Media recorder for capture and playback of live and prerecorded audio and/or video information

• US 6,678,461 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1999
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Peters, Eric C., Walsh, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/391,851
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46,52,55,65,112,125
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/61 wherein solid state memory is used for storing A/V content storing computer data in solid state memories G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2228 Video assist systems used in motion picture production, e.g. video cameras connected to viewfinders of motion picture cameras or related video signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 Television signal processing therefor

Abstract

The invention disclosed herein is a media recorder for recording live and prerecorded analog audio and/or video information. It is capable of receiving, digitizing, and storing analog audio and/or video information in real time The invention detects discontinuities in the reception of the analog information and automatically terminates the storage of the information, so the previously received audio and/or video information is stored as a self-contained clip of digitized information. The invention is also capable of receiving and storing digital audio and/or video information from other sources, so that the system can play both the digital audio and/or video information digitized by it and that received from the other sources. This allows both the newly recorded and previously recorded media segments to be evaluated both individually and in context with other segments.

Claims

1. A method for storing video information representing a sequence of images in a computer readable file format, wherein each image is associated with time information, comprising:

receiving the video information and the time information;

detecting any discontinuities in the time information from image to image in the video information; and

automatically dividing the video information into a plurality of clips according to the detected discontinuities in the time information and storing each of the plurality of clips as a separate computer data file on a nonvolatile random-access computer readable and rewritable medium.

2. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

computer program instructions stored on the computer readable medium that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for storing video information representing a sequence of images in a computer readable file format, wherein each image is associated with time information, the method comprising;

receiving the video information and the time information;

detecting any discontinuities in the time information from image to image in the video information; and

automatically dividing the video information into a plurality of clips according to the detected discontinuities in the time information and storing each of the plurality of clips as a separate computer data file on a nonvolatile random-access computer readable and rewritable medium.

3. Apparatus for storing video information representing a sequence of images in a computer readable file format, wherein each image is associated with time information, comprising:

means for receiving the video information and the time information;

means for detecting any discontinuities in the time information from image to image in the video information; and

means for automatically dividing the video information into a plurality of clips according to the detected discontinuities in the time information and storing each of the plurality of clips as a separate computer data file on a nonvolatile random-access computer readable and rewritable medium.