Methods and apparatus for generating navigation information on the fly

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for utilizing navigation seek points in a media presentation are disclosed. A stream of media presentation data including program content of interest is received and decoded and content of interest is made available to a user. After the program content of interest has been made available to the user for viewing, navigation information is received and communicated to the user.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for utilizing navigation information in a media presentation, the method comprising: 
 receiving a stream of media presentation data including program content of interest;    decoding the stream of media presentation data and making the program content of interest available to a user;    receiving navigation information representative of the program content of interest after the program content of interest has been made available to the user; and    communicating the navigation information to the user.    
     
     
         2 . A method as defined by  claim 1 , wherein the navigation information comprises a pointer to a video frame.  
     
     
         3 . A method as defined by  claim 2 , wherein the video frame comprises a motion pictures expert group (MPEG) I-frame.  
     
     
         4 . A method as defined by  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a selection input from the user, wherein the selection input corresponds to selected navigation information.  
     
     
         5 . A method as defined by  claim 4 , further comprising making the program content of interest available to the user in response to the selection of the navigation information.  
     
     
         6 . A method as defined in  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 identifying a starting point in the stream of media presentation data associated with the selected navigation information;    processing the stream of media presentation data beginning at the starting point; and    presenting to the user at least a portion of the processed stream of media presentation data.    
     
     
         7 . A method as defined by  claim 1 , further comprising storing the navigation information.  
     
     
         8 . A method as defined by  claim 7 , wherein the navigation information is stored if a program including the program content of interest is being viewed by the user when the navigation information is received.  
     
     
         9 . A method as defined by  claim 7 , wherein the navigation information is stored if a program including the program content of interest has been designated by the user.  
     
     
         10 . A receiving apparatus comprising: 
 a playback stack configured to receive a stream of media presentation data including program content of interest;    a decoder coupled to the playback stack and the display device, the decoder being configured to decode the stream of media presentation data and to pass the decoded information to the display device to display the program content of interest; and    a seek point controller configured to receive navigation information representative of the program content of interest after the decoder has passed the decoded information to a display device and to pass the navigation! information to the decoder.    
     
     
         11 . A receiving apparatus as defined by  claim 10 , further comprising a storage device configured to store the stream of media presentation data and the navigation information.  
     
     
         12 . A receiving apparatus as defined by  claim 10 , wherein the navigation information comprises a pointer to a video frame.  
     
     
         13 . A receiving apparatus as defined by  claim 12 , wherein the video frame comprises a motion pictures expert group (MPEG) I-frame.  
     
     
         14 . A receiving apparatus as defined by  claim 10 , wherein the seek point controller is further configured to receive a selection input from the user, wherein the selection input corresponds to selected navigation information.  
     
     
         15 . A receiving apparatus as defined by  claim 14 , wherein the seek point controller is further configured to make the program content of interest available to the user in response to the selection of the navigation information.  
     
     
         16 . A receiving apparatus as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the seek point controller is further configured to: 
 identify a starting point in the stream of media presentation data associated with the selected navigation information; and    provide to the decoder the stream of media presentation data beginning at the starting point.    
     
     
         17 . A receiving apparatus as defined by  claim 10 , wherein the playback stack is further configured to store the navigation information.  
     
     
         18 . A receiving apparatus as defined by  claim 17 , wherein the playback stack is configured to store the navigation information if a program including the program content of interest is being viewed by the user when the navigation information is received.  
     
     
         19 . A receiving apparatus as defined by  claim 18 , wherein the playback stack is configured to store the navigation information if a program including the program content of interest has been designated by the user.  
     
     
         20 . A storage medium storing information configured to cause an apparatus to: 
 receive a stream of audio/video presentation data including program content of interest;    decode the stream of the audio/video presentation data and to make the program content of interest available to a user;    receive navigation data representative of the program content of interest after the program content of interest has been made available to the user; and    communicate the navigation data to the user.    
     
     
         21 . A storage medium as defined by  claim 20 , wherein the navigation data comprises a pointer to a video frame.  
     
     
         22 . A storage medium as defined by  claim 21 , wherein the video frame comprises a motion pictures expert group (MPEG) I-frame.  
     
     
         23 . A storage medium as defined by  claim 20 , wherein the information is further configured to cause the apparatus to receive a selection input from the user, wherein the selection input corresponds to selected navigation data.  
     
     
         24 . A storage medium as defined by  claim 23 , wherein the information is further configured to cause the apparatus to make the program content of interest available to the user in response to the selection of the navigation data.  
     
     
         25 . A storage medium as defined in  claim 23 , wherein the information is further configured to cause the apparatus to: 
 identify a starting point in the stream of audio/video presentation data associated with the selected navigation data;    process the stream of audio/video presentation data beginning at the starting point; and    present to the user at least a portion of the processed stream of audio/video presentation data.    
     
     
         26 . A storage medium as defined by  claim 20 , wherein the information is further configured to cause the apparatus to store the navigation data.  
     
     
         27 . A storage medium as defined by  claim 26 , wherein the information is further configured to cause the apparatus to store the navigation data if a program including the program content of interest is being viewed by the user when the navigation data is provided to the apparatus.  
     
     
         28 . A storage medium as defined by  claim 26 , wherein the information is further configured to cause the apparatus to store the navigation data if a program including the program content of interest has been designated by the user.  
     
     
         29 . A method of delivering information comprising: 
 producing an encoded video signal including content of interest;    producing an encoded audio signal;    receiving the encoded video and audio signals as the encoded video and audio signals are distributed for presentation to users;    generating navigation information in response to the content of interest in the encoded video and audio signals; and    distributing the navigation information to users after the encoded video and audio signals are distributed for presentation to users.    
     
