Method and apparatus for efficient, entertaining information delivery
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 and 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 a user is used to select clips. In one embodiment, a user is 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 providing video programming, comprising:
receiving, by a processor of a media delivery server, a user's request for a stream of media from the user's device;
storing, by a non-transitory storage medium of the media delivery server, a first class of non-monetizing media clips and a second class of monetizing media clips, wherein the non-monetizing media clips including royalty-free media clips and media clips for which royalty payments are due if delivered to a user, and the monetizing media clips including any media clip which generates revenue for an operator of the media delivery server;
searching, by the processor of the media delivery server a viewing history database for the user's profile, the user's profile including the user's prior viewing and listening sessions, demographic and geographic data;
automatically retrieving, by the processor, without human interaction, a list of appropriate potential media clips from the second class of monetizing media clips of the non-transitory storage medium, based on the user's profile;
generating, by the processor, a unique concatenated stream of media clips from the retrieved list of appropriate potential media clips, the generated unique concatenated stream of media clips including one or more short-form monetizing media;
streaming to the user the generated unique concatenated stream of media clips;
providing, by the processor, an information display displayed on the user's device and partitioning the information display to comprise:
a first viewing area;
a second display area; and
playing, in the first viewing area, the generated unique concatenated stream of media clips;
receiving the user's selection of at least one short-form teaser when the generated unique concatenated stream of media clips is played;
playing, in the first viewing area, a long-form advertisement associated with the user's selection after receiving the user's selection;
when each concatenated media clip completes playing, entering a visual exemplary representation of the concatenated media clip into the second display area, wherein the second display area includes a plurality of viewing areas, each viewing area is configured to display a visual exemplary representation of one of the played media clips;
receiving the user's selection on one of the visual exemplary representations in the second display area;
interrupting, by the processor, a queued list of media clips prepared for the user;
generating a new clip associated with the selected visual exemplary representation based on a predefined rule, wherein the new clip is not previously played; and
sending the new clip to the first viewing area.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second display area includes a second viewing area and a third viewing area, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
playing a primary video clip in the second viewing area;
playing the primary video clip in the third viewing area when a secondary video clip completes displaying in the first viewing area; and
playing the secondary video clip in the second viewing area when the primary video clip is displayed in the third viewing area.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second display area includes at least one viewing area displaying the video clips in a first-in, first-out order.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined rule is based on at least one of the following: the user's demographic data and geographic data.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the media clips is tagged or labelled with aesthetic values of any useful type.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the media clips is tagged or labelled with content values of any useful kind.
7. A method of providing media programming, comprising:
providing, by a computer, an information display displayed on a user's computer and partitioning the information display to comprise:
a first viewing area;
a second display area; and
streaming to the user a unique concatenated stream of media clips, the unique concatenated stream of media clips including one or more short-form teasers of advertisements;
playing, in the first viewing area, the unique concatenated stream of media clips;
receiving the user's selection of at least one short-form teaser when the generated unique concatenated stream of media clips is played;
playing, in the first viewing area, a long-form advertisement associated with the user's selection after receiving the user's selection;
when each concatenated media clip completes playing, displaying an exemplary visual element representative of a last-played clip in the second display area, wherein the second display area includes a plurality of viewing areas, each viewing area is configured to display a visual exemplary representation of one of the played media clips, wherein each user can select one of the played media clips, wherein each user's selection interacts with the user's unique viewing history, the user's personal profile and an assembly logic or template branching functionality, to create a stream of media programming that dynamically optimizes the selected media clip and dynamically reshuffles or automatically generates new concatenations of media clips which become progressively more targeted to the user;
receiving the user's selection on one of the images in the second display area;
interrupting, by the processor, a queued list of media clips prepared for the user;
generating a new clip associated with the selected visual exemplary representation based on a predefined rule, wherein the new clip is not previously played; and
sending the new clip to the first viewing area,
wherein each media clip includes at least one of the following: video, audio, and other time-based content,
wherein each media clip is presented in a time-based or sequential form, and
wherein the second display area includes at least one viewing area displaying, in a first-in, first-out order, the one or more visual elements signifying media programs historically played in the main viewing area.