IP Library Granted Patent US 12,627,850
Granted Patent B2
US 12,627,850 · App. 18/138,424 · Granted May 12, 2026

Systems and methods for highlighting content within media assets

Inventors: Padmassri Chandrashekar (Karnataka, IN); Daina Emmanuel (Bangalore, IN); Reda Harb (Issaquah, WA)
Assignee: Adeia Guides Inc.
H04N21/4316H04N5/45H04N21/4532H04N21/47815H04N21/4888H04N21/845H04N21/858
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,627,850
App. No.
18/138,424
Granted
May 12, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are described herein for highlighting objects with a primary content that are likely to be of interest to a user viewing the primary content. More particularly, when the system receives a segment of primary content to be displayed on a user equipment device for consumption, the system analyzes the received segment to identify an object within the received segment. The system then checks a database storing supplemental content to determine whether supplemental content associated with the identified object is available. When supplemental content associated with the identified object is available within the database, the system modifies the received segment of the primary content to highlight the identified object and displays the modified segment of the primary content on the user equipment device for consumption.

Claims (76)

1 . A method comprising:

accessing a primary content to be displayed on a user equipment device, wherein the primary content comprises a segment to be displayed at a first time during presentation of the primary content, and wherein the segment is indicated in a data structure associated with the primary content;

identifying at least one upcoming advertisement break indicated in the data structure, wherein the at least one upcoming advertisement break is scheduled to occur at a second time during the presentation of the primary content to interrupt the display of the primary content with at least one advertisement, and wherein the second time is later than the first time;

in response to identifying the at least one upcoming advertisement break, analyzing the segment of the primary content to identify a first object within the segment;

identifying supplemental content associated with the first object;

in response to determining that the supplemental content associated with the first identified object is available:

(i) modifying the segment of the primary content to highlight the first identified object; and

(ii) generating, for simultaneous display on the user equipment device, the modified segment of the primary content and at least one user selectable option for display with the modified segment of the primary content, wherein the at least one user selectable option comprises a first option to pause the primary content to view the supplemental content; and

in response to receiving data indicative of a user selection of the first option to pause the primary content to view the supplemental content:

modifying the indication of the at least one upcoming advertisement break in the data structure, to cause removal of the at least one upcoming advertisement break, previously scheduled to occur at the second time during the presentation of the primary content, from the presentation of the primary content; and

providing the supplemental content for display on the user equipment device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental content to be displayed on the user equipment device is determined based on a content consumption profile associated with a first user consuming the primary content, and wherein the data structure comprises a manifest file.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one user selectable option is a first at least one user selectable option, wherein the supplemental content is first supplemental content, the method further comprising:

analyzing a second segment of the primary content to identify a second object within the second segment; and

in response to determining that second supplemental content associated with the second identified object is available:

(i) modifying the second segment of the primary content to highlight the second identified object; and

(ii) generating a second at least one user selectable option for display with the modified second segment of the primary content, wherein the second at least one user selectable option comprises the first option to pause the primary content to view the second supplemental content.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

in response to not receiving data indicative of a user selection of the second at least one user selectable option, processing a third segment of the primary content to be displayed on the user equipment device.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the generating the second at least one user selectable option comprises:

generating a second option to simultaneously display the primary content and the second supplemental content, wherein the second supplemental content is displayed in a picture-in-picture mode;

generating a third option to transmit the second supplemental content for display on a second user equipment device; and

generating a fourth option to view a purchase offer related to the second identified object.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

in response to receiving data indicative of the user selection of the second option to simultaneously display the primary content and the second supplemental content, providing the first supplemental content for simultaneous display with the primary content in a primary window and the second supplemental content on a secondary window as an overlay over the primary window.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

preventing an audio component associated with the primary content from being output while displaying the second supplemental content in the secondary window; and

providing for simultaneous display closed-captioning data associated with the primary content and the first supplemental content on the user equipment device.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the segment of the primary content to identify the first object within the segment comprises:

identifying a plurality of objects within the segment; and

from among the plurality of objects, prioritizing the first identified object to be highlighted based on user preferences.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein prioritizing the first identified object to be highlighted based on user preferences comprises:

retrieving a web browser history associated with a content consumption profile;

identifying at least one product included in the web browser history;

comparing the at least one product included in the web browser history to the plurality of identified objects within the segment; and

prioritizing the first identified object, based on determining a match between the first identified object and the at least one product included in the web browser history.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the segment of the primary content to highlight the first identified object comprises adding at least one of: an icon adjacent to the first identified object, a colored outline around the first identified object, or a shaded overlay over the first identified object.

