Linking to video information

• US 20080089659A1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edward Clapper
• Original Assignee: Edward Clapper
• Inventors: Clapper, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 8,181,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• 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: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot

Abstract

A system enables dynamic linking between a variety of video formats including television broadcasts, web pages, and video displays which are stored on magnetic or optical media. Each frame of the video information is identified together with a plurality of locations within that frame. The locations selected by the user for example using a pointing device is then used to access associated information either within the system itself or on an external system. Thus, in some embodiments of the present invention, any item on a given frame may be linked initially or thereafter to other information within or without the particular system containing that information.

Claims

1. a processor-based system comprising:

a processor; and

a storage coupled to said processor, storing software to select other information by accessing a particular location on a frame of video being played back, automatically pause the video playback when the other information is accessed by selecting a location on the frame, provide the other information while said video playback is paused, and automatically resume the playback of said video when the other information is no longer being accessed.

2. The system of claim 1, said software to define a display grid system and specifying at least one location in said grid system using coordinates.

3. The system of claim 2, said software to develop a frame identifier using a time code.

4. The system of claim 1, said software to link to other information without encoding a hyperlink into the video information.

5. The system of claim 1, said software to link to other information on the same medium that stores said video information.

6. The system of claim 1, said software to link video information on one processor-based system to other information on a separate processor-based system.

7. The system of claim 1, said software to use a pointing device to select a location on a frame to access said other information.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein using a pointing device includes using a remote control unit.