Abstract: External data acquired via an input device during display of presentation information on a display device is recorded, and feature amounts are calculated from the external data. An importance level is calculated by integrating the feature amounts for each section during the display period of the presentation information. First headline information of a part of the presentation information corresponding to a section having an importance level which exceeds a predetermined threshold is generated, and is presented to be aligned along the time axis. Previous display contents of the presentation information are searched for in response to a selection operation of the first headline information, and are displayed on the display device. Second headline information of a part of the presentation information corresponding to the section when the selection operation was made is generated, and is presented on the display device.

Abstract: A method for providing program guides and an image display apparatus using the method, are provided where a displayed program guide screen is formed in a shape in which a program guide on a first channel surrounds the outer periphery of a program guide on a second channel according to formation information set for formation of the program guides. An electronic program guide EPG is thereby formed using a concentric circle layout with respect to multiple channels and a broadcast program screen of a selected channel is displayed at a central portion of the EPG, so that the recognizability and the readability are improved as well as the convenience for a user.

Abstract: User interfaces for browsing and/or searching are described. In one embodiment, a method includes displaying a first display area for display representations of documents matching a search query, the first display area configured to display content of the documents which can have a plurality of different types of content including at least one of text-based content and a folder, and displaying a second display area for selecting a selected document to be displayed in the first display area. Other embodiments are also described, and computer readable media and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: Some embodiments allow a video editor to remove unwanted camera motion from a sequence of video images (e.g., video frames). Some embodiments are implemented in a video editing application. Some of these embodiments distinguish unwanted camera motion from the intended underlying motion of a camera (e.g., panning and zooming) and/or motion of objects within the video sequence.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of displaying an Electronic Programming Guide (EPG). In one embodiment, an EPG is constructed of a three dimensional virtual mesh, in which independent objects representing television programs are situated. The virtual mesh is displayed perpendicularly, so that the hardware requirements of the set top box (STB) may be reduced. A user can navigate the mesh to find television programs that they wish to view. A user can designate the types of television programs that they prefer, and these programs will be displayed more prominently. In addition, the mesh is constructed of at least two planes. The first plane is flat, while all other planes are hyperbolic to correct for a viewer's line of sight.

Abstract: Techniques enable locating a position within a file that corresponds to a desired seek time without having access to an index specifying the desired seek time's position. An iterative process may be used to estimate the position that corresponds to the desired seek time. The process may iterate through multiple estimations until a difference between a time corresponding to an estimated position and the desired seek time is within an acceptable amount or until the process reaches an iteration threshold. The file may then be played beginning at or near the desired seek time. The techniques may therefore allow a user to seek within a file while the user progressively downloads or streams the file.

Abstract: A video search device is provided to quickly obtain desired video segments. A video search system of the video search device sequentially reads an audio file and a video file from first predetermined time, and determines whether an intensity of audio signals of the audio file is greater than a predetermined value. An audio signal time position of the audio file is determined to be an index time for searching a desired video segment in response so that the intensity of the audio signal is greater than the predetermined value. The video search system selects a segment of videos of the video file as the desired video segment during a period of second predetermined time based on the index time of the audio file, and stores the desired video segment.

Abstract: A method of populating at least one form involving selecting a current completion option based on a previous completion option, obtaining a first completion process based on the current completion option, and populating the at least one form using the first completion process, wherein a format of the first completion process is determined by the selected current completion option.

Abstract: Embodiments of a secure module recorder system and method for securing recording and storing of information is provided. The system may include at least one secure module and a docking station having at least one receptacle for holding one of the secure modules. The secure module may include a tamper-resistant case, an input port for receiving an analog signal, a recording circuit for converting the analog signal into digitally formatted data, a memory device for storing the digitally formatted data, a playback circuit for reading the digitally formatted data from the memory device and converting the digitally formatted data into an analog playback signal, and an output port for transmitting the analog playback signal. The docking station may further include a first interface for receiving the analog signal from an external device and a second interface disposed within the receptacle for interfacing with the input port of the secure module.

