WO2020141989A1

WO2020141989A1 - Online video streaming contents advertisement

Info

Publication number: WO2020141989A1
Application number: PCT/SE2019/050007
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mohsen TAVAKOL
Original assignee: Avinance Ab
Priority date: 2019-01-06
Filing date: 2019-01-06
Publication date: 2020-07-09

Abstract

A system and methods enabling a user of an online video streaming to request, obtain, and manage advertisements and supplemental information on highlighted/selected items that are part of the video content during the broadcasting of the video without disturbing and interrupting the ongoing video streaming. The user interacts through an interactive and intelligent user interface. While watching an online video streaming, a user is enabled to purchase selected products that are visible in the video content and/or obtaining detailed information about selected items in an interactive manner. The system and methods integrates the systems of users, broadcasters, video streaming content providers and advertising entities into a management system, and includes, but not limited to, artificial intelligence software algorithms and technologies, processing units that maintain, manage, connect, and integrate programming codes, databases, machine and user interfaces, images information, commercial information databases, and communications channels.

Description

ONLINE VIDEO STREAMING CONTENTS ADVERTISEMENT

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the invention

The present invention pertains to a system and methods that provide and manage advertisements, including detailed supplemental information, related to items (objects) appearing in online video streams, and accordingly leads and manages the users' (viewers') reactions to and actions upon such information. More specifically, the invention enables the users of online video streaming to obtain specific information such as advertisements, marketing data, and supplemental content about selected items in ongoing online video streaming sessions while stream ing is in progress (playing). In general, the invention provides, through various artificial intelligence software algorithms and technologies, a system and related machine and user interfaces to enjoin users to purchase selected products that are visible in the video content and/or obtaining detailed information about any selected item there in an interactive manner while watching online video streaming. In a nutshell, the system integrates and provides machine and user interfaces between various processes and various databases to allow users to easily access requested and needed information to take advantage of advertisements and supplemental information in an online broadcasting environment.

Description of Prior Art

Online video streaming can be provided to users through various platforms and services, such as YouTube™, Vimeo™, MySpace™, Facebook Watch™, Metaafe™, and TED™ as public video sharing services, or NetFlix™, HBO™ and Amazon Prime™ as paid video-on-demand (VoD) streaming services, or Linkedln™, Instagram™, and Twitter™ with limited video features, or com mercial companies like H&M™, BMW™, GUCCI™, IKEA™, and Adidas™ that upload and provide short videos about own products and services on their website on Internet.

Currently, there are many forms of information-providing and advertising methods applied to online video streaming while broadcasting. The online video streaming includes, but not limited to, motion pictures (films, TV shows, and cartoons), musical events, talk shows, debates, sport events, sport programs, news broadcasts, galas, theaters, entertainment videos, education, documentaries, and personal and customized video clips.

Typically, advertisements and information elements in online video streaming are either (1) scheduled insertions into those streaming sessions, whereby the online video streaming sessions are interrupted for few seconds up to several minutes to force the users watching advertisement/information elements (for example commercial video ads that interrupt an ongoing video streaming in YouTube™), or (2) forced upon the users through permanently placed scrolling advertisement banners on the user's device screen (display/monitor), where those banners cover and occupy part of the user's device screen preventing the user to see all streamed video contents (for example commercial ads for sunglasses or toothpaste or real estate agencies scrolling inside banners over the user's device screen), or (3) forced upon the users through popup windows, banners or similar banners, which cover and occupy part of the user's device screen preventing the user to see all streamed video contents for several seconds or till the user manually dismisses the those windows/banners (for example commercial ads for certain skin care product automatically appearing in a window on the user's device screen).

One way of generating revenues for both the broadcasters and the advertising entities is by placing advertisements over online video streaming as described above, whereby the broadcasters sell advertisement slots/spots and the advertising entities buy those. The users may, based on viewed advertisements, be influenced and purchase good/services that consequently increases the revenue for both broadcasters and advertising entities.

The disadvantages, or rather shortcomings, that the above-mentioned information providing and advertising methods impose to the entire online video streaming advertisement ecosystem, including the financial impacts for the involved broadcasters and the advertising entities, are:

(A) the current methods, as they are forced upon the users, annoy/irritate the users, whereby the users often skip the advertisement/information by either ignoring them or eliminating them from their device screen, and (B) the provided advertisement/information is often not what the user would like to pay attention to (the provided advertisement/information is not customized for the user), and thus point (A) above, and

(C) as the users will often be disturbed by imposed advertisement/information, the result of promoted advertisement/information may create opposite effect for both the broadcasters and the information/advertising entities, and

(D) even if the users want to purchase any of the advertised goods/services or obtain detailed information about certain product, they are unable to do it on the spot, as they must use other communication channels such as calling the advertising company, or sending emails, or sending short message via a mobile phone, or visiting the seller's website, or other methods to enter an e-commerce or similar process, and

(E) as a result of points (A), (B), (C) and (D) above, the ratio between the advertisement costs versus the generated additional revenue for the advertising entities becomes high, meaning that the users do not act upon the advertisement and do therefore not purchase promoted goods/services to the level that can satisfy the broadcasters and the advertising entities.

The above-identified problems are compounded for broadcasters as well as for advertising entities to fully and efficiently utilize online video streaming opportunities by keeping the users' attention spans and thereby encouraging them to act upon provided information and/or advertisements in preferable ways in accordance to expected financial targets.

Thus, there is a need in the art for a system that can integrate various software technologies (including creating new ones), various business processes (including e- commerce processes), and information/advertising methods, used not only by broadcasters and advertising entities, but also by video content providers, to attract, encourage and empower users to act, as per own preferences and on own discretion, upon customized advertisement/information while, without interruptions and disturbances, watching online video streaming sessions. BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of information providing and advertising methods applied to online video streaming now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new computerized digital online video streaming advertisement/information system and methods with interactive and intelligent interfaces wherein advertisements and information on selected items in the video contents of online video streaming can be requested, obtained, viewed explored and managed by the users using various independent smart devices such as laptops, tablets, smart phones, and Internet-enabled and smart television sets while the online video streaming is in progress (playing). The present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, provides advantages and novel features that result in new interactions which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof.

The advantages of this invention are provided by a dynamic system that includes, but not limited to, software processing units that maintain, manage, connect, and integrate programming codes (including image processing technologies, image recognition technologies, and image detection technologies) and databases, machine interfaces, user interfaces, video graphics information, commercial and similar information databases, communications channels (e.g. emails), and user databases. In accordance with this invention, combined software processing units that are, through various logical and physical connections, integrated into and/or connected to different computer systems and information sources provide an easy-to-use user interface to online video streaming users to select, access and manage advertisement/information on their own discretion without experiencing disturbances and unwanted interruptions when watching online videos. Furthermore, the software coding and codec technologies utilized in this invention include, but not limited to, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, PHP, C#, Java, Swift, MySQL, HEVC H.265, and H.264.

The first advantage of this invention is that an unobtrusive user interface provides and allows the online video streaming users to select and retrieve information, including advertisements and marketing information, from an ongoing online video streaming session on their own discretion and without initially interrupting the ongoing video session. The second advantage of this invention is that no ongoing online video streaming session will be disturbed by permanent and/or occasional popup windows, banners or similar to entirely or partially cover the video frame in order to provide advertisement/information to the users.

The third advantage of this invention is that no advertisement/information will be forced upon and annoy the online video streaming users by constantly interrupting the ongoing video streaming sessions, or by forcibly occupying parts of the users' device screen, or by forcibly intruding popup windows, banners or similar.

The forth advantage of this invention is that the online video streaming users can be provided related, customized and selective advertisement/information rather than general or random advertisement/information.

