Up next video guide for tv video player

Abstract

An Internet TV shows which video clip in an Internet-provided playlist of multiple clips is “up next” for play.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a video display device (VDD), signals from the Internet; and   based at least in part on the signals, presenting on the vdd a video guide, the video guide including at least one single graphic entity representing a playlist receivable from the Internet and having at least two video clips, the single graphic entity being selectable to cause a first video clip from the playlist to be played on the VDD, wherein an indicator is displayed on the VDD, the indicator indicating at least a title of a second video clip in the playlist, wherein the playlist comprising the at least two video clips appears on the video guide as one entity and can be selected to immediately cause the first video clip to be played and to immediately cause the second video clip to be played at the user's option.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second clip immediately follows the first clip in the playlist. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second clip is automatically displayed on the as soon as the first clip ends. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator also indicates a title of the first clip. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator presents a timeline indicating time remaining in play of a current clip. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein when the first clip finishes playing, the title of the second clip moves on the VDD to a location formerly occupied by the title of the first clip. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator displays a thumbnail of the second clip. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator includes up-list and down-list navigation arrows to enable a viewer to scroll through the playlist. 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a processor;   a display associated with the processor and configured for communicating with the processor;   an Internet interface configured for communicating with the processor and configured to receive signals from the Internet;   a computer medium accessible to the processor and bearing instructions which when executed by the processor configure the processor for:   the causing an indication of a video clip in an Internet-provided playlist of multiple clips is “up next” for play, wherein the processor when accessing the instructions is configured to scan video header information in the playlist for title fields, the processor when accessing the instructions is configured for determining, responsive to detecting two or more title fields in the video header information of the playlist, that the playlist is a playlist and that names of clips in the playlist are indicated by respective title fields in the video header information of the playlist.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the indication indicates at least a title of an “up next” video clip in the playlist, an indication of a title of a currently displayed clip also being presented on the display. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a timeline indicating time remaining in play of a current clip is presented on the display. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein when the currently displayed clip finishes playing, the indication of the clip that is “up next” moves on the display. played on the VDD. 
     
     
         16 . The VDD of claim  15 , wherein the second clip is automatically displayed on the display as soon as the first clip ends. 
     
     
         17 . The VDD of claim  15 , wherein a title of the first clip is also indicated on the display. 
     
     
         18 . The VDD of  claim 17 , wherein when the first clip finishes playing, the title of the second clip moves on the display to a location formerly occupied by the title of the first clip. 
     
     
         19 . The VDD of claim  15 , wherein a thumbnail of the second clip is displayed. 
     
     
         20 . The VDD of claim  15 , wherein up-list and down-list navigation arrows to enable a viewer to scroll through the playlist are displayed on the display.