Method and storage device for expanding and contracting continuous play media seamlessly
DC
First Claim
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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, where there is an additional link from said expansion segment to said continuing segment such that said continuing segment is played after said expansion segment has been played.
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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.
110 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for playing a stored content comprising:
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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, where there is an additional link from said expansion segment to said continuing segment such that said continuing segment is played after said expansion segment has been played. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for playing a stored content comprising:
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providing a plurality of segments which collectively comprise said stored content, wherein each of said segments has a first terminus and a second terminus and a continuity link associated with a member of the collection of a segment indicator and a non-segment indicator;
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 expansion 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, pushing said continuity link onto a link stack and playing said expansion segment if said content expansion is desired; and
linking to a continuing segment and playing said continuing segment if said content expansion is not desired and if said continuity link indicates said continuing segment. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
determining if said link stack is empty, popping said link stack, playing said segment indicated by popped said link stack if said content expansion is not desired, and if determining said link stack is not empty and if said continuity link indicates a non-segment and if said popped link stack indicated a segment.
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16. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 15 further comprising:
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halting said playing upon reaching said second terminus if said content expansion is not desired and if said link stack is determined to be empty and if said continuity link indicates a non-segment.
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17. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 14 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.
- 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
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18. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 14 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.
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19. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 18 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.
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20. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 19 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.
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21. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 20 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.
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22. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 14 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.
- wherein said providing said plurality of said segments further comprises transmitting said requested segment to a segment player; and
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23. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 14 wherein each of said segments is associated with a link corresponding to said continuing segment.
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24. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 14 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.
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25. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 14 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.
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26. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 25 wherein said first landing sub-segment terminus of said continuing segment substantially coincides with said first terminus of said continuing sub-segment.
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27. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 25 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.
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28. A method for playing a stored content as recited in claim 25 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.
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29. A storage device for a segmented continuous play media stream comprising:
- at least three segments, each segment comprising a first terminus and a second terminus wherein said segmented continuous play media stream within each segment progresses from said first terminus to said second terminus;
wherein at least one of said segments contains a plurality of links to a corresponding plurality of other of said segments further comprising a continuation link and at least one expansion link and a cue associated with each of said expansion links, stored in said containing segment substantially before said segmented continuous play media stream progresses to said second terminus of said containing segment;
wherein said segmented continuous play media stream of said containing segment progresses to said first terminus of said corresponding continuation link segment after progress to said containing segment second terminus; and
wherein said segmented continuous play media stream of said containing segment progresses to said first terminus of said corresponding expansion link segment after progress to said containing segment second terminus. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
- at least three segments, each segment comprising a first terminus and a second terminus wherein said segmented continuous play media stream within each segment progresses from said first terminus to said second terminus;
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32. A storage mechanism referencing a continuous play media stream segment store comprising
a collection of at least three segment descriptors each of said segment descriptors comprising a first terminus referencing a first time point of a continuous play media stream segment contained in said continuous play media stream segment store; - a second terminus referencing a second time point of said continuous play media stream segment contained in said continuous play media stream segment store;
a continuity link representing one of a collection comprising an indicator of another of segment descriptors and an indicator to a non-segment; and
a collection of at least one expansion link elements each of said expansion link elements comprising an expansion segment indicator, an expansion cue indicator and an indicator of one of a collection of an indicator of another of said expansion link elements and an indicator of a non-expansion link element;
wherein each of said segment descriptors further comprises one of said indicators of one of said expansion link element. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
- a second terminus referencing a second time point of said continuous play media stream segment contained in said continuous play media stream segment store;
Specification
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Litigation Data
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Current AssigneeMONKEYmedia, Inc.
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Original AssigneeMONKEYmedia, Inc.
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InventorsGould, Eric Justin, Strickland, Rachel M.
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Primary Examiner(s)Meky, Moustafa M.
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Application NumberUS09/298,336Time in Patent Office1,124 DaysField of Search382/254, 382/256, 386/68US Class Current382/254CPC Class CodesH04N 19/44 Decoders specially adapted ...H04N 21/2393 involving handling client r...H04N 21/4325 by playing back content fro...H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one cont...H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requ...H04N 21/812 involving advertisement dat...H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the c...H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content ...H04N 21/8541 involving branching, e.g. t...H04N 5/76 Television signal recordingH04N 5/775 between a recording apparat...H04N 5/781 on disks or drumsH04N 5/85 on discs or drumsH04N 9/87 Regeneration of colour tele...
