Organization, selection, and application of video effects according to zones

• US 6,928,613 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Original Assignee: Victor Company of Japan Limited (JVC Kenwood Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishii, Yusuke, Zhang, Jingxi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadesse
• Application Number:
  US10/010,761
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 715716-732, 725/41, 725/112, 725/118
• US Class Current: 715/726
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• 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

A storyboard of video clips is divided into zones, or segments. The user selects a zone, and the invention presents a list of effects that are applicable to the selected zone. The user can select among the presented effects in order to apply the effect to the selected zone. Effects that are inapplicable to the selected zone are hidden from view and not displayed. Thus, the overall number of effects that are presented at any given time is reduced, and the process of selecting an appropriate effect is simplified and made easier for novice users.

Claims

1. A user interface for applying at least one of a set of effects to at least one source clip, the user interface comprising:

a first screen area for displaying a storyboard comprising at least one source clip, the storyboard comprising at least two zones, each zone extending across at least one of the source clips, each zone being individually selectable;

a second screen area, for, responsive to a selection of a zone, displaying a subset of the set of effects, the subset including at least one effect applicable to the selected zone, wherein the subset of the set of effects omits effects that are inapplicable to the selected zone; and

an effect selector, for accepting a user selection of an effect from the displayed subset for application to the selected zone.

3. The user interface of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first screen area comprises a storyboard window.

4. The user interface of claim 1 or 2, wherein the second screen area comprises an effect list.

5. The user interface of claim 4, wherein the effect list comprises a plurality of icons, each icon representing an effect.

6. The user interface of claim 4, wherein the effect list comprises a plurality of animations, each animation representing an effect.

7. The user interface of claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

a third screen area, for outputting a result of application of an effect to at least one source clip.

8. The user interface of claim 7, wherein the third screen area comprises a preview window.

9. The user interface of claim 1 or 2, wherein each source clip comprises a video clip, and wherein each effect comprises a video effect.

10. The user interface of claim 1 or 2, wherein each source clip comprises an audio clip, and wherein each effect comprises an audio effect.

11. The user interface of claim 1 or 2, wherein each source clip comprises an image, and wherein each effect comprises an image effect.

12. The user interface of claim 1 or 2, wherein the effect selector comprises a user-controlled cursor.

13. The user interface of claim 1 or 2, wherein each of at least a subset of the zones is of predefined length.

14. The user interface of claim 1 or 2, wherein the zones comprise at least a subset from the group consisting of:

an opening zone occurring at the beginning of the storyboard;

an ending zone occurring at the end of the storyboard;

a middle zone occurring within a source clip; and

a transition zone occurring across a boundary between two source clips.

2. A user interface for applying at least one of a set of effects to at least one source clip, the user interface comprising:

a first screen area for displaying a storyboard comprising at least one source clip, the storyboard comprising at least two zones, each zone extending across at least one of the source clips, each zone being individually selectable, wherein each of at least a subset of the zones is automatically defined based on source clip content;

a second screen area, for, responsive to a selection of a zone, displaying a subset of the set of effects, the subset including at least one effect applicable to the selected zone; and

an effect selector, for accepting a user selection of an effect from the displayed subset for application to the selected zone.

15. A computer-implemented method for applying at least one of a set of effects to at least one source clip, the method comprising:

displaying a storyboard comprising at least one source clip, the storyboard comprising at least two zones, each zone extending across at least one of the source clips, each zone being individually selectable;

receiving user input selecting a zone;

displaying a subset of the set of effects, the subset including at least one effect applicable to the selected zone, wherein the subset of the set of effects omits effects that are inapplicable to the selected zone; and

receiving user input selecting an effect from the displayed subset for application to the selected zone.

17. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein displaying a subset of the set of effects comprises displaying a plurality of icons, each icon representing an effect.

18. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein displaying a subset of the set of effects comprises displaying a plurality of animations, each animation representing an effect.

19. The method of claim 15 or 16, further comprising:

applying the selected effect to the selected zone.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

outputting a result of application of the selected effect to the selected zone.

21. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein each source clip comprises a video clip, and wherein each effect comprises a video effect.

22. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein each source clip comprises an audio clip, and wherein each effect comprises an audio effect.

23. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein each source clip comprises an image, and wherein each effect comprises an image effect.

24. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein each of at least a subset of the zones is of predefined length.

25. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein the zones comprise at least a subset from the group consisting of:

an opening zone occurring at the beginning of the storyboard;

an ending zone occurring at the end of the storyboard;

a middle zone occurring within a source clip; and

a transition zone occurring across a boundary between two source clips.

16. A computer-implemented method for applying at least one of a set of effects to at least one source clip, the method comprising:

automatically defining a plurality of zones based on source clip content;

displaying a storyboard comprising at least one source clip, the storyboard comprising at least two of the zones, each zone extending across at least one of the source clips, each zone being individually selectable;

receiving user input selecting a zone;

displaying a subset of the set of effects, the subset including at least one effect applicable to the selected zone; and

receiving user input selecting an effect from the displayed subset for application to the selected zone.

