Video editing method and device for editing a video project

• US 7,398,002 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2002
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Corel Corporation (Corel Holdings LP)
• Original Assignee: Corel TW Corporation (Corel Holdings LP)
• Inventors: Lu, Yang, Hsiao, Kenny
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Thai Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hasan; Syed Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/173,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20030002851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,211 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46, 386/52, 386/53, 386/54, 386/55, 386/56, 345/473, 345/474, 345/475
• US Class Current: 386/280
• 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 video editing method for editing a video project is for user to edit video clips and transition effects. The method firstly provides a timeline and multiple tracks along the timeline. Then the video clips and transition effects are inserted into the corresponding tracks. Next, the timeline is cut into multiple segments so that each of the segments corresponds to distinguishable combination of the video clips and the transition effects. And for each of the segments, the invention displays each of the tracks with a limited number of thumbnails derived from the corresponding video clips, or with an icon indicating the corresponding transition effect. This method enables users to edit video projects on multi-tracks without the need to change the unit of timeline often.

Claims

1. A video editing method for editing a video project, the project including a plurality of video clips and a plurality of transition effects allocated between adjacent video clips, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a timeline having a plurality of time units and a plurality of tracks along the timeline;

inserting the video clips and the transition effects of the video project into the corresponding tracks;

cutting the timeline into a plurality of segments according to a starting time and an ending time of the video clips and the transition effects, so that each of the segments corresponds to a distinguishable combination of the video clips and the transition effects, the time units representing variable lengths of time with respect to each other so as to only scale down at least one first segment that corresponds to a long video clip such that a beginning and an end of the long video clip are visible at the same time while viewing other ones of the video clips and the transition effects, wherein each segment occupies at least one of the time units for editing so that at least one second segment including a short transition effects remains visible at a same time as other ones of the segments,

wherein the length of the time units having equal time intervals can be varied by the user; and

for each of the segments,

displaying each of the tracks with a limited number of thumbnails derived from the corresponding video clips, or with an icon indicating the corresponding transition effect.

2. The video editing method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the video clips of the video project further comprises an overlay attribute, for superimposing over a background clip.

3. The video editing method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the video clips of the video project further comprises a moving path attribute, for defining a route of the corresponding clip.

4. The video editing method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the video clips of the video project further comprises a filter attribute, for enhancing or improving the corresponding clip.

5. The video editing method according to claim 1, wherein the limited number of thumbnails is the limited number of frames selected from the corresponding video clip.

6. A video editing device for editing a video project, the project including a plurality of video clips and a plurality of transition effects allocated between adjacent video clips, the video editing device comprising:

means for providing a timeline having a plurality of time units and a plurality of tracks along the timeline;

means for inserting the video clips and the transition effects of the video project into the corresponding tracks;

means for cutting the timeline into a plurality of segments according to a starting time and an ending time of the video clips and the transition effects, so that each of the segments corresponds to a distinguishable combination of the video clips and the transition effects, the time units representing variable lengths of time with respect to each other so as to only scale down at least one first segment which corresponds to a long video clip such that a beginning and an end of the long video clip are visible at the same time while viewing other ones of the video clips and the transition effects, wherein each segment occupies at least one of the time units for editing so that at least one second segment including a short

transition effects remains visible at a same time as other ones of the segments,

wherein the length of the time units having equal time intervals can be varied by the user; and

for each of the segments, with a limited number of thumbnails derived from the corresponding video clips, or with an icon indicating the corresponding transition effect.

7. The video editing device according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the video clips of the video project further comprises an overlay attribute, for superimposing over a background clip.

8. The video editing device according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the video clips of the video project further comprises a moving path attribute, for defining a route of the corresponding clip.

9. The video editing device according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the video clips of the video project further comprises a filter attribute, for enhancing or improving the corresponding clip.

10. The video editing device according to claim 6, wherein the limited number of thumbnails is the limited number of frames selected from the corresponding video clip.