Editing system for multi-media documents with parallel and sequential data

A multi-media document editing system comprising:

• I. a multi-media data memory means for storing multi-media data elements;
• II. a multi-media document memory means for storing a multi-media document containing structural information, said structural information comprising:
• A. a sequential structure element for connecting the elements stored in said multi-media data memory means in order of reproduction time, said sequential structure element having:
• a. a start time;
• and
• b. at least one order link that references said multi-media data elements;
• B. a parallel structure element including:
• a. synchronous links for connecting said sequential structure element with another sequential structure element so that the reproduction start time is the same as that of said sequential structure element;
• b. a relative time between the time of reproducing said sequential structure element and the time of reproducing said another sequential structure element;
• c. a start time;
• and
• d. at least one synchronous link that references said sequential structure element;
• and
• C. a track structure element for connecting said sequential structure element with another sequential structure element when the multi-media data elements linked by said sequential structure element are displayed together, said track structure element having:
• a. a media type indicator,
• b. a display stream indicator;
• and
• c. at least one of
• (a). a reference to said sequential structure element, and
• (b). said parallel structure element;
• and
• III. an editing means for performing an editing operation on the structural information stored in said multi-media document memory means, wherein said editing means includes:
• A. a judging means, which upon execution of the editing operation, judges whether superimposition has occurred on a time axis as a multi-media data element reproducing time axis;
• and
• B. a warning means which, when the occurrence of superimposition has been judged by said judging means, tells the operator to that effect without executing the editing operation.