     
         30 . A method as defined by  claim 29 , wherein the navigation information comprises a formatted file.  
     
     
         31 . A method as defined by  claim 30 , wherein the formatted file is an Extensible Markup Language file.  
     
     
         32 . A method as defined by  claim 30 , wherein the navigation information comprises video information including at least one of text data of a listing of a reference to the content of interest, images indicative of the content of interest and audio information indicative of the content of interest.  
     
     
         33 . A method as defined by  claim 29 , further including presenting content of the encoded video and audio signals to personnel.  
     
     
         34 . A method as defined by  claim 33 , wherein further including allowing the personnel to indicate when the content of interest is manifest to the personnel.  
     
     
         35 . An information delivery system comprising: 
 a video encoder configured to receive a video signal and to produce an encoded video signal;    an audio encoder configured to receive an audio signal and to produce an encoded audio signal;    an authoring tool configured to receive the encoded video and audio signals as the encoded video and audio signals are distributed for presentation to users, the authoring tool being further configured to generate navigation information in response to content of interest in the encoded video and audio signals and to distribute the navigation information to users.    
     
     
         36 . An information delivery system as defined by  claim 35 , wherein the navigation information comprises a formatted file.  
     
     
         37 . An information delivery system as defined by  claim 36 , wherein the formatted file is an Extensible Markup Language file.  
     
     
         38 . An information delivery system as defined by  claim 36 , wherein the navigation information comprises video information including at least one of text data of a listing of a reference to the content of interest, images indicative of the content of interest and audio information indicative of the content of interest.  
     
     
         39 . An information delivery system as defined by  claim 35 , wherein the authoring tool comprises an audio and video display device that manifests content of the encoded video and audio signals to personnel.  
     
     
         40 . An information delivery system as defined by  claim 39 , wherein the authoring tool further comprises an input device allowing the personnel to indicate when the content of interest is manifest to the personnel.  
     
     
         41 . An information delivery system as defined by  claim 40 , wherein the authoring tool comprises a computing device and wherein the input device comprises a keyboard.  
     
     
         42 . An information delivery system as defined by  claim 40 , wherein the authoring tool comprises a computing device and wherein the input device comprises a mouse.  
     
     
         43 . A storage medium storing information configured to cause an apparatus to: 
 receive encoded video and audio signals as the encoded video and audio signals are distributed for presentation to users;    generate navigation information in response to content of interest in the encoded video and audio signals; and    distribute the navigation information to users after the encoded video and audio signals are distributed for presentation to users.    
     
     
         44 . A storage medium as defined by  claim 43 , wherein the navigation information comprises a formatted file.  
     
     
         45 . A storage medium as defined by  claim 44 , wherein the formatted file is an Extensible Markup Language file.  
     
     
         46 . A storage medium as defined by  claim 44 , wherein the navigation information comprises video information including at least one of text data of a listing of a reference to the content of interest, images indicative of the content of interest and audio information indicative of the content of interest.  
     
     
         47 . A storage medium as defined by  claim 43 , wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the apparatus to manifests content of the encoded video and audio signals to personnel.  
     
     
         48 . A storage medium as defined by  claim 47 , wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the apparatus to receive from the personnel an indication when the content of interest is manifest to the personnel.  
     
     
         49 . A method of delivering information comprising: 
 producing an encoded video signal of a live event including content of interest;    producing an encoded audio signal of the live event;    delaying the transmission of the encoded video and audio signals of the live event while generating navigation information in response to the content of interest in the encoded video and audio signals; and    distributing the navigation information to users.    
     
     
         50 . A method as defined by  claim 49 , further comprising distributing the navigation information to users as the encoded video and audio signals are distributed to users.  
     
     
         51 . A method as defined by  claim 49 , wherein the navigation information comprises a formatted file.  
     
     
         52 . A method as defined by  claim 51 , wherein the formatted file is an Extensible Markup Language file.  
     
     
         53 . A method as defined by  claim 51 , wherein the navigation information comprises video information including at least one of text data of a listing of a reference to the content of interest, images indicative of the content of interest and audio information indicative of the content of interest.  
     
     
         54 . A method as defined by  claim 49 , further including presenting content of the encoded video and audio signals to personnel.  
     
     
         55 . A method as defined by  claim 54 , wherein further including allowing the personnel to indicate when the content of interest is manifest to the personnel.  
     
     
         56 . An information distribution system comprising: 
 a video encoder configured to receive a video signal including content of interest and to produce an encoded video signal;    an audio encoder configured to receive an audio signal and to produce an encoded audio signal;    a transmission component configured to distribute for presentation to a user the encoded audio and video signals;    an authoring tool configured to receive the encoded video and audio signals as the encoded video and audio signals are distributed for presentation to users, the authoring tool being further configured to generate navigation information in response to content of interest in the encoded video and audio signals and to distribute the navigation information to the user via the transmission component;    a playback stack configured to receive the encoded video including the content of interest and to receive the encoded audio signal;    a decoder coupled to the playback stack and the display device, the decoder being configured to decode the encoded video and audio signals and to pass the decoded information to the display device to display the program content of interest; and    a seek point controller configured to receive the navigation information representative of the program content of interest after the decoder has passed the decoded information to the display device and to pass the navigation information to the decoder.    
     
     
         57 . A system as defined by  claim 56 , wherein the playback stack is further configured to store the navigation data.  
     
     
         58 . A system as defined by  claim 57 , wherein the playback stack is configured to store the navigation data if a program including the program content of interest is being viewed by the user when the navigation information is provided to the playback stack.  
     
     
         59 . A system as defined by  claim 57 , wherein the playback stack is configured to store the navigation data if a program including the program content of interest has been designated by the user.