Media Playback Timeline Alignment Across Video Formats

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Solution Overview

Problem

Content producers face difficulties in identifying and marking chapters of videos with varying formats, as different formats may have different frame rates and lengths, making it challenging to determine popular clips and provide access to viewers.

Innovation Solution

A system that aggregates metadata from video sharing platforms to identify popular clips based on their popularity and aligns them with shot boundaries, allowing for chapter information to be added and simplified navigation within the video content.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If chapters are marked manually for each video format, then chapter accuracy for that format improves, but the work complexity and time required increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechapter location accuracyVSAvoidchapter marking complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent copies chapter information from a source version of the video to a target version. Instead of manually marking chapters for each format, the system automatically transfers chapter data between versions, significantly reducing the complexity of chapter marking while maintaining accuracy through automated alignment processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary alignment of chapter timestamps with shot boundaries before finalizing chapter markers. By pre-processing the chapter data to ensure it aligns with actual scene transitions in the video, the system achieves high chapter location accuracy without requiring manual verification for each format.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If chapters are aligned across different video formats, then navigation consistency improves, but the processing time and computational resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechapter compatibility across formatsVSAvoidchapter alignment processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual chapter alignment processes with automated computational methods. By using algorithms to detect shot boundaries and align chapters programmatically, the system achieves format compatibility across different video versions without the time-consuming manual adjustment that would otherwise be required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adjusts chapter timestamp parameters based on the specific characteristics of each video format (frame rate, duration, resolution). By dynamically modifying these temporal parameters to match the target format's properties, the system maintains chapter accuracy across different formats while using automated parameter transformation rather than extensive processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If popular clips are identified through manual review, then clip selection quality improves, but the time and labor required increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepopular clip identification accuracyVSAvoidclip identification efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses aggregated metadata from video sharing websites as feedback to identify popular clips. By analyzing user-generated content, views, and engagement data from multiple sources, the system automatically determines which portions of the video are most popular, achieving accurate clip identification without manual review while maintaining high productivity through automated data collection and analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12432427B2Timeline for media content playback
Publication Date: 2025.09.30 COMCAST CABLE COMM LLC
  • US12432427B2 patent drawing
  • US12432427B2 patent drawing
  • US12432427B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for identifying highlights of a content item. A media clip may be obtained from a content sharing service. The media clip may correspond to a media content. A portion of the media content that is included in the media clip may be determined, and a popularity value of the media clip may be obtained from the content sharing service. A popularity metric for the portion of the media content may be determined and displayed.