Organization of archival elements for analog/digital hybrid data on film

• US 7,941,407 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Technicolor Incorporated (Government of France)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Fancher, James, Ollivier, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones; Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ortiz; Belix M
• Application Number:
  US11/921,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20090210460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,812 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/667
• CPC Class Codes: G03C 11/02 Marking or applying text
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/24 by sensing features on the record carrier other than the transducing track ; sensing signals or marks recorded by another method than the main recording
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/0032 for moving-picture soundtracks, i.e. cinema cameras or projectors with sound recording or reproducing means G03B31/02

Abstract

A system and method for archiving films includes dividing a film feature into N parts. Metadata is digitally stored on each of the N parts of film. The film includes both analog and digital data representing an entire record of the film on a single media for at least one N part. For each N part, the single media may include all the color component images associated with that part.

Claims

1. A method for archiving films, comprising:

dividing the film content into N parts;

digitally storing metadata for at least one N part of the film that includes analog and digital data representing a record of the film on a single media the at least one N part, wherein the single media includes each of a plurality of color component images associated with the at least one N part; and

wherein at least one color component reel is divided into parts and metadata is added to each of the component reels in accordance with a data organization such that all color components for that part and all metadata for that part are included on a same reel.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining N parts of the film includes separating the film into equal segment lengths.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining an amount of metadata to be stored on the film media and dividing the metadata into parts and distributing the metadata over the N parts of the film in accordance with an available storage capacity of the N parts.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising adding a respective header to a plurality of N part, the header including metadata for each corresponding part.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein digitally storing metadata includes digitally storing data for at least one of sound, subtitling, captioning, edit decision lists (EDLs), color spaces, color decision lists (CDLs), visual effects related information, other film related information.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein providing a film reel including analog film content on a reel for archival storage includes separating a film into a plurality of color or shading component reels.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein at least one component reel is divided into parts and metadata is added to each of the component reels in accordance with a data organization method.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the N parts includes a portion of a length of the film and further includes a final image, color components of the image, metadata for the length of film.

9. A method for archiving films, comprising:

dividing an analog feature into N parts based on one of a length of film, run time and scenes;

providing color component images for at least one of the N parts;

for the at least one N part, incorporating each of the color component images associated with the at least one N part and digitally storing metadata for the corresponding part of the film that includes analog and digital data representing a record of the film on a single media for the at least one N part for archival storage; and

wherein at least one color component reel is divided into parts and metadata is added to each of the component reels in accordance with a data organization such that all color components for that part and all metadata for that part are included on a same reel.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein incorporating includes providing a reel for each part including a sequence of digital and analog data maintained on the reel in a separate area from the color component images.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein storing metadata includes digitally storing data for at least one of sound, subtitling, captioning, edit decision lists (EDLs), color spaces, color decision lists (CDLs), visual effects related information, other film related information.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein at least one of the N parts includes a portion of a length of the film and further includes a final image, color components of the image, and metadata for the length of film.

13. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein at least one of the N parts includes a portion of a length of the film and further includes a final image, color components of the image, and metadata for the length of film.

14. A system for archiving films, comprising:

an editing device configured to divide a stored analog feature into N parts based on one of a length of film, run time and scenes;

a joining device configured to integrate each of a plurality of color component images associated with at least one N part with digital metadata for the corresponding part of the film that includes analog and digital data representing an entire record of the film on a single media for the at least one N part for archival storage; and

wherein the stored analog feature includes a plurality of color component reels wherein each color component reel is divided into parts corresponding to the N part and the metadata is divided into parts corresponding to the N parts, the color components and metadata being added to a same reel in accordance with a data organization such that all color components for that part and all metadata for that part are included on a same reel.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein a reel of film for each part includes a hybrid sequence of digital and analog data maintained on the reel in a separate area from the color component images.

16. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the digital metadata includes at least one of sound, subtitling, captioning, edit decision lists (EDLs), color spaces, color decision lists (CDLs), visual effects related information, other film related information.

17. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein at least one the N parts includes about 10 minutes of the analog feature.

18. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the analog feature includes an edit decision list and the editing device employs the edit decision list to divide the analog feature into the N parts.