METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING INTERACTIVE HYPERLINKED VIDEO

• US 20100064220A1
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Data Services India Pvt Limited (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Sankaranarayan, Ramakrishnan R.
• Application Number:
  US12/056,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20100064220A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/719
• 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 21/4622 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8583 by creating hot-spots
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02

Abstract

An approach is provided for enabling interactive hyperlinked video. A hyperlink is generated and specifies an action that is performed upon activation of the hyperlink. The hyperlink is embedded in a video stream.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a hyperlink specifying an action to be performed upon activation of the hyperlink; and

embedding the hyperlink in a video stream.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein appearance of the hyperlink in the video stream changes playing speed of the video stream.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the playing speed of the video stream is made slower than a normal playing speed.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the video stream is either fast forwarded, rewound, or paused.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein an activation of the hyperlink causes a display of an associated webpage or media content other then the video stream.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein an activation of the hyperlink causes a display of another video stream different from the video stream.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein an activation of the hyperlink causes a display of another portion of the video stream.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the hyperlink is activated via a remote control device.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to generate a hyperlink specifying an action to be performed upon activation of the hyperlink, wherein the hyperlink is embedded in a video stream.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein appearance of the hyperlink in the video stream changes playing speed of the video stream.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the playing speed of the video stream is made slower than a normal playing speed.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the video stream is either fast forwarded, rewound, or paused.

13. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an activation of the hyperlink causes a display of an associated webpage or media content other then the video stream.

14. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an activation of the hyperlink causes a display of another video stream different from the video stream.

15. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an activation of the hyperlink causes a display of another portion of the video stream.

16. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the hyperlink is activated via a remote control device.

17. A method comprising:

associating a hyperlink with a video program;

transmitting the video program including the hyperlink to a set-top box of a subscriber, wherein the hyperlink is selectively presented along with the video program to the subscriber via a display coupled to the set-top box, and upon activation of the hyperlink by the subscriber, an action associated with the hyperlink is performed.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the hyperlink is activated by user using a remote control device configured to communicate with the set-top box.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein the hyperlink includes a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

20. A method according to claim 17, wherein the hyperlink specifies a telephone number, and the activation initiates a call to the telephone number.

21. A method according to claim 17, wherein the hyperlink specifies a timestamp associated with another portion of the video program, and the activation changes display of the video program to a video frame associated with the timestamp.

22. A system comprising:

a video server configured to associate a hyperlink with a video program, and to transmit the video program including the hyperlink to a set-top box of a subscriber, wherein the hyperlink is selectively presented along with the video program to the subscriber via a display coupled to the set-top box, and upon activation of the hyperlink by the subscriber, an action associated with the hyperlink is performed.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein the hyperlink is activated by the subscriber using a remote control device configured to communicate with the set-top box.

24. A system according to claim 22, wherein the hyperlink includes a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

25. A system according to claim 22, wherein the hyperlink specifies a telephone number, and the activation initiates a call to the telephone number.

26. A system according to claim 22, wherein the hyperlink specifies a timestamp associated with another portion of the video program, and the activation changes display of the video program to a video frame associated with the timestamp.