BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     Computing devices are used for a variety of purposes. Not only are computers used for business purposes they are also becoming widely used for entertainment purposes. For example, computing devices may record and display pictures, video and audio content as well as play games. Users may also watch and listen to streaming content on their computing devices that is available from a variety of content providers. The computing devices that are configured for these tasks may be traditional desktop computing devices or mobile devices. Some of these devices may be configured to store thousands of songs and videos, as well as a multitude of other media content. Accessing and remembering each of the media items can be very difficult for a user. For example, a user may become confounded when searching for a song as they are limited to searching through an exhaustive list of song names in order to find the song they are interested in playing.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0002]     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.  
         [0003]     An active preview is played while navigating through media items. The active preview is played automatically and provides a user with more information about the media item such that they may more easily determine its content before having to commit to playing it back fully or navigating deeper into the media item. For example, the active preview may be a selected segment of the media item, a random selection from the media item, or some other media content that is associated with the media item, such as a commercial or a trailer. The active preview may be for a single media item or may be for a collection of media items. An active preview that is for a collection of media items may display media content that is associated with one or more of the media items from the collection. The active preview may be shown automatically or may be shown based on an event, such as an event relating to the navigation through the media items. For instance, the active preview for a media item may be shown when the system focus is maintained on the media item for some predetermined idle time. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary computing architecture for a computer;  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  illustrates an active preview system;  
         [0006]      FIG. 3  shows navigation and active preview of exemplary media items; and  
         [0007]      FIG. 4  shows a process for providing an active preview for media items during navigation, in accordance with aspects of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0008]     Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals represent like elements, various aspects of the present invention will be described. In particular,  FIG. 1  and the corresponding discussion are intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment in which embodiments of the invention may be implemented.  
         [0009]     Generally, program modules include routines, programs, components, data structures, and other types of structures that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Other computer system configurations may also be used, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. Distributed computing environments may also be used where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.  
         [0010]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an illustrative computer architecture for a computer  100  utilized in the various embodiments will be described. The computer architecture shown in  FIG. 1  may be configured as a mobile computing device and/or a conventional computing device. For example, computing device  100  may be configured as a smart phone, a PDA, a desktop computer, a tablet, a laptop computer, and the like. As illustrated, computer  100  includes a central processing unit  5  (“CPU”), a system memory  7 , including a random access memory  9  (“RAM”) and a read-only memory (“ROM”)  11 , and a system bus  12  that couples the memory to the CPU  5 . A basic input/output system containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer, such as during startup, is stored in the ROM  11 . The computer  100  further includes a mass storage device  14  for storing an operating system  16 , application programs, and other program modules, which will be described in greater detail below.  
         [0011]     The mass storage device  14  is connected to the CPU  5  through a mass storage controller (not shown) connected to the bus  12 . The mass storage device  14  and its associated computer-readable media provide non-volatile storage for the computer  100 . Although the description of computer-readable media contained herein refers to a mass storage device, such as a hard disk or CD-ROM drive, the computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by the computer  100 .  
         [0012]     By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other solid state memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (“DVD”), or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by the computer  100 .  
         [0013]     According to various embodiments, the computer  100  may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to remote computers through a network  18 , such as the Internet. The computer  100  may connect to the network  18  through a network interface unit  20  connected to the bus  12 . The network interface unit  20  may also be utilized to connect to other types of networks and remote computer systems. The connection may be a wired and/or wireless connection. The computer  100  also includes an input/output controller  22  for receiving and processing input from a number of devices, such as: a keyboard, mouse, electronic stylus and the like. Similarly, the input/output controller  22  may provide output to a display screen, speakers, or some other type of device ( 28 ).  
         [0014]     As mentioned briefly above, a number of program modules and data files may be stored in the mass storage device  14  and RAM  9  of the computer  100 , including an operating system  16  suitable for controlling the operation of a networked computing device, such as the WINDOWS MOBILE or WINDOWS XP operating systems from MICROSOFT CORPORATION of Redmond, Wash. The mass storage device  14  and RAM  9  may also store one or more program modules. In particular, the mass storage device  14  and the RAM  9  may store a media application program  10 . The media application program  10  is operative to provide functionality for interacting with media items  24 . For example, media application may be configured to play audio, video, browse Internet content, download media, and the like.  
