United States Patent [19J
`Dunn
`
`I IIIII IIIIIIII Ill lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111111
`US005945987 A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,945,987
`Aug. 31, 1999
`
`[54]
`
`INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT
`NETWORK SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR
`PROVIDING SHORT SETS OF PREVIEW
`VIDEO TRAILERS
`
`[75]
`
`Inventor: Matthew W. Dunn, Seattle, Wash.
`
`[73] Assignee: Microsoft Corporation, Redmond,
`Wash.
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 08/437,086
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`May 5, 1995
`
`Int. Cl.6
`................................ H04N 7/10; H04N 7/14
`[51]
`[52] U.S. Cl. ................................. 345/327; 348/13; 348/7;
`348/10; 348/12
`[58] Field of Search .................................... 348/12, 13, 7,
`348/6, 10, 906; H04N 7/10, 7/14
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,335,277
`5,353,121
`5,410,344
`5,416,508
`5,426,699
`5,446,490
`5,479,266
`5,479,268
`5,483,278
`5,485,197
`5,508,732
`5,524,195
`5,539,449
`5,550,577
`5,555,441
`5,559,548
`5,561,708
`5,640,193
`Bl 4,706,121
`
`8/1994 Harvey et al. . ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ... .. 380/20
`10/1994 Young et al.
`........................... 348/563
`4/1995 Graves et al.
`.............................. 348/1
`5/1995 Sakuma et al. ............................. 348/3
`6/1995 Wunderlich et al. ..................... 380/20
`8/1995 Blahut et al. ............................. 348/12
`12/1995 Young et al.
`........................... 358/335
`12/1995 Young et al.
`........................... 358/335
`1/1996 Strubbe et al.
`........................... 348/12
`1/1996 Roarty ...................................... 348/12
`4/1996 Bottomley et al. ......................... 348/7
`6/1996 Clanton, III et al. ..................... 348/13
`7 /1996 Blahut et al. .. ... .... ... ... ... ... ... .... ... 348/7
`8/1996 Verbiest et al. ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ... .... 348/7
`9/1996 Haddad .................................... 455/4.2
`9 /1996 Davis et al.
`... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ... 348/6
`10/1996 Remillard .................................. 379/96
`6/1997 Wellner ....................................... 348/7
`12/1993 Young ..................................... 358/142
`
`Primary Examiner-Nathan Flynn
`Assistant Examiner-Vivek Srivastava
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Lee & Hayes, PLLC
`ABSTRACT
`
`[57]
`
`4,081,754
`4,203,130
`4,228,543
`4,694,490
`4,704,725
`4,706,121
`4,751,578
`4,908,713
`4,947,244
`4,977,455
`5,038,211
`5,068,734
`5,133,079
`5,151,789
`5,168,353
`5,307,173
`5,335,079
`
`3/1978 Jackson ................................... 325/396
`5/1980 Doumit et al. .............................. 358/1
`10/1980 Jackson . ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ... ... 358/191.1
`9 /1987 Harvey et al. . ... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... .. 380/20
`11/1987 Harvey et al. . ... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... . 380/9
`11/1987 Young ..................................... 358/142
`6/1988 Reiter et al. ............................ 358/183
`3/1990 Levine .................................... 358/335
`8/1990 Fenwick et al. .......................... 358/86
`12/1990 Young ....................................... 358/84
`8/1991 Hallenbeck ............................. 358/142
`11/1991 Beery ................................... 358/191.1
`7/1992 Ballantyne et al.
`..................... 455/4.1
`9/1992 Young .................................. 358/194.1
`12/1992 Walker et al.
`............................ 358/86
`4/1994 Yuen et al. .............................. 358/335
`8/1994 Yuen et al. .............................. 358/335
`
`An interactive entertainment network system has a video(cid:173)
`on-demand (VOD) application which enables viewers to
`select criteria for grouping various video content programs
`(e.g., movies, games, TV shows, etc.) into manageable sets
`for convenient review. Once grouped, the previews or "trail(cid:173)
`ers" for the set of programs are displayed. The VOD
`application permits the viewer to browse the trailers at their
`own rate, skipping forward to the next trailer or backward to
`the previous trailer. If the viewer settles on a particular
`program, the VOD application also allows the user to rent
`the program immediately from the trailer being displayed on
`their television set, without returning to a menu or other
`order screen.
