Audio/video storage and retrieval for multimedia workstations
First Claim
1. A method for storing and retrieving audio and video data on a multimedia workstation, comprising the steps ofa) storing an audio data stream from a workstation to a data file accessible by the workstation such that the audio data stream can be retrieved from the data file and reconstructed by the workstation into a continuous audio signal;
- b) storing a non-continuous logical stream of video data from the workstation to the data file such that each frame of video data stored to the data file is inserted into the audio data stream also stored in the data file by the workstation without affecting the continuity of the audio signal when later retrieved from the data file and reconstructed by the workstation, said noncontinuous logical stream of video data being available video data remaining after portions of an initial video data stream have been discarded, while the audio data stream as stored in the data file remains unbroken; and
c) attaching timing information to each frame of video data stored to the data file indicating a point in the audio data stream also stored to the data file which corresponds in time to the frame of video data, such that the stored available video data in the form of a noncontinuous logical stream of video data is realigned with the stored unbroken audio data stream.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for storing and retrieving synchronized audio/video “filmclips” to and from a data file of a multimedia computer workstation includes a storage means for a workstation to store audio and video data as digital data packets to the data file, and retrieval means for the workstation to retrieve audio and video data from the data file. The video data is presented as an image on the display of the workstation, while the audio data is sent to either amplified speakers or headphones. An audio data stream is stored to the data file such that the audio data can be retrieved from the data file and reconstructed into a continuous audio signal. The video data is stored to the data file such that each frame of video data is inserted into the stored audio data stream without affecting the continuity of the audio signal reconstructed by the workstation. Timing information is attached to each frame of video data stored to the file, and indicates a point in the continuous audio data stream which corresponds in time to the frame of video data. A synchronizer displays a frame of video data when the point in the audio data stream, corresponding to the timing information of the retrieved video frame is audibly reproduced by the workstation. The invention also features a video teleconferencing “answering machine” which allows a user to leave an audio/video “filmclip” message on another workstation.
210 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for storing and retrieving audio and video data on a multimedia workstation, comprising the steps of
a) storing an audio data stream from a workstation to a data file accessible by the workstation such that the audio data stream can be retrieved from the data file and reconstructed by the workstation into a continuous audio signal; -
b) storing a non-continuous logical stream of video data from the workstation to the data file such that each frame of video data stored to the data file is inserted into the audio data stream also stored in the data file by the workstation without affecting the continuity of the audio signal when later retrieved from the data file and reconstructed by the workstation, said noncontinuous logical stream of video data being available video data remaining after portions of an initial video data stream have been discarded, while the audio data stream as stored in the data file remains unbroken; and
c) attaching timing information to each frame of video data stored to the data file indicating a point in the audio data stream also stored to the data file which corresponds in time to the frame of video data, such that the stored available video data in the form of a noncontinuous logical stream of video data is realigned with the stored unbroken audio data stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
displaying a frame of video data, retrieved from the data file, on the display of the workstation when the point in the audio data stream, retrieved from the data file, corresponding to the timing information of the retrieved video frame is audibly reproduced by the workstation. -
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of
a) the workstation internally generating timing information by counting the amount of audio data in the audio stream retrieved from the data file; - and
b) the workstation comparing the internally generated timing information with the timing information stored in the data file corresponding to the frame of video data most recently retrieved from the data file to determine when to display the most recently retrieved frame of video data on the display of the workstation.
