Interactive video program providing linear viewing experience

• US 9,641,790 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2012
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Stone, Brian, Johnson, Jerry, Atkins, Joshua Whitney Samuels
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fogg, Cynthia
• Application Number:
  US13/531,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20130094830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 725139
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8541 involving branching, e.g. to different story endings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/80 Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback

Abstract

Embodiments are disclosed that relate to creating and providing an interactive video program. One disclosed embodiment includes combining a first interactive video segment of a first type and a second interactive video segment of a second, different type than the first segment. The first interactive video segment includes a first video component, a second video component related to the first component, and metadata including information related to a possible user input that triggers the second component. The interactive video program includes an active viewing route that proceeds through the first and second interactive video segments, and includes playback of the second component. The active viewing route is triggered by receipt of an actual user input that corresponds to the possible user input. The interactive video program also includes a passive viewing route that proceeds through the first and second interactive video segments without playback of the second component.

Claims

1. In a computing device, a method of creating an interactive video program that includes multiple viewing routes, the interactive video program providing a linear video viewing experience through each of the multiple viewing routes, the method comprising:

combining a first pre-recorded interactive video segment of a first type and a second pre-recorded interactive video segment of a second, different type than the first pre-recorded interactive video segment to form the interactive video program,

the first pre-recorded interactive video segment comprising a first video component, a second video component, and metadata that includes information related to a possible user input during the first video component and that also includes information identifying the first pre-recorded interactive video segment as being of the first type,

the second pre-recorded interactive video segment comprising a third video component and also comprising metadata identifying the second pre-recorded interactive video segment as being of the second type, and

the interactive video program further comprising

an active viewing route that proceeds through the first pre-recorded interactive video segment and the second pre-recorded interactive video segment, and includes playback of the second video component, the active viewing route configured to be triggered by receipt of a user input that corresponds to the possible user input, and

a passive viewing route that proceeds through the first pre-recorded interactive video segment and the second pre-recorded interactive video segment without playback of the second video component, the passive viewing route configured to be followed where no user input corresponding to the possible user input is received, and

adjusting a duration of the first video component based on one or more of an amount and frequency of the user'"'"'s interaction with the first video component.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the first pre-recorded interactive video segment and the second pre-recorded interactive video segment from a source remotely located from the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pre-recorded interactive video segment comprises one of a layered interactive video segment, a branching interactive video segment, an augmented reality interactive video segment, a shell and narrative interactive video segment, and a socially interactive video segment.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second pre-recorded interactive video segment comprises a different one of a layered interactive video segment, a branching interactive video segment, an augmented reality interactive video segment, a shell and narrative interactive video segment, and a socially interactive video segment than the first interactive video segment.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the active viewing route and the passive viewing route are each configured to proceed without waiting for a user input at a decision point.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying a temporal order of the first pre-recorded interactive video segment and the second pre-recorded interactive video segment within the interactive video program based on previous activity of the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the possible user input comprises a gesture.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the possible user input comprises audio.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the possible user input comprises touch- based input.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the possible user input comprises input from a game controller.

11. In a computing device, a method of providing an interactive video program that provides a linear video viewing experience through each viewing route of multiple viewing routes through the interactive video program, the method comprising:

obtaining a first pre-recorded interactive video segment of a first type, the first pre-recorded interactive video segment comprising a first video component, and metadata that includes information related to a possible user input during the first video component and that also includes information identifying that the first pre-recorded interactive video segment is of the first type;

obtaining a second pre-recorded interactive video segment of a second, different type than the first pre-recorded interactive video segment, the second pre-recorded interactive video segment comprising a third video component and also comprising metadata identifying that the second pre-recorded interactive video segment is of the second type;

sending a representation of the first video component to a display device;

if a user input is received that corresponds to the possible user input, then sending a representation of the second video component and the third video component to the display device;

if no user input is received that corresponds to the possible user input, then sending a representation of the third video component to the display device and not sending a representation of the second video component to the display device; and

adjusting a duration of the first video component based on one or more of an amount and frequency of the user'"'"'s interaction with the first video component.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving the first pre-recorded interactive video segment and the second pre-recorded interactive video segment from a source remotely located from the computing device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving the first pre-recorded interactive video segment and the second pre-recorded interactive video segment from a data holding subsystem of the computing device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first pre-recorded interactive video segment comprises one of a layered interactive video segment, a branching interactive video segment, an augmented reality interactive video segment, a shell and narrative interactive video segment, and a socially interactive video segment.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second pre-recorded interactive video segment comprises a different one of a layered interactive video segment, a branching interactive video segment, an augmented reality interactive video segment, a shell and narrative interactive video segment, and a socially interactive video segment than the first interactive video segment.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising obtaining a third pre-recorded interactive video segment of a different type than the first interactive video segment and the second interactive video segment.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising modifying a temporal order of the first pre-recorded interactive video segment and the second pre-recorded interactive video segment within the interactive video program based on previous activity of the user.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising capturing an image of a user and incorporating the image into one or more of the first video component and the second video component.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the possible user input comprises one or more of a gesture, audio, touch-based input, or input from a game controller.

20. A computing device, comprising:

a logic subsystem; and

a data-holding subsystem comprising instructions stored thereon that are executable by the logic subsystem to present an interactive video program that includes multiple viewing routes, each of the viewing routes providing a linear video viewing experience, by;

obtaining a first pre-recorded interactive video segment comprising a first video component and first metadata that includes information related to a first possible user input during the first video component, the first metadata also identifying that the first pre-recorded interactive video segment comprises branching interactive video;

detecting via the first metadata that the first pre-recorded interactive video segment comprises branching interactive video;

sending a representation of the first video component to a display device;

receiving a first user input;

if the first user input corresponds to the first possible user input, branching to the second video component and sending a representation of the second video component to the display device;

obtaining a second pre-recorded interactive video segment comprising a third video component and second metadata that includes information related to a second possible user input during the third video component configured to trigger a layered presentation of a fourth video component along with the third video component, the second metadata also identifying that the second pre-recorded interactive video segment comprises layered interactive video;

detecting via the second metadata that the second pre-recorded interactive video segment comprises layered interactive video;

sending a representation of the third video component to the display device;

receiving a second user input;

if the second user input corresponds to the second possible user input, sending a representation of the fourth video component to the display device; and

adjusting a duration of the first video component based on one or more of an amount and frequency of the user'"'"'s interaction with the first video component.

21. The computing device of claim 20, further comprising obtaining an augmented reality interactive video segment and presenting the augmented reality interactive video segment either before or after presenting one or more of a branching interactive video segment and a layered interactive video segment.

22. The computing device of claim 20, further comprising receiving the first pre-recorded interactive video segment and the second pre-recorded interactive video segment from a source remotely located from the computing device.

23. The computing device of claim 20, further comprising receiving the first pre-recorded interactive video segment and the second pre-recorded interactive video segment from removable media.

24. The computing device of claim 20, wherein the first possible user input and the second possible user input each comprise one or more of a gesture, audio, touch- based input, or input from a game controller.