System for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability

Abstract

A system for selling digital video information over a communications network such as the Internet basically includes a filtering server and a service administration system. The filtering server includes a commerce server, a streaming server and a world-wide web information server. The world-wide web information server provides customers with a list of available videos, the possibility to customize specific versions and a method for calculating the price for a specific version. The service administration system includes a management tool for the merchant to define price classes and payment schemes and a meta-data editing tool for the merchant to prepare the content for the filtering. The system will connect to external systems to have the payment information verified. If the payment transaction is accepted the system will pass the selected video through a sequence of service filters to generate the edition that the customer selected.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A system for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability comprising: 
 a filter server for interfacing with a client; and    a service administration system connected to said filter server.    
     
     
         2 . A system for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said filter server comprises: 
 a www server for interfacing with said client;  
 a commerce server connected to said www server;  
 a SET server connected to said commerce server;  
 a database server connected between said www server and said service administration system;  
 a filtering meta-data database connected to said database server;  
 a media data server connected to said www server;  
 an archiving system connected to said media data server and said database server; and  
 a streaming server connected to said media data server.  
 
     
     
         3 . A system for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said service administration system comprises: 
 management tools connected to said filter server; and  
 a meta-data editing tool connected to said filter server.  
 
     
     
         4 . A system for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said www server comprises: 
 a media file generator connected to said media data server and said database server; and  
 a filtering process connected to said commerce server and said database server.  
 
     
     
         5 . A system for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said archiving system comprises: 
 a meta-data database connected to said database server; and  
 a media data repository connected to said media data server.  
 
     
     
         6 . A system for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said SET server connects to a clearing house comprising: 
 a payment gateway.  
 
     
     
         7 . A system for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability comprising: 
 a filter server for interfacing with a client;    a service administration system connected to said filter server; and    an archiving system connected to said filter server.    
     
     
         8 . A system for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said filter server comprises: 
 a www server for interfacing with said client;  
 a commerce server connected to said www server;  
 a SET server connected to said commerce server;  
 a database server connected between said www server and said service administration system;  
 a filtering meta-data database connected to said database server;  
 a media data server connected to said www server; and  
 a streaming server connected to said media data server.  
 
     
     
         9 . A system for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said service administration system comprises: 
 management tools connected to said filter server; and  
 a meta-data editing tool connected to said filter server.  
 
     
     
         10 . A system for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said archiving system comprises: 
 a meta-data database connected to said filter server; and  
 a media data repository connected to said filter server.  
 
     
     
         11 . A system for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said www server comprises: 
 a media file generator connected to said media data server and said database server; and  
 a filtering process connected to said commerce server and said database server.  
 
     
     
         12 . A system for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said SET server connects to a clearing house.  
     
     
         13 . A method for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability comprising the steps of: 
 digitizing a video tape into raw video data;    determining video shots, scenes and NSSs;    generating meta-data to define NSS sequencing, to identify AIUs and to add hyperlinks between said AIUs; and    filtering said meta-data.    
     
     
         14 . A method for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 13  wherein filtering said meta-data comprises the steps of: 
 selecting said NSSs or videos to be viewed;  
 calculating price according to payment or customer profile;  
 performing a payment transaction;  
 initiating a filtering process;  
 copying a presentation script -file and-media files comprising data used by said presentation script file to a streaming server; and  
 initiating a streaming process.  
 
     
     
         15 . A method for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 13  wherein filtering said meta-data comprises the steps of: 
 selecting said NSSs or videos to be viewed;  
 calculating price according to payment or customer profile;  
 performing a payment transaction;  
 initiating a filtering process;  
 copying a streaming file to a streaming server; and  
 initiating a streaming process.  
 
     
     
         16 . A method for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 14  wherein filtering said meta-data further comprises the steps of: 
 inserting a promotional video;  
 monitoring a streaming process; and  
 providing reimbursement for hypervideo elements not consumed.  
 
     
     
         17 . A method for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 13  wherein filtering said meta-data comprises the steps of: 
 narrative scenes filtering; and  
 hyperlink filtering.  
 
     
     
         18 . A method for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 17  wherein narrative scenes filtering comprises the steps of: 
 basic sequence filtering;  
 hierarchical filtering; and  
 parallel track filtering.  
 
     
     
         19 . A method for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 17  wherein hyperlink filtering comprises the steps of: 
 automatic hyperlinking;  
 AIU parameter filtering;  
 link parameter filtering;  
 multidimensional hyperlinking using said AIUs; and  
 version branching using said AIUs.  
 
     
     
         20 . A method for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability as claimed in  claim 16  wherein inserting a promotional video comprises the steps of: 
 selecting a promotional sequence for insertion into said hypervideo structure; and  
 selecting an insert point for said promotional sequence.  
 
     
     
         21 . A system for hypervideo filtering based on end-user payment interest and capability comprising: 
 a filter server for interfacing with a client; and    a service administration system connected to said filter server;    wherein said filter server comprises:    a www server for interfacing with said client;    a commerce server connected between said www server and said client;    a SET server connected to said commerce server;    a database server connected to said www server;    a media data server connected to said www server;    a data database connected to said database server and said media data server; and    a streaming server connected between said media data server and said client.