Method and system for displaying a timeline

1. A method of displaying a timeline of recorded video, the method comprising:

dividing the recorded video into timespans;

providing a thumbnail and a timestamp for each timespan that has recorded video;

providing a gap and a timestamp between thumbnails for each timespan in which there is no recorded video;

displaying a first timeline containing the provided thumbnails and timestamps and the provided gaps and timestamps having an uncompressed format;

receiving user input requesting that the first timeline be compressed;

removing the gaps and their respective timestamps from the first timeline and moving the thumbnails and their timestamps located on either side of the gaps so that the thumbnails and timestamps on either side of the gaps are adjacent to provide a compressed timeline; and

displaying the compressed timeline.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

providing an indicator in the compressed timeline where there was a gap in the first timeline displayed in the uncompressed format so that the indicator is in between the thumbnails that were located on either side of the gap.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

receiving input from a user requesting that the compressed timeline be changed to an uncompressed format.

4. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the recorded video comprises a first recorded video and a second recorded video and wherein dividing the recorded video into timespans comprises dividing the first recorded video and the second recorded video into timespans having the same length of time; further comprises determining timespans in which the first recorded video and the second recorded video each have a gap; and wherein removing the gaps and their respective timestamps from the first timeline and moving the thumbnails and their timestamps located on either side of the gaps comprises removing the gaps and their respective timestamps from the first timeline and moving the thumbnails and their timestamps located on either side of the gaps so that the thumbnails on either side of the gaps are adjacent to provide a compressed timeline for timespans in which the first recorded video and the second recorded video each have a gap.

5. A system for displaying a timeline of recorded video comprising:

memory for storing recorded video;

an input for receiving user input;

an output for providing a signal to a display; and

a processor in communication with the memory, input and output, the processor being adapted to divide recorded video stored in the memory into timespans, provide a thumbnail and a timestamp for each timespan that has recorded video, provide a gap and a timestamp between thumbnails for each timespan in which there is no recorded video, generate a signal to display a first timeline containing the provided thumbnails and timestamps and the provided gaps and timestamps having an uncompressed format, provide the signal to the output, to receive user input on the input requesting that the first timeline be compressed, remove the gaps and their respective timestamps from the first timeline and move the thumbnails and their timestamps located on either side of the gaps so that the thumbnails and timestamps on either side of the gaps are adjacent to provide a compressed timeline, and to provide a signal to the output to display the compressed timeline.

6. A system as recited in claim 5 wherein the processor is further adapted to provide an indicator in the compressed timeline where there was a gap in the first timeline displayed in the uncompressed manner so that the indicator is in between the thumbnails that were located on either side of the gap.

7. A system as recited in claim 6 wherein the processor is further adapted to receive input from a user on the input requesting that the compressed timeline be changed to an uncompressed format.

8. A system as recited in claim 6 wherein the recorded video comprises a first recorded video and a second recorded video and wherein the processor is further adapted to divide the first recorded video and the second recorded video into timespans having the same length of time, to determine timespans in which the first recorded video and the second recorded video each have a gap, to remove the gaps and their respective timestamps from the first timeline and move the thumbnails and their timestamps located on either side of the gaps so that the thumbnails on either side of the gaps are adjacent to provide a compressed timeline for timespans in which the first recorded video and the second recorded video each have a gap, and to provide a signal to the output for displaying the compressed timeline.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon configured to cause a processor to:

divide the recorded video into timespans;

provide a thumbnail and a timestamp for each timespan that has recorded video;

provide a gap and a timestamp between thumbnails for each timespan in which there is no recorded video;

display a first timeline containing the provided thumbnails and timestamps and the provided gaps and timestamps having an uncompressed format;

receive user input requesting that the first timeline be compressed;

remove the gaps and their respective timestamps from the first timeline and move the thumbnails and their timestamps located on either side of the gaps so that the thumbnails and timestamps on either side of the gaps are adjacent to provide a compressed timeline; and

display the compressed timeline.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 9 having further instructions stored thereon configured to cause the processor to provide an indicator in the compressed timeline where there was a gap in the first timeline displayed in the uncompressed manner so that the indicator is in between the thumbnails that were located on either side of the gap.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 10 having further instructions stored thereon configured to cause the processor to receive input from a user requesting that the compressed timeline be changed to an uncompressed format.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 10 wherein the recorded video comprises a first recorded video and a second recorded video and wherein the instructions configured to cause the processor to divide the recorded video into timespans comprises instructions configured to cause the processor to divide the first recorded video and the second recorded video into timespans having the same length of time; further instructions stored thereon configured to cause the processor to determine timespans in which the first recorded video and the second recorded video each have a gap; and wherein the instructions configured to cause the processor to remove the gaps and their respective timestamps from the first timeline and to move the thumbnails and their timestamps located on either side of the gaps further comprises instructions configured to cause the processor to remove the gaps and their respective timestamps from the first timeline and to move the thumbnails and their timestamps located on either side of the gaps so that the thumbnails on either side of the gaps are adjacent to provide a compressed timeline for timespans in which the first recorded video and the second recorded video each have a gap.