Real time video production system and method
First Claim
1. In a video production environment having a processing unit in communication with a plurality of video production devices, a method for producing a show, comprising the steps of:
- (a) pre-producing the show, thereby creating a script for the show;
(b) defining a set of video production commands corresponding to said script; and
(c) executing each video production command within said set of video production commands, wherein the step of executing a video production command includes the step of transmitting a control command from the processing unit to one of the plurality of video production devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated, fully automated video production system that provides a video director with total control over all of the video production devices used in producing a show. Such devices include, but are not limited to, cameras, robotic pan/tilt heads, video tape players and recorders (VTRs), video servers and virtual recorders, character generators, still stores, digital video disk players (DVDs), audio mixers, digital video effects (DVE), video switchers, and teleprompting systems. The video production system provides an automation capability that allows the video director to pre-produce a show, review the show in advance of “air time,” and then, with a touch of a button, produce the live show. In one embodiment, the invention provides a video production system having a processing unit in communication with one or more of the video production devices mentioned above. The processing unit displays on a monitor graphical controls for controlling the variety of video production devices that it is in communication with. A video director uses a keyboard and mouse that are interfaced with the processing unit to activate the graphical controls, and thereby remotely control the video production devices from one location. The processing unit also enables the video director to automate the production of a show. According to one embodiment, the video director pre-produces the show, defines a set of video production commands or instructions (hereafter “transition macro”) to be executed by the processing unit, and then, by activating a control button displayed by the processing unit, the video director instructs the processing unit to execute the transition macro. Each video production command in a transition macro directs the processing unit to transmit in series and/or parallel one or more control commands to one or more of the video production devices when required.
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Citations
116 Claims
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1. In a video production environment having a processing unit in communication with a plurality of video production devices, a method for producing a show, comprising the steps of:
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(a) pre-producing the show, thereby creating a script for the show;
(b) defining a set of video production commands corresponding to said script; and
(c) executing each video production command within said set of video production commands, wherein the step of executing a video production command includes the step of transmitting a control command from the processing unit to one of the plurality of video production devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for producing a video production, comprising the steps of:
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displaying on a monitor an icon representing a video production device control button;
associating a video production command with said icon;
associating a timer value with said icon;
activating a timer; and
executing said video production command when said timer reaches said timer value associated with said icon. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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35. A method for producing a show, comprising the steps of:
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(a) remotely controlling a plurality of video production devices;
(b) creating a sequence of video production commands; and
(c) producing the show by automatically executing said video production commands in real-time according to said sequence.
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43. A method for controlling a production studio for producing a television show, the method comprising the steps of:
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sending control commands to a plurality of video production devices from a processing unit;
associating one or more icons representing video production device control buttons with one or more control commands;
creating a transition macro by placing one or more of said icons on a time-based template; and
executing said transition macro to control said plurality of multimedia devices during the television show. - View Dependent Claims (44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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45. A method for controlling a video production studio comprising a processing unit coupled to a plurality of video production devices, said method comprising the steps of:
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displaying graphical icons on a display screen, wherein said graphical icons represent and function as front panel controls for the plurality of video production devices;
activating one of said graphical icons;
transmitting a control command to one of the plurality of video production devices upon activating said one of said graphical icons; and
creating an automated video production sequence by placing one or more of said graphical icons on a time-based template.
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51. A method for producing a video production, comprising the steps of:
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creating a plurality of transition macros, wherein each transition macro defines a set of video production commands;
saving each transition macro to a unique transition macro file, thereby creating a plurality of transition macro files;
creating a transition macro play-list, wherein said transition macro play-list defines a group of transition macro files having a predetermined order; and
executing each transition macro file within said defined group according to said predetermined order, wherein the step of executing a transition macro file includes the step of executing the set of commands defined by the transition macro saved to said transition macro file, and wherein the step of executing said set of commands includes the step of transmitting a control command from a processing unit to a video production device. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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54. A system for producing a show where a director first pre-produces the show and creates a rundown sheet, comprising:
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a plurality of remotely controllable video production devices;
means for specifying a set of video production commands corresponding to the rundown sheet; and
executing means for automatically executing each video production command within said specified set of video production commands, wherein said executing means transmits a control command to one of said plurality of remotely controllable video production devices as a result of executing a video production command from said set of video production commands. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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75. A system for producing a video production, comprising:
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means for displaying on a monitor an icon representing a video production device control button;
means for associating a video production command with said icon;
means for associating a timer value with said icon;
a timer;
activating means for activating said timer; and
executing means for executing said video production command when said timer reaches said timer value associated with said icon. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87)
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88. A system for producing a show, comprising:
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control means for manually controlling a plurality of video production devices, said control means comprising a plurality of icons displayed on a monitor;
means for specifying a sequence of video production commands; and
executing means for automatically executing said sequence of video production commands in real-time according to said sequence. - View Dependent Claims (89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94)
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95. A system for producing a live and a live-to-tape video show, comprising:
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a processing unit in communication with a plurality of video production devices;
display means coupled to said processing unit;
means for displaying graphical icons on said display means, wherein said graphical icons represent and function as front panel controls for said plurality of video production devices;
means for activating one of said graphical icons;
means for transmitting a control command to one of the plurality of video production devices upon the activation of said one of said graphical icons;
means for displaying a time-based template on said display means; and
means for creating an automated video production sequence by placing one or more of said graphical icons on said time-based template. - View Dependent Claims (96, 97, 98, 99, 100)
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101. A system for producing a video production, comprising:
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a plurality of video production devices;
a processing unit coupled to said plurality of video production devices, said processing unit comprising;
means for creating a plurality of transition macros, wherein each transition macro defines a set of video production commands;
means for saving each transition macro to a unique transition macro file, thereby creating a plurality of transition macro files;
means for creating a transition macro play-list, wherein said transition macro play-list defines a group of transition macro files having a predetermined order; and
means for executing each transition macro file within said defined group according to said predetermined order, wherein said means for executing each transition macro file includes means for executing a set of video production commands defined by a transition macro. - View Dependent Claims (102, 103, 104)
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105. A teleprompting system, comprising:
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means for creating a teleprompting script;
command insertion means for inserting a command into said teleprompting script;
scrolling means for scrolling said teleprompting script across a teleprompting display screen;
executing means for executing said command when said command reaches a predetermined position on said teleprompting display screen. - View Dependent Claims (106, 107, 108)
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109. A teleprompting system, comprising:
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a monitor;
a processing unit coupled to said monitor, said processing unit displaying on said monitor a script editor for creating a teleprompting script, said script editor including means for inserting a command into said teleprompting script; and
a display screen coupled to said processing unit, said processing unit scrolling said teleprompting script across said display screen, wherein said processing unit executes said command when said command reaches a predetermined position on said display screen. - View Dependent Claims (110, 111, 112, 114, 115, 116)
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113. A teleprompting method, comprising the steps of:
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creating a teleprompting script;
inserting a command into said teleprompting script;
scrolling said teleprompting script across a teleprompting display screen; and
executing said command when said command reaches a predetermined position on said teleprompting display screen.
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Specification