Moving video tags outside of a video area to create a menu system

• US 9,451,195 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kulas, Charles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US12/172,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20090019491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,993 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37- 38, 725 41- 42, 725/51, 725/56, 725 59- 61, 725 86- 87, 725112-114, 725/116, 725/120, 715723-726
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/440272 for performing aspect ratio conversion
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0122 the input and the output signals having different aspect ratios

Abstract

Tags in a video area are established by displaying the tags with a visual association to an item in the video. Thereafter, the tags move to a tag menu area that is outside of the video area. Tags are selectable, such as by clicking on the tag, to cause additional actions such as displaying a web page related to the tag. Tags move and disappear/appear in conjunction with the video as the video action progresses. In one embodiment, the tag menu area is obtained when a video with a first aspect ratio is displayed in a display area that has a different aspect ratio. The difference in aspect ratios leaves a portion in the display area that is not used for the video that can be used for the tag menu area.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing a display device to present a video in a video area of the display device;

causing the display device to present a non-video area distinct from the video area of the display device;

causing the display device to present a first tag in the video area in association with a first item in the video, wherein the first tag includes descriptive information describing the first item in the video;

after causing the display device to present the first tag in the video area, causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the non-video area;

after causing the display device to present the first tag in the video area and causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the non-video area, receiving from an input device a selection of the first tag; and

in response to receiving from the input device the selection of the first tag, performing a predetermined action to provide additional information relating to the first item in the video.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a native aspect ratio of the video area is 4:

3, a native aspect ratio of the video is 16;

9, and the non-video area includes at least a portion of an unused area of the video area caused by presenting the video in the video area while preserving the native aspect ratio of the video.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a native aspect ratio of the video area is 16:

9, a native aspect ratio of the video is 4;

3, and the non-video area includes at least a portion of an unused area of the video area caused by presenting the video in the video area while preserving the native aspect ratio of the video.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing the display device to present the first tag in the video area in association with the first item in the video comprises causing the first tag to be presented in proximity to the first item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing the display device to present the first tag in the video area in association with the first item in the video comprises causing the display device to present a visually perceptible indicator that extends between the first tag and the first item.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing the predetermined action to provide the additional information relating to the first item in the video comprises causing the display device to present a web page including the additional information relating to the first item.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tag is surrounded by a visually perceptible border defining a tag area and the step of performing the predetermined action to provide the additional information relating to the first item in the video comprises causing the display device to expand the tag area so that the additional information can be presented within the tag area along with the descriptive information describing the first item in the video.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing the predetermined action to provide the additional information relating to the first item in the video comprises causing the display device to open an adjacent window next to the video area and causing the display device to present in the adjacent window the additional information relating to the first item.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a native aspect ratio of the video area comprises a first ratio, a native aspect ratio of the video comprises a second ratio different than the first ratio, and the non-video area includes at least a portion of an unused area of the video area caused by presenting the video in the video area while preserving the native aspect ratio of the video.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after causing the display device to present the first tag in the video area and causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the non-video area, causing the display device to present a second tag in the video area in association with a second item in the video, wherein the second tag includes descriptive information describing the second item in the video; and

after causing the display device to present the second tag in the video area, causing the display device to reposition the second tag from the video area to the non-video area.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after causing the display device to present the first tag in the video area and causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the non-video area, causing the display device to present a plurality of subsequent tags in the video area in association with respective items in the video, wherein the plurality of subsequent tags include descriptive information describing the respective items in the video; and

after causing the display device to present the plurality of subsequent tags in the video area, causing the display device to reposition the plurality of subsequent tags from the video area to the non-video area, wherein the plurality of subsequent tags are visible as the plurality of subsequent tags are repositioned from the video area to the non-video area and the plurality of subsequent tags and the first tag are positioned in the non-video area along a defined path in an order in which the plurality of subsequent tags and the first tag were previously presented in the video area to thereby form a menu of selectable tags associated with items that were previously presented in the video area.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

causing the display device to move the first tag along the defined path as the plurality of subsequent tags are repositioned from the video area to the non-video area.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

