Media Asset Pivot Navigation

• US 20120254758A1
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sloo, David H., Morris, Ronald A.
• Application Number:
  US13/525,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20120254758A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

Media asset pivot navigation is described. In embodiments, collections of media assets can be determined, where each of the collections correspond to a navigation axis that is traversable in a user interface to locate media assets for selection. Visual representations are determined that each represent a collection of media assets, and the visual representations are displayable in the user interface. The visual representations that represent the collections of media assets can be non-textual visual representations that are most likely discernible to a user as representing the collections of the media assets. A navigation input relative to a collection of media assets can be received, and responsive to receiving the navigation input, a visual representation that represents the collection of media assets is changed based on user interactions with the media assets in the collection of media assets.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining collections of media assets, each of the collections corresponding to a navigation axis that is traversable in a user interface to locate media assets for selection;

determining visual representations that each represent a collection of media assets, the visual representations displayable in the user interface;

receiving a navigation input relative to a collection of media assets; and

changing a visual representation that represents the collection of media assets responsive to receiving the navigation input and based on user interactions with the media assets in the collection of media assets.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the visual representations that represent the collections of media assets are non-textual visual representations that are most likely discernible to a user as representing the collections of the media assets.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the visual representation that represents the collection of media assets includes at least one of:

a photo to represent a collection of digital photographs;

an image of a music cover to represent a collection of music files;

an image of a movie poster to represent a collection of movies;

an image of a video game cover to represent a collection of video games; and

a picture-in-picture to represent a collection of live television programs that are selectable for viewing.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the visual representation that represents the collection of media assets is a logo.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the visual representation that represents the collection of media assets corresponds to a most popular media asset within the collection of media assets.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the visual representation that represents the collection of media assets is a composite non-textual representation that corresponds to more than one of the media assets in the collection of media assets.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the visual representation is an image of a movie poster that corresponds to a movie in the collection of media assets; and

changing the visual representation includes changing the image of the movie poster to a static image of a scene that is paused or stopped in the movie.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the visual representation is a photo that represents a collection of digital photographs; and

changing the visual representation includes displaying a previous photo selected for viewing or a next photo for viewing.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the visual representation is an image of a music cover that represents a collection of music files; and

changing the visual representation includes displaying an different image associated with a music track last selected for playback.

10. One or more computer-readable storage media devices comprising instructions that are executable and, responsive to executing the instructions, a media asset navigation system is implemented to:

determine visual representations that each represent a collection of media assets and the visual representations displayable in a media asset navigation interface, each collection of media assets represented as a navigation axis that is traversable in the media asset navigation interface to locate media assets for selection;

receive a navigation input relative to a collection of media assets; and

change a visual representation that represents the collection of media assets responsive to the navigation input and based on previous user interactions with the media assets in the collection of media assets.

11. One or more computer-readable storage media devices as recited in claim 10, wherein the visual representations that each represent a collection of media assets are determinable as non-textual visual representations that are most likely discernible to a user as representing the collections of the media assets.

12. One or more computer-readable storage media devices as recited in claim 10, wherein the visual representation that represents the collection of media assets corresponds to a most popular media asset within the collection of media assets.

13. One or more computer-readable storage media devices as recited in claim 10, wherein the visual representation that represents the collection of media assets is a composite non-textual representation that corresponds to more than one of the media assets in the collection of media assets.

14. One or more computer-readable storage media devices as recited in claim 10, wherein:

the visual representation is an image of a movie poster that corresponds to a movie in the collection of media assets; and

the media asset navigation system is implemented to change the image of a movie poster to a static image of a scene that is paused or stopped in the movie.

15. One or more computer-readable storage media devices as recited in claim 10, wherein:

the visual representation is a photo that represents a collection of digital photographs; and

the media asset navigation system is implemented to change the photo to a previous photo selected for viewing or a next photo for viewing.

16. One or more computer-readable storage media devices as recited in claim 10, wherein:

the visual representation is an image of a music cover that represents a collection of music files; and

the media asset navigation system is implemented to change the image of the music cover to a different image associated with a music track last selected for playback.

17. A media asset navigation system, comprising:

a memory and processor system to implement a media asset navigation application that is configured to;

determine collections of media assets, each of the collections corresponding to a navigation axis that is traversable in a media asset navigation user interface to locate media assets for selection;

determine visual representations that each represent a collection of media assets, the visual representations displayable in the media asset navigation user interface; and

change a visual representation that represents the collection of media assets based on user interactions with the media assets in the collection of media assets.

18. A media asset navigation system as recited in claim 17, wherein the visual representations that represent the collections of media assets are non-textual visual representations that are most likely discernible to a user as representing the collections of the media assets.

19. A media asset navigation system as recited in claim 17, wherein the visual representation that represents the collection of media assets is a composite non-textual representation that corresponds to more than one of the media assets in the collection of media assets.

20. A media asset navigation system as recited in claim 17, wherein:

the media assets in the collection of the media assets are navigable along a first navigation axis;

additional media assets in another collection of media assets are navigable along a second navigation axis; and

the media asset navigation application is configured to pivot from the first navigation axis to the second navigation axis responsive to a navigation pivot input.