WO2001091463A1

WO2001091463A1 - Updateable video trailer delivery promotion method

Info

Publication number: WO2001091463A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/015650
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marc S. Cohen
Original assignee: Cohen Marc S
Priority date: 2000-05-25
Filing date: 2001-05-15
Publication date: 2001-11-29
Also published as: AU2001261613A1

Abstract

Playback of a digital media is altered through identification of digital coding used to control playback. A promotion trailer not pre-recorded in the digital media is played (42, 44, 54) in addition to or in place of pre-recorded promotional trailers contained on the media (50, 54). For example, pre-recorded trailers pre-recorded on a DVD may be recognized (38), and instead of playing the pre-recorded trailer (50, 54), an updated trailer received from a broadcast is played (42, 44, 54). Promotion capabilities are enhanced since trailers, which are typically used to promote new movie releases, games related to movie releases and similar dated material, will have a short period of relevance. A new digital video player is used in the promotion method. The player includes the capability to receive, store, and play updatable trailers.

Description

UPDATEABLE VIDEO TRAILER DELIVERY PROMOTION METHOD

DESCRIPTION

The primary fields of the invention are promotion and digital video.

BACKGROUND ART

Promotional trailers precede the video feature on pre-recorded digital videos rented and purchased for home viewing. Pre-recorded movie features, for example, typically include promotional trailers for new video releases or new movie releases. Prerecorded features of another nature, such as children's shows or sports instruction, might include promotional trailers for related products. Generally, a promotion trailer includes dated material, meaning the material will lose its relevance after the passing of a relatively short period of time. Thus, while the promotion trailers are a powerful form of promotion that many viewers even appreciate as a source of information concerning, for example, new movies, their pre-recorded nature diminishes their value over time.

Currently, the most popular format for recording films for home viewing is VHS (VHS is an acronym for Vertical Helical Scan or Video Home System). VHS is an analog tape based system. The market share of VHS is likely to decline as the Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) format becomes a primary format for recording movie features and other features for home viewing. The DVD is an optical disc that is very similar to the Compact Disc (CD). The DVD is the same size as the CD but can store vastly more information (4.7 gigabytes compared to 650 megabytes). There are numerous other digital formats that could be used for recording films for home viewing. JVC Corporation has recently finalized the technical specification for Digital VHS (D-VHS) tape. D-VHS is a new technology that is based on VHS. In addition to offering the features of conventional, analog VHS this new VHS technology offers bit stream recording capability which will allow recording of compressed digital data on a low-cost, high-capacity tape.

Although not currently in use, it is conceivable that other types of removable, portable digital storage media could be used to record films for home viewing.

These media might include flash memory, such as the Memory Stick from Sony or Secure Digital (SD) cards from Panasonic and Toshiba, removable hard drives, Zip drives, IBM Microdrive units, DataPlay discs, etc.

Commercially produced digital video media contain control information about the data recorded on the disc. The invention concerns digital video media in general, including the aforementioned types of media. The remaining description of the invention will be directed to DVD, as the DVD is emerging as a primary format for digital video and provides a convenient basis to illustrate the invention.

The DVD format defines a specific file system for all types of DVD applications. This file system is the UDF/ISO-9660 Bridge Format. The top level of organization on a DVD disc is a volume. The volume is made up of the UDF Bridge file system, a single DVD- Video Zone, which contains all of the data elements for the set-top video title, and a DVD Others Zone which can be used for non-DVD Video data elements like desktop computer applications.

