Method and system for providing interactive services using video on demand infrastructure

1. A method for providing a service to an end user, the method comprising:

converting non end user device readable images to multiple end user device readable pictures;

receiving a request from an end user to display at least one image, wherein the request is conveyed over a TVOD infrastructure;

retrieving at least one end user device readable picture that corresponds to the requested image from a photo database that stores only anchor pictures; and

providing the end user with a stream of end user device readable pictures that comprises the at least one end user device readable picture that corresponds to the requested image.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein stage of retrieving further comprises retrieving multiple duplicating pictures.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the stage of providing is preceded by retrieving multiple transitions pictures from a transition database that is not the photo database.

4. The method according to claim 3 further comprises selecting multiple transition pictures out of multiple sets of transition pictures, wherein each set of transition pictures is associated with a unique transition effect.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising receiving at least one image from the end user and converting the image into an end user device readable picture.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the receiving of the request comprises receiving from the user a video stream manipulation command that is conveyed over a TVOD infrastructure and that is associated with a interactive service navigation command for navigating between non end user device readable images in an image folder out of multiple image folders.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the providing is preceded by manipulating the at least one end user device readable picture by insertion of the at least one end user device readable picture in the stream that includes advertisements.

8. A method for providing service to an end user, the method comprising:

converting non end user device readable images to multiple end user device readable pictures;

associating video stream manipulation commands with interactive service commands, wherein the interactive service commands comprise navigation commands for navigating between non end user device readable images; wherein the interactive service enables the end user to navigate to an image folder out of multiple image folders, and to navigate within the folder to view selected images;

receiving a video stream manipulation command from an end user; and

providing, in response to an interactive service command associated with the received video stream manipulation command, a stream of end user device readable pictures to the end user.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the video manipulation command is pause, play, rewind or fast forward.

10. The method according to claim 8 wherein stage of providing is preceded by retrieving at least one end user device readable picture and multiple duplicating pictures.

11. The method according to claim 8 wherein the stage of providing is preceded by retrieving at least one end user device readable picture and retrieving multiple transitions pictures from a transition database that is not a photo database in which the end user device readable pictures are stored.

12. The method according to claim 11 further comprises selecting multiple transition pictures out of multiple sets of transition pictures, wherein each set of transition pictures is associated with a unique transition effect.

13. A method for generating a media stream, the method comprising:

receiving a request to receive a stream that comprises two anchor pictures out of a group of anchor pictures;

determining a transition effect between the two anchor pictures, wherein the transition effect is selected from a group of: wipe, fade-away, dissolve, fade to black, fade from black, fade to white, fade from white, shrinking and size changes; and

generating a sequence of transition pictures such that a decoding and a displaying process of a stream that comprises a first anchor picture out of the two anchor pictures, the sequence of transition pictures and then the second anchor picture out of the two anchor pictures provides the transition effect.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the transition pictures are dependent pictures.

15. The method according to claim 13 further comprising retrieving the two anchor pictures from a photo database that stores only anchor pictures, and retrieving the sequence of transition pictures from a transition database that is not the photo database.

16. The method according to claim 13 further comprising determining another transition effect and generating other transition pictures.

17. The method according to claim 13 further comprising providing the stream during a provision of an interactive service that enables the end user to navigate to an image folder out of multiple image folders, and to navigate within the folder to view selected images.

18. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the determining of the transition effect comprises selecting multiple transition pictures out of multiple sets of transition pictures, wherein each set of transition pictures is associated with a unique transition effect, wherein the selecting is determined by a selection of the end-user.

19. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the determining of the transition effect comprises selecting multiple transition pictures out of multiple sets of transition pictures, wherein each set of transition pictures is associated with a unique transition effect, wherein the selecting is received over a network that is different than the network over which the stream of the displaying process is transmitted to the end-user.

20. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the determining of the transition effect comprises selecting multiple transition pictures out of multiple sets of transition pictures, wherein each set of transition pictures is associated with a unique transition effect, wherein the selecting is determined by a selection of a vendor that is associated with the interactive service;

wherein the receiving of the request is preceded by receiving images from the vendor and converting the images into the two anchor pictures;

wherein the interactive service enables the end user to navigate to an image folder out of multiple image folders of a catalogue of the vendor, and to navigate within the folder to view selected images.

21. A system for providing service to an end user, the system comprises:

an interface for receiving at least one request from an end user to display at least one image, wherein the request is conveyed over TVOD infrastructure;

at least one storage unit, accessible by the computerized unit, that stores a photo database that stores at least one end user device readable picture, wherein the photo database stores only anchor pictures; and

a computerized entity adapted to convert non end user device readable images to multiple end user device readable pictures and to provide a stream of end user device readable pictures that comprise at least one end user device readable picture that is retrieved from the photo database and that corresponds to the requested image.

