Method and apparatus for navigating a media program via a histogram of popular segments

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for controlling the one or more computer processors to be configured to perform a method comprising:

• streaming a first set of media program segments to a first client computer;
• streaming a second set of the media program segments to a second client computer;
• generating a histogram of the combined first set of media program segments and the second set of media program segments based on the streaming of the first set of media program segments and the second set of media program segments to quantify a characteristic for the first set of media program segments and the second set of media program segments;
• associating a representative thumbnail with each of the media program segments, each one of the representative thumbnails selected from a frame of the associated media program segment;
• and
• transmitting user interface data to a third client computer, the user interface data for presentation in a user interface of the third client computer and the user interface data comprising the histogram having features representing the media program segments and the representative thumbnails, wherein:
• the histogram is concurrently presented with a media program player for playing the media program and the features of the histogram show the quantified characteristic to allow a user to discern differences in the characteristic for the media program,
• a representative thumbnail of a media program segment that is associated with a feature of the histogram is presented separately from a window used to play the media program based on a user input associated with the histogram to facilitate navigation of the media program being played, and
• due to a synchronizing of the media program segments with corresponding features of the histogram, a navigation to a feature of the histogram causes a navigation to a corresponding media program segment of the media program and a navigation to a media program segment of the media program causes a navigation to a corresponding feature of the histogram.

An apparatus for navigating a media program having a plurality of media program segments, comprising:

• a media server for streaming a first set of the media program segments to a first client computer and for streaming a second set of the media program segments to a second client computer;
• a processor for generating a histogram of the combined first set of media program segments and the second set of media program segments based on the streaming of the first set of media program segments and the second set of media program segments to quantify a characteristic for the first set of media program segments and the second set of media program segments and associating a representative thumbnail with each of the media program segments, each one of the representative thumbnails selected from a frame of the associated media program segment;
• and
• a web server for transmitting user interface data to a third client computer, the user interface data for presentation in a user interface of the third client computer and the user interface data comprising the histogram having features representing the media program segments and the representative thumbnails, wherein:
• the histogram is concurrently presented with a media program player for playing the media program and the features of the histogram show the quantified characteristic to allow a user to discern differences in the characteristic for the media program,
• a representative thumbnail of a media program segment that is associated with a feature of the histogram is presented separately from a window used to play the media program based on a user input associated with the histogram to facilitate navigation of the media program being played, and
• due to a synchronizing of the media program segments with corresponding features of the histogram, a navigation to a feature of the histogram causes a navigation to a corresponding media program segment of the media program and a navigation to a media program segment of the media program causes a navigation to a corresponding feature of the histogram.