The DVD-Video Zone begins with a Video Manager, which is a master for the data elements on the disc. Following the Video Manager are the Video Title Sets. The title sets usually comprise the bulk of the DVD disc. The data within the Video Title is made up of Video Object Sets (VOBS), which are themselves made up of one or more Video Objects (VOB). It is the VOB that is the fundamental media file element of the DVD. The VOB is made up of one or more cells. A cell may be as large as a whole film or a small section of the film. Anything played from a DVD is a collection of cells called a Program Chain (PGC). A PGC may be a trailer, an interview with the director, a scene from the film, etc. Each PGC is made up of a pre-command, cells grouped into programs and a post-command. The pre-command contains a list of cells within the VOB to be played back. After the programs have been presented, a post command can be used to set a link to another program chain, return to a main menu, or any one of up to 128 possible commands from the DVD command set which make up the navigation control for DVD presentation.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention takes advantage of the ability provided by digital video formats to alter programming playback through identification of digital coding used to control playback and playing a promotion trailer not pre-recorded on the digital media in addition to or in place of pre-recorded promotion trailers contained on the media. For example, trailers pre- recorded on a DVD may be recognized, and instead of playing the pre-recorded trailer, an updated trailer received from a broadcast is played. DVD data structures described above, and any coding used to control, address or organize digital data on a disc will be referred to as control codes. The present invention allows for the update of the promotion trailers typically included with pre-recorded digital video media. Promotion capabilities are enhanced since trailers, which are typically used to promote new movie releases, games themed on movie releases and similar dated material, will have a short period of relevance. Coupled with the invention, the longevity of a digital video medium, such as a DVD, provides the opportunity to provide a relevant promotion trailer during playback of the digital video medium over its life. The invention is a promotion method for use with recorded digital video media. A broadcast of promotion trailers is made to digital video media players. A digital video player which receives a promotion trailer broadcast identifies data on a digital video medium in the digital video player other than a feature included on the digital video medium, e.g. pre-recorded trailers. The player then plays a received promotion trailer in response to an identification of data in said step of identifying data. The invention further provides a promotion method for use with recorded digital video media in which digital video player manufacturers are provided with incentives to manufacture digital video players including the capability to receive promotion trailer broadcasts and to play a promotion trailer received from a promotion trailer broadcast during playback of a digital video medium. The incentives may comprise payments to manufacturers, for example. An incentive might also comprise a license right under a patent issuing on this application, which would be useful in the case where a manufacturer, such as Sony, is also a participant in the film industry that relies upon movie trailers as an important form of promotion of upcoming feature films. A transmission of promotion trailers to digital video players including the capability to receive promotion trailer broadcasts and to play a promotion trailer received from a promotion trailer broadcast during playback of a digital video medium is arranged. Content from interested parties may then be inserted into promotion trailer broadcasts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred promotion method of the invention; FIG. 2a illustrates a preferred updateable trailer structure; FIG.2b illustrates a preferred database structure for period transmission to an updateable trailer enabled player (UTEP) of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a relationship between a film database and trailer codes; FIG. 4 illustrates a preferred method for selecting trailers for play during a digital versatile disc playback; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a preferred UTEP of the invention.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The invention requires provision of new capability in digital video playback devices. A base of devices including the capability to receive promotion trailer broadcasts and insert received promotion trailers into a playback sequence is desirable. However, one or a few devices will be sufficient for limited applications, such as providing trailers to specific persons or groups of persons as opposed to the general population. Trailers are sent to such a specially equipped player and stored in memory. The specially equipped player will be referred to as a Updateable Trailer Enabled Player (UTEP).

Referring now to FIG. 1 , a preferred promotion method of the invention is illustrated. Agreements, which preferably include incentives, are reached for the manufacture of UTEP type players 10. Initially, digital video manufacturers are provided with incentives to manufacture digital video players including the capability to receive promotion trailer broadcasts and to play a promotion trailer received from a promotion trailer broadcast during playback of a digital video medium. The incentives may comprise payments to manufacturers, for example. An incentive might also comprise a license right under a patent issuing on this application, which would be useful in the case where a manufacturer, such as Sony, is also a participant in the film industry that relies upon movie trailers as an important form of promotion of upcoming feature films. Received trailers may be played in place of or in addition to pre-recorded trailers. Once the promotion method of the invention takes hold in the marketplace, the need to reach agreements or incentives with manufacturers may disappear. If the promotion through updateable trailers becomes popular, it is expected that the ability of digital video players to receive, store and play updateable trailers could become a standard feature of such players in the market. At such a time, the need to reach agreements and provide incentives for manufacture would cease. Initially, agreements should focus on geographic or system related markets so that UTEPs are may be reached by message broadcasts. For example, agreements could seek to distribute UTEPs for sale into a concentrated urban market. That market then provides a starting point of promotion trailer delivery to UTEPs. Alternatively, UTEPs might be provided to groups as seminar tools, or to specific individuals, e.g., movie reviewers.

