Abstract:
Image-based products are obtained from a digital motion picture source by utilizing a content playing and display system for (a) displaying a sequence of motion picture image frames from a digital motion picture image source containing motion picture contents, and (b) selecting one or more of the image frames for an image-based product and obtaining a unique frame identification for said one or more selected frames; a content management system that (a) utilizes the unique frame identification and determines whether at least one permissible image-based product can be made from said one or more selected frames, and (b), if a permissible image-based product may be made as determined, obtains file data corresponding to said one or more selected frames from a digital source file containg source information corresponding to the motion picture contents; an order management system for preparing order information for the permissible image-based product from the file data; and an order fulfillment system for generating the image-based product from the file data according to the order information.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates generally to the field of motion picture imaging, and in particular to the production of imaging products from digitized entertainment contents stored in a digital medium.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     DVD is a popular medium for the distribution of commercial and entertainment content. Often, it is desirable to isolate certain image frames in order to generate a commercial transaction. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,266,650, “Mail Order Shopping System, and DVD and Adaptor Both for Use in the Mail-Order Shopping System”, a mail order shopping system allows a user to do electronic mail-order shopping by isolating specific frames on a DVD-based catalog. The display screen then shows catalog information necessary for placing an order. Once an order is established, a telephone connection is automatically made from the customer using the DVD reproduction apparatus to a mail order firm and the order information is downloaded to the mail order firm.  
         [0003]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,956 discloses a system for retail trading including a video disc image storing arrangement for storing images of items being traded (e.g., carpets), an image index arrangement connected with the storing arrangement and containing identifiers for the images on the video disc, and an image retrieval arrangement and display means (e.g., a video screen) for displaying retrieved images. In a transaction specifying mode, the identifier for the currently displayed image is automatically input from the index arrangement into an output arrangement as part of a transaction record, which contains the customer, order and delivery data.  
         [0004]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,130 describes an electronic purchasing system offering multimedia product catalogs including transmitted and locally-stored data, which together allow real-time multimedia product presentations and instant on-line product ordering. Real-time product information is presented to the customer, using motion and still images, sound and text. The system also provides CD-ROM multimedia catalogs for use on customers&#39; multimedia personal computers, at home or at their office. The home or office PC then communicates with a server via a modem in order to receive the transmitted data and to engage in transactions.  
         [0005]     A characteristic of the foregoing systems is that the images on the CD-ROM or DVD show pictures of products that may be selected and ordered. Generally, the images themselves are not for sale, although there would ordinarily be no objection to running off a screen print of a given CD-ROM or DVD image—perhaps to use as a reminder to help in making a decision about the pictured product. However, there are occasions where the imagery may itself be the product—for example, where an Internet-enabled server contains stock images that are for use and/or sale. Generally, these images are still images, which are selected and used for their image content. It would be useful to have a system for selecting individual frames or multi-frame segments of a motion picture for use in connection with other image-based products.  
         [0006]     For instance, a variety of professional motion picture contents are commercially available and distributed on various media in digital form. Examples include DVDs or CDs for feature length movie titles, music videos, interactive video games, sporting events, to name a few. Digital files of such professional motion picture contents are also distributed via Internet. These commercially distributed digital motion picture contents are copyright protected. It would be desirable to have a system that allows a consumer who is viewing the professional motion picture contents to be able to legally obtain permissible and desired hardcopy of softcopy images from the motion picture contents.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to one aspect of the present invention, a method for obtaining image-based products from a digital motion picture source comprises the steps of: (a) displaying a sequence of motion picture image frames from a digital motion picture image source containing motion picture contents; (b) selecting one or more of the image frames for an image-based product and obtaining a unique frame identification for said one or more selected frames; (c) utilizing the unique frame identification to determine whether at least one permissible image-based product can be made from said one or more selected frames; (d) if a permissible image-based product may be made as determined from step (c), obtaining file data corresponding to said one or more selected frames from a digital source file containg source information corresponding to the motion picture contents; (e) preparing order information for the permissible image-based product from the file data; and (f) generating the image-based product from the file data according to the order information.  
         [0008]     From another aspect of the present invention, a system for obtaining image-based products from a digital motion picture source comprises: a content playing and display system for (a) displaying a sequence of motion picture image frames from a digital motion picture image source containing motion picture contents, and (b) selecting one or more of the image frames for an image-based product and obtaining a unique frame identification for said one or more selected frames; a content management system that (a) utilizes the unique frame identification and determines whether at least one permissible image-based product can be made from said one or more selected frames, and (b), if a permissible image-based product may be made as determined, obtains file data corresponding to said one or more selected frames from a digital source file containg source information corresponding to the motion picture contents; an order management system for preparing order information for the permissible image-based product from the file data; and an order fulfillment system for generating the image-based product from the file data according to the order information.  
         [0009]     It is an advantage of the system that a consumer who is viewing the professional motion picture contents is able to legally obtain permissible and desired hardcopy, or other image-based products, of softcopy images from the motion picture contents, while the usage of the contents is under the active control of the owner/manager of the contents.  
