Interactive Menu via Streaming Video Overlay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumer electronics devices in home entertainment systems have limited graphics capabilities to reduce costs, making it difficult to provide a rich user experience without expensive graphics rendering engines, specifically in creating engaging menu systems.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to deliver interactive menus through streaming content providers using looping video clips over a video channel and side channel data, which includes navigable menu elements, their states, and navigation logic, allowing for seamless user interaction without requiring powerful processing for 3D rendering engines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If expensive graphics rendering engines are used to create rich menu systems, then user experience quality improves, but device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses video clips as visual copies of menu elements instead of rendering them in real-time. Pre-rendered video clips containing menu graphics are played back on the display, eliminating the need for expensive 3D graphics engines while maintaining visual quality. The video clips are synchronized with the menu navigation states, creating the illusion of dynamic graphics without requiring graphics processing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs looping video clips that continuously play to display menu elements. The video clips are designed to loop seamlessly, providing continuous visual feedback for menu navigation. This periodic playback approach replaces complex real-time rendering with simple video playback, reducing processing requirements while maintaining engaging visual presentation.
2Ease of operation
If real-time graphics rendering is implemented for menu display, then visual engagement improves, but processing speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Menu graphics are pre-rendered into video clips before being transmitted to the client device. All complex graphical processing is performed in advance during video clip creation, not during menu navigation. The client device simply plays back the pre-prepared video clips, achieving high visual engagement with minimal processing speed requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of rendering graphics in real-time, the system uses pre-rendered video clip copies that contain all the visual information needed for menu display. These video clips are synchronized with menu state changes, providing visually engaging feedback without requiring fast graphics processing capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If complex menu rendering is performed on the client device, then menu functionality improves, but device processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces video clips as an intermediary medium between the menu system and the display. The server generates and transmits video clips containing menu graphics, which then serve as the visual representation of menu elements. This intermediary approach transfers processing power from the client device to the server, enabling complex menu functionality on devices with limited processing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses video clip copies to represent menu elements, transferring all graphical processing requirements to the server side. The client device receives and plays back these video clips without needing to perform any complex rendering operations, enabling rich menu functionality on low-power devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of providing a menu for video content is disclosed and may include delivering a looping video clip over a first video channel. The looping video clip may be configured to be displayed on a video plane. The method may also include delivering side channel data over a second video channel. The side channel data may include two or more navigable menu elements that may be configured to be displayed on a graphics overlay plane.