System for use in multimedia editor for displaying only available media resources to facilitate selection

• US 6,262,723 B1
• Filed: 11/27/1998
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Makoto, Oka, Toshio, Matsuzawa, Tomoko
• Primary Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US09/200,870
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 345/328, 345/326, 345/333, 345/334, 345/339, 345/340, 345/348, 345/302, 345/327, 386/52, 386/55
• US Class Current: 715/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/489 using time information

Abstract

A multimedia editing system for editing a scenario that defines the details of a multimedia application. The system presents to a user only media materials permitted to situations at a current time in the scenario under editing (a current scenario time) to facilitate a selection of media material. The media materials are divided into a plurality of types. Each of the types may have at least one format, a part of which is supported by the system (supported formats). Each media material is associated with a type, a format and an availability code of the material in a material table. The availability code indicates one of predetermined states of each material. In response to a change in one of situations that affects an availability of materials of a certain type and/or a certain format, the availability code of a material affected by the change is updated such that the availability code of each material reflects a current state of the material. Media materials of the supported formats are displayed in different ways associated with said predetermined states according to said current state of said materials.

Claims

1. A method of presenting to a user only media materials permitted to situations at a current time in a scenario under editing (hereinafter referred to as a “

current scenario time”

) to facilitate a selection of media material in a system for editing the scenario that defines details of a multimedia application, wherein the media materials are divided into a plurality of types and wherein each of the types may have at least one format, a part of the at least one format being supported by the system and hereinafter referred to as “

supported formats”

, the method comprising the steps of;

storing a material record that associates each media material with a type, a format and an availability code of said each material, said availability code indicating one of predetermined states of said each material;

in response to a change in one of situations that affects an availability of any material of a certain type and/or a certain format, updating said availability code of each material affected by said change such that said availability code of said each material reflects a current state of said each material; and

displaying media materials of said supported formats in different ways associated with said predetermined states according to said availability code of said materials.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said availability code of each material takes one of at least first, second and third values, said first value indicating that said material is unavailable, said second value indicating that said material is available, and said third value indicating that said material has been attached to a scenario time.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, further comprising the step, executed prior to the user using a first material, of setting said availability code of media materials of time-series types to said second value.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of updating said availability code includes the step of setting availability codes of media materials of resource-sharing types such that there exists no moment when any two of said media materials of resource-sharing types are attached.

5. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein said step of updating said availability code includes the step of setting said availability codes of only media materials of time-series types which materials are shorter in play time than a remaining scenario time to said second value.

6. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein said step of updating said availability code includes the step of setting said availability codes of only media materials of a text type which materials are not longer in length than a frame where said media materials are to be displayed to said second value.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of updating said availability code includes the step of setting availability codes of media materials of a WAVE type such that any two of attached media materials of said WAVE type are separated by at least three seconds.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of displaying media materials of said supported formats in different ways includes the step of displaying with a gray background.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of displaying media materials of said supported formats in different ways includes the step of displaying in a gray level.

10. A system, for use in a multimedia editor for editing a scenario that defines details of a multimedia application, for presenting to a user only media materials permitted to situations at a current time in a scenario under editing (hereinafter referred to as a “

current scenario time”

) to facilitate a selection of media material, wherein the media materials are divided into a plurality of types and wherein each of the types may have at least one format, a part of the at least one format being supported by the multimedia editor and hereinafter referred to as “

supported formats”

, the system comprising;

means for storing a material record that associates each media material with a type, a format and an availability code of said each material, said availability code indicating one of predetermined states of said each material;

means, responsive to a change in one of situations that affects an availability of any material of a certain type and/or a certain format, for updating said availability code of each material affected by said change such that said availability code of said each material reflects a current state of said each material; and

means for displaying media materials of said supported formats in different ways associated with said predetermined states according to said current state of said materials.

11. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said availability code of each material takes one of at least first, second and third values, said first value indicating that said material is unavailable, said second value indicating that said material is available, and said third value indicating that said material has been attached to a scenario time.

12. A system as defined in claim 11, further comprising means, activated prior to the user using a first material, for setting said availability code of media materials of time-series types to said second value.

13. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said means for updating said availability code includes means for setting said availability codes of media materials of resource-sharing types such that there exists no moment when any two of said media materials of resource-sharing types are attached.

14. A system as defined in claim 11, wherein said means for updating said availability code includes means for setting said availability codes of only media materials of time-series types which materials are shorter in play time than a remaining scenario time to said second value.

15. A system as defined in claim 11, wherein said means for updating said availability code includes means for setting said availability codes of only media materials of a text type which materials are not longer in length than a frame where said media materials are to be displayed to said second value.

16. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said means for updating said availability code includes means for setting availability codes of media materials of a WAVE type such that any two of attached media materials of said WAVE type are separated by at least three seconds.

17. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said means for displaying media materials of said supported formats in different ways includes means for displaying with a gray background.

18. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said means for displaying media materials of said supported formats in different ways includes means for displaying in a gray level.

19. A multimedia editing and presentation system capable of presenting to a user only media materials permitted to situations at a current time in a scenario under editing (hereinafter referred to as a “

current scenario time”

) to facilitate a selection of media material, wherein the media materials are divided into a plurality of types and wherein each of the types may have at least one format, a part of the at least one format being supported by the multimedia editor and hereinafter referred to as “

supported formats”

, the system comprising;

means for permitting the user to set said current scenario time to a desired scenario time;

means for defining frames in which materials of visual types are presented;

means for permitting the user to edit said scenario by attaching a desired material to at least said current scenario time, detaching and deleting one of attached materials; and

means for playing said scenario;

said means for permitting the user to edit said scenario comprising;

means for storing a material record that associates each media material with a type, a format and an availability code of said each material, said availability code indicating one of predetermined states of said each material;

means, responsive to a change in one of situations that affects an availability of any material of a certain type and/or a certain format, for updating said availability code of each material affected by said change such that said availability code of said each material reflects a current state of said each material; and

means for displaying media materials of said supported formats in different ways associated with said predetermined states according to said current state of said materials.