Editing apparatus and editing method

• US 6,236,802 B1
• Filed: 02/25/1998
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Tomoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/030,114
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.576, 386/46, 386/52, 386/55, 386/65, 386/112, 386/121, 345/328
• US Class Current: 386/282
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• 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

Abstract

An editing apparatus or method, when applied in particular to a simple editing system using an information processing apparatus, such as a personal computer, makes possible execution of various aspects of editing in a simple configuration. Only partial video signals required for the setting of editing points are transferred to working memory means to enable the result of editing to be previewed.

Claims

1. An editing apparatus comprising:

(a) a playback side memory apparatus configured to output video signals comprising a plurality of video segments, each of said video segments having a duration defined by an in-point and an out-point thereof;

(b) a recording side memory apparatus for recording selected said video segments from said playback side memory apparatus;

(c) an editor configured to (i) enable a user to select near-in-points and near-out-points associated with respective said video segments, (ii) store in a memory only limited video date adjacent said selected near-in-points and near-out-points without storing the full said video segments, (iii) enable the user to view said stored video data and select therefrom said in-points and out-points of said video segments, and (iv) create an edit list comprising information corresponding to said in-points and out-points of said video segments; and

(d) a playback controller to control transfer of said video segments to said recording side memory apparatus in accordance with said edit list.

2. An editing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said video data between said near-in-points and near-out-points is stored in said memory in a compressed form.

3. An editing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said editor further enables the user to process selected portions of said video data between said near-in-points and near-out-points with one or more special effects to add transition video segments between said video segments.

4. An editing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said editor further enables the user to process selected portions of said video data between said near-in-points and near-out-points with one or more special effects to add transition video segments between said video segments, said selected portions being stored in said memory in an uncompressed form.

5. An editing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said editor further enables display of a preview window to display said video data stored in said memory and a still picture representing video signals not stored in said memory, composed of video data from said memory.

6. An editing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said editor further enables display of a preview window to display said video data stored in said memory and a time code of video signals not stored in said memory.

7. An editing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said editor controls the order of recording of said video segments from a plurality of different recording media so as to minimize the frequency of changing said recording media in said playback side memory apparatus.

8. An editing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said editor controls the order of recording so that said recording media may be changed in said playback side memory apparatus in either an ascending order or a descending order of playback duration.

9. An editing method comprising:

(a) providing a source of video signals from a playback side memory apparatus, said video signals comprising a plurality of video segments, each of said video segments having a duration defined by an in-point and an out-point thereof;

(b) selecting near-in-points and near-out-points associated with respective said video segments;

(c) storing in a memory only limited video data adjacent said selected near-in-points and near-out-points without storing the full said video segments;

(d) viewing said stored video data and selecting therefrom said in-points and out-points of said video segments;

(e) creating an edit list comprising information corresponding to said in-points and out-points of said video segments; and

(f) transferring said video segments to said recording side memory apparatus in accordance with said edit list.

10. An editing method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising storing said video data between said near-in-points and near-out-points in said memory in a compressed form.

11. An editing method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising processing selected portion of said video data between said near-in-points and near-out-points with one or more special effects to add transition video segments between said video segments.

12. An editing method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising processing selected portions of said video data between said near-in-points and near-out-points with one or more special effects to add transition video segments between full video segments, and storing said selected portions in said memory in an uncompressed form.

13. An editing method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising displaying a preview window to display said video data stored in said memory and display a still picture representing video signals not stored in said memory, composed of video data from said memory.

14. An editing method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising displaying a preview window to display said video data stored in said memory and a time code of video signals not stored in said memory.

15. An editing method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising ordering the recording of said video segments from a plurality of recording media so as to minimize the frequency of changing said recording media in said playback side memory apparatus.

16. An editing method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising ordering the recording so that said recording media may be changed in said playback side memory apparatus in either an ascending order or a descending order of playback duration.

17. An editing apparatus comprising:

(a) a playback side memory apparatus configured to output video signals comprising a plurality of video segments, each of said video segments having a duration defined by an in-point and an out-point thereof;

(b) a recording side memory apparatus for recording selected said video segments from said playback side memory apparatus; and

(c) a computer comprising a playback controller to control operation of said playback side memory apparatus, a memory, and a processor running an editor program configured to (i) enable a user to select near-in-points and near-out-points associated with respective said video segments, (ii) store in said memory only limited video data adjacent said selected near-in-points and near-out-points without storing the full said video segments, (iii) enable the user to view said stored video data and select therefrom said in-points and out-points of said video segments, (iv) create an edit list comprising information corresponding to said in-points and out-points of said video segments, and (v) control said playback controller to control transfer of said video segments to said recording side memory apparatus in accordance with said edit list.