NAVIGATING A PLURALITY OF VIDEO CONTENT ITEMS

Abstract

A method for processing a plurality of video content items for a graphical user interface to render at least two content items among the plurality, the video content items of the plurality being successively rendered. The method includes: rendering a first content item among the plurality, on a full screen; at a first predetermined period of time before the end of rendering the first video content item, displaying a progress bar having a plurality of images, each image respectively corresponding to a video content item among the plurality of video content items; rendering a second video content item; applying a graphic effect to an image of the bar corresponding to the second content item; eliminating the display of the progress bar after a second predetermined period of time after the rendering of the second content item begins, such that the second content item is rendered on the full screen.

Claims

1. A method for processing a plurality of video content items in order for a graphical user interface to render at least two content items among the plurality, the video content items of the plurality being successively rendered, the method comprising the acts of: full-screen rendering of a first video content item among said plurality; at a first predetermined period of time before the end of rendering said first video content item, displaying a progress bar comprising a plurality of images, each image respectively corresponding to a video content item among the plurality of video content items; rendering a second video content item; applying a graphic effect to an image of the bar corresponding to the second video content item; and eliminating the display of the progress bar after a second predetermined period of time after the rendering of the second content item begins, such that the second content item is rendered on the full screen.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the acts of rendering the second video content and applying the graphic effect are carried out simultaneously.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the bar is displayed, the graphical user interface comprises the full-screen rendering of the first and then the second video content items and the display of the bar as an overlay.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the bar is displayed, the graphical user interface comprises: a main playback area configured for rendering the first and then the second video content items; the progress bar.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the bar comprises an image corresponding to the first video content item, and wherein at least the image corresponding to the first video content item is a moving image, such that the rendering of the first video content item and the movement of the image corresponding to the first content item are synchronized.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein at least the image corresponding to the second video content item is a moving image, such that the rendering of the second video content item and the movement of the image corresponding to the second content item are synchronized.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least the second video content item comprises metadata, so that the act of applying the graphic effect further comprises displaying at least a portion of said metadata.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the metadata are displayed in an area separate from the bar display area.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the succession of video content items comprised in the plurality of video content items is determined by at least one element among: a history of video content items accessed by the user of the graphical user interface; video content items shared on a social network by friends in the social network of the user of the graphical user interface; preferences of the user of the graphical user interface.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the metadata comprise at least one piece of information concerning said at least one element.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the images of the bar extend in a direction parallel to the bar.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program stored thereon comprising instructions for implementing a method for processing a plurality of video content items, when these instructions are executed by a processor, wherein the instructions configure the processor to perform acts comprising: processing the plurality of video content items in order for a graphical user interface to render at least two content items among the plurality, the video content items of the plurality being successively rendered, wherein processing comprises: full-screen rendering of a first video content item among said plurality; at a first predetermined period of time before the end of rendering said first video content item, displaying a progress bar comprising a plurality of images, each image respectively corresponding to a video content item among the plurality of video content items; rendering a second video content item; applying a graphic effect to an image of the bar corresponding to the second video content item; and eliminating the display of the progress bar after a second predetermined period of time after the rendering of the second content item begins, such that the second content item is rendered on the full screen.

13. A Device for processing a plurality of video content items in order for a graphical user interface to render at least two content items among the plurality, the video content items among the plurality being successively rendered, the device comprising: a screen configured to display the graphical user interface; a processor configured to perform the operations of: rendering a first video content item among said plurality, on a full screen; at a first predetermined period of time before the end of rendering said first video content item, displaying a progress bar comprising a plurality of images, each image respectively corresponding to a video content item among the plurality of video content items; rendering a second video content item; applying a graphic effect to an image of the bar corresponding to the second video content item; eliminating the display of the progress bar after a second predetermined period of time after the rendering of the second content item begins, such that the second content item is rendered on the full screen.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0045] FIG. 1 illustrates a context of use of the invention, according to one embodiment;

[0046] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the steps of a method according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0047] FIG. 3 illustrates a microcontroller according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0048] The invention is described below in its non-limiting application to a television screen receiving data from a set-top box where the set-top box receives instructions from a user, for example by means of a remote control. It is also possible for the television to integrate the functionalities implemented by the set-top box. Other applications, such as a smartphone controlled by the user by means of a touch screen, a stylus-controlled tablet, or a motion-controlled gaming console, are also possible.

