Patent Application
20120151342
The present disclosure relates generally to presentation of user interface elements, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for displaying graphical elements based on one or more attributes of a selected media title.
Typical methods of providing a user interface for a device are usually directed to device operation for playback of a single media file or source. As such, many conventional user interface controls are directed to functions for playback of a single media title. Some conventional devices provide graphical menus for selection of particular media files. However, these conventional methods and devices are limited in their ability to present a plurality of media titles to a user. As a result, viewing and selecting a media title may be difficult for many users.
With the development of network based services, many providers of media content allow for users to purchase and/or rent media content from a display device. Conventional approaches generally provide a web based interface for selecting media. However, the conventional user interfaces and devices may not be suitable for presenting many files. In many instances, users desire the ability to browse a plurality of media files for rent and/or purchase on a display device via device input controls.
Another drawback of the conventional methods for presenting media titles is the ability to suggest media titles for presentation. Typically, categorization of media titles is limited to alphabetical order or limited categories. Further, these conventional methods do not allow for determining one or more media titles based on user operation of a user interface. Thus, there is a desire for a user interface that allows for selection and presentation of media that overcomes one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks.
Disclosed and claimed herein are methods and apparatus for presenting a user interface by a device. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting a user selection associated with a media title of a user interface displayed by the device, determining rankings of one or more association categories for the media title, wherein rankings are determined based on scoring of a plurality of association categories relative to characteristics of the media title, and displaying, by the device, a graphical element associated with the media title based on the user selection. The method further includes displaying, by the device, one or more graphical elements for a plurality of association categories based on the scoring, wherein the one or more graphical elements are displayed based on rank of the association categories relative to the media title.
Other aspects, features, and techniques of the disclosure will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art in view of the following detailed description of the embodiments.
The features, objects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which like reference characters identify correspondingly throughout and wherein:
One aspect of the present disclosure relates to displaying a user interface to present a one or more media titles. In one embodiment, a method is provided to selectively display one or more media titles and/or association categories determined based on a user selection of the user interface and scoring associations of the media title. Graphical display of elements for the associations may be displayed as in addition to graphical elements associated with media titles presented by a user interface. The association categories and associated media titles may be displayed as graphical elements, or one or more pivot connection elements. The pivot connection elements may be displayed for selection by a user to explore media content. One advantage of the invention may be provided by prioritizing the display of pivot connections. For example, based on user selection of a graphical element associated with a media title, one or more media titles may be scored. Based on rank of the scored media titles, one or more association categories may be displayed for a user. Alternatively, or in combination, one or more association categories may be scored based on user selection of a graphical element associated with a media title. Based on rank of the scored association categories, one or more association categories may be displayed for a user. Display of the user interface may then include one or more pivot connection elements that a user may select to view one or more media titles.
In one embodiment, media titles may be individually scored based on a particular pivot connection category associated with one or more attributes of a selected media title. Display of graphical elements of the media title within a pivot connection element may be based on the media title score. Based on user selection of a pivot connection element, the user interface may be configured to display graphical elements in one or more of a detailed view, grid unit formation and spiral formation for user presentation.
As used herein, the terms “a” or “an” shall mean one or more than one. The term “plurality” shall mean two or more than two. The term “another” is defined as a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having” are open ended (e.g., comprising). The term “or” as used herein is to be interpreted as inclusive or meaning any one or any combination. Therefore, “A, B or C” means “any of the following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A, B and C”. An exception to this definition will occur only when a combination of elements, functions, steps or acts are in some way inherently mutually exclusive.
Reference throughout this document to “one embodiment,” “certain embodiments,” “an embodiment,” or similar term means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of such phrases in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner on one or more embodiments without limitation.
In accordance with the practices of persons skilled in the art of computer programming, the disclosure is described below with reference to operations that are performed by a computer system or a like electronic system. Such operations are sometimes referred to as being computer-executed. It will be appreciated that operations that are symbolically represented include the manipulation by a processor, such as a central processing unit, of electrical signals representing data bits and the maintenance of data bits at memory locations, such as in system memory, as well as other processing of signals. The memory locations where data bits are maintained are physical locations that have particular electrical, magnetic, optical, or organic properties corresponding to the data bits.
When implemented in software, the elements of the disclosure are essentially the code segments to perform the necessary tasks. The code segments can be stored in a processor readable medium, which may include any medium that can store or transfer information. Examples of the processor readable mediums include an electronic circuit, a semiconductor memory device, a read-only memory (ROM), a flash memory or other non-volatile memory, a floppy diskette, a CD-ROM, an optical disk, a hard disk, etc.
