Method and system for navigation using media transport controls

• US 20050071437A1
• Filed: 09/30/2003
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ledbetter, Carl, Adams, Aditha May, Crosier, Dale C., Kaneko, Steve, Magendanz, Chad, Bear, Eric Gould
• Granted Patent: US 7,194,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/212
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system and method for improved navigation and access of computer media content using media transport controls is provided. These transport controls may be placed in various locations such as on the computer housing, on a keyboard, on a monitor or a remote control. With these controls, a user may easily play multimedia content and navigate to individual tracks or segments of an audio and/or video stream. The transport controls include a play/pause button, a stop button, a previous button, and a next button. A user may intuitively activate and interact with media content in a variety of applications using these transport controls. For example, users may play recordings such as voice mail and review their recorded replies using the transport controls. Users may similarly play and/or review multimedia annotations made to any application files, including traditional computer files such as spreadsheets, documents and presentations.

Claims

1. A general purpose computer system for navigating and accessing content, comprising:

a plurality of applications, at least one of the applications handling a different type of media content than other;

transport controls independent-of the applications for inputting commands to navigate and access content of the applications; and

an operating system having a component operably coupled to the transport controls and the applications, the component receiving the input commands from the transport controls and sending the input commands to the applications.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein one of the applications comprises a voice mail application.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the voice mail application receives the input commands corresponding to the transport controls for browsing a list of voice mail messages.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the voice mail application receives an input command corresponding to the transport controls for reviewing a recorded reply to a voice mail message.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the input commands use at least one member of a set containing previous and next.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein one of the applications comprises a spreadsheet application.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the spreadsheet application receives an input command corresponding to the transport controls for recording an annotation to a cell of the spreadsheet.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the spreadsheet application receives input commands from the transport controls for reviewing a recorded annotation made to a cell of the spreadsheet.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the input commands use at least one member of the set comprising previous and next.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein one of the applications comprises a word processing application.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the word processing application receives the input commands corresponding to the transport controls for recording an annotation to a document.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the word processing application receives input commands from the transport controls for reviewing a recorded annotation made to a document.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the input commands use at least one member of a set containing previous and next.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the transport controls use at least one member of a set containing play, pause, stop, previous, next, and record.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the buttons of the transport controls reside on a computer housing.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the buttons of the transport controls reside on a computer keyboard.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the buttons of the transport controls reside on a computer monitor.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the buttons of the transport controls reside on a communications panel.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the buttons of the transport controls reside on a remote control.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the component operably coupled to the transport controls comprises a hardware interface.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the operating system further comprises a component for controlling an indicator for a transport control.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the indicator uses at least one member of a set containing visual, audible, and tactile representations.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the indicator comprising a visual representation illuminates with the color red while recording.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the indicator comprising a visual representation illuminates with the color amber while pausing.

25. A method in a computer system, comprising:

launching an application for navigating and accessing one type of media content;

browsing the content using transport controls;

playing a portion of the content using the transport controls;

launching a second application for a different type of media content;

browsing the different type of media content using the transport controls; and

playing a portion of the different type of media content using the transport controls.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the application for one type of media content comprises a voice mail-capable application.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the second application for the different type of media content comprises a spreadsheet application having annotations that use at least one member of a set containing visual, audible, and tactile content.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the second application for the different type of media content comprises a word processing application having annotations that use at least one member of a set containing visual, audible, and tactile content.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein browsing the content using the transport controls further comprises using at least one member of a set containing a previous button and a next button.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein playing a portion of the content using the transport controls further comprises using a play button.

31. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 25.

32. A method for accessing voice mail in a computer system, comprising:

selecting a voice mail message from a list of voice mail messages using transport controls that are independent of a voice mail application program; and

playing the voice mail message that was selected.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein selecting the voice mail message from the list further comprises using a previous button to step up the list of voice mail messages.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein selecting the voice mail message from the list of voice mail messages further comprises using a next button to step down the list of voice mail messages.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

recording a reply to the voice mail played; and

sending the reply to the sender of the voice mail.

36. A method for reviewing voice annotations made to content in a computer system, comprising:

selecting content having voice annotations;

browsing the voice annotations made to the content using transport controls that are independent of a program that presents the content;

selecting an annotation for review; and

reviewing the annotation via the transport controls.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein browsing the voice annotations using the transport controls further comprises using a previous button to step up a list of voice annotations.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein browsing the voice annotations using the transport controls further comprises using a next button to step down a list of voice annotations.

39. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 36.

40. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components, comprising:

transport controls for inputting commands to navigate and access a plurality of different types of audible content; and

an operating system having a component operably coupled to the transport controls for receiving the input commands from the transport controls.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the audible content comprises voice mail messages.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the audible content comprises annotations made to a document.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the audible content comprises annotations made to a spreadsheet.

44. A computer system for navigating and accessing media content, comprising:

means for launching one of a plurality of applications, each handling a type of media content;

means for browsing the content using the transport controls; and

means for playing a portion of the content using the transport controls.

45. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, comprising:

launching one of a plurality of applications, each handling a type of media content;

browsing the content using the transport controls; and

playing a portion of the content using the transport controls.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 45 further comprising skipping a portion of the content using the transport controls.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 45 further comprising scanning a portion of the content using the transport controls.