System and method for navigating and filtering media content

Abstract

To provide a system and method for media content navigation and filtering.SOLUTION: The system generates a display providing storyline information. The display includes, for example, a plurality of storyline identifiers, a plurality of time period indicators, and a plurality of episode indicators. Episode indicators indicate an episode having a segment of the storyline corresponding to a storyline identifier. The system may receive a user input selecting a storyline, or further filtering an existing storyline, to tailor the displayed information more closely to a storyline of interest. The system updates the display to reflect segments within episodes corresponding to the selected storyline identifier.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Background) The present disclosure relates to a device for displaying a story line indicator, more specifically, a device for providing an indicator corresponding to a story line.

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0002] Media content such as episodic programs is becoming increasingly complex. For example, a typical program may include a number of seasons and episodes, and such seasons and episodes may be released over several years or more. Furthermore, some programs include complex plotlines, a large number of characters, and a large number of acts. Some series continue multiple stories that carry on from one episode to another or from one season to the next. Thus, viewers may find it difficult to follow the story line or may find it boring, or may find it difficult to watch multiple selected episodes or multiple sections from episodes consecutively while navigating the series. Each episode of a series typically includes a series of chapters, each corresponding to one or more story lines. Similarly, some sports events and other programs are held in leagues or playoffs (e.g., groups, preliminaries, etc.) and thus span multiple episodes, games, or events.

[0003] This disclosure describes a system and method for representing program segments and episodes corresponding to storylines. By visually representing storylines spanning seasons and episodes and presenting them in a simple and familiar format for the user, users can consume individual storylines. For example, displaying data related to seasons and episodes in a grid format along with a timeline allows users to navigate to the content they wish to consume. A similar format may be used to organize and display data related to sporting events, allowing users to filter and view content in a convenient way.

[0004] This document describes a system that generates displays of media content arranged by episodes, seasons, storylines, or other appropriate divisions. The displays may be arranged within a grid. The system is configured to receive selections from the user, specifying storylines. In response to the storyline selection, the system filters or updates the displays, highlighting content corresponding to the storyline. The present invention provides, for example, the following: (Item 1) A method for displaying program storyline information, the method is Using a control circuit, generate a plurality of storyline identifiers positioned along a first axis and a plurality of period indicators positioned along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis for display on a display device, wherein each storyline identifier corresponds to a storyline, Using the control circuit, generate for each storyline identifier a plurality of episode indicators for display on the display device, positioned along an axis parallel to the second axis and aligned with the storyline identifier, wherein each episode indicator indicates an episode having a segment of the storyline corresponding to the storyline identifier aligned with the episode indicator. The system receives user input to a user interface that selects one of the multiple storyline identifiers, The displayed period indicator is updated to reflect the segments within the episodes of the aligned episode identifiers that have the storyline corresponding to the selected storyline identifier. Methods that include... (Item 2) The method according to item 1, further comprising generating a grid for display that includes the plurality of storyline identifiers, the plurality of period indicators, and the plurality of episode indicators. (Item 3) The method according to item 1, wherein each period indicator includes at least one of the start time, end time, and duration of the segment. (Item 4) The method according to item 1, wherein each episode indicator includes a season index and an episode index. (Item 5) The method according to item 1, wherein each storyline corresponds to multiple episodes of the program. (Item 6) The system receives user input to select a new storyline identifier from among the aforementioned multiple storyline identifiers, The duration indicator is updated to reflect the time segments within the episodes of the aligned episode identifiers that have the storyline corresponding to the new storyline identifier. The method described in item 1, further including repeating the process. (Item 7) Identifying metadata for the aforementioned program, Identifying each storyline corresponding to the aforementioned multiple storyline identifiers, Determining the plurality of period indicators based at least partially on the metadata and at least partially on the plurality of storyline identifiers. The method described in item 1, further including the method described in item 1. (Item 8) Identifying the program based on user input, In response to the identification of the program, the plurality of storyline identifiers are generated for display, each of which storyline identifiers corresponds to the program. The method described in item 1, further including the method described in item 1. (Item 9) The method according to item 1, wherein each of the plurality of storyline identifiers corresponds to at least one of the plot arcs, characters, and locations depicted in the program. (Item 10) The method according to item 9, further comprising retrieving the plurality of storyline identifiers from a database based on the identification of an episode program. (Item 11) A system for displaying program storyline information, the system is A display device configured to provide a display to the user, A user interface configured to receive user input, A control circuit, the control circuit is To generate for display on a display device a plurality of storyline identifiers positioned along a first axis and a plurality of period indicators positioned along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, wherein each storyline identifier corresponds to a storyline, For each storyline identifier, generate a plurality of episode indicators for display on the display device, positioned along an axis parallel to the second axis and aligned with the storyline identifier, wherein each episode indicator indicates an episode having a segment of the storyline corresponding to the storyline identifier aligned with the episode indicator. The system receives user input to a user interface that selects one of the multiple storyline identifiers, The displayed period indicator is updated to reflect the segments within the episodes of the aligned episode identifiers that have the storyline corresponding to the selected storyline identifier. A control circuit and A system that includes this. (Item 12) A non-temporary computer-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon, which, when executed by a control circuit, To generate for display on a display device a plurality of storyline identifiers positioned along a first axis and a plurality of period indicators positioned along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, wherein each storyline identifier corresponds to a storyline, For each storyline identifier, generate a plurality of episode indicators for display on the display device, positioned along an axis parallel to the second axis and aligned with the storyline identifier, wherein each episode indicator indicates an episode having a segment of the storyline corresponding to the storyline identifier aligned with the episode indicator. The system receives user input to a user interface that selects one of the multiple storyline identifiers, The displayed period indicator is updated to reflect the segments within the episodes of the aligned episode identifiers that have the storyline corresponding to the selected storyline identifier. A non-temporary computer-readable medium that causes the control circuit to perform the following actions. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0005] The above and other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference characters refer to like parts throughout.

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary display including a story line identifier, an episode identifier, and a time indicator according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0007] [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an exemplary arrangement of data and metadata according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0008] [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary user device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0009] [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for showing story line information according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0010] [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for generating a display of story line information according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for managing a display of story line information according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0012] [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for filtering information to be displayed based on a story line according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an exemplary display with a character filter applied according to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0014] [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an exemplary display with character filters and plot arc filters applied according to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0015] [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows an exemplary timeline of segments arranged chronologically in episodes of a program, according to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0016] [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows an exemplary timeline of segments arranged chronologically in episodes of a program corresponding to a particular storyline, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] [Figure 12] Figure 12 shows an exemplary representation including a grid having subgrids according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0018] [Figure 13] Figure 13 shows an exemplary intermittent timeline of segments arranged chronologically in episodes of a program, according to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0019] [Figure 14] Figure 14 shows an exemplary representation including a grid indicating episode identifiers for a program, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] [Figure 15] Figure 15 shows an exemplary representation including a grid showing episode identifiers for the program of Figure 14, filtered by characters, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0021] [Figure 16] Figure 16 shows an exemplary representation including a grid showing episode identifiers for the program of Figure 14, with a modified timeline, according to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0022] [Figure 17] Figure 17 shows an exemplary representation, including a grid showing program episode identifiers without filtering, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0023] [Figure 18] Figure 18 shows an exemplary display generated by filtering the information contained in the display of Figure 17 by characters and locations, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0024] [Figure 19] Figure 19 shows an exemplary display generated by navigating the display of Figure 18 by characters and locations, according to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0025] [Figure 20] Figure 20 shows an exemplary display generated by further navigating the display of Figure 19 by characters and locations according to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0026] [Figure 21] Figure 21 shows an exemplary display generated by changing the filter of the display in Figure 20 by character and location, according to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0027] [Figure 22] Figure 22 shows an exemplary display generated by rearranging the display of Figure 17 by characters and locations according to some embodiments of this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] Figure 1 shows an exemplary display 100, including a storyline identifier, an episode identifier, and a time indicator, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, the display 100 may be generated by a control circuit and displayed by a display device coupled to the control circuit. The display 100 provides an exemplary example of presented information related to a storyline, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0029] As shown in the figure, display 100 includes a grid having two principal axes perpendicular to each other, namely axis 170 and axis 171. Multiple storylines are arranged along axis 170. Multiple time indicators are arranged along axis 171. The grid includes multiple episode identifiers, each episode identifier corresponding to a storyline identifier in the same row. Each time indicator corresponds to the episode corresponding to the episode identifier in the same row as the selected storyline. For example, since the storyline "Daenerys Targeryen" (from the show "Game of Thrones") is selected in display 100, the time indicator corresponds to the episode in the second row of episode identifiers. As shown in the figure, when the storyline selection highlight is moved to another storyline, the time indicator is updated to correspond to the newly selected storyline. Thus, the user can select a storyline of interest and then view the corresponding episodes and episode segments associated with that storyline (e.g., indicated by the time indicators). The time indicators can be used, for example, to generate a timeline.

[0030] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 1, the time indicator is associated with each episode corresponding to a selected storyline (e.g., showing the time within an episode). In some embodiments, for each chapter in a storyline, the time indicator shows the start-stop playback time of that chapter within an episode. In some embodiments, the time indicator shows the cumulative storyline playback time. For example, the time indicator may start at 0:00 and increase from one segment to the next by the length of a chapter, segment, or section. In some embodiments, the time indicator includes an event timeline within a storyline. For example, the system may sort chapters based on the scheduled time of events in the storyline and display available date information (e.g., 12th century, 100 BC, summer 1976, December 1989, May 12, 2000, morning of June 14, 2011, etc.). For example, the intended time of a storyline may include the elapsed time experienced by a character or event and may cover a much longer time than the duration of the playback time. In some embodiments, the system generates a custom timeline based on the time indicator. For example, the system may have access to a user's agenda or activity schedule and therefore map one or more chapters to time slots in the user's schedule. In an illustrative example, the horizontal axis might show an actual calendar with events, with an empty slot for “Evening Relaxation Time” on which specific content the user may watch can be mapped. In a further example, the system may schedule an entire season or storyline of a program to fit the available time between two connecting flights the user might have scheduled. Thus, the timeline may be constructed based on program playback time, storyline playback time, in-storyline time, the user's scheduled time, any other appropriate time standard, or any combination thereof.

