WO2001098911A1

WO2001098911A1 - System and method for communicating a variety of multi-media works over a computer network based on user selection

Info

Publication number: WO2001098911A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/041096
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eric Haddan; Donald C. Watters, Jr.; Robert B. Way; Roland R. Wood
Original assignee: Esynch Corporation
Priority date: 2000-06-22
Filing date: 2001-06-21
Publication date: 2001-12-27
Also published as: AU2001273620A1

Abstract

The Internet and the World Wide Web (11, fig. 1) spawned an enormous number of websites containing information in a variety of different multi-media formats. To be able to receive, view and hear these different formats, a multi-media player (9, fig. 1) designed for each format must be used. The system and method disclosed allows a user to select a variety of different multi-media works for display. Based on the work chosen, the system selects related works that may also be of interest to the user and displays them as well. The system keeps track of the user's identity and data unique to the user (19, fig. 1) which may also be used to select and play related works. These related works are played and displayed to the user at the same time as the primary selected display on the user's system.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING

A VARIETY OF MULTI-MEDIA WORKS OVER A

COMPUTER NETWORK BASED ON USER

SELECTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1- Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to methods and systems for retrieving a variety of multi-media works over a computer network and displaying those works to a user as prompted by user selection.

2. Description of Prior Art

The Internet and the World Wide Web which links computers around the world is intended to be a highly informative, highly useable database and communications tool. A variety of Web browsers such as Mosaic, Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Explorer are used by individual computers connected to tlie Internet to peruse tlie World Wide Web for the resources available on it. The World Wide Web uses an addressing system known as a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) that defines the location of a resource on the Internet. URL's are comprised of up to four parts: a protocol, a domain name, a path, and a file name. The combination of these four parts can produce a complex address for the resource being sought.

The user, in order to link to a website of interest, types the URL into his computer. These URL's may be quite lengthy to facilitate returning to resources of interest to an end user. Browser programs usually provide a bookmark feature. This bookmark feature provides an add link command to allow the end user to add a resource to a bookmark list. Thereafter, the end user can link to the resource in response to a selection of the offering from the bookmark list.

Many of the offerings available over the Internet, or World Wide Web, are multimedia works having various protocols which require specific multi-media players designed to play the specific protocol of the offering. Such multi-media players are RealPlayer, Windows Media Player and Quick Time Pro, for example. Not only does the end user have to compile his own bookmark list or index of favorite sites, he also needs to have available on his computer terminal the variety of media players he will need to play his selected offerings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system method and apparatus according to the present invention determines the type of multi-media work selected by a user, automatically selects the correct player for the selected work and activates the player to process the offering, while providing the user function controls that include play, stop, pause, fast forward, rewind, skip forward, and skip backward. The system determines if there are any offerings that are related to the selected offering. Any related offerings are identified and displayed to the user by way of a predetermined process. The selection of the related offerings is based on a variety of factors, including user-specific factors that are stored by the system as the result of user registration and use of the system. The related works may also be displayed to the user in a parallel display on the same viewing screen as tlie selected work.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The exact nature of this invention as well as its objects and advantages will be readily appreciated upon consideration of the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanied drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein:

Figure 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the system of the present invention; Figure 2 is an illustration of tl e data structure utilized in the present invention;

Figure 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of the method of the present invention;

Figure 4 is an illustration of another data structure used in the present invention;

Figure 5 is an illustration of another data structure used in the present invention; Figure 6 is an flow diagram illustrating another embodiment of the method according to the present invention; and

