Intra-Video Ratings

Abstract

A system and method is provided for receiving and displaying voting data with respect to online hosted videos. Viewers vote on portions within various videos stored in an online video hosting website. Voting data can represent different types of votes, such as unipolar, bipolar, or categorical. The prior voting data, including that submitted by other viewers, can be displayed in a number of ways, such as gradations of color, or charts such as bar graphs. The voting data may be associated with demographic categories, such as a voter's age, sex, or political affiliation. Further, a video may be selectively played to display portions of most interest to given demographic categories, as indicated by voting patterns of those categories.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A graphical display, comprising:
 a playback portion configured to display a video comprising a plurality of segments to a user;   a timeline representing the video;   a marker indicating a segment of the video currently displayed in the playback portion; and   a visual indication of a popularity of at least some of the segments with other users.   
     
     
         2 . The graphical display of  claim 1 , further comprising a favorable vote icon for the user to select in order to indicate a favorable opinion of the segment of the video currently displayed in the playback portion. 
     
     
         3 . The graphical display of  claim 2 , further comprising an unfavorable vote icon for the user to select in order to indicate an unfavorable opinion of the segment of the video currently displayed in the playback portion. 
     
     
         4 . The graphical display of  claim 1 , wherein the visual indication of the popularity of at least some of the segments with other users comprises an intensity of shading of portions of the timeline, the intensity of shading of a portion indicating the popularity of the corresponding segment of the video. 
     
     
         5 . The graphical display of  claim 1 , wherein the visual indication of the popularity of at least some the segments with other users comprises a graph overlaid on the timeline. 
     
     
         6 . The graphical display of  claim 5 , wherein the graph comprises a plurality of bars at positions along the timeline, the height of each bar indicating a strength of favorability among the users regarding a segment of the video corresponding to the position of the bar along the timeline. 
     
     
         7 . The graphical display of  claim 5 , wherein the graph comprises a plurality of bars at positions along the timeline, the height of each bar indicating a strength of unfavorability among the users regarding a segment of the video corresponding to the position of the bar along the timeline. 
     
     
         8 . The graphical display of  claim 1 , wherein the visual indication of the popularity of at least some the segments with other users comprises at least one controversy marker at a position on the timeline, the controversy marker indicating a large number of users have indicated both a favorable and unfavorable response to a corresponding segment of the video. 
     
     
         9 . A method of displaying a video and indicating a popularity of a plurality of segments of the video, the method comprising:
 displaying the video comprising the plurality of segments to a user;   displaying a timeline representing the video;   displaying a marker indicating a segment of the video currently displayed; and   displaying a visual indication of the popularity of at least some of the segments with other users.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising displaying a favorable vote icon for the user to select in order to indicate a favorable opinion of the segment of the video currently displayed. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising displaying an unfavorable vote icon for the user to select in order to indicate an unfavorable opinion of the segment of the video currently displayed. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the visual indication of the popularity of at least some of the segments with other users comprises an intensity of shading of portions of the timeline, the intensity of shading of a portion indicating the popularity of the corresponding segment of the video. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the visual indication of the popularity of at least some of the segments with other users comprises a graph overlaid on the timeline. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the graph comprises a plurality of bars at positions along the timeline, the height of each bar indicating a strength of favorability among the users regarding a segment of the video corresponding to the position of the bar along the timeline. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the graph comprises a plurality of bars at positions along the timeline, the height of each bar indicating a strength of unfavorability among the users regarding a segment of the video corresponding to the position of the bar along the timeline. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the visual indication of the popularity of at least some of the segments with other users comprises at least one controversy marker at a position on the timeline, the controversy marker indicating a large number of users have indicated both a favorable and unfavorable response to a corresponding segment of the video. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer program instructions for displaying a video and indicating a popularity of a plurality of segments of the video, the computer program instructions configuring a computer to perform operations comprising:
 displaying the video comprising the plurality of segments to a user;   displaying a timeline representing the video;   displaying a marker indicating a segment of the video currently displayed; and   displaying a visual indication of the popularity of at least some of the segments with other users.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprises:
 displaying a favorable vote icon for the user to select in order to indicate a favorable opinion of the segment of the video currently displayed; and   displaying an unfavorable vote icon for the user to select in order to indicate an unfavorable opinion of the segment of the video currently displayed.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the visual indication of the popularity of at least some of the segments with other users comprises an intensity of shading of portions of the timeline, the intensity of shading of a portion indicating the popularity of the corresponding segment of the video. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the visual indication of the popularity of at least some of the segments with other users comprises a graph overlaid on the timeline, the graph comprising a plurality of bars at positions along the timeline, the height of each bar indicating a strength of favorability among the users regarding a segment of the video corresponding to the position of the bar along the timeline.