JP2008118618A - System and method for downloading interactive content to implement remote control functionality in video playback device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system and method for downloading interactive content, which provides remote control functionality in a video playback system. <P>SOLUTION: One of the method is directed to a method for selecting buttons in pages within a video. The method comprises selecting a video, and downloading interactive content associated with the video from a server, wherein the interactive content identifies all selectable buttons in each page within the video and contains the properties for each button. Finally, the method comprises utilizing the interactive content to interact with the video. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

Cross-reference of related applications

  This application is filed on Jul. 21, 2006, entitled “System and Method for Implementing Mouse Remote Control Functions in a Video Playback System”, US Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60 / 807,941. Insist on priority and this benefit. This patent application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

  The present disclosure generally relates to downloading interactive content that provides remote control functionality to a video playback device.

background

  Video playback devices are well known, and there are a variety of current standards for managing formats and other attributes associated with various video playback systems. Today, the DVD (Digital Video Disc) standard is the mainstream format used for optical disc storage because it has a high storage capacity and can store high quality video and audio. As a result, media content such as movies, TV shows and music videos has become widely available in DVD format. One attractive aspect of DVD compared to other storage formats such as VHS tape (video home system) is the interactive menu provided on the DVD in addition to the movie itself. These interactive menus have become an integral part of enjoying media content such as movies or TV shows on DVD. Today, for example, in addition to watching a movie, consumers can select and view specific chapters, set audio / video options (subtitles, etc., the language of the movie being played), and produce movies Even more scenes like the “behind-the-scenes” scene can be appreciated. Some DVDs even offer “alternative endings” where consumers who do n’t like the endings of the original can actually choose their favorite endings. Since DVD players were first made available to consumers in the late 1990s, DVD players have become popular in many homes. This is due to the fact that the DVD player cost has been partially reduced and is now available to consumers. In addition, most personal desktop and laptop computers are now sold with DVD-ROM players, and DVD players are becoming increasingly popular and more portable.

  In general, if a conventional stand-alone DVD player (eg, a player that is not built into a computer system and a player that requires a separate display device such as a television), the DVD player is provided by a DVD. Will come with a remote control device that consumers use to access the functions. This remote control allows the consumer to navigate through a hierarchical interactive menu provided by a particular DVD. A typical remote control device for a DVD player has a set of up / down arrows and left / right arrows. Some remote controls have a select button in the center of the array of up / down and left / right navigation buttons. Navigation buttons allow the user to move more intuitively around the menu. For example, on a screen that allows the user to select and view a particular chapter, a series of thumbnail screenshots may be shown in a grid array of screens (eg, a 2 × 2 array). A particular thumbnail, for example, a thumbnail on the screen, at the top left, may be selected and highlighted by default. From here, the user simply highlights different thumbnails using the up / down, left / right navigation buttons until the desired thumbnail is highlighted. Then, when the user presses the selection button, the user's selection is entered. Based on this, the corresponding chapter in the movie is played.

  In a DVD player embedded in a desktop computer or laptop, the user will typically rely on a graphical user interface (GUI) instead of a remote control that moves through a series of menus in the DVD. The GUI typically emulates the same functions as a remote control device. For example, the user could further select viewing chapters, fast forward, rewind selection, audio / video options, etc. However, instead of navigating through the menu using a series of up / down, left / right selections, the user is shown on the screen using an input device such as a mouse or a touchpad on a laptop. You may click a button.

  Today, there are a variety of standards that are considered to replace the DVD standards. Two formats that are competing to become the next generation optical disc standard are the Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD (High Definition Digital Video Disc). Like these newer standards, Blu-ray Discs can be used in a variety of ways, including increased storage capacity and improved interactivity (disc content authoring, seamless menu navigation, network / internet connectivity, etc.) And offers advantages over other previous optical disc standards. The Blu-ray Disc framework provides content providers with almost unlimited functionality when generating interactive titles. The creator is completely free to design the user interface, but the user interface can be controlled by using standard navigation buttons on the remote control.

