Method and System for Identifying Addressing Data Within a Television Presentation

• US 20090073315A1
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JLB Ventures, LLC
• Original Assignee: JLB Ventures, LLC
• Inventors: Kikinis, Dan
• Granted Patent: US 8,130,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/473
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/635 Overlay text, e.g. embedded captions in a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1444 Selective acquisition, locating or processing of specific regions, e.g. highlighted text, fiducial marks or predetermined fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV

Abstract

Characters represented within a frame of a television presentation are identified. A pattern formed by a subset of the characters is identified if the pattern is indicative of an addressing datum. A provision is made for a selection of characters that form the pattern indicative of the addressing datum. In one embodiment, a web page is displayed upon a selection of characters that form a pattern indicative of a uniform resource locator for the web page.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a television presentation;

in response to a signal, scanning a frame of the television presentation to identify alphanumeric characters represented within the frame;

determining if at least some of the identified alphanumeric characters within the frame form a pattern indicative of an addressing datum; and

modifying the television presentation to visually distinguish the pattern indicative of an addressing datum within the frame.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein scanning a frame of the television presentation includes pausing the frame of the television presentation.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying the television presentation to visually distinguish the pattern indicative of an addressing datum within the frame includes maintaining the visually distinguished pattern of an addressing datum while continuing the television presentation.

4. The method of claim 1 further including providing for a selection of the visually distinguished pattern indicative of an addressing datum.

5. The method of claim 4 further including:

upon receiving a signal indicating a selection of the visually distinguished pattern indicative of an addressing datum, if the pattern indicates a uniform resource locator for a web page, providing a signal to a computer to display the web page.

6. The method of claim 4 further including:

upon receiving a signal indicating a selection of the visually distinguished pattern indicative of an addressing datum, if the pattern indicates an email address, sending an email to the email address.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the addressing datum is one of a phone number, a uniform resource locator for a web page, or an email address.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal is from a television remote control.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory including executable instructions that, when provided to the processor, cause the apparatus to perform;

providing a television presentation;

in response to a signal, scanning a frame of the television presentation to identify alphanumeric characters represented within the frame;

determining if at least some of the identified alphanumeric characters within the frame form a pattern indicative of an addressing datum; and

modifying the television presentation to visually distinguish the pattern indicative of an addressing datum within the frame.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the memory includes executable instructions for performing:

wherein scanning a frame of the television presentation includes pausing the frame of the television presentation.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the memory includes executable instructions for performing:

wherein modifying the television presentation to visually distinguish the pattern indicative of an addressing datum within the frame includes maintaining the visually distinguished pattern of an addressing datum while continuing the television presentation.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the apparatus is one of a set top box, or a television.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the memory includes executable instructions for performing:

providing for a selection of the visually distinguished pattern indicative of an addressing datum; and

upon receiving a signal indicating a selection of the visually distinguished pattern indicative of an addressing datum, if the pattern indicates a uniform resource locator for a web page, providing a signal to a computer to display the web page.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the memory includes executable instructions for performing:

providing for a selection of the visually distinguished pattern indicative of an addressing datum; and

upon receiving a signal indicating a selection of the visually distinguished pattern indicative of an addressing datum, if the pattern indicates an email address, sending an email to the email address.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the addressing datum is one of a phone number, a uniform resource locator for a web page, or an email address.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the signal is from a television remote control.

17. A machine-readable medium including machine-executable instructions, that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform:

providing a television presentation;

in response to a signal, scanning a frame of the television presentation to identify alphanumeric characters represented within the frame;

determining if at least some of the identified alphanumeric characters within the frame form a pattern indicative of an addressing datum; and

modifying the television presentation to visually distinguish the pattern indicative of an addressing datum within the frame.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further including machine-executable instructions to cause the machine to perform:

wherein scanning a frame of the television presentation includes pausing the frame of the television presentation.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further including machine-executable instructions to cause the machine to perform:

wherein modifying the television presentation to visually distinguish the pattern indicative of an addressing datum within the frame includes maintaining the visually distinguished pattern of an addressing datum while continuing the television presentation.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, further including machine-executable instructions to cause the machine to perform:

providing for a selection of the visually distinguished pattern indicative of an addressing datum; and

upon receiving a signal indicating a selection of the visually distinguished pattern indicative of an addressing datum, if the pattern indicates a uniform resource locator for a web page, providing a signal to a computer to display the web page.