`
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 31, 1999
`
`Sheet 2 of 13
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`5,945,987
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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 31, 1999
`Aug. 31, 1999
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 31, 1999
`
`Sheet 10 of 13
`
`5,945,987
`
`/ 200
`STORE FULL LENGTH VIDEO
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`Page 00011
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 31, 1999
`
`Sheet 11 of 13
`
`5,945,987
`
`HEADEND SERVER
`
`USER INTERFACE UNIT
`
`SWITCH TO VOD CHANNEL
`
`216
`
`RECEIVE INITIAL DATA
`
`218
`
`220
`
`ACTIVATE PREVIEW BROWSE
`USER INTERFACE
`
`222
`
`SPECIFY CRITERIA TO SELECT
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`
`226
`
`TRANSMIT CRITERIA
`
`224
`
`230
`
`SEARCH SOL DATABASE
`TO FIND PROGRAM RECORDS
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`
`TRANSMIT PROGRAM RECORDS - - -
`
`232
`
`TRANSMIT PREVIEW
`VIDEO TRAILERS IN
`SEQUENTIAL ORDER
`
`REQUEST PLAY OF FIRST
`PREVIEW VIDEO TRAILER
`
`234
`
`DISPLAY PREVIEW
`VIDEO TRAILER
`
`TO STEP 236
`IN FIG 13
`
`Page 00012
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 31, 1999
`
`Sheet 12 of 13
`
`5,945,987
`
`HEADEND SERVER
`
`USER INTERFACE UNIT
`
`FROM 234
`
`IN FIG 12
`
`236
`
`~-----
`
`QUEUE MONIKERS IN SAME
`ORDER AS TRAILERS
`
`YES
`
`FROM 258
`OF FIG 14
`
`242
`
`TRANSMIT MONIKER 0
`ORDERED PROGRAM
`
`~ -
`
`DISPLAY FULL LENGTH VIDEO
`CONTENT PROGRAM
`
`248
`
`244
`
`RETRIEVE FULL LENGTH VIDEO
`CONTENT PROGRAM
`
`246
`
`TRANSMIT FULL LENGTH VIDEO
`CONTENT PROGRAM
`
`Page 00013
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 31, 1999
`
`Sheet 13 of 13
`
`5,945,987
`
`HEADEND SERVER
`
`USER INTERFACE UNIT
`
`254
`
`RETRIEVE PREVIEW VIDEO
`TRAILER USING
`TRAILER MONIKER
`
`____ _.__ __ - - I -_
`
`256
`
`TRANSMIT NEXT /PREVIOUS
`PREVIEW VIDEO TRAILER
`
`FROM 238
`IN FIG 13
`
`250
`
`RETRIEVE NEXT /PREVIOUS
`TRAILER MONIKER IN QUEUE
`
`TRANSMIT TRAILER MONIKER
`
`258
`
`STOP DISPLAY OF
`PRESENT TRAILER AND
`....___-..i DISPLAY NEXT/PREVIOUS
`PREVIEW VIDEO TRAILER
`
`TO 240
`IN FIG 13
`
`Page 00014
`
`

`

`5,945,987
`
`1
`INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT
`NETWORK SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR
`PROVIDING SHORT SETS OF PREVIEW
`VIDEO TRAILERS
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`This invention relates to interactive entertainment net(cid:173)
`work systems, such as interactive television (ITV) systems,
`and to methods for operating such interactive entertainment
`network systems.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`2
`It would be nice to provide the convenient organization
`afforded by a video store in the ITV video-on-demand
`environment. Unfortunately, unlike a video store which has
`an abundance of physical floor space to present many
`5 different movies, the ITV system only has the limited space
`available on a TV screen to present the options. Accordingly,
`it is one object of this invention to provide an ITV system
`that organizes video movies according to different categories
`and provides a manageable set of video trailers about the
`10 movies.
