U.S. patent application number 09/849653 was filed with the patent office on 2003-06-26 for editing system, editing method, clip management device, and clip management method.
This patent application is currently assigned to SONY CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Hamahata, Nariyasu, Hirase, Hidehiro, Moriwake, Katsuakira.
Application Number | 20030117431 09/849653 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 17192173 |
Filed Date | 2003-06-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030117431 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Moriwake, Katsuakira ; et
al. |
June 26, 2003 |
Editing system, editing method, clip management device, and clip
management method
Abstract
The relation between the edit resultant clip and the clip to be
edited is managed with the hierarchical structure by managing
means, so that the complicate editing works can be easily performed
if the editing works are performed based on the information stored
in the managing means.
Inventors: |
Moriwake, Katsuakira;
(Tokyo, JP) ; Hirase, Hidehiro; (Kanagawa, JP)
; Hamahata, Nariyasu; (Kanagawa, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FROMMER LAWRENCE & HAUG, LLP
745 FIFTH AVENUE, 10TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10151
US
|
Assignee: |
SONY CORPORATION
|
Family ID: |
17192173 |
Appl. No.: |
09/849653 |
Filed: |
May 4, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09849653 |
May 4, 2001 |
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09068866 |
Oct 23, 1998 |
|
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09068866 |
Oct 23, 1998 |
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PCT/JP97/03343 |
Sep 19, 1997 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
715/723 ;
348/E5.051; G9B/27.012; G9B/27.051 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B 2220/90 20130101;
G11B 27/34 20130101; H04N 5/262 20130101; G11B 2220/2512 20130101;
G11B 27/034 20130101; G11B 2220/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/723 ;
345/726 |
International
Class: |
G06F 003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 20, 1996 |
JP |
8-249381 |
Claims
1. An editing system for producing edit resultant clip from a
plurality of clips to be edited, comprising: editing means, which
is composed of a plurality of processing modules for editing the
clips to be edited, for performing on a plurality of clips to be
edited the edit processing corresponding to the processing module
selected among from the plurality of processing modules to produce
edit resultant clip; managing means for managing said edit
resultant clip and said plurality of clips to be edited with the
hierarchical structure, in order to show that which of clips to be
edited is said edit resultant clip produced from; and control means
for controlling said editing means based on the information managed
by said managing means.
2. The editing system according to claim 1, wherein said managing
means has a clip database to register for each clip the information
of a plurality of said clips.
3. The editing system according to claim 2, wherein said clip
database includes the link information indicating the link state of
said clips managed with the hierarchical structure.
4. The editing system according to claim 3, wherein said link
information registered for each clip consists of the lower link
information indicating the lower clips linked to said clip at a
lower position and the upper link information indicating the upper
clips linked to said clip at an upper position.
5. The editing system according to claim 4, wherein said managing
means register said clips to be edited in said clip database as a
lower clip of said edit resultant clip, so as to correspond to the
layer specified in the processing module and corresponding to said
edit resultant clip.
6. The editing system according to claim 4, wherein: said plurality
of clips to be edited include the first clip to be edited and the
second clip to be edited; and said managing means register said
first clip to be edited in said clip database as a lower clip
firstly linked to said edit resultant clip and registers said
second clip to be edited in said clip database as a lower clip
secondly linked to said edit resultant clip, when said first clip
to be edited is specified as the first layer and said second clip
to be edited is specified as the second layer in the processing
module selected in producing said edit resultant clip.
7. The editing system according to claim 2, wherein: said plurality
of processing modules comprise an edit module for editing said edit
resultant clip, a composite module for composing said edit
resultant clip, and a special effect module for applying a special
effect to said edit resultant clip.
8. The editing system according to claim 7, further comprising
image processing means for applying the image processing
respectively corresponding to said edit module, said composite
module, and said special effect module to the video data of said
clip to be edited.
9. The editing system according to claim 8, further comprising
display means for displaying the graphical user interface
respectively corresponding to said edit module, said composite
module, and said special effect module on a display.
10. The editing system according to claim 8, wherein said clip
database has the module identification information indicating that
which of said plurality of processing modules is said edit
resultant clip produced among from.
11. The editing system according to claim 10, wherein said control
means controls said editing means and said image processing means
based on the information registered in said clip database.
12. The editing system according to claim 10, wherein said control
means controls said editing means based on said module
identification information of the edit resultant clip specified by
an edit operator.
13. The editing system according to claim 10, wherein said control
means controls said editing means so as to start up the processing
module corresponding to the edit resultant clip specified by an
edit operator based on said module identification information
stored in said clip database.
14. The editing system according to claim 10, wherein said clip
database has edit point data indicating a plurality of editing
points specified in producing said edit resultant clip and image
processing data indicating the image processing applied to the
video data of said clip to be edited to produce said edit resultant
clip.
15. The editing system according to claim 14, wherein said control
means controls the image processing timing of said image processing
means based on said editing point data registered in said clip
database, and controls the image processing operation of said image
processing means.
16. The editing system according to claim 14, wherein said editing
point data is data representing the edit start point and the edit
end point of said clip to be edited, and data representing the
change point of said image processing data applied to the video
data of said edit resultant clip.
17. The editing system according to claim 16, wherein said editing
point data is represented by time code in said edit resultant clip
and time code in said clip to be edited.
18. The editing system according to claim 17, wherein the time code
representing the editing point in said clip to be edited is stored
in said clip database so as to be associated with the time code
indicating the editing point specified in said edit resultant
clip.
19. The editing system according to claim 16, wherein: said edit
resultant clip and said clip to be edited respectively have the
original time code starting from the start point of each clip; and
said managing means registers, at the edit start point of said clip
to be edited, in said clip database as said editing, point data the
time code in said edit resultant clip and the time code in said
clip to be edited which are associated each other, and registers at
the edit end point of said clip to be edited in said clip database
as said editing point data the time code in said edit resultant
clip and the time code in said clip to be edited which are
associated each other.
20. The editing system according to claim 14, wherein said image
processing data consists of edit processing data indicating the
content of the image processing corresponding to the edit
processing specified by said edit module, the composite processing
data indicating the content of the image processing corresponding
to the composite processing specified by said composite module, and
the special effect processing data indicating the content of the
image processing corresponding to the special effect processing
specified by said special effect module.
21. The editing system according to claim 20, wherein said edit
data consists of edit processing identification data indicating the
type of edit processing set by said edit module and a plurality of
edit processing parameters corresponding to the edit
processing.
22. The editing system according to claim 21, wherein said edit
processing parameters are registered in said clip database so as to
correspond to said editing point specified in said edit resultant
clip.
23. The editing system according to claim 22, wherein said control
means controls said image processing means so as to perform on the
video data of said clip to be edited the image processing in
accordance with said edit processing parameters corresponding to
said editing point at a timing in accordance with said editing
point.
24. The editing system according to claim 22, wherein: the editing
point specified for said edit resultant clip includes the first
editing point and the second editing point; said edit processing
parameters include the first edit processing parameter set to a
timing corresponding to said first editing point and the second
edit processing parameter set to a timing corresponding to said
second editing point; and said control means controls said image
processing means so as to perform the image processing in
accordance with said first edit parameter on the video data of said
clip to be edited at a timing of said first editing point, and
controls said image processing means so as to perform the image
processing in accordance with said second edit parameter on the
video data of said clip to be edited at a timing of said second
editing point.
25. The editing system according to claim 24, wherein said control
means controls said image processing means so as to perform the
image processing in accordance with the interpolation parameter
interpolated between said first edit parameter and said second edit
parameter on the video data of said clip to be edited during the
period from said first editing point to said second editing
point.
26. The editing system according to claim 21, wherein said control
means further has display means for displaying the cell showing the
edit section of said clip to be edited and the change of said edit
processing parameters specified for said clip to be edited, which
correspond to the time axis direction.
27. The editing system according to claim 20, wherein said
composite processing data consists of a plurality of composite
processing parameters corresponding to the composite processing set
by said composite module.
28. The editing system according to claim 27, wherein said
plurality of composite processing parameters are registered in said
clip database so as to correspond to said editing point specified
in said edit resultant clip.
29. The editing system according to claim 28, wherein said control
means controls said image processing means so as to perform on the
video data of said clip to be edited the image processing in
accordance with said composite processing parameters corresponding
to said editing point at a timing in accordance with said editing
point.
30. The editing system according to claim 28, wherein: the editing
point specified for said edit resultant clip includes the first
editing point and the second editing point; said composite
processing parameters include the first composite processing
parameter set to a timing corresponding to said first editing point
and the second composite processing parameter set to a timing
corresponding to said second editing point; and said control means
controls said image processing means so as to perform the image
processing in accordance with said first composite parameter on the
video data of said clip to be edited at a timing of said first
editing point, and controls said image processing means so as to
perform the image processing in accordance with said second
composite parameter on the video data of said clip to be edited at
a timing of said second editing point.
31. The editing system according to claim 30, wherein said control
means produces a plurality of interpolation parameters based on
said first composite processing parameter and said second composite
processing parameter, and controls said image processing means so
as to perform the image processing in accordance with said
plurality of interpolation parameters during the period from said
first editing point to said second editing point.
32. The editing system according to claim 31, wherein said control
means further has display means for displaying the cell showing the
edit section of said clip to be edited and the change of said
composite processing parameters specified for said clip to be
edited, which correspond to the time axis direction.
33. The editing system according to claim 20, wherein said special
effect processing data consists of special effect identification
data indicating the type of special effect processing set by said
special effect module, and a plurality of special effect parameters
corresponding to said special effect processing.
34. The editing system according to claim 33, wherein said
plurality of special effect processing parameters are registered in
said clip database so as to correspond to said plurality of editing
points specified in said edit resultant clip.
35. The editing system according to claim 34, wherein said control
means controls said image processing means so as to perform on the
video data of said clip to be edited the image processing in
accordance with said special effect processing parameters
corresponding to said editing point at a timing in accordance with
said editing point.
36. The editing system according to claim 34, wherein: the editing
point specified for said edit resultant clip includes the first
editing point and the second editing point; said special effect
processing parameters include the first special effect processing
parameter set to a timing corresponding to said first editing point
and the second special effect processing parameter set to a timing
corresponding to said second editing point; and said control means
controls said image processing means so as to perform the image
processing in accordance with said first special effect parameter
on the video data of said clip to be edited at a timing of said
first editing point, and controls said image processing means so as
to perform the image processing in accordance with said second
special effect parameter on the video data of said clip to be
edited at a timing of said second editing point.
37. The editing system according to claim 36, wherein said control
means produces a plurality of interpolation parameters based on
said first special effect processing parameter and said second
special effect processing parameter, and controls said image
processing means so as to perform the image processing in
accordance with said plurality of interpolation parameters during
the period from said first editing point to said second editing
point.
38. The editing system according to claim 37, wherein said control
means further has display means for displaying the cell showing the
edit section of said clip to be edited and the change of said
special effect processing parameters specified for said clip to be
edited, which correspond to the time axis direction.
39. The editing system according to claim 14, wherein said control
means makes all clips linked to the upper position of the modified
edit resultant clip disable, when said edit resultant clip
registered in said clip database is modified.
40. The editing system according to claim 14, wherein said control
means produces a new edit resultant clip instead of the edit
resultant clip before modification when said edit resultant clip is
modified, and makes all clips linked to the upper position of the
edit resultant clip before modification disable.
41. The editing system according to claim 40, wherein said database
has the identification flag indicating whether said each clip is
enable or disable.
42. The editing system according to claim 40, wherein said managing
means, registers said new edit resultant clip in said clip database
with the clip identification code or clip name representing said
edit resultant clip before modification, and registers said edit
resultant clip before modification in said clip database with the
clip identification code or clip name which is different from the
clip identification code or clip name representing said edit
resultant clip before modification.
43. The editing system according to claim 14, wherein said control
means produces a new edit resultant clip instead of said edit
resultant clip before modification when said edit resultant clip is
modified, and searches all clips linked to the upper position of
said edit resultant clip before modification based on said link
information of said clip database to make the searched clips
disable.
44. The editing system according to claim 43, wherein said managing
means, registers the information relating to said new edit
resultant clip in said clip database with the clip identification
code or clip name representing said edit resultant clip before
modification, and registers the information relating to said edit
resultant clip before modification in said clip database with the
clip identification code or clip name which is different from the
clip identification code or clip name representing said edit
resultant clip before modification.
45. The editing system according to claim 44, wherein said clip
database has the identification flag indicating whether said each
clip is enable or disable.
46. The editing system according to claim 45, wherein said control
means has re-execution means for re-executing in order to make said
edit resultant clip which has been made disable by the modification
processing enable.
47. The editing system according to claim 46, wherein said
re-execution means having: search process for referring said link
information and said identification flag of said clip database to
search the edit resultant clip to be re-executed among from said
disable edit resultant clips; and production process for producing
a new video data corresponding to said searched edit resultant clip
among from the video data of all lower clips linked to the lower
position of the edit resultant clip searched by said search
process.
48. The editing system according to claim 47, wherein said
re-execution means, in said production process, produces a new edit
resultant clip instead of said searched disable edit resultant
clip, from said newly produced video data, said link information
relating to said searched edit resultant clip registered in said
clip database, said editing point data, and said image processing
data.
49. The editing system according to claim 48, wherein said managing
means registers said edit resultant clip newly produced in said
clip database with the clip identification code or clip name
representing said searched disable edit resultant clip, and
registers said searched disable edit resultant clip in said clip
database with the clip identification code or clip name which is
different from the clip identification code or clip name
representing said researched disable edit resultant clip.
50. The editing system according to claim 47, wherein said
re-execution means repeats said search process and said production
process until all clips managed with the hierarchical structure by
said managing means become enable.
51. The editing system according to claim 47, wherein said
re-execution means performs the re-execution on the edit resultant
clip which has the lower clips being all enable among said disable
edit resultant clips and which is at the lowest position among said
clips managed with said hierarchical structure.
52. The editing system according to claim 47, wherein said
re-execution means, in said production process, controls said image
processing device based on the editing point data and the image
processing data corresponding to said searched disable edit
resultant clip, so as to produce said new video data.
53. An editing system for editing a plurality of clips to be
edited, comprising: editing means, which is composed of a plurality
of processing modules for editing the clips to be edited, for
applying to a plurality of clips to be edited the edit processing
corresponding to the processing module selected among from the
plurality of processing modules to produce edit resultant clip;
storing means for storing the module identification information
indicating that which of processing modules is said edit resultant
clip produced by using from; and control means for starting up the
processing module corresponding to said edit resultant clip based
on said module identification data stored in said storing means,
when said edit resultant clip is selected.
54. The editing system according to claim 53, wherein said storing
means has a clip database to register for each edit resultant clip
said module identification information.
55. The editing system according to claim 54, wherein said clip
database includes the link information indicating the link state of
said clips in the hierarchical structure in order to manage said
edit resultant clip and said plurality of clips to be edited with
the hierarchical structure.
56. The editing system according to claim 55, wherein said
plurality of processing modules have an edit module for editing
said plurality of clips to be edited, a composite module for
composing said plurality of clips to be edited, and a special
effect module for applying the special effects to said plurality of
clips to be edited.
57. The editing system according to claim 56, further comprising:
user interface means composed of a graphical user interface for
edit processing corresponding to said edit module, a graphical user
interface for composite processing corresponding to said composite
module, and a graphical user interface for special effect
processing corresponding to said special effect module; and display
means for displaying said graphical user interface for edit
processing, said graphical user interface for composite processing,
and said graphical user interface for special effect processing on
a display; said control means wherein: identifies the processing
module corresponding to said selected edit resultant clip based on
the module identification information registered in said clip
database; and starts up the processing module corresponding to said
identified processing module and controls said display means to
display the graphical user interface of the processing module
corresponding to said identified processing module.
58. The editing system according to claim 57, wherein said clip
database has editing point data showing a plurality of editing
points specified in producing said edit resultant clip and image
processing data showing the content of the image processing applied
to the video data of said clip to be edited to produce said edit
resultant clip.
59. The editing system according to claim 58, wherein said control
means controls the image processing timing of said image processing
means based on said editing point data registered in said clip
database, and controls the image processing operation of said image
processing means based on said image processing data registered in
said clip database.
60. The editing system according to claim 58, wherein said editing
point data is data representing the edit start point and the edit
end point of said clip to be edited, and data representing the
change point of said image processing data applied to the video
data of said edit resultant clip.
61. The editing system according to claim 58, wherein said image
processing data consists of edit processing data indicating the
content of the image processing corresponding to the edit
processing specified by said edit module, the composite processing
data indicating the content of the image processing corresponding
to the composite processing specified by said composite module, and
the special effect processing data indicating the content of the
image processing corresponding to the special effect processing
specified by said special effect module.
62. The editing system according to claim 61, wherein said edit
data consists of edit processing identification data indicating the
type of edit processing set by said edit module and a plurality of
edit processing parameters corresponding to the edit
processing.
63. The editing system according to claim 62, wherein said edit
processing parameters are registered in said clip database so as to
correspond to said editing point specified in said edit resultant
clip.
64. The editing system according to claim 63, wherein said control
means controls said image processing means so as to perform on the
video data of said clip to be edited the image processing in
accordance with said edit processing parameters corresponding to
said editing point at a timing in accordance with said editing
point.
65. The editing system according to claim 63, wherein: the editing
point specified for said edit resultant clip includes the first
editing point and the second editing point; said edit processing
parameters include the first edit processing parameter set to a
timing corresponding to said first editing point and the second
edit processing parameter set to a timing corresponding to said
second editing point; and said control means controls said image
processing means so as to perform the image processing in
accordance with said first edit parameter on the video data of said
clip to be edited at a timing of said first editing point, and
controls said image processing means so as to perform the image
processing in accordance with said second edit parameter on the
video data of said clip to be edited at a timing of said second
editing point.
66. The editing system according to claim 65, wherein said control
means controls said image processing means so as to perform the
image processing in accordance with the interpolation parameter
interpolated between said first edit parameter and said second edit
parameter on the video data of said clip to be edited during the
period from said first editing point to said second editing
point.
67. The editing system according to claim 62, wherein said control
means controls display means to display the cell showing the edit
section of said clip to be edited and the change of said edit
processing parameters specified for said clip to be edited, which
correspond to the time axis direction.
68. The editing system according to claim 62, wherein said control
means controls said display means to display said plurality of edit
processing parameters set for said selected edit resultant clip on
said display as a part of said graphical user interface for edit
processing, based on the information registered in said clip
database.
69. The editing system according to claim 68, wherein said control
means controls said display means to display said edit parameter so
as to correspond to each editing point, in order to visually know
the change in the time axis direction of said plurality of edit
processing parameters, based on said editing point data and said
image processing data of said selected edit resultant clip.
70. The editing system according to claim 62, wherein while the
first processing module is being started up to produce the first
edit resultant clip, when the second edit resultant clip linked as
a lower clip of said first edit resultant clip is selected, said
control means refers said link information, said module
identification information, said editing point data, and said image
processing data which are registered as the information relating to
said second edit resultant clip of said clip database, starts up
the second processing module corresponding to said second edit
resultant clip based on said module identification code, and
controls, based on said link information, said editing point data,
and said image processing data, said display means to display the
cell representing the edit section of clip linked to the lower
position of said second edit resultant clip so as to associate with
the editing point of said editing point data, and to display each
processing parameter of said image processing data corresponding to
said second processing module so as to associate with the editing
point of said editing point data.
71. An editing system for editing a plurality of clips to be
edited, comprising: editing means, which is composed of a plurality
of processing modules for editing said clips to be edited, for
applying to a plurality of clips to be edited the edit processing
corresponding to the processing module selected among from the
plurality of processing modules to produce edit resultant clip;
display means for displaying the graphical user interface
corresponding to said plurality of processing modules on a display;
storing means for storing the image processing data indicating the
content of the image processing applied by the edit processing
performed by said editing means to the video data of said clip to
be edited, so as to correspond to said edit resultant clip; and
control means for controlling said display means to display said
image processing data stored in said storing means which
corresponds to said selected edit resultant clip on a display as a
part of said graphical user interface, when said edit resultant
clip is selected.
72. The editing system according to claim 71, wherein said storing
means has a clip database to register for each edit resultant clip
said image processing data.
73. The editing system according to claim 72, wherein said
plurality of processing modules have an edit module, for editing
said plurality of clips to be edited, a composite module for
composing said plurality of clips to be edited, and a special
effect module for applying the special effects to said plurality of
clips to be edited.
74. The editing system according to claim 73, further comprising
image processing means for applying to the video data of said clip
to be edited the image processing respectively corresponding to
said edit module, said composite module, and said special effect
module.
75. The editing system according to claim 74, wherein said clip
database has the module identification information indicating that
which of processing modules is said edit resultant clip produced
from.
76. The editing system according to claim 75, wherein: said
graphical user interface is composed of a graphical user interface
for edit processing corresponding to said edit module, a graphical
user interface for composite processing corresponding to said
composite module, and a graphical user interface for special effect
processing corresponding to said special effect module; and said
control means identifies the processing module corresponding to
said selected edit resultant clip based on the module
identification information registered in said clip database; and
starts up the processing module corresponding to said identified
processing module and controls said display means to display the
graphical user interface of the processing module corresponding to
said identified processing module.
77. The editing system according to claim 76, wherein said clip
database has editing point data showing a plurality of editing
points specified in producing said edit resultant clip and image
processing data showing the contents of the image processing
performed on the video data of said clip to be edited to produce
said edit resultant clip.
78. The editing system according to claim 77, wherein said control
means controls the image processing timing of said image processing
means based on said editing point data registered in said clip
database, and controls the image processing operation of said image
processing means based on said image processing data registered in
said clip database.
