Digital Media Asset Browsing with Audio Cues

• US 20110061028A1
• Filed: 09/07/2009
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sanders, Christopher, Wasko, Timothy, Bachman, William
• Granted Patent: US 9,176,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/862
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatus for image-based browsing through a plurality of digital media assets assisted by media cues are disclosed. The media cues can be provided by playback of short audio segments, referred to as snippets, of the digital media assets being browsed. The digital media assets can be grouped into collections of digital media assets. In one embodiment, as a user browses through digital media assets using visual representations of the collections of digital media assets, media cues can be provided.

Claims

1. A method for browsing digital media assets, comprising:

displaying a plurality of images having associated active regions on a display screen of a client computer, each of the images being associated with and representing one or more of the digital media assets;

detecting a user pointing input at one of the active regions;

identifying one or more digital media assets associated with the one of the active regions where the user pointing device is at; and

initiating playback of a media snippet of the one or more identified digital media assets if the detecting detects that the user pointing device is at the one of the active regions.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method comprises:

determining whether the user pointing device remains in substantially the same position within the one of the active regions for at least a predetermined period of time; and

initiating extended playback of media content of the one or more digital media assets beyond the playback of the media snippet if the determining determines that the user pointing device remains in substantially the same position within the one of the active regions for at least the predetermined period of time.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method comprises:

determining whether the user requests to continue media playback of the one or more digital media asset corresponding to the media snippet being played; and

initiating extended playback of media content of the one or more digital media assets beyond the playback of the media snippet if the determining determines that the user request that media playback of the one or more digital media asset corresponding to the media snippet be continued.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the initiating of the playback of the media snippet of the one or more digital media assets comprises:

determining whether another digital media asset is already being played when the playback of the media snippet of the one or more digital media assets is initiated; and

fading out the playback of the another digital media asset while fading in the playback of the media snippet of the one or more digital media assets.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the detecting of the user pointing input at one of the active regions detects the user pointing input entering the one of the active regions.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the active regions are respectively substantially commensurate with or about one of the images.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of the images are associated with and represent more than one of the digital media assets.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein as the user pointing device is provided over and traverses one of the images, playback of different media snippets of the digital media assets that are associated and represented by the one of the images are sequentially initiated.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein a characteristic at which the different media snippets are played is dependent on the number of the digital media assets associated with the image.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein a characteristic at which the different media snippets are played is dependent on the speed with which the user pointing device traverses the one of the images.

11. A computer-implemented method for review media items, the method comprising:

displaying a representation of at least one collection of media items;

receiving a user input movement over the representation of the at least one collection of media items; and

playing a short segment of media content pertaining to at least one of the media items in the collection of media items in response to the user input movement over the representation of the at least one collection of media items.

12. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 11, wherein the method comprises:

receiving a selection of one of the media items for playback; and

playing the selected one of the media items.

13. An apparatus for browsing and playing digital media assets, said apparatus comprising:

a storage device for storing a plurality of digital media assets;

a display device for displaying visual representations pertaining to the digital media assets; and

a controller operatively connected to the storage device and the display device, said controller configured to at least (i) display a plurality of visual representations, each of the visual representing being associated with and representing one or more of the digital media assets stored in the storage device;

(ii) detect a user pointing input at a particular one of the visual representation;

(iii) identify one or more digital media assets associated with the particular one of the visual representations; and

(iv) initiate playback of a media snippet of the one or more identified digital media assets if the user pointing device is detected at the particular one of the visual representations.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said controller further comprises:

receiving a media snippet of the one or more identified digital media assets from the storage device,

wherein the media snippet is thereafter played back by said controller.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said apparatus further comprises:

an audio output device for outputting audio signals or audio sound, and

wherein when the controller initiates playback of the media snippet of the one or more digital media assets, the audio output device outputs audio signals or audio sound for the media snippet.

16. A computer readable storage medium including at least executable computer program code stored thereon for browsing digital media assets, the computer readable storage medium comprising:

computer program code for displaying a plurality of images having associated active regions on a display screen of a client computer, each of the images being associated with and representing one or more of the digital media assets;

computer program code for detecting a user pointing input at one of the active regions;

computer program code for identifying one or more digital media assets associated with the one of the active regions where the user pointing device is at; and

computer program code for initiating playback of a media snippet of the one or more identified digital media assets if the user pointing device is detected to be at the one of the active regions.

17. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein said computer readable storage medium comprises:

computer program code for determining whether the user pointing device remains in substantially the same position within the one of the active regions for at least a predetermined period of time; and

computer program code for initiating extended playback of media content of the one or more digital media assets beyond the playback of the media snippet if said determining determines that the user pointing device remains in substantially the same position within the one of the active regions for at least the predetermined period of time.

18. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein said computer readable storage medium comprises:

computer program code for determining whether the user requests to continue media playback of the one or more digital media asset corresponding to the media snippet being played; and

computer program code for initiating extended playback of media content of the one or more digital media assets beyond the playback of the media snippet if said determining determines that the user request that media playback of the one or more digital media asset corresponding to the media snippet be continued.

19. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein said computer program code for initiating of the playback of the media snippet of the one or more digital media assets comprises:

computer program code for determining whether another digital media asset is already being played when the playback of the media snippet of the one or more digital media assets is initiated; and

computer program code for fading out the playback of the another digital media asset while fading in the playback of the media snippet of the one or more digital media assets.

20. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein said detecting of the user pointing input at one of the active regions detects the user pointing input entering the one of the active regions.

21. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein each of the active regions are respectively substantially commensurate with or about one of the images.

22. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of the images are associated with and represent more than one of the digital media assets.

23. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 22, wherein as the user pointing device is provided over and traverses one of the images, playback of different media snippets of the digital media assets that are associated and represented by the one of the images are sequentially initiated.

24. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 23, wherein a rate at which the different media snippets are played is dependent on the number of the digital media assets associated with the image.

25. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 23, wherein a rate or volume at which the different media snippets are played is dependent on the speed with which the user pointing device traverses the one of the images.

26. A computer-implemented method for review media items, the computer readable storage medium comprising:

computer program code for displaying a representation of at least one collection of media items;

computer program code for receiving a user input movement over the representation of the at least one collection of media items; and

computer program code for playing a short segment of media content pertaining to at least one of the media items in the collection of media items in response to the user input movement over the representation of the at least one collection of media items.

27. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 26, wherein said computer readable storage medium comprises:

computer program code for receiving a selection of one of the media items for playback; and

computer program code for playing the selected one of the media items.