Method, apparatus and system for providing access to product data

Abstract

VISUAL IMAGE MARKETING (VIM) is a system whereby the visual image on a film or television program is utilized to market that specific product. In VIM, film.backslash.television is combined with computer technology to provide real-time or delayed access to product data. Viewers identify a product or object displayed in a video, television show or movie and by merely pointing and clicking on the object to obtain marketing and other data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system using a computer, comprising:
 an input for receiving video content of a captured data; the video data comprises a set of one or more frames;   a device for selecting a region within the video data; and   a place holder creator module for creating a place holder within the video data; the place holder is created based on the selection of a region; the place holder is configured to enable an insertion of information from a database of information to the video data; the place holder is further configured to enable the insertion such that the information is consistent with an environment of the video data;   a computer for matching the information from the database of information to the placeholder according to the content of the video data.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the video content comprises more than one frame. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the region is selected in an image frame; and   the place holder creator module determines the place holder in a set of frames comprising at least the image frame in which the region is selected and another frame.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  further comprising a tracking module for computing tracking data; the tracking data comprises tracking an area within a frame of the video data; the place holder creator module determines the place holder according to the tracking data. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the place holder creator module determines the place holder according to a location identified by a camera. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the place holder creator module utilizes a portion of the selection of the region in the image frame for inserting the information into the video data in a manner so as to be displayed to a user according to the video data. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising an input for receiving processed data associated with the video data, including an identification associated with the place holder. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  operationally coupled to a storage device for storing data relating to the place holder. 
     
     
         9 . A system using a computer, comprising:
 an input for receiving processed data associated with a video data of a captured video; the video data comprises a set of one or more frames; the processed data comprises a place holder and an identification; the identification is associated with the place holder;   an interface to an information database comprising at least one piece of information;   a module for selecting information from the information database according to the processed data; the at least one piece of information is designated to be inserted to a portion of the place holder; wherein the at least one piece of information is designated to be inserted to a portion of the place holder.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the place holder is configured to enable an insertion of the at least one piece of information to a portion of the place holder; the place holder is further configured to enable the insertion such that the at least one piece of information is consistent with an environment of the video data. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processed data comprises a plurality of place holders. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the identification is associated with one place holder. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the place holder defines a first region in a frame of the video content, the first region being spaced from a second region in the frame. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one piece of information inserted into the video content is a URL. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising a connection for sending the at least one piece of information to a computing device. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising the computing device; the computing device is configured to display the video content and the at least one piece of information. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the module for selecting information from the information database is configured such that, as a user views different objects, marketing data may be collected that can be used to assist in future product placement. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the information varies with demographic information regarding a user. 
     
     
         19 . A computerized system comprising:
 an input for receiving video data of a captured video; the video data comprises a set of one or more frames;   an input device for receiving input from a first user;   a device for determining data associated with the video data; the data associated with the video data comprises:
 a place holder defining a region within a portion of the set of one or more frames; the region is based on input received by the input device; 
 an identification associated with the place holder; 
   a database accessed by a computer for storing the data associated with the video data;   a network for sending the video content to a computing device;   an information database; and   a computer for selecting a piece of information from the information database according to the place holder, the identification and the computing device.   
     
     
         20 . The computerized system of  claim 19  wherein the computing displays the captured video and the selected piece of information to a user; the selected piece of information is displayed according to the place holder.