3545results about "Electronic editing digitised analogue information signals" patented technology

In one embodiment, the invention is a method and apparatus for annotating media streams. One embodiment of a method for facilitating creation of an annotated media stream by a user includes receiving the media stream from the user, mapping at least one item of supplemental content to at least a portion of the media stream to produce the annotated media stream, and storing the annotated media stream. In another embodiment, a method for distributing an annotated media stream provided by a user includes receiving the annotated media stream from the user, where the annotated media stream includes at least one item of supplemental content mapped to at least a portion of a media stream to produce the annotated media stream, storing the annotated media stream, receiving a request from a viewer to view the annotated media stream, and distributing the annotated media stream to the viewer. In another embodiment, a method for distributing an annotated media stream provided by a user includes distributing the annotated media stream to a viewer, where the annotated media stream includes at least one item of supplemental content mapped to at least a portion of a media stream to produce the annotated media stream, and collecting a commission when the annotated media stream is viewed by the viewer. In one embodiment, the collecting requires further action on a part of the viewer (such as selection of a hyperlink contained in the at least one item of supplemental content or consummation of a commercial transaction).

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system, method, and software for implementing gestures with touch sensitive devices (such as a touch sensitive display) for managing and editing media files on a computing device or system. Specifically, gestural inputs of a human hand over a touch/proximity sensitive device can be used to control, edit, and manipulate files, such as media files including without limitation graphical files, photo files and video files.

A community media playlist sharing system is disclosed, wherein system users can upload media playlists which are automatically converted to a standardized format, media playlists can be shared with other users of the community media playlist sharing system, users can link to other playlists and obtain media from playlists automatically from third party points of purchase, users can provide recommendations, ratings and rankings relative to other playlists by system users and receive recommendations from other users and an editorial staff, participate in social networking functions including forums, discussions, weblogs, playlist topic groups and inter-user communications based on affinity for similar playlists, create playlists manually, automatically, or in real time, and wherein system users can obtain points for participation and popularity in the system and obtain profit by meta-affiliate sharing of profit for purchases of music made through playlists submitted by that user as well as through playlist toolbars distributed to third party websites.

A visual audio mixing system which includes an audio input engine configured to input one or more audio files each associated with a channel. A shape engine is responsive to the audio input engine and is configured to create a unique visual image of a definable shape and/or color for each of the one or more of audio files. A visual display engine is responsive to the shape engine and is configured to display each visual image. A shape select engine is responsive to the visual display engine and is configured to provide selection of one or more visual images. The system includes a two-dimensional workspace. A coordinate engine is responsive to the shape select engine and is configured to instantiate selected visual images in the two-dimensional workspace. A mix engine is responsive to coordinate engine and is configured to mix the visual images instantiated in the two-dimensional workspace such that user provided movement of one or more of the visual images in one direction represents volume and user provided movement in another direction represents pan to provide a visual and audio representation of each audio file and its associated channel.

A user interface and methods for using a user interface for controlling processing of time-based media files. In one exemplary method, a graphical representation of a time line for a time-based media is displayed along with a graphical representation of a current time along the graphical representation of the time line. A start graphical indicator and a stop graphical indicator is also displayed along the graphical representation of the time line. A portion of the time-based media may be selected for presentation by dragging or positioning at least one of the start graphical indicator and the stop graphical indicator along the graphical representation of the time line. In another aspect of the invention, an exemplary method allows for the adaptive control of a portion of the interface which indicates time relating to a time-based media. An input speed is determined where this input is to change the portion and the rate at which the change to this portion occurs is dependent upon the input speed. Other aspects of the present invention relating to the interface for controlling the processing of time-based media files are also described.

In a digital television recording method, programs are selected for recording based on analysis of program schedule information, user preferences, and the priority of previously recorded programs if there is insufficient memory.

