Systems and methods for capturing and storing a product-related video frame

• US 8,321,896 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2010
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Index Systems Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Macrae, Douglas B., Westberg, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN BA, HOANG VU A
• Application Number:
  US12/873,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20110078745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 725/60, 725/32, 725/42, 725/51, 725/61, 725/112, 725/113, 348/460, 348/461, 345/547, 705/14.4, 705/14.49, 717/174, 717/178
• US Class Current: 725/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• 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 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

In one embodiment, the present invention is a t-commerce platform, which is linked to the content from a video signal that the user is currently watching. At some point during the broadcast of the content, a close-up of the product is shown. Simultaneous with this, a VBI-based trigger is added to the video signal of the broadcast. This trigger causes the television, a set-top box, or a similar device to capture in a memory, a “freeze-frame” of the image being shown. This action is transparent to the user while the video being displayed on the television is continuing normally. If the user chooses to perform an interactive “buy” transaction the saved image data is used as part of the interactive screen display.

Claims

1. A method for capturing a video frame related to a product from a video, the method comprising:

receiving a video, the video comprising a plurality of frames relating to the product;

receiving a trigger, the trigger identifying one of the plurality of frames relating to the product;

storing the identified frame in a memory, responsive to the received trigger;

performing a function related to the product; and

displaying the stored frame.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an option to purchase the product related to the stored frame.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising an interactive application for performing a function related to the product in a memory and invoking software to perform the function related to the product.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing a function related to the product is performing a function related to purchasing the product.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing a function related to the product is performing a function related to displaying more information about the product.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing a function related to the product is indicating that information related to the product is available.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a video comprises receiving a video over the internet.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored frame is displayed in a media guidance application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified frame is stored in an advertisement database.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified frame is combined with data stored in an advertisement database.

11. A system for capturing a video frame related to a product from a video, the system comprising:

a receiver for receiving the video, the video comprising a plurality of frames relating to the product;

a decoder for decoding a trigger, the trigger identifying one of the plurality of frames relating to the product;

a memory for storing the identified frame, responsive to the received trigger;

an input device for performing a function related to the product; and

a display screen for displaying the stored frame.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising control circuitry configured to provide an option to purchase the product related to the stored frame.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising an interactive application for performing a function related to the product and an input device for invoking software to perform the function related to the product.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the software includes code for purchasing the product.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the software includes code for displaying more information about the product.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the software includes code for indicating that information related to the product is available.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the stored image is displayed in a media guidance application.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising an advertisement database for storing the identified frame.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising an advertisement database for storing advertisement data and storing the identified frame data in combination with a portion of the stored advertisement data.

20. A commerce system for capturing a video frame related to a product from a video, the system comprising:

means for receiving a video, the video comprising a plurality of frames relating to the product;

means for receiving a trigger, the trigger identifying one of the plurality of frames relating to the product;

means for storing the identified frame, responsive to the received trigger;

means for performing a function related to the product;

means for displaying the stored frame; and

means for providing an option to purchase the product related to the stored frame.