79. The editing system according to claim 77, wherein said editing
point data is data representing the edit start point and the edit
end point of said clip to be edited,<and data representing the
change point of said image processing data applied to the video
data of said edit resultant clip.
80. The editing system according to claim 77, wherein said image
processing data consists of edit processing data indicating the
content of the image processing corresponding to the edit
processing specified by said edit module, the composite processing
data indicating the content of the image processing corresponding
to the composite processing specified by said composite module, and
the special effect processing data indicating the content of the
image processing corresponding to the special effect processing
specified by said special effect module.
81. The editing system according to claim 80, wherein said edit
data consists of edit processing identification data indicating the
type of edit processing set by said edit module and a plurality of
edit processing parameters corresponding to the edit
processing.
82. The editing system according to claim 81, wherein said edit
processing parameters are registered in said clip database so as to
correspond to said editing point specified in said edit resultant
clip.
83. The editing system according to claim 82, wherein said control
means controls said image processing means so as to perform on the
video data of said clip to be edited the image processing in
accordance with said edit processing parameters corresponding to
said editing point at a timing in accordance with said editing
point.
84. The editing system according to claim 82, wherein: the editing
point specified for said edit resultant clip includes the first
editing point and the second editing point; said edit processing
parameters include the first edit processing parameter set to a
timing corresponding to said first editing point and the second
edit processing parameter set to a timing corresponding to said
second editing point; and said control means controls said image
processing means so as to perform the image processing in
accordance with said first edit parameter on the video data of said
clip to be edited at a timing of said first editing point, and
controls said image processing means so as to perform the image
processing in accordance with said second edit parameter on the
video data of said clip to be edited at a timing of said second
editing point.
85. The editing system according to claim 84, wherein said control
means controls said image processing means so as to perform the
image processing in accordance with the interpolation parameter
interpolated between said first edit parameter and said second edit
parameter on the video data of said clip to be edited during the
period from said first editing point to said second editing
point.
86. The editing system according to claim 81, wherein said control
means controls display means to display the cell showing the edit
section of said clip to be edited and the change of said edit
processing parameters specified for said clip to be edited, which
correspond to the time axis direction.
87. The editing system according to claim 81, wherein said control
means controls said display means to display said plurality of edit
processing parameters set for said selected edit resultant clip on
said display as a part of said graphical user interface for edit
processing, based on the information registered in said clip
database.
88. The editing system according to claim 87, wherein said control
means controls said display means to display said edit parameter so
as to correspond to each editing point, in order to visually know
the change in the time axis direction of said plurality of edit
processing parameters, based on said editing point data and said
image processing data of said selected edit resultant clip.
89. An editing system for editing a plurality of clips to be
edited, comprising: editing means, which is composed of a plurality
of processing modules for editing the clips to be edited, for
applying to said clips to be edited the edit processing
corresponding to the processing module selected among from the
plurality of processing modules to produce edit resultant clip;
managing means for managing said edit resultant clip and said
plurality of clips to be edited with the hierarchical structure in
order to show that which of clips to be edited is said edit
resultant clip produced from; and display means for displaying on a
display a graphical user interface including a tree window for
showing the link state of a plurality of clips managed by said
managing means with the hierarchical structure, and a time line
window showing the edit section of said clip to be edited on the
time axis.
90. The editing system for editing a plurality of clips to be
edited, comprising: editing means which is composed an edit module
for producing the edit resultant clip by applying the edit
processing to said clips to be edited, a composite module for
producing the edit resultant clip by applying the composite
processing to said clips to be edited, and a special effect module
for producing the edit resultant clip by applying the special
effect processing to said clips to be edited; user interface means
composed of a graphical user interface for edit processing
corresponding to said edit module, a graphical user interface for
composite processing corresponding to said composite module, and a
graphical user interface for special effect processing
corresponding to said special effect module; and display control
means for displaying said graphical user interface for edit
processing on a display when the edit processing is performed by
said edit module, for displaying said graphical user interface for
composite processing on a display when the edit processing is
performed by said composite module, and for displaying said
graphical user interface for edit processing on a display when the
edit processing is performed by edit module.
91. An editing system for editing a clip to be edited, comprising:
editing means for producing the edit resultant clip by applying the
edit processing specified by an edit operator on said clip to be
edited; managing means for managing, with the hierarchical
structure, the clip used by said edit processing of said editing
means and the clip produced by said edit processing; and control
means for controlling said editing means based on the information
managed by said managing means.
92. An editing system for producing the edit resultant clip by
editing the supplied clip, comprising: editing means for producing
the edit resultant clip by applying the edit processing specified
by an edit operator to the clip to be edited which is
edit-processed; managing means for managing each clip with the
hierarchical structure by linking said clip to be edited to said
edit resultant clip as a lower clip, or by linking said edit
resultant clip to said clip to be edited as a upper clip; and
control means for controlling said editing means based on the
information managed by said managing means.
93. An editing system for editing the supplied clip, comprising:
editing means for applying the edit processing to the supplied
clip; managing means for managing all clips used or produced by
said editing means, with the hierarchical structure which is
expressed by the up and low relation, by linking each other,
regarding the clip to be edit-processed in said edit processing as
a lower clip and the clip produced by the edit processing in said
edit processing as an upper clip; and control means for controlling
said editing means based on the information managed by said
managing means.
94. An editing method for producing the edit resultant clip from a
plurality of clips to be edited, comprising the steps of: applying
the edit processing corresponding to the processing module selected
among from a plurality of processing modules for editing a clip to
be edited, to produce the edit resultant clip; and managing said
edit resultant clip and said clips to be edited with the
hierarchical structure, in order to indicate that which of clips to
be edited is said edit resultant clip produced from.
95. The editing method according to claim 94, wherein said
plurality of clips are managed by the clip database in which the
information relating to said plurality of clips are registered for
each clip.
96. The editing method according to claim 95, wherein the
hierarchical structure of said plurality of clips is managed by the
link information of said clip database.
97. The editing method according to claim 95, wherein said
plurality of processing modules comprise an edit module for editing
said plurality of clips to be edited, a composite module for
composing said plurality of clips to be edited, and a special
effect module for applying the special effects to said plurality of
clips to be edited.
98. The editing method according to claim 97, wherein the image
processing respectively corresponding to said edit module, said
composite module, and said special effect module is applied to the
video data of said clip to be edited, based on the information
registered in said clip database.
99. The editing method according to claim 98, wherein the graphical
user interface corresponding to each of said edit module, said
composite module, and said special effect module is respectively
displayed on a display, based on the information registered in said
clip database.
100. The editing method according to claim 98, wherein said clip
database has the module identification information representing
that which of processing modules is said edit resultant clip
produced from.
101. The editing method according to claim 100, wherein said
control means starts up the processing module corresponding to the
edit resultant clip specified by an edit operator based on said
module identification information stored in said clip database.
102. The editing method according to claim 100, wherein said clip
database has editing point data showing a plurality of editing
points specified in producing said edit resultant clip and image
processing data showing the content of the image processing applied
to the video data of said clip to be edited to produce said edit
resultant clip.
103. The editing method according to claim 102, wherein the image
processing timing applied to said clip to be edited is controlled
based on said editing point data registered in said clip database,
and the image processing operation applied to said clip to be
edited is controlled based on said image processing data registered
in said clip database.
104. The editing method according to claim 102, wherein said
editing point data is data representing the edit start point and
the edit end point of said clip to be edited, and data representing
the change point of said image processing data applied to the video
data of said edit resultant clip.
105. The editing method according to claim 102, wherein said image
processing data consists of edit processing data indicating the
content of the image processing corresponding to the edit
processing specified by said edit module, the composite processing
data indicating the content of the image processing corresponding
to the composite processing specified by said composite module, and
the special effect processing data indicating the content of the
image processing corresponding to the special effect processing
specified by said special effect module.
106. The editing method according to claim 105, wherein said edit
processing data consists of edit processing identification data
indicating the type of edit processing set by said edit module and
a plurality of edit processing parameters corresponding to the edit
processing.
107. The editing method according to claim 106, wherein said edit
processing parameters are registered in said clip database so as to
correspond to said editing point specified in said edit resultant
clip.
108. The editing method according to claim 107, wherein said
control means performs on the video data of said clip to be edited
the image processing in accordance with said edit processing
parameters which correspond to said editing point at a timing in
accordance with said editing point.
109. The editing method according to claim 107, wherein: the
editing point specified for said edit resultant clip includes the
first editing point and the second editing point; said edit
processing parameters include the first edit processing parameter
set to a timing corresponding to said first editing point and the
second edit processing parameter set to a timing corresponding to
said second editing point; and said image processing means is
controlled so as to perform the image processing in accordance with
said first edit parameter on the video data of said clip to be
edited at a timing of said first editing point, and is controlled
so as to perform the image processing in accordance with said
second edit parameter on the video data of said clip to be edited
at a timing of said second editing point.
110. The editing method according to claim 109, wherein the image
processing in accordance with the interpolation parameter
interpolated between said first edit parameter and said second edit
parameter is applied to the video data of said clip to be edited
during the period from said first editing point to said second
editing point.
111. The editing system according to claim 106, wherein the cell
showing the edit section of said clip to be edited and the change
of said edit processing parameters specified for said clip to be
edited are displayed so as to correspond to the time axis
direction.
112. The editing method according to claim 102, wherein a new edit
resultant clip is produced instead of the edit resultant clip
before modification in response to the instruction from an edit
operator to modify said edit resultant clip, and all clips linked
to the upper position of the edit resultant clip before
modification are searched based on said link information of said
clip database to make the searched clips disable.
113. The editing method according to claim 112, wherein: the
information relating to said new edit resultant clip is registered
in said clip database with the clip identification code or clip
name representing said edit resultant clip before modification; and
the information relating to said edit resultant clip before
modification is registered in said clip database with the clip
identification code or clip name which is different from the clip
identification code or clip name representing said edit resultant
clip before modification.
114. The editing method according to claim 113, wherein said
database has the identification flag indicating whether said each
clip is enable or disable.
115. The editing method according to claim 114, wherein
re-execution processing is performed in order to make the edit
resultant clip which has been made disable by said modification
processing enable in response to the instruction from an edit
operator.
116. The editing method according to claim 115, wherein said
re-execution processing includes: search process for referring said
link information and said identification flag of said clip database
to search the edit resultant clip to be re-executed among from said
disable edit resultant clips; and production process for producing
a new video data corresponding to said searched edit resultant clip
among from the video data of all lower clips linked to the lower
position of the edit resultant clip searched by said search
process.
117. The editing method according to claim 116, wherein in said
production process, a new edit resultant clip is produced instead
of said searched disable edit resultant clip, from said newly
produced video data, said link information, said editing point
data, and said image processing data relating to said searched edit
resultant clip registered in said clip database.
118. The editing method according to claim 117, wherein said edit
resultant clip newly produced is registered in said clip database
with the clip identification code or clip name representing said
searched disable edit resultant clip, and said searched disable
edit resultant clip is registered in said clip database with the
clip identification code or clip name which is different from the
clip identification code or clip name representing said researched
disable edit resultant clip.
119. The editing method according to claim 116, wherein said search
process and said production process are repeated until all clips
managed with the hierarchical structure become enable.
120. The editing method according to claim 116, wherein said search
process searches the edit resultant clip which has the lower clips
being all enable among said disable edit resultant clips and which
is at the lowest position among said clips managed with the
hierarchical structure, to be performed with the re-execution.
121. The editing method according to claim 116, wherein said
production process performs the image processing on the video data
of the clip to be linked lowly based on said editing point data and
said image processing data corresponding to said searched disable
edit resultant clip, so as to produce said new video data.
122. An editing method of editing a plurality of clips to be
edited, comprising the steps of: applying to a plurality of clips
to be edited the edit processing corresponding to the processing
module selected among from the plurality of processing modules to
produce edit resultant clip; storing the module identification
information indicating that which of processing modules is said
edit resultant clip produced by using from; and starting up the
processing module corresponding to said edit resultant clip based
on said stored module identification data, when said edit resultant
clip is selected.
123. The editing method according to claim 122, wherein said module
identification information is stored by a clip database in which
the information relating to said plurality of clips are registered
for each clip.
124. The editing method according to claim 123, wherein said clip
database includes the link information indicating the link state of
each clip in the hierarchical structure in order to manage said
edit resultant clip and said plurality of clips to be edited with
the hierarchical structure.
125. The editing method according to claim 124, wherein said
plurality of processing modules comprise an edit module for editing
said plurality of clips to be edited, a composite module for
composing said plurality of clips to be edited, and a special
effect module for applying the special effects to said plurality of
clips to be edited.
126. The editing method according to claim 125, wherein: the
processing module corresponding to said selected edit resultant
clip is identified based on the module identification information
registered in said clip database; and the processing module
corresponding to said identified processing module is started up
and the graphical user interface of the processing module
corresponding to said identified processing module is
displayed.
127. An editing method of editing a plurality of clips to be
edited, comprising the steps of: displaying on a display the
graphical user interface corresponding to the processing module for
editing the clip to be edited; applying the edit processing
corresponding to said processing module to said plurality of clips
to be edited to produce the edit resultant clip; storing the image
processing data indicating the content of image processing applied
to the video data of said clip to be edited by the edit processing
performed by said editing means, so as to correspond to said edit
resultant clip; and displaying on a display said image processing
data stored in said storing means which corresponds to said
selected edit resultant clip as a part of said graphical user
interface, when said edit resultant clip is selected.
128. The editing method according to claim 127, wherein said image
processing data is stored by the clip database in which the
information relating to said plurality of clips is registered for
each clip.
129. The editing method according to claim 128, wherein said
plurality of processing modules comprise, at least, an edit module
for editing said plurality of clips to be edited, a composite
module for composing said plurality of clips to be edited, and a
special effect module for applying the special effects to said
plurality of clips to be edited.
130. The editing method according to claim 129, wherein the image
processing respectively corresponding to said edit module, said
composite module, and said special effect module is applied to the
video data of said clip to be edited based on said image processing
data registered in said clip database.
131. The editing method according to claim 130, wherein said clip
database has the module identification information indicating that
which of processing modules is said edit resultant clip produced
from.
132. The editing method according to claim 131, wherein said
graphical user interface consists of a graphical user interface for
edit processing corresponding to said edit module, a graphical user
interface for composite processing corresponding to said composite
module, and a graphical user interface for special effect
processing corresponding to said special effect module; and the
processing module corresponding to said selected edit resultant
clip is identified based on the module identification information
registered in said clip database, the processing module
corresponding to said identified processing module is started up,
and the graphical user interface of the processing module
corresponding to said identified processing module is
displayed.
133. An editing method of editing the clip to be edited, comprising
the steps of: applying the edit processing specified by an operator
to said clip to be edited to produce the edit resultant clip;
registering the information for managing with the hierarchical
structure the clip used in said edit processing of said editing
means and the clip produced by said edit processing; and
controlling said editing means based on said registered
information.
134. An editing method of editing the supplied clip to produce the
edit resultant clip, comprising the steps of: applying the edit
processing specified by an edit operator to the clip to be edited
which is to be edit-processed to produce the edit resultant clip;
and managing each clip with the hierarchical structure by lining
said clip to be edited to said edit resultant clip as a lower clip
or by linking said edit resultant clip to said clip to be edited as
an upper clip.
135. An editing method of editing the supplied clip, comprising the
steps of: applying the edit processing to the supplied clip; and
managing all clips used and produced by said edit processing with
the hierarchical structure which is expressed by the up and low
relation by lining each other, regarding said clip to be edited as
a lower clip and said clip to be produced by said edit processing
as an upper clip.
136. A clip management device for an editing device editing the
supplied clip, comprising: editing means for applying the edit
processing to the supplied clip; and managing means for managing
with the hierarchical structure said clip to be edited and the clip
produced by said edit processing by linking each other, regarding
said clip to be edited in said edit processing as a lower clip and
the clip produced by said edit processing as an upper clip.
137. A clip management method for an editing device editing the
supplied clip, comprising the steps of: applying the first edit
processing specified by an edit operator to the clip to be edited
which is to be edit-processed, to produce the first edit resultant
clip; managing with the hierarchical structure said clip to be
edited and said first edit resultant clip by linking said clip to
be edited to said edit resultant clip as a lower clip or linking
said edit resultant clip to said clip to be edited as an upper
clip; applying the second edit processing specified by an edit
operator to said first edit resultant clip, to produce the second
edit resultant clip; and managing with the hierarchical structure
said clip to be edited, said first edit resultant clip, and said
second edit resultant clip, by linking said first edit resultant
clip to said second edit resultant clip as a lower clip or linking
said second edit resultant clip to said first edit resultant clip
as an upper clip.
138. An editing system for editing the clip to be edited,
comprising: editing means for applying the edit processing
specified by an edit operator to the clip to be edited to produce
the edit resultant clip; managing means for managing with the
hierarchical structure all clips by linking said edit resultant
clip and said clip to be edited so as to be in the up and low
relation; and control means for controlling said managing means,
when the content of said edit resultant clip is modified, so as to
make all clips linked to the upper position of said modified edit
resultant clip disable based on the information managed by said
managing means.
139. An editing method for editing the clip to be edited,
comprising the steps of: applying the edit processing specified by
an edit operator to the clip to be edited to produce the edit
resultant clip; managing with the hierarchical structure all clips
by linking said edit resultant clip and said clip to be edited so
as to be in the up and low relation each other; and when the
content of said edit resultant clip is modified, making all clips
linked to the upper position of said modified edit resultant clip
disable.
140. A clip managing method applied for an editing device editing
the clip to be edited, comprising the steps of: applying the edit
processing specified by an edit operator to the clip to be edited
to produce the edit resultant clip; managing with the hierarchical
structure all clips by linking said edit resultant clip and said
clip to be edited so as to be in the up and low relation each
other; and when the content of said edit resultant clip is
modified, making all clips linked to the upper position of said
modified edit resultant clip disable.
141. An editing system for editing the clip to be edited,
comprising: editing means for applying the edit processing
specified by an edit operator to said clip to be edited to produce
the edit resultant clip; managing means for managing with the
hierarchical structure all clips by linking said edit resultant
clip and said clip to be edited so as to be in the up and low
relation each other; and control means, when the content of said
edit resultant clip is modified, for controlling said editing means
to newly produce said modified edit resultant clip and all edit
resultant clips linked to the upper position of said modified edit
resultant clip disable, based on the information relating to the
hierarchical structure managed by said managing means.
142. An editing method for editing the clip to be edited,
comprising the steps of: applying the edit processing specified by
an edit operator to said clip to be edited to produce the edit
resultant clip; managing with the hierarchical structure all clips
by linking said edit resultant clip and said clip to be edited so
as to be in the up and low relation each other; and newly producing
said modified edit resultant clip and all edit resultant clips
linked to the upper position of said modified edit resultant clip.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an editing system, and more
particularly, is applicable to an editing system for performing
edit processing by using a plurality of materials.
BACKGROUND ARTS
[0002] Recently, in the field of postproduction which edits the
video data obtained from a video camera, a nonlinear editing system
which uses a disc as a recording medium for recording the data of
materials has been proposed. There are various types of edit
processing as an editing processing performed in the nonlinear
editing system. For example, they are the video edit processing for
combining a plurality of materials to produce a desired video
program, the composite processing for composing a plurality of
materials by key signal, the special effect processing for applying
the special effects to materials, and so on. Generally, the video
edit processing is performed at an editing device, the composite
processing is performed at a video switcher, and the special effect
processing is performed at a special effect device.
[0003] In recent years, the development of a disc recording medium
in its random access function makes it possible to access to a
plurality of channels simultaneously. As a result, the edit
processing for processing video data of a plurality of channels in
real time has been desired. For example, in the television world in
which television commercial messages are edited and produced or in
the movie world in which movie programs are edited and produced, it
is desired to use a dozens of materials to several hundred
materials and to combine some different edit processings. More
over, it is required to produce a complicated and high degree of
edit resultant data by performing the several kinds of edit
processing repeatedly.
[0004] To produce the complicated and high degree of edit resultant
data, it is needed to control a dozen of materials to several
hundred materials and to store the history of the edit
processing.
[0005] However, in a conventional editing system, there is no
device for controlling a lot of materials and no device for storing
the edit history, so that the editing operation has became
complicated. More specifically, an edit operator (hereinafter,
referred to as "operator" shortly) can not remember the information
that which material has been used and which edit processing has
been performed when the edit resultant video data has been
produced. Therefore, in the conventional editing system, the
operator has managed the information by writing in a paper whenever
the editing is performed. Further, in the case of the complicated
edit processing such that a newly edit resultant video data is
repeatedly produced from a plurality of edit resultant video data,
the information of the editing history that which of materials is
the final edit resultant video data produced from becomes large
size of data, so that it has been impossible for the operator to
manage the information by writing in a paper.
[0006] Also, in the conventional editing system, the operator needs
to operate the device corresponding to the edit processing for each
edit processing. Therefore, the edit works become complicated
terribly. For instance, when two video data are composed, the
operator needs to operate a control panel connected to a switcher
device. When the special effect is applied to video data, the
operator needs to operate a key board of the special effect device.
There has been a problem that the device to be operated is changed
in accordance with the edit processing so as to take much time to
edit.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0007] This invention is to solve the problems described above, and
to provide an editing system which can realize the simplified and
high-speed edit by managing a plurality of materials with the
original hierarchical structure. Further, based on the management
information, this invention is to realize the simplified and
high-speed edit by managing a plurality of materials to be the most
suitable for the edit processing.
