Network-based service to provide on-demand video summaries of television programs

1. A computer-implemented method of providing summaries of programming to a recipient, the method comprising, at a network node:

dividing a received program into program segments;

summarizing and storing each program segment into a corresponding summary segment, wherein each summary segment includes audio, full-motion video, and at least one still picture;

generating metadata files for delimiting a beginning and an end of summary segments and program segments; and

upon a request from a user from a client device, supplying the summary segments in lieu of program segments, the summary segments being streamed in a first channel to the client device and the program segments being streamed in a second channel to the client device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising generating indexing information for facilitating links between the programming segments and the summary segments.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the program is received via a broadband wired access link.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the program is received according to the MPEG-2 standard.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

accessing the summary segments by setting timing marks in the program to define summaries.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising accessing by linking via use of a one-way video hyperlink.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising accessing by linking via use of a two-way video hyperlink.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising activating a link is by a single step action.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein activating a link is performed by a single step action that is a step of pushing a button on a remote controller.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein accessing the summary segments includes setting position marks in the program to define summaries.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein storing the summary segments uses a storage medium located at a user location.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein storing the summary segments uses a storage medium integrated with a delivery network.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein accessing by linking by use of a two-way hyperlink includes a viewer viewing a summary segment and selecting a link function during that summary segment whereby control passes to a beginning of a corresponding program segment; and

passing control at a completion of the corresponding program segment to a beginning of a next summary segment.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein accessing by linking by use of a two-way hyperlink includes a viewer viewing a program segment and selecting a link function during the program segment whereby control passes a beginning of a corresponding summary segment; and

passing control at a completion of the corresponding summary segment to a beginning of a next program segment.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising interrupting delivery of a program in response to an interrupt command delivered over an interrupt channel I.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , further comprising recovering a summary of missed programming due to the interruption in delivery in response to a resume command supplied over the I channel.

17. In the computer-implemented method of claim 16 , wherein interacting with a control for providing a missed/interrupted program is by means of a screen display responsive to a remote.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising providing programming control, via a program channel P, including a screen display responsive to an interactive control of the user.

19. A computer-implemented method of facilitating selection and delivery of summaries of programming provided to recipients, the method comprising, at a network node:

dividing the programming into program segments using program index markers;

generating summary segments of parts of the program segments and generating summary index markers corresponding to the programming index markers, wherein each summary segment includes audio, full-motion video, and at least one still picture;

generating metadata files for delimiting

a beginning and an end of summary and the program segments and including indexing information for facilitating links between the program segments and the summary segments, wherein the metadata files are used to deliver summary segments to the recipient, the summary segments being streamed in a first channel to the client device and the program segment being streamed in a second channel to the client device.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , further comprising:

selecting a summary segment by activating a link between the programming segment and the summary segment by utilizing a metadata file included with the summary channel; and

transmitting the selected summary segment and associated metadata to the recipient via the summary channel.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , further comprising including the metadata file within a data stream included in a program stream according to MPEG-2 standards.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , further comprising including user data with each group of pictures corresponding to program segments.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , further comprising activating a link connection by a single physical command.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , further comprising including in the step of generating summary segments a step of dynamically generating summaries of live programming in real-time by dynamic editing software.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , further comprising constructing the metadata file in XML language to define the message.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , whereby the step of:

selecting by activating a link utilizes a one-way link.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , wherein selecting by activating a link utilizes a two-way link.

28. A network-based system for delivering summaries of programming to a recipient, the system comprising:

a processor;

means for controlling the processor to divide a received program into program segments;

means for controlling the processor to summarize and store each program segment into a corresponding summary segment, wherein each summary segment includes audio, full-motion video, and at least one still picture;

means for controlling the processor to generate metadata files for delimiting a beginning and an end of summary segments and program segments; and

means, upon a request from a user from a client device, for controlling the processor to supply the summary segments in lieu of program segments, the summary segments being streamed in a first channel to the client device and the program segment being streamed in a second channel to the client device.

29. The delivery system of claim 28 , further comprising:

means for storing the summary segments, the means for storing being located integral to transmission media of a public network by which programming is delivered.

30. The delivery system of claim 28 wherein the means for storing is located in a STB at a co-location with a recipient of the programming.

31. The delivery system of claim 28 , further comprising:

means for interacting with the user that enables the user to select summaries, including a screen displaying permitting user entry of controls.

32. The delivery system of claim 28 , further comprising:

a two-way link control allowing a user to control summary segment and program segment selection while starting from a program segment and summary segment respectively.