Methods, systems, and computer program products for controlling play of media streams

• US 10,547,895 B1
• Filed: 02/06/2019
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Inventor Tech, LLC (Oso IP, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sitting Man LLC
• Inventors: Morris, Robert Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Huy T
• Application Number:
  US16/269,522
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• 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 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/00 Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4396 by muting the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4854 for modifying image parameters, e.g. image brightness, contrast

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for delaying presentation of an update to a user interface. In one aspect, first update information is received for sending to a display device to update a previously updated, existing visual component. A specified visibility condition is detected as not being met. In response to detecting the visibility condition is not met, the sending of the first update information is deferred. The visibility condition is detected as met. In response to detecting the visibility condition is met, the sending of the first update information to update the visual component is performed.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

means for detecting that a visibility condition associated with a visual component of a graphical user interface of a single application that includes at least a portion of a media stream is not met, where the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is detected as not being met in the event that at least a portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible based on a change in a size of an area in which the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is displayed, and further where the change in the size of the area is changed in response to user input on the graphical user interface of the single application that changes the location of the at least the portion of the media stream in the graphical user interface of the single application; and

further for detecting that the visibility condition is met; and

means for, in the event that the visibility condition is not met, automatically avoiding sending update information associated with the media stream to a display device to avoid an update of the visual component of the graphical user interface that includes the at least portion of the media stream, where the avoiding the sending of the update information associated with the media stream results in the at least portion of the media stream not being played; and

further for, in the event that the visibility condition is met, automatically sending the update information associated with the media stream to the display device to update the visual component of the graphical user interface that includes the at least portion of the media stream, where the sending of the update information associated with the media stream results in the at least portion of the media stream being played.

2. An apparatus, comprising:

a touchscreen;

a non-transitory memory storing instructions; and

circuitry in communication with the touchscreen and the non-transitory memory, wherein the apparatus is configured to;

detect that a visibility condition associated with a visual component of a graphical user interface of a single application that includes at least a portion of a media stream is not met, where the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is detected as not being met in the event that at least a portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible based on a change in a size of an area in which the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is displayed, and further where the change in the size of the area is changed in response to user input on the graphical user interface of the single application that changes the location of the at least the portion of the media stream in the graphical user interface of the single application;

in the event that the visibility condition is not met, automatically avoid sending update information associated with the media stream to the touchscreen to avoid an update of the visual component of the graphical user interface that includes the at least portion of the media stream, where the avoiding the sending of the update information associated with the media stream results in the at least portion of the media stream not being played;

detect that the visibility condition is met; and

in the event that the visibility condition is met, automatically send the update information associated with the media stream to the touchscreen to update the visual component of the graphical user interface that includes the at least portion of the media stream, where the sending of the update information associated with the media stream results in the at least portion of the media stream being played.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the update information is retrieved over a network before the detection that the visibility condition is met.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the update information is retrieved over a network in response to the detection that the visibility condition is met.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the update information is received over a network before the detection that the visibility condition is not met.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured such that, prior to the detection that visibility condition is met, the visual component of the graphical user interface that includes the at least portion of the media stream, includes a single image of the at least portion of the media stream.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is detected as not being met in the event that only part of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the detection that the visibility condition is met occurs prior to the detection that the visibility condition is not met, and where the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is detected as not being met in the event that the at least the portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible based on a change in the size of the area in which the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is displayed.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is detected as not being met in response to the area being scrolled until the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface becomes invisible.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the at least portion of the media stream is not played, by being stopped.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the sending the update information in the event that the visibility condition is met, is conditionally performed based on a user configuration.

12. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured such that:

the detection that the visibility condition is met occurs prior to the detection that the visibility condition is not met; and

an additional detection that the visibility condition is met occurs after the detection that the visibility condition is not met, such that, in response to the additional detection that the visibility condition is met, the update information associated with the media stream is again sent to the touchscreen to update the visual component of the graphical user interface that includes the at least portion of the media stream.

13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured such that:

the detection that the visibility condition is not met occurs prior to the detection that the visibility condition is met; and

an additional detection that the visibility condition is not met occurs after the detection that the visibility condition is met, such that, in response to the additional detection that the visibility condition is not met, sending of the update information associated with the media stream to the touchscreen is avoided to avoid further update of the visual component of the graphical user interface that includes the at least portion of the media stream.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the visual component of the graphical user interface includes a window of the single application, the single application including at least one media player.

15. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the graphical user interface includes at least a portion of a plurality of media streams, and particular update information associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of media streams is sent to the touchscreen based on a detection that the visibility condition is met with respect to the corresponding one of the plurality of media streams.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the particular update information is sent in connection with only a single one of the plurality of media streams, at a time.

17. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured such that:

the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is detected as not being met in the event that the at least the portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible based on a change in the size of the area in which the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is displayed;

the graphical user interface includes at least a portion of a plurality of media streams, and particular update information associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of media streams is sent to the touchscreen based on a detection that the visibility condition is met with respect to the corresponding one of the plurality of media streams, where the particular update information is sent in connection with only a single one of the plurality of media streams, at a time; and

the sending the update information in the event that the visibility condition is met, is conditionally performed based on a user configuration.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is detected as not being met in response to the area being scrolled until the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface that includes the at least portion of the media stream becomes invisible.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is configured such that:

the detection that the visibility condition is met occurs prior to the detection that the visibility condition is not met; and

an additional detection that the visibility condition is met occurs after the detection that the visibility condition is not met, such that, in response to the additional detection that the visibility condition is met, the update information associated with the media stream is again sent to the touchscreen to update the visual component of the graphical user interface that includes the at least portion of the media stream.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is configured such that:

the detection that the visibility condition is not met occurs prior to the detection that the visibility condition is met; and

an additional detection that the visibility condition is not met occurs after the detection that the visibility condition is met, such that, in response to the additional detection that the visibility condition is not met, sending of the update information associated with the media stream to the touchscreen is avoided to avoid further update of the visual component of the graphical user interface that includes the at least portion of the media stream.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the update information is retrieved over a network before the detection that the visibility condition is met.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the update information is retrieved over a network in response to the detection that the visibility condition is met.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the update information is received over a network before the detection that the visibility condition is not met.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is configured such that, prior to the detection that visibility condition is met, the visual component of the graphical user interface that includes the at least portion of the media stream, includes a single image of the at least portion of the media stream.

25. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least one of:

the update information is received over a network;

the update information is received from memory of the apparatus;

the update information that is sent in the event that the visibility condition is met, is different from the update information that is avoided from being sent in the event that the visibility condition is not met;

the update information that is sent in the event that the visibility condition is met, is the same as the update information that is avoided from being sent in the event that the visibility condition is not met;

the update information that is sent in the event that the visibility condition is met, and the update information that is avoided from being sent in the event that the visibility condition, are mutually exclusive;

the update information that is sent in the event that the visibility condition is met, and the update information that is avoided from being sent in the event that the visibility condition, have at least a portion of overlap;

the graphical user interface includes a software the graphical user interface;

the detection that the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is met, occurs before the detection that the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is not met;

the detection that the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is not met, occurs before the detection that the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is met;

the avoiding the sending of the update information includes avoiding the sending of the update information until the media stream is restarted;

the avoiding the sending of the update information includes avoiding the sending of the update information until the media stream is restarted, where the restarting includes sending other update information before the update information is sent;

the avoiding the sending of the update information includes avoiding the sending of the update information until the media stream is continued;

the avoiding includes deferring;

the avoiding includes a temporary avoiding;

the update information is associated with the at least portion of the media stream, by including the at least portion of the media stream;

the update information is associated with the at least portion of the media stream, by including content that can be processed so as to take the form of the at least portion of the media stream;

the update information is associated with an entirety of the media stream;

the update information is associated with only part of the media stream;

the visual component of the graphical user interface is updated by being supplemented;

the visual component of the graphical user interface is updated by being replaced;

the visual component of the graphical user interface is updated by continuing to play the at least portion of the media stream;

the visual component of the graphical user interface is updated by initiating a play of the at least portion of the media stream;

the visual component includes a window in which the at least portion of the media stream is included;

the visual component includes a window in which the at least portion of the media stream is played;

the area includes a portion of a presentation space of the touchscreen;

the area includes a portion of the graphical user interface;

the area in which the at least portion of the media stream is displayed, is capable of being changed by a user;

the area in which the at least portion of the media stream is displayed, is capable of being changed by a user in response to a detection of a scrolling action of the user that moves the area to be moved outside a presentation space of the touchscreen;