[0031] Figure 2 shows a block diagram of an exemplary arrangement 200 of data and metadata according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As illustrated in Figure 2, media content and corresponding metadata (e.g., information 210) may be organized by a storyline (e.g., according to storyline information 250), from which a timeline may be generated (e.g., timeline 270).

[0032] Information 210 includes video data of Season 1 Episode 1 (S1EP1) and metadata related to S1EP1, such as chapters, characters, locations, storylines, time tags, keywords, other optional and appropriate information, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, chapter numbers, chapter titles, character names, actor names, location names, storylines, plots, start times, end times, durations, keywords, key phrases, and any other appropriate information may be included in the metadata of Information 210. For illustrative purposes, multiple chapter numbers and titles of S1EP1 may each be defined, each having corresponding start and end times, as well as corresponding lists of associated characters and locations. For example, the title of "Chapter 2" may be "Season," and may have a start time of "00:24:15," an end time of "00:38:10," and character tags of "Oliver" and "Ms. Smith." The metadata may contain an appropriate amount of data corresponding to S1EP1 and may be stored and indexed using any appropriate method, file type, database type, field type, data structure, class structure, and format. Information 210 may be available for multiple episodes (e.g., episodes from one or more seasons, games from one or more tournaments). For example, an instance of Information 210 may be stored for each episode. The data of S1EP1 may include audio data, video data, or both in an appropriate format. For example, the data of S1EP1 may be formatted as an MP4 file, WMV file, AVI file, WAV file, any other appropriate encoding format, or any combination thereof. The system may include any appropriate audio or video codec configured to compress, decompress, or both of the data files.

[0033] Based on the metadata of Information 210, for each of multiple episodes, storyline information 250 may be determined, stored (e.g., in memory), extracted (e.g., by a software application executing instructions on the stored information), retrieved (e.g., from memory), or otherwise processed. Storyline information 250 may include a storyline identifier (e.g., storyline 4 "SL4"), the episodes corresponding to the storyline, the playback time of each episode corresponding to the storyline, any other relevant information, or any combination thereof. For example, as illustrated, storyline SL4 spans episodes 1 through 3 of season 1 (S1EP1, S1EP2, S1EP3, etc.) and episodes 1 and 2 of season 2 (S2EP1, S2EP2, etc.). For each episode, a time indicator may be exemplified, including, for example, a start time, an end time, a duration, or a combination thereof. The time indicator may correspond to a time tag in the metadata of Information 210, and similarly, the time tag may correspond to SL4 in the storyline metadata of Information 210. In some embodiments, the storyline information 250 may correspond to a specific plot (e.g., a storyline), a character (e.g., a character's storyline), a location (e.g., a location's storyline), any other appropriate attribute, or any combination thereof. For example, the storyline information may correspond to character X, and all episodes in which character X appears will correspond to a storyline. Thus, each episode may belong to one or more storylines represented by a corresponding storyline identifier. As shown in Figure 2, the time indicators corresponding to segments are mutually exclusive, but do not have to be. For example, a particular plot arc may occur at multiple locations, and therefore, any of the time indicators may overlap.

[0034] Timeline 270 illustrates the chronological arrangement of information 210 data for multiple episodes and seasons, divided by storylines. As illustrated, four storylines are shown (e.g., SL1, SL2, SL3, and SL4), some of which continue into the first season. Each episode contains one or more segments, and a segment may be attributed to one or more storylines. Each segment may be defined by a time indicator (e.g., T1, T2, T3, and T4 for S1EP1). The duration for each segment may be the same, but is not required. For example, in some circumstances, each episode may be divided into segments with the same duration (e.g., each 1-hour episode contains four 15-minute segments). In further examples, in some circumstances, each episode may be divided into segments with different lengths (e.g., segments total 1 hour but do not have the same duration).

[0035] In an illustrative example, referring to Figure 2, the series information for the entire series (e.g., a list of episodes and / or seasons, metadata, and storylines) can be overwhelming and otherwise contain more information than the user viewing the display might want. Therefore, the user can focus on information of interest by selecting (e.g., filtering information) storylines, characters, locations, or other attributes. For example, the user might be interested in storyline 4 (SL4) corresponding to a particular plot arc. In some embodiments, the user indicates interest in SL4 by interacting with the system's user interface. The system may display or highlight information corresponding to SL4 and hide or otherwise de-highlight other information. For example, the system may filter the display of episodes and seasons to show only those corresponding to a selected storyline.

[0036] In some embodiments, the system may organize a video-on-demand (VOD) catalog of a complex event or series by dividing and presenting information by storyline. Users may be overwhelmed by the amount of data presented simply by navigating from one episode to another in the catalog (e.g., a grid containing all episodes and seasons). For example, a user may not have the time to watch all the content. In an exemplary example, with the Star Trek series, a user may only be interested in episodes where new physics theories are discussed or where the Q entity appears. In another example, referring to Game of Thrones, a user may want to see Daenerys Targaryen's full evolution by skipping irrelevant segments or episodes and watching only the segments or plot arcs in which she appears in a continuous stream. In a further example, a user may be a sports fan who analyzes a player's technical style by watching clips containing that particular football player during a tournament or playoff (e.g., a series of games played by that particular football player). The system may filter the information of the series to display based on the series metadata available, if it is available. For example, an episode may have corresponding metadata describing the actual time in which the action is taking place (e.g., actual playback time, relative time, or storyline time). The timeline of a TV series guide may be the actual period in which the events of the series are taking place. For example, a “channel” or “row” may include characters, species / races, or other groups of elements that perform actions, which are used and evolve as the actions unfold over actual time. In some embodiments, the system may allow a user to rewind or otherwise analyze a series that has, for example, complex and multiple action threads, chapters that are not in a specific chronological order, or other complexities.In some embodiments, the system may allow the user to play specific chapters related to predefined attributes such as major highlights, the presence of specific characters, or recurring scenes.

[0037] A user may access content, applications, and other features from, for example, one or more devices (i.e., user equipment), one or more network-connected devices, one or more electronic devices having a display, or a combination thereof. Any exemplary techniques of this disclosure may be implemented by a user device, a device that displays to the user, or any other suitable control circuit configured to produce a display to the user of segmented content that can be filtered. Figure 3 shows a generalized embodiment of an exemplary user device. The user equipment system 301 may include a set-top box 316 which includes a display 312, audio equipment 314, and a user input interface 310, or is communicably coupled to them. In some embodiments, the display 312 may include a television display or a computer display. In some embodiments, the user interface input 310 is a remote control device. The set-top box 316 may include one or more circuit boards. In some embodiments, one or more circuit boards include processing circuits, control circuits, and storage (e.g., RAM, ROM, hard disk, removable disk, etc.). In some embodiments, the circuit boards include input / output paths. Each of the user equipment device 300 and the user equipment system 301 can receive content and data via an input / output (hereinafter "I / O") path 302. The I / O path 302 can provide content and data to a control circuit 304, which includes a processing circuit 306 and storage 308. The control circuit 304 can be used to send and receive commands, requests, and other appropriate data using the I / O path 302. The I / O path 302 can connect the control circuit 304 (and specifically the processing circuit 306) to one or more communication paths (described below). I / O functionality can be provided by one or more of these communication paths, but in Figure 3, it is shown as a single path to avoid complicating the diagram.For illustrative purposes, a set-top box 316 is shown in Figure 3, but any suitable computing device having processing circuits, control circuits, and storage may be used in accordance with this disclosure. For example, the set-top box 316 may be replaced or complemented by a personal computer (e.g., a notebook, laptop, or desktop), a network-based server hosting user-accessible client devices, a non-user-owned device, any other suitable device, or any combination thereof.

[0038] The control circuit 304 may be based on any suitable processing circuit, such as the processing circuit 306. Where used herein, processing circuit should be understood to mean a circuit based on one or more microprocessors, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc., and may include multi-core processors (e.g., dual-core, quad-core, hexa-core, or any suitable number of cores) or supercomputers. In some embodiments, the processing circuit is distributed across multiple separate processors or processing units, e.g., multiple processing units of the same type (e.g., two Intel Core i7 processors), or multiple different processors (e.g., an Intel Core i5 processor and an Intel Core i7 processor). In some embodiments, the control circuit 304 executes instructions for an application stored in memory (e.g., storage 308). Specifically, the control circuit 304 may perform the functions described above and below by being directed by an application. For example, an application may generate media guidance displays by providing instructions to the control circuit 304. In some implementations, any action performed by the control circuit 304 may be based on instructions received from the application.

[0039] In some client-server-based embodiments, the control circuit 304 may include a communication circuit suitable for communication with an application server or other network or server. Instructions for performing the above functions may be stored on the application server. The communication circuit may include a cable modem, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) modem, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) modem, telephone modem, Ethernet® card or wireless modem, or any other suitable communication circuit for communication with other devices. Such communication may include the Internet or any other suitable communication network or path. Furthermore, the communication circuit may include a circuit that enables peer-to-peer communication between user device devices or communication between user device devices located in geographically separated locations (as described in more detail below).

