User interface for video editing systems

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method, system, and software product for a video editing system, the software product including a computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, display a graphical user interface for the video editing system including first and second spaced-apart timelines; and, in response to detecting a user interaction with one timeline, apply a corresponding interaction to the other timeline.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to video editing software applications and, more particularly, in at least a preferred embodiment, to a graphical user interface for video editing software applications that provides a more efficient workflow environment for users. [Background technology]

[0002] The reference to any prior art described herein is not an admission or suggestion in any jurisdiction that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge, or that that prior art would be understood by, be considered relevant to, and / or could reasonably be expected to be combined with other prior art by those skilled in the art.

[0003] Film and / or video productions are typically created on a video editing system by assembling a project from a collection of constituent elements. The video editing system allows these constituent elements, including video clips, audiovisual clips, audio clips, and associated metadata, to be individually imported, edited, and integrated into a final production. Modern video editing systems, particularly those used professionally in the film and television industries, include sophisticated video editing software applications. Applicant's video editing system, known as Da Vinci Resolve®, is an example of a modern video editing system widely used in professional settings. Da Vinci Resolve®'s comprehensive functionality is divided into a number of individual pages (each with its own graphical user interface) organized in the order of a typical workflow. The Da Vinci Resolve® pages include Media (for media management and clip organization); Edit (nonlinear video editing); Color (for color correction and color grading); Sound (digital audio workstation); and Delivery (for final rendering or output).

[0004] Similar to other nonlinear video editors, the Da Vinci Resolve® Edit page user interface includes a timeline, which is a graphical representation of the project being edited. The timeline typically includes a linear array of spaced time code markings running horizontally along the length of the user interface window. The timeline allows the component elements of the project to be arranged in a desired chronological order by aligning the elements with the timeline's temporal markings. Once arranged on the timeline, editing tools allow the component elements to be edited, performing operations such as trimming, splitting, inserting, merging, and moving clips to desired positions. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a graphical user interface for a video editing system that, at least in preferred embodiments, provides a user with an optimal video editing workflow environment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a software product including a computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform the following: displaying a graphical user interface for a video editing system including first and second spaced-apart timelines; In response to detecting a user interaction with one timeline, a corresponding interaction is applied to the other timeline.

[0007] The present invention provides a graphical user interface for a video editing system that includes first and second linked timelines, where actions taken on one of the timelines are automatically applied to the other timeline, thereby providing a more flexible, or at least alternative, workflow environment for performing video editing and production.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the first timeline includes a plurality of linearly spaced temporal markings displayed according to a first scale, and the second timeline includes a plurality of linearly spaced temporal markings displayed according to a second scale different from the first scale.

[0009] The present invention can detect and process a wide variety of user interactions with one of the timelines. For example, the user interaction may be a playhead movement relative to one of the timelines. In this case, the playhead of the other timeline is automatically moved. Preferably, the playhead of the other timeline is moved to coincide with the same temporal marking as the playhead on the first timeline. In other words, the playhead of each timeline points to the same point in time both before and after the movement.

[0010] In another embodiment, a user interaction moves the playhead relative to one timeline, and a corresponding interaction applied moves the other timeline relative to the second playhead, in which case the other timeline is preferably moved simultaneously with the playhead.

[0011] User interactions can also involve changing the scale of one of the timelines (i.e. zooming in or out), in which case the scale of the other timeline can change automatically. Typically, the scale of the other timeline changes proportionally to the change in scale of the first timeline, so that the ratio between the two scales is maintained.

[0012] The different scales of the two timelines can be advantageous for differently depicting the constituent elements of the production (such as video, audio, or audiovisual clips) placed on the two timelines: for example, a timeline at a larger scale (i.e., where the same linear distance represents a longer time interval) can depict a video or audiovisual clip schematically, while the other timeline can depict the same clip using the frames that make up the clip.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, displaying a graphical user interface for a video editing system including first and second spaced-apart timelines; and In response to detecting a user interaction with one timeline, applying a corresponding interaction to the other timeline; A method for providing a graphical user interface for a video editing system is provided, including:

[0014] The present invention further provides a video editing system including a processor and a software product according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0015] Unless the context otherwise requires, as used herein, the term "comprise" and variations of that term such as "comprising," "comprises," "comprised," etc. are not intended to exclude further additives, components, integers, or steps.

