Use of templates for cost-effective secure linking of video stream objects

• US 6,229,541 B1
• Filed: 10/13/1999
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JLB Ventures, LLC
• Original Assignee: Isurftv
• Inventors: Kamen, Yakov, Shirman, Leon
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thomas T.
• Application Number:
  US09/417,991
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 345/357, 345/356, 345/328, 707/512, 707/501, 707/515, 707/513
• US Class Current: 715/719
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• 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 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9558 Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234318 by decomposing into objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• 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 21/4725 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A video system comprises a screen. Interactive linking is provided based on a representative set of region-based templates. Each template can be associated with said screen. The template comprises a set of active areas (usually non-intersecting), that can be actuated by moving a cursor to those areas, to thereby invoke a process or link. The link can be to a web page or other information source. In addition to template usage for surfing of active screen areas, templates can be used for secure link (process) activation. Each region can be considered as a symbol (“letter”) in the password. By using mouse or similar device user can click (“type) a sequence of symbols to follow an existing password.

Claims

1. A video system comprising:

a screen for displaying visual information; and

said video system containing a plurality of templates, each template comprising a non-overlapping set of active regions of the screen, whereby said templates are substantially transparent outside of said active regions, and whereby when said templates are not activated, said visual information can be seen by a viewer, and when one of said templates is activated, said visual information can still be seen by said viewer.

2. Video system of claim 1 wherein said active regions invoke links to a data source.

3. Video system of claim 1 wherein said active regions initiate application software.

4. Video system of claim 1 wherein said screen displays a cursor, said system further comprising a control device for manipulating the position of the cursor to thereby select one of the active regions.

5. System of claim 1 wherein activation of one of said templates does not substantially modify the image appearing on those portions of said screen outside of said non-overlapping set of active regions of the screen.

6. System of claim 1 wherein said video system contains a plurality of templates, said system comprising memory locations for storing the locations of the active regions of said templates and memory locations for storing links associated with said active regions.

7. System of claim 1 wherein said active regions depict icons, alphanumeric information, thumbnail still images or video images.

8. System of claim 1 wherein when one of said templates is activated, said active regions are invisible.

9. A video system comprising:

a screen for displaying visual information; and

a memory for storing information corresponding to a plurality of templates, said templates establishing a set of regions on the screen as active regions, whereby said templates are substantially transparent outside of said active regions, and whereby activating one of said templates does not substantially prevent a viewer from viewing the visual information that was on said screen prior to activating said one of said templates.

10. System of claim 9 wherein said active regions are used for invoking links.

11. System of claim 9 wherein said video system displays a first image, said first image being annotated such that a set of active areas are associated with said first image, and wherein when templates is activated, the active areas associated with said first image located at said set of regions are masked.

12. System of claim 11 wherein said first image is a video image.

13. System of claim 11 wherein said first image is a web page and said active areas associated with said first image comprise hyperlinks.

14. System of claim 11 wherein said first image is a still image.

15. System of claim 11 further comprising a memory for storing a second template, wherein said first template can be replaced with said second template.

16. System of claim 15 wherein said second template replaces said first template for a predetermined amount of time, and wherein at the conclusion of said predetermined amount of time, said second template is deactivated and replaced with said first template.

17. System of claim 15 wherein when said second template is activated, any active regions underneath the active regions of said second template are masked, but there are active regions that are not underneath the active regions of said second template, are not masked, and remain active.

18. System of claim 17 wherein said second template can be placed over said first template, whereby portions of the active areas of said first template underlying the active areas of said second template are masked, but there are portions of the active areas of said first template that are not underlying the active areas of said second template, are not masked, and remain active.

19. System of claim 11 further comprising a control device for selectively making the active regions of the first template visible or invisible, but wherein said active regions remain active when they are invisible.

20. System of claim 9 wherein said video system displays a first image, said first image being annotated such that a set of active areas are associated with said first image, and wherein when templates is activated, active areas associated with said first image are all masked.

21. System of claim 9 wherein at least a first one of said templates comprises a security feature for denying or permitting access to additional information, wherein said access is obtained by clicking on a predetermined sequence of the active regions of the first one of said templates.

22. System of claim 21 wherein said additional information comprises a web page.

23. System of claim 21 wherein said additional information is a video program.

24. System of claim 9 wherein said templates and visual information are provided by the same source.

25. System of claim 24 wherein said visual information is video information.

26. System of claim 25 wherein the templates and video information are provided by an antenna, a memory device, an optical fiber, a cable TV source or the internet.

27. System of claim 9 wherein activation of one of said templates does not substantially modify the image appearing on those portions of the screen outside said active regions.

