Seamless transmission of non-sequential video segments

• US 5,434,678 A
• Filed: 01/11/1993
• Issued: 07/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissim Corp.
• Original Assignee: Max Abecassis
• Inventors: Abecassis, Max
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US08/002,998
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 358/342, 358/335, 358/310, 358/311, 360/13, 348/7, 348/8
• US Class Current: 386/278
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/338 using television networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/47 involving branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible scenarios at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/632 by branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible story developments at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/735 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/022 Control panels
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/04 Arrangements for preventing, inhibiting, or warning against double recording on the same blank or against other recording or reproducing malfunctions
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/12 by sensing distinguishing features of or on records, e.g. diameter end mark
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2587 Laser Discs; Optical disc using analog recording
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 : Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/14 : specially adapted to record on, or to reproduce from, more than one track simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 : for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 : for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/48 : for recognising items expressed in broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/59 : of video recognising characters or patterns in general G06F18/00, G06V20/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 : for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234318 : by decomposing into objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 : Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 : Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 : being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 : Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/44222 : Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 : involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 : Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4542 : Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 : Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 : End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8405 : represented by keywords
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 : by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/4448 : for frame-grabbing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 : the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

This invention relates to a video system comprising integrated random access video technologies and video software architectures for the automated selective retrieval of non-sequentially stored parallel, transitional, and overlapping video segments from a single variable content program source, responsive to a viewer'"'"'s preestablished video content preferences. Embodiments of the video system permit the automatic transmission of the selected segments from a variable content program as a seamless continuous and harmonious video program, and the transmission of the selected segments from an interactive video game further responsive to the logic of the interactive video game. The viewer'"'"'s video content preferences being stored in the video system, and/or in a compact portable memory device that facilitates the automatic configuration of a second video system. The system'"'"'s controls also provide an editor of a variable content program the capability for efficiently previewing automatically selected video segments to permit the editor to indicate the inclusion of the selected segments in the program to be viewed by a viewer. The system further integrates fiber optic communications capabilities and the read/write laser disc player capabilities to facilitate the downloading of a variable content program from a source remote to the system.

Claims

1. A video system comprising:

preferencing means for establishing video content preferences responsive to at least one content category of possibly unsuitable content, said at least one content category including a violence category;

memory means for storing a video segment map and a video, said video segment map defining a plurality of video segments of said video responsive to said at least one content category;

processing means for automatically selecting video segments from said plurality of video segments responsive to an application of said video content preferences to said video segment map;

random accessing means for retrieving the selected video segments; and

transmitting means for transmitting the retrieved video segments as a continuous video.

2. The video system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of video segments comprises at least one non-sequential video segment selected from the group consisting of a parallel video segment, a transitional video segment, and an overlapping video segment.

3. The video system of claim 1, wherein said random accessing means further comprises seamless accessing means for seamlessly retrieving the selected video segments.

4. A video system comprising:

preferencing means for establishing video content preferences responsive to at least one content category of possibly unsuitable content, said at least one content category including a violence category;

first memory means for storing a video segment map defining, a plurality of video segments of a video responsive to said at least one content category;

second memory means for storing said video;

processing means for automatically selecting video segments from said plurality of video segments responsive to an application of said video content preferences to said video segment map;

random accessing means for retrieving the selected video segments; and

transmitting means for transmitting the retrieved video segments as a continuous video.

5. A video system comprising:

preferencing means for establishing video content preferences responsive to a preestablished segment descriptive structure including a violence content category;

memory means for storing a video, said video comprising a plurality of video segments and a video segment map, said video segment map defining said plurality of video segments responsive to said preestablished segment descriptive structure;

processing means for automatically selecting video segments from said plurality of video segments responsive to an application of said video content preferences to said video segment map;

random accessing means for seamlessly retrieving the selected video segments; and

transmitting means for transmitting the retrieved video segments as a seamless video.

6. The video system of claim 5, wherein said plurality of video segments comprises at least one non-sequential video segment selected from the group consisting of a parallel video segment, a transitional video segment, and an overlapping video segment.

7. A video system comprising:

preferencing means for establishing video content preferences responsive to at least one content category of possibly unsuitable content, said at least one content category including a violence category;

memory means for storing a video, said video comprising a plurality of video segments and a video segment map, said video segment map defining said plurality of video segments responsive to said at least one content category, said plurality of video segments comprising at least one non-sequential video segment selected from the group consisting of a parallel video segment, a transitional video segment, and an overlapping video segment;

processing means for automatically selecting video segments from said plurality of video segments responsive to an application of said video content preferences to said video segment map;

random accessing means for seamlessly retrieving the selected video segments; and

transmitting means for transmitting the retrieved video segments as a seamless video.

