Source: http://www.sumobrain.com/patents/wipo/Slow-motion-video-playback-method/WO2017208121A1.html
Timestamp: 2018-01-18 11:56:24
Document Index: 760278741

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 13', 'Application No. 11', 'Application No. 11', 'Application No. 14', 'Application No. 13', 'Application No. 13', 'Application No. 13', 'Application No. 12', 'Application No. 05105669']

SLOW MOTION VIDEO PLAYBACK METHOD FOR COMPUTING DEVICES WITH TOUCH INTERFACES - WORM APP LTD
WIPO Patent Application WO/2017/208121
TALLANTYRE, James (1 Primrose Street, London Greater London EC2A 2EX, EC2A 2EX, GB)
MITCHARD, George (1 Primrose Street, London Greater London EC2A 2EX, EC2A 2EX, GB)
IB2017/053109
WORM APP LTD (1 Primrose Street, London Greater London EC2A 2EX, EC2A 2EX, GB)
G06F3/0486; G06F3/0484; G06F3/0488; H04N21/472
ORSATECH LTD (20-22 Wenlock Road, London Greater London N1 7GU, N1 7GU, GB)
1. A method for controlling the playback speed, and user experience of watching, slow motion video content on a portable electronic computing device with a touch sensitive screen, the method comprising: outputting on the display the video content; automatically playing the video content in an infinite loop; detecting a touch within the boundaries of the video playback screen on the touch interface; in response to a static hold of the touch, reducing the playback speed in predefined linear increments down to a predefined lower limit, as long as the static hold continues; in response to detecting cessation of user contact with the touch interface, the playback speed will increase back to normal playback speed in predefined linear increments, as long as no further touch is detected.
2. The method of claim 1, where the rate of the reduction, or increment, of the playback speed increases the longer the length of the static hold of the touch.
3. The method of claim 1, where the rate of the reduction, or increment, of the playback speed increases the further the user drags the static hold of the touch downwards and away from the initial touch point.
4. A computing device, comprising: at least one processor; machine-readable code stored on the computing device comprising executable instructions that are executable by at least one processor, and which comprise: executable instructions to output on the display the video content; executable instructions to automatically play the video content in an infinite loop; executable instructions to detect a touch within the boundaries of the video playback screen on the touch interface; executable instructions to detect a static hold of the touch and to reduce the playback speed in predefined linear increments down to a predefined lower limit, as long as the static hold continues; executable instructions to detect a cessation of user contact with the touch interface; executable instructions to increase the playback speed back to normal playback speed in predefined linear increments, as long as no further touch is detected.
5. The computing device of claim 4 where the rate of the reduction, or increment, of the playback speed increases the longer the length of the static hold of the touch.
6. The computing device of claim 4 where the rate of the reduction, or increment, of the playback speed increases the further the user drags the static hold of the touch downwards and away from the initial touch point.
7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions for causing at least one processor of a computing device to perform operations comprising: outputting on the display the video content; automatically playing the video content in an infinite loop; detecting a touch within the boundaries of the video playback screen on the touch interface; detecting a static hold of the touch and to reduce the playback speed in predefined linear increments down to a predefined lower limit, as long as the static hold continues; detecting a cessation of user contact with the touch interface; increasing the playback speed back to normal playback speed in predefined linear increments, as long as no further touch is detected.
8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 where the rate of the reduction, or increment, of the playback speed increases the longer the length of the static hold of the touch.
9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 where the rate of the reduction, or increment, of the playback speed increases the longer the length of the static hold of the touch.
received by the International Bureau on 27 Ocotober 2017 (27.10.2017)
1. (CANCELED) 2. A method suitable for controlling the playback speed, and user experience of watching, slow motion audio-video content on a portable electronic computing device with a touch sensitive screen, the method comprising: outputting on the display the video content; automatically playing the video content at a normal playback speed in an infinite loop; detecting a touch within the boundaries of the video playback screen on the touch interface; in response to a hold of the touch, reducing the playback speed in predefined logarithmic changes over time in a step-wise fashion down to a predefined lower limit, as long as the static hold continues; in response to detecting cessation of user contact with the touch interface, the playback speed will increase back to normal playback speed in predefined logarithmic changes over time in a step-wise fashion, as long as no further touch is detected.
3. The method of claim 1, where the playback speed increases in predefined logarithmic changes over time in a step-wise fashion the further the user drags the touch downwards and away from the initial touch point.
