Pattern based video frame navigation aid

Abstract

A system, computer program product, and method are provided for capturing a first and second set of data. A first navigation profile is formed from the first set of data and a second navigation profile is formed from the second set of data. The formed navigation profiles are aggregated and a combined viewing pattern is identified from the aggregation. A portion of the data file is recommended for a second viewing based on the combined viewing pattern and the recommended portion of the data file is displayed on a visual display. Gestural navigation is supported within the displayed portion including navigating between graphical representations of data categories.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a processing unit in communication with memory;   a functional unit in communication with the processing unit, the functional unit having tools to support file navigation, the tools comprising:
 a profile manager to capture a first and second set of data, wherein the first set comprises data corresponding to a viewed portion of a data file by a first entity, and the second set comprises data corresponding to the viewed portion of the data file by a second entity; 
 the profile manager to form a first navigation profile from the first set of data and a second navigation profile from the second set of data; 
 a storage manager to aggregate the formed navigation profiles; 
 the profile manager to identify a combined viewing pattern from the aggregation; and 
 a recommendation manager in communication in the storage manager, the recommendation manager to recommend a portion of the data file for a second viewing based on the combined viewing pattern; 
   a visual display to display the recommended portion of the data file; and   the visual display to support gestural navigation within the displayed portion including navigation between graphical representations of data categories.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising the visual display to graphically represent the aggregation of navigation profiles, including a graphics manager to capture a viewing frequency of data within the data file based upon the aggregation of captured viewed portions of the data file. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising the graphics manager to support gestural selection of at least one subset within the data file from the graphical representations. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the gestural selection is selected from the group consisting of: physical contact between the user and the visual display, and physical contact between a stylus and the visual display. 
     
     
         5 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device having program code embodied therewith, the program code executable by a processor to:
 capture a first and second set of data, wherein the first set comprises data corresponding to a viewed portion of a data file by a first entity, and the second set comprises data corresponding to the viewed portion of the data file by a second entity;   form a first navigation profile from the first set of data and a second navigation profile from the second set of data;   aggregate the formed navigation profiles;   identify a combined viewing pattern from the aggregation;   recommend a portion of the data file for a second viewing based on the combined viewing pattern;   display the recommended portion of the data file on a visual display; and   support gestural navigation within the displayed portion including navigation between graphical representations of data categories.   
     
     
         6 . The computer program product of  claim 5 , further comprising program code to graphically represent the aggregation of navigation profiles, including capture a viewing frequency of data within the data file based upon the aggregation of captured viewed portions of the data file. 
     
     
         7 . The computer program product of  claim 6 , wherein the gestural navigation further comprises gestural selection of at least one subset within the data file from the graphical representations. 
     
     
         8 . The computer program product of  claim 7 , wherein the gestural selection is selected from the group consisting of: physical contact between the user and the visual display, and physical contact between a stylus and the visual display. 
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 5 , further comprising program code to maintain a profile of one or more viewing preferences based on view characteristics, and recommend at least one portion of the file for viewing based on a common characteristic. 
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 5 , wherein the data file is a video file and the navigation profile includes data selected from the group consisting of: a skipped portion, a fast-forwarded portion, a re-played portion, a volume increase, a volume decrease, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 capturing a first and second set of data, wherein the first set comprises data corresponding to a viewed portion of a data file by a first entity, and the second set comprises data corresponding to the viewed portion of the data file by a second entity;   forming a first navigation profile from the first set of data and a second navigation profile from the second set of data;   aggregating the formed navigation profiles;   identifying a combined viewing pattern from the aggregation;   recommending a portion of the data file for a second viewing based on the combined viewing pattern;   displaying the recommended portion of the data file on a visual display; and   supporting gestural navigation within the displayed portion including navigating between graphical representations of data categories.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising graphically representing the aggregation of navigation profiles, including capturing a viewing frequency of data within the data file based upon the aggregation of captured viewed portions of the data file. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising gesturally selecting at least one subset within the data file from the graphical representations. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the gesture is selected from the group consisting of: physical contact between the user and the visual display, and physical contact between a stylus and the visual display. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising maintaining a profile of one or more viewing preferences based on view characteristics, and recommending at least one portion of the file for viewing based on a common characteristic. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the data file is a video file and the navigation profile includes data selected from the group consisting of: a skipped portion, a fast-forwarded portion, a re-played portion, a volume increase, a volume decrease, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the gestural navigation further comprises a selection selected from the group consisting of: selecting separate portions of a recommended portion of the data file and selecting separate attributes associated with a recommended portion of the data file. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising capturing viewing frequency of data within the file based upon the aggregation of captured viewed portions of the data file. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the formed first navigation profile comprises a viewing pattern of viewed portions of the first set of data and at least one portion omitted from viewing, and the formed second navigation profile comprises a pattern of viewed portions of the second set of data and at least one portion omitted from viewing. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the graphical representations are selected from the group consisting of:
 a first category with respect to a second category; and   a third category with respect to the second category.