Selective Displaying of Item Information in Videos

• US 20070260987A1
• Filed: 08/23/2004
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sherpa Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Sherpa Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Vanyo, Brian, Truong, Brian, Mohoney, James, Redmond, Lee
• Application Number:
  US11/660,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20070260987A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/748 Hypervideo linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object in the context of video distribution systems H04N21/858
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for associating information with at least one defined is displayed in a visual sequence is disclosed. The method comprises steps or acts of the method comprising: receiving a visual sequence (2001) comprising at least one defined area (2002), identifying associated information (2004) that is associated with the defined area, assigning a unique identifier (4003) relating to the content for the defined area, mapping the associated information with the identifier for the defined area, storing the mapping in a database (2006) and retrieving the associated information via the identifier.

Claims

1. A method for associating information with at least one defined area displayed in a visual sequence, the method comprising:

receiving a visual sequence comprising at least one defined area;

identifying associated information that is associated with the defined area;

assigning a unique identifier relating to the content for the defined area;

mapping the associated information with the identifier for the defined area;

storing the mapping in a database; and

retrieving the associated information via the identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual sequence comprises a video sequence.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mapping comprises storing the unique identifier in a database separate from where the visual sequence is stored and separate from where the associated information is stored.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the associated information comprises file data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the associated information comprises video data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier comprises information identifying a set of pixels comprising the defined area.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the associated information comprises actions to be performed by the system.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the associated information is retrieved at a time subsequent to creation of the association by reconstructing the key.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a set of frames showing the defined area;

receiving a signal selecting a point in the defined area;

constructing a second unique identifier for the point;

matching the second unique identifier for the point against the unique identifier for the defined area;

retrieving the information associated with the matched unique identifier; and

displaying the associated information responsive to receiving the signal.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing data reflecting the receipt of the signal selecting the defined area.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising performing actions associated with the defined area.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein constructing a key comprises using file information comprising the coordinates within the frame showing the defined area of the pixels comprised by the defined area.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising sending a message communicating that there is no associated information when the database does not contain associated information corresponding to the key.

14. A method for reporting selections of defined areas displayed in a visual sequence, the method comprising:

displaying a set of images comprising one or more selectable defined areas receiving a signal indicating the selection by a user of one or more of the defined areas;

identifying the selected defined area; and

storing the selection in a database of selections.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising logging each selection of a defined area by each of a plurality of users.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising sending a report of user selections to an interested party.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining which selections have matching keys in the database.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising grouping the selections that have no matching keys in the database.

19. A system for associating information with one or more defined areas displayed in a visual sequence, the system comprising:

a user interface for receiving operator instructions;

a processor for determining a key set for at least one of the defined areas and for mapping associated information with the defined area; and

a database for storing the associated information and a map associating the associated information with the key set.

20. A player system for displaying visual content to a user, the system comprising:

a display for displaying a series of visual frames showing one or more defined areas;

an interface for receiving user selections of at least one defined area; and

a processor for constructing a key for a point in the at least one defined area and for looking up associated information, the associated information being associated with the key of the at least one defined area.

21. The system of claim 20 further comprising a transmitter for transmitting a report of user selections of defined areas.

22. The system of claim 20 further comprising presenting the associated information to a user responsive to receiving a request for the associated information.

23. A system for associating information with at least one defined area displayed in a visual sequence, the system comprising:

a receiver for receiving a visual sequence comprising at least one defined area;

a processor configured for;

identifying associated information that is associated with the defined area;

assigning a unique identifier relating to the content for the defined area; and

mapping the associated information with the identifier for the defined area;

a memory for storing the mapping in a database; and

a database management system for retrieving the associated information via the identifier.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the visual sequence comprises a video sequence.

25. A system for reporting selections of defined areas displayed in a visual sequence, the system comprising:

a receiver for receiving a signal indicating the selection of an defined area by a user;

a processor configured for identifying the selected defined area; and

a memory for storing the selection in a database of selections.

26. A system for associating information with at least one defined area displayed in a visual sequence and transmitting the visual sequence to a user, the system comprising:

a receiver for receiving a visual sequence comprising at least one defined area;

a processor configured for;

identifying associated information that is associated with the defined area;

assigning a unique identifier relating to the content for the defined area; and

mapping the associated information with the identifier for the defined area;

a memory for storing the mapping in a database;

a database management system for retrieving the associated information via the identifier;

a display for displaying the visual sequence including the at least one defined area;

an interface for receiving user selections of at least one defined area; and

a processor for constructing a key for a point in the at least one defined area and for looking up associated information, the associated information being associated with the key of the at least one defined area.

27. A method comprising:

displaying a video comprising a sequence of images, the images including a plurality of key sets associated with at least a portion of a corresponding image;

receiving user-generated input selecting a key within one of the key sets;

polling a database to obtain data associated with the key set of the selected key; and

initiating a display of information characterizing the data obtained from the database.