U.S. patent application number 13/323610 was filed with the patent office on 2012-06-14 for associating comments with playback of media content.
Invention is credited to James Burns McClements, IV.
Application Number | 20120151320 13/323610 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46200319 |
Filed Date | 2012-06-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120151320 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McClements, IV; James
Burns |
June 14, 2012 |
ASSOCIATING COMMENTS WITH PLAYBACK OF MEDIA CONTENT
Abstract
Methods, systems, and devices are described for associating
comments with playback of media content. In these methods, systems
and devices, a user input device receives a selection of a first
point during the playback of the media content for insertion of a
first comment. The input device may associate a first time code
with the selected first point. The input device may also receive a
comment from the user at a second point during the playback of the
media content, the second point being different from the first
point. The comment is associated with the first time code.
Inventors: |
McClements, IV; James Burns;
(Boulder, CO) |
Family ID: |
46200319 |
Appl. No.: |
13/323610 |
Filed: |
December 12, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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61421945 |
Dec 10, 2010 |
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61432395 |
Jan 13, 2011 |
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61432397 |
Jan 13, 2011 |
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61439189 |
Feb 3, 2011 |
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61439196 |
Feb 3, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
715/230 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 50/01 20130101;
H04L 67/08 20130101; H04N 21/4722 20130101; G06F 17/3082 20130101;
G06Q 10/101 20130101; G11B 27/34 20130101; G06Q 30/0643 20130101;
G06F 3/0484 20130101; G06F 40/169 20200101; G06F 16/7867 20190101;
G11B 27/034 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
715/230 |
International
Class: |
G06F 17/21 20060101
G06F017/21 |
Claims
1. A method of associating comments with playback of media content,
the method comprising: receiving from a user at an input device a
selection of a first point during the playback of the media content
for insertion of a first comment; determining a first time code
associated with the selected first point at the input device;
receiving at the input device the first comment from the user at a
second point during the playback of the media content, the second
point being different from the first point; and associating the
first comment with the first time code.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting the
first comment and the first time code to a data store of stored
comments associated with the media content.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data store is stored
independently from the media content.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a selection
of a second comment from the user for association with the first
comment; and associating the first comment with the second
comment.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a selection
of a third point during the playback of the media content for
terminating a display of the first comment; determining a second
time code associated with the third point during the playback of
the media content; and associating the first comment with the
second time code.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a selection
of a software function from the user for association with the first
comment; and associating the first comment with the selected
software function.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: displaying a scrubber
control associated with comment insertion to the user; receiving a
comment insertion indication from the user; and receiving the
selection of the first point by determining a position of the
scrubber control when the comment insertion indication is
received.
8. An apparatus for associating comments with playback of media
content, the apparatus comprising: a selection receiving module
configured to receive from a user a selection of a first point
during the playback of the media content for insertion of a first
comment; a time code determination module configured to determine a
first time code associated with the selected first point; a comment
receiving module configured to receive the first comment from the
user at a second point during the playback of the media content,
the second point being different from the first point; and an
association module configured to associate the first comment with
the first time code.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a data store
transmission module configured to transmit the first comment and
the first time code to a data store of stored comments associated
with the media content.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the data store is stored
independently from the media content.
11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein: the selection receiving
module is further configured to receive a selection of a second
comment from the user for association with the first comment; and
the association module is further configured to associate the first
comment with the second comment.
12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein: the selection receiving
module is further configured to receive a selection of a third
point during the playback of the media content for terminating a
display of the first comment; the time code determination module is
further configured to determine a second time code associated with
the third point during the playback of the media content; and the
association module is further configured to associate the first
comment with the second time code.
13. The apparatus of claim 8, further wherein: the selection
receiving module is further configured to receive a selection of a
software function from the user for association with the first
comment; and the association module is further configured to
associate the first comment with the selected software
function.
14. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a scrubber
control module configured to display a scrubber control associated
with comment insertion to the user; wherein the selection receiving
module is further configured to receive the selection of the first
point by: receiving a comment insertion indication from the user;
and determining a position of the scrubber control when the comment
insertion indication is received.
15. A system for associating comments with playback of media
content, the system comprising: an input device configured to:
receive from a user a selection of a first point during the
playback of the media content for insertion of a first comment;
determine a first time code associated with the selected first
point; receive the first comment from the user at a second point
during the playback of the media content, the second point being
different from the first point; and associate the first comment
with the first time code; and a data store in communication with
the input device and associated with the media content, the data
store configured to: receive the first comment and the first time
code from the input device; and store an association between the
first comment and the first time code.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the data store is stored
independently from the media content.
17. The system of claim 15, wherein the input device is further
configured to: receive a selection of a second comment from the
user for association with the first comment; and associate the
first comment with the second comment.
18. The system of claim 15, wherein the input device is further
configured to: receive a selection of a third point during the
playback of the media content for terminating a display of the
first comment; determine a second time code associated with the
third point during the playback of the media content; and associate
the first comment with the second time code.
19. The system of claim 15, wherein the input device is further
configured to: display a scrubber control associated with comment
insertion to the user; receive a comment insertion indication from
the user; and receive the selection of the first point by
determining a position of the scrubber control when the comment
insertion indication is received.
20. A method of associating supplemental comments with playback of
media content, the method comprising: receiving at an input device
a first comment and a first point during the playback of the media
content, the first comment associated with the first point; wherein
the first comment and the first point during the playback of the
media content are received at a second point during the playback of
the media content, the second point being different from the first
point.
Description
CROSS REFERENCES
[0001] The present application claims priority to the following
patent applications: U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
61/421,945, filed Dec. 10, 2010, entitled "DYNAMIC MULTIMEDIA
COMMENT AND DISPLAY ARCHITECTURE"; U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 61/432,395, filed Jan. 13, 2011, entitled "SYSTEM,
DEVICE, AND INTERFACE ARCHITECTURE FOR COMMENT CREATION"; U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 61/432,397, filed Jan. 13, 2011,
entitled "SCREEN LOCATION COMMENT ARCHITECTURE"; U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 61/439,189, filed Feb. 3, 2011, entitled
"USER SELECTABLE COMMENT FILTER AND RELATED ARCHITECTURE"; and U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 61/439,196, filed Feb. 3, 2011,
entitled "COMMENT DELIVERY ARCHITECTURE," each of which is
incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
[0002] The present application is further related to U.S. patent
application, filed concurrently herewith, entitled "RECOGNITION
LOOKUPS FOR SYNCHRONIZATION OF MEDIA PLAYBACK WITH COMMENT CREATION
AND DELIVERY" (Attorney Docket No. P003.02 (77828.0010)); U.S.
patent application, filed concurrently herewith, entitled "PARALLEL
ECHO VERSION OF MEDIA CONTENT FOR COMMENT CREATION AND DELIVERY'
(Attorney Docket No. P003.03 (77828.0011)); U.S. patent
application, filed concurrently herewith, entitled "ASSOCIATION OF
COMMENTS WITH SCREEN LOCATIONS DURING MEDIA CONTENT PLAYBACK"
(Attorney Docket No. P004.01 (77828.0012)); U.S. patent
application, filed concurrently herewith, entitled "MEDIA CONTENT
CLIP IDENTIFICATION AND COMBINATION ARCHITECTURE" (Attorney Docket
No. P006.01 (77828.0013)); and U.S. patent application, filed
concurrently herewith, entitled "COMMENT DELIVERY AND FILTERING
ARCHITECTURE" (Attorney Docket No. P007.01 (77828.0014)); each of
which is incorporated herein in its entirety for all purposes.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The present invention relates to the creation, storage, and
distribution of commentary on media content.
[0004] Most people interact quite regularly with recorded media
content, such as videos, music, books, and the spoken word. Modern
society leans heavily on recorded media content to provide both
entertainment and education. With the recent proliferation of
portable media players, smartphones, tablet computers and the like,
the demand for recorded media content continues to increase.
[0005] For many people, social interaction enhances the experience
of viewing or listening to recorded media content. For example, the
reactions and opinions of one's peers with respect to a certain
film may increase that person's enjoyment of the film. In other
examples, the perspective of a filmmaker or critic with a unique
understanding of a particular film may, when shared, add greater
meaning to one's perception of the film.
[0006] Often, a person consuming recorded media content may wish to
share comments with other consumers of the recorded media content
at present or in the future. Additionally, it may be desirable to
incorporate comments generated by others with regard to specific
portions of recorded media content into the experience of viewing
and/or listening to the media content.
SUMMARY
[0007] Methods, systems, and devices are described for associating
comments with playback of media content. In these methods, systems
and devices, a user input device receives a selection of a first
point during the playback of the media content for insertion of a
first comment. The input device may associate a first time code
with the selected first point. The input device may also receive a
comment from the user at a second point during the playback of the
media content, the second point being different from the first
point. The comment is associated with the first time code.
[0008] In a first set of embodiments, a method of associating
comments with playback of media content includes receiving from a
user at an input device a selection of a first point during the
playback of the media content for insertion of a first comment. The
method further includes determining a first time code associated
with the selected first point at the input device and receiving at
the input device the first comment from the user at a second point
during the playback of the media content, the second point being
different from the first point. The first comment is then
associated with the first time code.
[0009] In a second set of embodiments, an apparatus for associating
comments with playback of media content includes a selection
module, a time code determination module, a comment receiving
module, and an association module. The selection receiving module
is configured to receive from a user a selection of a first point
during the playback of the media content for insertion of a first
comment. The time code determination module is configured to
determine a first time code associated with the selected first
point. The comment receiving module is configured to receive the
first comment from the user at a second point during the playback
of the media content, the second point being different from the
first point. The association module is configured to associate the
first comment with the first time code.
[0010] In a third set of embodiments, a system for associating
comments with playback of media content includes an input device
and a data store. The input device is configured to receive from a
user a selection of a first point during the playback of the media
content for insertion of a first comment; determine a first time
code associated with the selected first point; receive the first
comment from the user at a second point during the playback of the
media content, the second point being different from the first
point; and associate the first comment with the first time code.
