Abstract: Two images are analyzed to compute a set of motion vectors that describes motion between the first and second images. A motion vector is computed for each pixel in an image at a time between the first and second images. This set of motion vectors may be defined at any time between the first and second images, such as the midpoint. The motion vectors may be computed using any of several techniques. An example technique is based on the constant brightness constraint, also referred to as optical flow. Each vector is specified at a pixel center in an image defined at the time between the first and second images. The vectors may point to points in the first and second images that are not on pixel centers. The motion vectors are used to warp the first and second images to a point in time of an output image between the first and second images using a factor that represents the time between the first and second image at which the output image occurs.

Abstract: An operating system has a file system which supports writing data to a file in a logical loop of clusters of storage locations. Writing can be performed in looped or unlooped modes, and a transition between looping and non-looped recording may be supported. Recording prior to occurrence of an asynchronous event is performed in a looped mode. After occurrence of the asynchronous event, the data collected in the looped portion is seamlessly merged with subsequently collected data by manipulation of pointers to the clusters by the operating system. By providing such a general structure for use in a file system of a computer, a substantially larger amount of memory is available for looped recording. In fact, several minutes of full motion broadcast quality video may be captured. In addition, by using the file system to handle the storage of data, an application does not need to arrange of recorded information on a physical recording medium.

Abstract: The present invention advantageously provides for an email system that implements proxy email addresses to control access to a recipient's email mailbox, and eliminates the requirement of a sender of email to know the recipient's private email address when sending mail. A user interface is presented to a user of the email system that corresponds to permissible email exchanges.

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 enable 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.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a property editor in a graphics image system in order to specify parameter values for effects in an effect tree. A separate instance of the property editor is not invoked for each effect within the effect tree, but rather the property editor permits the modification of multiple effects from the same instance of the editor. Advantageously, the user is not required to navigate between a view of the effect tree and the property editor in order to edit effects.

Abstract: A system for generating a digital representation of a video signal comprised of a sequence of video frames which each include two video fields of a duration such that the video plays at a first prespecified rate of frames per second. The sequence of video frames includes a prespecified number of redundant video fields. Redundant video fields in the video frame sequence are identified by a video processor, and the video frame sequence is digitized by an analog to digital convertor, excluding the identified redundant video fields. The digitized video frames are then compressed by a video compressor to generate a digital representation of the video signal which plays at a second prespecified rate of frames per second.

Abstract: The present invention defines a news story document format that supports a wide variety of news story information in a structured manner. The news story markup language of the present invention provides constraints to define timing information for a news story, to define machine control commands that may be used to automate control functions, or to associate multiple elements within one or more documents for the purpose of synchronizing the elements. The present invention defines a system and method for editing and processing news story documents.

Abstract: The invention provides for a method and system for mixing two signals, a primary signal and another sample signal, in a manner that avoids the cancellation of certain frequency components in the resulting mixed signal. Advantageously, the resulting combination signal therefor likely retains more of the fullness of the original two signals.

Abstract: A color modification system and method for reducing the number of computations performed on a pixel color. This reduction in computations increases the rate at which color modification may be performed and decreases the effects of rounding errors. Decreasing the effects of rounding errors produces a more accurate color modification, thereby reducing the likelihood of artifacts. The system and method performs color modification on a pixel color, where the color includes a first, second, and third component and each component defines a value of the color. The system includes a chroma lookup table having a plurality of entries. Each entry corresponds to a luma value and contains chroma coefficients. The chroma coefficients define color modifications to be applied to the components of the color. If a luma value is received, the chroma lookup table generates output chroma coefficients at an output.

Abstract: Random access to arbitrary fields of a video segment compressed using both interframe and intraframe techniques is enhanced by adding state information to the bitstream prior to each intraframe compressed image to allow each intraframe compressed image to be randomly accessed, by generating a field index that maps each temporal field to the offset in the compressed bitstream of the data used to decode the field, and by playing back segments using two or more alternatingly used decoders. The cut density may be improved by eliminating from the bitstream applied to each decoder any data corresponding to bidirectionally compressed images that would otherwise be used by the decoder to generate fields prior to the desired field.

Abstract: Performance of rendering of effects on media data may be improved by analyzing properties defined for an effect to identify static and dynamic time segments within the effect. A static time segment in an effect is a time segment for which only one image is rendered. A dynamic time segment in an effect is a time segment for which each sample of media data in the time segment is rendered. An effect can contain any number of static and dynamic time segments. By identifying these time segments in an effect, processing and caching of the rendered effect are more finely grained. In particular, rendered time segments in an effect may be cached, such that a change in the effect in one time segment does not require re-rendering of other time segments. Thus, unnecessary rendering may be avoided, and invalidation of cached rendered media data and subsequent rerendering also may be reduced.