Once a base of UTEP players exists in a geographic area, to a group, or to certain individuals, promotion trailers transmission is arranged 12 to digital video players including the capability to receive promotion trailer broadcasts and play a promotion trailer received from a promotion trailer broadcast during playback of a digital video medium. The manner of transmission will depend upon the UTEP reception capabilities. A preferred method of transmission/reception is through cable television (CATV) and digital satellite service (DSS) networks, but radio frequency and other communication channels, e.g., phone systems, offer the opportunity to provide for delivery of promotion trailers via broadcast to UTEPs as well . The arrangement for broadcast might include, for example, a contract with CATV or DSS providers. Providers themselves may serve as promoters of updateable trailers.

A particularly interesting type of promotion enabled by the invention is a new and unique method of film promotion. Movie studios, film distributors and the like will be able to arrange for home video viewers to watch a trailer that is not recorded on the video, but is selected and sent to the disc player. In the case of film promotion, a trailer service (provider) company contracts with disc player manufacturers 10, such as Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, etc., to produce players that can receive updated trailers (UTEP). The provider may pay the manufacturer for adding this capability to their players or the provider may offer the manufacturer a share of the revenue received for providing this service to movie studios, distributors and the like (advertiser). Other forms of contract are also possible. The UTEPs are sold to consumers through conventional channels, just like non-enabled players. The provider will control access to the installed base of UTEPs. The provider contracts with sources to transmit trailers and databases to the UTEPs. These sources maybe DTV stations, commercial radio stations (sub-carrier), CATV companies, or other appropriate sources. The provider contracts with advertisers to send desired trailers and film databases to the installed base of UTEPs, or to a sub-set of the installed base. The provider will charge the advertiser a fee for this service. The trailers and databases are transmitted, and videos are rented or purchased and watched along with trailers that have been transmitted. The transmission and viewing may repeat infinite times. Additionally, the provider may contract with more than one advertiser, or may contract with advertisers a number of times. Many choices exist for the medium over which promotion trailer broadcasts may be delivered. Preferred examples are discussed. Each assumes that a base of UTEPs has been provided that is capable of reception through each exemplary medium. It may be desirable to provide for UTEP manufacture where UTEPs are capable of receiving promotion trailers from various broadcast methods. This ensures flexibility in choosing or changing broadcast methods later.

Wireless transmission is one potential broadcast method. There are many ways to transmit a signal without wires. The most common method is by means of radio waves (RF). Other methods include microwaves, infrared light, laser light and sound waves. Radio, television and cellular telephony all transmit signals via RF. Each uses different frequencies, modulation and coding techniques to transmit its signal. Any method of RF transmission could be utilized to broadcast trailers to portable or home video players as contemplated by this invention. The particular method of preferred transmission may vary from country to country or region to region.

Radio subcarrier channels are one potential wireless transmission method in the U.S. The radio signal transmitted from a commercial FM or AM station is an electromagnetic wave which frequency shifts according to the amplitude of the audio signals. In other countries, similar bands may be available. The center frequency is the carrier frequency and is in the band of 88-108 MHZ for commercial FM stations in the United States. The Subsidiary Communications Authority, also known as a sub-carrier, sideband, SCA band or SCA (sub-carrier) is a separate, non-baseband, audio or data signal which is multiplexed onto the carrier (baseband) audio signal over a broadcast FM or AM radio station in the United States. No FCC (U.S. Federal Communications Commission) authorization, notice, application or license is required by the broadcast station to transmit a sub-carrier signal (see 47 C.F.R. Section 73.127 for AM stations and 47 C.F.R. 73.293 for FM stations). FM sub-carriers must be within the range of 20 to 99 kHz when monophonic programs are broadcast and 53 to 99 kHz for stereophonic programs broadcast. Sub-carrier signals cannot be received by a regular radio; specially tuned receivers are required. FM transmissions may be analog or digital, currently AM transmissions are analog only. Sub-carrier multiplexing has been used for many different purposes including: paging, inventory distribution, bus dispatching, stock market reports, traffic control signal switching, point-to-point or multi point messages, foreign language programming, radio reading services, radio broadcast data systems (RBDS), station control and meter reading, utility load management and Muzak.

