System And Method In A Television Receiver For Providing User-Selection Of Objects In A Television Program

Abstract

A system and method in a television receiver (e.g., a television receiver external to a television) for providing user-selection of objects in a television program, 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 identifying a user-selected object in a video stream, the method comprising:
 in a display device:
 communicating the video stream for presentation on a screen, the video stream comprising user-selectable objects; 
 determining an on-screen pointing location; 
 identifying a set of user-selectable objects in the video stream, at least in part, on the on-screen pointing location; 
 determining, from a set of types of user-selectable objects, object types of the set of user selectable objects; and 
 selecting the user-selectable object based on an object type of the user-selectable object. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the object type is identified as favorite object type of a user. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an information presentation functionality of the display device is determined based on the object type. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a communication functionality of the display device is determined based on the object type. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a business transaction functionality of the display device is determined based on the object type. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an user interaction functionality of the display device is determined based on the object type. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising receiving information identifying selectable objects in the video stream. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein receiving information identifying selectable objects in the video stream comprises receiving said information embedded in a same data stream as a stream communicating the video stream. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein receiving information identifying selectable objects in the video stream comprises receiving said information in a data stream communicated in parallel with a stream communicating the video stream. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the information identifying selectable objects in the video stream is communicated with the video stream without being requested. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the information identifying selectable objects in the video stream comprises timing information associated with the selectable objects. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the information identifying selectable objects in the video stream comprises information defining respective regions of the video stream associated with respective selectable objects in the video stream. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the information defining respective regions of the video stream associated with the respective selectable objects comprises information describing movement of the respective regions. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising communicating information indicating the user-selectable object to a remote control device. 
     
     
         15 . A receiver comprising:
 at least one processor operable to, at least:
 communicate video stream for presentation on a screen, the video stream comprising user-selectable objects; 
 determine an on-screen pointing location; 
 identify a set of user-selectable objects in the video stream, at least in part, on the on-screen pointing location; and 
 select the user-selectable object from the set of user-selectable objects based on a unique identifier of the user-selectable object, where the identifier is associated with a group of user-selectable objects. 
   
     
     
         16 . The receiver of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one module is operable to receive information identifying selectable objects in the video stream. 
     
     
         17 . The receiver of  claim 16 , where the information identifying selectable objects in the video stream is communicated with the video stream without being requested by the receiver. 
     
     
         18 . The receiver of  claim 16 , where the information identifying selectable objects in the video stream comprises timing information associated with the selectable objects. 
     
     
         19 . The receiver of  claim 16 , where the information identifying selectable objects in the video stream comprises information defining respective regions of the video stream associated with respective selectable objects in the video stream. 
     
     
         20 . A method for identifying a user-selected object in a video stream, the method comprising:
 in a display device:
 communicating the video stream for presentation on a screen, the video stream comprising user-selectable objects; 
 determining an on-screen pointing location; 
 identifying a set of user-selectable objects in the video stream, at least in part, on the on-screen pointing location; 
 determining whether the set of user-selectable objects belongs to a group of related user-selectable objects; and 
 selecting the user-selectable object based on whether the user-selectable object belongs to the group of related user-selectable objects.