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.

1 . A method of delivering information comprising: 
 selecting a plurality of clips;    arranging said plurality of clips into a stream of information;    presenting said stream of information to a user;    determining a first clip wherein said first clip is associated with a second clip wherein said second clip is part of said stream of information and wherein said second clip is selected by said user; and    delivering said first clip to said user.    
     
     
         2 . A method of financing delivery of information comprising: 
 selecting a plurality of clips;    arranging said plurality of clips into a stream of information;    presenting said stream of information to a user;    determining a first clip wherein said first clip is associated with a second clip wherein said second clip is part of said stream of information and wherein said second clip is selected by said user;    securing payment; and    delivering said first clip to said user.    
     
     
         3 . A method of  claim 2  wherein said method of securing comprises: 
 debiting an account associated with said user.    
     
     
         4 . A method of  claim 2  wherein said method of securing comprises: 
 packaging said first clip with information from an advertiser; and    receiving payment from said advertiser.    
     
     
         5 . A method of compensating a content provider comprising: 
 selecting a plurality of clips wherein a first clip of said plurality of clips is generated by said content provider;    arranging said plurality of clips into a stream of information;    presenting said stream of information to a user;    determining a second clip wherein said second clip is associated with a third clip wherein said third clip is part of said stream of information and wherein said third clip is selected by said user;    securing payment;    delivering said second clip to said user; and    compensating said content provider out of said payment.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said first clip is a voice.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said first clip is a logo.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said first clip is a song.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said first clip is a likeness.  
     
     
         10 . An information delivery system comprising: 
 a selection unit configured to select a plurality of clips;    an arranging unit configured to arrange said plurality of clips into a stream of information;    a presentation unit configured to present said stream of information to a user;    a determiner configured to determine a first clip wherein said first clip is associated with a second clip wherein said second clip is part of said stream of information and wherein said second clip is selected by said user; and    a delivery unit configured to deliver said first clip to said user.    
     
     
         11 . An information delivery financing system comprising: 
 a selection unit configured to select a plurality of clips;    an arranging unit configured to arrange said plurality of clips into a stream of information;    a presentation unit configured to present said stream of information to a user;    a determiner configured to determine a first clip wherein said first clip is associated with a second clip wherein said second clip is part of said stream of information and wherein said second clip is selected by said user;    a payment securing unit configured to secure payment; and    a delivery unit configured to deliver said first clip to said user.    
     
     
         12 . An information delivery financing system of  claim 11  wherein said payment securing unit comprises: 
 a debiting unit configured to debit an account associated with said user.    
     
     
         13 . An information delivery financing system of  claim 11  wherein said payment securing unit comprises: 
 a packaging unit configured to package said first clip with information from an advertiser; and    a payment receiving unit configured to receive payment from said advertiser.    
     
     
         14 . A content provider compensation system comprising: 
 a selection unit configured to select a plurality of clips wherein a first clip of said plurality of clips is generated by a content provider;    an arranging unit configured to arrange said plurality of clips into a stream of information;    a presentation unit configured to present said stream of information to a user;    a determiner configured to determine a second clip wherein said second clip is associated with a third clip wherein said third clip is part of said stream of information and wherein said third clip is selected by said user;    a payment securing unit configured to secure payment;    a delivery unit configured to deliver said second clip to said user; and    a compensation unit configured to compensate said content provider out of said payment.    
     
     
         15 . The content provider compensation system of  claim 14  wherein said first clip is a voice.  
     
     
         16 . The content provider compensation system of  claim 14  wherein said first clip is a logo.  
     
     
         17 . The content provider compensation system of  claim 14  wherein said first clip is a song.  
     
     
         18 . The content provider compensation system of  claim 14  wherein said first clip is a likeness.  
     
     
         19 . A computer program product comprising: 
 a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to deliver information, said computer program product comprising:    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to select a plurality of clips;    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to arrange said plurality of clips into a stream of information;    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to present said stream of information to a user;    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine a first clip wherein said first clip is associated with a second clip wherein said second clip is part of said stream of information and wherein said second clip is selected by said user; and    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to deliver said first clip to said user.    
     
     
         20 . A computer program product comprising: 
 a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to finance information delivery, said computer program product comprising:    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to select a plurality of clips;    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to arrange said plurality of clips into a stream of information;    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to present said stream of information to a user;    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine a first clip wherein said first clip is associated with a second clip wherein said second clip is part of said stream of information and wherein said second clip is selected by said user;    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to secure payment; and    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to deliver said first clip to said user.    
     
     
         21 . A computer program product of  claim 20  wherein said computer readable code configured to cause a computer to secure comprises: 
 computer readable code configured to cause a computer to debit an account associated with said user.    
     
     
         22 . A computer program product of  claim 20  wherein said computer readable code configured to cause a computer to secure comprises: 
 computer readable code configured to cause a computer to package said first clip with information from an advertiser; and    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to receive payment from said advertiser.    
     
     
         23 . A computer program product comprising: 
 a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to compensate a content provider, said computer program product comprising:    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to select a plurality of clips wherein a first clip of said plurality of clips is generated by said content provider;    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to arrange said plurality of clips into a stream of information;    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to present said stream of information to a user;    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine a second clip wherein said second clip is associated with a third clip wherein said third clip is part of said stream of information and wherein said third clip is selected by said user;    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to secure payment;    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to deliver said second clip to said user; and    computer readable code configured to cause a computer to compensate said content provider out of said payment.    
     
     
         24 . The computer program product of  claim 23  wherein said first clip is a voice.  
     
     
         25 . The computer program product of  claim 23  wherein said first clip is a logo.  
     
     
         26 . The computer program product of  claim 23  wherein said first clip is a song.  
     
     
         27 . The computer program product of  claim 23  wherein said first clip is a likeness.  
     
     
         28 . A method of delivering information comprising: 
 selecting a plurality of clips;    arranging said plurality of clips into a stream of information;    presenting said stream of information to a user in accordance with user selection of one of said clips.    
     
     
         29 . An information delivery financing system comprising: 
 a selection unit configured to select a plurality of clips;    an arranging unit configured to arrange said plurality of clips into a stream of information;    a presentation unit configured to present said stream of information to a user in accordance with users selection of one clips; and    a payment securing unit configured to secure payment.