Selectively overlaying a user interface atop a video signal

• US 7,027,101 B1
• Filed: 05/13/2002
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sloo, David Hendler, Wasserman, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US10/145,362
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 348/563, 348/564, 348/569, 348/468, 348/465, 348/589, 345/635, 345/637, 715/788, 725/38, 725/39, 725/4, 386/165, 386/170, 386/171, 386/176, 386/203, 386/204
• US Class Current: 348/564
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/125 wherein one of the images is motion video
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits

Abstract

Overlaying visual interface information atop a video signal without obscuring desired features of the video signal. The video signal may contain one or more pre-selected features, such as text. Two or more display sections equally divide the video signal, and any pre-selected features in the video signal are identified as residing in particular display sections. Depending on the nature of the features, the selected visual interface information is placed atop the video signal in a display section not containing any pre-selected features so as not to cover or obscure the features or is placed over specified features that do not significantly contribute to the video signal, such as blank or static screen regions. A hierarchy of preferred display sections for placing the visual interface information may be created to optimize the placement thereof. The methods for overlaying visual interface information find particular application with interactive television systems.

Claims

1. In a computerized system having a display unit for displaying a video signal, a method of selectively overlaying visual interface information atop the video signal, the video signal capable of including at least one specified feature, the method comprising acts of:

parsing the video signal into at least two display sections;

searching the video signal for the at least one specified feature;

if the at least one specified feature is not detected in the video signal, selectively placing the visual interface information in at least one of the display sections;

if the at least one specified feature is detected in the video signal, examining the video signal to determine in which display section the at least one specified feature is located; and

selectively placing the visual interface information atop the displayed video signal in a display section where the at least one specified feature is not present.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising an act of:

creating a hierarchy of preferred display sections for placing the visual interface information atop the displayed video signal, wherein the visual interface information is placed in the most preferred display section where the at least one specified feature is not present.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the act of parsing the video signal further comprises an act of:

parsing the video signal into at least four display sections that equally divide the video signal.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the act of placing the visual interface information atop the displayed video signal further comprises an act of:

defining at least two shapes, one shape of which is used to define the boundaries in which the visual interface information is placed in a display section.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising an act of:

encoding the video signal with information concerning the presence and the location of the at least one specified feature that is detected in the video signal.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising an act of:

defining the at least one specified feature as a result of input into the computerized system.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one specified feature comprises at least one attribute of the video signal selected from the group consisting of text, color, brightness, frequency, and any combination of these attributes.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one specified feature comprises a region of the video signal having a high visual frequency.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the visual interface information comprises text, and wherein the at least one specified feature comprises a region of color present in the video signal.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the visual interface information comprises text-based subtitles.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the computerized system is capable of receiving broadcast video data and is capable of interacting with one or more servers over a computer network.

12. For a computerized system having a display unit for displaying a video signal, a computer program product carrying executable instructions that implement a method of selectively overlaying visual interface information atop the video signal, the video signal capable of including at least one specified feature, the method comprising acts of:

parsing the video signal into at least two display sections;

searching the video signal for the at least one specified feature;

if the at least one specified feature is not detected in the video signal, selectively placing the visual interface information in at least one of the display sections;

if the at least one specified feature is detected in the video signal, examining the video signal to determine in which display section the at least one specified feature is located; and

selectively placing the visual interface information atop the displayed video signal in a display section where the at least one specified feature is not present.

13. A computer program product as defined in claim 12, further comprising an act of:

creating a hierarchy of preferred display sections for placing the visual interface information atop the displayed video signal, wherein the visual interface information is placed in the most preferred display section where the at least one specified feature is not present.

14. A computer program product as defined in claim 12, wherein the act of parsing the video signal further comprises an act of:

parsing the video signal into at least four display sections that equally divide the video signal.

15. A computer program product as defined in claim 12, wherein the act of placing the visual interface information atop the displayed video signal further comprises an act of:

defining at least two shapes, one shape of which is used to define the boundaries in which the visual interface information is placed in a display section.

16. A computer program product as defined in claim 12, further comprising an act of:

encoding the video signal with information concerning the presence and the location of the at least one specified feature that is detected in the video signal.

17. A computer program product as defined in claim 12, wherein the method further comprises an act of:

defining the at least one specified feature as a result of user input into the computerized system.

18. In a computerized system having a display unit for displaying a video signal, a method of selectively overlaying visual interface information atop the video signal, the video signal including at least one specified feature, the method comprising acts of:

providing a signal buffer that receives the video signal and outputs a buffered video signal;

parsing the buffered video signal into at least two display sections;

searching a portion of the buffered video signal for the at least one specified feature;

if the at least one specified feature is detected in the portion of the buffered video signal, examining the portion of the buffered video signal to determine in which display section the at least one specified feature will be located when the portion of the buffered video signal is displayed; and

selectively placing the visual interface information atop the displayed portion of the buffered video signal in a display section where the at least one specified feature is not present.

19. A method as defined in claim 18, further comprising acts of:

searching a successive portion of the buffered video signal to determine if the at least one specified feature is still present;

if the at least one specified feature is still present, examining the successive portion of the buffered video signal to determine in which display section the at least one specified feature will be located when the successive portion of the buffered video signal is displayed; and

if needed, selectively moving the visual interface information that is displayed atop the displayed successive portion of the buffered video signal to a display section where the at least one specified feature is not present.

20. A method as defined in claim 18, further comprising an act of:

choosing the content of the visual interface information to be selectively displayed according to the content of the at least one specified feature.