[0040] Memory may be an electronic storage device, such as storage 308, which is part of the control circuit 304. Where used herein, the terms “electronic storage device” or “storage device” should be understood to mean any device for storing electronic data, computer software, or firmware, such as random-access memory, read-only memory, hard drives, optical drives, solid-state devices, quantum memory devices, game consoles, game media, or any other suitable fixed or removable storage device, and / or any combination thereof. Storage 308 may be used to store the various types of content described herein and the media guidance data mentioned above. Non-volatile memory may also be used (for example, to start boot routines or other instructions). For example, cloud-based storage may be used to supplement or in place of storage 308.

[0041] The user may send commands to the control circuit 304 using the user input interface 310. The user input interface 310, the display 312, or both may include a touchscreen configured to display and receive tactile input. For example, the touchscreen may be configured to receive tactile input from a finger, a stylus, or both. In some embodiments, the device 300 may include a forward-facing screen and a rear-facing screen, multiple forward-facing screens, or multiple angled screens. In some embodiments, the user input interface 310 includes a remote control device having one or more microphones, buttons, keypads, any other components configured to receive user input, or a combination thereof. For example, the user input interface 310 may include a handheld remote control device having an alphanumeric keypad and option buttons. In a further example, the user input interface 310 may include a handheld remote control device having a microphone and control circuit configured to receive and identify voice commands and transmit information to the set-top box 316.

[0042] The audio device 314 may be provided integrated with other elements of the user device 300 and the user device system 301, or it may be a standalone unit. Audio components of video and other content displayed on the display 312 may be played through the speaker of the audio device 314. In some embodiments, the audio may be distributed to a receiver (not shown) that processes and outputs the audio through the speaker of the audio device 314. In some embodiments, for example, the control circuit 304 is configured to use the speaker of the audio device 314 to provide audio cues to the user or to provide other audio feedback to the user. The audio device 314 may include a microphone configured to receive audio input such as voice commands or speech. For example, the user may speak letters or words that are received by the microphone and converted to text by the control circuit 304. In a further example, the user may utter commands that are received by the microphone and recognized by the control circuit 304.

[0043] An application (for example, one for generating a display) can be implemented using any suitable architecture. For example, a standalone application can be fully implemented on each of the user devices 300 and user equipment systems 301. In some such embodiments, the application's instructions are stored locally (for example, in storage 308), and the data used by the application is downloaded periodically (for example, from an out-of-band feed, from an internet resource, or using another suitable approach). The control circuit 304 can retrieve the application's instructions from storage 308, process the instructions, and generate one of the displays discussed herein. Based on the processed instructions, the control circuit 304 can determine what action to perform when input is received from the input interface 310. For example, up and down movement of a cursor on the display may be indicated by the processed instructions when the input interface 310 indicates that the up / down button has been selected. Applications and / or any instructions for performing any of the embodiments discussed herein can be encoded on computer-readable media. Computer-readable media includes any media capable of storing data. Computer-readable media may be transient, including but not limited to the propagation of electrical or electromagnetic signals, or non-transient, including but not limited to volatile and non-volatile computer memory or storage devices such as hard disks, floppy disks, USB drives, DVDs, CDs, media cards, register memory, processor caches, and random access memory (RAM).

[0044] In some embodiments, the application is a client-server based application. Data used by thick or thin clients implemented in each of the user devices 300 and user device systems 301 is retrieved on demand by issuing requests to a server located away from each of the user device devices 300 and user device systems 301. For example, the remote server may store the application's instructions in a memory device. The remote server may process the stored instructions using circuitry (e.g., control circuit 304) and generate the displays discussed above and below. A client device may receive a display generated by the remote server and display the content of the display locally on the user device 300. In this way, the processing of instructions is performed remotely by the server while the resulting display (e.g., which may include text, a keyboard, or other visuals) is provided locally on the user device 300. The user device 300 may receive input from the user via the input interface 310 and send those inputs to the remote server to process and generate the corresponding displays. For example, the user device 300 may send a communication to the remote server via the input interface 310 indicating that the up / down button has been selected. The remote server processes the commands according to the input and can generate an application display corresponding to the input (for example, a display to move the cursor up and down). The generated display is then sent to the user device 300 for presentation to the user.

[0045] In some embodiments, the application is downloaded and interpreted by an interpreter or virtual machine, or otherwise executed (e.g., by the control circuit 304). In some embodiments, the application may be encoded in ETV Binary Exchange Format (EBIF), received by the control circuit 304 as part of an appropriate feed, and interpreted by a user agent running on the control circuit 304. For example, the application may be an EBIF application. In some embodiments, the application may be defined by a set of Java®-based files that are received and executed by a local virtual machine or other appropriate middleware running on the control circuit 304.

[0046] In some embodiments, the system may include a user interface that is processed remotely (e.g., on a network entity). In some embodiments, the application for displaying storyline information may be implemented on one or more devices that do not include a user device. In some embodiments, a control circuit is configured to access content, identify storylines, and generate informational presentations arranged in an appropriate manner for display. For illustrative purposes, in some embodiments, a law enforcement officer may view the screen of a virtual reality (VR) enabled device that has access to the city's video surveillance database (e.g., a network connection or other communication access). Using a VR device (e.g., a headset, personal device, or smartphone connected to a wearable display), the officer may refer to and filter video feeds recorded from a series of cameras in the city by the type of action recorded (e.g., via metadata tags), the person identified in the sequence (e.g., via metadata tags), the vehicle or its license plate displayed in the video segment, any other attribute of the video segment, or any combination thereof. Thus, a storyline may include action types, people, clothing, vehicles, items (e.g., stolen goods), or other identifiable attributes of the video segment, rather than plot arcs and characters. Furthermore, in some embodiments, a segment may refer to a recording or video clip (e.g., allocated to the segment in any appropriate division) rather than a segment describing part of an episode of a program. Additionally, in some embodiments, the system may present information corresponding to a set of cameras or other video sources, rather than a program title.

[0047] In an exemplary example, a user traveling on an airplane may interact with an in-flight entertainment system (not, for example, a user device). The user may want to select, for example, the most interesting parts of a movie that fit within the remaining flight time (for example, the storyline may correspond to "highlights"). In some such embodiments, the device includes an in-plane VOD system, a personal display on the chair, and a control device (e.g., buttons or a touchscreen). The technology of this disclosure can be ported using any appropriate control circuits, display devices, and storage implemented in any appropriate topology. In some embodiments, the system may control the display and apply, remove, or modify filters by capturing user gestures using a gesture mechanism. For example, a user may use a hand gesture to zoom in on a particular cell in a grid, and the grid may expand accordingly (for example, as shown by the exemplary displays in Figures 17-18). In further examples, a user may swipe to navigate left, right, up, or down, or tap to select a cell in the grid. In further examples, users may change the displayed grid by dragging cells, attributes, metadata, or other displayed information along the axes (for example, a user may change the view as illustrated in Figure 22 by zooming in on cells by character and location as shown in Figures 17-18, then dragging the location along the vertical axis and fixing character 1 using a double tap). Updating the view does not require switching to a separate screen for settings, filters, or other options. For example, display updates may be performed on a given display by applying various transformations directly to the displayed grid in accordance with this disclosure.

[0048] Figure 4 is a flowchart of an exemplary process 400 for illustrating storyline information according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Exemplary steps of process 400 may be performed, for example, by the device 300 or its control circuit 304 in Figure 3.

[0049] Step 402 includes a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) generating a plurality of storyline identifiers positioned along a first axis and a plurality of period indicators positioned along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis for display on a display device (e.g., display 312). For example, the first and second axes may define a grid. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) generates a display based on unfiltered information (e.g., any information that may be placed on the display of the program). In some embodiments, the generated display includes a filtered display filtered by any appropriate attribute of the program. For example, if the program includes a sports tournament, the attribute may be a specific team, and the first display includes only the tournament games played by that specific team.

[0050] Step 404 includes the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) generating, for each storyline identifier, a plurality of episode indicators positioned along an axis parallel to a second axis and aligned with the storyline identifier for display on a display device (e.g., display 312). The plurality of episode identifiers may be displayed in a grid. The episode identifiers may include, for example, a season index, a season title, an episode index, an episode title, an episode description, a year, a date, a segment or chapter title, any other appropriate information corresponding to the episode, or any combination thereof.

[0051] Step 406 includes the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) receiving user input to a user interface (e.g., user input interface 310) that selects one storyline identifier from a plurality of storyline identifiers. In some embodiments, the system is configured to receive user input to a user interface (e.g., user input interface 310). User input may include, for example, tactile input to a touchscreen, pressing a button on a keypad, voice input to an audio interface (e.g., audio device 314), any other input by the user to the system, or any combination thereof. For example, the user may use directional keys on a keypad of a remote control device configured to communicate with device device 300. In a further example, the user may provide a tactile selection on the touchscreen of user device 300. In some embodiments, the control circuit is configured to wait for user input or, otherwise, not change the display until user input is received. User input may include, for example, the selection of one or more characters, one or more locations, one or more plot arcs, one or more teams, one or more players, any other appropriate attributes, or any combination thereof.

[0052] Step 408 includes the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) updating the displayed duration indicator to reflect each segment within an episode of the aligned episode identifiers, which have a storyline corresponding to the selected storyline identifier. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) is configured to determine how to update the first display once it is determined to update the first display. In some embodiments, step 408 includes the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) generating a second display once it is determined to update the first display. In some embodiments, the updated display is similar to the previous display except for the duration indicator.

