Multi-format audio/video production system
DC
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A multi-format audio/video production system adapted for use with a display device, comprising:
- means to receive an input a signal representative of an audio/video input program having audio and video components, and wherein the video component is received in one of a plurality of display formats without redundant frames or fields;
a graphics processor connected to receive the audio/video program audio and video components and convert the display format of the input program into an intermediate production format, the graphics processor including;
having a frame rate of 24 or 25 frames per second (fps);
a standard/widescreenan interface unit operative to convert the video program in the production format into an output signal representative of a standard/widescreen formatted program, and a high-definition television (HDTV) interface unit operative to convert the video program in the production format into an output signal representative of an HDTV-formatted program;
an output format;
high-capacity video storage means;
an operator interface; and
a controller in operative communication with the means to receive the input signal, the graphics processor, the high-capacity video storage means and the operator interface, whereby commands entered by an operator through the interface cause the following functions to be performed;
(a) the conversions of an audio/video the input program into the production format, (b) storage of a program in the production format in the high-capacity video storage means, and (c) the conversion of a program in the production format into a standard/widescreen program in the output format, either directly from the means to receive the input signal or from the high-capacity video storage means, and (d) the conversion of a program in the production format into an HDTV program, either directly from the means to receive an input signal or from the high-capacity video storage means .
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Abstract
An audio/video production system facilitates professional quality image manipulation and editing using an enhanced general-purpose hardware. A program input may be translated into any of a variety of graphics or television formats, including NTSC, PAL, SECAM and HDTV, and stored as data-compressed images, using any of several commercially available methods such as Motion JPEG, MPEG, etc. While being processed, the images may be re-sized to produce a desired aspect ratio or dimensions using conventional techniques such as pixel interpolation. Frame rate conversion to and from conventional formats is performed by using the techniques employed for film-to-NTSC and film-to-PAL transfers, or by inter-frame interpolation, all well known in the art. By judicious selection of the optimal digitizing parameters, the system allows a user to establish an interrelated family of aspect ratios, resolutions, and frame rates, yet remain compatible with currently available and planned graphics and television formats.
87 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A multi-format audio/video production system adapted for use with a display device, comprising:
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means to receive an input a signal representative of an audio/video input program having audio and video components, and wherein the video component is received in one of a plurality of display formats without redundant frames or fields;
a graphics processor connected to receive the audio/video program audio and video components and convert the display format of the input program into an intermediate production format, the graphics processor including;
having a frame rate of 24 or 25 frames per second (fps);a standard/widescreenan interface unit operative to convert the video program in the production format into an output signal representative of a standard/widescreen formatted program, and a high-definition television (HDTV) interface unit operative to convert the video program in the production format into an output signal representative of an HDTV-formatted program;
an output format;high-capacity video storage means;
an operator interface; and
a controller in operative communication with the means to receive the input signal, the graphics processor, the high-capacity video storage means and the operator interface, whereby commands entered by an operator through the interface cause the following functions to be performed;
(a) the conversions of an audio/video the input program into the production format, (b) storage of a program in the production format in the high-capacity video storage means, and (c) the conversion of a program in the production format into a standard/widescreen program in the output format, either directly from the means to receive the input signal or from the high-capacity video storage means, and (d) the conversion of a program in the production format into an HDTV program, either directly from the means to receive an input signal or from the high-capacity video storage means . - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 32)
a plurality of one or more image sensors;
an analog-to-digital converter circuit connected to the output of each image sensor to generate a digital signal representative of the sensed image; and
a digital signal processor configured to receive the digital signal from each analog-to-digital converter circuit and generate a digital video output signal in a predetermined input format for processing by one or more of the interface units comprising the graphics processor.
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6. The multi-format audio/video production system of claim 5, wherein the digital video camera uses two charge-coupled-device image sensors, one associated with luminance, the other associated with chrominance.
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7. The multi-format audio/video production system of claim 1 wherein the means to receive a video program includes a removeable high-capacity magnetic storage medium.
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8. The multi-format audio/video production system of claim 1 wherein, in the event that a change in aspect ratio results from any of the format conversions a conversion, the controller further is operative to cause the change in aspect ratio to be visibly evident on the display device.
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9. The multi-format audio/video production system of claim 1 wherein the graphics processor interface unit is operative to convert a 24 frame-per-second intermediate production format input signal into a 30 frame-per-second NTSC-compatible format output signal.
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10. The multi-format audio/video production system of claim 1 wherein the graphics processor interface unit is operative to convert a 24 frame-per-second intermediate production format input signal into a 25 frame-per-second PAL/SECAM-compatible format output signal.
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11. The multi-format audio/video production system of claim 1 wherein the graphics processor interface unit is operative to convert a 24 frame-per-second intermediate production format input signal into an HDTV-compatible format output signal.
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12. The multi/format audio/video production system of claim 1, including means to receive an RGB video signal having a chrominance bandwidth and a luminance bandwidth, and wherein the HDTV interface further provides means for reducing the chrominance bandwidth of the RGB video signal without reducing its luminance bandwidth, the HDTV interface including:
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three low-pass filters, one associated with each of the R, G, and B components of the RGB video signal to remove all frequency components above a specified frequency;
an RGB-to-Y matrix circuit connected to receive each of the R, G, and B components, the RGB-to-Y matrix circuit being operative to combine the signals in predetermined proportions and produce a single luminance signal, Y;
a high-pass filter connected to the output of the RGB-to-Y matrix circuit to filter the Y signal to remove all frequency components below a specified frequency;
a Y-to-RGB matrix circuit connected to the output of the high-pass filter, the Y-to-RGB matrix circuit being operative to separate the high-pass-filtered Y signal into R′
, G′ and
B′
components in the same proportion as previously combined by the RGB-to-Y matrix circuit;
three mixers, each adapted to receive an R/R′
, G/G′ and
B/B′
pair, respectively, each mixer being operative to mix the signals of its respective input pairs and generate R″
, G″ and
B″
signals having full luminance bandwidth and reduced chrominance bandwidth.
