Abstract:
A video channel ad for providing continuous video to a user is described herein. A plurality of thumbnails of various clips may be interacted with to provide various video clips associated with the relevant thumbnails. In maintaining a user&#39;s attention, the video plays continuously and transitions between states of the video channel ad are made in a gradual and smooth manner.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/917,597, filed May 11, 2007, and entitled “VIDEO CHANNEL AD SYSTEM AND METHOD” by Dimitry Ioffe, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    A user with a web browser connected to the internet can receive a website having advertising material. The use of video with a website is known in the art as providing a valuable experience to a user. Video engages a user in the subject matter of, e.g. a motion picture, more closely than mere graphics with text or even graphics with sound and text. 
         [0003]    In advertising a video, a clip of a video can be provided to a user. This clip includes stimulating material which engages a user in a specific portion of the video. This entices the user to want to see more of the video, thus encouraging the user to view more of the video and eventually pay to view the whole video. Increasingly, more than one clip of a video is used to provide different engaging aspects of a video to form an interest in the video in the user&#39;s mind. 
         [0004]    As technology and the speed of life have increased, delays of any kind which interrupt a user&#39;s experience have become more and more noticeable. This sensitivity to disruption has made users skiddish, causing them to navigate away from websites which bring them delay. Once a user has navigated away from a website, the opportunity to form an interest in the products or services is lost. 
         [0005]    The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools, and methods that are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements. 
         [0007]    It is advantageous to provide video to a user. Further it is advantageous to provide that video in a continuous manner. This uninterrupted video maintains the user&#39;s experience providing the opportunity to develop interest in a video. 
         [0008]    A web browser including a video channel ad is provided. The video channel ad receives an interaction and expands in a gradual and smooth manner continuously providing video. A plurality of thumbnails of relevant videos is provided as well as a number of buttons for controlling features of the video channel ad. A user interacting with the video channel ad may interact using any device that can input interactions, which would include, but not be limited to a keyboard and mouse. 
         [0009]    When interacting with the video channel ad, features include choosing videos to play, increasing and decreasing sound volume, providing text and images relevant to the video, as well as increasing and decreasing the size of the video. 
         [0010]    Other features which provide related content to the user are contemplated. Examples of such other features include “story,” “downloads,” “quiz,” “send to a friend,” and “shrink video.” However, the specific features are provided by way of example only; it is understood that a variety of features could be provided. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    Embodiments of the inventions are illustrated in the figures. However, the embodiments and figures are illustrative rather than limiting; they provide examples of the inventions. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  depicts a video channel ad for continuously playing video having a plurality of thumbnails for choosing video to display as well as buttons to enable related features. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  depicts a flowchart for providing video using a video channel ad. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  depicts a video channel ad expanding in response to an interaction. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  depicts a video channel ad changing a video to play in response to an interaction. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  depicts a video channel ad decreasing the size of the video playing in the video channel ad and displaying text relevant to the video playing in the remaining portion of the video channel ad. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  depicts a user interacting with a video channel ad via a computer. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  depicts an information management system transmitting a video channel ad to a computer for a user to interact with. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a screenshot of an unexpanded video channel ad. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a screenshot of a video channel ad in an intermittent state between unexpanded and expanded as the video channel ad is expanding. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    In the following description, several specific details are presented to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or in combination with other components, etc. In other instances, well-known implementations or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of various embodiments of the invention. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  depicts a video channel ad  100 . Video channel ad  100  includes video  102 , first video selection button  104 , second video selection button  106 , plurality of thumbnails  108 , activated thumbnail  110 , function button  112 , and exit button  114 , title  116 , previous video thumbnail  118 , subsequent video thumbnail  120 . 