Referring now to the figures,
User interface 100 depicts a detailed view of media title 105 according to one embodiment. In that fashion user interface 100 may be displayed by a device to provide information associated with media title 105 to inform a user for purchase, rent or viewing information. Graphical display of media title 105 may relate to artwork (e.g., cover art) associated with the media title and in some instance include text or graphics to identify the media title. User interface 100 may further display text associated with a media title shown as 110, and may further include one or more graphical elements which may be selected and employed by a user to perform functions associated with media title 105.
Graphical display element 115 relates to a buy button which may be selected by the user to purchase media associated with title 105. Graphical display element 115 is depicted with a selected focus state to include glow accent shown by 120. Graphical display element 125 relates to a selection button which may be selected to rent media title 105. User interface 100 may further include a plurality of icons, shown by 130, wherein each icon may be selected as a link to one or more network destinations, such as a social networking site associated with a media title, or source of the media content. User interface 100 further includes media data shown as 135 which may be selected and/or viewed by a user to obtain further information or details of media title 105.
According to one embodiment, one or more graphical elements may be displayed for exploring content associated with media title 105. For example, one or more media titles may be selected from a media library based on one or more associations determined for media title 105. An association category may be based on attributes of media titles. For example, attributes for associating media titles may relate to one or more of genre of the media title, specific cast or crew of the media title, contextual similarly to the media title, a keyword of the media title, a rating of the media title, and awards associated with the media title. Providing a graphical element that may be selected by a user to select one or more media titles based on an association attribute may relate to a pivot connection. In one embodiment, user interface 100 may determine and display one or more pivot connections for a user to view media titles. By way of example, when media title 105 relates to a movie, an attribute of media title 105 that may employed to determine a pivot connection includes one or more names of actors related to media title 105. Based on an actor name, one or more media titles that include that actor may be selected. It should also be appreciated that a pivot connection may be based on a plurality of attributes. As will be discussed in more detail below with respect to
User interface 100 may include display of one or more association category elements, shown as 1401-n. Each association category element, or pivot, may include a graphical element associated with a media title, shown as 145, based on similar attributes of the media titles, or pivot connection. Association category elements may further include display of a portion of one or more additional graphical elements associated with additional media titles, shown as 150. Association category elements may further include a text description to identify a category of the pivot connections. For example, user interface 100 includes association category elements associated with a “more like this” category shown as 155, award category for supporting actor role, shown as 160, and keyword category associated with the keyword “explosion” shown as 165. Based on display of pivot connection elements 1401-n, user interface 100 may allow a user to explore a variety of content based one or more pivot connections to media title 105. Further, as will be discussed in more detail below, display of association category elements may be based on a priority level assigned to each element. In that fashion, content may be directed to a user. Further, user interface 100 may employ a focus transition of graphical display elements to aid in user navigation. For example, user interface 100 may include a spotlight effect, shown as 170, to increase the visual appeal of one or more association category elements.
Although user interface 100 is described above with reference to media titles, it should be appreciated that the user interface may be employed for graphical display and/or presentation of different types of elements including but not limited to management files, personal files, data folders, image files, calendar entries, contacts, etc.
Referring now to
As shown in
I/O interface 215 may include one or more buttons for user input, such as a numerical keypad, volume control, channel control, menu controls, pointing device, track ball, mode selection buttons, and playback functionality (e.g., play, stop, pause, forward, reverse, slow motion, etc). Buttons of I/O interface 215 may include hard and soft buttons, wherein functionality of the soft buttons may be based on one or more applications running on device 200. I/O interface 215 may be employed for one or more user commands, such as scrolling or selection of a graphical element. I/O interface 215 may additionally be configured to decode one or more remote control commands for navigating a user interface. In another embodiment, device 200 may include one or more optical drives, not shown in
Communication interface 225 may be configured to allow for network based communications including but not limited to LAN, WAN, Wi-Fi, etc. In certain embodiments, communication interface 225 may be configured to allow for one or more devices to communicate with device 200 via wired or wireless communication. Communication interface 225 may additionally include one or more ports for receiving data, including ports for removable memory.
Referring now to
At block 310, rankings may be determined for one or more association categories for a media title. The rankings may be determined based on scoring of a plurality of association categories relative to characteristics of the media title. Scoring association categories may include scoring one or more attributes of an association category and/or attributes of media titles relative to a media title associated with the user selection or a category selected by the user. One or more pivot connections may be determined based on the scoring. In order to determine a pivot connection, the device may determine one or more attributes of the selected media title or category.