The data store is in communication with the input device and
associated with the media content. The data store is configured to:
receive the first comment and the first time code from the input
device and store an association between the first comment and the
first time code.
[0011] In a fourth set of embodiments, a method of associating
supplemental comments with playback of media content includes
receiving at an input device a first comment and a first point
during the playback of the media content, the first comment
associated with the first point. The first comment and the first
point during the playback of the media content are received at a
second point during the playback of the media content, the second
point being different from the first point.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the
present invention may be realized by reference to the following
drawings. In the appended figures, similar components or features
may have the same reference label. Further, various components of
the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label
by a dash and a second label that distinguishes among the similar
components. If only the first reference label is used in the
specification, the description is applicable to any one of the
similar components having the same first reference label
irrespective of the second reference label.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example system including
components configured according to various embodiments of the
invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example display with an
interface for making comments according to various embodiments of
the invention.
[0015] FIG. 3A is a block diagram of an example display with an
interface for making comments according to various embodiments of
the invention.
[0016] FIG. 3B is a block diagram of an example display with an
interface for making comments according to various embodiments of
the invention.
[0017] FIG. 3C is a block diagram of an example display with an
interface for making comments according to various embodiments of
the invention.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example system including
components configured according to various embodiments of the
invention.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an example system including
components configured according to various embodiments of the
invention.
[0020] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an example system including
components configured according to various embodiments of the
invention.
[0021] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an example user input device
according to various embodiments of the invention.
[0022] FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an example system including
components configured according to various embodiments of the
invention.
[0023] FIG. 9 is a flowchart diagram of an example method of
associating comments with playback of media content according to
various embodiments of the invention.
[0024] FIG. 10 is a flowchart diagram of an example method of
associating comments with playback of media content according to
various embodiments of the invention.
[0025] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram that illustrates a
representative device structure that may be used in various
embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0026] Methods, systems, devices, and computer program products are
described to create time-specific comments on multimedia and other
information content. A user interface allows a commentator to
create a comment, associated with a time code or other locator,
about the underlying content (which, for purposes of this
disclosure may include a movie, TV show, Internet and other video,
book, article, song or other audio recording, photograph or other
image, commercial advertisement, video game, immersive media,
augmented or artificial reality media, the content contained in a
comment, or other displayed content). This created comment may be
viewable (if marked public) to others watching the content in real
time, or on a delayed basis. By using a modified time code as an
external reference, the comment need not actually be inserted into
the underlying content.
[0027] This description provides examples only, and is not intended
to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the
invention. Rather, the ensuing description of the embodiments will
provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for
implementing embodiments of the invention. Various changes may be
made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention.
[0028] Thus, various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add
various procedures or components as appropriate. For instance, it
should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments the methods
may be performed in an order different from that described, and
that various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Also,
features described with respect to certain embodiments may be
combined in various other embodiments. Different aspects and
elements of the embodiments may be combined in a similar
manner.
[0029] It should also be appreciated that the following systems,
methods, devices, and software may individually or collectively be
components of a larger system, wherein other procedures may take
precedence over or otherwise modify their application. Also, a
number of steps may be required before, after, or concurrently with
the following embodiments.
[0030] Systems, devices, methods, and software are described for
the creation of commentary on multimedia and other information
content. In one set of embodiments, shown in FIG. 1, a system 100
includes input devices 105 (e.g., mobile device 105-a, mobile phone
105-b, laptop 105-c, tablet 105-d, computer 105-e, or other
computing devices), networks 110, central server computer system
115, data store 120, and output devices 125 (e.g., mobile device
125-a, mobile phone 125-b, laptop 125-c, tablet 125-d, computer
125-e, or other computing devices). Each of these components may be
in communication with each other, directly or indirectly.
[0031] Time, screen location, and object-specific comments may be
created for multimedia and other information content. A user
interface of an input device 105 allows a commentator to generate a
comment, associated with a time code, for example, relating to the
content (which, for purposes of this disclosure, may include a
movie, TV show, Internet and other video, book, article, song or
other audio recording, photograph or other image, commercial
advertisement, video game, immersive media, augmented or artificial
reality media, the content contained in a comment, or other
displayed content). This created comment may be viewable to others
watching the content in real time, or on a delayed basis. By using
a time code, modified time code or other locator or combination of
locators as an external reference, the comment need not actually be
inserted into the multimedia, but may be called up from remote
servers as the user reaches the applicable point. The comment may
include text, video, audio, photographs and other images, graphical
overlays, animations, musical notations, geographic coordinates,
discussion threads, external and internal links and associations
with media, meta-media or other comments, software applications and
applets, special notations to set and grant permissions and define
system behaviors or any combination thereof.
[0032] The comment may be stored locally (at the device 105,
set-top box, or other storage device), or may be transmitted to the
central server computer system 115 for cataloging and storage in
data store 120. The central server computer system 115 may be made
up of one or more server computers, workstations, web servers, or
other suitable computing devices. The central server computer
system 115 may be a cable or satellite headend. The central server
computer system 115 may be fully located within a single facility
or distributed geographically, in which case a network may be used
to integrate different components.
[0033] Data store 120 may be a single database, or may be made up
of any number of separate and distinct databases. The data store
120 may include one, or more, relational databases or components of
relational databases (e.g., tables), object databases, or
components of object databases, spreadsheets, text files, internal
software lists, or any other type of data structure suitable for
storing data. Thus, it should be appreciated that a data store 120
may each be multiple data storages (of the same or different type),
or may share a common data storage with other data stores. Although
in some embodiments the data store 120 may be distinct from a
central server computer system 115, in other embodiments it may be
integrated therein to varying degrees. The created commentary may
be integrated into the underlying multimedia or other information
content, or may be stand-alone content to be leveraged with
technology allowing the time stamps to sync with the content as it
is played.
[0034] The user may be alerted to the existence of a comment during
playback of the content by the appearance of a viewing window or an
icon that can be touched or clicked on output device 125, to reveal
its contents. In other examples, the content and commentary may be
separated. Users may tailor their experience by selecting certain
commentators, or types of commentators and/or comments.
[0035] The components of the system 100 may be directly connected,
or may be connected via a network 110 which may be any combination
of the following: the Internet, an IP network, an intranet, a
wide-area network ("WAN"), a local-area network ("LAN"), a virtual
private network, the Public Switched Telephone Network ("PSTN"), or
any other type of network supporting data communication between
devices described herein, in different embodiments. A network may
include both wired and wireless connections, including optical
links. Many other examples are possible and apparent to those
skilled in the art in light of this disclosure. In the discussion
herein, a network may or may not be noted specifically. If no
specific means of connection is noted, it may be assumed that the
link, communication, or other connection between devices may be via
a network.
[0036] The following description describes various aspects and
options for the system. In the discussion below, the comments may
be referred to as comments. Comments, as used herein, are to be
interpreted very broadly. Comments may be created by users using
input devices 105. Comments may be viewed and controlled by users
using output devices 125. An input device 105 may be an output
device 125, as well. Comments may be stored and organized in data
store 120. Each feature is set forth for purposes of example only,
and may be included or excluded in various embodiments.
[0037] A variety of interfaces may be used for comment creation. A
commentator may use these interfaces to input a comment into a
movie or TV show (or other media) and to have that comment viewable
(if the comment is marked public) to anyone else viewing the media
content. By using a modified time code as an external reference,
the comment may not actually be inserted into the media or into any
metadata, but may be called up from a remote server as a viewer
reaches that point in the media. There may be an uninterrupted feed
by anticipating and pre-loading any upcoming comments. The user may
be alerted to the existence of a comment during media playback by
the appearance of a comment icon that can be touched or clicked to
reveal its contents.
[0038] Thus, in one embodiment, there may simply be a time marker,
screen location, and associated text for a given piece of content.
This may be stored separately and independently from the underlying
content. FIG. 2 illustrates an example block diagram 200 of a
display 205 with an interface for making comments. The display 205
may be on, or integrated with, a mobile device, mobile phone,
laptop, tablet, computer, television, head-mounted display, remote
control, or any number of other computing or viewing devices. The
display 205 may be a touch screen or be controlled by user inputs
into a remote, peripheral, or other mobile device. In the
illustrated display 205, the locate comment icon 210 is overlaid on
the content. However, in other embodiments, the interface may be
independent or on another screen or window from the content.
[0039] Display 205-a illustrates the interface at Time1, with a
comment icon 210. A user may click on, or otherwise select, the
comment icon 210. Display 205-b illustrates the interface at Time2.
A comment entry window 215 appears in response to the selection of
the comment icon to allow the user to comment via text entry.
[0040] A comment may be set to display for a preset, or
configurable, period. A user may set in and out points so that an
entire scene can be referenced by the comment. This may allow the
user to `capture` the scene or media sub-unit completely for
reference and for playback or sharing. The user may set the comment
to display at the beginning and end point, and to, optionally,
display a scene marker during the span of the scene. This scene
marker may be distinguishable from the standard comment marker. A
user or the system also may set in and out points in combination
with the identification of an entity or object on screen to capture
the entire scene in which that object or entity appears.
[0041] As noted, comments are not limited to text, but may include
text, video, audio, photographs and other images, graphical
overlays, animations, musical notations, geographic coordinates,
discussion threads, external and internal links and associations
with media, meta-media or other comments, software applications and
applets, special notations to set and grant permissions and define
system behaviors or any combination thereof. Comments may be made
by speaking, and the comment may be replayed during play of the
underlying content. Alternatively, there may be speech to text
conversion for making comments and text-to-speech conversion for
listening to comments. A user may insert a video of himself or
herself with speech commentary, or other video may be inserted.
Comments may be placed in specific locations on the display
205.
