Replacing an image with a media player

• US 9,026,913 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2010
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Demarta, Stanley Peter, Ovadia, David Jack, Winer, Peter W., Sturgis, Jeff, Navaneethakrishnan, Rajesh
• Primary Examiner(s): SALOMON, PHENUEL S
• Application Number:
  US12/814,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20110307785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,789 Days
• Field of Search: 715716-722
• US Class Current: 715/719
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons
• 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 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42214 using alphanumerical characters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42225 characterized by types of remote control, e.g. universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4854 for modifying image parameters, e.g. image brightness, contrast

Abstract

A computer-implemented method that includes receiving a request to generate an interface within a software application that is configured to play back one or more media files; for a first media file, generating an image representing a frame of the first media file; and causing the image to be displayed within the interface on a display device, where the image is configured to detect an event that causes a media player to be loaded into the software application behind the image.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a request to generate an interface within a web browser application, wherein the interface has one or more sections in which a video file is to be played back;

generating the interface within the web browser application;

for a first video file, generating an image that includes a non-functional user interface of a media player superimposed on a frame of the first video file, the non-functional user interface including non-functional playback, volume, and video resolution controls, the image including a first portion representing a video control interface associated with the media player configured to play the first video file and a second portion representing the frame of the first video file;

causing the image to be displayed within a first section of the interface;

detecting a predetermined event at a time no media players are loaded into computer memory; and

in response to detecting the predetermined event, loading the media player for the first time into computer memory, increasing the transparency of the image as the media player is loaded, and removing the image from the first section after the media player is loaded.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second portion resides within a video playback area of the video control interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises a mouse cursor crossing a boundary associated with the image displayed within the interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises at least one finger of a user interacting with the image displayed within the interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises a keyboard keystroke.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least ten images are displayed within the interface, and further comprising the step of

loading the media player into the first section to replace the image only after an event is detected that is associated with the image.

7. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to display an image in an interface, by performing the steps of:

receiving a request to generate an interface within a web browser application, wherein the interface has one or more sections in which a video files is to be played back;

generating the interface within the web browser application;

for a first video file, generating an image that includes a non-functional user interface of a media player superimposed on a frame of the first video file, the non-functional user interface including non-functional playback, volume, and video resolution controls, the image including a first portion representing a video control interface associated with the media player configured to play the first video file and a second portion representing the frame of the first video file;

causing the image to be displayed within a first section of the interface;

detecting a predetermined event at a time no media players are loaded into computer memory; and

in response to detecting the predetermined event, loading the media player for the first time into computer memory, increasing the transparency of the image as the media player is loaded, and removing the image from the first section after the media player is loaded.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the second portion resides within a video playback area of the video control interface.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the event comprises a mouse cursor crossing a boundary associated with the image displayed within the interface.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the event comprises at least one finger of a user interacting with the image displayed within the interface.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the event comprises a keyboard keystroke.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, further comprising instructions that perform the step of:

loading the media player into the first section to replace the image only after an event is detected that is associated with the image.

13. A computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to;

receive a request to generate an interface within a web browser application, wherein the interface has one or more sections in which a video file is to be played back;

generate the interface within the web browser application;

for a first video file, generate an image that includes a non-functional user interface of a media player superimposed on a frame of the first video file, the non-functional user interface including non-functional playback, volume, and video resolution controls, the image including a first portion representing a video control interface associated with the media player configured to play the first video file and a second portion representing the frame of the first video file;

cause the image to be displayed within a first section of the interface;

detect a predetermined event at a time no media players are loaded into computer memory; and

in response to detecting the predetermined event, the media player for the first time into the memory, increase the transparency of the image as the media player is loaded, and remove the image from the first section after the media player is loaded.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein at least ten images are displayed within the interface, and wherein the processor is further configured to load the media player into the first section to replace the image only after an event is detected that is associated with the image.