[0016] Further aspects of the present invention, and further embodiments of the aspects described in the preceding paragraphs, will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 illustrates a first view of a user interface according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the user interface shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 illustrates a second view of a user interface according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the user interface shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] 1 is a flowchart of an event loop suitable for implementing graphical user interface functionality according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a hardware environment suitable for implementing graphical user interface functionality according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] A user interface 100 for a video editing system, including a software application, is shown in Figure 1. The video editing software application enables the creation of projects from component elements of source media that are imported into the system and displayed in a media bin area 101. Six component elements are shown in Figure 1, including one audio track 102A and five audiovisual clips 102B-102F (i.e., video clips each with a recorded audio track). As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, video editing applications store and manage metadata for each individual component element as well as for the project as a whole.

[0019] User interface 100 is simplified by displaying only a subset of the typical user interface elements that appear on the Da Vinci Resolve® edit page. For example, user interface 100 does not include a separate viewer window for viewing video and audiovisual clips in media bin area 101. The simplified user interface displays the core tools needed for a particular project, for example, to import media, edit, trim, add transitions and titles, auto color matching, and audio mixing.

[0020] The user interface 100 further includes a viewer window 110 for viewing a selected clip (in this case, clip 102F), a first timeline 120, and a second timeline 140 positioned parallel to the first timeline 120. In this example, the second timeline 140 is positioned above the first timeline 120, but in other embodiments, it may be positioned below. The first timeline 120 is a timeline used in video editing software, specifically, a timeline for inserting, editing, and arranging source media to create a project. In this regard, individual source media elements 102A-102F can be inserted, such as by dragging them from the media bin area 101 or the viewer window 110, onto the first timeline 120. Once in the timeline, the source media elements can be edited and arranged as desired. In accordance with the present invention, source media elements can also be inserted into the second timeline 140 as desired, and the source media elements will automatically appear in the first timeline 120.

[0021] The second timeline 140 represents the timeline for the entire project, with the timeline 120 showing an expanded portion of it.

[0022] Each timeline 120 and 140 includes a respective playhead 145 and 125, which is a graphic line that indicates the current temporal position of a frame of the clip being played in the viewer window 110 and the first timeline 120 and second timeline 140.

[0023] As shown more clearly in Figure 2, the first timeline 120 is divided into regions of uniform length and marked with timecode units of hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. At the zoom level (i.e., scale) shown in Figure 2, each region of the timeline 120 contains 2 seconds and 8 frames of the playing clip, which contains 24 frames per second.

[0024] The time codes are marked at a different scale on the second timeline 140, with shorter area distances and longer time intervals between playing clips than those of the first timeline 120. In this regard, as shown in Figure 2, each (shorter) area of ​​the second timeline 140 includes 51 seconds and 8 frames of playing clips.

[0025] By depicting a longer time interval per linear unit length, the second timeline 140 is configured to show the entire project within a single window of the user interface 100, thereby providing a higher-level view of the overall structure of the project. Meanwhile, the finer-grained scale of the first timeline 120 is particularly suited to viewing and editing individual clips in detail. By simultaneously depicting the two timelines 120 and 140 at different scales, it is possible to contrast the overall project structure with the details of the current element.

[0026] In the illustrated embodiment, graphical user interface 100 depicts component elements present on each of timelines 120 and 140 in a different manner. Doing so can provide certain benefits that stem from the fact that the two timelines 120 and 140 have different scales. More specifically, as noted above, timeline 140 has a larger scale than timeline 120, with respect to the length of time intervals expressed in units of linear distance. Timeline 140 is therefore better suited to depicting the overall structure of a project, while the details of individual clips are of secondary importance.

[0027] This representation method is implemented in the graphical user interface 100 by using solid rectangular shapes 155 to generally depict elements present in the timeline 140, while those same elements are depicted in the timeline 120 using a line sequence 135 of the individual frames that contain the elements. The elements are stacked vertically in the same order on both the timelines 120 and 140. In the illustrated embodiment, this includes two audiovisual tracks stacked on top of two audio tracks.

[0028] Returning to FIG. 1, graphical user interface 100 allows a user to interact with either timeline 120 or 140 in a variety of ways. One such interaction is moving one of playheads 125 to a different position, which has the effect of moving the playhead forward or backward to a different time position in the playing clip. Such a movement is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, which show the time code position of the playhead after it has been moved to a different position from the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. For playhead 125 (in timeline 140), the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is within the area bounded by time code units 01:03:25:08 and 01:04:16:16. For playhead 145 (in timeline 120), the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is within the area bounded by time code units 01:03:34:16 and 01:03:37:00.

