Abstract:
A method and system for recording or selecting visual bookmarks in the process of playing a multimedia data are disclosed, wherein users can play the multimedia data at one of the mark in point. The visual bookmarks are represented by playing the sounds or the pictures at the mark in point in the multimedia data. Thus, users can directly understand where the mark in point of each visual bookmark is in the multimedia data.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention generally relates to the bookmarks for playing the video/audio, and more particularly to the bookmarks for playing the video/audio in visual effects.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     A media for playing multimedia information (i.e. audio information, video information or audio/video information) often supports the features for forwarding, backing and so forth. People can speed up to find out the demanded playing content with said features. This is because that the playing process is sequential, people have to find out the previous playing content by the manners to hear or to watch manually if there is no record of the playing content reserved. It is inconvenient and costs much time.  
         [0005]     Therefore, some multimedia players support the features of bookmarks, providing users to record one or several playing contents arbitrarily in the process of playing multimedia. Thus users can arbitrarily choose one of the bookmarks with a playing content for resuming the multimedia playing. Referring to  FIG. 1A , step  110  plays the multimedia data according to a demanded playing content. Then step  120  repeatedly detects a first instruction. When a first instruction is detected, step  130  and step  140  pauses the multimedia playing and display a bookmark menu separately. After that step  150  waits for receiving a second instruction and executes the received second instruction to operate the bookmarks menu. Afterwards step  161  edits the bookmarks menu or chooses one of the bookmarks to change the demanded playing content of playing multimedia according to the second instruction. Finally, step  171  and step  180  close the bookmarks menu and proceed playing the multimedia separately. The layouts of such bookmarks are shown by text or nothing more than the corresponding time, whereby the bookmarks are hard to associate with their layouts in thinking. An adapted bookmark can only be found by testing the bookmarks one by one.  
         [0006]     Moreover, for some multimedia data, pre-determined intervals of a multimedia data are built in the multimedia data itself or evaluated by some multimedia players. The first frame of each interval within the multimedia data can be displayed, whereby users can decide which interval is demanded. Referring to  FIG. 1B , step  110  plays a multimedia data according to a demanded playing content. The step  120  repeats to detect a first instruction. After a first instruction is detected, step  130  and step  140  will pause the multimedia playing and display a digest window. Then step  150  waits for a second instruction and performs the operation of the digest window after a second instruction is received. Afterwards, step  162  select a digest window to change the demanded playing content according to the received second instruction. Finally, step  172  and step  180  close digest window and resume playing multimedia data. However, such a feature is predefined and users just can use them on hand. Besides, the displayed playing content of each digest window could not be satisfied by users. Speeding up to find out the exact demanded frames from the displayed playing contents of these digest windows is one advantage of the digest windows. Moreover, users can figure out which digest window could be mostly close to the demanded playing content with the frame representation. However, if users have no idea about contents of the multimedia data, the feature may not be needed.  
         [0007]     Obviously, both of bookmarks menu and digest window have their own advantages and disadvantages. To draw on the strength of each to offset the weakness of the other will accomplish multimedia data playing.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     Therefore, in accordance with the previous summary, contents, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the subsequent description and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
         [0009]     The present invention provides the visual bookmarks, whereby the users can acquire the relative frames, or the demanded playing content, when the visual bookmarks are recorded or selected.  
         [0010]     Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention provides a method for using and editing visual bookmarks, comprising: detecting a first instruction and executing the first instruction on a multimedia data been played; and waiting for a second instruction and executing the second instruction on the visual bookmarks when the second instruction is received after the arrival of the first instruction. Multimedia data is played according to a demanded playing content. The first instruction comprises displaying a digest window that comprises a plurality of visual bookmarks, wherein each of the visual bookmarks is displayed by a visual window respectively. Besides, the second instruction is a set selected from the following group: editing the visual bookmarks; selecting one of the visual bookmarks to change the demanded playing content for the multimedia data; and closing the digest window.  
