Methods and systems for processing media content

• US 20040189688A1
• Filed: 04/08/2004
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Daniel J. Miller, Eric H. Rudolph
• Inventors: Rudolph, Eric H., Miller, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,571,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence

Abstract

Methods and systems for processing media content are described and in at least some embodiments utilize a composite or composition, which can be considered as a representation of an editing project as a single track. Editing projects can have one or more tracks, and each track can be associated with one or more data stream sources that can have effects or transitions applied on them. Compositions can be nested inside one another and provide an economical way for complex editing manipulations to take place.

Claims

1. A multi-media processing method comprising:

providing multiple tracks each of which being capable of being associated with one or more digital data streams; and

representing the multiple tracks as a single track.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of representing comprises representing at least one transition between at least two of the multiple tracks.

3. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed, implement the method of claim 2.

4. A computer system embodying the computer-readable medium of claim 3.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of representing comprises representing at least one effect applied to at least one of the multiple tracks.

6. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed, implement the method of claim 5.

7. A computer system embodying the computer-readable medium of claim 6.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of representing comprises representing at least one transition between at least two of the multiple tracks and at least one effect applied to at least one of the multiple tracks.

9. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed, implement the method of claim 8.

10. A computer system embodying the computer-readable medium of claim 9.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising operating upon said single track by applying at least one transition between at least two of the multiple tracks.

12. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed, implement the method of claim 11.

13. A computer system embodying the computer-readable medium of claim 12.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising operating upon said single track by applying at least one effect to at least one of the multiple tracks.

15. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed, implement the method of claim 14.

16. A computer system embodying the computer-readable medium of claim 15.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising operating upon said single track by applying at least one transition between at least two of the multiple tracks, and at least one effect to at least one of the multiple tracks.

18. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed, implement the method of claim 17.

19. A computer system embodying the computer-readable medium of claim 18.

20. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed, implement the method of claim 1.

21. A computer system embodying the computer-readable medium of claim 20.

22. A method comprising:

providing multiple tracks each of which being capable of being associated with one or more digital data streams; and

grouping a particular set of operations on the tracks to provide a group upon which operations can be performed that do not affect tracks that are not in the group.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising operating on said tracks using said particular set of operations.

24. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed, implement the method of claim 23.

25. A computer system embodying the computer-readable medium of claim 24.

26. The method of claim 22 further comprising operating on said tracks using said particular set of operations, wherein said particular set of operations comprise at least an effect.

27. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed, implement the method of claim 26.

28. A computer system embodying the computer-readable medium of claim 27.

29. The method of claim 22 further comprising operating on said tracks using said particular set of operations, wherein said particular set of operations comprise at least a transition.

30. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed, implement the method of claim 29.

31. A computer system embodying the computer-readable medium of claim 30.

32. The method of claim 22 further comprising operating on said tracks using said particular set of operations, wherein said particular set of operations comprise at least an effect and a transition.

33. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed, implement the method of claim 32.

34. A computer system embodying the computer-readable medium of claim 33.

35. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed, implement the method of claim 22.

36. A computer system embodying the computer-readable medium of claim 35.

37. A data structure embodied on a computer readable medium, the data structure comprising:

one or more portions associated with at least one track of a multi-media editing project, individual tracks being associated with one or more data stream sources; and

one or more portions associated with a composite, the composite comprising at least one track, said data structure being configured for use in programming a software-implemented matrix switch which is configured to provide a data stream defined by the multi-media editing project.

38. The data structure of claim 37 further comprising one or more portions associated with a composite that is nested inside of another composite.

39. A computer system embodying the computer-readable medium of claim 37.