Methods and systems for providing a scaled user interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10701432-B2
Application number	US-201816115255-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2018
Priority date	Aug 28, 2018
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and systems for providing a scaled user interface. A content player can provide a user interface that enables a user to manage playback (e.g., seek) of the time-based content item. The user can access a first playback direction (e.g., a first playback axis, etc.) associated with the time-based content item and cause a user interface element to be displayed. The user can click/press the user interface element in a continuous action to cause a second playback direction (e.g., a second playback axis, etc.) to be displayed. The second playback direction can be associated with a scale that is different (e.g., less/greater) than a scale associated with the first playback direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
causing display of a time-based content item;
receiving a signal indicating a first interaction with a first playback direction associated with the time-based content item, wherein the first interaction comprises an access of the first playback direction;
causing, based on the first interaction, display of a user interface element;
receiving a signal, via the user interface element, indicating a second interaction with a second playback direction associated with the time-based content item;
causing, based on the second interaction, display of a seek indicator at a playback time instance of a plurality of playback time instances of the time-based content item, wherein the plurality of playback time instances are each separated by a time window;
receiving a signal indicating a third interaction, wherein the third interaction comprises a continuous access of the second playback direction; and
causing, based on the third interaction, a decrease in a quantity of time associated with the time window.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first playback direction comprises a first playback axis and the second playback direction comprises a second playback axis, wherein a position of the seek indicator along the second playback axis indicates the playback time instance of the plurality of playback time instances.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each playback time instance of the plurality of playback time instances is associated with a respective indication of a plurality of indications of the second playback direction, wherein a distance between each respective indication of the plurality of indications decreases respective to the decrease in the quantity of time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time-based content item comprises a plurality of segments and each segment of the plurality of segments is associated with the playback time instance of the plurality of playback time instances, wherein a selection of the playback time instance causes a playback of the time-based content item.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second playback axis is presented as an overlay in the time-based content item.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising causing, based on a change associated with the third interaction, an increase in the quantity of time associated with each time window.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the change associated with the third interaction comprises a change in direction of the third interaction.

8. A method comprising:
causing display of a first playback direction of a time-based content item;
receiving a signal indicating a first interaction with the first playback direction, wherein the first interaction comprises an access of the first playback direction;
causing, based on the first interaction, display of a second playback direction of the time-based content item, wherein the second playback direction comprises a plurality of indications each associated with a playback time instance of a plurality of playback time instances of the time-based content item, wherein the plurality of playback time instances are each separated by a time window;
receiving a signal indicating a second interaction, wherein the second interaction comprises a continuous access of the second playback direction; and
causing, based on the continuous access of the second playback direction, a change in a scale associated with the second playback direction.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first playback direction comprises a first playback axis and the second playback direction comprises a second playback axis, wherein the change in the scale comprises a decrease in a quantity of time associated with each time window when the access of the second playback direction comprises an upward direction from the first playback axis and an increase in the quantity of time associated with each time window when the access of the second playback direction is downward from the first playback axis.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a distance between each indication of the plurality of indications decreases respective to the decrease in the quantity of time when the second interaction comprises the upward direction and the distance between each indication of the plurality of indications increases respective to the increase in the quantity of time when the second interaction comprises a downward direction.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second playback axis comprises a seek indicator, and wherein a position of the seek indicator along the second playback axis indicates the playback time instance of the plurality of playback time instances.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the time-based content item comprises a plurality of segments and each segment of the plurality of segments is associated with the playback time instance of the plurality of playback time instances, wherein a selection of the playback time instance causes a playback of the time-based content item.

13. A method comprising:
causing display of a time-based content item and a first playback direction associated with the time-based content item;
receiving a signal indicating an access of the first playback direction;
causing, based on the access, the first playback direction to no longer be displayed;
causing display of a second playback direction associated with the time-based content item, wherein the second playback direction comprises a plurality of indications each associated with a playback time instance of a plurality of playback time instances of the time-based content item, wherein the plurality of playback time instances are each separated by a time window;
receiving a signal indicating a continuous access of the second playback direction; and
causing, based on the continuous access, a change in a scale associated with the second playback direction.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first playback direction comprises a first playback axis and the second playback direction comprises a second playback axis, and further comprising:
determining that the second playback direction is no longer accessed; and
causing, based on the determination and for a duration, display of the first playback direction.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the change in the scale comprises a decrease in a quantity of time associated with each time window when a first interaction is in a first direction and an increase in the quantity of time associated with each time window when a second interaction is in a second direction.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein a distance between each indication of the plurality of indications decreases respective to the decrease in the quantity of time based on the first direction of the second interaction and the distance between each indication of the plurality of indications increases respective to the increase in the quantity of time based on the second direction of the second interaction.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second playback axis comprises a seek indicator, and wherein a position of the seek indicator along the second playback axis indicates the playback time instance of the plurality of playback time instances.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the time-based content item comprises a plurality of segments and each segment of the plurality of segments is associated with the playback time instance of the plurality of playback time instances.

20. The

Assignees

• Comcast Cable Comm Llc

Inventors

• Niland Daniel

Classifications

• H04N21/4312 Primary

  involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations · CPC title

• H04N21/47217

  for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks (specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312) · CPC title

• H04N21/47202

  for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand · CPC title