Systems and methods for modifying fast-forward speeds based on the user's reaction time when detecting points of interest in content

• US 10,728,624 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2017
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Singh, Gyanveer, Thomas, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman, Scott T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mrabi, Hassan
• Application Number:
  US15/858,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20190208282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 715720
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19665 Details related to the storage of video surveillance data television signal recording H04N5/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 Television signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for modifying a fast-forwarding speed based on a reaction time of a user when a frame of interest is detected. A media guidance application may receive a command from a user to fast-forward through a media asset and may execute a fast-forwarding operation through frames of the media asset. The media guidance application may detect that the fast-forwarding operation is approaching a frame of interest to the viewer. The media guidance application may reduce the fast-forwarding speed to a second speed slower than the first speed, where the second speed is determined based on an estimated reaction time of the user. The media guidance application may receive a command to resume playback from the user while the fast-forwarding operation is occurring at the second speed and may play back the media asset at a default playback speed from a point corresponding to a moment when the command was received.

Claims

1. A method for modifying a fast-forwarding speed based on a reaction time of a user when a frame of interest is detected, comprising:

receiving a command from a user to fast-forward through a media asset;

in response to receiving the command, executing a fast-forwarding operation through frames of the media asset at a first speed;

detecting that the fast-forwarding operation is approaching a frame of interest to the viewer;

in response to detecting that the fast-forwarding operation is approaching the frame of interest, reducing the fast-forwarding speed to a second speed slower than the first speed, wherein the second speed is determined by;

retrieving, from a profile for the user, a plurality of reaction times corresponding to a current age of the user;

calculating, from the average of the reaction times, an estimated reaction time of the user; and

in response to calculating the estimated reaction time of the user, calculating the second speed from the estimated reaction time of the user;

receiving a command to resume playback from the user while the fast-forwarding operation is occurring at the second speed; and

playing back the media asset at a default playback speed from a point corresponding to a moment when the command was received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving, from the profile for the user, the plurality of reaction times corresponding to a current age of the user comprises:

retrieving, from a database, a plurality of data entries corresponding to rewind operations, wherein each rewind operation was initiated by the user within a predetermined time after the user issued an operation to resume playback during a fast-forward operation;

determining from a data entry in the plurality of data entries, a number of frames in a plurality of frames that the user rewinds through before resuming playback of the media asset; and

determining from the number of frames the plurality of reaction times corresponding to the current age of the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein calculating, from the average of the reaction times, the estimated reaction time of the user comprises:

determining, from the data entry, a length of time of the rewind operation;

calculating, from the number of frames and the length of time of the rewind operation, a reaction time of the user in a plurality of reaction times corresponding to a current age of the user;

determining, from the plurality of reactions times corresponding to a current age of the user, an average reaction time of the user, wherein the average reaction time is the estimated reaction time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the command to resume playback from the user while the fast-forwarding operation is occurring at the second speed comprises:

determining a threshold number of frames, wherein the threshold number of frames is a predetermined number of frames before the frame of interest to the viewer;

determining that the user does not send the command to resume playback within the threshold number of frames; and

increasing the fast-forwarding speed from the second speed to the first speed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a command from the user that overrides the command to fast-forward at the second speed;

determining, based on the override command a third speed; and

increasing the fast-forwarding speed from the second speed to the third speed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, while the fast-forwarding is reduced to the second speed:

determining a potential frame of interest that is a threshold number of frames from a current frame; and

generating for display the potential frame of interest within an overlay on top of the media asset.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

retrieving, from the profile, preferences for the user;

determining, from metadata for at least one frame within a plurality of frames, characteristics of the frame;

comparing the characteristics of the at least one frame with the preferences for the user; and

determining, from the comparison, the potential frame of interest.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the fast-forwarding operation further comprises:

generating for display a preview overlay over the media asset;

generating for display, in the preview overlay, frames later in time than a current point of the fast-forwarding operation, wherein the frames in the preview overlay are updated according to a preview frequency that is set to an initial preview frequency;

detecting that the current point of the fast-forwarding operation is within a first frequency threshold of the frame of interest;

in response to detecting that the current point of the fast-forwarding operation is within the first frequency threshold of the frame of interest, adjusting the preview frequency so that frames in the preview overlay are changed more often than when at the initial preview frequency;

detecting that the current point of the fast-forwarding operation is within a second frequency threshold of the frame of interest; and

in response to detecting that the current point of the fast-forwarding operation is within the second frequency threshold of the frame of interest, restoring the preview frequency to the initial preview frequency.

