System And Method In A Local Television System For Responding To User-Selection Of An Object In A Television Program

Abstract

A system and method in a local display system for responding to user-selection of an object in video, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for responding to user selection of an object in video, the method comprising:
 determining an identity of a user-selected object in a video stream being presented in a local display system;   determining, based at least in part on the determined object identity, one or more actions to take with regard to the identified user-selected object; and   performing the determined one or more actions.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identity of the user-selected object is determined remote from the local display system. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 receiving data comprising object information corresponding to user-selectable objects in the video stream; and   storing the object information in memory of the local display system.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said storing the object information comprises storing the object information in the memory indexed by object identification. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identity of the user-selected object is determined by a processor in the local display system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions are determined remote from the local display system. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions are determined by a processor in the local display system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions are performed remote from the local display system. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said determining one or more actions comprises determining search terms associated with the identified user-selected object. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions are performed by a processor in the local display system. 
     
     
         11 . A local display system for responding to user selection of an object in video, the local display system comprising:
 at least one module operable to, at least:
 select a user-selectable object in video being presented; 
 determine an identity of the user-selected object; 
 communicate the identity of the user-selected object; 
 receive one or more actions, based at least in part on the determined object identity, to take with regard to the identified user-selected object; and 
 perform the determined one or more actions. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the determined one or more actions comprises determining information associated with the identified user-selected object to be presented to a user. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one module is operable to determine information associated with the identified user-selected object by, at least in part, operating to determine a data storage address associated with the identified user-selected object. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one module is operable to:
 receive data comprising object information corresponding to user-selectable objects in the video; and   store the object information in memory of the local display system.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one module is operable to store the object information in memory of the local display system by, at least in part, operating to store the object information in the memory indexed by object identification. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , where the at least one module is operable to receive data comprising object information corresponding to user-selectable objects in the video by, at least in part, operating to receive the data in a same video signal that communicates the video to the local display system. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one module is operable to receive data comprising object information corresponding to user-selectable objects in the video by, at least in part, operating to receive the data in parallel with receipt of a video signal that communicates the video to the local display system. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one module is operable to receive data comprising object information corresponding to user-selectable objects in the video by, at least in part, operating to receive the data in a signal that is independent of a video signal that communicates the video to the local display system. 
     
     
         19 . A local display system for responding to user selection of an object in video, the local display system comprising:
 at least one module operable to, at least:
 select a user-selectable object in video being presented; 
 communicate characteristics of the user-selected object; 
 receive an identity of the user-selected object; 
 determine one or more actions, based at least in part on the determined object identity, to take with regard to the identified user-selected object; and 
 perform the determined one or more actions. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the determined one or more actions comprises determining information associated with the identified user-selected object to be presented to a user.