Multimedia visual progress indication system

• US 6,847,778 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2000
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Look, Howard, McKendrick, Ain, Vallone, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US09/539,433
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.591, 386/68, 386/69, 386/52, 386/55, 386/46, 386/1, 386/4, 386/6, 386/70, 386/82, 386/125, 386/126, 386/124, 386/45, 386/40, 386/83, 360/32
• US Class Current: 386/344
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/025 'Virtual' control panels, e.g. Graphical User Interface [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/455 said record carriers being in one device and being used as primary and secondary/backup media, e.g. HDD-DVD combo device, or as source and target media, e.g. PC and portable player
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/102 Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers access by moving the head G11B3/08, G11B5/54, G11B7/085, G11B21/022; by moving the record carrier G11B15/005, G11B17/005, by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 : for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 : Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 : for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 : using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8715 : involving the mixing of the reproduced video signal with a non-recorded signal, e.g. a text signal

Abstract

A multimedia visual progress indication system that provides a trick play bar that is overlaid onto the program material or displayed on a dedicated display. A cache bar inside of the trick play bar indicates the length of a recording session or the length of stored program material and expands to the right when material is being recorded. Every half hour (or selected increment), the cache bar slides to the left. Time marks are displayed inside the trick play bar giving the user a visual reference point from which to judge the current time and visual time reference points. The time marks are in any increment of time needed. The total length of the stored program material or next time or counter increment in the recording cycle is displayed on the right hand end of the trick play bar. A position indicator moves within the trick play bar and tells the user visually where his current position is within the program material. A slider moves along the trick play bar and on top of the cache bar and is linked to the position indicator and can be moved anywhere within the cache bar by the user. The slider displays the numeric time or counter mark of the current position. A mode indicator is positioned below the slider and follows the slider'"'"'s movement and displays whether the user is in play, record, pause, slow play, fast play, fast forward (1×, 2×, and 3×), slow reverse play, slow reverse, and fast reverse (1×, 2×, and 3×) modes. The 1×, 2×, and 3× speeds are adjustable by the system to be any variable desired (e.g., 2×, 16×, and 32×). The trick play bar and its associated components are displayed for a predetermined time period when overlaid onto the program material.

Claims

1. A process for visually and interactively communicating the record or playback progress of audio or video program material to a user, comprising the steps of:

displaying a trick play bar to a user;

providing a cache bar;

said cache bar is displayed inside of said trick play bar and indicates the length of a recording session or the length of stored program material;

providing a position indicator;

said position indicator moves within said trick play bar; and

wherein said position indicator tells the user visually where his current position is within the program material.

2. The process of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing time marks;

wherein said time marks are displayed inside said trick play bar giving the user visual time reference points; and

wherein said time marks are displayed in any increment of time needed.

3. The process of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a slider; and

said slider moves along said trick play bar in conjunction with said position indicator.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein said slider displays the numeric time or counter mark of the current position.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein said position indicator is moved anywhere within said cache bar by the user.

6. The process of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a mode indicator;

said mode indicator is positioned below said position indicator and follows said position indicator'"'"'s movement; and

wherein said mode indicator displays whether the user is in play, record, pause, slow play, fast play, fast forward (1×

, 2×

, and 3×

), slow reverse play, slow reverse, and fast reverse (1×

, 2×

, and 3×

) modes.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein said cache bar expands to the right when material is being recorded.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein when said cache bar reaches the end of the right side of said trick play bar, said cache bar will shift in position to the left within said trick play bar.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein said position indicator shifts in unison with said cache bar, reflecting the current position in the recording.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the total length of the stored program material or next time or counter increment in the recording cycle is displayed on the right hand end of said trick play bar.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein the left half of said trick play bar displays a compressed time scale.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein said trick play bar, said cache bar, and said position indicator are displayed for a predetermined time period.

13. The process of claim 1, wherein index and/or bookmark indicators are displayed over said trick play bar.

14. An apparatus for visually and interactively communicating the record or playback progress of audio or video program material to a user, comprising:

a module for displaying a trick play bar to a user;

a cache bar;

said cache bar is displayed inside of said trick play bar and indicates the length of a recording session or the length of stored program material;

a position indicator;

said position indicator moves within said trick play bar; and

wherein said position indicator tells the user visually where his current position is within the program material.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

time marks;

wherein said time marks are displayed inside said trick play bar giving the user visual time reference points; and

wherein said time marks are displayed in any increment of time needed.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a slider; and

said slider moves along said trick play bar in conjunction with said position indicator.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said slider displays the numeric time or counter mark of the current position.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said position indicator is moved anywhere within said cache bar by the user.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a mode indicator;

said mode indicator is positioned below said position indicator and follows said position indicator'"'"'s movement; and

wherein said mode indicator displays whether the user is in play, record, pause, slow play, fast play, fast forward (1×

, 2×

, and 3×

), slow reverse play, slow reverse, and fast reverse (1×

, 2×

, and 3×

) modes.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said cache bar expands to the right when material is being recorded.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein when said cache bar reaches the end of the right side of said trick play bar, said cache bar will shift in position to the left within said trick play bar.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said position indicator shifts in unison with said cache bar, reflecting the current position in the recording.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the total length of the stored program material or next time or counter increment in the recording cycle is displayed on the right hand end of said trick play bar.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the left half of said trick play bar displays a compressed time scale.

25. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said trick play bar, said cache bar, and said position indicator are displayed for a predetermined time period.

26. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein index and/or bookmark indicators are displayed over said trick play bar.

27. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for visually and interactively communicating the record or playback progress of audio or video program material to a user, comprising the steps of:

displaying a trick play bar to a user;

providing a cache bar;

said cache bar is displayed inside of said trick play bar and indicates the length of a recording session or the length of stored program material;

providing a position indicator;

said position indicator moves within said trick play bar; and

wherein said position indicator tells the user visually where his current position is within the program material.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

providing time marks;

wherein said time marks are displayed inside said trick play bar giving the user visual time reference points; and

wherein said time marks are displayed in any increment of time needed.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

providing a slider; and

said slider moves along said trick play bar in conjunction with said position indicator.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said slider displays the numeric time or counter mark of the current position.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein, said position indicator is moved anywhere within said cache bar by the user.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

providing a mode indicator;

said mode indicator is positioned below said position indicator and follows said position indicator'"'"'s movement; and

wherein said mode indicator displays whether the user is in play, record, pause, slow play, fast play, fast forward (1×

, 2×

, and 3×

), slow reverse play, slow reverse, and fast reverse (1×

, 2×

, and 3×

) modes.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein said cache bar expands to the right when material is being recorded.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein when said cache bar reaches the end of the right side of said trick play bar, said cache bar will shift in position to the left within said trick play bar.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said position indicator shifts in unison with said cache bar, reflecting the current position in the recording.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein the total length of the stored program material or next time or counter increment in the recording cycle is displayed on the right hand end of said trick play bar.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein the left half of said trick play bar displays a compressed time scale.

38. The method of claim 27, wherein said trick play bar, said cache bar, and said position indicator are displayed for a predetermined time period.

39. The process of claim 27, wherein index and/or bookmark indicators are displayed over said trick play bar.