Patent ID: 7620914
Filing Date: 2009-11-17
Classification: G06F,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method performed by a first computing device having a processor for executing instructions stored in a memory, the method comprising: receiving a video stream by an authoring tool implemented by the processor on the first computing device, the video stream including a sequence of multiple consecutive video frames, the video stream being formatted in a format conforming to a standard video format, wherein the authoring tool is configured to implement a hyperlink for association with a specified object visible in the sequence of multiple consecutive video frames when the sequence of multiple consecutive video frames in the video stream is displayed on a display device, the hyperlink to be selectable when the sequence of multiple consecutive video frames including the specified object is displayed on the display device; identifying key frames of the sequence of multiple consecutive video frames in the video stream by the authoring tool implemented by the processor on the first computing device by identifying a first frame and a last frame in the sequence of multiple consecutive video frames in the video stream, the sequence of multiple consecutive video frames in the video stream including a plurality of intermediate frames existing between the identified first frame and the identified last frame; binding the hyperlink directly to the specified object in each of the key frames by associating a shape to be displayed over the specified object in the sequence of multiple consecutive video frames in the video stream when the sequence of multiple consecutive video frames is displayed on the display device, wherein the hyperlink is associated with the shape to bind the hyperlink to the specified object in the sequence of multiple consecutive video frames, wherein the hyperlink represents a connection between the specified object and a website accessible via the World Wide Web having information corresponding to the specified object, wherein the hyperlink is configured to be activated in an application displaying the video stream to direct the application to present the website having information corresponding to the specified object; providing a separate hyperlink stream that includes the hyperlink and the shape to be displayed in the video stream over the specified object for transmitting the separate hyperlink stream with the video stream comprising the with the sequence of multiple consecutive video frames, wherein the hyperlink stream and the video stream are transmitted by a communication interface of the first computing device for transmission over a network using a communication protocol for receipt by a second computing device, wherein, when the video stream is displayed by the application at the second computing device, the shape is configured to become visible over the object in the displayed video stream in response to placement of a cursor icon of a pointing device onto a video display of the sequence of multiple consecutive video frames in the video stream during display of the video stream by the application at the second computing device; and receiving feedback information at the first computing device on user behavior regarding the hyperlink associated with the specified object in the sequence of multiple consecutive video frames in the video stream, wherein the feedback is received from the second computing device following display of the sequence of multiple consecutive video frames in the video stream at the second computing device, wherein the feedback information includes whether a user at the second computing device activated the hyperlink associated with the specified object.