METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR ESTABLISHING PLAYBACK TIMING CORRELATION BETWEEN DIFFERENT CONTENTS TO BE PLAYBACKED

• US 20140169766A1
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
• Original Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
• Inventors: YU, Siu-Leong, WEI, Shih-Chun, MA, Chen
• Granted Patent: US 9,135,956 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/282
• 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: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording

Abstract

A method and a computer program product for controlling a timing correlation establishing device to establish playback timing correlation between different contents to be playbacked are disclosed. The method includes displaying a main event block corresponding to a main video clip; displaying an auxiliary event block corresponding to an auxiliary video clip; displaying a time marker on a location of a first time point on a timeline according to an editor'"'"'s manipulation to an input device; and when the time marker is positioned on the location of the first time point, if the editor perform a set of predetermined manipulations to the input device, utilizing a control circuit to establish a first trigger timing data for indicating that an auxiliary display device has to begin playbacking the auxiliary video clip when the main video clip playbacked by a main display device reaches the first time point.

Claims

1. A playback timing correlation editing method for controlling a timing correlation establishing device to establish playback timing correlation between contents to be playbacked by different playback devices, wherein the timing correlation establishing device comprises a display device, a input device, a communication circuit, and a control circuit, the method comprising:

utilizing the display device to display an editing screen containing a timeline;

displaying a main device block corresponding to a main display device in the editing screen;

when an editor requests to add a main video clip corresponding to the main display device through the input device, displaying a main event block corresponding to the main video clip in the main device block, and displaying a main event name corresponding to the main video clip and a main event graph representing a total time length of the main video clip in the main event block;

when the editor requests to add a device block though the input device, displaying a first auxiliary device block corresponding to a first auxiliary display device in the editing screen;

when the editor requests to add a first auxiliary video clip corresponding to the first auxiliary display device through the input device, displaying a first auxiliary event block corresponding to the first auxiliary video clip in the first auxiliary device block, and displaying a first auxiliary event name corresponding to the first auxiliary video clip and a first auxiliary event graph representing a total time length of the first auxiliary video clip in the first auxiliary event block;

displaying a time marker on a position of a first time point on the timeline according to the editor'"'"'s manipulation to the input device;

when the editor selects the main event name or the main event graph through the input device, configuring the main event block to have a highlighted pattern; and

when the time marker is located at the position of the first time point on the timeline, if the editor conducts a first set of predetermined manipulations through the input device, configuring the main video clip as a first trigger source event, configuring the first auxiliary video clip as a first trigger target event, and utilizing the control circuit to establish a first trigger timing data for indicating that the first auxiliary display device has to begin playbacking the first auxiliary video clip when the main display device playbacks the main video clip to the first time point.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

utilizing the display device to display a to-event setting button in the editing screen;

wherein when the time marker is located at the position of the first time point on the timeline, if the editor firstly selects the main event block, then clicks the to-event setting button, and then clicks the first auxiliary event block through the input device, configuring the main video clip as the first trigger source event and configuring the first auxiliary video clip as the first trigger target event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein when the time marker is located at the position of the first time point on the timeline, if the editor firstly selects the main event block through the input device, then triggers the timing correlation setting module to display a first menu containing a trigger target setting option in the editing screen, then selects the trigger target setting option from the first menu, and then clicks the first auxiliary event block, configuring the main video clip as the first trigger source event and configuring the first auxiliary video clip as the first trigger target event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein when the time marker is located at the position of the first time point on the timeline, if the editor firstly selects the main event block through the input device, then presses a first set of predetermined hotkeys on the input device, and then clicks the first auxiliary event block, configuring the main video clip as the first trigger source event and configuring the first auxiliary video clip as the first trigger target event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein when the time marker is located at the position of the first time point on the timeline, configuring the main video clip as the first trigger source event if the editor conducts a first set of manipulations related to the main event block through the input device, and configuring the first auxiliary video clip as the first trigger target event if the editor conducts a second set of manipulations related to the first auxiliary event block through the input device;

wherein the first set of manipulations are conducted before or after the second set of manipulations.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

utilizing the display device to display a to-event setting button and a from-event setting button in the editing screen;

