Method and apparatus for efficient, entertaining information delivery

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and apparatus for efficient, entertaining information delivery. In one embodiment, information is partitioned into clips. Clips are selected for a user packaged together for presentation to the user in an entertaining manner. In one embodiment, the clips are selected and packaged together in accordance with a template. In another embodiment, information about the user is used to select clips. In one embodiment, a user presented with a stream of information comprised of clips of information assembled for the user. The user may select a clip to retrieve additional information related to the clip. In one embodiment, the selected clip is a portion of a program (e.g., a television show, a movie, a song, an advertisement, etc.) and the additional information is a larger clip of the program and / or the entire program.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is claiming the benefit of a co-pending provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 482,597 filed on Jun. 24, 2003. The material of the related provisional application is incorporated by reference herein. This application hereby also incorporates by reference the disclosures of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 896,838 filed Jun. 29, 2001; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 953,569 filed Sep. 13, 2001; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 953,086 filed Sep. 10, 2001; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,156 filed Apr. 1, 1998.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to the field of information delivery, and in particular to a method and apparatus for efficient, entertaining information delivery. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Typical information delivery systems (e.g., the World Wide Web, video on demand, television, etc.) provide information to users inefficiently. Some systems deliver information in a rigid, non-searchable manner th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012] In one embodiment, clips are provided to the user at no cost. In another embodiment, the user pays to view certain clips. In one embodiment, the user pays through a debit to an account (similar to ordering a pay-per-view event). In another embodiment, the user pays by viewing other clips and / or information (e.g., an advertisement). In another embodiment, advertisers pay to have information inserted into the information packaged for streaming to a user, thereby subsidizing the user's information retrieval experience.

Problems solved by technology

Some systems deliver information in a rigid, non-searchable manner that limits the ability of a user to retrieved information of interest to the user.

Other systems allow a more flexible search for specific information, but the search is generally performed in a non-entertaining manner and typically requires the user to examine and select from a list of retrieved, potentially relevant items.

However, a user has very little control over what information is presented at a specific time.

If programming content desired by the user is not currently being delivered by one of the available channels, the user is unable to do anything to prompt delivery of the desired content.

However, VOD systems typically do not provide users with an efficient or entertaining interface for requesting information.

However, in both systems, information retrieval is inefficient and non-entertaining.

Images