Providing item information notification during video playing.

• US 20130251338A1
• Filed: 03/26/2012
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CustomPlay, LLC
• Original Assignee: CustomPlay, LLC
• Inventors: Abecassis, Max
• Granted Patent: US 9,124,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42227 the keys being reprogrammable, e.g. soft keys
• 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 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 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

An apparatus capable of, and a method comprising, the steps of monitoring a play location within a video; searching a plurality of segment definitions to identify a segment definition that is responsive to the play location, a segment definition defines, responsive to a depiction of a purchasable item, a beginning and an ending of a video segment within the video; displaying, responsive to an identified segment definition, an indication that item purchase information is available for an item being depicted; receiving, from a user, a request for item purchase information in response to the display of an indication that item information is available; identifying a request location that is responsive to the request for item purchase information; and displaying item purchase information associated with a segment definition that is responsive to the request location.

Claims

1. An apparatus capable of processing data and instructions executable by a processor;

the apparatus, when executing the instructions, performs the steps of;

monitoring a play location within a feature-length movie;

searching a plurality of segment definitions to identify a segment definition that is responsive to the play location, a segment definition defines, responsive to a depiction of a product placement, a beginning and an ending of a video segment within the feature-length movie;

displaying, responsive to an identified segment definition, an indication that item information is available for a product placement being depicted, the displaying of an indication that item information is available is also responsive to a user pre-established indication display frequency preference;

receiving, from a user, a request for item information in response to the display of an indication that item information is available;

pausing the feature-length movie in response to the request for item information;

identifying a request location that is responsive to the request for item information;

identifying at least one segment definition that is responsive to the request location or a predetermined play period prior to the request location;

displaying item information associated with a segment definition that is responsive to the request location;

receiving from the user a request for additional item information relating to a displayed item information;

enabling a display of additional item information in response to the request for additional item information, the additional item information comprises product placement purchase information; and

resuming, following a termination of a displaying of additional item information, a playing of the feature-length movie at a location that, responsive to a segment definition, precedes the request location.

2. An apparatus capable of processing data and instructions executable by a processor;

the apparatus, when executing the instructions, performs the steps of;

monitoring a play location within a feature-length movie;

searching a plurality of segment definitions to identify a segment definition that is responsive to the play location, a segment definition defines, responsive to a depiction of a product placement, a beginning and an ending of a video segment within the feature-length movie;

displaying, responsive to an identified segment definition, an indication that item information is available for a product placement being depicted;

receiving, from a user, a request for item information in response to the display of an indication that item information is available;

identifying a request location that is responsive to the request for item information;

identifying at least one segment definition that is responsive to the request location;

displaying item information associated with a segment definition that is responsive to the request location;

receiving from the user a request for additional item information relating to a displayed item information; and

enabling a display of additional item information in response to the request for additional item information, the additional item information comprises product placement purchase information.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the displaying of an indication that item information is available is also responsive to a user pre-established indication display frequency preference.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the identifying, of at least one segment definition that is responsive to the request location, is responsive to the request location or a predetermined play period prior to the request location.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus further performs the step of:

resuming, following a termination of the displaying of additional item information, a playing of the video at a location that, responsive to a segment definition, precedes the request location.

6. An apparatus capable of processing data and instructions executable by a processor;

the apparatus, when executing the instructions, performs the steps of;

monitoring a play location within a feature-length movie;

searching a plurality of segment definitions to identify a segment definition that is responsive to the play location, a segment definition defines, responsive to a depiction of a product placement, a beginning and an ending of a video segment within the feature-length movie;

displaying, responsive to an identified segment definition, an indication that item information is available for a product placement being depicted;

receiving, from a user, a request for item information in response to the display of an indication that item information is available;

identifying a request location that is responsive to the request for item information;

identifying at least one segment definition that is responsive to the request location or a predetermined play period prior to the request location; and

displaying item purchase information associated with a segment definition that is responsive to the request location.

7. An apparatus capable of processing data and instructions executable by a processor;

the apparatus, when executing the instructions, performs the steps of;

monitoring a play location within a video;

searching a plurality of segment definitions to identify a segment definition that is responsive to the play location, a segment definition defines, responsive to a depiction of an item, a beginning and an ending of a video segment within the video;

displaying, responsive to an identified segment definition, an indication that item information is available for an item being depicted, the displaying being also responsive to a user pre-established indication display frequency preference;

receiving, from a user, a request for item information in response to the display of an indication that item information is available;

pausing the video in response to the request for item information;

identifying a request location that is responsive to the request for item information;

identifying at least one segment definition that is responsive to the request location or a predetermined play period prior to the request location;

displaying item information associated with a segment definition that is responsive to the request location or a predetermined play period prior to the request location;

receiving from the user a request for additional item information relating to a displayed item information;

enabling a display of additional item information in response to the request for additional item information, the additional item information comprises item purchase information; and

resuming, following a termination of a displaying of additional item information, a playing of the video at a location that, responsive to a segment definition, precedes the request location.

