Pre-computed Video Summaries for Efficient Search Result Browsing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing video browsing systems face inefficiencies in displaying and accessing large amounts of video content, particularly in mobile and computer-based systems, as they struggle to provide compact and high-quality thumbnails and video summaries that can be efficiently downloaded and streamed, impacting user browsing experience.

Innovation Solution

A method that pre-computes compressed thumbnails and video summaries, enabling efficient browsing by allowing on-demand streaming of video summaries within the context of a result page, utilizing video and audio analysis tools to ensure relevance and quality, and incorporating embedded video advertising.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If video content is compressed into thumbnails for efficient display, then download speed and loading time are improved, but video quality and detail are degraded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveloading timeVSAvoidvideo quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-computes and stores video summaries before they are needed for display. These summaries are generated in advance through content analysis and compressed into compact representations that can be quickly downloaded and displayed as thumbnails, eliminating the need for real-time processing while maintaining quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides video content into segmented summaries that capture key information from different parts of the video. These segmented summaries are then recombined and displayed as thumbnails, allowing the system to present essential video content in a compressed format without requiring the full video to be downloaded.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If full video content is streamed for high quality playback, then video quality is improved, but bandwidth consumption and loading time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo qualityVSAvoidbandwidth usage
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by providing video summaries that contain only the essential content needed for browsing and initial viewing. Instead of streaming the complete video, the system delivers a condensed version that captures key moments and information, allowing users to quickly assess video relevance without consuming full bandwidth.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-processes video content into summarized forms that retain essential information while reducing size. These pre-computed summaries are stored and can be delivered efficiently to users, eliminating the need to transmit full video files while maintaining adequate quality for browsing and selection purposes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If video summaries are pre-computed and stored, then access speed and browsing efficiency are improved, but storage requirements and processing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrowsing efficiencyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments video content into meaningful units and creates summaries for each segment. This segmentation allows the system to manage large video collections by breaking them into smaller, more manageable summary units that can be stored, indexed, and retrieved efficiently, reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates simplified copies of video content in the form of summaries and thumbnails. These copies contain extracted essential information from the original videos and can be stored and manipulated without requiring the full video files, significantly reducing storage requirements and processing complexity while maintaining browsing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS9372926B2Intelligent video summaries in information access
Publication Date: 2016.06.21 MICROSOFT CORP
  • US9372926B2 patent drawing
  • US9372926B2 patent drawing
  • US9372926B2 patent drawing

AI summary

In a method for displaying video data within result presentations in information access or search systems, compressed thumbnails are computed for videos in a result page and applied to the result page. An end user is enabled to select a video in the result page and activate streaming of a video summary within the context of the associated result page.