wherein the first set of manipulations comprise selecting the main event block and then clicking the from-event setting button, and the second set of manipulations comprise selecting the first auxiliary event block and then clicking the to-event setting button.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first set of manipulations comprise selecting the main event block, then triggering the display device to display a second menu containing a trigger source setting option in the editing screen, and then selecting the trigger source setting option from the second menu, and the second set of manipulations comprise selecting the first auxiliary event block, then triggering the display device to display a first menu containing a trigger target setting option in the editing screen, and then selecting the trigger target setting option from the first menu.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the first set of manipulations comprise selecting the main event block and then pressing a second set of predetermined hotkeys on the input device, and the second set of manipulations comprise selecting the first auxiliary event block and then pressing a first set of predetermined hotkeys on the input device.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the first set of manipulations comprise selecting the main event block and then forming a first set of finger print traces on the input device, and the second set of manipulations comprise selecting the first auxiliary event block and then forming a second set of finger print traces on the input device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a main device preview area corresponding to the main display device and a first auxiliary device preview area corresponding to the first auxiliary display device in the editing screen.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the timing correlation establishing device transmits the main video clip, the first auxiliary video clip, and the first trigger timing data to a multi-screen playback controlling server in a multi-screen multimedia playback system, and the multi-screen playback controlling server transmits the main video clip to a first video playback device for playbacking, transmits the first auxiliary video clip to a second video playback device, and controls the second video playback device to begin playbacking the first auxiliary video clip when the first video playback device playbacks the main video clip to the first time point according to the first trigger timing data.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the editor requests to add a first auxiliary audio clip corresponding to the first auxiliary display device through the input device, displaying a second auxiliary event block corresponding to the first auxiliary audio clip in the first auxiliary device block, and displaying a second auxiliary event name corresponding to the first auxiliary audio clip and a second auxiliary event graph representing a total time length of the first auxiliary audio clip in the second auxiliary event block;

moving the time marker to a position of a second time point on the timeline according to the editor'"'"'s manipulation to the input device;

when the editor selects the second auxiliary event name or the second auxiliary event graph through the input device, configuring the second auxiliary event block to have a highlighted pattern; and

when the time marker is located at the position of the second time point on the timeline, if the editor conducts a second set of predetermined manipulations through the input device, configuring the main video clip as a second trigger source event, configuring the first auxiliary audio clip as a second trigger target event, and utilizing the control circuit to establish a second trigger timing data for indicating that the first auxiliary display device has to begin playbacking the first auxiliary audio clip when the main display device playbacks the main video clip to the second time point.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the timing correlation establishing device transmits the main video clip, the first auxiliary audio clip, and the second trigger timing data to a multi-screen playback controlling server in a multi-screen multimedia playback system, and the multi-screen playback controlling server transmits the main video clip to a first video playback device for playbacking, transmits the first auxiliary audio clip to a second video playback device, and controls the second video playback device to begin playbacking the first auxiliary audio clip when the first video playback device playbacks the main video clip to the second time point according to the second trigger timing data.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying multiple auxiliary event blocks corresponding to multiple auxiliary events in the first auxiliary device block according to the editor'"'"'s manipulation to the input device, and respectively displaying corresponding multiple auxiliary event names and multiple auxiliary event graphs respectively representing a total time length of respective auxiliary events in the multiple auxiliary event blocks;

moving the time marker to a position of a fourth time point on the timeline according to the editor'"'"'s manipulation to the input device;

configuring the multiple auxiliary event blocks to have a highlighted pattern at the same time according to the editor'"'"'s manipulation to the input device; and

when the multiple auxiliary event blocks are configured to have the highlighted pattern and the time marker is located at the position of the fourth time point on the timeline, if the editor conducts a third set of predetermined manipulations through the input device, utilizing the control circuit to establish a fourth trigger timing data for indicating that the first auxiliary display device has to display a request message requesting a user to select one of the multiple auxiliary events when the main display device playbacks the main video clip to the fourth time point;

wherein each of the multiple auxiliary events is an auxiliary video clip, an auxiliary audio clip, a vibration operation, a flashing operation, a URL address, or a user interaction operation.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

utilizing the display device to display a command setting button in the editing screen;

wherein the third set of predetermined manipulations comprise clicking the command setting button to trigger the display device to display a command input window in the editing screen, and configuring the multiple auxiliary events as an event group through the command input window.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the third set of predetermined manipulations comprise pressing a third set of predetermined hotkeys on the input device to trigger the display device to display a command input window in the editing screen, and configuring the multiple auxiliary events as an event group through the command input window.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the third set of predetermined manipulations comprise forming a third set of finger print traces on the input device to trigger the display device to display a command input window in the editing screen, and configuring the multiple auxiliary events as an event group through the command input window.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the third set of predetermined manipulations comprise triggering the display device to display a third menu containing a command setting option in the editing screen, selecting the command setting option from the third menu to trigger the display device to display a command input window in the editing screen, and configuring the multiple auxiliary events as an event group through the command input window.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the timing correlation establishing device transmits the main video clip, the multiple auxiliary events, and the fourth trigger timing data to a multi-screen playback controlling server in a multi-screen multimedia playback system, and the multi-screen playback controlling server transmits the main video clip to a first video playback device for playbacking, transmits the multiple auxiliary events to a second video playback device, and controls the second video playback device to display the request message when the first video playback device playbacks the main video clip to the fourth time point according to the fourth trigger timing data.

