Live Media Content Navigation Using Visual Timeline Thumbnails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current media content navigation tools lack a visual interface for live content and fail to provide effective navigation cues, such as a visual timeline, for both current and future programming, especially when trying to rewind or fast forward through live content.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that generate thumbnails or still images representing time points in the current program, allowing users to navigate through past content and preview future programs, by receiving a media content stream, processing it to create visual images, and displaying these images along with information about future content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional navigation tools (pause, fast forward, rewind) are used for live content, then basic playback control is achieved, but visual cues and timeline information are lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the continuous media content stream into discrete thumbnail images representing different time points. These thumbnails are arranged in a visual timeline, allowing users to see and navigate to specific segments of content without losing temporal context. This segmentation transforms the abstract passage of time into visible, selectable units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a visual dimension to time navigation by displaying thumbnails in a spatial arrangement that represents temporal sequence. Instead of relying solely on abstract controls, users can visually perceive the timeline as a spatial structure, enabling intuitive navigation through visual inspection of content previews at different time points.
2Loss of information
If program guide information is displayed separately, then future programming information is provided, but integration with current content timeline is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the program guide information with the visual timeline of current content into a unified display structure. Future program information is integrated alongside thumbnails of current content, allowing users to navigate between current and future programs within the same visual interface. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate program guide displays.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual timeline structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it displays current content thumbnails for navigation, provides program guide information for future content, and maintains temporal context. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate specialized displays for different types of information.
3Loss of information
If detailed program information is provided, then user awareness of content is improved, but visual clarity and ease of navigation may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates simplified visual copies (thumbnails) of the actual media content that preserve essential visual information while occupying minimal display space. These thumbnail copies provide sufficient content context for navigation decisions without requiring full-resolution video playback, thus maintaining visual clarity while conveying content information.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for navigating through media content is described. The method (600) includes receiving (610) a media content stream, generating (620) a plurality of images associated with the media content stream after it is received, retrieving (630) information for a future media content stream, and providing (650) the information for the future media content stream along with the plurality of images for display along with the media content stream. The apparatus (300) includes an input signal receiver (302) that receives a media content stream, a video processor (310) that generates a plurality of images associated with the media content stream after it is received, a controller (314) retrieving information for a future media content stream that is available after the media content stream is received, and a display interface (315) providing the information for the future media content stream along with the plurality of images associated with the media content stream for display along with the media content stream.