[0042] Comments from a number of users may be linked, associated,
or otherwise integrated to create a comment set. A user may insert
video, graphical, or audio overlays designed to be used
simultaneously with media content rather than in separate or
separable windows so that the media is augmented or fully joined by
the message content. Comments may contain software applications
that allow or trigger various actions within local or remote
devices, software systems, or devices and systems within and
outside the control of the user or the company or entity delivering
these services. In this way, a comment can control local devices,
for example, to reduce volume in one viewing window or pause or
slow the media, or provide other services to the user or other
entities. Comments may be used, for example, to control or
administer micropayment systems for media or premium commentary.
Comments may contain a hyperlink to points outside the comment
systems and they also may contain a link to or an association with
a comment within the comment system or they may contain several
potential links offering user a choice of links to media, media
subunits and other comments in the form of a question, quiz,
survey, or other device such as a software player that can link the
comments and play the resulting media and meta-media. Comments and
link-containing comments may be daisy-chained or linked in a
hub-and-spoke or other such arrangement to provide unique ways for
users to move through media or through portions of media.
[0043] Comments may be inserted in traditionally non-time-based
media such as paintings, photographs, and architectural renderings
in such as way as to create simulations or animations that allow
this media to take on the dimension of time. A commentary sequence
might mirror the layering of paint on a canvas, the movement of a
focal plane in a photograph from the farthest to the nearest point,
or the construction sequence of a building. Such a commentary time
flow simulation may then be used to invite further commentary along
this artificial time line. Similar artificial time lines may also
be created within time-based media to alter the time flow of the
media or to allow the media to contain multiple time line spurs and
other forms. For example, the image on a single video frame may be
commented into multiple successive layers that represent an
incremental progression in time to show the construction of the
movie set shown in the video frame.
[0044] Comments may be inserted as header comments designed to
appear to subsequent users in a viewing window associated with a
point at the very beginning of the media and to contain general
commentary about a piece of media not tied to a particular point on
a timeline. Comments may contain messaging devices to allow the
user, automatically or not, to send a message directly to another
user or entity. Comments may include a device to exclude any user
response from the public commentary or message stream so that it is
viewable only as a private comment or message. Comments may have
special status and functionality as super comments that allow
individuals and entities, for example, a wiki service, to capture
and distill various comments in a single comment or an ordered
collection of comments, which can then be further vetted and added
to. These super comments also may be filterable into collections of
commentary that match a user's interests and sensibilities. Various
comment types and combinations may be clearly marked with symbols,
colors, or other methods to alert users to their capabilities and
limitations.
[0045] In some embodiments, the windows position may be set
automatically, or may be adjusted or otherwise customized at a
user's discretion. Additional tabs and controls may be added to
allow a user to select additional features described elsewhere
herein.
[0046] FIG. 3A illustrates an example block diagram 300A of a
display 305 with an alternative interface for making comments. This
display 305 may be an example of the display 205 described with
reference to FIG. 2. The display 305 may be on, or integrated with,
a mobile device, mobile phone, laptop, tablet, computer,
television, head-mounted display, remote control, or any number of
other computing or viewing devices. The display 305 may be a touch
screen or be controlled by user inputs into a remote, peripheral,
or other mobile device. In the illustrated display 305, an insert
icon 315 and scrubber control 310 are overlaid on the content.
However, in other embodiments, the interface may be independent or
on another screen or window from the content. The scrubber control
310 allows a user to control the insertion timing within the
content (e.g., within a 10 minute window).
[0047] Display 305-a illustrates the interface at Time1, with an
insert icon 315 and scrubber control 310 overlaid on the content. A
user may use the scrubber control 310 to identify the proper place
for comment insertion, and then may click on, or otherwise select,
the insert icon 315. Display 305-b illustrates the interface at
Time2. A comment type window 320 appears in response to the
selection of the insert icon 315 to allow the user to comment via
text, audio, video, or hyperlink, or insert a pause, or adjust the
insertion point.
[0048] FIG. 3B is a block diagram 325 of a display 330 with an
alternative interface for making comments. This display 330 may be
an example of the display 205 described with reference to FIG. 2.
The display 330 may be on, or integrated with, a mobile device,
mobile phone, laptop, tablet, computer, television, head-mounted
display, remote control, or any number of other computing or
viewing devices. The display 330 may be a touch screen or be
controlled by user inputs into a remote, peripheral, or other
mobile device. In the illustrated display 330, an insert icon
315-a, scrubber control 310-a, content window 335, comment stream
from other commentators 340, and comment entry window 345 are in
different windows within the display 330. However, in other
embodiments, each interface may be overlaid or integrated or on a
screen, or some subset of this functionality may be on a different
device.
[0049] A user may use the scrubber control 310-a to identify the
proper place for comment insertion, and then may click on, or
otherwise select, the insert icon 315-a. This display configuration
allows a user to view the underlying content via content window
335, and also look at the comment stream 340 (perhaps filtered),
and input comments into the comment entry window 345. In some
examples, comments from the comment stream 340 may be dragged and
dropped into the comment entry window 345, or otherwise selected
for a comment set or other use. There may be threaded discussions,
or comments from others may be pulled in.
[0050] A user may scrub a pane of commentary forward or back in its
timeline and similarly scrub a media pane using software controls
such as icons or touch gestures. Users may be able to control
whether commentary and media panes are coupled or decoupled and may
use coupling and decoupling to control multiple panes independently
or together. For example, a user may be able to scrub both the
comment stream window 340 and the content window 335 by swiping in
either pane when an interface is set to a synchronization state,
such as a `hard sync` state.
[0051] A user may be able to set or decouple a `hard sync` with
touch gestures such as swiping both the commentary stream window
340 and the content window 335 simultaneously in the same direction
to set a hard sync state or by swiping both windows 340, 335
simultaneously in opposite directions to turn off hard sync. Hard
sync may be used to browse to media content at a desired location
and view the relevant commentary, and/or to browse the commentary
to view relevant moments in media. In certain examples, a hard sync
control may be resident in one window so that swiping one window
controls both windows while swiping the other window only controls
the window being manipulated, allowing a user to freely manipulate
one window out of synchronization without interrupting the time
progression on another window. Such controls also may be used to
manipulate multiple windows, and the set of windows being
manipulated may or may not include a media window but may contain
only commentary, for example. Other windows, such as the comment
entry window 345 also may be set to control or be controlled by
similar actions. Hard sync controls may be automatically applied
within the user environment or may be set by the user.
[0052] These illustrative controls may allow a user to manage
multiple windows each with multiple time referents and then use
further manipulation to move or associate or perform other actions
that allow a comment's time associations to be changed or to bridge
multiple time associations. Doing so may allow a user to move a
comment from one window to another to change its location in the
media or to drop one comment onto another to associate the two
comments. User actions to control synchronization and decoupling
may include other gestures and manipulations such as tapping a
handheld device or using swipe and other hand motions that do not
contact a touchscreen but are otherwise sensed, or eye motions
detected by the device and software or combinations of these
gestures.
[0053] Resynchronization may be controlled by the user via software
controls such as tapping in a window that represents the desired
synchronization point, or resynchronization may occur automatically
when a user manipulates a window so that it reaches the same point
in the timeline as the other window. Automatic synchronization also
may then be overridden with continued manipulation. In certain
examples where automatic synchronization is not available or is not
desirable, a user may be able to use commentary elements, such as a
scene description or a line of dialogue to match the commentary
with the underlying media, and special display configurations may
be employed to facilitate this functionality.
[0054] The system architecture for comment creation may take on a
variety of forms. In some examples, DVD, broadcast, or streaming
content may be received on a computer, set top box, or television.
A user interface control (e.g., the control functions of the
configurations illustrated in FIG. 2, 3A, or 3B) may be in the same
screen, but distinct from the content (e.g., overlaid, or in
separate windows). The user interface control and the content may
be on different devices. The user interface control may use various
mechanisms to associate a timestamp with the entry of a comment. In
different embodiments, the user interface control may be integrated
with content to varying degrees. The control window may receive
inputs via a remote control, mobile device, keyboard, or other
peripheral. The user interface control may control underlying
content (i.e., pausing underlying content), or not, and it also may
convey the underlying content to other devices for viewing and
other actions.
[0055] FIG. 3C illustrates an example block diagram 350 of a
display 355 with an alternative graphical overlay system for
making, and viewing, comments from a single interface or set of
interfaces. This display 355 may be an example of the display 205
described with reference to FIG. 2. The display 355 may be on, or
integrated with, a mobile device, mobile phone, laptop, tablet,
computer, television, head-mounted display, remote control, or any
number of other computing or viewing devices. The display 355 may
be a touch screen or be controlled by user inputs into a remote,
peripheral, or other mobile device.
[0056] Display 355-a illustrates the interface at Time1, with an
array of circles 360 (which may be referred to as category beacons)
overlaid on the content. These beacons 360 may each represent a
type of comment or a category, or a comment source or source
category and each beacon may light up as the video passes a point
at which a comment has been inserted. If a beacon 360 is pressed
and held, the comments filtered by category may be shown. The
beacons 360 may show a steady glow for comments that capture a
media clip or subunit, with increasing brightness when multiple
commentators have chosen the subunit or portions thereof. Regular
comments show as brief pulses. By tapping, or clicking on, any of
these buttons the category may be displayed. By pressing and
holding, the user may be taken to a comment viewing window (not
shown) that has been filtered by the category. The user can
navigate sideways to other comment windows in other categories, and
vertically to comment windows filtered by type of comment, such as
humorous, or subject area, such as cinematography. Certain aspect
ratios (not shown) may allow some of the components illustrated to
be displayed below the video field by user preference. Letterbox
video may be shifted to the very top of the display to provide more
room below. A window of comments may be displayed on one or more
multiple lines, or in combination with other modular windows, such
as a graphic to show traffic in the comment stream.
[0057] Display 355-b illustrates the interface at Time2. A user may
select the option of having a graphical overlay appear, allowing
the user to have controls to view comments, write a comment, scrub
to comment insertion points, and other tasks. The graphical overlay
may include a compose comment 365 set of features, and a current
comment 370 set of features.
