Media composition system with media consolidation

• US 6,489,969 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2000
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Rice, Joseph H., Reber, Stephen J., Rawley, Curt A., Garmon, Paul D., Peters, Eric C., Gonsalves, Robert A., OʼConnor, Patrick D.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/723,575
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 345/723-726, 345/727, 345/730, 345/805, 345/808, 345/809, 345/736, 345/769, 345/853, 345/554, 345/555, 345/543, 345/847, 345/711, 345/748, 707/10, 707/11, 707/503
• US Class Current: 715/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 5/06 for changing the speed of data flow, i.e. speed regularising or timing, e.g. delay lines, FIFO buffers; over- or underrun control therefor G06F7/78 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes 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 19/115 Selection of the code volume for a coding unit prior to coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/124 Quantisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/126 Details of normalisation or weighting functions, e.g. normalisation matrices or variable uniform quantisers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/146 Data rate or code amount at the encoder output
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/149 by estimating the code amount by means of a model, e.g. mathematical model or statistical model
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/15 by monitoring actual compressed data size at the memory before deciding storage at the transmission buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/154 Measured or subjectively estimated visual quality after decoding, e.g. measurement of distortion use of rate-distortion criteria H04N19/147
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/162 User input
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/176 the region being a block, e.g. a macroblock
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/18 the unit being a set of transform coefficients
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/42 characterised by implementation details or hardware specially adapted for video compression or decompression, e.g. dedicated software implementation H04N19/635 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/60 : using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 : using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9264 : using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/24 : Systems for the transmission of television signals using pulse code modulation H04N21/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction

Abstract

Media composer for editing source material. The media composer includes apparatus for receiving digitizing, storing and editing video and audio source material. Computing apparatus manipulates the stored source material and output apparatus communicates with the computing apparatus to display the manipulated material and control information. The computing apparatus includes JPEG compression techniques and is programmed to provide enhanced editing features.

Claims

1. A media composition system for editing source material comprising:

digitizing apparatus for receiving and digitizing video source material;

storage for storing digitized source material digitized by the digitizing apparatus;

computing apparatus for manipulating the stored source material, wherein the computing apparatus is programmed to define, in response to user editing commands, a plurality of edited sequences that each include clips from source material elements stored within the storage, and wherein the computing apparatus includes means for automatically consolidating the source material elements corresponding to the clips included in one of the sequences in a consolidated storage portion within the storage in response to user selection of the one of the sequences, and wherein the computing apparatus is also programmed to define, in response to further user editing commands, different edited sequences that include different clips from the source material elements in the consolidated storage portion and consolidated by the means for consolidating; and

output apparatus communicating with the computing apparatus for displaying control information and the manipulated source material.

2. The media composition system of claim 1 wherein the storage includes a plurality of storage drives for storing the digitized source material digitized by the digitizing apparatus, and wherein the computing apparatus includes means for consolidating the source material elements corresponding to the clips included in one of the sequences onto one of the storage drives in response to user selection of the one of the sequences.

3. The media composition system of claim 2 wherein the source material elements include media data from media files that store source material sequences digitized by the digitizer and wherein the means for consolidating is operative to copy the media data from the media files onto the one of the storage drives in response to user selection of the one of the sequences.

4. The media composition system of claim 2 wherein the storage drives are disk drives.

5. The media composition system of claim 1 wherein the digitizing apparatus is operative to digitize both audio and video source material, wherein the storage is operative to store both audio and video source material, wherein the computing apparatus is operative to manipulate both audio and video source material, and wherein the output apparatus is operative to display both audio and video source material.

6. The media composition system of claim 1 wherein the computing apparatus is programmed to provide motion effects in the display material and is further programmed to provide a dial whose rotation rate corresponds with a selected motion effect rate.

7. The media composition system of claim 1 wherein the source material is digitized to a 24-bit word for each pixel.

8. The media composition system of claim 1 further including a mechanical user interface including a track ball and a speed controller.

9. The media composition system of claim 1 wherein the computing apparatus is programmed to generate smooth continuous audio having a pitch corresponding to the speed of video material being displayed.

10. The media composition system of claim 1 wherein the output apparatus includes a source monitor and a record monitor and wherein the computing apparatus is programmed so that a video sequence in the source monitor may be overwritten onto a sequence in the record monitor wherein synchronism is maintained between a selected frame in the source monitor sequence and a selected frame in the record monitor.

11. The media composition system of claim 1 further including a mouse controller connected with a keyboard, the mouse controller adapted to function as a shuttle control.

12. The media composition system of claim 1 further adapted to import a graphic for editing onto a video track wherein the position of the graphic may be controlled and its position displayed in the display apparatus relative to its original position or to its position immediately before the graphic has been moved.

13. A media composition system of claim 1 wherein the computing apparatus is programmed to display video wave forms, a vectorscope and black level controls.

14. The media composition system of claim 1 further including JPEG compression apparatus that performs dynamic adjustment of tables in a JPEG chip.

15. The media composition system of claim 14 further including a video coprocessor and including a 128-bit wide data path between the JPEG compression apparatus and the video coprocessor.

16. The media composition system of claim 14 wherein the clock speed in the JPEG compression apparatus runs at 70 MHz.

17. The media composition system of claim 14 wherein the computing apparatus is responsive to the compression apparatus to receive an interrupt from the compression apparatus before the compression apparatus has finished compressing the source material.

18. The media composition system of claim 17 wherein the compression apparatus is adapted to send blank video information to the computing apparatus after generating an interrupt.

