Apparatus, systems and methods for a thumbnail-sized scene index of media content

摘要

Scene-based program accessing systems and methods are operable to present a program at a scene corresponding to a selected thumbnail-sized image. An exemplary embodiment selects a plurality of image frames from a program based upon a scene separation duration; generates a thumbnail-sized image from each of the selected image frames, and presents the plurality of thumbnail-sized images on a scene index. The scene index is configured to present the plurality of thumbnail-sized images in a time ordered sequence corresponding to a subject matter presentation sequence of the program, and each of the selected image frames are temporally separated from each other by the scene separation duration.

主权项

1. A method for indicating program scenes of a program, the method comprising:
selecting a series of image frames from a plurality of time sequenced image frames, wherein the selected image frames are separated temporally from each other by a scene separation duration, wherein the selecting further comprises for each of the selected image frames:
evaluating at least one characteristic of the selected image frame,
wherein when the characteristic is text, the evaluating comprises identifying a scene with text, wherein the evaluated selected image, frame is unsuitable for presentation when the scene with text is identified; andwherein when the characteristic is color, the evaluating comprises identifying a scene with a solid colored background, wherein the evaluated selected image frame is unsuitable for presentation when the scene with the solid colored background is identified; andselecting another image frame in proximity to the unsuitable selected image frame when the evaluation indicates that the selected image frame is unsuitable for presentation; generating a plurality of thumbnail-sized images, wherein one thumbnail-sized image is generated from each of the suitable image frames; and presenting the plurality of thumbnail-sized images on a scene index, wherein the scene index is configured to present the plurality of thumbnail-sized images in a time ordered sequence corresponding to a subject matter presentation sequence of the program.