Methods, systems, and products for selecting images

• US 8,108,535 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qurio Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Quiro Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Roberts, Thomas A., Evans, Gregory Morgan
• Primary Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US11/479,059
• Time in Patent Office: 2,041 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231, 709/204, 709/205, 709/207, 382/173, 382/176, 358/2.1
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for selecting images from media. As a media stream is processed for display, thumbnail images are extracted at a periodic rate from the media stream. The media stream and the thumbnail images are concurrently processed for display.

Claims

1. A processor-implemented method of selecting images, comprising:

receiving, by a communications device comprising a processor, a media stream at a first resolution;

extracting, by the communications device, a plurality of thumbnail images from the media stream;

extracting a time code from the media stream that corresponds to each extracted thumbnail image;

processing the extracted thumbnail images in a time sequence according to the time code associated with each extracted thumbnail image;

scrolling the plurality of thumbnail images across a first portion of a display device while concurrently displaying the media stream on a second portion of the display device;

receiving a selection, by a user, of one of the plurality of thumbnail images;

in response to the selection, sending a request to a server for a higher resolution image of the selected thumbnail image which is at a higher resolution than the first resolution, the request comprising data identifying the selected thumbnail image; and

in response to the request, receiving the higher resolution image of the selected thumbnail image.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of processing a graphical user interface having a control that scrolls the plurality of thumbnail images.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the extracted thumbnail images in memory.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of i) receiving a first input that selects an extracted thumbnail image as a beginning of a media snippet and ii) receiving a second input that selects another extracted thumbnail image as an end of the media snippet.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of i) receiving a first input that selects a current time code from the media stream as a beginning of a media snippet and ii) receiving a second input that selects a later time code as an end of the media snippet.

6. A system, comprising:

a media player application stored in memory; and

a processor communicating with the memory and with the media player application,

the system processing a media stream received at a first resolution to;

extract a plurality of thumbnail images at a periodic rate;

extract a time code from the media stream that corresponds to each extracted thumbnail image;

process the extracted thumbnail images in a time sequence according to the time code associated with each extracted thumbnail image;

scroll the plurality of thumbnail images across a first portion of a display device while concurrently displaying the media stream on a second portion of the display device;

receive a first selection, by a user, of a first thumbnail image of the plurality of thumbnail images;

in response to the first selection, send a request to a server for a higher resolution image of the selected thumbnail image which is at a higher resolution than the first resolution, the request comprising data identifying the selected thumbnail image; and

in response to the request, receive the higher resolution image of the selected thumbnail image.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the system processes a graphical user interface having a control that scrolls the plurality of thumbnail images.

8. A system according to claim 6, wherein the system stores the extracted thumbnail images in the memory.

9. A system according to claim 6, wherein the system i) receives a first input that selects an extracted thumbnail image as a beginning of a media snippet and ii) receives a second input that selects another extracted thumbnail image as an end of the media snippet.

10. A system according to claim 6, wherein the system i) receives a first input that selects a current time code from the media stream as a beginning of a media snippet and ii) receives a second input that selects a later time code as an end of the media snippet.

11. A computer program product comprising non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions for performing the steps:

processing a media stream received at a first resolution;

extracting thumbnail images at a periodic rate from the media stream;

extracting a time code from the media stream that corresponds to each extracted thumbnail image;

storing the extracted thumbnail images in memory;

processing the extracted thumbnail images in a time sequence according to the time code associated with each extracted thumbnail image;

processing the thumbnail images to scroll the thumbnail images across a first portion of a display device while concurrently processing the media stream for display on a second portion of the display device;

receiving a first input that selects a first thumbnail image as a beginning of a media snippet;

receiving a second input that selects a second thumbnail image as an end of the media snippet;

sending a request to a server for a higher resolution media snippet than the first resolution, the request comprising data identifying the first thumbnail image and the second thumbnail image; and

receiving the higher resolution media snippet.

12. A computer program product according to claim 11, further comprising instructions for processing a graphical user interface that displays the media stream and that concurrently scrolls the extracted thumbnail images across the graphical user interface.