[0008] Further, this invention is to provide an editing system
which can perform various edit processings such as the edit
processing, composite processing and special effect processing by
manipulating one computer without operating respective devices by
an operator. Also, this invention is to provide an editing system
for producing the complicated and high degree of edit resultant
data which can not be realized by a conventional editing system.
Furthermore, this invention is to provide an editing system having
the optimum Graphical User Interface (GUI) to manage a plurality of
materials with the hierarchical structure and to produce the
complicated and high degree of the edit resultant data. The GUI
simplifies the edit works and improves the usage of the edit
operation.
[0009] To solve the above problems, according to this invention, an
editing system for producing the edit resultant clip from a
plurality of clips to be edited is provided with editing means,
which consists of a plurality of processing modules for editing the
clips to be edited, for producing the edit resultant clip by
performing the edit processing corresponding to the processing
module selected among from the plurality of processing modules on
the plurality of clips to be edited, managing means for managing
with the hierarchical structure the edit resultant clip and the
plurality of clips to be edited in order to show that which of
clips to be edited is the edit resultant clip produced from, and
control means for controlling the editing means based on the
information managed by the managing means.
[0010] The relation between the edit resultant clip and the clips
to be edited can be obtained by managing means. Thus, the edit
resultant clip is produced based on the information showing the
relation between the clips kept in the managing means, so as to
perform the complicated edit works easily.
[0011] Further, according to this invention, the editing system for
editing a plurality of clips to be edited is provided with editing
means, which consists of a plurality of processing modules for
editing the clips to be edited, for producing the edit resultant
clip by performing the edit processing corresponding to the
processing module selected among from the plurality of processing
modules on the plurality of clips to be edited, display means for
displaying the graphical user interface corresponding to the
plurality of processing modules on a display, storing means for
storing image processing data showing the content of image
processing performed by the edit processing applied to the video
data of the clips to be edited, correspondingly to the edit
resultant clip, and control means for controlling the display means
to display the image processing data stored in the storing means
which corresponds to the selected edit resultant clip on a display
as a part of the graphical user interface when the edit resultant
clip is selected.
[0012] When the edit resultant clip is selected, the image
processing data showing the content of the image processing is
displayed on a display as a part of the graphical user interface,
so that the edit operator looks at the display to understand the
content of the specified image processing easily.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram showing the construction of an
editing system according to the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal construction
of the work station being the main construction of the editing
system;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing modules and clip
database provided in the editing system according to the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram explaining the hierarchical
management of clips;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram explaining the image of
composite processing;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a screen image explaining the video image produced
by the composite processing;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram explaining the concept of the
composite processing;
[0020] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram explaining the concept of the
special effect processing;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram explaining the concept of the
edit processing;
[0022] FIG. 10 is a screen image showing the GUI screen displayed
when the composite module is started up;
[0023] FIG. 11 is a screen image showing the GUI screen displayed
when the special effect module is started up;
[0024] FIG. 12 is a screen image showing the GUI screen displayed
when the edit module is started up;
[0025] FIG. 13 is a table showing a database for clip management
data registered in a clip database;
[0026] FIG. 14 is a table explaining the database when the clip
management data which already has been registered is modified;
[0027] FIG. 15 is a table showing the editing point data in the
composite processing;
[0028] FIG. 16 is a table showing the editing point data in the
special effect processing;
[0029] FIG. 17 is a table showing the editing point data in the
edit processing;
[0030] FIG. 18 is a table showing the composite data in the
composition processing;
[0031] FIG. 19 is a table showing the special effect data at the
special effect processing;
[0032] FIG. 20 is a table showing the editing data in the edit
processing;
[0033] FIG. 21 is a flowchart explaining the operation when the
control module is started up;
[0034] FIG. 22 is a flowchart explaining the operation when the
edit module is started up;
[0035] FIG. 23 is a flowchart explaining the operation when the
composite module is started up;
[0036] FIG. 24 is a flowchart explaining the operation when the
special effect module is started up;
[0037] FIG. 25 is a flowchart explaining the operation in the
edition processing;
[0038] FIG. 26 is a schematic diagram explaining an arbitrary
resultant clip when the content of edit is modified;
[0039] FIG. 27 is a flowchart explaining the operation when the
other module is started up during a predetermined module has been
started up;
[0040] FIG. 28 is a flowchart explaining the operation in the
re-execution processing; and
[0041] FIG. 29 is a schematic diagram showing the re-execution
processing schematically.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0042] (1) The Whole Construction of Editing System
[0043] First, the whole construction of the editing system of this
invention will be described referring to FIG. 1.
[0044] In FIG. 1, 1 shows the editing system according to this
invention, which has a work station 2 for controlling the system
entirely. The work station 2 has a body 2A provided with a central
processing unit (CPU), various processing circuits, a floppy disc
drive, a hard disk drive, and so on, a display 2B connected to the
body 2A, a key board 2C, a mouse 2D, and a pen tablet 2E. In the
work station 2, an application software for editing has been
previously installed in the hard disk drive. The application
software is operated under the operating system, so as to start up
as a computer for editing.
[0045] In connection, when the application software is operated,
the graphic display for the graphical user interface (GUI) is
displayed on the display 2B. If a desired graphic display displayed
on the display 2B is selected by using the pen tablet 2E or the
mouse 2D described above, the desired edit command can be input to
the work station 2. Various numeral data relating to edit can also
be input to the work station 2 through the key board 2C.
[0046] In addition, when the edit command or various numeral data
is input by an operator, the work station 2 outputs control data in
accordance with the edit command or various numeral data to a
device controller 3 described later. In this way, respective
devices composing the editing system 1 are controlled through the
device controller 3. However, a part of the function of a video
disk recorder 5 is directly controlled without the device
controller 3.
[0047] Further, video data is input to the work station 2 through
the device controller 3, so that the image of edit material or the
image after edit can be displayed on the display 2B.
[0048] The device controller 3 is a control device for receiving
the control data from the work station 2 and actually controlling
respective devices. The exclusive controller 4 having dial
operation keys or slide operation keys is connected to the device
controller 3, so that the gradually-changing control data which can
not be input from the key board 2C, the mouse 2D, or the pen tablet
2E of the work station 2 can be also input in the editing system
1.
[0049] The device controller 3 receives the control data from the
work station 2 or the exclusive controller 4 to control the devices
corresponding to the control data. For example, the device
controller 3 instructs the video disk recorder 5 to reproduce a
material and record the material after edit. The video disk
recorder 5 instructed reproduces the video data or audio data of
the desired material which has been stored in the internal disc
recording medium to output it, and records the edited video data or
audio data in the disc recording medium, in accordance with the
instruction.
[0050] Similarly, the device controller 3 instructs the video tape
recorder (VTR) 6 to reproduce a material. The instructed video tape
recorder 6 reproduces the video data or audio data of the desired
material which has been stored in the internal video tape to output
it, in accordance with the instruction. In addition, in the editing
system 1, the video data recorded in the video tape recorder 6 is
manipulated as video data of the material, after being down-loaded
once in the video disk recorder 5.
[0051] Further, the device controller 3 instructs the switcher 7 to
select the video data output from the video tape recorder 6 or a
video camera 8. The instructed switcher 7 selects the input video
data of the desired material to output it to a digital
multi-effector 9 and to output to the work station 2 through the
device controller 3, successively selects the input video data of
the desired video data to combine them, or outputs the edited video
data to display it on a monitor 10, and returns the edited video
data to the video disk recorder 5 to record it, in accordance with
the instruction.
[0052] Further, the device controller 3 instructs the digital
multi-effector 9 to perform various effect processing. The
instructed digital multi-effector 9 performs on the input video
data of the desired material the special effect processing such as
the mosaic processing and the three-dimensional transform
processing, effect processing such as the transition effect, and
the image composite processing. The obtained video data is returned
to the switcher 7 again and is output to the work station 2, the
monitor 10, and the video disk recorder 5, in accordance with the
instruction.
[0053] Further, the device controller 3 instructs an audio mixer 11
to edit the audio data output from the video disk recorder 5 or the
video tape recorder 6. The instructed audio mixer 11 composes
(mixes) the desired audio material, and returns the composed audio
data to the video disk recorder 5 to be recorded, in accordance
with the instruction.
[0054] In this way, in the editing system 1 having the construction
described above, the desired edit command is input through the work
station 2, so that the complicated and high-degree of desired video
data can be produced easily by using the video data of a plurality
of various materials which have been recorded in the video disk
recorder 5 or the video tape recorder 6. Thus, if an operator does
not directly operate respective devices consisting the editing
system, the various edits can be performed by only operating the
work station 2. Therefore, the works of edit can be reduced
comparing to the conventional system, and the usage of the editing
system can be improved.
[0055] (2) The Construction of the Work Station
[0056] In this paragraph, the construction of the work station 2
which is the central existence of the editing system 1 will be
described. As shown in FIG. 2, the work station 2 has a system bus
20 for transmitting the command data and the video data, a CPU 21
for controlling the work station 2 entirely, a video. processor 22
for performing image processing on the video data S1 supplied from
the device controller 3, a display controller 23 for managing the
video data displayed on the display 2B and the graphic display for
the GUI, an HDD interface 24 for controlling a local hard disk
drive (local HDD) 24A, a FDD interface 25 for controlling a floppy
disc drive (FDD) 25A, a pointing device interface 26 for producing
the control command based on the command input from the pointing
device such as the key board 2C, the mouse 2D, and the pen tablet
2E, and an external interface 27 having the software driver for
outputting the control data S2 to the device controller 3.
[0057] The system bus 20 is a bus to transmit the video data,
command data, address data, etc. in the work station 2, and is
composed of an image data bus 20A for transmitting the video data
and a command data bus 20B for transmitting the command data and
the address data.
[0058] The CPU 21, the video processor 22, the display controller
23, the HDD interface 24, and the FDD interface 25 are connected to
the image data bus 20A. The CPU 21, the video processor 22, the
display controller 23, the HDD interface 24, and the FDD interface
25 transmit the video data through the image data bus 20A.
[0059] On the other hand, the CPU 21, the video processor 22, the
display controller 23, the HDD interface 24, the FDD interface 25,
the pointing device interface 26, and the external interface 27 are
connected to the command data bus 20B (that is, all blocks in the
work station 2 are connected). The command data and the address
data are transmitted through the command data bus 20B.
[0060] The CPU 21 is a block for controlling the work station 2
entirely, and has a ROM 21A in which the operating system of the
work station 2 is stored and a RAM 21B in which the up-loaded
application software and database are stored. To start up the work
station 2, the CPU 21 operates based on the operating system stored
in the ROM 21A so as to start up it. To drive the application
software under the operating system started up, the CPU 21 firstly
reads the application software recorded in the hard disk of the
hard disk drive 24A to up-load it on the RAM 21B, thereafter, the
application software is executed to be driven.
[0061] In addition, the application software is divided into
modules according to their function. As described later, when
roughly divided, the application software is composed of the edit
module for combining the materials, the composite module for
composing the materials such like superimposing, the special effect
module for applying special effects to the materials such like the
three-dimensional transform, and the control module for controlling
the starting up of the modules and the data transfer. More
specifically, in the system, when the application software is
started up, firstly the control module is started up. Then, when
the instruction is input from an operator to edit, the
corresponding module is suitably started up under the control of
the control module, so as to perform the edit instructed by the
operator.
[0062] The video processor 22 is a block for receiving the video
data S1 of the Serial Digital Interface (SDI) standard input to the
work station 2 and converting the video data S1, which is buffered
temporarily therein. More specifically, the video processor 22 is
composed of a processor controller 22A for controlling the video
processor entirely, a data converting part 22B for extracting the
composite video signal from the pay load part of the received video
data S1 and for converting the composite video signal into the
digital component video data, and a frame memory 22C for storing
the video data of several frames output from the data converting
part 22B temporarily.
[0063] The processor controller 22A outputs the control signal to
the data converting part 22B to control the data converting
operation of the data converting part 22B, and makes the data
converting part 22B to extract time code from the video data S1.
Further, the processor controller 22A outputs the control signal to
the frame memory 22C to control the read/write timing and the
read/write address of the frame memory 22C. In connection, as to
the read timing, the processor controller 22A controls the read
timing of the frame memory 22C so that the time code output to the
display controller 23 corresponds to the video data (frame
data).
[0064] The data converting part 22B converts the composite video
signal into the digital component video data based on the control
signal from the processor controller 22A. In connection, the time
code is extracted in this converting process. The obtained video
data is output to the frame memory 22C as described above, and the
extracted time code is output to the processor controller 22A.
[0065] The frame memory 22C stores the video data supplied from the
data converting part 22B temporarily. The read/write timing of the
frame memory 22C is controlled by the processor controller 22A as
described above. The frame memory 22C is composed of at least two
frames, and can store the video data for at least two frames.
[0066] The video data stored in the frame memory 22C is read out
based on the read control of the processor controller 22A. The all
pixels of the video data stored in the frame memory 22C is not read
out, but the data is thinned out for each predetermined interval
and read out so that the size of image is smaller than that of the
original image. The converted video data having smaller size of
image is output to the display controller 23 through the image data
bus 20A, in order to be displayed at the predetermined display area
of the display 2B as an image for confirmation of the materials or
edited result.
[0067] The display controller 23 is a block for controlling the
data to be displayed on the display 2B. The display controller 23
has a memory controller 23A and a video random access memory (VRAM)
23B. The memory controller 23A controls the read/write timing of
the VRAM 23B in accordance with the internal synchronization of the
work station 2. In the VRAM 23, the video data output from the
frame memory 22C of the video processor 22 and the image data
produced by the CPU 21 are stored based on the timing control
signal from the memory controller 23A. The video data and image
data stored in the VRAM 23B are read out based on the timing
control signal from the memory controller 23A in accordance with
the internal synchronization of the work station 2, to be displayed
on the display 2B.
[0068] At this time, the graphic display of the image data becomes
to the graphic display for the GUI. In connection, the image data
output from the CPU 21 to the VRAM 23B is the image data such as
windows, cursor, scroll bars, and icons showing devices.
[0069] Thus, in the work station 2, the image data and the video
data are displayed on the display 2B, so that the GUI for the
operator and the image of materials or edited result are displayed
on the display 2B.
[0070] The HDD interface 24 is an interface block for communicating
with the local hard disk drive 24A internally provided in the work
station 2. The HDD interface 24 and the hard disk drive 24A
communicate each other based on the transmission format of the
Small Computer System Interface (SCSI).
[0071] The application software which is driven in the work station
2 is installed in the hard disk drive 24A. To execute the
application software, it is read out from the hard disk drive 24A
to be up-loaded to the RAM 21B. When the application software is
terminated, various information produced by the edit operation
stored in the RAM 21B is down-loaded to the hard disk via the hard
disk drive 24A.
[0072] The FDD interface 25 is an interface block for communicating
with the floppy disc drive 25A internally provided in the work
station 2. The FDD interface 25 and the floppy disc drive 25A
communicate each other based on the transmission format of the
SCSI.
[0073] The pointing device interface 26 is an interface block for
receiving the information from the key board 2C, mouse 2D, and pen
tablet 2E which are connected to the work station 2. The pointing
device interface 26 receives the input information from the buttons
provided on the key board 2C to decode the received input
information, and outputs it to the CPU 21. Similarly, the pointing
device interface 26 receives the detection information of a
two-dimensional rotary encoder provided in the mouse 2D and the
click information of the left/right buttons provided on the mouse
2D (that is, the information selected and specified by pushing down
the buttons) to decode the received information, and outputs it to
the CPU 21. Similarly, the pointing device interface 26 receives
the two-dimensional positional data from the pen tablet 2E to
decode the received positional data, and outputs it to the CPU 21.
Based on these information output from the pointing device
interface 26, the CPU 21 can understand which command button is
instructed among the GUI displayed on the display 2B, and
understand various data input from the key board 2C, so as to
perform the corresponding control.
[0074] The external interface 27 is a block for communicating with
the device controller 3 connected to the work station 2 externally.
The external interface 27 has a driver for converting various
control command such as reproduction command produced by the CPU 21
and recording command into the data of a predetermined
communication protocol, which outputs the control command data S2
to the device controller 3 through the driver.
[0075] (3) The Principle of Edit in the Editing System
[0076] In this paragraph, the principle of edit in the editing
system 1 will be explained successively.
[0077] (3-1) Basic Construction of the Application Software for
Edit
[0078] In this paragraph, the basic construction of the application
software for edit prepared in the work station 2 will be firstly
explained. As shown in FIG. 3, in the editing system 1, the
application software for edit, which is divided into modules
according to their function, is prepared in the work station 2.
When roughly divided, the application software divided into modules
is composed of the edit module EM for editing a material such like
combining, the composite module CM for composing a material such
like superimposing, the special effect module SM for applying
special effects to a material, and the control module CNTM for
controlling the starting up of the edit module EM, the composite
module CM, and the special effect module SM which are divided into
modules according to their functions. When the application software
having such construction is up-loaded from the hard disk drive 24A
to the RAM 21b, firstly the control module CNTM is started up.
Then, each of the modules EM, CM, and SM is suitably started up
under the control of the control module CNTM in accordance with the
instruction from an operator.
[0079] A clip database CDB is composed of the video disk recorder 5
and the RAM 21B, and stores the video data of materials and various
data relating to the edit. Each of the modules EM, CM, and SM reads
out the material instructed by the operator from the clip database
CDB, edits the material in accordance with the instruction of the
operator using the hardware such as the switcher 7 or the digital
multi-effector 9 described above, and registers the obtained
material edited in the clip database CDB. Each of the modules EM,
CM, and SM also registers the data relating to edit such as various
parameters used for edit in the clip database CDB. In addition, the
clip database CDB mainly stores the video data of the material in
the video disk recorder 5, and stores various data relating to edit
in the RAM 21B.
[0080] (3-2) Definition of Clip
[0081] In the editing system 1, each material is handled with a
unit called clip. In this paragraph, the clip will be described. In
the editing system 1 according to this invention, one sequence of
the video moving image data is defined as clip video data. Data for
managing information that how the clip video data is produced is
defined as clip management data. Data consisting the clip video
data and the clip management data is defined as clip. Further, in
the editing system 1 according to this invention, a material
produced by only cutting out from the source video data is called
material clip (MC), and a material produced by editing the material
clip is called resultant clip (FC).
[0082] In the editing system 1 according to this invention, a
plurality of clips composed of the material clips and the resultant
clips are managed with the hierarchical structure based on the
relation between clips. Referring to an example of FIG. 4, the
state will be explained below.
[0083] In the example of FIG. 4, the resultant clip FC-008 is a
clip produced by composing three material clips, the material clip
MC-001, the material clip MC-002, and the material clip MC-003.
That is, the relations between the resultant clip FC-008 and the
material clip MC-001, the material clip MC-002, and the material
clip MC-003 are in the relation of up and low. In the relation of
up and low, since the material clip MC-001, the material clip
MC-002, and the material clip MC-003 are under the resultant clip
FC-008, they are called lower clips. On the contrary, the resultant
clip FC-008 is called upper clip because it is produced by
composing these lower clips.
[0084] Similarly, the resultant clip FC-009 is a clip produced by
applying the special effect to the material clip MC-004. Therefore,
the material clip MC-004 is the lower clip of the resultant clip
FC-009. On the contrary, the resultant clip FC-009 is the upper
clip of the material clip MC-004.
[0085] Further, the resultant clip FC-010 is a resultant clip
produced by editing (in this case, combining by wipe, etc.) the
resultant clip FC-008 and the resultant clip FC-009. Therefore, the
resultant clip FC-008 and the resultant clip FC-009 are
respectively the lower clips of the resultant clip FC-010. The
resultant clip FC-010 is the upper clip of the resultant clip
FC-008 and the resultant clip FC-009.
[0086] In this way, the relation of up and low exists between
respective clips. In the editing system 1, each clip is managed
with the hierarchical structure based on the relation of up and low
between clips in the clip database CDB. In connection, the material
clip which is not used for edit have no relation with the other
clips. However, the material clip is managed as a clip having no
object to link. The example described here is one example and other
combinations also exist as the relation of up and low between
clips.
[0087] (3-3) General Idea of the Composite Processing
[0088] Next, in this paragraph, the general idea of the composite
processing performed in the composite module CM will be explained.
The video image of the resultant clip FC-008 shown in FIG. 4 is
produced by composing (that is the composite processing) the video
images of the material clip MC-001, the material clip MC-002, and
the material clip MC-003. The general idea of the composite
processing is shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. FIG. 5 shows the state of
composing the video images of three material clips MC-001, MC-002,
and MC-003. FIG. 6 shows the video image of the resultant clip
FC-008 produced by composing.
[0089] In the editing system 1 according to this invention, in the
case of composing a plurality of clips, each clip is regarded as
one layer, and the layers are piled up so as to compose. In the
example of FIG. 5, the material clip MC-003 is specified as the
first layer L1, the material clip MC-002 is specified as the second
layer L2, and the material clip MC-001 is specified as the third
layer L3. In the case of composing the material clips assigned to
respective layers L1, L2, and L3, the layer L1 is the lowest layer,
and respective layers L2, L3 are successively piled up thereon.
More specifically, the video image of the material clip MC-002
(e.g., image showing a human) specified as the second layer L2 is
piled on the video image of the material clip MC-003 (e.g., image
showing background) specified as the first layer L1 to compose
them, and the video image of the material clip MC-001 (e.g., image
showing characters) specified as the third layer L3 is further
piled up on the composed video image so as to compose them. By this
composite processing, the resultant clip FC-008 of the video image
such that three materials are superimposed as shown in FIG. 6 can
be produced.
