HK1116876A - System and method for enhanced video selection - Google Patents

Description

System and method for enhanced video selection

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. patent application No.11/081,009, filed 3/15/2005, which claims benefit from U.S. provisional application No.60/560,146, filed 4/7/2004, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to multi-channel video environments, and more particularly, to a system for navigating through the broadcast of video material for playback on a server.

Background

With the introduction of multi-channel video, Electronic Program Guides (EPGs) were developed to help users navigate the universe of "500 channels". This provides a variety of features such as grouping of theme programming, preparation (often making record marks), navigation through favorite channels, etc. EPGs generally enable current shows, as well as upcoming linear television programming.

With the advent of Video On Demand (VOD), EPGs need to switch between VOD offerings and linear offerings. This is a trade-off because the pre-recorded material provided by the VOD service cannot be selected directly through the EPG listings for the linear channels. In addition to this, VOD selection mechanisms are often modeled as a hierarchical menu selection structure, and with the steady growth of content available through the VOD server, this makes it more difficult for the user to navigate through all available content.

Personal Video Recorders (PVRs) have a similar effect: programming available on PVRs is typically done separately from linear programming and even from programming available on VOD, so in order to browse all available programming, the user actually "switches" between linear programming, VOD programming and PVR programming.

Thus, there is a need to be able to combine these techniques together so that a user can use the metadata values to browse and search for available programming content in a consistent manner, and can represent the metadata in an intuitive manner so that they can be simply related to the programming content. The present invention is intended as an extension of the current EPG capabilities to find relevant content more easily.

Disclosure of Invention

Advantageously, techniques have been developed to enable topic join searches in multiple databases, metadata descriptors have been developed to more fully capture the characteristics of these content and its subcomponents, and techniques have been developed where a video scene may have a portion of the screen that is thermally connected to metadata objects.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a system for collecting video asset information for a user to assist the user in selecting a video asset for viewing, wherein the video asset is available from a plurality of different video asset sources. The system includes a metadata component to store data regarding video assets available from a plurality of different video asset sources, the data being grouped into at least one metadata category. Examples of metadata categories include actor, director, genre, sport, league, team, athlete, or school. At least a portion of the data is provided to the user to allow the user to select and view the video asset regardless of the source of the video asset. The system further includes a clip/still picture assembly for acquiring and storing at least one picture associated with each of the video assets available from the plurality of different video asset sources. The image is displayed to the user along with the data. The system may also include a material availability component to determine available video material from the plurality of video material sources. The user may select which video asset source provides the video asset. The system may be used as an adjunct to the first system to assist a user in selecting video material from a particular video material source.

Exemplary embodiments also include a feature wherein, when a portion of data is provided to a user, the user may request a search for additional available video assets from a plurality of different video asset sources having associated data that substantially matches said at least a portion of data currently provided in said metadata category. This allows the user to easily navigate through the video material. The user may select other sources of video assets while searching for other video assets based on at least some of the data requests provided.

Examples of video asset sources include VOD, PVR or contemporaneous or future broadcast video. The system also handles details relating to video material at different sources, for example if the user chooses to view video material from a future broadcast video source, the system provides the user with the option of a set alert alerting the viewer at a point in time adjacent to when the video material was viewed. And if the selected video material to be viewed needs to be formatted for viewing, the system can alert the user. Additionally, if the same video asset is available from multiple video asset sources, the system includes a selection setting to determine from which video asset source the same video asset is to be obtained for viewing.

One embodiment of the present invention includes a method of gathering video asset information to assist a user in selecting a video asset for viewing, wherein the video assets are available from a plurality of different video asset sources. The method comprises the following steps: obtaining data relating to said video material available from said plurality of different video material sources, wherein said data is grouped into at least one metadata category; at least a portion of the data is provided to the user to allow the user to select and view the video asset regardless of the source of the video asset. Further comprising obtaining at least one image associated with each of the video assets available from the plurality of different video asset sources and providing the at least one image to the user with the data.