22. The system according to claim 21 wherein the at least one storage unit further stores multiple duplicating pictures.

23. The system according to claim 21 wherein the computerized entity is further adapted to store at least one end user device readable picture and multiple duplicating pictures.

24. The system according to claim 21 further adapted to receive a request from the end user to receive another image and to provide, to the end user, a stream of end user device readable pictures that comprises at least one end user device readable picture that corresponds to the other requested image.

25. The system according to claim 21 wherein the a transition database is also stored at least one storage unit, wherein the transition database is not the photo database and that stores multiple sets of transition pictures, wherein each set of transition pictures is associated with a unique transition effect.

26. The system according to claim 21 adapted to receive at least one image from the end user and to convert the image into an end user device readable picture.

27. The system according to claim 21 further adapted to receive at least one image from a third entity and converting the image into an end user device readable picture.

28. A system for providing service to an end user, the system comprising:

a computerized entity adapted to convert non end user device readable images to multiple end user device readable pictures, and to associate video stream manipulation commands with interactive service commands, wherein the interactive service commands comprises navigation commands for navigating between non end user device readable images; wherein the interactive service enables the end user to navigate to an image folder out of multiple image folders, and to navigate within the folder to view selected images; and

an interface adapted to receive a video stream manipulation command from an end user; whereas the system is adapted to provide, in response to an interactive service command associated with the received video stream manipulation command, a stream of end user device readable pictures to the end user.

29. The system according to claim 28 wherein the video manipulation command is pause, play, rewind or fast forward.

30. The system according to claim 28 further comprising at least one storage unit that stores at least one end user device readable picture and multiple duplicating pictures.

31. The system according to claim 28 further adapted to receive a Video stream manipulation command that is associated with an image change operation and to provide to the end user a stream of end user device readable pictures such as to change an image that is displayed to the end user.

32. The system according to claim 31 wherein the system is adapted to retrieve at least one end user device readable picture from a photo database that stores only anchor pictures; and to retrieve multiple transitions pictures from a transition database that is not a photo database in which the end user device readable pictures are stored.

33. The system according to claim 32 adapted to select multiple transition pictures out of, multiple sets of transition pictures, wherein each set of transition pictures is associated with unique transition effect.

34. A system for generating a media stream, the system comprising:

an interface for receiving at least one request from an end user to receive a stream that comprises two anchor pictures out of a group of anchor pictures, wherein the request is conveyed over TVOD infrastructure;

at least one storage unit adapted to store transition pictures; and

a computerized entity adapted to determine a transition effect between the two anchor pictures and to generate a sequence of transition pictures such that a decoding and a displaying process of a stream that comprises a first anchor picture out of the two anchor pictures, a sequence of transition pictures and then the second anchor picture out of the two anchor pictures provides the transition effect, wherein the transition effect is selected from a group of: wipe, fade-away, dissolve, fade to black, fade from black, fade to white, fade from white, shrinking and size changes.

35. The system according to claim 34 wherein the transition pictures are dependent pictures.

36. The system according to claim 34 further comprising an interface adapted to retrieve the two anchor pictures from a photo database that stores only anchor pictures, and to retrieve the sequence of transition pictures from a transition database that is not the photo database.

37. The system according to claim 34 further adapted to determine another transition effect and generating other transition pictures.

38. The system according to claim 34 further adapted to provide the stream during a provision of an interactive service that enables the end user to navigate to an image folder out of multiple image folders, and to navigate within the folder to view selected images.

39. The system according to claim 34 further adapted to associate video stream manipulation commands to picture retrieval commands.

40. A method for controlling an end user device, the method comprising:

providing data representative of stream selection operation associated with an occurrence of an event;

providing a selected stream in response to a request to receive the selected stream; wherein the request is generated by the end user device in response to an occurrence of the event.

41. The method according to claim 40 wherein the event is triggered by the end user.

42. The method according to claim 40 wherein the stage of providing a selected stream is followed by providing a stream that was provided prior the provision of the selected stream.

43. The method according to claim 40 wherein the data is conveyed on a dedicated PID.

44. A system, comprising:

an interface for receiving at least one request from an end user to receive a selected stream; wherein the request is generated in response to an occurrence of an event; and

a computerized entity, adapted to provide data representative of stream selection operation associated with an occurrence of an event, and adapted to providing the selected stream.

45. The system according to claim 44 further adapted to provide a stream that was provided prior the provision of the selected stream, after the provision of the selected stream ends.

46. The system according to claim 44 wherein the data is conveyed on a dedicated PID.