A system is presented providing content to a plurality of handheld devices (including musical selections). The devices can access a server over the Internet via a Wi-Fi or other similar wireless interconnection and can download songs requested by a user from the server or from other users using, e.g., a P2P protocol. All downloads may be governed by applicable DRM rules. Content and playlists may also be pushed by a server from other sources and means including, e.g., podcasting, based on predetermined rules, favorite preferences of users, and other criteria.

The invention relates to video and music distribution systems and, more particularly, to a system that blanket transmits video/audio content such as movies (for example, via satellite downlink transmission) to each customer's recording, storage and playback system. Customers may preselect from a list of available movies or other content in advance using an interactive screen selector, and pay for the video/audio content that is actually viewed.

A method is proposed in which multiple video clips are temporally-aligned based on the content of their audio tracks, and then edited to create a new video production incorporating material from two or more of those video clips.

A method for delivery and presentation of content-relevant information associated with frames in an AV program enables TV viewers to retrieve information on the contents (for example, objects, items, concepts and the like) associated with a frame or a set of frames (video segments) when they watch TV or video programs. The information relevant to frame(s) is delivered to a STB or DVR by third-party service providers through back channels such as the Internet if the information of how to accurately access the frames pointed by STB users are delivered to the service providers, and the content-relevant information may be presented in the form of a GUI for the TV viewer.

Systems and methods of generating and modifying a playlist using contextual information are disclosed. For example, a user may provide an input seed such as a song name or artist name. The input seed is compared to database items and a playlist is generated as a result. In some examples, the contextual information is used to enhance the comparison and to select better content objects for a user's playlist. Meanwhile, in some examples the content objects in the playlist may be arranged in an enhanced order using ranking and/or contextual information.

Improved techniques for automatic (or dynamic) updating (or maintaining) of playlists for a media system that stores and plays media content for a user of the media system. The automatic update to playlists can occur when additional media content is added to or removed from the media system. The automatic update to playlists can also occur when previously stored media content is otherwise altered.

A media device allows users to watch and capture portions from a media broadcast. Users may then share the captured media content items with other users, for example, by uploading the items to a community website. Before providing requested media content items to other users, the website may combine advertisements with the media content items. The website may receive advertising revenue from advertisers and may share the advertising revenue with owners of the media content items in exchange for their permission to provide the media content items. The advertisers may provide restrictions on how the advertisements are combined with the media content items, and the content owners may provide restrictions on how the media content items are provided to the users.

A multimedia program bookmarking system provides a bookmark function that allows the user to bookmark a program where he left off. The invention records the frame of the program where the user stopped when the user commands the system to do so. Alternatively, the invention automatically bookmarks the program for the user if the user exits viewing the program. The invention displays an indicator indicating that a bookmark has been saved and the user can, at any time, access his bookmark and continue playback of the program from where he left off. Bookmarks within a single program can be set for different users. Remote controls are encoded for a specific user in a household, allowing each person in the household to have a personal remote control and therefore, personal bookmarks. The invention notes that a set of bookmarks belongs to a certain encoded remote control. The user can alternatively select a specific set of bookmarks manually, through a menu. The system loads the associated bookmark information for the user and any bookmarks that do not have associated programs stored on the storage device are ignored and deleted, otherwise programs are played backed starting from the associated bookmarks, if they exist. Multiple bookmarks for a program are transparent to the user because the remote control that the user uses tells the system to only display and activate that particular user's bookmarks.

A machine includes a processor and a memory connected to the processor. The memory stores instructions executed by the processor to receive a message with audio content and video content. Audio fingerprints within the audio content are evaluated. The audio fingerprints are matched to known audio fingerprints to establish matched audio fingerprints. A determination is made whether the matched audio fingerprints correspond to a designated gallery constructed to receive a sequence of videos set to an audio time line. The matched audio fingerprints and corresponding video content are added to the audio time line. The operations are repealed until the audio time line is populated with corresponding video content to form a completed gallery with video segments set to audio segments that constitute a complete audio time line. The completed gallery is supplied in response to a request.

