Patent Application
20120131624
This invention relates generally to video signal processing. More particularly, this invention relates to the construction of tagged video data by multiple users to provide enhanced capabilities to identify video content of interest.
With the proliferation of video-on-demand, consumers now have access to massive libraries of video content. Traditionally, video service provider's have offered limited search capabilities. Search criteria is typically limited to titles and show descriptions. There is no ability, for example, to find movies with “classic cars” or clothes by a specific designer. Providing additional search criteria is a challenge in view of the volume of content and possible criteria.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide improved techniques for documenting and searching video content.
A set-top box provides the ability to receive video content from a remote source and display it on a television screen or monitor. A receiver receives video content. An audio/video processor processes the video content. A processor executes tag collection instructions that prompt a user to enter tag data characterizing the video content.
A video content source is typically an array of processing units and databases, but in its simplest form includes a processor and a download module executed by the processor to download or stream selected videos from a video library. A tag collection module executed by the processor receives tag data from users viewing the selected videos from different set-top boxes. The tag data provides content descriptors from the users for the selected videos. A tag search module executed by the processor searches the tag data from the users in response to a search command from a user.
The invention allows users to characterize videos and individual scenes with tag data. Over time, the tag data grows to provide users with an enormous range of search options and criteria. The invention leverages participation from many users to benefit the community of users. This is a form of “crowd sourcing” where tasks traditionally performed by an employee or contractor are “outsourced” to a large group of people (a crowd).
The invention is more fully appreciated in connection with the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
A video content processor 106 is also connected to the communication channel 104. The video content processor 106 is typically an array of processing units and databases, but in a simplified form includes standard electronic components, such as a central processing unit 108 and a memory 110 storing executable instructions to implement operations of the invention. A download module 112 is executed by the processor 108 to selectively download or stream requested videos (e.g., Video_1 through Video_N) from a video library 114.
The memory 110 also includes a tag collection module 116. The tag collection module 116 includes executable instructions executed by the processor 108 to receive tag data from a set of users viewing selected videos on the set-top boxes (102_1 through 102_N). The tag data is supplied by the users to provide content descriptors for the selected videos. For example, if a user is watching “To Catch a Thief”, the user may “tag” Grace Kelly's car scene with “Grace Kelly”, “Classic Car” and/or “Sunbeam-Talbot Alpine Sports MK I Roadster”. A tag may be associated with an individual scene and/or the entire video. A tag may be associated with a time coded segment of video (e.g., content offset 1 hour and 3 minutes from the start).
The memory 110 also includes a tag search module 118. The tag search module 118 includes executable instructions executed by the processor 108 to search the tag data from all of the users in response to a search command from one of the users, as further discussed below.
The set-top box 102 is operative in connection with a remote control 216. In one embodiment, the remote control 216 includes a button 218 to initiate a tag collection operation and a button 220 to initiate a tag search operation. Alternately, pull-down menus associated with the display may be used to invoke these operations.
In response to the tag command, a tag template is supplied 302. The tag template is then used to collect tag data 304.
Alternately, selectable tags 406 may be used to characterize the content. The selectable tags are designated using the remote 216. In this case, a pre-existing lexicon is invoked to characterize the content and thereby provides some normalization of the characterizations supplied by disparate users.
Other approaches to generating tagged content may also be used. For example, the tag command may be received by the set-top box 102 and then be passed to the tag collection module 116 of the video content processor 106. The tag collection module 116 may then email the user a tag template that includes a show title, scene index and a screen shot. The email may also include an embedded link, which when activated prompts the user for tag data.
Returning to
Thus, the invention provides a technique for leveraging the work of many individuals to provide a tagging scheme for large volumes of video content. The technique allows an individual to easily retrieve favorite video content by invoking tags previously placed by the individual. In addition, the technique allows an individual to discover content tagged by other individuals participating in the system.
An embodiment of the present invention relates to a computer storage product with a computer readable storage medium having computer code thereon for performing various computer-implemented operations. The media and computer code may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the present invention, or they may be of the kind well known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts. Examples of computer-readable media include, but are not limited to: magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape; optical media such as CD-ROMs, DVDs and holographic devices; magneto-optical media; and hardware devices that are specially configured to store and execute program code, such as application-specific integrated circuits (“ASICs”), programmable logic devices (“PLDs”) and ROM and RAM devices. Examples of computer code include machine code, such as produced by a compiler, and files containing higher-level code that are executed by a computer using an interpreter. For example, an embodiment of the invention may be implemented using JAVA®, C++, or other object-oriented programming language and development tools. Another embodiment of the invention may be implemented in hardwired circuitry in place of, or in combination with, machine-executable software instructions.
The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that specific details are not required in order to practice the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed; obviously, many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, they thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the following claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.
