Systems and methods for integrating search capability in interactive video

• US 20090113475A1
• Filed: 08/20/2008
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yi Li
• Original Assignee: Yi Li
• Inventors: Li, Yi
• Application Number:
  US12/195,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20090113475A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7335 Graphical querying, e.g. query-by-region, query-by-sketch, query-by-trajectory, GUIs for designating a person/face/object as a query predicate end-user interface involving hot spots associated with the video H04N21/4725; end-user interface for selecting a Region of Interest H04N21/4728
• 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: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7867 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, title and artist information, manually generated time, location and usage information, user ratings
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

This invention is a system and method that enables video viewers to search for information about objects or events shown or mentioned in a video through a search engine. The system integrates search capability into interactive videos seamlessly. When viewers of such a video want to search for information about something they see on the screen, they can click on it to trigger a search request. Upon receiving a search request, the system will automatically use an appropriate search term to query a search engine. The search results will be displayed as an overlay on the screen or in a separate window. Targeted ads that are relevant to the search term are delivered and displayed alongside search results. The system also allows viewers to initiate a search using voice commands. Further, the system resolves ambiguity by allowing viewers to select one of multiple searchable items when necessary.

Claims

1. A method for integrating search capability in interactive video, the method comprising the steps of:

a. Defining searchable items in a video;

b. Associating, with each searchable item, at least one search term;

c. Requesting a search by selecting a searchable item during video viewing;

d. Identifying the selected searchable item; and

e. Querying at least one search engine using a search term associated with the identified searchable item, and displaying the returned search results.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said defining searchable items is based on identifying, for each searchable item, its location in each video frame.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said defining searchable items is based on identifying, for each searchable item, the video frames in which it appears.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said defining searchable items is based on displaying, for each searchable item, its picture on the video screen.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said defining searchable items is based on associating, with each searchable item, at least one word or phrase for speech recognition.

6. The method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said selecting a searchable item and said identifying the selected searchable item comprising the steps of:

a. Clicking on the video screen to select a searchable item;

b. Identifying the video frame and the location within said video frame that are being clicked on; and

c. Identifying the searchable item that appears in the identified video frame that is being clicked on and corresponds to the identified location that is being clicked on.

7. The method of claim 1 or claim 3, wherein said selecting a searchable item and said identifying the selected searchable item comprising the steps of:

a. Clicking on the video screen to select a searchable item;

b. Identifying the video frame that is being clicked on; and

c. Identifying the searchable item that appears in the identified video frame that is being clicked on.

8. The method of claim 1 or claim 4, wherein said selecting a searchable item and said identifying the selected searchable item comprising the steps of:

a. Clicking on the picture of a searchable item; and

b. Identifying the searchable item that corresponds to the clicked-on picture.

9. The method of claim 1 or claim 5, wherein said selecting a searchable item and said identifying the selected searchable item comprising the steps of:

a. Speaking a word or phrase that is associated with a searchable item;

b. Recognizing the word or phrase that is spoken using a speech recognition engine; and

c. Identifying the searchable item that is associated with the recognized word or phrase.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

Generating and displaying a plurality of forms of targeted ads, based on the search term used to query the at least one search engine.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

Displaying two or more searchable items'"'"' information, including their pictures and/or unique search terms, to resolve ambiguity in the step of identifying the selected searchable item.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said defining searchable items further comprising the step of:

Classifying each searchable item to at least one of a plurality of types.

13. The method of claim 1 or claim 12, wherein said querying at least one search engine further comprising the step of:

Querying one of a plurality of types of search engines based on the type of the selected searchable item.

14. An interactive video system with embedded search capability, the system comprising:

a. A display device;

b. At least one input device;

c. An interactive video server; and

d. At lease one search engine.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the interactive video server is connected with the at lease one search engine through a network.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the interactive video server comprising:

a. A video processing module, used for video coding/decoding and graphics rendering;

b. A database module, used for storing said searchable items'"'"' information;

c. A search server module, used for querying the at lease one search engine and processing returned search results.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the interactive video server further comprising:

A speech recognition module, used for speech recognition.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

An ad server, used for generating search term based targeted ads, the ad server is connected with the interactive video server through a network.