preventing the display device from presenting the first tag in the non-video area after a predetermined number of the plurality of subsequent tags have been repositioned from the video area to the non-video area.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the video area and non-video area occupy an entire displayable area of the display device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the video area and non-video area occupy a portion the display device that is less than an entire displayable area of the display device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the descriptive information describing the first item in the video comprises one or more of a brand name associated with the item, a manufacturer of the item, information about a seller of the item, and a price associated with the item.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the video area is bounded by four edges, the video is bounded by four edges, a native aspect ratio of the video area is different than a native aspect ratio of the video, and the video is presented in the video area such that the native aspect ratio of the video is preserved and three edges of the video abut three edges of the video area to thereby form the non-video area between the non-abutting edges of the video and video area.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the non-video area comprises causing the display device to continuously move the first tag from the video area to the non-video area.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the non-video area comprises causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the non-video area during playback of the video.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-video is proximate the video area of the display device.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tag is visible as the first tag is repositioned from the video area to the non-video area.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the non-video area comprises causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to a first position in the non-video area, the method further comprising:

after causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the first position in the non-video area, causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the first position in the non-video area to a second position in the non-video area.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

after causing the display device to present the first tag in the video area, causing the display device to present a second tag in the video area in association with a second item in the video, wherein the second tag includes descriptive information describing the second item in the video; and

after causing the display device to present the second tag in the video area, causing the display device to reposition the second tag from the video area to the first position in the non-video area and thereby prompting repositioning of the first tag from the first position in the non-video area to the second position in the non-video area.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a receiving component configured to receive one or more signals from an input device; and

a hardware processor configured to be operatively associated with the receiving component, the hardware processor configured to;

cause a display device to present a video in a video area of the display device;

cause the display device to present a non-video area distinct from the video area of the display device;

cause the display device to present a first tag in the video area in association with a first item in the video, wherein the first tag includes descriptive information describing the first item in the video;

after causing the display device to present the first tag in the video area, cause the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the non-video area;

after causing the display device to present the first tag in the video area and causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the non-video area, receive from the receiving component an indication that the first receiving component has received from the input device a selection of the first tag; and

in response to receiving the indication that the first receiving component has received from the input device the selection of the first tag, perform a predetermined action to provide additional information relating to the first item in the video.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the non-video area comprises causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to a first position in the non-video area, and wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:

after causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the first position in the non-video area, cause the display device to reposition the first tag from the first position in the non-video area to a second position in the non-video area.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:

after causing the display device to present the first tag in the video area, cause the display device to present a second tag in the video area in association with a second item in the video, wherein the second tag includes descriptive information describing the second item in the video; and

after causing the display device to present the second tag in the video area, cause the display device to reposition the second tag from the video area to the first position in the non-video area and thereby prompting repositioning of the first tag from the first position in the non-video area to the second position in the non-video area.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions for causing a display device to present a video in a video area of the display device;

instructions for causing the display device to present a non-video area distinct from the video area of the display device;

instructions for causing the display device to present a first tag in the video area in association with a first item in the video, wherein the first tag includes descriptive information describing the first item in the video;

instructions for, after causing the display device to present the first tag in the video area, causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the non-video area; and

instructions for, after causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the non-video area and in response to receiving from an input device a selection of the first tag, performing a predetermined action to provide additional information relating to the first item in the video.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the non-video area comprises causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to a first position in the non-video area, the medium further comprising:

instructions for, after causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the video area to the first position in the non-video area, causing the display device to reposition the first tag from the first position in the non-video area to a second position in the non-video area.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, further comprising:

instructions for, after causing the display device to present the first tag in the video area, causing the display device to present a second tag in the video area in association with a second item in the video, wherein the second tag includes descriptive information describing the second item in the video; and

instructions for, after causing the display device to present the second tag in the video area, causing the display device to reposition the second tag from the video area to the first position in the non-video area and thereby prompting repositioning of the first tag from the first position in the non-video area to the second position in the non-video area.