Abstract: There are provided systems and methods for an interactive device for interaction with a user of a media device, wherein the interactive device and the media device are operable to communicate with a server having a memory storing a plurality of states including a present state of the media device playing a media. The interactive device comprises a peripheral hardware for interaction with the user of the media device and a processor configured to establish a communication with the server, obtain the present state of the media device from the server, select an action in response to the present state of the media, and execute the action using the peripheral hardware for interaction with the user of the media device. The interactive device can operate independently of the server or with several interactive devices connected to the server.

Abstract: There is provided a video playback device for providing an interactive environment on a display in response to a user input. The video playback device comprises (1) a memory to store a plurality of images forming a plurality of viewpoints of the interactive environment; a plurality of transition sequences, wherein each of the plurality of transition sequences provides a video transition from one image to another image; and a linking structure linking the plurality of images with the plurality of transition sequences; (2) a processor to determine a direction of movement based on the user input; select a next one of the plurality of transition sequences and a next one of the plurality of images based on the direction of movement and the linking structure; and display the next one of the plurality of transition sequences and the next one of the plurality of images on the display.

Abstract: There is provided a method of enabling a consumer of a media content to communicate with a producer of the media content, comprising receiving an originating message concerning the media content from the consumer, assigning metadata to the originating message based on the media content or the content of the originating message, determining the producer based on the media content or the content of the originating message, forwarding the originating message through a message support network for distribution to the producer, retrieving a responsive message provided by the producer from among message updates stored on a message database, and associating the responsive message with one or more content subsets of the content according to the metadata assigned to the originating message. In one embodiment, media content and instructions comprising an interactive communication control application are stored on a computer readable medium.

Abstract: There is provided a method of enabling a consumer of a media content to communicate with a producer of the media content, comprising receiving an originating message concerning the media content from the consumer, assigning metadata to the originating message based on the media content or the content of the originating message, determining the producer based on the media content or the content of the originating message, forwarding the originating message through a message support network for distribution to the producer, retrieving a responsive message provided by the producer from among message updates stored on a message database, and associating the responsive message with one or more content subsets of the content according to the metadata assigned to the originating message. In one embodiment, media content and instructions comprising an interactive communication control application are stored on a computer readable medium.

Abstract: There is provided a system for pairing a medium with a user account comprising a media player configured to retrieve a medium identifier from the medium and a player identifier from a memory of the media player. The media player is further configured to transmit the medium identifier and the player identifier to a server. Additionally, the media player is further configured to receive a key associated with the medium identifier and the player identifier from the server. The server is configured to receive the key and the user account for pairing the user account with the medium associated with the key. A computer may be utilized to transmit the key and the user account to the server, after the key has been provided to a user by the media player. The media player and the computer may communicate with the server via the Internet.