METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING INFORMATION ABOUT A REAL WORLD SETTING

• US 20080271086A1
• Filed: 07/14/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Digital Network Shopping, LLC
• Original Assignee: Digital Network Shopping, LLC
• Inventors: Robinson, Maryse, Thomas, John G.
• Application Number:
  US12/172,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20080271086A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV

Abstract

Disclosed herein, in various embodiments, are methods and apparatus incorporating, among other things, the concept of using, in particular but without limitation, traditionally non-commercial programming as a medium for selling products or services on-line, and again in particular over the Internet. Using this concept, for example, a real world setting identified in motion picture programming can be made electronically identifiable by a viewer of the programming, and thereby enabling a viewer to determine the source, location, or other information about the real world setting. Using this concept, for example, a viewer viewing a soap opera is able to use a device to electronically select a real world setting or location identified in the programming. In turn, information about the real world setting can be displayed to the viewer, including purchase information. Using this particular concept of the invention, traditionally non-commercial programming can be efficiently used to indirectly advertise goods or services and offer them for sale on-line.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a real world setting in motion picture programming;

obtaining, from the motion picture programming, a still image having at least a portion of the real world setting;

storing the still image;

storing digital information about the real world setting;

displaying the still image to a viewer;

in response to viewing the still image, the viewer selecting to the real world setting in the still image; and

in response to the viewer selecting the real world setting in the still image, displaying the stored digital information about the real world setting to the viewer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the real world setting includes a location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the location includes at least one of a city location, a rural location, a beach location, or a water location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital information includes descriptive information about the real world setting.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital information includes at least one of travel package information to the real world setting, or hotel or lodging information near the real world setting.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital information includes at least one of:

positional data;

time index data;

boundary data;

descriptive data;

or

purchase data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital information is stored during the editing process of the motion picture programming.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital information is stored after the motion picture programming is shot, but before the delivery of the motion picture programming.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital information is stored before the motion picture programming is recorded.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion picture programming is stored in a digital format for delivery to the viewer, and the digital information is stored as part of the digital motion picture programming data.

11. A system comprising:

a processor coupled to a viewing device, the viewing device including an input device, the processor used to;

a) store a still image obtained from motion picture programming, wherein the still image contains at least a portion of a real world setting identified in the motion picture programming;

b) store digital information about the real world setting;

c) deliver to the viewing device the still image; and

d) deliver to the viewing device at least some of the stored digital information; and

a computer program operating on the viewing device to display at least a portion of the stored digital information to a viewer in response to the viewer selecting the real world setting in the still image using the input device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the real world setting includes a location.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the digital information includes descriptive information about the real world setting.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the digital information includes at least one of travel package information to the real world setting, or hotel or lodging information near the real world setting.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the digital information is stored before the motion picture programming is recorded.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the motion picture programming is stored in a digital format for delivery to the viewer, and the digital information is stored as part of the digital motion picture programming data.

17. A method comprising:

storing motion picture programming with a real world setting in at least one scene of the motion picture programming, wherein the real world setting is identified prior to broadcasting the motion picture programming;

storing digital information about the real world setting;

delivering the motion picture program to a display device, wherein the display device has an associated interactive input device, wherein the input device allows a viewer to select the real world setting within the motion picture program; and

in response to the viewer selecting the real world setting within the motion picture program, displaying the stored digital information about the real world setting to the viewer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the real world setting includes a location.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the digital information includes descriptive information about the real world setting.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the digital information includes at least one of travel package information to the real world setting, or hotel or lodging information near the real world setting.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the digital information is stored before the motion picture programming is recorded.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the motion picture programming is stored in a digital format for delivery to the viewer, and the digital information is stored as part of the digital motion picture programming data.

23. A system comprising:

a processor coupled to a viewing device, the processor used to;

(a) store motion picture programming with a real world setting in at least one scene of the motion picture programming, wherein the real world setting is identified prior to broadcasting the motion picture programming;

(b) store digital information about the real world setting; and

(c) deliver the motion picture program to a viewing device, the viewing device including an input device, wherein the input device allows a viewer to select the real world setting within the motion picture program; and

a computer program operating on the viewing device to display at least a portion of the stored digital information in response to the viewer pointing to the real world setting in the motion picture programming.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the real world setting includes a location.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the digital information includes descriptive information about the real world setting.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the digital information includes at least one of travel package information to the real world setting, or hotel or lodging information near the real world setting.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the digital information is stored before the motion picture programming is recorded.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the motion picture programming is stored in a digital format for delivery to the viewer, and the digital information is stored as part of the digital motion picture programming data.