19. The media composition system of claim 18 wherein the blank video information comprises 8 blank lines.

20. A media composition system for editing source material comprising:

means for receiving and digitizing video source material;

means for storing digitized source material digitized by the means for digitizing;

means responsive to user editing commands to define a plurality of edited sequences that each include clips from source material elements stored within the storage,

means for automatically consolidating the source material elements corresponding to the clips included in one of the sequences in a consolidated storage portion within the storage in response to user selection of the one of the sequences,

means responsive to further user editing commands to define different edited sequences that include different clips from the source material elements in the consolidated storage portion and consolidated by the means for consolidating; and

means responsive to the computing apparatus to display control information and the manipulated source material.

21. The media composition system of claim 20 wherein the means for consolidating is for consolidating the source material elements corresponding to the clips included in one of the sequences in response to user selection of the one of the sequences.

22. The media composition system of claim 20 wherein the means for receiving and digitizing is for digitizing both audio and video source material and wherein the means for storing is for storing both audio and video source material.

23. A media composition method for editing source material comprising:

receiving and digitizing video source material;

storing the source material received and digitized in the step of receiving and digitizing;

defining, in response to user editing commands, a plurality of edited sequences that each include clips from source material elements stored within the storage,

automatically consolidating the source material elements corresponding to the clips included in one of the sequences in response to user selection of the one of the sequences to define a consolidated set of source material elements,

defining, in response to further user editing commands, different edited sequences that include different clips from the consolidated set of source material elements consolidated by the step of consolidating; and

displaying control information and the manipulated source material.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of automatically consolidating consolidates the source material elements corresponding to the clips included in one of the sequences onto one of a plurality of storage drives in response to user selection of the one of the sequences.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the source material elements include media data from media files that store source material sequences, and wherein the step of consolidating copies the media data from the media files onto the one of the storage drives in response to user selection of the one of the sequences.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the steps of capturing, storing, defining sequences, automatically consolidating, and defining different sequences operate on both audio and video source material.

27. A media composition system for editing video source material comprising:

storage for storing captured digital source material captured by capturing apparatus;

computing apparatus for manipulating the stored source material, wherein the computing apparatus is programmed to define, in response to user editing commands, a plurality of edited sequences that each include clips from source material elements stored within the storage, and wherein the computing apparatus includes means for automatically consolidating the source material elements corresponding to the clips included in one of the sequences in a consolidated storage portion within the storage in response to user selection of the one of the sequences, and wherein the computing apparatus is also programmed to define, in response to further user editing commands, different edited sequences that include different clips from the source material elements in the consolidated storage portion and consolidated by the means for consolidating; and

output apparatus communicating with the computing apparatus for displaying control information and the manipulated source material.

28. The media composition system of claim 27 wherein the storage includes a plurality of storage drives for storing the captured digital source material captured by the capturing apparatus, and wherein the computing apparatus includes means for consolidating the source material elements corresponding to the clips included in one of the sequences onto one of the storage drives in response to user selection of the one of the sequences.

29. The media composition system of claim 28 wherein the source material elements include media data from media files that store source material sequences captured by the capturing apparatus and wherein the means for consolidating is operative to copy the media data from the media files onto the one of the storage drives in response to user selection of the one of the sequences.

30. The media composition system of claim 28 wherein the storage drives are disk drives.

31. The media composition system of claim 27 wherein the the storage is operative to store both audio and video source material, wherein the computing apparatus is operative to manipulate both audio and video source material, and wherein the output apparatus is operative to display both audio and video source material.

32. The media composition system of claim 27 further including a digitizer to provide the captured digital video source material, and wherein the storage is responsive to the digitizer.

33. A media composition system for editing source material comprising:

means for storing captured digital source material captured by capturing means;

means responsive to user editing commands to define a plurality of edited sequences that each include clips from source material elements stored within the storage,

means for automatically consolidating the source material elements corresponding to the clips included in one of the sequences in a consolidated storage portion within the storage in response to user selection of the one of the sequences,

means responsive to further user editing commands to define different edited sequences that include different clips from the source material elements in the consolidated storage portion and consolidated by the means for consolidating; and

means responsive to the computing apparatus to display control information and the manipulated source material.

34. The media composition system of claim 33 wherein the means for consolidating is for consolidating the source material elements corresponding to the clips included in one of the sequences in response to user selection of the one of the sequences.

35. The media composition system of claim 33 wherein the means for receiving is for receiving both audio and video source material and wherein the means for storing is for storing both audio and video source material.

36. A media composition method for editing source material comprising:

storing captured digital video source material;

defining, in response to user editing commands, a plurality of edited sequences that each include clips from source material elements stored within the storage,

automatically consolidating the source material elements corresponding to the clips included in one of the sequences in response to user selection of the one of the sequences to define a consolidated set of source material elements,

defining, in response to further user editing commands, different edited sequences that include different clips from the consolidated set of source material elements consolidated by the step of consolidating; and

displaying control information and the manipulated source material.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the step of automatically consolidating consolidates the source material elements corresponding to the clips included in one of the sequences onto one of a plurality of storage drives in response to user selection of the one of the sequences.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the source material elements include media data from media files that store source material sequences, and wherein the step of consolidating copies the media data from the media files onto the one of the storage drives in response to user selection of the one of the sequences.

39. The media composition system of claim 36 wherein the steps of capturing, storing, defining sequences, automatically consolidating, and defining different sequences