Software-based Method for Assisted Video Creation

Abstract

The invention allows for a first set of persons to create and modify templates that contain visual effects, synchronization information, and possibly director assistance. These templates are utilized by a second set of persons to generate personalized motion photo videos from photographs, video segments, personal narratives or animation. Motion photo videos are a novel because they very quickly and inexpensively allow (1) persons to create and modify templates which are synchronized to music and may be easily populated with content by others, and (2) persons to select a song and associated pre-made template and create a high-quality synchronized custom video using hand-selected visual material to populate the template with included direction and without any required editing. Populated material in template can be further modified by additional persons instantly generate new, modified motion photo videos.

Description

[0001]This nonprovisional utility patent application claims the benefit of the priority date of provisional application No. 61 / 156,871 filed Mar. 2, 2009.1.0 BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY[0002]The invention allows for a first set of persons to create and modify templates that contain visual effects, synchronization information, and possibly director assistance. These templates are utilized by a second set of persons to generate personalized motion photo videos from photographs, video segments, personal narratives or animation. Motion photo videos are a novel because they very quickly and inexpensively allow (1) persons to create and modify templates which are synchronized to music and may be easily populated with content by others, and (2) persons to select a song and associated pre-made template and create a high-quality synchronized custom video using hand-selected visual material to populate the template with included direction and without any required editing. Populated material in tem...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0053]This section provides an example of how a user might utilize the templates created by a template composer to select images. As shown in FIG. D11, the template software or software associated with a template may provide four types of functions as part of the MPV creation process. The first function is that it provides ‘opportunity’ by allowing for one or more templates to be downloaded or shipped with the computing device and providing immediate access to the template at any time. The availability of multiple templates further provides the opportunity for the user to match a given setting or event with an appropriate template to create a personalized MPV.

[0059]Other various optional steps are included in the dashed boxes in the right column in 2011 through 2081. For example in 2011 a user may view multiple templates for a given song at the same time in order to see the differences as they occur. One template video could be on the left and a second on the right. 2021 allows for purchase of a song or template at a given point in the process, which could also occur in 2041 when gifting to another person. 2051 allows a user to move between bins as they desire, allowing images to be captured out of order as the user desires. 2061 gives the user the opportunity to view all or a segment of the video at a given time, or could allow a given bin to loop through the various images in the bin so the user can see how they look. 2062 allows many images to be referenced to a bin for easy reference at a later point in time even though they are not the image being used in the MPV in the bin slot. The real-time reference to a bin is an improvement over the current requirement that a user taking many photos at a given time would have to perform the binning assignment to a set of photos later on as they decide which image to select, without the benefit of music and requiring the user to remember what goes where, particularly for photos taken out of sequence of the bins. 2062 helps organize the assignment of the images taken in 2061 and avoid confusion later. 2071 allows the user to find photos previously taken and place them into the selected bin, or allows the user to locate and select other symbolic images that may have been downloaded with the template for particular bins. The user may also choose an image from several that appear from a search on keywords relating to the bin or from previous images taken that reside in other folders. 2081 allows annotation of images or blank bins, or allows basic editing of selected images such as red-eye reduction, targeting which area to focus on in the image as it moves, or resizing the viewable part of an image.2.2.1 Opportunity

[0069]FIG. D16 provides an example of how a user might utilize the templates create by template composers, as indicated in the Personalization portion of FIG. D1. FIG. D16 illustrates a screen being utilized by a user who has already created images and wants to place them into an MPV. The user may have gone through the process of capturing images with a live camera and placed them into bins, may have images that came with the template, may have searched for additional images using a search engine, or may have accessed images previously taken by the user. This tool allows the user to easily view lots of images and select the proper image for the bin, then moving on to the next bin and repeating the process as needed. The selection process could occur on a portable device, such as a camera, to augment parts of an MPV that the user desires to modify with pre-existing pictures.

[0083]A service whereby an image can be uploaded and commented on, edited, or modified by a third party, providing the user with guidance about the quality of the image and what could improve the image.

[0091]Another videogame example is a treasure hunt, where children are directed to find and capture particular objects. Instructions might occur by audio instructions or written instructions, or use images that possess the desired quality the child is searching for such as “red” or “three” or “building” or “Mickey Mouse”. The child would then take photos of the items as each bin requests, and at the end of the exercise the video would be created automatically using the items captured, synched to some type of pre-defined music. Images of the child might be overlaid with the items found. Items might also need to fit within certain areas on a screen to ease in the video editing, and the direction or display screen would assist the user.

Problems solved by technology

Though results are good, the process is expensive, time-consuming, and requires significant technical expertise to use video-editing software.

The resulting task for the end user is either too complicated or so limiting that the user cannot modify critical aspects.

Images