Server providing content directories of video signals and linkage to content information sources
First Claim
1. A method of linking content of a video signal to information sources, the method comprising:
- creating, at a server having a processor, an object directory having a plurality of object records, each object record containing;
an identifier of a respective object selected from a plurality of objects;
an image of said respective object;
a description of said respective object; and
a set of network addresses of servers providing further description of said respective object;
storing said object directory in a memory device associated with said server;
acquiring a plurality of video recordings and a plurality network addresses of sources of said video recordings;
creating, at said server, a video-content directory having a plurality of overlay directories, each overlay directory corresponding to a respective video recording from among said plurality of video recordings, each said overlay directory containing;
an identifier of a respective video recording;
a set of identifiers of selected objects tracked in a display of said respective video recording; and
coordinates of at least one tracked image of each said selected object;
storing said video-content directory in said memory device;
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receiving at said server a request from a computer for access to a specific video recording; and
upon ascertaining that said specific video recording belongs to said plurality of video recordings, sending from said server to said computer;
a network address, from among said plurality of network addresses, providing said specific video recording;
a specific overlay directory, from among said plurality of overlay directories, corresponding to said specific video recording;
sending, from a communication module of said server to each authoring computer, of a plurality of authoring computers, authoring instructions which cause said each authoring computer to;
access a video-source directory, stored in said server, containing network addresses of a plurality of video sources, to obtain a network address of a selected video source;
access said object directory;
acquire a specific video recording from said selected video source;
track specific product images belonging to said object directory and appearing in a display of said specific video recording to produce an overlay directory of said specific video recording; and
transmit said overlay directory to said server;
receiving said overlay directory from said each authoring computer at said communication module; and
appending said overlay directory to said video-content directory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An overlay server for illustrative video streaming constitutes a central part of a distributed system for linking content of video recordings to relevant information sources. The overlay server maintains a global object directory including information pertinent to a set of objects and network addresses of external servers providing information relevant to the set of objects. The overlay server further maintains a video-content directory having several overlay directories. Each overlay directory identifies content of a respective video recording from among a set of video recordings and includes a network address of a video-streaming server providing the video recording. The overlay server stores an authoring tool for constructing the overlay directories and an augmented display tool for associating content of a video recording with respective information.
80 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of linking content of a video signal to information sources, the method comprising:
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creating, at a server having a processor, an object directory having a plurality of object records, each object record containing; an identifier of a respective object selected from a plurality of objects; an image of said respective object; a description of said respective object; and a set of network addresses of servers providing further description of said respective object; storing said object directory in a memory device associated with said server; acquiring a plurality of video recordings and a plurality network addresses of sources of said video recordings; creating, at said server, a video-content directory having a plurality of overlay directories, each overlay directory corresponding to a respective video recording from among said plurality of video recordings, each said overlay directory containing; an identifier of a respective video recording; a set of identifiers of selected objects tracked in a display of said respective video recording; and coordinates of at least one tracked image of each said selected object; storing said video-content directory in said memory device;
—receiving at said server a request from a computer for access to a specific video recording; and upon ascertaining that said specific video recording belongs to said plurality of video recordings, sending from said server to said computer; a network address, from among said plurality of network addresses, providing said specific video recording; a specific overlay directory, from among said plurality of overlay directories, corresponding to said specific video recording; sending, from a communication module of said server to each authoring computer, of a plurality of authoring computers, authoring instructions which cause said each authoring computer to; access a video-source directory, stored in said server, containing network addresses of a plurality of video sources, to obtain a network address of a selected video source; access said object directory; acquire a specific video recording from said selected video source; track specific product images belonging to said object directory and appearing in a display of said specific video recording to produce an overlay directory of said specific video recording; and transmit said overlay directory to said server; receiving said overlay directory from said each authoring computer at said communication module; and appending said overlay directory to said video-content directory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for linking content of a video signal to information sources, the system comprising:
a server having a processor and at least one memory device, coupled to said server and comprising computer readable instructions for execution by the processor, storing; an object directory having a plurality of object records, each object record containing; an identifier of a respective object selected from a plurality of objects; an image of said respective object; a description of said respective object; and a set of network addresses of servers providing further description of said respective object; a plurality of video recordings; and a plurality network addresses of sources of said video recordings; a video-content directory having a plurality of overlay directories, each overlay directory corresponding to a respective video recording from among said plurality of video recordings, each said overlay directory containing; an identifier of a respective video recording; a set of identifiers of selected objects tracked in a display of said respective video recording; and coordinates of at least one tracked image of each selected object; and a communication module for; receiving at said server a request from a computing device to access a specific video recording; and sending from said server to said computing device; a network address, from among said plurality of network addresses, providing said specific video recording; a specific overlay directory, from among said plurality of overlay directories, corresponding to said specific video recording; sending, from said communication module to each authoring computer from among a plurality of authoring computers, authoring instructions which cause said each authoring computer to; access a video-source directory, stored in said server, containing network addresses of a plurality of video sources, to obtain a network address of a selected video source; access said object directory; acquire a specific video recording from said selected video source; track specific product images belonging to said object directory and appearing in a display of said specific video recording to produce an overlay directory of said specific video recording; and transmit said overlay directory to said server; and receiving said overlay directory from said each authoring computer at said communication module; and
appending said overlay directory to said video-content directory.- View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A server for providing content directories of video signals and linking content to information sources, the server comprising:
a processor and at least one memory device, coupled to said server and comprising computer-readable instructions for execution by the processor, storing; an object directory having a plurality of object records, each object record containing; an identifier of a respective object selected from a plurality of objects; an image of said respective object; a description of said respective object; and a set of network addresses of servers providing further description of said respective object; a plurality of video recordings; and a plurality network addresses of sources of said video recordings; a video-content directory having a plurality of overlay directories, each overlay directory corresponding to a respective video recording from among said plurality of video recordings, each said overlay directory containing; an identifier of a respective video recording; a set of identifiers of selected objects tracked in a display of said respective video recording; and coordinates of at least one tracked image of each selected object; and a communication module for; receiving at said server a request from a computing device to access a specific video recording; and sending from said server to said computing device; a network address, from among said plurality of network addresses, providing said specific video recording; a specific overlay directory, from among said plurality of overlay directories, corresponding to said specific video recording; sending, from said communication module to each authoring computer from among a plurality of authoring computers, authoring instructions which cause said each authoring computer to; access a video-source directory, stored in said server, containing network addresses of a plurality of video sources, to obtain a network address of a selected video source; access said object directory; acquire a specific video recording from said selected video source; track specific product images belonging to said object directory and appearing in a display of said specific video recording to produce an overlay directory of said specific video recording; and transmit said overlay directory to said server; receiving said overlay directory from said each authoring computer at said communication module; and appending said overlay directory to said video-content directory. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
Specification