The fifth advantage of this invention is that, as the invention extracts information from every frame of the online video streams, a great variety of advertisement/information can be provided to the online video streaming users along the video streaming period and at any given time depending on the business model and the marketing plan of the broadcasters, video streaming content owners/providers, and the advertising entities.

The sixth advantage of this invention is that, due to the invention's dynamic and entertaining nature, it better captures the attention of the online video streaming users compared to prior art.

The seventh advantage of this invention is that the online video streaming users can interact with the provided advertisement/information with or without interrupting the ongoing online video streaming sessions.

The eighth advantage of this invention is that the online video streaming users can, due to the invention's dynamic and integrating design, immediately act upon requested advertisement/information (for example contacting certain company or purchasing goods/services) without using external devices or methods (calling the advertising company, or sending emails, or sending short message via mobile phone, or visiting their website).

The ninth advantage of this invention is that, due to the combination of above- mentioned advantages, the revenues generated for the broadcasters, video streaming content owners/providers and the advertising entities will increase and thereby the ratio between the advertisement costs versus the selling revenue for the advertising entities will decrease.

In accordance with this invention, artificial intelligence software algorithms and technologies enable an online video streaming user to obtain/extract data about a specific item in a particular video scene (sequence). The item can be a vehicle, a building, a pair of leather gloves, a landmark, a coat, a laptop, a bridge, or any other visual item, including, but not limited to, animals and vegetation, landscapes, and human. The extracted data on an item can be used for different purposes from general information about the item, such as geographical location, manufacturing details, historical background, designer, name and more, to commercial features such as brand, available colors, price, promotions and more. Practically, advertisement/information on any item that is visible in any streamed video scene at any given time during the broadcasting of the video can be made available, even at multiple times, to the users. An item can either be discreetly highlighted to the user by the interactive user interface whereby the user may decide to explore it, or the user can select an item by initiating an interaction with the interactive user interface.

Once an item is selected by a user, the system, through its interactive user interface, generates a series of messages and choices (actions options) that may appeal to the user, whereby each message/choice will trigger further actions to enable the user obtain desired result with requested information. The user can at any given time revert/ignore her/his actions either by choice or by letting the software executing timeout, wherever applicable, on each message/choice. In accordance with this invention, once the user selects an item for certain purpose, the system allows, if and whenever applicable, the user to enter an e-commerce or other processes to access and to act upon related information databases, inventory lists, client databases, credit line databases, authentication systems, purchasing mechanisms, goods/services delivery mechanisms, and billing systems. In accordance with this invention, the system has the capability and the functionality to store a user's selections and actions on items for later handling and processing. In accordance with this invention, as the system is powered by artificial intelligence algorithms, it will collect demographics of various types from all displayed online video streaming contents as well as user interactions (for example user's geographic location, language used by the user, type of browser used, online behavior of the user, user accounts and profiles, any Web cookies used by the system, user's device characteristics, and more) to further enrich information databases as well as to better customize information and related services options for the online video streaming users and for the business entities using the system.

It has to be outlined, rather broadly, that the more important features of the invention in order to be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated, are hereinafter and subsequently presented in the detailed description that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining the embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.

BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

To the accomplishment of the above and related features, this invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is illustrating a conceptual network that provides a system, an upper perspective view, in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is illustrating a flow diagram of a process for providing basic item information to a user and related actions options, in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is illustrating a flow diagram of a process to initiate providing detailed item information to a user and related actions options, in accordance with the invention; FIG. 4 is illustrating a flow diagram of a process wherein a user postpones receiving and handling detailed item information and related actions, in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5 is illustrating a flow diagram of a process wherein a user's requests receiving detailed item information and related actions, in accordance with the invention; FIG. 6 is illustrating a flow diagram of a process wherein a user decides to instantly handle received detailed item information and related actions, in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 7 is illustrating a flow diagram of a process wherein an online video streaming session will be terminated based on a user's engagements and preferences, in accordance with the invention;

FIGS. 8 to 15 are illustrating a conceptual non-limiting example of how a user can purchase a product that appears in an ongoing online video streaming session in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The descriptions in this document and its attachments disclose, provide and claim a useful, novel, and unobvious invention for a computerized digital online video streaming advertisement/information system and methods in the online broadcast media field. The following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these exemplary embodiments, but rather to describe the technologies and methods to any person skilled in the art to understand the invention.

While for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the methodologies are shown and described as a series of blocks, it is to be understood and appreciated that the claimed subject matter is not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from what is depicted and described in this disclosure. Where non-sequential, or branched, flow is illustrated via flowcharts and illustrations, it can be appreciated that various other branches, flow paths, and orders of the blocks, may be implemented which achieve the same or a similar result. Moreover, not all illustrated blocks may be required or may be visible to implement the methodologies described hereinafter.

For the sake of brevity, the computerized digital online video streaming advertisement/information system and method, in accordance to this invention, is referred to as "system" wherever applicable in this document and related attachments. Likewise, for the sake of brevity, artificial intelligence software algorithms and technologies, including, but not limited to, source codes/programming codes (including image processing technologies, image recognition technologies, and image detection technologies) of the computer programs and software interfaces (including interactive user interfaces) that are utilized and/or part of the computerized digital online video streaming advertisement/information system and method, are referred to as "software" wherever applicable in this document and related attachments.

FIG. 1 illustrates a conceptual network 100 that provides a system, which manages detailed information, including advertisements, related to items appearing in the contents of online video streams, and accordingly leads and manages the users' reactions to and actions upon such information, in accordance with this invention. Conceptual network 100 includes Internet 101 that connects various processing systems in conceptual network 100 to allow the exchange of data between the processing systems. One skilled in the art will recognize that processing systems are smart tablets 102, personal computers such as laptops 103, smart mobile phones 104, Internet-enabled and smart television sets 105, various servers, routers and databases 109-1 14, as well as retailing and information system 122 including handling processes 123, or other devices that can process digital data and enhance conceptual network

100 in accordance with this invention.

In conceptual network 100, user's devices 102-105 are connected to Internet 101 via paths 106, 116, 1 18 and 120. Computerized digital online video streaming advertisement/information system and methods 108, including various embedded servers, routers and databases 109-1 14, are connected to Internet 101 via paths 107, 1 15, 117 and 119. The physical and logical (digital) retailing and information system 122, including various embedded handling processes 123, are connected to Internet

101 via path 121. One skilled in the art will recognize that paths 106-107 and 1 15-121 may be telephone lines, Ethernet lines, wireless connections, or any other wireless and wireline manner of connecting processing systems. One skilled in the art will also recognize that unlimited number of processing units may be connected to Internet 101.

User's devices 102-105 are, through connecting to Internet 101, utilized by users to watch online video streaming and thereby to obtain advertisements and information on selected items in the video contents of online video streaming sessions while streaming is in progress (playing) in accordance to this invention, which will be further described.

Computerized digital online video streaming advertisement/information system and methods 108 is a processing system that stores and maintains the source codes/programming codes (including image processing technologies, image recognition technologies, and image detection technologies) of the computer programs that manage the entire system in accordance to this invention. Computerized digital online video streaming advertisement/information system and methods 108 also includes various servers, routers and databases 109-114. The source codes/programming codes of the computer programs of computerized digital online video streaming advertisement/information system and methods 108 are stored and operating on various servers, routers and databases 109-1 14 in order to process and serve the data flows within the system in accordance to this invention.

Web server 109 is connected to Internet 101 via paths 107 and 1 19. Web server 109 is a processing system that primarily and initially controls the machine and user interfaces and interactions between many of the processing systems through Internet 101 or through internal physical and logical inter-systems connections in accordance to this invention. Web server 109 has direct interfaces and interactions with user demographic database 1 10 via paths 124-125, and with inventory management server 113 via path 127.

