Method and storage device for expanding and contracting continuous play media seamlessly

摘要

One aspect of the invention is playing a stored content providing a plurality of segments which collectively contains the stored content, each segment has using first terminus and a second terminus with the content having a temporal flow from the first terminus to the second terminus. At least one segment is associated with a plurality of links to other segments. The system plays at least one segment with the temporal flow, determining whether a content expansion is desired prior to reaching the second terminus. If the content expansion is desired, then linking to and expansion segment and playing the expansion segment. If the content expansion is not desired, then linking to a continuing segment and playing the continuing segment. An additional link form the expansion segment to the continuing segment such that the continuing segment is played after the expansion segment has been played.

主权项

1. One or more tangible computer readable storage media (wherein said computer readable storage media is not a propagated signal(s)) storing instructions that when executed by a computer are capable of causing the computer to:
a. begin fetching a primary content comprising a primary content continuous play media stream; b. generate a signal display a first portion of the primary content continuous media stream comprising a first stored audio and/or visual content of the primary content continuous play media stream, wherein an interruption terminus of the first portion and a resume-point terminus of a continuing portion of the primary content continuous media stream that continues the primary content continuous play media stream from the interruption terminus of the first portion in the primary content continuous play media stream are established during display of the first portion at an expansion decision point if a content expansion is selected by a user; c. provide a highlighted expansion cue to the user during display of the first portion indicating an option for the user to elect to access the content expansion comprising an optional content continuous play media stream, whereby the display of the expansion cue is distinct from the display of the first portion; d. determine whether the content expansion is selected and establish the expansion decision point and a beginning of the content expansion based on when the user elected the content expansion; e. generate a signal to display a change in the expansion cue if the content expansion is elected by the user during display of the first portion; f. interrupt the display of the first portion at the interruption terminus of the first portion if the content expansion is elected by the user during display of the first portion; g. provide an expansion link from the first portion to an expansion portion of the optional content continuous play media stream comprising a second stored audio and/or visual content, and generate a signal to display the second stored audio and/or visual content of the expansion portion if the content expansion is selected, wherein the displayed second stored audio and/or visual content is spatiotemporally continuous with the displayed first stored audio and/or visual content and with a displayed third stored audio and/or visual content of the continuing portion whereby the display of the second stored audio and/or visual content replaces the display of the first stored audio and/or visual content after at most a small amount of time and whereby the display of the third stored audio and/or visual content replaces the display of the second stored audio and/or visual content after at most a small amount of time, and wherein a transition is played from the displayed first stored audio and/or visual content to the displayed second stored audio and/or visual content; h. provide a continuity link from the expansion portion to the continuing portion and generate a signal to display a third stored audio and/or visual content of the continuing portion after finishing the display of the expansion if the content expansion is elected; and i. provide a continuity link from the first portion to the continuing portion and generate a signal to display the third stored audio and/or visual content of the continuing portion if the content expansion is not elected, wherein the displayed third stored audio and/or visual content is spatiotemporally continuous with the displayed first stored audio and/or visual content whereby the display of the third stored audio and/or visual content replaces the display of the first stored audio and/or visual content after at most a small amount of time.