Scroll bar with video region in a media system

• US 20090153389A1
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Kerr, Duncan R., King, Nicholas V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,341,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/4728 for selecting a Region Of Interest [ROI], e.g. for requesting a higher resolution version of a selected region
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate

Abstract

An electronic device associated with a remote wand controlling the operations of the electronic device is provided. The wand may include a motion detection component operative to provide an output reflecting the motion of the wand to the electronic device, such that the movements of a cursor displayed by the electronic device may be related to the output of the motion detection component. The wand may also include an input mechanism operative to receive user inputs. Using the input mechanism, the wand may detect a user'"'"'s inputs and direct the electronic device to zoom or scroll displayed objects. The electronic device may display a screen saver by which the user may select particular media items for playback while remaining in the screen saver mode. In some embodiments, the electronic device may display video with a scroll bar that includes a preview window of the video.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the playback of media in an electronic device, comprising:

receiving a user input requesting playback control the playback of the media;

displaying a scroll bar comprising;

a bar; and

an indicator on the bar that represents how much of the media is remaining to be played;

extracting a frame of media from a position that roughly corresponds to the location of the indicator on the bar; and

showing the extracted frame on the indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

moving the indicator on the bar to a new location; and

changing the extracted video frame shown on the indicator to reflect the new location of the indicator.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

receiving further comprises receiving a user input from an input mechanism of a wand coupled to the electronic device; and

moving further comprises moving the indicator in response to receiving an output from a motion detection component embedded in the wand.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the motion detection component comprises at least one of an acceleration sensor and a gyro-sensor.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein moving further comprises:

receiving a user selection of the indicator using a cursor; and

displacing the cursor along the displayed bar.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein displacing further comprises:

receiving an output from a motion detection component of a wand coupled to the electronic device; and

displacing the cursor based on the received output.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the motion detection component is operative to provide outputs in response to detecting a motion of the wand.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein receiving further comprises receiving a user input to drag the indicator across the bar;

displacing the indicator in successive positions on the bar, wherein the indicator appears to be dragged across the bar;

wherein extracting further comprises extracting a plurality of frames of media from positions that correspond to the successive locations of the indicator on the bar; and

wherein showing further comprises showing the plurality of extracted frames.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a user request to play back the media;

identifying the current position of the indicator on the scroll bar; and

playing back the media from the identified current position of the indicator.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising pausing the playback of the displayed media in response to receiving the user input to drag the indicator.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein playing back the media further comprises hiding the scroll bar.

12. An electronic device for playing back media, the electronic device coupled to a wand comprising an input mechanism and a motion detection component, the electronic device comprising a processor operative to:

provide an output signal representing a scroll bar comprising;

a bar representing the media to play back; and

an indicator representing the playback position of the media on the bar; and

provide an output signal representing a video frame associated with the position of the indicator on the bar in a video region of the indicator.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further operative to:

receive an input from the input mechanism of the wand; and

pause the playback of the media in response to receiving the input from the input mechanism of the wand.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further operative to:

receive an instruction to drag the indicator across the scroll bar;

provide an output signal displacing the indicator on the scroll bar; and

provide an output signal representing, in the video region, a plurality of video frames associated with successive positions of the indicator.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the processor is further operative to:

process an output from the motion detection component; and

determine the amount and speed at which to displace the indicator in response to processing the output.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the processor is further operative to extract the video frames to display in the video region.

17. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the input mechanism comprises at least one of a button, a wheel, a touch screen, and a touchpad.

18. A wand for use for controlling the playback of media played back using an electronic device, the wand operative to:

receive, using an input mechanism, a first input directing the electronic device to overlay a scroll bar comprising an indicator over media;

receive, using the input mechanism, a second input directing the electronic device to select the indicator;

detect, from the output of a motion detection component, motion of the wand for moving the indicator to a new position, wherein a frame of media associated with the current position of the indicator is displayed in a video region of the indicator as the indicator moves; and

receive, using the input mechanism, a third input directing the electronic device to resume playback of the media from the new position of the indicator.

19. The wand of claim 18, wherein the input mechanism comprises at least one of a button, a wheel, a touch screen and a touchpad.

20. The wand of claim 18, wherein the motion detection component comprises at least one of an acceleration sensor and a gyro-sensor.

21. A method for identifying video frames for display in an indicator on a scroll bar in an electronic device, the method comprising:

determining media for display by the electronic device;

extracting a subset of frames of the media;

identifying a plurality of positions of the indicator on the scroll bar, each position identifying how much of the media remains to be played; and

associating each of the identified plurality of positions with at least one of the extracted subset of frames of the media.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

detecting the current position of the indicator from the plurality of positions;

retrieving the frame of media associated with the detected position; and

displaying the retrieved frame of media.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein identifying further comprises identifying a plurality of timestamps for the media.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein identifying further comprises:

determining the length of the media; and

determining intervals at which to extract frames of media.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the determined intervals are equal intervals.