[0090] In addition, FIG. 5 shows the example of composing the
material clips MC-003, MC-002, and MC-001 respectively assigned to
three layer L1, L2, and L3. However, the editing system 1 of this
invention can save ten layers at maximum, and can compose ten
material clips respectively assigned from the first layer L1 to
tenth layer L10. In connection, in this case, the first layer L1 is
the lowest layer, and the tenth layer having the largest layer
number is the uppermost layer.
[0091] Next, referring to FIG. 7, the composite processing will be
further explained with more details. FIG. 7 shows the state that
the resultant clip FC-008 is produced by composing the material
clip MC-003 specified as the first layer L1, the material clip
MC-002 specified as the second layer L2, and the material clip
MC-001 specified as the third layer L3. As shown in FIG. 7, in the
resultant clip FC-008, the first editing point EP1 to the eighth
editing point EP8 are set as an edit start point of each material
clip (which is referred to as inpoint), an edit end point (which is
referred to as out-point), and points for changing parameters of
the composition and the image conversion.
[0092] The first editing point EP1 indicates the in-point IN3 of
the material clip MC-003, the second editing point EP2 indicates
the in-point IN2 of the material clip MC-002, the fourth editing
point EP4 indicates the in-point IN1 of the material clip MC-001.
Further, the sixth editing point EP6 indicates the out-point OUT2
of the material clip MC-002, the seventh editing point EP7
indicates the out-point OUT1 of the material clip MC-001, and the
eighth editing point EP8 indicates the out-point OUT3 of the
material clip MC-003. In addition, the third editing point EP3 and
the fifth editing point EP5 are the editing points set for changing
the composite parameter of each layer. The editing points EP3 and
EP5 will be described in details later.
[0093] As shown in FIG. 7, each clip has the original internal time
code starting from the head position of the video data of each
clip. For example, the material clip MC-003 specified as the first
layer L1 has the internal time line t3 starting from the head
position S3 of the video data, the material clip MC-002 specified
as the second layer L2 has the internal time line t2 starting from
the head position S2 of the video data, and the material clip
MC-001 specified as the third layer L3 has the internal time line
t1 starting from the head position S1 of the video data.
[0094] Similarly, the resultant clip FC-008 has the internal time
line t8 starting from the head position S8 of the video data. The
time codes of the first editing point EP1 to the eighth editing
point EP8 are respectively defined by the time codes on the time
lines t8 of the resultant clip FC-008.
[0095] The in-point IN3 and out-point OUT3 of the material clip
MC-003 are defined by the time line t3 of the material clip MC-003,
and their time codes are "00:00:31:02" and "00:05:18:02"
respectively. Accordingly, the time code of the in-point IN3
corresponds to the time code "00:00:00:00" of the first editing
point EP1 in the resultant clip FC-008, and the time code of the
out-point OUT3 corresponds to the time code "00:04:47:00" of the
eighth editing point EP8 in the resultant clip FC-008.
[0096] Similarly, The in-point IN2 and out-point OUT2 of the
material clip MC-002 are defined by the time line t2 of the
material clip MC-002, and their time codes are "00:00:51:00" and
"00:03:04:20" respectively. Accordingly, the time code of the
in-point IN2 corresponds to the time code "00:00:42:20" of the
second editing point EP2 in the resultant clip FC-008, and the time
code of the out-point OUT2 corresponds to the time code
"00:02:59:20" of the sixth editing point EP6 in the resultant clip
FC-008.
[0097] Similarly, The in-point IN1 and out-point OUT1 of the
material clip MC-001 are defined by the time line t1 of the
material clip MC-001, and their time codes are "00:01:40:03" and
"00:02:45:48" respectively. Accordingly, the time code of the
in-point IN1 corresponds to the time code "00:01:56:00" of the
fourth editing point EP4 in the resultant clip FC-008, and the time
code of the out-point OUT1 corresponds to the time code
"00:03:19:45" of the seventh editing point EP7 in the resultant
clip FC-008.
[0098] Therefore, when the resultant clip FC-008 is reproduced, the
video image of the material clip MC-003 is output during the period
from the first editing point EP1 to the second editing point EP2.
The video image of which the material clip MC-002 is composed on
the material clip MC-003 is output during the period from the
second editing point EP2 to the fourth editing point EP4. The video
image of which the material clip MC-002 and the material clip
MC-001 are composed on the material clip MC-003 is output during
the period from the fourth editing point EP4 to the sixth editing
point EP6. The video image of which the material clip MC-001 is
composed on the material clip MC-003 is output during the period
from the sixth editing point EP6 to the seventh editing point EP7.
Then, the video image of the material clip MC-003 is output during
the period from the seventh editing point EP7 to the eighth editing
point EP8.
[0099] In addition, the example described here is one example and
other combinations also exist as a combination of clips to be
composed.
[0100] (3-4) General Idea of the Special Effect Processing
[0101] Next, in this paragraph, the general idea of the special
effect processing which is performed in the special effect module
SM will be explained. The resultant clip FC-009 shown in FIG. 4 is
a clip produced by applying the special effect to the material clip
MC-004. In order to make it easy to understand, four special
effects, the mosaic effect, the crop effect, the three-dimensional
transform, and the trail effect are applied to the material clip
MC-004, and the general idea of the special effect processing is
explained referring to FIG. 8.
[0102] As show in FIG. 8, in this example, to the material clip
MC-004, the mosaic effect is specified as the first special effect
E1, the crop effect is specified as the second special effect E2,
the three-dimensional transform is specified as the third special
effect E3, and the trail effect is specified as the fourth special
effect.
[0103] In this case, the mosaic effect is the effect that the video
image is divided into tile pieces to show it like a mosaic picture.
In the editing system 1 according to this invention, parameters
relating to the mosaic effect can be set to arbitrary values, so
that the size of a tile piece and the aspect ratio can be set to
arbitrary values.
[0104] The crop effect is the effect that a part of the video image
is cut out by reducing the picture frame, which is called the
cut-out effect because a part of the video image is cut out. In the
editing system 1 according to this invention, parameters relating
to the crop effect can be set to arbitrary values, so that the
position of the right and left side of the picture frame, the
position of the top and bottom side of the picture frame, and the
gradation of the edges can be set to arbitrary values.
[0105] The three-dimensional transform is the effect that an image
is virtually transformed on the three-dimensional space. For
example, it is the image transform for rotating the image using the
X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis as a shaft, and for transferring the
image into the X-axis, Y-axis, or Z-axis direction, when the
horizontal direction of the image is defined as X-axis, the
vertical direction is defined as Y-axis, and the depth direction is
defined as Z-axis. In the editing system 1 according to this
invention, parameters relating to the three-dimensional transform
can be set to arbitrary values, so that the image can be
transformed arbitrarily.
[0106] The trail effect is the effect that when the image is
transferred spatially, the image is frozen as a still image for a
predetermined period, and the frozen image is left as an
afterimage. Generally, it is called recursive effect. In the
editing system 1 according to this invention, parameters relating
to the trail effect can be set to arbitrary values, so that the
period for freezing the image and the period for leaving the image
as an afterimage can be set arbitrarily.
[0107] Also in the special effect processing, as shown in FIG. 8,
in the resultant clip FC-009, the first editing point EP1 to the
seventh editing point EP7 are set as an edit start point
(in-point), an edit end point (out-point), and the parameter
changing point of the image transform.
[0108] The first editing point EP1 indicates the in-point IN4 of
the material clip MC-004, the start point of the mosaic effect, and
the start point of the crop effect. The second editing point EP2
indicates the start point of the three-dimensional transform. The
fourth editing point EP4 indicates the start point of the trail
effect. The seventh editing point EP7 indicates the out-point OUT4
of the material clip MC-004, the end point of the mosaic effect,
the end point of the crop effect, the end point of the
three-dimensional transform, and the end point of the trail effect.
In addition, the third editing point EP3, the fifth editing point
EP5, and the sixth editing point EP6 are editing points set to
change parameters of the three-dimensional transform. These editing
points EP3, EP5 and EP6 will be described later.
[0109] In the case of special effect, similar to the composite
processing, the material clip MC-004 and the resultant clip FC-009
respectively have the internal time lines t4, t9 expressed by the
original internal time codes starting from the head position of the
video data of respective clips. The time codes of the first editing
point EP1 to the seventh editing point EP7 described above are
defined by the time codes on the time line t9 of the resultant clip
FC-009.
[0110] The in-point IN4 and the out-point OUT4 of the material clip
MC-004 are respectively defined by the time line t4 of the material
clip MC-004. Their time codes are "00:10:12:00" and "00:12:18:00"
respectively. Accordingly, the time code of the in-point IN4
corresponds to the time code "00:00:00:00" of the first editing
point EP1 in the resultant clip FC-009, and the time code of the
out-point OUT4 corresponds to the time code "00:02:06:00" of the
seventh editing point EP7 in the resultant clip FC-009.
[0111] Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the start point of the mosaic
effect specified as the first special effect E1 is the first
editing point EP1 that the time code in the resultant clip FC-009
is "00:00:00:00". The end point of the mosaic effect is the seventh
editing point EP7 that the time code in the resultant clip FC-009
is "00:02:06:00".
[0112] Similarly, as shown in FIG. 8, the start point of the crop
effect specified as the second special effect E2 is the first
editing point EP1 that the time code in the resultant clip FC-009
is "00:00:00:00". The end point of the crop effect is the seventh
editing point EP7 that the time code in the resultant clip FC-009
is "00:02:06:00".
[0113] Also, the start point of the three-dimensional transform
specified as the third special effect E3 is the second editing
point EP2 that the time code in the resultant clip FC-009 is
"00:00:12:03". The end point of the three-dimensional transform is
the seventh editing point EP7 that the time code in the resultant
clip FC-009 is "00:02:06:00".
[0114] Also, the start point of the trail effect specified as the
fourth special effect E4 is the fourth editing point EP4 that the
time code in the resultant clip FC-009 is "00:01:02:50". The end
point of the trail effect is the seventh editing point EP7 that the
time code in the resultant clip FC-009 is "00:02:06:00".
[0115] Therefore, when the resultant clip FC-009 is reproduced, the
video image of which the mosaic effect and the crop effect are
applied to the video image of the material clip MC-004 is output
during the period from the first editing point EP1 to the second
editing point EP2. The video image of which the mosaic effect, the
crop effect, and the three-dimensional transform are applied to the
video image of the material clip MC-004 is output during the period
from the second editing point EP2 to the fourth editing point EP4.
The video image of which the mosaic effect, the crop effect, the
three-dimensional transform, and the trail effect are applied to
the video image of the material clip MC-004 is output during the
period from the fourth editing point EP4 to the seventh editing
point EP7.
[0116] (3-5) General Idea of the Edit Processing
[0117] In this paragraph, the general idea of the edit processing
performed in the edit module EM will be explained. The resultant
clip FC-010 shown in FIG. 4 is a clip produced by editing the
resultant clip FC-008 and the resultant clip FC-009. In order to
make it easy to understand, supposing that the edit processing is
performed with the wipe effect, the general idea of the edit
processing is explained referring to FIG. 9.
[0118] As shown in FIG. 9, in this example, the resultant clip
FC-008 is specified as the first layer L1 and the resultant clip
FC-009 is specified as the second layer L2. The wipe effect is
specified as a processing of changing from the resultant clip
FC-008 specified as the first layer L1 to the resultant clip FC-009
specified as the second layer L2. Note that in the edit processing,
since the video data is not superimposed like a composite
processing, but the video data are combined, the temporally earlier
video data is specified as the first layer L1 and the temporally
later video data is specified as the second layer L2.
[0119] Further, the wipe effect specified as the change processing
is a transition effect for wiping an old picture displayed at
present with a new picture to change the picture displayed on a
screen. In connection, the wipe effect specified in the example
shown in FIG. 9 is the wipe effect that the picture is changed from
the left side of the picture to the right side when the image of
the resultant clip FC-008 is changed into the image of the
resultant clip FC-009.
[0120] Also, in this edit processing, as shown in FIG. 9, in the
resultant clip FC-010, the first editing point EP1 to the fifth
editing point EP5 are set as an edit start point (in-point) of each
clip, an edit end point (out-point), and the parameter changing
point of the edit.
[0121] The first editing point EP1 indicates the in-point IN8 of
the resultant clip FC-008. The second editing point EP2 indicates
the start point of the wipe effect and the in-point IN9 of the
resultant clip FC-009. The fourth editing point EP4 indicates the
end point of the wipe effect and the out-point OUT8 of the
resultant clip FC-008. The fifth editing point EP5 indicates the
out-point OUT9 of the resultant clip FC-009. Here, the third
editing point EP3 is an editing point set for changing the effect
parameters of the wipe effect. The editing point EP3 will be
described in details later.
[0122] Similarly to the composite processing and the special effect
processing described above, the resultant clips FC-008, FC-009, and
FC-010 have the internal time lines t8, t9, and t10 expressed by
the original internal time codes starting from the head position of
the video data of respective clips. The first editing point EP1 to
the fifth editing point EP5 described above are defined by the time
codes on the time line t10 of the resultant clip FC-010.
[0123] The in-point IN8 and the out-point OUT8 of the resultant
clip FC-008 are respectively defined by the time line t8 of the
resultant clip FC-008, and the time codes are "00:01:01:20" and
"00:04:43:00" respectively. Accordingly, the time code of the
in-point IN8 corresponds to the time code "00:00:00:00" of the
first editing point EP1 in the resultant clip FC-010, and the time
code of the out-point OUT8 corresponds to the time code
"00:03:42:00" of the fourth editing point EP4 in the resultant clip
FC-010.
[0124] Similarly, the in-point IN9 and the out-point OUT9 of the
resultant clip FC-009 are respectively defined by the time line t9
of the resultant clip FC-009, and their time codes are
"00:00:00:50" and "00:02:06:00" respectively. Accordingly, the time
code of the in-point IN9 corresponds to the time code "00:03:39:00"
of the second editing point EP2 in the resultant clip FC-010, and
the time code of the out-point OUT9 corresponds to the time code
"00:05:44:10" of the fifth editing point EP5 in the resultant clip
FC-010.
[0125] Further, the start point of the wipe effect set to change
the image of the resultant clip FC-008 and the image of the
resultant clip FC-009 is set to the second editing point EP2 in the
resultant clip FC-010, and set to "00:03:39:00" as a time code.
Also, the end point of the wipe effect is set to the fourth editing
point EP4 in the resultant clip FC-010, and set to "00:03:42:00" as
a time code.
[0126] Therefore, when the resultant clip FC-010 is reproduced, the
video image of the resultant clip FC-008 is output during the
period from the first editing point EP1 to the second editing point
EP2. The image such that the video image of the resultant clip
FC-008 is successively changed to the video image of the resultant
clip FC-009 is output by the wipe effect, from the left side of the
screen toward the right side, during the period from the second
editing point EP2 to the fourth editing point EP4. The image of the
resultant clip FC-009 is output during the fourth editing point EP4
to the fifth editing point EP5.
[0127] (4) Graphic Display Displayed as GUI
[0128] Next, in this paragraph, the screen of the GUI displayed on
the display 2B of the work station 2 when each module is started up
will be explained.
[0129] (4-1) GUI When the Composite Module is Started Up
[0130] First, in this paragraph, the GUI when the composite module
CM is started up is explained. In the editing system 1; the graphic
display shown in FIG. 10 is displayed as a GUI of the composite
module CM on the display 2B of the work station 2, when the
composite module CM is started up.
[0131] As shown in FIG. 10, when roughly divided, the GUI of the
composite module CM is composed of a menu window 30, a clip tree
window 31, a key window 32, a library window 33, a time line window
34, a parameter setting window 35, a preview screen display window
36, a device control window 37, an edit content display window 38,
and a control command window 39.
[0132] The menu window 30 is an area for displaying the top menu
prepared in the editing system 1. In addition, the menu window 30
is displayed after the control module CNTM is started up.
[0133] In the editing system 1 according to this invention, for
example, a file read menu, an initial setting menu, and a module
start-up menu, etc. are prepared as the top menu. When the file
read menu is specified by pushing down the button of the mouse 2D
(hereinafter, the specification action using the mouse is referred
to as click), the list of the resultant clips which have been
already registered is displayed. A desired resultant clip is
selected by click operation among from the list to read the edit
content of the selected resultant clip onto the time line window 34
described later. Thus, if the resultant clip already registered is
modified, the file read menu is used to read the resultant clip,
and the resultant clip can be modified.
[0134] Further, when the initial setting menu is selected by click
operation, various setting items are read out. A desired item is
selected among from the various items to display a setting screen
for the selected item is displayed. Thus, if a desired item is
initially set, the setting screen of the item is read out from the
initial setting menu, and the desired value for the item can be
set.
[0135] Further, when the module start-up menu is selected by click
operation, the commands for starting up the composite module CM,
the special effect module SM, and the edit module EM are displayed.
A desired command is selected among from them to start up the
selected module and the GUI corresponding to the module is
displayed on the screen. In fact, the GUI of the composite module
CM shown in FIG. 10 is a screen obtained by starting up the
composite module CM from the module start-up menu.
[0136] The clip tree window 31 is an area for displaying the
graphic display to visually obtain the hierarchical relation of
clips registered in the clip database. When the hierarchical
relation of clips is that shown in FIG. 4, the clip tree shown in
FIG. 10 is displayed in accordance with the hierarchical relation.
More specifically, in this case, since the uppermost clip is the
resultant clip FC-010, the clip name of the resultant clip FC-010
"FC-010" is displayed on the uppermost position of the clip tree
window 31. As a result, lower clips being linked to the resultant
clip FC-010 at a lower position are the resultant clip FC-008 and
the resultant clip FC-009. The clip name of these lower clips
"FC-008" and "FC-009" are displayed below the resultant clip FC-010
being an upper clip and displayed in parallel at the position
shifting toward the right side by one stage. At this time, a line
connecting the resultant clip FC-010 and the resultant clip FC-008
and a line connecting the resultant clip FC-010 and the resultant
clip FC-009 are displayed, so as to show that the resultant clips
FC-010, FC-008 and FC-009 have the hierarchical relation.
[0137] Further, lower clips being linked to the resultant clip
FC-008 at a lower position are the material clip MC-001, the
material clip MC-002, and the material clip MC-003. The clip names
of the lower clips "MC-001", "MC-002", and "MC-003" are displayed
below the resultant clip FC-008 being an upper clip and displayed
in parallel at the position shifting toward the right side by more
one stage. As this time, a line connecting the resultant clip
FC-008 and the material clip MC-001, a line connecting the
resultant clip FC-008 and the material clip MC-002, and a line
connecting the resultant clip FC-008 and the material clip MC-003
are displayed, so as to show that the clips FC-008, MC-001, MC-002,
and MC-003 have the hierarchical relation.
[0138] In the similar way, lower clips being linked to the
resultant clip FC-009 at a lower position is the material clip
MC-004. The clip name of the lower clip "MC-004" is displayed below
the resultant clip FC-009 being an upper clip, and displayed at the
position shifting toward the right side by one stage. As this time,
a line connecting the resultant clip FC-009 and the material clip
MC-004 is displayed, so as to show that the clips FC-009 and MC-004
have the hierarchical relation.
[0139] In this way, in the clip tree window 31, the clip names of
clips are displayed like a tree, so as to immediately understand
the relation between clips registered in a database visually.
[0140] In addition, the clip whose clip name is surrounded by a
frame with a bold line is a clip being displayed at present to be
edited. Moreover, a scroll button 31A of the left and right
direction is displayed at the bottom position of the clip tree
window 31. The scroll button 31A is operated by using the mouse 2D,
so that the displayed clip tree can be scrolled in the right and
left direction.
[0141] Similarly, a scroll button 31B of the up and down direction
is displayed at the right side position of the clip tree window 31.
The scroll button 31B is operated, so that the displayed clip tree
can be scrolled in the up and down direction.
[0142] The key window 32 is an area for displaying key selection
buttons to designate a key processing for the clip to be edited. A
desired button is selected among from them to designate the desired
key processing for the clip to be edited. At this time, as shown in
FIG. 10, the key selection buttons such as a luminance key button,
a liner key button, a clean key button, a pattern key button, and
an external key button are prepared.
[0143] In this connection, the key processing is a processing of
hollowing out the area based on the key signal from the video image
and putting another image into there. Further, the luminance key is
a key processing for performing a hollowing-out processing based on
the luminance signal contained in the key signal. The liner key is
a kind of the luminance key, which is a key processing that the
changeable width of the gain becomes narrower than that of the
luminance key. The clean key is a processing for putting the image
to be put into without the hollowing-out in the key processing.
Further, the pattern key is a key processing for cutting out based
on the wipe pattern. The external key is a key processing for
performing based on the key signal supplied from the external
device.
[0144] Also in the key window 32, a scroll button 32A of the left
and right direction is displayed at the bottom position of the key
window 32. The scroll button 32A is operated so that the displayed
key selection buttons can be scrolled in the right and left
direction. Similarly, a scroll button 32B of the up and down
direction is displayed at the right side position of the key window
32. The scroll button 32B is operated so that the displayed key
selection buttons can be scrolled in the up and down direction.
[0145] The library window 33 is an area for displaying the list of
the material clips or the resultant clips registered in the clip
database. A desired clip is selected among from the clips displayed
on the library window 33 to designate the selected clip as the clip
to be edited. The library window 33 will be described in details
later.