8. An apparatus capable of processing data and instructions executable by a processor;

the apparatus, when executing the instructions, performs the steps of;

monitoring a play location within a video;

searching a plurality of segment definitions to identify a segment definition that is responsive to the play location, a segment definition defines, responsive to a depiction of an item, a beginning and an ending of a video segment within the video;

displaying, responsive to an identified segment definition, an indication that item information is available for an item being depicted;

receiving, from a user, a request for item information in response to the display of an indication that item information is available;

identifying a request location that is responsive to the request for item information;

identifying at least one segment definition that is responsive to the request location;

displaying item information associated with a segment definition that is responsive to the request location;

enabling a display of additional item information in response to the request for additional item information, the additional item information comprises item purchase information; and

resuming, following a termination of a displaying of additional item information, a playing of the video at a location that, responsive to a segment definition, precedes the request location.

9. An apparatus capable of processing data and instructions executable by a processor;

the apparatus, when executing the instructions, performs the steps of;

monitoring a play location within a video;

searching a plurality of segment definitions to identify a segment definition that is responsive to the play location, a segment definition defines, responsive to a depiction of an item, a beginning and an ending of a video segment within the video;

displaying, responsive to an identified segment definition, an indication that item information is available for an item being depicted;

receiving, from a user, a request for item information in response to the display of an indication that item information is available;

identifying a request location that is responsive to the request for item information;

identifying at least one segment definition that is responsive to the request location;

displaying item information associated with a segment definition that is responsive to the request location;

receiving from the user a request for additional item information relating to a displayed item information; and

enabling a display of additional item information in response to the request for additional item information.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the displaying of an indication that item information is available is also responsive to a user pre-established indication display frequency preference.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the identifying, of at least one segment definition that is responsive to the request location, is responsive to the request location or a predetermined play period prior to the request location.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus further performs the step of pausing the video in response to the request for item information.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the identifying, of at least one segment definition that is responsive to the request location, is responsive to the request location or a predetermined play period prior to the request location;

and wherein the apparatus further performs the step of resuming, following a termination of a displaying of additional item information, a playing of the video at a location that, responsive to a segment definition, precedes the request location.

14. An apparatus capable of processing data and instructions executable by a processor;

the apparatus, when executing the instructions, performs the steps of;

monitoring a play location within a video;

searching a plurality of segment definitions to identify a segment definition that is responsive to the play location, a segment definition defines, responsive to a depiction of a purchasable item, a beginning and an ending of a video segment within the video;

displaying, responsive to an identified segment definition, an indication that item purchase information is available for an item being depicted;

receiving, from a user, a request for item purchase information in response to the display of an indication that item information is available;

identifying a request location that is responsive to the request for item purchase information;

identifying at least one segment definition that is responsive to the request location; and

displaying item purchase information associated with a segment definition that is responsive to the request location.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the identifying, of at least one segment definition that is responsive to the request location, is responsive to the request location or a predetermined play period prior to the request location.

16. An apparatus capable of processing data and instructions executable by a processor;

the apparatus, when executing the instructions, performs the steps of;

monitoring a play location within a video;

searching item location information to identify an item whose depiction within the video is responsive to the request location;

displaying, responsive to an identified item, an indication that item information is available for an item being depicted;

receiving, from a user, a request for item information in response to the display of an indication that item information is available;

identifying a request location that is responsive to the request for item information;

identifying at least one item that is responsive to the request location;

displaying item information associated with the at least one item that is responsive to the request location;

receiving from the user a request for additional item information relating to a displayed item information; and

enabling a display of additional item information in response to the request for additional item information.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the displaying, of an indication that item information is available, is also responsive to a user pre-established indication display frequency preference.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the identifying, of at least one item that is responsive to the request location, is responsive to the request location or a predetermined play period prior to the request location.

19. An apparatus capable of processing data and instructions executable by a processor;

the apparatus, when executing the instructions, performs the steps of;

monitoring a play location within a video;

searching item location information to identify an item whose depiction within the video is responsive to the request location;

displaying, responsive to an identified item, an indication that item information is available for an item being depicted;

receiving, from a user, a request for item information in response to the display of an indication that item information is available;

identifying a request location that is responsive to the request for item information;

identifying at least one item that is responsive to the request location; and

displaying item information associated with the at least one item that is responsive to the request location.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the identifying, of at least one item that is responsive to the request location, is responsive to the request location or a predetermined play period prior to the request location.