METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN MEDIA CONTENT

摘要

A unique identifier is used to identify products and services in media content in a method which includes receiving a request for information regarding a product or service identifiable in content being presented on a display, in response to the received request, determining a unique identifier for the product or service, determining if information for an alternate product or service should be returned in response to the request and if alternate product or service information should be returned in response to the request, determining a unique identifier for the alternate product or service. The process further includes searching for the unique identifier of the product or service in the original request or the alternate product or service in a database of unique identifiers to obtain product or service information for the product or service for which information is to be returned. The information retrieved can include sales information.