Digital Media Player Behavioral Parameter Modification

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention is a method for playing a portion of a media work which includes steps of: (a) playing the media work; (b) receiving input from a user; (c) analyzing parameters to determine the portion of the media work to play; (d) altering at least a part of the portion; and (e) playing the portion.

1 . A method for use with multimedia content stored in a media input buffer in a plurality of media frames, each of the plurality of media frames comprising information for rendering a corresponding interval of the multimedia content, each of the plurality of media frames being associated with a corresponding frame timestamp specifying a time within a presentation of the corresponding interval of the multimedia content, the method performed by a computer processor executing computer program instructions tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the method comprising:
 (A) playing at least some of the multimedia content;   (B) retaining a certain amount of the at least some of the multimedia content in the media input buffer after playing the at least some of the multimedia content;   (C) receiving a message including a request to reposition a playback location of a multimedia player;   (D) determining that the message requests repositioning of the playback location of the multimedia player to a media position corresponding to a media frame that is stored in the media input buffer;   (E) in response to determining that the message requests repositioning of the playback location of the multimedia player to a media position corresponding to a media frame that is stored in the media input buffer, responding to the message by repositioning the playback location of the multimedia player to the media position corresponding to the media frame that is stored in the media input buffer.   
     
     
         2 . A system for use with multimedia content stored in a media input buffer in a plurality of media frames, each of the plurality of media frames comprising information for rendering a corresponding interval of the multimedia content, each of the plurality of media frames being associated with a corresponding frame timestamp specifying a time within a presentation of the corresponding interval of the multimedia content, the system comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer program instructions stored thereon, the computer program instructions being executable by at least one computer processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
 (A) playing at least some of the multimedia content;   (B) retaining a certain amount of the at least some of the multimedia content in the media input buffer after playing the at least some of the multimedia content;   (C) receiving a message including a request to reposition a playback location of a multimedia player;   (D) determining that the message requests repositioning of the playback location of the multimedia player to a media position corresponding to a media frame that is stored in the media input buffer;   (E) in response to determining that the message requests repositioning of the playback location of the multimedia player to a media position corresponding to a media frame that is stored in the media input buffer, responding to the message by repositioning the playback location of the multimedia player to the media position corresponding to the media frame that is stored in the media input buffer.   
     
     
         3 . A system for use with a media player, the media player having a plurality of media player behavioral parameters having a plurality of current values, the plurality of media player behavioral parameters including a presentation rate behavioral parameter defining a current presentation rate of a digital audio work and a backup time behavioral parameter defining a backup time, the system comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium tangibly storing at least one update value specification specifying an alternate value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter; and   player behavioral parameter update means comprising:   means for identifying a user-specified trigger event activated by a user at a particular moment in time during playback of the digital audio work, the particular moment in time corresponding to a current playback location of the digital audio work; and   means for changing the presentation rate behavioral parameter from an original value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter to a first updated value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter based on the alternate value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter and in response to the trigger event, wherein the first updated value differs from the original value; and   player controller means comprising:   means for setting the current playback location of the digital audio work back by an amount of time based on the current playback location and a value of the backup time behavioral parameter to produce a revised playback location and in response to the trigger event; and   means for playing the digital audio work, beginning at the revised playback location, at a presentation rate based on the first updated value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the user-specified trigger event comprises a spoken command. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a first user interface to receive first user input specifying the alternate value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter; and   means for tangibly storing the alternate value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter in the computer-readable medium based on the first user input;   wherein the means for playing the audio portion of the digital media work comprises means for playing the audio portion of the digital media work at a presentation rate based on the first updated value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a second user interface to receive second user input specifying an alternate value of the backup time behavioral parameter;   means for tangibly storing the alternate value of the backup time behavioral parameter in the computer-readable medium based on the second user input; and   wherein the means for setting comprises means for setting the current playback location of the audio portion of the digital media work back by an amount of time based on the alternate value of the backup time behavioral parameter.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the player behavioral parameter update means is external to the media player. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the player controller means is external to the media player. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of media player behavioral parameters further includes a recovery time behavioral parameter defining a recovery time;
 wherein the player controller means further comprises:
 means for updating the presentation rate behavioral parameter, after the means for playing has played the audio portion for an amount of time based on a value of the recovery time behavioral parameter, to produce a second non-zero updated value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter based on the original value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter, wherein the second updated value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter is not equal to the first updated value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the second updated value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter is equal to the original value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the second updated value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter is not equal to the original value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the means for identifying the user-specified trigger event comprises means for identifying a single user gesture for specifying the trigger event. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first updated value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter specifies a presentation rate that is slower than a real-time presentation rate. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first updated value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter specifies a presentation rate that is slower than that specified by the original value of the presentation rate behavioral parameter.