Drawings

These and other features of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing components of a typical VOD system;

FIG. 2 shows a collection of exemplary traversal steps for selecting a movie to view via a VOD menu system;

FIG. 3 illustrates a video viewing screen of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates an interactive information identification of an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 5 illustrates a metadata browse screen of the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6 illustrates a preview/preview screen of the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 7 illustrates a second interactive information identifier in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

fig. 8 shows a second preview/notice screen of the exemplary embodiment;

fig. 9 shows a third preview/notice screen of the exemplary embodiment;

fig. 10 shows a fourth preview/notice screen of the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 11 shows a flowchart in accordance with an example embodiment;

FIG. 12 shows a system block diagram of one embodiment of the exemplary implementation;

FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment of a clip/still storage component;

FIG. 14 illustrates an embodiment of a search metadata database component;

FIG. 15 illustrates one embodiment of a data availability database component;

FIG. 16 illustrates a mapping between one possible user input command and an existing remote control;

FIG. 17 illustrates an embodiment of a personalization database component;

18A-D illustrate exemplary screens of an embodiment;

19A-B illustrate other exemplary screens of the embodiment of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 illustrates other exemplary screens of the embodiment of FIG. 18; and

fig. 21 illustrates other exemplary screens of the embodiment of fig. 18.

Detailed Description

An exemplary overview of a prior art VOD system is shown in fig. 1. The system includes a VOB back end component 20 (at the front end of a cable) and a receiving device 22 and display device 24 located in the user's home. The receiving device 22 may be a digital set-top box or any other receiving device including a computer or media processor. The display device 24 may be a television, or any other display or monitoring system. Alternatively, the receiving device 22 and the display device 24 may be combined into a single physical device, such as a "digital cable" television, or a computer/media center. The back-end component 20 may include modules such as one or more VOD storage servers 26 for storing programming available to users, one or more VOD pumps 28 for playing programming at any time requested by a plurality of users actually using the system, a user administration and billing module 30 for interfacing with a user database and for authenticating and billing services, an administration and control module 32 for managing the system, assets and resources as a whole, and a content ingestion module 34 for loading new programming content into the system.

In a typical usage scenario, the user 25 will "transition" to VOD (e.g., by pressing a special button on the remote control of his receiving device). This causes the receiving device to send an activation signal to the VOD backend through the command and control channel, and then typically tune to a VOD channel, which provides the user with a menu of available VOD material to select. The menu is typically implemented as a hierarchical text-oriented menu system in which the user can select submenus and order VOD resources with keys on his remote control. This is illustrated by menu chain 36 of fig. 2, where the user selects "movie" from the main menu, then "action movie" from sub-menu 1, then "Hannibal" from sub-menu 2, and then confirms the purchase of the "Hannibal" transaction on sub-menu 3. Once all this is done, VOB back-end component 20 will allocate "hanning" in VOD storage server 26, allocate an available VOD pump 28, and command the VOD pump 28 to begin playing "hanning" over the available bandwidth slots (frequencies) in the network. The receiving device 22 then tunes itself to the bandwidth slot and then begins to display the material on the display device 24 so that the user can begin viewing the material. During viewing, the user 25 typically has the ability to pause, rewind, and fast forward the movie by pressing a button on his remote control. For example, when the user 25 presses the pause button, the receiving device will send a pause message (via the command and control channel 27) to the VOD backend 20 to pause the movie. A VOD session may end because the movie viewing is finished or because the user 25 decides to terminate the session by pressing one or more special buttons on the remote control, in both cases the system will return to normal television viewing mode.

Current interfaces and systems for searching and browsing VOD material are often problematic and not always effective. The system is often implemented as a hierarchical menu system, is not very flexible, and is not very intuitive. As a result, users may not always be able to find a VOD material to view unless they know the exact title and attributes of the material to be found. This problem becomes even worse if the number of available VOD material on the VOD system increases.

