Patent Application
20140157096
Embodiments of the inventive subject matter generally relate to the field of displaying media on the internet, and more particularly to the display of video thumbnails selected to correspond with a website's content.
In the context of website content, “thumbnail image” typically refers to a smaller image that represents a larger image. Thumbnails can represent static images. Thumbnail images can also represent videos and other media. In many instances, it is important that a thumbnail image (a.k.a. “thumbnail) accurately represents media with which it is associated.
Commonly, thumbnails are associated with search results provided by a search engine. Typically, when a user enters search term(s) into a search engine, the search engine returns a list relevant links, media, and the like. In the context of image and video searches, a search engine may display thumbnails of the media associated with the search result. For example, an image search may yield a plurality of thumbnails associated with media relevant to the search terms. The thumbnails are typically reduced-size representations of the original images. Similarly, a video search may yield a plurality of thumbnails associated with media relevant to the search terms. Unlike a static image (i.e., a single image), a video is a sequence of many images. As such, the thumbnail representing the video is a reduced-size representation of one of the many images that make up the video (e.g., the thumbnail is a frame in the video). Because a thumbnail for a video is only one (or a handful) of the many frames that make up the video, it may be desirable for the thumbnail to be a frame accurately representing the video as a whole. For example, a frame depicting the Olympic Rings as a thumbnail for a video discussing the Olympic Games may be more representative of the content than a frame depicting scenery of a city hosting the Olympic Games.
Some embodiments of the inventive subject matter may include a method for embedding, in a website, a video and a thumbnail image associated with the video. The method can include requesting, over a network, the video from a video source. The method can include transmitting, to the video source, theme information indicating a theme of the website. The method can include receiving the video and the thumbnail image, wherein the thumbnail image is thematically consistent with the theme of the website. The method can include embedding the video in the website. The method can include presenting the thumbnail image in association with the video.
The present embodiments may be better understood, and numerous objects, features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings.
The description that follows includes exemplary systems, methods, techniques, instruction sequences and computer program products that embody techniques of the present inventive subject matter. However, it is understood that the described embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For instance, although examples refer to a website (whether a host website or an embedding website) analyzing existing metadata for the video to determine an appropriate thumbnail, in other embodiments, the website (whether a host website or an embedding website) may generate the relevant metadata itself In other instances, well-known instruction instances, protocols, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obfuscate the description.
Currently, video thumbnails are typically selected by default as the first frame of the video. Sometimes the author, or person posting a video, may select a video frame that they wish to use as the video's thumbnail. If the thumbnail is chosen as the first frame of the video by default, the thumbnail may not accurately represent the subject matter of the video. For instance, if a video begins by displaying the author of the video, or a copyright notice, using this image as the video's thumbnail is unlikely to represent the video's subject matter. If the author/poster chooses a thumbnail, it is more likely to represent the subject matter of the video.
Often times, videos are shared or reposted on different websites. When a video is reposted, it typically retains its current thumbnail (whether selected by default or selected by the author/poster). This can be problematic, as different websites may focus on different information. As such, a different thumbnail may be desirable for the same video, depending on the website or forum on which it is presented. For example, a video filmed in the rainforest may be posted to a nature television channel website. When posted to a rainforest preservation blog, the video thumbnail could include images of deforestation. When posted to a wildlife website, the video thumbnail could include images of animals. The inventive subject matter may allow video thumbnails to be selected based on the content or the context of the forum on which the video is presented. As such, the thumbnail may accurately represent the video, and may be relevant to the interests of the visitors of the forum.
In one embodiment, a website or forum that will be embedding (or posting) the video (e.g., the “embedding website”) may begin by requesting the video from a video source (e.g., a source website). Next, the embedding website may communicate to the source website information about the embedding website's theme. After the source website receives the theme information from the embedding website, the source website can determine a number of possible thumbnails, and provide the thumbnails to the embedding website along with the video. In other embodiments, the embedding website itself may analyze the contents of the video. Upon reviewing the contents of the video, the embedding website may select an appropriate frame (or frames) suitable to act as a thumbnail (or thumbnails) for the video. In any case, some embodiments of the inventive subject matter select thumbnails for videos and other media content.
The present embodiments may be better understood, and numerous objects, features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings.
At block 304, the embedding website transmits information about its theme to the video source website. The video source website can use the theme information to select video thumbnail images that complement the embedding website's theme. In some embodiments, where the video originates from a local source, this operation may be unnecessary. The flow continues at block 306.
At block 306, the embedding website receives the video and one or more suitable thumbnails from the host website or video source. As noted, the thumbnails complement or otherwise work with the embedding website's theme. The flow continues at block 308.
At block 308, the embedding website embeds the video. The flow continues at block 310.
At block 310, the embedding website presents the appropriate thumbnail which may match the website's theme.
This description continues with a discussion about how the video source may select thumbnails based on information provided by the embedding website.
At block 404, the embedding website determines distinct segments of the video. The embedding website then determines the themes of each distinct segment. The flow continues at block 406.
At block 406, the embedding website produces thumbnails appropriate to each of the video's segment themes, i.e. thumbnails that may be descriptive of each segment theme. The flow continues at block 408.
At block 408, the embedding website determines context and themes of the forum. In some embodiments, the embedding website may be the forum. As such, the embedding website would determine its own themes. The flow continues at block 410.
At block 410, the embedding website chooses a thumbnail that has a theme consistent with the theme of the forum. As noted, the thumbnails complement or otherwise work with the embedding website's theme. The flow continues at block 412.
At block 412, the embedding website presents the chosen thumbnail.
As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present inventive subject matter may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present inventive subject matter may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present inventive subject matter may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.
Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.
Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present inventive subject matter may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).
Aspects of the present inventive subject matter are described with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the inventive subject matter. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
While the embodiments are described with reference to various implementations and exploitations, it will be understood that these embodiments are illustrative and that the scope of the inventive subject matter is not limited to them. In general, techniques for video thumbnail selection as described herein may be implemented with facilities consistent with any hardware system or hardware systems. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are possible.
Plural instances may be provided for components, operations or structures described herein as a single instance. Finally, boundaries between various components, operations and data stores are somewhat arbitrary, and particular operations are illustrated in the context of specific illustrative configurations. Other allocations of functionality are envisioned and may fall within the scope of the inventive subject matter. In general, structures and functionality presented as separate components in the exemplary configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall within the scope of the inventive subject matter.
