In particular, the present invention provides an interactive digital processing system-controlled graphical user interface that provides functionality for play back or other processing of time-based and still media data.
According to Apple, a user interface and methods for using a user interface for controlling processing of time-based media files. In one exemplary method, a graphical representation of a time line for a time-based media is displayed along with a graphical representation of a current time along the graphical representation of the time line. A start graphical indicator and a stop graphical indicator is also displayed along the graphical representation of the time line. A portion of the time-based media may be selected for presentation by dragging or positioning at least one of the start graphical indicator and the stop graphical indicator along the graphical representation of the time line. In another aspect of the invention, an exemplary method allows for the adaptive control of a portion of the interface which indicates time relating to a time-based media. An input speed is determined where this input is to change the portion and the rate at which the change to this portion occurs is dependent upon the input speed. Other aspects of the present invention relating to the interface for controlling the processing of time-based media files are also described.
Here's Apple's background on the invention: "There are a number of file structures used today to store time-based media: audio formats such as AIFF, video formats such as AVI, and streaming formats such as RealMedia. They are different at least in part because of their different focus and applicability. Some of these formats are sufficiently widely accepted, broad in their application, and relatively easy to implement, that they are used not only for content delivery but also as interchange formats such as the QuickTime file format. The QuickTime format is used today by many web sites serving time-based data; in many authoring environments, including professional ones; and on many multimedia CD ROM (e.g., DVD or CD-I) titles.
The QuickTime media layer supports the relatively efficient display and management of general multimedia data, with an emphasis on time-based material (video, audio, video and audio, motion graphics/animation, etc.). The media layer uses the QuickTime file format as the storage and interchange format for media information. The architectural capabilities of the layer are generally broader than the existing implementations, and the file format is capable of representing more information than is currently demanded by the existing QuickTime implementations. Furthermore, the QuickTime file format has structures to represent the temporal behavior of general time-based streams, a concept which covers the time-based emission of network packets, as well as the time-based local presentation of multimedia data.
"Given the capabilities and flexibility provided by time-based media formats, it is desirable to provide a user interface that provides suitable functionality and flexibility for playback and/or other processing of time-based media in such formats.
"Prior user interfaces for controlling the presentation of time-based media include user interfaces for the RealPlayers from RealNetworks of Seattle, Wash., user interfaces for the QuickTime MoviePlayers from Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., and user interfaces for the Windows Media Players from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. Also, there are a number of time-based media authoring systems which allow the media to be created and edited, such as Premiere from Adobe Systems of San Jose, Calif.
These prior user interfaces typically use 'pop-up' or pull-down menus to display controls (e.g. controls for controlling playback) or to display a list of 'favorites' or 'channels; which are typically predetermined, selected media (e.g. CNN or another broadcast source which is remotely located or a locally stored media source). While these lists or menus may be an acceptable way of presenting this information, the lists or menus may not be easily alterable and the alteration operations are not intuitive. Further, these lists or menus are separate from any window presenting the media and thus do not appear to be part of such window.
"In some prior user interfaces, the various controls are displayed on a border of the same window which presents the media. For example, a time bar may be displayed on a window with controls for playback on the same window. While these controls are readily visible and available to a user, a large number of controls on a window causes the window to appear complex and tends to intimidate a novice user.
"Some prior user interfaces include the ability to select, for presentation, certain chapters or sections of a media. LaserDisc players typically include this capability which may be used when the media is segmented into chapters or sections. A user may be presented with a list of chapters or sections and may select a chapter or section from the list. When this list contains a large number of chapters or sections, the user may scroll through the list but the speed of scrolling is fixed at a single, predetermined rate. Thus, the user's ability to scroll through a list of chapters is limited in these prior user interfaces.
"Certain prior user interfaces which allow for editing of time-based media may include the ability of selecting a range of time of the media for editing in that selected range. However, these interfaces do not allow for the playback, through a single playback button, of a selected range of a media which has been selected by at least one dragging action of an indicator."
And here's Apple's summary of the invention: "The present invention relates to various aspects for controlling and/or presenting information concerning time-based media, such as a movie. In one aspect of the invention, an exemplary method of the invention allows for the selection of a presentation of time-based media. In this method, a graphical representation of a time line for the time-based media is displayed, and a graphical representation of a current time is also displayed along the graphical representation of the time line. A start graphical indicator and a stop graphical indicator is also displayed along the graphical representation of the time line. The start graphical indicator or the stop graphical indicator may be positioned, for example, by dragging, either of the indicator along the graphical representation of the time line to select a portion of the time-based media for presentation. In one typical example of this method, both the start graphical indicator and the stop graphical indicator may be dragged along the time line to select a portion of a movie for presentation.
"According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for generating an interface for display for controlling the processing of time-based media data. A first set of data representing a graphical user interface as a primary window is generated and displayed. A second set of data representing a drawer window is generated and contains objects such as representations (e.g. icons) of 'favorites' or 'channels' media. In a first display state, the drawer window is at least partially overlapped by the primary window, and in a second display state is at least partially viewable. In one embodiment, the drawer window appears to be part of the primary window and slides under the primary window when the drawer window is closed. In one embodiment, when the primary window is moved, the drawer window moves with the primary window as part of the primary window. The drawer window, in one embodiment, provides a plurality of locations which are fixed and predetermined, each for displaying a time-based media icon (e.g. a thumbnail image) associated with a time-based media file. In one embodiment, the thumbnail image represents a favorite or channel time-based media, and the user may drag an icon into the drawer window or out of the drawer window in order to alter the contents of the drawer window.
"According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for generating a graphical user interface for control of processing of time-based media data. In an exemplary method according to this aspect, a first set of data representing the graphical user interface is generated and displayed as a primary window. A second set of data representing an auxiliary drawer window is generated for display. In a first display state, the auxiliary drawer window is at least partially overlapped by the primary window and in a second display state it is at least partially viewable. In one embodiment, the auxiliary drawer window appears to be part of the primary window and slides under the primary window when the auxiliary drawer is closed. When the primary window is moved in one embodiment, the auxiliary drawer window moves with the primary window as part of the primary window. In one embodiment, the auxiliary drawer window provides information relating to a time-based media file or controls for the control of a time-based media file.
"According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for controlling a graphical-user interface which processes time-based media information. In one exemplary method of this aspect, input to change a portion of the graphical user interface is detected. This portion indicates time relating to the time-based media. An input speed of the input is determined and a rate at which to change the portion is also determined, where the rate is dependent on the input speed. The information displayed in the portion is changed according to the rate which is dependent upon the input speed. In one particular example according to this aspect of the invention, a chapter selection mechanism allows the user to select different chapters within a movie by causing a chapter display area to have chapters scroll within the area. The speed of scrolling is controlled by the movement of a cursor or other input."
The inventors are Daniel N. Crow, Cary Dean, Elizabeth Dykstra-Erickson, Peter J. Hoddie, Steve Jobs and Timothy E. Wasko. The graphic below is a diagram of a network of computer systems in which media data may be processed, according to one embodiment of the present invention.
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