Patent ID: 7139813

Claim:
A procedure for using a time-dependent hyperlink in video, comprising the steps of: (a) associating content reference for at least one hyperlink with an object in a video by associating the content reference with coordinates at which the hyperlink appears in the video, wherein one of the coordinates includes time, such that the hyperlink follows the area on the screen in which the object associated with the hyperlink appears during the video; (b) transmitting the video from a first content server to a video browser of a user display; (c) selecting by the user a selected hyperlink in the video by selecting coordinates corresponding to the area and time at which the selected hyperlink appears in the video, whereby the user selects the selected hyperlink in real time while the video is being displayed by the video browser; (d) determining the content reference for a new session of the selected hyperlink based on the selected coordinates; (e) initiating a connection of the browser to the new session of the selected hyperlink; and (f) switching the connection of the browser from the first content server to the new session, wherein said steps (d) and (e) are performed prior to said step (c) of selecting such that said step of switching the connection is performed as a smooth switchover when the selected hyperlink is selected in said step (c).