User demographic database 110 is a processing system that maintains various user information that are used by the system and methods of this invention. User demographic database 1 10 is populated by various types of information that are collected by processing systems, such as a user's login information, history of various activities, likes, dislikes, rankings, preferences, financial transactions and more, in accordance to this invention. The information records in user demographic database 1 10 may come from various sources and facilitate and accelerate user engagements and interactions in computerized digital online video streaming advertisement/information system and methods 108. User demographic database 1 10 has direct interface and interactions with web server 109 via paths 124-125.

Streaming server 1 11 is connected to Internet 101 via paths 115 and 1 17. Streaming server 1 11 is a processing system that delivers video contents as well as information related to all items that are highlighted to and processed by users in online video streams over the Internet 101 to user's devices 102-105 in accordance to this invention. Streaming server 1 11 has direct interfaces and interactions with user video database 1 12 via path 126, and with inventory management server 113 via path 130.

Video database 112 is a processing system that contains and maintains video contents to be streamed to the user's devices 102-105 through streaming server 1 11 and further through Internet 101 in accordance to this invention. Video database 1 12 has direct interface and interactions with streaming server 11 1 via paths 126.

Inventory management server 1 13 is a processing system that controls information inventories and information flow related to all items that are highlighted to users and processed by users as well as other processing systems in online video streams in accordance to this invention. Inventory management server 1 13 has direct interfaces and interactions with inventory database 114 via paths 128-129, with streaming server 1 11 via path 130, and with web server 109 via path 127. Inventory management server 1 13 also manages obtaining and updating the inventory information in inventory database 1 14 from retailing and information system 122 by utilizing path 127 to web server 109 as the latter acts as the interface to retailing and information system 122 via paths 119 and 121 that are connected to and pass through Internet 101.

Inventory database 1 14 is a processing system that contains and maintains an inventory of all types of information related to all items that are highlighted to users and processed by users as well as processing systems in online video streams in accordance to this invention. Inventory database 1 14 has direct interface and interactions with inventory management server 1 13 via paths 128-129.

Retailing and information system 122 is a processing system that provides information related to all items that are highlighted to users and processed by users as well as processing systems in online video streams in accordance to this invention. One skilled in the art will recognize that retailing and information system 122 may consist of various independent or combined physical and logical information processing systems that belong to different entities (broadcasters, video streaming content owners/providers, and the advertising entities), which have interest to provide information within the ecosystem of this invention for a variety of purposes such as education, marketing and advertisement, sales, entertainment, news, and more. One skilled in the art will also recognize that aforementioned entities relate to commercial businesses, educational institutions, governmental bodies, non-governmental organizations, social, political and cultural organizations, research centers, medical services centers, and other organizations. Retailing and information system 122 is including, but not limited to, various handling processes 123 depending on what information is highlighted to users in accordance to this invention. Retailing and information system 122 communicates with other processing systems over Internet 101 via path 121. Handling processes 123 depict processing systems that in details control and provide information related to all items that are highlighted to users and processed by users as well as processing systems in online video streams, and processes users' requirements in accordance to this invention. Further, one skilled in the art will recognize that handling processes 123 may be of various independent or combined data handling processing systems. One skilled in the art will also recognize that handling processes 123 relate to processes and procedures providing and enabling sales activities, products promotions, prices information, payments, statistics, electronic communications, financial, goods and services deliveries, authentication, various reservations, and other processes.

In accordance to this invention, exchange of data between the processing systems that is done through Internet 101 in conceptual network 100 serves various purposes that are exchange of (1) user information via paths 106-107 and 124, (2) online video streaming requests via paths 106-107 and 124, (3) online video streaming via paths 1 15-1 16 and 126, (4) items' inventory information via paths 117-118 and 129-130, and (5) information processing requests via paths 119-121, 125 and 127-128. One skilled in the art will, however, recognize that other types of data exchange ways, technologies and methods may be included in conceptual network 100 and that the exchange of data is not limited to the aforementioned ones.

Further in FIGS. 8 to 15, conceptual practical non-limiting examples of how a user can interact with an ongoing online video streaming session in accordance with this invention will be shown and described.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram of a process 200 executed to provide a user with an interactive interface in an online video streaming session to enjoin users to purchase selected products that are visible in the video content and/or obtaining detailed information about selected items there in an interactive manner in accordance with this invention.

Process 200 begins in step 201 in which an online video streaming, which the user has selected to watch on her/his device, is on display and ongoing. One skilled in the art will recognize that a device can be a smart tablet, a personal computers such as a laptop, a smart mobile phone, or an Internet-enabled and smart television set. One skilled in the art will also recognize that different instructions are needed to be displayed on the user's device screen in order to provide required advertisement/information to the user depending on the user's preferences, choices, actions, and reactions when watching an online video streaming and what she/he sees, selects and receives on her/his device screen.

A user can choose to either watch an entire ongoing online video streaming on her/his device without being interrupted by external information or advertisement, or to take advantage of offered opportunities at various times during the play time of an ongoing online video streaming to receive, on own will and own discretion, advertisements and information on selected items in the video contents.

In step 202, the system, through the interactive user interface, monitors the elapsing time of an ongoing online video streaming session to determine if the online video streaming has come to its end, so that the system can further determine which next interaction options shall be provided to the user. If the online video streaming session has come to its end, the user will be guided by the interactive user interface to process 700, otherwise to step 203.

Artificial intelligence software algorithms and technologies, in accordance with the process, enable an online video streaming user to obtain/extract data about a specific item in a particular video scene. The item can be a vehicle, a building, a pair of leather gloves, a stone, a coat, a laptop, a monument, or any other visual object, including, but not limited to, animals and vegetation, landscapes, and human. The extracted data on an item can be used for different purposes from obtaining general information about the object, such as geographical location, manufacturing details, historical background, designer, name and more, to commercial features such as brand, available colors, price, promotions and more. Practically, information on any item that is visible in any streamed video scene at any given time during the broadcasting of the video can be made available, even at multiple times and in multiple scenes, to the users. The system, by running specific algorithms and procedures, coordinates, synchronizes and manages highlighted selected items in pre-processed videos with user actions and interactions, which will be handled by various handling processes depending on the user's choices.

A video is basically and conceptually pre-processed when a number of items, which will appear in the video (for example various vehicles, sport gear, clothes, buildings, computer accessories, landmarks), are identified wherein basic and detailed information on those specific items are gathered in related databases and processed by related processing software in the system in order to highlight those items and to display and provide related basic and detailed information to the users when the video is being streamed online and upon the user's actions and selections.

The items' information (including, but not limited to, sales and advertisements information) are provided by entities that have the rights to those items (for example product owners, brand owners, developers, distributors, promoters, etcetera), who have interests to provide advertisements and information about those items to users when related videos go online and streamed to the users.

To encourage a user to select and explore an item in an ongoing online video streaming, the item can be discreetly highlighted to the user by the system through the interactive user interface. One skilled in the art will recognize that the highlighting can be done with various methods and technologies such as tagging, banner, and hotspot. The user can also select an item in an ongoing online video streaming, without initially being highlighted by the interactive user interface, by initiating an interaction with the interactive user interface on her/his device screen. One skilled in the art will recognize that such interaction can be done in different ways depending on the user's device type, which can be by a computer mouse click on the item, or by touching the item on a touch-screen device, or by a laser pointer, or other available technologies.

In step 203, the system, through the interactive user interface, can receive a request from a user, i.e. by the user selecting an item on her/his device screen, to initiate further actions and interaction options.