[0049] The term “touch screen” is understood to mean any type of screen capable of being controlled by a user motion, this definition including control of a screen by analyzing movements made in direct proximity, or more distant proximity, to the screen. Near Field Imaging (NFI) and visual detection of motion (such as the Kinect™ device) are examples of touch screens.

[0050] FIG. 1 represents a context for implementing the invention. In particular, a television screen 6, typically receiving data from a set-top box comprising a microcontroller described below with reference to FIG. 3, is configured to display a graphical user interface 1.

[0051] The graphical user interface 1 comprises: [0052] a main playback area 5 configured for rendering video content; [0053] a progress bar 4; and [0054] a metadata display area 3.

[0055] In FIG. 1, the image (little girl in the rain) of the rendered video content is represented in full screen, with the bar 4 and area 3 overlaid on the full-screen image. In this situation, area 5 corresponds to the image (little girl in the rain) of the video content, the lower part cut off as it is obstructed by the bar 4 and the portion reserved for displaying metadata.

[0056] In another embodiment, the image (little girl in the rain) from the video content item is scaled so that area 5 renders the entire image from the video content. Typically, the size of the image may be reduced and the image shifted so that it is centered in area 5. Other combinations for displaying the graphical user interface are also possible (metadata overlay but scaling so that the bar does not obstruct the bottom of the image).

[0057] The bar 4 comprises a plurality of images, each image respectively corresponding to a video content item among a plurality of video content items. The images of the bar extend in a direction parallel to the bar. The images of the bar may, from left to right, correspond to the succession of videos among the plurality of video items. In a region of the world in which it is common to represent a chronological succession from right to left, the images of the bar may correspond, from right to left, to the succession of videos among the plurality of video items.

[0058] For example, in FIG. 1, images depicting a little girl in the rain, a television show, a person walking in the rain, a clip of one actor, a smiling girl, and a mysterious actress are included in the bar. The plurality of videos comprises the videos corresponding to these images. The videos are successively rendered, in particular in area 5, for example in the order of the images of the bar 4. Thus, if rendering all videos among the plurality of video items, a video of a little girl in the rain, a television show, a person walking in the rain, etc. will be successively rendered.

[0059] All videos among the plurality of video items may be represented in the bar 4. Alternatively, in particular when there is a large number of videos in the plurality of video items, only a few videos are represented by an image in the bar 4. In this situation, the images of the bar may represent at least one video preceding and/or following the rendered video (little girl in the rain). To browse other images corresponding to other videos, the user can interact with the graphical user interface to display these other images in the bar, for example by selecting the arrow to the right of the bar 4 in FIG. 1 or in references 8 and 9 of FIG. 2.

[0060] In one embodiment, the succession of video content items comprised in the plurality of video content items is determined by at least one among: [0061] a history of video content items accessed by the user of the graphical user interface. This history may also be exported from other applications or interfaces. For example, this history may correspond to videos viewed on the YouTube™ platform; [0062] video content items shared on a social network by friends in the social network of the user of the graphical user interface. These content items may also be content items shared by the user on the social network. The social network is for example Facebook™, Twitter™, or Instagram™; [0063] preferences of the user of the graphical user interface. The user can thus indicate preferences for animal videos, videos shorter than 30 seconds, black-and-white videos, or videos shown on a particular television channel.

[0064] The selection of content items among the plurality of video items may be made by considering one of the aforementioned elements or a combination of these elements. For example, a video may be chosen based on the observation that the user frequently watches videos shared on Facebook™ by Caroline Da Fonseca. Thus, the video of the little girl in the rain shared on Facebook™ by Caroline Da Fonseca could be selected based on these criteria.

