System and method of playback and feature control for video players

• US 20050091597A1
• Filed: 10/06/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Ackley, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/025 'Virtual' control panels, e.g. Graphical User Interface [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver

Abstract

A method and a system of displaying a user interface to control playback and features that may be associated with a prerecorded media. A media player, such as a DVD player, a personal computer, a home media server, a high definition video player, an optical player, a hard drive based player, or a software DVD-ROM player receives streams of video from different media and displays its content. Simultaneously, and without interrupting the video playback, a user interface is overlaid on the video image. The user interface may include menu selections to control the playback of the video including scene selection, settings, and viewing rights. The user interface may include menu selections to control features associated with the video such as Documentaries, Games, Purchases, Activities, Commentaries, Outtakes, Karaoke, Trailers, Songs, Wishlists, and Events.

Claims

1. A method of displaying a user interface in a video, comprising:

receiving at least one prerecorded video stream at a media player;

simultaneously displaying a) the at least one prerecorded video stream on a display connected to the media player, and b) at least one selectable option overlaid on the at least one prerecorded video stream; and

,

providing a cursor for selecting the at least one selectable option.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein the at least one prerecorded video stream originates from a DVD, CD, an Internet source, a personal computer, a hard drive, a LAN storage, or a server.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein the media player is a DVD player, a personal computer, a home media server, a high definition video player, an optical player, a hard drive based player, or a software DVD-ROM player.

4. The method in claim 1, wherein the media player comprises a network connection and is configured to access the Internet.

5. The method in claim 1, wherein the at least one selectable option is a play button, a pause button, a stop button, a fast forward button, a rewind button, a next button, a back button, a purchase button, a documentary button, a games button, a features button, a commentaries button, a thumbnail button, or a thumbnail button with an embedded video.

6. The method in claim 1, wherein selecting the at least one selectable option invokes a submenu of selectable options.

7. The method in claim 1, wherein the video is a movie.

8. The method in claim 1, wherein the cursor is operated by a remote control, a mouse, a keyboard, or a gaming controller.

9. A system of displaying a user interface in a video, comprising:

a media player for receiving and playing at least one video stream;

the media player having a CPU and a media co-processor, wherein the media co-processor simultaneously displays a) the at least one video stream on a screen connected to the media player, and b) at least one selectable option overlaid on the at least one video stream; and

,

a cursor for transmitting user commands to the CPU.

10. The system in claim 9, wherein the at least one video stream comes from a DVD, CD, an Internet source, a personal computer, a hard drive, a LAN storage, or a server.

11. The system in claim 9, wherein the media player is a DVD player, a personal computer, a home media server, a high definition video player, an optical player, a hard drive based player, or a software DVD-ROM player.

12. The system in claim 9, wherein the media player comprises a network connection and is configured to access the Internet.

13. The system in claim 9, wherein the at least one selectable option is a play button, a pause button, a stop button, a fast forward button, a rewind button, a next button, a back button, a purchase button, a documentary button, a games button, a features button, a commentaries button, a thumbnail button, or a thumbnail button with an embedded video.

14. The system in claim 9, wherein selecting the at least selectable option invokes a submenu of selectable options.

15. The system in claim 9, wherein the video is a movie.

16. The system in claim 9, wherein the cursor is operated by a remote control, a mouse, a keyboard, or a gaming controller.

17. A method of displaying a DVD navigation system, comprising:

displaying a DVD video stream on a display connected to a DVD player;

displaying a user interface to navigate the contents of the DVD by overlaying the user interface on the DVD video stream being displayed on the display connected to the DVD player, and

uninterruptedly continuing the displaying of the DVD video stream on the display connected to the DVD player.

18. A method of displaying scenes in a video navigation system, comprising:

displaying a video stream on a display connected to a media player; and

,

displaying a user interface to navigate the available scenes by displaying selectable thumbnails overlaid on the video stream being displayed on the display connected to the media player.

19. The system in claim 18, wherein the selectable thumbnails contain still video images of the a frame of a corresponding scene.

20. The system in claim 18, wherein the selectable thumbnails contain playing video images of a corresponding scene.