[0058] The compose comment 365 bar may be tapped, and the bar may
expand to two lines and continue to expand as text is added. Below
`send,` on the second line is a pair of icons for audio and video
recording of the comment. `In` may be tapped to insert the comment
at the current location in the media. It is not necessary to set an
out point, but one can be set by scrubbing to the desired location
in the media and pressing the `out` button. The `send` feature
provides sending options such as `send as a Tweet,` `send to
Facebook,` `send as a message,` as well as an option to `splice`
this comment to another in a comment document, using a splice or
linking comment to connect them.
[0059] The current comment 370 bar shows the most recent comment
passed in the timeline. `Current comment` may be tapped to view the
entire comment. `Current comment` may be pressed and held to go to
a comment viewing window. A small vertical line to the left of the
current comment shows when the current media has been captured
within a comment clip, and gives a rough indication when more
commentators also have chosen the current scene. The triangles at
either end of the bar can be tapped to move forward and back
through the comment timeline. `Add` is a thumbs up, adding the
comment to the user's set of comments that will be passed along to
others.
[0060] In this example, there is also a unified play, pause, and
reverse button 375. The button 375 may be designed to use a single
control for media and other content windows. The default mode may
be forward mode. A user may tap once to play, tap again to pause,
tap again to play, and so on. From a paused state, a user may press
and hold for 1 second (or other time period) to play in reverse
(indicated, for example, by an audible sound, 1.times.). A user may
tap to pause, tap to play in reverse, tap to pause. From a paused
state in reverse mode, a user may press and hold for 1 second (or
other time period) to play in forward mode. Tapping pause and play
continues to advance media forward. A user may press and hold again
for reverse mode. There may also be fast forward and reverse. In
either forward or reverse mode, at play or reverse play speed, a
user may press and hold the play button (e.g., holding for 1 second
for 2.times. speed, holding for 2 seconds for 4.times. speed, and
tapping to pause)
[0061] There may also be a split scrubber 380 that lets the user
scan the media and the comment stream simultaneously, and to have
control of each individually. To insert or view comments, a user
slides a pair of triangle markers along a double timeline and finds
a desired location. The top scrubber controls the media (when the
media window is on top or to the left) and the bottom scrubber
controls the comment stream below or to the right. The wide space
between the lines controls them both simultaneously. Scrubber marks
may disappear during finger (or cursor) swipe manipulation between
the lines.
[0062] As the triangles are moved, they may change color or
shading. This allows the user to be aware of a change in their
position on the timeline when their movement would not otherwise be
obvious. If the triangles are synchronized, the triangles may
change color together, remaining the same color. If the triangles
are out of synch, they may each change to different colors. This
may help make the user aware that the user is out of synch when the
distances on the timeline would not otherwise make it obvious.
[0063] With the split scrubber 380, a user may scan media and
comments independently and quickly return the media to the place
where it was paused. By tapping (or clicking) one or another of the
relevant triangle markers, the user can choose to have the media
resynchronized to the timeline location of either the media or the
comments window. The user may also resynchronize by initiating play
in the appropriate window. Aside from scanning and browsing, the
split scrubber 380 may be used to change the insertion point or
in/out points of a comment. The user may select a comment in the
message window that he or she previously wrote, and after adjusting
the media in the other window to the appropriate point, click the
in or out icon, or click and drag the comment onto the media.
[0064] The split scrubber 380 also may be of use with other
combinations of viewing windows, such as media and comment document
windows, or comment and comment document windows. The split
timeline may also be augmented with a third or fourth timeline to
control multiple windows. The split scrubber 380 may also display
the in and out points of the current comment if the comment
pertains to a media clip (as opposed to a comment that has a single
insertion point). It also may contain a space, for example, between
the two lines, in which a finger swipe in either direction may
advance the media to fine tune a location. It may contain points at
either end that can be clicked or tapped to advance or reverse the
media one frame at a time or advance or reverse the comment stream
one comment at a time. These points may additionally be controlled
by pressing and holding them to advance media in gradual
acceleration up to 4.times., for example. Fine control of this
acceleration may be handled by a series of press/hold maneuvers,
such as one press/hold for 1.times. speed and two press/holds for
2.times.. The split scrubber 380 also may be used to improve the
speed of certain user operations when the system is unable to keep
up with both media and commentary streams and when decoupling is
desired.
[0065] A fine tune scrubber bar 385 may consist of a line within a
window (horizontal or vertical) designed to focus finger swipe
motions into a specific zone or to be manipulated by mouse control.
It may be used without split scrubber 380 (e.g., it may be used in
configurations in which use of a split scrubber 380 could lead to
confusion or in which the split scrubber is too bulky). In some
examples, a fine tune scrubber bar 385 may be used with each window
with timeline-related elements, such as media and commentary,
served by its own scrubber. Manipulation of one window may control
both windows unless the synchronization of these windows is
decoupled. Windows may be decoupled by pressing and holding one
window while manipulating the scrubber of another. The windows can
be resynchronized by initiating `play` in either window, which
synchronizes play to the chosen window. The disappearing scrub
marker described herein may also have the capability of splitting
into top and bottom halves so that this scrubber can be used as a
less obtrusive split scrubber.
[0066] A fine tune scrubber bar 385 may be swiped from right to
left, for example, to advance the media or commentary forward in
the timeline. Rapid and repeated swiping may trigger the appearance
of a marker indicating speed, such as 2.times. or 4.times.. It may
also trigger the appearance of a scrub marker that shows progress
along a timeline. When these markers appear, it may be a signal to
the user to stop swiping and allow the content to continue at that
speed to a desired point, or manipulate the markers to move a
greater distance. A tap may again pause the content so that it can
be fine-tuned by finger swipe. Pressing and holding a midpoint of
the line may also trigger the display of the scrub marker and allow
it to be manipulated to move greater distances in the timeline and
to its beginning or end. This marker may disappear when the user
makes further fine tune swiping motions. Tapping either end of the
line may allow the user to advance frame by frame or comment by
comment depending on the window. Pressing and holding one end of
the line may increase scrubbing speed by successive increments,
accelerating the speed from 2.times. to 4.times., for example. This
may work whether or not the scrub marker is visible, though it may
also cause the scrub marker to appear so the user is aware of
motion in the timeline. Releasing this may cause the window's
content to pause again, or it may continue at that speed until the
window is tapped to pause it. Further swiping may return the user
to fine adjustments.
[0067] This scrubber bar 385 also may show fine movement in the
disappearing scrub marker(s) by changing the color of the marker
and the marker halves in the same manner as the split scrubber.
These scrub markers may also be manipulated in the manner of the
split scrubber above to decouple media from other windows and, by
pressing and holding one or the other, resynchronizing to the
timeline of the desired window.
[0068] There may also be browse scrubber functionality. Browse mode
may be activated by pressing and holding a point in the media or
comment window. Both may pause as soon as one is touched. Now
either window may be manipulated by horizontal finger swipes to
scrub the media and the comment stream forward and reverse. Rapid
swiping in one direction (e.g., three times) may increase the speed
of scrubbing and trigger the display of an optional simple scrubber
bar and marker that can be manipulated to move greater distances in
the timeline. If the optional simple scrubber bar is not
manipulated, it may disappear after a short interval. If it is
manipulated, once a finger is lifted from the scrubber, it may
disappear and finger swiping may be automatically reactivated.
While this swiping tool may default to simultaneous and
synchronized viewing of both windows, the windows may be decoupled
by manipulating one window with a swipe while pressing and holding
the other. Once decoupled, the held window no longer needs to be
held, and it stays in its position in the timeline.
[0069] In browse mode, there may be one screen anchored in a
position in the timeline if the user hopes to return both windows
to this original location to continue a viewing session. When it is
time to resynchronize, the user can press and hold the window that
is currently at the desired location, and the windows are synched.
This mirrors a similar operation on the split scrubber in which the
windows are resynchronized by pressing and holding the triangle
marker associated with the window that is in the desired timeline
position. If a user mistakenly presses the wrong window, the undo
command may return the windows to their previous positions. The
interface also may contain a command that can return the media to
its previous viewing position(s) in case many user actions have
transpired since the viewing session was interrupted. This command
may be a second tier option of the undo command.
[0070] Browse mode may also allow the user to manipulate the media
and comment screens vertically. Vertical strokes in the media
window may move through other media in the queue or its sub-queues
or through other comment projects underway. Pressing and holding
points at the top and bottom edges of the window may move through
sub-queues and other of these categories. This vertical movement
may be helpful when the user is working across media to link
scenes, create timeline-independent comment sets, build annotated
music playlists, or create other commentary/media documents. It
also allows a user to switch gears and enjoy other media.
[0071] The comment window may continue to display commentary from
the first media until the user presses and holds the media window
to synch commentary to that media and location on the timeline.
Vertical strokes in the comment window move the window through the
current list of comments arranged in timeline order, and each
comment is expandable with a tap. Pressing and holding points at
the top and bottom edges of the window may move through categories
and classes of commentary so the user can view comments on a
certain topic or of a certain type, such as humorous. Vertical
movement in the comment window may be used in conjunction with
horizontal movement to find a category (vertical movement to
`acting`) and then move horizontally to select a type of comment,
such as humorous, to display humorous comments about the acting. In
windows or operations that benefit from diagonal movement, such as
forms of a comment document builder, finger swipes can move screen
objects diagonally and may move through matrices diagonally as
well. Matrices and other mapping devices may also be viewed and
navigated via other constructs in a 3D or simulated 3D environment,
and the element of movement through time may add a fourth dimension
to this navigation.
