System and method and linking information to a video

• US 6,570,587 B1
• Filed: 06/25/1997
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: VEON Ltd.
• Original Assignee: VEON Ltd.
• Inventors: Borenstein, Elhanan A., Efrat, Eliahu, Peleg, Ehud, Hermush, Yossi A., Peleg, Avner
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Sy D.
• Application Number:
  US08/882,512
• Time in Patent Office: 2,162 Days
• Field of Search: 345/328, 345/327, 345/335, 345/339, 345/348, 345/357, 345/972, 345/723-726, 345/853-854, 707/501, 707/513
• US Class Current: 715/723
• 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: 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

Abstract

A system and method are provided for linking information to and accessing information from a video. A hotspot can be defined in a frame of a video. The hotspot can be tracked in other frames of the video. Also, the hotspot can be linked to a target. When the video is played, the hotspot can be actuated and the corresponding target executed.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising memory having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system to link information, the computer program logic comprising:

a defining process enabling the processor to define a hotspot in a frame of a video;

a linking process enabling the processor to link the hotspot to a plurality of targets on one or more levels;

a first tracking process enabling the processor to track the hotspot in another frame of the video; and

a second tracking process enabling the processor to track the hotspot automatically, wherein the second tracking process comprises;

a selective enumeration process enabling the processor to selectively enumerate the hotspot;

a scoring process enabling the processor to score each enumeration of the hotspot; and

a selecting process enabling the processor to select the enumeration of the hotspot having the best score.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the selective enumeration process comprises:

a second selective enumeration process enabling the processor to selectively enumerate position of the hotspot; and

a third selective enumeration process enabling the processor to selectively enumerate size of the hotspot.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the scoring process comprises a comparing process enabling the processor to compare the luminance delta of corresponding pixels in the frame and another frame.

4. The computer program produce of claim 1, wherein the scoring process comprises a comparing process enabling the processor to compare each enumeration of the hotspot in another frame with a signature of the hotspot in the frame.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising a filtering process enabling the processor to filter the frame.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising a declaring process enabling the processor to declare tracking failure.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the scoring process comprises a comparing process enabling the processor to compare the RGB delta of corresponding pixels in the frame and the another frame.

8. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a memory, operatively coupled to the processor;

a defining process enabling the processor to define a hotspot in a frame of a video;

a linking process enabling the processor to link the hotspot to a plurality of targets on one or more levels;

a first tracking process enabling the processor to track the hotspot in another fame of the video; and

a second tracking process enabling the processor to track the hotspot automatically, wherein the second tracking process comprises;

a selective enumeration process enabling the processor to selectively enumerate the hotspot;

a scoring process enabling the processor to score each enumeration of the hotspot; and

a selecting process enabling the processor to select the enumeration of the hotspot having the best score.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the selective enumeration process, comprises:

a second selective enumeration process enabling the processor to selectively enumerate position of the hotspot; and

a third selective enumeration process enabling the processor to selectively enumerate size of the hotspot.

10. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the scoring process comprises a comparing process enabling the processor to compare the luminance delta of corresponding pixels in the frame and another frame.

11. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the scoring process comprises a comparing process enabling the processor to compare each enumeration of the hotspot in another frame with a signature of the hotspot in the frame.

12. The computer system of claim 8, further comprising a filtering process enabling the processor to filter the frame.

13. The computer system of claim 8, further comprising a declaring process enabling the processor to declare tracking failure.

14. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the scoring process comprises a comparing process enabling the processor to compare the RGB delta of corresponding pixels in the frame and the another frame.

15. A computer program product comprising memory having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system to link information, the computer program logic comprising:

a first defining process enabling the processor to define a hotspot in a frame of a video;

a second defining process enabling the processor to define a plurality of targets, each of which defines a playing instance of a media element;

a third defining process enabling the processor to define one or more levels for each target to permit said plurality of targets to be executed simultaneously, sequentially, or both simultaneously and sequentially;

a linking process enabling the processor to link the hotspot to said plurality of targets for the execution of said plurality of targets on the one or more levels; and

a tracking process enabling the processor to track the hotspot in another frame of the video,

wherein the tracking process comprises a second tracking process enabling the processor to track the hotspot automatically, said second tracking process comprising;

a selective enumeration process enabling the processor to selectively enumerate the hotspot;

a scoring process enabling the processor to score each enumeration of the hotspot; and

a selecting process enabling the processor to select the enumeration of the hotspot having the best score.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the linking process comprises:

a first selecting process enabling the processor to select the hotspot;

a second process enabling the processor to select the set target mode; and

a dragging process enabling the processor to drag a cursor to a media element that is to be the target.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the first defining process enables the processor to define the hotspot manually.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the defining process enables the processor to define the hotspot with a primitive shape.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the defining process enables the processor to define the hotspot by identifying vertices that form a polygon.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the first defining process enables the processor to define the hotspot automatically.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the defining process enables the processor to define the hotspot automatically with a flood-filled algorithm.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the defining process enables the processor to define the hotspot automatically with a rays algorithm.

23. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the tracking process comprises a second tracking process enabling the processor to track the hotspot manually.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the second tracking process enables the processor to automatically track the location of the hotspot.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the second tracking process enables the processor to automatically track the size of the hotspot.

26. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the selective enumeration process comprises:

a second selective enumeration process enabling the processor to selectively enumerate position of the hotspot; and

a third selective enumeration process enabling the processor to selectively enumerate size of the hotspot.

27. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the scoring process comprises a comparing process enabling the processor to compare the luminance delta of corresponding pixels in the frame and the another frame.

28. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the scoring process comprises a comparing process enabling the processor to compare each enumeration of the hotspot in the another frame with a signature of the hotspot in the frame.

29. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising a filtering process enabling the processor to filter the frame.

30. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising a declaring process enabling the processor to declare tracking failure.

31. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

a second defining process enabling the processor to define the hotspot in a second frame of video; and

an interpolating process enabling the processor to interpolate the position and size of the hotspot in intermediate frames of video between the frame and the second frame.

32. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the scoring process comprises a comparing process enabling the processor to compare the RGB delta of corresponding pixels in the frame and the another frame.

33. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the linking process further comprises a second linking process enabling the processor to link the hotspot to two or more of the plurality of targets on two or more levels.

34. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the linking process further comprises a second linking process to link the hotspot to at least two or more of the plurality of targets on one level.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the second linking process comprises a third linking process enabling the processor to link the hotspot to two or more of the plurality of targets on two or more levels.

36. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the second linking process further comprises a designating process enabling the processor to designate at least one of the at least two or more of the plurality of targets as a leader target.

37. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the video is a target in another plurality of targets on one or more levels.

38. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the another plurality of targets are base targets.

39. A computer system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory, operatively coupled to the processor;

a defining process enabling the processor to define a hotspot in a frame of a video,

a defining process enabling the processor to define a plurality of targets, each of which defines a playing instance of a media element;

a defining process enabling the processor to define one or more levels for each target to permit said plurality of targets to be executed simultaneously, sequentially, or both simultaneously and sequentially;

a linking process enabling the processor to link the hotspot to said plurality of targets for the execution of said plurality of targets in the one or more levels; and

a tracking process enabling the processor to track the hotspot in another frame of video,

wherein the tracking process comprises a second tracking process enabling the processor to track the hotspot automatically, said second tracking process comprising;

a selective enumeration process cabling the processor to selectively enumerate the hotspot;

a scoring process enabling the processor to score each enumeration of the hotspot; and

a selective process enabling the processor to select the enumeration of the hotspot having the best score.

40. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the linking process comprises:

a first selecting process enabling the processor to select the hotspot;

a second process enabling the processor to select the set target mode; and

a dragging process enabling the processor to drag a cursor to a media element that is to be the target.

41. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the defining process comprises a second defining process enabling the processor to define the hotspot manually.

42. The computer system of claim 41, wherein the second defining process comprises a third defining process enabling the processor to define the hotspot with a primitive shape.

43. The computer system of claim 41, wherein the second defining process comprises a third defining process enabling the processor to define the hotspot by identifying vertices that form a polygon.

44. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the defining process comprises a second defining process enabling the processor to define the hotspot automatically.

45. The computer system of claim 44, wherein the defining process enables the processor to define the hotspot automatically with a flood-fill algorithm.

46. The computer system of claim 44, wherein the defining process enables the processor to define the hotspot automatically with the rays algorithm.

47. The computer system of claim 44, further comprising a marking process that enables the processor to mark the hotspot in the video with a surface overlapping the hotspot.

48. The computer system of claim 47, wherein the surface is a translucent surface.

49. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the tracking process comprises a second tracking process cabling the processor to track the hotspot manually.

50. The computer system of claim 49, wherein the computer further comprises a mouse with buttons, wherein the buttons on the mouse are depressed to enable the processor to track the hotspot manually.

51. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the second tracking process enables the processor to automatically track the location of the hotspot.

52. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the second tracking process enables the processor to automatically track the size of the hotspot.

53. The computer system of claim 51, wherein the selective enumeration process, comprises:

a second selective enumeration process enabling the processor to selectively enumerate position of the hotspot; and

a third selective enumeration process enabling the processor to selectively enumerate size of the hotspot.

54. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the scoring process comprises a comparing process enabling the processor to compare the luminance delta of corresponding pixels in the frame and the another frame.

55. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the scoring process comprises a comparing process enabling the processor to compare each enumeration of the hotspot in the another frame with a signature of the hotspot in the frame.

56. The computer system of claim 39, further comprising a filtering process enabling the processor to filter the frame.

57. The computer system of claim 39, further comprising a declaring process enabling the processor to declare tracking failure.

58. The computer system of claim 39, further comprising:

a second defining process enabling the processor to define the hotspot in a second frame of video; and

an interpolating process enabling the processor to interpolate the position and size of the hotspot in intermediate frames of video between the franie and the second frame.

59. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the linking process further comprises a second linking process enabling the processor to link the hotspot to two or more of the plurality of targets on two or more levels.

60. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the linking process further comprises a second linking process enabling the processor to link the hotspot to at least two or more of the plurality of targets on one level.

61. The computer system of claim 60, wherein the second linking process comprises a third linking process enabling the processor to link the hotspot to two or more of the plurality of targets on two or more levels.

62. The computer system of claim 60, wherein the second linking process further comprises a designating process enabling the processor to designate at cast one of the at least two or more of the plurality of targets as a leader target.

63. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the video is a target in another plurality of targets on one or more levels.

64. The computer system of claim 63, wherein the another plurality of targets are base targets.

65. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the scoring process comprises a comparing process enabling the processor to compare the RGB delta Of corresponding pixels in the frame and the another frame.