         [0011]     Another embodiment of the present invention provides a system for using and editing visual bookmarks, comprising: restoring apparatus for recording a plurality of visual bookmarks; playing apparatus for playing a multimedia data on a display apparatus according to a demanded playing content; instruction apparatus for receiving a first instruction and a second instruction, wherein the second instruction is received after the first instruction; and interrupting apparatus for executing the first instruction when the first instruction is received and executing the second instruction on the visual bookmarks when the second instruction is received. The first instruction comprising the operation for requesting to display a digest window with the visual bookmarks on the display apparatus, wherein each of the visual bookmarks is displayed by one of the visual window respectively. Besides, the second instruction is a set selected from the following instruction group: editing the visual bookmarks; selecting one of the visual bookmarks to change the demanded playing content for the demanded multimedia data; and closing the digest window. 
     
    
     BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. In the drawings:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  are diagrams illustrates the prior art;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  are diagrams depicts flowing diagrams in one embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a diagram shows a functional diagram in another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     The present disclosure can be described by the embodiments given below. It is understood, however, that the embodiments below are not necessarily limitations to the present disclosure, but are used to a typical implementation of the invention.  
         [0017]     Having summarized various aspects of the present invention, reference will now be made in detail to the description of the invention as illustrated in the drawings. While the invention will be described in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit it to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed therein. On the contrary the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents comprised within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.  
         [0018]     It is noted that the drawings presents herein have been provided to illustrate certain features and aspects of embodiments of the invention. It will be appreciated from the description provided herein that a variety of alternative embodiments and implementations may be realized, consistent with the scope and spirit of the present invention.  
         [0019]     One embodiment of the invention is a method for using and editing visual bookmarks. Essentially, the embodiment receives an external instruction while the multimedia is playing, showing a digest view according to the external instruction, showing one or more visual bookmarks in the digest view, and changing the demanded playing content to be played according to which visual bookmark is selected or saving the current playing content as a visual bookmark.  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a diagram of the embodiment. Firstly step  210  play a multimedia data, which can be a set selected from the following group: sound, graph, video or the like. Besides, the multimedia data is displayed as a series of frames according to the playing content of each frame. Even if the multimedia data contains only a graph, the graph is displayed as a series of the same frames. Next, step  220  detects a first instruction, which is triggered by a signal issued from a remote controller, a keystroke, a voice controlled apparatus, a charge coupled apparatus or the like. Then the multimedia data is performed according to the first instruction, as shown in step  240 , which illustrates that the multimedia data is performed as a digest window. The digest window contains one or a plurality of visual bookmarks. Each visual bookmark is shown as an visual window that shows the contents of a playing information, comprising: frames, playing content, chapter, time, the frame within the multimedia data at the playing content, the identification information of the multimedia data, the frames in a duration from the playing content within multimedia data. Moreover, step  250  waits for a second instruction to proceed the next operation, i.e. editing or selecting visual bookmarks (as shown in step  260 ) or close the digest window (as shown in step  270 ).  
         [0021]     The above-mentioned visual bookmarks can be provided for statically or dynamically display. For examples, the displaying information of a visual bookmark in the visual window can be a repeatedly displayed frame (statically display) or all frames in a duration of multimedia data for playing (dynamically display) on a display area within the digest window. The visual window can be minified for suiting the display area or partially displayed. Besides, the visual bookmarks shown on the digest window can be statically displayed except the selected one and the selected visual bookmark can be dynamically displayed. For examples, the first frame or all of the series of frames of the multimedia data in the duration starting from the playing content are displayed according to whether the respective visual bookmark is selected or not respectively. The dynamically playing above mentioned comprises the playing of audio, video or audio/video, and number of times can be one, many or unlimited.  
         [0022]     Moreover, operations for editing visual bookmarks in step  260  comprise insertion, modification, deletion, remove, configuration and so on. In the other hands, the second instruction can be a series of operations for visual bookmarks, i.e. inserting or modifying one of the visual bookmarks according to the playing information. More illustrations can comprise: deleting one or more visual bookmarks, ordering the arrangement of visual bookmarks, configuring the playing contents, i.e. the range for display, of the visual bookmarks and so forth. Furthermore, the recorded playing content in a visual bookmark can be the playing content at the arrival of the first instruction, or at the moment for editing each visual bookmark. In addition, the visual bookmarks shown on the digest window may contain only the information recorded for the displayed multimedia data in step  210 .  
