Creating and Viewing Preview Objects

• US 20090183077A1
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hakim, Andy, Goto, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 9,704,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/720
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence

Abstract

Generating a movie preview can include generating a preview object from frames associated with a media object and encoding the preview object for display in a display area. Based on a position of a control device within the display area, a frame can be selected from the preview object for display in the display area. Additionally, generating the preview object can include concatenating the frames to form a single image.

Claims

1. A method of generating a movie preview, the method comprising:

selecting frames of a movie;

generating a preview object comprising the selected frames; and

encoding the preview object for display in a display area, wherein, based on a position of a control device within the display area, a frame is selected from the preview object for display in the display area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting frames of the movie comprises selecting frames at periodic time increments in the movie.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the preview object further comprises arranging the selected frames in a temporal order.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein encoding the preview object for display further comprises encoding the preview object to render a key frame in the display area when the control device is associated with a position outside of the display area.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the key frame is included in the preview object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the preview object further comprises concatenating the selected frames to form a single image.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein encoding the preview object for display further comprises encoding a portion of the single image to be displayed in the display area in accordance with the frame of the preview object selected for display in the display area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the control device comprises a pointing device.

9. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

selecting frames of a movie;

generating a preview object comprising the selected frames; and

encoding the preview object for display in a display area, wherein, based on a position of a control device within the display area, a frame is selected from the preview object for display in the display area.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising selecting frames at periodic time increments in the movie.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising arranging the selected frames in a temporal order.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising encoding the preview object to render a key frame in the display area when the control device is associated with a position outside of the display area.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the key frame is included in the preview object.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising concatenating the selected frames to form a single image.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising encoding a portion of the single image to be displayed in the display area in accordance with the frame of the preview object selected for display in the display area.

16. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the control device comprises a pointing device.

17. A system comprising:

a movie encoded on a computer readable storage device;

processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising;

selecting frames of a movie;

generating a preview object comprising the selected frames; and

encoding the preview object for display in a display area, wherein, based on a position of a control device within the display area, a frame is selected from the preview object for display in the display area.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising selecting multiple frames from the movie are further configured to perform operations comprising selecting frames at periodic time increments in the movie.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising generating the preview object are further configured to perform operations comprising arranging the selected frames in a temporal order.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising encoding the preview object for display are further configured to perform operations comprising encoding the preview object to render a key frame in the display area when the control device is associated with a position outside of the display area.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the key frame is included in the preview object.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising generating the preview object are further configured to perform operations comprising concatenating the selected frames to form a single image.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising encoding the preview object for display are further configured to perform operations comprising encoding a portion of the single image to be displayed in the display area in accordance with the frame of the preview object selected for display in the display area.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the control device comprises a pointing device.

25. A method for generating a media object preview, the method comprising:

generating a preview object comprising frames associated with a media object; and

encoding the preview object for display in a display area, wherein, based on a position of a control device within the display area, a frame is selected from the preview object for display in the display area.