Abstract: Methods and systems for populating a cache memory that services a media composition system. Caching priorities are based on a state of the media composition system, such as media currently within a media composition timeline, a composition playback location, media playback history, and temporal location within clips that are included in the composition. Caching may also be informed by descriptive metadata and media search results within a media composition client or a within a media asset management system accessed by the client. Additional caching priorities may be based on a project workflow phase or a client project schedule. Media may be partially written to or read from cache in order to meet media request deadlines. Caches may be local to a media composition system or remote, and may be fixed or portable.

Abstract: Large numbers of similar-looking or identical physical controls on an audio control surface can make it difficult for operators to rapidly locate desired controls. Highlighting of selected controls focuses the operator's visual attention on controls the operator is manipulating, or has just manipulated and is likely to manipulate again. Controls peripheral to or otherwise related to manipulated controls may also be highlighted. Highlighting methods include the use of control illumination intensity, color, and labeling display text. Visual focusing may include highlighting relationships between channel strips or between individual physical controls, or between the physical controls of a surface and one or more digital audio workstations.

Abstract: Video editing methods and systems enable an editor to edit a video project for which source media assets are located at a media storage server located remotely from the editor with substantially the same fidelity and editing feature set that would be available if the source media assets and editor were co-located. A video editing client used by the editor maintains a persistent cache of proxy media with the layers of the video project stored independently, facilitating editing with combinations locally originated assets and remote assets. The client requests frames not already cached from the remote server via a low bandwidth network. Unless a frame is purged from the cache, no frame is requested from the server more than once. A multi-level priority prefetching scheme, including sequence-based prefetching, populates the cache with frames likely to be requested during editing.

Abstract: A gobo with a substrate having at least one peripheral edge a body extending from the peripheral edge, the body having two faces and a structural network on at least one of the two faces, the structural network generally extending to the peripheral edge. An optical pattern is disposed on or through the body, with the structural network extending on the body only to an edge of the optical pattern. The structural network is integral with the substrate.

Abstract: A lighting device including an ultraviolet light source emanating ultraviolet light, a visual light source and a light directing device. The visual light source is coupled to the ultraviolet light source, and the visual light source emanates visual light. The light directing device is arranged to direct the visual light in a first direction primarily within an angle of illumination. The light directing device is further arranged to direct the ultraviolet light in an area wider than the angle of illumination.

Abstract: A distributed self-scaling network audio processing system includes end nodes interconnected by packet-switched network and operating as peers on the network. Each of the end nodes supports local input processing, mixing, and output processing. The input processing includes the option of dual input channels for supporting separate front-of-house and monitor workflows. End nodes are added to the system to support specific audio processing applications, based on the number of audio sources, the number of output mixes required, and the number of locations from which users choose to interact with the system.

Abstract: A strobe light system for use with a camera, the strobe light system including an LED light source, a triggering signal input for the reception of a triggering signal, an electrical power source and a control circuit. The control circuit is coupled to the LED light source. The control circuit has a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor, the second transistor and the LED are electrically in series with the electrical power source. The first transistor is controlled to establish an electrical power level that is to be conducted through the LED. The second transistor being subject to the triggering signal to thereby electrically conduct for a predetermined amount of time thereby establishing an electrical current pulse through the LED.

Abstract: During the production of a time-based media project, it is often desirable for editors to work with media files or reels of a given size, both in terms of the temporal duration of media represented in each file and the number of tracks in a file. During the course of editing, files may become longer, or incorporate additional tracks, making them cumbersome to handle. A super-file view that displays multiple files simultaneously provides a framework for an editor to rebalance files during the course of media production. A graphical user interface permits users to adjust the content of the various files, including moving tracks among multiple files that comprise a given reel, as well as media between files belonging to different reels.

Abstract: A synchronized media project, synchronization SDK, and synchronization service enable multiple users to produce a media composition collaboratively. A media project includes composition assets that reference media assets. A synchronization SDK enables multiple applications to edit the media project independent of an internal organization of the project. A project synchronization service synchronizes copies of media projects located on clients with a server-based versioned master project. User-selectable project synchronization modes determine whether media project assets are stored on clients, on the server, or on both, and when media assets are transferred. Synchronized media projects include composition assets in proprietary formats and in interoperable formats. Interoperable composition assets are rendered from proprietary composition assets on a track-by-track basis.

Abstract: A computer-based method for media composition of a family of related time-based media programs. The method involves creating a master program with time-based elements of video and/or audio as well as time-based and non-time-based metadata, creating a derivative program that includes derivative elements, defining an inheritance relationship between the master program and the derivative program that specifies elements of the master program to be inherited by the derivative program, and causing the derivative program to inherit the specified elements from the master program in accordance with the inheritance relationship. User interfaces are provided for creating, editing, and viewing hierarchical trees of related programs.