28. System of claim 27 wherein said active regions are depict icons, alphanumeric information, thumbnail still images or video images.

29. Method comprising:

displaying a first image on a display device, said display device being part of a display system; and

activating a first template selected from a plurality of templates over said first image, said first template comprising a set of active areas associated with links, said first template being substantially transparent outside of said active areas, and whereby said links can be activated by selecting one of said active areas, and wherein said first image is visible both before and after said activating of said first template.

30. Method of claim 29 further comprising the act of invoking one of said links, said act of invoking comprising moving a cursor to one of said active areas associated with said link.

31. Method of claim 29 wherein said first image corresponds to a web page comprising hyperlinks, wherein when said first template is established over said first image, at least some of said hyperlinks are underneath and masked by the active areas of said first template.

32. Method of claim 29 wherein said image is a video image annotated with active regions, and wherein when said first template is established over said first image, at least some of said active regions are underneath and masked by the active areas of said first template.

33. Method of claim 29 further comprising activating a second template over said first template, the active regions of said second template extending over at least some of the active regions of the first template, whereby the portions of the active regions of the first template that are covered by said second template are rendered inactive.

34. Method of claim 29 further comprising entering data into the system, said data being entered by selecting the different active regions of said first template.

35. Method of claim 29 further comprising entering a security password into the system, said password being entered by selecting different active regions of said first template.

36. Method of claim 29 wherein said first template and said image are provided by the same content provider.

37. Method of claim 36 wherein said first template and said image are provided from a single signal source.

38. Method of claim 29 wherein activation of said first template does not substantially modify the image appearing on those portions of the display device outside said active areas.

39. System of claim 38 wherein said active areas depict icons, alphanumeric information, thumbnail still images or video images.

40. Method of claim 29 wherein when said first template is activated, said active areas are invisible.

51. System of claim 40 wherein when one of said templates is active, said active regions are not visible to the user.

41. A method comprising the steps of providing a visual image and template information corresponding to a plurality of templates to a display system, said template information comprising the location of active areas to be established on a display screen and bits to be associated with said active areas, said templates being substantially transparent outside of said active areas, whereby said templates can be made active or inactive without preventing access to said visual information.

42. Method of claim 41 wherein said visual information is video information.

43. Method of claim 41 wherein said providing of said visual image and said template information comprises broadcasting said visual image and said template information to a plurality of display systems.

44. Method of claim 41 further comprising providing a plurality of templates to said display system.

45. Method of claim 41 wherein said visual image and said template information are provided from a memory device.

46. Method of claim 45 wherein said memory device comprises an optical disk, a magneto-optic disk, a magnetic disk or magnetic tape.

47. Method of claim 41 wherein at least one of said links is a link to a web page.

48. Method of claim 41 wherein at least one of said links is a link to a memory location.

49. Method of claim 41 wherein said display system is coupled to a telephone line and at least one of said links causes said display system to initiate a telephone call.

50. A video system comprising:

a screen for displaying visual information; and

said video system containing a plurality of templates, each template comprising a non-overlapping set of active regions on the screen, activation of one of said templates affecting substantially only said non-overlapping set of active regions of said screen, and wherein said templates are substantially transparent outside of said active regions.

52. System of claim 50 wherein when one of said templates is active, said active regions are visible to the user.

53. A video system comprising:

a screen for displaying visual information; and

a memory for storing information corresponding to a plurality of templates, said templates establishing a set of regions on the surface of said screen as active regions, whereby a template within said plurality, when activated, substantially affects only said set of active regions of said screen, wherein said templates are substantially transparent outside of said active regions.

54. System of claim 53 wherein when one of said templates is active, said active regions are not visible to the user.

55. System of claim 53 wherein when one of said templates is active, said active regions are visible to the user.

56. Method comprising:

displaying a first image on a display device, said display device being part of a display system; and

activating a first template over said first image, said first template being selected from a plurality of templates, said first template comprising a set of active areas associated with links, said first template affecting substantially only said set of active areas, whereby said links can be activated by selecting one of said active areas, said first template being substantially transparent outside of said active areas.

57. Method of claim 56 wherein when said first template is activated, said activated areas arm not visible.

58. Method of claim 56 wherein when said first template is activated, said active areas are visible.

59. A method comprising the steps of providing a visual image and template information to a display system, said template information corresponding to a plurality of templates, said template information comprising the location of active areas to be established on a display screen and links to be associated with said active areas, whereby said templates affect substantially only said active areas and said templates are substantially transparent outside of said active areas.

60. Method of claim 59 wherein when one of said templates is activated, said active areas are not visible.

61. Method of claim 59 wherein when one of said templates is activated, said active areas are visible.