The present invention provides a new paradigm for browsing and searching video assets available on VOD and from other sources. The present invention utilizes metadata (e.g., "lead actor", "director", "year of release", etc.) for the material, which in one embodiment is used to enable a user to search for specific material (e.g., "find all material that Clint Eastwood leads or is related to). It also provides a powerful associative search capability (e.g., "i like movie X, find me all materials with the same lead actor"). Also, the present invention provides an intuitive user interface (picture instead of text) for the user, which can be easily navigated with a remote control (without the need for a keyboard).

Additional features of the present invention are described in pending U.S. patent application No.11/080,389, entitled "method and system for displaying a guide for video selection", filed 3/15/2005, which is incorporated herein by reference.

An intuitive embodiment of the invention in a digital cable system will now be described, first in terms of functionality to the user, and then in terms of implementation in a cable system or environment.

Consider a user in a digital cable system who has access to VOD services and has a digital receiving device that includes PVR (personal video recorder) services. Initially, the user wants to watch a movie, so his display wants to show a full screen video as shown in fig. 3. At any time during the movie, the user may activate (by pressing a specific button on his remote control) an interactive information banner 38 to be displayed on his display, as shown in fig. 4. In this example, the logo 38 includes a channel logo 40 on the left, and some textual description 42 of the current movie on the right. The description includes several "link fields" 44, which are marked by some visual effect (in this case they are underlined). The field 44 represents a associative search for material having the same attributes (thus, the "Will Smith" field represents all material that has been featured by Will Smith).

The user can navigate between the link fields with a button on the remote control (indicating the current selection by highlighting it) and then initiate a link by pressing another button on the remote control. For this example, assume that the user initiated the "Will Smith" field. This Will cause a metadata browsing screen (in this case for "Will Smith") as shown in fig. 5. This screen provides the result of searching for all material that share the same metadata (in this case for "Will Smith"). In this example, the screen has 9 material, each of which is shown as a combination of a still picture 46 (clipped from the material or an alternative resource) and a title 48 of the material, together with other information such as the year of release 50 of the material and a symbol 52 indicating whether the material is available. Possible values for this symbol are: VOD (available in VOD archive) 52a, display (currently being displayed) 52b, PVR (available on PVR) 52c, and guide (displayed in guide, and therefore available in the future) 52 d. Other possible values for the symbol 52, as well as alternative sources for the material, such as DVD jukeboxes, tape jukeboxes, and media distributed over IP networks (including ethernet, fiber optic, carrier current, wireless, etc.), are also within the scope of the present invention.

Typically, one of the materials is highlighted 54 (indicating the current selection, in this case the "Wild West" material). Other methods of mapping the focus for the currently selected material, including but not limited to flicker, ghosting, color change, alternating borders, etc., are within the scope of the present invention. The user may change the current selection using a key on the remote control. In the case where there is more material than can be displayed on the screen, the user can move to the front or back page using the remote control buttons. The user may activate the currently selected profile by pressing a particular button on the remote control. This will take the user to a preview/preview session for the selected material. For example, assuming the user selects "I Robot," the final preview/preview screen is shown in FIG. 6. The preview may be a theatrical preview of any length in which the user may purchase to view the VOD material by pressing a button on the remote control, in this case the "select" button. The user may also choose to view the purchased material immediately, or potentially at a later time to view the VOD material, for example to allow parents to make purchases with password-protected purchase options for children to view later in the evening. In addition, if the VOD material can be downloaded to the PVR, the user can view the material from the PVR. The user can pause, fast forward, rewind the previewed content. Likewise, the user may press a remote control button for the interactive information identifier, which will result in the interactive information identifier 42 as shown in FIG. 7. As discussed above, the user can now navigate the links in the identity, and so on.

