User interfaces for browsing content from multiple content applications on an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11966560-B2
Application number	US-201715719404-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2017
Priority date	Oct 26, 2016
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

In some embodiments, an electronic device presents media items from different media applications in a unified media browsing application. In some embodiments, an electronic device facilitates browsing of media from different media applications based on category of media (e.g., movies, television shows, etc.). In some embodiments, an electronic device facilitates setup of a unified media browsing application that presents media items from different media applications in a unified media browsing user interface. In some embodiments, an electronic device displays multiple episodes of a collection of episodic content (e.g., a television series) in a user interface for the collection of episodic content. In some embodiments, an electronic device displays representations of, and provides access to, live-event media items accessible on the electronic device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
at an electronic device in communication with a display and one or more input devices:
receiving, via the one or more input devices, a user input corresponding to a request to display a media browsing user interface;
in response to receiving the user input corresponding to the request to display the media browsing user interface, displaying, on the display, the media browsing user interface, wherein the media browsing user interface concurrently includes:
a plurality of representations of suggested media items available on the electronic device via different media sources, wherein the plurality of representations is displayed overlaid on top of first representative content that corresponds to a representation of a first media item of the suggested media items that currently has focus, and wherein a respective suggested media item is included in the suggested media items based on prior user action that occurred on a second electronic device, different from the electronic device, and no respective media application via which the respective suggested media item is available is installed on the electronic device; and
information indicating a source of the first media item that currently has focus;

while displaying the plurality of representations of suggested media items in the media browsing user interface overlaid on top of the first representative content, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input corresponding to a request to navigate through the plurality of representations of suggested media items; and
in response to receiving the input corresponding to the request to navigate through the plurality of representations of media items:
transitioning a representation of a second media item of the suggested media items to having focus instead of the first media item having focus; and
without causing playback, on the display, of the second media item:
replacing display of the first representative content with second representative content that corresponds to the second media item; and
replacing display of the information indicating the source of the first media item with information indicating a source of the second media item.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first representative content that corresponds to the first media item includes a still image that corresponds to the first media item; and
the second representative content that corresponds to the second media item includes a still image that corresponds to the second media item.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first representative content that corresponds to the first media item includes a video that corresponds to the first media item; and
the second representative content that corresponds to the second media item includes a video that corresponds to the second media item.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after receiving the input corresponding to the request to navigate through the plurality of representations of suggested media items, receiving, via the one or more input devices, a second input corresponding to a request to navigate further through the plurality of representations of suggested media items; and
in response to receiving the second input corresponding to the request to navigate further through the plurality of representations of suggested media items, revealing, in the media browsing user interface, one or more representations of trending media items available on the electronic device, wherein the representations of the trending media items were not displayed in the media browsing user interface before receiving the second input corresponding to the request to navigate further through the plurality of representations of suggested media items.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first media item is included in the suggested media items because a user of the electronic device has selected the first media item to be included in the media browsing user interface, and the second media item is included in the suggested media items based on prior viewing activity of the user with respect to media on the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
the second media item is part of a collection of episodic media;
the collection of episodic media includes media items available via a first content provider and a second content provider;
the second media item is available via the second content provider but not via the first content provider; and
the second media item was selected for inclusion in the suggested media items based on viewing activity of the user with respect to media items in the collection of episodic media that are available via the first content provider.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in accordance with a determination that a respective media item of the suggested media items is a new episode in a collection of episodic media that a user of the electronic device has been watching, and that the user has not yet watched the new episode, prioritizing display of a representation of the respective media item in the representations of the suggested media items based on a recency of the user's entitlement to access the respective media item.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
in accordance with a determination that a user of the electronic device has partially watched the first media item, the first representative content that corresponds to the first media item includes a visual indicator of a playback progress for the first media item; and
in accordance with a determination that the user of the electronic device has partially watched the second media item, the second representative content that corresponds to the second media item includes a visual indicator of a playback progress for the second media item.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first representative content that corresponds to the first media item includes information indicating why the first media item is included in the suggested media items, and
the second representative content that corresponds to the second media item includes information indicating why the second media item is included in the suggested media items.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first representative content that corresponds to the first media item includes the information indicating the source of the first media item, and
the second representative content that corresponds to the second media item includes the information indicating the source of the second media item.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input corresponding to a selection of a respective representation of a respective media item of the suggested media items; and
in response to receiving the input corresponding to the selection of the respective representation of the respective media item:
launching a media application corresponding to the respective media item on the electronic device; and
causing playback, on the display, of the respective media item in the media application corresponding to the respective media item.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the input corresponding to the request to navigate through the plurality of representations of suggested media items corresponds to a request to navigate through the plurality of representations of suggested media items in a first direction, and the method further comprises:
receiving, via the one or more input devices, a second input corresponding to a request to navigate further through the plurality of representations of suggested media items in a second direction, different from the first direction;
in res

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Johnston Alexander W
• Park Dennis S
• Balsamo Tito Lloyd
• Lochhead Jonathan
• El-Shafey Yesmeen
• Clarke Graham R
• Anton Peter D
• Folse Jennifer L C
• Bachman William M
• Lemay Stephen O
• Suzuki Gregg
• Dye Alan C
• Tan-Ang Jeff
• Wood Policarpo B

Classifications

• H04N21/4826

  using recommendation lists, e.g. of programmes or channels sorted out according to their score · CPC title

• H04N21/4821

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

• H04N21/4622

  Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet (web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859) · CPC title

• H04N21/4312

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