Interactive video distribution systems – Video distribution system components – Receiver
Reexamination Certificate
1997-06-30
2002-03-12
Faile, Andrew (Department: 2611)
Interactive video distribution systems
Video distribution system components
Receiver
C348S584000, C348S598000, C345S111000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06357047
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Technology for manipulating digital video has progressed to the point where it can be readily processed and handled on computers. For example, the Avid/1 Media Composer, available from Avid Technology, Inc. of Tewksbury, Mass., is a system wherein digital video can be readily captured, edited, and displayed for various purposes, such as broadcast television and film and video program post-production.
The Avid/1 Media Composer uses a media pipeline to provide real-time digital video output on a computer display. This media pipeline
30
is shown in FIG.
1
and is described in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,940, issued Sep. 3, 1991. In this media pipeline
30
, a permanent storage
40
stores sequences of digital still images which represent digital video and are played back at a rate which provides the appearance of video. The sequences of digital still images do not include any frame synchronization or other type of timing information which are typically found in television signals. The still images also typically are stored in compressed form. The stored sequences are accessed and placed in a data buffer
42
from where they are provided to a compression/decompression system
44
. The output of the compression/decompression system
44
is applied to a frame buffer
46
which converts the still image to a typical video signal which is then applied to an input/output unit
48
. Each of the systems
40
,
42
,
44
,
46
, and
48
in this media pipeline
30
operate bi-directionally. That is, the output process discussed above can be reversed and video signals can be input via input/output unit
48
to the frame buffer
46
where they are converted to a sequence of digital still images. The images in the sequence are compressed by compression/decompression system
44
, stored in data buffer
42
and then transferred to the permanent storage
40
.
Although the media pipeline provides many advantages for digital video, including enabling broadcast and editing from the stored digital images in a computer system, this media pipeline is not able to provide real-time digital video effects including complex arbitrary three-dimensional effects, simple, two-dimensional effects such as resizing, x-y translation, rotating, layering (an appearance of picture-in-picture), and finally simple effects such as dissolves, wipes, fades and luma and/or chroma keying. In order to perceive such effects on the computer, the effect generally is first generated (not in real time), then digitized and stored if generated on a tape and finally played back.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention improves over the prior art by providing a media pipeline with two channels for processing 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.
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Cacciatore Ray
Kurtze Jeffrey
Peters Eric C.
Walsh, Jr. John
Zawojski Peter
Avid Technology Inc.
Brown Reuben M.
Faile Andrew
Gordon Peter J.
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