Method and apparatus for synchronization of ancillary information in film conversion

• US 6,611,293 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DFR2000, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DFR2000, Inc.
• Inventors: Tarnoff, Harry L., Spence, Stuart T.
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US09/746,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20020018143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.701, H04/N 1.120, 348/441, 348/459, 348/97
• US Class Current: 348/441
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/218 Write-once discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/028 with computer assistance
• 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: H04N 1/12 using the sheet-feed movement or the medium-advance or the drum-rotation movement as the slow scanning component, e.g. arrangements for the main-scanningsheet-feed movement by translatory movement of a flat picture-bearing surface H04N1/1008; main-scanning using oscillating or rotating mirrors H04N1/113; using multi-element arrays H04N1/19
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0408 Scanning film strips or rolls
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/36 Scanning of motion picture films, e.g. for telecine
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/38 with continuously moving film
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/253 Picture signal generating by scanning motion picture films or slide opaques, e.g. for telecine scanning details therefor H04N3/36 ; standard conversion therefor H04N7/0112
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0112 one of the standards corresponding to a cinematograph film standard

Abstract

A digital processor to synchronize ancillary information with film images during a film conversion session is described. The ancillary information includes metadata information and audio information. The digital processor advantageously processes the ancillary information at a speed to support faster than real-time film conversion. The ancillary information can come from various sources and in various forms. Information from analog sources is digitized for processing using digital technology. A pitch adjuster frequency shifts digitized analog signals and digital input signals to achieve a selected data rate that matches the rate of film conversion. Digitally encoded input data can be decoded and re-encoded to achieve the selected data rate. A formatter manipulates the ancillary information at the selected data rate to conform to a standard format and combines the formatted ancillary information with film images conforming to a standard motion picture format.

Claims

1. A digital audio processor for film conversion, the digital audio processor comprising:

an analog-to-digital converter configured to receive an analog audio signal and produce a corresponding digitized audio signal;

a data buffer configured to temporarily store the digitized audio signal;

a pitch adjuster coupled to the output of the data buffer and configured to frequency shift the digitized audio signal to match film conversion rate of film images; and

a formatter coupled to the output of the pitch adjuster and configured to manipulate the digitized audio signal to conform to an audio standard format.

2. The digital audio processor of claim 1, wherein the formatter further comprises a digital-to-analog converter configured to present the the digital audio processor output as an analog signal.

3. The digital audio processor of claim 1, wherein the formatter is further configured to combine the audio signal in the audio standard format with film images in a motion picture standard format.

4. The digital audio processor of claim 3, wherein the digital audio processor operates at a selected speed to support faster than real-time film conversion.

5. The digital audio processor of claim 3, wherein the digital audio processor operates at a selected speed to support faster than 24 frames-per-second film conversion.

6. A digital processor to synchronize ancillary information with film images during a film conversion session, the digital processor comprising:

means for converting the ancillary information in the form of analog signals to digital signals and frequency shifting the digital signals to achieve a selected data rate that matches rate of film conversion;

means for adjusting data rates of the ancillary information in the form of digital signals to achieve the selected data rate;

means for decoding the ancillary information in the form of encoded data and re-encoding the data to achieve the selected data rate; and

means for formatting the ancillary information at the selected data rate and combining the formatted ancillary information with the film images in a standard motion picture format.

7. The digital processor of claim 6, wherein the ancillary information is read from film containing the film images.

8. The digital processor of claim 6, wherein the digital processor processes the ancillary information at a speed to support faster than real-time film conversion.

9. The digital processor of claim 6, wherein the digital processor processes the ancillary information at a speed to support faster than 24 frames-per-second film conversion.

10. The digital processor of claim 6, wherein the ancillary information is sound.

11. The digital processor of claim 6, further comprising means for converting the combination of ancillary information and film images to analog domain.

12. The digital processor of claim 6, wherein the digital processor is used to synchronize selected metadata information with the film images.

13. A method of synchronizing audio with film images during a film conversion session, the method comprising:

converting analog input signals to digital signals;

buffering the digital signals for subsequent processing;

frequency shifting the digital signals to achieve a selected data rate to match a film conversion rate;

formatting the digital signals at the selected data rate to produce a digital audio file conforming to a standard audio format; and

combining the digital audio file with digital film images conforming to a standard motion picture format.