Combined editing system and digital moving picture recording system

• US 20050053352A1
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Der, Harry, Tarr, Morton, Greaves, Paul H., McKain, James A., Fasciano, Peter, Vasilevsky, Alex, Kurtze, Jeffrey D., DiSciullo, Stephen M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,532,807 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/28 Mobile studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

A moving picture recording device includes a random-access, computer-readable and writable storage medium to provide non-linear access to recorded clips. The device provides digital capture of both video and audio information. Multiple data paths are provided to allow recording to and playback from the storage medium. Lists are maintained to manage recorded clips and edited events. An outtake list of deleted clips is also maintained. An event list includes a list of video events including clips from the storage medium as well as other video sources including a camera or external video. With switching circuitry, recorded clips can be viewed during editing while live images are output to a program output. An editing interface includes dedicated keys for performing standard recording functions as well as a display with associated input keys having adaptive functions. The textual display indicates the function currently associated with the input key. This display provides a simple interface for editing video without a mouse or other external input device or complex graphical user interface. The interface also may allow a user to input a value, stored as an attribute of a clip, that represents the merit of the clip. These attributes may be used to rank and/or select clips.

Claims

1. A digital motion picture recorder, comprising:

a housing sized to be portable for use by an individual;

a motion picture camera attached to the housing and having an output providing live digital video information;

a digital random access computer readable and writeable medium mounted within the housing;

means, in the portable housing, for enabling the individual to provide inputs to control capture of live digital video information from the motion picture camera into a clip comprising a data file in a computer readable file format and stored on the digital random access computer readable and writeable medium, wherein the digital motion picture recorder stores a plurality of such clips;

means, in the portable housing, for enabling the individual to specify a sequence of segments of the plurality of data files stored on the digital random access computer readable and writeable medium; and

means, in the portable housing, for enabling the individual to initiate playback of full motion video using the digital video information from the plurality of data files stored on the digital random access computer readable and writeable medium according to the specified sequence of segments of the plurality of data files.

2. The digital motion picture recorder of claim 1, further comprising means for assigning a unique identifying number to each clip.

3. The digital motion picture recorder of claim 2, wherein the means for assigning includes a clip counter that is incremented after recording a clip, and wherein the unique identifying number for each clip is provided by the clip counter.

4. The digital motion picture recorder of claim 1, wherein the live digital video information also has associated live digital audio information, and wherein the associated live digital audio information is stored in association with the clip of live digital video information.

5. The digital motion picture recorder of claim 1, further comprising means for maintaining one or more bins, wherein each bin has a clip list which indicates the recorded clips stored in that bin.

6. The digital motion picture recorder of claim 5, further comprising means for receiving an input from a user indicating a bin in which a clip is to be recorded.

7. The digital motion picture recorder of claim 1, wherein the means for enabling the individual to specify a sequence of segments comprises:

means for permitting the individual to specify a sequence play lists comprising a programmable list of events.

8. The digital motion picture recorder of claim 7, wherein an event references a source and duration of time.

9. The digital motion picture recorder of claim 8, wherein the source includes recorded digital video information.

10. The digital motion picture recorder of claim 9, wherein the source includes a clip stored on the digital random access computer readable and writeable medium mounted within the housing.

11. The digital motion picture recorder of claim 9, wherein an event has mark in and mark out locations.

12. The digital motion picture recorder of claim 8, wherein the source includes the live digital video information.

13. The digital motion picture recorder of claim 8, wherein an event has track playback assignments that may be set by the individual.

14. The digital motion picture recorder of claim 1, further comprising a user interface including:

a display device for displaying at least text;

a plurality of buttons placed adjacent to the display;

wherein each function associated with each of the plurality of buttons is communicated to the individual by text displayed on the display and adjacent the button;

wherein the user interface has a plurality of modes, including at least a clip mode and a sequencer mode;

wherein, in clip mode, the buttons permit the individual to navigate among and to select clips of time-based media stored on the digital random access computer readable and writeable medium; and

wherein, in sequencer mode, the buttons permit the individual to specify the sequence of segments.

15. The digital motion picture recorder of claim 11, further comprising means for permitting the individual to trim in and trim out the mark in and the mark out locations.

16. The digital motion picture recorder of claim 11, wherein the means for permitting the individual to trim in and trim out the mark in and the mark out locations comprises:

means for permitting the individual to select an event;

means for permitting the individual to select one of the mark in and mark out locations; and

means for permitting the individual to indicate a modification to the selected location one video frame at a time.

17. A user interface for facilitating nonlinear editing by an individual of time based media stored on a digital random access computer readable and writeable medium, comprising:

a display device for displaying at least text;

a plurality of buttons placed adjacent to the display;

wherein each function associated with each of the plurality of buttons is communicated to the individual by text displayed on the display and adjacent the button;

wherein the user interface has a plurality of modes, including at least a clip mode and a sequencer mode;

wherein, in clip mode, the buttons permit the individual to navigate among and to select clips of time-based media stored on the digital random access computer readable and writeable medium; and

wherein, in sequencer mode, the buttons permit the individual to specify a sequence of segments of clips of time-based media stored on the digital random access computer readable and writeable medium.