11 . A system comprising:

a storage database configured to store supplemental content associated with a plurality of objects; and

control circuitry configured to:

access a primary content to be displayed on a user equipment device, wherein the primary content comprises a segment to be displayed at a first time during presentation of the primary content, and wherein the segment is indicated in a data structure associated with the primary content;

identify at least one upcoming advertisement break indicated in the data structure, wherein the at least one upcoming advertisement break is scheduled to occur at a second time during the presentation of the primary content to interrupt the display of the primary content with at least one advertisement, and wherein the second time is later than the first time;

in response to identifying the at least one upcoming advertisement break, analyze the segment of the primary content to identify a first object within the segment;

identify supplemental content associated with the first object;

in response to determining that the supplemental content associated with the first identified object is available:

(i) modify the segment of the primary content to highlight the first identified object; and

(ii) generate, for simultaneous display on the user equipment device, the modified segment of the primary content and at least one user selectable option for display with the modified segment of the primary content, wherein the at least one user selectable option comprises a first option to pause the primary content to view the supplemental content; and

in response to receiving data indicative of a user selection of the first option to pause the primary content to view the supplemental content:

modify the indication of the at least one upcoming advertisement break in the data structure, to cause removal of the at least one upcoming advertisement break, previously scheduled to occur at the second time during the presentation of the primary content, from the presentation of the primary content; and

provide the supplemental content for display on the user equipment device.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine the supplemental content to be displayed on the user equipment device based on a content consumption profile associated with a first user consuming the primary content, and wherein the data structure comprises a manifest file.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one user selectable option is a first at least one user selectable option, wherein the supplemental content is first supplemental content, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

analyze a second segment of the primary content to identify a second object within the second segment; and

in response to determining that second supplemental content associated with a second identified object is available:

(i) modify the second segment of the primary content to highlight the second identified object; and

(ii) generate a second at least one user selectable option for display with the modified second segment of the primary content, wherein the second at least one user selectable option comprises the first option to pause the primary content to view the second supplemental content.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

in response to not receiving data indicative of a user selection of the second at least one user selectable option, process a third segment of the primary content to be displayed on the user equipment device.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to generate the second at least one user selectable option by:

generating a second option to simultaneously display the primary content and the second supplemental content, wherein the second supplemental content is displayed in a picture-in-picture mode;

generating a third option to transmit the second supplemental content for display on a second user equipment device; and

generating a fourth option to view a purchase offer related to the second identified object.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

in response to receiving data indicative of the user selection of the second option to simultaneously display the primary content and the second supplemental content, provide the first supplemental content for simultaneous display with the primary content in a primary window and the second supplemental content on a secondary window as an overlay over the primary window.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

prevent an audio component associated with the primary content from being output while displaying the second supplemental content in the secondary window; and

provide for simultaneous display closed-captioning data associated with the primary content and the first supplemental content on the user equipment device.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of objects is a first plurality of objects, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to analyze the segment of the primary content to identify the first object within the segment by:

identifying a second plurality of objects within the segment; and

from among the second plurality of objects, prioritizing the first identified object to be highlighted based on user preferences.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to prioritize the first identified object to be highlighted based on user preferences by:

retrieving a web browser history associated with a content consumption profile;

identifying at least one product included in the web browser history;

comparing the at least one product included in the web browser history to the plurality of identified objects within the segment; and

prioritizing the first identified object, based on determining a match between the first identified object and the at least one product included in the web browser history.

20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to modify the segment of the primary content to highlight the first identified object by adding at least one of: an icon adjacent to the first identified object, a colored outline around the first identified object, or a shaded overlay over the first identified object.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 4, 2024
From: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
To: ADEIA GUIDES INC.
Reel/Frame 069113/0399 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2023
From: CHANDRASHEKAR, PADMASSRI; EMMANUEL, DAINA; HARB, REDA
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 063421/0315 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17364082 · Jun 30, 2021
Related Publication 20230412870A1 · Dec 21, 2023
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