Google Inc.

Assaf Harel

Rony Amira

The present invention relates to a system for transferring an interactive movie located at a server via a network and displaying the same at a user station, which comprises: (a) a display unit at the user station for displaying movie frames; (b) a control device at the user station for enabling the user to navigate within the movie; (c) a map of the movie describing the links between the individual movie frames and the index of each movie frame, said map also maintains at any given time the present virtual location of the user within the map; and (d) a prediction unit for receiving inputs from said map and from a user control device, and based on said inputs predicting those future frames that may be required for view by the user, and instructing the server to convey said predicted future frames to the user station.

Method and system for displaying via a network of an interactive movie

The present invention relates to a system for transferring an interactive walkthrough movie located at a server via a network and displaying the same at a user station, which comprises: (a) a display unit at the user station for displaying movie frames; (b) a control device at the user station for enabling the user to navigate within the movie; (c) a map of the movie describing the links between the individual movie frames and the index of each movie frame, said map also maintains at any given time the present virtual location of the user within the map; and (d) a prediction unit for receiving inputs from said map and from a user control device, and based on said inputs predicting those future frames that may be required for view by the user, and instructing the server to convey said predicted future frames to the user station. The prediction unit may order a first level of resolution frames when the user is in a virtual movement, and a second level of resolution frames when the user is stationary within the interactive movie.

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Netanya, Israel

Assaf Harel