  Each time a new menu screen is called, DVD playback is interrupted. For example, if the user wants to change the language from English to French while watching a movie, the user must select an audio menu. However, this causes the movie to stop playing and the menu is displayed for the user to make a selection from the menu. Once the user makes a selection, he returns to watch the movie. Due to the ability of Blu-ray Disc to read data from a disc without interrupting the current audio / video stream, various menus can be displayed while playing a movie. Furthermore, the menu may consist of several pages. Without interrupting the movie, the user can browse through menu selections on various pages.

  Furthermore, with a DVD, a slide show that can be browsed by a user without interrupting audio cannot be executed. As a result of the Blu-ray Disc's ability to read data from the disc without interrupting the current audio / video stream, the user can play different still images (eg, snapshots of different scenes in a movie) while playing audio. You can browse through. This does not apply only to fast forward and rewind selections. That is, the user can make different selections (or selections from the screen presented as thumbnail images) as to what video to view while playing back audio. In a DVD, since a subtitle is stored in an audio / video stream, the subtitle has restrictions on the number of languages and display styles. Again, the ability to store subtitles independently on the disc is due to the ability of Blu-ray discs to read data from the disc without interrupting the current audio / video stream. Based on the provision of the disc, the user may select a different font style, size and color, or position on the screen for the subtitle. Subtitles can be animated, scrolled or faded in and out.

  Similar to the Blu-ray Disc standard, new features have been added to the HD DVD standard that provide improved interactive features compared to DVD. The HD DVD framework can also create interactive content for the disc.

  Regardless of the specific standard, newer generation video standards, such as Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD, provide a higher level of interaction and user control with the underlying video content. One area for implementing such interaction relates to the presentation and use of buttons. As is known, in interactive graphics, a menu contains one or more pages. Similarly, a page includes one or more buttons, which are defined by coordinates (eg, xy coordinates), graphic objects, and one or more associated commands. For example, in the DVD video situation, various functions such as a scene selection function are generally provided to the user. In this function, various single image graphics may be presented to the user, and the various single image graphics are extracted from each of the plurality of scenes and associated with each of the plurality of scenes. By using a remote control device for the DVD player, the user may highlight or select any of these images, and further activate the corresponding highlighted image As a result, the DVD player may be instructed to proceed directly to a predetermined scene.

  From a further technical point of view, these images as seen by the user are provided in the form of mechanisms called “buttons”. As noted above, each such button has coordinates (eg, the x and y position where the button is presented on the screen), a graphic object (ie, an image presented to the user), and one or more Related commands (eg, commands that instruct the DVD player to jump or skip directly to the selected scene).

  Referring now to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary multiple page menu in a video playback system such as a DVD player. In general, a user uses a remote control device to move between various pages. When the user inserts a video disc (eg, DVD video), a main menu displaying “main menu” 104, “language” 106, and “chapter” 108 may be presented to the user on the first page 102. Good. Using the arrow keys on the remote control for the DVD player, the user may highlight an optional button in the “Language” menu 106. Once highlighted, after the user presses the select key on the remote control device, a second page 110 with the title “Language” 112 will be presented to the user. Under this title, a series of buttons may be presented for each language of the associated audio. The languages illustrated in FIG. 1 are “English” 114 and “French” 116.

  Instead, as shown in FIG. 1, when the user highlights and activates the “chapter” button 108 from the first page 102, a third page 118 is presented to the user. As shown, this third page contains “Chapter 1” with four additional buttons labeled “Scene 1” 122, “Scene 2” 124, “Main” 126 and “Next” 128. "Includes 120 titles. In addition, the user may use the arrow keys on the remote control device to move these buttons and highlight any of these buttons. Once highlighted, the user may activate a predetermined button by pressing a select key provided on the remote control device. For example, as shown in the drawing, if the user activates the “Next” button 128, the menu (presents the “Scene 3” 134 and “Scene 4” 136 image buttons to the user). Proceed to display the fourth page 132. As is known, new video standards provide these and other robust interactive features, which generally improve the user's experience with graphic media.

