Automated synchronization of video image sequences to new soundtracks

A method for synchronizing a video sequence having an accompanying audio track with a different audio track, comprising the steps of:

• analyzing the audio track accompanying said video sequence by means of automatic speech recognition techniques to identify individual speech characteristics in said accompanying audio track;
• analyzing a sound utterance in said different audio track by means of automatic speech recognition techniques to identify individual speech characteristics in said sound utterance;
• and
• temporally modifying said video sequence so that identified individual speech characteristics in said video sequence are temporally aligned with corresponding individual speech characteristics in said sound utterance.

A system for modifying a recorded video image stream to synchronize it to a soundtrack which is generated separately from the recorded video image stream, comprising:

• means for automatically analyzing the recorded video image stream to identify sequences of images that are associated with individual speech characteristics;
• a memory storing a database containing said identified sequences of images;
• means for automatically analyzing said soundtrack to identify individual speech characteristics contained therein;
• and
• means for selecting sequences of images contained in said database that correspond to individual speech characteristics that are identified in said soundtrack and assembling the selected sequences of images into a video image stream that is synchronized with said soundtrack.

A system for modifying a recorded video image stream to synchronize it to a soundtrack which is generated separately from the recorded video image stream, comprising:

• means for analyzing the recorded video image stream to identify images that are associated with individual speech characteristics;
• a memory storing a first database containing sub images, each of which comprises a predetermined portion of one of said identified images;
• means for analyzing said identified images to define control features within the subimage portions of said images;
• means for annotating said stored subimages with data relating to said defined control features;
• a memory storing a second database containing full-frame images from said video image sequence, together with said defined control features;
• means for analyzing said soundtrack to identify individual speech characteristics contained therein;
• means for selecting subimages contained in said first database that correspond to individual speech characteristics that are identified in said sound track;
• and
• means for incorporating the selected subimages into full-frame images stored in said second database, in accordance with the defined control features, to form a video stream that is synchronized with said soundtrack.

A method for synchronizing a video sequence having an accompanying audio track with a different audio track, comprising the steps of:

• analyzing the audio track accompanying said video sequence to identify individual speech characteristics in said audio track;
• analyzing a sound utterance in said different audio track by means of automatic speech recognition techniques to identify individual speech characteristics in said sound utterance;
• and
• reordering frames of said video sequence so that identified individual speech characteristics in said video sequence are temporally aligned with corresponding individual speech characteristics in said sound utterance.