Real-time scrubbing of videos using a two-dimensional grid of thumbnail images

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for traversing a video file includes populating a two-dimensional array with representative images corresponding to a portion of the video and causing the two-dimensional array to be displayed. The two-dimensional array includes a location indicator configured to traverse the two-dimensional array in a direction parallel with one dimension of the two-dimensional array in response to navigation information associated with the portion of the video. The location indicator is further configured to indicate a position in the video by highlighting one of the representative images populating the two-dimensional array. Because an end-user is provided with a large set of statically displayed representative images during navigation of a video timeline, the end-user can visually identify a desired target scene, even when traversing a the timeline relatively quickly.