Abstract: Techniques for retrieving and displaying multimedia information are provided. A television (TV) interface is provided that displays multimedia information that may be stored in a multimedia document. The interface enables a user to navigate through multimedia information stored on the multimedia document.

Abstract: A method, computer system and computer readable medium regarding an extensible master-slave user interface with distinct interaction models is presented. A slave region is displayed in a Graphical User Interface (GUI), the slave region displaying a current state. A master region is displayed in the GUI, the master region displaying a previous state. When a user selects content in the slave region then the master region is removed from the GUI, a new master region is displayed in the GUI, the new master region containing a view of contents of the slave region, the slave region is removed from the GUI and the content selected by the user is displayed in a new slave region in the GUI.

Abstract: A timeline source is described. In an implementation, a method includes examining a plurality of nodes within a media timeline, where at least two of the nodes reference respective media. The media timeline is for exposure over an API. The media timeline is divided into one or more presentations. Each presentation describes rendering of the media for a particular interval of time.

Abstract: A media system is provided having synchronized multiple camera signals of at least one event or activity for transmission over the internet to end users for selective display and/or manipulation. The media system may be used in connection with a variety of events or activities, including without limitation concerts, sports events, political events, sales events, movie premiers, public events, training events and religious events. A method is also provided having synchronized camera signals of at least one event or activity for transmission over the internet to end users for selective display and/or manipulation. A media player is also provided for processing synchronized camera signals representing different views of at least one event or activity and providing end users of the media player the options of selectively displaying and/or manipulating at least one of the views at will.

Abstract: A system allows a user to integrally manage content regardless whether the content is owned or not owned by the user. In a reproduction terminal, one piece of sort-out information is generated from one play list. Sort-out information is obtained by classifying the metadata of content registered with a play list into three types of metadata, search metadata, display metadata and processing metadata. The sort-out information generated in the reproduction terminal is transmitted to a reproduction terminal via a sort-out information server. In the reproduction terminal, a same play list as a play list of the reproduction terminal is created on the basis of the provided sort-out information. In the created play list, each piece of content registered with the play list is managed by making a distinction between the content owned by the user and the content not owned by the user.

Abstract: A BD-ROM has recorded therein an AV Clip generated by multiplexing a video stream and a graphics stream. The graphics stream represents an interactive display to be overlayed with the video stream, and includes a sequence of three Button State groups. The interactive display includes a plurality of buttons, each of which changes from a normal state to a selected state, and from the selected state to an active state, according to a user operation. In the three Button State groups in the graphics stream, the first-order group (N-ODSs) is made of a plurality of pieces of graphics data, which represent normal states of the buttons, the second-order group (S-ODSs) is made of a plurality of pieces of graphics data, which represent selected states of the buttons, and the third-order group (A-ODSs) is made of a plurality of pieces of graphics data, which represent active states of the buttons.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for allowing a user to quickly determine parts of a media item in which the user will be interested. In the methods and systems described, a timeline is provided for the media item and semantic icons are used as media landmarks along the timeline. The semantic icons are related to the content or a description of the content at the location in the media item corresponding to the semantic icon's location on the timeline. The semantic icons, in addition to providing some immediate contextual information at a glance, also allow a user access to annotations of the media item. Semantic icons can represent tags, users who have created or modified annotations for the segment of the media item, or other relevant information. The semantic icons may also be used to determine a relative level of interest in different parts of the media item both with respect to the user and with respect to other users.

Abstract: A browseable narrative having an architecture that enables browsing, so that a user may progress from a point to any other point in the narrative in a manner determined by the user. The browseable narrative includes a scene or scenes without any predefined beginning, middle, or end which can be displayed in a non-linear manner. The narrative also includes links which interrupt the display of one scene and initiate the display of another. Maps may also exist in the narrative.