Figure 7 is a flow diagram illustrating yet another embodiment of the method according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The embodiments of the present invention provides methods and systems for navigating to offerings in an electronic network without requiring an end user to type in electronic addresses each time and for automatically providing an appropriate media player to display multi-media works at the user's terminal. In addition, the system automatically displays to the user related offerings that may be of interest to tlie user based on a variety of predetermined factors, some of which are specific to the individual user. The display of primary and secondary or related offerings may be presented in a variety of aesthetically pleasing ways. Figure 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the system that links the user to offerings on an electronic network 11. Typically, the user will have a terminal device 1 at his disposal which is hooked to the electronic network 11 (the Internet and World Wide Web) by an interconnect circuit 3 which may be a modem, a DSL line, a cable modem, or a wireless link, for example. The personal computer (PC) or processor 5 contains a browser which interfaces with a number of input devices 7, such as a mouse, keyboard, TV remote control or voice activated input device, for example. The PC is connected to an output device 13 which may be a CRT, or LCD, with audio reproduction circuits, for displaying images and sounds received from the electronic network 11. As part of the processor system of the terminal unit, a storage facility 9 of the PC contains a variety of multi-media players that can translate a multi-media offering for display on the output device 13 associated with PC browser 5 of the user's terminal device 1.

The present invention utilizes additional storage for a variety of other information. One of these, storage 15 which contains a list of offerings, may be located at the user's terminal or system, or may be at some other known external location on the Internet (electronic network 11) or on a host server. Storage 15 for offerings is essentially a database of an offering catalog which lists all the offerings available for viewing on the user's display device 13.

Storage 17 lists related offerings to those located in storage 15. The relationship catalog of storage 17 can be local to the user's system or at some known external location on the Internet (electronic network 11 ) or host server.

Storage 19 for user data stores data that relates to a specific user's identity and contains demographic information unique to a specific user. This user database may be located in the user's system or at a known external location on the Internet (electronic network 11) or on a host server located in the user's system. Referring now to Figure 2, the data structure of the data stored in storage 15, tl e offerings catalog database is illustrated. Each offering is identified by a title segment 27 which has associated with it a technical identifier segment 29 which may contain a URL, file name, or some other specification for locating the offering. Each title is classified by a number of class qualifiers 21, 23 and 25, which would identify the class of the offering. Class 1, segment 21, for example, might be identification of the media, such as movie, television program, video or audio program, for example. Class 2, segment 23 might be a classification of the genre such as western, comedy, or musical, for example. Class n, segment 25 might be a classification of the age of the offering, such as current release, recent hit, or classic, for example. Thus, in addition to the title of the offering, a user would know whetlier it was a movie, a western, or a comedy, of current release, a recent hit, or a classic, for example.

In addition to classifications for the offering, tlie data structure includes various attribute segments 33, 35, and 37, for each offering. These attributes would be, for example, free, or pay per view. It might be the motion picture rating, X or PG, for example, or total viewing time.

Additional information stored in the relationship link segment 31 is not displayed to the viewer. The information contained in the relationship link segment 31 relates to an entry in the relationship catalog of storage 17 and will be described in more detail hereinafter. The general process of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 3. Upon activation of the system, its first step 39 is to locate and read the offering catalog 49 from its database storage. The database can be located in the user's system or in some known external location on the Internet or on a host server. The database containing the offering catalog is typically made available to a user on a subscription or other commercial basis. All the entries of the offering catalog 49 are presented 41 for display 51 at the user's terminal device. The user, upon viewing the title, class, and attributes of the offerings, makes a selection 53 using any one of various input devices available to him, such as a mouse, keyboard, TV remote control, or voice activated input device. The system of tl e invention accepts the user's selection 43 and identifies the user for later use. Based upon the information found in the technical identifier segment 29 of the selected offering and in the attributes segments 33, 35, and 37 of the selected offering, the system selects the most appropriate player and translates the specific requirements of the user-selected offering 45 to the functions of the system player. This translation provides, at a minimum, the function controls of, play, stop, pause, fast forward, rewind, skip forward, and skip backward, to the user. Upon the translation of the user's selected offering 45, the system presents the selected offering 47 and activates the appropriate player to process the offering for display 55 at the user's terminal device.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the data structure of data stored in the relationship database 17 and the user database 19. The relationship database stores a series of secondary offerings in a preferred format shown in Figure 4. The title or name of the related offering is stored in related link segment 57. The technical information relating to the offering is stored in technical link segment 59. This information may be the URL, file name, or other specification relating to the location of this secondary related offering. In addition, a number of qualifier segments 61, 63, and 65 are associated with each secondary offering. These qualifiers are variable information such as age or zip code, for example, pertaining to the secondary related offering. Tl e qualifier segments 61, 63, 65 are preselected for the specific secondary offering.

