System and method to identify an item depicted when media content is displayed

Abstract

A method includes receiving, at a media device, media content from a media content server. A portion of the media content includes a first item concurrently depicted with a second item. The method includes receiving an input indicating a selection of the second item within the media content. The method includes, in response to the input, sending an identification request for information corresponding to the second item to an identification server in response to the input. The identification request includes data relating to a depiction of the second item. The method also includes receiving the information from the identification server in response to the identification request. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 modifying, by a processing system including a processor, media content for display at a display device, wherein the modified media content comprises a first visual identifier associated with a first group of items depicted in the media content, the first group of items associated with a first group of metadata tags;   receiving, by the processing system, information regarding a selection of a first item depicted in the media content; and   generating, by the processing system, a first identification request,
 wherein in accordance with the first item being selected from the first group of items, the first identification request comprises a first metadata tag of the first group of metadata tags, and 
 wherein in accordance with the first item not being selected from the first group of items, the first identification request comprises first image data for the first item and first grid coordinates locating the first item on a grid displayed at the display device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the processing system, the first identification request; and   receiving, by the processing system, first information associated with the first item.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the media content is modified in response to receiving a first input. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first input corresponds to a pause command. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first information is received via a second input. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first input and the second input respectively comprise a user-generated input. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first group of items and the first item are depicted in a first scene of a plurality of scenes of the media content. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising obtaining, by the processing system, user preferences, wherein the first group of items in the first scene match the user preferences. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the media content is modified in response to receiving a first input corresponding to a first pause command, wherein the modified media content comprises a first modified version of the first scene, and further comprising:
 generating, by the processing system, a second modified version of a second scene of the plurality of scenes of the media content in response to receiving a third input corresponding to a second pause command, wherein the second modified version of the second scene comprises a second visual identifier associated with a second group of items in the second scene that match the user preferences and are associated with a second group of metadata tags; and   receiving, by the processing system, a fourth input corresponding to a second selection of a second item from items in the second scene.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first modified version of the first scene comprises an image of the first scene, and wherein the first visual identifier comprises a selectable visual identifier for each item of the first group of items. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first visual identifier comprises an icon associated with each item of the first group of items. 
     
     
         12 . A device comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:   modifying media content for display at a display device, wherein the modified media content comprises a first identifier associated with a first group of items depicted in the media content, the first group of items associated with a first group of metadata tags;   receiving information regarding a selection of a first item depicted in the media content; and   generating a first identification request,
 wherein in accordance with the first item being selected from the first group of items, the first identification request comprises a first metadata tag of the first group of metadata tags, and 
 wherein in accordance with the first item not being selected from the first group of items, the first identification request comprises first image data for the first item and first grid coordinates locating the first item on a grid displayed at the display device. 
   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the media content is modified in response to receiving a first input, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 transmitting, by the processing system, the first identification request; and   receiving, by the processing system, first information associated with the first item.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the first input corresponds to a pause command, wherein the first information is received via a second input, wherein the first input and the second input respectively comprise a user-generated input. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the first group of items and the first item are depicted in a first scene of a plurality of scenes of the media content. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the first identifier comprises a first visual identifier including an icon associated with each item of the first group of items. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:
 modifying media content for display at a display device, wherein the modified media content comprises a first identifier associated with a first group of items depicted in the media content, the first group of items associated with a first group of metadata tags;   receiving information regarding a selection of a first item depicted in the media content; wherein the first group of items and the first item are depicted in a first scene of a plurality of scenes of the media content; and   generating a first identification request,
 wherein in accordance with the first item being selected from the first group of items, the first identification request comprises a first metadata tag of the first group of metadata tags, and 
 wherein in accordance with the first item not being selected from the first group of items, the first identification request comprises first image data for the first item and first grid coordinates locating the first item on a grid displayed at the display device. 
   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the media content is modified in response to receiving a first input, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 transmitting the first identification request; and   receiving first information associated with the first item.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the first input corresponds to a pause command, wherein the first information is received via a second input, wherein the first input and the second input respectively comprise a user-generated input. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the first identifier comprises a first visual identifier including an icon associated with each item of the first group of items.