`Another problem is that once the set of video trailers is
`provided, the viewer would like to scan the trailers at their
`own pace, skipping the unappealing ones and perhaps
`replaying the good ones. In today's remote control TV
`15 world, viewers have become conditioned to quickly scan(cid:173)
`ning television channels, one after another, often staying on
`a channel for only a few seconds. This practice is known as
`"channel surfing". It is another objective of this invention to
`enable a viewer to "surf" through the grouped video trailers
`20 at their own rate.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`25
`
`30
`
`Movie and television audiences are very familiar with
`previews, those one to three minute video clips that reveal
`highlights of upcoming shows. The preview clips, which are
`known as "trailers" in the film industry, are important
`promotional tools. They play on viewer emotions to entice
`viewers to see the program. The trailers are carefully crafted
`by the studios to present the most compelling sales pitch for
`watching a program. Given the importance of trailers, it is
`not uncommon for a studio to allocate a significant portion
`of the entire program budget to the production of a short
`trailer.
`In the newer, interactive television (ITV) environment, it
`would be advantageous to provide trailers to attract potential
`viewers into renting a program over the interactive network.
`ITV systems have a single computerized control center,
`known as the "headend", which interactively communicates
`with multiple distributed television units located in sub(cid:173)
`scriber homes. The headend provides traditional forms of
`programming, such as the familiar cable and broadcast
`programs, as well as newer forms of programming, such as
`video-on-demand. In the video-on-demand (VOD) mode of
`operation, a viewer can order video movies directly from
`his/her own television set. Indeed, in a full interactive
`entertainment network system like this invention, it is con(cid:173)
`templated that a viewer will be able to order "on demand"
`movies, video games, television shows, and other video
`content programs from their home.
`Video trailers would be particularly useful for the ITV
`video-on-demand mode to entice viewers into renting a
`movie, video game, or TV show. However, there is an
`unresolved issue with respect to how trailers can be conve(cid:173)
`niently supplied to selective viewer homes. Present designs 45
`of ITV systems anticipate having hundreds to thousands of
`movies, video games, and TV shows stored at the headend.
`The trailers for these programs will also be stored at the
`headend. One approach is to transmit the hundreds to
`thousands of trailers in sequential order, repeating the trans- 50
`mission each time the full repertoire is exhausted. But, this
`large volume of unrelated trailers is not very manageable or
`meaningful to the viewer, and thus, not useful from a
`practical or marketing standpoint. Viewers might become
`bored watching multiple trailers in which they have no 55
`interest and, as a result, switch out of the VOD mode to
`another channel.
`Movie viewers, in particular, are accustomed to browsing
`for video movies in video rental stores. Such stores offer
`hundreds to thousands of videos, but have them grouped
`according to different categories. For instance, videos are
`often grouped by kind, such as new releases, oldies,
`westerns, foreign films, family films, and so forth. Other
`groupings might be by actor/actress name, alphabetical
`order of title, or topic. These groupings assist a shopper in 65
`locating a section of interest within which the shopper can
`limit his/her search for a suitable video movie.
`
`35
`
`40
`
`This invention provides an interactive entertainment net(cid:173)
`work system with a video-on-demand (VOD) application
`that is like having a video store in your own home. Viewers
`are permitted to select criteria for grouping various video
`content programs (e.g., movies, games, TV shows, etc.) into
`manageable sets. Once grouped, preview video trailers for
`the set of programs are displayed. The VOD application
`permits the viewer to browse the trailers at their own rate,
`skipping forward to the next trailer or backward to the
`previous trailer. If the viewer settles on a particular program,
`the VOD application allows the user to rent the program
`immediately from the trailer being displayed on their tele-
`vision set, without returning to a menu or other order screen.