Abstract: A media management user-interface (UI) application that provides access to media items and media files and provides browsing and search capabilities for locating media items within media files. The UI application may rely on a hierarchical display of various levels or categories of media files and, as such, the application is uniquely suited for portable digital devices having small displays. The hierarchal display of media file levels allows the user to easily browse through levels to identify a desired media file and to locate and display a desired media item. In addition, the UI application may provide for an easily activated search function that provides for keyword searches to be performed based on information that has been associated with media files and media items.

Abstract: Methods are provided for storing and retrieving recently viewed programming channel information in a last-in-first-out (LIFO) memory register. The programming channel information comprises previously viewed channel information and subsequently viewed channel information where the previously viewed channel information is stored prior to the subsequently viewed channel information in the order of viewing. The methods also include, receiving a viewer instruction to render the imagery on the display device and reading the programming channel information from the LIFO register. The previously viewed channel information is read from the LIFO memory register after the subsequently viewed programming channel information is read in the reverse order of viewing. The method further includes the functions of modifying an imagery file associated with the imagery being rendered with the programming channel information and rendering the modified imagery to the user on the display device.

Abstract: A method of distributing video data comprising defining a plurality of programme elements, each programme element comprising a video clip taken from said video data. Each programme element is allocated to one of a predetermined plurality of classes, each class having an associated icon. Data representing a plurality of icons is transmitted to a receiver, each icon representing a class to which a respective one of said plurality of programme elements is allocated. User selection data indicative of a user selection of at least one icon is received, and data associated with the or each programme element associated with the user selection data is transmitted to the receiver. A method for generating video data, and a method for presenting video data are also disclosed.

Abstract: An interface screen used for the correlation between video data and reference picture data includes: a screen 70 for displaying the video data reproduced by a video player; and a screen 73 for displaying a reference picture to be correlated with. When an operator enters an instruction to the operation portion 74 while reproduction video, the data for a reference picture displayed on the screen is correlated with a corresponding reproduction time position of the video data.

Abstract: An audio and video editing system is disclosed. The editing system uses a displayable object document that comprises: (i) a verbal transcript of an audio recording (e.g., a stored version of a recorded interview, etc.), and (ii) one or more hyperlinks into one or more video recordings, where each video recording is a stored version of a video recording (e.g., of a participant in a interview, etc.). Each hyperlink in the object document associates a portion of the stored video recording with a hyperlink caption in the object document. Each time code that appears in the object document is a hyperlink caption that points to a different portion of the video recording. A user can access a desired portion of the video recording by selecting the associated hyperlink caption in the object document.

Abstract: Methods for realizing advanced graphical user interface (GUI) in panel subunit. The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a button GUI element descriptor that defines a bitmap to be displayed when a button is out of focus and another bitmap to be displayed when the button is in focus. In another embodiment, the present invention provides a table GUI element descriptor that defines a table-like on screen display to be displayed on the contoller device. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a panel GUI element descriptor that includes a focused identifier attribute indicating a pre-determined element of the on-screen display as default focus. In this way, the target device would be able to control the default focus of the controller device when displaying an on-screen display.

Abstract: The present invention is designed to display a matrix plane on which a time axis and an axis of applicable levels corresponding to a predetermined keyword cross each other, arrange and display identifiers indicating scenes obtained by dividing a moving image file into predetermined segments on the matrix plane and decide, when the positions of the identifiers arranged on the matrix plane are moved to desired positions, the applicable levels corresponding to the positions of the identifiers arranged on the matrix plane as the applicable levels of the scene corresponding to the identifiers. This makes it possible to improve the operability of assignment of keywords and applicable levels to a picture scene and visually check the situation of assignment of the keywords and applicable levels.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for handling special windows in a display comprises a window manager in an operating system that is called by application programs to create special windows. The window manager embeds static key signals including encoded special window information, such as the coordinates of a window area to be specially processed, into a video RAM. An existing video interface scans the video RAM and transmits display information, including the key signals, to the display. The present invention further comprises a window decoder in the display, that detects the key signals, extracts the encoded special window information, and controls display circuitry performing the desired special processing. The key signal encoding scheme does not create visually discernible display aberrations that could distract the user or interfere with normal window management.

