Audiovisual information management system

Abstract

Providing at least one description scheme. For audio and/or video programs a program description scheme provides information regarding the associated program. For the user a user description scheme provides information regarding the user's preferences. For the system a system description scheme provides information regarding the system. The description schemes are independent of one another. Preferably, the program description scheme, user description scheme, and system description scheme are independent of one another.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of using a system with at least one of audio, image, and a video comprising a plurality of frames comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing at least two of the following: 
 (i) a program description scheme containing information related to at least one of information regarding interrelationships between a plurality of said frames, characteristics of the content of a plurality of said frames, characteristics of the content of said audio, characteristics of the content of said image, characteristics of the content of said video;  
 (ii) a user description scheme containing information related to at least one of a user's personal preferences, information related to said user, a user's viewing history, and a user's listening history;  
 (iii) a system description scheme containing information regarding at least one of available videos, available categories, available channels, available users, available images, capabilities of a device for providing said at least one of said audio, said image, and said video to a user, relationship between at least two of said video, said program description scheme, and said user description scheme, relationship between at least two of said audio, said program description scheme, and said user description scheme, relationship between at least two of said image, said program description scheme, and said user description scheme; and  
   (b) selecting at least one of a video, an image, and audio based upon said at least two of said program description scheme, said user description scheme, and said system description scheme.    
     
     
         2 . The method of    claim 1    wherein said program description scheme contains information related to said interrelationships of said plurality of said frames.  
     
     
         3 . The method of    claim 2    wherein said interrelationships include the identification of key frames of said video.  
     
     
         4 . The method of    claim 2    wherein said interrelationships include the identification of a plurality of said frames representative of the highlights of at least a portion of said video.  
     
     
         5 . The method of    claim 2    wherein said interrelationships include the identification of a set of frames, each of which is representative of a different portion of said video.  
     
     
         6 . The method of    claim 5    wherein said different portion of said video is non-overlapping.  
     
     
         7 . The method of    claim 2    wherein said interrelationships include the identification of a plurality of sequential frames of said video that represent at least one of a shot and a scene.  
     
     
         8 . The method of    claim 7    wherein said identification further includes a plurality of said at least one of said shot and said scene.  
     
     
         9 . The method of    claim 4    wherein said interrelationships includes a plurality of highlights of the same portion of said video having different durations.  
     
     
         10 . The method of    claim 3    wherein said interrelationships includes a plurality of key frames of the same portion of said video having a different number of frames of said portion of said video.  
     
     
         11 . The method of    claim 1    wherein said program description scheme contains characteristics of said content of said plurality of said frames.  
     
     
         12 . The method of    claim 11    wherein said characteristics include at least one of an actor within said video, and a classification of the genre of said video.  
     
     
         13 . The method of    claim 11    wherein said characteristics include at least one of a color profile of at least a portion of said video, a texture profile of at least a portion of said video, a shape profile of at least a portion of said video, and a motion profile of at least a portion of said video.  
     
     
         14 . The method of    claim 1    wherein said program description scheme identifies a portion of each of a plurality of said frames of said video that is to be presented to a user at a size larger than it would have been presented within said video.  
     
     
         15 . The method of    claim 1    wherein said program description scheme identifies a second video segment separate from said video that includes a close up view of a portion of said video.  
     
     
         16 . The method of    claim 1    wherein said program description scheme identifies a second audio track separate from the normal audio track of said video.  
     
     
         17 . The method of    claim 1    wherein said program description scheme includes textual annotation related to said video.  
     
     
         18 . The method of    claim 17    wherein said textual annotation is related to an object within said video.  
     
     
         19 . The method of    claim 18    wherein said object is an actor within said video.  
     
     
         20 . The method of    claim 1    wherein said program description scheme identifies Internet based information related to said video.