[0053] In some embodiments, a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) determines whether to update the display in step 408. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) may determine how long a desired time indicator should be displayed. For example, if the first display is not easily parsed or further filtering does not reduce the content, the system may decide not to update the first display. Depending on the circumstances, the control circuit may decide not to update or change the first display (e.g., wait for further user input). In some embodiments, step 408 includes determining how to update the first display if the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) has decided to update the first display. For example, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) may decide to leave the grid displayed in the first display as it is, but to draw the user's attention to specific information by applying highlights or other visual attributes. In some embodiments, the control circuit may decide to retain only some features or characteristics of the first display, or to display a completely new grid without retaining any features or characteristics. In some embodiments, a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) is configured to generate a second display when it is decided to update the first display. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) generates the second display to filter the first display to include information that is more focused on or relevant to the selected storyline of step 406. In some embodiments, the control circuit triggers a transition from the first display to the second display using any appropriate technique. For example, the control circuit may provide rearrangement of displayed features, removal of displayed features, addition of displayed features, zooming in or out of a portion of the first display, or otherwise a transition from the first display to the second display. In further examples, the control circuit may trigger the removal of information (e.g., an episode or a segment thereof) that no longer corresponds to the selected storyline.

[0054] Figure 5 is a flowchart of an exemplary process 500 for generating a display of storyline information according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Exemplary steps of process 500 may be performed, for example, by the device 300 or its control circuit 304 in Figure 3.

[0055] Step 502 includes the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) identifying an episode program. In some embodiments, the episode program has corresponding metadata indicating that the program is an episode. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) identifies the program as an episode if one or more seasons, episodes, or both of the program are available. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) receives a user selection of a program and, in response to that selection, determines whether the program is an episode. For example, a user may select a displayed program identifier, and the control circuit may then generate a grid of available episodes and seasons of the program for display. In some embodiments, the control circuit may display data on the grid based on the level of interaction with the user. For example, a video surveillance system may use a timeline grid to display a grid of segments from a video source (e.g., a street camera). Then, if the user filters by location, type of content (e.g., segments with pedestrians, segments with black cars), or other attributes, the system will change the display to show the specific type of car filtered by location in time. For example, this type of display may allow the user to see all relevant recordings showing a suspect's vehicle or fugitive. This type of filtering can be implemented in a similar manner to filtering out John Snow-related segments or chapters from season 3 of Game of Thrones.

[0056] Step 504 includes a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) retrieving storyline information for a program. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) retrieves storyline information for a program in response to identifying the program in step 502. For example, the system may retrieve storyline information from local memory (e.g., local hard disk drive, solid-state hard drive, or storage 308), databases (e.g., local or remote), network devices (e.g., servers, cloud-based computing devices, or central computing devices), any other suitable data source, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, for example, referring to Figure 2, the control circuit may retrieve storyline information 250 for multiple storylines from any suitable memory (e.g., storage 308). In a further example, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) may retrieve information 210 for multiple episodes, construct storyline information 250 for one or more storylines based on the information 210, and store it in memory (e.g., storage 308). In a further example, a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) may retrieve information 210 of multiple episodes (e.g., from storage 308) in preparation for generating a display, generate a data object such as a timeline 270 or any other suitable timeline, and store the timeline 270 in memory (e.g., storage 308). In some embodiments, metadata corresponding to video content may be generated using an artificial intelligence (AI) process configured to tag content as it is generated. For example, in the context of a street camera video database, a video feed from a street camera is input to a trained AI application that generates tags for identified persons, license plates of identified cars, motion / movement, any other suitable identifiable attributes of the video feed, or any combination thereof.In some embodiments, storyline information may be generated during or immediately after content generation (e.g., recording or pre-processing of an episode), during content broadcast (e.g., before, during, or after), during content recording, or a combination thereof. For example, when a scheduled recording (e.g., a new episode of a TV series) is performed on a user device, metadata is extracted along with chapters and other relevant information, and the display is built step by step as new data is added. Furthermore, in some embodiments, if a user browses a recording database and expresses interest in a particular type of fragmentation or arrangement of content information, the system may determine a new fragmentation or arrangement of the display. Thus, as more data is generated, the data may be displayed in different arrangements, which may be based on, but are not required to be based on, the user's preferences.

[0057] Step 506 includes a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) determining display parameters. In some embodiments, the system includes or is coupled to a display device (e.g., display 312) configured to provide a visual representation of information to the user. In some embodiments, the control circuit determines display parameters for determining how to organize, arrange, configure, or otherwise present the information. Display parameters may include, for example, screen size, zoom range, number of pixels or resolution, available colors or color palettes, user settings, any other appropriate parameters for generating the display, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the display device (e.g., display 312) provides the system's control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) with the required or proposed display parameters. In some embodiments, a software driver or other software includes display parameters for generating the display. For example, a graphics card or other appropriate hardware controller may determine display parameters based on the characteristics of the display device (e.g., display 312) and the information displayed on the display device (e.g., display 312). In some embodiments, depending on the display type, size, and layout, the control circuit modifies the pitch, size, level of detail, or other aspects of the displayed grid. For example, in some embodiments, the control circuit replaces the grid timeline with one or more simple markers configured to indicate transitions between segments. In some embodiments, for example, if the display is large enough and includes an appropriate resolution, the control circuit may generate nested grids for display within primary grid cells. For example, the nested grid may include groups of cells inserted into the main grid (e.g., when filtered or zoomed in) or groups of cells collapsed into a single cell (e.g., when unfiltered or zoomed out).

[0058] Step 508 includes the system generating a displayed grid. In some embodiments, the system's control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) transmits video data to a display device (e.g., display 312) to generate a display on the display device (e.g., display 312). The display may include storyline identifiers, episode identifiers, time indicators, any other appropriate features, or any combination thereof. For example, a control signal may transmit a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI®) signal to the display device (e.g., display 312) via an appropriate cable or connection to generate a grid including episode identifiers (e.g., display 100 in Figure 1). In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) may update an existing display on the display device (e.g., display 312). For example, a first display may be presented on the display device (e.g., display 312), and the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) may update the first display to a second display by transmitting a video signal such that part of it is updated and part of it remains the same or maintained. In some embodiments, the control circuit generates a grid for display configured to fit the target space on the display device. For example, information (including, e.g., a main feed, a secondary feed, and a summary table) may be displayed by using a split screen. The control circuit may add data based on video content and filters to the summary table, update the summary table as data is received, and provide browsing, searching, playback, navigation, or other functions for segments that have already been recorded and categorized. For example, the display may show chapters related to the tracked content, or highlight events from a set of input feeds (e.g., live events, street cameras, processed recordings). In some embodiments, for example, the control circuit generates a collapsible grid for display with dynamic columns and rows, where program episodes may be considered video feeds, and characters, plot arcs, locations, or other attributes are the tracked content.

[0059] Figure 6 is a flowchart of an exemplary process 600 for managing the display of storyline information according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Exemplary steps of process 600 may be performed, for example, by the device 300 or its control circuit 304 in Figure 3.

[0060] Step 602 includes a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) determining a first program. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) determines the first program based on which program is currently highlighted by the displayed cursor. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) determines the first program based on user input. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) determines the first program based on which program is currently displayed, previously displayed, adjusted, or highlighted compared to other programs. For example, in some embodiments, step 602 may include any aspect of the exemplary step 502 in Figure 5 (e.g., identifying the episode program).

[0061] Step 604 includes a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) generating a first display. In some embodiments, the first display is unfiltered and includes any information that can be placed on the display. In some embodiments, the system's control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) transmits video data to a display device (e.g., display 312) to generate a first display on the display device (e.g., display 312). The display may include storyline identifiers, episode identifiers, time indicators, any other appropriate features, or any combination thereof. For example, a control signal may transmit a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI®) signal to the display device (e.g., display 312) via an appropriate cable or connection to generate a grid including episode identifiers (e.g., display 100 in Figure 1). In some embodiments, the first display may include a filtered display filtered by any appropriate attribute of the program. For example, if the program includes a sports tournament, the attribute may be a specific team, and the first display may include only the tournament games played by that specific team.

[0062] Step 606 includes determining whether a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) has received user input. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) is configured to receive user input to a user interface (e.g., user input interface 310). User input may include, for example, tactile input to a touchscreen, pressing a button on a keypad, voice input to an audio interface (e.g., audio device 314), other input by the user to the system, or any combination thereof. For example, the user may use directional keys on a keypad of a remote control device configured to communicate with the device device 300. In a further example, the user may provide tactile selections on the touchscreen of the user device 300. In some embodiments, the system is configured to wait for user input or, otherwise, not change the display until user input is received.

[0063] Step 608 includes a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) identifying a new storyline based on user input. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) determines a storyline selected by the user based on user input. In some embodiments, the user may provide text-based input indicating a storyline of interest. For example, the user may enter one or more keywords or phrases that describe a storyline. In a further example, the user may enter a selection of one storyline from several storyline options (e.g., by manipulating a cursor or other highlighting tool on the screen). In a further example, the user may enter a voice command specifying a keyword, phrase, or command, and the system may identify a new storyline by processing the audio information to identify the keyword and matching the keyword to a data tag or metadata tag, or by matching the audio information to a predetermined voice command from several predetermined voice commands, or both.

[0064] Step 610 includes a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) determining information for display based on a new storyline. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) determines information for display by applying one or more filters to the information included in the first display. For example, if the program includes a sports tournament and the first display corresponds to attributes of a particular team (e.g., only games played by a particular team are displayed), the new storyline may include players from that particular team. Thus, the control circuit may filter the display of games played by a particular team to include only games or segments of games in which players are on the field. In further examples, the new storyline may correspond to a new team different from the particular team. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) determines which information corresponds to the new storyline, regardless of what is included in the first display. For example, the new storyline may be selected by the user, and the control circuit may determine accordingly which information should be displayed.

