Data processing: speech signal processing – linguistics – language – Speech signal processing – Application
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-04
2004-08-03
Abebe, Daniel (Department: 2655)
Data processing: speech signal processing, linguistics, language
Speech signal processing
Application
C704S235000, C382S236000, C386S349000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06772125
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to audio/video reproducing apparatus and methods of reproducing audio/video material.
The present invention also relates to video processing apparatus, audio processing apparatus and methods of processing video signals and audio signals.
The present invention also relates to editing systems for combining items of audio/video material to form audio/video productions. The present invention also relates to methods of generating audio/video productions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Editing is a process in which items of audio/video material are combined to form an audio/video production. Generally audio/video material items are captured from a source in accordance with a predetermined plan. However, typically many audio/video material items are not used in the edited version of the audio/video production. For example, a television program, such as a high quality drama, may be formed from a combination of takes of audio/video material items from a single camera. As such, in order to form the program, several takes are combined in order to form a flow required by the story of the drama. Furthermore several takes may be generated for each scene but only a selected number of these takes are combined in order to form the scene.
The term audio and/or video will be referred to herein as audio/video and includes any form of information representing sound or visual images or a combination of sound and visual images.
In a post production process the items of audio/video material are selectively combined by the editor to form the audio/video production. However in order to select the required audio/video material items to form the production, the editor must review the items of audio/video material that have been generated. This is a time consuming and arduous task, particularly when a linear recording medium, such as a video tape has been used to record the audio/video material items.
In general the quality of the images represented on the recording medium, to the extent that the images and/or sound represent the original source is arranged to be as high as possible. This means that an amount of information that must be store to represent these images and/or sound is relatively high. As a result, the images and/or sound cannot be readily accessed so that the content of the audio/video material items cannot be easily ascertained once recorded. This is particularly so, if a format in which the images and sounds are represented is compressed in some way. For example video cameras and camcorders are arranged conventionally to record a video signals representing the moving images on a video tape. Once the video signals have been recorded on to the video tape, a user cannot determine the content of the video tape without reviewing the entire tape. Furthermore, because video tape is an example of a linear recording medium, the task of navigating through the media to locate particular content items of video material is time consuming and labour intensive. As a result during an editing process in which selected items from the contents of the video tape are combined in an order which may be different to that in which they were recorded, it may be necessary to review the entire contents of the video tape in order to identify the selected items.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided an audio/video reproducing apparatus connectable to a communications network for selectively reproducing items of audio/video material from a recording medium in response to a request received via said communications network.
By providing an audio/video reproducing apparatus which is connectable to a communications network, an editing facility is provided for reproducing audio/video material items, in which the items may be remotely selected. A network connection provides a facility for the audio/video material items to be accessed separately by more than one editing terminal.
The content of video material generated by a camera is typically stored in a form which facilitates a high quality reproduction. In general the quality of the images represented by the video signal, to the extent that the images reflect an original image source falling within the field of view of the camera, is arranged to be as high as possible. This means that an amount of information that must be store to represent these images is relatively high. This in turn requires that the video signal is stored in a format that does not readily allow access to the content of the video signals. This is particularly so, if the video signal is compressed in some way. For example, video cameras and camcorders are arranged conventionally to record a video signals representing moving images on to a video tape. Once the video signals have been recorded on to the video tape, a user cannot readily determine the content of the video tape without reviewing the entire tape. Alternatively, the contents of the recording medium may be ingested to provide substantially non-linear access to the audio/video material. However this is time consuming, particularly for example for a linear recording medium. Therefore by providing a facility for accessing the audio/video material items via a network, the items may be selectively accessed via the network, without being ingested and without having to review the entire of the tape.
In preferred embodiments the audio/video reproducing apparatus may comprise a control processor which is arranged in use to receive data representing requests for audio/video material items via the communications network, and a reproducing processor coupled to the control processor and arranged in response to signals identifying the audio/video material items from the control processor to reproduce the audio/video material items, which are communicated via the communications network.
The task of navigating through the media to locate particular content items of video material is time consuming and labour intensive. As a result during an editing process in which selected items from the contents of the video tape are combined in an order which may be different to that in which they were recorded, it may be necessary to review the entire contents of the video tape in order to identify the selected items. Hence by identifying the audio/video material items required and reproducing only the items identified, an advantage is provided in respect of the time taken to edit an audio/video production.
In order to receive commands identifying the audio/video material items and to communicate the audio/video material items, the audio/video reproducing apparatus may comprise a first network interface connectable to a first communications network for receiving the data representing the requests for audio/video material, and a second network interface connectable to a second communications network for communicating the items of audio/video material. By providing a first network interface adapted to receive data representative of request for audio/video data and a second interface for communicating the items of audio/video material, the first and second interfaces can be optimised for the different type of data being communicated. For the audio/video material items this is particularly important because the network connection must stream audio/video which requires a relatively high bandwidth. As such in preferred embodiments, the first network interface may be arranged to operate in accordance with a data communications network standard such as Ethernet, RS 322 or RS 422 or the like. Furthermore, the second network interface may be arranged to operates in accordance with the Serial Digital Interface (SDI) or the Serial Digital Transport Interface (SDTI).
A particular advantage is provided by identifying the content of the audio/video material items so that appropriate items may be selected and ingested via the network. Meta data is data which serves to describe either the content of audio/video material or parameters present or used to generate the audio/video material or any other info
David Morgan William
Harradine Vincent Carl
Kydd Andrew
McGrath Mark John
Thorpe Jonathan
Abebe Daniel
Frommer William S.
Frommer & Lawrence & Haug LLP
Sony United Kingdom Limited
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