9. A system for modifying a fast-forwarding speed based on a reaction time of a user when a frame of interest is detected, comprising:

user input circuitry; and

control circuitry configured to;

receive, using the user input circuitry, a command from a user to fast-forward through a media asset;

in response to receiving the command, execute a fast-forwarding operation through frames of the media asset at a first speed;

detect that the fast-forwarding operation is approaching a frame of interest to the viewer;

in response to detecting that the fast-forwarding operation is approaching the frame of interest, reduce the fast-forwarding speed to a second speed slower than the first speed, wherein the second speed is determined each time by;

retrieve, from a profile for the user, a plurality of reaction times corresponding to a current age of the user;

calculate, from the average of the reaction times, an estimated reaction time of the user; and

in response to calculating the estimated reaction time of the user, calculate the second speed from the estimated reaction time of the user;

receive, using the user input circuitry, a command to resume playback from the user while the fast-forwarding operation is occurring at the second speed; and

play back the media asset at a default playback speed from a point corresponding to a moment when the command was received.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when retrieving, from the profile for the user, the plurality of reaction times corresponding to a current age of the user, to:

retrieve, from a database, a plurality of data entries corresponding to rewind operations, wherein each rewind operation was initiated by the user within a predetermined time after the user issued an operation to resume playback during a fast-forward operation;

determine from a data entry in the plurality of data entries, a number of frames in a plurality of frames that the user rewinds through before resuming playback of the media asset; and

determine from the number of frames the plurality of reaction times corresponding to a current age of the user.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when calculating from the average of the reaction times, the estimated reaction time of the user, to:

determine, from the data entry, a length of time of the rewind operation;

calculate, from the number of frames and the length of time of the rewind operation, a reaction time of the user in a plurality of reaction times corresponding to a current age of the user;

determine, from the plurality of reaction times corresponding to a current age of the user, an average reaction time of the user, wherein the average reaction time is the estimated reaction time.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when receiving the command to resume playback from the user while the fast-forwarding operation is occurring at the second speed, to:

determine a threshold number of frames, wherein the threshold number of frames is a predetermined number of frames before the frame of interest to the viewer;

determine that the user does not send the command to resume playback within the threshold number of frames; and

increase the fast-forwarding speed from the second speed to the first speed.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive, using the user input circuitry, a command from the user that overrides the command to fast-forward at the second speed;

determine, based on the override command a third speed; and

increase the fast-forwarding speed from the second speed to the third speed.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, while the fast-forwarding is reduced to the second speed, to:

determine a potential frame of interest that is a threshold number of frames from a current frame; and

generate for display the potential frame of interest within an overlay on top of the media asset.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

retrieve, from the profile, preferences for the user;

determine, from metadata for at least one frame within a plurality of frames, characteristics of the frame;

compare the characteristics of the at least one frame with the preferences for the user; and

determine, from the comparison, the potential frame of interest.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when executing the fast-forwarding operation, to:

generate for display a preview overlay over the media asset;

generate for display, in the preview overlay, frames later in time than a current point of the fast-forwarding operation, wherein the frames in the preview overlay are updated according to a preview frequency that is set to an initial preview frequency;

detect that the current point of the fast-forwarding operation is within a first frequency threshold of the frame of interest;

in response to detecting that the current point of the fast-forwarding operation is within the first frequency threshold of the frame of interest, adjust the preview frequency so that frames in the preview overlay are changed more often than when at the initial preview frequency;

detect that the current point of the fast-forwarding operation is within a second frequency threshold of the frame of interest; and

in response to detecting that the current point of the fast-forwarding operation is within the second frequency threshold of the frame of interest, restore the preview frequency to the initial preview frequency.