Abstract: A system for transferring metadata between an audio mixing console and a digital audio workstation connected by an audio link and a computer network. The audio mixing console and the digital audio system implement an Ethernet-based communication protocol for sending messages between them over the network connection, the messages including metadata specifying a plurality of settings on the audio mixing console corresponding to audio information received by the audio mixing console during a live performance. The audio information is sent to the digital audio system over the high bandwidth connection. The high bandwidth connection can also be used to transfer the metadata. The transfer of metadata between the console and the digital audio workstation facilitates new digital audio archiving, virtual live mixing, and virtual soundcheck workflows.

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: Methods and systems for constructing media output by combining multiple input media channels corresponding to different views of a scene. The construction involves combining channels that have different spatial ranges and/or color ranges so as to produce a constructed output having a range that is a composite of input channel spatial and/or color ranges. The constructed output is generated dynamically from available input channels in response to output requirements specifying a view defined in part by spatial and/or color parameter ranges. Available input channels are represented by a single multi-channel source object comprising a hierarchy of grouped and aligned channels, with individual media essence files at the lowest level. Input channel ranges and relationships among the ranges are specified by metadata associated with each channel. During editing, input channels may be added, removed, or changed and the range and nature of the constructed media output are updated dynamically.

Abstract: High dynamic range media sensor output is encoded using a hybrid transfer function. The hybrid transfer function conforms to existing industry standards over standard brightness level ranges, such as between black and white reference points, and uses a different function to encode captured signals having intensities below the black point and above the white point. Precision over the expanded dynamic range of captured image data is optimally preserved using a two-byte per pixel representation. The transfer function varies across the full dynamic range without clamping off below the maximum value of the expanded captured intensity range. One hybrid transfer function conforms to BT.1886 up to the white point, and uses a linearly varying encoding gamma above the white point up to 1300% IRE, producing encoded values in a 2.14 fixed point representation. The hybrid transfer function is continuous at the white point, and may also have a continuous gradient there.

Abstract: Methods and systems for remotely editing a video file involve: receiving, at a server, a video editing command from a remote client; modifying, at the server, a virtual representation of a media file in accordance with the received command, the virtual representation including a reference to a source media file stored on a storage device, the storage device being connected to the server over a high-speed link; and generating and transmitting, from the server to the remote client, a proxy representation of the source media file modified by the editing commands, wherein the various regions of the proxy representation are rendered either in the background or in real-time according to their complexity. Rendered frames, whether generated in the background or in real time, are stored for reuse. Individual frames of the edited video file may be transmitted upon request from a client. Simultaneous editing of independent projects by multiple users connected to the server via multiple thin clients is supported.

Abstract: Video editing methods and systems enable an editor to edit a video project for which source media assets are located at a media storage server located remotely from the editor with substantially the same fidelity and editing feature set that would be available if the source media assets and editor were co-located. A video editing client used by the editor maintains a persistent cache of proxy media with the layers of the video project stored independently, facilitating editing with combinations locally originated assets and remote assets. The client requests frames not already cached from the remote server via a low bandwidth network. Unless a frame is purged from the cache, no frame is requested from the server more than once. A multi-level priority prefetching scheme, including sequence-based prefetching, populates the cache with frames likely to be requested during editing.

Abstract: When collaborators working on a media composition project share portions of a composition that involve the use of plug-ins, the collaborator receiving the shared portion requires a local copy of the plug-ins in order to play or edit the shared portion. If a plug-in is missing, the receiving system automatically notifies the receiving collaborator of the missing plug-in, and enables the receiver to purchase or rent it from a marketplace made available within the receiver's media composition application, and to download, install, load, and run the missing application without restarting the composition application. The same process may be used when a plug-in on the receiving system needs to be updated before it is able to process the shared portion. This streamlines collaboration in distributed media composition workflows.

Abstract: Social media messages associated with a news story item are scheduled to be published at a time relative to an expected air time of the news story in a news rundown. When the time to air of the news story item is changed, the time for publishing the social media message is changed automatically according to the updated news rundown, maintaining the relative timing. This helps news organizations manage the timing of social media messages that are related to broadcast stories, without the need to monitor a changing rundown. When social media messages published in advance of a news item broadcast engender high interest, newsroom producers may react by promoting the news item within the rundown and publishing additional teaser messages. Conversely, low reaction levels may lead to the demotion of a story, or even its elimination from the rundown.