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An apparatus for processing a set of media items, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) selecting means for selecting a sub-set of said media items;
• (b) displaying means for concurrently displaying (i) a spatial representation of the selected sub-set and (ii) a temporal representation of the selected sub-set;
• (c) selecting means for selecting one of a temporal navigation mode and a spatial navigation mode;
• (d) providing means for providing a spatial navigation command, if the spatial navigation mode has been selected, to the spatial representation to thereby modify the selection of the sub-set of said media items, to thereby contemporaneously change the spatial representation and the corresponding temporal representation;
• and (e) providing means for providing a temporal navigation command, if the temporal navigation mode has been selected, to the temporal representation to thereby modify the selection of the sub-set of said media items, to thereby contemporaneously change the temporal representation and the corresponding spatial representation, wherein
• the selected sub-set includes at least one of wholly encompassed media items and partially encompassed media items from the set;
• the displayed spatial representation of the selected sub-set can include, dependent on spatial selection rules, at least one of representations of said wholly encompassed media items, and spatial representations of said partially encompassed media items;
• and
• the displayed temporal representation of the selected sub-set can include, dependent on temporal selection rules, at least one of a temporal representation of said wholly encompassed media items, and a temporal representation of said partially encompassed media items,
• the apparatus further comprising, in relation to said partially encompassed media items:
• determining means for determining whether a pixel area of the partially encompassed media items captured by the selecting step exceeds a pixel threshold;
• and
• displaying means for, if the pixel area exceeds the pixel threshold;
• displaying, depending upon the pixel area captured by the selecting step, a part of the partially encompassed media items in the spatial representation of the selected sub-set;
• and
• displaying, depending upon the pixel area captured by the selecting step, time segments of the partially encompassed media items in the temporal representation of the selected sub-set.

A computer program product including a computer readable storage medium having recorded thereon a computer program for directing a processor to execute a method for processing a set of media items, said program comprising:

• (a) code for a selecting step for selecting a sub-set of said media items;
• (b) code for a displaying step for concurrently displaying (i) a spatial representation of the selected sub-set and (ii) a temporal representation of the selected sub-set;
• (c) code for a selecting step for selecting one of a temporal navigation mode and a spatial navigation mode;
• (d) code for a providing step for providing a spatial navigation command, if the spatial navigation mode has been selected, to the spatial representation to thereby modify the selection of the sub-set of said media items, to thereby contemporaneously change the spatial representation and the corresponding temporal representation;
• and
• (e) code for a providing step for providing a temporal navigation command, if the temporal navigation mode has been selected, to the temporal representation to thereby modify the selection of the sub-set of said media items, to thereby contemporaneously change the temporal representation and the corresponding spatial representation, wherein
• the selected sub-set includes at least one of wholly encompassed media items and partially encompassed media items from the set;
• the displayed spatial representation of the selected sub-set can include, dependent on spatial selection rules, at least one of representations of said wholly encompassed media items, and spatial representations of said partially encompassed media items;
• and
• the displayed temporal representation of the selected sub-set can include, dependent on temporal selection rules, at least one of a temporal representation of said wholly encompassed media items, and a temporal representation of said partially encompassed media items,
• the program further comprising, in relation to said partially encompassed media items:
• code for determining whether a pixel area of the partially encompassed media items captured by the selecting step exceeds a pixel threshold;
• and
• code for, if the pixel area exceeds the pixel threshold;
• displaying, depending upon the pixel area captured by the selecting step, a part of the partially encompassed media items in the spatial representation of the selected sub-set;
• and
• displaying, depending upon the pixel area captured by the selecting step, time segments of the partially encompassed media items in the temporal representation of the selected sub-set.