Once an item is selected by a user, the interactive user interface generates a series of messages and choices that may appeal to the user, whereby each message/choice will trigger an action to enable the user obtain desired result with requested information. A user can at any given time revert/ignore her/his actions either by choice or by letting the software executing timeout on each message/choice.

In step 204, the system, through the interactive user interface, monitors if the user has made any item selection, so that the system can determine and provide next interaction options to the user.

In step 205, the system, through the interactive user interface, immediately displays pre-defined basic item information about the selected item on the user's device screen once the user selects an item. The information appears on the user's device screen without interrupting the video streaming and in a way that the displayed information does not disturb the video image. The displayed information can, for example, be displayed on a semi-transparent banner at any place on the user's device screen, or with other technologies. The displayed information is briefed in order not to disturb and interrupt the online video streaming.

In step 206, as the basic item information is displayed on the user's device screen for a pre-defined time, without interrupting the ongoing online video streaming, the user has the choice to ignore the displayed information or to request detailed information about the selected item.

In step 207, the system, through the interactive user interface, monitors if the user responds to the displayed basic item information, so that the system can determine and provide next interaction options to the user. If the user wants to request detailed information about the selected item, before timeout occurs, she/he can select the displayed basic item information field, whereby the system will continue in step 210.

In step 208, while the user is expected to respond to displayed basic item information as described in steps 205-207, an internal software clock measures the displaying time of the basic item information in order to trigger timeout (timeout can, for example, be defined as 3 seconds). If the user does not take any action by interacting with the interactive user interface (by responding to displayed basic item information field), timeout occurs and the system will continue in step 209.

In step 209, upon timeout as a result of the user's inaction in steps 207 and 208, the system will remove the displayed basic item information from the user's device screen and the system will continue in step 201. The ongoing online video streaming is not interrupted and is in progress (playing). If the timeout occurs and the basic item information is consequently removed from the user's device screen, but the user still wants to obtain basic item information, the user can rewind the video whereby the user will have the opportunity to select the same item again and thereby to redo the process.

In step 210, as the result of user's selection in step 207 to obtain more information about the selected item, the system first removes the displayed basic item information from the user's device screen. The ongoing online video streaming is not interrupted and is in progress (playing). In step 211, as the result of user's selection in step 207 to obtain more information about the selected item, the system displays pre-defined actions options buttons on the user's device screen to facilitate the user's next choices. One skilled in the art will recognize that the number of actions options buttons shall be minimum one and recommended to be maximum three for better visibility to and more convenience of the user, even though the software is capable to provide and display as many actions options buttons as required depending on the preferred design and depending on the purposes of the provided contents and information. The actions options buttons are displayed on the user's device screen without interrupting the online video streaming and in a way that the displayed buttons do not disturb the video image. The displayed actions options buttons can, for example, be displayed as a semi-transparent buttons or with other technologies.

As previously stated, the number and the functionality of actions options buttons vary depending on the preferred design and depending on the purposes of the provided contents and information in an online video streaming program. If, for example, the items are highlighted in a video stream to advertise and thereby to sell them, for instance a coat that an actor is wearing in a movie, then the actions options buttons could be "Get it" to temporarily halt the ongoing video streaming session and to immediately enterthe purchasing process, "Add to cart" to do a possible purchase later, and "Cancel" to reverse the action. If, as another example, the items are highlighted in a video stream to promote certain company, then the actions options buttons could be "Explore now" to immediately browse that company's products and services portfolio or to contact the company, "View later" to save the company's details for possible later review, and "Cancel" to reverse the action.

When the user is provided actions options buttons, the system will continue in process

300.

FIG. 3 is illustrating a flow diagram of a process 300 performed to initiate providing a userwith detailed item information and related actions options in an interactive manner in accordance with this invention. Process 300 is a continuation of process 200.

Process 300 begins in step 301 in which an online video streaming user has already requested detailed information about a selected item in a video scene wherein the system has displayed pre-defined actions options buttons on the user's device screen to facilitate the user's next choices. The actions options buttons are displayed on the user's device screen without interrupting the online video streaming and in a way that the displayed buttons do not disturb the video image. The number, the functionality, and the displaying methods of action options buttons have been described in earlier disclosures in this document, in particular in the description of process 200 illustrated in FIG. 2. As general non-limiting examples in the disclosure of process 300 in this document, actions options buttons are defined, only for descriptive purpose, as "Cancel", "Handle Later" and "Act Now".

In step 302, as the actions options buttons are displayed on the user's device screen, without interrupting the ongoing online video streaming, the user has the choice to ignore the displayed actions options buttons or to select one of the displayed actions options buttons to further process her/his engagement request.

In step 303, the system, through the interactive user interface, monitors if the user responds to the displayed actions options buttons, so that the system can determine and provide next interaction options to the user. If the user wants to take any action on the selected item, before timeout occurs, she/he can select one of the displayed actions options buttons, whereby the system will, depending on the user's selection, continue in step 306, or in step 307 or in step 308.

In step 304, while the user is expected to respond to displayed actions options buttons as described in steps 301 -303, an internal software clock measures the displaying time of the actions options buttons in order to trigger timeout (timeout can, for example, be defined as 3 seconds). If the user does not take any action by interacting with the interactive user interface (by responding to displayed actions options buttons), timeout occurs and the system will continue in step 305.

In step 305, the system, either because of a timeout as the result of the user's inaction in steps 303 and 304 or because of the user's selection in step 306, will remove the displayed actions options buttons from the user's device screen and the system will continue in process 200. The ongoing online video streaming is not interrupted and is in progress (playing). If the timeout occurs and the actions options buttons are consequently removed from the user's device screen, but the user still wants to obtain detailed item information, the user can rewind the video whereby the user will have the opportunity to select the same item again and thereby to redo the process. Step 306 indicates that the user has chosen "Cancel" actions options button on the user's device screen in step 303, which means that the user has regretted requesting detailed item information related to a selected item and wants to continue watching the ongoing online video streaming without taking further action on the selected item, whereby the system will continue in step 305. The ongoing online video streaming is not interrupted and is in progress (playing).

Step 307 indicates that the user has chosen "Handle Later" actions options button on the user's device screen in step 303, which means that the user wants to continue watching the ongoing online video streaming and thus wants to handle the detailed information related to a selected item on another occasion (for example after finishing watching the video, or whenever handling a personal cart (or similar dedicated information gathering box)). When the user selects this action actions options button, the system will continue in process 400. The ongoing online video streaming is not interrupted and is in progress (playing).

Step 308 indicates that the user has chosen "Act Now" actions options button on the user's device screen in step 303, which means that the user wants to handle the detailed information related to a selected item at once (for example purchasing goods/services or obtaining certain document). When the user selects this action actions options button, the system will continue in process 500.

FIG. 4 is illustrating a flow diagram of a process 400 performed, on a user's request, to postpose receiving and handling detailed information related to a selected item to another occasion instead of doing it instantly. Process 400 is derived from process 300.

Process 400 begins in step 401 wherein an online video streaming user has chosen "Handle Later" actions options button on the user's device screen as described in process 300 illustrated in FIG. 3, which means that the user wants to continue watching the ongoing online video streaming and thus wants to handle the detailed information related to a selected item on another occasion (for example after finishing watching the video, or whenever handling a personal cart (or similar dedicated information gathering box)). The ongoing online video streaming is not interrupted and is in progress (playing).

In step 402, as the result of user's selection in step 401 to continue watching the ongoing online video streaming and also wants to handle the detailed information related to a selected item on another occasion, the system first removes the displayed actions options buttons from the user's device screen. The ongoing online video streaming is not interrupted and is in progress (playing).

