US6079566A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System and method for processing object-based audiovisual information
Assignee: Columbia University
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Filing: 1998-04-07
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Granted: 2000-06-27
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Expires: 2018-04-07
Abstract
Abstract The invention provides a system and method for processing object-based audiovisual information which is capable of flexibly encoding, storing and accessing a variety of data objects. Audiovisual objects, illustratively prepared in MPEG-4 format, are stored onto physical media using file consisting of segments and access layer primary data units (PDUs), which are accessed using index information. The processes of encoding, storing and accessing audiovisual information are decoupled from monolithic storage in a strict linear order, and reordering and other editorial manipulations are possible.
Inventors
- 👤 Alexandros Eleftheriadis
- 👤 Hari Kalva
- 👤 Atul Puri
- 👤 Robert Lewis Schmidt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 01:31
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/238; H04N21/2381; G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/40; G06F16/70; G06F16/71; G11; G11B; G11B27/00; G11B27/02; G11B27/031; G11B27/034; H04N21/234; H04N21/2343; H04N21/234318; H04N21/40; H04N21/41; H04N21/4104; H04N21/4108; H04N21/43; H04N21/432; H04N21/4325; H04N21/438; H04N21/4381; H04N21/45; H04N21/462; H04N21/4622; H04N21/80; H04N21/85; H04N21/858; H04N21/8586; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99942; Y10S707/99951; Y10S707/99952; Y10S707/99953
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 54
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of composing data in a file, comprising the steps of: generating a file header, the file header comprising streaming information, physical object information and logical object information; generating a sequence of audiovisual segments, each audiovisual segment comprising a plurality of audiovisual objects and a segment object data table having entries containing pointers to access information, the access information being used to access the audiovisual objects in each audiovisual segment; and associating the audiovisual objects with entries in the segment object data table.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of composing data in a file, comprising the steps of: generating a file header, the file header comprising streaming information, physical object information and logical object information; generating a sequence of audiovisual segments, each audiovisual segment comprising a plurality of audiovisual objects and a segment object data table having entries containing pointers to access information, the access information being used to access the audiovisual objects in each audiovisual segment; and associating the audiovisual objects with entries in the segment object data table.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using the physical object information to translate references to the audiovisual objects into local media addresses using a physical object table, when the physical object information indicates that local media data are present.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using the logical object information to translate references to the audiovisual objects into remote data calls, when the logical object information indicates that remote data are present.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the audiovisual objects are accessible over a network on a streaming basis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the audiovisual objects are accessed from a mass storage medium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the file is an MPEG-4 file.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the audiovisual objects are produced from different sources.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the audiovisual objects are randomly accessible.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the segment object data table comprises an audiovisual object ID field storing identifications of individual audiovisual objects, and the access information for each audiovisual object.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the access information comprises offset information, continuity information, size information and count information for the audiovisual objects.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the sequence of audiovisual segments comprises a termination segment indicating the end of the file.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the audiovisual objects comprise protocol data units accessed through the segment object data table.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
77 words
A method of extracting data from a file, comprising the steps of: accessing a file header, the file header comprising streaming information, physical object information and logical object information; accessing an audiovisual segment, the audiovisual segment comprising a plurality of audiovisual objects and a segment table having entries containing pointers to access information, the access information being used to access the audiovisual objects; and accessing a sequence of audiovisual segments using entries in the segment object table.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
77 words
A method of extracting data from a file, comprising the steps of: accessing a file header, the file header comprising streaming information, physical object information and logical object information; accessing an audiovisual segment, the audiovisual segment comprising a plurality of audiovisual objects and a segment table having entries containing pointers to access information, the access information being used to access the audiovisual objects; and accessing a sequence of audiovisual segments using entries in the segment object table.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of using the physical object information to translate references to the audiovisual objects to local media addresses using a physical object table, when the physical object information indicates that local media data are present.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of using the logical object information to translate references to the audiovisual objects to remote data calls, when the logical object information indicates that remote data are present.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of assembling the audiovisual objects into a scene.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 13, wherein the audiovisual objects are accessible over a data network on a streaming basis.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 13, wherein the audiovisual objects are accessed from a mass storage medium.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 13, wherein the file is an MPEG-4 file.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of: editing the audiovisual objects; and restoring the audiovisual objects in the file.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 13, wherein the audiovisual objects are produced from different sources.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 13, wherein the audiovisual objects are randomly accessible.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 13, wherein the segment object data table comprises an audiovisual object ID field storing identifications of individual audiovisual objects, and the access information for each audiovisual object.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 13, wherein the access information comprises offset information, continuity information, size information and count information for the audiovisual objects.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of terminating the extraction of data upon reading a termination segment.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 13, wherein the audiovisual objects comprise primary data units accessed through the segment object data table.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
