Systems and methods for interacting with a user interface of a media player

• US 7,421,656 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2004
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fong, Jeffrey, Abanami, Thamer, Franklin, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu; Tadesse
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ulrich; Nicholas S
• Application Number:
  US10/751,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20050146534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• Field of Search: 715/720, 715/727, 715/716, 715/786, 715/974, 386/6
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/103 electrically operated
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/022 Control panels
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/16 Manual control
• 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 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/054 Application timeslot: duration of actuation or delay between or combination of subsequent actuations determines selected function
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/974 Slider control as on-screen object in operator interface

Abstract

Systems and methods for interfacing with playback of media by a media player are provided. By combining the functionality of fast forward and skip forward into a single button control, the invention reduces the numbers of control buttons that need be included on a device, reducing device costs and consumer “button overload.” In one embodiment, by pressing (and releasing) a forward button, media being rendered by a media player skips to a predetermined location in the media. By pressing and holding (and then releasing) the forward button, the media being rendered is fast forwarded according to algorithms for fast forwarding. A backward button covers skipping backward and fast reversing in a similar fashion. A device including a play/pause button and the described forward and backward buttons advantageously reduces the number of buttons required by two buttons.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable modules having computer-executable instructions for implementing a user interface for a computing device having a display for use in connection with rendering a media object, comprising:

a first input component for toggling between rendering according to a rendering speed for the media object and pausing the rendering of the media object;

a second input component for skipping the rendering of the media object forward a predetermined amount upon a click of the second input component and for fast forwarding the rendering of the media object upon a press and hold of the second input component,

wherein pre-identified key frames are displayed on the display during skipping or fast forwarding, and, if the pre-identified key frames are not available, a frame being displayed on the display at a time of activation of the second input component and a timeline that represents forward progress being made in the media being rendered are displayed, and

wherein if said first input component has been toggled to a paused state, the second input component applies a different skipping algorithm in the rendering of the media object forward than if the first input component is rendering according to the rendering speed.

2. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, further comprising a third input component for skipping the rendering of the media object backward a predetermined amount upon a click of the third input component and for fast reversing the rendering of the media object upon a press and hold of the third input component.

3. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein said skipping the rendering of the media object forward includes skipping a rendering position of the media object where the media object is currently being rendered forward a predetermined number of seconds to a new rendering position, whereby rendering resumes at said new rendering position.

4. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein said skipping the rendering of the media object forward includes skipping a rendering position of the media object where the media object is currently being rendered forward to the next predetermined location found in the media object, whereby rendering resumes at said predetermined location.

5. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein said fast forwarding includes accelerating the fast forwarding based upon how long the second input component is held.

6. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, further comprising an interface for receiving and interpreting input from said first and second input components.

7. A computer-readable storage medium to claim 1, wherein said first and second input components are one of hardware and software input components.

8. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein said first and second input components are software input components and said input components receive input from one of a keyboard, a pointing device and a touchpad.

9. A method for directionally influencing according to a direction the rendering of a media object via a user interface of a computing device having a display, comprising:

receiving a selection of one of a playing state and a paused state via a first interface control element;

receiving input by a second interface control element, whereby if the input includes continuous input for a predetermined amount of time, said input causes fast rendering of the media object according to the direction and whereby if the input does not include continuous input, said input causes skipping of the rendering of the media object according to the direction,

wherein pre-identified key frames are displayed on the display during skipping or fast rendering of the media object, and, if the pre-identified key frames are not available, a frame being displayed on the display at a time of activation of the second interface control element and a timeline that represents forward progress being made in the media being rendered are displayed, and

wherein if the paused state is selected, said fast rendering of the media object and said skipping includes skipping the rendering of the media object forward according to a different algorithm than if the playing state was selected.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said second interface control element is one of (A) a forward button and said direction is forward and (B) a reverse button and said direction is reverse.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein said continuous input includes receiving indication of a pressing and holding of the second interface control element and said input not including continuous input includes receiving indication of a clicking of the second interface control element.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein if the playing state is selected, said fast rendering of the media object includes accelerating a rendering rate associated with rendering the media object and said skipping includes skipping the rendering of the media object forward a predetermined number of seconds.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein if the playing state is selected, said fast rendering of the media object includes accelerating a rendering rate associated with rendering the media object and said skipping includes skipping the rendering of the media object forward to the next predetermined location in the media object.

14. A method according to claim 9, further comprising receiving by an interface said selection and input.

15. A method according to claim 9, wherein said first and second interface control elements are one of hardware and software input components.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said first and second interface control elements are software input components and said software input components receive said selection and input from one of a keyboard, a pointing device and a touchpad.

17. A computing device, comprising:

a display;

a computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable modules comprising computer executable instructions configured to interact with the display and for enabling a user to interact with the playback of a media object by a media player,

a first input component for skipping the rendering of the media object forward a predetermined amount upon a click of the first input component and for fast forwarding the rendering of the media object upon a press and hold of the first input component,

wherein pre-identified key frames are displayed on the display during skipping or fast forwarding, and, if the pre-identified key frames are not available, a frame being displayed on the display at a time of activation of the first input component and a timeline that represents forward progress being made in the media being rendered are displayed; and

a second input component for skipping the rendering of the media object backward a predetermined amount upon a click of the second input component and for fast reversing the rendering of the media object upon a press and hold of the second input component,

wherein if said media object being rendered is in a paused state, said first and second input components apply a different skipping algorithm in rendering the media object forward than if the media object being rendered is not in the paused state,

wherein sound is not output if key frames are not available and the timeline is being displayed,

wherein said fast forwarding includes accelerating the fast forwarding based upon how long the first input component is held, and

wherein said fast reversing includes accelerating the fast reversing based upon how long the first input component is held.

18. A computing device according to claim 17, wherein said skipping the rendering of the media object forward includes skipping a rendering position of the media object where the media object is currently being rendered forward a predetermined number of seconds to a new rendering position, whereby rendering resumes at said new rendering position.

19. A computing device according to claim 17, wherein said skipping the rendering of the media object backward includes skipping a rendering position of the media object where the media object is currently being rendered backward a predetermined number of seconds to a new rendering position, whereby rendering resumes at said new rendering position.

20. A computing device according to claim 17, wherein said skipping the rendering of the media object forward includes skipping a rendering position of the media object where the media object is currently being rendered forward to the next predetermined location found in the media object, whereby rendering resumes at said predetermined location.

21. A computing device according to claim 17, wherein said skipping the rendering of the media object backward includes skipping a rendering position of the media object where the media object is currently being rendered backward to the next predetermined location found in the media object, whereby rendering resumes at said predetermined location.

22. A computing device according to claim 17, wherein said computer executable modules comprise an interface for receiving and interpreting input from said first and second input components.

23. A computing device according to claim 17, wherein said first and second input components are software input components and said input components receive input from one of a keyboard, a pointing device and a touchpad.