Interactive overlay for video applications

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for an interactive overlay system. A player component is configured to display video content on a display screen of a display device. An overlay component is configured to display an interactive overlay sequence on the display screen simultaneously with and independent of the video content. An input device is configured to provide an input from a user. A status of the interactive overlay sequence is responsive to the input from the user such that a presentation of the interactive overlay is changed in response to the input from the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An interactive overlay system comprising:
 a server to store a set of rules selected by an administrator to govern presentation and content of an interactive overlay sequence;   an overlay component configured to display the interactive overlay sequence on a display screen simultaneously with video content provided from a player component independent of the server; and   an input device configured to provide an input from a user, the overlay component being responsive to the input from the user such that the status of the interactive overlay is changed in response to the input from the user according to the stored set of rules.   
     
     
         2 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the overlay component further comprises:
 a network interface configured to communicate with an administrator over the server or the user through the input device;   an overlay generator to generate the interactive overlay sequence in accordance with the set of rules; and   an overlay application to provide the interactive overlay sequence to the display.   
     
     
         3 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , the set of rules defining a predetermined period after which, if no acceptable input from the user has been received, the overlay component changes the status of the interactive overlay to a status designed to substantially interfere with enjoyment of the underlying video content. 
     
     
         4 . A system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the set of rules defines, for a given status of the interactive overlay, a first response and a second response, and the overlay component being configured to change the associated status of the interactive overlay to a first status when the first response is received and to a second status when the second response is received. 
     
     
         5 . A system as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined period is increased when the first response is received and decreased when the second response is received. 
     
     
         6 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the status is a text status representing a question asked of the user, the question having at least one acceptable response and at least one unacceptable response. 
     
     
         7 . A system as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the overlay component is configured to increase the defined interval when an acceptable response is received and decrease the defined interval when an unacceptable response is received. 
     
     
         8 . A system as recited in  claim 6 , wherein when a number of unacceptable responses exceeds a predetermined threshold, the user is locked out from associated log ins and devices. 
     
     
         9 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the user has a single log in that provides access to a plurality of authorized display devices, such that an associated status of the interactive overlay is substantially identical across the plurality of display devices. 
     
     
         10 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to recognize a plurality of users and allow access for the plurality of users to one or more display devices simultaneously. 
     
     
         11 . A system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein an unaccepted response from one of the plurality of users prompts an overlay to selectively obscure a portion of the display associated with the individual user's screen of interest. 
     
     
         12 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the set of rules governing the overlay sequence can be edited by an administrator via a remote computer. 
     
     
         13 . A method for providing an interactive overlay sequence, comprising:
 displaying video content on a display screen;   initiating the interactive overlay sequence in accordance with a set of interactive overlay rules;   displaying an interactive overlay in a notification status on the display screen for a predetermined amount of time;   displaying an interactive overlay in a text status following the predetermined amount of time, the text status requesting a response from the user;   receiving a response from a user; and   providing feedback to the user based on the response, wherein a first response from the user will result in a first change in the text status and a second response will result in a second change in the text status, the first change and the second change in the text status being different.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein a source of the video content is independent of a server storing the set of interactive overlay rules. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the first response is an accepted response resulting in the first change providing favorable feedback, and the second response is an unaccepted response resulting in the second change providing unfavorable feedback. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein initiating the interactive overlay sequence is performed through a server. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein unfavorable feedback is one of enlarging the interactive overlay, moving the interactive overlay around the display, making the interactive overlay opaque, and locating the interactive overlay in the centroid of the display. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the first change is an increase in time between displaying subsequent statuses in the overlay sequence and the second change is a decrease in time between displaying subsequent statuses in the overlay sequence. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising accepting an administrative log in allowing an administrator to modify the set of interactive overlay rules during the interactive overlay sequence. 
     
     
         20 . A method for providing an interactive overlay sequence, comprising:
 displaying video content on a display screen;   initiating the interactive overlay sequence in accordance with a set of interactive overlay rules;   displaying a question for a user as part of the interactive overlay sequence after a period of time defined by the set of interactive overlay rules; and   providing feedback to the user, such that a correct response from the user results in positive feedback and an increase in the period of time before a next question in the interactive overlay sequence, a incorrect response from the user results in negative feedback and an decrease in the period of time before the next question, and a failure of the user to respond results in a change to the interactive overlay sequence to substantially obscure the video content.