Method for video enabled electronic commerce

• US 7,113,918 B1
• Filed: 08/01/1999
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Planet Electric Incorporated
• Inventors: Ahmad, Subutai, France, G. Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammel, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Greene, Daniel L.
• Application Number:
  US09/371,462
• Time in Patent Office: 2,613 Days
• Field of Search: 709/221, 705/57, 705/27, 705/26, 463/40, 463/31, 463/42, 405/39, 345/765, 345/156, 345/419, 345/4, 364/401, 364/556, 702/1
• US Class Current: 705/27.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

A method is provided for conducting commerce over a network via vision-enabled content. First, content is encoded to convert it into vision-enabled content. Payment is received for vision-enabling the content. Also, a program to decode the vision-enabled content is provided. Finally, the vision-enabled content is sent to a user over a network. The program decodes the vision-enabled content and receives an image of the user. The vision-enabled content may include advertising content, entertainment content, and educational or instructional content. In one embodiment, the program combines the image of the user with the vision-enabled content. In another embodiment, the program utilizes the image of the user to control the vision-enabled content.

Claims

1. A method of conducting commerce over a network, comprising:

encoding content for conversion into vision-enabled content included in an applet;

receiving payment for encoding the content;

providing a plug-in program to decode the vision-enabled content;

determining, at a website, whether the vision-enabled content or standard content should be sent using the applet and based on the plug-in program;

receiving at the plug-in program, a video image from the vision-enabled content included in the applet comprising a person image of a user;

extracting the person image portion of the received video image wherein extracting the person image includes removing a background;

recognizing an identity of the user based on said person image of the user by matching the person image of the user with an image stored in a user image database;

selecting a subset of the vision-enabled content based on the identity of the user as recognized by matching the person image of the user with an image stored in a user image database;

sending the selected subset of the vision-enabled content to the user over a network, wherein the plug-in program decodes the selected subset of the vision-enabled content and combines the image of the user with the selected subset of the vision-enabled content; and

dynamically displaying the image of the user combined with the selected subset of the vision-enabled content in a real-time interaction with a virtual environment;

wherein the vision-enabled content includes one or more musicians in a music video.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoding of the content is performed via tools, payment being received in exchange for use of the tools.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an upgrade for the program, payment being received in exchange for the upgrade.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving payment based on an amount of users receiving the vision-enabled content.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving payment based on a quantity of vision-enabled content sent.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the user with a group and selecting the selected subset of vision-enabled content based on the association of the user with the group.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting statistical data.

8. A method of conducting commerce over a network, comprising:

encoding content for conversion into vision-enabled content included in an applet;

receiving payment for encoding the content;

providing a plug-in program to decode the vision-enabled content;

determining, at a website, whether the vision-enabled content or standard content should be sent using the applet and based on the plug-in program;

sending the vision-enabled content to a user over a network, wherein the plug-in program;

decodes the vision-enabled content;

receives at the plug-in program a series of video images from the vision-enabled content included in the applet, each image comprising a person image of the user;

extracts from each video image the associated person image of the user to create a series of person images wherein extracting the person image includes removing a background;

processes the series of person images to detect a movement by said user; and

controls the vision-enabled content dynamically based on said movement; and

dynamically displaying the movement of the user and the vision-enabled content in a real-time interaction with a virtual environment;

wherein the vision-enabled content includes one or more musicians in a music video.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the encoding of the content is performed via tools, payment being received in exchange for use of the tools.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing an upgrade for the program, payment being received in exchange for the upgrade.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving payment based on an amount of users receiving the vision-enabled content.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving payment based on a quantity of vision-enabled content sent.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising recognizing an identity of the user and selecting vision-enabled content based on the identity of the user, the selected vision-enabled content being sent to the user.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising associating the user with a group and selecting vision-enabled content based on the association of the user with the group, the selected vision-enabled content being sent to the user.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising collecting statistical data.

16. A method of conducting commerce over a network, comprising:

encoding content for conversion into vision-enabled content included in an applet;

providing a plug-in program to decode the vision-enabled content;

determining, at a website, whether the vision-enabled content or standard content should be sent using the applet and based on the plug-in program;

receiving at the plug-in program, a video image from the vision-enabled content included in the applet comprising a person image of a user;

recognizing an identity of the user based on said person image of the user by matching the person image of the user with an image stored in a user image database;

selecting a subset of the vision-enabled content based on the identity of the user as recognized by matching the person image of the user with an image stored in a user image database;

sending the selected subset of the vision-enabled content to the user over a network, wherein the plug-in program decodes the selected subset of the vision-enabled content; and

dynamically displaying the person image of the user combined with the selected subset of the vision-enabled content in a real-time interaction with a virtual environment wherein displaying the person image includes removing a background;

wherein the vision-enabled content includes one or more musicians in a music video.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving payment based on a number of users who the vision-enabled content has been sent to.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving payment from the user in exchange for the program.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing the vision-enabled content and receiving payment for storing the vision-enabled content.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving payment based on an amount of vision-enabled content sent.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising collecting statistics.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising receiving payment in exchange for access to the statistics.

23. A method of manipulating content based on an image of a user, comprising:

sending content included in an applet to a user over a network;

receiving a series of images of the user included in the applet at the plug-in program;

recognizing a person image of the user in at least two images comprising the series of images;

controlling with the applet, the content based on the person image by detecting an action by the user based on changes in the person image between the at least two images;

outputting the content using the plug-in program; and

dynamically displaying the person image of the user combined with the content in a real-time interaction with a virtual environment wherein displaying the person image includes removing a background;

wherein the vision-enabled content includes one or more musicians in a music video.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the outputted content includes an interaction between the person image and the content.