Hot-linked images and methods and an apparatus for adapting existing images for the same

• US 20080141110A1
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PicApp Technologies Ltd. (Brightcom Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: PicScout (Israel) LTD. (Getty Images Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gura, Eyal
• Application Number:
  US11/987,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20080141110A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds

Abstract

Apparatus for displaying an image or other media in a hypertext mark up language context, the image comprising at least one delineated region, the delineated region comprising a hot link to another location in said hypertext mark up language context. An editing tool is also taught for preparing such images and a method is provided of providing a free at point of use database of images, where DRM fees are paid for by links to advertising.

Claims

1. Apparatus for associative display of media items in a hypertext mark up language context, at least one of said media items being an image item, the image item comprising a delineated object within said image, the delineated object comprising a hot link to another location in said hypertext mark up language context, the apparatus being configured with:

a display functionality for displaying said media item; and

a partial-item hotlinking function for recognizing and supporting hotlinking from internal features of said image item, thereby to support said hot link from said delineated object.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said media item comprises animation capability within said delineated object, the apparatus further comprising animation functionality configured to animate said delineated object upon activation by a user interface.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said delineated object comprises a visual indicator.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said media item and said delineated object are respectively associated with keywords.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said delineated object is associated with an advertising slogan, said apparatus being configured to display said slogan when said object is activated by the presence of a cursor.

6. Apparatus according to claim 2, configured to display information connected to said hot link upon said activation.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image item comprises any one of the group consisting of sketches, clipart, photographs, images, cartoons, animations, video, video clips and streaming video.

8. Editing device for editing media items for hot-linking, the device comprising:

an interactive object delimiter for allowing a user to delimit objects within a media item for hot-linking, and

an interactive tagging tool for allowing said user to insert keywords to describe respectively delineated objects.

9. The editing device of claim 8, wherein said interactive object delimiter comprises an outline tool for allowing said user to place a boundary around an object to be delimited.

10. The editing device of claim 9, comprising a keyword association tool for associating said boundary with a preselected keyword.

11. The editing device of claim 8, wherein said interactive object delimiter comprises a marker for placing a visual mark within an object to be delimited.

12. The editing device of claim 8, wherein said interactive tagging tool is configured to allow said user to insert an advertising slogan to go with said respectively delineated objects.

13. The editing device of claim 8, wherein said tagging tool is configured to provide a list of keywords and to allow a respective user to associate a respective keyword with a respective object.

14. The editing device of claim 8, wherein said media item is a video item, the editing tool being configured to take a selected frame of said video item and edit said frame as a still image.

15. A method of rendering rights protected media freely available to publishing parties comprising:

obtaining media items;

labeling said media with keywords;

providing publishing parties with access to said media for use thereof;

allowing advertising parties to hot link advertisement material to items identified by said keywords;

collecting usage payments from said advertising parties for use of said media by said publishing parties.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising delineating objects within said media and allowing said advertising parties to hot link said advertisement material to said delineated objects.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said delineating comprises marking.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said labeling further comprises inserting advertising slogans for display to end users.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising distributing said usage payments between at least one member of the group consisting of the media rights holder, the publishing party and an editor.

20. The method of claim 15, comprising assigning advertisers with keyword percentages, such that a respective advertiser receives a link for the assigned percentage of requests using said keywords from said publishing parties, and calculating said fees based on said percentages.

21. Apparatus for rendering rights protected media available to publishing parties, without at least any initial payment, the apparatus comprising:

a tagging tool for labeling protected media items with keywords;

a database for storing said labeled media items in a manner accessible to publishing parties, to allow said publishing parties to make use thereof;

said database being configured to be accessible by said keywords, allowing advertising parties to hot link advertisement material to protected media items identified by said keywords; and

a billing unit configured to collect usage payments from said advertising parties for use of said media items by said publishing parties.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising an object delineator for delineating objects within said media items.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said object delineator is a boundary inserter for allowing a user to insert a boundary around said object within said media items.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said object delineator is a marker for placing a mark within said object within said media.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said tagging tool is further for allowing a user to insert a slogan to be displayed with said media item upon activation of a respective delineated object.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a reporting unit, said reporting unit comprising functionality belonging to at least member of the group of functionalities comprising:

an ability to show a contributor the places his media items appear;

an ability to show an advertiser a set of media items that currently contains his advertisements;

an ability to show a publisher a series of media items ordered so that potentially more profitable images appear earlier.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, further associated with a clearance unit, said clearance unit being a database of reported copyright media, said apparatus being configured to check newly submitted media items against said database.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said billing is based on said hot linking of advertisement material.

29. A method of providing a database with linkable and keyworded media items, comprising:

providing said media items,

providing an editing tool, the editing tool comprising an interactive tagging tool for allowing a user to insert keywords or slogans to describe said media items;

making said media items and editing tool available to remote users to allow said remote users to add links and keywords to said media items using said editing tool for a fee.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said editing tool further comprises a function for adding a second media item to said keyworded media item, said second media item to be activated during display at an end user by placing a cursor on said keyworded media item.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said editing tool further comprises an interactive object delimiter for allowing a user to delimit regions within an image for hot-linking or mark them with a visual mark, thereby to provide a delineated object.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said editing tool further comprises a function for adding a second media item to said delineated object, said second media item to be activated during display at an end user by placing a cursor on said delineated object.