[0146] The time line window 34 is an area for placing the clips to
be edited on the time axis to designate the content of edit. On the
time line window 34 displayed at the composite module CM, the
contents relating to the composite processing are displayed. The
time line window 34 is divided into areas. When roughly divided
successively from the top, a time code display area (Time Code), an
editing point display area (Edit Point), a preview extent display
area (Preview), and a clip specifying area (L1 to L10).
[0147] The time code display area is an area for displaying the
time code at the editing point. The time code is a time code on the
time line of the resultant clip produced based on the edit contents
designated on the time line window 34.
[0148] The editing point display area is an area for indicating a
point set as an editing point by a triangle mark. For example, when
the composite processing shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 7 is specified,
the editing points EP1 to EP8 are indicated by using a triangle
mark.
[0149] The preview extent display area is an area for indicating
the extent of the video data displayed on the preview screen
display window 36 when a preview button or a view button which is
described later is operated. In this example, the section between
the editing point EP1 and the editing point EP8 are set as the
display extent, and a bar showing the section is displayed.
[0150] The clip specifying area is an area for specifying to each
layer the clip to be edit to which the composite processing is
applied. In the editing system 1, ten layers of the layer L1 to the
layer L10 are prepared, and the clip being the material of the
composite processing can be specified to each layer. In addition,
since the display extent of the clip specifying area is limited (as
shown in the figure, it is for about five layers), the layers L1 to
L10 can not be displayed all together. However, the scroll button
34A displayed at the right side of the clip specifying area is
operated so that the clip specifying area can be scrolled in the up
and down direction. Therefore, a desired layer can be
displayed.
[0151] Among ten layers L1 to L10, the layer L1 is a layer for
specifying the clip being the base (lowermost) image at the time of
composite processing. The layers L2 to L10 are layers for
specifying the clips which are piled up on the base image. In
addition, as the number of layer becomes larger, the hierarchy of
layer becomes higher. Here, the layer L10 is the highest layer.
[0152] Each of the layers L1 to L10 is divided into a video area
(Video) for specifying the clip to be composed and a key area (Key)
for specifying the key processing performed on the specified clip.
In this case, the rectangular graphic image (hereinafter, referred
to as cell) indicating the clip is placed on the video area, so as
to set the clip to the layer. Similarly, the cell indicating the
key processing is placed on the key area, so as to set the key
processing to the clip which is specified to the layer.
[0153] Here, as shown in FIG. 10, to set the material clip MC-003
to the layer L1, the material clip MC-003 is clicked on the clip
tree window 31 or the material clip MC-003 is clicked on the
library window 33, so as to select the material clip MC-003. Such
processing is performed to display the cell of the material clip
MC-003. The cell is transferred to the video area of the layer L1
and placed at a desired position, so that the material clip MC-003
is set to the layer L1.
[0154] Similarly, to set the external key to the layer L1, the
external key button is clicked on the key window 32, so as to
select the external key. Such processing is performed to display
the cell indicating the external key. The cell is placed at the key
area of the layer L1, so that the external key is set to the layer
L1. In connection, the operation of setting the clip or key
processing to the layers L2 to L10 is same as the operation of
setting to the layer L1 described above.
[0155] In addition, the length of the cell indicating the clip
corresponds to the duration (time period from the start to the end
of clip) of the clip. The cell indicating the key processing makes
a pair with the clip placed at the video area, and has the same
length as the clip placed at the video area. The characters showing
the clip name or key processing name is displayed on each cell, so
as to understand at a glance which clip or key processing is
set.
[0156] Also, when the resultant clip placed and displayed at the
clip specifying area is selected by double-clicking, the module
which has produced the resultant clip (that is, the composite
module CM, the special effect module SM, or the edit module EM) is
started up, and the content of edit performed on the resultant clip
is displayed on the time line window of the GUI of the
corresponding module.
[0157] The parameter setting window 35 is an area for setting
various parameters relating to edit. On the parameter setting
window 35 displayed at the time of starting-up the composite module
CM, the content relating to the composite processing is displayed
as a matter of course, and as shown in FIG. 10, the graphic display
for setting the gain of the composite processing is displayed.
[0158] In this case, the gain of the composite processing is the
composite ratio when the video data is piled up. More specifically,
when the gain is 100%, the upper video data is piled up on the
lower video data so that the lower video data is completely not
viewed. For example, when the gain is 50%, the upper video data is
piled up on the lower video data so that an approximately half of
the lower video data is viewed transparently. When the gain is 0%,
the upper video data is piled up so that it is not viewed and the
lower video data is completely viewed transparently.
[0159] In addition, the horizontal axis (i.e., time axis) of the
parameter setting window 35 corresponds to that of the time line
window 34 described above, and the change point of the parameters
can be determined with referring to the contents of the composite
processing specified on the time line window 34. In connection,
regarding to the horizontal direction, that is the left and right
direction, the scroll button 35A placed at the bottom side of the
parameter setting window 35 is operated so as to scroll the graphic
image of the parameter setting window 35 in the direction of left
and right. As this time, since the horizontal axis of the time line
window 34 corresponds to that of the parameter setting window 35,
the graphic image of the time line window 34 and the graphic image
of the parameter setting window 35 are linked and scrolled in the
direction of left and right at the same time. In addition,
regarding to the up and down direction, the scroll button 35B
placed at the right side of the parameter setting window 35 is
operated so as to scroll the graphic image of the parameter setting
window 35 in the direction of up and down.
[0160] Here, to set the gain of the clip specified to each layer, a
desired layer number is first clicked among from the layer numbers
displayed at the left corner of the parameter setting window 35 to
specify the layer of which parameter is set next. Then, a point of
which parameter is changed is decided and the gain value to be set
is decided, with viewing the content of the composite processing
specified on the time line window 34. The position corresponding to
the decided point and value is clicked at the parameter setting
window 35 consisting the vertical axis being the gain value and the
horizontal axis being time. Thereby, the gain value and the gain
changing point corresponding to the clicked position are registered
automatically.
[0161] For example, as shown in FIG. 10, to set the gain of the
material clip MC-003 specified to the layer L1 to 100%, if the
positions where the gain is 100% are clicked at the positions of
the in-point and the out-point of the material clip MC-003, the
gain of the material clip MC-003 from the in-point to the out-point
are all set to 100%. In the editing system 1, since the set values
are interpolated between the parameter setting points so as to be
successive values and the interpolated values are automatically
set. If the same values are set at two parameter setting points in
the above way, all values between two points are set to the same
values.
[0162] Further, regarding the material clip MC-002 set to the layer
L2, to set the case where the gain to 59% at the in-point (the
editing point EP2), the gain to 100% at the position a little
before the point where the material clip MC-003 is piled up (the
editing point EP3), and the gain to 0% at the out-point (the
editing point EP6), the corresponding points may be clicked
respectively on the parameter setting window 35. Thus, the set gain
values are automatically registered in the clip database. In
addition, during the period between the editing point EP2 to the
editing point EP3 and the period between the editing point EP3 to
the editing point EP6, the gain values are interpolated so as to be
linear and successive values based on the values set at respective
editing points, and the interpolated values are automatically
set.
[0163] Similarly, regarding the material clip MC-003 set to the
layer L3, to set the case where the gain to 100% at the in-point
(the editing point EP4), the gain to 67% at the approximately
center position of the material (the editing point EP5), and the
gain to 51% at the out-point (the editing point EP7), the
corresponding points may be clicked respectively on the parameter
setting window 35. Thus, the set gain values are automatically
registered in the clip database. In addition, also in this case,
during the period between the editing point EP4 to the editing
point EP5 and the period between the editing point EP5 to the
editing point EP7, the gain values are interpolated so as to be
linear and successive values based on the values set at respective
editing points, and the interpolated values are automatically
set.
[0164] In this way, if the gain values are set as described above,
the gain values are successively changed at respective timings.
Therefore, the picture of such image can be obtained that after the
video data of the material clip MC-002 is gradually viewed on the
video data of the material clip MC-003, the video data of the
material clip MC-001 is further viewed on these video data,
thereafter, the video data of the material clip MC-002 and the
material clip MC-001 gradually become faint.
[0165] In addition, in the parameter setting window 35, as shown in
FIG. 10, the values of the set parameters are displayed
correspondingly to the editing points as a graph having the
horizontal axis being time and the vertical axis being gain values.
Thereby, an operator looks the display and can visually understand
at a glance the parameter, the layer, and the timing which have
been set.
[0166] The preview window 36 is an area for displaying the video
data of the material clip or the resultant clip, when the preview
button, the view button, the all preview button, or the all view
button described later is operated. The provision of this display
area makes it possible to confirm the video image of the material
clip or the resultant clip produced as a result of edit, while edit
works is being performed.
[0167] The device control window 37 is an area for displaying the
command buttons for controlling the operation of the video disk
recorder 5 in which the video data of clips are stored. As shown in
FIG. 10, a reproduction button 37A, a stop button 37B, and six skip
buttons 37C to 37H are provided as command buttons. In this case,
the reproduction button 37A is a command button for sending the
reproduction command to the video disk recorder 5. The stop button
is a command button for sending the reproduction stop command to
the video disk recorder 5. The skip buttons 37C, 37D are command
buttons for sending to the video disk recorder 5 the skip command
for skipping the reproduction position to one frame forward or one
frame backward. The skip buttons 37E, 37F are command buttons for
sending to the video disk recorder 5 the skip command for skipping
the reproduction position to one editing point forward or one
editing point backward. The skip buttons 37G, 37H are command
buttons for sending to the video disk recorder 5 the skip command
for skipping the reproduction position to the head position or the
end position of the video data. The provision of these command
buttons makes it possible to easily control the operation of the
video disk recorder 5 while edit works is being performed.
[0168] The edit content display window 38 is-called co-time line,
and an area for displaying the content of edit specified on the
time line window 34. In the time line window 34, since all contents
of edit can not be displayed all together because of the
restriction of the screen, the graphic image that the content of
edit is reduced is displayed on the edit content display window 38,
so as to easily understand which content of edit is specified as a
whole. For example, in the case where the content of edit such like
that three material clips MC-003, MC-002 and MC-001 described above
are composed is specified on the time line window 34, the graphic
image such that three bar graphic images showing the clips
specified to respective layers are superimposed is displayed on the
edit content display window 38. Therefore, an operator looks the
display, and can entirely understand the contents of the edit
specified, which is the composite processing of three clips.
[0169] In addition, in the edit content display window 38, also in
the case where the resultant clip, which is displayed on the
library window 33 and the clip tree window 31 and which has been
already registered in the clip database, is selected, the graphic
image showing the edit content of the resultant clip is displayed.
Therefore, also in the case where the resultant clip displayed on
the library window 33 and the clip tree window 31 is selected
during the edition on the time line window 34, the contents of edit
specified to the selected resultant clip can be easily
obtained.
[0170] Finally, the control command window 39 is an area for
displaying the list of the control commands used in the editing
system 1. As shown in FIG. 10, for example, the control commands to
be displayed have an editor button (Editor), a composite button
(Composite), a special effect button (S-Effect), a preview button
(Preview), a view button (View), an all preview button (All
Preview), and an all view button (All View), etc.
[0171] The editor button, the composite button, and the special
effect button are buttons for starting up the respective modules
for edit. More specifically, the editor button is a button for
starting up the edit module EM. The editor button is clicked to
start up the edit module EM even if the composite module CM has
been driven for instance. Further, the composite button is a button
for starting up the composite module CM. The composite button is
clicked to start up the composite module CM even if the special
effect module SM has been driven for instance. Further, the special
effect button is a button for starting up the special effect module
SM. The special effect button is clicked to start up the special
effect module SM even if the edit module EM has been driven for
instance.
[0172] On the other hand, the preview button, the view button, the
all preview button, and the all view button are buttons for
confirming the content of the material clip or the resultant clip.
More specifically, the preview button is a button used for
displaying the video data of the selected clip on the preview
picture display window 36. When the preview button is operated,
since the edit content specified is not executed, the displayed
video data may be different from the final result (the video data
of the final result is displayed when the edit content has been
already executed and the video data corresponding to the edit
content has been produced.). However, when the preview button is
operated, the display is immediately started, and it is used in the
case of checking the length of clip in the edit process.
[0173] The view button is a button used for displaying the video
data of the selected clip on the preview picture display window 36.
The view button is different from the preview button, and the
specified edit content is executed. Thus, when the view button is
operated, although it takes time to display, the video data after
edit can be confirmed.
[0174] The all preview button is a button used for displaying the
video data from the first clip to be edited to the last clip to be
edited on the preview picture display window 36 without selection
of clip. Also in the all preview button, the specified edit content
is not executed same as that of the preview button.
[0175] The all view button is a button used for executing the edit
content specified to all clips to be edited and for displaying the
video data on the preview picture display window 36. The all view
button is operated so that the specified edit content is executed
and the video data of the last result can be confirmed. When the
edit content is executed, the produced clip vide data is
automatically stored in the video disk recorder 5 and registered in
the clip database CDB.
[0176] (4-2) GUI When the Special Effect Module is Started Up
[0177] Next, in this paragraph, the GUI when the special effect
module SM is started up will be explained. In the editing system 1,
when the special effect module SM is started up, the graphic
display shown in FIG. 11 is displayed as a GUI of the special
effect module SM on the display 2B of the work station 2.
[0178] As shown in FIG. 11, when roughly divided, the GUI of the
special effect module SM is composed of a menu window 30, a clip
tree window 31, an effect selection window 40, a library window 33,
a time line window 41, a parameter setting window 42, a preview
screen display window 36, a device control window 37, an edit
content display window 38, and a control command window 39.
[0179] Note that among the windows displayed on the GUI of the
special effect module, the menu window 30, the clip tree window 31,
the library window 33, the preview screen display window 36, the
device control window 37, the edit content display window 38 and
the control command window 39 are same as that of the composite
module CM described above, so that the explanation will be omitted
here.
[0180] First, the effect selection window 40 is an area for
selecting the special effect performed on the video data of clip,
and the command buttons of various special effects are displayed
thereon. The command buttons to be displayed are a
three-dimensional button for specifying the three-dimensional
transform, a trail button for specifying the trail processing which
adds an afterimage, a brick button for specifying the brick
processing which puts the video image on the plane of a cube and
rotates it, a shadow button for specifying the shadow processing
which adds a shadow to the video data, a mix button for specifying
the mix processing which mixes the video data, a light button for
specifying the light processing which lights up an object from one
direction to add the shadow, a crop button for specifying the crop
processing which cuts out a predetermined area from the video data,
and so on.
[0181] In the effect selection window 40, to select a desired
special effect, the editing point on which the special effect is
performed is designated on the time line window 41, and then the
command button corresponding to the desired special effect is
clicked so as to automatically specify the special effect.
[0182] The time line window 41 is an area for placing the clip to
be edited on the time axis to designate the content of edits On the
time line window 41 displayed in the special effect module SM, the
contents relating to the special effect processing are displayed.
The time line window 41 is divided into areas. When roughly divided
successively from the top, the areas are a time code display area
(Time Code), an editing point display area (Edit Point), a preview
extent display area (Preview), and a clip and special effect
specifying area (L1 to L10).
[0183] The time code display area is an area for displaying the
time code at the editing point. The time code is a time code on the
time line of the resultant clip produced based on the edit content
designated on the time line window 41.
[0184] The editing point display area is an area for indicating a
point set as an editing point by a triangle mark. For example, when
the special effect processing shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 8 is
specified, the editing points EP1 to EP7 are indicated by using
triangle marks.
[0185] The preview extent display area is an area for indicating
the extent of the video data displayed on the preview screen
display window 36 when a preview button and a view button which are
described above are operated. In this example, the section between
the editing point EP1 and the editing point EP7 (that is, the whole
resultant clip FC-009) are set as the display extent, and a bar
showing the section is displayed.
[0186] The clip and special effect specifying area is an area for
specifying for each layer the special effect applied to the clip.
In the editing system 1, ten layers of the layer L1 to the layer
L10 are prepared, so that the clips to be special-effect processed
can be specified to respective layers. Note that the display extent
of the clip and special effect specifying area is limited (as shown
in the figure, it is for about two layers), and the layers L1 to
L10 can not be displayed all together. However, the scroll button
41A displayed at the right side of the clip and special effect
specifying area is operated so that the clip and special effect
specifying area can be scrolled in the up and down direction.
Therefore, a desired layer can be displayed.
[0187] Each of the layers L1 to L10 is divided into areas which
consists four special effect areas (E1 to E4), a video area (Video)
for specifying the clip to which the special effect is applied and
a key area (Key) for specifying the key processing performed on the
specified clip. The special effect specifying area is an area for
designating the special effect applied to the clip registered in
the video area. Four special effect specifying areas are provided
for one layer, so that four special effects can be applied to one
clip at the same time. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, if the
mosaic processing is specified as the special effect E1, the crop
processing is specified as the special effect E2, the
three-dimensional transform is specified as the special effect E3,
and the trail processing is specified as the special effect E4,
four special effects can be applied to the clip MC-004 specified in
the video area.
[0188] To set the special effect in the special effect specifying
area, the editing points are previously designated to specify the
extent to which the special effect is applied, and a desired
command button is clicked on the effect selection window 40. Then,
the cell indicating the selected special effect is displayed. The
cell is placed on the special effect specifying area, so as to set
the special effect automatically.
[0189] To set the clip in the video area, the clip displayed on the
library window 33 is clicked first or the clip displayed on the
clip tree window 31 is clicked, so as to select the clip to be
edited. Such processing is performed to display the cell of the
selected clip. The cell is placed at a desired position of the
video area, so that the clip is set to the video area.
[0190] Further, to set the key processing in the key area, when the
portion of "Key" of the key area is clicked, the effect selection
window 40 is changed into the key window 32 described above. A
desired key button is clicked to select the key processing. Such
processing is performed to display the cell indicating the selected
key processing. The cell is placed at the key area, so that the key
processing is automatically set.
[0191] In addition, when the resultant clip already placed and
displayed at the video area is selected by double-clicking, the
module of which the resultant clip is produced (that is, the
composite module CM, the special effect module SM, or the edit
module EM) is started up, and the content of edit applied to the
resultant clip is displayed on the time line window of the GUI of
the corresponding module.
[0192] The parameter setting window 42 is an area for setting
parameters of special effect processing specified by an operator.
In the parameter setting window 42, if the command button of the
effect selection window 40 is clicked, a parameter setting screen
relating to the clicked special effect is displayed. For example,
if the 3D button is clicked on the effect selection window 40 to
specify the three-dimensional transform, the parameter setting
screen relating to the three-dimensional transform shown in FIG. 11
is displayed on the parameter setting window 42.
[0193] As shown in FIG. 11, the parameters in the three-dimensional
transform are the position in the three-dimensional space (X, Y,
Z), the rotating direction in the three-dimensional space (X, Y,
Z), the aspect ratio (Asp) indicating the ratio of length and
breadth of image, the skew (Skew) which is parameter of the
distortion, and the perspective value (Pers) representing the value
of far and near. These values of parameters can be set to arbitrary
values between the maximum setting extent MAX and the minimum
setting extent MIN using a default value (="0") as a standard
value.
[0194] The horizontal axis (i.e., time axis) of the parameter
setting window 42 corresponds to that of the time line window 41
each other, and the change point of the parameters can be
determined with referring to the content of the special effect
processing specified at the time line window 41. In connection,
regarding to the horizontal direction, that is the left and right
direction, the scroll button 42A placed at the bottom side of the
parameter setting window 42 is operated so as to scroll the graphic
image on the parameter setting window 42 in the direction of left
and right. At this time, since the horizontal axis of the time line
window 41 corresponds to that of the parameter setting window 42
each other, the graphic image of the time line window 41 and the
graphic image of the parameter setting window 42 are linked and
scrolled in the direction of left and right at the same time. In
addition, regarding to the up and down direction, the scroll button
42B placed at the right side of the parameter setting window 42 is
operated so as to scroll the graphic image on the parameter setting
window 42 in the direction of up and down.
[0195] Here, to actually set the parameters of the
three-dimensional transform, a desired item is first clicked among
from the items of parameters displayed at the left corner of the
parameter setting window 42 to specify the item that parameter is
set next. Then, a point of which parameter is changed is decided
and the setting value is decided with viewing the content specified
on the time line window 41. The position corresponding to the
decided point and the setting value is clicked on the parameter
setting window 42 consisting the vertical axis being the parameter
value and the horizontal axis being time. Thereby, the parameter
value and the parameter changing point corresponding to the clicked
position are registered automatically in the clip database CDB.
[0196] For example, as shown in FIG. 11, in the case where the
position in the X-axis direction is gradually moved from the
editing point EP4 to the minus direction, the desired values are
successively clicked so as to register the values automatically.
Similarly, in the case where the position in the Y-axis direction
is gradually moved from the editing point EP6 to the plus
direction, the desired values are successively clicked so as to
register the values automatically. Similarly, in the case where the
position in the Z-axis direction is gradually moved from the
editing point EP2 to the plus direction, the desired values are
successively clicked so as to register the values automatically. In
addition, the sections between the points specified by an operator
are interpolated successively and the values such that the video
image is continuously moved are automatically set.
[0197] Further, in the case of performing the rotation processing
such that the video image is slowly rotated in the minus direction
with the X-axis being centered in the range from the editing point
EP2 to the editing point EP5, and the slowly rotated in the
opposite direction after the editing point EP5 by turn, desired
values are clicked at the editing point EP5 and the editing point
EP7 so as to register the values automatically. In addition, also
in this case, the section between the points specified by an
operator are interpolated successively and the values such that the
video image is continuously rotated are automatically set. In
connection, it can be arbitrarily decided by setting that the
section is interpolated linearly or interpolated with a spline
curve. In this example, the rotation processing is set to be
interpolated with a spline curve, so that the values are set in
accordance with a spline curve between the points specified by the
operator.