  However, it has been found that despite these improved features, certain problems arise. One example where the problem is known to occur is the use of a computer that displays or views the video (as opposed to a dedicated video player). In particular, problems may occur when interacting with video content using standard computer input / output devices such as a mouse instead of using a remote control provided with a dedicated video player (eg, a DVD player). Arise. It has been found that when the same video disc is running or displayed on a computer, the user may freely select a non-selectable button simply by moving the mouse over the button surface. Returning to the previously presented example, if the user moves the mouse across the “Language” button 112 on the second page 110, this results in an unintended behavior. Depending on how the underlying computer program handles this unintended operation, a variety of different unintended results can occur. For example, the button may be presented to the user in a highlighted manner. However, when the user activates a button by left-clicking the mouse, the video program may not work unless the video disc is intended to be a button that can select or activate that button from that page. unknown. As an example, the “Language” button 112 on the second page 110 is not intended to be selectable as indicated by the dotted line. Only the two buttons below this button ("English" 114 and "French" 116) are meant to be selectable. In this case, attempting to activate the “Language” 112 button may cause the computer program to crash, depending on how the underlying application selection request is handled.

  For the purpose of providing a name here, a button generally has one of four possible states. Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which illustrates the different states of the buttons in the video playback system. These states include a “disabled” state 202, a “normal” state 204, a “selected” state 206, and an “activated” state 208. Referring back to FIG. 1 for the second page 110 being displayed, if the underlying video content software is not intended for that button to be selected from that particular page, “ The “Language” 112 button is disabled (this is indicated by the dotted line around the button). The “French” button 116 is in a normal state, while the “English” button 114 is in a selected state. When the mouse pointer is overlaying the selected button, when the user clicks the left mouse key, that is, when the user presses the remote control select key for the selected button, the selected button is Since activated, the activated state 208 is entered. The activated state 208 is a temporary state, which generally causes the underlying video content or software to execute one or more commands associated with the button.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, the button proceeds from the activated state 208 to one of three other possible states. Again in FIG. 1, the “Language” button 106 is selected for the first page. When the “Language” button 106 is activated, a menu is generated by an associated command in a number of possible actions, and the second page 110 is advanced. At this time, since the “Language” button 112 is not intended to be selected from the menu of this page, it enters a disabled state. Returning to FIG. 1 to provide a specific example, in the last three pages (of the four pages presented in the drawing), the top button may be a non-selectable button. Absent. That is, on the second page 110, the drawing illustrates three buttons: “Language” 112, “English” 114, and “French” 116. However, the system may be designed so that the user can select only the “English” 114 and “French” 116 buttons. In this regard, the “Language” button is a non-selectable button. Thus, when a user interacts with a video disc using a dedicated video disc player remote control device, even if the user presses the up arrow key on the remote control device after "English" 114 is highlighted, The “Language” button is neither highlighted nor selected.

  Such functionality may be implemented in part through certain properties of buttons, such as the “adjacent” property. As defined and known by certain video specifications (eg, Blu-ray Disc specifications), buttons may be defined to have adjacent buttons on the left and right, or up and down. In such a state, pressing any of the up arrow, down arrow, left arrow, or right arrow buttons on the remote control device while a given button is selected (eg, highlighted) Operate to select or highlight a button that is defined as being adjacent to the selected button in the direction selected by the remote control. However, adjacent buttons are not required to be associated with a button in any predetermined (or all) direction. Thus, returning to the drawing, only the “French” button 116 is associated with the “English” button 114 as an adjacent button. Thus, when the “English” button 114 is selected, only the down arrow key will be recognized as a valid or valid arrow key input (eg, other arrow keys are ignored). In this way, the user is not allowed to select by the remote control any button that is not intended to be selected on the current page or context that the video is presenting but is presented on the screen.