A media device allows users to watch and capture portions from a media stream. Users may then share the captured media content with other users. In one embodiment, the media device receives a media stream, plays the media stream, and caches a portion of the media stream as it is being played. A user can define a media clip by selecting its boundaries in the cached portion of the media stream. The media device creates the media clip based on the user's input and enables the user to transmit the media clip to another system, such as a community website for sharing it with other users.

An audio encoder applies an adaptive block-encoding process to segments of audio information to generate frames of encoded information that are aligned with a reference signal conveying the alignment of a sequence of video information frames. The audio information is analyzed to determine various characteristics of the audio signal such as the occurrence and location of a transient, and a control signal is generated that causes the adaptive block-encoding process to encode segments of varying length. A complementary decoder applies an adaptive block-decoding process to recover the segments of audio information from the frames of encoded information. In embodiments that apply time-domain aliasing cancellation (TDAC) transforms, window functions and transforms are applied according to one of a plurality of segment patterns that define window functions and transform parameters for each segment in a sequence of segments. The segments in each frame of a sequence of overlapping frames may be recovered without aliasing artifacts independently from the recovery of segments in other frames. Window functions are adapted to provide preferred frequency-domain responses and time-domain gain profiles.

A play list manager is disclosed that can be used to create and update play lists. The play lists can be used for audio information, visual information, or a combination of audio and visual information. The user of the play list manager creates a play list and specifies certain criteria for automatically adding tracks to the play list. When a new track is added to the environment, the system tests whether the track's properties satisfy the criteria for the play list. If so, the new track is automatically added to the play list. In one alternative, a user can select a predefined play list, whose criteria has already been created. Upon selection of the predefined play list, the play list manager accesses each track and adds the track to the play list if the track's properties satisfy the criteria for the predefined play list.

A multimedia multi-service platform for providing one or more multimedia value added services in one or more telecommunications networks includes one or more application servers configured to operate in part according to a service program. The platform also includes one or more media servers configured to access, handle, process, and deliver media. The platform further includes one or more logic controllers and one or more management modules.

A digital downloading jukebox system including a mechanism for delivering custom services to a recognized user, including services for creating playlists, communicating with others, accessing other features, etc. is provided. In some exemplary embodiments, after a user is recognized, the jukebox system allows users to access a special front-end via the Internet or on an actual jukebox. Then, the user may, for example, create playlists, share songs with friends, send messages to friends, and access other value-added content. Other exemplary embodiments allow users to become certified, charging them for services without requiring constant inputting of coinage or credit card information. Such a system preferably learns about networks of friends, and enables managers to send similar messages to regular customers and/or others known to the system.

A multimedia visual progress indication system that provides a trick play bar that is overlaid onto the program material or displayed on a dedicated display. A cache bar inside of the trick play bar indicates the length of a recording session or the length of stored program material and expands to the right when material is being recorded. Every half hour (or selected increment), the cache bar slides to the left. Time marks are displayed inside the trick play bar giving the user a visual reference point from which to judge the current time and visual time reference points. The time marks are in any increment of time needed. The total length of the stored program material or next time or counter increment in the recording cycle is displayed on the right hand end of the trick play bar. A position indicator moves within the trick play bar and tells the user visually where his current position is within the program material. A slider moves along the trick play bar and on top of the cache bar and is linked to the position indicator and can be moved anywhere within the cache bar by the user. The slider displays the numeric time or counter mark of the current position. A mode indicator is positioned below the slider and follows the slider's movement and displays whether the user is in play, record, pause, slow play, fast play, fast forward (1×, 2×, and 3×), slow reverse play, slow reverse, and fast reverse (1×, 2×, and 3×) modes. The 1×, 2×, and 3× speeds are adjustable by the system to be any variable desired (e.g., 2×, 16×, and 32×). The trick play bar and its associated components are displayed for a predetermined time period when overlaid onto the program material.