An apparatus for processing a set of media items, said apparatus comprising:

• a memory configured to store a program;
• and
• a processor for executing the program, said program comprising:
• (a) code for a selecting step for selecting a sub-set of said media items
• (b) code for a displaying step for concurrently displaying (i) a spatial representation of the selected sub-set and (ii) a temporal representation of the selected sub-set;
• (c) code for a selecting step for selecting one of a temporal navigation mode and a spatial navigation mode;
• (d) code for a providing step for providing a spatial navigation command, if the spatial navigation mode has been selected, to the spatial representation to thereby modify the selection of the sub-set of said media items, to thereby contemporaneously change the spatial representation and the corresponding temporal representation;
• and
• (e) code for a providing step for providing a temporal navigation command, if the temporal navigation mode has been selected, to the temporal representation to thereby modify the selection of the sub-set of said media items, to thereby contemporaneously change the temporal representation and the corresponding spatial representation, wherein
• the selected sub-set includes at least one of wholly encompassed media items and partially encompassed media items from the set;
• the displayed spatial representation of the selected subset can include, dependent on spatial selection rules, at least one of representations of said wholly encompassed media items, and spatial representations of said partially encompassed media items;
• and
• the displayed temporal representation of the selected sub-set can include, dependent on temporal selection rules, at least one of a temporal representation of said wholly encompassed media items, and a temporal representation of said partially encompassed media items,
• the program further comprising, in relation to said partially encompassed media items:
• code for determining whether a pixel area of the partially encompassed media items captured by the selecting step exceeds a pixel threshold;
• and
• code for, if the pixel area exceeds the pixel threshold;
• displaying, depending upon the pixel area captured by the selecting step, a part of the partially encompassed media items in the spatial representation of the selected sub-set;
• and
• displaying, depending upon the pixel area captured by the selecting step, time segments of the partially encompassed media items in the temporal representation of the selected sub-set.

An apparatus for browsing a set of media items comprising:

• selecting means for selecting a sub-set of said media items;
• displaying means for displaying, substantially simultaneously, representations of said sub-set and a temporal summary related to said sub-set;
• providing means for providing a first navigation input to the display of the representations of the sub-set, to thereby effect a corresponding change in the selection of the sub-set and consequently a change in both said displayed representations of said sub-set and said displayed temporal summary related to said sub-set;
• and
• providing means for providing a second navigation input to the display of the temporal summary related to the sub-set, to thereby effect a corresponding change in the selection of the sub-set and consequently a change in both said displayed temporal summary related to said sub-set and said displayed representations of said sub-set, wherein
• the selected sub-set includes at least one of wholly encompassed media items and partially encompassed media items from the set;
• the displayed representations of the selected sub-set can include, dependent on spatial selection rules, at least one of representations of said wholly encompassed media items, and representations of said partially encompassed media items;
• and
• the displayed temporal summary relating to the selected sub-set can include, dependent on temporal selection rules, at least one of a temporal summary related to said wholly encompassed media items, and a temporal summary related to said partially encompassed media items,
• the apparatus further comprising:
• determining means for determining whether a pixel area of the partially encompassed media items captured by the selecting step exceeds a pixel threshold;
• and
• displaying means for, if the pixel area exceeds the pixel threshold;
• displaying, depending upon the pixel area captured by the selecting step, a part of the partially encompassed media items in the representations of the selected sub-set;
• and for
• displaying, depending upon the pixel area captured by the selecting step, time segments of the partially encompassed media items in the temporal summary of the selected sub-set.

An apparatus for browsing a set of media items comprising:

