Dynamic Progress Bar Placement for Video Trick-Play
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Solution Overview
Problem
Progress bars in video displays often obscure important visual content information during trick-play commands, such as fast-forwarding or rewinding, making it difficult for viewers to access critical data like scores or game clocks without repeatedly stopping and starting the playback.
Innovation Solution
The system dynamically selects and adjusts the placement of the progress bar on the video display based on characteristics of the program or channel, analyzing the location of important information to avoid obscuration, allowing viewers to maintain visibility of crucial data during trick-play operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the progress bar is displayed at a fixed location on the video display, then the progress bar provides clear information about trick-play operations, but the progress bar obscures important visual content information such as scores or game clocks
Solution Approach 1:
The progress bar placement is made dynamic rather than fixed. The system automatically adjusts the progress bar position based on the location of important information on the display. When important content such as scores or game clocks is detected in a particular area, the progress bar relocates to avoid obscuring it, ensuring both progress information and content information remain visible throughout the trick-play operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the display are assigned different functions. The system identifies areas containing important visual content information and excludes those areas from progress bar placement. This allows the progress bar to occupy only those regions where it will not interfere with important content, optimizing both information visibility and operational clarity.
2Loss of time
If the progress bar is displayed at a fixed location, then the display layout is simple and consistent, but the viewer must repeatedly stop and start playback to check obscured information
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the video content to identify the location of important information before displaying the progress bar. By detecting scores, game clocks, or other critical visual elements in advance, the system can pre-position the progress bar in a location that avoids obscuring these elements, preventing the need for repeated playback adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the display content during trick-play operations and adjusts the progress bar position based on real-time feedback about the location of important information. This feedback mechanism ensures that the progress bar remains in optimal positions throughout the playback, eliminating the need for manual intervention.
3Loss of information
If the progress bar is positioned to avoid important information, then content visibility is maintained, but the progress bar placement becomes complex and adaptive
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs the complex task of analyzing video content, identifying important information locations, and positioning the progress bar accordingly. This self-service capability eliminates the need for manual configuration or complex user interaction, allowing the system to adaptively manage progress bar placement while maintaining simple user operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for selecting the placement of a progress bar that is displayed on top of audiovisual content being presented on a display device when a viewer issues a “trick-play” command to change the rate at which the audiovisual content is being presented, such as rewind, pause, or fast-forward. The placement of the progress bar is selected such that it does not obscure audiovisual content used by the viewer to determine how long to issue the trick-play command.