Online video distribution

Abstract

Online video can now be supplied with hyperlinks that are associated with and move with objects in the video. However, online video players tend not to report an accurate frame number, and this results in poor synchronisation of the movement of the hyperlink and the object. We propose that a subset of the pixels in the frame be used to encode a numeric frame identifier.

1 . A video data file comprising;
 a viewable video sequence comprising a plurality of video frames,   associated hyperlink data comprising at least
 i. link address information, and 
 ii. position data defining a plurality of positions within a plurality of respective video frames, 
   wherein at least a plurality of the video frames include a unique frame number indicia encoded as pixel data within the video frame.   
     
     
         2 . A video data file according to  claim 1 , wherein the hyperlink data and the viewable video sequence are delivered as separate streams and the hyperlink data includes a frame number associated with each of the defined positions. 
     
     
         3 . A video data file according to  claim 1 , wherein the unique frame number indicia is encoded in a plurality of pixels in the video frame. 
     
     
         4 . A video data file according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of pixels comprise a group of adjacent pixels defining a rectangular area. 
     
     
         5 . A video data file according to  claim 4 , wherein the rectangular area is located at a corner of the video frame. 
     
     
         6 . A video data file according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of pixels comprise a group of adjacent pixels arranged in a linear array. 
     
     
         7 . A video data file according to  claim 6 , wherein the linear array is located at an edge of the video frame. 
     
     
         8 . A video data file according to  claim 1 , wherein the position data includes a location relative to the video frame. 
     
     
         9 . A video data file according to  claim 8 , wherein the position data includes size information relating to the hyperlink data. 
     
     
         10 . A video data file according to  claim 1 , wherein the unique frame number indicia is included in substantially all the frames. 
     
     
         11 . A video data file according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pixels are located in a non-viewable area of the video frame. 
     
     
         12 . A video player for online video, including:
 a video decoder for interpreting and displaying a received viewable video stream comprising a sequence of video frames,   a hyperlink decoder configured to receive and display over the displayed video stream hyperlink data comprising link address information and position data defining a plurality of positions within a plurality of respective video frames,   wherein the player is further arranged to inspect a subset of the pixels of a video frame to be displayed time to determine a unique frame number indicia encoded in the subset and use the thus determined frame number to select a hyperlink for display over the frame.   
     
     
         13 . A system for encoding online video arranged to:
 receive a viewable video stream comprising a sequence of video frames,   receive hyperlink data comprising link address information and position data defining a plurality of positions within a plurality of respective video frames,   encode a unique frame number indicia into at least the plurality of respective video frames by writing non-image data to a subset of the pixels of the video frame, and   combine the encoded video stream and the hyperlink data for download.   
     
     
         14 . A system for encoding online video according to  claim 13 , wherein the encoded video stream and the hyperlink data are combined to form a single downloadable stream. 
     
     
         15 . A system for encoding online video according to  claim 13 , wherein the encoded video stream and the hyperlink data are combined to form at least two correlated downloadable streams. 
     
     
         16 . A video data format comprising a data stream including;
 viewable video comprising a sequence of video frames,   associated hyperlink data comprising at least
 i. link address information, and 
 ii. position data defining a plurality of positions within a plurality of respective video frames, 
   wherein at least a plurality of the video frames include a unique frame number indicia encoded as pixel data within the video frame.