[0198] In this way, if desired values are set to the parameters of
the special effect on the parameter setting window 42, the values
of parameters are registered in the clip database CDB, and the
special effect is applied to the video data of the clip to be
edited based on the registered parameter values. In addition, in
the parameter setting window 35, as shown in FIG. 11, the values of
the set parameters are displayed corresponding to the editing
points on a graph having the horizontal axis being time and the
vertical axis being parameter values. Thereby, an operator looks
the display and can visually understand at a glance the values, the
parameters, and the timings which have been set.
[0199] (4-3) GUI When the Edit Module is Started Up
[0200] Next, in this paragraph, the GUI when the edit module EM is
started up is explained. In the editing system 1, the graphic
display shown in FIG. 12 is displayed as a GUI of the edit module
EM on the display 2B of the work station 2, when the edit module EM
is started up.
[0201] As shown in FIG. 12, when roughly divided, the GUI of the
edit module EM is composed of a menu window 30, a clip tree window
31, an effect selection window 50, a library window 33, a time line
window 51, a parameter setting window 52, a preview screen display
window 36, a device control window 37, an edit content display
window 38, and a control command window 39.
[0202] Note that among the windows displayed on the GUI of the edit
module EM, the menu window 30, the clip tree window 31, the preview
screen display window 36, the device control window 37, and the
control command window 39 are same as that of the composite module
CM described above, so that the explanation is omitted here.
[0203] First, the effect selection window 50 is an area for
selecting the transition effect used in changing the video data of
clip specified as an object to be edited, and the command buttons
of various transition effects are displayed thereon. The command
buttons to be displayed are a wipe button for specifying the wipe
effect which changes an image by wiping the image being displayed
at present with a new image, a slide button for specifying the
slide effect which changes into a new image by sliding an old image
like the Kamishibai (telling a story with picture cards), a split
button for specifying the split effect which changes into a new
image by splitting an old image to be slid, a squeeze button for
specifying the squeeze processing which changes an image by
spreading a new image on an old image, and a page turn button for
specifying the page turn processing which changes an image by
paging an old image, and so on.
[0204] In the effect selection window 50, a scroll button 50A of
the left and right direction is displayed at the bottom position of
the area, so as to scroll the displayed command button in the right
and left direction. Similarly, a scroll button 50B of the up and
down direction is displayed at the right side position of the
effect selection window 50, so as to scroll the displayed command
button in the up and down direction.
[0205] In the effect selection window 50, to select a desired
transition effect, the editing point on which the transition effect
is performed is designated on the time line window 51, and then the
command button corresponding to the desired transition effect is
clicked so as to automatically specify the transition effect.
[0206] The library window 33 is an area for displaying the list of
the material clips or the resultant clips registered in the clip
database CDB. On the library window 33, as shown in FIG. 10 and
FIG. 11, although only a title bar is displayed usually, the title
bar is clicked to open a window, so that the library window 33 is
entirely displayed as shown in FIG. 12.
[0207] As shown in FIG. 12, on the library window 33, clips are
displayed with a card graphic display 33A. At this time, the card
graphic display 33A is composed of a still picture display part
33B, an attribute display part 33C, and a clip name display part
33D. The still picture of the in-point or the out-point of the clip
is displayed on the still picture display part 33B. Thereby, an
operator can understand easily that which of video data is the clip
produced from by viewing the screen displayed on the still picture
display part 33B.
[0208] The character of "FC" or "MC" showing the attribute of the
clip is displayed on the attribute display part 33C. In this case,
"FC" shows that the clip is the resultant clip produced as a result
of the edit, and "MC" shows that the clip is the material clip only
taken out from the source video data. In this way, the information
showing the attribute is displayed so that the operator can easily
understand whether the clip is the resultant clip or the material
clip by viewing the display. The clip name added by the operator is
displayed on the clip name display part 33D. Note that the clip
name has been registered in the blip database CDB as a clip
management data described later.
[0209] Thus, in the library window 33, the clip which has been
registered already in the clip database CDB is displayed as a list,
so that the clip to be edited is easily selected among from the
clips already registered.
[0210] In addition, a scroll button 33E is displayed at the right
side position of the library window 33. The scroll button 33E is
operated to scroll the library window 33 in the up and down
direction, so that the all clips registered in the library window
33 can be displayed. Therefore, the clip which is not shown at
present can be also selected.
[0211] The time line window 51 is an area for placing the clips to
be edited on the time axis to designate the content of edit. On the
time line window 51 displayed at the edit module EM, the content
relating to the edit processing is displayed. The time line window
51 is divided into areas. When roughly divided successively from
the top, the areas are a time code display area (Time Code), an
editing point display area (Edit Point), a preview extent display
area (Preview), a video and effect specifying area (V), and an
audio specifying area (A).
[0212] The time code display area is an area for displaying the
time code at the editing point. The time code is a time code on the
time line of the resultant clip produced based on the edit content
designated on the time line window 51.
[0213] The editing point display area is an area for indicating
points set as an editing point by triangle marks. For example, when
the edit processing shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 9 is specified, the
editing points EP1 to EP5 are indicated by using triangle marks.
However, in FIG. 12, since the area and the vicinity on which the
transition effect is applied are only displayed on the time line
window 51, the editing points EP2 to EP4 are only displayed. In
addition, to display the editing point EP1 and the editing point
EP5, as described later, the scroll button of the left and right
direction is operated on the parameter setting window 52, so that
the graphic image in the time line setting window 52 is scrolled in
the left and right direction to display the editing point EP1 or
the editing point EP5.
[0214] The preview extent display area is an area for indicating
the extent of the video data displayed on the preview screen
display window 36 when a preview button and a view button which are
described above are operated. In this example, since the extent
from the section between the editing point EP1 and the editing
point EP2 to the section between the editing point EP4 and the
editing point EP5 are set as the display extent, a bar showing the
extent is displayed.
[0215] The video and effect specifying area is divided into areas.
They are a first and second video area (Video-L1, Video-L2) for
specifying the clip to be edit, and an effect area (Effect) for
specifying the transition applied to the clip to be edited.
[0216] To specify the clip to be edited in the first or second
video area, a desired clip is clicked on the library window 33 or
the clip tree window 31 to display the cell showing the clip. The
cell is placed in the first or second video area, so that the clip
is set to the first or second video area and registered as a clip
to be edited. For example, if the resultant clip FC-008 is clicked
and placed at the first video area, and the resultant clip FC-009
is clicked and placed at the second video area, as shown in FIG.
12, the resultant clips FC-008 and FC-009 are set to the first and
second video area respectively. In addition, the video data set to
the first video area becomes an old video data, and the video data
set the second area becomes the video data newly changed.
[0217] Similarly, to specify the transition effect in the effect
area, a desired effect button is clicked on the effect selection
window 50 to display the cell showing the effect. The cell is
placed in the effect area, so that the effect is set to the effect
applied to the clip to be edited. For example, if the wipe button
is clicked on the effect selection window 50, the cell showing the
wipe is displayed. The cell is placed at the effect area, as shown
in FIG. 12, the wipe processing is set as a processing of changing
the resultant clip FC-008 and the resultant clip FC-009.
[0218] The audio specifying area is an area for specifying the
audio data output with the video data. In this case, it is divided
into the first and second audio areas (Audio-1ch, Audio-2ch). In
addition, to set the audio data in the first and second audio
areas, similarly to the setting method in the video area, a desired
clip is clicked and placed in the first or second audio area, the
audio data of the clip is set to the audio data to be output. In
connection, the audio data set in the first audio area is output to
the first channel of the stereo broadcasting, and the audio data
set in the second audio area is output to the second channel of the
stereo broadcasting.
[0219] In addition, the resultant clip which has been placed in the
first or second video area and already displayed is selected by
double-clicking, the module which has produced the clip, that is
the composite module CM, the special effect module SM, or the edit
module EM is started up and the content of the edit which has been
applied to the clip is displayed on the time line window of the GUI
of the corresponding module.
[0220] The parameter setting window 52 is an area for setting
parameters relating to the transition effect specified by the
operator. In the parameter setting window 52, when the effect
button of the effect selection window 50 is clicked, the parameter
setting screen relating to the clicked effect is displayed. For
example, if the wipe button is clicked on the effect selection
window 50 to specify the wipe processing, as shown in FIG. 12, the
parameter setting screen relating to the wipe processing is
displayed on the parameter setting window 52.
[0221] Parameters in the wipe processing, as shown in FIG. 12, are
the aspect ratio (Aspect) indicating the ratio of length and
breadth of wipe pattern, the angle (Angle) prescribing the angle of
wipe pattern, the speed (Speed) prescribing the speed of wipe
pattern in changing the image, the horizontal modulation (H Mod)
prescribing the wave given in the horizontal direction of the wipe
pattern edge, and the vertical modulation (H Mod) prescribing the
wave given in the vertical direction of the wipe pattern edge.
These parameter values can be set to arbitrary values between the
maximum setting extent MAX to the minimum setting extent MIN based
on the default value (="0"). However, as the parameter of the
speed, the default value is set to the minimum setting extent MIN,
and the changeable extent are from the default value to the maximum
setting value MAX.
[0222] The horizontal axis (that is, time axis) of the parameter
setting window 52 corresponds to that of the time line window 51
each other, and the change point of the parameter can be decided,
with viewing the content of the edit processing specified on the
time line window 51. In connection, with regard to the vertical
direction, that is the left and right direction, the scroll button
52A positioned at the bottom of the parameter setting window 52 is
operated so as to scroll the graphic image in the parameter setting
window 52 in the direction of left and right. At this time, the
horizontal axis of the time line window 51 corresponds to that of
the parameter setting window 52 each other, the graphic image of
the time line window 51 and the graphic image of the parameter
setting window 52 are linked and scrolled in the left and right
direction at the same time. In addition, with regard to the up and
down direction, the scroll button 52B positioned at the right side
of the parameter setting window 52 is operated so as to scroll the
graphic image in the parameter setting window 52 in the direction
of up and down.
[0223] Here, to actually set the parameters of the wipe processing,
a desired item is first clicked among from the items of parameter
displayed at the left corner of the parameter setting window 52 to
specify the item of which parameter is set next. Then, a point of
where the parameter is changed is decided with viewing the content
specified at the time line window 51, and the setting value is
decided. The position corresponding to the decided point and the
setting value is clicked on the parameter setting window 52
consisting the vertical axis being parameter values and the
horizontal axis being time. Thereby, the parameter value and the
parameter changing point corresponding to the clicked position are
registered automatically in the clip database CDB.
[0224] For example, as shown in FIG. 12, in the case where the
aspect ratio of the wipe pattern is gradually increased from the
editing point EP2 to the editing point EP4, the desired values are
successively clicked so as to register the values automatically. In
addition, the section between the points specified by an operator
are interpolated successively and the values such that the aspect
ratio of the wipe pattern is continuously changed are automatically
registered.
[0225] Similarly, it is desired that the angle of the wipe pattern
is gradually increased from the editing point EP2 to the editing
point EP3, and the wipe pattern is gradually inclined from the
editing point EP3 to the editing point EP4, the desired values are
successively clicked so as to register the values automatically.
Also in this case, the section between points specified by the
operator is interpolated, and the values such that the wipe pattern
changes continuously is registered automatically. In connection, it
can be arbitrarily decided whether the section is interpolated
linearly or interpolated with a spline curve. In this example, the
angle is set to be interpolated with a spline curve, so that the
section specified by the operator is set to the value which is
along the spline curve.
[0226] Further, it is desired that the speed of the wipe pattern is
fixed from the editing point EP2 to the editing point EP3, and
gradually accelerated from the editing point EP3 to the editing
point EP4, desired values are successively clicked so as to
register the values automatically. In addition, also in this case,
the section between points specified by an operator is
interpolated, and the value such that the speed of the wipe pattern
is continuously changed is registered automatically.
[0227] Thus, in the parameter setting window 52, when a desired
value is set to the parameter of the transition effect, the value
of parameter is registered in the clip database CDM, and the
transition effect is applied to the video data of the clip to be
edited based on the registered value of parameter. In addition, in
the parameter setting window 52, as shown in FIG. 12, the set value
of parameters are displayed corresponding to the editing points on
a graph having the horizontal axis being time and the vertical axis
being parameter values. Thereby, an operator looks the display and
can visually understand at a glance the parameters, the values, and
the timings which have been set.
[0228] The edit content display window 38 is an area for displaying
with the graphic image the content of edit specified on the time
line window 51. As described above in the time line window 51, in
the case of specifying the edit processing such that two clips
FC-008, FC-009 are switched by the wipe processing, the graphic
image such that the graphic image showing the wipe processing is
sandwiched between bar graphic images showing the respective clips
unevenly is displayed. Thereby, an operator looks this display so
as to easily understand which edit content is indicated as a whole.
Specially, as shown in FIG. 12, when only a part of area is
displayed on the time line window 51, although the content of
entire processing is not easy to understand, looking at the edit
content display window 38, the content of entire processing can be
easily understood.
[0229] (5) Method for Managing the Clip Management Data in the Clip
Database
[0230] In the editing system 1 according to this invention, the
material clips and resultant clips produced by editing the material
clips are all registered in the clip database CDB. The data
registered in the clip database CDB, when roughly divided, are the
clip video data of the material clip and the resultant clip, and
the clip management data for managing the clip video data. In this
paragraph, the method for managing the clip management data is
explained.
[0231] FIG. 13 shows a database for the clip management data
generated in the clip data base CDB (mainly, RAM 21B), when the
edit processing shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 are instructed. The
database for managing the clip management data, as shown in FIG.
13, is composed of clip ID code, clip name, attribute, pointer to
image data, duration, parent link ID code, child link ID code,
enable/disable flag, and work data, when roughly divided.
[0232] The clip ID code is an identification number of the serial
number automatically added to the clip in the order of being
registered as a clip. Therefore, the registered clip can be
identified on the basis of the clip ID code.
[0233] The attribute of clip is data for identifying whether the
clip is only a material clip or the clip is a resultant clip
produced by editing a material clip. If it is a material clip, the
code "M" is registered as the attribute of the clip. If it is a
resultant clip, the code "F" is registered.
[0234] The clip name is a name for identifying the clip, which is
added to the clip. In this example, when the clip ID code is "001"
and the attribute of the clip is "M", the name "MC-001" is
automatically added as a clip name. In addition, an arbitrary name
can be added as a clip name adapting the user's taste. In
connection, the clip name displayed at the clip name display part
33D of the library window 33 is this clip name.
[0235] The pointer to the image data is composed of eight-byte
data, and is a pointer showing the head address of the clip video
data recorded in the video disk recorder 5. In the editing system
1, the clip video data has been stored in the video disk recorder 5
having a plurality of hard disk, and the pointer to the image data
indicates the logical address of the hard disk array.
[0236] The duration is a time code showing the reproduction period
of the clip video data of the clip. That is, it is a time code
showing the time from the start to the end of the clip video
data.
[0237] The parent link ID code is the clip ID code of the clip
which is linked thereto as an upper clip. For example, since the
material clip MC-001 of which the clip ID code is "001" is linked
to the resultant clip FC-008 of which the clip ID code is "008",
the clip ID code "008" of the resultant clip FC-008 has been
registered as a parent link ID code.
[0238] In addition, for the clip which does not have the upper clip
because it is the uppermost clip, "000" is registered as a parent
link ID code. For example, the resultant clip FC-010 does not have
the upper clip, thereby "000" has been registered as a parent link
ID code. In this way, if the parent link ID code is "000", it can
be easily understand that it is the uppermost clip.
[0239] The child link ID code is the clip ID code of the clip which
is linked thereto as a lower clip. For example, the material clips
MC-001, MVC-002, and MC-003 are linked as a lower clip to the
resultant clip FC-008 of which the clip ID code is "008". At this
time, the material clip MC-001 is specified as the third layer L3,
the material clip MC-002 is specified as the second layer L2, and
the material clip MC-003 is specified as the first layer L1.
Therefore, "003" has been registered as the clip ID code of the
clip which is the lower clip of the resultant clip FC-008 and is
specified to the first layer L1, "002" has been registered as the
clip ID code of the clip which is the lower clip of the resultant
clip FC-008 and is specified to the second layer L2, and "001" has
been registered as the clip ID code of the clip which is the lower
clip of the resultant clip FC-008 and is specified to the third
layer L3. In addition, the lower clip being linked to the lower
hierarchy is managed corresponding to the layer, so as to easily
understand that which of lower clips is specified to which of
layers.
[0240] In addition, in the clip having no lower clip, no data is
registered as a child link ID code. For example, the material clip
MC-001 is only a material clip and has no lower clip, thereby the
child link ID code is a blank.
[0241] The enable/disable flag is a flag showing whether the clip
is enable or disable. When the clip is enable, the code "E" is
registered, and when the clip is disable, the code "D" is
registered. In connection, if the content of edit specified has
been executed and the clip video data has been produced as a result
of edit, the enable flag is registered. If the content of edit has
not been executed and the clip video data has not been produced, or
if although the content of edit has been once executed, thereafter
the content of edit and the clip being material is changed so that
the clip video data does not correspond to the actual edit content,
the disable flag is registered. In addition, the enable/disable
flag is provided as a clip management data, so that when the
database for clip management data is referred, it can be easily
understood whether the clip is enable or disable.
[0242] The work data is data showing the edit content specified to
the clip. Therefore, some work data has been registered in the
resultant clips FC-008, FC-009, and FC-010 produced by edit.
However, no work data has been registered in the material clip
MC-001 to the material clip MC-007 which has not been produced by
edit.
[0243] As shown in FIG. 13, when roughly divided, the work data is
classified to a module ID code, an editing point data, and an image
processing data. The module ID code is an identification number
indicating the module used in the edit work for producing the
resultant clip. In this case, the code "C" is registered when the
composite module CM is used, the code "S" is registered when the
special effect module SM is used, and the code "E" is registered
when the edit module EM is used.
[0244] Also, the editing point data is data composed of all editing
points specified to the resultant clip and time codes corresponding
to the editing points.
[0245] Further, the image processing data is composed of the
composite data, the special effect data, and the edit data. The
composite data is data being parameter values specified in the
composite processing, the special effect data is data being
parameter values specified in the special effect processing, and
the edit data is data being parameter values specified in the edit
processing.
[0246] In addition, when the content of edit processing is
modified, the contents of these clip management data are re-written
at any time based on the new edit content. However, the old clip
management data is not eliminated, and another clip ID code and the
clip name are added to be stored as a backup data. For example,
when the content of the special effect processing for the resultant
clip FC-009 is modified, as shown in FIG. 14, the clip management
data before modification is stored as a backup data.
[0247] More specifically, when the new special effect processing is
instructed to the resultant clip FC-009, the editing point data
after modification and the special effect data after modification
are produced based on the content of the new special effect
processing, and they are registered as a work data in the place of
the clip before modification (i.e., the place that the clip ID data
is "009") respectively. On the other hand, to the editing point
data before modification and the special effect data before
modification which have been registered as a work data before the
new special effect processing is instructed, the new clip ID code
"009BK1" and the clip name "FC-009BK1" are assigned. Then, on the
basis of these identification information, they are registered in
the other area of the database as a clip management data for
backup. However, in the clip management data registered as backup,
the enable/disable flag is changed into the code "D" indicating the
disable.
[0248] In this way, the clip management data before modification is
remained as a backup, so that even if you do not like the resultant
clip FC-009 after modification, you can easily return to the
resultant clip FC-009BK1 before modification based on the clip
management data before modification which is remained as a
backup.
[0249] Here, the editing point data, composite data, special effect
data, and edit data which are registered as work data described
above are concretely explained hereinafter. First, referring to
FIGS. 15 to 17, the editing point data is explained.
[0250] When the composite processing shown in FIG. 7 is instructed
to the resultant clip FC-008, the editing point shown in FIG. 15 is
registered. As shown in FIG. 15, the editing point data is data for
specifying that which part of the lower clips is used to the clip
video data of the upper clip, and is composed of the time code of
in-point indicating the starting position of the lower clip and the
time code of out-point indicating the end position.
[0251] As shown in FIG. 7, the time code of the in-point of the
material clip MC-003 specified as the first layer L1 is
"00:00:31:02" on the time line t3, and the position of the inpoint
corresponds to the time code "00:00:00:00" on the time line t8 of
the resultant clip FC-008. Therefore, in the editing point data, as
shown in FIG. 15, the time code "00:00:00:00" of the resultant clip
FC-008 and the time code "00:00:31:02" of the in-point of the
material clip MC-003 are correspondingly registered at the editing
point EP1. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the time code of the
out-point of the material clip MC-003 specified as the first layer
L1 is "00:05:18:02" on the time line t3, and the position of the
out-point corresponds to the time code "00:04:47:00" on the time
line tB of the resultant clip FC-008. Therefore, in the editing
point data, as shown in FIG. 15, the time code "00:04:47:00" of the
resultant clip FC-008 and the time code "00:05:18:02" of the
out-point of the material clip MC-003 are correspondingly
registered at the editing point EP8. The editing point of the
material clip MC-003 specified as the first layer L1 is decided by
the time codes of the in-point and the out-point.
[0252] Similarly, as shown in FIG. 15, the time codes "00:00:51:00"
and "00:03:04:20" of the in-point and out-point of the material
clip FC-002 specified as the second layer L2 are also registered
correspondingly to the time codes of the resultant clip FC-008.
Also, the time codes "00:01:40:03" and "00:02:45:48" of the
in-point and out-point of the material clip FC-001 specified as the
third layer L3 are also registered correspondingly to the time
codes of the resultant clip FC-008.
[0253] When the special effect processing shown in FIG. 8 is
instructed to the resultant clip FC-009, the editing point data
shown in FIG. 16 is registered. As shown in FIG. 16, also in the
case of special effect processing, in the editing point data, the
time code of the lower clip and the time code of the upper clip are
registered correspondingly. More specially, as shown in FIG. 16,
the time codes of the in-point and the out-point of the material
clip MC-004 "00:10:12:00" and "00:12:18:00" are registered with
corresponding to the time code of the resultant clip FC-009.
[0254] Further, when the edit processing shown in FIG. 9 is
instructed to the resultant clip FC-010, the editing point data
shown in FIG. 17 is registered. As shown in FIG. 17, also in the
case of edit processing, in the editing point data, the time code
of the lower clip and the time code of the upper clip are
registered correspondingly. More specially, as shown in FIG. 17,
the time codes of the in-point and the out-point of the resultant
clip FC-008 specified as the first layer L1 "00:01:01:20" and
"00:04:43:00" are registered with corresponding to the time code of
the resultant clip FC-010, and as shown in FIG. 17, the time codes
of the in-point and the out-point of the resultant clip FC-009
specified as the second layer L2 "00:00:00:50" and "00:02:06:00"
are registered with corresponding to the time code of the resultant
clip FC-010.
[0255] Next, referring to FIG. 18, the composite data is explained.
The composite data is data for showing the composite ratio (gain)
when the video data of the clip specified to each layer is
composed, and takes a value from "0" to "100". In addition, if the
composite data is "0", this means that the video data to be
composed is composed with the ratio of 0%, and the video data at a
lower layer is completely viewed transparently in this case. If the
value of the composite data is "50", this means that the video data
to be composed is composed with the ratio of 50%, and a half of the
video data of the lower layer is viewed transparently. If the value
of the composite data is "100", this means that the video data to
be composed is composed with the ratio of 100%, and the video data
of the lower layer is completely hidden and not viewed.
[0256] Here, the concrete example is shown in FIG. 18. FIG. 18
shows a database of the composite data produced when the composite
data (gain) is specified by using the parameter setting window 35
shown in FIG. 10.
[0257] When the gain "100" is specified to the material clip MC-003
specified to the first layer L1 at a position of the editing point
EP1 and a position of the editing point EP8, as shown in FIG. 18,
the gain "100" is registered in the column corresponding to the
editing point EP1 and the editing point EP8. Further, since the
section between the editing point EP1 and the editing point EP8 is
linearly interpolated based on the value using the editing points
EP1 and EP8 as key points, the gain "100" is automatically
registered (in the figure, "--" shows that the interpolated value
is registered).
[0258] Also, when the gain "59" is specified to the material clip
MC-002 specified to the second layer L2 at a position of the
editing point EP2, the gain "100" is specified at a position of the
editing point EP3, and the gain "0" is specified at a position of
the editing point EP6, as shown in FIG. 18, the gain "59", "100",
and "0" are respectively and successively registered in the columns
corresponding to the editing points EP2, EP3, and EP6. Also in this
case, since the section between the editing point EP2 and the
editing point EP3 and the section between the editing point EP3 and
the editing point EP6 are linearly interpolated based on the values
using the editing points EP2, EP3, and EP6 as key points, the gain
values which continue linearly are automatically registered.
[0259] Also, when the gain "100" is specified to the material clip
MC-001 specified to the third layer L3 at a position of the editing
point EP4, the gain "67" is specified at a position of the editing
point EP5 and the gain "51" is specified at a position of the
editing point EP7, as shown in FIG. 18, the gain "100", "67", and
"51" are respectively and successively registered in the columns
corresponding to the editing points EP4, EP5, and EP7. Also in this
case, since the section between the editing point EP4 and the
editing point EP5 and the section between the editing point EP5 and
the editing point EP7 are linearly interpolated based on the values
using the editing points EP4, EP5, and EP7 as key points, the gain
values which continue linearly are automatically registered.
[0260] Thus, the composite data described above are registered to
execute the edit processing, so that the values of the composite
data can be changed at a timing of each editing point at any time.
As a result, the video image such that the video image of the
material clip MC-002 specified to the layer L2 is gradually
appeared on the video image of the material clip MC-003 specified
as the layer L1 from the point in time of the editing point EP2,
and then after the editing point EP3, the video image of the
material clip MC-002 becomes faint gradually, and at the point in
time of the editing point EP4, the video image of the material clip
MC-001 specified as the layer L3 is appeared, thereafter, it
becomes faint gradually, can be obtained.
[0261] Next, referring to FIG. 19, the special effect data is
explained. The special effect data is basically composed of an
effect ID data showing the type of the special effect processing
applied to the clip to be edited, each parameter value of the
specified special effect processing, and period that the special
effect processing is performed.
[0262] Here, the concrete example of the special effect processing
shows in FIG. 19. FIG. 19 shows a database of the special effect
data relating to the three-dimensional transform shown in FIG. 8
and a database of the special effect data produced when the
parameter is set by using the parameter setting window 42 shown in
FIG. 11.
[0263] In FIG. 19, "1025" registered as the effect ID data is an
effect identification number assigned to the three-dimensional
transform, and it can be known that the three-dimensional transform
is specified as a special effect processing by the effect
identification number "1025". Also, "Loc X", "Loc Y", and "Loc Z"
represent the position (X, Y, Z) being parameters of the
three-dimensional transform. "Rot X", "Rot Y", and "Rot Z"
represent the rotation direction (X, Y, Z) being parameters of the
three-dimensional transform. "Asp" represents the aspect ratio
being parameter of the three-dimensional transform. "Skew"
represents the skew being parameter of the three-dimensional
transform. "Pers" represents the perspective value being parameter
of the three-dimensional transform. As shown in FIG. 19, these
parameters are specified from the editing point EP2 to the editing
point EP7. Thereby, it can be easily understood that the editing
point EP2 is the starting point and the editing point EP7 is the
end point, as to the period where the three-dimensional transform
is specified. In addition, the concrete values of the starting
point and the end point of the three-dimensional transform, that
are the time codes, are easily obtained by referring to the editing
point data of FIG. 16 explained above.
[0264] Here, in the parameter setting window 42 shown in FIG. 11,
when the coordinate values "0", "0", "-1.6", and "-1.6" are
respectively specified to the parameter "Loc X" at the editing
points EP2, EP4, EP6, and EP7, as shown in FIG. 19, the coordinate
values "0", "0", "-1.6", and "-1.6" are registered in the columns
corresponding to the editing points EP2, EP4, EP6, and EP7. In this
case, the sections between the editing point EP2 and the editing
point EP4, between the editing point EP4 and the editing point EP6,
between the editing point EP6 and the editing point EP7, are
linearly interpolated based on the values using the editing points
EP2, EP4, EP6, and EP7 as key points, and the coordinate values
which continue linearly are automatically registered.
[0265] Similarly, when the coordinate values "0", "0", and "+2" are
respectively specified to the parameter "Loc Y" at the editing
points EP2, EP6, and EP7, the corresponding coordinate values are
registered in the columns corresponding to the editing points EP2,
EP6, and EP7. When the coordinate values "0", "+2.2", and "+2.2"
are respectively specified to the parameter "Loc Z" at the editing
points EP2, EP6, and EP7, the corresponding coordinate values are
registered in the columns corresponding to the editing points EP2,
EP6, and EP7.
[0266] Further, when the rotation angles "0", "-180", and "-102"
are respectively specified to the parameter "Rot X" at the editing
points EP2, EP5, and EP7, the corresponding rotation angles are
registered in the columns corresponding to the editing points EP2,
EP5, and EP7. In addition, since the interpolation with a spline
curve is set in this case, the values which continue along a spline
curve are automatically registered between the editing point EP2
and the editing point EP5 and between the editing point EP5 and the
editing point EP7. Moreover, regarding to the parameters "Rot Y",
"Rot Z", "Asp", "Skew", and "Pers" which are not specified, "0" is
registered automatically as a default value.
[0267] In this way, when the parameters relating to the
three-dimensional transform are registered to execute the edit
work, the values of parameters are changed at a timing of each
editing point, and at the same time, changed into the interpolated
values between respective editing points. As a result, the video
image which moves in the three-dimensional space with rotating
using the X-axis as a shaft can be obtained.
[0268] Next, referring to FIG. 20, the edit data is explained. The
edit data is basically composed of an effect ID data showing the
type of the transition effect applied to the clip to be edited,
each parameter value of the specified transition effect, and period
that the transition effect is performed.
[0269] Here, the concrete example of the edit data shows in FIG.
20. FIG. 20 shows a database of the edit data produced when the
wipe processing shown in FIG. 9 is specified as a transition effect
and when the parameter is set by using the parameter setting window
52 shown in FIG. 12.
[0270] In FIG. 20, "0001" registered as the effect ID data is an
effect identification number assigned to the wipe processing that
the image of the first video data is changed into the image of the
second video data in the direction from the left side to the right
side of the screen, and the effect identification number "0001"
means that the wipe processing is specified as a transition
effect.
[0271] In addition, when the effect identification number "1300" is
registered as an effect ID data, it means that the wipe processing
is specified such that the image of the first video data is changed
into the image of the second video data in the direction from the
both sides of the screen to the center. When the effect
identification number "2123" is registered as an effect ID data, it
means that the page turn processing is specified such that the
image of the first video data is changed as if a page is
turned.
[0272] Further, "Aspect" is a parameter indicating the ratio of
length and breadth of wipe pattern, "Angle" is a parameter
indicating the angle of wipe pattern, "Speed" is a parameter
indicating the speed to change, and "H-Mod" and "V-Mod" are
parameters indicating the wave of the wipe pattern respectively. As
shown in FIG. 20, these parameters are specified from the editing
point EP2 to the editing point EP4, thereby, it can be easily
obtained that the editing point EP2 is the start point and the
editing point EP4 is the end point as a period that the wipe
processing is specified. In addition, the concrete values of the
start point and the end point of the wipe processing, that are time
codes, can be easily obtained by referring to the editing point
data of FIG. 17 explained above.
[0273] Here, when the values "0" and "+25" are respectively
specified to the parameter "Aspect" at the editing points EP2 and
EP4, as shown in FIG. 20, the corresponding values are registered
in the columns corresponding to the editing points EP2 and EP4. In
this case, the section between the editing point EP2 and the
editing point EP4 is linearly interpolated based on the values
using the editing point EP2 and the editing point EP4 as key
points, and the values which continue linearly are registered
automatically.
[0274] Also, when the values "20", "20", and "100" are respectively
specified to the parameter "Speed" at the editing points EP2, EP3,
and EP4, the corresponding values are registered in the columns
corresponding to the editing points EP2, EP3, and EP4. Also in this
case, the section between the editing point EP2 and the editing
point EP3 and the section between the editing point EP3 and the
editing point EP4 are linearly interpolated based on the values
using the editing points EP2, EP3, and EP4 as key points, and the
values which continue linearly are registered automatically.
[0275] While, when the values "0", "+180", and "-180" are
respectively specified to the parameter "Angle" at the editing
points EP2, EP3, and EP4, the corresponding values are registered
in the columns corresponding to the editing points EP2, EP3, and
EP4. Since the interpolation with a spline curve is set in this
case, the values which continue along a spline curve are
automatically registered between the editing point EP2 and the
editing point EP3 and between the editing point EP3 and the editing
point EP4. Moreover, regarding to the parameters "H-Mod" and
"V-Mod" which are not specified, "0" is registered automatically as
a default value.
[0276] In this way, when the parameters relating to the wipe
processing are registered to execute the edition work, the values
of parameters are changed at a timing of the editing point, and at
the same time, changed into the interpolated values between
respective editing points. As a result, the video image of the
transition effect that the shape, angle, and speed of wipe pattern
are changed successively can be obtained.
[0277] (6) Procedures in the Editing System
[0278] Next, in this paragraph, the operation procedure of each
processing in the editing system 1 will be explained using
flowcharts. Note that the contents of the operation procedures
explained hereinafter are all performed by the operation of a CPU
21 based on the application program.
[0279] When the editing system 1 is started up with a predetermined
method, the CPU 21 initially starts up the control module CNTM at
step SP1 shown in FIG. 21, and displays a top menu on the display
2B of the work station 2 at next step SP2.
[0280] At next step SP3, the CPU 21 determines whether or not any
item of menu is selected on the top menu. As a result, when the
item of menu is selected, the item of menu is determined in
following steps SP4 to SP7.
[0281] As the result of the determination of step SP4, when the
start-up command of the edit module EM is selected, the CPU 21
proceeds to step SP8 to perform the start-up processing of the edit
module EM. As the result of the determination of step SP5, when the
start-up command of the composite module CM is selected, the CPU 21
proceeds to step SP9 to perform the start-up processing of the
composite module CM. As the result of the determination of step
SP6, when the start-up command of the special-effect module SM is
selected, the CPU 21 proceeds to step SP10 to perform the start-up
processing of the special-effect module SM.
[0282] While, as the result of the determination of step SP7, when
the command for opening a file of the resultant clip already
registered is selected, the CPU 21 identifies the module used in
the selected resultant clip at the next step SP11 and starts up the
identified module (that is, the edit module EM, the composite
module CM, or the special effect module SM) at next step SP12. In
addition, at step SP11, the CPU 21 refers the work data registered
in the clip database CDB, so as to identify the module of the
resultant clip selected.
[0283] Here, FIG. 22 concretely shows the start-up processing of
the edit module EM at step SP8. When the edit module EM is
instructed to start up, the CPU 21 first displays the GUI of the
edit module EM on the display 2B of the work station 2 at step SP21
entering from step SP20. At next step SP22, the CPU 21 determines
whether or not the start-up of the edit module EM is instructed
through the above step SP12. When the start-up of the edit module
EM is instructed through step SP12, the CPU 21 proceeds to step
SP23 to read out the content of edit processing of the specified
resultant clip based on the clip management data registered in the
clip database CDB, and displays the content of the edit processing
on the time line window 51 of the GUI for edit module described
above.
[0284] On the other hand, as the result of the determination of
step SP22, when the start-up through step SP12 is not instructed
but the newly start-up is instructed, the CPU 21 proceeds to step
SP24 to prepare the registration of the clip management data for a
newly edit processing. More specifically, the area for registering
the clip management data is secured on the clip database CDB in
order to provide the content of the edit processing newly
instructed. After the processing of step SP23 or step SP24 is
performed, the CPU 21 proceeds to step 25 to perform the actual
edit processing.
[0285] Further, FIG. 23 concretely shows the start-up processing of
the composite module CM at step SP9. When the composite module CM
is instructed to start up, the CPU 21 first displays the GUI of the
composite module CM on the display 2B of the work station 2 at step
SP31 entering from step SP30. At next step SP32, the CPU 21
determines whether or not the start-up of the composite module CM
is instructed through the above step SP12. When the start-up of the
composite module CM is instructed through step SP12, the CPU 21
proceeds to step SP33 to read out the content of composite
processing of the specified resultant clip based on the clip
management data registered in the clip database CDB, and displays
the content of the composite processing on the time line window 34
of the GUI for composite module described above.
[0286] On the other hand, as the result of the determination of
step SP32, when the start-up through step SP12 is not instructed
but the newly start-up is instructed, the CPU 21 proceeds to step
SP34 to prepare the registration of the clip management data for a
newly composite processing. More specifically, the area for
registering the clip management data is secured on the clip
database CDB in order to provide the content of the composite
processing newly instructed. After the processing of step SP33 or
step SP34 is performed, the CPU 21 proceeds to step 35 to perform
the actual composite processing.
[0287] Further, FIG. 24 concretely shows the start-up processing of
the special effect module SM at step SP10. When the special effect
module SM is instructed to start up, the CPU 21 first displays the
GUI of the special effect module SM on the display 2B of the work
station 2 at step SP41 entering from step SP40. At next step SP42,
the CPU 21 determines whether or not the start-up of the special
effect module SM is instructed through the above step SP12. When
the start-up of the special effect module SM is instructed through
step SP12, the CPU 21 proceeds to step SP43 to read out the content
of special-effect processing of the specified resultant clip based
on the clip management data registered in the clip database CDB,
and displays the content of the special effect processing on the
time line window 41 of the GUI for special effect module described
above.
[0288] On the other hand, as the result of the determination of
step SP42, when the start-up through step SP12 is not instructed
but the newly start-up is instructed, the CPU 21 proceeds to step
SP44 to prepare the registration of the clip management data for a
newly special effect processing. More specifically, the area for
registering the clip management data is secured on the clip
database CDB in order to provide the content of the special effect
processing newly instructed. After the processing of step SP43 or
step SP44 is performed, the CPU 21 proceeds to step 45 to perform
the actual special effect processing.
[0289] Here, the details of the edit processing at the step SP25 of
FIG. 22 are illustrated in FIG. 25. Note that the figure is
omitted, but the composite processing at step SP35 of FIG. 23 and
the special effect processing at step SP45 of FIG. 24 are mostly
same as that of the edit processing of FIG. 25. The difference is
only that the content of the edit processing is changed into that
of the composite processing or the special effect processing.
[0290] As shown in FIG. 25, the CPU 21 first determines whether or
not an input for instructing the edit processing is supplied at
step SP51 entering from step SP50 (e.g., determines whether or not
the operation using the time line window 51 or the operation using
the parameter setting window 52 exists). As a result, when the
input is supplied, the CPU 21 proceeds to step S52, so that edit
data corresponding to the input is produced to suitably write it in
the clip database CDB as a clip management data, and the
enable/disable flag of the resultant clip is set to disable. If the
input is to read out the resultant clip already registered and
modify the content thereof, the CPU 21 dose not only overwrite, but
also assigns another code to the clip management data before
modification and maintains it in the other area. Thus, the clip
management data before modification can be read later.
[0291] When the processing of step SP52 is completed, the CPU 21
proceeds to next step SP53. At step SP53, the CPU 21 refers the
parent link ID code of the clip management data, so as to determine
whether or not the upper clip of the clip management data exists.
As a result, when there is no upper clip, the CPU 21 returns to
step SP51. When the upper clip exists, the CPU 21 proceeds to step
SP54 to set the enable/disable flag of the clip management data for
managing the upper clip to disable, thereafter, returns to step
SP51. In addition, the case of proceeding to the step SP54 is
mostly when the resultant clip already registered is modified.
Further, the upper clip includes not only the upper clip having the
resultant clip produced at step SP52 as a lower clip, but also
includes the resultant clip having this upper clip further as a
lower clip and at least all resultant clips using this resultant
clip as a material (hereinafter, referred to as associated
clips).
[0292] For example, it is assumed that the relation between each
material clip and the resultant clip is as shown in FIG. 26. More
specifically, a resultant clip FC-G is produced from material clips
MC-G1 and MC-G2, and a resultant clip FC-E is produced from the
resultant clip FC-G and material clips MC-E1 and MC-E2 as
materials. A resultant clip FC-C is produced from the resultant
clip FC-E and a material clip MC-C1 as materials.
[0293] Further, a resultant clip FC-F is produced from material
clips MC-F1, MC-F2, and MC-F3 as materials, and a resultant clip
FC-D is produced from the resultant clip FC-F and material clips
MC-D1 and MC-D2 as materials. Furthermore, the resultant clip FC-B
is produced from the resultant clips FC-D and FC-C and material
clip MC-B1 as materials, and a resultant clip FC-A is produced from
the resultant clip FC-B as a material.
[0294] When there is such relation between clips, as far as the
modification is not added after the clip video data of the
respective resultant clips are produced once, the enable/disable
flag of the clip management data for managing these clips is
normally set to enable. However, the content of the edit processing
of the resultant clip FC-E is modified for example, the
enable/disable flag of the resultant clip FC-E is naturally set to
disable. The enable/disable flag are set to disable not only for
the resultant clip FC-E but also for the resultant clips FC-C and
FC-D which have the resultant clip FCE as a lower clip, the
resultant clip FC-B having the resultant clips FC-C and FC-D as
lower clips, and moreover, the resultant clip FC-A having the
resultant clip FC-B as a lower clip.
[0295] The flowchart shown in FIG. 25 is explained again. As the
result of the determination of step SP51, in the case where the
edit processing is not inputted specially, the CPU 21 proceeds to
next step SP55. At step SP55, the CPU 21 determines whether or not
the resultant clip displayed at the video area of the time line
window 51 has been selected. When the displayed resultant clip has
been selected, the CPU 21 starts up the module which has produced
the resultant clip (i.e., the composite module CM or the special
effect module SM) at step SP56. When the displayed resultant clip
is not selected, the CPU 21 proceeds to step SP58. Note that the
details of step SP56 will be described later.
[0296] At step SP58, the CPU 21 determines whether or not the
re-execution instruction is input, and when it is input, proceeds
to step SP59 to perform the re-execution processing. When the
re-execution instruction is not input, the CPU 21 returns to the
original flowchart through step SP26. In addition, the re-execution
described here means that the view button or the all view button
displayed on the GUI screen is clicked by the mouse 2D and the
instruction of the view or all view is input. At the time of the
view or all view, the content of the specified edit processing is
actually executed to produce the video clip data of the resultant
clip, so that such name is given.
[0297] Here, the concrete processing of the step SP56 described
above (that is, the start-up processing of the module) is shown in
FIG. 27. As shown in FIG. 27, when the displayed resultant clip is
selected, the CPU 21 reads out the clip management data of the
selected resultant clip at step SP61 entering from step SP60. Next,
at step SP62, the CPU 21 refers a module ID code registered in the
clip management data and starts up the module corresponding to the
module ID code (that is, the composite module CM or the special
effect module SM) at step SP63, to display the content of the edit
processing of the resultant clip on the time line window of the
GUI.