[0029] The graphical user interface 100 is programmed so that user interactions with one of the timelines 120 and 140 are automatically applied to the other timeline. In the case of playhead movement, the movement of one playhead is automatically reflected in the position of the other playhead relative to that particular timeline. This automatic application of user interactions from one timeline to another, combined with the different scales of each timeline 120 and 140, creates a synergistic effect. In this regard, users can easily manipulate the timelines to optimize their editing workflow. For example, a user can move the playhead 125 to quickly navigate to a different location throughout the project, while the playhead 145 automatically moves to a specific clip in its new location on the timeline 120. Meanwhile, by manipulating the playhead 145, users can make more precise temporal position adjustments and immediately see the results in the context of the entire project by examining the new position of the playhead 125 on the timeline 140.

[0030] In another embodiment, the user can move playhead 125 to navigate to different locations throughout the project, but playhead 145 remains in the same location, such as the center of timeline 120. To reflect the change in temporal position, timeline 120 itself moves relative to the (stationary) playhead 145. The movement of timeline 120 occurs simultaneously with the movement of playhead 125. This ensures that playhead 145 points to the same time value as playhead 125 both during the playhead's movement and when the movement is complete.

[0031] Another interaction between timelines 120 and 140 facilitated by the present invention is changing the scale of one of the timelines (i.e., zooming in or out). Such a change is made by manipulating an appropriate graphical user interface element (e.g., a slider) or by clicking a keyboard shortcut provided by or mapped to the video editing system. The user interface can be configured so that changing the scale of one timeline does not affect the other timeline. Other embodiments allow changes in zoom level to be applied to the other time, such as applying a proportional change so that the ratio between the two scales is maintained.

[0032] The user interface of the present invention provides an enhanced workflow for operations related to moving clips from one location to another in a timeline. For example, a user may want to move a clip they are editing to the end of a presentation. Previously, such an operation required selecting the clip, zooming out on the timeline to make the destination location visible, and then dragging and dropping or copying and pasting the clip to the destination location. With the present invention, such an operation is simply accomplished by selecting a clip in timeline 120 and dragging it to the destination location on timeline 140. Because of the larger "zoomed out" scale, the destination location is already visible on timeline 140.

[0033] The two timelines 120 and 140 provide alternative views of the same project. Therefore, the user interface 100 is programmed to detect the movement of a clip from one timeline to the other and apply the appropriate operation to the timeline from which the clip was moved. For example, if a user moves a clip from timeline 120 to a particular temporal location on timeline 140, the user interface 100 places a copy of the clip (or a reference to the clip) at the same temporal location on timeline 120. However, because the clip in timeline 120 is at a smaller scale, it may not be visible to the user until the playhead 145 is moved to that temporal location. As noted above, this operation can be easily performed by moving the playhead 125 to the desired temporal location, as the playhead 145 is automatically moved to the clip in timeline 120.

[0034] 5 illustrates an event loop suitable for implementing the graphical user interface (GUI) functionality of the present invention. The process begins at step 500, where an appropriate event listener attached to one of the first timeline 120 or second timeline 130 receives notification of an event from the underlying GUI framework that signals a user interaction with one of the timelines.

[0035] In step 510, the video editing software application queries the event to determine the particular type of user interaction that occurred. As noted above, examples of user interactions include moving the playhead relative to the timeline or changing the scale of the timeline.

[0036] At step 520, the video editing software application applies the corresponding interaction to the other timeline using the methods described above.

[0037] In step 530, a determination is made whether the event listeners attached to the timeline have finished processing. If so, the event loop stops iterating. Otherwise, the event loop returns to step 500 to wait for subsequent events to occur for the timeline.

[0038] 6 provides a block diagram illustrating an example of a computer system 1000 in which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented. Computer system 1000 includes a bus 1002 or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a hardware processor 1004 coupled to bus 1002 for processing information. Hardware processor 1004 may be, for example, a general-purpose microprocessor, a graphics processing unit, other type of processing unit, or a combination thereof.

