Method for creating and synchronizing links to objects in a video

• US 6,636,237 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2000
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James H. Murray, Neal Fairbanks
• Original Assignee: James H. Murray, Neal Fairbanks
• Inventors: Murray, James H., Fairbanks, Neal
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joseph, Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US09/630,002
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 345/651, 345/654, 345/655, 345/664, 345/665, 345/667, 345/473-475, 345/706, 345/719, 345/720-723, 345/757, 345/961, 715/500.1, 715/501.1
• US Class Current: 715/719
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

The subject invention provides a method of providing information to a viewer of a video through a video player (14) on a display such as a computer screen or television screen. A program allows an operator to create links between specific information and dynamic objects (10) within the changing scenes (12) of the video. The subject invention uses a program to establish and store the links. The operator can create the links manually or the program can identify features of the object (10) and then maintain the link when the dynamic object (10) changes in size or shape. The program records all of the links and compiles the information into an interface (18). The interface (18) is transparent and is positioned over the video player (14) on the screen (16). The program synchronizes the links to the video. A viewer, while watching the video, can select one of the objects (10) in the scene (12). The video either stops and the specific information linked to the object (10) is displayed in a window (20) or the video continues to play behind the window (20) displaying the information. When the viewer chooses to close the window (16), the video resumes its normal play.

Claims

1. A method of retrieving object information for an object present in a media stream, said method comprising the steps of:

disposing an interface over the media stream;

defining positional information for the object within the interface based upon a position and size of the object in the media stream;

storing the positional information for the object;

creating a link within the interface independently of accessing the media stream between the positional information stored for the object and the position of the object in the media stream;

displaying the link within the interface and over the object during playback of the media stream based upon the positional information for the object;

selecting the link from within the interface;

accessing object information related to the object in response to selecting the link from within the interface; and

redefining the positional information within the interface in response to the position of the object within the media stream by enlarging the link for the object within the interface in response to the size of the object becoming larger in the media stream, reducing the link for the object within the interface in response to the size of the object becoming smaller in the media stream, removing the link for the object from within the interface all response to the object disappearing from the media stream, and re-creating the link for the object within the interface in response to the object reappearing in the media stream.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of creating the link further includes the step of creating a plurality of links for the object in response to the object being present in a plurality of positions in the media stream.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of creating the link is further defined as synchronizing the positional information for the object within the interface with the position of the object in the media stream.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the step of synchronizing is further defined as determining a time period that the object remains in the position in the media stream and recording the time period within the interface.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 further including the step of displaying the link within the interface for the time period to allow the link to be selected to access the object information.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including the step of detecting an identifying feature of the object and isolating the identifying feature within the interface.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 further including the step of monitoring the identifying feature in the media stream and detecting a change in the identifying feature.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 further including the step of redefining the positional information of the object within the interface in response to detecting the change of the identifying feature.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the step of detecting the change in the identifying feature is further defined as automatically detecting the change in the identifying feature within the interface during playback of the media stream.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the step of re-defining the positional information in response to detecting the change is further defined as automatically re-defining the positional in formation within the interface during playback of the media stream.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including the step of stopping playback of the media stream in response to selecting the link within the interface.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11 further including the step of displaying the object information in at least one of the interface, a media player, and a window separate from the interface and the media player, while the playback of the media stream is stopped.

13. A method as set forth in claim 1 further including the step of continuing playback of the media stream in response to selecting the link within the interface.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 further including the step of displaying the object information in at least one of the interface, a media player, and a window separate form the interface and the media player, while the playback of the media stream continues.