Interactive TV data track synchronization system and method
First Claim
1. The system for providing information about at least one product that is featured in a scene or a frame of at least one broadcast program, the system comprising:
- a set top box having a processor and a memory, wherein the set top box is operable to receive the at least one program having a plurality of frames; and
a database of fingerprints, each fingerprint relating to at least one frame of the program, wherein each fingerprint comprises an identifying information about the program and about one or more products that appear in the program frames that are associated with that fingerprint;
wherein the set top box is also operable to transmit and receive the product information associated with the at least one fingerprint stored in the database.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a system and method to allow product placement, i.e. showcasing products broadcast over TV, cable or similar media and to enable viewers to view, bookmark and purchase products placed within the program as they appear on the TV screen at a particular time. The present invention further provides a method and system for creating and identifying a digital fingerprint, which consists of a record of one or more frames in a program and associating information about products that appear in these frames to the digital fingerprint. The fingerprints are stored in a database of digital fingerprints, accessible via a wireless network and the Internet from the viewer'"'"'s mobile wireless device. The mobile device submits a request to identify and locate the fingerprints corresponding to the program frame(s) being viewed, and it receives and displays the associated product information in order to facilitate the purchase of the featured products.
130 Citations
29 Claims
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1. The system for providing information about at least one product that is featured in a scene or a frame of at least one broadcast program, the system comprising:
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a set top box having a processor and a memory, wherein the set top box is operable to receive the at least one program having a plurality of frames; and a database of fingerprints, each fingerprint relating to at least one frame of the program, wherein each fingerprint comprises an identifying information about the program and about one or more products that appear in the program frames that are associated with that fingerprint; wherein the set top box is also operable to transmit and receive the product information associated with the at least one fingerprint stored in the database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for providing information about a product that is featured in a scene or frame of at least one program, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving in a set top box a request to obtain a fingerprint information associated with at least one frame of the program, the fingerprint comprising an information about one or more products that appear in the program frame; and searching in a database of fingerprints for the requested fingerprint information; and transmitting the located fingerprint information and the information about one or more products that are associated with that fingerprint. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for providing information about a product that is featured in at least one frame of a program, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing in a database of fingerprints a plurality of fingerprints, each fingerprint relating to the at least one frame of the program and containing an identifying information about the program and related product information; receiving a request to locate in the database of fingerprints a fingerprint associated with a particular frame of the program; searching in the database for the requested fingerprint; transmitting the located fingerprint and product information, wherein the transmitted product information comprises the information about one or more products that appear in the program frames that are associated with the located fingerprint. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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- 28. A wireless mobile device having a processor, a memory and a digital display, the device being operable to send a request to locate at least one fingerprint associated with at least one frame of a program, and further operable to receive and display an information about one or more products that appear in the at least one frame of the program, wherein the received product information is associated with the located fingerprint.
Specification