# US 2021/0345003 A1 · Systems and methods for providing timeline of content items on a user interface > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0345003 A1 - Document ID: US20210345003A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/372,860 - Filed: 2021-07-12 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-19 - Assignees: Rovi Guides, Inc. - Applicants: Rovi Guides, Inc. - Inventors: Vikram Makam Gupta; Vishwas Sharadanagar Panchaksharaiah - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210345003A1 ## CPC - H04N 21/47217: {for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks (specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312)} - H04N 21/44004: {involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer} - H04N 21/4882: {for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders (arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895)} - H04N 21/8456: {by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract The methods and systems described herein provide timelines of content segments on a user interface. In one example, the methods and systems generate for display a first content item, determine a current portion of the first content item and determine a related content segment that is related to the current portion of the first content item such that the related segment is from a second content item. The methods and systems also generate for simultaneous display a first timeline of the first content item, an indicator that indicates a location of the current portion on the first timeline, a second time of the second content item and a segment indicator that indicates location of the related content segment on the second timeline. The methods and systems further receive a selection of the related content segment. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-30. (canceled) ### Claim 31 A system comprising: memory; and control circuitry configured to: generate for display a first content item comprising a first episode of a media content series; determine a current portion of the first content item; determine a plurality of related content segments that is related to the current portion of the first content item, wherein the related content segments are from respective additional content items comprising additional episodes of the media content series; generate for simultaneous display: a first timeline of the first content item; an indicator that indicates a location of the current portion on the first timeline; a plurality of additional timelines of the respective additional content items; and a plurality of segment indicators that indicate locations of the related content segments on the respective additional timelines; and receive a selection of one of the related content segments. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31 wherein the control circuitry is configured to: determine an additional related content segment that is related to the current portion of the first content item; and generate for simultaneous display: the first timeline of the first content item; the indicator that indicates the location of the current portion on the first timeline; and another segment indicator that indicates location of the additional related content segment on the first timeline. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31 wherein the control circuitry is configured to generate for display the related segment in response to receipt of the selection of the related content segment. ### Claim 34 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31 wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the selection of the related content segment via the segment indicator corresponding to the related content segment. ### Claim 35 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31 wherein the control circuitry is configured to generate for simultaneous display: the first timeline of the first content item; the indicator that indicates the location of the current portion on the first timeline; the second timeline of the second content item; the segment indicator that indicates the location of the related content; and a portion of the related content segment corresponding to the segment indicator. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The system of claim 35 wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the selection of the related content segment via the displayed portion of the related content segment. ### Claim 37 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31 wherein the control circuitry is configured to: determine a change in the indicator on the first timeline of the first content item, wherein the change in the indicator indicates change in the location of the current portion on the first timeline; and determine a change in the segment indicator on the second timeline of the second content item based on the change in the indicator on the first timeline; and generate for simultaneous display: the first timeline of the first content item; the changed indicator that indicates the changed location of the current portion on the first timeline; the second timeline of the second content item; and the changed segment indicator that indicates the changed location of the related content segment on the second timeline. ### Claim 38 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31 wherein the control circuitry is configured to: determine a plurality of related content segments that are related to the current portion of the first content item, wherein each of the plurality of the related content segments is from one of a plurality of content items; generate for simultaneous display: the first timeline of the first content item; the indicator that indicates the location of the current portion on the first timeline; a plurality of timelines of the plurality of content items, wherein each of the plurality of timelines corresponds to at least one respective content item among the plurality of content items; and a plurality of segment indicators indicating a plurality of locations of the plurality of the related content segments on the plurality of timelines, wherein each of the plurality of segment indicators indicates a respective location among the plurality of locations of a respective related content segment among the plurality of the related content segments on a respective timeline among the plurality of timelines. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The system of claim 38 wherein the control circuitry is configured to: predict that a user will view a certain duration of the first content item at a specific speed; determine a time to download the plurality of related content segments for display based on the prediction; and download each of the plurality of plurality of related content segments for display at the time. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The system of claim 39 wherein the control circuitry is configured to: determine a probability of the user navigating to at least one of the plurality of related content segments in a content item among the plurality of content items; compare the probability with a probability threshold; in response to determining that the probability is greater than a probability threshold, download the related content segment; in response to determining that the probability is less than a probability threshold, determine a confidence score for multiple durations in the first timeline that the user will navigate away from the current portion of the first content item; determine a number of the plurality of related content segments corresponding to each of the multiple durations in the first timeline of the first content item; determine bandwidth availability of a device; and download one or more of the number of plurality of related content segments based on the bandwidth availability and the confidence score. ### Claim 41 A method comprising providing timeline of content segments on a user interface (UI), the method comprising: generating for display a first content item comprising a first episode of a media content series; determining a current portion of the first content item; determining a plurality of related content segments that is related to the current portion of the first content item, wherein the plurality of related content segments are from additional content items comprising additional episodes of the media content series; generating for simultaneous display a first timeline of the first content item, an indicator that indicates a location of the current portion on the first timeline, a plurality of additional timelines of the additional content items, and a plurality of segment indicators that indicate locations of the respective related content segments on the corresponding additional timelines; and receiving a selection of the related content segment. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41 further comprising: determining an additional related content segment that is related to the current portion of the first content item; generating for simultaneous display the first timeline of the first content item, the indicator that indicates the location of the current portion on the first timeline; and another segment indicator that indicates location of the additional related content segment on the first timeline. ### Claim 43 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41 further comprising generating for display the related segment in response to receipt of the selection of the related content segment. ### Claim 44 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41 further comprising receiving the selection of the related content segment via the segment indicator corresponding to the related content segment. ### Claim 45 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41 further comprising generating for simultaneous display the first timeline of the first content item, the indicator that indicates the location of the current portion on the first timeline, the second timeline of the second content item, the segment indicator that indicates the location of the related content and a portion of the related content segment corresponding to the segment indicator. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The method of claim 45 further comprising receiving the selection of the related content segment via the displayed portion of the related content segment. ### Claim 47 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41 further comprising: determining a change in the indicator on the first timeline of the first content item, wherein the change in the indicator indicates change in the location of the current portion on the first timeline; and determining a change in the segment indicator on the second timeline of the second content item based on the change in the indicator on the first timeline; and generating for simultaneous display the first timeline of the first content item, the changed indicator that indicates the changed location of the current portion on the first timeline, the second timeline of the second content item and the changed segment indicator that indicates the changed location of the related content segment on the second timeline. ### Claim 48 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41 further comprising: determining a plurality of related content segments that are related to the current portion of the first content item, wherein each of the plurality of the related content segments is from a plurality of content items; generating for simultaneous display the first timeline of the first content item, the indicator that indicates the location of the current portion on the first timeline, a plurality of timelines of the plurality of content items, wherein each of the plurality of timelines correspond to a respective content item among the plurality of content items, and a plurality of segment indicators indicating a plurality of locations of the plurality of the related content segments on the plurality of timelines, wherein each of the plurality of segment indicators indicate a respective location among the plurality of locations of a respective related content segment among the plurality of the related content segments on a respective timeline among the plurality of timelines of the respective content item among the plurality of the content items; and receiving a selection of a related content segment among the plurality of related content segments. ### Claim 49 (depends on 48) The method of claim 48 further comprising: determining whether a user is navigating away from the current portion of the first content item; upon determination that the user is not navigating away from the current portion of the first content item, predicting that the user will view a certain duration of the first content item at a specific speed; determining a time to download the plurality of related content segments for display based on the prediction; and downloading each of the plurality of content items for display at the time. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The method of claim 49 wherein upon determination that the user is navigating away from the current portion of the first content item, the method further comprising: determining a probability of the user navigating to at least one of the plurality of related content segments in a content item among the plurality of content items; comparing the probability with a probability threshold; upon determination that the probability is greater than a probability threshold, downloading the related content segment; upon determination that the probability is less than a probability threshold, determining a confidence score for multiple durations in the first timeline that the user will navigate away from the current portion of the first content item; determining a number of the related content segments corresponding to each of the multiple durations in the first timeline of the first content item; determining bandwidth availability of a device; and downloading one or more of the number of the related content segments based on the bandwidth availability and the confidence score.