[0065] The selection may also be made directly by the user, who selects videos so that they are included in the plurality of video items.

[0066] The metadata displayed in area 3 may include information about the element that led to selecting the video. For example, information about the contact on Facebook™ who shared the video about the little girl may be listed in area 3.

[0067] FIG. 2 illustrates the steps of the method according to the invention, in one embodiment. In particular, the following steps are represented: [0068] in step 11, full-screen rendering of a first video content item (little girl in the rain) among the plurality of video items; [0069] in step 12, the bar 4 is displayed at a first predetermined period of time before the end of rendering of the first video item; [0070] in step 13, the second video content item is rendered, and a graphic effect 16 is applied to an image of the bar corresponding to a second video content item, the second content item following the first content item; [0071] in step 14, display of the bar 4 is eliminated after a second predetermined period of time after the rendering of the second content item begins, such that the second content item is rendered on the full screen.

[0072] The display of the graphical user interface 1 is illustrated in references 7, 8, 9, and 10. References 7, 8, 9, and 10 respectively correspond to steps 11, 12, 13 and 14.

[0073] In step 12, in one embodiment, a graphic effect 15 is also applied to the image in the bar corresponding to the first video content (little girl in the rain). The graphic effect may correspond to a simple frame around the image, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Other effects may also be considered, such as framing the image with a border of different thicknesses and/or changing the image size, highlighting the image, and so on.

[0074] When the bar 4 is displayed, the graphical user interface 1 may comprise the rendering of the first then the second video content items in the main playback area 5. The main playback area may comprise the complete images of the rendered video, or only a portion of these images (cropped images, see also the above explanations with reference to FIG. 1).

[0075] In one particular embodiment, the graphic effect is applied at a third predetermined period of time before, after, or simultaneous to beginning the rendering of a second video content item among the plurality of video content items.

[0076] The first, second, and/or third predetermined period of time may be chosen by the user, predefined, or variable depending on the video content. In one embodiment, the first, second, and/or third predetermined period of time is a few seconds, for example one second.

[0077] In one embodiment, at least one image contained in the bar 4 is a moving image. For example, the moving image may be the image corresponding to the video being rendered in the main playback area 5. Thus, in the example given in FIG. 2, denoted 8, the image comprised in the graphic effect 15 is a moving image, so that the rendering of the first video content (little girl in the rain) and the animation of the image comprised in the graphic effect 15 is synchronized. Similarly, in reference 9, the moving image comprised in the graphic effect 16 and the second video content item (television program) being rendered are synchronized.

[0078] The details of a microcontroller 19, comprised in the set-top box for example, by which the steps are implemented, the steps of the method described with reference to FIG. 2 in particular, is described here with reference to FIG. 3.

[0079] This microcontroller 19 may take the form of a housing comprising printed circuits, of any type of computer or of any type of sub-portion of the set-top box.

[0080] The microcontroller 19 comprises random access memory 23 for storing instructions for implementation by a processor 22 of the steps of the method described with reference to FIG. 2 in particular. The device also comprises mass storage 24 for storing data intended to be retained after implementation of the method.

[0081] The microcontroller 19 may further comprise a digital signal processor (DSP) 21. This DSP 21 for example receives the video in order to format, demodulate, and amplify this video in a manner that is known per se.

[0082] The microcontroller 19 also comprises an input interface 20 for receiving data such as the video, the input signals received from the user, operating parameters, and the like.

[0083] The microcontroller 19 also comprises an output interface 25 in particular for the transmission of display data intended for the screen.

[0084] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above by way of example; it extends to other variants.

[0085] The invention has thus been described above in its application to a television screen connected to a set-top box. The invention may also be implemented on a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop or desktop computer, or any other electronic device.

[0086] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to one or more examples, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the disclosure and/or the appended claims.