In step 403, the system, as the result of user's selection in step 401, saves the selected item and all data related to it in the user's personal cart for later handling. One skilled in the art will recognize that a personal cart is normally a piece of e-commerce software on a web server, or equivalent processing system, that allows Internet users at specific sites or when using specific software platforms and applications to collect items in it for eventual further processing such as purchases (known as "shopping cart") and other purposes. The system described in this invention has the capability to design personal carts of various types for various user purposes. While process 400 is saving the selected item and all data related to it in the user's personal cart, the ongoing online video stream is in progress (playing).

When process 400 is done with saving the selected item and all data related to it in the user's personal cart, the system will continue in process 200.

FIG. 5 is illustrating a flow diagram of a process 500 performed, on a user's request, to receive detailed information related to a selected item. Process 500 is derived from process 300.

Process 500 begins in step 501 wherein an online video streaming user has chosen "Act Now" actions options button on the user's device screen as described in process 300 illustrated in FIG. 3, which means that the user wants to temporarily halt the ongoing online video streaming session in order to receive detailed information related to a selected item.

In step 502, the system, as the result of user's selection in step 501, will first remove the displayed actions options buttons from the user's device screen.

In step 503, the system, as the result of user's selection in step 501, temporarily halts the ongoing online video streaming in order to display detailed item information on the user's device screen. The system, through the interactive user interface, saves the online video streaming elapsed time at that particular moment in order to return to and continue the video streaming at a later time, if applicable and if required by the user. In step 504, the system, as the result of user's selection in step 501 and through the interactive user interface, immediately displays pre-defined detailed item information on the user's device screen. The system also displays, within the same detailed item information field, pre-defined actions options buttons to facilitate the user's next choices. One skilled in the art will recognize that the detailed item information can be general information, such as geographical location, manufacturing details, historical background, designer, name and more, to commercial features such as brand, available colors, price, promotions and more. One skilled in the art will also recognize that the number of actions options buttons shall be minimum one and recommended to be maximum two for better visibility to and more convenience of the user, even though the software is capable to provide and display as many actions options buttons as required depending on the preferred design and depending on the purposes of the provided contents and information. The field containing detailed item information and actions options buttons preferably covers the entire user's device screen. However, the field can also be displayed as a semi-transparent field over a still-picture background. The online video streaming session is temporarily halted.

It shall be reminded here that the number and the functionality of action options buttons have been described in earlier disclosures in this document, in particular in the descriptions provided by FIG. 2. As general non-limiting examples in the disclosure of steps 504, 507 and 510 in process 500 in this document, herein the actions options buttons are defined, only for descriptive purpose, as "Cancel" and "Expedite".

In step 505, as the actions options buttons are displayed within the detailed item information field on the user's device screen, the user shall choose one of the displayed actions options buttons to further process her/his request upon the selected item. The online video streaming session is temporarily halted.

In step 506, the system, through the interactive user interface, monitors if the user responds to the displayed actions options buttons within the detailed item information field, so that the system can determine and provide next interaction options to the user. The displayed detailed item information field including the actions options buttons will remain on the user's device screen and the online video streaming session will remain halted until the user makes a choice. Depending on the user's selection, the system will continue in step 507 or in step 510. Step 507 indicates that the user has chosen "Cancel" actions options button on the user's device screen in step 506, which means that the user has regretted handling the detailed item information related to a selected item and wants to continue watching the ongoing online video streaming without taking further action on the selected item, whereby the system will continue in step 508.

In step 508, the system, as the result of the user's choice in step 507, will remove the displayed detailed item information field including the actions options buttons from the user's device screen.

In step 509, the system, as the results of the user's choice in step 507 and the consequent event in step 508 and through the interactive user interface, immediately resumes playing the online video streaming session from where it was interrupted and thereafter the system will continue in process 200.

Step 510 indicates that the user has chosen "Expedite" actions options button on the user's device screen in step 506, which means that the user wants to further handle the detailed information related to a selected item at once by entering a process wherein the user can conclude its request (for example purchasing goods/services or obtaining certain document) before returning to the video. When the user selects this action actions options button, the system will continue in process 600. The online video streaming session is temporarily halted.

FIG. 6 is illustrating a flow diagram of a process 600 performed, on a user's request, to instantly handle received detailed information related to a selected item. Process 600 is derived from process 500.

Process 600 begins in step 601 wherein an online video streaming user has chosen "Expedite" actions options button on the user's device screen as described in process 500 illustrated in FIG. 5, which means that the user wants further handle the detailed information related to a selected item at once by entering a process wherein the user can conclude its request (for example purchasing goods/services or obtaining certain document) before returning to the video.

In step 602 the system, as the result of the user's choice in step 507, will remove the displayed detailed item information field including the actions options buttons from the user's device screen. In step 603, the system, as the result of the user's choice in step 602 and through the interactive user interface, will enter e-commerce and/or other appropriate handling processes, as described in earlier disclosures in this document, to serve the user's choices and actions as well as the purposes of the broadcasters, the contents providers, and the advertising entities that have influenced and enabled the user's choices and actions. The online video streaming session continues to be temporarily halted.

On skilled in the art will recognize that the sophisticated system and software will track the user's engagements in a handling process and thereby allowing a user, at any given time, once the user concludes or interrupts the ongoing handling process, to be rerouted back to the halted online video streaming session. One skilled in the art will further recognize that the system will collect and store all user interactions and engagement in the ongoing handling process to further enrich information databases as well as to better customize information and related services options for the online video streaming user.

In step 604, the system, through the interactive user interface, monitors when the user's engagements in a handling process in step 603 is over, so that the system can determine and provide next interaction options to the user once the user concludes/interrupts the handling process. The online video streaming session continues to be temporarily halted while the user is in step 604.

In step 605, the system, once the user concludes/interrupts a handling process in step 604 and through the interactive user interface, brings the user back to process 600. The system will then displays a question to the user if she/he wants to continue watching the online video streaming session or not. The system also displays, within the same question field, pre-defined actions options buttons to facilitate the user's next choices. The field containing the question field, including the actions options buttons, preferably covers the entire user's device screen. However, the field can also be displayed as a semi-transparent field over a still-picture background. As general non-limiting examples in the disclosure of steps 604, 607 and 609 in process 600 in this document, herein the actions options buttons are defined, only for descriptive purpose, as "Yes" and "No". The online video streaming session is temporarily halted.

In step 606, as the actions options buttons are displayed within the question field on the user's device screen, the user shall choose one of the displayed actions options buttons to enable proper system execution and interaction. The online video streaming session is temporarily halted.

In step 607, the system, through the interactive user interface, monitors if the user responds to the displayed actions options buttons within the question field, so that the system can determine and provide next interaction options to the user. The displayed question field including the actions options buttons will remain on the user's device screen and the online video streaming session will remain halted until the user makes a choice. Depending on the user's selection, the system will continue in step 608 or in step 610.

Step 608 indicates that the user has chosen "No" actions options button on the user's device screen in step 607, which means that the user does not want to continue watching the halted online video streaming, whereby the system will continue in step 609. The online video streaming session is temporarily halted.

In step 609, the system, as the result of the user's choice in step 608, will remove the displayed question field including the actions options buttons from the user's device screen, and the system will continue in process 700.

Step 610 indicates that the user has chosen "Yes" actions options button on the user's device screen in step 608, which means that the user wants to continue watching the halted online video streaming, whereby the system will continue in step 61 1.

In step 611, the system, as the result of the user's choice in step 610, will remove the displayed detailed item information field including the actions options buttons from the user's device screen.

In step 12, the system, as the results of the user's choice in step 610 and the consequent event in step 61 1 and through the interactive user interface, immediately resumes playing the online video streaming session from where it was interrupted and thereafter the system will continue in process 200.

