Methods and systems for customizing skip-forward functionality

1. A method for controlling a playback of a media asset, the method comprising:

receiving, with an input interface of user media equipment, input from a user specifying a time duration to associate with a skip-forward function;

storing, in memory, the user-specified time duration;

generating for display a playback of the media asset at a normal playback speed;

receiving, with the user input interface, a skip-forward command from the user during the playback of the media asset; and

executing the skip-forward function based on the received skip-forward command by:

retrieving, from memory, the user-specified time duration;

determining an expected overshoot value;

calculating, with control circuitry, a new location in the media asset that is advanced from a current location based on the user-specified time duration and the expected overshoot value; and

controlling the playback of the media asset by:

resuming the playback from the new location; and

in response to resuming the playback from the new location, without further user input, generating for display the playback of the media asset at a speed greater than the normal playback speed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the new location in the media asset comprises calculating an amount of time equal to the user-specified time duration minus the expected overshoot value.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein storing the user-specified time duration further comprises:

in response to receiving the input specifying the time duration:

identifying, in a database, a media asset record associated with the media asset;

determining a category associated with the media asset based on the media asset record; and

storing, in the database, an association between the specified time duration and the determined category associated with the media asset, wherein the specified time duration is retrieved and used to execute a skip function with respect to a different media asset associated with the determined category.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media asset is at least one of a downloaded video stored in memory and a video streamed from a server.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the playback of the media asset occurs on a first device, and the user-specified time duration is received from a second device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the user input interface, a second skip-forward command from the user during a playback of a second media asset;

determining that a user-specified time duration has not been set for the second media asset, wherein the determining comprises querying a database for a user-specified time duration associated with a media asset record associated with the second media asset;

retrieving, from memory, at least one of a default time duration and a last-used time duration;

determining an expected overshoot value associated with the second media asset;

calculating a new location in the second media asset that is advanced from a current location in the second media asset based on the at least one of the default time duration and the last-used time duration, and the expected overshoot value associated with the second media asset; and

controlling playback of the second media asset so that the playback resumes from the new location in the second media asset at a speed greater than normal playback speed.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the expected overshoot value is determined based on at least one of:

(i) an average of user overshoots associated with skip-forward commands issued during the playback of the media asset, wherein a user overshoot is calculated as an amount of time the user rewinds after issuing each skip-forward command,

(ii) an average of user overshoots for media assets of the same genre as the media asset, wherein the genre of the media asset is determined based on metadata associated with the media asset

(iii) an average of overshoots for a plurality of media assets viewed by the user, wherein the plurality of media assets is determined by querying a user profile associated with the user, and

(iv) a default value.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the expected overshoot value further comprises determining an average overshoot value based on overshoot operations performed by a plurality of users while viewing the media asset, and wherein a user overshoot is calculated as an amount of time a user of the plurality of users rewinds after issuing each skip-forward command.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the new location further comprises:

determining the content of the media asset at the new location;

determining that the content at the new location is part of a commercial advertisement;

determining an updated location advanced from the new location that is not part of any commercial advertisement; and

controlling the playback of the media asset so that the playback resumes from the updated location.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the skip-forward command from the user during the playback of the media asset further comprises detecting a sequence of key presses comprising: a (i) depression of a fast forward button, and (ii) a depression of a digit key.

11. A system for controlling a playback of a media asset, the system comprising control circuitry configured to:

receive, with an input interface of user media equipment, input from a user specifying a time duration to associate with a skip-forward function;

store, in memory, the user-specified time duration;

generating for display a playback of the media asset at a normal playback speed;

receive, with the user input interface, a skip forward command from the user during the playback of the media asset; and

execute the skip-forward function based on the received skip-forward command by:

retrieve, from memory, the user-specified time duration;

determine an expected overshoot value;

calculate, with control circuitry, a new location in the media asset that is advanced from a current location based on the user-specified time duration and the expected overshoot value; and

control the playback of the media asset by:

resuming the playback from the new location; and

in response to resuming the playback from the new location, without further user input, generating for display the playback of the media asset at a speed greater than the normal playback speed.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when calculating the new location in the media asset, to calculate an amount of time equal to the user-specified time duration minus the expected overshoot value.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when storing the user-specified time duration, to:

in response to receiving the input specifying the time duration:

identify, in a database, a media asset record associated with the media asset;

determine a category associated with the media asset based on the media asset record; and

store, in the database, an association between the specified time duration and the determined category associated with the media asset, wherein the specified time duration is retrieved and used to execute a skip function with respect to a different media asset associated with the determined category.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the media asset is at least one of a downloaded video stored in memory and a video streamed from a server.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the playback of the media asset occurs on a first device, and the user-specified time duration is received from a second device.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive, from the user input interface, a second skip-forward command from the user during the playback of a second media asset;

determine that a user-specified time duration has not been set for the second media asset, wherein the determining comprises querying a database for a user-specified time duration associated with a media asset record associated with the second media asset;

retrieve, from memory, at least one of a default time duration and a last-used time duration;

determine an expected overshoot value associated with the second media asset;

calculate a new location in the second media asset that is advanced from a current location in the second media asset based on the at least one of the default time duration and the last-used time duration, and the expected overshoot value associated with the second media asset; and

control the playback of the second media asset so that the playback resumes from the new location in the second media asset at a speed greater than normal playback speed.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine the expected overshoot value based on at least one of:

(i) an average of user overshoots associated with skip-forward commands issued during the playback of the media asset, wherein a user overshoot is calculated as an amount of time the user rewinds after issuing each skip-forward command,

(ii) an average of user overshoots for media assets of the same genre as the media asset, wherein the genre of the media asset is determined based on metadata associated with the media asset

(iii) an average of overshoots for a plurality of media assets viewed by the user, wherein the plurality of media assets is determined by querying a user profile associated with the user, and

(iv) a default value.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when determining the expected overshoot value, to determine an average overshoot value based on overshoot operations performed by a plurality of users while viewing the media asset, and wherein a user overshoot is calculated as an amount of time a user of the plurality of users rewinds after issuing each skip-forward command.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when calculating the new location, to:

determine the content of the media asset at the new location;

determine that the content at the new location is part of a commercial advertisement;

determine an updated location advanced from the new location that is not part of any commercial advertisement; and

control the playback of the media asset so that the playback resumes from the updated location.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when receiving the skip-forward command from the user during the playback of the media asset, to detect a sequence of key presses comprising: a (i) depression of a fast-forward button, and (ii) a depression of a digit key.