Method and apparatus for copying an audiovisual segment

• US 6,661,430 B1
• Filed: 10/09/1997
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ip Ot Sub Ulc
• Original Assignee: PicoStar, LLC
• Inventors: Palfreyman, Andrew, Ames, Gregory C., Brewer, Eric T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Application Number:
  US08/947,844
• Time in Patent Office: 2,252 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.9475, H04/N 1.102, H04/N.593, G09/G.500, 345/723, 348/512, 348/513, 348/515, 386/4, 386/33, 386/52, 386/53, 386/54, 386/60, 386/111, 386/112
• US Class Current: 715/723
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for copying a segment from an audiovisual file having a multiplicity of audio frames and a multiplicity of video frames. In a first step, a mark-in location in a video file is selected to correspond to a first video frame in the segment such that the first video frame has an associated start time. Next, a mark-out location in the video file is selected to correspond to a last video frame in the segment, and the last video frame having an associated end time. Once the mark-in video frame is selected, a first audio frame having a first audio frame start time that is at least as early as the first video frame start time is designated as an initial audio frame. A second audio frame having a second audio frame start time that is at least as late as the last video frame end time is designated as the last audio frame. The audiovisual file is copied to include a video portion extending from the first video frame to the last video frame and an audio portion extending from the initial audio frame to the last audio frame. In this manner, the audio portion of the segment may preferably be longer than the video portion of the copied segment.

Claims

1. A method for copying a segment from an audiovisual file having a multiplicity of audio frames and a multiplicity of video frames, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a mark-in location in a video file that corresponds to a first video frame in the segment, the first video frame having an associated start time;

selecting a mark-out location in the video file that corresponds to a last video frame in the segment, the last video frame having an associated end time;

designating a first audio frame having a first audio frame start time that is at least as early as the first video frame start time as an initial audio frame;

designating a second audio frame having a second audio frame end time that is at least as late as the last video frame end time as a last audio frame; and

copying a segment from the audiovisual file that includes a video portion extending from the first video frame to the last video frame and an audio portion extending from the initial audio frame to the last audio frame, wherein the audio portion of the segment is longer than the video portion of the segment.

2. A method for copying a segment from an audiovisual file as recited in claim 1, wherein the initial audio frame overlaps the first video frame in time and the last audio frame overlaps the last video frame in time.

3. A method for copying a segment from an audiovisual file as recited in claim 2, wherein the designated initial audio frame is determined by the steps of:

identifying a mark-in audio frame that has an associated start time that is closest in time to the start time of the first video frame; and

designating the mark-in audio frame as the initial audio frame when the start time of the mark-in frame is at least as early as the start time of the first video frame, and designating the audio frame immediately prior to the mark-in audio frame as the initial audio frame when the start time of the mark-in frame is later than the start time of the first video frame.

4. A method for copying a segment from an audiovisual file as recited in claim 2, wherein the designated last audio frame is determined by the steps of:

identifying a mark-out audio frame that has an associated start time that is closest in time to the end time of the last video frame; and

designating the mark-out audio frame as the last audio frame when the start time of the mark-out frame is at least as early as the end time of the last video frame, and designating the audio frame immediately prior to the mark-out audio frame as the last audio frame when the start time of the mark-out frame is later than the end time of the last video frame.

5. A method for copying a segment from an audiovisual file as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

processing a predetermined number of the audio frames beginning at the initial audio frame and extending to a first predetermined audio frame, and beginning at a second predetermined audio frame and extending to the last audio frame.

6. A method for copying a segment from an audiovisual file as recited in claim 5, wherein the processing includes the substeps of:

decoding the predetermined number of audio frames beginning at the initial audio frame and extending to the first predetermined audio frame; and

re-encoding the decoded pre-determiined number of frames.

7. A method for copying a segment from an audiovisual file as recited in claim 5, wherein the processing includes the substeps of:

decoding the predetermined number of audio frames beginning at the second predetermined audio frame and extending to the last audio frame; and

re-encoding the decoded pre-determined number of frames.

8. A method for copying a segment from an audiovisual file as recited in claim 6, wherein the re-encoded pre-determined number of frames are stored as an in-glue file.