20. A computer program product, stored in a non-transitory storage device, for controlling a timing correlation establishing device to establish playback timing correlation between contents to be playbacked by different playback devices, wherein the timing correlation establishing device comprises a display device, a input device, a communication circuit, and a control circuit, the computer program product comprising:

an editing screen generating module for utilizing the display device to display an editing screen containing a timeline;

a device block control module for displaying a main device block corresponding to a main display device in the editing screen;

an event editing module, wherein when an editor requests to add a main video clip corresponding to the main display device through the input device, the event editing module displays a main event block corresponding to the main video clip in the main device block, and displays a main event name corresponding to the main video clip and a main event graph representing a total time length of the main video clip in the main event block;

a time marker control module; and

a timing correlation setting module;

wherein when the editor requests to add a device block though the input device, the device block control module displays a first auxiliary device block corresponding to a first auxiliary display device in the editing screen;

wherein when the editor requests to add a first auxiliary video clip corresponding to the first auxiliary display device through the input device, the event editing module displays a first auxiliary event block corresponding to the first auxiliary video clip in the first auxiliary device block, and displays a first auxiliary event name corresponding to the first auxiliary video clip and a first auxiliary event graph representing a total time length of the first auxiliary video clip in the first auxiliary event block;

wherein the time marker control module displays a time marker on a position of a first time point on the timeline according to the editor'"'"'s manipulation to the input device;

wherein when the editor selects the main event name or the main event graph through the input device, the event editing module configures the main event block to have a highlighted pattern;

wherein when the time marker is located at the position of the first time point on the timeline, if the editor conducts a first set of predetermined manipulations through the input device, the timing correlation setting module configures the main video clip as a first trigger source event, configures the first auxiliary video clip as a first trigger target event, and utilizes the control circuit to establish a first trigger timing data for indicating that the first auxiliary display device has to begin playbacking the first auxiliary video clip when the main display device playbacks the main video clip to the first time point.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the editing screen generating module further displays a to-event setting button in the editing screen;

wherein when the time marker is located at the position of the first time point on the timeline, if the editor firstly selects the main event block, then clicks the to-event setting button, and then clicks the first auxiliary event block through the input device, the timing correlation setting module configures the main video clip as the first trigger source event and configures the first auxiliary video clip as the first trigger target event.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein when the time marker is located at the position of the first time point on the timeline, if the editor firstly selects the main event block through the input device, then triggers the timing correlation setting module to display a first menu containing a trigger target setting option in the editing screen, then selects the trigger target setting option from the first menu, and then clicks the first auxiliary event block, the timing correlation setting module configures the main video clip as the first trigger source event and configures the first auxiliary video clip as the first trigger target event.

23. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein when the time marker is located at the position of the first time point on the timeline, if the editor firstly selects the main event block through the input device, then presses a first set of predetermined hotkeys on the input device, and then clicks the first auxiliary event block, the timing correlation setting module configures the main video clip as the first trigger source event and configures the first auxiliary video clip as the first trigger target event.

24. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein when the time marker is located at the position of the first time point on the timeline, the timing correlation setting module configures the main video clip as the first trigger source event if the editor conducts a first set of manipulations related to the main event block through the input device, and the timing correlation setting module configures the first auxiliary video clip as the first trigger target event if the editor conducts a second set of manipulations related to the first auxiliary event block through the input device;

wherein the first set of manipulations are conducted before or after the second set of manipulations.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the editing screen generating module further displays a to-event setting button and a from-event setting button in the editing screen;

wherein the first set of manipulations comprise selecting the main event block and then clicking the from-event setting button, and the second set of manipulations comprise selecting the first auxiliary event block and then clicking the to-event setting button.

26. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the first set of manipulations comprise selecting the main event block, then triggering the timing correlation setting module to display a second menu containing a trigger source setting option in the editing screen, and then selecting the trigger source setting option from the second menu, and the second set of manipulations comprise selecting the first auxiliary event block, then triggering the timing correlation setting module to display a first menu containing a trigger target setting option in the editing screen, and then selecting the trigger target setting option from the first menu.

27. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the first set of manipulations comprise selecting the main event block and then pressing a second set of predetermined hotkeys on the input device, and the second set of manipulations comprise selecting the first auxiliary event block and then pressing a first set of predetermined hotkeys on the input device.

28. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the first set of manipulations comprise selecting the main event block and then forming a first set of finger print traces on the input device, and the second set of manipulations comprise selecting the first auxiliary event block and then forming a second set of finger print traces on the input device.

29. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the device block control module further displays a main device preview area corresponding to the main display device and a first auxiliary device preview area corresponding to the first auxiliary display device in the editing screen.

30. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the timing correlation establishing device transmits the main video clip, the first auxiliary video clip, and the first trigger timing data to a multi-screen playback controlling server in a multi-screen multimedia playback system, and the multi-screen playback controlling server transmits the main video clip to a first video playback device for playbacking, transmits the first auxiliary video clip to a second video playback device, and controls the second video playback device to begin playbacking the first auxiliary video clip when the first video playback device playbacks the main video clip to the first time point according to the first trigger timing data.

31. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein:

when the editor requests to add a first auxiliary audio clip corresponding to the first auxiliary display device through the input device, the event editing module displays a second auxiliary event block corresponding to the first auxiliary audio clip in the first auxiliary device block, and displays a second auxiliary event name corresponding to the first auxiliary audio clip and a second auxiliary event graph representing a total time length of the first auxiliary audio clip in the second auxiliary event block;

the time marker control module further moves the time marker to a position of a second time point on the timeline according to the editor'"'"'s manipulation to the input device;

when the editor selects the second auxiliary event name or the second auxiliary event graph through the input device, the event editing module configures the second auxiliary event block to have a highlighted pattern; and

when the time marker is located at the position of the second time point on the timeline, if the editor conducts a second set of predetermined manipulations through the input device, the timing correlation setting module configures the main video clip as a second trigger source event, configures the first auxiliary audio clip as a second trigger target event, and utilizes the control circuit to establish a second trigger timing data for indicating that the first auxiliary display device has to begin playbacking the first auxiliary audio clip when the main display device playbacks the main video clip to the second time point.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the timing correlation establishing device transmits the main video clip, the first auxiliary audio clip, and the second trigger timing data to a multi-screen playback controlling server in a multi-screen multimedia playback system, and the multi-screen playback controlling server transmits the main video clip to a first video playback device for playbacking, transmits the first auxiliary audio clip to a second video playback device, and controls the second video playback device to begin playbacking the first auxiliary audio clip when the first video playback device playbacks the main video clip to the second time point according to the second trigger timing data.

33. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein:

the event editing module further displays multiple auxiliary event blocks corresponding to the multiple auxiliary events in the first auxiliary device block according to the editor'"'"'s manipulation to the input device, and respectively displays corresponding multiple auxiliary event names and multiple auxiliary event graphs respectively representing a total time length of respective auxiliary events in the multiple auxiliary event blocks;

the time marker control module further moves the time marker to a position of a fourth time point on the timeline according to the editor'"'"'s manipulation to the input device;

the event editing module configures the multiple auxiliary event blocks to have a highlighted pattern at the same time according to the editor'"'"'s manipulation to the input device; and

when the multiple auxiliary event blocks are configured to have the highlighted pattern and the time marker is located at the position of the fourth time point on the timeline, if the editor conducts a third set of predetermined manipulations through the input device, the timing correlation setting module utilizes the control circuit to establish a fourth trigger timing data for indicating that the first auxiliary display device has to display a request message requesting a user to select one of the multiple auxiliary events when the main display device playbacks the main video clip to the fourth time point;

wherein each of the multiple auxiliary events is an auxiliary video clip, an auxiliary audio clip, a vibration operation, a flashing operation, a URL address, or a user interaction operation.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising a command setting module;

wherein the editing screen generating module further utilizes the display device to display a command setting button in the editing screen, and the third set of predetermined manipulations comprise clicking the command setting button to trigger the command setting module to display a command input window in the editing screen, and configuring the multiple auxiliary events as an event group through the command input window.

35. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising a command setting module;

wherein the third set of predetermined manipulations comprise pressing a third set of predetermined hotkeys on the input device to trigger the command setting module to display a command input window in the editing screen, and configuring the multiple auxiliary events as an event group through the command input window.

36. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising a command setting module;

wherein the third set of predetermined manipulations comprise forming a third set of finger print traces on the input device to trigger the command setting module to display a command input window in the editing screen, and configuring the multiple auxiliary events as an event group through the command input window.

37. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising a command setting module;

wherein the third set of predetermined manipulations comprise triggering the timing correlation setting module to display a third menu containing a command setting option in the editing screen, selecting the command setting option from the third menu to trigger the command setting module to display a command input window in the editing screen, and configuring the multiple auxiliary events as an event group through the command input window.

38. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the timing correlation establishing device transmits the main video clip, the multiple auxiliary events, and the fourth trigger timing data to a multi-screen playback controlling server in a multi-screen multimedia playback system, and the multi-screen playback controlling server transmits the main video clip to a first video playback device for playbacking, transmits the multiple auxiliary events to a second video playback device, and controls the second video playback device to display the request message when the first video playback device playbacks the main video clip to the fourth time point according to the fourth trigger timing data.