US6868440B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Multi-level skimming of multimedia content using playlists
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
•
Filing: 2000-02-04
•
Granted: 2005-03-15
•
Expires: 2020-02-04
Abstract
Abstract A skimmed or preview version of multimedia content is provided to a client computer by a server computer using playlists. The skimmed version of multimedia content can be presented to a user of a client computer in less time than presenting the entire multimedia content would require. The server computer maintains skimming information that identifies particular segments of the multimedia content corresponding to the skimmed version. The server computer uses the skimming information to generate a playlist, which in turn is used by the server computer to access the appropriate segments of the multimedia content and provide the segments to the client computer.
Inventors
- 👤 Anoop Gupta
- 👤 Li-wei He
- 👤 Nosakhare D. Omoigui
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 05:03
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B27/00; G11B27/10; G11B27/102; G11B27/105; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/40; G06F16/43; G06F16/438; G06F16/4387; G11B27/34; H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/234; H04N21/2343; H04N21/23439; H04N21/25; H04N21/262; H04N21/26258; H04N21/40; H04N21/45; H04N21/462; H04N21/4621; H04N21/47; H04N21/482; H04N21/4825; H04N21/60; H04N21/63; H04N21/637; H04N21/6377; H04N21/65; H04N21/658; H04N21/6587; H04N21/80; H04N21/83; H04N21/845; H04N21/8455; H04N21/8456; H04N21/85; H04N21/854; H04N21/8549; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N7/17309; H04N7/17318
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A system comprising; a client computer to, provide skimming level selection information to a user based on a plurality of available skimming levels, and receive a skimming level selection from the user; and a server computer, coupled to the client computer, to, receive the slimming level selection from the client computer, use a playlist of multimedia content corresponding to the skimming level selection, the playlist identifying segments, corresponding to the skimming level selection, of the multimedia content, and provide, to the client computer in response to receipt of the skimming level selection from the client computer, the segments of the multimedia content identified by the playlist.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
106 words
A system comprising; a client computer to, provide skimming level selection information to a user based on a plurality of available skimming levels, and receive a skimming level selection from the user; and a server computer, coupled to the client computer, to, receive the slimming level selection from the client computer, use a playlist of multimedia content corresponding to the skimming level selection, the playlist identifying segments, corresponding to the skimming level selection, of the multimedia content, and provide, to the client computer in response to receipt of the skimming level selection from the client computer, the segments of the multimedia content identified by the playlist.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the client computer presents a user interface with the segments identified by the playlist.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the client computer provides, via the user interface, an input mechanism through which the user can input a skimming level selection.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the input mechanism comprises a plurality of skimming level selection buttons.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the input mechanism comprises a rotatable dial via which a skimming level can be identified.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the rotatable dial comprises a graphical dial.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the skimming level selection information provided to the user is based on a plurality of playlists previously generated and accessible to the server computer.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for providing a skimmed version of multimedia content, the method comprising: accessing first skimming information corresponding to a first skimming level of a plurality of previously generated skimming levels of the multimedia content; using the first skimming information to access a first plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the first skimming level; forwarding the first plurality of segments to a client computer; receiving a selection of a second skimming level of the plurality of previously generated skimming levels from the client computer while the first plurality of segments are being forwarded to the client computer; accessing second skimming information corresponding to the second skimming level; using the second skimming information to access a second plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the second skimming level; and forwarding the second plurality of segments to the client computer.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for providing a skimmed version of multimedia content, the method comprising: accessing first skimming information corresponding to a first skimming level of a plurality of previously generated skimming levels of the multimedia content; using the first skimming information to access a first plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the first skimming level; forwarding the first plurality of segments to a client computer; receiving a selection of a second skimming level of the plurality of previously generated skimming levels from the client computer while the first plurality of segments are being forwarded to the client computer; accessing second skimming information corresponding to the second skimming level; using the second skimming information to access a second plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the second skimming level; and forwarding the second plurality of segments to the client computer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the forwarding the first plurality of segments comprises streaming the accessed first plurality of segments to the client computer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the using the first skimming information comprises generating a playlist based on the first skimming information.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the receiving further comprises receiving an indication of a current presentation time of the first plurality of segments.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the indication comprises the presentation time referenced to the timeline of the multimedia content.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the indication comprises a current segment of the first plurality of segments and an offset into the current segment.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
79 words
A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the forwarding of the second plurality of segments comprises: identifying a current presentation time of the first plurality of segments; identifying a time in the second plurality of segments that corresponds to the current presentation time; and forwarding the second plurality of segments to the client computer starting with the time in the second plurality of segments that corresponds to the current presentation time of the first plurality of segments.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a computer to perform the method recited in claim 8 .