         [0010]     These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system according to the invention for obtaining image-based products from a digital motion picture source.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  shows the steps of a process for generating and processing an order for an image-based product within the system shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     Because image-based storage systems employing digital media, e.g., DVDs, are well known, the present description will be directed in particular to elements forming part of, or cooperating more directly with, a system and method in accordance with the present invention. Elements not specifically shown or described herein may be selected from those known in the art. Certain aspects of the embodiments to be described may be provided in software. Given the system and method as shown and described according to the invention in the following materials, software not specifically shown, described or suggested herein that is useful for implementation of the invention is conventional and within the ordinary skill in such arts.  
         [0014]     Referring first to  FIG. 1 , a system  10  is shown for obtaining image-based fulfillments, hereinafter referred to as image-based products  12 , from a digital motion picture source  14 , such as a DVD or CD having a motion picture recorded thereon. Alternatively, the digital motion picture source  14  could be obtained as a digital signal over a network connection  15 , such as from an internet-enabled source or from some other external storage source. The image-based products  12  include without limitation such products as one or more hard-copy prints, soft-copy images (e.g., screensaver images), posters, sticker images, clothing with images printed thereon (e.g., on t-shirts), objects with images printed thereon (e.g., on coffee mugs, mousepads), and so on. The system  10  comprises several functionally distinct component systems, including a digital content, content player and display system  16 , an order management system  18 , a content management system  20  and an order fulfillment system  22 . The system  10  also involves a consumer  24 , who selects permissible image-based products  12  that may be generated from the digital motion picture source  14 , and a content owner/manager  26 , who controls the attributes of the image-based products  12 . Such attributes include a specification of the products, i.e., the permissible products, that the consumer  24  can obtain from the digital motion picture source  14 . Depending on the rules and policies established by the content owner/manager  26 , the consumer  24  will be limited as to the type of permissible products that may be obtained from the motion picture source, and as to other attributes of the permissible products, such as quantity and price. The component systems  16 ,  18 ,  20  and  22  will now be described in more detail.  
         [0015]     Digital Content, Content Player, and Display System  16 —In order for a consumer  24  to be able to order an image-based product from a professional motion picture title, the consumer must have access to the digital content and be able to view the content so as to select individual frames or motion picture segments (a short sequence of frames) for desired products. The digital content formatting and/or the content player allow the consumer  24  to obtain a unique identification for each selected frame. Examples of unique frame identification include without limitation frame numbers, time codes, and scene number. Most DVD players, CD players, and soft video file players (e.g., a Quicktime player, MS Media player, and/or a RealPlayer) allow a user to pause the content display and obtain the frame number or time code of the frame at which the content display pauses. In some cases, the video may pause at a specific frame (e.g., at an I frame in case of an MPEG encoded digital video) of a scene and not at a desired or selected frame. Some motion image content players allow a user to frame-by-frame step forward or backward from the paused frame.  
         [0016]     Accordingly, for the purpose of this invention, the digital content, content player and content display system  16  is any system that can be used to view motion picture content and obtain a unique identification for a selected frame or a representative frame for a desired motion picture scene comprising of a sequence of adjacent frames. A variety of systems employing content players and/or content display devices suitable for this application are available and new ones are increasingly becoming available. Examples of such systems include without limitation a DVD/CD player combined with a TV display; a DVD/CD player combined with a computer (and its monitor display); a computer with digital video storage or connection with a video server, video cards, and display monitors; a digital video game console with a display monitor; a portable DVD/CD player; and a wireless device, like a PDA or a cell phone, with a video storage and/or an internet connection and video displaying capabilities.  
         [0017]     Content Management System  20 —The content management system  20  stores and manages digital source files  21  for professional motion picture contents available for fulfillment, that is, available for certain desirable uses as, or in connection with, an image-based product. The image resolution, data encoding, and format of the motion picture digital source file  21  should be suitable for extraction of elements or file segments needed for the permissible products. These elements and file segments are static image frames and a sequence of image frames, respectively. For every motion picture content element or file segment, there are associated rules and policies  23  for content management including without limitation copyright enforcement, rights management, content protection, content license, and the configuration of permissible products that may be obtained from a particular element or file segment. These rules and policies  23  are also stored and managed by the content management system  20 . A content owner/manager  26  can change the content management rules and policies  23  associated with the content owner/manager&#39;s motion picture contents anytime and such changes may dynamically change the permissible products, the product cost, and so on.  
         [0018]     The image element or file segment needed for a particular product can be extracted from the source file  21  and processed with image processing and enhanced processing techniques to generate the image data suitable for the chosen product. Alternatively, the content manager  20  can extract and process a priori all the elements and file segments needed for all the permissible products. These extracted and processed elements and file segments are then properly indexed and stored as ready to use elements and segments. The content management system  20  communicates with the order management system  18  to dynamically evaluate and validate a consumer request with respect to the content management rules and policies. The ability to change the content management rules and policies  23  without requiring any change in the distribution copies of the motion picture content or in the content players provides the flexibility to dynamically modify the offerings of permissible products.  