         [0023]    In the example of  FIG. 1 , video  102  plays continuously in video channel ad  100 . Title  116  is displayed as a non-video graphic covering part of the video including e.g. the name of the video. Plurality of thumbnails  108  run near an edge of the video, and upon interaction with activated thumbnail  110 , video  102  plays video correlated with thumbnail  110 . Upon interaction first video selection button  104  the video  102  change to a previous video associated with the previous video thumbnail  118 . Upon interaction with the second video selection button  106 , the video  102  changes to a subsequent video associated with the subsequent video thumbnail  120 . 
         [0024]    In the example of  FIG. 1  function button  112  provides one of a number of different features which when interacted with causes the video channel ad to display relevant information. E.g. if the function button  112  is a “story” button, the video  102  will decrease in size, and text explaining the story of the video  102  will be displayed. Function button  112  may or may not be selected from the following group of buttons “story,” “downloads,” “quiz,” “send to a friend,” and “shrink video” other functions are contemplated. Interaction with the exit button  114  may cause the video channel ad to cease to play video and to decrease in size. 
         [0025]    In the example of  FIG. 1 , interaction may include, but is not limited to rolling over, clicking, right clicking, left clicking, third mouse button clicking, wheel mouse button clicking, wheel mouse scrolling, and keyboard key depress. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  depicts a flowchart  200  as an example of a method for providing video. The method is organized as a sequence of modules in the flowchart  200 . However, it should be understood that these and modules associated with other methods described herein may be reordered for parallel execution or into different sequences of modules. In the example of  FIG. 2 , the flowchart starts at module  202  with providing a web browser including a video channel ad. This web browser can be any device for interacting with a video channel ad, and would extend to integrated systems, web TV devices, and other methods of accessing a web page. 
         [0027]    In the example of  FIG. 2 , the flowchart  200  continues to module  204  where an interaction with the video channel ad is received. The video channel ad responds to the interaction in module  206  by expanding while continuously playing video. In expanding, portions of the video may or may not be visible until the video channel ad is fully expanded. Any portions of the video not displayed may be clipped and the remaining portion of the video displayed. In proceeding from module  206 , flowchart  200  may proceed to module  208 , module  212 , module  218 , or module  220 . 
         [0028]    In the example of  FIG. 2 , flowchart  200  may proceed from module  206  to module  208  where a second interaction is received. A user may interact with a number of different parts of the video channel ad such as the buttons, the thumbnails, or the volume controls. Here, the user has interacted with one of the plurality of thumbnails, or graphics identifying additional videos, to select a video to play in the video channel ad. The flowchart then proceeds to module  210  where video channel ad then plays the video associated with the thumbnail that the user has selected. 
         [0029]    In the example of  FIG. 2 , the flowchart  200  may alternatively proceed from module  206  to module  212  where the video channel ad receives a third interaction. A function button may be interacted with, e.g. the “shrink video” button. Where the “shrink video” button has been interacted with, flowchart  200  proceeds to module  214  where the size of the video is decreased. From this point, flowchart  200  may proceed to module  216 , where a non-video graphic, e.g. a “big video” button is displayed, which when interacted with will increase the size of the video. 
         [0030]    In the example of  FIG. 2 , the flow chart may alternatively proceed from module  206  to module  218  or module  220  with changing the video to a previous video associated with a previous thumbnail. Module  218  is directed to a non-video graphic which can be interacted with to change the video to a previous video. In the case of module  218 , an interaction will result in the previous thumbnail becoming an activated thumbnail, and a video associated with the previous thumbnail playing. In module  220  a non-video graphic may be interacted with to change the video to a subsequent video associated with a subsequent thumbnail. The subsequent thumbnail may be activated, and the video associated with the subsequent video may begin to play. 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  depicts an expanding video channel ad  300 . Expanding video channel ad  300  includes unexpanded video channel ad  302 , expanded video channel ad  304 , direction of expansion  306 , partial video  308 , and full video  310 . 
