Systems and methods for altering a progress bar to prevent spoilers in a media asset

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11818405-B2
Application number	US-202217829953-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2022
Priority date	Jun 29, 2018
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for altering or otherwise obscuring a progress bar to prevent spoilers in a media asset. A media asset is generated for display and an input is detected from a user during playback of the media asset. A determination is made whether the input comprises a command to display a progress bar. In the affirmative, a determination regarding a current point of playback of the media asset and the type of segment is made. An entry is retrieved from a database that maps the type of segment to a range of time. A determination is made whether the remaining time of the media asset is within the range of time. In the affirmative, a determination whether displaying the progress bar would spoil the media asset is made. In response to determining that displaying the progress bar would spoil the media asset, the progress bar is refrained from generating display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
detecting user interface input during play of a media asset;
determining that the user interface input causes a command to display a progress bar indicating progress of the play of the media asset;
identifying a characteristic of at least one frame of the media asset based on image recognition analysis;
determining, based on the characteristic and a current point of play in the media asset, whether display of the progress bar will spoil the media asset; and
in response to determining, based on the characteristic and the current point of play in the media asset, that display of the progress bar will spoil the media asset, refraining from generating the display of the progress bar.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one frame of the media asset is selected based on a point in play when the user interface input was detected.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image recognition analysis comprises automated video frame recognition of the media asset.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image recognition analysis comprises machine learning techniques.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic is determined based on a fingerprint determined from the media asset and with reference to information stored in a database.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the refraining from the generating display of the progress bar comprises:
preventing display of an elapsed time indicator of the progress bar for the media asset.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the refraining from the generating the display of the progress bar comprises:
causing positioning of a progress bar overlay to obstruct display of at least a portion of the progress bar.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions configured to execute a method when executed by a data processor, the method comprising:
detecting user interface input during play of a media asset;
determining that the user interface input causes a command to display a progress bar indicating progress of the play of the media asset;
identifying a characteristic of at least one frame of the media asset based on image recognition analysis;
determining, based on the characteristic and a current point of play in the media asset, whether display of the progress bar will spoil the media asset; and
in response to determining, based on the characteristic and the current point of play in the media asset, that display of the progress bar will spoil the media asset, refraining from generating the display of the progress bar.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the at least one frame of the media asset is selected based on a point in play when the user interface input was detected.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the image recognition analysis comprises automated video frame recognition of the media asset.

11. The computer-readable medium claim 8 , wherein the image recognition analysis comprises machine learning techniques.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the characteristic is determined based on a fingerprint determined from the media asset and with reference to information stored in a database.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the refraining from the generating display of the progress bar comprises:
preventing display of an elapsed time indicator of the progress bar for the media asset.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the refraining from the generating the display of the progress bar comprises:
causing positioning of a progress bar overlay to obstruct display of at least a portion of the progress bar.

15. A system comprising:
processing circuitry configured to:
detect user interface input during play of a media asset;
determine that the user interface input causes a command to display a progress bar indicating progress of the play of the media asset; and
identify a characteristic of at least one frame of the media asset based on image recognition analysis; and

control circuitry configured to:
determine, based on the characteristic and a current point of play in the media asset, whether display of the progress bar will spoil the media asset; and
in response to determining, based on the characteristic and the current point of play in the media asset, that display of the progress bar will spoil the media asset, refrain from generating the display of the progress bar based on the characteristic and a current point of play of the media asset.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one frame of the media asset is selected based on a point in play when the user interface input was detected.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the image recognition analysis comprises automated video frame recognition of the media asset.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the image recognition analysis comprises machine learning techniques.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the characteristic is determined based on a fingerprint determined from the media asset and with reference to information stored in a database.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the refraining from the generating display of the progress bar comprises:
preventing display of an elapsed time indicator of the progress bar for the media asset.

Assignees

• Rovi Guides Inc

Inventors

• Yan Thomas Kang-Po
• Jia Hong-Qi
• Boonstra Peter
• Chen Kerui

Classifications

• H04N21/234345 Primary

  the reformatting operation being performed only on part of the stream, e.g. a region of the image or a time segment · CPC title

• 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

• H04N21/4821

  using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time · CPC title

• H04N21/8456

  by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments · CPC title