Method and apparatus for generating video for a viewing system from multiple video elements

Abstract

A video processing system located at a remote location such as a TV broadcasting station or an Internet media server stores a plurality of video elements at that are delivered to a viewing system located at a viewer's premises. The video processing system is capable of receiving a selection request comprising two or more video elements or subsets thereof, wherein the subsets are regions of interest or portions of the corresponding video elements. The video processing system constructs a custom video by combining them based on the viewer' selection and using the region of interest that are provided, and forwards the custom video to the viewing system. Billing based on record of usage is also supported for the custom video.

1 . A video processing system located at a first premises that interacts with a viewing system located at a second premises, the video processing system comprising: 
 a plurality of video elements;    a storage system that stores the plurality of video elements;    a communication interface; and    a processing circuit that is communicatively coupled to the communication interface and to the storage system, wherein the processing circuit responds to selection requests received from the viewing system via the communication interface by generating custom video from a portion of at least one of the plurality of video elements and from at least a portion of at least one other of the plurality of video elements, and    wherein the processing circuit delivers the custom video to the viewing system via the communication interface.    
   
   
       2 . The video processing system according to  claim 1 , the processing circuit sends the plurality of video elements to the viewing system via the communication interface.  
   
   
       3 . The video processing system according to  claim 1 , the selection requests received from the viewing system includes a selection of the portion of the at least one of the plurality of video elements and the portion or all of the at least one other of the plurality of video elements.  
   
   
       4 . The video processing system according to  claim 3 , the selection requests received from the viewing system further include definitions of selected portions of selected video elements.  
   
   
       5 . The video processing system according to  claim 4 , further comprising a list of definitions, wherein the list of definitions are forwarded to the viewing system via the communication interface for selection by a viewer.  
   
   
       6 . The video processing system according to  claim 5 , wherein the storage system stores the list of definitions and wherein the list of definitions can be retrieved by the viewing system.  
   
   
       7 . The video processing system according to  claim 5 , wherein the definitions of the selected portions are chosen from the list of definitions.  
   
   
       8 . The video processing system according to  claim 4 , wherein the definitions of the selected portions includes sizes of the selected portions of the selected video elements.  
   
   
       9 . The video processing system according to  claim 4 , wherein the definitions of the selected portions includes shapes of the selected portions of the selected video elements.  
   
   
       10 . The video processing system according to  claim 4 , wherein the definitions of the selected portions includes positions of the selected portions of the selected video elements on a screen of the viewing system.  
   
   
       11 . The video processing system according to  claim 2 , further comprising an authentication system that authenticates the viewing system and wherein the processing circuit sends the plurality of video elements to the viewing system after the viewing system is authenticated.  
   
   
       12 . The video processing system according to  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 an accounting support system that is communicatively coupled to the processing circuit;    wherein the accounting support system keeps a record of usage of the selected video elements by the video processing system to generate the custom video, and forwards the record to a billing system via the communication interface.    
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the billing system is located at a third premises.  
   
   
       14 . The video processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of video elements are provided by a video sourcing system that is communicatively coupled to the video processing system and located at a remote location.  
   
   
       15 . A method performed by a video processing system located at a first premises of generating video for a viewing system located at a second premises based on viewer interaction, the method comprising: 
 storing a plurality of video elements at the first premises;    receiving a selection of at least two of the plurality of video elements from the viewing system;    constructing a custom video by combining the at least two of the plurality of video elements of the selection; and    forwarding the custom video to the viewing system.    
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , the second premises is at a remote location from the first premises.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein receiving the selection from the viewing system is preceded by authenticating the viewing system; and 
 forwarding the plurality of video elements stored at the first premises to the viewing system after successful authentication of the viewing system.    
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 defining portions of the at least two of the plurality of video elements    wherein the portions are chosen by a viewer where the viewer interacts with viewing system.    
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein constructing the custom video includes: 
 identifying the at least two of the plurality of video elements using the selection received from the viewing system;    combining the portions of the at least two of the plurality of video elements chosen by the viewer to generate the custom video.    
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein receiving the selection from the viewing system is preceded by sending a list of definitions to the viewing system.  
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the definitions of the portions of the at least two of the plurality of video elements are selected from the list of definitions sent to the viewing system.  
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the plurality of video elements are received by the video processing system from a video sourcing system located at a third premises.  
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 maintaining a record of usage of the plurality of video elements by the viewing system; and    sending the record to a billing system that generates a bill for the viewer using the record.    
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the billing system is located at a fourth premises.