5. A portable electronic computing device suitable for watching slow motion audio-video content with a touch sensitive screen, comprising; at least one processor; machine-readable code stored on the computing device comprising executable instructions that are executable by at least one processor, and which comprise: executable instructions to output on the display the video content; executable instructions to automatically play the video content at a normal playback speed in an infinite loop; executable instructions to detect a touch within the boundaries of the video playback screen on the touch interface; executable instructions to detect a hold of the touch and to reduce the playback speed in predefined logarithmic changes over time in a step-wise fashion down to a predefined lower limit, as long as the static hold continues; executable instructions to detect a cessation of user contact with the touch interface; executable instructions to increase the playback speed back to normal playback speed in predefined logarithmic changes over time in a step-wise fashion, as long as no further touch is detected. 6. The computing device of claim 5 where the playback speed increases in predefined logarithmic changes over time in a step-wise fashion the further the user drags the touch downwards and away from the initial touch point
8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions for causing at least one processor of a computing device to perform operations to watch slow motion audio-video content with a touch sensitive screen comprising: outputting on the display the video content; automatically playing the video content at a normal playback speed in an infinite loop; detecting a touch within the boundaries of the video playback screen on the touch interface; detecting a hold of the touch and to reduce the playback speed in predefined logarithmic changes over time in a step-wise fashion down to a predefined lower limit, as long as the static hold continues; detecting a cessation of user contact with the touch interface; increasing the playback speed back to normal playback speed in predefined logarithmic changes over time in a step-wise fashion, as long as no further touch is detected.
9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 where the playback speed increases in predefined logarithmic changes over time in a step-wise fashion the further the user drags the touch downwards and away from the initial touch point.
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates generally to slow motion video playback on a computing device with a touch interface; and more specifically to the ability to control the speed of the video in a slow motion playback by using a touch and hold action on a touch screen interface.
BACKGROUND ART Slow motion video (commonly abbreviated to "slowmo") is an effect in video making whereby time appears to have slowed down. It was invented by the Austrian Priest August Musger in the 20 th century.
The creation of a Slowmo video starts with high speed capture by the camera. This was called "overcranking" is early film making. The recorded film would then be played back at a normal, or slower frame rate making the motion appear slower. If the subject was captured at 120fps, and played at 30fps for example, the motion would appear at quarter speed. Slowmo requires both faster capture and slower playback. If a user was to just use slower playback on an un-overcranked video the playback would result in stuttered motion. The degree of slowdown varies depending on the application, a 2-4X slowdown is considered standard for replays or effects. Slowmo pushes the technical boundaries of camera systems for more frame per second and for the playback system to ensure a smooth slow down of the video and an enhanced user experience of a quick motion action. The introduction of slowmo video capture and playback in the iPhone 5s by Apple, Inc in 2013 and the introduction of slowmo for the popular GoPro action camera range, often used in extreme action videography, from GoPro, Inc in 2013 introduced the concept and experience of slowmo to the masses.
Checkley in 2014 disclosed a method of "press and hold" to navigate to a specific point in a video sequence. He also disclosed a method to change the speed of the video by mapping points on the touch screen interface to specific speed settings for example 2X or 4X.
While these example provide methods to control video navigation and step changes in speed what makes the method in the present application unique from Gehani, Andres and Checkley is the simplicity of the control of the speed of the video in a slowmo playback, and the
enhancement of the user experience through cleaner visual feedback of the slowmo. There is no need to represent buttons on the media player window which distract from the user experience of the slowmo, and there is no requirement to swipe across the screen thereby distracting the user from seeing the slowmo action on the screen.
The following USPTO patent documents reflect such prior background art: U.S. Patent Application No. 13/603, 178 by Andres, I et al. (hereinafter "Andres"), filed on Sep. 4, 2012 and titled "Gesture touch inputs for controlling video on a touchscreen.
U.S. Patent No. 8,405,621 B2 by Gehani, S et al. (hereinafter "Gehani"), filed on Sep. 29, 2008 and titled "Variable Rate Media Playback Methods for Electronic Devices with Touch
Interfaces". U. S. Patent No. 7,495,659 B2 by Marriott, G et al. (hereinafter "Marriott"), filed on Nov. 25,
2003 and titled "Touch pad for handheld device.
U.S. Patent No. 7,663,607 B2 by Hotelling, S et al. (hereinafter "Hotelling"), filed on May 6,
2004 and titled "Multipoint touchscreen.
U.S. Patent No. 8,479,122 B2 by Hotelling, S et al. (hereinafter "Hotelling"), filed on Jul. 30, 2004 and titled "Gestures for touch sensitive input devices".
