Digital media asset browsing with audio cues

• US 10,095,472 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bachman, William M., Wasko, Timothy, Sanders, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiberou, Mahelet
• Application Number:
  US14/929,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20160054978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatus for image-based browsing through a plurality of digital media assets assisted by media cues are disclosed. The media cues can be provided by playback of short audio segments, referred to as snippets, of the digital media assets being browsed. The digital media assets can be grouped into collections of digital media assets. In one embodiment, as a user browses through digital media assets using visual representations of the collections of digital media assets, media cues can be provided.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at an electronic device with one or more processors, memory, and a display;

displaying one or more images on the display, wherein a particular image of the one or more images is associated with a plurality of active regions associated with a plurality of different media assets, wherein the plurality of active regions are not visibly distinguishable;

detecting a first user input corresponding to a first active region of the plurality of active regions, wherein the first active region corresponds to a first region of the particular image;

upon detection of the first user input, initiating playback of a media snippet of a first media asset of the plurality of media assets;

detecting a second user input corresponding to a second active region of the plurality of active regions, where the second active region is distinct from the first active region, wherein the second active region corresponds to a second region of the particular image that is different from the first region of the particular image; and

upon detection of the second user input, initiating playback of a media snippet of a second media asset of the plurality of media assets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating playback of the media snippet of the second media asset of the plurality of media assets includes:

fading out the playback of the media snippet of the first media asset of the plurality of media assets; and

at the same time, fading in the playback of the media snippet of the second media asset of the plurality of media assets.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a list display request to display a list of media items associated with the plurality of media assets; and

in response to the list display request, displaying the list of media items corresponding to the plurality of media assets.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of media assets belong to an album, and the particular image is cover art for the album.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of media assets are user-formed mixture of digital media content, and the particular image is a mosaic formed from two or more images associated with the plurality of media assets.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein upon detection of the second user input, stopping short of completion of the playback of the first media asset and initiating playback of the media snippet of the second media asset of the plurality of media assets.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

while the media snippet of the second media asset is being played, detecting a user hovering input at the second active region for more than a predetermined time period; and

in response to detecting the user hovering input, initiating extended playback of the second media asset.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying one or more images on the display, wherein a particular image of the one or more images is associated with a plurality of active regions associated with a plurality of different media assets, wherein the plurality of active regions are not visibly distinguishable;

detecting a first user input corresponding to a first active region of the plurality of active regions, wherein the first active region corresponds to a first region of the particular image;

upon detection of the first user input, initiating playback of a media snippet of a first media asset of the plurality of media assets;

detecting a second user input corresponding to a second active region of the plurality of active regions, where the second active region is distinct from the first active region, wherein the second active region corresponds to a second region of the particular image that is different from the first region of the particular image; and

upon detection of the second user input, initiating playback of a media snippet of a second media asset of the plurality of media assets.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein initiating playback of the media snippet of the second media asset of the plurality of media assets includes:

fading out the playback of the media snippet of the first media asset of the plurality of media assets; and

at the same time, fading in the play back of the media snippet of the second media asset of the plurality of media assets.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a list display request to display a list of media items associated with the plurality of media assets; and

in response to the list display request, displaying the list of media items corresponding to the plurality of media assets.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of media assets belong to an album, and the particular image is cover art for the album.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of media assets are user-formed mixture of digital media content, and the first image is a mosaic formed from two or more images associated with the plurality of media assets.

13. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein upon detection of the second user input, stopping short of completion of the playback of the first media asset and initiating playback of the media snippet of the second media asset of the plurality of media assets.

14. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

while the media snippet of the second media asset is being played, detecting a user hovering input at the second active region for more than a predetermined time period; and

in response to detecting the user hovering input, initiating extended playback of the second media asset.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device with a display, cause the device to:

display one or more images on the display, wherein a particular image of the one or more images is associated with a plurality of active regions associated with a plurality of different media assets, wherein the plurality of active regions is not visibly distinguishable;

detect a first user input at corresponding to a first active region of the plurality of active regions, wherein the first active region corresponds to a first region of the particular image;

upon detection of the first user input, initiate playback of a media snippet of a first media asset of the plurality of media assets;

detect a second user input at corresponding to a second active region of the plurality of active regions, where the second active region is distinct from the first active region, wherein the second active region corresponds to a second region of the particular image that is different from the first region of the particular image; and

upon detection of the second user input, initiate playback of a media snippet of a second media asset of the plurality of media assets.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein initiating playback of the media snippet of the second media asset of the plurality of media assets includes:

fading out the playback of the media snippet of the first media asset of the plurality of media assets; and

at the same time, fading in the play back of the media snippet of the second media asset of the plurality of media assets.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions to:

receive a list display request to display a list of media items associated with the plurality of media assets; and

in response to the list display request, display the list of media items corresponding to the plurality of media assets.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of media assets belong to an album, and the particular image is cover art for the album.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of media assets are user-formed mixture of digital media content, and the first image is a mosaic formed from two or more images associated with the plurality of media assets.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein upon detection of the second user input, stopping short of completion of the playback of the first media asset and initiating playback of the media snippet of the second media asset of the plurality of media assets.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions to:

while the media snippet of the second media asset is being played, detect a user hovering input at the second active region for more than a predetermined time period; and

in response to detecting the user hovering input, initiate extended playback of the second media asset.