Abstract: Automatic color correction is applied to a scene or clip, including a sequence of images, in a motion picture by selecting a representative image of the scene, analyzing the image and adjusting parameters of a color correction operation that is performed on the sequence of images included in the scene. This operation can be repeated automatically for all scenes or for selected scenes in the motion picture. The parameters may be adjusted to automatically color balance the image while maintaining substantially constant contrast. Analysis of the representative image may include identifying an offset of a peak in a two-dimensional histogram of the colors in the representative image from a white point. Parameters of a color correction operation are adjusted according to this offset. Separate histograms and offsets may be determined for shadows, midtones and highlight regions of the representative image.

Abstract: To make an intuitive interface for curves for color correction, a particular color is selected, such as gray, and the effect of each curve on pixels of that color may be displayed as a background image for the curve. A background image also may indicate a color to which tones corresponding to a selected and manipulated point of a curve will be modified or corrected. An image representing a gradient from the color component, through gray, to a complement of the color component may be displayed in association with the displayed function curve to suggest a result of color correction to be applied to the input image by manipulation of the function curve. A background image may suggest to the user what will happen if a point on the curve is moved. For example, if a user takes a point on the green curve that is in the center of the display and moves it to the lower right, the resulting image will have a magenta tint. The background image for the curve for the green channel shows more magenta in the lower right.

Abstract: Transformation hierarchies and effects trees may be defined in the same user interface by treating animated transformations as another type of time-varying data stream. Effects operators in the effect tree are provided with an input to receive a transformation. The effects operators can be set to either use a transformation having parameters specified by the user, or use an input transformation, or both. Transform operators may generate an output transform based on user specified parameters or based on a function of data input to the transform operator. If there is no input connected to a transform operator, the transform operator may generate its own local transform. In the user interface, the user can connect the output of one transformation operator to the next (e.g., parent to child) using the same output to input port connections as used for images and effects operators.

Abstract: Multiple applications request data from multiple storage units over a computer network. The data is divided into segments and each segment is distributed randomly on one of several storage units, independent of the storage units on which other segments of the media data are stored. At least one additional copy of each segment also is distributed randomly over the storage units, such that each segment is stored on at least two storage units. This random distribution of multiple copies of segments of data improves both scalability and reliability. When an application requests a selected segment of data, the request is processed by the storage unit with the shortest queue of requests. Random fluctuations in the load applied by multiple applications on multiple storage units are balanced nearly equally over all of the storage units.

Abstract: A digital media recorder including a video camera digitizing circuitry and a digital computer readable and writable random access medium, such as magnetic or optical disk, in which sequences of digital still images are stored directly on the recording medium. Audio recording capabilities may also be provided. This system eliminates the need for video tape for recording video information, thereby providing the capability for a purely digital video system for capture, editing and playback.

Abstract: An editing system has a graphical user interface that shows media/metadata and metadata/metadata relationships and allows a user to navigate a graph defined by these relationships. Using this graphical user interface, a user may determine, for example, which masterclips are used in a sequence, or which sequences are using those masterclips. Such information can be useful for many purposes. For example, by identifying all masterclips used in a sequence, the media files associated with these masterclips can be readily recaptured in a different format. The graphical user interface provides simple navigation of such relationships by using two panes. Each pane may receive and display indications of any media data or metadata object type defined in the problem domain. In an editing system, such object types may include objects such as projects, sequences, clips and media files.

Abstract: Methods and systems for automatically creating a movie of computer selected video scenes accompanied by music are disclosed. Methods or systems consistent with the invention may synchronize the video scene changes with the onsets of beats in the music. Methods or systems consistent with the invention may also offer a user of the computer program product a choice of video styles by which the movie may be characterized when viewed by the user.

Abstract: A non-linear editing (NLE) system for editing and/or modifying 3D animation information comprises elements represented by clip objects which can be positioned and/or manipulated relative to a time line. The elements can comprise conventional 1D (audio) or 2D (video) information or can comprise 3D animation information which can include animation objects and animation parameters associated with them, as well as 2D renderings of those objects. Positioning and/or manipulation of clip objects representing 3D animation elements can result in alteration of the 2D rendering and or re-rendering of the 3D information, as appropriate.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting a fundamental beat frequency in a predetermined time interval of a music signal are disclosed. The frequency may be detected by processing a music signal with the discrete wavelet transform to obtain a set of coefficients. A subset of the coefficients may be processed to obtain a plurality of candidate beat frequencies contained in the corresponding portion of the music signal. Harmonic relationships between the candidate beat frequencies may be determined, and the fundamental beat frequency may then be determined based upon the determined harmonic relationships.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer readable medium including instructions for processing single definition or high definition video data to produce an two dimensional and three dimensional effects to occur at a future time. The effects are created in a video processing system using multiple threads.

Abstract: A keyer is provided with a graphical user interface that helps a user visualize the relationship between the key and the image to be processed using that key. A color space swatch is processed by the keyer using the defined key. The output of the keyer as applied to the color space swatch is displayed to the user to illustrate which colors match the defined key. The alpha matte generated by applying the key to the color space swatch also may be displayed. Each pixel in either the color space swatch or the alpha matte generated by applying the key to the color space swatch may be modified to indicate whether its corresponding color is present in the input image or in the preprocessed input image. Luminance processing also may be applied. In particular, the alpha value for a pixel may be adjusted according to the luminance of the pixel according to a user defined function. The alpha matte displayed to the user may include the effects of such luminance processing.