[0065] Step 612 includes determining whether the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) updates the first display. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) determines whether the information determined in step 610 is already displayed or is sufficiently displayed. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) may determine to what extent the first display contains information that is not the information determined in step 610. For example, if the content of the first display is not easily parsed or reduced by further filtering, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) may decide not to update the first display. In some situations, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) may decide not to update or otherwise modify the first display (e.g., wait for further user input). For example, the control circuit may return to steps 602, 604, or 606 (e.g., as illustrated).

[0066] In some embodiments, step 612 includes determining how to update the first display if a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) decides to update the first display. For example, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) may decide to leave the grid displayed in the first display as it is, but to apply highlights or other visual attributes to draw the user's attention to specific information (e.g., the information in step 610). In some embodiments, the system may decide to display an entirely new grid, either by retaining only some features or characteristics of the first display, or by not retaining any features or characteristics at all.

[0067] Step 614 includes the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) generating a second display if it has decided to update the first display. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) generates the second display in order to filter the first display to include information that is more focused on or relevant to the new storyline of step 608. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) transitions from the first display to the second display using any appropriate technique. For example, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) may rearrange displayed features, delete displayed features, add displayed features, zoom in or zoom out of parts of the first display, or provide a transition from the first display to the second display. In further examples, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) may remove information (e.g., episodes or segments thereof) that no longer corresponds to the storyline (e.g., the new storyline of step 608).

[0068] In some embodiments, process 600 allows the user to filter the display and continuously refine the displayed data based on the selected filter. For example, the first display may show grid cells corresponding to episode levels (e.g., each grid entry corresponds to an episode), and as the user filters the grid, the grid entries expand from episodes to chapters or segments, acts, and scenes within the episode, depending on the resolution. As the user zooms out (e.g., by removing the filter), the grid entries may collapse into cells with a coarser grain (e.g., returning to the episode rather than a portion of it). In some embodiments, filtering the display may include changing one or both axes of the grid. For example, during filtering, the display may change from a grid that displays the program based on episode time to a grid that displays segments corresponding to characters based on a timeline of events in the story.

[0069] Figure 7 is a flowchart of an exemplary process 700 for filtering information to be displayed based on a storyline, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Exemplary steps of process 700 may be performed, for example, by the device 300 or its control circuit 304 in Figure 3.

[0070] Step 702 includes a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) generating a first display that includes a first set of segment identifiers positioned along a first timeline. The segment identifiers identify segments of an episode by title, time indicator, chapter number, any other appropriate identifier, or any combination thereof. For example, a segment may include part or all of an episode (e.g., an episode includes at least one segment, and in some cases, multiple segments). In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) generates a grid-based display having a timeline (e.g., a time axis) and grouping (e.g., a storyline axis or a channel axis). In some embodiments, the display includes a display of segment identifiers for a program, arranged horizontally in rows by episode and season index, with each row corresponding to a storyline. In some embodiments, the control circuit may generate a grid for the display in which parts of the grid are empty or sparse. In some embodiments, the grid includes two or more areas corresponding to subgrids. For example, the grid may include a list of seasons, and depending on which season is selected, another area of ​​the grid may display episodes or segments of the selected season. In some embodiments, the grid may be allocated based on which filters are applied, and at least one area of ​​the grid is configured to display information corresponding to the selected storyline. The content information may include, for example, the segment identifier to which the filter is currently applied (e.g., episode identifier, chapter identifier, segment description, segment plot, segment title, segment character, segment length or duration, episode year), program information (e.g., information about the entire program such as producer, year, rating), time indicators (e.g., duration indicator for an episode), and storyline information (e.g., storyline identifier, storyline description, storyline).

[0071] Step 704 includes a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) filtering the first plurality of segment identifiers based on storyline filters corresponding to the storylines of the program. In some embodiments, step 704 includes a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) that determines one or more storyline filters to apply to the segment identifiers of step 702. In some embodiments, the storyline filters are based on user input received at a user interface (e.g., user input interface 310). The storyline filters include, for example, character filters, location filters, plot arc filters, team filters, player filters, keyword filters, any other appropriate filters, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the storyline spans multiple episodes. In some embodiments, step 704 includes a control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) removing at least one segment identifier from the first plurality of segment identifiers. In some embodiments, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) determines which do not correspond to the storyline filters by comparing multiple storylines corresponding to multiple segments of the first plurality of segment identifiers.

[0072] Step 706 includes the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) generating a second display containing a second set of segment identifiers positioned along a second timeline condensed with respect to the first timeline. In some embodiments, since the second set of segment identifiers is fewer in number than the first set of segment identifiers, more segment identifiers may be included in the second display. In some embodiments, since the second set of segment identifiers is fewer in number than the first set of segment identifiers, a condensed timeline may be used, which can be displayed in a grid of reduced size (e.g., compared to the first display). For example, the timeline may be an index of the actual playback time of segments when arranged in chronological order. In a further example, the timeline may be an index of segment numbers when arranged in chronological order. In some embodiments, although not shown in Figure 7, the timeline does not need to be condensed after a storyline filter is applied. For example, the same timeline may be applied before and after filtering.

[0073] In an exemplary example, referring to an episode program, the control circuit may generate a grid for display that includes all episodes and seasons. The control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) may receive user input and thus select a subset of characters of interest. Thus, the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) may apply a character filter to the set of all episodes and generate a new display of only episodes that contain at least one character from the character subset. If the control circuit (e.g., control circuit 304) receives further user input to select an additional filter, the system updates the display to show only the episodes or segments corresponding to the additional filter. In some embodiments, the display may include one or more selectable filters, and the user may modify the display (e.g., display more information, less information, or more relevant information) by interacting with the filters (e.g., selecting / deselecting, specifying, or otherwise providing input).

[0074] In the illustrative examples of processes 400, 500, 600, and 700 in Figures 4-7, the display may be generated for a television series. The display may include a two-dimensional grid. For example, each row may correspond to a season of the series, and each column may correspond to a chapter or plot from each episode. The timeline may be defined by the duration or part thereof of each episode. By applying filters, only chapters or plots corresponding to specific attributes such as action type, plot highlights, characters, locations, any other attribute, or any combination of attributes may be displayed.

[0075] In the illustrative examples of processes 400, 500, 600, and 700 in Figures 4-7, displays may be generated for a television series that includes characters, character species, and locations. The displays may include a two-dimensional grid. Each row may correspond to one or more characters, one or more species, one or more locations, any other appropriate attribute, or any combination thereof. Each entry in the column is a chapter or plotline corresponding to the attribute of the row. The timeline may be given by an actual storyline timeline that orders events accordingly (e.g., one that appears chronologically in an episode). One or more filters may be applied to correspond to specific attributes of chapters and plotlines (e.g., action type, highlights, interactions with other characters).

[0076] In the illustrative examples of processes 400, 500, 600, and 700 in Figures 4-7, a display may be generated for a television series that includes characters, character species, and locations. The display may include a two-dimensional grid. Each row may correspond to one or more characters, one or more species, one or more locations, any other appropriate attribute, or any combination thereof. Each entry in a column is a chapter or plotline corresponding to the attribute of the row. The timeline is given by the actual season and episode numbering. For example, columns may be arranged by episode index (e.g., 1, 2, 3, etc.) and season index (e.g., 1, 2, 3, etc.). One or more filters may be applied based on specific attributes of a chapter or plotline (e.g., action type, highlight, interaction with other characters), and the system displays the corresponding episode, index, and segment. Thus, the user can watch episodes continuously from one to another in release order, skipping only to chapters corresponding to the filters.

[0077] In the illustrative examples of processes 400, 500, 600, and 700 in Figures 4-7, a display of a sports series (e.g., championship playoffs or tournament) including teams and players may be generated. The display may include a two-dimensional grid. Each row corresponds to a league or bracket, and each entry in the column may correspond to a game / event, its quarter, its half, its inning, its lap, or its round. The timeline is given by the game's position in the tournament (e.g., game index), the actual time of the event, or both. One or more filters may be applied to correspond to one or more specific teams, one or more specific players, any other specific attribute (e.g., action type, highlight, location), or any combination thereof.

[0078] It should be noted that any of the exemplary steps and processes in Figures 4–7 may be combined, omitted, or otherwise modified, and are not limited to the devices or control components described herein. For example, any of the exemplary steps in Figures 4–7 may be used to produce any of the exemplary displays in Figures 8–16.

[0079] Figure 8 shows an exemplary display 800 with a character filter applied, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, for a selected program titled “Episode Program 1,” there are multiple episodes and multiple seasons (e.g., four or more seasons in this example). Display 800 includes a grid containing a season / episode identifier, a time indicator, or both, corresponding to the episodes and optionally its segments, in which actor A appears. Furthermore, there are three plot arcs (e.g., SL1, SL2, SL3) containing actor A, and therefore each column contains an episode identifier, a period indicator, or both, corresponding to the plot arc identified at the top of the column. For example, actor A appears in at least S1EP1, S1EP2, S2EP1, S2EP2, S2EP5, S3EP2, S4EP1, S4EP2, and S4EP3. In a further example, plot arc SL1 appears in at least S1EP1, S2EP1, and S4EP2. The horizontal timeline used for each row corresponds to the time-series episode index for each plot arc. In some embodiments, for example, the system may provide a display similar to display 800, but instead of indexing the timeline by plot arcs, it is not divided by plot arcs to simplify the timeline. In some embodiments, each row may, but does not have to, correspond to a season (for example, as shown in Figure 8). For example, the system may specify each row for a storyline (for example, a plot arc or a character) rather than including storyline divisions along the horizontal axis.