26. A system for applying at least one of a set of effects to at least one source clip, the system comprising:

a storyboard display, for displaying a storyboard comprising at least one source clip, the storyboard comprising at least two zones, each zone extending across at least one of the source clips, each zone being individually selectable;

an input device, coupled to the storyboard display, for receiving user input selecting a zone; and

an effects display, coupled to the input device, for, responsive to a selection of a zone, displaying a subset of the set of effects, the subset including at least one effect applicable to the selected zone, wherein the subset of the set of effects omits effects that are inapplicable to the selected zone;

wherein the input device accepts a user selection of an effect from the displayed subset for application to the selected zone.

28. The system of claim 26 or 27, wherein the storyboard display and the effects display are provided on a common display screen.

29. The system of claim 26 or 27, wherein the effects display presents a plurality of icons, each icon representing an effect.

30. The system of claim 26 or 27, wherein the effects display presents a plurality of animations, each animation representing an effect.

31. The system of claim 26 or 27, further comprising:

an effects module, coupled to the effects display, for applying at least one selected effect to at least one selected zone.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising:

a preview display, coupled to the effects module, for outputting a result of application of the at least one selected effect.

33. The system of claim 26 or 27, wherein each source clip comprises a video clip, and wherein each effect comprises a video effect.

34. The system of claim 26 or 27, wherein each source clip comprises an audio clip, and wherein each effect comprises an audio effect.

35. The system of claim 26 or 27, wherein each source clip comprises an image, and wherein each effect comprises an image effect.

36. The system of claim 26 or 27, wherein each of at least a subset of the zones is of predefined length.

37. The system of claim 26 or 27, wherein the zones comprise at least a subset from the group consisting of:

an opening zone occurring at the beginning of the storyboard;

an ending zone occurring at the end of the storyboard;

a middle zone occurring within a source clip; and

a transition zone occurring across a boundary between two source clips.

27. A system for applying at least one of a set of effects to at least one source clip the system comprising:

a storyboard display, for displaying a storyboard comprising at least one source clip, the storyboard comprising at least two zones, each zone extending across at least one of the source clips, each zone being individually selectable;

a source clip content analyzer, coupled to the storyboard display, for defining at least a subset of the zones based on source clip content;

an input device, coupled to the storyboard display, for receiving user input selecting a zone; and

an effects display, coupled to the input device, for, responsive to a selection of a zone, displaying a subset of the set of effects, the subset including at least one effect applicable to the selected zone;

wherein the input device accepts a user selection of an effect from the displayed subset for application to the selected zone.

38. A computer program product comprising a computer-usable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein for applying at least one of a set of effects to at least one source clip, the computer program product comprising:

computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to display a storyboard comprising at least one source clip, the storyboard comprising at least two zones, each zone extending across at least one of the source clips, each zone being individually selectable;

computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to receive user input selecting a zone;

computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to display a subset of the set of effects, the subset including at least one effect applicable to the selected zone, wherein the subset of the set of effects omits effects that are inapplicable to the selected zone; and

computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to receive user input selecting an effect from the displayed subset for application to the selected zone.

40. The computer program product of claim 38 or 39, wherein the computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to display a subset of the set of effects comprises computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to display a plurality of icons, each icon representing an effect.

41. The computer program product of claim 38 or 39 wherein the computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to display a subset of the set of effects comprises computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to display a plurality of animations, each animation representing an effect.

42. The computer program product of claim 38 or 39, further comprising:

computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to apply the selected effect to the selected zone.

43. The computer program product of claim 42, further comprising:

computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to output a result of application of the selected effect to the selected zone.

44. The computer program product of claim 38 or 39, wherein each source clip comprises a video clip, and wherein each effect comprises a video effect.

45. The computer program product of claim 38 or 39, wherein each source clip comprises an audio dip, and wherein each effect comprises an audio effect.

46. The computer program product of claim 38 or 39, wherein each source clip comprises an image, and wherein each effect comprises an image effect.

47. The computer program product of claim 38 or 39, wherein each of at least a subset of the zones is of predefined length.

48. The computer program product of claim 38 or 39, wherein the zones comprise at least a subset from the group consisting of:

an opening zone occurring at the beginning of the storyboard;

an ending zone occurring at the end of the storyboard;

a middle zone occurring within a source clip; and

a transition zone occurring across a boundary between two source clips.

39. A computer program product comprising a computer-usable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein for applying at least one of a set of effects to at least one source clip, the computer program product comprising:

computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to, automatically define a plurality of zones based on source clip content;

computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to display a storyboard comprising at least one source clip, the storyboard comprising at least two of the zones, each zone extending across at least one of the source clips, each zone being individually selectable;

computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to receive user input selecting a zone;

computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to display a subset of the set of effects, the subset including at least one effect applicable to the selected zone; and

computer-readable program code configured to cause a computer to receive user input selecting an effect from the displayed subset for application to the selected zone.