Methods and systems for managing multiple inputs and methods and systems for processing media content

• US 7,391,959 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2004
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rudolph, Eric H., Miller, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier; Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/966,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20050053357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 386/52, 386/55, 386/54, 386/46, 386/1, 386/4, 386/125, 386/124, 386/105, 386/106, 386/104
• US Class Current: 386/278
• 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

Methods and systems for managing multiple inputs that are capable of competing or contending for a particular or primary output are described. In one embodiment, the multiple inputs are managed through the use of a software-implemented matrix switch object, and an associated data structure that is used to program the switch object and resolve contention issues between the inputs. The matrix switch object can process the multiple inputs to provide a primary output. One implementation of the switch object uses virtual input and output pins to receive and provide data streams. One specific embodiment is used in connection with multi-media editing software that enables users build or define their own editing multi-media editing projects that incorporate multiple different user-selected clips, in the form of digital data streams, into an integrated project. Each clip can be defined in terms of one or more digital data streams, e.g. video and audio streams. One implementation method defines a first data structure that represents an editing project and processes the data structure to provide a second data structure that contains data that can be used to program the matrix switch object so that multiple switch inputs are routed to multiple switch outputs and contentions between the inputs for a primary output are resolved.

Claims

1. A method of managing multiple inputs that can contend for a single output comprising:

providing a matrix switch object that can process multiple inputs and provide one or more outputs, one of the outputs comprising a primary output for which contention can take place between the multiple inputs; and

programming the matrix switch object using a data structure, said programming resolving contention between the multiple inputs for the primary output.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the matrix switch object is configured for use with inputs that comprise data streams.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the matrix switch object is configured for use with inputs that comprise data streams, said programming enabling at least portions of at least some of the data streams to be combined.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the matrix switch object is configured for use with a multi-media editing project in which the inputs comprise data streams at least portions of which are to be combined.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said data streams comprise video data streams.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said data streams comprise audio data streams.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said data streams comprise both video and audio data streams.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing comprises providing a software-implemented matrix switch object.

9. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 1.

10. A method of managing multiple inputs that can compete for a single output comprising:

defining a software-implemented matrix switch having multiple input pins and multiple output pins, the input pins being individually associated with inputs that can compete, during a common time period, for a particular output pin that is associated with the matrix switch; and

programming the matrix switch using a data structure, said programming providing a routing scheme for routing input pins to output pins such that at any given time, only one input pin is routed to the particular output pin.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the matrix switch is configured for use with inputs that comprise data streams.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the matrix switch is configured for use with inputs that comprise data streams, said programming of the matrix switch providing for the combination of at least portions of at least some of the data streams.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the matrix switch is configured for use with a multi-media editing project in which the inputs comprise data streams at least portions of which are to be combined.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said data streams comprise video data streams.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said data streams comprise audio data streams.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said data streams comprise both video and audio data streams.

17. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 10.

18. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

define a multimedia editing project responsive to input received from a user;

represent the editing project as a hierarchical tree structure;

process the hierarchical tree structure to provide a grid structure containing data that defines an association between inputs, outputs and a time line defined by the editing project;

provide a matrix switch having multiple inputs and multiple outputs that correspond to the respective inputs and outputs of the grid structure; and

use the grid structure to program routing of the matrix switch '"'"'s inputs to the matrix switch'"'"'s outputs for the given time line.

19. The computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the multi-media editing project operates on one or more multiple video data streams.

20. The computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the multi-media editing project operates on the one or more multiple video data streams by combining two or more video streams.

21. The computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the multi-media editing project operates on one or more audio data streams.

22. The computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the multi-media editing project operates on multiple audio data streams by combining two or more audio data streams.

23. The computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the multi-media editing project operates on one or more video and audio data streams.

24. The computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the multi-media editing project operates on multiple video and audio data streams by combining two or more video data streams and combining two or more audio data streams.

25. The computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the multi-media editing project comprises multiple tracks, each of which is associated with at least one data stream source.

26. The computer-readable media of claim 25, wherein the instructions cause the computer to use the tree structure to prioritize the tracks.

27. The computer-readable media of claim 26, wherein the instructions cause the computer to process the tree structure to provide the grid structure by traversing the tree structure in a predetermined manner.

28. The computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the instructions cause the computer to change at least one data value within the grid structure to ensure that only one stream is routed to a primary input of the matrix switch at a time.

29. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable media;

computer-readable instructions on the one or more computer-readable media which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a method comprising;

providing a matrix switch object that can process multiple inputs and provide one or more outputs, one of the outputs comprising a primary output for which contention can take place between the multiple inputs; and

programming the matrix switch object using a data structure, said programming resolving contention between the multiple inputs for the primary output.

30. The computing system of claim 29, wherein the matrix switch object is configured for use with inputs that comprise data streams.

31. The computing system of claim 29, wherein the matrix switch object is configured for use with inputs that comprise data streams, said programming enabling at least portions of at least some of the data streams to be combined.

32. The computing system of claim 29, wherein the matrix switch object is configured for use with a multi-media editing project in which the inputs comprise data streams at least portions of which are to be combined.

33. The computing system of claim 32, wherein said data streams comprise video data streams.

34. The computing system of claim 32, wherein said data streams comprise audio data streams.

35. The computing system of claim 32, wherein said data streams comprise both video and audio data streams.

36. The computing system of claim 29, wherein said providing comprises providing a software-implemented matrix switch object.

37. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable media;

computer-readable instructions on the one or more computer-readable media which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a method comprising;

defining a software-implemented matrix switch having multiple input pins and multiple output pins, the input pins being individually associated with inputs that can compete, during a common time period, for a particular output pin that is associated with the matrix switch; and

programming the matrix switch using a data structure, said programming providing a routing scheme for routing input pins to output pins such that at any given time, only one input pin is routed to the particular output pin.

38. The computing system of claim 37, wherein the matrix switch is configured for use with inputs that comprise data streams.

39. The computing system of claim 37, wherein the matrix switch is configured for use with inputs that comprise data streams, said programming of the matrix switch providing for the combination of at least portions of at least some of the data streams.

40. The computing system of claim 37, wherein the matrix switch is configured for use with a multi-media editing project in which the inputs comprise data streams at least portions of which are to be combined.

41. The computing system of claim 40, wherein said data streams comprise video data streams.

42. The computing system of claim 40, wherein said data streams comprise audio data streams.

43. The computing system of claim 40, wherein said data streams comprise both video and audio data streams.