  However, it has been found that when the same video disc is being run or displayed on a computer, the user may freely select a non-selectable button by simply moving the mouse over the button surface. Returning to the previously presented example, if the user moves the mouse across the “Language” button 112, this results in unintended behavior. Depending on how the underlying computer program handles this unintended operation, a variety of different unintended results can occur. For example, the button may be presented to the user in a highlighted manner. However, when the user activates a button by left-clicking the mouse, the video program does nothing (unless the video disc is intended to be a button that can select or activate that button from that page) May not. Instead, attempting to activate such a button can cause the computer program to crash.

  When trying to use a mouse or other computer input device, another example of a problem arises when two buttons are overlaying each other. Problems may arise when playing a video disc using a computer while interfacing with an interactive video disc using an input device such as a mouse. As mentioned earlier, one problem is that the system is not intended to be selected and can cause errors or confusing results when the mouse is moved over any of the normal buttons. It may be that. Furthermore, when using the mouse to select an overlaying button, the user has no viable means for toggling between those two buttons. The reason is that the two buttons are displayed at the same position on the screen. In this regard, pressing the mouse key will select one of these currently highlighted buttons, but the mouse will have a key corresponding to the left or right arrow key on the remote control. The user will not be able to toggle on other buttons.

  Furthermore, another problem or problem arises in connection with the use of buttons that are too small or “transparent” buttons. Transparent buttons are sometimes used as a conventional tool to provide an action without visually presenting a button to the user when the user presses a button on the input device of the remote control. Since these buttons are not visible to the user and the exact location is not known, it is not feasible for the user to select these buttons using the mouse.

  The foregoing presented only a few examples of situations where interactive video graphics are provided that require handling beyond the traditional “point and click” action of the mouse. Therefore, solutions to these and other similar problems are desired.

Overview

  Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system and method for interactive content download that provides the functionality of a remote control device in a video playback system. Briefly described, one of the many embodiments is directed to a method for selecting a button on a page in a video. The method includes selecting a video and downloading interactive content associated with the video from the server, the interactive content identifying all selectable buttons on each page in the video. , Including the properties of each button. Finally, the method includes interacting with the video utilizing interactive content.

  Another embodiment includes a system for selecting a button on a page in a video. The system includes a database that stores interactive content associated with the first video, and a video playback device that includes the second video, the video playback device being configured by the second video and the user. It is configured to download interactive content that enables interaction.

  Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent to and will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the drawings and detailed description. All such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages are included within the detailed description within the scope of this disclosure and are intended to be protected by the following claims. Yes.

  Many aspects of the system and underlying method for remotely implementing the functions of a remote control device with a mouse in a video playback system can be better understood with reference to the drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily scaled, but instead emphasized in clearly illustrating the principles of the remote video editing system. Moreover, like reference numerals in the figures indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Detailed description

  Various aspects of the disclosure will be summarized and reference will now be made in detail to the description of the disclosure as illustrated in the drawings. Although the present disclosure is described in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit the disclosure to the one or more embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all alternative embodiments, modifications and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

  Embodiments of systems and methods for downloading interactive content and providing remote control functionality in a video playback system are described. In general, interactive content is related to newly generated video content that is embedded in current video, and the newly generated video content is obtained by using standard input / output devices in the video playback system. Emulate the functions of a remote control device. For example, interactive content may be generated that provides a means of selecting buttons that are too small or transparent to be visible to the user. This interactive content is particularly useful when the traditional “point and click” operation of the mouse is not sufficient to move between the multiple page menus provided by a particular video. In some embodiments, buttons that require special selection methods beyond conventional means of selecting buttons are detected and identified. This information is stored on the server as interactive content for future access so that a third party may later download this interactive content. This interactive content provides a third party with the functionality of an instant remote control that selects buttons by using a standard input / output device such as a mouse.

  FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for downloading interactive content that provides remote control functionality in a video playback device. Beginning at step 310, select a video to watch. If the server includes interactive content for multiple videos, the selected video determines which interactive content is downloaded from the server. The selected video may include multiple pages with buttons stored within each page. However, some of these buttons may require special handling, for example because the buttons are transparent or too small. To select these buttons, interactive content associated with the video is downloaded from the server (step 320). Use this interactive content to interact with the video. The user navigates between pages in the video (step 330) and selects buttons using interactive content (step 340). As an example, the interactive content may provide a series of graphic arrows that the user uses to move between buttons before making a selection.

  Referring now to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 provides a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a system for downloading interactive content that provides remote control functionality in a video playback device. The system in FIG. 4 includes various video playback devices 402, 420 and a server 416. In some embodiments, video playback devices 402, 420 may be any type of computing device, such as, but not limited to, a desktop computer or a laptop computer. In some embodiments, the video playback device 402, 420 may be a Blu-ray disc player or an HD DVD player. In general, video playback devices 402, 420 provide a user with a means to watch and interact with the video.

  Shown in FIG. 4 is an example of a page 404 presented within video 405. The page 404 includes a plurality of buttons 406, 408, 410 from which the user can select to interact with other page menus provided by the video 405. do. A button is defined by coordinates (eg, xy coordinates), graphic objects, and one or more associated commands (eg, commands that instruct the video playback device to jump or skip directly to the selected scene). ing. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the first video playback device 402 processes the video 405 to generate new interactive content. This new interactive content provides remote control functionality by using standard input / output devices such as a mouse. In this example, the newly generated interactive content takes the form of a graphical interface 412 that allows the user to navigate to other buttons. In this case, the graphical interface 412 is from navigation arrows 412a, 412b that the user may utilize to select adjacent buttons 406, 410 using a standard input / output device such as a mouse. It is configured. It should be noted that for some embodiments, the interactive content may be generated in other ways other than a video playback device. For example, a user interface designer may generate interactive content for a particular video using a computing device loaded with graphical software. Such computing devices may include, but are not limited to, desktop computers, portable computers, and dedicated server computers. Another user may download this interactive content and interact with the video.

  Video playback devices 402, 420 may be connected through a network 414, which may be, for example, a LAN, WAN, or the Internet. Server 416 may form a node on the network. The connection between users 402, 420 and server 416 may be any number of standard networking interfaces. The physical medium that connects the users 402 and 420 to the network 414 is not limited to any specific medium, and may be configured by a wireless connection, an Ethernet (registered trademark) connection, or the like. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is not limited to these examples. In addition, server 416 may comprise a database 418 or some type of storage device for storing interactive content.

  Server 416 provides a central database for storing interactive content downloaded through network 414 by video playback devices 402, 420. In some embodiments, one video playback device 402 may process a particular video 405 and generate new interactive content for the particular video 405. The interactive content is then uploaded to the server 416 for future access. Another party may later want to view a copy 422 of the same video on another video playback device 420 and download the interactive content generated for that video. It should be noted that the video 422 in the video playback device 420 and the video 405 processed on the other video playback device 402 may be two independent copies of the same video. In contrast, the user selects to process the video on one video playback device 402 to generate new interactive content for the video and later view the same video on the other video playback device 420 Maybe, the newly created interactive feature is now built into the video. Once downloaded, the interactive content provides interactive functionality (eg, the functionality of a remote control using a mouse) to a remote user. To obtain the functionality of a remote control device with a standard input / output device such as a mouse, the second user 420 downloads interactive content associated with the video 422 from the server 416. Downloading interactive content from the database 418 of the server 416 allows a party watching the video on the video playback device 420 to select a button through the interactive content implemented by the first user 402.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram further illustrating an embodiment of a system for downloading interactive content that provides the functionality of a remote control device in a video playback system. Database 418 on server 416 may include interactive content 502a-d for multiple videos. As shown in FIG. 5, “Video D” 510 is inserted into the video playback device 512. In order to interact with the video, “interactive content D” 502 c associated with “video D” 510 is downloaded from server 416. Similarly, if “Video A” is inserted into video playback device 512, “Interactive Content A” 502a associated with “Video A” may be downloaded. In some embodiments, the interactive content may include information such as all button properties 506 (eg, size, transparency level), catalog of all selectable buttons 504 in the video. , And context menu 508 (eg, menu bar, navigation arrows).

