Multi-level skimming of multimedia content using playlists
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsAnoop Gupta, Li-Wei He, Nosakhare D. Omoigui
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A skimmed or preview version of multimedia content is provided to a client computer by a server computer using playlists. The skimmed version of multimedia content can be presented to a user of a client computer in less time than presenting the entire multimedia content would require. The server computer maintains skimming information that identifies particular segments of the multimedia content corresponding to the skimmed version. The server computer uses the skimming information to generated a playlist, which in turn is used by the server computer to access the appropriate segments of the multimedia content and provided the segments to the client computer.
Claims18
A system for providing a skimmed version of multimedia content, the system comprising:
- means for accessing first skimming information corresponding to a first skimming level of a plurality of previously generated skimming levels of the multimedia content;
- means for using the first skimming information to access a first plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the first skimming level;
- means for forwarding the first plurality of segments to a client computer;
- means for receiving a selection of a second skimming level of the plurality of previously generated skimming levels from the client computer while the first plurality of segments are being forwarded to the client computer;
- means for accessing second skimming information corresponding to the second skimming level;
- means for using the second skimming information to access a second plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the second skimming level;
- and
- means for forwarding the second plurality of segments to the client computer.
A system for presenting a skimmed version of multimedia content, the system comprising:
- means for accessing first skimming information corresponding to a first skimming level of a plurality of previously generated skimming levels of the multimedia content;
- means for using the first skimming information to generate a playlist identifying a first plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the first skimming level;
- means for retrieving the first plurality of segments from a storage device;
- and
- means for presenting the first plurality of segments as the skimmed version.
A computer comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory, coupled to the processor, storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to provide a skimmed version of multimedia content by:
- accessing first skimming information corresponding to a first skimming level of a plurality of previously generated skimming levels of the multimedia content;
- using the first skimming information to access a first plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the first skimming level;
- forwarding the first plurality of segments to a client computer;
- receiving a selection of a second skimming level of the plurality of previously generated skimming levels from the client computer while the first plurality of segments are being forwarded to the client computer;
- accessing second skimming information corresponding to the second skimming level;
- using the second skimming information to access a second plurality of segments of the multimedia content that correspond to the second skimming level;
- and
- forwarding the second plurality of segments to the client computer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.