[0080] Figure 9 shows an exemplary display 900 with character filters and plot arc filters applied according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, display 900 may be generated by filtering display 800 to retain only the episode identifier, duration indicator, or both, corresponding to episodes that contain character A and plot arc SL2. This eliminates the need for the user to watch the program sequentially to track plot arc SL2 along with other plot arcs, and allows them to select and watch episodes containing plot arc SL2 and character A by interacting with display 900.

[0081] Figure 10 shows an exemplary timeline 1000 of segments arranged chronologically in episodes of a program, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Timeline 1000 may be the same as timeline 270 in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 10, timeline 1000 includes at least seasons 1 and 2 (e.g., SEASON 1 and SEASON 2) and corresponding episodes (e.g., EPISODE 1, EPISODE 2, etc.). Each episode includes at least one segment having a time indicator (e.g., T1-T16 as illustrated). The segments are tagged as corresponding to one of four storylines (e.g., SL1, SL2, SL3, SL4). Timeline 1000 is linear and can extend to a length that would be difficult for a user to browse, analyze, track, or otherwise interact with. For example, if the program includes 10 seasons and the user is interested in a particular attribute, the display of the timeline could potentially be overwhelming for the user.

[0082] Figure 11 shows an exemplary timeline 1100 of segments arranged chronologically for episodes of a program corresponding to a specific storyline in timeline 1000 of Figure 10, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, exemplary timeline 1100 is achieved by filtering timeline 1000 by storyline SL4. Thus, the user may choose to watch the program along timeline 1100 by selecting segments having time indicators T4, T7, T10, T11, T13, and T14, which can be conveniently displayed as a single timeline (e.g., timeline 1100). In some embodiments, the system may rescale the time axis to correspond to the actual playback time of timeline 1100 (e.g., shorter than timeline 1000 as shown). In some embodiments, the system may group segments of timeline 1100 and provide the user with the option to watch entire segments of timeline 1100 as a single subprogram (e.g., by selecting a single option rather than selecting each segment sequentially).

[0083] Figure 12 shows an exemplary display 1200 including a grid having subgrids 1210 and 1220, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, subgrid 1210 includes a list of seasons of the program. User selection 1201 highlights season 2, episode 1. Shown in subgrid 1220 is a list of segments for season 2, episode 1, including time indicators (e.g., segment start times 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 minutes) and segment titles (e.g., chapter titles such as "On Dragonstone", "In the Riverlands", "At Winterfall", "Beyond the Wall", "In the RedWaste").

[0084] Figure 13 shows an exemplary discontinuous timeline 1300 of segments arranged chronologically in episodes of a program, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Breaks B1, B2, and B3 allow the timeline 1300 to be displayed more conveniently. Thus, in some circumstances, the filtered display of the present disclosure may be preferred, as a chronological timeline of all segments of all episodes may be cumbersome to display by the system or to consume by the user. In some embodiments, the displayed grid allows more information to be placed on the display, avoiding the constraint of achieving a complete timeline of all segments. By parsing segments by storyline, season, or other identifier, information can be arranged in a more convenient format.

[0085] Figure 14 shows an exemplary display 1400, which includes a grid showing program episode identifiers, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The display 1400 includes four rows, each corresponding to a character (e.g., characters 1-4), and several columns, each corresponding to a time indicator. The display 1400 is relatively sparse (e.g., less than 50% of the grid contains episode identifiers), and therefore wastes part of the display 1400 with blank or non-informational space. In some situations, a user may find such a display unhelpful or inefficient.

[0086] Figure 15 shows an exemplary display 1500, which includes a grid showing episode identifiers for the program of Figure 14, filtered by character, according to some embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, in display 1500, only episode identifiers corresponding to episodes featuring characters 1 and 2 are displayed, improving density and thus allowing the bottom two rows of the grid to be used for displaying additional information (e.g., information related to characters 1 and 2).

[0087] Figure 16 shows an exemplary display 1600 including a grid showing episode identifiers for the program of Figure 14, with a modified timeline, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The modified timeline of display 1600 eliminates dead space in each row by condensing the episode identifiers in each row, thus increasing density and providing the user with more potentially relevant information. In some embodiments, each segment is displayed with a length scaled to the duration of the segment (e.g., longer segments appear longer in the display). The duration of a segment can be any appropriate duration, which may be an integer multiple or a constant, but is not required, although it is shown as an integer multiple of 15 minutes. The display may include any appropriate timeline according to the present disclosure.

[0088] In some embodiments, the system provides a display that is not constrained by broadcast time (e.g., on-demand content may be consumed in no particular order). In some embodiments, the system allows for the application of one or more filters (e.g., sequentially or in parallel) to further reduce the amount of information displayed, and thus collapse the display into a more manageable grid. In some embodiments, for example, after filtering, a user can see a display that contains only and exclusively the content they want to see. For example, a user can watch three-minute scenes of interest in the context of relevant scenes, rather than watching an hour-long program linearly. Filtering may be performed, for example, by the user, the content owner, any other appropriate entity, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the system includes one or more versions, options, display styles, or sets of preferred displays based on the user's preferred viewing style (e.g., binge-watcher, occasional viewer, user-specified favorite storyline). For example, the system may apply different pricing to display content based on filtering, as opposed to sequential consumption of a program.

[0089] Figure 17 shows an exemplary display 1700, which includes a grid showing program episode identifiers without filtering, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Display 1700 includes a grid showing seasons 1-5 and episodes 1-7. In this exemplary example, the indicator "x" is used as an episode identifier to indicate that an episode is available for viewing. The user has selected, for example, season 2 episode 2 (S2EP2), which is highlighted. Display 1700 may include a default display (e.g., unfiltered or arranged in a user-defined manner by other means), in which the grid is arranged by season and episode.

[0090] Figure 18 shows an exemplary display 1800 generated by filtering the information contained in display 1700 of Figure 17 by character and location, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. By selecting S2EP2, a nested grid of S2EP2 is displayed, showing a grid of episodes containing characters 1, 2, and 3 at locations 1, 2, and 3. A user-controlled cursor highlights the segment corresponding to location 3 and character 1 in S2EP2. Display 1800 contains fewer episodes and seasons than display 1700 because the columns and rows are pushed out of the displayed grid, but it provides more detailed information for a subset of episodes (such as S2EP2).

[0091] Figure 19 shows an exemplary display 1900 generated by navigating display 1800 of Figure 18 by character and location, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. By selecting S2EP3, a nested grid of S2EP2 and S2EP3 is displayed, showing a grid of episodes containing characters 1, 2, 3, and 4 at locations 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. A user-controlled cursor highlights the segment corresponding to location 2 and character 1 in S2EP3. Display 1900 contains fewer episodes and seasons than display 1800, but includes more detailed information for a subset of episodes (e.g., S2EP2 and S2EP3) (e.g., segments containing characters 1-4 and locations 1-5). By filtering, for example, the timeline (e.g., horizontal axis) is condensed from 7 episodes in display 1700 to 5 episodes in display 1800, and then to 3 episodes in display 1900.

[0092] Figure 20 shows an exemplary display 2000 generated by navigating display 1900 in Figure 19 by character and location, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. By selecting S2EP4, a nested grid of S2EP3 and S2EP4 is displayed, showing a grid of episodes containing characters 1, 3, 4, and 5 for locations 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. A user-controlled cursor highlights the segment corresponding to location 1 and character 5 in S2EP4. Display 2000 contains fewer episodes and seasons than display 1800, but includes detailed information (segments containing characters 1-4 and locations 1-5) for a subset of episodes (such as S2EP2 and S2EP3). Thus, by navigating the display, it is possible to zoom in on some cells and dynamically change the grid axes, and therefore remain focused on relevant data (e.g., from the user's perspective).

[0093] Figure 21 shows an exemplary display 2100 generated by changing the filters of display 2000 in Figure 20 by character and location, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. By deselecting filters, display 2100 contains more episodes than display 1900. For example, display 2100 includes freeze filters for characters 1 and 4 and deselects filters for other characters. Episodes that do not contain characters 1 and 4 are not included in the grid of display 2100.

[0094] Figure 22 shows an exemplary display 2200 generated by rearranging display 1700 of Figure 17 by character and location, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, by the user watching more episodes of the series, gaining experience with the series control provided by the system, or both, the user may customize the display by instructing the system to freeze filters, change one or more grid axes, or otherwise. With respect to display 2200, the user sets a filter for character 1, and the displayed grid allows for episode browsing by location, with each cell of the grid displaying a chapter in which character 1 appears at a specified location (e.g., with a timestamp in each cell). Note that the "x" displayed in some cells may include a time indicator (e.g., a timestamp, start time, duration, stop time, or a combination thereof), segment information, any other appropriate information, or any combination thereof.