The data in user storage 19 is constructed as shown in Figure 5. Tlie user identifier segment 67 contains information that identifies the specific user of the system. The user data segments 69, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, and 81 contain specific information about the user, such as name, e-mail address, age, sex, zip code, usage count, and other specifics, for example.

The display of an associated or secondary offering is accomplished by the system according to the process illustrated in Figure 6. The system, upon being activated, locates 83 the offering catalog 85 which may be stored locally or at a known external location on the Internet or host server and reads the offering catalog 85 to facilitate making a primary selection. The user may make a primary selection as in steps 41-45 of the process shown in Figure 3. The primary selection 87 is displayed 89 to the user. The system also locates and reads 91 relationship catalog 93 as directed by the relationship link information 31 in tlie selected offering. A plurality (n) of related secondary offerings 57 records are possibly identified. The qualifier segments 61, 63, 65 of each are read. This qualifier information is analyzed 95. If no user related data 97 is found in the relationship catalog qualifier segments, only one related secondary offering 57 is identified. This secondary offering is retrieved from the relationship catalog database and presented as an associate display 105 for display to the user 107 at his terminal unit.

If user-related data 97 is found in the qualifier segments, more than one related secondary offering record is identified. The system locates and reads 99 the user catalog

101 which can be local to the user's system or in a known external location on the

Internet or host server for the specific user of the system who was identified when making an initial user selection at step 53 (Fig. 3) or when logging on to the system. The system compares the user data segments from the user catalog with the qualifier data of the (n) related secondary offerings in the relationship catalog to obtain the closest match 103 between the user data 69, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81 and the relationship data 61, 63, 65. The closest match identifies the secondary related offering which is presented 105 for display 107 to the terminal unit of the user.

Examples of tlie process of Figure 6 as a result of simple association wherein no user-specific related data is utilized and wherein user-specific related data is utilized are now illustrated. In a simple association relationship, if the system is presenting a movie trailer as the primary selection, tlie secondary selection retrieved from the relationship database could be, for example, the production company website that made the movie. Another example of simple association, if the primary selection was a music video, the secondary selection retrieved from the relationship database might be the artist-specific website that made tlie music video.

Examples of the system utilizing user-specific information are now described. If the primary selection being displayed is a concert promotion video, the secondary or associated display might be an event schedule. However, user-specific data such as the user's zip code could be utilized to display the events scheduled for the user's geographic location. That is, a schedule for the user's geographic location would be presented. As another example, if the primary selection were a movie, the secondary or associated display might be an e-commerce site selling goods related to the movie. The specific e- commerce site, however, would be determined by user-specific data such as age and sex, that is, middle age, female, older, male, or teenager, etc. These segments of user data would be utilized to select a website offering goods that would be of greatest interest to the age and sex of the user, for example.

A variety of associated or secondary displays can be presented to the user based on his primary or initial selection as set forth in tlie following examples. A live event association might provide the following relationship. If the primary selection presented for viewing by the user was an ice skating championship, the secondary associated offering for display might be an interactive user scoring website. As another example of a distance learning association, if the primary selection or offering was a classroom lecture, the related or secondary associated offering might be an interactive question and answer session. As another example of a live event association, if the primary selection or offering was an art auction, the secondary or associate display might be an interactive bidding website.

