Methods and systems for providing media assets over a network
The invention relates to methods and apparatus for providing media assets over a network. First metadata corresponding to a first video asset is generated. The first metadata includes text describing contents displayed when the first video asset is played and a pointer to a location within a video file that corresponds to the first video asset. The pointer includes at least two of a start location, an end location, and a duration. The first metadata is transmitted for receipt by a client system capable of playing the first video asset. The client system displays portions of the text of the first metadata to a user of the client system, and uses the pointer of the first metadata to facilitate requesting the first video asset from a video server for transmitting video assets over the network.
1 . A method for providing video assets over a network, comprising
generating first metadata corresponding to a first video asset, the first metadata comprising
text describing contents displayed when the first video asset is played, and
a pointer to a location within a video file that corresponds to the first video asset, the pointer comprising at least two of a start location, an end location, and a duration, and
transmitting the first metadata for receipt by a client system capable of playing the first video asset, wherein
the client system displays portions of the text of the first metadata to a user of the client system, and
in response to the user indicating the first metadata, the client system uses the pointer of the first metadata to facilitate requesting the first video asset from a video server for transmitting video assets over the network.
2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising transmitting second metadata corresponding to a second video asset for receipt by the client system, wherein the second metadata is related to the first metadata.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the client system simultaneously displays portions of the first metadata and portions of the second metadata to the user.
4 . The method of claim 1 , comprising associating the first metadata with at least one contextual group of a plurality of contextual groups.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein contextual groups of the plurality of contextual groups are organized according to a tree structure.
6 . The method of claim 4 , comprising forming a playlist of metadata each associated with the same contextual group of the plurality of contextual groups.
7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein metadata associated with a contextual group are related.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of contextual groups includes at least one of music, sports, news, entertainment, most recent, most popular, top ten, a musical artist, and a musical genre.
9 . The method of claim 4 , wherein
the portions of the text of the first metadata displayed by the client system are related to a first contextual group of the at least one contextual group, and
the client system displays other metadata associated with the first contextual group simultaneously with the portions of the text of the first metadata.
10 . The method of claim 4 , comprising generating second metadata corresponding to the first video asset, wherein the first metadata is associated with a first contextual group of the plurality of contextual groups and the second metadata is associated with a second contextual group of the plurality of contextual groups.
11 . The method of claim 1 , comprising forming a playlist of metadata corresponding to video assets, wherein metadata of the playlist are related, and transmitting the playlist for display by the client system.
12 . The method of claim 1 , comprising
receiving a search request transmitted from the client system, wherein the transmitting the first metadata occurs in response to the receiving the search request, and
locating a plurality of metadata based on the search request, wherein the plurality of metadata includes the first metadata and are related to the search request.
13 . The method of claim 1 . 2 , wherein the locating the first metadata comprises
querying a metadata index according to the search request, and
receiving a storage location within a metadata store at which the first metadata is stored.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the client system displays advertisements selected based at least in part on the first metadata.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first metadata comprises advertisement instructions for facilitating transmittal of advertisements to the client system.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the advertisement instructions comprise instructions to not display an advertisement in conjunction with the first video asset.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the advertisement instructions comprise a designation for an advertisement type.
18 . The method of claim 1 , comprising tracking usage of metadata to generate a metadata usage record.
19 . A system for providing video assets over a network, comprising
a metadata generator for generating first metadata corresponding to a first video asset, the first metadata comprising
text describing contents displayed when the first video asset is played, and
a pointer to a location within a video file that corresponds to the first video asset, the pointer comprising at least two of a start location, an end location, and a duration, and
a metadata server for transmitting the first metadata for receipt by a client system capable of playing the first video asset, wherein
the client system displays portions of the text of the first metadata to a user of the client system, and
in response to the user indicating the first metadata, the client system uses the pointer of the first metadata to facilitate requesting the first video asset from a video server for transmitting video assets over the network.
20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the metadata server transmits second metadata corresponding to a second video asset for receipt by the client system, wherein the second metadata is related to the first metadata.
21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the client system simultaneously displays portions of the first metadata and portions of the second metadata to the user.
22 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the metadata server associates the first metadata with at least one contextual group of a plurality of contextual groups.
23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein contextual groups of the plurality of contextual groups are organized according to a tree structure.
24 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the metadata server forms a playlist of metadata each associated with the same contextual group of the plurality of contextual groups.
25 . The system of claim 22 , wherein metadata associated with a contextual group are related.
26 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the plurality of contextual groups includes at least one of music, sports, news, entertainment, most recent, most popular, top ten, a musical artist, and a musical genre.
27 . The system of claim 22 , wherein
the portions of the text of the first metadata displayed by the client system are related to a first contextual group of the at least one contextual group, and
the client system displays other metadata of the first contextual group simultaneously with the portions of the text of the first metadata.
28 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the metadata server generates second metadata corresponding to the first video asset, wherein the first metadata is associated with a first contextual group of the plurality of contextual groups and the second metadata is associated with a second contextual group of the plurality of contextual groups.
29 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the metadata server forms a playlist of metadata corresponding to video assets, wherein metadata of the playlist are related, and transmitting the playlist for display by the client system.
30 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the metadata server
receives a search request transmitted from the client system, wherein the transmitting the first metadata occurs in response to the receiving the search request, and
locates a plurality of metadata based on the search request, wherein the plurality of metadata includes the first metadata and are related to the search request.
31 . The system of claim 30 , wherein the metadata server
queries a metadata index according to the search request, and
receives a storage location within a metadata store at which the first metadata is stored.
32 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the client system displays advertisements selected based at least in part on the first metadata.
33 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the first metadata comprises advertisement instructions for facilitating transmittal of advertisements to the client system.
34 . The system of claim 33 , wherein the advertisement instructions comprise instructions to not display an advertisement in conjunction with the first video asset.
35 . The system of claim 33 , wherein the advertisement instructions comprise
an advertisement location within the video file that represents at least one of a beginning point, a midpoint, and an endpoint of the first video asset, and
instructions to play a video advertisement at the advertisement location.
36 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the metadata server tracks usage of metadata to generate a metadata usage record.