The preview/preview may look somewhat different from the material obtained by means other than VOD. Fig. 8 shows a preview screen when a material (Ali In this embodiment) currently being displayed is selected, fig. 9 shows a preview screen when a material (In this embodiment, "national Enemy of the State") available through the PVR is selected, and fig. 10 shows a preview screen when a material (Men In Black In this embodiment) available In the guide is selected. The application logic of this exemplary embodiment is further illustrated and summarized in process flow 56 of FIG. 11. Depending on the type of material, different actions may be taken as appropriate to the material, as described above in connection with fig. 6 and 8-10.

An example of this exemplary implementation at the front end of a cable will now be discussed. This embodiment is shown in fig. 12. The clip/still picture store component 58 is shown in more detail in fig. 13. Which stores and manages previews, previews and still pictures related to the material available to the user. Which provides a unified database for various trailers and still pictures associated with the material. Which obtains information from various sources. First, whenever new content enters the VOD system, the content ingestion (ingest) module 34 notifies the clip/still picture storage component 58. If the new content is already associated with a clip/still picture for preview, the clip/still picture storage component 58 simply manages and stores it for later use. If no clip/still picture is associated therewith, the clip/still picture storage component 58 automatically retrieves the appropriate clip/still picture therefrom. The information provided by the material or obtained independently may provide one or more appropriate time/frame references for clips or still pictures from the material. Second, the clip/still picture store component 58 may be connected to a plurality of internal and external clip and still picture resources 60. Examples of such sources are online internet movie databases (www.imdb.com), or VOD and other content libraries. Third, the clip/still picture store 58 may have a user interface 62 to allow an operator to manually extract clips and still pictures from the material.

Another major system component is the search metadata Database (DB)64 in FIG. 12, shown in greater detail in FIG. 14. The component 64 provides uniform metadata for all materials available to the user. An interface for searching for material based on the metadata values is also provided. The search metadata database 64 obtains information from various sources. First, whenever new content enters the VOD system, it is typically provided with metadata (see, e.g., the Cablelabs metadata specification), so the content ingestion component 58 will notify the search metadata database, which then manages and stores the metadata. Second, the search metadata database is connected to a plurality of internal and external metadata resources 66. May be a public resource (such as IMDB described below), or VOD and other content libraries. Third, the search metadata database 64 may have a system 68 for automatically extracting metadata from the content. Examples include examining closed caption information, image analysis to look for words on open and/or closed credits, comparing and matching databases of actors and directors, etc. For example, the present invention may use a combination of scanning closed caption data in conjunction with pattern recognition software to establish the genre of the movie. Also, scene detection algorithms can be used to locate the opening and closing of credits for movies, and then character recognition algorithms can be used to automatically determine actors and directors. Also, the audio (music) may be analyzed to determine the genre of the movie, or even to identify a particular movie. Additionally, a speech recognition system may also be used to determine the actor.

Fourth, the search metadata database 64 may have a user interface 62 whereby an operator may attach metadata to the content.

Another major component is the data availability database 70 of FIG. 12, shown in greater detail in FIG. 15. The database 70 tracks the material available to the user at any time. It obtains its information from various sources. First, when new content enters the VOD system, the content ingest module 34 will notify the asset availability database 70 to record and manage the presence of the asset (or delete it if the asset is removed from the VOD system). Next, the data availability database 70 is connected to an electronic source of program information 72 (typically this information is provided to the cable operator to add an electronic program guide in a digital set-top box, an example of a provider of electronic program information in the united states is the Tribune data service). The material availability database 70 uses this information to track which materials/programs can be viewed or recorded on different networks in the next few weeks. Third, the material availability database 70 periodically collects data from all digital receivers 74 that have PVR capabilities, specifying which materials are currently stored by each receiver and are available on its hard drive or other storage medium. Typically, this information is collected in the background so as not to disrupt the behavior of the cable system (e.g., at night). The material availability database 70 normalizes all of this data and may generate a list of all materials available to a particular digital receiver 74 according to the following equation:

Asserts_available_to_receiver＝

IF(receiver_has_PVR)

THEN(assets_available_on_VOD+assets_present_in_program_information)