         [0032]    In the example of  FIG. 3  an interaction with unexpanded video channel ad  300  results in the expansion of unexpanded video channel ad  302  in a direction of expansion  306 . It should be noted that the direction of expansion could be any of up, down, left, right, any direction diagonally, or more than one direction at the same time such as an expanding square, circle etc. In the example of  FIG. 3  direction of expansion  306  is leftward. Partial video  308  plays in unexpanded video channel  302 , and plays continuously as unexpanded video channel  302  expands to become expanded video channel  304 . At the points which the expanding video channel ad is between unexpanded video channel ad  302  and expanded video channel ad  304  the video plays continuously as the video channel ad expands gradually and in a smooth transition. 
         [0033]      FIG. 4  depicts a video channel ad  400  changing a video in response to an interaction with a thumbnail. Video channel ad  400  includes first stage  402 , first video  404 , thumbnail  406 , second video  408 , and second stage  410 . In the example of  FIG. 4 , the first stage  402  is a fully expanded video channel ad displaying first video  404 . Then a user interacts with thumbnail  406 , and the video channel ad enters second stage  410  playing second video  408 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 5  depicts a video channel ad  500  decreasing the size of the video playing in the video channel ad and displaying text relevant to the video playing in the remaining portion of the video channel ad. Video channel ad  500  includes first stage  502 , video  504 , function button  506 , second stage  508 , video  510 , and text  512 . 
         [0035]    In the example of  FIG. 5  first stage  502  of a video channel ad displays video  504  and function button  506 . Upon an interaction with function button  506  video channel ad  500  becomes second stage  508 . The video  504  is shrunken to video  510 . During this process the user is provided with the experience of continuous video. The transition may or may not involve the use of a single frame of a video during the transition which is shrunken as the transition occurs. 
         [0036]      FIG. 6  depicts an example of a system  600  for interacting with a website: a computer with a keyboard and mouse. The system  600  includes a monitor  602 , a web browser  604 , a video channel ad  606 , a computer  608 , a keyboard  610 , a mouse  611 , a first button  612 , a second button  614 , a third button  616 , a user  618 , and a pointer  620 . 
         [0037]    In the example of  FIG. 6 , the user views monitor  602 . Displayed on monitor  602 , the user views the ported website  606  as covering over the website  604 . The user interacts with the video channel ad  606  via input devices such as keyboard  610  and mouse  612 . These interactions include rolling over, clicking, right clicking, left clicking, third mouse button clicking, wheel mouse button clicking, wheel mouse scrolling, and keyboard key depress. It is understood that there are other ways of interacting with a computer, and that one skilled in the art would implement a viable alternative to a keyboard and mouse in keeping with the spirit of these teachings. 
         [0038]      FIG. 7  depicts an example of a system  700  providing a video channel ad to a user. System  700  includes information management system  702 , server  704 , database  706 , network  708 , computer  710 , and computer  712 . In the example of  FIG. 7 , information management system  702  provides a website including a video channel ad to computer  710  via network  708 . Server  704  transmits the video channel ad. Data relevant to the video channel ad may or may not be stored in database  706 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 8  is a screenshot of an unexpanded video channel ad. The screenshot depicts the unexpanded video channel ad presenting the motion picture “Knocked Up.” 
         [0040]      FIG. 9  is a screenshot of a video channel ad in an intermittent state between unexpanded and expanded as the video channel ad is expanding. The screenshot includes a partially clipped frame from a continuously provided video of a scene in the motion picture “Knocked Up.” The amount of clipping is based on the intermittent stage of the video channel ad. 
         [0041]      FIG. 10  is a screenshot of an expanded video channel ad. The expanded video channel ad plays continuous video from a scene in the motion picture “Knocked Up.” The video is not clipped by the expanding video channel ad as the screenshot is of a full expanded video channel ad. 
         [0042]    It will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that the preceding examples and embodiments are exemplary and not limiting to the scope of the present invention. It is intended that all permutations, enhancements, equivalents, and improvements thereto that are apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings are included within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims include all such modification, permutations and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.