User interface for interaction with video

• US 6,229,524 B1
• Filed: 07/17/1998
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Seidman, David Israel, Schaffa, Frank Andre, Chernock, Richard Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Application Number:
  US09/118,523
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 345/348, 345/349, 345/352, 345/353, 345/354, 345/357, 345/146, 345/157, 345/160, 709/201, 725/109, 725/110, 725/112, 725/113, 725/133, 725/141, 725/153
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234318 by decomposing into objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

A user interface is presented for the interaction, by a viewer, with the content of a multi media presentation and functions related to this content. The user interface enables the navigation, by a viewer, among dynamic selectable regions (hot spots) within a multi media presentation. These hot spots are defined prior to the video'"'"'s presentation, and are used to allow the viewer to invoke functions associated with the multi media presentation. The user interface allows the viewer to move from one hot spot to another with a simple interface, such as a tab key on a remote control. The user interface constrains the possible locations of an on-screen cursor to the hot spot locations. Properties of the hot spots, such as priority, region size, and display parameters are modifiable and customizable by the viewers'"'"'s system automatically or through interaction with the viewer.

Claims

1. A method for enabling user interaction with multiple dynamic selectable regions in a broadcast multi media presentation, the method comprising:

receiving and decoding a video broadcast signal forming said multi media presentation, said video broadcast signal having embedded information indicating presence and on-screen locations of said multiple dynamic selectable regions in said broadcast multi media presentation, each said dynamic selectable region having functions associated therewith;

extracting said embedded information;

implementing a remote control for displaying an on-screen cursor capable of traversing said multiple dynamic selectable regions according to a viewer profile and in response to viewer input;

constraining the traversal of said on-screen cursor among said multiple dynamic selectable regions at locations specified in said extracted embedded information and, enabling selection of a dynamic selectable region via said remote control; and

executing said associated functions in response to viewer selection of a dynamic selectable region via said remote control.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said embedded information includes priorities related to said dynamic selectable regions, said method further including steps of extracting said priorities from said embedded information and storing said priorities in a viewer profile.

3. The method of claim 2, further including steps of updating said viewer profile according to frequency of execution of said functions.

4. The method of claim 3, further providing said dynamic selectable regions with a corresponding default priority ranging from high to low, displaying said on-screen cursor with said dynamic selectable region having said high priority.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said on-screen cursor is moved sequentially according to said priorities in response to said viewer input, said sequential movement starting at said dynamic selectable region with said high priority and ending at said dynamic selectable regions with said low priority.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said on-screen cursor is capable of moving up, down, left and right among said dynamic selectable regions independent of said priorities.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said embedded information further includes a menu of sub_functions associated with a dynamic selectable region, said menu of sub-functions having static selectable choices and sub-functions associated with said static selectable choices.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising steps of

displaying said menu of sub-functions in response to viewer input;

controlling the movement of said on-screen cursor among said static selectable choices; and

executing said sub-functions in response to viewer input.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said viewer input is provided using an infrared remote control keypad.

10. A system for enabling user interaction with a broadcast multi media presentation having multiple dynamic selectable regions, the system comprising:

means for receiving and decoding a broadcast video signal forming said multi media presentation, said video broadcast signal indicating presence and on-screen locations of said multiple dynamic selectable regions in said broadcast multi media presentation, each said dynamic selectable region having functions associated therewith;

means for extracting said embedded information;

remote control device for displaying an on-screen cursor capable of traversing said dynamic selectable regions according to a viewer profile and in response to viewer input;

means for constraining traversal of said on-screen cursor among said dynamic selectable regions at locations specified in said extracted embedded information and, enabling selection of a dynamic selectable region via said remote control device;

means for executing said associated functions in response to viewer selection of a dynamic selectable region via said remote control.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said embedded information further includes a menu of sub-functions associated with a dynamic selectable region, said menu of sub-functions having static selectable choices and sub-functions associated with said static selectable choices.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for displaying said menu of sub-functions in response to viewer input;

means for controlling the movement of said on-screen cursor among said static selectable choices; and

means for executing said sub-functions in response to viewer input.

13. The means of claim 12, wherein said viewer input is provided using an infrared remote control keypad.

14. A computer program device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for enabling user interaction with a broadcast multi media presentation having multiple dynamic selectable regions, the method comprising:

receiving and decoding a video broadcast signal forming said multi media presentation, said video broadcast signal having embedded information indicating presence and on-screen locations of said multiple dynamic selectable regions in said broadcast multi media presentation, each said dynamic selectable region having functions associated therewith;

extracting said embedded information;

implementing a remote control for displaying an on-screen cursor capable of traversing said multiple dynamic selectable regions according to a viewer profile and in response to viewer input;

constraining the traversal of said on-screen cursor among said multiple dynamic selectable regions at locations specified in said extracted embedded information and, enabling selection of a dynamic selectable region via said remote control; and

executing said associated functions in response to viewer selection of a dynamic selectable region via said remote control.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said embedded information further includes a menu of sub-functions associated with a dynamic selectable region, said menu of sub-functions having static selectable choices and sub-functions associated with said static selectable choices.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying said menu of sub-functions in response to viewer input;

controlling the movement of said on-screen cursor among said static selectable choices; and

executing said sub-functions in response to viewer input.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said viewer input is provided using an infrared remote control keypad.