FIG. 7 is illustrating a flow diagram of a process 700 wherein an online video streaming session will be terminated based on a user's engagements and preferences, in accordance with the invention. Process 700 is derived from processes 200 and 600. Process 700 begins in step 701 in which an online video streaming has ended either by the user's request or by finishing the entire video playing time.

In step 702, the system, through the interactive user interface, examines if the user has saved any item in her/his personal cart while watching the online video streaming and during previous engagements. One skilled in the art will recognize that a personal cart is normally a piece of e-commerce software on a web server, or equivalent processing system, that allows Internet users at specific sites or when using specific software platforms and applications to collect items in it for eventual further processing such as purchases (known as "shopping cart") and other purposes. The system described in this invention has the capability to design personal carts of various types for various user purposes. If there is no item in the user's personal cart, process 700 will terminate.

In step 703, as the system has detected saved item(s) in the user's personal cart as described in step 702, the interactive user interface will display a question to the user if she/he wants to review her/his personal cart. The field containing the question field, including the actions options buttons, preferably covers the entire user's device screen. However, the field can also be displayed as a semi-transparent field over a still-picture background. As general non-limiting examples in the disclosure of steps 703, 705 and 708 in process 700 in this document, herein the actions options buttons are defined, only for descriptive purpose, as "Yes" and "No".

In step 704, as the actions options buttons are displayed within the question field on the user's device screen, the user shall choose one of the displayed actions options buttons to enable proper system execution and interaction.

In step 705, the system, through the interactive user interface, monitors if the user responds to the displayed actions options buttons within the question field, so that the system can determine and provide next interaction options to the user. The displayed question field including the actions options buttons will remain on the user's device screen and the online video streaming session will remain halted until the user makes a choice. Depending on the user's selection, the system will continue in step 706 or in step 709.

Step 706 indicates that the user has chosen "No" actions options button on the user's device screen in step 705, which means that the user does not want to review her/his personal cart, whereby the system will continue in step 707. In step 707, the system, as the result of the user's choice in step 706, will remove the displayed question field including the actions options buttons from the user's device screen.

In step 708, the system, through the interactive user interface, keeps all items and all data related to them in the user's personal cart for later handling, and process 700 will terminate.

Step 709 indicates that the user has chosen "Yes" actions options button on the user's device screen in step 705, which means that the user wants to review her/his personal cart, whereby the system will continue in step 710.

In step 710, the system, as the result of the user's choice in step 709, will remove the displayed question field including the actions options buttons from the user's device screen.

In step 711, the system, as the result of the user's choice in step 709 and through the interactive user interface, opens the user's personal cart.

In step 712, the system, as the result of the user's choice in step 709 and through the interactive user interface, will enter e-commerce and/or other appropriate handling processes, as described in earlier disclosures in this document, to serve the user's choices and actions as well as the purposes of the broadcasters, the contents providers, and the advertising entities that have influenced and enabled the user's choices and actions.

On skilled in the art will recognize that the sophisticated system and software will track the user's engagements in a handling process and thereby allowing a user, at any given time, once the user concludes or interrupts the ongoing handling process, to be rerouted back to the system. One skilled in the art will further recognize that the system will collect and store all user interactions and engagement in the ongoing handling process to further enrich information databases as well as to better customize information and related services options for the online video streaming user.

In step 713, the system, through the interactive user interface, monitors when the user's engagements in her/his personal cart and related handling processes is over in step 712, so that the system can terminate process 700 once the user concludes/interrupts engagements in her/his personal cart and related handling process.

Termination of process 700 means that the user can continue using applications and services that had embedded the online video streaming and utilizing the system described in the disclosures in this document over and over again, in accordance to this invention.

As any person skilled in the art will recognize from the previous description and from the figures and claims, modifications and changes can be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the following claims.

Practical use of the system is illustrated as a conceptual non-limiting example in the descriptions and documents that include FIG. 8, FIG.9, FIG. 10, FIG. 11, FIG. 12, FIG. 13, FIG. 14 and FIG. 15. In the example described in aforementioned illustrations, selected motion pictures scenes from the movie "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society", copyright to Blueprint Pictures™, have been used for illustrative and descriptive purpose only.

FIG. 8 is illustrating a conceptual non-limiting example of how a user can purchase a product that appears in an ongoing online video streaming session in accordance with the invention.

In step 800, a user is watching an online video streaming.

In step 801, an item, pre-defined and pre-processed in the ongoing video by the system, is highlighted to the user by the interactive user interface whereby the user may like to explore it. The online video streaming session is in progress (playing). In this example, a coat from GUCCI™ is used.

In step 802, the user shows interest to explore a highlighted item in the video, whereby the user initiates interaction with the interactive user interface by selecting (touching) the item that the system, through the interactive user interface, had previously highlighted. The user initiates the interaction before a timeout occurs or before the item disappears from the screen as the online video streaming is in progress (playing). FIG. 9 continues illustrating details and steps of the conceptual non-limiting example, which is described in FIG. 8.

In step 900, as the result of the user's action to explore a highlighted item in the video, as described in FIG. 8, a basic item information field related to the selected item will be displayed by the interactive user interface on the user's device screen while the online video streaming session is in progress (playing).

In step 901, the basic item information field related to the selected item that is generated in step 900 will remain displayed on the user's device screen till a timeout occurs or till the item disappears from the screen as the online video streaming session is in progress (playing).

In step 902, the user shows interest to obtain further information about an item in the video, by selecting (touching) the displayed basic item information field related to the selected item, before a timeout occurs or before the item disappears from the user's device screen while the online video streaming session is in progress (playing).

In step 903, as the result of user's action in step 902, the system will remove the displayed basic item information field related to the selected item, which is described in step 901, from the user's device screen and will instead display pre-defined actions options buttons on the user's device screen. The actions options buttons 904 ("Cancel"), 905 ("Add to cart") and 906 ("Get it") will facilitate the user's next choices, as the online video streaming session is in progress (playing).

FIG. 10 continues illustrating details and steps of the conceptual non-limiting example, which is described in FIG. 9.

In step 1000, the user selects "Cancel" actions options button on the user's device screen, which means that the user has regretted requesting detailed item information related to the selected item and wants to continue watching the ongoing online video streaming session without taking further action on the selected item. The online video streaming session is in progress (playing).

In step 1001, as the result of user's action in step 1000, the system will remove the displayed actions options buttons, which are described in FIG. 9, from the user's device screen and the online video streaming session will continue without any interruption. In step 1002, the user selects "Add to cart" actions options button on the user's device screen, which means that the user wants to continue watching the ongoing online video streaming and thus wants to handle the detailed information related to the selected item on another occasion (for example after finishing watching the video, or whenever handling a personal cart). The online video streaming session is in progress (playing).

In step 1003, as the result of user's action in step 1002, the system will remove the displayed actions options buttons, which are described in FIG. 9, from the user's device screen and the online video streaming session will continue without any interruption.

FIG. 1 1 continues illustrating details and steps of the conceptual non-limiting example, which is described in FIG. 9.

In step 1 100, the user selects "Get it" actions options button on the user's device screen, which means that the user wants to temporarily halt the ongoing online video streaming session and to immediately receive detailed information related to a selected item. The online video streaming session is in progress (playing).

In step 1 101, as the result of user's action in step 1 100, the system will first remove the displayed actions options buttons, which are described in FIG. 9, from the user's device screen and will instead display a pre-defined detailed item information field related to the selected item - including new actions options buttons - on the user's device screen. The actions options buttons 1 102 ("Cancel"), and 1103 ("Purchase") will facilitate the user's next choices. At this step, the online video streaming session is temporarily halted, but the system, through the interactive user interface, saves the online video streaming elapsed time at that particular moment in order to return to and continue the video streaming session at a later time, if applicable and if required by the user.

