Image capture of multimedia content

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer readable media can be operable to facilitate the capture and storage of an image of displayed content. A device may be configured to copy and/or store an image of received content as the content is displayed to a user. A user may initiate an image capture through a device interface while viewing content on the device. The device may provide the user with various options for interacting with, outputting, and/or storing the copied image.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving multimedia content at a device, wherein the received multimedia content is displayed through a display interface;   receiving a user request to capture an image associated with the multimedia content, wherein the image comprises the picture of the multimedia content as the content is displayed through the display interface;   creating a copy of the image associated with the multimedia content; and   storing the copy of the image associated with the multimedia content.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 outputting a user interface comprising one or more options for storing the copy of the image, the user interface being output through the display interface;   receiving user input associated with storing the copy of the image; and   wherein the copy of the image is stored according to the user input.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the copy of the image is stored at the device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the copy of the image is output to and stored at a server that is external to the device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 retrieving program information associated with the received multimedia content; and   wherein the copy of the image is stored according to the program information.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the program information is retrieved from electronic program guide data associated with the received multimedia content. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein creating the copy of the image comprises:
 pausing playback of the received multimedia content;   copying a frame associated with the paused content, the frame being located at the point in the content at which the content is paused, wherein the frame is retrieved from a buffer; and   converting the copied frame into an image file.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 an interface configured to be used to receive multimedia content;   an interface configured to be used to display the multimedia content;   an interface configured to be used to receive a user request to capture an image associated with the multimedia content, wherein the image comprises the picture of the multimedia content as the content is displayed;   a module configured to create a copy of the image associated with the multimedia content; and   an interface configured to be used to output the copy of the image for storage.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the interface configured to be used to display the multimedia content is further configured to be used to output a user interface comprising one or more options for storing the copy of the image;   the interface configured to be used to receive a user request is further configured to be used to receive user input associated with storing the copy of the image; and   wherein the copy of the image is output for storage according to the user input.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising:
 storage configured to store the copy of the image. 
 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a module configured to retrieve program information associated with the received multimedia content; and   wherein the copy of the image is output for storage according to the program information.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the program information is retrieved from electronic program guide data associated with the received multimedia content. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein creating the copy of the image comprises:
 pausing playback of the received multimedia content;   copying a frame associated with the paused content, the frame being located at the point in the content at which the content is paused, wherein the frame is retrieved from a buffer; and   converting the copied frame into an image file.   
     
     
         14 . One or more non-transitory computer readable media having instructions operable to cause one or more processors to perform the operations comprising:
 receiving multimedia content at a device, wherein the received multimedia content is displayed through a display interface;   receiving a user request to capture an image associated with the multimedia content, wherein the image comprises the picture of the multimedia content as the content is displayed through the display interface;   creating a copy of the image associated with the multimedia content; and   storing the copy of the image associated with the multimedia content.   
     
     
         15 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more processors to perform the operations comprising:
 outputting a user interface comprising one or more options for storing the copy of the image, the user interface being output through the display interface;   receiving user input associated with storing the copy of the image; and   wherein the copy of the image is stored according to the user input.   
     
     
         16 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the copy of the image is stored at the device. 
     
     
         17 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 15 , wherein the copy of the image is output to and stored at a server that is external to the device. 
     
     
         18 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more processors to perform the operations comprising:
 retrieving program information associated with the received multimedia content; and   wherein the copy of the image is stored according to the program information.   
     
     
         19 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 18 , wherein the program information is retrieved from electronic program guide data associated with the received multimedia content. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 14 , wherein creating the copy of the image comprises:
 pausing playback of the received multimedia content;   copying a frame associated with the paused content, the frame being located at the point in the content at which the content is paused, wherein the frame is retrieved from a buffer; and   converting the copied frame into an image file.