Abstract: A computer-based system automates the production of so-called pass-images (or just “passes”) from data defining 3-D scenes. For example, a beauty pass of a selected object shows the normal surface appearance without any background or other objects. A shadow pass shows only selected shadows and a highlight pass, only selected highlights. The passes allow pixel-processing to be done efficiently. The processed passes can then be combined (“composited”) to form the finished image. In the past, these passes were produced by editing a copy of the 3-D scene for each pass and rendering the edited copy. The invention automates the production of passes by filtering the 3-D scene through pre-specified pass definitions that override properties of the 3-D scenes. The results of filtering are rendered (rendering largely comprises the process of ray-tracing) to form the passes. The system stores numerous pass definitions.

Abstract: Two images are analyzed to compute a set of motion vectors that describes motion between the first and second images. A motion vector is computed for each pixel in an image at a time between the first and second images. This set of motion vectors may be defined at any time between the first and second images, such as the midpoint. The motion vectors may be computed using any of several techniques. An example technique is based on the constant brightness constraint, also referred to as optical flow. Each vector is specified at a pixel center in an image defined at the time between the first and second images. The vectors may point to points in the first and second images that are not on pixel centers. The motion vectors are used to warp the first and second images to a point in time of an output image between the first and second images using a factor that represents the time between the first and second image at which the output image occurs.

Abstract: A method and system for color correction in composite image. Spill in a foreground image can be keyed directly to produce a spill matte that can be displayed to a user. The user can apply suitable image processing to the spill matte to modify the eventual color correction to the composite image. The resulting spill matte is used as a template for the application of color correction in the composite image.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a multi-tone representation of a digital image by applying a plurality of functions of luma to the digital image. The functions of luma comprise at least a first function and a second function, where each function has a value for each luma value in a range of luma values. Each function also has an associated display value. The digital image includes a plurality of pixels, where for each pixel, it is determined which of the first and second functions has a maximum value for a luma value of the pixel. Each pixel is represented using the display value associated with the determined function.

Abstract: A media editing system and method stores a plurality of versions of a media object, associates the versions of the media object with the media object, and displays to a user a list of identifiers of the versions of the media object in response to a user command that references part of a timeline. The position on the timeline corresponds with a position of the media object in the media composition. In response to a command from the user, one of the plurality of versions is selected to be a default version of the media object.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing digitized audio information and digitized picture information establishes a reference time base based on timecodes included with the audio and picture information. The reference time base may be used to synchronize output between a digitized source and one which may be digitized or undigitized.

Abstract: A novel NLE system and method of constructing edit sequences includes reference clips which can be employed in the sequences. The reference clips include a reference to metadata defining a child sequence. The reference clip is loaded into a parent sequence in the NLE system, rather than the netadata for the child sequence and, as the reference clip and its reference typically have a much smaller memory footprint than the metadata for the child sequence, the memory requirements for the NLE system to load the parent sequence are reduced, as is the time required to accomplish the load. In addition, the metadata defining the child sequences can be persisted separately from the parent sequences, and used in a any parent sequence by employing a reference clip to the persisted child sequence. This also allows multiple instances of reference clips to a child sequence to be employed, in a single parent sequence or in multiple parent sequences and by multiple users.

Abstract: A media pipeline with two channels processes sequences of digital still images. A blender is provided so as to enable simple effects on these two streams of video data such as dissolves, wipes and chroma keys. Complex arbitrary three-dimensional effects and other effects may also be provided using an external interface. Thus, a system for processing sequences of digital still images to provide real-time digital video effects includes first and second channels for communicating first and second sequences of digital still images at a rate for simulating video. A controller directs still images to one of the first and second channels. A blender, having a first input connected to the first channel, a second input connected to the second channel, and an output, provides a combination of the first and second sequences of digital still images at a rate for simulating video.

Abstract: A character is represented in a character generator as a set of polygons. The character may be manipulated using three-dimensional animation techniques. A code for a character may be used to access a set of curves defining the outline of the character. This set of curves is transformed into a set of polygons. The set of polygons may be rendered as a three-dimensional object. The set of polygons may be created by converting the curves into sets of connected line segments and then tessellating the polygon defined by the line segments. Animation properties are represented using a normalized scale along a path or over time. Animation may be provided in a manner that is independent of the spatial and temporal resolution of the video to which it is applied. Such animation may be applied to characters defined by a set of polygons. Various three-dimensional spatial transformations, lighting effects and other colorizations may be provided.