Multimedia visual progress indication system
View Patent ↗A multimedia visual progress indication system that provides a trick play bar that is overlaid onto the program material or displayed on a dedicated display. A cache bar inside of the trick play bar indicates the length of a recording session or the length of stored program material and expands to the right when material is being recorded. Every half hour (or selected increment), the cache bar slides to the left. Time marks are displayed inside the trick play bar giving the user a visual reference point from which to judge the current time and visual time reference points. The time marks are in any increment of time needed. The total length of the stored program material or next time or counter increment in the recording cycle is displayed on the right hand end of the trick play bar. A position indicator moves within the trick play bar and tells the user visually where his current position is within the program material. A slider moves along the trick play bar and on top of the cache bar and is linked to the position indicator and can be moved anywhere within the cache bar by the user. The slider displays the numeric time or counter mark of the current position. A mode indicator is positioned below the slider and follows the slider's movement and displays whether the user is in play, record, pause, slow play, fast play, fast forward (1×, 2×, and 3×), slow reverse play, slow reverse, and fast reverse (1×, 2×, and 3×) modes. The 1×, 2×, and 3× speeds are adjustable by the system to be any variable desired (e.g., 2×, 16×, and 32×). The trick play bar and its associated components are displayed for a predetermined time period when overlaid onto the program material.
1. A process for visually and interactively communicating the record or playback progress of audio or video program material to a user, comprising the steps of:
displaying a trick play bar to a user;
providing a cache bar;
said cache bar is displayed inside of said trick play bar and indicates the length of a recording session or the length of stored program material;
providing a position indicator;
said position indicator moves within said trick play bar; and
wherein said position indicator tells the user visually where his current position is within the program material.
2. The process of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
providing time marks;
wherein said time marks are displayed inside said trick play bar giving the user visual time reference points; and
wherein said time marks are displayed in any increment of time needed.
3. The process of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
providing a slider; and
said slider moves along said trick play bar in conjunction with said position indicator.
4. The process of claim 3 , wherein said slider displays the numeric time or counter mark of the current position.
5. The process of claim 1 , wherein said position indicator is moved anywhere within said cache bar by the user.
6. The process of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
providing a mode indicator;
said mode indicator is positioned below said position indicator and follows said position indicator's movement; and
wherein said mode indicator displays whether the user is in play, record, pause, slow play, fast play, fast forward (1×, 2×, and 3×), slow reverse play, slow reverse, and fast reverse (1×, 2×, and 3×) modes.
7. The process of claim 1 , wherein said cache bar expands to the right when material is being recorded.
8. The process of claim 7 , wherein when said cache bar reaches the end of the right side of said trick play bar, said cache bar will shift in position to the left within said trick play bar.
9. The process of claim 8 , wherein said position indicator shifts in unison with said cache bar, reflecting the current position in the recording.
10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the total length of the stored program material or next time or counter increment in the recording cycle is displayed on the right hand end of said trick play bar.
11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the left half of said trick play bar displays a compressed time scale.
12. The process of claim 1 , wherein said trick play bar, said cache bar, and said position indicator are displayed for a predetermined time period.
13. The process of claim 1 , wherein index and/or bookmark indicators are displayed over said trick play bar.
14. An apparatus for visually and interactively communicating the record or playback progress of audio or video program material to a user, comprising:
a module for displaying a trick play bar to a user;
a cache bar;
said cache bar is displayed inside of said trick play bar and indicates the length of a recording session or the length of stored program material;
a position indicator;
said position indicator moves within said trick play bar; and
wherein said position indicator tells the user visually where his current position is within the program material.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:
time marks;
wherein said time marks are displayed inside said trick play bar giving the user visual time reference points; and
wherein said time marks are displayed in any increment of time needed.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:
a slider; and
said slider moves along said trick play bar in conjunction with said position indicator.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said slider displays the numeric time or counter mark of the current position.
18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said position indicator is moved anywhere within said cache bar by the user.
19. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:
a mode indicator;
said mode indicator is positioned below said position indicator and follows said position indicator's movement; and
wherein said mode indicator displays whether the user is in play, record, pause, slow play, fast play, fast forward (1×, 2×, and 3×), slow reverse play, slow reverse, and fast reverse (1×, 2×, and 3×) modes.
20. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said cache bar expands to the right when material is being recorded.
21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein when said cache bar reaches the end of the right side of said trick play bar, said cache bar will shift in position to the left within said trick play bar.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein said position indicator shifts in unison with said cache bar, reflecting the current position in the recording.
23. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the total length of the stored program material or next time or counter increment in the recording cycle is displayed on the right hand end of said trick play bar.
24. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the left half of said trick play bar displays a compressed time scale.
25. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said trick play bar, said cache bar, and said position indicator are displayed for a predetermined time period.
26. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein index and/or bookmark indicators are displayed over said trick play bar.
27. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for visually and interactively communicating the record or playback progress of audio or video program material to a user, comprising the steps of:
displaying a trick play bar to a user;
providing a cache bar;
said cache bar is displayed inside of said trick play bar and indicates the length of a recording session or the length of stored program material;
providing a position indicator;
said position indicator moves within said trick play bar; and
wherein said position indicator tells the user visually where his current position is within the program material.
28. The method of claim 27 , further comprising the steps of:
providing time marks;
wherein said time marks are displayed inside said trick play bar giving the user visual time reference points; and
wherein said time marks are displayed in any increment of time needed.
29. The method of claim 27 , further comprising the steps of:
providing a slider; and
said slider moves along said trick play bar in conjunction with said position indicator.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein said slider displays the numeric time or counter mark of the current position.
31. The method of claim 27 , wherein, said position indicator is moved anywhere within said cache bar by the user.
32. The method of claim 27 , further comprising the steps of:
providing a mode indicator;
said mode indicator is positioned below said position indicator and follows said position indicator's movement; and
wherein said mode indicator displays whether the user is in play, record, pause, slow play, fast play, fast forward (1×, 2×, and 3×), slow reverse play, slow reverse, and fast reverse (1×, 2×, and 3×) modes.
33. The method of claim 27 , wherein said cache bar expands to the right when material is being recorded.
34. The method of claim 33 , wherein when said cache bar reaches the end of the right side of said trick play bar, said cache bar will shift in position to the left within said trick play bar.
35. The method of claim 34 , wherein said position indicator shifts in unison with said cache bar, reflecting the current position in the recording.
36. The method of claim 27 , wherein the total length of the stored program material or next time or counter increment in the recording cycle is displayed on the right hand end of said trick play bar.
37. The method of claim 27 , wherein the left half of said trick play bar displays a compressed time scale.
38. The method of claim 27 , wherein said trick play bar, said cache bar, and said position indicator are displayed for a predetermined time period.
39. The process of claim 27 , wherein index and/or bookmark indicators are displayed over said trick play bar.