In one embodiment, a device may determine rankings of association categories based on ranking and scoring data received by the device from a network based service. For example, the device may receive ranking and scoring data for each media title relative to an association category and/or mother media title. The device may determine the ranking data by associating that user selection to received ranking or scoring data. Attribute data may be received from a network based service. A network based service may similarly provide rankings of association categories and scoring data to the device. In that fashion, the device may determine rankings based on received ranking and score data. In that fashion, processing speed may be increased as ranking and scoring data may be available when a user selection is detected.
According to another embodiment, a determining rankings of association categories may be determined by the device. In certain embodiments, the device may determine and store in memory one or more tables including attribute data for a plurality of media titles. In other embodiments, a network server may provide a memory table matching one or more attributes of media titles. Based on the attributes of a media title, one or more association categories or media titles may be selected. Selected media titles may further be arranged based on one or more categories.
In one embodiment, scoring the plurality of media titles may be based on associations of media titles relative to one or more of genre of the media title, specific cast or crew of the media title, contextual similarly to the media title, a keyword of the media title, a rating of the media title, and awards associated with the media title. Scoring the plurality of media titles may include determining highest ranking associations of the media title to each of the plurality of media titles based on rank determined for each media title attribute.
Based on the user selection, the device may display a graphical element, such as cover artwork or a graphic tile, for the media title at block 315. Display of the user interface may include display of one or more association categories, or pivot opportunities, at block 320. Display of the association categories may include identification of the category, such as text and one or more graphical elements associated with media titles. The graphical elements for the association categories may be displayed to include portions of the media titles that are associated with the category.
Referring now to
In one embodiment, presentation of association categories may be prioritized. According to another embodiment, a sub-set of association categories determined for a media title may be displayed on the user interface, wherein other association categories may be accessed by user scrolling of a portion of the user interface that includes the categories. Accordingly,
Cast category 405 may be associated with one or more cast members of a movie. The device may be configured to determine one or more cast member names, shown as 4101-n, as an attribute for determining an association, or pivot connection, to another media title. As will be discussed in more detail below with respect to
Referring now to
User interface 500 may be configured to display graphical elements in a spiral arrangement. The spiral arrangement of
In certain embodiments, user interface 500 may include menu 540 listing one or more association categories that may be selected by a user. Based on a selected association category, one or more media titles may be displayed. For example, as depicted in
Menu 540 may further include additional pivot connection categories, such as director category 565 and a pivot connection element for the directors name shown as 570. In a further embodiment, user interface 500 may include spotlight treatment, shown as 575, to improve the visual appeal of displayed pivot connection elements.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
At block 810, each pivot opportunity may be scored for a media title. Scoring the plurality of media titles may include determining highest ranking associations of the media title to each of the plurality of media titles based on rank determined for each media title attribute. In one embodiment, collaborative filtering may be employed to score a pivot opportunity based on ore or more associations with a media title, and the strength of the association. Additionally, association categories may additionally be scored based on the number and rank of media titles associated with each association category. In one embodiment, scoring may be based on a percentage value for each association a media title is scored relative to a category. In another embodiment, attribute scores may be combined as a total score for all or a subset of associations.
According to another embodiment, one of more pivot opportunities maybe discarded. For example, an association category having too many, or too little, media titles may be discarded or removed form a presentation list of association categories. At decision block 815, it may be determined whether to discard one or more pivot opportunities. When one or more pivot opportunities is to be discarded (e.g., “YES” path out of decision block 815), the rank of remaining association categories and pivot opportunities may be updated at block 820. When one or more pivot opportunities is to be discarded (e.g., “NO” path out of decision block 815), the rank of remaining association categories is output at block 825. Ranking of each pivot opportunity and association category allows for a prioritization of media titles or media title categories to be presented to the user. In contrast to merely associating media titles, categories and titles may be ranked and presented based on one or more of importance, relevance and user entertainment.
According to another embodiment, scored pivot opportunities and association categories may be updated by randomly introducing, or repositioning one or more association categories. For example, a pivot category that may include only a high score for one association, the score being substantially higher than other associations, but appearing with a lower rank may be adjusted to provide a user with a varied experience. At decision block 830, it may be determined whether to insert a random pivot opportunity or association category. When one or more pivot opportunities are to be inserted (e.g., “YES” path out of decision block 830), the rank of remaining association categories and pivot opportunities may be updated at block 835. When one or more pivot opportunities is not to be inserted (e.g., “NO” path out of decision block 830), the rank of remaining association categories is output at block 840. It should also be appreciated that scoring and ranking of data determined by process 800 may employed by a network based service to provide to one or more devices for presenting a user interface.
While this disclosure has been particularly shown and described with references to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the embodiments encompassed by the appended claims.
This application is related to commonly-assigned and concurrently filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, entitled “User Interface for Media Content Presentation”, the disclosure of which is hereby fully incorporated by reference.