Digital television (DTV) provides another opportunity for trailer delivery to UTEPs. The United States Telecommunications Act of 1996 (the Act) established DTV and required that all commercial television stations broadcast a digital signal by 2002. Each 6 MHZ channel assigned to a television station has sufficient bandwidth to permit the digital broadcast of approximately 19.5 megabits per second (Mbps) of data. It is anticipated that most DTV programming will be broadcast in Enhanced Definition (EDTV), or 480 lines progressive, mode that consumes only about 8 Mbps. In general, this means that each DTV station will have excess broadcast capacity of 11.5 Mbps. The Act authorized broadcast stations to use this excess bandwidth to provide ancillary or supplemental services, in addition to free over the air television, as long as the television signal is not compromised.

Wireline transmission may also be used. The invention applies to portable video players and non-portable or home based video players. Portable and home-based video players could receive updated trailers via wireless transmission. Home-based UTEPs can receive wireline transmissions. CATV is a preferred method for transmission of trailers to UTEPs. In the United States, for example, more than 65 million households, or 7 in 10 television households, are currently equipped with cable TV (CATV). CATV is capable of carrying numerous channels simultaneously, including bi-directional Internet access. The expansive bandwidth of cable could be utilized, in the context of this invention, to transmit trailers to home-based UTEPs.

Returning to FIG. 1, once a base of UTEPs are available, offers are then made to interested parties, preferably in return for payment, for the ability to insert content into promotion trailer broadcasts 14. This may be realized indirectly, by contracting with advertisers who represent interested parties, or directly, by contracting with parties that have trailer type content which they wish to distribute, e.g., movie studios. The right to insert content might also be offered to a manufacturer in return for the incentives discussed in step 10. The content of a party is then broadcast as updateable trailers. When a video is put in UTEP player, the player identifies the trailers, the feature film and anything else on the video through the control data recorded on the disc. The player can play the trailer on the video or it can substitute a trailer from its memory 18.

A preferred trailer structure for updateable trailers is shown in FIG.2a. The structure will be referred to as a trailer unit. The first field in the trailer unit is a start flag 20, which indicates the beginning of the unit. The next field 22 includes the trailer data, which is preferably in a compressed format. This data is followed by a priority code 24 field having data, which along with data in a trailer code field, is used by a UTEP controller to determine if that trailer will be played. Data in an end flag field 28 indicates that the unit is complete.

In addition to the trailer data, a content database is preferably transmitted periodically to the UTEP. This database, has a form like that shown in FIG. 2b. It contains a list, or subset, of films (or other features) available on the medium that can be played on the UTEP (e.g., films available on DVD). Each film 30 is linked with a code 32 that corresponds to a trailer unit. The database will be used to determine which trailers are played, permitting the type of trailer played to depend upon the type of content being viewed. FIG. 3 provides a graphic representation of how a film database and the codes in the trailer unit are related. The general structure is applicable to features other than films as well. In FIG. 3, the films in the database can be selected and grouped in an infinite variety of ways. The database may consist of the most popular rental films currently. As another example, the database may consist of rental films available from a certain studio. Each film in the database is associated with a trailer code. The database can be updated at each transmission and is stored in a specific UTEP memory location, referred to as Memory M. The trailer units are also stored in a particular UTEP memory location, referred to as Memory L. Trailer codes are keyed to the film that the trailer promotes. It is anticipated that each film trailer will have a unique trailer code. However, each trailer can be associated to more than one film in the database and each film in the database can be associated with more than one trailer. The trailer-coding scheme permits trailers to be selected for viewing based on the film that is on the video in the player. Each trailer unit also has a priority code. The priority code will have at least two states. In the first state represented by X, the trailer always overrides any pre-recorded trailers on the video media. This code may be used, for example, when a studio wants to maximize exposure for a new release. In the second state represented by Y, the trailer overrides the trailer on the video only when it matches the trailer codes in the database associated with the film on the video. This condition will permit a default to the trailer on the video in all other cases. A preferred method for selecting trailers for play in operation is depicted in