[0072] Browse mode may be further augmented with controls that
allow the user to tap the edges of a viewing window to control
incremental movements. In the media window, for example, a tap to
the right edge (or a specifically marked spot on the edge) may
advance the media one frame. In the message window, a similar tap
may advance the comment stream by one comment. Taps on the top and
bottom edges may advance the media window through the queue or
sub-queues, and move the comment window through the comment
categories. Pressing and holding these edges or marks may move the
material in the window to its beginning or end point, such as the
end of a media. Finger swiping may be augmented or substituted by
comparable mousing controls, such as clicking and dragging within a
control bar, or with eye movements, such as two rapid glances
toward one edge of the screen when a specific viewing window is
selected.
[0073] In one set of embodiments, shown in FIG. 4, a system 400
includes input device 105-g (e.g., a computer or television),
network 110-c, central server computer system 115-a, and data store
120-a. Although in this case a central server computer system
115-a, the underlying content may be accessed from a local source
(e.g., DVD or other locally stored multimedia). This system 400 may
be the system 100 of FIG. 1. Each of these components may be in
communication with each other, directly or indirectly.
[0074] The central server computer system 115-a may stream, or
otherwise transmit, video data (or other information data) to the
input device. This content may be accessed from data store
120-a.
[0075] Time, screen location, and object-specific comments may be
created for the content. A user interface control of an input
device 105-g allows a user to generate a comment, associated with a
time code, for example, relating to the content (which, for
purposes of this disclosure, may include a movie, TV show, Internet
and other video, book, article, song or other audio recording,
photograph or other image, commercial advertisement, video game,
immersive media, augmented or artificial reality media, the content
contained in a comment, or other displayed content). By using a
time code, modified time code, or other locator or combination of
locators as an external reference, the comment need not actually be
inserted into the multimedia. The comment may include text, video,
audio, photographs and other images, graphical overlays,
animations, musical notations, geographic coordinates, discussion
threads, external and internal links and associations with media,
meta-media or other comments, software applications and applets,
special notations to set and grant permissions and define system
behaviors or any combination thereof. The user interface control
may be generated locally, or served from the central server
computer system 115-a to the input device 105-g via network
110-c.
[0076] In one example, the content stream and user interface
control are independent and distinct from each other (even when
both are on the same display). In other embodiments, the content
stream and user interface control are overlaid or partially
integrated. In still other embodiments, the content stream and user
interface control are tightly integrated. The following examples
further illustrate the options.
[0077] FIG. 5 illustrates a system 500 which includes a content
source 505 (which may be a DVD or other video disc player, a local
or remote storage device, a central server computer system), a set
top box 510, a mobile device 105-h (e.g., a tablet, smartphone,
remote control, cell phone, or laptop), and a display 530 (e.g.,
television or other display). The set top box 510 includes a
distribution module 515, content processing module 520, and local
wireless device interface module 525. Each of these components may
be in communication with each other, directly or indirectly. This
system 500 may be the system 100, 400 of FIG. 1 or 4.
[0078] In one example, the content source 505 streams media content
to the set top box 510, which is processed by the content
processing module 520. The content processing module 520 may create
an echo version of the media content. As used herein, the terms
"parallel echo version" or "echo version" refer to a representation
of the media content displayed concurrently with a playback of a
standard version of the media content. In certain examples, the
"echo version" may simply be a lower resolution or lower bandwidth
version of the media content. Additionally or alternatively, the
echo version may modify or remove certain aspects of the media
content, such as replacing visual objects in the media content with
outlines or removing a certain range of frequencies from an audio
component of the media content.
[0079] In parallel (or substantially in parallel), the content
processing module 520 may provide a regular or high definition
version of the content to distribution module 515 for delivery to
display 530, while also delivering the echo version to the local
wireless device interface module 525. Local wireless device
interface module 525 may deliver the echo version wirelessly to the
mobile device 105-h. The mobile device 105-h may control the
playback of the echo to time the insertion of comments from the
mobile device 105-h, and this echo timing may be distinct and
independent from the content playback on the display 530 (i.e., the
echo version and regular/high definition are not synchronized). In
other embodiments, the playback of the echo version and the
regular/high definition version are synchronized (so that control
to stop, pause, fast forward, rewind at the display 530 (for the
regular/high definition version) or the mobile device 105-h (for
the echo version or the regular/high definition version) controls
both displays).
[0080] Local wireless device interface module 525 may generate a
user interface control for delivery to the mobile device 105-h.
This user interface control may be transmitted with the echo
version of the content to mobile device 105-h. Alternatively, the
user interface control may be generated locally (e.g., as an App
stored at the mobile device 105-h, wherein the echo version is
integrated with the user interface control at the mobile device
105-h.
[0081] In certain examples, the functionality of the set top box
510 shown in FIG. 5 may be performed by an alternate device, such
as the content source 505, a special-purpose internet appliance, a
server, a network router, a network switch, and/or or a network
access point.
[0082] In another example, the content source 505 streams different
versions (the echo version and the regular/high definition version)
of the content to the set top box 510, each of which may be stored
by the content processing module 520. The content processing module
520 may provide the regular or high definition version of the
content to distribution module 515 for delivery to display 530,
while also delivering the echo version to the local wireless device
interface module 525. Local wireless device interface module 525
may deliver the echo version wirelessly to the mobile device 105-h.
The mobile device 105-h may control the playback of the echo
version to time the insertion of comments, and this echo timing may
be distinct and independent from the content playback on the
display 530. In other embodiments, the playback of the echo version
and the regular/high definition version are synchronized.
[0083] There are a number of other ways an echo version may be
pulled out of the stream for time code needs. Echo version creation
may occur at a central server computer system, on the set top box
510, at the display 530, or at the device 105-h. This echo version
may also be designed so that it satisfies the need for 1) time code
synchronization, 2) rough visual cross-checking to help users
ensure that comments match up with desired input location, 3)
scrubbing for fine tuning of comment placement, 4) delivery to
comment servers to cross-check or identify media or provide
synchronization, 5) faster retrieval, viewing, and selecting of
media clips, or 6) any combination of these uses.
[0084] This echo version may be 1) a simple time code conveyance
such as a media time signal from one local device to another or
from a media distribution device, 2) a low resolution version of
the media content that stays within the bounds of copyright
restrictions, 3) a version of the media content that is encoded to
be inaccessible beyond time code use, 4) a version of the media
content that is altered to be recognizable by the user but not in
its standard and enjoyable form (such as music with a significant
section of the frequency range removed, or such as video with only
rough object outlines), or 5) a version of the media that is
altered to be usable only by, for example, a data system designed
to match audio waveforms, equivalent forms of video, and equivalent
forms of text and other multimedia, or 6) any combination of these
uses. An equivalent form of text, for example, might utilize word
counts, word and letter count sequences, or a very difficult to
read font or combination of fonts.
[0085] FIG. 6 illustrates a system 600 which includes a content
source 605 (which may be a DVD or other video disc player, a local
or remote storage device, a central server computer system), a
display 610 (e.g., television, monitor, or other display), a mobile
device 105-i (e.g., a tablet, smartphone, remote control, cell
phone, or laptop), and network 110-d. Each of these components may
be in communication with each other, directly or indirectly. This
system 600 may be the system 100, 400 of FIG. 1 or 4.
[0086] In one example, the content source 605 streams or otherwise
transmits content to the display 610. The display 610 plays the
content. The mobile device 105-i captures audio and/or video from
the display (e.g., through a microphone and camera). The mobile
device 105-i may transmit the captured audio or video over the
network 110-d (e.g., to a central server computer system 115 of
FIG. 1), and a time code associated with the audio/video waveform
may be generated to identify the content and/or the location within
the content. Alternatively, an App at the mobile device 105-i may
perform some of these functions. A user may then enter comments
about the content from the mobile device 115-i, and the comments
may be associated with the time code generated from the audio/video
waveform. A variety of audio and/or video recognition techniques
known in the art may be used to facilitate content recognition.
[0087] One or more time code(s) for a comment may be generated by
one user action, and the comment may be created or edited and
associated with the media in a later action. Comments may be
characterized or categorized or associated in yet a later action by
the original author or another user. The system may track the time
and date of any additions, changes, characterizations,
categorizations or associations to create a record of these changes
for a range of purposes including the ability to track and analyze
the context in which a comment was made, the provenance and
development of ideas discussed in commentary, the timing and
sequence of user-made associations among comments, the timing of
responses to commercial and noncommercial comments, the timing of
conversations and other interactions among users, and the
progression and development of commentary-centric meta-media. Time
and date may be used to allow users to track and display their
commentary history. Time and date may be used to allow the creation
of time-limited comments or to set comment aspects and features
that may change over time.
[0088] Comment time codes may be changed or adjusted by users after
initial insertion if needed. A user may reset the time code to
another time. A user may flag another user's comment for being
incorrectly time coded and may suggest alternate time code
placement. An entire set of comments may be shifted to new time
codes if the initial registration of the time codes was inaccurate.
Time codes may be adjusted by the original commentator user by such
means as changing the time code manually or moving the comment into
another media or comment display window that is associated with the
desired time code or adjustable to the desired time code. Time
codes also may be adjusted by moving the comment to a mapped
timeline or scrubber and locating the desired insertion point
[0089] In certain embodiments, users may be able to describe and
categorize their comments and the comments of others using
standardized terms such as "academic", "humorous",
"cinematography", and "acting". The users also may use personally
relevant indexing terms to help them organize their comments and
make them available to searches. A commentator may have different
profiles (e.g., a number of nickname aliases associated with a
username). This may allow the user to manage a set of online
personalities for different friend groups and audiences and, for
example, to make only a subset of aliases available to commercial
entities. All aliases may be transparently associated with a user.
Users may create profile pages for defining an identity. Profile
pages may allow users to share recommendations, post personal
montages, mashups, and best-of collections, post comment sets and
favorite commenter lists, and receive and send messages. Thus,
users may make comments under different profiles, may limit who
knows of and can access comments of or send messages to each
profile, may have private profiles, and may limit access by certain
classes of users, such as commercial users. A user may limit or
select the users who can view comments, allowing a user to comment
privately to select friends or family members. The feature also may
be used to allow limited distribution of comments by, say, an actor
or director to users who belong to a special group or who pay a
premium. There may be the option to time-limit a comment with an
expiration feature (e.g., useful for special-event commenting or
for people who tend to do casual commenting with friends and do not
wish their comments to live on in perpetuity). Users may be
characterized and categorized by themselves, other users, and the
system to segregate and integrate users and user groupings, assist
users in the discovery of compatible users, and further improve
methods for filtering commentary.
