METHOD AND STORAGE DEVICE FOR EXPANDING AND CONTRACTING CONTINUOUS PLAY MEDIA SEAMLESSLY
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Abstract
One aspect of the invention is 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 system plays 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 and 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. An additional link form the expansion segment to the continuing segment such that the continuing segment is played after the expansion segment has been played.
5 Citations
20 Claims
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1-8. -8. (canceled)
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9. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer are capable of causing the computer to:
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a. begin fetching a primary content comprising a primary content continuous play media stream; b. display a first segment comprising a first stored content of the primary content continuous play media stream, wherein the second terminus of the first segment and the first terminus of a continuing segment that continues from the first segment in the primary content continuous play media stream are established during display of the first segment at an expansion decision point; c. provide a highlighted expansion cue to a user during display of the first segment indicating an option for the user to elect to access a content expansion comprising an optional content continuous play media stream, whereby the display of the expansion cue is distinct from the display of the first segment; d. determine whether the content expansion is selected and establish the expansion decision point and the beginning of the content expansion based on when the user elected the content expansion; e. display a change in the expansion cue if the content expansion is elected by the user during display of the first segment; f. interrupt the display of the first segment at the second terminus of the first segment if the content expansion is elected by the user during display of the first segment; g. provide an expansion link from the first segment to an expansion segment of the optional content continuous play media stream comprising a second stored content, and display the second stored content of the expansion segment if the content expansion is selected, wherein the displayed second stored content is spatiotemporally continuous with the displayed first stored content and with a displayed third stored content of the continuing segment whereby the display of the second stored content replaces the display of the first stored content after at most a small amount of time and whereby the display of the third stored content replaces the display of the second stored content after at most a small amount of time, and wherein a transition is played from the displayed first stored content to the displayed second stored content; h. provide a continuity link from the expansion segment to the continuing segment and display the third stored content of the continuing segment after finishing the display of the expansion if the content expansion is elected; and i. provide a continuity link from the first segment to the continuing segment and display the third stored content of the continuing segment if the content expansion is not elected, wherein the displayed third stored content is spatiotemporally continuous with the displayed first stored content whereby the display of the third stored content replaces the display of the first stored content after at most a small amount of time. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of seamlessly displaying stored content with spatiotemporal continuity comprising the acts of:
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a. beginning fetching a primary content comprising a primary content continuous play media stream; b. displaying at least one segment comprising a first stored content of the primary content continuous play media stream wherein the second terminus of the at least one segment and the first terminus of a continuing segment that continues from the at least one segment in the primary content continuous play media stream are established during display of the first segment at an expansion decision point; c. providing a highlighted expansion cue to a user that is integrated with the display of the first segment indicating an option for the user to elect to access optional expansion content comprising an optional content continuous play media stream, whereby the display of the expansion cue is distinct from the display of the first segment; d. selecting a content expansion to display after determining that the user has elected to access optional expansion content during display of the first segment; e. establishing the expansion decision point and the beginning of the content expansion based on when the user has elected to access optional expansion content during display of the first segment; f. displaying a change in the expansion cue after determining that the user has elected to access optional expansion content; g. interrupting the display of the first segment at the expansion decision point after determining that the user has elected to access optional expansion content; h. providing an expansion link from the at least one segment to an expansion segment of the optional content continuous play media stream comprising a second stored content; i. playing a transition from the first stored content to the second stored content; j. displaying the second stored content of the expansion segment upon selection of the content expansion, wherein the displayed second stored content forms a spatiotemporal continuity with the displayed first stored content whereby the display of the second stored content replaces the display of the first stored content after at most a small amount of time; and k. providing a continuity link to the continuing segment comprising a third stored content and displaying the third stored content after finishing the display of the expansion, wherein the displayed third stored content forms a spatiotemporal continuity with the displayed second stored content whereby the display of the third stored content replaces the display of the second stored content after at most a small amount of time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification
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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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Granted Patent
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Time in Patent OfficeDays
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Field of Search
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US Class Current386/240
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CPC 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...