U.S. Patent No. 8,239,784 B2 by Hotelling, S et al. (hereinafter "Hotelling"), filed on Jan. 18,
2005 and titled "Mode-based graphical user interfaces for touch sensitive input devices".
U.S. Patent Application No. 11/850,635 by Jobs, S P et al. (hereinafter "Jobs"), filed on Sep. 5, 2007 and titled "Touch Screen Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for Determining Commands by Applying Heuristics".
U.S. Patent Application No. 11/682,872 by Rosenberg, L B (hereinafter "Rosenberg"), filed on Mar. 6, 2007 and titled "Touch-gesture control of video media play on handheld media players".
U.S. Patent Application No. 14/743,013 by Checkley G et al. (hereinafter "Checkley"), filed on Jun. 18, 2015 and titled "Methods, systems and media for controlling playback of video using a touchscreen". U.S. Patent Application No. 13/076,854 by Hill S et al. (hereinafter "Hill"), filed on Mar. 31, 2011 and titled "Substituting touch gestures for GUI or hardware keys to control audio video play".
U.S. Patent Application No. 13/184,415 by Kim C et al. (hereinafter "Kim"), filed on Jul. 15, 2011 and titled "Mobile terminal and method for controlling playback speed of mobile terminal".
U.S. Patent Application No. 13/541,203 by Shakespeare D M (hereinafter "Shakespeare"), filed on Jul. 3, 2012 and titled "Touch device gestures".
U.S. Patent Application No. 12/713, 118 by Hinckley K P et al. (hereinafter "Hinckley"), filed on Feb. 25, 2010 and titled "Multi-screen bookmark hold gesture". The following European patent documents reflect such prior background art:
European Patent Application No. 05105669.5 by Wilson A D, et al. (hereinafter "Wilson"), filed on Jun. 26, 2005 and titled "Recognizing gestures and using gestures for interacting with software applications".
The following other publications also reflect such prior background art: International Report on Patentability and Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/US2008/086538 (hereinafter "Written Opinion"), dated April 2005.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION A method and system are described herein that allow a user to playback a slowmo video and control the speed of the slowmo action replay, with a variable amount, using a very simple touch and hold action on a touch screen interface. The simplicity of the interface enables a cleaner and more immersive feel of the playback of the slowmo video.
In one embodiment the user touches the screen during slowmo playback and as long as the touch is static the video will slow down with variable rate change in speed the longer the touch is held static. Once the touch is released, the slowmo video will slowly increase its speed of playback with variable rate change until it is running at normal slowmo playback speed, typically 30 fps. In this embodiment the slowmo video, which are typically 5 seconds or less, plays in a continual loop so that the user is not distracted from having to fast forward, rewind, start, pause or stop the video during playback. The concept of changing the speed of the playback of a slowmo video is not new; what is unique is the method and system described herein to allow the user in a very simple, intuitive and clean method to slow down and speed up the slowmo action in order to give the user a more immersive feel of the playback.
In one example, a user is playing back a slowmo video on their mobile phone using a slowmo playback application, hereinafter called the "Worm App" which incorporates the methods of slow motion video playback disclosed herein. They initiate a touch and static hold of the touch on the screen hereinafter called "Touch to Slow". In a second example a user edits a slowmo video on their mobile phone using the Worm App and Touch to Slow and they then upload and share that edited video with friends who also have the Worm App and can use Touch to Slow to view the motion video.
In step 1, the Worm App is started 7 and the latest video that is stored in the memory 4 of the computing device 1 is played automatically in an infinite loop 9 on the touch display of the device 2. In step 2, once the user sees a section of video that catches his interest and he would like to slow down the action, he places his figure 17 on the touch sensitive display 16. In step 3, the Worm App 5 senses the touch and static hold 18 of the finger 17 and starts to reduce the playback speed of the slow motion video in linear increments the longer the touch is held 11. In this example the video playback rate is reduced by up to 4X over 400 ms. The user can touch and static hold his touch anywhere on the playback screen 16. In step 4, if the user would like to see the video speed up he releases his finger 17 and the video returns to normal playback speed of 30fps over 400 ms as long as there is no further touch and static hold on the screen. Method 2
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, consumers may control the speed of a video in a slowmo playback on a computer with a touch screen interface by a variable amount using a simple touch and hold action. This benefits slowmo video hosting providers and slowmo video application providers by giving their users a simple and clean interface with more immersive feel of the playback of the slowmo video and thereby increasing their users experience which will benefit the providers economically since they will gain loyalty from their user base.
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