ANNOTATION OF MOVIES

• US 20090327856A1
• Filed: 06/28/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Migos, Charles J., Mouilleseaux, Jean-Pierre M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,390,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/70 of video data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence

Abstract

A method of annotating a digital clip and setting a duration over which the annotation applies is disclosed. The method provides a graphical user interface (GUI) with a display area for displaying the digital clip. The GUI provides controls for entering notes, including graphical notes, on the clip. The GUI also provides controls for setting the duration for which the annotation applies.

Claims

1. A method of providing an annotation system for digital video clips, the method comprising:

a) providing a display area for displaying video clips;

b) providing a set of modules for;

i) receiving annotations for a displayed video clip; and

ii) setting a duration within the displayed video clip during which a particular annotation applies.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said set of modules is for associating a set of frames of the video clip with the particular annotation by allowing a user of said system to specify said duration of the video clip.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said second control set is for associating a set of frames of the video clip with the particular annotation by allowing a user of said system to specify at least one of a start time and an end time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first control set comprises an annotation tool for drawing a graphical annotation on said display area.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said first control set further comprises said display area and wherein said display area is further for receiving said graphical annotation upon a cursor control being activated while said cursor is over said display.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a control for setting a characteristic of a line of a graphical annotation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said second control set comprises an editable bar on a timeline.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein setting a duration of said annotation determines how long said annotation will be displayed when said clip is played at a particular speed.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a control for determining whether to show or hide annotations while playing said video clip.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a third control set for searching a set of annotations for a specified set of search parameters.

11. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program for annotating digital clips, said computer program comprising sets of instructions for:

a) receiving an annotation for said digital clip; and

b) setting a duration within the digital clip during which the annotation applies.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said computer program further comprises a set of instructions for receiving typed annotations from a keyboard.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said computer program further comprises a set of instructions for adding data about the received annotation to a searchable list of annotations.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said playing pauses while the annotation is received.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said computer program further comprises a set of instructions for saving said received annotation.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein said digital clip is a movie clip and saving said received annotation comprises storing said annotation as metadata associated with one or more frames of said movie clip.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein saving said received annotation comprises storing said annotation as a file that is separate from said digital clip but is temporally synched with said digital clip.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said computer program further comprises sets of instructions for:

a) receiving a handwritten annotation;

b) converting said handwritten annotation to a text annotation by handwriting recognition; and

c) adding said text annotation to a searchable list of annotations.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein receiving the annotation comprises receiving commands from a mouse.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein receiving the annotation comprises receiving commands from a touch screen.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein receiving the annotation comprises receiving commands from a keyboard.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein receiving the annotation comprises receiving commands from a graphics tablet.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein receiving the annotation comprises receiving audio from a microphone.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, said computer program further comprising a set of instructions for converting the received audio to a text annotation.

25. A method of providing an annotation system for digital video clips, the method comprising:

a) providing a display area for displaying a video clip; and

b) providing a tool that, when selected, allows a user to enter handwritten annotations for the video clip.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the handwritten annotations are not stored as character data.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the tool is for receiving input from the user through a cursor control device.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein said tool is a first tool, said method further comprising providing a second tool that converts a set of handwritten annotations to a set of text annotations.

29. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program comprising sets of instructions for displaying a graphical user interface (GUI), said GUI comprising:

a display area for displaying at least one video clip;

a first control set for making annotations for a displayed video clip; and

a second control set for setting a duration within the displayed video clip during which a particular annotation applies.