[0090] As referred to generally above, a user may `package` a set
of comments. In one example, there may be a dedicated screen in
which the user can work to refine comments. A user may create
comments but have them `on hold` and undistributed so that user can
assemble and edit a comment set and/or fine-tune it before making
it public. A user may write comments for his or her eyes only,
indefinitely. A user may apportion comments to various profiles. A
user may "package" sets of comments less formally by "adding" or
re-commenting the comments as the viewer encounters them during a
commenting session in which the user also may compose his or her
own comments. A user may be able to make associations among
comments, and these associations may be well defined and described
and accompanied by explanatory comments or they may be undefined.
Because the system allows users the ability to view a single
commentary track, a subsequent user can easily follow another
user's self-generated commentary mingled with selected commentary
by others.
[0091] A user may place non-location, and non-time, -specific
comments at the front or beginning of content, or in another such
virtual space, to serve as overview and introduction of media by
user. This may allow a viewer to pre-select commentators and
comment sets for viewing and to provide opportunities to make
adjustments later. A viewer may click on a commentator and see that
commentator's comments within the content, along with lists of
other media that user has commented (with comment counts and
ratings).
[0092] In one example, these comments may be placed in a "media
header" made up of commentary space that refers to the entire
movie, TV episode, song, or other media item. The media header may
contain multiple aspects, including an area for users to insert
general commentary, or introductions of their timeline commentary,
or to collect notes and other material that may or may not be
available to other users. The media header may contain, catalog and
index material associated with the media item or associated
material, such as a movie database hosted by others. The media
header may offer tools to allow a user to associate or reference
any non-timeline-associated material with points or units on a
media timeline, allowing, for example, a user to tag scene
references in a review with the appropriate points in the media or
link an actor's biography with scenes in which she appears.
[0093] The media header may further include an area for content
owners or distributors to insert official general commentary and
information, and an area in which users and content owners and
others may work together to fill in general information about the
media, perhaps through a wiki or other process. It may be used by
content owners to set permissions for the use of the media. The
media header may also contain a facility for making some of this
information available to other services and entities or for users
outside the comment software environment. For example, some of the
information collected may be available to anyone wishing to correct
or complete the metadata contained in their music files.
[0094] The media header may similarly provide a central place for
collecting and displaying dialogue, actor names, objects on screen
or any other information gleaned or indexed from time-based
commentary. The media header may contain applications or other
facilities for analyzing data or performing other functions. The
media header may further contain maps and other graphic
representation of data, including associations among comments.
[0095] The media header also may display material that is not
timeline-associated, such as a synopsis or review or any other
commentary that refers to the media item as a whole. It may
contain, catalog and index any material associated with the media
item or it may similarly contain, catalog and index linkages to
associated material, such as a movie database hosted by others. The
media header may offer features to allow a user to associate or
reference any non-timeline-associated material with points or units
on a media timeline, allowing, for example, a user to tag scene
references in a review with the appropriate points in the media or
link an actor's biography with scenes in which she appears.
[0096] The media header space may be visible to a user when a media
item is called up by the user and at the zero mark of its timeline.
Additionally or alternatively, the media header may be accessible
to the user at other times, whether or not the media item itself is
called up and available to the user. A media header comment can
contain or embody any form of media, and this media also may serve
as a narrative or a hub or other means of organizing comments in
ways that may depart from the original timeline order. In certain
examples, a header may be used as a publishing platform for media
that references media and commentary and incorporates
timeline-based linkages and associations
[0097] A user may create comment sets outside the time flow of a
particular film or piece of media and across all media types and
distribution platforms. These narrative comment sets may be
referred to as "comment documents" to distinguish them from comment
sets based on the time flow of a single piece of original
media.
[0098] Comment documents may allow a user to create a comment set
that follows a particular idea or narrative outside of the media
time flow and across media titles and types. A user workspace may
also allow a user to construct a narrative from comment to comment,
providing tools for the viewer to search for desired media and
comments, insert them into the set, change the order of comments,
and provide additional narration or notation associated with
individual comments within the flow or to serve as introductory
material at the beginning of the comment set (and media play). This
narration may be delivered as a specialized comment, similar but
distinct from a comment that is a response to another comment (see
threaded comment, below).
[0099] A narrative or linking comment may be viewable within a
window designed to allow a user to follow the comment-to-comment
flow of a comment document. This window may allow the user to see
the original comment that the author of the comment document refers
to, along with the narrative comment (if there is one) that
introduces or discusses this comment along with the media clip if
the original comment contains an in and out point. Any
appropriation of this comment document, or any portion of it (down
to a single link between two comments or clips), by another user
may contain this pairing of narrative and original comments so that
the user/author of that link between two comments may continue to
have credit for making the association. This attribution may or may
not be visible to the user if the user elects not to see this level
of detail, but it may be available to the user. A comment document
may also serve as an easily annotated playlist tool that works
across multiple media distribution platforms and multiple media
types.
[0100] A comment document or portion thereof may be lifted and
become part of another comment document and may be trimmed by a
user. A user may trim the comment document by removing comments on
either side of the desired segment, but not by altering the order
of the comments within the segment, which would still contain the
narrative comments associated with it. This, again, may allow the
original author of the comment document to be credited with making
this association, and yet it also allows other users to freely pass
along or re-comment portions of these documents and the
associations they make among media clips.
[0101] A comment document may be as simple as a link between two
clips without an accompanying narrative comment (e.g., a `comment
document lite` interface that is popup based or otherwise very
simple to use may allow reference or association linking one
comment to another in the current media file or elsewhere). A
comment document may also be created by automated systems that
create linkages based on user associations among comments or
similar associations inferred by the system.
[0102] A comment document may, therefore, be a collection of
comments and media assembled in any order the user desires. It may
be a collection of scenes or music clips or other media sub-units.
By using a special linking comment, the user may connect multiple
comments in a daisy chain, hub and spoke, or other configuration.
Because a comment can contain in and out points to define a content
comment clip, a user linking these together may create a guided
tour that plays the media clips and describes where the tour is
going and why. Information aggregated from the clip selections by
multiple users may be mapped or otherwise analyzed to show
popularity, associative linkages and other information that may
have use in the creation and manipulation of media sub-units by
users and automated systems. Such analysis may be used, for
example, in automated systems to create meta-media or to
micro-price media sub-units. A user may also select clips to add to
a personal library of clips from various sources for later use in
meta-media or for other uses.
[0103] Commentary may be contained in either the media comment or
the linking comment, depending on the result the user desires. If a
user only wants to introduce the clip associated with the media
comment, or perhaps explain why the user has chosen that clip, he
or she may place the commentary in the linking clip. If the user
desires commentary to be displayed or played while the media plays,
the user may add it to the comment that relates to the media. In
certain examples, the user may choose both options.
[0104] In one example, a user may review a movie. The user may
start with a linking comment and add the first couple of
paragraphs. The user also may speak these paragraphs or make a
video. As the user nears his or her first clip, the user may add a
word or two of introduction and then create a regular comment that
defines the in and out points of a scene. That comment also may
contain commentary, and since the user may want to make sure his or
her audience does not have to read the commentary while viewing the
scene, the user may speak the comment and time its play to a
precise point on the timeline.
[0105] In certain examples, users may associate their comments with
the comments of others, and the system may make further
associations among comments based on social connections, user
interests, sentiment or language analysis and/or other relevant
factors. Secondary associations may be tracked across multiple
degrees of separation. For example, an association between a
comment made by a user and a comment made by a friend of that user
in a different movie may be tracked. Some associations may be
weighted more or less than others. These associations may be used
to help users discover commentary and other users and media that
may be of interest. Associations may be used to suggest or deliver
commentary and recommendations that a user might otherwise not
select intentionally. Associations may be used for trend analysis,
or for analysis of associative routes through commentary, media,
users and groups. Associations may be mapped and displayed to give
users access to associative information and to allow them to
explore these associations and better understand their meaning.
[0106] In certain examples, clusters of associated comments may be
displayed in 3D and manipulated with multitouch and other gestures
to create, refine or change groupings that may represent categories
of comments and associations, the relative strength of associative
connections, and other aspects. These and other manipulations may
allow users to freely move comments and groups of comments, and
weaken or strengthen associations, and these manipulations may be
further assisted by automated mapping and other
representations.
[0107] The comment may contain special controls to manipulate the
media as the media is played. For example, the user may have the
volume of a move drop as the user's voice begins on the comment.
The user may continue to compose comments and linking comments ad
infinitum. These options may be possible with any media. In certain
examples, the user may mix media types, taking the audience of a
film to the original scene in a novel, for instance, in either a
written or audiobook form. A user may have the ability to change or
choose the primary media form in which commentary and media are
delivered and in which meta-media is constructed so that a user
may, for example, have a passage from a book shown in a video or
have an open book handed to him or her in an artificial reality
environment. A user also may make comment documents that allow
their viewers to choose their own path through the media the user
has selected, since linking comments may contain multiple options.
A user may give viewers the option of skipping a side tour.
Alternatively, the user may create a game or a quiz that leads an
audience on multiple paths.
[0108] As noted above, there may be an option for a threaded
discussion, and such comments may be marked so that users are aware
that the marked comments may not be displayed as stand-alone
comments. A user may designate a comment as both a stand-alone and
threaded comment. A user may alternately choose to associate a
comment with another comment and have that association serve as a
response mechanism that allows the comment to stand alone and yet
also respond or illuminate the original comment.
