Alert Video Timeline Interface with Event Thumbnails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video monitoring systems lack efficient user control flow and provide insufficient information, making it difficult for users to effectively monitor and review live and saved video feeds in a user-friendly manner.
Innovation Solution
A method for presenting live and saved video streams that includes extracting key frames and metadata from video streams, allowing for the display of a timeline-video relationship, and providing user interfaces that enable users to interact with video feeds in a more informative and efficient way, such as through the use of extracted-frames video and event thumbnails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional video monitoring interfaces are used, then the system is simple to implement, but the user control flow is inefficient and insufficient information is provided
Solution Approach 1:
The video timeline is segmented into discrete event identifiers representing specific events (motion detection, doorbell rings, etc.). Each event can be independently selected and expanded, allowing users to navigate through video content in meaningful chunks rather than continuously scrolling through entire video feeds. This segmentation improves operational efficiency by focusing user attention on relevant events.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a timeline dimension to the video monitoring interface, transforming the traditional single-view video player into a multi-dimensional navigation system. The timeline presents events chronologically, adding a temporal axis that allows users to efficiently locate and review specific events without watching entire video feeds from beginning to end.
2Loss of information
If complete video feeds are displayed continuously, then all video information is available, but users cannot efficiently locate or understand specific events
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of video feeds to automatically generate event identifiers and thumbnails before user interaction. Motion detection, object recognition, and other video analytics are executed in advance to identify significant events, creating a structured timeline of events that users can quickly navigate. This preliminary processing eliminates the need for users to manually scan through entire video feeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified copies of video content in the form of event thumbnails and metadata that represent key moments in the video feed. These thumbnails serve as visual summaries that allow users to quickly identify and select events of interest without viewing the complete video. When users select an event, only the relevant video segment is displayed, significantly reducing the time needed to locate and review specific events.
3Loss of information
If detailed event information is provided for each video event, then user understanding is improved, but the interface becomes cluttered and harder to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The interface applies local quality by providing different levels of information density in different interface areas. The timeline presents a condensed view with event identifiers and thumbnails for quick scanning. When users select an event, a video player window expands to provide detailed information including full video playback, event metadata, and contextual details. This localized information presentation maintains overall interface clarity while providing comprehensive event details when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface is dynamic and adaptive, changing its information presentation based on user interaction. The timeline maintains a compact form for efficient navigation, but automatically expands to show detailed event information when users select events. The video player window dynamically adjusts its size and content based on the selected event, providing more detailed information only when the user requests it. This dynamic behavior maintains navigability while providing comprehensive event information.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method at an electronic device with a display includes: displaying a user interface having a first region and a second region; receiving, and displaying in the first region of the user interface, a live video stream of a physical environment captured by a remote video camera, where at least some of the live video stream is recorded at a remote server; displaying, in the second region, a timeline corresponding to a timespan for a first portion of a duration during which the live video stream may have been recorded; in response to receiving a user interaction to move the timespan to a second portion of the duration, transitioning the displayed timeline to a new timeline that corresponds to the timespan for the second portion, and while transitioning, displaying, in the first region, a subset of video frames representing the first and/or second portion of the duration.