Media content skipping

Abstract

A first index to a media content item and a second index to the media content item are stored on a media device. Each first index specifies a location in the media content item at which user input was received to skip a portion of the media content item. Each second index specifies a location in the media content item at which user input was received to resume playback of the media content item. A skip start index for the media content item is identified based on the first indexes. A skip end index for the media content item is identified based on the second indexes. A request for playback of an instance of the media content item is received. The instance of the media content item can be played skipping a portion of the instance of the media content item between the skip start and skip end indexes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the computer to:
 receive a first request to activate a skip mode;   receive a second request for playback of a new media content item; and   in response to receiving both the first request and the second request:
 determine an association between the new media content item and a particular title of a plurality of titles, each title associated with a respective plurality of media content items and a respective stored set of skip rules indicating a respective set of normalized skip indexes for the title, 
 each respective set of normalized skip indexes generated by collecting user inputs indicating skipping of portions of the respective plurality of media content items received during playback of the respective plurality of media content items, and normalizing the user inputs across the respective plurality of media content items in accordance with respective start and end indexes of the respective plurality of media content items; and 
 activate the respective stored set of skip rules associated with the particular title, such that, during playback of the new media content item, portions of the new media content item are automatically skipped in accordance with the respective set of normalized skip indexes for the particular title. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user inputs comprise a plurality of sets of skip start and end indexes, each set of skip start and end indexes indicating, for a particular media content item of one of the respective plurality of media content items associated with one of the plurality of titles, a respective first location in the particular media content item at which a user indicated during prior playback of the particular media content item to begin skipping a portion of the media content item, and a respective second location in the media content item at which the user indicated to resume playback of the particular media content item. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the normalizing the user inputs comprises normalizing the plurality of sets of skip start and end indexes across the respective plurality of media content items for each of the plurality of titles in accordance with grouping those of the plurality of sets of skip start and end indexes deemed to cover same respective portions of the media content items. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the grouping comprises performing an index grouping operation to identify those of the plurality of sets of skip start and end indexes deemed to fall within a predetermined threshold of each other with reference to associated ones of the media content items. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising instructions to:
 generate a prompt for display to the user to indicate an option to activate the skip mode,   wherein the first request is received responsive to the prompt.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the prompt is generated in response to receiving the second request. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the first request is received during playback of the new media content item. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising instructions to:
 collect, during playback of the new media content item, additional user input indicating an additional set of skip start and end indexes to skip an additional portion of the new media content item; and   store the additional set of skip start and end indexes in relation to the particular title.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory has, stored thereon, at least some of the respective pluralities of media content items associated with at least some of the plurality of titles. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions to activate the respective stored set of skip rules comprise, in association with each of at least some of the respective set of normalized skip indexes for the particular title, instructions to:
 determine a skip start frame and a skip end frame of the new media content item corresponding to the respective set of normalized skip indexes for the particular title; and   read metadata of a frame of the new media content item between the skip start frame and the skip end frame to determine whether the metadata indicates commercial programming,   wherein one of the portions of the new media content item corresponding to the respective set of normalized skip indexes is automatically skipped in accordance with whether the metadata indicates commercial programming.   
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receiving a first request to activate a skip mode;   receiving a second request for playback of a new media content item; and   in response to receiving both the first request and the second request:
 determining an association between the new media content item and a particular title of a plurality of titles, each title associated with a respective plurality of media content items and a respective stored set of skip rules indicating a respective set of normalized skip indexes for the title, 
 each respective set of normalized skip indexes generated by collecting user inputs indicating skipping of portions of the respective plurality of media content items received during playback of the respective plurality of media content items, and normalizing the user inputs across the respective plurality of media content items in accordance with respective start and end indexes of the respective plurality of media content items; and 
 activating the respective stored set of skip rules associated with the particular title, such that, during playback of the new media content item, portions of the new media content item are automatically skipped in accordance with the respective set of normalized skip indexes for the particular title. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the user inputs comprise a plurality of sets of skip start and end indexes, each set of skip start and end indexes indicating, for a particular media content item of one of the respective plurality of media content items associated with one of the plurality of titles, a respective first location in the particular media content item at which a user indicated during prior playback of the particular media content item to begin skipping a portion of the media content item, and a respective second location in the media content item at which the user indicated to resume playback of the particular media content item. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the normalizing the user inputs comprises normalizing the plurality of sets of skip start and end indexes across the respective plurality of media content items for each of the plurality of titles in accordance with grouping those of the plurality of sets of skip start and end indexes deemed to cover same respective portions of the media content items. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the grouping comprises performing an index grouping operation to identify those of the plurality of sets of skip start and end indexes deemed to fall within a predetermined threshold of each other with reference to associated ones of the media content items. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 generating a prompt for display to the user to indicate an option to activate the skip mode,   wherein the first request is received responsive to the prompt.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the generating the prompt is in response to the receiving the second request. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first request is received during playback of the new media content item. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 collecting, during playback of the new media content item, additional user input indicating an additional set of skip start and end indexes to skip an additional portion of the new media content item; and   storing the additional set of skip start and end indexes in relation to the particular title.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least some of the respective pluralities of media content items are stored in a memory in association with at least some of the plurality of titles. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the activating the respective stored set of skip rules comprises, in association with each of at least some of the respective set of normalized skip indexes for the particular title:
 determining a skip start frame and a skip end frame of the new media content item corresponding to the respective set of normalized skip indexes for the particular title; and   reading metadata of a frame of the new media content item between the skip start frame and the skip end frame to determine whether the metadata indicates commercial programming,   wherein one of the portions of the new media content item corresponding to the respective set of normalized skip indexes is automatically skipped in accordance with whether the metadata indicates commercial programming.