         [0023]     In step  260 , multimedia data may be in the progress of playing or paused. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the present embodiment further comprises recording the playing information when the playing of the multimedia data is paused. The playing information of a visual bookmark mentioned in step  260  can be recorded by the playing information at the moment that the multimedia data playing is paused. Corresponding to step  230 , the present embodiment can further comprises step  280 , which resumes the multimedia data playing according to the playing content within the playing information. That is, step  280  runs after step  230 . The multimedia data playing can be paused and resumed at the arrival of the first instruction and the second instruction separately, and the times for pausing and proceeding the playing of the multimedia data can be once or more.  
         [0024]     Accordingly, another embodiment of the present invention is a system for editing visual bookmarks. Referring  FIG. 4 , the system for editing visual bookmarks comprises: a restoring apparatus  41  for recording a plurality of visual bookmarks  412 ; a playing apparatus  42  for playing a multimedia data on a display apparatus  43  according to a playing content  424 ; a instruction apparatus  44  for detecting a first instruction  442  and waiting for a second instruction  444 , wherein the second instruction  444  is received after the first instruction  442 ; an interrupting apparatus  45  for executing the first instruction  442  when the first instruction  442  is detected, wherein the first instruction  442  comprising the operations for requesting to display a digest window  432  on the display apparatus  43  that comprises a plurality of visual windows of visual bookmarks  412 ; and executing the second instruction  444  on the plurality of visual bookmarks  412 . Herein, each of the above apparatus could be implemented by a hardware (such as a integrated circuit), a software (such as a micro code) or a firmware, the invention only limits their function(s) but not limit their details. For example, the restoring apparatus  41  could be any memory, the playing apparatus  42  oculd be any well-known display, the instruction apparatus  44  could be any circuit for receiving instructions, such as well-known circuit for receiving instruction from the user interface of a television, and the interrupting apparatus  45  could be a micro-controller for switching the operation of some circuits.  
         [0025]     The foregoing first instruction further comprises recording the playing information of the multimedia data  422 , wherein the playing information comprises: graph, playing content  424 , chapter, recording time, the frame of the multimedia data at the playing content, identification information of the multimedia data  422 , and all frames in a duration starting at the playing content of the multimedia data. The foregoing second instruction  444  is selected from the group of the following: editing said plurality of visual bookmarks  412  and requesting the display apparatus  43  to refresh the display of the digest window; selecting one of the visual bookmarks  412  to change the playing content  424  and requesting the display apparatus  43  to refresh the display of the digest window; and requesting the apparatus  42  to close the digest window  432 . Thus the forgoing visual windows of the visual bookmarks may contains: the display of the playing content  424 , the display of the identification information, the display of the frame of the multimedia data  422  at the progress rate, the display of all frames in a duration starting on the playing content  424  of the multimedia data  422 . The display of all of the frames in a duration of the multimedia data  422  on a respective visual window can be only the first frame of all of the frames in the duration of the multimedia data  422  when the respective visual bookmark is not selected, and all of the frames in a duration of said multimedia data can be displayed once or repeatedly when the respective visual bookmark is selected. Moreover, the respective audio of the multimedia data can be played simultaneously, the present invention does not limited the contents and time for playing the multimedia data.  
         [0026]     Accordingly, the operation for editing the visual bookmarks  412  can be made by maintaining the playing information for insertion, modification, deletion, move, configuration or so on. That is, the second instruction  444  is a series of instruction for operating the visual bookmarks  412 . Besides, the operating for selecting the visual bookmarks  412  within the second instruction  444  can be used to change the playing content  424 . The operation for editing or selecting the visual bookmark  412  can be operated in the meanwhile multimedia data  422  is played or paused. Pausing or resuming the playing can be triggered by the first instruction  442  and the second instruction  444  separately. Alternatively, Pausing or resuming the playing can be triggered by the second instruction  444  only. Accordingly, users can edit or operate the digest window  432  to pause or resume the playing. Other details of the embodiment have described in the last embodiment and no redundant description will be made here.  
         [0027]     The foregoing description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. In this regard, the embodiment or embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the inventions as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breath to which they are fairly and legally entitled.  
         [0028]     It is understood that several modifications, changes, and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.