Real-time receipt, decompression and play of compressed streaming

Abstract

Streaming compressed digital hypervideo received upon a digital communications network is decoded (decompressed) and played in a client-computer-based 'video on web VCR' software system. Scene changes, if not previously marked upstream, are automatically detected, and typically twenty-one past scenes are displayed as thumbnail images. Hyperlinks within the main video scene, and/or any thumbnail image, show as hotspots, with text annotations typically appearing upon a cursor 'mouse over'. All hyperlinks--as are provided and inserted by, inter alia, the upstream network service provider (the 'ISP')--may be, and preferably are, full-custom dynamically-resolved to each subscriber/user/viewer ('SUV') upon volitional 'click throughs' by the SUV, including retrospectively on past hypervideo scenes as appear within the thumbnail images. Hyperlinking permits (i) retrieving information and commercials, including streaming video/hypervideo, from any of local storage, a network (or Internet) service provider ('ISP'), a network content provider, and/or an advertiser network site, (ii) entering a contest of skill or a lottery of chance, (iii) gambling, (iv) buying (and less often, selling), (v) responding to a survey, and expressing an opinion, and/or (vi) sounding an alert.