Time-based media processing system

• US 6,243,087 B1
• Filed: 09/28/1999
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vulcan Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Interval Research Corporation
• Inventors: Davis, Marc, Levitt, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US09/406,923
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 345/328, 345/302, 345/327, 345/967, 345/349, 345/356, 386/4, 386/52, 386/55, 386/102, 386/95, 707/104, 348/575, 348/700, 348/598, 348/584
• US Class Current: 715/723
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like 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: Y10S 715/967 Visual or iconic programming

Abstract

Existing media signals are processed to create new media content by defining content representations for the existing media and establishing functional dependencies between the representations. The content representations comprise different data types which determine the kinds of operations that can be performed and dependencies that can be established. Among the types of transformation that can be achieved are synchronization, sound substitution, and the creation of parametric special effects. The content representations and their functional dependencies are combined to construct a functional dependency network which causes the desired transformations to occur on input media signals. The inputs to the functional dependency network are parametrically specified by media data types to construct a template that can be used to create adaptive media productions.

Claims

1. A method for producing new media productions from existing media signals, comprising the steps of:

parsing a media signal to produce a representation of the content of the media signal in a format corresponding to one of a multiplicity of predefined data types for content representations;

defining a functional relationship between said content representation and another data signal; and

modifying said media signal in accordance with said functional relationship to thereby generate a new media production.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said data signal is a content representation of a second media signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said content representation comprises a component of the media signal which corresponds to said data type for that content representation.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said modifying step results in a manipulation of said component.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said modifying step comprises the substitution of the same component of a second media signal for said component of the original media signal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said modifying step comprises changing the temporal scale of said media signal.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said modifying step comprises replacement of a content element of said media signal with a substitute element of content.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said content element is a sound, and the substitute element has the same temporal duration as the element being replaced.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said modifying step comprises alteration of at least one parameter of a video image.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said alteration comprises translation of the video image.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said alteration comprises zooming of the video image.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said other data signal is an audio signal, and said alteration is carried out in synchronism with sounds in said audio signal.

16. The adaptive template of claim 1 wherein said functional dependency network transforms components of a media signal corresponding to said designated data type to produce a new media signal.

17. The adaptive template of claim 16 wherein the manner in which the media parsers and media producers are connected to one another in said functional dependency network defines the transformations that take place on the components of the media signal.

13. A method for producing adaptive media productions from existing media signals, comprising the steps of:

parsing original media signals to generate content representations of the media signals which identify properties of the signals;

creating a functional dependency network of parsers, functions, and producers of media signals and content representations;

designating one or more input media signals to the functional dependency network as typed data parameters, to form a template for the generation of a media production;

providing a new media signal which corresponds to a data type for one of the template inputs;

executing the functions in the functional dependency network, to modify the original media signals to adapt them to the new media signals, and/or modify the new media signals to adapt them to the original media signals; and

outputting a resulting media production from the template.

14. A system for generating adaptive media content, comprising:

a multiplicity of media parsers for processing media signals to provide different respective representations of the content of media signals;

a multiplicity of media producers for processing said content representations and media signals in accordance with respective functions to produce media signals;

means for selectively combining individual ones of said media parsers and said media producers to generate a functional dependency network which defines functional dependencies between different content representations of media signals and media signals to generate a new media signal; and

means for creating a template having parametric data type specifications for input signals to said functional dependency network.

15. An adaptive template for the creation of adaptive media productions, comprising:

a functional dependency network which includes media parsers and media producers connected to one another to produce a predetermined transformation to a media signal based on the content of at least one other media signal; and

a media characteristic function which designates a parametric data type for a media signal and which passes media signals of the designated data type to said functional dependency network to cause a media production to be generated which includes media signals of the designated type.

18. A user interface for the creation of media content, comprising:

a first column in which at least selected portions of media signals and content representations are displayed in a spatial manner;

means for displaying selectable operations that can be performed on displayed media signals and content representations;

a second column graphically indicating operations that have been selected and spatially indicating the interrelationships of the operations; and

means for displaying the results of said operations in said first column in a spatial manner corresponding to the spatial display of the media signals from which said results are derived.