ELSE(assets_available_on_VOD+assets_present_in_program_information+

asserts_on_PVR)

END

another major component of the system is the search application 76 of FIG. 12. The application resides in the receiving device 22 in the user's premises. It may be an embedded application, a downloadable application, or a built-in feature of another receiver application, such as an electronic program guide. The search application 76 has two primary functions. First, whenever the user initiates the enhanced search mode, it will establish a connection with the search application server 78 at the back end and process the user interface with the user (according to the flow chart in FIG. 11), it will request all metadata, still pictures and video playback functions from the search application server 78. Second, in the case where the receiving device 22 includes a PVR, it will periodically send a list of assets available on the PVR back to the backend asset availability database 70. The last major component of the system is the search application server 78. The server acts as an engine for the application, and whenever the user initiates the enhanced search mode, the search application server 78 receives a request to open a search session, and within that session it will continue to obtain requests for metadata, still pictures, and video playback. The search application server 78 will then interact with the clip/still picture storage component 58 to retrieve clips or still pictures, the search metadata database 64 to retrieve metadata, the asset availability database 70 to find a list of available assets, and the VOD storage and/or VOD pump component to play trailers and/or VOD assets.

One advantage of the present invention is that desired user inputs from a user can be easily mapped onto existing remote control devices, thereby eliminating the need for more complex input devices such as remote keyboards. In other words, all required user inputs are mapped directly onto existing keys of an existing remote control. An example of a simple mapping onto keys of the remote control 80 is shown in fig. 16 (note that this is only one possible mapping, and further note that only keys relevant to this application are shown, and in fact many other keys are possible).

This example describes only one possible implementation of the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced in other embodiments. Other embodiments will now be described, without attempting to fully describe them.

One major improvement over the previously described embodiments is the increased personalization of the system. This will further improve the user interface to the user's personal preferences or history. For example, if a user watched all of the Will Smith's movies, the system might think that the user was interested in science fiction movies and would first present the Will Smith's movies from the science fiction class. And still pictures and clips will be personalized. For example, different aspects of a movie will be highlighted to attract different personal interests (profiles) (the movie "pearl harbor" may be presented as a love movie to some people interested in romantic movies, as a war movie to people interested in war movies, which will result in different clips and still pictures being displayed to represent the same movie). Such a feature would be implemented by adding a personalization server 82 to the infrastructure of the backend 20. The personalization server 82 is shown in fig. 17. The purpose of the server 82 is to maintain personal interest (profile) information for each potential system user (user). The personalization server 82 establishes and retains these interests based on various inputs. First, it may retrieve subscriber information from the cable operator's subscriber database 84. This information may include some basic demographics (gender), past VOD purchases, etc. Second, information may be obtained from other (external) demographic databases 86 having more detailed demographic information (revenue, etc.). Examples of such database providers include Axiom, InfoUSA in the United states. Third, viewing behavior may be collected from various client devices 74. This may include information about what programs are watched most frequently, etc. The personalization server 82 will standardize all of this information and then apply it to the available clip/still picture storage component 58, as well as the available search metadata database 64, and select the most appropriate clip/still picture for a particular user and/or customize the descriptive text or metadata for a particular user.

Fig. 18A-18D illustrate examples of screen shots (shots) according to an embodiment of the invention. The television images shown in these figures (and in the following figures) are for illustrative purposes only and do not claim any of the images displayed. Ownership of all trademarks, tradenames, advertising rights, copyrights of these exemplary images is owned by the respective owner. Fig. 18A shows that the display of the video material of this example is a broadcast display according to the viewing schedule. The broadcast display is displayed as a still or moving image of the broadcast display with another network icon as part of, superimposed on, or incorporated in the image. A user may use a remote control to highlight a selected broadcast display for viewing or to interactively obtain other information about the highlighted broadcast display. The user does not need to deal with the basic details of the channel or other video material transmission, but can simply navigate through the more familiar items, in this case over the network. In addition, the user may selectively add or remove entities (entitys) from the display (and arrange the order of the displayed networks) to personalize the display for the user. 18B-D illustrate different displays based on a selected time slot as displayed at the bottom of the image.