[0095] The embodiments described herein are presented for illustrative purposes only, not limitation, and this disclosure is limited only by the following claims. Furthermore, it should be noted that features and limitations described in any one embodiment apply to any other embodiment described herein, and that flowcharts or examples relating to one embodiment may be combined with other embodiments in an appropriate manner, either in a different order or in parallel. Furthermore, the systems and methods described herein may be performed in real time. It should also be noted that the systems and / or methods described herein may apply to or be used in accordance with other systems and / or methods. This specification discloses embodiments including, but not limited to, the following: (Item 1) A method for displaying program storyline information, the method is Using a control circuit, generate a plurality of storyline identifiers positioned along a first axis and a plurality of period indicators positioned along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis for display on a display device, wherein each storyline identifier corresponds to a storyline. Using the control circuit, generate for each storyline identifier a plurality of episode indicators for display on the display device, positioned along an axis parallel to the second axis and aligned with the storyline identifier, wherein each episode indicator indicates an episode having a segment of the storyline corresponding to the storyline identifier aligned with the episode indicator. The system receives user input to a user interface that selects one of the multiple storyline identifiers, A method comprising updating the displayed duration indicator to reflect the segments within the episodes of the aligned episode identifiers that have storylines corresponding to the selected storyline identifier. (Item 2) The method according to item 1, further comprising generating a grid for display that includes the plurality of storyline identifiers, the plurality of period indicators, and the plurality of episode indicators. (Item 3) The method according to item 1, wherein each period indicator includes at least one of the start time, end time, and duration of the segment. (Item 4) The method according to item 1, wherein each episode indicator includes a season index and an episode index. (Item 5) The method according to item 1, wherein each storyline corresponds to multiple episodes of the program. (Item 6) The system receives user input to select a new storyline identifier from among the aforementioned multiple storyline identifiers, The duration indicator is updated to reflect the time segments within the episodes of the aligned episode identifiers that have the storyline corresponding to the new storyline identifier. The method described in item 1, further including repeating the process. (Item 7) Identifying metadata for the aforementioned program, Identifying each storyline corresponding to the aforementioned multiple storyline identifiers, Determining the plurality of period indicators based at least partially on the metadata and at least partially on the plurality of storyline identifiers. The method described in item 1, further including the method described in item 1. (Item 8) Identifying the program based on user input, To generate a plurality of storyline identifiers for display in response to the identification of the program, wherein each of the plurality of storyline identifiers corresponds to the program. The method described in item 1, further including the method described in item 1. (Item 9) The method according to item 1, wherein each of the plurality of storyline identifiers corresponds to at least one of the plot arcs, characters, and locations depicted in the program. (Item 10) The method according to item 9, further comprising retrieving the plurality of storyline identifiers from a database based on the identification of an episode program. (Item 11) A system for displaying program storyline information, the system is A display device configured to provide a display to the user, A user interface configured to receive user input, A control circuit, the control circuit is To generate for display on a display device a plurality of storyline identifiers positioned along a first axis and a plurality of period indicators positioned along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, wherein each storyline identifier corresponds to a storyline, For each storyline identifier, generate a plurality of episode indicators for display on the display device, positioned along an axis parallel to the second axis and aligned with the storyline identifier, wherein each episode indicator indicates an episode having a segment of the storyline corresponding to the storyline identifier aligned with the episode indicator. The system receives user input to a user interface that selects one of the multiple storyline identifiers, The displayed period indicator is updated to reflect the segments within the episodes of the aligned episode identifiers that have the storyline corresponding to the selected storyline identifier. A control circuit and A system that includes this. (Item 12) The system according to item 11, wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate a grid for display that includes the plurality of storyline identifiers, the plurality of period indicators, and the plurality of episode indicators. (Item 13) The system according to item 11, wherein each period indicator includes at least one of the start time, end time, and duration of the segment. (Item 14) Each episode indicator is part of the system described in item 11, including the season index and episode index. (Item 15) The system described in item 11, wherein each storyline corresponds to multiple episodes of the program. (Item 16) The aforementioned control circuit Receiving new user input to select a new storyline identifier from the aforementioned multiple storyline identifiers, By updating the aforementioned period indicator, the time segments within the episodes of the aligned episode identifiers having the storyline corresponding to the new storyline identifier are to be reflected. The system described in item 11 is further configured to perform the following actions. (Item 17) The aforementioned control circuit Identifying metadata for the aforementioned program, Identifying each storyline corresponding to the aforementioned multiple storyline identifiers, Determining the plurality of period indicators based at least partially on the metadata and at least partially on the plurality of storyline identifiers. The system described in item 11, which is further configured to implement the following: (Item 18) The aforementioned control circuit Identifying the program based on user input, To generate a plurality of storyline identifiers for display in response to the identification of the program, wherein each of the plurality of storyline identifiers corresponds to the program. The system described in item 11 is further configured to perform the following actions. (Item 19) The system described in item 11, wherein each of the plurality of storyline identifiers corresponds to at least one of the plot arcs, characters, and locations depicted in the program. (Item 20) The system according to item 19, wherein the control circuit is further configured to retrieve the plurality of storyline identifiers from a database based on the identification of the program. (Item 21) A non-temporary computer-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon, and when these instructions are executed by a control circuit, the control circuit receives To generate for display on a display device a plurality of storyline identifiers positioned along a first axis and a plurality of period indicators positioned along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, wherein each storyline identifier corresponds to a storyline, For each storyline identifier, generate a plurality of episode indicators for display on the display device, positioned along an axis parallel to the second axis and aligned with the storyline identifier, wherein each episode indicator indicates an episode having a segment of the storyline corresponding to the storyline identifier aligned with the episode indicator. The system receives user input to a user interface that selects one of the multiple storyline identifiers, The displayed period indicator is updated to reflect the segments within the episodes of the aligned episode identifiers that have the storyline corresponding to the selected storyline identifier. A non-temporary computer-readable medium that enables the operation of a computer. (Item 22) The non-temporary computer-readable medium according to item 21, wherein the instructions encoded on the non-temporary computer-readable medium further include instructions that, when executed by a control circuit, cause the control circuit to generate a grid for display that includes the plurality of storyline identifiers, the plurality of period indicators, the plurality of period indicators, and the plurality of episode indicators. (Item 23) Each period indicator is a non-temporary computer-readable medium as described in item 21, including at least one of the start time, end time, and duration of the segment. (Item 24) Each episode indicator is a non-temporary, computer-readable medium as described in item 21, including the season index and episode index. (Item 25) A non-temporary computer-readable medium as described in item 21, in which each storyline corresponds to multiple episodes of the aforementioned program. (Item 26) An instruction encoded on the non-temporary computer-readable medium, which, when executed by a control circuit, results in the control circuit receiving Receiving new user input to select a new storyline identifier from the aforementioned multiple storyline identifiers, The aforementioned period indicator is updated to reflect the time segments within each episode of the aligned episode identifiers, which have storylines corresponding to the new storyline identifiers. A non-temporary computer-readable medium as described in item 21, which further includes instructions to perform the following actions. (Item 27) An instruction encoded on the non-temporary computer-readable medium, which, when executed by a control circuit, results in the control circuit receiving Identifying metadata for the aforementioned program, Identifying each storyline corresponding to the aforementioned multiple storyline identifiers, Determining the plurality of period indicators at least partially based on the metadata and at least partially based on the plurality of storyline identifiers A non-temporary computer-readable medium as described in item 21, which further includes instructions to perform the following actions. (Item 28) An instruction encoded on the non-temporary computer-readable medium, which, when executed by a control circuit, results in the control circuit receiving Identifying the program based on user input, To generate a plurality of storyline identifiers for display in response to the identification of the program, wherein each of the plurality of storyline identifiers corresponds to the program. A non-temporary computer-readable medium as described in item 21, which further includes instructions to perform the following actions. (Item 29) Each of the aforementioned multiple storyline identifiers corresponds to at least one of the plot arcs, characters, and locations depicted in the program, in a non-temporary computer-readable medium as described in item 21. (Item 30) The non-temporary computer-readable medium according to item 29, wherein the instructions encoded on the non-temporary computer-readable medium further include, when executed by a control circuit, instructions that cause the control circuit to retrieve the plurality of storyline identifiers from a database based on the identification of the program. (Item 31) A method for displaying program storyline information, the method is Using a control circuit, a first display is generated on a display device, the first display including a plurality of first segment identifiers corresponding to the program and positioned along a first timeline, Using the control circuit, a second set of segment identifiers corresponding to the program is generated by filtering the first set of segment identifiers based on a storyline filter, The storyline filter corresponds to the program's storyline spanning multiple episodes, At least one of the first multiple segment identifiers is removed during the filtering process, Using a control circuit, a second display is generated on the display device, the second display includes a second set of segment identifiers positioned along a second timeline condensed with respect to the first timeline. Methods that include... (Item 32) The method according to item 31, wherein the first display includes a grid containing the first plurality of segment identifiers. (Item 33) The method according to item 31, wherein the second display includes a grid containing the second plurality of segment identifiers. (Item 34) The method according to item 31, wherein each segment identifier includes one of the following: a time indicator, a chapter title, and an episode identifier. (Item 35) The method described in item 31, wherein each storyline spans multiple seasons of the aforementioned program. (Item 36) Filtering the above-mentioned first multiple segment identifiers is: Identifying metadata for each segment corresponding to one of the first multiple segment identifiers, Determining whether the metadata for each segment corresponds to the storyline filter, To exclude the segment identifier from the first set of segment identifiers that corresponds to a segment having metadata that has been determined not to be compatible with the storyline filter. The method described in item 31, including the method described in item 31. (Item 37) The method according to item 31, wherein the storyline filter is a first storyline filter, the storyline is a first storyline, and filtering the first plurality of segment identifiers is further based on a second storyline filter corresponding to a second storyline of the program. (Item 38) The method according to item 31, further comprising generating a visual transition from the first display to the second display, wherein the visual transition includes condensing the first timeline to create the second timeline. (Item 39) The method according to item 31, wherein the storyline filter corresponds to at least one of the plot arcs, characters, and locations drawn in the program. (Item 40) The method according to item 31, further comprising receiving user input corresponding to the selection of the storyline filter. (Item 41) A system for displaying program storyline information, the system is A display device configured to provide a display to the user, A control circuit, the control circuit is The method involves generating a first display on the display device, wherein the first display includes a plurality of first segment identifiers corresponding to the program and positioned along a first timeline. The method involves generating a second set of segment identifiers corresponding to the program by filtering a first set of segment identifiers based on a storyline filter, The storyline filter corresponds to the program's storyline spanning multiple episodes, At least one of the first multiple segment identifiers is removed during the filtering process, The present invention relates to generating a second display on the display device, wherein the second display includes a second set of segment identifiers positioned along a second timeline condensed with respect to the first timeline. A control circuit and A system that includes this. (Item 42) The system described in item 41, wherein the first display includes a grid containing the first multiple segment identifiers. (Item 43) The system according to item 41, wherein the second display includes a grid containing the second plurality of segment identifiers. (Item 44) The system described in item 41, in which each segment identifier includes one of the following: a time indicator, a chapter title, and an episode identifier. (Item 45) The system described in item 41, in which each storyline spans multiple seasons of the aforementioned program. (Item 46) The aforementioned control circuit Identifying metadata for each segment corresponding to one of the segment identifiers among the above-mentioned first plurality of segment identifiers, Determining whether the metadata for each segment corresponds to the storyline filter, Filtering the first set of segment identifiers by excluding the segment identifiers from the first set of segment identifiers that correspond to segments having metadata that has been determined not to be compatible with the storyline filter. The system described in item 41, which is further configured to implement the following: (Item 47) The system according to item 41, wherein the storyline filter is a first storyline filter, the storyline is a first storyline, and the control circuit is further configured to filter the first plurality of segment identifiers based on a second storyline filter corresponding to a second storyline of the program. (Item 48) The system according to item 41, wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate a visual transition on the display device from the first display to the second display, the visual transition including condensing the first timeline to create the second timeline. (Item 49) The system according to item 41, wherein the storyline filter corresponds to at least one of the plot arcs, characters, and locations depicted in the program. (Item 50) The system according to item 41, further comprising a user input interface coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to receive user input from the user input interface corresponding to the selection of the storyline filter. (Item 51) A non-temporary computer-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon, and when these instructions are executed by a control circuit, the control circuit receives The method involves generating a first display on a display device, wherein the first display includes a plurality of first segment identifiers corresponding to a program and positioned along a first timeline. The method involves generating a second set of segment identifiers corresponding to the program by filtering the first set of segment identifiers based on a storyline filter, The storyline filter corresponds to the program's storyline spanning multiple episodes, At least one of the first multiple segment identifiers is removed during filtering, The present invention relates to generating a second display on the display device, wherein the second display includes a second set of segment identifiers positioned along a second timeline condensed with respect to the first timeline. A non-temporary computer-readable medium that enables the operation of a computer. (Item 52) The non-temporary computer-readable medium described in item 51, wherein the first display includes a grid containing the first plurality of segment identifiers. (Item 53) The non-temporary computer-readable medium described in item 51, wherein the second display includes a grid containing the second plurality of segment identifiers. (Item 54) A non-temporary, computer-readable medium as described in item 51, in which each segment identifier includes one of the following: a time indicator, a chapter title, and an episode identifier. (Item 55) A non-temporary computer-readable medium as described in item 51, in which each storyline spans multiple seasons of the aforementioned program. (Item 56) An instruction encoded on the non-temporary computer-readable medium, which, when executed by a control circuit, results in the control circuit receiving Identifying metadata for each segment corresponding to one of the segment identifiers among the above-mentioned first plurality of segment identifiers, Determining whether the metadata for each segment corresponds to the storyline filter, Filtering the first plurality of segment identifiers by excluding the segment identifiers of the first plurality of segment identifiers that correspond to segments having metadata that has been determined not to correspond to the storyline filter. A non-temporary computer-readable medium as described in item 51, which further includes instructions to perform the following actions. (Item 57) The aforementioned storyline filter is the first storyline filter, and the aforementioned storyline is the first storyline, The non-temporary computer-readable medium according to item 51, wherein the instruction encoded on the non-temporary computer-readable medium further includes an instruction, when executed by a control circuit, causing the control circuit to filter the first plurality of segment identifiers based on a second storyline filter corresponding to a second storyline of the program. (Item 58) The non-temporary computer-readable medium according to item 51, wherein the instructions encoded on the non-temporary computer-readable medium, the instructions, when executed by a control circuit, further include instructions causing the control circuit to generate a visual transition on the display device from the first display to the second display, the visual transition comprising condensing the first timeline to create the second timeline. (Item 59) A non-temporary computer-readable medium as described in item 51, wherein the storyline filter corresponds to at least one of the plot arcs, characters, and locations depicted in the program. (Item 60) The non-temporary computer-readable medium according to item 51, wherein the instruction encoded on the non-temporary computer-readable medium further includes an instruction that, when executed by a control circuit, causes the control circuit to receive user input corresponding to the selection of the storyline filter.

Claims

1. A method, the method being performed in a system, the system comprising an input / output (I / O) circuit and a control circuit, The aforementioned method, The aforementioned I / O circuit receives the selection of a sports event, The I / O circuit generates a first interface on the display device using the control circuit, wherein the first interface comprises sports event information, the sports event information comprises a plurality of player identifiers and a plurality of period indicators, and each of the plurality of player identifiers is associated with a certain period indicator among the plurality of period indicators. The I / O circuit receives the selection of a first player from among the plurality of player identifiers based on user input, The control circuit determines the sports event information associated with the first player, The control circuit updates the first interface using the sports event information associated with the first player, The I / O circuit uses the control circuit to generate a second interface on the display device using the updated first interface. Methods that include...

2. The aforementioned sports event information includes multiple location indicators, The aforementioned method, The control circuit determines the location indicator associated with the first player from among the plurality of location indicators, The control circuit adds the second interface to the display device using the location indicator associated with the first player, The control circuit highlights a portion of the second interface on the display device, wherein the portion of the second interface corresponds to the location indicator associated with the first player. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the I / O circuit generating a grid for the first interface including the plurality of player identifiers, the plurality of period indicators, and the plurality of location indicators.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the sports event corresponds to a sports tournament, and the location indicator associated with the first player corresponds to the location of the first player throughout the sports tournament.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of period indicators includes at least one of the start time, end time, and duration of the sporting event.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein updating the first interface with the sports event information associated with the first player includes the control circuit performing at least one of rearranging the plurality of player identifiers and the plurality of period indicators, removing unwanted sports event information, adding selected sports event information, and zooming in on a portion of the first interface.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the I / O circuit generating a transition from the first interface to the second interface, wherein the first interface includes a plurality of display features, and the transition includes at least one of rearranging the plurality of display features, removing at least some of the plurality of display features, adding additional display features, or zooming in or zooming out of a portion of the display device.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the I / O circuit retrieving the sports event information from a database based on the received selection of the sports event.

9. A system, wherein the system is Control circuit and Input / Output (I / O) Circuits and Equipped with, The aforementioned I / O circuit is, Receiving a selection of sporting events The control circuit is used to generate a first interface on a display device, wherein the first interface comprises sports event information, the sports event information comprises a plurality of player identifiers and a plurality of period indicators, and each of the plurality of player identifiers is associated with a certain period indicator among the plurality of period indicators. Based on the second user input, the system receives the selection of the first player from among the multiple player identifiers. It is configured to do the following: The aforementioned control circuit is To determine the sports event information associated with the first player, The first interface is updated using the sports event information associated with the first player. It is configured to do the following: The I / O circuit is configured to use the control circuit to generate a second interface on the display device using the updated first interface, in a system.

10. The aforementioned sports event information includes multiple location indicators, The aforementioned control circuit is Determining a location indicator among the plurality of location indicators associated with the first player, Adding the second interface to the display device using the location indicator associated with the first player, The method involves highlighting a portion of the second interface on the display device, wherein the portion of the second interface corresponds to the location indicator associated with the first player. The system according to claim 9, further configured to perform the following:

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the I / O circuit is further configured to generate a grid for the first interface, the grid including the plurality of player identifiers, the plurality of period indicators, and the plurality of location indicators.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the sports event corresponds to a sports tournament, and the location indicator associated with the first player corresponds to the location of the first player throughout the sports tournament.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of period indicators includes at least one of the start time, end time, and duration of the sporting event.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein the control circuit is configured to update the first interface with the sports event information associated with the first player by performing at least one of the following: rearranging the plurality of player identifiers and the plurality of period indicators; removing unwanted sports event information; adding selected sports event information; and zooming in on a portion of the first interface.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein the I / O circuit is further configured to generate a transition from the first interface to the second interface, the first interface comprising a plurality of display features, the transition comprising at least one of rearranging the plurality of display features, removing at least some of the plurality of display features, adding additional display features, or zooming in or zooming out of a portion of the display device.

16. The system according to claim 9, wherein the I / O circuit is further configured to retrieve the sports event information from a database based on the received selection of the sports event.

17. A system, wherein the system is A means of receiving a selection of sporting events, Means for generating a first interface on a display device using a control circuit, wherein the first interface comprises sports event information, the sports event information comprises a plurality of player identifiers and a plurality of period indicators, and each of the plurality of player identifiers is associated with a certain period indicator among the plurality of period indicators; A means for receiving the selection of a first player from among the plurality of player identifiers based on a second user input, Means for determining the sports event information associated with the first player, Means for updating the first interface using the sports event information associated with the first player, Means for generating a second interface on the display device using the updated first interface, using the control circuit described above. A system equipped with these features.

18. The sports event information includes multiple location indicators, and the system is Means for determining the location indicator associated with the first player among the plurality of location indicators, Means for adding the second interface on the display device using the location indicator associated with the first player, Means for highlighting a portion of the second interface on the display device, wherein the portion of the second interface corresponds to the location indicator associated with the first player, and The system according to claim 17, further comprising:

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising means for generating a grid for the first interface, which includes the plurality of player identifiers, the plurality of period indicators, and the plurality of location indicators.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the sports event corresponds to a sports tournament, and the location indicator associated with the first player corresponds to the location of the first player throughout the sports tournament.

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