In step 1 104, the user selects "Cancel" actions options button on the user's device screen, which means that the user has regretted handling detailed item information related to the selected item and wants to continue watching the ongoing online video streaming session without taking further action on the selected item. The online video streaming session is temporarily halted.

In step 1 105, as the result of user's action in step 1 104, the system will remove the displayed detailed item information field related to the selected item - including its actions options buttons - from the user's device screen. The system, through the interactive user interface, will also immediately resume playing the online video streaming session from where it was interrupted.

FIG. 12 continues illustrating details and steps of the conceptual non-limiting example, which is described in FIG. 11.

In step 1200, the user selects "Purchase" actions options button within the displayed detailed item information field, which is described in FIG. 11, on the user's device screen, which means that the user wants to enter and use related e-commerce process to purchase the selected item at once. The online video streaming session is temporarily halted.

In step 1201, the system will first remove the displayed detailed item information field from the user's device screen. The system, through the interactive user interface, will then launch related e-commerce processes to serve the user's choices and requests in order to conclude, or even interrupt if required, a purchase. The online video streaming session continues to be temporarily halted while the user is engaged in the e-commerce process. The system monitors when the user's engagements in the e-commerce process is over, so that the system can determine and provide next interaction options to the user once the user concludes/interrupts the said e-commerce process.

In step 1202, once the user concludes/interrupts the e-commerce process, the system brings the user back to own process wherein the system will display a question to the user on the user's device screen in regards to continuing the temporarily halted online video streaming session. The question field includes pre-defined actions options buttons, here as 1203 ("No"), and 1204 ("Yes"), that will facilitate the user's next choices. The online video streaming session is still temporarily halted.

FIG. 13 continues illustrating details and steps of the conceptual non-limiting example, which is described in FIG. 12.

In step 1300, the user selects "Yes" actions options button within the displayed question field, which is described in FIG. 12, on the user's device screen, which means that the user wants to continue watching the ongoing online video streaming session after the engagement in an e-commerce process, which was described in FIG. 12. The online video streaming session is still temporarily halted. In step 1301, as the result of user's action in step 1300, the system will remove the displayed question field - including its actions options buttons - from the user's device screen. The system, through the interactive user interface, will also immediately resume playing the online video streaming session from where it was interrupted.

In step 1302, the user selects "No" actions options button within the displayed question field, which is described in FIG. 12, on the user's device screen, which means that the user does not want to continue watching the ongoing online video streaming session after the engagement in an e-com merce process. Once the user decides to permanently terminate the online video streaming session, the system, through the interactive user interface, immediately examines if the user has saved any item in her/his personal cart while watching the online video streaming and/or during previous engagements. If the system finds the personal cart empty, the online video streaming session will permanently be terminated. Otherwise, step 1302 will occur.

In step 1303, as the system detects unattended items in the user's personal cart, the system will remove the question field - including its actions options buttons - from the user's device screen and will display a new question to the user on the user's device screen in regards to handling unattended items in the user's personal cart. The new question field will include pre-defined actions options buttons, here as 1304 ("No"), and 1305 ("Yes"), that will facilitate the user's next choices.

FIG. 14 continues illustrating details and steps of the conceptual non-limiting exam ple, which is described in FIG. 13.

In step 1400, the user selects "No" actions options button within the displayed question field, which is described in FIG. 13, on the user's device screen, which means that the user does not want to view the personal cart after the engagement in an e-commerce process, which was described in step 1201 in FIG. 12.

In step 1401, as the result of user's action in step 1400, the system will permanently terminate the online video streaming session for the user, whereby the user can engage in other activities on the user's device including selection a new online video streaming session. FIG. 15 continues illustrating details and steps of the conceptual non-limiting example, which is described in FIG. 13.

In step 1500, the user selects "Yes" actions options button within the displayed question field, which is described in FIG. 13, on the user's device screen, which means that the user wants to view the personal cart before permanently terminating the online video streaming session.

In step 1501, the system will first remove the displayed question field - including its actions options buttons - from the user's device screen. The system, through the interactive user interface, will then open the user's personal cart and thereby launch related e-commerce processes to serve the user's choices and requests in order to conclude, or even interrupt if required, various activities when the user is handling the items in the personal cart. The system monitors when the user's engagements in the e- commerce process is over, so that the system can determine and provide next interaction options to the user once the user concludes/interrupts the said e-commerce process.

In step 1502, after user's engagement in step 1501, the system will permanently terminate the online video streaming session for the user, whereby the user can engage in other activities on the user's device including selection a new online video streaming session.

Claims

ONLINE VIDEO STREAMING CONTENTS ADVERTISEMENT PATENT CLAIMS As any person skilled in the art will recognize from the previous descriptions and from the figures (conceptual system, conceptual flowcharts, and conceptual illustrations) that modifications can be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the following claims. The claims are:

1. A computerized digital system and methods enabling and providing advertisement/information/supplemental content in online broadcasting and online video streaming media, comprising: a combination of processing systems, including - but not limited to - Internet servers, web servers, streaming servers, inventory management servers, banking and payment servers, authentication servers, firewall servers, routers, user demographic databases, media contents databases, retailing inventory databases, information databases, smart tablets, personal computers and laptops, smart mobile phones, and Internet-enabled and smart television sets; a set of artificial intelligence software algorithms and technologies controlling the software and hardware interfaces that enable interaction between the processing systems and the users; integrating software and hardware interfaces between various processing systems to allow the users to easily access all needed information to take advantage of advertisements and supplemental contents in an online broadcasting and online video streaming environment; providing an ecosystem wherein online video streaming is, on a user's request, displayed and played on the user's device; forwarding a user's request to watch a online broadcasting/video to servers and databases that are managing and hosting requested broadcasting/video streaming, in order to prepare and generate messages and instructions to the user to interact with the requested broadcasting/video contents on the user's device; providing an interactive and intelligent user interface, constructed of a set of artificial intelligence software algorithms and technologies, wherein the user can request obtaining, viewing, exploring and managing advertisements, information and supplemental content on certain items in the displayed video contents; providing an interactive and intelligent user interface with selectable actions options, which facilitates and accelerates a user's engagements and interactions; providing technologies in an interactive and intelligent user interface, wherein a user's interaction with the interactive user interfaces can be done in different ways depending on the user's device type, whereby the user's interaction can, for instance, be done by a computer mouse click, or by touching on touch-screen devices, or by a laser pointers, or other available technologies; in response to a user's selections, via the interactive user interface and on the user's device, making advertisements, information and supplemental contents available to the user; in response to the user's selections, via the interactive user interface and on the user's device, launching various external and independent handling processes, whenever applicable, through and by the processing systems in the entire system, in order to serve the user's requests and preferences; in response to the user's selections, via the interactive user interface and on the user's device, allowing various external and independent handling processes, whenever applicable, through and by the processing systems in the entire system, to control user credit information, authentication, placing purchase orders, sending emails and contact request and similar activities wherever and whenever applicable, in order to serve the user's requests and preferences; identifying and collecting detailed information of various types from all displayed online video streaming contents as well as user's engagements and interactions, and storing those in related databases and/or providing the collected data to authorized processing systems within the entire system; providing and maintaining customized personal carts (i.e. a software-based, customized and personal activity recording and storing unit) to and for the users for various purposes for and during all engagements and activities, wherever applicable; and enabling, providing and maintaining user accounts where user's selections, via the interactive user interface and on the user's device, are stored for handling whenever applicable.