  Reference is now made to FIGS. 6 and 7, which illustrate the functionality of the remote control device provided by interactive content. FIG. 6 illustrates an example where interactive content provides selection of buttons in a plurality of page menus by dragging the mouse. Consider a state in which “page 0” 604 displays five buttons 606, 608, 610, 612, and 614 and the third button 610 is currently selected. Assume further that the third button 610 defines the second button 608 as the left adjacent button and the fourth button 612 as the right adjacent button. When the third button 610 is selected and the mouse is dragged in either the left or right direction, the corresponding adjacent button is selected. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, when the mouse is dragged to the right, the operation result is the presentation of “Page 1” 618, where the fourth button 612 is currently selected. It has been shown. Selection of button 3 610 or button 5 614 from this page is accomplished by a similar method of dragging to either left or right. A similar operation can be similarly realized by a drag operation in the upward or downward direction.

  In FIG. 7, the selection of the button is realized by using a graphic arrow. A sample page 702 from the menu is shown, showing various scenes 704, 706, 708, 710, 712, 714 that can be selected. Once interactive content is downloaded from the server 416, the user can navigate through the page 702 by using the graphic arrows 716a, 716b, 716c. In this example, “Scene 3” 708 is currently selected. If the user wants to see “Scene 4” 710 instead, he simply clicks the down arrow 716b to select that particular scene. Similarly, if the user wants to see “Scene 5” 712, the user simply clicks the right arrow 716c to select that particular scene.

  FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a system for downloading interactive content. Generally speaking, a video playback device 802 may be a desktop computer, portable computer, dedicated server computer, multiprocessor computing device, cellular phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), handheld or pen input computer, embedded appliance, etc. Any one of a wide variety of wires and / or wireless computing devices can be included. Regardless of its particular arrangement, the video playback device 802 can include, for example, a memory 814, a processing device 804, a number of input / output interfaces 806, and a network interface device 808, each of which is on a data bus 812. Connected in parallel. The display 810 can include, for example, a computer monitor or a plasma screen for a PC, or a liquid crystal display (LCD) on a handheld device.

  The processing device 804 is a custom-made or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU) or an auxiliary processor of several processors associated with the video playback device 802 (in the form of a microchip). Semiconductor-based microprocessors, macroprocessors, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), multiple appropriately configured digital logic gates, and the overall operation of the computing system individually and variously It is possible to include other well-known electrical configurations including discrete elements that adjust in combination.

  The memory 814 may be any combination of volatile memory elements (eg, random access memory (RAM such as DRAM and SRAM)) and non-volatile memory elements (eg, ROM, hard drive, tape, CD ROM, etc.). One can be included. The memory 814 is generally emulated for a native operating system 816, one or more native applications, an emulation system, or any of a variety of operating systems and / or emulated hardware platforms. Other applications, emulated operating systems, and the like. For example, the application may include an application specific program 818 for downloading and using the interactive content 820. In general, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the memory 814 may include other components that are omitted for purposes of brevity.

  Note that when application specific program 818 is implemented in software, the system can be stored on various computer readable media used by or in connection with various computer related systems or methods. Should. In the context of this document, a computer readable medium may constitute an electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical device or apparatus that is used by or in connection with a computer related system or method. It can contain or store computer programs used in conjunction. The interface can be incorporated into various computer readable media for use, which fetches instructions from a computer-based system, processor-based system, or instruction execution system, apparatus or device and executes the instructions Made by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus or device, such as any other system capable.

  In the context of this document, a “computer readable medium” stores, communicates, propagates or moves a program used by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus or device. The computer readable medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. Further specific examples of computer readable media (non-exhaustive list) include electrical connections (electronic) with one or more wires, portable computer diskettes (magnetic), random access memory (RAM) (electronic), leads Includes only memory (ROM) (electronic), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM, EEPROM, or flash memory) (electronic), optical fiber (optical), and portable compact disk read only memory (CDROM) (optical) .

