Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided. The method provides display of preference information using depth perception, such as on a three dimensional display or in a virtual reality space. Objects are identified in an image or image sequence and assigned relevance information based on the preference information. Objects that are favored are shown in foreground planes of the display, to varying degrees based on the strength of the preference. Objects that are disfavored are shown in background planes of the display, also to varying degrees based on the strength of the preferences. Unidentified or neutral objects are shown at a base level, neither foreground nor background. An exemplary embodiment is provided for a movie database application with various actors shown pushed in or out. Another embodiment allows a user to adjust the plane of the objects to alter his preferences.

Abstract: Playback of content is modified by the application of an operation that is determined in response to a received control signal. The operation performed for the content is determined by the time position in the playback of the content where the presence of the time position in different time segments of the content will have different corresponding operations performed.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and user interfaces for search query formulation are provided. A graphical representation (610) of a media basis may be provided that includes at least one metadata region (611) representing metadata associated with the media basis. Then, at least one user selection (620) of at least a portion of the graphical representation (610) may be received. Based on the received selection(s) (620), at least one search term may be generated.

Abstract: A content searching technique that includes sensing at least three types of input gestures from a user, each of the at least three input gestures representative of a respective one of a search term, a class of assets to be searched and a location to be searched. The sensed at least three types of input gestures are translated into the search term, the class of assets to be searched and the location to be searched. The specified location is searched for the class of assets corresponding to the search term. A list of assets residing or available from at the searched location corresponding to the search term are presented in a user interface display.

Abstract: A system for determining a drive mode for a vehicle is disclosed. The system may include one or more processors connected to a cloud network. The one or more processors may be configured to detect one or more occupants of the vehicle, and receive, from the cloud network, user profiles including one or more user preferences associated with the detected one or more occupants. The one or more processors may be further configured to determine the drive mode, including a plurality of vehicle feature settings, based on the user preferences weighted according to a weighting rule. The system may also include a storage device configured to store the plurality of vehicle feature settings.

Abstract: Ways to generate and utilize bookmarks in association with media content are described. Each bookmark may be associated with a user (210 or 320). Bookmarks associated with multiple users may be provided via a user interface (UI) (200 or 300) that includes a list of users (210) and multiple sets of bookmark indicators (250 or 310), where each set of bookmark indicators is associated with a particular user (210 or 320). A viewer may select from the indicators (250 or 310) in order to utilize the associated bookmark. Such a selection may cause playback to proceed to a location within the media content that is associated with the bookmark. A viewer may further be able to add a bookmark using various UI features (240 or 340).

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided. The method provides display of preference information using depth perception, such as on a three dimensional display or in a virtual reality space. Objects are identified in an image or image sequence and assigned relevance information based on the preference information. Objects that are favored are shown in foreground planes of the display, to varying degrees based on the strength of the preference. Objects that are disfavored are shown in background planes of the display, also to varying degrees based on the strength of the preferences. Unidentified or neutral objects are shown at a base level, neither foreground nor background. An exemplary embodiment is provided for a movie database application with various actors shown pushed in or out. Another embodiment allows a user to adjust the plane of the objects to alter his preferences.

Abstract: A content searching technique that includes sensing at least three types of input gestures from a user, each of the at least three input gestures representative of a respective one of a search term, a class of assets to be searched and a location to be searched. The sensed at least three types of input gestures are translated into the search term, the class of assets to be searched and the location to be searched. The specified location is searched for the class of assets corresponding to the search term. A list of assets residing or available from at the searched location corresponding to the search term are presented in a user interface display.

Abstract: The playback of media by a playback device is controlled by input gestures. Each user gesture can be first broken down into a base gesture which indicates a specific playback mode. The gesture is then broken down into a second part which contains a modifier command which determines the speed for the playback mode determined from the base command. Media content is then played using the specified playback mode at a speed determined by the modifier command.

Abstract: A content searching technique that includes sensing at least three types of input gestures from a user, each of the at least three input gestures representative of a respective one of a search term, a class of assets to be searched and a location to be searched. The sensed at least three types of input gestures are translated into the search term, the class of assets to be searched and the location to be searched. The specified location is searched for the class of assets corresponding to the search term. A list of assets residing or available from at the searched location corresponding to the search term are presented in a user interface display.

Abstract: A method of rendering an actively playing video image on a display of the device alongside still images of episodes related to the playing video includes receiving a request to arrange the still images of related episodes of the playing video image proximate to the playing video image that allows scrolling of the combination of playing video image and the related episode still images such that scrolling the playing video image on the display reduces the volume level of the audio component of the playing video image when the playing video image is scrolled partially out of viewing range on the display.

Abstract: Executing a function of a computing system based on entering data into a data entry field of a user interface is provided. A first set of one or more characters input in the data entry field is obtained. The system determines whether the first set satisfies a non-number condition. The function can be executed based on whether or not the first set satisfies the non-number condition. A non-number condition is a condition that is not based solely on the number of characters in the set.

Abstract: A content searching technique that includes sensing at least three types of input gestures from a user, each of the at least three input gestures representative of a respective one of a search term, a class of assets to be searched and a location to be searched. The sensed at least three types of input gestures are translated into the search term, the class of assets to be searched and the location to be searched. The specified location is searched for the class of assets corresponding to the search term. A list of assets residing or available from at the searched location corresponding to the search term are presented in a user interface display.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying information in a user interface is provided. For a class of media assets including at least one sub-class, a level of access to each of the at least one sub-class is determined. Format information for the class of media assets based on the determined level of access for each of the at least one sub-class is generated. The format information includes at least one characteristic identifying the determined level of access for each of the at least one sub-class. A user interface is generated to include media asset identifiers, the media asset identifiers each identifying a respective one of the at least one sub-class and being displayed in the user interface based on the format information.