Network distribution and management of interactive video and multi-media containers

• US 6,573,907 B1
• Filed: 10/04/1999
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1997
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Obvious Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Madrane, Nabil
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thai, Cuong T.
• Application Number:
  US09/411,873
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 345/723, 345/720, 345/719-721, 345/726, 345/730, 345/731, 345/854, 345/716, 345/733, 345/748, 707/10, 707/501.1, 707/500.1, 707/512, 707/513, 709/217
• US Class Current: 715/719
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/745 the internal structure of a single video sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/748 Hypervideo linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object in the context of video distribution systems H04N21/858
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7834 using audio features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7844 using original textual content or text extracted from visual content or transcript of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/786 using motion, e.g. object motion or camera motion
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• 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 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• 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: H04N 21/23412 for generating or manipulating the scene composition of objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot

Abstract

Interactive interfaces to video information provide a displayed view of a quasi-object called a root image. The root image consists of a plurality of basic frames selected from the video information, arranged such that their respective x and y directions are aligned with the x and y directions in the root image and the z direction in the root image corresponds to time, such that base frames are spaced apart in the z direction of the root image in accordance with their time separation. The displayed view of the root image changes in accordance with a designated viewing position, as if the root image were a three-dimensional object. The user can manipulate the displayed image by designating different viewing positions, selecting portions of the video information for playback and by special effects, such as cutting open the quasi-object for a better view. A toolkit permits interface designers to design such interfaces, notably so as to control the types of interaction which will be possible between the interface and an end user. Implementations of the interfaces including editors and viewers are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of delivering video over a network, comprising:

receiving video data representing a video sequence;

generating a hyper-media container containing data associated with the video data;

storing the video data;

storing the hyper-media container;

providing the video data and the hyper-media container available over the network to a remote user.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein generating the hyper-media container comprises providing annotations to the video data.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein generating the hyper-media container includes providing segmentation data associated with the video data.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising controlling access to the video data and the hyper-media container.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein controlling access comprises controlling access to annotations.

6. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein controlling access comprises controlling access to annotation packs.

7. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein controlling access comprises controlling access to versions of annotations.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the providing the video data and the hyper-media container available to the remote user comprises publishing the video data and the hyper-media container.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the providing the video data and the hyper-media container available to the remote user includes distributing at least the hyper-media container.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the distributing comprises providing the hyper-media container available on-demand.

11. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the distributing comprises streaming the video data to the remote user over the network.

12. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the distributing comprises immerse streaming the video data to the remote user over the network.

13. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the distributing comprises broadcasting the hyper-media container over the network to the remote user.

14. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising indexing the video data.

15. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising receiving modifications to one of the hyper-media container and the video data from the remote user and modifying the corresponding one of the hyper-media container and video data.

16. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising allowing the remote user to collaborate with other remote users on at least one of the video data and the hyper-media container.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16, further comprising maintaining version control of modifications to at least one of the video data and the hyper-media container.

18. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein generating the hyper-media container comprises including an identification of a location for the video data associated with the hyper-media container.

19. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein generating the hyper-media container comprises including an identifier for the video data associated with the hyper-media container.

20. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the data in the hyper-media container that is associated with the video data comprises an identifier for a data object.

21. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the video data over the network.

22. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the video data from a second remote user.

23. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising enabling the remote user to send the hyper-media container directly to a second remote user.

24. A method of delivering video over a network, comprising:

receiving video data representing a video sequence;

generating a hyper-media container containing data associated with the video data;

storing the video data;

storing the hyper-media container;

providing the video data and the hyper-media container available over the network to a remote user;

wherein generating the hyper-media container includes analyzing the video data and associating results of the analyzing with the hyper-media container.

25. The method as set forth in claim 24, wherein the analyzing comprises selecting an object from within the video.

26. The method as set forth in claim 24, wherein the analyzing includes extracting an object from within the video.

27. The method as set forth in claim 24, wherein the analyzing includes ranking frames of the video.

28. The method as set forth in claim 24, wherein the analyzing includes analyzing camera motion.

29. The method as set forth in claim 24, wherein the analyzing includes generating zooming effects.

30. The method as set forth in claim 24, wherein the analyzing includes generating scripts effects.

31. The method as set forth in claim 24, wherein the analyzing includes generating special effects.

32. A method of delivering video over a network, comprising:

receiving video data representing a video sequence;

generating a hyper-media container containing data associated with the video data;

storing the video data;

storing the hyper-media container;

providing the video data and the hyper-media container available over the network to a remote user;

the method further comprising;

receiving modifications to one of the hyper-media container and the video data from the remote user and modifying the corresponding one of the hyper-media container and video data; and

publishing versions of the modifications from the remote user to other remote users.