[0298] Then, the concrete processing of step SP59 described above
(i.e., the re-execution processing) is shown in FIG. 28. However,
in FIG. 28, there is the relation between clips shown in FIG. 26,
and at the same time the resultant clips FC-E, FC-D, FC-C, FC-B,
and FC-A are all disable by the processing of step SP54 explained
above.
[0299] As shown in FIG. 28, when the re-execution is instructed,
the CPU 21 forms a stack memory on the RAM 21B and pushes the clip
management data of the resultant clip positioned at the uppermost
of the clip tree onto the stack memory. For example, in the example
shown in FIG. 26, since the resultant clip FC-A is at the uppermost
position, the clip management data of the resultant clip FC-A is
pushed on the stack memory. Note that pushing means that data is
piled up in the stack memory space.
[0300] At next step SP72, the CPU 21 determines whether or not the
stack memory is empty. In the present state, at step SP71, data
exists since the clip management data is pushed onto the stack
memory, so that the negative result is obtained. Thereby, the CPU
21 proceeds to step SP74.
[0301] At step SP74, the CPU 21 pops the clip management data for
one clip from the stack memory, and determines whether or not the
clip is enable based on the enable/disable flag of the clip
management data. In the example shown in FIG. 26, since the
resultant clip FC-A is disable, the negative result is obtained and
the CPU 21 proceeds to step SP75. Note that popping means that the
data piled up in the stack memory space is read out from the
uppermost data.
[0302] At step SP75, the CPU 21 determines whether or not the lower
clip of the resultant clip is all enable based on the clip
management data read out at the former step SP74. In this case, the
CPU 21 refers the child link ID code registered in the clip
management data of the resultant clip to determine the lower clip
based on the clip ID code registered there, and refers the
enable/disable flag of the lower clip from the clip database to
determine whether or not the lower clips are all enable clips. In
the example shown in FIG. 26, the resultant clip FC-B being the
lower clip of the resultant clip FC-A is disable, so that the
negative result is obtained and the CPU 21 proceeds to next step
SP77.
[0303] At step SP77, the CPU 21 pushes again the clip management
data of the resultant clip popped before, and proceeds to next step
SP78. In the example shown in FIG. 26, the clip management data of
the resultant clip FC-A is pushed again onto the stack memory. At
step SP78, the CPU 21 pushes one clip management data of the
disable clip among the lower clips of the resultant clip re-pushed
at step SP77 onto the stack memory. In the example shown in FIG.
26, the lower clip FC-B of the resultant clip FC-A is disable, so
that the clip management data of the resultant clip FC-B is pushed
onto the stack memory.
[0304] Next, the CPU 21 returns to step SP72 again to determine
whether or not the stack memory is empty. In the present state,
since the clip management data exists in the stack memory, the
negative result is obtained and proceeds to step SP74. At step
SP74, the CPU 21 pops the clip management data for one clip from
the stack memory, and determines whether or not the clip is enable
based on the enable/disable flag of the clip management data. In
the example shown in FIG. 26, since the clip management data of the
resultant clip FC-B is read out but the resultant clip FC-B is
disable, the negative result is obtained and proceeds to step
SP75.
[0305] At step SP75, the CPU 21 determines whether or not the lower
clips of the resultant clip are all enable based on the clip
management data read out at the former step SP74. In the example
shown in FIG. 26, the resultant clips FC-C and FC-D being the lower
clips of the resultant clip FC-B is disable, so that the negative
result is obtained and proceeds to step SP77.
[0306] At step SP77, the CPU 21 pushes again the clip management
data of the resultant clip popped before, and proceeds to next step
SP78. In the example shown in FIG. 26, the clip management data of
the resultant clip FC-B is pushed again. At next step SP78, the CPU
21 pushes one clip management data of the disable clip among the
lower clips of the resultant clip re-pushed at step SP77 onto the
stack memory. In the example shown in FIG. 26, the clip management
data of the resultant clip FC-C is pushed.
[0307] Next, the CPU 21 returns to step SP72 again to determine
whether or not the stack memory is empty. In the present state, the
negative result is obtained since it is not empty, and proceeds to
step SP74. At step SP74, the CPU 21 pops the clip management data
for one clip from the stack memory, and determines whether or not
the resultant clip is enable based on the clip management data. In
the example shown in FIG. 26, since the clip management data of the
resultant clip FC-C is read out but the resultant clip FC-C is
disable, the negative result is obtained and proceeds to step
SP75.
[0308] At step SP75, the CPU 21 determines whether or not the lower
clips of the resultant clip are all enable based on the clip
management data read out at the former step SP74. In the example
shown in FIG. 26, the resultant clip FC-E being the lower clip of
the resultant clip FC-C is disable, so that the negative result is
obtained and proceeds to step SP77.
[0309] At step SP77, the CPU 21 pushes again the clip management
data of the resultant clip popped before onto the stack memory, and
proceeds to next step SP78. In the example shown in FIG. 26, the
clip management data of the resultant clip FC-C is pushed again. At
next step SP78, the CPU 21 pushes one clip management data of the
disable clip among the lower clips of the resultant clip re-pushed
at step SP77 onto the stack memory. In the example shown in FIG.
26, the clip management data of the resultant clip FC-E is
pushed.
[0310] Next, the CPU 21 returns to step SP72 again to determine
whether or not the stack memory is empty. In the present state, the
negative result is obtained since it is not empty, and proceeds to
next step SP74. At step SP74, the CPU 21 pops the clip management
data for one clip from the stack memory, and determines whether or
not the resultant clip is enable based on the clip management data.
In the example shown in FIG. 26, since the resultant clip FC-E is
read out but the resultant clip FC-E is disable, the negative
result is obtained to proceed to step SP75.
[0311] At step SP75, the CPU 21 determines whether or not the lower
clips of the resultant clip are all enable based on the clip
management data read out at the former step SP74. In the example
shown in FIG. 26, since the clips MC-E1, MC-E2, and FC-G which are
lower clips of the resultant clip FC-E are all enable, the
affirmative result is obtained, and proceeds to step SP76.
[0312] At step SP76, the CPU 21 performs the edit processing using
the clip video data of the clip specified as a material based on
the work data registered in the clip management data, so as to
produce the clip video data of the resultant clip and changes the
enable/disable flag of the clip management data of the resultant
clip into enable. In the example shown in FIG. 26, the edit
processing is performed by using the clips FC-G, MC-E1, and MC-E2
specified as materials to produce the clip video data of the
resultant clip FC-E and change the enable/disable flag of the
resultant clip FC-E into enable.
[0313] Next, the CPU 21 returns to step SP72 again to determine
whether or not the stack memory is empty. In the present state, the
negative result is obtained since it is not empty, and proceeds to
step SP74. At step SP74, the CPU 21 pops the clip management data
for one clip from the stack memory, and determines whether or not
the resultant clip is enable based on the clip management data. In
the example shown in FIG. 26, since the clip management data of the
resultant clip FC-C is read out but the resultant clip FC-C is
disable, the negative result is obtained and proceeds to step
SP75.
[0314] At step SP75, the CPU 21 determines whether or not the lower
clips of the resultant clip are all enable based on the clip
management data read out at the former step SP74. In the example
shown in FIG. 26, the clips FC-E and MC-C1 being the lower clips of
the resultant clips FC-C are enable, so that the affirmative result
is obtained and proceeds to step SP76.
[0315] At step SP76, the CPU 21 performs the edit processing using
the clip video data of the clip specified as a material based on
the work data registered in the clip management data, so as to
produce the clip video data of the resultant clip and changes the
enable/disable flag of the clip management data of the resultant
clip into enable. In the example shown in FIG. 26, the edit
processing is performed by using the clips FC-E and MC-C1 to
produce the clip video data of the resultant clip FC-C and change
the enable/disable flag of the resultant clip FC-C into enable.
[0316] Next, the CPU 21 returns to step SP72 again to determine
whether or not the stack memory is empty. In the present state, the
negative result is obtained since it is not empty, and proceeds to
step SP74. At step SP74, the CPU 21 pops the clip management data
for one clip from the stack memory, and determines whether or not
the resultant clip is enable based on the clip management data. In
the example shown in FIG. 26, since the clip management data of the
resultant clip FC-B is read out but the resultant clip FC-B is
disable, the negative result is obtained and proceeds to step
SP75.
[0317] At step SP75, the CPU 21 determines whether or not the lower
clips of the resultant clip are all enable based on the clip
management data read out at the former step SP74. In the example
shown in FIG. 26, the resultant clip FC-D being the lower clip is
disable, so that the negative result is obtained and proceeds to
step SP77.
[0318] At step SP77, the CPU 21 pushes again the clip management
data of the resultant clip onto the stack memory similarly, and at
next step SP78, pushes the clip management data of the disable
lower clip onto the stack memory.
[0319] Next, the CPU 21 returns to step SP72 again to determine
whether or not the stack memory is empty. In the present state, the
negative result is obtained since it is not empty, and proceeds to
step SP74. At step SP74, the CPU 21 pops the clip management data
for one clip from the stack memory, and determines whether or not
the resultant clip is enable based on the clip management data. In
the example shown in FIG. 26, since the resultant clip FC-D is read
out but the resultant clip FC-D is disable, the negative result is
obtained and proceeds to step SP75.
[0320] At step SP75, the CPU 21 determines whether or not the lower
clips of the resultant clip are all enable based on the clip
management data read out at the former step SP74. In the example
shown in FIG. 26, the clips FC-E, FC-F, MC-D1 and MC-D2 being lower
clips of the resultant clip FC-D are all enable, so that the
affirmative result is obtained and proceeds to step SP76.
[0321] At step SP76, the CPU 21 performs the edit processing using
the clip video data of the clip specified as a material based on
the work data registered in the clip management data, so as to
produce the clip video data of the resultant clip and changes the
enable/disable flag of the clip management data of the resultant
clip into enable. In the example shown in FIG. 26, the edit
processing is performed by using the clips FC-E, FC-F, MC-D1 and
MC-D2 to produce the clip video data of the resultant clip FC-D and
change the enable/disable flag of the resultant clip FC-D into
enable.
[0322] Next, the CPU 21 returns to step SP72 again to determine
whether or not the stack memory is empty. In the present state, the
negative result is obtained since it is not empty, and proceeds to
step SP74. At step SP74, the CPU 21 pops the clip management data
for one clip from the stack memory, and determines whether or not
the resultant clip is enable based on the clip management data. In
the example shown in FIG. 26, since the clip management data of the
resultant clip FC-B is read out but the resultant clip FC-B is
disable, the negative result is obtained and proceeds to step
SP75.
[0323] At step SP75, the CPU 21 determines whether or not the lower
clips of the resultant clip are all enable based on the clip
management data read out at the former step SP74. In the example
shown in FIG. 26, the resultant clips FC-C and FC-D being lower
clips are enable, so that the affirmative result is obtained and
proceeds to step SP76.
[0324] At step SP76, the CPU 21 performs the edit processing using
the clip video data of the clip specified as a material based on
the work data registered in the clip management data, so as to
produce the clip video data of the resultant clip and changes the
enable/disable flag of the clip management data of the resultant
clip into enable. In the example shown in FIG. 26, the edit
processing is performed by using the clips FC-C and FC-D to produce
the clip video data of the resultant clip FC-B and change the
enable/disable flag of the resultant clip FC-B into enable.
[0325] Next, the CPU 21 returns to step SP72 again to determine
whether or not the stack memory is empty. In the present state, the
negative result is obtained since it is not empty, and proceeds to
step SP74. At step SP74, the CPU 21 pops the clip management data
for one clip from the stack memory, and determines whether or not
the resultant clip is enable based on the clip management data. In
the example shown in FIG. 26, since the clip management data of the
resultant clip FC-A is read out but the resultant clip FC-A is
disable, the negative result is obtained and proceeds to step
SP75.
[0326] At step SP75, the CPU 21 determines whether or not the lower
clips of the resultant clip are all enable based on the clip
management data read out at the former step SP74. In the example
shown in FIG. 26, the resultant clip FC-B being lower clip is
enable, so that the affirmative result is obtained and proceeds to
step SP76.
[0327] At step SP76, the CPU 21 performs the edit processing using
the clip video data of the clip specified as a material based on
the work data registered in the clip management data, so as to
produce the clip video data of the resultant clip and changes the
enable/disable flag of the clip management data of the resultant
clip into enable. In the example shown in FIG. 26, the edit
processing is performed by using the resultant clip FC-B to produce
the clip video data of the resultant clip FC-A and change the
enable/disable flag of the resultant clip FC-A into enable.
[0328] Next, the CPU 21 returns to step SP72 again to determine
whether or not the stack memory is empty. In the present state, the
stack memory is empty since the all data to the uppermost resultant
clip are read out by pop processing described above, and an
affirmative result is obtained. Therefore, the CPU 21 proceeds to
step SP73 to complete the re-execution processing.
[0329] In addition, at step SP74, if it is determined that the clip
of the clip management data read from the stack memory is enable,
the CPU 21 returns to step SP72. For example, when the uppermost
resultant clip is enable in the clip tree, the clip management data
is pushed onto the stack memory by the processing of step SP71.
However, since the affirmative result is obtained by determination
of step SP74, the CPU 21 returns to step SP72 to complete the
re-execution processing immediately because the affirmative result
is obtained. In this way, when the uppermost resultant clip is
enable, the re-execution processing is not performed actually.
[0330] Here, the content of the flowchart of the re-execution
processing described above is shown in FIG. 29 schematically. In
the editing system 1 according to this invention, when the
uppermost resultant clip FC-A is disable, it is determined whether
the resultant clip FC-B which is the lower clip of the clip FC-A is
enable or not, and when it is disable, it is determined whether the
clip FC-C which is the lower clip of the clip FC-B is enable or
not. As a result, when the resultant clip FC-C is disable, it is
determined whether the clip FC-E which is the lower clip of the
resultant clip FC-C is enable or not, and when the resultant clip
FC-E is disable, it is determined whether the clip FC-G which is
the lower clip of the resultant clip FC-E is enable or not.
[0331] As a result, if the resultant clip FC-G is enable, the clip
video data of the resultant clip is transferred to execute the edit
processing based on the clip video data again, so as to produce the
clip video data of the resultant clip FC-E corresponding to the
upper clip. When the clip video data of the resultant clip FC-E is
produced, the edit processing based on the clip video data is
executed again, so as to produce the clip video data of the
resultant clip FC-C corresponding to the upper clip. When the clip
video data of the resultant clip FC-C is produced, the edit
processing based on the clip video data is tried to be executed
again. However, since the resultant clip FC-D which is the other
lower clip is still disable, it is determined whether the resultant
clip FC-E which is the lower clip of the resultant clip FC-D is
enable or not.
[0332] If the resultant clip FC-E is enable, the clip video data of
the resultant clip FC-E is transferred. Also, it is determined
whether the resultant clip FC-F which is the other lower clip of
the resultant clip FC-D is enable or not, and when it is enable,
the clip video data of the resultant clip FC-F is also transferred.
When the clip video data from the lower clips FC-E and FC-F are
transferred, the edit processing based on the clip video data is
executed again, so as to produce the clip video data of the
resultant clip FC-D corresponding to the upper clip. Next, when the
clip video data of the resultant clip FC-D is produced, the edit
processing based on the clip video data is-executed again, so as to
produce the clip video data of the resultant clip FC-B
corresponding to the upper clip. Next, when the clip video data of
the resultant clip FC-B is produced, the edit processing based on
the clip video data is executed again, so as to produce the clip
video data of the resultant clip FC-A corresponding to the upper
clip.
[0333] In this way, in the editing system 1 according to this
invention, if the content of the edit processing of the resultant
clip FC-E is modified, the flag for identifying the resultant clip
FC-E is changed to disable and the flags for identifying the
resultant clips FC-C, FC-D, FC-B, and FC-A which are linked to the
upper position of the resultant clip FC-E are all changed to
disable. Then, the re-execution processing is specified by
selecting the command of the view or the all view, is determined
whether the clips is enable or not from the uppermost resultant
clip FC-A toward the lower clips. When reached to the clip having
all enable clips linked at the lower position, the edit processing
of the clip is re-executed to change the clip into the enable clip,
and the edit processing of the clip which are linked at the upper
position is successively re-executed to change all clips which are
linked at the upper position into enable clips. Thus, in the
editing system 1 according to this invention, such processing is
performed so as to easily modify the edit result once produced,
even if the operator does not remember the relation between clips
conventionally.
[0334] (7) Operation and Effect of the Editing System
[0335] With the above construction, when the editing system 1 is
started up, the top menu is displayed on the display 2B of the work
station 2. An operator selects the command of starting up a desired
module on the top menu, and starts up the module suitable to the
edit work which will be performed. When the module is started up,
the GUI for editing is displayed on the display 2B of the work
station 2.
[0336] For example, when the composite module CM is started up, the
GUI shown in FIG. 10 is displayed on the display 2B. in the GUI for
composite processing, the time line window 34 only for the
composite processing is displayed, and the clip being a material
can be easily specified or a desired composite processing can be
specified. At this time, in the GUI, the clips registered as the
clip database CDB are displayed on the clip tree window 31 or the
library window 33, and if a desired clip is selected among from
these clips as a material and placed at the video area of the time
line window 34, the material of composite processing can be easily
specified.
[0337] Further, to set the parameter of the composite processing
specified on the time line window 34, the parameter is set with
viewing the screen by using the parameter setting window 35
displayed on the same GUI, so that a desired composite parameter
can be set.
[0338] Further, on the clip tree window 31, the clip tree such that
the relation between respective clips registered in the clip
database CDB is understood is displayed. When viewing the clip
tree, it can be easily obtained that which of clips is each clip
produced from as a material.
[0339] Similarly, when the special effect module SM is started up,
the GUI shown in FIG. 11 is displayed on the display 2B. Also in
the GUI of the special effect processing, the time line window 41
only for the special effect is displayed, and if you operates in
accordance with the time line window 41, the clip being a material
can be easily specified or a desired special effect processing can
be specified. Moreover, also in the GUI of the special effect
processing, the clip tree window 31 and the library window 33 are
provided, so that the desired clip registered in the clip database
CDB can be easily selected as a material.
[0340] Similarly, when the edit module EM is started up, the GUI
shown in FIG. 12 is displayed on the display 2B. Also in the GUI of
the edit processing, the time line window 51 only for the edit
processing is displayed, and if you operates in accordance with the
time line window 51, the clip being a material can be easily
specified or a desired edit processing can be specified.
[0341] In this way, in the editing system 1, the desired material
or the edit content is specified with viewing the GUI displayed on
the display 2B of the work station 2, so as to easily perform the
desired edit work. Further, in the editing system 1, various
instructions relating to the edit work can be input through the
work station 2, and the edit work can be performed easily even if
the operator does not operate intentionally various devices as a
conventional way.
[0342] Therefore, in the editing system 1, the edit work can be
performed easier and higher in speed as compared with the
conventional one. Also, the many types of materials registered in
the clip database CDB are used to obtain the complicated and high
quality video data.
[0343] On the other hand, in the editing system 1, each clip being
as a material is managed with the hierarchical structure based on
the relation between clips. More specifically, it is understood
that which of clips is the clip linked to. Therefore, even if the
content of the edit is changed after the edit work has been
performed once, the associated clips can be changed automatically
by the management of the hierarchical structure. Thereby, the edit
work can be easily changed and the edit work is performed
efficiently even if the operator does not intentionally remember
the relation between clips. Furthermore, even if the edit content
is changed, the original work data relating to the edit is remained
so as to return it to the original state after the edit content has
been changed. Further, the relation between clips is managed with
the hierarchical structure, so that the edit work is successively
performed based on the relation between clips managed with the
hierarchical structure to perform the complicated edit work
easily.
[0344] In accordance with the above construction, the work station
2 displaying the GUI for each function is provided to enable to
input the various edit instructions in accordance with the screen
of the GUI, so that the desired edit work can be performed without
the operation of devices as conventional one, and the editing
system which significantly improves the usability can be
realized.
[0345] Further, respective clips being as materials are managed
with the hierarchical structure based on the relation between
clips, so that the complete edit work can be performed easily and
the edit work can be changed easily, thereby the editing system
which can perform the complicated edit work easily and rapidly can
be realized.
[0346] Industrial Applicability
[0347] In the broadcasting station, etc., this invention can be
utilized in the complicated edit work using a plurality of
materials.
DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0348] 1 . . . editing system, 2 . . . work station, 2A . . . body,
2B . . . display, 2C . . . key board, 2D . . . mouse, 2E . . . pen
tablet, 3 . . . device controller, 4 . . . exclusive controller, 5
. . . video disk recorder, 6 . . . video tape recorder, 7 . . .
switcher, 8 . . . video camera, 9 . . . digital multi-effector, 10
. . . monitor, 11 . . . audio mixer, 20 . . . system bus, 21 . . .
CPU, 21A . . . ROM, 21B . . . RAM, 22 . . . video processor, 23 . .
. display controller, 24 . . . HDD interface, 25 . . . FDD
interface, 26 . . . pointing device interface, 27 . . . external
interface, 30 . . . menu window, 31 . . . clip tree window, 32 . .
. key window, 33 . . . library window, 34, 41, 51 . . . time line
window, 35 . . . parameter setting window, 36 . . . preview screen
display window, 37 . . . device control window, 38 . . . edit
content display window, 39 . . . control command window, 40, 50 . .
. effect selection window, 42, 52 . . . parameter setting
window.
* * * * *