Method and apparatus for efficient, entertaining information delivery

• US 9,317,597 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2014
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTECH Properties, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NTECH Properties, Inc.
• Inventors: Marcus, Dwight
• Primary Examiner(s): MENDOZA, JUNIOR O
• Application Number:
  US14/494,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20150199365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/738 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/306 using TV related infrastructures external card used for payment with client device H04N21/4185
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and apparatus for efficient, entertaining information delivery. In one embodiment, information is partitioned into clips. Clips are selected for a user and packaged together for presentation to the user in an entertaining manner. In one embodiment, the clips are selected and packaged together in accordance with a template. In another embodiment, information about a user is used to select clips. In one embodiment, a user is presented with a stream of information comprised of clips of information assembled for the user. The user may select a clip to retrieve additional information related to the clip. In one embodiment, the selected clip is a portion of a program (e.g., a television show, a movie, a song, an advertisement, etc.) and the additional information is a larger clip of the program and/or the entire program.

Claims

1. A method of providing video programming to a user, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a first request for video programming at a computing device comprising a video server, by communication with a computing device associated with a user;

(b) searching one or more databases of video clips based on the first request, wherein each said database is in communication with said video server computing device;

(c) receiving one or more first search results at said video server computing device, wherein said first search results collectively correspond to a plurality of first video clips in said one or more databases, each of which is responsive to the first request, and wherein at least some of said responsive first video clips are each associated with one or more second video clips in said one or more databases;

(d) identifying a plurality of first transitional clips in said one or more databases for association with at least some of said responsive first video clips;

(e) defining first video programming comprising a selected plurality of said responsive first video clips and a selected plurality of first transitional clips that are concatenated according to a first temporal sequence;

(f) providing a presentation of said first video programming to a display associated with said user computing device;

(g) receiving an identification of a first video clip of said first video programming at said video server computing device;

(h) searching said one or more databases of video clips according to a second request for second video programming that is based at least in part on a stored association between the identified first video clip and at least one second video clip;

(i) receiving one or more second search results at said video server computing device, wherein said second search results collectively correspond to a plurality of second video clips in said one or more databases that are responsive to the second request, including at least one second video clip that is associated with the identified first video clip;

(j) identifying a plurality of second transitional clips in said one or more databases for association with at least some of said responsive second video clips;

(k) defining second video programming comprising a selected plurality of second video clips, including the designated second video clip, and a selected plurality of second transitional clips that are concatenated according to a second temporal sequence; and

(j) presenting said second video programming to a display associated with said user computing device;

wherein at least one searching or defining step is performed according to one or more templates which collectively comprise a plurality of template variables comprising (a) information about a user associated with the second computing device, (b) viewing scenarios of two or more selected video clips in a temporal relationship to each other, and (c)“

style requirements”

.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said video clips of said first or second video programming is a transitional clip.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said video clips of each of said first and second video programming is a transitional clip.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said transitional clip is a hosting clip consistent with at least one template variable.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein at least one transitional clip is a hosting clip consistent with at least one template variable.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein said first or second template variables corresponding to viewing scenarios comprise sequencing limitations for incorporating video clips at specific locations in the first or second video programming.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the sequencing limitations comprise at least one of length requirements, requirements for presenting a set of associated video clips in a predetermined order, and requirement for presenting a set of associated video clips within a predetermined time frame.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein one or more video clips comprise advertising.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein information about the user comprises at least one of demographic information, psychographic information, and a viewing history.

10. A method according to claim 6, wherein the step of selecting a second video clip based on said association with at least one first video clip is performed according to at least one of the first or second templates.

11. A method according to claim 6, wherein said stored associations between said video clips comprise a plurality of media tags.

12. A method according to claim 6, wherein said media tags comprise a plurality of information selected from at least some of context, subject matter, source, region, language, sponsorship, demographics, psychographics, and viewing history.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first and second video programming are each presented as a stream of information to the user.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first or second template variables corresponding to viewing scenarios comprise sequencing limitations for incorporating video clips at specific locations in the first or second video programming.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the sequencing limitations comprise at least one of length requirements, requirements for presenting a set of associated video clips in a predetermined order, and requirement for presenting a set of associated video clips within a predetermined time frame.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein one or more video clips comprise advertising.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein information about the user comprises at least one of demographic information, psychographic information, and a viewing history.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a second video clip based on said association with at least one first video clip is performed according to at least one of the first or second templates.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein said stored associations between said video clips comprise a plurality of media tags.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein said media tags comprise a plurality of information selected from at least some of context, subject matter, source, region, language, sponsorship, demographics, psychographics, and viewing history.