         [0015]     The media application program  10  utilizes an active preview manager  26  to assist a user in navigating media items. As will be described in greater detail below, the active preview manager  26  is configured to provide an active preview automatically for media items. For example, when a user is browsing a list of media items, active preview manager  26  is configured to automatically play a preview when the media item has the system focus for a predetermined idle time. For example, when the user is browsing video media items, and the user idles on a video, a segment of that video is previewed within a thumbnail. The thumbnail could be located on the screen in many different positions. For example, the thumbnail could be located: adjacent to the media item; above or below the media item if displayed semi-opaque; or in some predetermined area of the screen. A user may also browse a collection of media items, such as pictures. In that case, when the user idles on a collection of pictures, such as a folder containing pictures, then the preview may show a number of the pictures within a thumbnail that are included within the collection. The active preview is provided automatically and the user does not have to manually initiate playback of the media item or of the media collection to see what the item or collection contains. The previews may be automatically generated from the media item and/or they may be manually configured. For example, a user may select a segment of a song or video which they think best represents that media item to play as a preview. Additional details regarding the operation of the active preview manager  26  will be provided below.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  illustrates an active preview system  200 . As described briefly above, the active preview manager  26  monitors a user&#39;s navigation of media items and provides active previews relating to the media items based on the user&#39;s navigation. Generally, active preview manager  26  monitors the system focus and automatically plays a preview for a media item when the system focus is maintained over that media item for a predetermined idle time. According to another embodiment, previews may be displayed at the same time for each of the media items shown on display  28 .  
         [0017]     Active previewing of the media items allows a user to navigate through the media items and more easily determine the content of the media items. For example, as the user navigates the media items shown in list  50 , an active preview is automatically played within a preview view  56  when the user maintains focus on the item, such as item  2  ( 54 ), for a predetermined idle time. The idle time may be set differently and may be based on many factors, such as the type of media items being navigated, the type of input  40  method used to navigate (i.e. keyboard, mouse, stylus, and the like) as well as the actions of a user. The idle time is set such that it may be determined that the user is not merely navigating from one media item to the next without desiring a preview of the media item. Generally, a user will pause briefly over a media item to indicate that a preview should be played. According to one embodiment, the idle time may be set from approximately 0.5 seconds to 1 second.  
         [0018]     Media items  24  may be any type of media. For example, the media items may include audio, video, pictures, slide shows, podcasts, blogs, and the like. According to another embodiment, the media items may be any content that may have a preview associated with it. For example, the media items may be word processing documents where the preview provided is a portion of the document. The media items may also relate to products. For example, products on a web page may have active previews that are associated with them.  
         [0019]     Active preview manager  26  may be implemented within media application  10  as shown in  FIG. 2  or may be implemented externally from application  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 . In order to facilitate communication with the active preview manager  26 , one or more callback routines, illustrated in  FIG. 2  as callback code  32  may be implemented. Through the use of the callback code  32 , the active preview manager  26  may query for additional information necessary to determine the media items that are being navigated. According to one embodiment, active preview manager  26  registers for focus change events such that it may determine when an active preview is to be shown on display  28 .  
         [0020]     Screen manager  30  may communicate with the active preview manager  26  to determine information related to media items that are displayed on a screen. The screen manager  30  may also provide to the active preview manager  26  the media item that currently has the focus from the screen. Screen manager  30  tracks the focus and provides the preview content to display  28  when an active preview is to be shown.  
         [0021]     Although the media items being navigated are shown in list  50 , the media items may be displayed in many different ways. For example, the media items may be displayed in a grid, a list, within folders, or in some other designated manner such that the media items may be navigated.  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  shows navigation and active preview of exemplary media items. Display  310  shows a list of video media items. Display  320  shows a grid of audio media items and display  330  shows a grid of pictures being navigated. Although not shown, different types of media items may be included within a single display. For example, pictures, slide shows, videos, podcasts, and songs could be shown within the same display.  
         [0023]     The active preview that is shown to a user may depend upon the type of media item that is selected. For example, when a video media item is selected, such as Video 2  ( 314 ) from video list  310 , a segment of that video may be shown within preview view  316 . According to one embodiment, the preview view  316  is a thumbnail view. The preview video may include: a loop of a predetermined relevant segment of the video; a randomly selected segment of the video, a user&#39;s favorite or most watched segment, and the like. Alternatively, the looping preview video could be an edited video provided by an external source, such as a content provider, for preview purposes. For example, it could be a movie trailer, a commercial for the item, and the like.  
         [0024]     When the media item is an audio media item as shown in display  320 , the preview may be a portion of the audio, a picture, a video or some other preview. For example, when scrolling through a list of podcasts, if a user leaves focus on a podcast media item  322  for a predetermined idle time, a preview segment of the podcast could be played. This provides an easy way for a user to know what&#39;s in the podcast without having to jump to a text description located in another part of a user interface or listen to the actual podcast&#39;s beginning.  
         [0025]     Display  330  shows navigating single pictures and collections of pictures. When the media item is a single picture, such as Picture  6 , a segment of a picture may be shown as the preview. When the focus  332  is on a collection of media items then the preview may be a segment of each of the media items within the collection. For example, if the media item represents a group of pictures, then upon selection of the media item for the predetermined idle time, a slideshow of the pictures within the group may be shown as the preview.  
