Displaying relatedness of media items

• US 20080148179A1
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sloo, David H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,458,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/792
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/438 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

In a method in a computer system for displaying on a display device a plurality of media items as selectable media tiles, a focus media item and a plurality of related media items are received. The plurality of related media items are related to the focus media item. Relatedness information pertaining to the plurality of related media items is received. The relatedness information identifies a relationship strength between at least one of the plurality of related media items and the focus media item. A spatially oriented relatedness arrangement of selectable media tiles physically positioned to indicate said relationship strength between the focus media item and the at least one of the plurality of related media items is displayed on the display device. The selectable media tiles represent the focus media item and at least one of the plurality of related media items.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system for displaying on a display device a plurality of media items as selectable media tiles, said method comprising:

receiving a focus media item and a plurality of related media items, said plurality of related media items being related to said focus media item;

receiving relatedness information pertaining to said plurality of related media items, said relatedness information identifying a relationship strength between at least one of said plurality of related media items and said focus media item; and

displaying on said display device a spatially oriented relatedness arrangement of selectable media tiles physically positioned to indicate said relationship strength between said focus media item and said at least one of said plurality of related media items, said selectable media tiles representing said focus media item and at least one of said plurality of related media items.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

in response to a user selection of a selectable media tile which represents a related media item of said plurality of related media items, displaying a new spatially oriented relatedness arrangement wherein said related media item is utilized as a new focus media item.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving relatedness information pertaining to said plurality of related media items comprises:

receiving rank information, said rank information ranking said plurality of related media items in order of relatedness in comparison to said focus media item.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving relatedness information pertaining to said plurality of related media items comprises:

receiving relatedness score information, said relatedness score information indicating a level of relatedness of at least one of said plurality of related media items to said focus media item.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said displaying on said display device a spatially oriented relatedness arrangement of selectable media tiles physically positioned to indicate said relationship strength between said focus media item and said at least one of said plurality of related media items comprises:

displaying said selectable media tiles in a spiral arrangement with said focus media item represented at a center location of said spiral arrangement and a plurality of said related items represented spirally outward from said center location according to a descending order of strength of relationship to said focus media item.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said displaying on said display device a spatially oriented relatedness arrangement of selectable media tiles physically positioned to indicate said relationship strength between said focus media item and said at least one of said plurality of related media items comprises:

displaying a still image in a selectable media tile of said spatially oriented relatedness arrangement, said still image associated with a media item represented by said media tile.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said displaying on said display device a spatially oriented relatedness arrangement of selectable media tiles physically positioned to indicate said relationship strength between said focus media item and said at least one of said plurality of related media items comprises:

displaying a moving image in a selectable media tile of said spatially oriented relatedness arrangement, said moving image associated with a media item represented by said media tile.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said displaying on said display device a spatially oriented relatedness arrangement of selectable media tiles physically positioned to indicate said relationship strength between said focus media item and said at least one of said plurality of related media items comprises:

displaying a mixture of different types of media tiles in said spatially oriented relatedness arrangement.

9. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display device and a user interface selection device, a method of providing and selecting from an arrangement of media items on said display device, said method comprising:

receiving a plurality of media tiles representing a focus media item and a plurality of related media items related to said focus media item;

receiving relatedness information pertaining to at least one of said plurality of related media items;

utilizing said relatedness information for physically positioning said plurality of media tiles on said display device such that said physical positioning provides a representation of relatedness between said focus media item and at least one of said plurality of related media items; and

receiving a selection signal indicative of a user selecting a media item associated with a media tile displayed on said display device, and, in response to said selection signal, revising said physical positioning to provide a representation of relatedness between said selected media item and a second plurality of related media items related to said selected media item.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein said receiving a plurality of media tiles representing a focus media item and a plurality of related media items related to said focus media item comprises:

receiving a media tile comprising a still image of a media item represented by said media tile.

11. The method recited in claim 9, wherein said receiving a plurality of media tiles representing a focus media item and a plurality of related media items related to said focus media item comprises:

receiving a media tile comprising a moving image of a media item represented by said media tile.

12. The method recited in claim 9, wherein said receiving a plurality of media tiles representing a focus media item and a plurality of related media items related to said focus media item comprises:

receiving a media tile comprising textual information describing a media item represented by said media tile.

13. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said receiving relatedness information pertaining to at least one of said plurality of related media items comprises:

receiving strength of relationship information useable to hierarchically arrange relatedness of said related media items to said focus media item.

14. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said utilizing said relatedness information for physically positioning said plurality of media tiles on said display device such that said physical positioning provides a representation of relatedness between said focus media item and at least one of said plurality of related media items comprises:

utilizing said relatedness information for physically positioning said plurality of media tiles on said display device in a two-dimensional arrangement.

15. Instructions on a computer-usable medium wherein said instructions when executed cause a computer system to perform a method for displaying media item relationships, said method comprising:

receiving a focus media item and a plurality of related media items, said plurality of related media items being related to said focus media item;

receiving relatedness information pertaining to at least one of said plurality of related media items; and

displaying said focus media item and at least one of said related media items on a display device such that a physical positioning of said focus media item relative to said at least one related media item provides a representation of said relatedness information.

16. The instructions of claim 15, wherein said instructions further comprise:

displaying a new representation of relatedness between a user selected media item and a second plurality of related media items related to said user selected media item, wherein said user selected media item is selected from said plurality of related media items.

17. The instructions of claim 15, wherein said displaying said focus media item and at least one of said related media items on a display device such that a physical positioning of said focus media item relative to said at least one related media item provides a representation of said relatedness information comprises:

displaying a mixture of content types representative of said focus media and said at least one of said related media items.

18. The instructions of claim 15, wherein said displaying said focus media item and at least one of said related media items on a display device such that a physical positioning of said focus media item relative to said at least one related media item provides a representation of said relatedness information comprises:

displaying homogenous content types representative of said focus media and said at least one of said related media items.

19. The instructions of claim 15, wherein said displaying said focus media item and at least one of said related media items on a display device such that a physical positioning of said focus media item relative to said at least one related media item provides a representation of said relatedness information comprises:

displaying content representative of said focus media item, said content selected from the group of content types consisting of;

textual information, a still image, and a moving image.

20. The instructions of claim 15, wherein said displaying said focus media item and at least one of said related media items on a display device such that a physical positioning of said focus media item relative to said at least one related media item provides a representation of said relatedness information comprises:

utilizing said relatedness information for physically positioning said focus media item and a plurality of said related media items on said display device in an arrangement in which said physical positioning spatially displays a hierarchy of relatedness.