FIG. 4. The process begins when a UTEP player is turned on or the video is inserted 34. A UTEP controller reads 36 video media control codes, identifies the trailer information and feature film data on the video and checks the database for this film and it's associated trailer code. Preferably, the controller identifies 38 the first pre-recorded trailer on the video. This begins a looping process that will select as many trailers for viewing as were recorded onto the video. The first step in the loop is checking 40 Memory L for trailer units with the priority code X (always override trailer on video). The first trailer unit to be identified containing priority code X, is flagged for play 42 and the flag is moved 44 to a memory location, which for purposes of illustration is being called Memory N. The loop continues by looking 46 for next trailer on the video. If Memory L does not contain any trailer units with priority code X, then the controller will seek to match 48 the trailer code on trailer units, in Memory L, with the trailer code in the database, Memory M, associated with the film on the video. If matching trailer codes are not found, the trailer on the video will be flagged for play 50 and the loop will continue. The loop ends when no more trailers on the video are identified. Following this, the trailers flagged in Memory N are played 54. At the conclusion of the feature film, the disc is removed or the player is turned off 56 and the short-term memory and Memory N are erased 58. With this coding scheme and selection algorithm, or a similar algorithm, the most relevant and timely trailers are selected for play.

A UTEP general architecture 60 is illustrated in schematic form in FIG. 5. The receives trailers from a communication medium, such as CATV or one of the others previously described. A receiver module 62 is constructed to receive messages for one or multiple mediums and broadcast methods, e.g., commercial radio sub-carrier or DTV excess bandwidth, according to conventional techniques. The trailer unit receiver module 62 includes a controller and memories 64 required to receive, store and play updateable trailers. The receiver unit is linked to the other digital media player components 65, the design of which is well known, through appropriate control circuitry 66. It is contemplated that the trailers received by the receiver unit will be processed through the digital media player (e.g., decompressed, or converted to analog, etc.). The disc player module and trailer receiver module preferably share a power supply 68. The audio and video outputs of the disc player (including trailers received through the trailer receiver) are sent to a television or screen 70 if the player is a portable type.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it should be understood that other modifications, substitutions and alternatives are apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such modifications, substitutions and alternatives can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which should be determined from the appended claims.

Various features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A promotion method for use with recorded digital video media the method comprising steps of: providing a broadcast of promotion trailers to digital video media players; then, within a digital video player, receiving at least one promotion trailer as a result of said step of providing, identifying data on a digital video medium in the digital video player other than a feature included on the digital video medium; and playing one of a pre-recorded or a received promotion trailer in response to an identification of data in said step of identifying data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said data identified in said step of identifying comprises pre-recorded trailer data.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said steps of identifying is repeated after a promotion trailer is played, and said step of replaying is repeated in response to identification of additional pre-recorded trailer data.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said steps of identifying and playing are repeated once for each pre-recorded trailer data on the digital video medium.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step, within the digital video player, of storing promotion trailers received as a result of said step of providing.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising steps of: agreeing, with a digital video manufacturer, to include a capability to conduct said steps of receiving, identifying and playing in digital video players manufactured by the manufacturer.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said steps of providing is delayed for a predetermined period after said step of agreeing to ensure a based of digital video players which are capable of conducting said steps of receiving, identifying, and playing.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of providing broadcasts promotion trailers over a cable television network.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of providing promotion trailers broadcasts over a wireless network.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of providing broadcasts through a radio transmission.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of providing broadcasts through radio frequency transmission.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of providing broadcasts through optical transmission.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of providing broadcasts through a digital television signal.

14. A promotion method for use with recorded digital video media, the method comprising steps of: providing an incentive for a digital video manufacturer to manufacture digital video players including the capability to receive promotion trailer broadcasts and to play a promotion trailer received from a promotion trailer broadcast during playback of a digital video medium; arranging for transmission of promotion trailers to digital video players including the capability to receive promotion trailer broadcasts and to play a promotion trailer received from a promotion trailer broadcast during playback of a digital video medium; inserting content into a promotion trailer broadcast arranged by said step of arranging.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of inserting comprises agreeing with a party to insert content from the party into a promotion trailer broadcast in return for payment from the party.

16. A digital video media player, the player comprising: a media player module (65); a trailer receiver module (62), the trailer receiver module including memory for storing received trailers and a controller (64) which manages storage and playing of received and pre-recorded trailer data; and an interface (66) between the media player module and the trailer receiver module, the interface also providing an output from the digital video media player.