Multimedia visual progress indication system

• US 8,107,795 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Vallone, Robert, Look, Howard, McKendrick, Ain
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US12/042,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20080155418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 386/291, 386/343, 386/351, 386/344, 386/353, 386/239
• US Class Current: 386/343
• 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 cache bar that is overlaid onto the program material or displayed on a dedicated display. A cache 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. Index and/or bookmark indicators are displayed next to the cache bar. A position indicator moves within the cache bar and tells the user visually where his current position is within the program material. Numeric time or counter mark of the current position is displayed in the vicinity of the cache bar. The trick play bar and its associated components are displayed for a predetermined time period.

Claims

1. A method for visually and interactively communicating information of audio or video program material to a user, comprising:

displaying a cache bar, inside a first bar that begins at a first time, to a user that visually indicates an available amount of program material through which the user is able to navigate and play back, the cache bar beginning at a second time later than the first time; and

displaying a numeric time indicator in a vicinity of the cache bar that visually indicates a numeric time reference of a current playback position of the program material.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a position indicator in a vicinity of the cache bar that visually indicates a current playback position within the program material; and

wherein the numeric time indicator visually indicates the numeric time reference of the position indicator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the numeric time indicator visually indicates a time of the current playback position with respect to current time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the available amount of program material is a length of a recording session, and

wherein the numeric time indicator visually indicates the numeric time of the current playback position within a total time length of the recording session.

5. An apparatus for visually and interactively communicating information of audio or video program material to a user, comprising:

a module for displaying a cache bar, inside a first bar that begins at a first time, to a user that visually indicates an available amount of program material through which the user is able to navigate and play back, the cache bar beginning at a second time later than the first time; and

a module for displaying a numeric time indicator in a vicinity of the cache bar that visually indicates a numeric time reference of a current playback position of the program material.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a module for displaying a position indicator in a vicinity of the cache bar that visually indicates a current playback position within the program material; and

wherein the numeric time indicator visually indicates the numeric time reference of the position indicator.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the numeric time indicator visually indicates a time of the current playback position with respect to current time.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the available amount of program material is a length of a recording session, and

wherein the numeric time indicator visually indicates the numeric time of the current playback position within a total time length of the recording session.

9. A non-transitory 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 information of audio or video program material to a user, comprising:

displaying a cache bar, inside a first bar that begins at a first time, to a user that visually indicates an available amount of program material through which the user is able to navigate and play back, the cache bar beginning at a second time later than the first time; and

displaying a numeric time indicator in a vicinity of the cache bar that visually indicates a numeric time reference of a current playback position of the program material.

10. The medium of claim 9, wherein the method steps further comprise:

displaying a position indicator in a vicinity of the cache bar that visually indicates a current playback position within the program material; and

wherein the numeric time indicator visually indicates the numeric time reference of the position indicator.

11. The medium of claim 9, wherein the numeric time indicator visually indicates a time of the current playback position with respect to current time.

12. The medium of claim 9, wherein the available amount of program material is a length of a recording session, and

wherein the numeric time indicator visually indicates the numeric time of the current playback position within a total time length of the recording session.

13. A method for visually and interactively communicating information of audio or video program material to a user, comprising:

displaying a cache bar, inside a first bar that begins at a first time, to a user that visually indicates an available amount of program material through which the user is able to navigate and play back, the cache bar beginning at a second time later than the first time; and

displaying a numeric time indicator that moves in a vicinity of the cache bar that visually indicates a numeric time reference of a current playback position of the program material.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

displaying a position indicator that moves in the vicinity of the cache bar and visually indicates to the user a current playback position within the program material;

wherein the numeric time indicator moves in conjunction with the position indicator, and

wherein the numeric time indicator indicates the numeric time reference of the position indicator.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the numeric time indicator visually indicates a time of the current playback position with respect to current time.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the available amount of program material is a length of a recording session, and

wherein the numeric time indicator visually indicates the numeric time of the current playback position within a total time length of the recording session.

17. An apparatus for visually and interactively communicating information of audio or video program material to a user, comprising:

a module for displaying a cache bar, inside a first bar that begins at a first time, to a user that visually indicates an available amount of program material through which the user is able to navigate and play back, the cache bar beginning at a second time later than the first time; and

a module for displaying a numeric time indicator that moves in a vicinity of the cache bar that visually indicates a numeric time reference of a current playback position of the program material.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a module for displaying a position indicator that moves in the vicinity of the cache bar and visually indicates to the user a current playback position within the program material;

wherein the numeric time indicator moves in conjunction with the position indicator; and

wherein the numeric time indicator indicates the numeric time reference of the position indicator.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the numeric time indicator visually indicates a time of the current playback position with respect to current time.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the available amount of program material is a length of a recording session, and

wherein the numeric time indicator visually indicates the numeric time of the current playback position within a total time length of the recording session.

21. A non-transitory 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 information of audio or video program material to a user, comprising:

displaying a cache bar, inside a first bar that begins at a first time, to a user that visually indicates an available amount of program material through which the user is able to navigate and play back, the cache bar beginning at a second time later than the first time; and

displaying a numeric time indicator that moves in a vicinity of the cache bar that visually indicates a numeric time reference of a current playback position of the program material.

22. The medium of claim 21, wherein the method steps further comprise:

displaying a position indicator that moves in the vicinity of the cache bar and visually indicates to the user a current playback position within the program material;

wherein the numeric time indicator moves in conjunction with the position indicator; and

wherein the numeric time indicator indicates the numeric time reference of the position indicator.

23. The medium of claim 21, wherein the numeric time indicator visually indicates a time of the current playback position with respect to current time.

24. The medium of claim 21, wherein the available amount of program material is a length of a recording session, and

wherein the numeric time indicator visually indicates the numeric time of the current playback position within a total time length of the recording session.