# US 2014/0196066 A1 · Data Highlighting and Extraction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196066 A1 - Document ID: US20140196066A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/991,207 - Filed: 2010-12-13 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-13 - Inventors: Gansha Wu; Dan Zhang; Biao Chen; Yongjian Chen; Peng Guo; Zhanglin Liu; Zhigang Wang; Xin Zhou - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196066A1 ## CPC - H04N 21/2407: {Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads (arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14)} - G06F 16/40: of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data (retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70) - G06F 16/48: Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually - G06F 16/78: Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract We are facing an explosion in availability of online content, in particular accessing audio, video, and other data is considered to be driving the expansion of the Internet to accommodate access needs. However, time availability for accessing such data remains constrained and it is becoming more imperative that a technology be utilized to package the data for example, as a Collective Cut, to facilitate its consumption by pre-identifying portions of the data that are expected to be interesting to a consumer. Such packaging has many possibilities. For example, in the audio context, audio data could be presented to a consumer with specific portions of an audio presentation highlighted as the best portions to listen to if the consumer lacks sufficient time to listen to the entire presentation. In the video context, video highlights for a movie or other consumable data may be provided, allowing a consumer to electively skip through the highlights if there is insufficient time and/or interest in viewing the entire presentation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for annotating consumable data, comprising: first monitoring a first consumption of the consumable data by a first consumer; determining a first interesting region of the consumable data based at least in part on the first monitoring; second monitoring a second consumption of the consumable data; determining a second interesting region of the consumable data based at least in part on the second monitoring; and determining a collection of interesting regions for the consumable data based at least in part on a refining of the first interesting region based at least in part on the second interesting region. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: third monitoring a substantial number of consumers' consumption of the consumable data; determining a corresponding substantial number of interesting regions of the consumable data based at least in part on the monitoring the substantial number of consumers; and determining a collective cut for the consumable data based at least in part on similarities between selected ones of: the collection of interesting regions, and the substantial number of interesting regions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: assigning a weighting factor, associated with each consumer consuming the consumable data, to each interesting region identified by said each consumer; determining a collection of regions based at least on common overlapping portions of said each interesting region identified by said each consumer; and assigning weighting factors, to each interesting region of the collection, based at least in part on a combination of weighting factors for each of said common overlapping portions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: assigning a first weighting factor associated with the first consumer to the first interesting region; assigning a second weighting factor associated with the second consumer to the second interesting region; determining a third interesting region based at least in part on an overlap between the first and second interesting regions; and assigning a third weighting factor to the third interesting region, the third weighting factor based at least in part on a combination of the first and second weighting factors. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the second consumption is by a selected one of: the first consumer, or a second consumer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said determining the collection of interesting regions is based at least in part on applying interactive audience analytics to said monitoring. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said monitoring of consumption includes selected ones of monitoring for duration of watched portions of the consumable data, and monitoring for skipped portions of the consumable data. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the consumable data is a selected one or more of: audio data, video data, streamed data, pre-recorded data, or live data. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising accessing the consumable data from selected ones of local storage, remote storage, cloud storage, peer-to-peer storage. ### Claim 10 An article comprising a machine-accessible media having associated data, wherein the data, when accessed, results in a machine annotating consumable data by performing: first monitoring a first consumption of the consumable data by a first consumer; determining a first interesting region of the consumable data based at least in part on the first monitoring; second monitoring a second consumption of the consumable data; determining a second interesting region of the consumable data based at least in part on the second monitoring; and determining a collection of interesting regions for the consumable data based at least in part on a refining of the first interesting region based at least in part on the second interesting region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The article of claim 10 wherein the machine-accessible media further includes data, when accessed, results in the machine performing: third monitoring a substantial number of consumers' consumption of the consumable data; determining a corresponding substantial number of interesting regions of the consumable data based at least in part on the monitoring the substantial number of consumers; and determining a collective cut for the consumable data based at least in part on similarities between selected ones of: the collection of interesting regions, and the substantial number of interesting regions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The article of claim 10 wherein the machine-accessible media further includes data, when accessed, results in the machine performing: assigning a weighting factor, associated with each consumer consuming the consumable data, to each interesting region identified by said each consumer; determining a collection of regions based at least on common overlapping portions of said each interesting region identified by said each consumer, and assigning weighting factors, to each interesting region of the collection, based at least in part on a combination of weighting factors for each of said common overlapping portions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The article of claim 10 wherein the machine-accessible media further includes data, when accessed, results in the machine performing: assigning a first weighting factor associated with the first consumer to the first interesting region; assigning a second weighting factor associated with the second consumer to the second interesting region; determining a third interesting region based at least in part on an overlap between the first and second interesting regions; and assigning a third weighting factor to the third interesting region, the third weighting factor based at least in part on a combination of the first and second weighting factors. ### Claim 14 An apparatus comprising: means for monitoring multiple consumptions of a consumable data by multiple consumers; means for determining multiple regions of interest within the consumable data based at least in part of the monitoring the multiple consumptions; means for aggregating the multiple regions of interest within the consumable data; and means for determining a collective cut for the consumable data based at least in part on the aggregating the multiple regions of interest. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising: means for merging overlapping regions within the associated set of regions into a distinct set of regions of interest to be associated with the selected ones of the multiple consumers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for determining multiple regions of interest within the consumable data further comprises: means for associating a set of regions of interest for each of the consumers; means for merging overlapping regions of interest within the set of regions into a distinct set of regions of interest associated with each consumer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising: means for providing the collective cut to an accessing apparatus configured with means for presenting the collective cut and means for monitoring consumption of the collective cut; means for receiving data corresponding to monitored consumption by the accessing apparatus; and means for refining the collective cut based at least in part on the data corresponding to monitored consumption. ### Claim 18 A method for consuming consumable data, comprising: receiving at least a portion of consumable data from a source, the source configurable to monitor consumption of the consumable data of multiple consumers, and identify interesting regions of the consumable data based at least in part on identifying intersections between regions of interest associated with the multiple consumers monitored consumption; accessing the consumable data; providing data characterizing the accessing to the source. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18: wherein portions of the consumable data are received from multiple sources; and wherein the data characterizing the accessing is provided to a selected one or more of the multiple sources. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving a collective cut for the consumable data.