Apparatus for creating a visual edit decision list wherein audio and video displays are synchronized with corresponding textual data

• US 6,404,978 B1
• Filed: 04/02/1999
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Abe, Keiko
• Primary Examiner(s): BOCCIO, VINCENT F
• Application Number:
  US09/285,399
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.593, 386/46, 386/52, 386/54, 386/55, 707/500.1, 345/723, 345/704
• US Class Current: 386/281
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/415 Redundant array of inexpensive disks [RAID] systems
• 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

Abstract

An editing apparatus for creating an edit decision list by combining a plurality of video materials and/or audio materials in a sequence desired by an operator. Indicator marks are displayed with lengths corresponding to the lengths of specified audio and/or video material or clips, at positions along a time line. An additional indicator mark is displayed at a position specified along the time line corresponding to the amount of inputted textual data that is to be read by an announcer in conjunction with the displayed clips. An operator may create the edit decision list by visual comparison of the audio and/or video indicator marks with the indicator marks for the textual data.

Claims

1. An editing apparatus for producing an edited display by combining video and/or audio segments having adjustable display times with one or more textual data scripts having adjustable time durations, comprising:

segments inputting means for inputting the video and/or audio segments

script inputting means for inputting the one or more textual data scripts having time durations that correspond to display times of the video and/or audio segments; and

display means for displaying indication marks that illustrate the display times of the specified audio and/or video segments at specified positions along a time line and for displaying additional indication marks that illustrate the time durations of said inputted textual data scripts at a position along said time line.

2. The editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said additional indication marks illustrating the time durations of the inputted textual data scripts have lengths that are a function of an estimated reading speed at which said inputted textual data will be read.

3. The editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display means displays said inputted textual data scripts;

and said display means is operable to select an arbitrary position on one of said additional indication marks to display a predetermined cursor at a portion in the displayed inputted textual data script corresponding to the selected position.

4. The editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, said display means is operable to display as a start position of one of said additional indication marks any arbitrary position of said additional indication marks that is selected by a user.

5. An editing apparatus for editing stored display segments, the apparatus comprising:

means for producing a plurality of video clips from stored video materials, wherein a duration of the video clip is defined by all in-point and an out-point;

means for producing a video program by assembling said plurality of video clips;

display means for displaying a graphical user interface comprising a text input window to display input textual data and a time line window to assemble indications of said video clips, said time line window having a video track for displaying a video bar indicator having a length corresponding to said duration of a respective video clip and a text track for displaying a text bar indicator having a length corresponding to an amount of inputted textual data; and

control means for controlling said display means to display a time position of said text bar indicator with an associated time position of said video bar indicator and to change said time length of said text bar indicator in response to the amount of textual data that is inputted.

6. The editing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said textual data of the produced video program is read by an announcer having a predetermined read speed;

and wherein said control means is operable to calculate a number of readable words within a predetermined time period as a function of said predetermined read speed to set said time length of said text bar.