Graphical user interface for field-based definition of special effects in a video editing system

• US 6,392,710 B1
• Filed: 04/03/1998
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Cooper, Brian C., Gonsalves, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Natnael, Paulos
• Application Number:
  US09/054,859
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 348/578, 348/511, 348/575, 348/576, 348/722, 348/911, 348/441, 348/448, 345/328, 345/113, 345/115, 345/121, 386/4, 386/52, 386/55, 386/64
• US Class Current: 348/578
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• 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 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/012 Conversion between an interlaced and a progressive signal for graphics images G09G2310/0229

Abstract

A non-linear video editing system includes a graphical user interface to facilitate editing of video clips in a composition. The system includes the ability to display and edit a video frame on a field-by-field basis. Each field can be edited separately from the other field of the same frame. Additionally, inter-field jitter, present when fields are displayed individually, is removed by determining which field includes the top-most line of the frame and adjusting accordingly.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of displaying interlaced video data, the method comprising:

accessing frame data of a frame, the frame data including scan lines of a first field and a second field;

in response to a user request, displaying the first field as a frame;

placing a graphic overlay on the displayed first field at a position according to a vertical positional offset of the first field relative to the second field;

in response to a user request, displaying the second field as a frame; and

placing a graphic overlay on the displayed second field at a position according to the vertical positional offset of the first field relative to the second field.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the first field comprises:

inserting and displaying a blank line at a beginning of the first field;

scan doubling and displaying all lines other than a last line in the first field; and

displaying the last line of the first field only once in the displayed frame.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the second field comprises:

inserting a blank line at an end of the second field;

displaying the first line of the second field only once in the displayed frame;

scan doubling and displaying all remaining lines in the second field; and

displaying the blank line only once in the displayed frame.

4. A non-linear video editing system for displaying interlaced video data, comprising:

means for accessing frame data of a frame, the frame data including scan lines of a first field and a second field;

means, responsive to a user request, for displaying the first field as a frame;

means for placing a graphic overlay on the displayed first field at a position according to a vertical positional offset of the first field relative to the second field; and

means, responsive to a user request, for displaying the second field as a frame;

means for placing a graphic overlay on the displayed second field at a position according to a vertical positional offset of the first field relative to the second field.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the means for displaying the first field comprises:

means for inserting and displaying a blank line at a beginning of the first field;

means for scan doubling and displaying all lines other than a last line in the first field; and

means for displaying the last line of the first field only once in the displayed frame.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the means for displaying the second field comprises:

means for inserting a blank line at an end of the second field;

means for displaying the first line of the second field only once in the displayed frame;

means for scan doubling and displaying all remaining lines in the second field; and

means for displaying the blank line only once in the displayed frame.

7. A computer-implemented method for processing video data, the video data comprising at least one frame, wherein each frame comprises a first field and a second field, the method comprising:

permitting an operator to select one of the first field and the second field of the at least one frame of the video data;

displaying the selected field as a frame;

permitting the operator to perform a rotoscoping operation on only the selected field; and

displaying results of the rotoscoping operation on the displayed selected field.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein permitting the operator to perform a rotoscoping operation comprises:

permitting the operator to choose a mode of operation from a group of modes of operation that includes;

a mode of operation that permits the operator to perform a rotoscoping operation on only one field; and

a mode of operation that permits the operator to perform a rotoscoping operation on each field in a plurality of frames.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein displaying the selected field, if the selected field is the first field, comprises:

inserting and displaying a blank line at a beginning of the first field;

scan doubling and displaying all lines other than a last line in the first field; and

displaying the last line of the first field only once in the displayed frame.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein displaying the selected field, if the selected field is the second field, comprises:

inserting a blank line at an end of the second field;

displaying the first line of the second field only once in the displayed frame;

scan doubling and displaying all remaining lines in the second field; and

displaying the blank line only once in the displayed frame.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein displaying the selected field, if the selected field is the second field, comprises:

inserting a blank line at an end of the second field;

displaying the first line of the second field only once in the displayed frame;

scan doubling and displaying all remaining lines in the second field; and

displaying the blank line only once in the displayed frame.

12. A nonlinear video editing system for processing video data, the video data comprising at least one frame, wherein each frame comprises a first field and a second field, comprising:

means for permitting an operator to select one of the first field and the second field of the by at least one frame of the video data;

means for displaying the selected field as a frame on a display;

means for permitting the operator to perform a rotoscoping operation on only the selected field; and

means for displaying results of the rotoscoping operation on the displayed selected field on the display.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the means for permitting the operator to perform a rotoscoping operation comprises:

means for permitting the operator to choose a mode of operation from a group of modes of operation that includes;

a mode of operation that permits the operator to perform a rotoscoping operation on only one field; and

a mode of operation that permits the operator to perform a rotoscoping operation on each field in

plurality of frames.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for displaying the selected field, if the selected field is the first field, comprises:

means for inserting and displaying a blank line at a beginning of the first field;

means for scan doubling and displaying all lines other than a last line in the first field; and

means for displaying the last line of the first field only once in the displayed frame.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the means for displaying the selected field, if the selected field is the second field, comprises:

means for inserting a blank line at an end of the second field;

means for displaying the first line of the second field only once in the displayed frame;

means for scan doubling and displaying all remaining lines in the second field; and

means for displaying the blank line only once in the displayed frame.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for displaying the selected field, if the selected field is the second field, comprises:

means for inserting a blank line at an end of the second field;

means for displaying the first line of the second field only once in the displayed frame;

means for scan doubling and displaying all remaining lines in the second field; and

means for displaying the blank line only once in the displayed frame.

17. A non-linear video editing system for permitting editing of interlaced video data, comprising:

means for accessing frame data of a frame, the frame data including scan lines of a first field and a second field;

means, responsive to a user selection of one of the first field and second field, for displaying the selected field as a frame using scan lines of the selected field and not the other field;

means for allowing a user to place a special effect on the displayed first field;

wherein the means for displaying displays at least one of the first and second fields as a frame according to a vertical positional offset between scan lines of the first field and corresponding scan lines of the second field; and

wherein the means for allowing a user to place a special effect on the displayed selected field include means for displaying the special effect on at least one of the first and second fields at a position according to a vertical positional offset of the first field relative to the second field.

18. A computer-implemented method for enabling editing of interlaced video data, the method comprising:

accessing frame data of a frame, the frame data including scan lines of a first field and a second field;

in response to a user selection of one of the first field and second field, displaying the selected field as a frame using scan lines of the selected field and not the other field;

allowing a user to place a special effect on the displayed first field;

wherein displaying the selected field includes displaying at least one of the first and second fields as a frame according to a vertical positional offset between scan lines of the first field and corresponding scan lines of the second field; and

wherein allowing a user to place a special effect on the displayed selected field includes displaying the special effect on at least one of the first and second field at a position according to a vertical positional offset of the first field relative to the second field.