Methods and systems for processing media content

• US 7,428,703 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• 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): Huynh; Ba
• Application Number:
  US11/021,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20050114754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 715/202, 715/716, 715/717, 715/719, 715721-723, 715/726, 715/730, 715/853, 713/400
• US Class Current: 715/723
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence

Abstract

Methods and systems for processing media content are described and in at least some embodiments utilize a composite or composition, which can be considered as a representation of an editing project as a single track. Editing projects can have one or more tracks, and each track can be associated with one or more data stream sources that can have effects or transitions applied on them. Compositions can be nested inside one another and provide an economical way for complex editing manipulations to take place.

Claims

1. A multi-media processing system comprising:

means for representing multiple tracks as a single track, each of the multiple tracks being capable of being associated with one or more digital data streams, the single track comprising a portion of a multi-media editing project;

means for defining a first data structure that represents the multi-media editing project;

means for providing a software-implemented matrix switch that is programmable to route multiple switch inputs to multiple switch outputs, at least two of the inputs being capable of competing for a single output during a common time period so that no two inputs are routed to said single output during the common time period, the single output being configured to provide a data stream defined by the multi-media editing project;

means for processing the first data structure to provide a second data structure that contains data that can be used to program the matrix switch so that multiple switch inputs are routed to multiple switch outputs;

wherein said means for processing the first data structure to provide the second data structure comprises means for processing the first data structure to provide a grid structure and

means for changing at least one data value within the grid structure so that no two inputs are routed to said single output during a common time period.

2. The multi-media editing system of claim 1, wherein said means for processing the first data structure comprises means for configuring the matrix switch so that it receives at least one source stream at one of its inputs.

3. The multi-media editing system of claim 2, wherein said means for configuring comprises means for building a graph comprising a collection of filters configured to process digital data to provide a source stream.

4. The multi-media editing system of claim 2, wherein said means for processing the first data structure comprises means for providing at least one element configured to receive at least one output stream from the matrix switch, the one element having an output that is routed back to an input of the switch.

5. The multi-media editing system of claim 4, wherein said element comprises a transition element that is configured to change between at least one source stream and at least one other source stream.

6. The multi-media editing system of claim 4, wherein said element comprises an effect element that is configured to operate on a source stream to produce a different source stream.

7. The multi-media editing system of claim 1, wherein said means for defining the first data structure comprises means for defining a hierarchical tree structure.

8. The multi-media editing system of claim 7, wherein the hierarchical tree structure comprises nodes that represent tracks, each track being associated with one or more data stream sources.

9. The multi-media editing system of claim 7, wherein the hierarchical tree structure comprises nodes at least one of which represents a composite which embodies said multiple tracks represented as a single track.

10. The multi-media editing system of claim 9, wherein the hierarchical tree structure can comprise nodes that represent transitions between sources within a composite.

11. The multi-media editing system of claim 9, wherein the hierarchical tree structure can comprise nodes that represent effects applied on sources within a composite.

12. The multi-media editing system of claim 9, wherein the hierarchical tree structure can comprise nodes that represent transitions between the composite and a source.

13. The multi-media editing system of claim 9, wherein the hierarchical tree structure can comprise nodes that represent effects applied on the composite.

14. The multi-media editing system of claim 8, wherein the data stream sources with which one or more of the tracks are associated comprise video data stream sources.

15. The multi-media editing system of claim 1, wherein said means for processing the first data structure to provide the second data structure comprises means for processing the first data structure to provide a grid structure,

the grid structure containing multiple rows, individual rows representing input pins of the matrix switch and being associated with individual data stream sources,

each row containing at least one value that is associated with an output pin associated with said single output of the matrix switch.

16. A system comprising:

means for defining a multimedia editing project responsive to input received from a user, the project being capable of containing at least one composite comprising multiple tracks;

means for representing the editing project as a hierarchical tree structure comprising multiple nodes, at least one of the nodes representing said at least one composite;

means for processing 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;

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

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

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the project can contain at least one composite nested inside another composite.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the project can contain:

multiple tracks;

transitions between tracks;

transitions between a track and a composite and vice versa; and

effects applied on tracks and composites.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for changing 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.

20. A multi-media processing system comprising:

means for representing multiple tracks as a single track, each of the multiple tracks being capable of being associated with one or more digital data streams, the single track comprising a portion of a multi-media editing project;

means for defining a first data structure that represents the multi-media editing project;

means for providing a software-implemented matrix switch that is programmable to route multiple switch inputs to multiple switch outputs, at least two of the inputs being capable of competing for a single output during a common time period, the single output being configured to provide a data stream defined by the multi-media editing project;

means for processing the first data structure to provide a second data structure that contains data that can be used to program the matrix switch so that multiple switch inputs are routed to multiple switch outputs; and

means for operating on the second data structure so that no two inputs are routed to said single output during a common time period;

wherein said means for processing the first data structure to provide the second data structure comprises means for processing the first data structure to provide a grid structure,

the grid structure containing multiple rows, individual rows representing input pins of the matrix switch and being associated with individual data stream sources,

each row containing at least one value that is associated with an output pin associated with said single output of the matrix switch; and

wherein said means for operating on the second data structure comprises means for changing at least one value in at least one of the rows of the grid structure.