the area in which the at least portion of the media stream is displayed, is capable of being changed by a user in response to a detection of a browsing action of the user that causes the area to be moved outside a presentation space associated with the touchscreen;

the area in which the at least portion of the media stream is displayed, is capable of being changed by a user in response to a detection of a scrolling action of the user that causes the area to be moved outside a presentation space associated with the touchscreen;

the area in which the at least portion of the media stream is displayed, is capable of being changed by a user in response to a detection of a scrolling action of the user that causes the visual component to be moved outside a presentation space associated with the touchscreen;

the area in which the at least portion of the media stream is displayed, is capable of being changed by a user in response to a detection of a scrolling action of the user that causes the area to be moved outside the graphical user interface;

the area in which the at least portion of the media stream is displayed, is capable of being changed by a user in response to a detection of a scrolling action of the user that causes the visual component to be moved outside the graphical user interface;

the area in which the at least portion of the media stream is displayed, is capable of being changed by a user in response to a detection of a scrolling action of the user that causes the area to be moved outside a scope of the graphical user interface;

the area in which the at least portion of the media stream is displayed, is capable of being changed by a user in response to a detection of a scrolling action of the user that causes the visual component to be moved outside a scope of the graphical user interface;

the area in which the at least portion of the media stream is displayed, is capable of being changed by a user in response to a detection of a scrolling action of the user caused by the user scrolling an interface via a touchscreen;

the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is detected as not being met in the event that the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible, by detecting how much of the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is visible;

the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is detected as not being met in the event that the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible, by detecting how much of the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible;

the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is detected as not being met in the event that the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible, by detecting a location of the at least portion of the visual component in the graphical user interface;

the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is detected as not being met in the event that the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible, by detecting a location of the at least portion of the visual component in a presentation space of the touchscreen;

the at least portion of the media stream includes only a part of the media stream;

the at least portion of the media stream is not played by being paused;

the at least portion of the media stream is not played by being stopped;

the at least portion of the media stream includes an entirety of the media stream;

the at least portion of the media stream that is included in the visual component when the visibility condition is met is the same as the at least portion of the media stream that is included in the visual component when the visibility condition is not met;

the at least portion of the media stream that is included in the visual component when the visibility condition is met is different from the at least portion of the media stream that is included in the visual component when the visibility condition is not met;

a first part of the at least portion of the media stream that is included in the visual component when the visibility condition is met is the same as a second part of the at least portion of the media stream that is included in the visual component when the visibility condition is not met;

a first part of the at least portion of the media stream that is included in the visual component when the visibility condition is met is different from a second part of the at least portion of the media stream that is included in the visual component when the visibility condition is not met;

the at least portion of the media stream that is played is the same as the at least portion of the media stream that is not played when the visibility condition is not met;

the at least portion of the media stream that is played is different from the at least portion of the media stream that is not played when the visibility condition is not met;

a first part of the at least portion of the media stream that is played when the visibility condition is met is the same as a second part of the at least portion of the media stream that is not played when the visibility condition is not met;

a first part of the at least portion of the media stream that is played when the visibility condition is met is different from a second part of the at least portion of the media stream that is not played when the visibility condition is not met;

the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface includes an entirety of the visual component of the graphical user interface;

the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface includes only part of the visual component of the graphical user interface;

the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible as a result of the at least portion of the visual component residing outside a presentation space of the touchscreen;

the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible as a result of the at least portion of the visual component no longer being within a presentation space of the touchscreen;

the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible as a result of the at least portion of the visual component no longer being within the graphical user interface;

the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible based on the size of the area, by the size of the area being reduced;

the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible based on the size of the area, by the size of the area being reduced, so as to be no longer be within a presentation space of the touchscreen;

the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible based on the size of the area, by the size of the area being reduced, so as to no longer be within the graphical user interface;

the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible based on the size of the area, by the size of the area being enlarged insufficiently;

the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible based on the size of the area, by the size of the area being enlarged insufficiently, so as to not yet be sufficiently within a presentation space of the touchscreen;

the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible based on the size of the area, by the size of the area being enlarged insufficiently, so as to not yet be within the graphical user interface;

the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible based on the size of the area not surpassing a threshold size;

the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible based on the size of the area, by the area not extending to a threshold location on the graphical user interface;

the avoiding the sending includes an access to at least one of a semaphore;

a lock;

a presentation space;

