SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VISUAL SELECTION OF ELEMENTS IN VIDEO CONTENT

• US 20130036442A1
• Filed: 10/04/2011
• Published: 02/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wingert, Christopher R.
• Application Number:
  US13/252,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20130036442A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel

Abstract

A method and system for generating an image that displays a portion of a scene from a video that is being displayed on a first device, the image having at least one selectable item. When an item is selected, a menu may be displayed to allow a user to receive more information about the item. The method may include displaying the selectable image on a second device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing an image that displays a portion of a scene in a video that is being displayed on a first device, the image having at least one selectable item;

in the case where the item is selected, displaying a menu that allows a user to receive more information about the item; and

displaying the image on a second device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising synchronizing a change in the image based on the change of the scene in the video being displayed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein synchronizing includes providing a new image based on the change of the scene in the video being displayed.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprises changing the image based on the change of the scene in the video being displayed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one selectable item further comprises allowing a user to move a pointing device to select the image of the at least one selectable item.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the image is a representative image of the scene in the video.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable item includes an individual or physical object.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the portion of the video being displayed comprises:

receiving an audio signal from the video being displayed and based on the audio signal determining the temporal location of the video.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determine the temporal location comprises comparing the received audio signal with database of audio signals.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the portion of the video being displayed comprises:

receiving an indication regarding the temporal location of the video;

wherein the indication includes a time stamp from the user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the portion of the video being displayed comprises:

receiving the temporal location from a device that is configured to provide a display of the video.

12. An apparatus for visual selection of items in a video comprising:

a computer device configured to determine the segment of the video being displayed on a first user device;

a different computer device configured to send data to a second user device, the data comprising an image that includes at least a portion of the video being displayed;

the image having at least one selectable item, wherein in the case where a user selects the at least one item, a menu displays options that provide the user information regarding the at least one item.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second user device displays a new image in the case where the video being played progresses to a new scene.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the menu includes selectable links to websites that provide more information regarding the at least one item.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the time synchronizing includes providing a new image based on the change of the scene in the video being displayed.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one selectable item further comprises allowing a user to move a pointing device to select the image of the at least one selectable item.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the image is a representative image of the scene in the video.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the selectable item includes an individual or a physical object.

19. A method stored on a non-transitory machine-readable media for visually selecting items in a video, the machine-readable medium comprising program code stored therein executable by one or more processors, comprising:

providing using an image generation system an image that displays a portion of a scene in a video that is being displayed on a first device, the image having at least one selectable item;

in the case where the item is selected, displaying a menu that allows a user to receive more information about the item; and

the image configured to be displayed on a second device such that the image is time synchronized with the video being displayed.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one selectable item further comprises allowing a user to move a pointing device to select the image of the at least one selectable item.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising determining the portion of the video being displayed comprises:

receiving an audio signal from the video being displayed and based on the audio signal determining the temporal location of the video; and

comparing the received audio signal with database of audio signals.