`The interactive entertainment network system of this
`invention has a headend connected to multiple user interface
`units in individual homes via a distribution network, such as
`cable, RF, and/or satellite network. The headend provides
`full length video content programs and associated preview
`video trailers about the video content programs to the user
`interface units, which are commonly referred to as "set-top
`boxes" in the ITV arena.
`The headend has a continuous media server database
`which stores the actual video data streams of both the full
`length video content programs and their associated preview
`video trailers. The video data streams are stored digitally as
`individual data files. Unique monikers are assigned to each
`program and trailer to locate them within the continuous
`media server database. The headend also has a program
`information database which maintains program data records
`pertaining to the video content programs. The program data
`records contain information about the programs, such as a
`program ID, title, moniker, cast members, director, rating,
`length of movie, brief description, and so on.
`The program information database also contains informa(cid:173)
`tion pertaining to each preview video trailer, such as its
`trailer ID and moniker. The program information database
`60 correlates the program IDs of the full length video content
`programs with the trailer IDs of the associated preview
`video trailers. In one implementation, this correlation is
`accomplished using a join table which interrelates the pro-
`gram and trailer IDs.
`Each user interface unit has a processor and a video-on(cid:173)
`demand (VOD) application which executes on that proces(cid:173)
`sor. The VOD application enables a user to select a group of
`
`Page 00015
`
`

`

`5,945,987
`
`3
`programs from among all of the programs stored at the
`headend based upon a specified criteria, such as new
`releases, star name, title, customized viewer list, or any other
`definable criteria. The criteria is preferably presented as
`scrollable lists which the viewer can manipulate to select a 5
`certain criteria. In an example implementation, two lists can
`be presented simultaneously: a star list and a title list. The
`star list is first displayed, and upon selection of a star, a
`second list of movie titles in which the selected actor appears
`is displayed. The second list of movies provides an example 10
`manageable set of related video programs from which the
`viewer can choose.
`Once a viewer actively selects a particular criteria, the
`user interface unit transmits a message containing that
`criteria to the headend over the distribution network. In 15
`response to the message, the headend searches the program
`information database using the criteria as a query to locate
`video content programs which meet the specified criteria.
`The search finds the program data records of the criteria(cid:173)
`satisfying programs. The program IDs are extracted from the 20
`records and used to cross-reference via the join table to
`corresponding trailer IDs. The headend uses the trailer IDs
`to access other records which contain the trailer monikers of
`the preview video trailers for the video content programs
`that satisfy the viewer criteria.
`As a result, the headend selectively groups a manageable
`set of preview video trailers for transmission to the request(cid:173)
`ing user interface unit. The headend transmits the program
`data records, including the program IDs and monikers and
`the trailer IDs and monikers. The headend also begins 30
`transmitting the set of preview video trailers in sequential
`order for display on the viewer's television set. The trans(cid:173)
`mission of the trailers can be automatic, or in response to the
`viewer actuating a "preview" icon.
`The user interface unit has a memory which queues the
`trailer monikers and IDs in an order that corresponds to the
`sequential order in which the associated preview video
`trailers are to be displayed. A preview browse user interface
`executes on the user interface unit as part of the VOD 40
`application to facilitate display of the preview video trailers.
`The preview browse user interface has actuatable control
`icon buttons which enable a user to skip from a presently
`displayed preview video trailer to another preview video
`trailer. In one implementation, the preview browse user
`interface has next/previous control buttons which enable a
`user to skip from a presently displayed preview video trailer
`to a next or previous preview video trailer. Upon actuation,
`a processor resident at the user interface unit sends to the
`headend a trailer moniker that is next or previous to the
`trailer moniker of the presently displayed preview video
`trailer relative to their queue order within the unit's memory.
`The headend retrieves the next/previous trailer and begins
`transmitting it. To the viewer, this change appears nearly
`instantaneously, with little latency. The viewer therefore 55
`feels in control of the review rate, and is able to "surf"
`through the different previews.
