Patent ID: 8595782

Claim:
A method for processing a video program and display information to show on a video display, the method comprising: specifying the display information at a video distribution station, wherein: the video distribution station is located at a first location; and the video distribution station stores and distributes a plurality of video programs through a transmission system; transmitting the video program and the display information from the video distribution station to a video converter device located at a second location through the transmission system, wherein the video converter device is configured to decode video program streams; processing the video program and the display information using the video conversion device at the second location to create video data indicative of a stream of output video images, wherein: the video data is configured such that each image of the stream of output video images, when shown on the video display, comprises: a first display portion in which the video program is shown, and one or more second display portions, the one or more second display portions comprising one or more unused portions of the video display located outside the first display portion in which the video program is shown, the one or more second display portions change dynamically across the stream of images; and one or more selections from a group consisting of: the display information; a shape, size, or orientation of at least one of the one or more second display portions; and one or more user preferences; is used to determine how at least a portion of the display information is displayed on the at least one of the one or more second display portions while the video program is shown on the first display portion of the video display; and transmitting the video data from the video conversion device to the video display.