Production of a video stream with synchronized annotations over a computer network

In a computer system, a method for generating a synchronization script configured to orchestrate a synchronized display of a video stream and displayable elements on a display device of a client computer, said video stream including a plurality of video frames, each said video frame associated with a time stamp, the method comprising:

• generating at least one annotation stream for inclusion in said synchronization script, said at least one annotation stream including a plurality of annotation frames, said annotation frames associated with a selected subset of said video frames, each said annotation frame including a corresponding one of said displayable events and an event time marker, said time markers of said annotation frames corresponding to the respective time stamps of said selected subset of video frames.

A producer useful for generating a synchronization script configured to orchestrate a synchronized display of a video stream and displayable elements on a display device of a client computer, the producer comprising:

• a capture module configured to capture said video stream which includes a plurality of video frames, each said video frame associated with a time stamp;
• and
• an author module configured to generate a first annotation stream for inclusion in said synchronization script, said first annotation stream including a first plurality of annotation frames, said first plurality of annotation frames associated with a first selected subset of said video frames, each said first plurality of annotation frames including an event locator and an event time marker, each said event locator pointing to the location of one of a first plurality of displayable elements stored in a web server coupled to said client computer, said event time markers of said first plurality of annotation frames corresponding to the respective time stamps of said first selected subset of video frames.

A producer useful for generating a synchronization script configured to orchestrate a synchronized display of a video stream and displayable elements on a display device of a client computer, the producer comprising:

• a capture module configured to capture said video stream which includes a plurality of video frames, each said video frame associated with a time stamp;
• and
• an author module configured to generate at least one annotation stream for inclusion in said synchronization script, said at least one annotation stream including a plurality of annotation frames, said annotation frames associated with a selected subset of said video frames, each said annotation frame including a corresponding one of said displayable events and an event time marker, said time markers of said annotation frames corresponding to the respective time stamps of said selected subset of video frames.

A stream server useful in association with a client computer coupled to said stream server via a computer network, the stream server comprising:

• a streamer configured to store and stream a video stream to said client computer, said video stream including a plurality of video frames, said video stream enabling said client computer to sequentially display said video frames on a display device of said client computer, starting from an initial video frame of said video stream;
• and
• a receiver configured to receive an index from said client computer, said index associated with a selectable content label from a table of contents displayed on said display device, said index based on the time stamp of an intermediate video frame of said video stream, and wherein said received index causes said streamer to begin streaming said video stream to said client computer, and enabling said client computer to sequentially display said video frames on said display device starting from said intermediate video frame.

A computer-readable medium useful in association with a computer system, the computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions which cause the computer system to perform a method comprising generating a first annotation stream which includes a first plurality of annotation frames, said first plurality of annotation frames associated with a first selected subset of a plurality of video frames of a video stream, each said video frame associated with a time stamp, each said first plurality of annotation frames including an event locator and an event time marker, each said event locator pointing to the location of one of a first plurality of displayable elements stored in a web server coupled to said client computer, said event time markers of said first plurality of annotation frames corresponding to the respective time stamps of said first selected subset of video frames.

A computer-readable medium useful in association with a computer system, the computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions which cause the computer system to perform a method comprising generating at least one annotation stream which includes a plurality of annotation frames, said annotation frames associated with a selected subset of a plurality of video frames of a video stream, each said video frame associated with a time stamp, each said annotation frame including a corresponding one of said displayable events and an event time marker, said time markers of said annotation frames corresponding to the respective time stamps of said selected subset of video frames.