`The preview browse user interface also has an operable
`order icon overlaid on the displayed preview video trailer to
`enable the user to order the video content program that 60
`corresponds to the displayed preview video trailer. Upon
`ordering, the user interface unit sends a message containing
`the program moniker of the program associated with the
`displayed preview video trailer to the headend. The headend
`uses the program moniker to access the continuous media 65
`server database and retrieve the full length video content
`program. The headend transmits the full length video con-
`
`25
`
`35
`
`4
`tent program to the requesting user interface unit for display
`on the viewer's television set.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a interactive entertainment
`network system according to this invention.
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a user interface unit accord(cid:173)
`ing to this invention.
`FIG. 3 is an exemplary screen illustration of a video-on(cid:173)
`demand application, and particularly, of an initial screen in
`a preview browse user interface.
`FIG. 4 is another exemplary screen illustration of the
`preview browse user interface, appearing subsequent to the
`FIG. 3 screen.
`FIG. 5 is yet another exemplary screen illustration of the
`preview browse user interface, which can appear subsequent
`to the FIG. 4 screen.
`FIG. 6 is a simplified example of database records and a
`join table used to correlate program and star IDs.
`FIG. 7 is a simplified example of database records and a
`join table used to correlate program and associated trailer
`IDs.
`FIG. 8 is a simplified example of a data packet of program
`information that is sent from the headend to the STE.
`FIG. 9 is another exemplary screen illustration of the
`preview browse user interface, which can appear subsequent
`to the FIG. 4 screen.
`FIG. 10 is a simplified example of database records and
`a join table used to correlate viewer and program IDs.
`FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of steps for initializing an
`interactive entertainment network system for preferred
`operation.
`FIGS. 12-14 present a flow diagram of steps for operating
`an interactive entertainment network system according to
`this invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`FIG. 1 shows an interactive entertainment network system
`20 in the form of an interactive television (ITV) system.
`System 20 includes a centralized headend or headend server
`45 22 which is configured to provide video content programs to
`multiple subscriber homes. Representative homes 24a-24d
`are shown. The video content programs provided by head(cid:173)
`end 22 might include traditional broadcast TV shows, cable
`programs, on-demand movies, video games, and other ser-
`50 vices such as those commonly provided in the past by
`on-line computer services. A single headend might service
`250,000 or more homes.
`Each home has a user interface unit 26a-26d, commonly
`referred to as a set, top box (STE), coupled to a television
`set (TV) or video display device 28a-28d. The user interface
`units receive digital video signals from headend 22 and
`control which programs are displayed on the associated TVs.
`Instead of separate STBs, a user interface unit can be
`incorporated in the TV itself in other implementations.
`Headend 22 is interconnected to the subscribers' homes
`24a-24d via a multi-tier network or distribution structure
`30. In the illustrated embodiment, distribution structure 30
`includes a high-speed, high-bandwidth fiber optic cable
`network 32 coupled to regional distribution nodes
`(represented by distribution node 34). The speed and band(cid:173)
`width of the fiber optic cable affords the desired performance
`for supporting a fully interactive system. Each distribution
`
`Page 00016
`
`

`

`5,945,987
`
`5
`node 34 is connected to multiple user interface units
`26a-26d via conventional home entry lines 36, such as
`twisted-pair lines or coaxial cable. As an example, each
`distribution node 34 supports approximately 1200 homes.
`As technology continues to improve, it is believed that parts
`of the distribution structure can be replaced with wireless
`forms of communication, such as RF communication or
`satellite communication.
`Each user interface unit 26a-26d is configured to run a
`video-on-demand (VOD) application 38a-38d. VOD is like
`having a video store in your own home. Viewers are per(cid:173)
`mitted to browse a wide selection of movies, video games,
`and TV shows, and rent the program they want to see
`immediately from their own TV sets. The VOD application
`is activated when a viewer switches to a designated VOD
`channel on the STE.