Abstract: A list navigation module (LNM) is described that allows a user to navigate among a filtered list of items, yet, in addition, also discover items within an original list items. In operation, a user inputs a search selection, which prompts the LNM to cull a filtered list of items from the original set of items. When the user enters navigation selections of a first kind, the LNM advances to only items in the filtered list. When the user enters navigation selections of a second kind, the LNM advances to items in the unfiltered original list. Further, when the user attempts to navigate past an end of the presented filtered list, the LNM advances to items in the unfiltered original list. The LNM can provide a visual indicator which conveys that one or more items in the original list of items do not appear in the filtered list of items.

Abstract: A method includes receiving information identifying a plurality of selections made by a user. The method also includes updating a help index value based on one or more of the selections. The method further includes detecting a request for help from the user. In addition, the method includes retrieving help information using the help index value and presenting the retrieved help information to the user. At least one of the selections by the user may include a selection of an option from a plurality of options, where each of the options is associated with a different incremental value. Updating the help index value may include adding the incremental value associated with the selected option to the help index value.

Abstract: An interactive television program guide system is provided in which a viewer may direct a television to simultaneously display a selected television program, a program guide display, and a program guide video window. A viewer may use the program guide video window to browse video of programs shown on the program guide display while continuing to view a previously selected program in the background. The program guide display may display video on demand (VOD) programs, programs to be broadcast in the future, and programs currently being broadcast on other channels. The viewer may browse through programs on the program guide display using a variety of keys on a remote control unit. The viewer may direct the program guide to swap audio and video signals back and forth between programs shown in the video window and programs shown on the background screen.

Abstract: A method of showing a TV channel menu includes the following steps. Firstly, an audience evaluation data including a first audience rating of a first TV program and a second audience rating of a second TV program is received. Then, the TV channel menu is opened. Afterwards, the TV channel menu including a first displaying block corresponding to the first TV program and a second displaying block corresponding to the second TV program is shown on a screen. If the first audience rating is higher than the second audience rating, the first display block has a higher conspicuous degree than the second displaying block.

Abstract: A media system is provided having synchronized multiple camera signals of at least one event or activity for transmission over the internet to end users for selective display and/or manipulation. The media system may provide that end users are able to select and view and manipulate one or more of the multiple streaming video signals at will. The media system may be used in connection with a great variety of events or activities, including without limitation concerts, sports events, political events, sales events, movie premiers, public events, training events and religious events. A method is also provided having synchronized camera signals of at least one event or activity for transmission over the internet to end users for selective display and/or manipulation. The multiple camera signals are provided to end users for selective display and/or manipulation by end users.

Abstract: An enhanced electronic program guide (EPG) for television programming may be provided by changing a size of at least a portion of textual information to be displayed in the EPG. In embodiments, a television receiving device may include: a memory configured to store an EPG, the EPG including textual information corresponding to television programs scheduled to be broadcast; a user interface configured to receive user input; and a processor in communication with the memory and the user interface, configured to output the EPG to be displayed with at least one portion of the textual information in a first size in response to first user input received via the user interface, and configured to output the EPG to be displayed with the at least one portion of the textual information in a second size different from the first size in response to a second user input received via the user interface.

Abstract: A technique for selecting and/or displaying an exact point or a range is provided wherein a slider widget comprising a thumb with a left edge and a right edge lying in proximity to the left and right edges of the thumb is provided such that a user may utilize the widget to display an exact point or a range.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating non-linear viewing of media is provided. The system facilitates non-linear viewing of media by providing a scene selector that scans a digitized media and selects a scene in the digitized media and a metadata generator that produces metadata associated with the scenes and relates the metadata to the selected scene. With the scenes annotated with metadata, a playlist generator can generate a playlist of related scenes based on user inputs like queries and a playlist updater can adapt the playlist based on user reaction to the displayed scenes. The scenes can be displayed on a variety of devices exhibiting various levels of intelligence. The displays can be distributed as can the system.

