Patent ID: 7178162
Filing Date: 2007-02-13
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. Apparatus for encoding an output video stream with interactive triggers comprising: (a) a plurality of graphic sources operative to supply a plurality of graphics; (b) a video switch having an output connection, said video switch being connected to said graphic sources, said video switch being adapted to select a set of one or more of said graphic sources and operatively connect the set of selected graphic sources to said output connection so that the graphics supplied by the one or more graphic sources in said set will be included in an output video stream at said output connection and will be visible when said output video stream is viewed in a video receiver; (c) an inserter having a trigger input, said inserter being connected to said video switch so that an interactive trigger supplied to said trigger input will be inserted in said output video stream; (d) a trigger source operative to supply data specifying interactive triggers such that each said trigger is associated with one or more of said graphic sources; (e) a gateway circuit connected to said video switch so that said gateway circuit receives information from said video switch representing the identify of the set of graphic sources connected to said output channel, said gateway circuit being operative to automatically supply one or more triggers associated with the one or more graphic sources in said set to the trigger input of the inserter.