Multimedia content navigation and playback

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, a filtering process is based on the output side of a multimedia decoder. A navigator monitors the current play position of the multimedia content and compares that position with navigation objects. Each navigation object defines a start position, a stop position, and an filtering action to perform on the portion of the multimedia content that begins at the start position and ends at the stop position. When the current play position falls within the portion of multimedia content defined by a particular navigation object, the navigator activates the filtering action that was assigned to the navigation object. Filtering actions include skipping, muting, reframing, etc., the portion of multimedia content defined by a navigation object. A variety of systems may be used to implement the present invention, such as computer systems (consumer and server), television systems, and audio systems.

1 . A method of suppressing multimedia content comprising:
 one or more tangible computer executable instructions comprising:   obtaining at least one navigation object associated with a particular multimedia content presentation, the navigation object including a start indicator associated with a first position of the multimedia content presentation, at least one associated filtering action and at least one content identifier;   determining whether the at least one navigation object is activated, the activation being a function of the at least one content identifier;   comparing the start indicator of the navigation object with a position of the multimedia content presentation during presentation of the multimedia content;   suppressing the multimedia content in conformance with the filtering action when the first position of the multimedia content matches the start indicator and the navigation object is activated.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the navigation object further includes an end indicator associated with a second position of the multimedia content presentation. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the filtering action is a skip, and wherein the suppressing operation comprises skipping the multimedia content between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the skipping action involves directing read back from a physical location of a memory location corresponding with the end indicator. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the filtering action is a mute, and wherein the suppressing operation comprises muting an audio portion of the multimedia content presentation between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the operation of receiving a selection to activate the navigation object based on the content identifier. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the operation of receiving a selection to deactivate the navigation object based on the content identifier. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the multimedia content presentation is an MPEG encoded movie. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the position of the multimedia content presentation during presentation of the multimedia content includes a time code. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the navigation object is separate from the multimedia content presentation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the navigation object and the multimedia content presentation are provided on the same removable memory media. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the operation of obtaining at least one navigation object comprises obtaining a plurality of navigation objects associated with a particular multimedia content presentation, each navigation object including a start indicator associated with a first position of the multimedia content presentation, at least one associated filtering action and at least one content identifier. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein at least two of the plurality of navigation objects has a common content identifier. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the operation of receiving a selection to activate the at least two navigation objects based on the common content identifier. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the start indicator corresponds with a physical position of a removable memory media including the multimedia content presentation. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the removable memory media is a DVD. 
     
     
         17 . A computer readable media including the one or more tangible computer executable instructions conforming to the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the operation of obtaining the particular multimedia content presentation from at least one of a DVD, a CD, a random access memory, a hard drive, a removable disk storage medium, a tape storage medium, a wired communications link, and a wireless communications link. 
     
     
         19 . A method of suppressing multimedia content comprising:
 one or more tangible computer executable instructions comprising:   obtaining at least one navigation object associated with a particular multimedia content presentation, the navigation object including a start indicator associated with a first position of the multimedia content presentation, at least one associated filtering action and a multimedia content presentation identifier;   identifying a multimedia content presentation and comparing the multimedia content presentation identifier with the identified multimedia content presentation;   comparing the start indicator of the navigation object with a position of the multimedia content presentation during presentation of the multimedia content; and   suppressing the multimedia content in conformance with the filtering action when the first position of the multimedia content matches the start indicator.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the multimedia content identifier is a DVD movie title. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising:
 identifying a match between the DVD movie title and the multimedia content presentation; and 
 performing the operations of comparing the start indicator and suppressing based on the match. 
 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 determining whether the at least one navigation object is activated; and 
 suppressing the multimedia content in conformance with the filtering action when the first position of the multimedia content matches the start indicator and the navigation object is activated. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the navigation object further includes an end indicator associated with a second position of the multimedia content presentation. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the filtering action is a skip, and wherein the suppressing operation comprises skipping the multimedia content between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the filtering action involves directing read back from a physical location of a memory location corresponding with the end indicator. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the filtering action is a mute, and wherein the suppressing operation comprises muting an audio portion of the multimedia content presentation between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the navigation object includes at least one content identifier and further comprising the operation of receiving a selection to activate the navigation object based on the content identifier. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the navigation object includes at least one content identifier and further comprising the operation of receiving a selection to deactivate the navigation object based on the content identifier. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the multimedia content presentation is an MPEG encoded movie. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the position of the multimedia content presentation during presentation of the multimedia content includes a time code. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the navigation object is separate from the multimedia content presentation. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the navigation object and the multimedia content presentation are provided on the same removable memory media. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the operation of obtaining at least one navigation comprises obtaining a plurality of navigation objects associated with a particular multimedia content presentation, each navigation object including a start indicator associated with a first position of the multimedia content presentation, at least one associated filtering action and at least one content identifier. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein at least two of the plurality of navigation objects has a common content identifier. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising the operation of receiving a selection to activate the at least two navigation objects based on the common content identifier. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the start indicator corresponds with a physical position of a removable memory media including the multimedia content presentation. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the removable memory media is a DVD. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the operation of obtaining the particular multimedia content presentation from at least one of a DVD, a CD, a random access memory, a hard drive, a removable disk storage medium, a tape storage medium, a wired communications link, and a wireless communications link. 
     
     
         39 . A computer readable media including the one or more tangible computer executable instructions conforming to the method of  claim 19 .