EP0526064A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Video editing system operator interface for visualization and interactive control of video material
Assignee: Grass Valley Group Inc
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Filing: 1992-07-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-07-20
Abstract
Abstract An operator interface for a video editing system provides a visual sense of the content of video sequences, as well as their length, while also providing enhanced interactive control of locations and time alignments of the video. As the video sequence is processed into the system, a small but representative sample (17) of each frame (19) is saved in a local memory (60), while the video itself is stored in mass storage (50). These samples (17) are used to provide a video pictorial timeline (10,11) of the underlying stored video. The location of an operator's view into the video sequence is controlled by a cursor's (12) movement along a detailed video pictorial timeline (11), a reverse motion area (18) and a forward motion area (20) to provide VTR control for location changes on the video tape. The cursor's (12) movement can be controlled by a mouse (70) or a knob (81). Icons, either static (80',90') or dynamic (89,90), are produced within the motion areas (18,20) to indicate the amount of selected velocity. Timelines (10,11,16) can be marked with time marks (27,31), roughly aligned (29,70) and then automatically fine aligned (122) by the system according to their respective time markers (27,31). The editing results associated with these timelines are also time aligned as a result of this process.
Inventors
- 👤 Bruce L. Rayner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 19:37
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B27/00; G11B27/02; G11B27/031; G11B27/034; G11B27/10; G11B27/34; G11B2220/00; G11B2220/90; G11B27/022; G11B27/024; G11B27/032; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S715/00; Y10S715/974
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
A method for representing a video sequence visually and spatially while minimizing local memory requirements, the method comprising the steps of: sampling (58) video frames (19) of the video sequence to produce a plurality of frame samples (17); storing the frame samples (17) in a local memory (60); displaying (68) the frame samples (17) as a pictorial timeline (10,11,16) representation of the video sequence.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
64 words
A method for representing a video sequence visually and spatially while minimizing local memory requirements, the method comprising the steps of: sampling (58) video frames (19) of the video sequence to produce a plurality of frame samples (17); storing the frame samples (17) in a local memory (60); displaying (68) the frame samples (17) as a pictorial timeline (10,11,16) representation of the video sequence.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein frame samples are displayed side by side and the sampling step comprises the step of: producing (58) a plurality of pixels (17) each representing the average video values within a corresponding plurality of regions along the vertical axis of each video frame (19).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein the producing step comprises the step of: emphasizing (58) a significant video feature within each region.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the sampling step comprises the step of: selecting (58) a plurality of pixels (17) along a line parallel to the vertical axis of each video frame (19).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 4, wherein the line is at the center of the frame.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of: storing the video sequence in a mass storage medium (50); referencing the location of the video frames (19) with the corresponding frame samples (17); selecting a location (70,12) within the video sequence using the pictorial timeline (10,11,16); and using the referenced location to access the video sequence at the selected location (12).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 6 further comprising the steps of: responding to operator instructions by rearranging an order in which the frame samples (17) are displayed (68); and outputting an edited video sequence according to an operator rearranged order of frame samples (17) using the referenced location of video frames (19).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 6 further comprising the step of: providing (70,12) a view (14) into the stored (50) video sequence.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of: sampling (58) an audio signal to produce a plurality of audio samples which taken together comprise an envelope representation (22,23) of the audio signal; storing the audio samples in the display's (68) local memory (60); and displaying (68) the audio samples as the envelope representation (22,23) for editing by an operator in conjunction with video editing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
85 words
A method according to claim 9 further comprising the steps of: storing the audio signal in the mass storage medium (50); referencing the location of a corresponding portion of the audio signal with the stored (60) audio samples; responding to operator instructions by rearranging an order in which the audio samples are displayed (68); and outputting an edited audio-video sequence according to an operator rearranged order of audio samples and frame samples (17) using the referenced locations of the audio signals and video frames (19).
Claim 12
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for time aligning a first video sequence with a second video sequence, the method comprising the steps of: representing the first video sequence with a first timeline (21-A) oriented along a first axis (24); representing the second video sequence with a second timeline (21-B) oriented parallel to the first timeline (21-A), the second timeline being displaced from the first time line along a second axis (25); marking a location on the second timeline (21-B) with a reference time mark (31); marking a location on the first timeline (21-A) with an active time mark (27); responding to an operator input by automatically time aligning the first timeline with the second timeline so that the active time mark (27) and the reference time mark (31) are aligned along the second axis (25) with a same point on the first axis (24).
Claim 13
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for time aligning a first video sequence with a second video sequence, the method comprising the steps of: representing the first video sequence with a first timeline (21-A) oriented along a first axis (24); representing the second video sequence with a second timeline (21-B) oriented parallel to the first timeline (21-A), the second timeline being displaced from the first time line along a second axis (25); marking a location on the second timeline (21-B) with a reference time mark (31); marking a location on the first timeline (21-A) with an active time mark (27); responding to an operator input by automatically time aligning the first timeline with the second timeline so that the active time mark (27) and the reference time mark (31) are aligned along the second axis (25) with a same point on the first axis (24).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
96 words
A method according to claim 11 wherein the step of marking a location on the first timeline (21-A) is initially performed with a second reference time mark (31) instead of an active time mark (27) and the method further comprises the steps of: selecting (70) the first timeline (21-A) as an active timeline, thus changing the second reference time mark (31) to an active time mark (27); and shifting the first timeline (21-A) along the first axis (24) to roughly align the active time mark (27) and reference time mark (31) along the second axis (25).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein the selecting step comprises the steps of: moving (70) a cursor (12) over the timeline (21-A); and depressing a control key (70).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein the shifting step comprises the steps of: dragging (70) the active timeline (21-A) with a cursor control device (70) so that the active time mark (27) on the active timeline (21-A) is roughly aligned along the second axis (25) with the reference time mark (31) on the second timeline (21-B); and deselecting (70) the active timeline (21-A) to initiate the responding step.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 11 further comprising the step of: producing an output relating the first and second video sequences according to the time aligned locations of the first and second timelines (21-A, 21-B).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 11 further comprising, after the marking step, the step of: displaying a reference line (29) parallel to the second axis (25) that intersects the first timeline (21-A) at the active time mark (27).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
106 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the second timeline (21-B) has been marked with time marks (31) in more than one place and the automatic time aligning portion of the responding step comprises the steps of: determining which reference time mark (31) on the second timeline (21-B) is nearest to the active time mark (27) on the first timeline (27); and adjusting the location of the first timeline (21-A) along the first axis (24) until the active time mark (27) on the first timeline (21-A) is exactly aligned with the nearest reference time mark (31) on the second timeline (21-B) along the second axis (25).
Claim 20
Independent Claim
167 words
A method for controlling a displayed location in a video sequence, the method comprising the steps of: displaying a timeline (11) representing a portion of the video sequence, the timeline (11) having a first end and a second end; supplying (72) a cursor (12) that is movable (70,81) over the timeline (11); responding to cursor (12) movement (70,81) along the timeline (11) by making the displayed location (14) in the video sequence correspond to the position of the cursor (12) within the timeline (11); translating (86) movement of the cursor (12) beyond either end of the timeline (11) to a velocity that is dependent on how far past the end of the timeline (11) the cursor (12) was moved; altering (56) the displayed location (14) in the video sequence according to the translated (86) velocity in a direction determined by which end of the timeline (11) the cursor is beyond; and changing (56) contents of the timeline (11) at the translated (86) velocity in the determined direction.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
167 words
A method for controlling a displayed location in a video sequence, the method comprising the steps of: displaying a timeline (11) representing a portion of the video sequence, the timeline (11) having a first end and a second end; supplying (72) a cursor (12) that is movable (70,81) over the timeline (11); responding to cursor (12) movement (70,81) along the timeline (11) by making the displayed location (14) in the video sequence correspond to the position of the cursor (12) within the timeline (11); translating (86) movement of the cursor (12) beyond either end of the timeline (11) to a velocity that is dependent on how far past the end of the timeline (11) the cursor (12) was moved; altering (56) the displayed location (14) in the video sequence according to the translated (86) velocity in a direction determined by which end of the timeline (11) the cursor is beyond; and changing (56) contents of the timeline (11) at the translated (86) velocity in the determined direction.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method according to claim 18 wherein the dependence in the translating step is according to the following relationship: where, V cur is the current velocity, V max is the maximum velocity, D cur is the current distance into the region, and D max is the maximum distance into the region.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 18 further comprising the step of: producing an icon (89,89',90,90') at the end (18,20) of the timeline (11) that the cursor (12) is beyond, the icon being indicative of the translated (86) velocity.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein the altering step comprises the steps of: moving in a reverse direction along the video sequence in response to a cursor (12) location that is beyond to the first end (18); and moving in a forward direction along the video sequence in response to a cursor (12) location that is beyond to the second end (20).
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein the movement in the translating step is only virtual movement and the cursor (12) remains fixed at the end of the timeline (11).
Claim 26
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for controlling a displayed location on a recording medium within a recording and playback machine, the method comprising the steps of: providing a knob (81) having a pointer (79) and a range of rotational motion, the range of rotational motion being divided into three regions, a central region (85), a first end region (83) and a second end region (87); determining a current position of the knob (81) and changing the displayed location on the recording medium (50) to correspond to the position of the knob (81) according to the following steps; interpreting rotational motion of the knob pointer (79) within the central region (85) as a linear distance on the recording medium (50); and translating knob pointer (79) rotational distances from the central region (85) into the first (83) or second (87) end regions as velocities of the recording and playback machine (50) in a first or second direction, respectively, such that the velocity is dependent on how far past the end of the central region (85) the knob pointer was rotated.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for controlling a displayed location on a recording medium within a recording and playback machine, the method comprising the steps of: providing a knob (81) having a pointer (79) and a range of rotational motion, the range of rotational motion being divided into three regions, a central region (85), a first end region (83) and a second end region (87); determining a current position of the knob (81) and changing the displayed location on the recording medium (50) to correspond to the position of the knob (81) according to the following steps; interpreting rotational motion of the knob pointer (79) within the central region (85) as a linear distance on the recording medium (50); and translating knob pointer (79) rotational distances from the central region (85) into the first (83) or second (87) end regions as velocities of the recording and playback machine (50) in a first or second direction, respectively, such that the velocity is dependent on how far past the end of the central region (85) the knob pointer was rotated.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method for controlling a displayed location on a recording medium within a recording and playback machine according to claim 23 wherein the dependency in the translating step is according to the following relationship: where, V cur is the current velocity, V max is the maximum velocity, D cur is the current distance into the region, and D max is the maximum distance into the region.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method according to claim 23, wherein the recording and playback machine is a video tape recorder, the recording medium is video tape, the first direction is reverse, the second direction is forward, and the first and second regions are counter-clockwise and clockwise from the central region, respectively.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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