Method and system for overlaying videos in a television set using a television script

• US 8,937,685 B1
• Filed: 10/09/2008
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Inventors: Ho, Chi Fai, Chiu, Shin Cheung Simon, Chung, Bok Knun Randolph
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): HASAN, SYED Y
• Application Number:
  US12/248,768
• Time in Patent Office: 2,294 Days
• Field of Search: 386/281, 348/E5.097, 348/E5.104, 348/E5.105, 348/E5.108, 348/E5.112, 348/565, 348/564, 348/567, 348/568, 348/588, 348/581, 348/607, 348/910, 348/E5.11, 348/E7.012, 715/719, 715/718, 715/722, 715/723, 715/810, 715/741, 715/742, 715/743, 715/700, 725/37, 725/63, 725/68, 725/109, 725/110, 725/120, 725/131, 725/32, 709/229, 375/E7.025, 375/E7.268
• US Class Current: 348/565
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 by remotely controlling device operation
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4886 for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 Mixing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

Method and system for overlaying videos in a television include: receiving a plurality of video signals directly from a plurality of video sources by the television; receiving and processing a script by the television, the script includes instructions for placing a first picture from a first video signal of the plurality of video signals in a first position at a first depth value on a display coupled to the television, and instructions for placing a second picture from a second video signal of the plurality of video signals in a second position at a second depth value on the display; and simultaneously displaying the first picture and the second picture on the display by the television in an overlayed manner, the first picture being displayed at the first position and at the first depth value, the second picture being displayed at the second position and at the second depth value.

Claims

1. A method for displaying videos on a television, comprising:

(a) receiving a plurality of video signals directly from a plurality of video sources by the television;

(b) receiving a first software script by the television over a data network, the first software script comprising first web programming instructions and second web programming instructions;

(c) in executing the first web programming instructions by the television, placing a first picture from a first video signal of the plurality of video signals in a first position at a first depth value on a display coupled to the television;

(d) in executing the second web programming instructions by the television, placing a second picture from a second video signal of the plurality of video signals in a second position at a second depth value on the display, and displaying the second picture overlaying on top of the first picture;

(e) receiving a second software script by the television over the data network, the second software script comprising third web programming instructions; and

(f) in executing the third web programming instructions by the television, moving the first picture to a new position on the display using animation as specified by the third web programming instructions, wherein the first depth value of the first picture changes while the first picture is being moved, wherein at the new position, the first picture is displayed overlaying on top of the second picture based on the changed first depth value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the third web programming instructions further comprises a path from the first position to the new position for the first picture, wherein in executing the third web programming instructions, the first picture is moved to the new position along the path using the animation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first software script further comprises web programming instructions to obtain the second software script.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first software script determines that the first video signal requires the second software script, and the first software script instructs the television to obtain the second software script.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the television receives instructions from a viewer to obtain the second software script.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second software script replaces the first software script.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein after executing the third web programming instructions in the second software script, the television resumes the execution of the first and second web programming instructions in the first software script.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video signal comprises a description, wherein the television performs a video search on the plurality of video signals based on the description, wherein a result of the video search comprises the second video signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first video signal further comprises an image, wherein the description is related to the image.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving (b) comprises:

(b1) receiving the first software script by the television from a television service provider.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first, the second, and the third web programming instructions each comprise Javascript.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the moving (f) comprises:

(f1) moving the first picture to the new position on the display using a 3-dimensional animation as specified by the third web programming instructions.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the 3-dimensional animation comprises one or more of the following:

rotation;

scaling;

translation; and

spinning.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first picture comprises a size, wherein the moving (f) further comprises:

(f1) changing the size of the first picture as the first picture is moving to the new position on the display using the animation as specified by the third web programming instructions.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the placing and displaying (d) comprises:

(d1) displaying the second picture as overlaying translucently on top of the first picture, wherein the first picture is at least partially visible through the second picture in an overlaying area.

16. A television, comprising:

a plurality of interfaces for receiving a plurality of video signals directly from a plurality of video sources;

a first video player for processing a first video signal of the plurality of video signals;

a first video buffer for storing a first picture from the processed first video signal, the first video buffer being associated with a first depth value;

a second video player for processing a second video signal of the plurality of video signals;

a second video buffer for storing a second picture from the processed second video signal, the second video buffer being associated with a second depth value;

a local storage for storing a first software script received by the television over a data network, the first software script comprising first web programming instructions and second web programming instructions; and

an overlay processor for executing the first web programming instructions and the second web programming instructions,

wherein in executing the first web programming instructions, the overlay processor places the first picture in a first position at the first depth value on a display coupled to the television,

wherein in executing the second web programming instructions, the overlay processor places the second picture at the second depth value on the display and displays the second picture overlaying on top of the first picture,

wherein the local storage further stores a second software script received by the television over the data network, the second software script comprising third web programming instructions, wherein the overlay processor further executes the third web programming instructions

wherein in executing the third web programming instructions, the overlay processor moves the first picture to a new position on the display using animation as specified by the third web programming instructions, wherein the first depth value of the first picture changes while the first picture is being moved, wherein at the new position, the first picture is displayed overlaying on top of the second picture based on the changed first depth value.

