Interactive video control system for displaying user-selectable clips

Claim 2

In a system having information recorded on a single recording medium only a portion of which is to be displayed, the information comprising one or more prerecorded segments of video information, each segment comprising one or more frames of video information, the improvement comprising: means for identifying on what portion of the recording medium the desired information is located; means for selecting any portion of the desired information for display in an interactive, individually controlled, user-selectable order; means for storing the start point and stop point of the information to be displayed as a custom clip, including means for storing the start point and stop points for one or more custom clips in the user-selectable order; and means for displaying from the single recording means only that portion of information selected by the selection means and stored by the storage means as custom clips in the user-selectable order.

Claim 3

An interactive video control system for use with a videodisc player capable of playing a videodisc having one or more prerecorded segments of video information, each segment comprising one or more frames of video information: means for selecting clips of the video information in an interactive, individually controlled, user-selectable order by identifying user-selected start frames and stop frames for displaying the clip of the video information; means for establishing an ordered sequence of clips from the videodisc; and means for displaying the sequence of clips in the order established by the establishing means.

Claim 4

An interactive video control system for use with a videodisc player capable of playing a videodisc having one or more prerecorded segments of video information, each segment comprising one or more frames of video information: means for selecting clips of the video information in an interactive, individually controlled, user-selectable order by identifying user-selected start frames and stop frames for displaying the clip of the video information; means for establishing an ordered sequence of clips from the videodisc; and means for displaying the sequence of clips in the order established by the establishing means.

Claim 5

An interactive video control system for displaying a sequential series of one or more video clips, said system comprising: a player unit for displaying stored video information; a driver system in communication with said player unit so as to direct its functions for identifying, locating and displaying said stored video information; and an interactive user interface comprising: identifying means for generating one or more commands to said driver system for the purpose of identifying an interactive, individually controlled, user-selectable order of said clips by designation of a starting point and a stopping point; individual display means for generating one or more commands to said driver system for the purpose of individually displaying said clips; sequencing means for designating a prescribed order for sequential display of said clips; sequential display means for generating one or more commands to said driver system for the purpose of sequentially displaying said clips in said prescribed order; and a driver interface connecting said user interface and said driver system for conveying commands generated by said user interface to said driver system such that said commands are interpreted by said driver system and used by said driver system to direct the functions of said player so as to effectuate the purpose of said commands dictated by said user interface.

Claim 6

An interactive video control system for displaying a sequential series of one or more video clips, said system comprising: a player unit for displaying stored video information; a driver system in communication with said player unit so as to direct its functions for identifying, locating and displaying said stored video information; and an interactive user interface comprising: identifying means for generating one or more commands to said driver system for the purpose of identifying an interactive, individually controlled, user-selectable order of said clips by designation of a starting point and a stopping point; individual display means for generating one or more commands to said driver system for the purpose of individually displaying said clips; sequencing means for designating a prescribed order for sequential display of said clips; sequential display means for generating one or more commands to said driver system for the purpose of sequentially displaying said clips in said prescribed order; and a driver interface connecting said user interface and said driver system for conveying commands generated by said user interface to said driver system such that said commands are interpreted by said driver system and used by said driver system to direct the functions of said player so as to effectuate the purpose of said commands dictated by said user interface.

Claim 7

An interactive video control system comprising: a videodisc player having a videodisc with information prerecorded on the videodisc; at least one automated driver for the videodisc player; and a computer system having input means for controlling through the driver the videodisc player; means for receiving through the input means fields of information designating the amount and content of prerecorded information to be displayed by the display means; programing means for controlling the videodisc player through the driver so that the amount and content of prerecorded information entered into the input means is immediately displayed by the display means, wherein the programing means comprises: means for selectively displaying all or any portion of the prerecorded information in an interactive, individually controlled, user-selectable series; and the order of the series in a sequence being established by successive fields of information entered into the input means.

Claim 8

An interactive video control system comprising: a videodisc player having a videodisc with information prerecorded on the videodisc; at least one automated driver for the videodisc player; and a computer system having input means for controlling through the driver the videodisc player; means for receiving through the input means fields of information designating the amount and content of prerecorded information to be displayed by the display means; programing means for controlling the videodisc player through the driver so that the amount and content of prerecorded information entered into the input means is immediately displayed by the display means, wherein the programing means comprises: means for selectively displaying all or any portion of the prerecorded information in an interactive, individually controlled, user-selectable series; and the order of the series in a sequence being established by successive fields of information entered into the input means.

Claim 9

The interactive video control system of claim 4 wherein the prerecorded information is organized in segments and wherein the amount and content of prerecorded information for any one or more of the series of segments can be varied by re-entering the field of information which corresponds to that segment.

Claim 10

The interactive video control system of claim 5 wherein any selected segment can be shown manually or in any preselected sequenced entered into the input means and wherein the amount and content of the prerecorded information can be changed at any time by changing the field of information corresponding to that segment.

Claim 11

The interactive video control system of claim 6 wherein any change made to a field of information relating to the amount and content of prerecorded information that is to be displayed is published to all portions of the programming means which relate to that selected segment.

Claim 14

The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of: (f) using the computer and the playback device to play the information associated with the user-selected clip to fine tune the "in" and "out" points.

Claim 15

The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of: (g) using the computer to select one or more user-selected clips and preselected clips to be displayed using the playback device by selecting the name of the user-selected clip from a plurality of clips stored in a lineup; (h) using the computer to modify any of one or more attributes associated with the selected user clip; (i) using the computer to arrange the order to the plurality of clips in the lineup by allowing the user to organize the order of an icon associated with each clip; and (j) playing the information identified by the lineup on the display using the playback device.

Claim 16

The method of claim 10 wherein control information associated with the lineups may be stored and retrieved from a memory accessible by the computer.

Claim 19

The method of claim 12 wherein the predefined sections of the textual information are sentences.

Claim 20

The method of claim 12 wherein the predefined sections of the textual information are phrases.

Claim 21

The method of claim 12 wherein the predefined sections of the textual information are words.

Claim 22

The method of claim 12 wherein the predefined sections of the textual information are paragraphs.