Abstract: An electronic equipment includes: a storage unit that stores a plurality of facial images extracted from video data and time stamp information indicating time points when the plurality of facial images appear in the video data; and a processor that operates, based on the time stamp information, to: arrange a plurality of facial image display areas in a two-dimensional display area in a grid layout having a given number of rows and a plurality of columns, each of the columns being assigned with respective time zones divided from a total time length of the video data; and display the facial images, which belong to each of the time zones assigned to the columns, in the facial image display areas included in the respective columns.

Abstract: Disclosed is a display controller having: time line display means that includes at least two or more units of time on, of a first display area and a second display area that are formed on display means, the first display area, and that displays a time line manipulable to specify a desired unit of time from the two or more units of time; and related information display means that reads out, from a plurality of pieces of information stored respectively including time information added, information to which are added time information related to a unit of time specified by manipulation of the time line displayed on the first display area through operating means, and that displays the read out information on the second display area of the display means.

Abstract: An information processing device comprises a device controller which controls a plurality of visual-audio reproducing units from the server via the device communication interfaces; content information unification recording section which controls content information corresponding to the contents of the contents storage from the server; and the GUI by which any content information from the server is selected and desired contents are reproduced without recognizing the unit.

Abstract: A community programmed television (CPT) network comprises a provider of community programmed television schedules and a plurality of community programmed television receivers. The television receivers may receive schedules from the provider and execute activities such as displaying a television program, playing a game, chatting, and shopping at times specified by the schedule.

Abstract: A system for displaying an electronic program guide (EPG) to a viewer. The system includes displaying one or more data slices representative of broadcast programming to a viewer. In response to input from the viewer, the displayed number of data slices is increased, for example, from one slice to two slices. In browser mode the viewer can scroll through multiple EPG data slices without selecting to view full mode EPG, while in full mode the EPG can expand from a single column of data slices to multiple columns of data slices based upon viewer selections. The EPGs of the present invention can display programming that a viewer is more likely to watch at a particular time than other programming. A data slice representing the predicted programming can be inserted into the EPG so that the viewer can identify programming that is likely to be of interest.

Abstract: A method of generating a positional representation of a document, including identifying each unique term in a document and positions in the document at which the unique term appears, and for the each unique term, storing positional information derived from the positions into a positional representation.

Abstract: A system enables user generated content (UGC) and data (collectively metadata) to be associated with playable media content in a GUI. A skin (metadata and GUI) overlays the media content and includes a set of markers associated with the selected media content, the markers with at least one of an elapsed time and a frame of the selected playable media content and including metatags relevant to the content of the media at the elapsed time or frame. The system includes a social networking and sharing platform and provides layers of meta-information that can be added, deleted, or edited without altering the original content. The system enables the tagging of objects within content and allows these objects to be matched to any category of interest, and allows sharing of such tags. The system enables ‘search & discovery’ by sorting and matching labels (e.g., title & description) and works with still image media, audio, or video.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating non-linear viewing of media is provided. The system facilitates non-linear viewing of media by providing a scene selector that scans a digitized media and selects a scene in the digitized media and a metadata generator that produces metadata associated with the scenes and relates the metadata to the selected scene. With the scenes annotated with metadata, a playlist generator can generate a playlist of related scenes based on user inputs like queries and a playlist updater can adapt the playlist based on user reaction to the displayed scenes. The scenes can be displayed on a variety of devices exhibiting various levels of intelligence. The displays can be distributed as can the system.

