Systems and methods for dynamically extending or shortening segments in a playlist

1. A method for dynamically modifying a playlist for reviewing highlights of an event, the method comprising:

receiving user input identifying an event;

identifying a media asset featuring the event;

in response to receiving the user input, automatically creating a first playlist comprising a plurality of segments each representing a different highlight of the event;

while a first segment is being played back, receiving a first user request to extend the first segment featuring the highlight; and

in response to receiving the first user request:

determining information associated with the first segment that identifies a starting play position and an ending play position, within a media asset featuring the event, that corresponds to the first segment;

accessing, based on the determined information, the media asset featuring the event;

determining an amount associated with the first user request;

capturing, from the media asset, media data of a portion of the media asset starting from a first play position that precedes the starting play position by half of the amount and ending at a second play position that follows the ending play position by half of the amount;

generating an extended version of the first segment comprising the captured media data;

replacing the first segment in the first playlist with the extended version of the first segment; and

playing back the first playlist starting from the extended version of the first segment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

while a second of the plurality of segments is being played back, receiving a second user request to shorten the second segment featuring the highlight;

in response to receiving the second user request, generating a shortened version of the second segment by removing a portion of the second segment;

replacing the second segment in the first playlist with the shortened version of the second segment; and

playing back the first playlist starting from the shortened version of the second segment.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

in response to receiving the first user request, generating for display a plurality of extending options, a first of the extending options specifying a first amount to apply to the first segment, a second of the extending options specifying a second amount to apply to similar segments to the first segment, a third option specifying a third extension amount to apply to all segments of the event, and a fourth option to obtain a full version of the event; and

in response to receiving the second user request, generating for display a plurality of shortening options, a first of the shortening options specifying a first amount to apply to the second segment, a second of the shortening options specifying a second amount to apply to similar segments to the second segment, and a third option specifying a third shortening amount to apply to all segments of the event.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first request is received using a first dedicated extension button on a user input device and the second request is received using a second dedicated shortening button on the user input device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the information comprises:

capturing a first frame of the first segment;

identifying the media asset featuring the event; and

searching images of frames of the media asset to locate an image that matches the first frame in the media asset.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically creating a second playlist of segments comprising a second plurality of segments each representing a highlight of the event corresponding to the segments of the first playlist, wherein a given segment of the second plurality of segments that corresponds to the first segment is an extended version of the first segment; and

wherein replacing the first segment in the first playlist with the extended version of the first segment comprises accessing a beginning of the given segment of the second playlist.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically creating a second playlist of segments comprising a second plurality of segments each representing a highlight of the event corresponding to the segments of the first playlist, wherein a given segment of the second plurality of segments that corresponds to a second segment is a shortened version of the second segment.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user request comprises a request to extend similar segments, further comprising:

identifying an attribute of the first segment;

searching the segments of the first playlist to identify a subset of the segments that correspond to the identified attribute;

identifying portions of the media asset corresponding to the subset of the segments; and

capturing adjacent portions of each of the identified portions of the media asset to generate extended versions of each of the identified portions.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the event comprises a sporting event, the attribute comprises a scoring event in the sporting event, and wherein each of the subset of the segments represents a clip of a scoring event in the sporting event.

10. A system for dynamically modifying a playlist for reviewing highlights of an event comprising computer-readable memory, a user input device, and control circuitry configured to:

receive user input identifying an event;

identify a media asset featuring the event;

in response to receiving the user input, automatically create a first playlist comprising a plurality of segments each representing a different highlight of the event;

while the first segment is being played back, receive a first user request to extend the first segment featuring the highlight; and

in response to receiving the first user request:

determine information associated with the first segment that identifies a starting play position and an ending play position, within a media asset featuring the event, that corresponds to the first segment;

access, based on the determined information, the media asset featuring the event;

determine an amount associated with the first user request;

capture, from the media asset, media data of a portion of the media asset starting from a first play position that precedes the starting play position by half of the amount and ending at a second play position that follows the ending play position by half of the amount;

generate an extended version of the first segment comprising the captured media data;

replace the first segment in the first playlist with the extended version of the first segment; and

play back the first playlist starting from the extended version of the first segment.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

while a second of the plurality of segments is being played back, receive a second user request to shorten the second segment featuring the highlight;

in response to receiving the second user request, generate a shortened version of the second segment by removing a portion of the second segment;

replace the second segment in the first playlist with the shortened version of the second segment; and

play back the first playlist starting from the shortened version of the second segment.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

in response to receiving the first user request, generate for display a plurality of extending options, a first of the extending options specifying a first amount to apply to the first segment, a second of the extending options specifying a second amount to apply to similar segments to the first segment, a third option specifying a third extension amount to apply to all segments of the event, and a fourth option to obtain a full version of the event; and

in response to receiving the second user request, generate for display a plurality of shortening options, a first of the shortening options specifying a first amount to apply to the second segment, a second of the shortening options specifying a second amount to apply to similar segments to the second segment, and a third option specifying a third shortening amount to apply to all segments of the event.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first request is received using a first dedicated extension button on the user input device and the second request is received using a second dedicated shortening button on the user input device.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein control circuitry configured to determine the information is further configured to:

capture a first frame of the first segment;

identify the media asset featuring the event; and

search images of frames of the media asset to locate an image that matches the first frame in the media asset.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

automatically create a second playlist of segments comprising a second plurality of segments each representing a highlight of the event corresponding to the segments of the first playlist, wherein a given segment of the second plurality of segments that corresponds to the first segment is an extended version of the first segment; and

wherein control circuitry configured to replace the first segment in the first playlist with the extended version of the first segment is further configured to access a beginning of the given segment of the second playlist.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

automatically create a second playlist of segments comprising a second plurality of segments each representing a highlight of the event corresponding to the segments of the first playlist, wherein a given segment of the second plurality of segments that corresponds to a second segment is a shortened version of the second segment.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first user request comprises a request to extend similar segments, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

identify an attribute of the first segment;

search the segments of the first playlist to identify a subset of the segments that correspond to the identified attribute;

identify portions of the media asset corresponding to the subset of the segments; and

capture adjacent portions of each of the identified portions of the media asset to generate extended versions of each of the identified portions.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the event comprises a sporting event, the attribute comprises a scoring event in the sporting event, and wherein each of the subset of the segments represents a clip of a scoring event in the sporting event.