• providing means for providing a first navigation input relative to a display in a first display window to thereby (i) select a first sub-set of said media items, (ii) display, in said first display window, representations of said first sub-set, and (iii) display, in a second display window, a temporal summary relating to said first sub-set;
• providing means for providing a second navigation input relative to the display in the second display window to thereby (i) select a second sub-set of said media items, (ii) contemporaneously display, in the first display window, representations of the second sub-set, and (iii) display, in the second display window, a temporal summary relating to the second sub-set;
• and
• a display wherein the first display window and the second display window are made substantially simultaneously visible to a user, wherein
• the first or second selected sub-set includes at least one of wholly encompassed media items and partially encompassed media items from the set;
• the displayed representations of the first or second selected sub-set can include, dependent on spatial selection rules, at least one of representations of said wholly encompassed media items, and representations of said partially encompassed media items;
• and
• the displayed temporal summary relating to the first or second selected sub-set can include, dependent on temporal selection rules, at least one of a temporal summary related to said wholly encompassed media items, and a temporal summary related to said partially encompassed media items,
• the apparatus further comprising:
• determining means for determining whether a pixel area of the partially encompassed media items exceeds a pixel threshold;
• and
• displaying means for, if the pixel area exceeds the pixel threshold;
• displaying, depending upon the pixel area, a part of the partially encompassed media items in the representations of the first or second selected subset;
• and for
• displaying, depending upon the pixel area captured by the selecting step, time segments of the partially encompassed media items in the temporal summary of the first or second selected subset.

A method of browsing a set of media items, said method comprising the steps of:

• selecting a sub-set of said media items;
• displaying, substantially simultaneously, representations of said sub-set and a temporal summary related to said sub-set;
• providing a first navigation input to the display of the representations of the sub-set, to thereby effect a corresponding change in the selection of the sub-set and consequently a change in both said displayed representations of said sub-set and said displayed temporal summary related to said sub-set;
• and
• providing a second navigation input to the display of the temporal summary related to the sub-set, to thereby effect a corresponding change in the selection of the sub-set and consequently a change in both said displayed temporal summary related to said sub-set and said displayed representations of said sub-set, wherein
• the selected sub-set includes at least one of wholly encompassed media items and partially encompassed media items from the set;
• the displayed representations of the selected sub-set can include, dependent on spatial selection rules, at least one of representations of said wholly encompassed media items, and spatial representations of said partially encompassed media items;
• and
• the displayed temporal summary of the selected sub-set can include, dependent on temporal selection rules, at least one of a temporal summary of said wholly encompassed media items, and a temporal summary of said partially encompassed media items,
• the method further comprising, in relation to said partially encompassed media items, the steps of:
• determining whether a pixel area of the partially encompassed media items captured by the selecting step exceeds a pixel threshold;
• and
• if the pixel area exceeds the pixel threshold;
• displaying, depending upon the pixel area captured by the selecting step, a part of the partially encompassed media items in the representations of the selected sub-set;
• and
• displaying, depending upon the pixel area captured by the selecting step, time segments of the partially encompassed media items in the temporal summary of the selected sub-set.

A method of browsing a set of media items, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first navigation input relative to a display in a first display window to thereby (i) select a first sub-set of said media items, (ii) contemporaneously display, in said first display window, representations of said first sub-set, and (iii) display, in a second display window, a temporal summary relating to said first sub-set;
• providing a second navigation input relative to the display in the second display window to thereby (i) select a second sub-set of said media items, (ii) contemporaneously display, in the first display window, representations of the second sub-set, and (iii) display, in the second display window, a temporal summary relating to the second sub-set;
• and
• displaying, substantially simultaneously, the first display window and the second display window, wherein
• the first or second selected sub-set includes at least one of wholly encompassed media items and partially encompassed media items from the set;
• the displayed representations of the first or second selected sub-set can include, dependent on spatial selection rules, at least one of representations of said wholly encompassed media items, and spatial representations of said partially encompassed media items;
• and
• the displayed temporal summary of the first or second selected sub-set can include, dependent on temporal selection rules, at least one of a temporal summary of said wholly encompassed media items, and a temporal summary of said partially encompassed media items,
• the method further comprising, in relation to said partially encompassed media items, the steps of:
• determining whether a pixel area of the partially encompassed media items exceeds a pixel threshold;
• and
• if the pixel area exceeds the pixel threshold;
• displaying, depending upon the pixel area, a part of the partially encompassed media items in the representations of the first or second selected subset;
• and
• displaying, depending upon the pixel area captured by the selecting step, time segments of the partially encompassed media items in the temporal summary of the first or second selected subset.