Figure 19A shows another screen shot of this embodiment when the user is viewing a particular displayed video asset, wherein the video asset is available from a source such as a video-on-demand, library or other delivery service. The user can easily select a specific screen to view or acquire other information, as shown in fig. 19B. As previously described, the user may have the ability to search for other video material based on the information and metadata categories displayed with the image.

Fig. 20 shows another screen shot of this embodiment in which the user can navigate using tabs arranged along the top of the screen and select a different category of video material. In the current example, the user has selected a "My favorites" class and a video asset viewing selection is displayed. As shown, the video material is available from a variety of sources, including DVD, broadcast, and pay-per-view broadcast. The user is able to select a video asset from a large number of video asset sources (by highlighting the interaction with a remote device or otherwise) for viewing. Moreover, the user is able to navigate to other similar video material (based on the metadata classification) using the video material currently listed in the favorite class.

FIG. 21 illustrates another screen shot of this embodiment showing the ability to provide advertising, an interactive purchasing experience, or special offers information to the user. As shown in the image, a selection of advertising material is presented to the user to allow the user to interact through the selection to view and/or receive special pricing information from such advertisements. A visual indication on the image may alert the user to a particular offer or interactive opportunity for a particular advertisement. The user can search for other advertisements or suppliers of goods and services using metadata categories, such as searching for other amusement parks based on metadata categories for images and advertisements for one amusement park.

Another embodiment is to selectively use still images instead of video previews/trailers. This can bring about a number of advantages: firstly, still images are more readily available than previews/previews, especially for content available through other means than VOD (such as content that appears two weeks after the start of the guide), and secondly, this limits bandwidth consumption (still images take up much less bandwidth and storage space than mobile video). The use of bandwidth may be further limited by transmitting the still images in so-called broadcast carousels and storing them in each user device 74 when required (rather than being transmitted to the user devices on request when required). Broadcast carousel (carrousel) is a well-known bandwidth saving technique in the digital video industry (e.g., DSM-CC data carousel). It is also within the scope of the invention to modify the system in such a way that it detects the reduction in bandwidth and then switches to more bandwidth friendly technology (still pictures) and uses the motion video back when more bandwidth is available.

Another variant embodiment is to "automatically prompt" additional previews/trailers after the user finishes viewing the preview. In other words, if the user previews the "Ali" preview but does not intend to purchase the movie, or exits the application, the system may automatically begin playing the next associated preview (rather than returning to the browse screen). This may improve the system (continuous play of relevant trailers) in terms of, for example, effectively creating an interactive movie player channel.

Another variant embodiment is to load trailers to the hard disk of a receiver device that is capable of PVR implementation. This will allow these trailers to be played from the local hard disk (even if they point to the movie material in a VOD, or as a linear programming). These trailers may be downloaded when bandwidth is available (e.g., at night), which may also make the system bandwidth efficient.

Another alternative embodiment is to use the system to reproduce the material from another source (in addition to or instead of VOD and PVR and linear programming). Examples of such include: data available through a broadcast IP network, data available on a DVD or DVD recorder, data available through a digital terrestrial network, data available through a direct to the home (DTH) satellite, data available in a Near Video On Demand (NVOD) channel, data available in a reserved video on demand (SVOD), etc. Further, the material may be downloaded from networks or paths that do not provide sufficient bandwidth for real-time viewing. The asset may be downloaded to the PVR, alerting the user (actually using the PVR as a buffer system) when the asset has been completely downloaded or when enough asset has been downloaded to allow the user to start viewing from the PVR while downloading in parallel in series.

Another variant embodiment is to change the user interface perception to provide a different style of interface. The system can be easily modified to provide different video views or presentations (as still images or as moving video) in conjunction with the presentation of the metadata. And different input devices can be easily supported (more advanced remote controls, keyboards, media control center recommendations, etc.).

