Method and system for interactively transmitting multimedia information over a network which requires a reduced bandwidth
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A communications system for transmitting interactive multimedia information over a communication medium having limited bandwidth, the system comprising:
- interactive multimedia mastering (IMM) system means for receiving multimedia program materials from a program source, the IMM system including means for optimizing the program materials by separating the information into primary and secondary layers using psychographic parameters to differentiate between important and less important multimedia information, the program materials further optimized by enhancing information in the primary layers to provide a perceived improvement in the quality of the information when presented to a user, and by compressing at least a portion of the optimized program materials to reduce the bandwidth required to transmit the optimized program materials, the optimized program materials including a plurality of program branches where each of the branches allows a plurality of functions and data to be accessed in order to replicate the program source;
a multimedia call processing system (MCPS) coupled to the IMM for receiving and distributing the optimized program materials from the IMM; and
a plurality of interactive multimedia devices (IMDs) for receiving the optimized program materials from the MCPS, the plurality of the IMDs including means for accepting user commands for multimedia information and for responsively transmitting a control signal to the MCPS,the MCPS including a voice mode means responsive to the control signal for branching to a program branch in the optimized program materials indicated by the control signal, the MCPS including means for switching to a data mode for transmitting data from the indicated program branch back to the at least one of the plurality of IMDs and then switching back to the voice mode to accept further control signals from the at least one of the plurality of IMDs, whereby only selected portions of the optimized program materials are sent from the MCPS to the IMDs thereby further reducing the bandwidth required to transmit the multimedia program materials.
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Abstract
A system and device is provided that enhances the interactivity of multimedia information across a communications network or in combination with other networks including telecommunication and cable broadcasting. The system includes an interactive multimedia mastering (IMM) system for receiving multimedia program materials from a program source, a multimedia call processing system (MCPS) coupled to the IMM, and a plurality of interactive multimedia devices (IMDs) for distributing multimedia information to users. The IMM optimizes the program materials by separating the information into primary and secondary layers using psychographic parameters to differentiate between important and less important multimedia information, and then compresses at least a portion of the layers for transmission to the MCPS. The IMDs accept user commands for multimedia information from a telephone, which cause the IMD to transmit a control signal to the MCPS. The MCPS receives the control signal while in a voice mode, and in response, branches to a program branch in the optimized program materials indicated by the control signal. The MCPS switches to a data mode for transmitting data from the indicated program branch back to the requesting IMD, and then switches back to the voice mode to accept further control signals from the IMD. Once the IMD receives the materials, the IMD decompresses any compressed portions and mixes the decompressed portions with the uncompressed portions to provide enhanced interactive multimedia information to the user.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A communications system for transmitting interactive multimedia information over a communication medium having limited bandwidth, the system comprising:
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interactive multimedia mastering (IMM) system means for receiving multimedia program materials from a program source, the IMM system including means for optimizing the program materials by separating the information into primary and secondary layers using psychographic parameters to differentiate between important and less important multimedia information, the program materials further optimized by enhancing information in the primary layers to provide a perceived improvement in the quality of the information when presented to a user, and by compressing at least a portion of the optimized program materials to reduce the bandwidth required to transmit the optimized program materials, the optimized program materials including a plurality of program branches where each of the branches allows a plurality of functions and data to be accessed in order to replicate the program source; a multimedia call processing system (MCPS) coupled to the IMM for receiving and distributing the optimized program materials from the IMM; and a plurality of interactive multimedia devices (IMDs) for receiving the optimized program materials from the MCPS, the plurality of the IMDs including means for accepting user commands for multimedia information and for responsively transmitting a control signal to the MCPS, the MCPS including a voice mode means responsive to the control signal for branching to a program branch in the optimized program materials indicated by the control signal, the MCPS including means for switching to a data mode for transmitting data from the indicated program branch back to the at least one of the plurality of IMDs and then switching back to the voice mode to accept further control signals from the at least one of the plurality of IMDs, whereby only selected portions of the optimized program materials are sent from the MCPS to the IMDs thereby further reducing the bandwidth required to transmit the multimedia program materials. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An interactive multimedia system for providing interactive multimedia information to a user over a communication network, the system comprising:
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an interactive multimedia mastering system (IMMS) including, means for separating multimedia information into primary and secondary layers based upon a program model, means for enhancing the layers in accordance with the program model to enhance user interactivity of the multimedia information, the layers being enhanced through selective use of an objective quality standard that includes metrics of the quality of the layers, and a subjective quality standard that is controlled by user feedback, means for compressing at least a portion the enhanced layers creating compressed layers and uncompressed layers, and means for transmitting the compressed and uncompressed layers over the communication medium; and an interactive multimedia device (IMD) including, communication means for receiving the compressed and uncompressed layers from the communication medium, memory means for storing the compressed and uncompressed layers, means for decompressing the compressed layers, means for mixing the decompressed layers with the uncompressed layers, and means for interactively controlling the communication means, memory means, decompressing means, and mixing means to provide enhanced interactive multimedia information to a display.
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27. A system for interactively providing enhanced information related to a communication network, the network including a first set of pro,ram source materials that is produced for a user, the network further including a second set of pro,ram source material that is related to the first set of program source material, the second set of program source material is stored in a separate layer than the first set of program source material, the system comprising:
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means for linking the first set of program source material with the second set of program source material in synchronization, the first set of program source material being a different media type than the second set of program source material; means coupled to the linking means for controlling the quality of the first and second sets of program source materials by selective use of an objective quality standard that includes metrics of the quality of the layers, and a subjective quality standard that is controlled by user feedback, and means for interactively producing the second set of program source material;
wherein the user of the system can produce additional information related to the first set of program source material. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification