Interface for providing modeless timeline based selection of an audio or video file

• US 7,653,550 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2004
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Schulz, Egan
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil; Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): GODBOLD, DOUGLAS
• Application Number:
  US10/816,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20040199395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,126 Days
• Field of Search: 704/278, 715/716, 715/727
• US Class Current: 704/278
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals

Abstract

A timeline-based approach for selecting and manipulating audio tracks is presented. This is accomplished via a graphical user interface that provides users with a series of visual cues and enhancements when selecting a particular area of an audio track depicted within the interface. These visual cues are rendered as a display region having multiple other display areas, components or interface components that provide the user with a location for initiating actions upon the file. User input provided to the timeline component generates a selection overlay that indicates a selected area of the audio file. The user can perform numerous actions with that audio file, such as copying and pasting. The user can do this more quickly and efficiently because the user is not required to switch tools. Everything is accomplished “modelessly.” Multiple instances of the selection overlay applied, for example, across multiple audio tracks may achieve even more powerful results.

Claims

1. A method for manipulating at least one audio file via a graphical user interface, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a timeline component having a set of time points indicative of a duration of an audio file, the audio file comprising a plurality of audio tracks;

displaying a separate waveform component for each of the plurality of audio tracks, each waveform component having graphic elements that visually represent characteristics of an audio track of the plurality of audio tracks over said duration;

wherein the timeline component and each waveform component are concurrently displayed on the graphical user interface;

obtaining first input to said timeline component where said first input identifies a first time point and a second time point of said set of time points, and wherein the first time point and the second time point are identified by a user utilizing an input device to select, within said timeline component, the first time point and the second time point, wherein said first input includes selection of the first time point and dragging from the first time point to the second time point;

in response to obtaining said first input, generating an initial selection overlay comprising an area of said timeline component and each waveform component, wherein said area starts at said first time point and ends at said second time point;

obtaining second input, wherein the second input involves dragging said area to a region within the graphical user interface;

in response to obtaining said second input, performing an operation involving just the portion of the audio file that corresponds to the area, wherein the operation is performed without obtaining input to a tool selection component between obtaining said first input and obtaining said second input;

wherein the method for manipulating at least one audio file is performed by a computing device programmed to be a special purpose machine pursuant to instructions from program software.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said characteristics of said audio file is amplitude.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said area of said selection overlay is highlighted.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said set of time points represents intervals of time.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a visual representation on said timeline component and said waveform component upon receiving said first input to said timeline component.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said visual representation indicates a start point of said selection overlay.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said visual representation indicates an end point of said selection overlay.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said operation is a copy operation that creates a duplicate of said area within the graphical user interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said operation is a move operation that moves said area from one region within said graphical user interface to another region within the graphical user interface.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said operation is a cut operation that deletes said area from the graphical user interface.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said copy operation creates a duplicate of said portion of the audio file that corresponds to said area.

12. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer readable program code for manipulating at least one audio file via a graphical user interface, said computer readable program code comprising computer program code configured to cause a computer to:

display a timeline component having a set of time points indicative of a duration of an audio file, the audio file comprising a plurality of audio tracks;

display a separate waveform component for each of the plurality of audio tracks, each waveform component having graphic elements that visually represent characteristics of an audio track of the plurality of audio tracks over said duration;

wherein the timeline component and each waveform component are concurrently displayed on the graphical user interface;

obtain first input to said timeline component wherein said first input identifies a first time point and a second time point of said set of time points, and wherein the first time point and the second time point are identified by a user utilizing an input device to select, within said timeline component, the first time point and the second time point, wherein said first input includes selection of the first time point and dragging from the first time point to the second time point;

in response to obtaining said first input, generate an initial selection overlay comprising an area of said timeline component and each waveform component, wherein said area starts at said first time point and ends at said second time point;

obtain second input, wherein the second input involves dragging said area to a region within the graphical user interface;

in response to obtaining said second input, perform an operation involving just the portion of the audio file that corresponds to the area, wherein the operation is performed without obtaining input to a tool selection component between obtaining said first input and obtaining said second input.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said computer program code configured to cause said computer to display said waveform component further comprises computer program code configured to cause said computer to display a data amplitude of said at least one audio file.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said computer program code configured to cause said computer to generate said selection overlay further comprises computer program code configured to cause said computer to highlight said selection overlay.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said computer program code configured to cause said computer to obtain input to said timeline component further comprises computer program code configured to cause said computer to represent intervals of time.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 further comprising computer program code configured to cause said computer to generate a visual representation of said timeline component and said waveform component upon receiving said first input to said timeline component.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein said computer program code configured to cause said computer to display said waveform component further comprises computer program code configured to cause said computer to indicate a start point of said selection overlay.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein said computer program code configured to cause said computer to display said waveform further comprises computer program code configured to cause said computer to indicate an end point of said selection overlay.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said operation is a copy operation that creates a duplicate of said area within the graphical user interface.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said operation is a move operation that moves said area from one region within said graphical user interface to another region within the graphical user interface.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said operation is a cut operation that deletes said area from the graphical user interface.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said copy operation creates a duplicate of said portion of the audio file that corresponds to said area.