  Input / output interfaces 806 provide any number of interfaces for inputting and outputting data. For example, if the video playback device 802 includes a personal computer, these components may interface with a user input device 806, such as a keyboard or mouse. If the video playback device 802 includes a handheld device (eg, PDA, mobile phone), these components may interface with function keys or buttons, touch-sensitive screens, styluses, and the like.

  Still referring to FIG. 8, the network interface device 808 includes various components used to transmit and / or receive data over the network 414. By way of illustration, network interface device 808 is a device capable of communicating with both inputs and outputs, such as a modulator / demodulator (eg, modem), wireless (eg, radio frequency (RF)) transceiver, telephone interface, bridge , Routers, network cards, etc.

  It is emphasized that the embodiments described above are merely examples of possible implementations. Many changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the principles of the present disclosure. All such changes and modifications herein are within the scope of this disclosure and are intended to be protected by the following claims.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary multiple page menu within a video playback system. FIG. 2 illustrates different states of the buttons in the video playback system. FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for downloading interactive content that provides the functionality of a remote control device in a video playback system. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a system for downloading interactive content that provides remote control functionality in a video playback device. FIG. 5 is a block diagram further illustrating an embodiment of a system for downloading interactive content that provides the functionality of a remote control device in a video playback system. FIG. 6 illustrates the functions of the remote control device provided by interactive content. FIG. 7 illustrates the functions of the remote control device provided by interactive content. FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a system for downloading interactive content.

Claims (20)

In the method of selecting buttons in a video,
Downloading interactive content associated with the video from the server;
Interacting with the video using interactive video content,
A method of interactive content that identifies all selectable buttons on each page in the video and includes properties for each button.   The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive content is generated by a third party who has processed a copy of the same video.   The method of claim 1, wherein interacting with the video includes selecting a button using a mouse. Selecting a button
Pressing a key on the mouse while the mouse is positioned on the currently selected first button;
Holding down the key and dragging the mouse in the direction of the second button to be selected;
4. The method of claim 3, comprising: once the mouse is positioned over the second button, releasing a key on the mouse to select the second button. Selecting a button
Visibly distinguishing the first selected button among selectable buttons;
Dragging the mouse in the direction of the second button to be selected;
4. The method of claim 3, comprising disabling mouse movement when the second button is selected. Selecting a button
Positioning the mouse on one of the selectable buttons;
Displaying a context menu when a key on the mouse is pressed,
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the context menu presents a user with actions that may be performed on the button. Buttons include moving between selectable buttons using a graphical display provided by interactive content;
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the graphical display presents to the user all available actions that can be performed on the button based on the button properties.   The method of claim 1, wherein downloading interactive content is performed through the Internet.   The method of claim 1, wherein the properties of each button include whether or not the button is selectable.   The method of claim 1, wherein the properties of each button include whether the button is transparent.   The method of claim 1, wherein the properties of each button include whether the button is smaller than a predetermined size. In a video button selection system,
A server for storing interactive content associated with the first video;
A video playback device including a second video,
A system in which a video playback device is configured to download interactive content that allows a user to interact with a second video.   The system of claim 12, wherein the second video is a copy of the first video.   The system of claim 12, wherein the interactive content identifies all selectable buttons and the properties of each button.   The system of claim 12, wherein interacting with the second video comprises selecting a button with a standard input / output device.   The system of claim 12, wherein the server stores interactive content for a plurality of videos.   The system of claim 12, wherein downloading interactive content is performed over a network. In a computer readable medium storing a program for selecting a button in a video,
Logic configured to download interactive content from the server;
And logic configured to select buttons through interactive content, where the interactive content identifies all selectable buttons on each page in the video and includes computer properties for all buttons Medium.     The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein downloading the interactive content is performed over a network. The program
The computer-readable medium of claim 18, further comprising logic configured to upload new interactive content to the server over the network.

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