Leighton Y Chong

US Patent:

6496981, Dec 17, 2002

Filed:

Sep 19, 1997

Appl. No.:

08/933666

Inventors:

Douglass A. Wistendahl - Greenwich CT 06830
Leighton K. Chong - Honolulu HI 96821

International Classification:

H04N 710

US Classification:

725112, 725 61, 345731, 345619

Abstract:

A system for allowing media content to be used as an interactive media program comprises: (a) media content in the form of successive image display frames indexed in a time sequence; (b) object mapping data specifying the locations of objects appearing in the display of media content which are to be rendered interactive; (c) linkages provided through an associated interactive media program from the objects specified by the object mapping data to interactive functions to be performed upon selection of the objects in the display; and (d) a user system for operating the interactive media program in conjunction with the display of the media content by selecting an object appearing in an image display frame and performing the interactive function linked thereto. The invention includes an authoring system for generating the object mapping data for the media content. In a preferred interactive TV system, media content, in the form of movies, TV programs, advertising, and the like, can be presented as interactive media programs by transmitting the TV content with object mapping data (âhot spotsâ) to a set top box connected to a viewers TV.

US Patent:

7577978, Aug 18, 2009

Filed:

Jun 16, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/463949

Inventors:

Douglass A. Wistendahl - Bellport NY, US
Leighton K. Chong - Honolulu HI, US

International Classification:

H04N 7/173

US Classification:

725113, 725109, 725110, 725111, 725112, 725135, 725136

Abstract:

A system for converting TV content to an interactive TV game program uses viewer input pointing to “hot spot” objects in TV programs to enter answers in the game program. Viewers can point to hot spot objects whose locations are mapped in the image display frames of a TV program using a standard remote control and TV set-top box. In a preferred embodiment, the interactive TV game program is a crossword puzzle game offered through the TV's electronic program guide (EPG). Correct answers to the crossword puzzle clues can be entered by linkages from corresponding hot spot objects found in TV movies, ads, video spots, and other types of TV programs on the TV channels. Upon finding a hot spot object that corresponds to a correct answer, the viewer can use the directional arrow keys and “Select” or “Enter” key of the remote control to “click” on the object in the image display frame, and the corresponding answer is entered in the crossword puzzle being played, such as by changing transparent text overlaid on the grid of the crossword puzzle to a darkened color on the viewer's TV display, thus fixing the answer in the crossword puzzle. The viewer can enable “clue helpers” such as on-screen prompts or highlighting of clue answers to facilitate play. A viewer who does not use “clue helpers” may receive a higher score for each clue answer correctly found.

US Patent:

20020056136, May 9, 2002

Filed:

Mar 21, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/815020

Inventors:

Douglass Wistendahl - Bellport NY, US
Leighton Chong - Honolulu HI, US

International Classification:

H04N007/173

US Classification:

725/135000

Abstract:

A method for converting existing media content to interactive media content defines “hot spots” in a display frame of TV program content to trigger an interactive response when a viewer “clicks” on the “hot spots”. The “hot spots” are defined by N Data representing their positions in the display area, and are not hyperlink codes embedded in digital video data. By avoiding embedded codes, the underlying TV content can remain uncorrupted, and the hot spot position data can be readily authored as adjunct data without having to edit and process each frame of the TV content. The hot spot positions can be defined as coordinate locations in the display area, and the positions can be haloed in the display image. Another version is to define the hot spots as marker positions in an HTML-type “page” that is parsed or overlaid to display the hot spots at the appropriate positions in the display area. A standard remote can be adapted as a pointing device by using its directional arrows to toggle among haloed “hot spot” positions. The set-top box can also have its detection program for the remote control signals modified so that a series of arrow button presses can be interpreted as pointing in increments in “staircase” fashion to a position in the display area. Another adaptation is to point with a vector ray to a hot spot in the display area by pressing the directional arrows on the standard remote control. Another variation of the system is to detect the viewer's pointing at objects in a display with a mouse or pointing device, and send them as “reverse hot spot” or “no spot” data upstream to the cable head-end, and ultimately to a program sponsor or advertiser for the TV program.

US Patent:

20020111845, Aug 15, 2002

Filed:

Sep 13, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/954442

Inventors:

Leighton Chong - Honolulu HI, US

International Classification:

G06F017/60

US Classification:

705/008000

Abstract:

A 3-node online meeting planning system includes a secure computer as a first node which is protected from unauthorized access running a meeting planner application program for entering meeting planning data which includes sensitive data of persons authorized as attendees at a meeting event and non-sensitive group data, a public online site as a second node which receives only the non-sensitive group data uploaded from the first node and assembles a unique meeting group program for the group using the non-sensitive group data, and a private online site as a third node which receives the assembled meeting group program from the second node and the sensitive data downloaded from the first node and combines them in an online private meeting group site accessible only to authorized attendees of the meeting event. Using this 3-node system, the meeting planner at the secure computer can retain control of the sensitive data, while using the non-sensitive group data for resource browsing and meeting planning functions on the public online site, which may be an ASP meeting planner portal which has an interface and navigation schema familiar to meeting planners and provides high-powered search tools and links to other public sites. The private meeting group site can be made the hub for a wide range of transactions, fulfillment functions, and group communications functions for the meeting event.

US Patent:

57088454, Jan 13, 1998

Filed:

Sep 29, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/536107

Inventors:

Douglass A. Wistendahl - Greenwich CT
Leighton K. Chong - Honolulu HI

International Classification:

G06T 100

US Classification:

395806

Abstract:

A system for allowing media content to be used in an interactive digital media (IDM) program has Frame Data for the media content and object mapping data (N Data) representing the frame addresses and display location coordinates for objects appearing in the media content. The N Data are maintained separately from the Frame Data for the media content, so that the media content can be kept intact without embedded codes and can be played back on any system. The IDM program has established linkages connecting the objects mapped by the N Data to other functions to be performed in conjunction with display of the media content. Selection of an object appearing in the media content with a pointer results in initiation of the interactive function. A broad base of existing non-interactive media content, such as movies, videos, advertising, and television programming can be converted to interactive digital media use. An authoring system for creating IDM programs has an object outlining tool and a object motion tracking tool for facilitating the generation of N Data.