Patent ID: 7646434

Claim:
A system for providing real-time, interactive entertainment, the system comprising: a first input that receives a first video signal comprising video content having a plurality of frames, the plurality of frames representing a cinematic scene having first and second original characters and a first audio signal comprising audio content for the cinematic scene; a second input that receives a second video signal comprising a real-time video image of a participant and a second audio signal associated with the participant; a mixer module in communication with the first input and with the second input, wherein the mixer module outputs a combined signal comprising portions of the first video signal and portions of the second video signal, wherein the portions of the second video signal comprise the real-time video image of the participant, and wherein the combined signal is configured to cause the display of the real-time video image of the participant in place of the original character such that the first original character in the cinematic scene is replaced with the participant; a data file associated with the first video signal, the data file comprising, first reference data that identifies a first frame of the plurality of frames in which the first original character enters the cinematic scene of the video content, and second reference data that identifies a second frame of the plurality of frames in which the first original character exits the cinematic scene of the video content, and a switching module that selects between outputting the combined signal and outputting the first video signal based on the data file, wherein the switching module outputs the combined signal at a time identified by the first reference data whereby the participant enters the cinematic scene in place of the first original character, and wherein the switching module outputs the first video signal at a time identified by the second reference data whereby the participant exits the cinematic scene, and wherein the switching module outputs at least the second audio signal at the time identified by the first reference data and outputs at least the first audio signal at the time identified by the second reference data.