[0109] Threaded discussions in the commentary may be handled so
that the user may navigate horizontally, vertically, or in
combination to view mapped comments even on a small screen. A user
may choose to `add` any comment within a discussion so that this
comment may become part of the set of comments that is associated
with this particular user and media. The user may in this way be
able to view and `package` selected comments from a discussion so
that these selected comments may be available to anyone viewing
this user's comment set. Since the add button also is an implicit
vote for the value of any comment, this action also allows the
system to take note of this vote so that well-received comments
that may not have received any other rating can be highlighted in
certain viewing situations. Color-coding or other effects may be
used in discussion view to provide the user a sense of the
characteristics of a particular comment. Discussion view may also
be used to handle queries and responses.
[0110] A user may create a comment set or document from a threaded
discussion that follows a favored argument or favored examples put
forward by participants in the discussion. A user may also
highlight a favored path in a threaded discussion by selecting the
favored comments and "adding" or "re-commenting" them. This favored
path may then be viewable to subsequent users following the first
user's commentary set "channel".
[0111] Comments and responses in a discussion thread may be
organized and displayed in traditional arrays which may show the
comments in a particular time order and address certain users'
topics raised in both the original comment and its responses. The
comments and responses may also be arrayed, highlighted, color
coded or otherwise indicated in ways that treat associations among
comments, and/or social associations with a current user or that
user's interests and sensibilities, as factors of greater or lesser
importance in the comment display. For example, a user may see more
comments within a discussion that have been composed by friends or
address a favorite topic, such as movie set design. A user may be
able to set preferences and tolerances for this functionality, and
may be able to change these settings on the fly. The user may
further be able to use these capabilities to select particular
comments and responses for a curated set of comments and responses,
or a curated path, that may then be passed along to other users or
may be used to inform the system of noteworthy associations and
preferred comments and responses. Commentary channels may be
curated or one-source commentary tracks, and may provide users with
more controlled commentary experiences within the system.
Specialized commentary channels can provide utilities such as
subtitles or audio dubbing or insertion of deleted scenes. Channels
also may combine the comment sets and comment documents of multiple
users, or may include comments from other sources. A user may
navigate threaded comments by mousing over or clicking a single
comment to reveal an expanded view of related comments laterally
and vertically. A user may filter comments within the threaded
comment viewing window to allow user to see comments most likely to
be of interest and reduce overload. A user also may initiate a
synchronized viewing and commentary session with a small group of
remote users using methods of buffering the media and synchronizing
any pauses initiated within the group. Comments can be viewed or
heard as audio with or without pausing the media, though users may
set automatic controls for pausing under certain circumstances.
[0112] As noted, there may be a number of different types of
comments. A comment may be a message unit (a packet of data). It
may appear to have been inserted in a movie or other media. In some
embodiments, it is not inserted in the media, but it is displayed,
played, invoked or otherwise activated at the right moment as if it
were. Clip comments are similar to plain comments, except the user
has added an `out` point so the comment can refer to an entire
scene in a movie, or a clip from a song, instead of just the
comment's insertion point. Splice comments may connect one comment
to another. Splice comments may allow a user to assemble guided
tours of favorite scenes, create annotated music playlists, write
reviews with media clips displayed when and how the user desires.
Splice comments and other specialized comment types may or may not
need to be embedded directly in the media with a specific time code
but may relate only to other comments and may to some extent share
or reflect the time codes of those associated comments
flexibly.
[0113] Query comments allow a user to ask questions and have
friends and strangers help sort out the answers. Query comments may
reside in the media, but they may also be sent as messages to users
who consider themselves experts on certain media and genres. When
experts respond, their answers may also reside in the media as a
threaded conversation with the query as the starting point. Message
comments allow a user to respond to a comment or query via a direct
message rather than an embedded comment (e.g., that a user does not
wish to make public). Message query comments may not collect their
responses within the media as discussion. Rather, all responses may
be sent as messages. These may be useful for commercial
commenting.
[0114] Header comments may contain commentary that pertains to the
movie, song, or other content as a whole. For example, header
commentary may introduce the set of comments that was made as a
commentator watched a movie, or it may provide general comments
about the movie. Header comments may contain indexes, catalogues of
commentary, analytic tools, mapping and graphing tools and other
features that may assist users in exploring and analyzing
commentary and media and associations therein. From the perspective
of a user, header comments may occupy the space just before the
movie begins. Permissions comments in the header and elsewhere may
allow content owners and other entities to set permissions for how
content may be accessed and used. App comments in the header and
elsewhere may contain mini-apps or triggers that perform a function
within the software. An app comment may, for example, reduce the
volume in the media window so that the clip selected for a comment
document is quiet as a voiceover is played. Other comment elements
and customizations may include: 1) authorizations for special event
or premium comment streams, 2) direct notifications sent when
certain comments or comment streams have been selected or operated
upon, 3) automatic messaging that allows certain comments to
generate a message when the user responds, like query comments but
without the experts, 4) multiple response comments that give users
options for where a splice will take them, creating various
possibilities for questionnaires, quizzes, interactive meta media,
and 5) super comments that allow users to consolidate the general
commentary at a point in the timeline or in a specific category and
have it presented and vetted through a process such as a wiki.
[0115] Referring now to FIG. 7, a block diagram of an example of a
user input device 105-j is shown. The user input device 105-j may
interact with a user during playback of media content to receive
and store comments about specific portions of the media content.
The user input device 105-j may be an example of the user input
device 105-j described above with respect to FIG. 1, 4, or 6. The
user input device 105-j may provide a user interface which allows
the user at least to generate comments about media content and
associate the comments with discrete points during the playback of
the media content.
[0116] The user input device 105-j of the present example includes
a selection receiving module 705, a time code determination module
710, a comment receiving module 715, and an association module 720.
Each of these components may be in communication, directly or
indirectly. The selection receiving module 705 may interact with
the user to receive from the user a selection of a first point
during the playback of the media content for insertion of a first
comment. This first point may be the insertion point described
above with reference to FIG. 3A, 3B, or 3C above.
[0117] The selection of the first point may be received, using any
of a variety of means. In certain examples, the user may select the
first point during the playback of the media content using a
scrubber control (e.g., scrubber 310 of FIG. 3A) or a split
scrubber control (e.g., split scrubber 380 of FIG. 3C).
Additionally or alternatively, the user may select the first point
during the playback of the media content by tapping a button or
making a menu selection. The first point may be selected in real
time during the playback of the media content and/or
retroactively.
[0118] In certain examples, the selection receiving module 705 may
receive multiple selections from the user of multiple points during
the playback of the media content for association with a single
comment. For instance, as described above, the user may select a
first point during the playback of the media content for insertion
of a comment and a second point during the playback of the media
content to indicate an expiration or termination of the display of
the comment. Additionally or alternatively, the user may select a
first point during the playback of the media content for insertion
of a comment and a duration of time for which the comment is to be
displayed. In these examples, a comment may be displayed for a
longer or shorter period of time than the duration of the media
content or media content clip with which the comment is
associated.
[0119] The time code determination module 710 may be configured to
generate a time code for each selected point during the playback of
the media content received at the selection receiving module 705.
The time code generated may be based upon a timing associated with
the playback of the media content. The generated time code may
serve as a globally understood reference for the selected point(s)
to be associated with a given comment. That is, a device or process
other than the user input device 105-j may be able to interpret the
time codes generated by the time code determination module 710 to
identify each selected point associated with a comment.
[0120] The comment receiving module 715 may be configured to
receive a comment from the user. The user may intend that the
comment be associated with one or more of the points during the
playback of the media content received by the selection receiving
module 705. The comment may include text and/or other content. In
certain examples, the comment may include recorded audio, video,
hyperlinks, animated content, and/or other content. As described
previously, some comments may even include software functionality,
such as applications or applets that may be invoked when the
comments are viewed. For instance, a comment may include executable
code such that when the comment is viewed, the code is executed to
display an interactive activity to the viewer. This functionality
also may be as simple as an instruction to display the comment for
a set period of time that may not correspond to the duration of the
underlying media clip.
[0121] In additional or alternative examples, the comment(s)
received at the comment receiving module 715 may be associated with
one or more existing comments to allow a viewer of the comments to
move through a daisy chain or other linked organization of
comments, as described previously. Thus, when a comment is received
at the comment receiving module 715, the user input device 105-j
may be further configured to receive a selection of a second
comment from the user for association with the first comment.
[0122] Once the selection of one or more points during the playback
of the media content have been received by the selection receiving
module 705 and the comment has been received by the comment
receiving module 715, the association module 720 may be configured
to associate the received comment with the received one or more
points during the playback of the media content. This association
may make it possible for a device or process receiving the comment
to identify the most relevant portions of the media content to
which the comment applies. Where applicable, the association module
720 may also associate the received comment with one or more other
comments. An association with another comment may allow the
explicit or primary time code of a comment to be of secondary
importance when placed in a user's media time line and may cause it
to be overridden or adjusted in favor of the time code of the other
comment, or it may be associated with multiple points on a time
line to correspond with multiple comments. Associating one comment
with another may also be used as a way to correct the placement of
a misplaced comment or suggest a new placement.
[0123] The comment may be received at the comment receiving module
715 at a different point during the playback of the media content
than the point selected for insertion of the comment. For example,
a user watching a video may select point A for insertion of a
comment, work on the comment while the video continues to play, and
submit the comment to the comment receiving module 715 at point B.
However, because of the selected point(s) during the playback of
the media content received at the selection receiving module 705,
the association module 720 may associate the received content with
the point(s) during the playback of the media content for which the
comment is most relevant or for which the comment is intended.
[0124] The association of the received comment with the selected
one or more points during the playback of the media content may be
accomplished in a number of ways. In certain examples, the comment
may be annotated with one or more pointers to the selected one or
more points during the playback of the media content. Additionally
or alternatively, a record of the received points during the
playback of the media content may be annotated with a pointer to
the comment. In still other examples, a central database may
include references to comments and points during the playback of
the media content, such that a reference to the received comment in
the central database is associated with references to the selected
points during the playback of the media content.
