Circular multimedia playback progress indicator and method of indicating signals thereof

• US 20070136679A1
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Universal Scientific Industrial Co., Ltd. (ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Universal Scientific Industrial Co., Ltd. (ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yang, Qi-Ming
• Application Number:
  US11/376,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20070136679A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/772
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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

Abstract

A circular multimedia playback progress indicator displayed on a screen during a multimedia playback and a method of indicating signals thereof is claimed. The circular indicator appears when playing or controlling a multimedia content and comprises a circular display area displayed on a screen during a playback or a control; a status indicating area for displaying a playback status by one or a plurality of status icons; a circular timeline for displaying the playing length of a multimedia content by a circular stripe area; a circular buffer indicating area for dynamically displaying a buffer status of the multimedia content by a circular stripe color area; and a progress index for dynamically displaying the playback progress of the multimedia content. The above-mentioned areas adopt different colors and/or levels of transparency to distinguish the different displaying functions separately.

Claims

1. A circular multimedia playback progress indicator, displayed on a screen when controlling a playback of a multimedia content, comprising:

a circular display area, being a circular color area displayed on said screen when controlling said playback of said multimedia content;

a status indicating area, displayed in said circular display area for displaying a playback status of said multimedia content by one or a plurality of status icons;

a circular timeline, displayed in said circular display area for displaying a playback length of said multimedia content by a circular stripe area;

a circular buffer indicating area, displayed on said circular timeline for dynamically displaying a buffer status of said multimedia content by a circular stripe color area; and

a progress index, displayed in said circular buffer indicating area for dynamically displaying a playback progress of said multimedia content by said progress index;

wherein said status icon, said circular stripe area of said circular timeline, said stripe color area of said circular buffer indicating area, said progress index, and said circular color area of said circular display area are adjacent color areas with different display color types for distinguishing the displaying function of each area.

2. The circular multimedia playback progress indicator of claim 1, wherein the indicator further comprises at least one time display area.

3. The circular multimedia playback progress indicator of claim 2, wherein said time display area displays a time division for storing said multimedia content into a buffer memory.

4. The circular multimedia playback progress indicator of claim 2, wherein said time display area displays said playback progress of said multimedia content.

5. The circular multimedia playback progress indicator of claim 2, wherein said time display area displays a time duration of playing said multimedia content.

6. The circular multimedia playback progress indicator of claim 1, wherein the indicator further comprises a record indicating area displayed on said circular timeline for indicating a status of recording said multimedia content into a storage medium.

7. The circular multimedia playback progress indicator of claim 1, wherein said status icon displayed in said status indicating area comprises a play icon, a pause icon, a stop icon, a fast forward play icon, and a rewind play icon.

8. The circular multimedia playback progress indicator of claim 1, wherein said circular multimedia playback progress indicator is displayed on a position of said screen with a factory default setting or a user-defined setting.

9. A method of indicating signals for a circular multimedia playback progress indicator, wherein said circular multimedia playback progress indicator is displayed on a screen when controlling a playback of a multimedia content, and said method of indicating signals for said circular multimedia playback progress indicator comprises the steps of:

receiving said multimedia content;

buffering said multimedia content into a buffer memory;

playing said multimedia content;

receiving a control signal;

activating said circular multimedia playback progress indicator;

displaying said circular multimedia playback progress indicator on said screen;

displaying a circular timeline for indicating a playback length of said multimedia content;

displaying a playback status of said multimedia content, and said playback status being displayed in said circular multimedia playback progress indicator by one or a plurality of status icons;

displaying a buffer status of said multimedia content, and said buffer status being dynamically displayed on said circular timeline by a circular stripe color area; and

displaying a playback progress of said multimedia content, and said playback progress being dynamically displayed by a progress index on said circular timeline.

10. The method of indicating signals for a circular multimedia playback progress indicator of claim 9, wherein the display of said circular multimedia playback progress indicator is cleared within a period after receiving said control signal.

11. The method of indicating signals for a circular multimedia playback progress indicator of claim 9, further comprising a step of recording said multimedia content to a storage medium.

12. A method of indicating signals for a circular multimedia playback progress indicator, comprising the steps of:

playing a multimedia content;

displaying a circular multimedia playback progress indicator on a screen;

detecting a control signal;

displaying a buffer status by a circular buffer indicating area with a predetermined color;

displaying a status of recording to a storage medium by a record indicating area with a predetermined color;

stopping a progress index on a circular timeline of said circular multimedia playback progress indicator, if a pause signal or a stop signal is received;

processing a fast forward play or a rewind play for said progress index, if a fast forward or a rewind control signal is received; and

processing a step of buffering and a step of recording.

13. The method of indicating signals for a circular multimedia playback progress indicator of claim 12, wherein said step of buffering is to buffer said multimedia content into a buffer memory.

14. The method of indicating signals for a circular multimedia playback progress indicator of claim 12, wherein said step of recording is to record said multimedia content into a storage medium.