User control for displaying tags associated with items in a video playback

1 . A method of displaying a video with a set of tags selectively overlaid on the video, the method comprising:

causing a display device to display a sequence of video frames, wherein the video depicts a plurality of visually perceptible items, the video frames displayed in a tagless mode, wherein a plurality of possible tags are each associated with at least one visually perceptible items of the plurality of visually perceptible items;

receiving a user input indicating one or more keywords;

receiving a signal requesting that the video be displayed in a tag mode; and

responsive to receiving the signal:

determining a subset of tags based at least in part on the one or more keywords, wherein the subset of tags is a subset of the plurality of possible tags; and

overlaying the subset of tags on the video frames at specified positions, each of the subset of tags associated with at least one respective visually perceptible item appearing in the video,

wherein overlaying the subset of tags comprises:

maintaining a text box of a tag of the subset of tags in a stationary position on the display device while a corresponding visually perceptible item associated with the tag moves within the sequence of video frames; and

rendering a lead line extending from the stationary text box to a current position of the corresponding visually perceptible item as it moves.

2 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein said specified positions are coordinates within a frame of the video.

3 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the signal requesting that the video be displayed in a tag mode is generated in response to a user request to display the video in the tag mode.

4 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

when in the tag mode, receiving a request to display the video in a tagless mode; and

in response to receipt of the request to display the video in the tagless mode, causing the display device to display the video without the subset of tags overlaid on the video.

5 . A method according to claim 4 , wherein the request to display the video in the tag mode is generated in response to a user pressing a button on a remote control, and wherein the request to display the video in the tagless mode is generated in response to a user pressing the same button on the remote control.

6 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein a tag comprises text comprising information regarding the item associated with that tag.

7 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein a tag comprises one of a box or a border within which content of the tag is contained.

8 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein a tag has associated with it a lead line extending from the tag to the item in the video associated with that tag.

9 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein causing the display device to display the video in a tag mode comprises repeating a brief portion of the video prior to receipt of said signal with the subset of tags overlaid.

10 . An apparatus for use with a display device to display a video with a set of tags selectively overlaid on the video, the apparatus comprising:

a hardware processor operatively associated with the display device, the hardware processor configured to:

cause the display device to display a sequence of video frames, wherein the video depicts a plurality of visually perceptible items, the video frames displayed in a tagless mode, wherein a plurality of possible tags are each associated with at least one visually perceptible items of the plurality of visually perceptible items;

receive a user input indicating one or more keywords;

process a signal requesting that the video be displayed in a tag mode; and

responsive to receiving the signal:

determining a subset of tags based at least in part on the one or more keywords, wherein the subset of tags is a subset of the plurality of possible tags; and

overlay the subset of tags on the video frames at specified positions, each of the subset of tags associated with at least one respective visually perceptible item appearing in the video,

wherein overlaying the subset of tags comprises:

maintaining a text box of a tag of the subset of tags in a stationary position on the display device while a corresponding visually perceptible item associated with the tag moves within the sequence of video frames; and

rendering a lead line extending from the stationary text box to a current position of the corresponding visually perceptible item as it moves.

11 . An apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising:

the display device.

12 . An apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising:

a remote control communicatively coupled to the hardware processor and configured to generate the signal requesting that the video be displayed in a tag mode in response to a button press by a user.

13 . An apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to, when in the tag mode, process a request to display the video in a tagless mode and, in response to receipt of the request to display the video in the tagless mode, cause the display device to display the video without the subset of tags overlaid on the video, and wherein the same button on the remote control alternatively switches between the tag mode and the tagless mode.

14 . An apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein said specified positions are coordinates within a frame of the video.

15 . An apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein a tag comprises textual information regarding the item associated with that tag, wherein the tag comprises a box or a border within which the textual information is contained, and wherein the tag has associated with it a lead line extending from the tag to the item in the video associated with that tag.

16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions to cause a display device to display a sequence of video frames, wherein the video depicts a plurality of visually perceptible items, the video frames displayed in a tagless mode, wherein a plurality of possible tags are each associated with at least one visually perceptible items of the plurality of visually perceptible items;

instructions to receive a user input indicating one or more keywords;

instructions to process a signal requesting that the video be displayed in a tag mode; and

instructions to, responsive to receiving the signal:

determining a subset of tags based at least in part on the one or more keywords, wherein the subset of tags is a subset of the plurality of possible tags; and

overlay the subset of tags on the video frames at specified positions, each of the subset of tags associated with at least one respective visually perceptible item appearing in the video,

wherein overlaying the subset of tags comprises:

maintaining a text box of a tag of the subset of tags in a stationary position on the display device while a corresponding visually perceptible item associated with the tag moves within the sequence of video frames; and

rendering a lead line extending from the stationary text box to a current position of the corresponding visually perceptible item as it moves.

17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16 ,

wherein said specified positions are coordinates within a frame of the video.

18 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16 ,

wherein the signal requesting that the video be displayed in a tag mode is generated in response to a user request to display the video in the tag mode.

19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16 , further comprising:

instructions to, when in the tag mode, receive a request to display the video in a tagless mode; and

instructions to, in response to receipt of the request to display the video in the tagless mode, cause the display device to display a video scene without the subset of tags overlaid on the video.

20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 19 , wherein the request to display the video in the tag mode is generated in response to a user pressing a button on a remote control, and wherein the request to display the video in the tagless mode is generated in response to a user pressing the same button on the remote control.