[0125] In certain embodiments, the user input device 105-j may be
the same device used by the user to view the playback of the media
content. For example, the user input device 105-j may be a laptop
or tablet computer which simultaneously plays the media content to
the user and allows the user to generate comments for association
with specific points in the media content. Alternatively, the user
input device 105-j may be separate from a device used to playback
the media content. For example, the user input device 105-j may be
a notebook or tablet computer on which the user enters comments
while watching content provided to a television by a set top box.
In such examples, some degree of synchronization may occur between
the user input device 105-j and the device on which playback
occurs.
[0126] Referring next to FIG. 8, an example of a system 800 is
shown. In the system 800 of FIG. 8, a user 815 utilizes a user
input device 105-k to generate comments about the playback of media
content being viewed on an output device 125-f The system 800 of
the present example includes the user input device 105-k, the
output device 125-f, a network 110-e, a comment server 115-b, a
comment data store 120-b, a media content server 115-c, and a media
content data store 120-c. Each of these components may be in
communication, directly or indirectly.
[0127] The system 800 may be an example of the system 100 described
above with respect to FIG. 1, the system 400 described above with
respect to FIG. 4, the system 500 described above with respect to
FIG. 5, and/or the system 600 described above with respect to FIG.
6. The user input device 105-k may be an example of the user input
device 105 described above with respect to FIG. 1, 4, 6, or 7. The
output device 125-f may be an example of the output device 125
described above with reference to FIG. 1. The network 110-e may be
an example of the network 110 described above with reference to
FIG. 1, 4, or 6. The comment server 115-b and the media content
server 115-c may be examples of the central server computer system
115 described above with reference to FIG. 1 or 4. The comment data
store 120-b and the media content data store 120-c may be examples
of the data store 120 described above with respect to FIG. 1 or
FIG. 4.
[0128] Similar to the user input device 105-j of FIG. 7, the user
input device 105-k of the present example includes a selection
receiving module 705-a for receiving a selection of one or more
points during the playback of the media content from the user 815,
a time code determination module 710-a for generating time codes
with respect to the selected one or more points during the playback
of the media content, a comment receiving module 715-a for
receiving a comment from the user 815, and an association module
720-a for associating the received comment with the time codes for
the selected one or more points during the playback of the media
content.
[0129] The user input device 105-k of the present example also
includes a scrubber control module 805 and a data store
transmission module 810. The scrubber control module 805 may
generate a scrubber control for display to the user 815, as
described above with reference to FIG. 3A and FIG. 3C. The scrubber
control may facilitate the selection of the one or more points
during the playback of the media content for association with the
received comment. The data store transmission module 810 may
transmit the selected one or more points during the playback of the
media content with the received comment over the network 110-c to
the comment server 115-b for storage in the comment data store
120-b. The comment may remain associated with the selected one or
more points during the playback of the media content in the comment
data store 120-b.
[0130] In the present example, the user may view the playback of
the media content on the output device 125-f while concurrently
using the user input device 105-k to generate comments associated
with specific points during the playback of the media content. In
certain examples, the functionality of the user input device 105-k
and the output device 125-f may be implemented by a single user
device. The output device 125-f may receive the media content from
the media content data store 120-c by way of the media content
server 115-c and the network 110-e. In other examples, the media
content may be played at the output device 125-f from a local disk
or other form of local memory. In certain examples, the output
device 125-f may retrieve comments relative to the media content
from the comment data store 120-b via the comment server 115-b and
the network 110-e for display during playback of the media
content.
[0131] As shown in FIG. 8, the comment data store 120-b and the
media content data store 120-c may be separate and independent from
each other. The comments stored by the comment data store 120-b
which are intended for display with the media content may be
associated with the media content in the data store 120-b. In
certain examples, the comment data store 120-b itself may be
associated with one or more articles of media content.
[0132] Referring next to FIG. 9, flowchart of an example method 900
of associating comments with playback of media content is shown.
The method 900 may be performed, for example, by the user input
device 105 described above with respect to FIG. 1, 4, 6, or 7, the
central server computer system 115 described above with reference
to FIG. 1 or 4, and/or by the set-top box 510 described above with
respect to FIG. 5.
[0133] At block 905, a selection of a first point during the
playback of media content is received from a user at an input
device for insertion of a comment. At block 910, a time code
associated with the first point is determined at the input device.
At block 915, the input device receives the comment from the user
at a second point during the playback of the media content, the
second point being different from the first point. At block 920,
the comment is associated with the time code.
[0134] Referring next to FIG. 10, flowchart of another example
method 1000 of associating comments with playback of media content
is shown. The method 1000 may be performed, for example, by the
user input device 105 described above with respect to FIG. 1, 4, 6,
or 7, the central server computer system 115 described above with
reference to FIG. 1 or 4, and/or by the set-top box 510 described
above with respect to FIG. 5.
[0135] At block 1005, a selection of a first point during the
playback of media content is received from a user at an input
device for insertion of a comment. At block 1010, a first time code
associated with the first selected point during the playback of the
media content is determined at the input device. At block 1015, the
input device receives the comment from the user at a second point
during the playback of the media content, the second point being
different from the first point. At block 1020, the input device
receives a selection of a third point during the playback of the
media content for terminating a display of the comment. At block
1025, a second time code associated with the third point during the
playback of the media content is determined. At block 1030, the
comment is associated with the first and second time codes. At
block 1035, the comment and the first and second time codes are
transmitted to a data store of stored comments associated with the
media content.
[0136] A device structure 1100 that may be used for one or more
input devices 105, the central server computer system 115, for one
or more set-top boxes 510, for one or more output devices 125, or
for other computing devices described herein, is illustrated with
the schematic diagram of FIG. 11. This drawing broadly illustrates
how individual system elements of each of the aforementioned
devices may be implemented, whether in a separated or more
integrated manner. Thus, any or all of the various components of
one of the aforementioned devices may be combined in a single unit
or separately maintained and can further be distributed in multiple
groupings or physical units or across multiple locations. The
example structure shown is made up of hardware elements that are
electrically coupled via bus 1105, including processor(s) 1110
(which may further comprise a DSP or special-purpose processor),
storage device(s) 1115, input device(s) 1120, and output device(s)
1125. The storage device(s) 1115 may be a machine-readable storage
media reader connected to any machine-readable storage medium, the
combination comprehensively representing remote, local, fixed, or
removable storage devices or storage media for temporarily or more
permanently containing computer-readable information. The
communications system(s) interface 1145 may interface to a wired,
wireless, or other type of interfacing connection that permits data
to be exchanged with other devices. The communications system(s)
interface 1145 may permit data to be exchanged with a network.
[0137] The structure 1100 may also include additional software
elements, shown as being currently located within working memory
1130, including an operating system 1135 and other code 1140, such
as programs or applications designed to implement methods of the
invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
substantial variations may be used in accordance with specific
requirements. For example, customized hardware might also be used,
or particular elements might be implemented in hardware, software
(including portable software, such as applets), or both.
[0138] It should be noted that the methods, systems, and devices
discussed above are intended merely to be examples. It must be
stressed that various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add
various procedures or components as appropriate. For instance, it
should be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments, the methods
may be performed in an order different from that described, and
that various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Also,
features described with respect to certain embodiments may be
combined in various other embodiments. Different aspects and
elements of the embodiments may be combined in a similar manner.
Also, it should be emphasized that technology evolves and, thus,
many of the elements are examples and should not be interpreted to
limit the scope of the invention.
[0139] Specific details are given in the description to provide a
thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be
understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments
may be practiced without these specific details. For example,
well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and
techniques have been shown without unnecessary detail in order to
avoid obscuring the embodiments.
[0140] Also, it is noted that the embodiments may be described as a
process which is depicted as a flow diagram or block diagram.
Although each may describe the operations as a sequential process,
many of the operations can be performed in parallel or
concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be
rearranged. A process may have additional steps not included in the
figure.
[0141] Moreover, as disclosed herein, the term "memory" or "memory
unit" may represent one or more devices for storing data, including
read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic RAM,
core memory, magnetic disk storage mediums, optical storage
mediums, flash memory devices, or other computer-readable mediums
for storing information. The term "computer-readable medium"
includes, but is not limited to, portable or fixed storage devices,
optical storage devices, wireless channels, a sim card, other smart
cards, and various other mediums capable of storing, containing, or
carrying instructions or data.
[0142] Furthermore, embodiments may be implemented by hardware,
software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description
languages, or any combination thereof. When implemented in
software, firmware, middleware, or microcode, the program code or
code segments to perform the necessary tasks may be stored in a
computer-readable medium such as a storage medium. Processors may
perform the necessary tasks.
[0143] A group of items linked with the conjunction "and" should
not be read as requiring that each and every one of those items be
present in the grouping, but rather should be read as "and/or"
unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, a group of items
linked with the conjunction "or" should not be read as requiring
mutual exclusivity among that group, but rather should also be read
as "and/or" unless expressly stated otherwise.
[0144] Having described several embodiments, it will be recognized
by those of skill in the art that various modifications,
alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without
departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the above
elements may merely be a component of a larger system, wherein
other rules may take precedence over or otherwise modify the
application of the invention. Also, a number of steps may be
undertaken before, during, or after the above elements are
considered. Accordingly, the above description should not be taken
as limiting the scope of the invention.
[0145] These components may, individually or collectively, be
implemented with one or more Application Specific Integrated
Circuits (ASICs) adapted to perform some or all of the applicable
functions in hardware. Alternatively, the functions may be
performed by one or more other processing units (or cores), on one
or more integrated circuits. In other embodiments, other types of
integrated circuits may be used (e.g., Structured/Platform ASICs,
Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and other Semi-Custom ICs),
which may be programmed in any manner known in the art. The
functions of each unit may also be implemented, in whole or in
part, with instructions embodied in a memory, formatted to be
executed by one or more general or application-specific
processors.
* * * * *