Determining hierarchical user interface controls during content playback

• US 10,198,245 B1
• Filed: 05/09/2014
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audible Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Audible Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jaeger, Timothy, Go, Alison Mae
• Primary Examiner(s): Salomon, Phenuel S
• Application Number:
  US14/274,380
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0291 for reading, e.g. e-books constructional details of portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for determining user interface controls associated with hierarchical levels during media content playback. In some embodiments, instructions may be provided to display user interface controls associated with a level of media content, such as a chapter level. A change in the level of media content and/or the user interface controls associated with the level may be a response to a level change request. A level change request may be initiated by user input and/or may automatically be initiated by the current content playback position.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an electronic data store configured to at least store an audiobook; and

a computing system comprising one or more hardware computing devices executing specific computer-executable instructions, said computing system in communication with the electronic data store, and configured to at least;

cause playback of the audiobook;

determine a first content type associated with the audiobook;

select a first hierarchical level of the audiobook from a plurality of hierarchical levels, wherein the first hierarchical level is selected based at least in part on having an association with the first content type;

present a first set of user interface controls associated with the first hierarchical level of the audiobook, wherein the first set of user interface controls is configured to control playback to a first location within the audiobook;

detect that a current playback position of the audiobook corresponds to a section marker associated with the audiobook; and

in response to detecting that the current playback position of the audiobook corresponds to the section marker, present a second set of user interface controls instead of the first set of user interface controls, wherein the second set of user interface controls is configured to control playback to a second location within the audiobook, and wherein to present the second set of user interface controls, the computing system is further configured to at least;

determine that a current level of the audiobook corresponds to the first hierarchical level;

select a second hierarchical level of the audiobook from the plurality of hierarchical levels, wherein the second hierarchical level is selected based at least in part on the current level; and

determine the second set of user interface controls associated with the second hierarchical level of the audiobook, wherein the second set of user interface controls is different from the first set of user interface controls.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first hierarchical level comprises one of a chapter level or a full book level.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second set of user interface controls comprise a user interface control associated with a current position marker and at least one chapter marker.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first content type comprises a fictional content type and the first hierarchical level comprises a chapter level.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of user interface controls comprises a fixed fast-forward control and a fixed rewind control, and wherein the second set of user interface controls comprises a chapter forward control and a chapter back control.

6. A system comprising:

an electronic data store configured to at least store media content; and

a computing system comprising one or more hardware computing devices executing specific computer-executable instructions, said computing system in communication with the electronic data store, and configured to at least;

cause playback of the media content on a user device;

determine a first content type associated with the media content;

select a first hierarchical level of the media content from a plurality of hierarchical levels, wherein the first hierarchical level is selected based at least in part on having an association with the first content type;

detect that a current playback position of the media content corresponds to a section marker associated with the media content; and

in response to detecting that the current playback position of the media content corresponds to the section marker, cause the user device to present a second set of user interface controls instead of the first set of user interface controls, wherein the second set of user interface controls is configured to control playback to a second location within the media content, and wherein to cause the user device to present the second set of user interface controls, the computing system is further configured to at least;

determine that a current level of the media content corresponds to the first hierarchical level associated with a first set of user interface controls presented on the user device, wherein the first set of user interface controls is configured to control playback to a first location within the media content;

select a second hierarchical level of the media content from the plurality of hierarchical levels, wherein the second hierarchical level is selected based at least in part on the current level; and

determine the second set of user interface controls associated with the second hierarchical level of the media content, wherein the second set of user interface controls is different from the first set of user interface controls.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first content type comprises a fictional content type and the first hierarchical level comprises a chapter level.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein first set of user interface controls comprises a fixed fast-forward control and a fixed rewind control.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the computing system is further configured to at least determine that the first content type corresponds to a compatible content type.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the section marker is from metadata associated with the media.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the media content comprises an audiobook, and wherein the section marker comprises a chapter begin point, and the second hierarchical level comprises a chapter level of the audiobook.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the computing system is further configured to at least:

receive a user initiated request to change the second set of user interface controls;

determine a third set of user interface controls based at least in part on the second hierarchical level; and

cause the user device to present the third set of user interface controls.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the user initiated request is initiated by a user interaction with a display that presents the second set of user interface controls.

14. A computer-implemented method comprising:

causing playback of media content on a computing device;

determining a first content type associated with the media content;

selecting a first hierarchical level of the media content from a plurality of hierarchical levels, wherein the first hierarchical level is selected based at least in part on having an association with the first content type;

causing the computing device to present a first set of user interface controls associated with the first hierarchical level of the media content, wherein the first set of user interface controls is configured to control playback to a first location within the media content;

detecting that a current playback position of the media content corresponds to a section marker associated with the media content; and

in response to detecting that the current playback position of the media content corresponds to the section marker, causing the computing device to present a second set of user interface controls instead of the first set of user interface controls, wherein the second set of user interface controls is configured to control playback to a second location within the media content, wherein causing the computing device to present the second set of user interface controls further comprises;

determining that a current level of the media content corresponds to the first hierarchical level;

selecting a second hierarchical level of the media content from the plurality of hierarchical levels, wherein the second hierarchical level is selected based at least in part on the current level; and

determining the second set of user interface controls associated with the second hierarchical level of the media content, wherein the second set of user interface controls is different from the first set of user interface controls.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the first hierarchical level comprises one of a section level or a macro level.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the second set of user interface controls comprises a control representing a current position marker and at least one section breakpoint.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the first set of user interface controls comprises a fixed fast-forward control and a fixed rewind control, and wherein the second set of user interface controls comprises a section forward control and a section back control.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the media content comprises at least one of audio content or video content.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving a user initiated request to change the second set of user interface controls;

determining a third set of user interface controls based at least in part on the second hierarchical level; and

causing the computing device to present the third set of user interface controls.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the third set of user interface controls comprises a fixed fast-forward control and a fixed rewind control.

21. A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, configure the one or more computing devices to perform operations comprising:

causing playback of media content on the one or more computing devices;

determining a first content type associated with the media content;

selecting a first hierarchical level of the media content from a plurality of hierarchical levels, wherein the first hierarchical level is selected based at least in part on having an association with the first content type;

determining a first set of user interface controls associated with the first hierarchical level of the media content, wherein the first set of user interface controls is configured to control playback to a first location within the media content;

causing the one or more computing devices to present the first set of user interface controls;

detecting that a current playback position of the media content corresponds to a section marker associated with the media content; and

in response to detecting that the current playback position of the media content corresponds to the section marker, causing the one or more computing devices to present a second set of user interface controls instead of the first set of user interface controls, wherein the second set of user interface controls is configured to control playback to a second location within the media content, and wherein causing the one or more computing devices to present the second set of user interface controls further comprises;

selecting a second hierarchical level of the media content from the plurality of hierarchical levels, wherein the second hierarchical level is selected based at least in part on the first hierarchical level; and

determining the second set of user interface controls associated with the second hierarchical level of the media content, wherein the second set of user interface controls is different from the first set of user interface controls.

22. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 21, wherein the first hierarchical level comprises one of a section level or a macro level.

23. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 21, wherein the second set of user interface controls comprises a control representing a current position marker and at least one section breakpoint.

24. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 21, wherein the first set of user interface controls comprises a fixed fast-forward control and a fixed rewind control, and wherein the second set of user interface controls comprises a section forward control and a section back control.