2. The system and methods of claim 1, further comprise including any and all technical and computerized designs, technologies and methodologies, including, but not limited to, artificial intelligence software algorithms and technologies that can provide and integrate interfaces between various system processes and various databases to allow users to easily access all needed information to take advantage of advertisements and supplemental contents in online broadcasting and online video streaming environment.

3. The system and methods of claim 1, further comprise a web server or similar computerized unit to control communication, interaction and synchronization among the system processes and the users in response to a user's selection and request.

4. The system and methods of claim 1, further comprising reading a user record from user demographic database(s) and retrieving user information from said database(s) in order to prepare and generate messages to and selectable actions options for the user, whenever applicable and requested, to take advantage of advertisements and supplemental contents in online broadcasting and online video streaming environment.

5. The system and methods of claim 1, wherein, in response to a user's request to access an online broadcasting/video (or similar online content) on an online video streaming platform, searching a video database, and retrieving requested video and video information from said video database.

6. The system and methods of claims 1 and 5, in response to a user online video streaming selection, further comprising searching inventory data base (s) to identify pre defined items, which will appear in said selected online video streaming content, for which advertisements and/or supplemental information will be displayed, whenever applicable, to a user on the user's device screen during the streaming time of the video.

7. The system and methods of claim 6, further comprising searching inventory database(s) to find and match advertisements and supplemental information related to identified pre-defined items planned to appear in the selected online video streaming content, and cross referencing said matches found in said inventory database(s), in order to highlight the pre-defined items to the user on the user's device screen wherever required.

8. The system and methods of claim 5, further comprising playing a selected online video streaming session on the user's device screen till the said online video streaming session comes to its end.

9. The system and methods of claim 8, further comprising highlighting, by and through an interactive interface on a user's device screen, pre-defined items appearing in a displayed video content to the user while the online video streaming session is in progress (playing) in order to encourage said user to pay attention to the highlighted items and further to select said items by interaction with the said interface.

10. The system and methods of claim 9, in response to a user's selection of a highlighted item, displaying a basic item information field on the user's device screen, by and through an interactive interface on the user's device screen, while the online video streaming session is in progress (playing), whereby the user has the choice to request detailed information about the selected item by interaction with the said interface.

1 1. The system and methods of claim 10, in relation to a displayed basic item information field on a user's device screen, further comprising executing timeout and thereby removing the displayed basic item information field from the user's device screen in case said user does not react on the said displayed basic item information field, while the online video streaming session is in progress (playing).

12. The system and methods of claim 10, in relation to a displayed basic item information field on a user's device screen, further comprising enabling the user to - before a timeout occurs - request detailed item information, by and through an interactive interface on the user's device screen, by selecting the said displayed basic item information by interaction with the said interface, while the online video streaming session is in progress (playing).

13. The system and methods of claim 12, in response to a user's selection of a displayed basic item information field, displaying selectable actions options on the user's device screen, by and through an interactive interface on the user's device screen, while the online video streaming session is in progress (playing), whereby the user can make actions choices on the said selectable actions options.

14. The system and methods of claim 13, in relation to displayed selectable actions options on a user's device screen, further comprising executing timeout and thereby removing the displayed selectable actions options from the user's device screen in case the user does not react on the said selectable actions options, while the online video streaming session is in progress (playing).

15. The system and methods of claim 13, in relation to displayed selectable actions options on a user's device screen, further comprising enabling the user to - before a timeout occurs - cancel its choice by selecting related option, by and through an interactive interface on the user's device screen, whereby said selectable actions options will be removed from the user's device screen, while the online video streaming session is in progress (playing).

16. The system and methods of claim 13, in relation to displayed selectable actions options on a user's device screen, further comprising enabling the user to - before a timeout occurs - postpone handling requested detailed item information to another occasion by selecting related option, whereby said selectable actions options will be removed from the user's device screen, while the online video streaming session is in progress (playing).

17. The system and methods of claim 16, in relation to a user's decision to postpone handling requested detailed item information to another occasion, further comprising saving the selected item and related information in the user's personal cart for later handling, while the online video streaming session is in progress (playing).

18. The system and methods of claim 13, in relation to displayed selectable actions options on a user's device screen, further comprising enabling the user to - before a timeout occurs - request detailed item information on immediate basis by selecting related option, whereby said selectable actions options will be removed from the user's device screen, and the ongoing online video streaming will temporarily halt, by and through an interactive interface on the user's device screen.

19. The system and methods of claim 18, in relation to a user's decision to request detailed item information on immediate basis, further comprising saving the online video streaming elapsed time at the moment when the user has requested detailed item information in order to be able to return to the video streaming at a later time, if applicable and if required by the user.

20. The system and methods of claim 18, in relation to a user's decision to request detailed item information on immediate basis, further comprising displaying detailed item information on the user's device screen - including displaying selectable actions options - on the user's device screen, by and through an interactive interface on the user's device screen, whereby the user can make actions choices on the said selectable actions options.

21. The system and methods of claim 20, in relation to displayed detailed item information and selectable actions options on a user's device screen, further comprising enabling the user to cancel its choice, by selecting related option, by and through an interactive interface on the user's device screen, whereby displayed detailed item information - including displaying selectable actions options - will be removed from the user's device screen.

22. The system and methods of claim 21, in relation to a user's decision to cancel handling requested detailed item information, further comprising resuming the online video streaming session from where it was interrupted.

23. The system and methods of claim 20, in relation to displayed detailed item information and selectable actions options on a user's device screen, further comprising enabling the user, by selecting related option and by and through an interactive interface on the user's device screen, to enter handling processes, whereby goods and/or services can be purchased, particular information can be obtained, business, social, financial, governmental, educational entities can be contacted, and more, all depending on the system design.

24. The system and methods of claim 23, in relation to entering handling processes by a user, further comprising enabling the user, once the handling process activities are concluded or interrupted by (either by the user or by any systems error), to return to the online video streaming session by displaying selectable actions options, by and through an interactive interface on the user's device screen, whereby the user can attempt to permanently terminate the online video streaming session or to resume the online video streaming session.

25. The system and methods of claim 24, in relation to displayed selectable actions options on a user's device screen when exiting a handling process, further comprising enabling the user to resume, by selecting related option by and through an interactive interface on the user's device screen, the online video streaming session from where it was interrupted, whereas the displayed selectable actions options will be removed from the user's device screen prior to resuming the video.

26. The system and methods of claim 24, in relation to displayed selectable actions options on a user's device screen when exiting a handling process, further comprising enabling the user to attempt, by selecting related option by and through an interactive interface on the user's device screen, to permanently terminate an online video streaming session, whereas the displayed selectable actions options will be removed from the user's device screen prior to next step in the process.

27. The system and methods of claims 1, 8 and 26, in relation to ending or attempting by a user to terminate an online video streaming session, further comprising offering the user, before permanently terminating the online video streaming session, to view personal cart by displaying selectable actions options, by and through an interactive interface on the user's device screen, whereby the user can either enter personal cart or skip entering personal cart and thereby permanently terminate the online video streaming session.

28. The system and methods of claim 27, in relation to displayed selectable actions options on a user's device screen, further comprising enabling the user, by selecting related option and by and through an interactive interface on the user's device screen, to enter personal cart and thereby to engage in handling processes as earlier described in claim 23, whereby the previously described processes will repeat once the user exists the handing processes.

29. The system and methods of claim 27, in relation to displayed selectable actions options on a user's device screen, further comprising enabling the user, by selecting related option and by and through an interactive interface on the user's device screen, to skip viewing personal cart and to permanently terminate the online video streaming session, whereas the displayed selectable actions options will be removed from the user's device screen and the last frame of the online video streaming session will be displayed, before the user engages in other activities on the user's device including selection a new online video streaming session.