Abstract: An ellipsoid chroma region of a chroma plane may be defined to specify a range of chromas for which a secondary chroma modification is to be applied, and to determine an output chroma for each chroma of the chroma plane based on the ellipsoid chroma region. Further, two or more different-shaped chroma regions of a chroma plane may be defined and manipulated, each chroma region specifying a range of chroma for which a secondary chroma modification is to be applied, and to determine an output chroma for each chroma of the chroma plane based on the two or more different-shaped chroma regions. Also, chroma-matching techniques may be used to define and manipulate the chroma region of a chroma plane that specifies a range of chroma for which a secondary chroma modification is to be applied, and an output chroma may be determined for each chroma of the chroma plane based on the chroma region.

Abstract: Subdividing rotation between two poses in three dimensions may be accomplished in three parts. First, data defining the two poses is obtained from the animation or modeling interface. Second, a path associated with the two poses is determined. Third, using quaternion interpolation, the roll between the two poses is interpolated at intermediate positions along the path. The amount of roll at each of these intermediate positions then may be applied to three dimensional structures used for character rigging.

Abstract: A moving picture recording device includes a random-access, computer-readable and writable storage medium to provide non-linear access to recorded clips. The device provides digital capture of both video and audio information. Multiple data paths are provided to allow recording to and playback from the storage medium. Lists are maintained to manage recorded clips and edited events. An outtake list of deleted clips is also maintained. An event list includes a list of video events including clips from the storage medium as well as other video sources including a camera or external video. With switching circuitry, recorded clips can be viewed during editing while live images are output to a program output. An editing interface includes dedicated keys for performing standard recording functions as well as a display with associated input keys having adaptive functions. The textual display indicates the function currently associated with the input key.

Abstract: A retiming function that defines a rampable retiming effect is used to generate new audio and video samples at appropriate output times. In particular, for each output time, a corresponding input time is determined from the output time by using the retiming function. The retiming function may be a speed curve, a position curve that maps output times to input times directly or a mapping defining correspondence times between points in the video data and points in the audio data. An output sample is computed for the output time based on at least the data in the neighborhood of the corresponding input time, using a resampling function for the type of media data. Synchronization is achieved by ensuring that the input times determined to correspond to output times for video samples correspond to the input times determined to correspond to the same output times for audio samples.

Abstract: Subdividing rotation between two poses in three dimensions may be accomplished in three parts. First, data defining the two poses is obtained from the animation or modeling interface. Second, a path associated with the two poses is determined. Third, using quaternion interpolation, the roll between the two poses is interpolated at intermediate positions along the path. The amount of roll at each of these intermediate positions then may be applied to three dimensional structures used for character rigging.

Abstract: A visual programming interface allows an artist to create real time shaders using a tree of shader nodes. Each shader node represents an operation that can be performed in real time through the real time rendering engine. The visual interface allows the arbitrary combinations of these shader nodes to be made and allows the parameters of the shaders to be manipulated or animated. The visual programming interface may be activated in an interactive animation environment through a designation that a real time shader is to be applied to a surface. By integrating the visual programming interface with an interactive animation environment, an artist can experiment readily with different custom real time shaders. An artist also has the flexibility to create arbitrary real time shader trees and to view them interactively without requiring a programmer to develop or modify a custom shader.

Abstract: The problem of editing motion data can be solved by providing a way to specify control points (herein called “handles”) along the path of the motion data and to describe the motion data as a combination of layers of information describing the motion in relationship to these handles. A first layer may describe, for each point in the motion data, the distance of the point between the handles. For example, a path between two handles may be defined. Each point in the motion data is closest to a point along that path. That point along the line has a distance to the two handles. These distances may be defined as a percentage of the length of the path. A second layer may describe the offset of points in the motion data from the line between the two handles.

Abstract: Image data having a bit depth of m bits, where m is not a power of two, may be divided into two parts for storage. The first part is the n most significant bits, where n is a power of two. The second part is the k least significant bits, where k=m?n and k<n. For example, 10-bit data may be separated into 8-bit and 2-bit parts. The 8-bit data for a given image is placed in the bitstream as a contiguous block with the end of the data aligned with a memory boundary, such as a page boundary. The 2-bit data is collected into bytes that are placed in the bitstream as a contiguous block. The block of 2-bit data is placed in the bitstream preceding and contiguous with the block of 8-bit data. Padding may be provided to align the beginning of the image data with a memory boundary. The image data for multiple images may be placed in the bitstream contiguously for storage. 10-bit data for an alpha channel, if any, also may be split into 8-bit and 2-bit parts.

Abstract: A graphical user interface for a computer-assisted motion video editing system directs a user through the process of editing a video program. The graphical user interface may also enables a user to plan a video program. Alternatively selectable interfaces within a single window interface, each of which provide a group of planning, capturing, editing, and recording functions can provide such an interface for producing a video program. Other simplifications to the user interface can be provided to assist in editing, such as by maintaining a video display window for displaying the edited video program at a fixed position for all available editing operations. Additionally, video information can be captured directly into a timeline representation of a video program, rather than a bin. Using a storyboard tied to the capturing process, a user is directed through the process of collecting and capturing the video clips to be used in the video program.