Once an audio prompt has been stored on the portable media device, the audio prompt menu is played. Subsequently, an input from a user of the portable media device is then received in response to the audio prompt menu. A command is subsequently transmitted to a remote computer. The command requests the remote computer to perform an action based on the user's input. The portable media device includes a portable media device housing containing a processor, a power source, a user interface device, communications circuitry, at least one input/output (i/o) port, and a memory. The memory includes an operating system, a media database, communication procedures for communicating with a remote computer, and instructions for performing the above described method.

Circuits and methods for providing zero-gap playback of consecutive data streams in portable electronic devices, such as media players, are described. In some embodiments, a circuit includes a decoder circuit configured to receive encoded audio data and to output decoded audio data including data streams associated with a data file and a subsequent data file. Moreover, a predictive circuit, which is electrically coupled to the decoder circuit, is configured to selectively generate additional samples based on samples in the data file, where the additional samples correspond to times after the end of a data stream associated with the data file. Additionally, a filter circuit, which is electrically coupled to the decoder circuit and selectively electrically coupled to the predictive circuit, is configured to selectively combine or blend samples at a beginning of the subsequent data file with the additional samples. Note that the circuit may be included in an integrated circuit.

Music videos are automatically produced from source audio and video signals. The music video contains edited portions of the video signal synchronized with the audio signal. An embodiment detects transition points in the audio signal and the video signal. The transition points are used to align in time the video and audio signals. The video signal is edited according to its alignment with the audio signal. The resulting edited video signal is merged with the audio signal to form a music video.

Digital audio and video files are created corresponding to selected scenes from a creative production and are provided with a processing system that enables dialog to be selected from a scene and replaced by a user's dialog which is automatically synchronized with the original dialog so as to be in synchronism with lip movements displayed by the accompanying video display. The processing further includes a graphical user interface that presents the user with the video, the text of the dialog, and cues for rehearsal and recording of replacement dialog by the user. Replay of the user's dialog is accompanied by the video and part of the original audio except that the original dialog corresponding to the user's dialog is muted so that the user's dialog is heard as a replacement. Singing or other sounds associated with visible action may also be replaced by the same processes.

Systems and methods are disclosed for the management of memory used in a crossfading operation in an electronic device. In one embodiment, a processor is used to alternately decode two audio streams, one which is being faded out and one which is being faded in to implement a crossfade. The two audio streams may be encoded in the same or different formats and may be alternately decoded such that resource usage is reduced. The amount of decoded data of both audio streams and other parameters may determine which audio stream is to be actively decoded. In certain embodiments, the decoded data may be stored in a circular buffer, and a delta is determined between the decoded data and the empty space of the buffer.

An editing method includes: detecting a selection of first and second clip portions of a source media depiction, generating corresponding first and second block icons and snapping hands-free the first and second block icons across the screen to a linear queue so that the blocks are snugly adjacent, detecting a move of the first or second block icon relative to one another substantially along the queue, and if the first or second block icon overlaps the other by substantially one half of the other block icon, reversing displayed positions in the queue of the first and second block icons.

A media member, such as a DVD disc, which includes thereon a combination of visually presented text material, such as a conventional book, an audio narration of the text material which is synchronized with the text material, and a plurality of successively presented visual images which portray various selected scenes described in the text material.

A machine includes a processor and a memory connected to the processor. The memory stores instructions executed by the processor to receive a message and a message parameter indicative of a characteristic of the message, where the message includes a photograph or a video. A determination is made that the message parameter corresponds to a selected gallery, where the selected gallery includes a sequence of photographs or videos. The message is posted to the selected gallery in response to the determination. The selected gallery is supplied in response to a request.

Methods and apparatus are described which employ a new media type built on the concept of assembling a “story” from intelligent, large-grained containers rather than placing the constituent parts of a presentation on a fixed timeline.