`Headend 22 provides both video content programs and
`associated preview video trailers to the user interface unit
`within each home. The programs and trailers are transmitted
`as digital video data streams from headend 22 over distri(cid:173)
`bution structure 30 to homes 24a-24d. Headend 22 includes 20
`a continuous media server 40 which has a program and
`trailer storage 42 to store the digital video data streams as
`independent files. Each data file represents a full length
`video content program-such as a feature-length movie,
`video game, or past TV show-or a preview of that movie, 25
`game, or show. Present designs of program and trailer
`storage 42 are expected to hold hundreds to thousands of full
`length programs and their trailers.
`A potential viewer can select any one of these video data
`streams for viewing at any time. Unique monikers are 30
`assigned to each data file (i.e., each full length program and
`each trailer). The monikers are used to locate the corre(cid:173)
`sponding data file within the continuous media server data(cid:173)
`base at the headend. The continuous media server is pref(cid:173)
`erably implemented as a disk array data storage system 35
`consisting of many large capacity storage disks, each on the
`order of one to several Gigabytes. The video data streams are
`stored digitally on the storage disks in predetermined or
`mapped locations. The locations of the video data streams
`are kept in a memory map and each video data stream can 40
`be accessed through pointers to the particular memory
`location.
`The continuous media server can service simultaneous
`requests to view a program on demand ( even the same
`program) from thousands of homes. The digitally stored
`video data streams can be accessed by any number of
`viewers at the same or staggered times. For example, one
`household might request a video data stream of a movie at
`8:00 pm, and a second household might request the same
`video data stream of that movie at 8:02 pm. This situation is
`easily accommodated by slightly staggered pointers to the
`same video data stream beginning at the same memory
`location within program and trailer storage 40.
`Headend 22 also has a database server 44 to store the
`programming information about each program and trailer.
`Database server 44 contains a structured query language
`(SQL) database 46 with program data records containing
`information relating to available movies, games, TV shows,
`or other programs. The SQL records reflect such things as
`the program title, cast members, director, rating, whether the
`program has closed captioning or stereo audio, length of
`program, scheduled time of the program, network name,
`program category, description text, and so forth. The pro(cid:173)
`gram information is used by the VOD and other applications
`running on the STE (such as the electronic programming 65
`guide) to assist the viewer when previewing different pro-
`grams.
`
`6
`The program data records stored in SQL database 46 also
`contain unique program IDs that are assigned to each full
`length video content program and unique trailer IDs that are
`assigned to each video trailer. The program and trailer IDs
`5 are used as a shorthand identification tag which can be used
`for rapid search of SQL database 46 and for establishing
`relational ties between a program and its associated trailer.
`This aspect is described in more detail below with respect to
`FIG. 7. The program data records further contain the moni-
`10 kers to locate the programs and trailers within the continu(cid:173)
`ous media server storage 42. These monikers are short name
`descriptors that represent or call to indexing pointers to
`storage locations within storage 42 of continuous media
`server 40. The pointers identify storage locations of the
`15 video data streams of the programs and trailers that corre(cid:173)
`spond to the information listed in the SQL database.
`FIG. 2 shows a user interface unit or set-top box 50
`according to one implementation of the invention. STE 50
`includes a programmable data processor 52, non-volatile
`memory (ROM) 54, volatile data/program memory (RAM)
`56, and network 1/0 port 58. These components are inter-
`connected via an internal multi-bit conductor or bus 60.
`Network 1/0 port 58 is responsive to data processor 52 for
`communicating with the headend to request and receive the
`program data records from SQL database 46. The network
`1/0 port also receives the digital video data streams of the
`full length programs and short trailers from continuous
`media server 40. Network 1/0 port 58 is preferably a
`bi-directional transceiver incorporating analog-to-digital
`and digital-to-analog conversion circuitry.
`A video-on-demand (VOD) application 62 runs on STE
`data processor 52 from data/program memory 56. VOD 62
`is an executable program which is downloaded as an object
`or module from the headend in response to instructions by
`a viewer. As part of the VOD application, a preview browse
`user interface (UI) 64 is also configured to