Claim 18
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for presenting a skimmed version of multimedia content, the method comprising: accessing first skimming information corresponding to a first skimming level of a plurality of previously generated skimming levels of the multimedia content; using the first skimming information to generate a playlist identifying a first plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the first skimming level; retrieving the first plurality of segments from a storage device; and presenting the first plurality of segments as the skimmed version.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for presenting a skimmed version of multimedia content, the method comprising: accessing first skimming information corresponding to a first skimming level of a plurality of previously generated skimming levels of the multimedia content; using the first skimming information to generate a playlist identifying a first plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the first skimming level; retrieving the first plurality of segments from a storage device; and presenting the first plurality of segments as the skimmed version.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the retrieving comprises: transmitting the playlist to a server computer; and receiving the first plurality of segments from the server computer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
93 words
A method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising: receiving user input identifying a second skimming level of the plurality of previously generated skimming levels while the first plurality of segments is being presented; accessing second skimming information corresponding to the second skimming level; using the second skimming information to generate a second playlist identifying a second plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the second skimming level; retrieving the second plurality of segments from the storage device; and presenting the second plurality of segments as the skimmed version.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the retrieving of the second plurality of segments comprises: transmitting the second playlist to a server computer; and receiving the second plurality of segments from the server computer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 16 .
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
164 words
One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to provide a skimmed version of multimedia content by: accessing first skimming information corresponding to a first skimming level of a plurality of previously generated skimming levels of the multimedia content; using the first skimming information to access a first plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the first skimming level; forwarding the first plurality of segments to a client computer; receiving a selection of a second skimming level of the plurality of previously generated skimming levels from the client computer while the first plurality of segments are being forwarded to the client computer; accessing second skimming information corresponding to the second skimming level; using the second skimming information to access a second plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the second skimming level; and forwarding the second plurality of segments to the client computer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
164 words
One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to provide a skimmed version of multimedia content by: accessing first skimming information corresponding to a first skimming level of a plurality of previously generated skimming levels of the multimedia content; using the first skimming information to access a first plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the first skimming level; forwarding the first plurality of segments to a client computer; receiving a selection of a second skimming level of the plurality of previously generated skimming levels from the client computer while the first plurality of segments are being forwarded to the client computer; accessing second skimming information corresponding to the second skimming level; using the second skimming information to access a second plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the second skimming level; and forwarding the second plurality of segments to the client computer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 , wherein the forwarding the first plurality of segments comprises streaming the accessed first plurality of segments to the client computer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 , wherein the using the first skimming information comprises generating a playlist based on the fir skimming information.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 , wherein the receiving further comprises receiving an indication of a current presentation time of the first plurality of segments.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 24 , wherein the indication comprises the presentation time referenced to the timeline of the multimedia content.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 24 , wherein the indication comprises a current segment of the first plurality of segment and an offset into the current segment.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
81 words
One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein the forwarding of the second plurality of segments comprises: identifying a current presentation time of the first plurality of segments; identifying a time in the second plurality of segments that corresponds to the current presentation time; and forwarding the second plurality of segments to the client computer starting with the time in the second plurality of segments that corresponds to the current presentation time of the first plurality of segments.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
101 words
One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to present a skimmed version of multimedia content by: accessing first skimming information corresponding to a first skimming level of a plurality of previously generated skimming levels of the multimedia content; using the first skimming information to generate a playlist identifying a first plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the first skimming level; retrieving the first plurality of segments from a storage device; and presenting the fist plurality of segments as the skimmed version.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
101 words
One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to present a skimmed version of multimedia content by: accessing first skimming information corresponding to a first skimming level of a plurality of previously generated skimming levels of the multimedia content; using the first skimming information to generate a playlist identifying a first plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the first skimming level; retrieving the first plurality of segments from a storage device; and presenting the fist plurality of segments as the skimmed version.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
33 words
One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28 , wherein the retrieving comprises: transmitting the playlist to a server computer; and receiving the first plurality of segments from the server computer.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
112 words
One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 28 , the instructions further causing the one or more processors to present the skimmed version of multimedia content by: receiving user input identifying a second skimming level of the plurality of previously generated skimming levels while the first plurality of segments is being presented; accessing second skimming information corresponding to the second skimming level; using the second skimming information to generate a second playlist identifying a second plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the second skimming level; retrieving the second plurality of segments from the storage device; and presenting the second plurality of segments as the skimmed version.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
41 words
One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 30 , wherein the retrieving of the second plurality of segments comprises: transmitting the second playlist to a server computer; and receiving the second plurality of segments from the server computer.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-03-14 | 2008-09-13 | 2009-03-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-03-14 | 2012-09-13 | 2013-03-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-03-14 | 2016-09-13 | 2017-03-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |