Dynamic Recognition of Web Addresses in Video

• US 20120093415A1
• Filed: 10/18/2010
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Eldon Technology Limited (Dish Network Corporation)
• Inventors: Robinson, David John, Avison-Fell, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 8,983,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/635 Overlay text, e.g. embedded captions in a TV program

Abstract

One embodiment described herein may take the form of a system or method for dynamically recognizing an Internet address within a video or audio component of a multimedia presentation on a distribution system or network such as, but not limited to, a satellite, cable or Internet network. In general, the embodiment may analyze the audio portion of the presentation or one or more frames of a video component to detect the presence of a web address within the one or more frames. In the embodiment where the audio portion is analyzed, the system may perform a voice recognition or a similar analysis on the audio portion to detect the utterance of a web address. Similarly, one embodiment analyzing the one or more frames of the video component may comprise performing an optical character recognition (OCR) of the frame.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a web address in one or more frames of a video multimedia presentation, the method comprising:

receiving a first frame from a video component of a multimedia presentation;

analyzing the first frame for a pattern of characters, wherein the pattern of characters comprises at least a portion of a web address associated with a website available on the Internet;

obtaining the entire web address from the first frame;

providing the first frame to a display device for display; and

indicating the obtained web address within one or more frames of the video component.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

verifying the web address by accessing the website associated with the web address.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

discarding the obtained web address if the web address is not verified.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a second frame from the video component of the multimedia presentation; and

analyzing the second frame for the pattern of characters.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

creating a link to the website associated with the web address; and

receiving an input from an input device selecting the link.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicating operation comprises:

providing a query box to the display device for display, the query box requesting an input from a user to access the website associated with the obtained web address.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the website to the display device for display concurrently with first frame.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the creating operation comprises:

determining an approximate position within the first frame of the obtained web address; and

creating a hotspot within the one or more frames at the approximate position that is selectable by a user through the operations of;

manipulating a cursor on the display device over the hotspot; and

selecting the hotspot by providing an input from the input device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the pattern of characters is configured to detect a country-specific web address.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing operation comprises:

performing an optical character recognition analysis on the first frame.

11. A receiver for a distribution system comprising:

a microprocessor; and

a computer-readable storage medium, the computer readable storage medium storing a computer-executable code that, when executed by the microprocessor, causes the receiver to perform the operations of;

receiving a first frame from a video component of a multimedia presentation;

analyzing the first frame for a pattern of characters, wherein the pattern of characters comprises at least a portion of a web address associated with a website available on the Internet;

if the pattern of characters is not found in the first frame, receiving a second frame from the video component of the multimedia presentation and analyzing the second frame for the pattern of characters, otherwise;

obtaining the entire web address from the first frame;

verifying the web address by accessing the website associated with the web address through a modem module; and

providing a query box to a display device for display, the query box requesting an input from a user to access the website associated with the obtained web address.

12. The receiver of claim 11 further comprising:

an input/output interface configured to receive an input from an input device to access the website associated with the obtained web address.

13. The receiver of claim 11 wherein the first frame is stored in the computer-readable storage medium prior to analyzing the first frame for a pattern of characters.

14. The receiver of claim 11 further comprising:

a display interface, the display interface configured to communicate with the display device and wherein the computer-executable code further Causes the receiver to perform the operations;

utilizing the display interface to communicate the first frame and query box to the display device for display.

15. The receiver of claim 14 wherein the computer-executable code further causes the receiver to perform the operations:

creating a link to the website associated with the web address;

receiving an input from an input device selecting the link; and

utilizing the display interface to communicate the website associated with the web address to the display device for display.

16. The receiver of claim 11 wherein the analyzing operation further comprises:

performing an optical character recognition analysis on the first frame to detect the presence of the pattern of characters within the first frame.

17. The receiver of claim 15 wherein the website and the first frame are displayed concurrently on the display device.

18. A method for detecting a web address in one or more frames of a video multimedia presentation, the method comprising:

receiving a first frame of a video;

performing an optical character recognition analysis on the first frame to detect the presence of the pattern of characters within the first frame, wherein the pattern of characters comprises at least a portion of a web address associated with a website available on the Internet;

obtaining the entirety of the web address from the analysis of the first frame;

creating a link to the website associated with the web address; and

providing a query box to a first display device for display, the query box requesting an input from a user to access the website associated with the obtained web address.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

receiving an input from an input device indicating a request to access the website;

obtaining the website from the Internet in response to receiving the input; and

providing the obtained website to the first display device for display, such that the display device displays the obtained website and first frame concurrently.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

receiving an input from an input device indicating a request to access the website;

obtaining the website from the Internet in response to receiving the input; and

providing the obtained website to a second display device for display on the second display device.