         [0026]     The following table shows exemplary actions based on the type of media item. The previews, however, are not limited to the actions shown.  
                                               Thumbnail review Methods upon       Media   Type   selection of item in list or grid                   Video   On Demand   Show a predetermined segment of           TV/Video   the video               Show a collection of predetermined               segments of the video               Show network&#39;s promotional preview               for the program.               Play the whole program.           Broadcast TV (e.g.   Show network&#39;s promotional preview           in a guide)   for the program.           Recorded TV   Show a predetermined segment of               the video               Show a collection of predetermined               segments of the video               Show network&#39;s promotional preview               for the program.               Play the whole program.           Short form video   Show a predetermined segment of           content optimized   the video           for mobile phones   Show a collection of predetermined               segments of the video               Show network&#39;s promotional preview               for the program.               Play the whole program.           Movies   Show a predetermined segment of               the video               Show a collection of predetermined               segments of the video               Show studio&#39;s promotional preview               for the program.               Play the whole movie.           Video Blogs   Show a predetermined segment of               the video               Show a collection of predetermined               segments of the video               Play the whole video.           Video Podcasts   Show a predetermined segment of               the video               Show a collection of predetermined               segments of the video               Play the whole video           Self authored video   Show a predetermined segment of               the video               Show a collection of predetermined               segments of the video               Play the whole video       Audio   Podcasts   Play a predetermined segment of the               audio file.               Play a collection of predetermined               segments of the audio file.               Play author&#39;s promotional audio               description of the item.           Audio Books   Play the publisher&#39;s promotional               audio description of the item.           On Demand Radio   Play the publisher&#39;s promotional           programming   audio description of the item.           Broadcast Radio   Play the publisher&#39;s promotional           (e.g. in a guide)   audio description of the item.           Music   Play a sample of the album or song.       Pictures   Individual   Pan and zoom through the picture           picture   within the thumbnail area.           Collection of   Play a quick slideshow of pictures in           Pictures   the collection           Photostories   Play a predetermined segment of the               photostory.               Play the whole photostory.                  
 
         [0027]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an illustrative process for actively previewing media items will be described. When reading the discussion of the routines presented herein, it should be appreciated that the logical operations of various embodiments are implemented (1) as a sequence of computer implemented acts or program modules running on a computing system and/or (2) as interconnected machine logic circuits or circuit modules within the computing system. The implementation is a matter of choice dependent on the performance requirements of the computing system implementing the invention. Accordingly, the logical operations illustrated and making up the embodiments of the described herein are referred to variously as operations, structural devices, acts or modules. These operations, structural devices, acts and modules may be implemented in software, in firmware, in special purpose digital logic, and any combination thereof.  
         [0028]      FIG. 4  shows a process  400  for providing an active preview for media items during navigation. After a start operation, the process moves to operation  410 , where media items are displayed. As discussed above, the media items may be displayed in a number of different ways, such as in a list or a grid. The media items may also be displayed on a web page. For example, the media items may be products that are shown on a web page.  
         [0029]     Moving to operation  420 , a current location of the system focus is obtained. The current system focus is obtained to determine whether a user is over a media item during navigation.  
         [0030]     Flowing to decision operation  430 , a determination is made as to whether the user has navigated over a media item or a collection of media items. When the focus indicates that the user is not over a media item, the process returns to operation  420 . When the focus indicates that the user has navigated over a media item, the process moves to operation  440 .  
         [0031]     At operation  440 , the time the focus is maintained over the media item is measured. The process then flows to decision operation  450 , where a determination is made as to whether the user is idling over the media item. In other words, is the user merely navigating past the media item or has the user paused over the media item. When the user is not idling over the media item, the process returns to operation  440 . When the user is idling over the media item, the process transitions to operation  460  where content is obtained for the preview. The content may be any content that provides a preview that relates to the media item.  
         [0032]     The process then flows to operation  470 , where the preview is displayed. The preview may be displayed in many different screen locations. For example, the preview could be played: adjacent to the media item; above or below the media item if displayed semi-opaque; or in some predetermined area of the screen. According to one embodiment, the preview is displayed for as long as the user maintains focus over the media item. According to another embodiment, the preview is played for a predetermined time. The process then moves to an end operation and returns to processing other actions.  
         [0033]     The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.
An active preview is played while navigating media items. The active preview automatically provides a user with more information about the media item such that they may more easily determine its content before having to commit to playing it back fully or navigating deeper into the media item. The active preview may be a selected segment of the media item, a random selection from the media item, or some other media content that is associated with the media item, such as a commercial or a trailer. The active preview may be for a single media item or may be for a collection of media items. The active preview may be shown automatically or may be shown based on an event, such as an event relating to the navigation through the media items.