Systems, methods, and computer program products for automated real-time execution of live inserts of repurposed stored content distribution, and multiple aspect ratio automated simulcast production

• US 9,123,380 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grass Valley Canada (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gvbb Holdings SARL (Vislink Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Holtz, Alex, Snyder, Robert J., Benson, John R., Couch, William H., LaRocque, Marcel, Hoeppner, Charles M., Tingle, Keith Gregory, Todd, Richard, Smith, Maurice
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustine, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US10/434,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20040070690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,498 Days
• Field of Search: 715/719, 715/723, 715/792, 348/445, 348/722, 348/455
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234372 for performing aspect ratio conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2358 for generating different versions, e.g. for different recipient devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440272 for performing aspect ratio conversion
• 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 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/268 Signal distribution or switching

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product for producing a show. In an embodiment, the invention is directed to a production system having a first production path, a second production path, and a control system that causes the first production path to generate a show in a first aspect ratio (4:3), and that causes the second production path to generate the same show in a second aspect ratio (16:9). In another embodiment, the invention is directed to producing a show from live material and from archived material. This aspect of the invention operates by producing a first show comprising a plurality of stories, segmenting the first show, and storing the show segments in an archive. Then, the invention produces a second show using live portions as well as show segments retrieved from the archive. The invention is also directed to a media manager that interacts with a server. In some cases, the server is integrated with the production system. The media manager automatically assigns channels/ports of the server when accessing material stored in the server.

Claims

1. A production system, comprising:

a first production path;

a second production path; and

a control system that causes said first production path to generate a show in a first format comprising a first aspect ratio, and that causes said second production path to simultaneously generate the same show in a second format comprising a second aspect ratio,

wherein said control system operates according to a script comprising a plurality of transition macros, at least one of said transition macros comprising;

a first set of instructions to perform a function in the first format that, when executed, causes said first production path to perform said function, and

a second set of instructions to perform said function in the second format that, when executed, cause said second production path to perform said function,

wherein the production system receives video in a first format and automatically converts the video to the second format prior to production via the second production path, the conversion comprising automatically cropping the video taking into consideration parameters of the second format and parameters of a show being produced using the video.

2. The production system of claim 1, wherein said first aspect ratio is a 4:

3 aspect ratio, and said second aspect ratio is a 16;

9 aspect ratio.

3. The production system of claim 1, wherein said first production path comprises first production devices supporting said first aspect ratio, and said second production path comprises second production devices supporting said second aspect ratio.

4. The production system of claim 1, wherein said control system comprises means for controlling said first production path and said second production path to synchronously generate said show in said first aspect ratio and said show in said second aspect ratio.

5. The production system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for simulcasting said show in said first aspect ratio and said show in said second aspect ratio.

6. The production system of claim 1, wherein field acquisitions for the show in the first aspect ratio and for the show in the second aspect ratio are originally captured simultaneously at both the first aspect ratio and the second aspect ratio prior to production, respectively and separately preserved throughout each production path, said control system having a first output for outputting the show in the first aspect ratio and a second output for outputting the same show in a second aspect ratio, the first and second outputs being synchronized with each other.

7. The production system of claim 1, wherein the first set of instructions and the second set of instructions comprise video commands to perform keying functions.

8. The production system of claim 1, wherein the function comprises at least one selected from a group consisting a transition, and a mix effect.

10. The production system of claim 1, wherein the transition macro is coded for both the first format and the second format.

11. The production system of claim 1, wherein the generated show comprises a composite signal of a first video signal combined with a second video signal, and wherein a first composite signal is output via the first production path and a second composite signal is output via the second production path.

12. The production system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface that presents a single icon for a transition macro that operates to implement video production functions simultaneously on both the first production path and the second production path.

9. A production system, comprising:

a first production path;

a second production path; and

a control system that causes said first production path to generate a show in a first format comprising a first aspect ratio, and that causes said second production path to simultaneously generate the same show in a second format comprising a second aspect ratio,

wherein said control system operates according to a script comprising a plurality of transition macros, at least one of said transition macros comprising;

a first set of instructions to perform a function in the first format that, when executed, causes said first production path to perform said function, and

a second set of instructions to perform said function in the second format that, when executed, cause said second production path to perform said function,

wherein the control system independently adjusts an effect for the desired look of the first format and the second format, wherein the effect comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of transitions, cuts, fades, and wipes.