METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEDIA SEARCHING USING A GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE

• US 20150095839A1
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: HOMBERT, Jonas
• Granted Patent: US 9,542,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/74 Browsing; Visualisation therefor end-user interfaces for requesting or interacting with video content, e.g. video on demand interfaces or electronic program guides, H04N21/472
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/743 a collection of video files or sequences
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/745 the internal structure of a single video sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

The present disclosure provides for a method and an apparatus that enables a collection of media files to be rapidly searched for segments or sub-segments of media content. A graphical user interface is rendered on a display under control of a processor. The interface includes a file-view window configured to display representative images of the media files. In one mode of operation, the processor displays representative images of segments of a selected media file an expanded-view window in response to a sensed user input on the representative image of the media file. A segment may be further expanded or selected for processing in response to a sensed user input on the representative image of the segment in the expanded-view window. Expansion, contraction and selection of a media file, or segments of the media file, are provided.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a processor coupled to the display;

a memory coupled to and in cooperative arrangement with the processor, the processor and memory configured to;

generate a graphical user interface on the display, the graphical user interface comprising a file-view window configured to display representative images of a plurality of media files;

in response to a user input on a representative image of a media file of the plurality of media files, render a plurality of representative images of segments of the media file in an expanded-view window on the display; and

in response to a user input on one of the representative images of segments of the media file in the expanded-view window, process the selected segment of the media file.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, where the processor is further operable to:

sense a characteristic of the user input on the representative image of the media file;

select the media file to be displayed in the expanded-view window if the user input has a first characteristic; and

select the complete media file to be processed if the user input has a characteristic other than the first characteristic.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, where the first characteristic comprises a duration of the user input.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 where the first characteristic comprises a path of the user input.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, where the segments of the expanded media file comprise segments of substantially equal length.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, where the segments of the expanded media file comprise identifiably distinct sections of the selected media file.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 where, when the plurality of representative images of segments of the expanded media file are displayed in the expanded-view window, the processor is further operable to:

remove the plurality of representative images of segments of the expanded media file from the expanded-view window in response to a sensed user input on the representative image of the media file.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 where, when the plurality of representative images of segments of the expanded media file are displayed in the expanded-view window, the processor is further operable to:

in response to a user input on a representative image of a segment displayed in the expanded-view window, display in the expanded-view window a plurality of representative images of sub-segments of the segment corresponding to the representative image associated with the user input.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, where the processor is further operable to display the selected segment on the display.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, where the processor is further operable to transmit the selected segment to a remote device.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, where the display comprises a touch-sensitive screen and the user input comprises a user touch.

12. A method for selecting a segment of a media file to be processed, comprising:

displaying representative images of a plurality of media files in a file-view window of a graphical user interface displayed on a display;

responsive to user input on a representative image in the file-view window;

determining a characteristic of the user input; and

if the determined characteristic of the user input is associated with an expansion operation;

displaying, in an expanded-view window of the graphical user interface, representative images of a plurality of segments of media content associated with the representative image in the file-view window; and

responsive to a user input on a representative image of a segment of a media file displayed in the expanded-view window;

determining a characteristic of the user input; and

if the determined characteristic of the user input is associated with

a selection operation;

selecting to be processed media content associated with the representative image associated with the user input.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

responsive to the user input on the representative image in the file-view window;

if the determined characteristic of the user input is associated with a selection operation;

selecting to be processed media content associated with the representative image associated with the user input.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

responsive to the user input on the representative image in the file-view window;

if the determined characteristic of the user input is associated with a contraction operation;

removing, from the expanded-view window, the representative images of the plurality of segments of media content associated with the representative image associated with the user input.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

responsive to the user input on the representative image in the expanded-view window;

if the determined characteristic of the user input is associated with an expansion operation;

displaying, in the expanded-view window, the representative images of the plurality of sub-segments of segment of media content associated with the representative image associated with the user input.

16. The method of claim 15, where:

the representative images of the plurality of media files in the file-view window are arranged vertically;

the representative images of the plurality of segments of media content associated with the representative image in the file-view window are arranged horizontally below the representative image of the expanded media file in the file-view window; and

the representative images of the plurality of sub-segments of the segment of media content associated with the representative image are inserted into the expanded-view window, displacing the representative images of the plurality of segments.

17. The method of claim 15, where:

the representative images of the plurality of media files in the file-view window are arranged vertically;

the representative images of the plurality of segments of media content associated with the representative image of the media file in the file-view window are arranged horizontally below the representative image of the expanded media file in the file-view window; and

the representative images of the plurality of sub-segments of the segment of media content associated with the representative image of the expanded segment are inserted into the expanded-view window below the representative image of the expanded segment.

18. The method of claim 12, where a user input, having a characteristic not associated with selection, on a representative image in the file-view window is associated with expansion if the corresponding media content is not displayed in the expanded-view window, and is associated with contraction if the corresponding media content is displayed in the expanded-view window.

19. The method of claim 12, where the plurality of segments of the media content comprise segments of substantially equal length.

20. The method of claim 12, where the plurality of segments of the media content comprise segments corresponding to identifiably distinct segments of the media file content.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sensing a further user input on the representative image of the media file in the file-view window;

determining a characteristic of the further user input;

if the determined characteristic of the further user input is not associated with selection;

removing, from the expanded-view window of the graphical user interface, the representative images of a plurality of segments of media content associated with the representative image receiving the user input.

22. The method of claim 12, where the plurality of media files contain video content and where the selected media content is processed to display the video content.

23. The method of claim 12, where:

the representative images of the plurality of media files in the file-view window are arranged vertically; and

the representative images of the plurality of segments of media content associated with the representative image of the media file in the file-view window are arranged horizontally below the representative image of the media file in the file-view window.

24. The method of claim 12, where the characteristic of the user input associated with selection comprises a double tap.

25. The method of claim 12, where the characteristic of the user input associated with selection comprises a touch and hold characteristic.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method of claim 12.

27. A method for selecting a segment of a media file to be processed, comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface having file-view window on a touch-sensitive display;

displaying representative images of a plurality of media files in the file-view window;

responsive to a user touch action associated with an expansion operation on a representative image of a media file in the file-view window;

displaying, in an expanded-view window of the graphical user interface, representative images of a plurality of segments of media content associated with the touched representative image in the file-view window; and

responsive to a user touch action associated with a selection operation on a representative image of segment of a media file displayed in the expanded-view window;

selecting to be processed the segment of media content associated with the touched representative image.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

responsive to a user touch action associated with a selection operation on a representative image of a media file displayed in the file-view window;

selecting to be processed media content associated with the touched representative image.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

responsive to a user touch action associated with a contraction operation;

removing the representative images of segments of media content from the expanded-view window of the graphical user interface.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

responsive to a user touch action associated with an expansion operation on a representative image of a segment of media content in the expanded-view window;

displaying, in the expanded-view window of the graphical user interface, representative images of a plurality of sub-segments of segment of media content associated with the touched representative image.