Interactive distributed multimedia system

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing an interactive multimedia experience are described. For example, a method for providing interactive content includes receiving content data, receiving an indication of a region within a frame of the content data, receiving a scripting event associated with the region, wherein the scripting event specifies an action to be taken responsive to a trigger, receiving a metadata tag or a reference to the metadata tag, the metadata tag associated with the region, and formatting at least a portion of the content data, the indication of the region, the scripting event, and the metadata tag or the reference to the metadata tag in accordance with a file format for transmission.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing interactive content, the method comprising:
 receiving content data comprising video data;   receiving an indication of a region within a frame of the content data;   receiving a scripting event associated with the region, wherein the scripting event specifies an action to be taken responsive to a trigger;   receiving a metadata tag or a reference to the metadata tag, the metadata tag associated with the region;   selecting the action to be taken responsive to the trigger from a library of available action;   associating the selected action with the scripting event and the metadata tag; and   formatting at least a portion of the content data, the indication of the region, the scripting event, and the metadata tag or the reference to the metadata tag in accordance with a file format for transmission;   The method of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger comprises a system event or a user interaction with the region.   
     
     
         3 . A system for providing interactive content, the system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory configured to include instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
 receive content data, wherein the content data comprises video data; 
 receive an indication of a region within a frame of the content data; 
 associate a scripting event with the region, wherein the scripting event specifies an action to be taken responsive to a trigger; 
 associate a metadata tag or a reference to the metadata tag with the region; and 
 format at least a portion of the content data, the indication of the region, the scripting event, and the metadata tag or the reference to the metadata tag in accordance with a file format for transmission, including encode a video data block and a metadata block associated with the frame into a digital container, the metadata block comprising the metadata tag or a reference to the metadata tag and a definition of an action to be performed responsive to execution of the scripting event, wherein the digital container comprises a plurality of information tracks including a first track comprising the video data block and a second track comprising the metadata block, wherein the first track comprises keyframe header data and video frame difference data blocks and wherein the second track comprises keyframe metadata and metadata frame difference blocks associated with respective ones of the video frame difference data blocks. 
   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the trigger comprises a system event or a user interaction with the region. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein
 the digital container further comprises one or more additional tracks comprising audio data; and   the memory is further configured to include instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the system to format at least a portion of the audio data in accordance with the file format.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the memory is further configured to include instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the system to encrypt at least a portion of the metadata block prior to encoding the metadata block into the digital container. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the trigger comprises a system event or a user interaction with the region. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein
 the frame is one of a plurality of frames, and   the memory is further configured to include instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the system to format a plurality of data blocks associated with the plurality of frames and associated metadata into a stream container for transmission in the form of streamed video.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the region corresponds to a three dimensional object in the frame, and wherein the receive an indication of a region within a frame comprises automatically detecting the object within the frame. 
     
     
         10 . A system for providing interactive content, the system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory configured to include instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
 receive content data, wherein the content data comprises video data; 
 receive an indication of a region within a frame of the content data; 
 associate a scripting event with the region, wherein the scripting event specifies an action to be taken responsive to a trigger; 
 associate a metadata tag or a reference to the metadata tag with the region; 
 receive a selection of the action to be taken responsive to the trigger from a library of available actions; 
 associate the selected action with the scripting event and the metadata tag or the reference to the metadata tag; and 
 format at least a portion of the content data, the indication of the region, the scripting event, and the metadata tag or the reference to the metadata tag in accordance with a file format for transmission. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the trigger comprises a system event or a user interaction with the region. 
     
     
         12 . A computer readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions to:
 receive content data, wherein the content data comprises video data;   receive an indication of a region within a frame of the content data;   associate a scripting event with the region, wherein the scripting event specifies an action to be taken responsive to a trigger;   associate a metadata tag or a reference to the metadata tag with the region; and   format at least a portion of the content data, the indication of the region, the scripting event, and the metadata tag or the reference to the metadata tag in accordance with a file format for transmission, including encode a video data block and a metadata block associated with the frame into a digital container, the metadata block comprising the metadata tag or a reference to the metadata tag and a definition of an action to be performed responsive to execution of the scripting event, wherein the digital container comprises a plurality of information tracks including a first track comprising the video data block and a second track comprising the metadata block, wherein the first track comprises keyframe header data and video frame difference data blocks and wherein the second track comprises keyframe metadata and metadata frame difference blocks associated with respective ones of the video frame difference data blocks.   
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the trigger comprises a system event or a user interaction with the region. 
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the digital container further comprises one or more additional tracks comprising audio data, the computer readable medium further comprising instructions for formatting at least a portion of the audio data. in accordance with the file format. 
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , further comprising processor-executable instructions for encrypting at least a portion of the metadata block prior to encoding the metadata block into the digital container. 
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the trigger comprises a system event or a user interaction with the region. 
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the frame is one of a plurality of frames, the computer readable medium further comprising instructions for formatting a plurality of data blocks associated with the plurality of frames and associated metadata into a stream container for transmission in the form of streamed video. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the region corresponds to a three dimensional object in the frame, and wherein the processor-executable instructions for receiving an indication of a region within a frame comprises instructions for automatically detecting the object within the frame. 
     
     
         19 . A computer readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions to:
 receive content data comprising video data;   receive an indication of a region within a frame of the content data;   associate a scripting event with the region, wherein the scripting event specifies an action to be taken responsive to a trigger;   associate a metadata tag or a reference to the metadata tag with the region;   receive a selection of the action to be taken responsive to the trigger from a library of available actions;   associate the selected action with the scripting event and at least one metadata tag or the reference to at least one metadata tag; and   format at least a portion of the content data, the indication of the region, the scripting event, and the metadata tag or the reference to the metadata tag in accordance with a file format for transmission.   
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the trigger comprises a system event or a user interaction with the region.