METHODS OF ENHANCING MEDIA CONTENT NARRATIVE

• US 20070220583A1
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intension Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Intension Incorporated
• Inventors: Bailey, Christopher A., Rozner, William John
• Granted Patent: US 7,669,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/135
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• 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 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

In a method of enhancing a viewer'"'"'s experience of a video program, a plurality of selectable alternative video program scenes are provided for a video program being viewed on a display. The selectable alternative program versions are pre-rendered video scenes. A user is prompted to select at least one of the selectable alternative video program scenes for viewing.

Claims

1. A method of enhancing a viewer'"'"'s experience of a video program, comprising:

providing a plurality of selectable alternative video program scenes for a video program being viewed on a display, the selectable alternative program versions being pre-rendered video scenes; and

prompting a user to select at least one of the selectable alternative video program scenes for viewing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable alternative video program scenes are different editing cuts of the same video program scene.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable alternative video program scenes include video scenes associated with one or more remakes of an original video program.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable alternative video program scenes are associated with different educational levels.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the selectable alternative video program scenes are associated with different prices

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable alternative video program scenes include at least one of an animated option and a live-action option.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable alternative video program scenes are associated with different demographics.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable alternative video program scenes are associated with different movie ratings based on content provided within the selectable alternative video program scenes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein prompting includes displaying an advertisement.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the advertisement is displayed on a viewing display, the viewing display also displaying the video program.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the advertisement is displayed during the prompting step in proximity to buttons associated with the plurality of selectable alternative video program scenes.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the user selections selected in response to the prompting as a digital scene selection file.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

loading the digital scene selection file to replay the video program in accordance with the stored user selections without additional user prompting.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user scene selection in response to the prompting; and

tuning to one of a plurality of broadcasted digital signals based on the user scene selection, the plurality of broadcasted digital signals corresponding to the plurality of selectable alternative video program scenes.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the broadcasted digital signals are broadcasted over one or more of a cable channel, an internet channel, a wireless channel and a satellite channel.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sending the digital scene selection file to at least one other user.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing step provides the plurality of selectable alternative video program scenes in a grid matrix display format on the display.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the grid matrix display format includes a plurality of selectable elements, a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, with each selectable element corresponding to one of the plurality of selectable alternative video program scenes and positioned so as to correspond to a given one of the plurality of rows and a given one of the plurality of columns within the grid matrix.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein, in response to the prompting step, the user selects more than one of the plurality of selectable alternative program scenes.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein each of the selected program scenes is displayed to the user in a given sequence.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the given sequence is user designated.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the given sequence corresponds chronologically to the sequence in which the user selected the selected program scenes.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the given sequence corresponds to a default sequence of selectable elements corresponding to the selected program scenes within a grid matrix display.

24. A method of enhancing a viewer'"'"'s experience of a video program, comprising:

loading a digital scene selection file including a plurality of video scene selections, the plurality of video scene selections associated with a plurality of alternative video program scenes; and

displaying selected video scenes from among the plurality of alternative video program scenes in accordance with the plurality of video scene selections.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the selected video scenes are displayed without user prompting.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein displaying includes:

tuning to one of a plurality of broadcasted digital signals in response to each of the plurality of video scene selections, the plurality of broadcasted digital signals corresponding to the plurality of alternative video program scenes.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the broadcasted digital signals are broadcasted over one or more of a cable channel, an internet channel, a wireless channel and a satellite channel.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein, in response to the prompting step, the user selects more than one of the plurality of selectable alternative program scenes.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein each of the selected program scenes is displayed to the user in a given sequence.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the given sequence is user designated.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the given sequence corresponds chronologically to the sequence in which the user selected the selected program scenes.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the given sequence corresponds to a default sequence.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the given sequence corresponds to a default sequence of selectable elements corresponding to the selected program scenes within a grid matrix display.

34. A method of enhancing a viewer'"'"'s experience of a video program, comprising:

saving a digital scene selection file associated with the video program, the digital scene selection file including a customized set of ordered scene selections from among a plurality of selectable alternative video program scenes.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

sending the saved digital scene selection file to at least one other user.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the digital scene selection file is stored as a text file.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the saved customized video program is sent over one or more of a wireless communications channel, a wired communications channel, an email, a text message and a physical storage device.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the physical storage device is one of a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a flash memory device, a floppy disk and a hard drive.

39. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

sending the saved digital scene selection file to a media server.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the media server is configured to analyze the sent digital scene selection file to generate ratings associated with the video program.