Navigating media playback using scrollable text

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9977584-B2
Application number	US-201514860093-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2015
Priority date	Dec 10, 2013
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

A computing device can periodically acquire a current track time for a media content item being played. The device can periodically compare the current track time with a respective start time and a respective end time for each line (or segment) in a plurality of lines of text (or segments of text) associated with the media content item. If the device determines that the current track time is between start and end times for a given line of text, then the device can display the given line of text. A user of the device can scroll through the lines of text associated with the media content item. If the user selects a particular line of text, the device can identify a start time for the selected line of text. The device can then play the media content item at the identified start time of the selected line of text.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing device comprising:
at least one processor;
at least one memory device including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:
display a first plurality of segments associated with a media content item, each of the segments having a successive respective start time and end time bounded by a start time and an end time associated with the media content item;
receive an instruction to navigate through the first plurality of segments;
display a second plurality of segments associated with the media content item, each of the segments having a successive respective start time and end time bounded by the start time and the end time associated with the media content item, wherein at least one of the segments in the second plurality of segments is different from one of the first plurality of segments;
receive an indication of a selected segment from the second plurality of segments; and
play a portion of the media content item corresponding to the selected segment.

2. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the media content item comprises a song including music and lyrics.

3. The computing device of claim 2 wherein at least one of the segments in the first and second plurality of segments comprises text associated with the lyrics of the song.

4. The computing device of claim 2 wherein at least one of the segments in the first and second plurality of segments comprises an element not associated with the lyrics of the song.

5. The computing device of claim 4 wherein the element comprises a special display character.

6. The computing device of claim 4 wherein the element comprises one of a music-only designation or a designation of a non-transcribable portion of the song.

7. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the indication of a selected segment from the second plurality of segments is received within an allowable period of time subsequent to the instruction to navigate through the first plurality of segments being received.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:
displaying a first plurality of segments associated with a media content item, each of the segments having a successive respective start time and end time bounded by a start time and an end time associated with the media content item;
receiving an instruction to navigate through the first plurality of segments;
displaying a second plurality of segments associated with the media content item, each of the segments having a successive respective start time and end time bounded by the start time and the end time associated with the media content item, wherein at least one of the segments in the second plurality of segments is different from one of the first plurality of segments;
receiving an indication of a selected segment from the second plurality of segments; and
playing a portion of the media content item corresponding to the selected segment.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the media content item comprises a song including music and lyrics.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein at least one of the segments in the first and second plurality of segments comprises text associated with the lyrics of the song.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein at least one of the segments in the first and second plurality of segments comprises an element not associated with the lyrics of the song.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the element comprises a special display character.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the element comprises one of a music-only designation or a designation of a non-transcribable portion of the song.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the indication of a selected segment from the second plurality of segments is received within an allowable period of time subsequent to the instruction to navigate through the first plurality of segments being received.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing system, cause the computing system to:
display a first plurality of segments associated with a media content item, each of the segments having a successive respective start time and end time bounded by a start time and an end time associated with the media content item;
receive an instruction to navigate through the first plurality of segments;
display a second plurality of segments associated with the media content item, each of the segments having a successive respective start time and end time bounded by the start time and the end time associated with the media content item, wherein at least one of the segments in the second plurality of segments is different from one of the first plurality of segments;
receive an indication of a selected segment from the second plurality of segments; and
play a portion of the media content item corresponding to the selected segment.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein the media content item comprises a song including music and lyrics.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein at least one of the segments of the first and second plurality of segments comprises text associated with the lyrics of the song.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein at least one of the segments of the first and second plurality of segments comprises an element not associated with the lyrics of the song.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the element comprises a special display character.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the element comprises one of a music-only designation or a designation of a non-transcribable portion of the song.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein the indication of a selected segment from the second plurality of segments is received within an allowable period of time subsequent to the instruction to navigate through the first plurality of segments being received.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc
• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Latin-Stoermer Toby Ray
• Beech Jonathan
• Gangadharan Hari
• Ahern Gabriela
• Durham Brandon Scott
• Malek Darren Levi
• Harvey Ralph Cameron
• Shepherd Benjamin Lee
• Hall Jason Christopher
• Mcgoogan Andrew Powell
• Morse Robert Richard

Classifications

• G06F3/165

  Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/0485 Primary

  Scrolling or panning · CPC title

• G10H2230/015

  PDA [personal digital assistant] or palmtop computing devices used for musical purposes, e.g. portable music players, tablet computers, e-readers or smart phones in which mobile telephony functions need not be used · CPC title

• G10H2220/011

  Lyrics displays, e.g. for karaoke applications · CPC title