Method and storage device for expanding and contracting continuous play media seamlessly

• US 6,615,270 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2002
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MONKEYmedia, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MONKEYmedia, Inc.
• Inventors: Gould, Eric Justin, Strickland, Rachel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US10/107,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20020099839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 382/68, 382/254, 382/256, 709/231
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/44 Decoders specially adapted therefor, e.g. video decoders which are asymmetric with respect to the encoder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8541 involving branching, e.g. to different story endings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/87 Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence

Abstract

One aspect of the invention is a method for playing a stored content providing a plurality of segments which collectively contains the stored content, each segment has using first terminus and a second terminus with the content having a temporal flow from the first terminus to the second terminus. At least one segment is associated with a plurality of links to other segments. The method includes playing at least one segment with the temporal flow, determining whether a content expansion is desired prior to reaching the second terminus. If the content expansion is desired, then linking to an expansion segment and playing the expansion segment. If the content expansion is not desired, then linking to a continuing segment and playing the continuing segment. The method includes an additional link from the expansion segment to the continuing segment such that the continuing segment is played after the expansion segment has been played. Other aspects of the invention include other methods for playing stored content, for capturing and playing content, capturing segment and linkage descriptions, storage devices of the segment content, storage mechanisms referencing the continuous media content by segments and linkages and apparatus for capturing and playing continuous media content.

Claims

1. A method for playing a stored content comprising:

providing a plurality of segments which collectively comprise said stored content, wherein each of said segments has a first terminus and a second terminus;

wherein content in each of said segments has a temporal flow from said first terminus to said second terminus, and wherein at least one segment is associated with a plurality of links to a corresponding plurality of other of said segments;

playing said at least one segment with said temporal flow;

determining prior to reaching said second terminus whether a content expansion is desired; and

linking to an expansion segment and playing said expansion segment if said content expansion is desired and to a continuing segment and playing said continuing segment if said content expansion is not desired.

2. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 1 wherein there is an additional link from said expansion segment to said continuing segment such that said continuing segment is played.

3. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 2 wherein at least one of said continuing segments contains a landing sub-segment having a first landing sub-segment terminus and a second landing sub-segment terminus and wherein said linking of said expansion segment to said continuing segment and playing said continuing segment can proceed from a starting point of said landing sub-segment after playing said expansion segment.

4. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 3 wherein said first landing sub-segment terminus of said continuing segment substantially coincides with said first terminus of said continuing sub-segment.

5. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 3 wherein said starting point of said continuing segment after playing said expanding segment substantially coincides with said first landing sub-segment terminus of said continuing segment.

6. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 3 wherein said starting point of said continuing segment after playing said expanding segment substantially coincides with said second landing sub-segment terminus of said continuing segment.

7. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 2 wherein at least one of said expansion segments contains a contraction zone significantly preceding said second terminus;

further comprising determining within playing said expansion segment containing said contraction zone prior to reaching said contraction zone whether a premature contraction is desired; and

wherein playing said continuing segment follows playing said contraction zone if said premature contraction is desired.

8. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 2 wherein playing said segments further comprises highlighting an expansion segment cue corresponding to one of said expansion links;

and wherein determining prior to reaching said second terminus whether a content expansion is desired further comprises determining whether said expansion segment cue is selected.

9. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 8 wherein playing said segments further comprises playing at least one discernible entity and wherein highlighting said expansion segment cue comprises highlighting associated with one of said discernible entities.

10. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 9 wherein determining whether said expansion segment cue highlighted by said associated discernible entity is selected further comprises determining whether said associated discernible entity is selected.

11. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 9 wherein linking to said expansion segment and playing said expansion segment further comprises playing a transition from said highlighting said associated discernible entity to playing said expansion segment.

12. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 2 wherein linking to said segment further comprises requesting said segment, wherein said providing said plurality of said segments further comprises transmitting said requested segment to a segment player and wherein playing said segment further comprises playing said requested and transmitted segment on said segment player.

13. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 2 wherein each of said segments is associated with a link corresponding to said continuing segment.

14. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 2 wherein linking a segment further comprises reading a link segment association table and wherein providing said associating of one of said segments to one of said links and said corresponding one of said segments further comprises reading said link segment association table.

15. A method for playing a stored content comprising:

providing a plurality of segments which collectively comprise said stored content, wherein content in each of said segments has a flow and at least one segment is associated with at least one expansion link to at least one other segment;

playing said at least one segment with said flow;

determining whether said content is to be expanded;

linking to an expansion segment and playing said expansion segment if it is determined that said content is to be expanded; and

linking to a continuing segment and playing said continuing segment if it is determined that said content is not to be expanded.

16. A computer program product for displaying a stored content including a plurality of segments, wherein content in each of said segments has a flow and at least one segment is associated with at least one expansion link to at least one other segment, the computer program product comprising:

computer code for displaying said at least one segment with said flow;

computer code for determining whether said content is to be expanded;

computer code for linking to an expansion segment and playing said expansion segment if it is determined that said content is to be expanded; and

computer code for linking to a continuing segment and displaying said continuing segment if it is determined that said content is not to be expanded.