a component of a presentation subsystem;

a component of a user interface element;

a display adapter;

a touchscreen, an audio adapter;

an audio presentation device;

a tactile output subsystem;

a tactile output device and/or resource of a tactile output device;

an access control component;

a serialization component;

or a synchronization component;

the avoiding the sending includes storing the update information in a storage location included in at least one of an instruction processing unit (IPU) memory or a persistent secondary data store;

the visibility condition is based on at least one of a resizing of a changed visual component, a restoring of the changed visual component from a minimized state, an assigning input focus to the changed visual component, a removing input focus from the changed visual component, a change in a z-order attribute of the change visual component, a change in a transparency attribute of the changed visual component, a change in a count of visible visual components including the changed visual component presented by the touchscreen, and change in location of the changed visual component in a presentation space of the touchscreen;

or

the visibility condition is based on at least one of an application presenting the visual component, an attribute of the touchscreen, a user, a group, a task, a role, a measure of time, an attribute of the visual component, and a detectable ambient condition;

the visibility condition is based on at least a portion of at least one of a size of a visible and hidden visual component, a measure of transparency of at least one of the visual component and another visual component overlaying at least a portion of the visual component, a z-order attribute, a measure of readability of a text element included in the visual component, and a measure of user awareness of the visual component;

the circuitry includes a processor;

the circuitry includes a processor including at least one of a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, a graphics processing unit, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA);

the apparatus includes a processor;

the apparatus includes a processor including at least one of a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, a graphics processing unit, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA);

the updating includes at least one of adding a visual element to the visual component, removing a visual element from the visual component, or changing at least one of a color, font, size, location, transparency, text representation, or a visually detectable attribute of a visual element included in the visual component;

or

the visual component at least one of includes or is included in at least of a window, a textbox, a button, a check box, a radio button, a slider, a spin box, a list box, a drop-down list, a menu, a menu item, a toolbar, a ribbon, a combo box, a tree view, a grid view, a navigation tab, a scrollbar, a label, a tooltip, a balloon, and a dialog box.

31. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the change in the size of the area is changed in response to the user input being on the media stream.

32. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the change in the size of the area is changed in response to the user input being on a media player interface element that displays the media stream.

26. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium that, when used by an apparatus, causes the apparatus to:

detect that a visibility condition associated with a visual component of a graphical user interface of a single application that includes at least a portion of a media stream is not met, where the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is detected as not being met in the event that at least a portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible based on a change in a size of an area in which the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is displayed, and further where the change in the size of the area is changed in response to user input on the graphical user interface of the single application that changes the location of the at least the portion of the media stream in the graphical user interface of the single application;

in the event that the visibility condition is not met, automatically avoid sending update information associated with the media stream to a display device to avoid an update of the visual component of the graphical user interface that includes the at least portion of the media stream, where the avoiding the sending of the update information associated with the media stream results in the at least portion of the media stream not being played via the visual component of the graphical user interface;

detect that the visibility condition is met; and

in the event that the visibility condition is met, automatically send the update information associated with the media stream to the display device to update the visual component of the graphical user interface that includes the at least portion of the media stream, where the sending of the update information associated with the media stream results in the at least portion of the media stream being played via the visual component of the graphical user interface.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the computer executable instructions, when used by the apparatus, causes the apparatus to operate such that the avoiding the sending of the update information associated with the media stream results in the at least portion of the media stream not being played via the visual component of the graphical user interface by being played via another visual component, and the at least portion of the media stream is again played via the visual component of the graphical user interface, in response to detecting that the visibility condition is met, after detecting that the visibility condition is not met.

28. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the instructions are part of a web page.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the computer executable instructions, when used by the apparatus, causes the apparatus to operate such that the visibility condition associated with the visual component of the graphical user interface is detected as not being met in the event that the at least the portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is invisible based on a change in the size of the area in which the at least portion of the visual component of the graphical user interface is displayed, and the change in the size of the area is detected in response to a detection of a user browsing the web page.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the computer executable instructions, when used by the apparatus, causes the apparatus to operate such that the avoiding the sending of the update information associated with the media stream results in the at least portion of the media stream not being played via the visual component of the graphical user interface by being played via another visual component, and the at least portion of the media stream is again played via the visual component of the graphical user interface, in response to detecting that the visibility condition is met, after detecting that the visibility condition is not met.