Displaying an actionable element over playing content

• US 10,979,771 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2018
• Issued: 04/13/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roku, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gracenote, Inc. (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Inventors: Cremer, Markus K., Harron, Wilson
• Primary Examiner(s): Hossain, Farzana
• Application Number:
  US16/124,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20190007741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• 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 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]

Abstract

Example methods and systems for displaying actionable elements over playing content, such as video content, are described. In some example embodiments, the methods and systems identify video content currently playing within a display environment provided by a playback device, and display an actionable element within the display environment provided by the playback device that is based on the identified video content and includes one or more user-selectable options to perform an action associated with the identified video content. Further, in some example embodiments, the methods and systems may perform an action (e.g., present supplemental content and/or information) in response to a selection of one or more of the user-selectable options.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

identifying video content currently playing within a display environment provided by a playback device;

determining a location within the display environment at which to display an actionable element, wherein determining the location comprises;

identifying an area within the display environment in which the playback device displays a navigation element native to the playback device, and

based on the identifying, selecting the identified area within the display environment as the location within the display environment at which to display the actionable element;

in response to determining the location within the display environment at which to display the actionable element, displaying the actionable element at the determined location within the displaying environment, wherein the actionable element is based on the identified video content and includes a user-selectable option to perform an action associated with the identified video content;

identifying different video content currently playing within the display environment provided by the playback device; and

modifying a configuration of the displayed actionable element based on the identified different video content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the configuration comprises modifying a color of the displayed actionable element.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the configuration comprises modifying a geometry of the displayed actionable element.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the configuration comprises:

identifying one or more characteristics of the identified different video content; and

modifying the configuration of the displayed actionable element based on the one or more characteristics.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more characteristics comprise one or more color characteristics, and wherein modifying the configuration based on the one or more characteristics comprises modifying the configuration based on the one or more color characteristics.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more characteristics comprise one or more low contrast regions within the identified different video content, and wherein modifying the configuration based on the one or more characteristics comprises modifying the configuration based on the one or more low contrast regions.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more characteristics comprise a depth pane of elements within the identified different video content, and wherein modifying the configuration based on the one or more characteristics comprises modifying the configuration based on the depth pane.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the configuration to include a user-selectable option to perform an action associated with the identified different video content.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the user-selectable option to perform the action associated with the identified different video content; and

performing the action associated with the identified different video content.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the action associated with the identified different video content comprises presenting other video content associated with the identified different video content, and wherein performing the action comprises presenting the other video content within the display environment.

11. The method of claim 10:

wherein the identified video content currently playing within the display environment is a show; and

wherein the other video content is retrieved from a web-based resource.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the action associated with the identified different video content comprises presenting information about the identified different video content, and wherein performing the action comprises presenting the information along with the identified different video content within the display environment.

13. The method of claim 12:

wherein the identified different video content is a sports event; and

wherein the information is statistical information related to the sports event.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed actionable element further includes a user-selectable button configured to facilitate navigation of content provided within the display environment.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that upon execution by a processor, cause performance of a set of acts comprising:

identifying video content currently playing within a display environment provided by a playback device;

determining a location within the display environment at which to display an actionable element, wherein determining the location comprises;

identifying an area within the display environment in which the playback device displays a navigation element native to the playback device, and

based on the identifying, selecting the area within the display environment as the location within the display environment at which to display the actionable element;

in response to determining the location within the display environment at which to display the actionable element, displaying the actionable element at the determined location within the displaying environment, wherein the actionable element is based on the identified video content and includes a user-selectable option to perform an action associated with the identified video content;

identifying different video content currently playing within the display environment provided by the playback device; and

modifying a configuration of the displayed actionable element based on the identified different video content.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein modifying the configuration comprises modifying a color of the displayed actionable element.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein modifying the configuration comprises modifying a geometry of the displayed actionable element.

18. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions that are executable to cause the computing system to perform a set of acts comprising;

identifying video content currently playing within a display environment provided by a playback device,

determining a location within the display environment at which to display an actionable element, wherein determining the location comprises;

identifying an area within the display environment in which the playback device displays a navigation element native to the playback device and a size; and

based on the identifying, selecting the area within the display environment as the location within the display environment at which to display the actionable element,

in response to determining the location within the display environment at which to display the actionable element, displaying the actionable element at the determined location within the displaying environment, wherein the actionable element is based on the identified video content and includes a user-selectable option to perform an action associated with the identified video content,

identifying different video content currently playing within the display environment provided by the playback device, and

modifying a configuration of the displayed actionable element based on the identified different video content.