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13. The multi-format audio/video production system of claim 1, the graphics processor further including means for transferring a program into in the intermediate production format to a remote location equipped with one or more of the interface units.
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32. The multi-format production system of claim 1, wherein the interface unit is operative to convert the video program in the production format into an output format which is different from the format of the input program.
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14. A multi-format audio/video production system forming part of a general-purpose computer platform having a user configured for use with an operator input and color display, the system comprising:
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meansan input to receive an inputa video program in one of a plurality of input formatshaving no added redundant frames or fields;
a removable high-capacity video storage means;
medium; and
meansa first video processor operative to convert the inputvideo program into a 24 frames-per-second (fps)an intermediate production format, if not already in such a formathaving a frame rate of substantially 24 frames per second (fps), for storage within the high-capacity video storage means and for review on the color display on the removable medium; and
meansa second video processor operative to convert the program in the intermediate production format into one or more of the following output formats, either directly from the input or from storagethe removable medium;
NTSC at substantially 30 fps, PAL/SECAM at 25 fps, HDTV at 24, 25 or substantially 30 fps, and HDTV at 30 fps, and film-compatible video at substantially 24 fps. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 33, 34)
720×
480,720×
576,1024×
576,1024×
768,1280×
720, and1080×
960 1920×
1080.
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19. The multi-format audio/video production system of claim 14 wherein the means to convert the production format into one or more of the output formats includes means to increase the frame rate from the 24 frames per second production frame to an output having a frame rate of substantially 30 frames per second.
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26. The multi-format production system of claim 14, wherein the high-capacity video storage means is a magnetic-disc-based medium.
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27. The multi-format production system of claim 14, wherein the high-capacity video storage means is an optical-disc-based medium.
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28. The multi-format production system of claim 14, wherein the high-capacity video storage means is a magneto-optical-disc-based medium.
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29. The multi-format production system of claim 14, wherein the high-capacity video storage means is a magnetic tape-based medium.
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30. The multi-format production system of claim 14, wherein the high-capacity video storage means is a multiple frame rate of 24, 25 or 30 fps.
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33. The multi-format production system of claim 14, wherein the first and second video processors are elements of the same graphics processor.
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34. The multi-format production system of claim 14, wherein the first and second video processors are physically remote from one another.
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20. In an enhanced personal computer having a color monitor, the A method of producing processing a video program, comprising the steps of:
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receiving an input video program having an audio component and a video component without any added redundant frames or fields;
converting the input video component of the input program into a an internal production format having a predetermined frame rate of substantially 24 frames per second (fps) and an image dimension in pixels, when the program is not received in such a format;
providing a high-capacity digital audio/video storage means storing the program in the production format in the high-capacity storage means medium, and storing the program in the production format;
displaying the video program on the color monitor using the predetermined frame rate and image dimensions in pixels, including cropped versions of the program, with the extent of the cropping being visually evident on the monitor; accessing the program in the production format from the high-capacity storage means medium; and
manipulating the program to create a desired edited version of the program in an output format, including an output format having a frame rate and image dimensions in pixels different from that of the production format; and
outputting the desired edited version of the program in the output format. greater than or equal to the frame rate of the production format. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 31, 35, 36, 37)
720×
480,720×
576,1024×
576,1024×
768,1280×
720, and1080×
960. 1920×
1080.
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25. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of converting the input video program into a production format includes converting the input video program into a production format characterized in having 24 frames per second.
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31. The method of claim 20, further including the step of viewing the desired version of the program in the output format at a location different from the one used to store the program on the high-capacity medium.
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35. The multi-format production system of claim 20, wherein the desired version of the program in the output format has an image dimension in pixels which is different from that of the production format.
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36. The multi-format production system of claim 20, wherein the step of accessing the program in the production format occurs remotely from the step of converting the video component of the input program into the internal production format.
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37. The multi-format production system of claim 20, wherein the step of providing a high-capacity digital audio/video storage medium includes providing a medium which is randomly accessible.
Specification
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Litigation Data
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Current AssigneeMuti-Format Incorporated
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Original AssigneeMuti-Format Incorporated
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InventorsSchwab, Barry H., Washino, Kinya
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Primary Examiner(s)Harvey, David E.
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Application NumberUS09/113,615Time in Patent Office1,740 DaysField of SearchH04/N.546, H04/N.701, H04/N.5262, H04/N.5253, H04/N.336, 348/445, 348/554, 348/584, 348/556, 348/722, 348/441, 348/911, 348/449, 348/854, 348/555, 348/558, 348/527, 348/524, 386/4, 386/39, 386/34, 386/131, 386/124, 386/96, 386/104, 386/123, 386/37, 386/1, 386/46US Class Current348/722CPC Class CodesG06F 3/14 Digital output to display d...G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the di...G06T 9/007 Transform coding, e.g. disc...G09G 2340/02 Handling of images in compr...G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusiv...G09G 2340/0442 Handling or displaying diff...G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriersG11B 2220/2516 Hard disksG11B 2220/2525 Magneto-optical [MO] discsG11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarch...G11B 2220/455 said record carriers being ...G11B 2220/61 wherein solid state memory ...G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriersG11B 2220/913 Digital audio tape [DAT] fo...G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequen...G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27...G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digit...G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27...G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27...G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements in...View All
