Variable speed playback

• US 8,849,948 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2011
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Gilson, Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuoc
• Application Number:
  US13/193,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20130031266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/225, 709/231, 709/238
• US Class Current: 709/217
• 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: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate

Abstract

Provided are methods and systems for variable speed playback. In one aspect the disclosure provides for receiving content having a first playback speed, determining a second playback speed for at least a portion of the content based on a playback factor, associating the second playback speed with the portion of the content, and providing at least the portion of the content at the second playback speed to a display device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving content having a first playback speed and comprising a content profile, wherein the content profile com rises one or more of a minimum speed, an average speed, and a maximum speed, associated with the content;

determining a user preference playback speed;

determining a second playback speed for at least a first portion of the content based on the content profile and the user preference playback speed; and

providing at least the first portion of the content at the second playback speed for display.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

determining a third playback speed for at least a second portion of the content based on at least one playback factor;

associating the third playback speed with the second portion of the content; and

transitioning from providing at least the first portion of the content at the second playback speed to providing at least the second portion of the content at the third playback speed to a display device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the third playback speed is set greater than or less than the second playback speed based on the at least one playback factor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises a movie, a commercial, a television program, a music video, or audio only content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user preference playback speed comprises a playback speed recommended by a third party.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first playback speed relates to a rate of words spoken, wherein the rate of words spoken is determined by analyzing metadata associated with the first portion of the content to determine a number of spoken words per minute.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a second playback speed for the first portion of the content comprises adding metadata to the content describing the second playback speed.

8. A method comprising:

receiving content comprising a content playback profile, wherein the content playback profile comprises one or more playback speeds comprising one or more of a minimum playback speed, an average playback speed, and a maximum playback speed;

receiving a user preference playback speed; and

providing the content for display by dynamically adjusting a content playback speed based on at least the one or more playback speeds associated with the content playback profile and the user preference playback speed.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the content comprises a movie, a commercial, a television program, a music video, or audio only content.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining a user profile by receiving the user preference playback speed from a third party.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the user preference playback speed comprises a playback speed recommended by a third party to a source of the received content and a viewer of a display device.

12. A method comprising:

transmitting content comprising a first playback speed;

determining a content playback multiplier based on a content type, wherein the content type comprises one or more of a movie, a commercial, a television program, a music video, and audio only content;

determining a user preference multiplier based on a user profile;

determining a second playback speed for at least a first portion of the content based on at least the first playback speed, the content playback multiplier, and the user preference multiplier;

associating the second playback speed with the first portion of the content; and

providing at least the first portion of the content at the second playback speed for display.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising setting the second playback speed greater than or less than the first playback speed based on one or more of the content type and the user profile.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying the content on a display device at the second playback speed.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the content comprises a movie, a commercial, a television program, a music video, or audio only content.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the first playback speed relates to a rate of words spoken, wherein the rate of words spoken is determined by analyzing metadata associated with the first portion of the content to determine a number of spoken words per minute.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the user preference multiplier comprises a multiplier recommended by a third party to a source of the content and a viewer of a display device.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the second playback speed for the first portion of the content comprises adding metadata to the content describing the second playback speed.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a third playback speed for at least a second portion of the content based on at least one playback factor;

associating the third playback speed with the second portion of the content; and

transitioning from providing at least the first portion of the content at the second playback speed to providing at least the second portion of the content at the third playback speed to a display device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the third playback speed is set greater than or less than the second playback speed based on the at least one playback factor.