17. The television of claim 16, wherein the first video player and the second video player each comprises a video capable graphics processor.

18. The television of claim 17, wherein the first video buffer and the second video buffer each comprises video memory addressable by the corresponding video capable graphics processor.

19. The television of claim 16, wherein the first video signal comprises a description, wherein the television performs a video search on the plurality of video signals based on the description, wherein a result of the video search comprises the second video signal.

20. The television of claim 16, wherein the first software script is received by the television from a television service provider.

21. The television of claim 16, wherein the first, the second, and the third web programming instructions each comprise Javascript.

22. The television of claim 16, wherein in executing the third web programming instructions, the overlay processor further moves the first picture to the new position on the display using a 3-dimensional animation as specified by the third web programming instructions.

23. The television of claim 22, wherein the 3-dimensional animation comprises one or more of the following:

rotation;

scaling;

translation; and

spinning.

24. The television of claim 16, wherein the first picture comprises a size, wherein in executing the third web programming instructions, the overlay processor further changes the size of the first picture as the first picture is moving to the new position on the display using the animation as specified by the third web programming instructions.

25. The television of claim 16, wherein the placing and displaying of the first picture and second picture comprises:

displaying the second picture as overlaying translucently on top of the first picture, wherein the first picture is at least partially visible through the second picture in an overlaying area.

26. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable code for processing video signals received by a television, the computer readable code configured to:

receive a plurality of video signals directly from a plurality of video sources by the television;

receive a first software script by the television over a data network, the first software script comprising first web programming instructions and second web programming instructions;

in executing the first web programming instructions by the television, place a first picture from a first video signal of the plurality of video signals in a first position at a first depth value on a display coupled to the television;

in executing the second web programming instructions by the television, place a second picture from a second video signal of the plurality of video signals in a second position at a second depth value on the display, and display the second picture overlaying on top of the first picture;

receive a second software script by the television over the data network, the second software script comprising third web programming instructions; and

in executing the third web programming instructions by the television, move the first picture to a new position on the display using animation as specified by the third web programming instructions, wherein the first depth value of the first picture changes while the first picture is being moved, wherein at the new position, the first picture is displayed overlaying on top of the second picture based on the changed first depth value.

27. The medium of claim 26, wherein the third web programming instructions further comprises a path from the first position to the new position for the first picture, wherein in executing the third web programming instructions, the first picture is moved to the new position along the path using the animation.

28. The medium of claim 26, wherein the receive is further configured to:

receive the first software script from a television service provider.

29. The medium of claim 26, wherein the first, the second, and the third web programming instructions each comprise Javascript.

30. The medium of claim 26, wherein in executing the third web programming instructions, the first picture moves to the new position on the display using a 3-dimensional animation as specified by the third web programming instructions.

31. The medium of claim 30, wherein the 3-dimensional animation comprises one or more of the following:

rotation;

scaling;

translation; and

spinning.

32. The medium of claim 26, wherein the first picture comprises a size, in executing the third web programming instructions, the size of the first picture changes as the first picture is moving to the new position on the display using the animation as specified by the third web programming instructions.

33. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable code for processing video signals, wherein when executed by the processor causes the system to;

receive a plurality of video signals directly from a plurality of video sources by a television;

receive a first software script by the television over a data network, the first software script comprising first web programming instructions and second web programming instructions;

in executing the first web programming instructions by the television, place a first picture from a first video signal of the plurality of video signals in a first position at a first depth value on a display coupled to the television;

in executing the second web programming instructions by the television, place a second picture from a second video signal of the plurality of video signals in a second position at a second depth value on the display, and display the second picture overlaying on top of the first picture;

receive a second software script by the television over the data network, the second software script comprising third web programming instructions; and

in executing the third web programming instructions by the television, move the first picture to a new position on the display using animation as specified by the third web programming instructions, wherein the first depth value of the first picture changes while the first picture is being moved, wherein at the new position, the first picture is displayed overlaying on top of the second picture based on the changed first depth value.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the system receives the first software script from a television service provider.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the first, the second, and the third web programming instructions each comprise Javascript.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein in executing the third web programming instructions, the first picture moves to the new position on the display using a 3-dimensional animation as specified by the third web programming instructions.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the 3-dimensional animation comprises one or more of the following:

rotation;

scaling;

translation; and

spinning.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein the first picture comprises a size, in executing the third web programming instructions, the size of the first picture changes as the first picture is moving to the new position on the display using the animation as specified by the third web programming instructions.