As an example of the use of user-specific data to effect the selection of the secondary or associated display, consider the following marketing response association. If the offering at the primary selection was a movie trailer, the secondary or associated display might be a viewer response questionnaire. The user's demographic information, age, sex, zip code, etc. would be applied to the selection of the questions and as qualifiers to the responses. An alternate process of the system for presenting an associated or secondary display is illustrated in Figure 7. The system processes the primary selection 109 and displays 111 the primary selection based on steps 39-45 of Figure 3. The display processor could be any one of a number of different types of processors and is typically a traditional Internet browser. The system is capable of accepting another user selection 115 through any one of a number of various input devices such as mouse, keyboard, TV remote control, or voice activated input device, for example. It accepts the secondary user selection 113 and utilizing a predetermined process, like steps 91-103 of Figure 6, the system acts on this user selection 117 to formulate a parallel display strategy. The system interrupts the traditional flow of the display processor, i.e., the browser 119 and presents the secondary user selection in a hidden section 123 on the user's primary panel. The system sets up an alternate panel 125 through a second browser for simultaneous display with the primary panel 121. The process could be continued to a third, fourth . . . nth panel, as desired, if the display was sufficiently large.

Claims

C AΓMS

What Is Claimed Is: 1. A method of communicating a variety of different protocol multi-media works over a computer network to a teπninal device, the steps of the method comprising: displaying a works offering catalog to a user at a terminal device; selecting an offering from the catalog by use of a terminal input device; automatically selecting a player to process the user selected offering based on the protocol of the selected offering; and automatically translating the control functions of the selected player to the control functions of the terminal device.

2. The method of Claim 1 wherein the works offering catalog is stored in a system of the user, or at a location external to the user's system, in the computer network.

3. The method of Claim 1 wherein each offering in the catalog has specific information attached to the title of the offering, which is not displayed to the user.

4. The method of Claim 3 wherein the specific information is a relationship link to another offering or website.

5. The method of Claim 3 wherein the specific information is a technical identifier of the offering.

6. The method of Claim 1 wherein each offering in the catalog has class information attached to it.

7. The method of Claim 1 wherein each offering has a technical identifier attached to it.

8. The method of Claim 1 wherein each offering has a relationship link attached to it.

9. The method of Claim 1 wherein each offering has attribute information attached to it.

10. The method of Claim 1, wherein each offering has relationship link information attached to it for accessing a relationship catalog.

11. The method of Claim 1 wherein the relationship catalog contains titles of offerings.

12. The method of Claim 11 wherein qualifier information is attached to each offering in the relationship catalog.

13. The method of Claim 11 wherein qualifier information which relates to the user making the selection is retrieved for matching to the selected offering from the relationship catalog.

14. The method of Claim 1, further comprising the steps: displaying the offering selected by the user; automatically reading a relationship catalog as directed by the selected offering; and displaying the associated offering from the relationship catalog to the user.

15. The method of Claim 1 , further comprising the steps: displaying the offering selected by the user; automatically reading a relationship catalog to select a relationship offering as directed by the selected offering; reviewing qualifier data associated with the relationship offering; automatically reading a user catalog as directed by the qualifier data to select user information; and displaying an associated offering from tl e relationship catalog as selected based on the user information from the user catalog.

16. The method of Claim 14 wherein the relationship catalog contains titles of offerings.

17. The method of Claim 16 wherein qualifier information is attached to each offering in the relationship catalog.

18. The method of Claim 15 wherein the relationship catalog contains titles of offerings for display.

19. The method of Claim 18 wherein qualifier information is attached to each offering in the relationship catalog.

20. The method of Claim 19 wherein user information stored in user catalog has a variety of user data attached to each user in the catalog.

21. The method of Claim 20, further comprising the step of selecting the attached user data for the specific use as directed by the qualifying information attached to the selected offering from the relationship catalog.

22. A method of communicating a variety of different protocol multi-media works over a computer network to a terminal device, the steps of the method comprising: automatically selecting a player to process a primary user offering selected on the basis of predetermined information; displaying the primary user offering; receiving user input information in response to the primary display; processing the user input information to present a secondary offering based on the user input information; and displaying the secondary offering at the same time, in parallel with, the primary offering.

23. The method of Claim 22 wherein the secondary offering is displayed as a hidden view behind the primary offering.