System and method for interactive video content programming

• US 8,479,246 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2012
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jolly Seven, Series 70 of Allied Security Trust I (Allied Security Trust)
• Original Assignee: Intertainer Incorporated
• Inventors: Hudson, Ron J., Coles, Terrence T., Berry, Craig D., Easty, Allen D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Parry, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Sumaiya A
• Application Number:
  US13/495,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20120254932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 725/60, 725/87, 725/112, 725/59, 725102-103, 725/113
• US Class Current: 725/113
• 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: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2542 for selling goods, e.g. TV shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8541 involving branching, e.g. to different story endings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method for interacting with video by displaying one or more interface links associated with video content being displayed, pausing the video content when an interface link is interacted with, allowing the user to view ancillary content the interface link is linked to over a network, and un-pausing the video content after the user elects to continue viewing the video content. In one or more embodiments, the ancillary content may permit e-commerce, display additional video or other images, and/or include links to additional ancillary content. The present invention also includes a method for creating an interactive video.

Claims

1. A method for creating an interactive video, the method comprising:

encoding and storing the video onto a remote storage medium at a first site;

creating a link program adapted to both;

(a) interrupt streaming of the video at the remote storage medium to prevent streaming of the video over an Internet Protocol (IP)-based network to a second site; and

(b) access ancillary content accessible over the network with a universal resource locator (URL) to a remote site where the ancillary content is stored, the link program linking the ancillary content and the video to a point in time when the streaming of the video from the remote storage medium is interrupted;

associating the link program with the video;

streaming the video over the network for display;

providing the link program over the network;

receiving an indication of an interaction with the link program;

interrupting, at the first site, the streaming of the video in response to receiving the indication of the interaction with the link program; and

continuing the streaming of the video over the network from the point in time when the streaming of the video was interrupted.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the continuing of the streaming includes detecting an activation of a browser window displaying the video.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the continuing of the streaming includes detecting a selection of an icon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the link program is provided to client software at the second site prior to streaming the video over the network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the link program is provided to client software at the second site.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the link program is stored at the second site prior to streaming the video over the network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the link program is not provided simultaneously with the streaming of the video over the network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the link program is provided simultaneously with the streaming of the video over the network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the link program is transmitted from the remote site as the video is being streamed over the network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the link program is embedded in the video being streamed over the network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the associating of the link program includes encoding the link program with the video onto the storage medium.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the streaming of the video over the network includes delivering the link program in a feed separate from a feed of the video.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the streaming of the video over the network includes overlaying the video with the link program while the video is displayed.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the associating of the link program with the video includes embedding a time code marker in the video to permit the display of an interface link to the ancillary content based on the time elapsed during display of the video.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the network includes a wireless network.

16. A method for providing an interactive video, the method comprising:

streaming the video from a remote location over an Internet Protocol (IP)-based network for display on a visual display, the video having at least one interface link associated therewith, the interface link adapted to be displayed on the visual display and being linked by a universal resource locator (URL) to ancillary content accessible over the network;

receiving an indication of an interaction with the interface link during the streaming of the video;

in response to receiving the indication;

(a) interrupting, at the remote location, the streaming of the video at a point in time so as to interrupt the streaming of the video over the network; and

(b) initiating a command to transmit a request of the user for the ancillary content over the network to a remote site of the URL where the ancillary content to be delivered and displayed on the visual display is stored; and

continuing the streaming of the video over the network from the point in time when the streaming of the video was interrupted.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the continuing of the streaming includes detecting an activation of a browser window displaying the video.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the continuing of the streaming includes detecting a selection of an icon.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the interrupting of the streaming of the video includes pausing the video.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the interface link is embedded in the video.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the interface link is overlaid on the video on the visual display.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the interface link originates from a feed separate from a feed of the video.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising hiding the interface link from view on the visual display when there is no indication of an interaction with the interface link.

24. The method of claim 16, further comprising conducting a commercial transaction using the interface link, wherein the conducting of the commercial transaction includes accessing the ancillary content having a link to a site adapted to transact the commercial transaction.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the ancillary content includes video.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising conducting a commercial transaction using the ancillary content.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein the video has a plurality of the interface links associated therewith.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein the network includes a wireless network.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein the interface link is provided simultaneously with the streaming of the video.

30. The method of claim 16, wherein the interface link is not provided simultaneously with the streaming of the video.