Two Apple patents at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office show how Apple is working on letting you control, structure and organize your digital content across various devices, iCloud and the iTune Store.
Patent number 201200543679 is for a menuing structure for favorite media content. Technologies for generating a menu of favorite media items for presentation to a user are described. In one aspect, input from a user designating a show as a favorite show is received. In response to receiving the input, show information relating to the favorite show is displayed in a first graphical user interface.
The show information includes a plurality of shortcuts, each shortcut pointing to a corresponding episode of the favorite show, and indicia displayed concurrently with the shortcuts to mark unwatched episodes. In response to receiving the input, a pointer associated with the favorite show is displayed in a second graphical user interface. The pointer points to the show information displayed in the first graphical user interface, such that the pointer associated with the favorite show is being displayed in the second graphical user interface concurrently with shortcuts associated with one or more other favorite shows. The inventors are Jeffrey Ma, Elbert D. Chen, Jeffrey Robbin, Calin Pacurariu, William Bachman Martin and James A. Young.
Patent number 20120054874 involves video chapter access and license renewal. It includes, among other things, systems, methods and program products for content chapter access and license renewal.
According to Apple, typical graphical user interfaces for video playback are difficult to use when it comes to accessing video chapters, often providing users with few clues as to what content lies in a given chapter. User interfaces for accessing or renewing licenses governing the use of videos commonly lack suitable integration with video playback tools. Short comings with user interfaces for video playback and license renewal are especially apparent on devices having small displays such as portable media players and smart phones. Imran Chaudhri is the inventor.