With Netflix already on its way to the PlayStation 3, it looks as if Sony may have even bigger plans in store for the console's media player functionality.

Siliconera dug up the new patent, which is said to mix Xbox LIVE's Netflix Party and Mystery Science Theater 3000, with the document actually naming the latter as an inspiration in its background section. The proposal would involve putting an overlay on a "media presentation," such as a movie or television show, and allow viewers/players to interact with it as they watch.

An example from the patent describes the process:

"For example, avatars displayed to a user, in response to user gestures in the real world, e.g. in response to manipulation of a game controller or other such expedient, may toss tomatoes that stick to the actor's face or bounce off the actor's face and roll along a table that appears in the movie or television show."

Sounds rather ambitious, in a way. Following the tomato example, the patent explains that this could be applied as a mini-game in which a player gets more points if they hit a star. "Overlays will act like virtual worlds with their own physics not related to the movie and tomato throwing avatars controlled by players," Siliconera explains.

Another example depicts a character kicking the butt of an actor, with a third example being a spider-shooting mini-game. Sony mentions other applications for the invention, such as a Where's Waldo-style game in which players search for characters, or a sponsored version of the tomato example, where players would chuck Coca-Cola cans instead of the red fruit.

For more illustrations of the patent's examples and further description of the spider-shooting mini-game, be sure to check out the post at Siliconera.