[0039] Additionally, computer system 1000 includes a main memory 1006, such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device coupled to bus 1002, for storing information and instructions executed by processor 1004. Main memory 1006 is also used for storing temporary variables and other intermediate information during execution of instructions executed by processor 1004. When such instructions are stored on a non-transitory storage medium accessible to processor 1004, they render computer system 1000 a special-purpose machine customized to perform the operations specified by the instructions.

[0040] Computer system 1000 further includes a read-only memory (ROM) 1008 or other static storage device coupled to bus 1002 for storing static information and instructions for processor 1004. A storage device 1010, such as a magnetic or optical disk, is provided and coupled to bus 1002 for storing information and instructions, including the video editing software application described above.

[0041] Computer system 1000 is connected via bus 1002 to a display 1012 (such as an LCD, LED, touchscreen display, or other display) for displaying information to a computer user, such as the graphical user interface described and illustrated above. An input device 1014, including alphanumeric and other keys, is connected to bus 1002 for communicating information and command selections to processor 1004. Another type of user input device is a cursor control 1016, such as a mouse, trackball, or cursor direction keys, for communicating directional information and command selections to processor 1004 and for controlling cursor movement on display 1012.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the techniques described herein are performed by computer system 1000 in response to processor 1004 executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in main memory 1006. Such instructions may be read into main memory 1006 from another storage medium, such as a remote database. Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in main memory 1006 causes processor 1004 to perform the process steps described herein. In alternative embodiments, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions.

[0043] As used herein, the term "storage medium" refers to any non-transitory storage medium that stores data and / or instructions that cause a machine to operate in a specific manner. Such storage media may include non-volatile storage media and / or volatile storage media. Non-volatile storage media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as storage device 1010. Volatile storage media include dynamic memory, such as main memory 1006. Common forms of storage media include, for example, floppy disks, flexible disks, hard disks, solid-state drives, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic data storage medium, CD-ROMs, any other optical data storage medium, any physical medium with a pattern of holes, RAM, PROM, EPROM, FLASH-EPROM, NVRAM, and any other memory chip or cartridge.

[0044] Computer system 1000 also includes a communication interface 1018 coupled to bus 1002. The communication interface 1018 provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link 1020 that is connected to a communications network 1050. For example, communication interface 1018 may be an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) card, a cable modem, a satellite modem, or the like. As another example, communication interface 1018 may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN. A wireless link may also be implemented. In such an implementation, communication interface 1018 sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic, or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information.

[0045] It will be understood that the invention disclosed and set forth herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features set forth in or apparent from the text and drawings, all of which different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

Claims

1. displaying a graphical user interface including spaced apart first and second timelines; and In response to detecting a user interaction with one of the first and second timelines, applying a corresponding interaction to the other of the first and second timelines; 1. A method for providing a graphical user interface for a video editing system, comprising: A method in which entering first and second timelines allows editing and arranging of media elements within a project, each of the first and second timelines providing a graphical representation of the project being edited, each of the first and second timelines providing an alternative view of the project.

2. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first timeline includes a plurality of linearly spaced temporal markings displayed according to a first scale, and the second timeline includes a plurality of linearly spaced temporal markings displayed according to a second scale different from the first scale.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first and second timelines separately visually represent media elements individually positioned thereon.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the larger-scale one of the first and second timelines provides a schematic visual representation of the media elements disposed thereon.

5. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interaction moves a playhead relative to one of the timelines and a corresponding applied interaction moves a second playhead relative to the other timeline.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second playhead moves a distance that corresponds to the value of the temporal marking to which the first playhead is aligned.

7. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interaction moves a playhead relative to one of the timelines and a corresponding applied interaction moves the other timeline relative to a second playhead.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one timeline is moved simultaneously with the playhead.

9. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interaction moves a media element from one of the timelines to a temporal position on the other timeline, and the corresponding interaction applied places a copy of or a reference to the media element on the one of the timelines at a corresponding temporal position.

10. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the media elements are aligned with first and second timelines such that each of the first and second timelines allows the media elements of the project to be arranged in a desired chronological order.

11. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected user interaction corresponding to one of the timelines changes the scale of the one timeline, and the interaction corresponding to the other timeline changes the scale of the one timeline in proportion to the change in scale of the other timeline, so that the ratio between the two scales is maintained.

12. The method of claim 4 , wherein the other timeline depicts a media element using frames that make up the media element.

13. A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. a processor; The computer-readable medium of claim 13; Video editing system, including

15. A graphical user interface for a video editing system displayed for use in a method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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