Abstract: A media handling system in which candidate video sequences are displayed on a display screen in schematic form for selection by a user comprises means for detecting human faces in the candidate video sequences; a display screen for displaying representations of the candidate video sequences for selection by a user, each representation including one or more images representing human faces derived from the respective video sequences; and a user control for defining a set of one or more of the video sequences.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates remote browsing, viewing, and manipulating any suitable number of media items from a host location. In particular, the invention involves pulling desired media items from one or more host locations to view and/or edit them on a remote interactive media display, thereby freeing up use of the host location/computer. The media items sent to the remote interactive media display via wireless or wired connection are easily edited, organized, and viewed in any suitable order, arrangement, and timed-cycle with respect to per item viewing as well as viewing of items coincident with a real time calendar. The media items can be annotated and otherwise modified from the remote display and saved to the host location. The remote interactive media frame also includes a local storage for storing media items, thereby facilitating portability of the media frame when disconnected from the host.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an audiovisual user interface based on learned user preferences is described. In one implementation, the method involves collecting a set of user preferences for a user; providing a metadata stream associated with an audiovisual input; comparing elements within the metadata stream with the set of user preferences to form a comparison; and outputting a message to the user if the comparison indicates that the metadata stream matches one or more elements of the set of user preferences. The message may be output either acoustically or visually, and may relate to the audiovisual input, which may be audio, video, or both audio and video. The audiovisual input may be blocked based on a restricted message, and may be accessed upon a successful password query.

Abstract: Systems and methods for bookmarking multimedia documents include displaying multiple multimedia streams, creating bookmarks comprising time signatures and snapshots of each multimedia stream based upon single action cues from a user, associating snapshots with portions of multimedia streams, displaying bookmarks and displaying portions of a multimedia stream associated with selected snapshots.

Abstract: A jobsite inspection system may include an inspection device configured to capture visual media of a viewing area and store the visual media as a media file; a global positioning system adapted to determine a geographic location of the inspection device and embed a location tag into the media file, the location tag is indicative of the geographical location of the inspection device; and a report generator including computer instructions readable by a computing device adapted to receive and store the image file, the report generator is adapted to generate a job report displaying the visual media and a description of the geographical location.

Abstract: A method and system for displaying one or more recorded media content instances. After a first recorded media content instance is displayed, one or more graphical user interfaces (GUIs) configured to allow a user to choose to delete or retain the first media content instance and transition to a second recorded media content instance may be displayed.

Abstract: The present subject matter describes a browser for efficiently presenting and browsing a large digital photograph collection. The browser includes a graphical interface—referred to as a time quilt—that combines a wrappable timeline with a space filling layout. Thumbnails representing individual images or clusters of images are laid out chronologically in columns, from top to bottom. When the bottom of a column is reached, a new column is started to the right of the existing column(s). Semantic zooming is used wherein zooming in on a thumbnail image that represents a cluster renders thumbnails of images in the cluster when the thumbnails of the images can be rendered in a legible size. Tiered zooming is also described, which is semantic zooming on multiple levels—representative thumbnails give way to clusters of representative thumbnails that each represent an image or a cluster of images.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method of specifying speed effects for playing a video clip. The method defines a set of speed effects for the video clip. It then displays in real-time a presentation of the video clip that accounts for the set of speed effects defined for the video clip. In some embodiments, this method represents the playback speed of a video clip in terms of a graph that is part of a graphical user interface (“GUI”). This graph is defined along two axes, with one axis representing the playback time, and the other axis representing the content-time (i.e., the time within the video clip). In these embodiments, a user can change the playback speed of the video clip by using a set of GUI operations to select and modify the graph. For instance, a user can select and adjust the graph at different instances in time in order to change the playback speed of the video clip at these instances. Different embodiments use different types of graphs to represent playback speed.

Abstract: A BD-ROM has recorded therein an AV Clip generated by multiplexing a video stream and a graphics stream. The graphics stream represents an interactive display to be overlayed with the video stream, and includes a sequence of three Button State groups. The interactive display includes a plurality of buttons, each of which changes from a normal state to a selected state, and from the selected state to an active state, according to a user operation. In the three Button State groups in the graphics stream, the first-order group (N-ODSs) is made of a plurality of pieces of graphics data, which represent normal states of the buttons, the second-order group (S-ODSs) is made of a plurality of pieces of graphics data, which represent selected states of the buttons, and the third-order group (A-ODSs) is made of a plurality of pieces of graphics data, which represent active states of the buttons.