Another variant is to give the viewer more control/preview capabilities by presenting them with a screen showing the components of the movie they are (about to) watching. This screen may look very similar to the metadata browsing screen (or scene selection screen as commonly used in many DVD titles today) and enables the viewer to have a better understanding of the development of the movie and gives the viewer a more friendly way to control the navigation through the movie.

Another variant embodiment is to use moving video in the metadata browsing screen (instead of still images). Various data may be displayed as moving pictures, and only the audio of the currently selected data is discarded. To make the implementation simpler, these moving images may be low quality, even animated still pictures.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain specific embodiment and various other changes, omissions and additions to the form and detail thereof may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (20)

1. A system for collecting video asset information for a user to assist said user in selecting a video asset for viewing, wherein said video assets are available from a plurality of different video asset sources, said system comprising:

a metadata component to store data regarding said video assets available from said plurality of different video asset sources, said data grouped into at least one metadata category;

wherein at least a portion of said data is provided to said user to allow said user to select and view video assets without regard to said video asset source.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a clip/still picture assembly for obtaining and storing at least one picture associated with each video asset available from said plurality of different video asset sources.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said user can select which video asset source provides the video asset.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein when said at least a portion of data is provided to said user, said user may request a search for other available video assets from said plurality of different video asset sources having associated data that substantially matches said at least a portion of data currently provided in said metadata category.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said user may select other video asset sources while searching for other video assets based on at least a portion of the data requests provided.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one image associated with video material is displayed to the user with the at least a portion of the data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the metadata categories include actors, directors, genres, sports, leagues, teams, athletes, or schools.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said video asset source comprises VOD, PVR or contemporaneous or future broadcast video.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein if a user selects to view video material from a future broadcast video asset, the system provides the user with the option of a set alert that alerts the viewer at a nearby time when the video material may be viewed.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one image comprises a still clip, a video clip, or a trailer.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said system acts as an auxiliary system to a first system to assist said user in selecting a video asset from a particular video asset source.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the system alerts the user if the video material selected for viewing requires a format conversion in order to be viewed.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein if the same video asset is available from multiple video asset sources, said system includes a selection setting to determine from which video asset source said same video asset is to be obtained for viewing.

14. A method of collecting video asset information to assist a user in selecting a video asset for viewing, wherein said video assets are available from a plurality of different video asset sources, said method comprising:

obtaining data regarding said video assets available from said plurality of different video asset sources, wherein said data is grouped into at least one metadata category; and is

Providing at least a portion of said data to said user to allow said user to select and view video assets without regard to said video asset source.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

obtaining at least one image associated with each video asset available from said plurality of different video asset sources and providing said at least one image to said user with said data.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said user can select from which video asset source video assets are obtained.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a request from said user to obtain other video assets from said plurality of different video asset sources, said plurality of video asset sources having associated data substantially matching said at least a portion of the data provided in said metadata classification.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the metadata categories include actors, directors, genres, sports, leagues, teams, athletes, or schools.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein said video asset source comprises VOD, PVR or contemporaneous or future broadcast video.

20. A system for collecting video asset information for a user to assist the user in selecting a video asset for viewing, wherein said video assets are available from a plurality of different video asset sources, said system comprising:

a material availability component for determining available video material from said plurality of video material sources;

a clip/still picture assembly for obtaining and storing at least one image associated with each video asset obtained from said plurality of different video asset sources;

a metadata component for storing data regarding said video assets available from said plurality of different video asset sources, said data grouped into at least one metadata category;

wherein at least a portion of said data is provided to said user with at least one image associated with a video asset to allow said user to select and view the video asset independent of said video asset source;

wherein when said at least part of data is provided to said user, said user may interact and request a search for further video assets from said plurality of different video asset sources having associated data substantially matching said at least part of data provided in said metadata category.