         [0019]     Order management system  18 —The order management system interacts with the consumer  24  of the professional motion picture contents and with the content management system  20  to compile a fulfillment order from the consumer for one or more permissible products. While the order management system  18  may take a variety of forms, in the preferred embodiment the order management system is a web-based system that can interact with a consumer  24  via an Internet or an automated voice (phone) communication connection  25 . A consumer  24  can access the order management system  18  by connecting to the order processing website via the Internet connection or a phone call. The Internet connection can be established from an Internet-enabled content player or content display device  16 , or an Internet-enabled computing or communication device. For a unique element or file segment identifier provided by a consumer  24  from specified motion picture contents, the order management system  18  obtains data regarding the corresponding permissible products from the content management system  20  and communicates the data to the consumer  24 .  
         [0020]     For a compiled order for a permissible product, interactions among the content management system  20 , the order management system  18 , and the order fulfillment system  22  ensure that a fulfillment order with an appropriate image file is made available to the order fulfillment system  22 . The content management system  20  generates and supplies the required image file and can optionally embed content protection rules in the image file to prevent unauthorized usage. The order management system  18  obtains order status reports, e.g., shipping dates and the like, from the order fulfillment system  22  for communication with the consumer  24 . The order management system  18  also handles commercial transactions with the consumer  24 .  
         [0021]     Order Fulfillment System  22 —While the order fulfillment system  22  may involve many different processes, a particular process to compile and execute a fulfillment order is shown without limitation in  FIG. 2 . Basically the order fulfillment system is responsible for scheduling, generating and processing orders for image-based products. In brief, it receives each fulfillment order with the associated image file, and the order is scheduled for processing. The hardcopy or softcopy fulfillment  12  is produced for delivery to the consumer. After processing an order, the associated image files are managed (i.e., temporarily stored or destroyed) per the embedded content protection rules. The order fulfillment system also sends the status update on every order to the order management system.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  shows a typical workflow for generating and processing a fulfillment order, where the functional subsystems described earlier can interact in several different ways to compile and process an order. (One possible of set of interactions is shown in  FIG. 1 ). The workflow starts with a consumer viewing the professional motion picture contents on a display device (S 300 ) and pausing the display at a desired frame or scene to obtain the corresponding unique element identifier (S 320 ) for that frame or scene. The consumer can elect to note or store all the desired unique element identifiers while viewing the contents and defer order placement for later or can interact with the order management system  18  during the viewing of the content. In order to place a fulfillment order, the consumer connects to the order management server via an Internet connection (S 340 ). This connection may be made via an Internet-enabled content player or display device, thereby enabling interaction with the order management system  18  during the viewing of the content (S 360 ). Alternatively, this connection may be made via another Internet-enabled device or a phone or a digital voice communication device after noting or storing all the desired unique element or file segment identifiers while viewing the contents (S 380 ). After connecting to the order management system, the consumer provides a content identifier (e.g., a movie title or a DVD serial number) and a unique element or file segment identifier (S 400 ).  
         [0023]     The order management system then communicates with the content management system  20  to obtain the permissible products for the identified content and element or file segment. The set of permissible products are communicated to the consumer and/or used to validate a consumer order (S 420 ). A thumbnail image and/or an associated description of the specified element can be optionally provided by the content management system  20  to the order management system  18  to facilitate verification by the consumer. The consumer makes the desired product selection and places an order. The order management system  18  compiles the order and completes the commerce (payment) transaction (S 440 ). An ordered product fulfillment is communicated to the content management system  20 , which extracts and processes the appropriate image data to prepare an image file required for the product fulfillment (S 460 ). The processing can involve several image processing and enhancement steps including image enhancement for removing motion artifacts and best possible desired product fulfillment, encoding image data in appropriate resolution and format, and embedding order specific content protection rules in the image file (S 460 ). A fulfillment order and the corresponding image file generated by the content management system  20  are sent to the order fulfillment system  22  (S 480 ). The order fulfillment system  22  schedules and processes the fulfillment request to generate the ordered image-based product  12 , communicates the order status reports to the order management system  18 , and manages the image file per the embedded content protection rules. The ordered product is prepared for delivery to the consumer. (S 500 ).  
         [0024]     The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications can be effected by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.  
       PARTS LIST  
       [0000]    
       
           10  system  
           12  image-based products  
           14  digital motion picture source  
           15  network source  
           16  digital content, content player and display system  
           18  order management system  
           20  content management system  
           21  digital source files  
           22  order fulfillment system  
           24  consumer  
           25  Internet or automated voice communication connection  
           26  content owner/manager  
          S 300  consumer viewing step  
          S 320  pausing and obtaining element identifier step  
          S 340  internet enabling step  
          S 360  internet-enabled interaction with viewing step  
          S 380  internet-enabled deferred interaction step  
          S 400  content identifier communication step  
          S 420  consumer order validation step  
          S 440  consumer selection and order compiling step  
          S 460  image file preparation step  
          S 480  order and image file transmission step  
          S 500  product fulfillment step