94 words
A system for processing a data file, comprising: a processor unit; a storage unit, connected to the processor unit, the storage unit storing a file comprising: a file header, the file header comprising streaming information, physical object information and logical object information; a sequence of audiovisual segments, each audiovisual segment comprising a plurality of audiovisual objects and a segment object data table having entries containing pointers to access information, the access information being used to access the audiovisual objects; and the audiovisual objects being associated with the entries in the segment object data table.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
94 words
A system for processing a data file, comprising: a processor unit; a storage unit, connected to the processor unit, the storage unit storing a file comprising: a file header, the file header comprising streaming information, physical object information and logical object information; a sequence of audiovisual segments, each audiovisual segment comprising a plurality of audiovisual objects and a segment object data table having entries containing pointers to access information, the access information being used to access the audiovisual objects; and the audiovisual objects being associated with the entries in the segment object data table.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 27, wherein the system translates references to the audiovisual objects into local media addresses using a physical object table, when the physical object information indicates that local media data are present.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 27, wherein the system translates references to the audiovisual objects into remote data calls, when the logical object information indicates that remote data are present.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 27, wherein the audiovisual objects are accessible over a network on a streaming basis.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 27, wherein the storage unit comprises a mass storage medium.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 27, wherein the file is an MPEG-4 file.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 27, wherein the audiovisual objects are produced from different sources.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 27, wherein the audiovisual objects are randomly accessible from the storage unit.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 27, wherein the segment object data table comprises an audiovisual object ID field storing identifications of individual audiovisual objects, and the access information for each audiovisual object.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 27, wherein the access information comprises offset information, continuity information, size information and count information for the audiovisual objects.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 27, wherein the sequence of audiovisual segments comprises a termination segment indicating the end of the file.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 27, wherein the audiovisual objects comprise primary data units accessed through the segment object data table.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
99 words
A medium for storing a data file, the data file including information for processing by an information processing apparatus to perform the steps of: generating or accessing a file, the file comprising a file header, the file header comprising streaming information, physical object information and logical object information, and an audiovisual segment, the audiovisual segment comprising a plurality of audiovisual objects and a segment object data table having entries containing pointers to access information, the access information being used to access the audiovisual objects; and generating or accessing the audiovisual objects using entries in the segment object data table.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
99 words
A medium for storing a data file, the data file including information for processing by an information processing apparatus to perform the steps of: generating or accessing a file, the file comprising a file header, the file header comprising streaming information, physical object information and logical object information, and an audiovisual segment, the audiovisual segment comprising a plurality of audiovisual objects and a segment object data table having entries containing pointers to access information, the access information being used to access the audiovisual objects; and generating or accessing the audiovisual objects using entries in the segment object data table.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
36 words
The medium of claim 39, wherein the file comprises a physical object table which translates references to the audiovisual objects into local media addresses, when the physical object information indicates that local media data are present.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
29 words
The medium of claim 39, wherein the file translates references to the audiovisual objects into remote data calls, when the logical object information indicates that remote data are present.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
18 words
The medium of claim 39, wherein the audiovisual objects are accessible over a network on a streaming basis.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
13 words
The medium of claim 39, wherein the medium comprises a mass storage medium.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
12 words
The medium of claim 39, wherein the file is an MPEG-4 file.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
14 words
The medium of claim 39, wherein the audiovisual objects are produced from different sources.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
15 words
The medium of claim 39, wherein the audiovisual objects are randomly accessible from the medium.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
31 words
The medium of claim 39, wherein the segment object data table comprises an audiovisual object ID field storing identifications of individual audiovisual objects, and the access information for each audiovisual object.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
23 words
The medium of claim 39, wherein the access information comprises offset information, continuity information, size information and count information for the audiovisual objects.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
21 words
The medium of claim 39, wherein the sequence of audiovisual segments comprises a termination segment indicating the end of the file.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
20 words
The medium of claim 39, wherein the audiovisual objects comprise primary data units accessed through the segment object data table.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-06-27 | 2003-12-27 | 2004-06-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-06-27 | 2007-12-27 | 2008-06-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-06-27 | 2011-12-27 | 2012-06-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |