Digital video effects, apparatus and method
AssigneeQuestech Limited
InventorRobert Billing
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A digital video effects apparatus is arranged to generate a digital video effect by interpolating the values of parameters governing the effect, according to a given function, between time points corresponding to selected frames of a video signal and at which the parameters are fixed at selected values. The apparatus is organised in such a manner that the values of parameters are stored in exclusive timelines enabling the time points at which the parameter values are fixed to be adjusted without reference to other parameters governing the same video effect.
Claims18
A method for processing a digital video image to provide a desired video effect, which comprises:
- a) selecting values of parameters that are to govern the course of said effect during the time period of a corresponding scene to be displayed, b) storing said values of said parameters with reference to time, at defined points in said time period spaced from on another in such a manner that the desired course of each said parameter can be interpolated from the stored values for the reproduction of video image frames occurring between the defined points of said time period, and c) causing said stored values to be retrieved and interpolated by a digital video effects apparatus during reproduction of a digital video signal in order to reproduce the desired effect, whereby step (b) comprises storing values of each of at least some of said parameters independently of other parameters in a time line exclusive to that parameter, whereby the position of the defined point at which any value is stored in the time line, and/or the value of a stored parameter at said point can be adjusted independently of the other parameters.
A digital video effects apparatus for processing a digital video image to provide a desired video effect, comprising means for displaying a scale representing the course of a digital video effect that is to be reproduced within a digital video signal, means for displaying with reference to said scale instants in time at which values of parameters governing said effect are defined, means for displaying with reference to each said instant in time the defined value of the corresponding parameter or parameters, manually operable means for adjusting with reference to said scale each instant in time at which the value of a given parameter is defined, manually operable means for adjusting the value of a parameter at a defined instant, means for storing the adjusted values of said parameters and the corresponding instants in time with reference to a timeline representing said course, and means for retrieving and interpolating the values of said parameters during reproduction of a digital video signal in order to reproduce the desired effect.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.