a source for the media stream, and where the media stream and the descriptive stream are received as separate streams at the media player. The method may also include synchronizing the media stream and the descriptive stream at the media player so that information in the descriptive stream is temporally synchronized with media content playing from the media stream. In addition the method may include activating the playing of the descriptive stream while the media stream is playing on the media player, where descriptive content from the descriptive stream is not played on the media player until being activated by a user.

Claims

1. A method of playing a rich content stream comprising a media stream and a descriptive stream, the method comprising:

receiving the rich content stream at a media player, wherein the descriptive stream is generated from a rich content file executed separately from a source for the media stream, and wherein the media stream and the descriptive stream are received as separate streams at the media player;

synchronizing the media stream and the descriptive stream at the media player so that information in the descriptive stream is temporally synchronized with media content playing from the media stream; and

playing the descriptive stream while the media stream is playing on the media player.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the descriptive stream is not played on the media player until being activated by a user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the descriptive stream is automatically played on the media player until a user deactivates the automatic playing of the descriptive stream.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the descriptive stream comprises data associated with the media content playing on the media player.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the data comprise an email address link, an Internet URL link, scene location data, actor data, director data, producer data, studio data, broadcaster data, program data, product data, soundtrack data, song data, artist data, guest data, history data, recipe data, or map data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the media player plays a different segment of the media stream in response to a scene selection link in the descriptive stream.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises downloading the rich content file to a home media storage device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the home media storage device comprises a hard disk drive.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the hard disk drive provides data to a device selected from the group consisting of a computer, a personal video recording device, digital video recording device, a personal digital assistant, an audio device, a MP3 player, a television set-top box, and an IPTV adaptor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user activates the playing of the descriptive stream through a remote control device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the remote control device is configured to control a cursor on the media playing device with a roller ball or arrow keys.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the remote control can toggle the descriptive stream on and off, and wherein deactivated descriptive stream appears when the cursor passes over it on the media playing device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the media stream comprises an audio stream, a video stream, or an audio-video stream.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the media player comprises an audio-video decoder in communication with a playing device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the media play comprises an MP3 player, a VC-1 decoder, or a RealNetworks decoder.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the playing device comprises a television.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the playing device comprises an audio system.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the audio-video decoder comprises an MPEG decoder.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the rich content stream is received by the media player through an IP network.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the rich content stream can be stored on a media storage device separate from the media player.

21. A method of providing rich media data to a media player operated by a user, the method comprising:

creating a media file comprising media content;

creating a rich content file separate from the media file, wherein the rich content file comprises descriptive content related to the media content;

streaming the media file and the rich content file across an electronic network;

synchronizing, with the media player, a media stream from the media file with a descriptive stream from the rich content file so that the descriptive content in the descriptive stream is temporally synchronized with media content playing from the media stream; and

storing the rich content file on an electronic storage device controlled by the user.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises activating the playing of the descriptive stream while the media stream is playing, wherein descriptive content from the descriptive stream is not played until being activated by the user.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the user activates the playing of the descriptive stream with a remote control.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the electronic network comprises the Internet.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein at least a portion of the electronic network comprises a wireless local area network.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the media player comprises an audio-video decoder in communication with a playing device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the playing device is selected from the group consisting of a television, a stereo, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, a portable digital audio player, and a cellular telephone.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the electronic storage device comprises a hard disk drive, or a flash memory device.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the electronic storage device provides data to a device selected from the group consisting of a computer, a personal video recording device, digital video recording device, a personal digital assistant, a television set-top box, a cellular telephone, a portable digital audio player, a radio, and an IPTV adaptor.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the method comprises ignoring the descriptive stream while the media stream is playing if the media player is incapable of playing the descriptive stream.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the media content comprises a program, advertisement, commercial, webcast, movie, or song.

32. A method of providing rich media content to a television, the method comprising:

displaying an electronic program guide on the television;

selecting data from a descriptive stream that is being displayed on the television with the electronic program guide;

displaying information associated with the data on the television, wherein the information is sent through the descriptive stream; and

displaying a media stream on the television in response to a selection offered in the display of the data, wherein the media stream is separate from the descriptive stream.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the electronic program guide is sent through the media stream.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the media stream displayed in response to the selection has media content selected from the group consisting of a television program, a movie, a commercial, an infomercial, a documentary, a weather report, and a news report.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the method comprises downloading to an electronic storage device a rich content file related to the media stream displayed in response to the selection.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the electronic storage device is a hard disk drive or flash memory component that is in electronic communication with a personal video recorder.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the personal video recorder is in electronic communication with the television.