Director interface for production automation control

• US 7,835,920 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magnolia Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Todd, Richard, Tingle, Keith Gregory, Couch, William H., Morrow, Kevin K., Snyder, Robert J., Hoeppner, Charles M., Larocque, Marcel, Holtz, Alex, Benson, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Plucinski; Jamisue A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bahl; Sangeeta
• Application Number:
  US10/434,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20040008220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,748 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/1.1, 715/201, 725/135
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 using a single graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/07 providing for individual presentation of questions to a plurality of student stations
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/913 Digital audio tape [DAT] format
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/222 Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/268 : Signal distribution or switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A director control interface is provided to extract production information from a newsroom information management system and populate a production control system. The director control interface enables the director to build a show, but mitigate errors and check for conflicts during the building process. In an embodiment, the director control interface automatically selects macro elements, which are executed on the production control system. The director can override the selection process and choose the macro elements. The director control interface monitors the newsroom information management system for rundown changes, evaluates the changes, and updates the production control system either automatically or with approval from the director. The director control interface is compatible with any type of newsroom information management system as long as it can extract the requisite information.

Claims

1. A method of producing a show using a production control system, comprising the steps of:

(1) identifying production information to build a rundown for the show;

(2) automatically selecting at least one macro element associated with said production information by searching the macro element library to identify macro element files having production field values that match said production information;

(3) checking for a conflict associated with the at least one selected macro element and if a conflict exists, select an alternate macro element;

(4) importing said at least one macro element into the production control system; and

(5) executing said at least one macro element in the production control system to produce said show.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(5) monitoring a newsroom automation system to detect changes in said production information.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of:

(6) updating said production control system in response to detecting said changes.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of:

(7) prompting for approval prior to executing step (6).

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(5) checking for errors in said rundown.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(5) resolving conflicts detected in said rundown.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (2) comprises the steps of

(a) detecting a macro element type, said macro element type being associated with a combination of production values from said production information;

and

(b) identifying a macro element matching said combination to automatically select said one or more macro elements.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (1) comprises the step of:

(a) extracting said production information from a newsroom information management system to build said rundown.

9. A system for producing a show, comprising:

a newsroom information management system for managing workflow within a newsroom environment;

a director interface for extracting production information from said newsroom information management system, the production information including macro elements, the directors interface including means for automatically selecting at least one macro element by identifying at least one macro element having production values matching said production information; and

checking for a conflict associated with the at least one selected macro element and if a conflict exists, select an alternate macro element; and

a production control system for receiving said production information including macro elements, said production system monitoring said production information for changes

and updating said director interface and executing the selected one macro element corresponding to said production information.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said director interface comprises means for selecting said one or more macro elements.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said director interface comprises means for detecting changes between said newsroom information management system and said director interface.