19. The user interface of claim 18 wherein said first and second columns are contained within a common window.

20. The user interface of claim 18 wherein a media signal is displayed in a first row of said first column, and a content representation of said media signal is displayed in a second row of said first column, in alignment with said media signal.

21. The user interface of claim 20 wherein an operation that is performed on said media signal to generate said content representation is graphically indicated in said second column at a position corresponding to said second row.

22. The user interface of claim 20 wherein multiple media signals are displayed in respective rows of said first column and at least one content representation for each of said media signals is displayed in said first column, in a corresponding respective row.

23. The user interface of claim 22 wherein one of said selected operations is based upon at least two content representations for different respective media signals, and the result of such operation is displayed in a corresponding row of said first column.

24. The user interface of claim 18 further including means for displaying the results of said operations in a temporal manner.

25. A method for remotely producing a media production from existing media signals, comprising the steps of:

parsing original media signals at a first site to generate content representations of the media signals which identify properties of the signals;

creating a template comprising a functional dependency network of parsers, functions, and producers of media signals and content representations at said first site;

storing at least some of said original media signals at a second site remote from said first site;

transmitting said template and identifiers of said original media signals to said second site;

executing the functions in the functional dependency of said template in connection with the original media signals stored at said second site to produce a media production at said second site.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein at least some of the original media signals input to said functional dependency network are not stored at said second site, and further including the step of transmitting with the template only those original media signals which are not stored at said second site.

27. A system for generating a media production from existing media signals, comprising:

a multiplicity of media parsers for processing media signals to provide different respective representations of the content of media signals;

a multiplicity of media producers for processing said content representations and media signals in accordance with respective functions to produce media signals;

means for selectively combining individual ones of said media parsers and said media producers to generate a functional dependency network which defines functional dependencies between different content representations of media signals and media signals to generate a new media signal; and

means displaying transformations performed on existing media signals input to said functional dependency network.

28. A method for remotely producing a media production from existing media signals, comprising the steps of:

creating a template comprising a functional dependency network of parsers, functions, and producers of media signals and content representations at a first site;

storing at least one original media signal at a second site remote from said first site;

transmitting said template to said second site;

executing the functions in the functional dependency network of said template to transform components of the original media signal stored at said second site to generate a media production at said second site.

29. A computer-readable medium containing a program which executes the following steps:

parsing a media signal to produce a representation of the content of the media signal in a format corresponding to one of a multiplicity of predefined data types for content representations;

defining a functional relationship between said content representation and another data signal; and

modifying said media signal in accordance with said functional relationship to thereby generate a new media production.

30. A computer-readable medium containing a program which executes the following steps:

parsing original media signals to generate content representations of the media signals which identify properties of the signals;

storing a functional dependency network of parsers, functions, and producers of media signals and content representations;

forming a template for the generation of a media production, comprising one or more input media signals to the functional dependency network;

receiving a new media signal which corresponds to a data type for one of the template inputs;

executing the functions in the functional dependency network, to modify the original media signals to adapt them to the new media signals, and/or modify the new media signals to the adapt them to the original media signals; and

outputting a resulting media production from the template.

31. A user interface for the creation of media content, comprising:

a first area in which at least selected portions of media signals and content representations are displayed;

a second area in which operations on media signals and content representations that have been selected by a user, and the interrelationships of said operations, are graphically displayed; and

a third area in which the results of performing said operations on the media signals are displayed.

32. The user interface of claim 31 wherein said first and third areas are contained within a common window.

33. The user interface of claim 31 wherein said first and third areas are contained within a common frame in a window.

34. The user interface of claim 33 wherein said second area is contained within a second frame in said window.

35. A system for generating a media production from existing media signals, comprising:

a multiplicity of media parsers for processing media signals to provide different respective representations of the content of media signals;

at least one media producer for processing said content representations and media signals in accordance with respective functions to produce media signals; and

means for selectively combining individual ones of said media parsers and said media producer to generate a functional dependency network which defines functional dependencies between different content representations of media signals to generate a new media signal.