Freezing live video frames with interactive links

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention allows a user to maintain the display of a video frame containing one or more interactive links while also maintaining access to the links. Thus allowing the user to select and examine any desired links at his own pace. For one embodiment, the display of a video frame is maintained by interrupting the refreshing of the frame buffer and the interactive link stream. Interrupting both the frame buffer refresh and the interactive link stream refresh results in the frame being “frozen” along with its associated links. For one embodiment, pressing a button on a control device effects the interruption of the frame buffer refresh and the interactive link refresh. The button may toggle to resume the video display. Alternatively, or additionally, the video display may resume if no action is taken in regard to the interactive links within a specified time.

1 . A method comprising
 while displaying the frame of the live video presentation, automatically storing for later use the frame of a the live video presentation when the number of interactive links associated with the frame of a the live video presentation is greater than the a number of interactive links which can be reviewed and assessed by a user in real-time;   maintaining a display of the automatically stored frame of a live video presentation having at least one interactive link for a predetermined time; and   maintaining access to the at least one interactive link associated with the automatically stored frame for the predetermined time.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein automatically storing the frame of the live video presentation is done in response to receiving user input. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein maintaining the display of the automatically stored frame of the live video presentation is done in response to receiving user input. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein maintaining a display of the automatically stored frame of the live video presentation includes interrupting a refreshing of a frame buffer. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein maintaining access to the at least one interactive link includes interrupting a refreshing of an interactive link stream. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein maintaining a display of the automatically stored frame of the live video presentation interrupts a display of the live video presentation. 
   
   
       7 . One or more computer-readable media containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
 while displaying the frame of the live video presentation, automatically storing for later use the frame of a the live video presentation when the number of interactive links associated with the frame of a the live video presentation is greater than the a number of interactive links which can be reviewed and assessed by a user in real-time;   maintaining a display of the automatically stored frame of a live video presentation having at least one interactive link for a predetermined time; and   maintaining access to the at least one interactive link associated with the automatically stored frame for the predetermined time.   
   
   
       8 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 7 , wherein automatically storing the frame of the live video presentation is done in response to receiving user input. 
   
   
       9 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 7 , wherein maintaining the display of the automatically stored frame of the live video presentation is done in response to receiving user input. 
   
   
       10 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 7 , wherein maintaining a display of the automatically stored frame of the live video presentation includes interrupting a refreshing of a frame buffer. 
   
   
       11 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 7 , wherein maintaining access to the at least one interactive link includes interrupting a refreshing of an interactive link stream. 
   
   
       12 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 7 , wherein maintaining a display of the automatically stored frame of the live video presentation interrupts a display of the live video presentation.