Timeline-based content control method and apparatus using dynamic distortion of timeline bar, and method and apparatus for controlling video and audio clips using the same

• US 9,281,010 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hwang, Sung-Jae
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, Kee M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wang, Yuehan
• Application Number:
  US13/483,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20120306925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 345/647
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• 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

A method and apparatus for controlling content based on a timeline in a timeline-based content control apparatus with a touch screen. The method includes generating and displaying a linear timeline bar on the touch screen regardless of the size of content; detecting contact on the timeline bar; nonlinearly distorting a predetermined section of the timeline bar being displayed around the touch-detected position on the timeline bar; and performing a fine search and shifting the distorted section depending on a direction of the user'"'"'s touch.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an output of content, comprising:

displaying a timeline bar on a touchscreen comprising a linear shape and disposed along a linear axis and configured to enable searching and selection of a playback position in the content;

in response to detecting, via the touchscreen, a touch on a point of the timeline bar, distorting the linear shape of a predetermined section of the timeline bar centered on the point by a predetermined distance to be a form of at least one of zigzag curve, spiral, pulse, square-wave, sinusoidal wave, saw-tooth, triangle, rectangular wave and spring and including an additional length for selecting the playback position with an increased precision;

if a drag input is detected within the distorted predetermined section including the form of the at least one of the zigzag curve, the spiral, the pulse, the square-wave, the sinusoidal wave, the saw-tooth, the triangle, the rectangular wave and the spring moving along the linear axis, shifting the predetermined section along the linear axis; and

if the drag input is detected within the distorted predetermined section moving along the at least one of the zigzag curve, the spiral, the pulse, the square-wave, the sinusoidal wave, the saw-tooth, the triangle, the rectangular wave and the spring, identifying the playback position along the at least one of the zigzag curve, the spiral, the pulse, the square-wave, the sinusoidal wave, the saw-tooth, the triangle, the rectangular wave and the spring using the increased precision.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the playback position is moved along the at least one of the zigzag curve, the spiral, the pulse, the square-wave, the sinusoidal wave, the saw-tooth, the triangle, the rectangular wave and the spring, respectively, when the drag input is detected moving along a direction other than the linear axis.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the form further comprises a form of a plurality of broken lines.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is set by length.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is set by time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising distorting the linear shape of the predetermined section when the detected touch remains at a same position of the touchscreen for a predetermined duration or longer.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising increasing nonlinear distortion of the predetermined section on the timeline bar based on a time that the detected touch remains at the same position of the touchscreen.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the distorting comprises varying a range of the distorted predetermined section and a strength of the distortion depending on the duration that the detected touch remains at the same position of the touchscreen.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the distorting comprises varying a range of the distorted predetermined section and a strength of the distortion on the timeline bar according to a time for which the detected touch remains at the same position of the touchscreen.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising nonlinearly distorting the predetermined section on the timeline bar upon occurrence of a predetermined event trigger.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined event trigger occurs when the detected touch includes a predetermined pressure or more, when a specific gesture is detected, or when a double touch is detected on a substantially same position of the touchscreen.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising varying a strength of the distorting according to a size of content represented by a length of the timeline bar.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein shifting the predetermined section is executed such that portions of the timeline bar that are not nonlinearly distorted are nonlinearly distorted as they enter the predetermined section, and other portions of the timeline bar that are nonlinearly distorted are undistorted as they exit the predetermined section.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises at least one of:

consecutive data of volume, brightness and chroma;

a video clip; and

an audio clip.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting a threshold area above and below the timeline bar;

in response to detecting the touch on the point of the timeline bar, detecting if the touch is moved beyond the threshold area; and

when the touch is moved beyond the threshold area, distorting the linear shape of the predetermined section in a direction in which the touch is moved, and altering the threshold area to surround the timeline bar including the distorted shape of the predetermined section.

16. A timeline-based content control apparatus, comprising:

a touchscreen configured to display a timeline bar comprising a linear shape disposed along a linear axis for searching and selection of a playback position in content when the touchscreen detects a touch on point of the timeline bar; and

a controller configured to;

in response to detecting a touch on a point of the timeline bar, distort the linear shape of a predetermined section of the displayed timeline bar centered on the point by a predetermined distance to be a form of at least one of zigzag curve, spiral, pulse, square-wave, sinusoidal wave, saw-tooth, triangle, rectangular wave and spring including an additional length for selecting the playback position with increased precision,

if a drag input is detected within the distorted predetermined section the at least one of the zigzag curve, the spiral, the pulse, the square-wave, the sinusoidal wave, the saw-tooth, the triangle, the rectangular wave and the spring moving along the linear axis, shift the distorted predetermined section along the linear axis, and

if the drag input is detected moving along the at least one of the zigzag curve, the spiral, the pulse, the square-wave, the sinusoidal wave, the saw-tooth, the triangle, the rectangular wave and the spring, identify the playback position along the at least one of the zigzag curve, the spiral, the pulse, the square-wave, the sinusoidal wave, the saw-tooth, the triangle, the rectangular wave and the spring distorted using the increased precision.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the content comprises at least one of:

consecutive data of volume, brightness and chroma, a video clip; and

an audio clip.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the playback position is moved along the at least one of the zigzag curve, the spiral, the pulse, the square-wave, the sinusoidal wave, the saw-tooth, the triangle, the rectangular wave and the spring, respectively, when the drag input is detected moving along a direction other than the linear axis.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein an amount of the distorting of the linear shape increases according to a time that the detected touch remains at a same position of the touchscreen.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a range of the predetermined section and a strength of the distorting vary according to a duration that the detected touch remains at a same position of the touchscreen.