8. A video system comprising:

preferencing means for establishing video content preferences responsive to at least one content category of possibly unsuitable content, said at least one content category including a violence category;

processing means for automatically selecting video segments from a plurality of video segments of a video responsive to an application of said video content preferences to a video segment map of said video, said video segment map defining said plurality of video segments;

random accessing means for retrieving said video segment map and for seamlessly retrieving the selected video segments from a memory means storing said video segment map and said video; and

transmitting means for transmitting the retrieved video segments as a seamless video.

9. The video system of claim 8, wherein said memory means for storing said video segment map and said video comprises a first memory means for storing said video segment map, and a second memory means for storing said video.

10. A video system comprising:

preferencing means for establishing video content preferences responsive to at least one content category of possibly unsuitable content, said at least one content category including a violence category;

processing means for automatically selecting video segments from a plurality of video segments of a video responsive to an application of said video content preferences to a video segment map of said video, said plurality of video segments comprising at least one non-sequential video segment selected from the group consisting of a parallel video segment, a transitional video segment, and an overlapping video segment, said video segment map defining said plurality of video segments;

random accessing means for retrieving said video segment map and for seamlessly retrieving the selected video segments from a memory means storing said video segment map and said video; and

transmitting means for transmitting the retrieved video segments as a seamless video.

11. A video system comprising:

preferencing means for establishing video content preferences responsive to at least one content category of possibly unsuitable content, said at least one content category including a violence category;

processing means for automatically selecting video segments from a plurality of video segments of a video responsive to an application of said video content preferences to a video segment map provided by said video, said video segment map defining said plurality of video segments;

random accessing means for retrieving said video segment map and for seamlessly retrieving the selected video segments from a laser readable means storing and transporting said video segment map and said video; and

transmitting means for transmitting the retrieved video segments as a seamless video.

12. The video system of claim 11, wherein said plurality of video segments comprises at least one non-sequential video segment selected from the group consisting of a parallel video segment, a transitional video segment, and an overlapping video segment.

13. A video system comprising:

preferencing means for establishing video content preferences responsive to at least one content category of possibly unsuitable content, said at least one content category including a violence category;

processing means for automatically selecting video segments from a plurality of video segments of a video responsive to an application of said video content preferences to a video segment map of said video, said video segment map defining said plurality of video segments responsive to said at least one content category;

random accessing means for retrieving said video segment map and for retrieving the selected video segments from a memory means storing said video segment map and said video; and

transmitting means for transmitting the retrieved video segments as a continuous video.

14. The video system of claim 13, wherein said random accessing means further comprises seamless accessing means for seamlessly retrieving the selected video segments.

15. A video system comprising:

preferencing means for establishing video content preferences responsive to at least one content category of possibly unsuitable content, said at least one content category including a violence category;

processing means for automatically selecting video segments from a plurality of video segments of a video responsive to an application of said video content preferences to a video segment map of said video, said video segment map defining said plurality of video segments responsive to said at least one content category, said plurality of video segments comprising at least one non-sequential video segment selected from the group consisting of a parallel video segment, a transitional video segment, and an overlapping video segment;

random accessing means for retrieving said video segment map and for seamlessly retrieving the selected video segments from a memory means storing said video segment map and said video; and

transmitting means for transmitting the retrieved video segments as a seamless video.

16. A video system comprising:

preferencing means for establishing video content preferences responsive to a preestablished segment descriptive structure including a violence category;

processing means for automatically selecting video segments from a plurality of video segments of a video responsive to an application of said video content preferences to a video segment map of said video, said video segment map defining said plurality of video segments responsive to said preestablished segment descriptive structure;

random accessing means for retrieving said video segment map from a first memory means storing said video segment map, and for seamlessly retrieving the selected video segments from a second memory means storing said video; and

transmitting means for transmitting the retrieved video segments as a seamless video.

17. The video system of claim 16, wherein said plurality of video segments comprises at least one non-sequential video segment selected from the group consisting of a parallel video segment, a transitional video segment, and an overlapping video segment.

18. A method of editing a video comprising the steps of:

establishing video content preferences responsive to at least one content category of possibly unsuitable content, said at least one content category including a violence category;

retrieving a video segment map defining a plurality of video segments of said video, said video segment map responsive to said at least one content category;

automatically selecting video segments from said plurality of video segments responsive to an application of said video content preferences to said video segment map;

retrieving the selected video segments; and

transmitting the retrieved video segments as a continuous video.

19. A method of editing a video comprising the steps of:

establishing video content preferences, said video content preferences responsive to a preestablished segment descriptive structure including a violence category;

retrieving a video segment map defining a plurality of video segments of said video, said video segment map responsive to said preestablished segment descriptive structure, said plurality of video segments comprising at least one non-sequential video segment selected from the group consisting of a parallel video segment, a transitional video segment, and an overlapping video segment;

automatically selecting video segments from said plurality of video segments responsive to an application of said video content preferences to said video segment map;

seamlessly retrieving the selected video segments; and

transmitting the retrieved video segments as a seamless video.