Non-linear interactive video navigation

• Main Authors: WALLIS EMILY CLAIRE L, TAYLOR JAMES W, DAVIES RHODRI WILLIAM T, ELLIS WILLIAM
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 25.08.2005
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

A system and method for delivering interactive video and audio content items, e.g., movie clips, music videos, adverts, to a user playback device, such as a television (TV) set. In a preferred embodiment, the content items are delivered within a video on demand (VoD) environment. Each content item has associated attributes that detail the navigational properties for that content item. The content items are delivered as entries in a content sequence. Nonlinear navigation of the video content sequence is facilitated by querying the associated attributes for the current content item and enabling navigational actions (e.g. FF/REW/PAUSE/SKIP/Jump to target) for that content item accordingly. The content items thus permit varying degrees of user interaction. The user interaction is not bound by predetermined navigational rules, since the user is free to experience the sequenced VoD content items in any order.