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5. A multimedia workstation, comprising:
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a) storage means for a workstation to store a stream of audio data packages and a corresponding non-continuous logical stream of video data as digital data packets to a data file accessible by the workstation as audio and video data packets, the video packets including timing information such that the stored available video data in the form of a noncontinuous logical stream of video data can be realigned with a stored unbroken audio data stream, said noncontinuous logical stream of video data being available video data remaining after portions of an initial video data stream have been discarded, while the audio data stream as stored in the data file remains unbroken; and
b) retrieval means for the workstation to retrieve audio and video data from the data file which was stored as digital data packets by the storage means. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
the retrieval means retrieves the data packets from the data file and reconstructs the audio and video data stored by the storage process for audible and visual reproduction, respectively. -
8. The multimedia workstation of claim 7 wherein
a) the storage means further comprises means for attaching timing information to each frame of video data stored to the data file indicating a point in the audio data stream also stored to the data file which corresponds in time to the frame of video data; - and
b) the retrieval means further comprises synchronization means for displaying a frame of video data, retrieved from the data file, on the display of the workstation when the point in the audio data stream, retrieved from the data file, corresponding to the timing information of the retrieved video frame is audibly reproduced by the workstation.
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9. The multimedia workstation of claim 8 wherein
a) the retrieval means further comprises timing means for generating timing information by counting the amount of audio data in the audio stream retrieved from the data file; - and
b) the synchronization means further comprises comparison means for comparing the internally generated timing information with the timing information stored in the data file corresponding to the frame of video data most recently retrieved from the data file to determine when to display the most recently retrieved frame of video data on the display of the workstation.
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10. The multimedia workstation of claim 5 wherein the data file is accessed using a TCP/IP protocol data socket.
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11. A multimedia computer workstation, comprising
a video source that provides sequential frames of digitized video data; -
an audio source that provides a digitized audio data stream that represents a continuous audio signal synchronized to the sequential frames of digitized video data;
data storage capable of storing a non-continuous logical stream of video data with a corresponding stream of audio data to a data file such that each frame of video data stored to the data file is sequentially inserted into the audio data stream without affecting the continuity of the audio signal represented by the audio data stream, said noncontinuous logical stream of video data being available video data remaining after portions of an initial video data stream have been discarded, while the audio data stream as stored in the data file remains unbroken;
means for audibly reproducing retrieved audio data stream into a continuous audio signal; and
a display that displays retrieved sequential frames of video data on the display of the workstation synchronized to the reproduced audio signal such that the stored available video data in the form of a noncontinuous logical stream of video data is realigned with the stored unbroken audio data stream. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of processing audio/video data information, the method comprising the steps of:
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capturing time-related audio and video data for transmission over a logical connection between two workstations coupled to a network;
at a transmitting workstation, digitizing the audio and video data into packets for transmission over a logical connection to a target workstation;
transmitting timing information to the target workstation for reconstructing the time-related audio and video data transmitted over the logical connection; and
monitoring a throughput capacity of the network and discontinuing transmission of a logical stream of the video data during periods of congestion, yet continuing to transmit a sensibly continuous logical stream of audio data for reconstruction at the target workstation, said timing information enabling realignment of available transmitted video data with the transmitted continuous audio data. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
receiving the audio and video data at the target workstation and reconstructing an originally captured image and sound for a user.
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32. A method as in claim 26, wherein the audio and video data sent across the network includes frames of video information inserted into a sensibly continuous stream of audio data.
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33. A method as in claim 26, wherein the target workstation plays the sensibly continuous audio stream and time-related corresponding received frames of video data.
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34. A method as in claim 26, wherein the video data is video frame information digitized into data packets comprising less than 32 kilobits of data.
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35. A method as in claim 26 further comprising the steps of:
discarding video data when network congestion is detected so that newer video data can be transmitted to the target workstation.
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36. A method as in claim 35 further comprising the steps of:
at the target workstation, synchronizing a playback of received audio data with received video data regardless of whether video data is discarded.
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37. A method as in claim 26 further comprising:
storing the audio and video data in memory.
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38. A method as in claim 26, wherein a transmission of audio and video data over a logical connection of the network supports a teleconference session.
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39. A method as in claim 26 further comprising:
continuing transmission of a logical steam of video data when a logical connection supports appropriate throughput.
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40. A method as in claim 39, wherein the video data is current video data.
Specification