Method of and a system for distributing interactive audiovisual works in a server and client system

A method of distributing an interactive audiovisual work from a server computer to a client computer in response to a user input [in a server and client system], comprising steps of:

• providing means for storing in the server computer;
• storing in the means for storing an interactive audiovisual work including a plurality of streams of motion pictures which are selectively connected to display;
• storing in the means for storing stream codes, each of which corresponds to each of the streams and includes information about a next stream able to be connected;
• providing a random access memory in the server computer;
• storing the stream codes in the random access memory when the server computer sends the streams to the client computer;
• creating a table having a plurality of fields in the random access memory;
• storing the stream codes in the fields of the table in a predetermined order;
• providing a plurality of transmitter buffers in the server computer;
• storing in the transmitter buffers the streams corresponding to the stream codes stored in the fields of the table;
• and
• in accordance with predetermined criteria, selecting the streams stored in the transmitter buffers to send to the client computer.

An apparatus for creating image data, comprising:

• means for taking motion pictures of an object and generating video data of the motion pictures,
• still image recording means for recording a still image data made from the video data;
• image synthesizing means for generating a synthesized image from the video data from the means for taking motion pictures and the still image data from the still image recording means by superimposing the video data on the still image data;
• and
• means for displaying one of image of the video data from the means for taking motion pictures, image of the still image data from the still image recording means;
• and the synthesized image with its right-hand side and left-hand side being reversed.

A method of creating a preceding stream and a succeeding stream of motion pictures which are connected to display, comprising the steps of:

• taking motion pictures of a preceding stream by video camera means;
• displaying a still image of ending part of the preceding stream which connects a succeeding stream;
• displaying an image of starting part of the succeeding stream which connects the preceding stream when starting taking motion pictures of the succeeding stream by the video camera means;
• substantially registering the image of starting part of the succeeding stream with the still image of ending part of the preceding stream by alternately repeating the steps of displaying a still image and of displaying an image of starting part;
• and
• taking motion pictures of the succeeding stream from the starting part having substantially registered with the still image.

A system for distributing an interactive audiovisual work, comprising:

• an interactive audiovisual work including a plurality of streams of motion pictures;
• the streams being selectively connected to display,
• a server computer including storage means for storing the interactive audio visual work;
• means for receiving a signal from a client computer;
• means for selecting one of the plurality of the streams to be connected with a stream being displayed on the client computer in accordance with predetermined criteria;
• a plurality of buffer means for storing a plurality of the streams to be selected by the means for selecting in a predetermined order;
• and means for sending a stream selected by the means for selecting from the buffer means to the client computer, and
• a client computer including means for receiving a user input;
• means for sending the user input to the server computer;
• means for receiving the stream from the server computer;
• and means for decompressing and displaying the received stream;
• wherein the streams to be selectively connected each other have connecting parts which are substantially special or sequential continuous.

A system for distributing an interactive audiovisual work, comprising:

• an interactive audiovisual work including a plurality of streams of motion pictures which are selectively connected to display,
• a server computer including storage means for storing the interactive audio visual work;
• means for receiving a signal from a client computer;
• means for selecting one of the plurality of the streams to be connected with a stream being displayed at the client computer in accordance with predetermined criteria;
• a user code table for changing the predetermined criteria user by user;
• a plurality of buffer means for storing a plurality of the streams to be selected by the means for selecting in a predetermined order;
• and means for sending a stream selected by the means for selecting from the buffer means to the client computer, and
• a client computer including means for receiving a user input;
• means for sending the user input to the server computer;
• means for receiving the stream from the server computer;
• and means for decompressing and displaying the received stream.

A system for distributing an interactive audiovisual work, comprising:

• an interactive audiovisual work including a plurality of streams of motion pictures which are selectively connected to display,
• a server computer including storage means for storing the interactive audio visual work;
• means for receiving a signal from a client computer;
• means for selecting one of the plurality of the streams to be connected with a stream being displayed at the client computer in accordance with predetermined criteria;
• a plurality of buffer means for storing a plurality of the streams to be selected by the means for selecting in a predetermined order;
• and means for sending a stream selected by the means for selecting from the buffer means to the client computer by canceling the sending of a stream then being sent, and
• a client computer including means for receiving a user input;
• means for sending the user input to the server computer;
• means for receiving the stream from the server computer;
• and means for decompressing and displaying the received stream.

A system for distributing an interactive audiovisual work, comprising:

• an interactive audiovisual work including a plurality of streams of motion pictures which are selectively connected to display,
• a server computer including storage means for storing the interactive audio visual work;
• means for receiving a signal from a client computer;
• means for selecting one of the plurality of the streams to be connected with a stream being displayed at the client computer in accordance with predetermined criteria including stream codes corresponding to each of the streams;
• the stream code including information about a next stream to be connected with the corresponding stream;
• the information about a next stream including user information which is changeable in order to select a next stream for a user depending on the user's history about the use of the interactive audiovisual work;
• a plurality of buffer means for storing a plurality of the streams to be selected by the means for selecting in a predetermined order;
• and means for sending a stream selected by the means for selecting from the buffer means to the client computer, and
• a client computer including means for receiving a user input;
• means for sending the user input to the server computer;
• means for receiving the stream from the server computer;
• and means for decompressing and displaying the received stream.