9. A method for copying a segment from an audiovisual file as recited in claim 7, wherein the re-encoded pre-determined number of frames are stored as an out-glue file.

10. A method for copying a segment from an audiovisual file as recited in claim 5, further including a step of identifying a predetermined number of audio frames lying between the processed audio frames as middle-glue audio frames.

11. A method for copying a segment from an audiovisual file as recited in claim 10, wherein the middle-glue audio frames are identified with pointers to an input audiovisual stream.

12. An apparatus for clipping a segment from an audiovisual file having a multiplicity of audio frames and a multiplicity of video frames, the apparatus comprising:

a selector for identifying a mark-in location in a video file that corresponds to a first video frame in the segment, the first video frame having an associated start time;

a selector for identifying a mark-out location in the video file that corresponds to a last video frame in the segment, the last video frame having an associated end time;

an initial audio frame designator configured to select a first audio frame as an initial audio frame wherein the first audio frame is selected such that the first audio frame has a start time that is at least as early as the first video frame start time;

a last audio frame designator configured to select a second audio frame as the last audio frame wherein the second audio frame is selected such that the second audio frame has an end time that is at least as late as the last video frame end time; and

a clipper being configured to copying a segment from the audiovisual file that includes a video portion extending from the first video frame to the last video frame and an audio portion extending from the initial audio frame to the last audio frame, wherein the audio portion of the segment is no shorter in time than the video portion of the segment.

13. A computer readable media containing program instructions for copying a segment from an audiovisual file having a multiplicity of audio frames and a multiplicity of video frames, said computer readable media comprising:

program instructions for selecting a mark-in location in a video file that corresponds to a first video frame in the segment, the first video frame having an associated start time;

program instructions for selecting a mark-out location in the video file that corresponds to a last video frame in the segment, the last video frame having an associated end time;

program instructions for designating a first audio frame having a first audio frame start time that is at least as early as the first video frame start time as an initial audio frame;

program instructions for designating a second audio frame having a second audio frame end time that is at least as late as the last video frame end time as a last audio frame; and

program instructions for copying a segment from the audiovisual file that includes a video portion extending from the first video frame to the last video frame and an audio portion extending from the initial audio frame to the last audio frame, wherein the audio portion of the segment is longer than the video portion of the segment.

14. A computer readable media containing program instructions for copying a segment from an audiovisual file as recited in claim 13, wherein the initial audio frame overlaps the first video frame in time and the last audio frame overlaps the last video frame in time.

15. A computer readable media containing program instructions for copying a segment from an audiovisual file as recited in claim 14, wherein the designated initial audio frame is determined by providing program instructions for:

identifying a mark-in audio frame that has an associated start time that is closest in time to the start time of the first video frame; and

designating the mark-in audio frame as the initial audio frame when the start time of the mark-in frame is at least as early as the start time of the first video frame, and designating the audio frame immediately prior to the mark-in audio frame as the initial audio frame when the start time of the mark-in frame is later than the start time of the first video frame.

16. A computer readable media containing program instructions for copying a segment from an audiovisual file as recited in claim 14, wherein the designated last audio frame is determined by providing program instructions for:

identifying a mark-out audio frame that has an associated start time that is closest in time to the end time of the last video frame; and

designating the mark-out audio frame as the last audio frame when the start time of the mark-out frame is at least as early as the end time of the last video frame, and designating the audio frame immediately prior to the mark-out audio frame as the last audio frame when the start time of the mark-out frame is later than the end time of the last video frame.

17. A computer readable media containing program instructions for copying a segment from an audiovisual file as recited in claim 13, further comprising program instructions for:

processing a predetermined number of the audio frames beginning at the initial audio frame and extending to a first predetermined audio frame, and beginning at a second predetermined audio frame and extending to the last audio frame.

18. A computer readable media containing program instructions for copying a segment from an audiovisual file as recited in claim 17, wherein the processing further includes program instructions for:

decoding the predetermined number of audio frames beginning at the initial audio frame and extending to the first predetermined audio frame; and

re-encoding the decoded pre-determined number of frames.