Patent ID: 7569761
Filing Date: 2009-08-04
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method in which at least one computer system accesses instructions from computer storage and executes the instructions to perform steps of: identifying at least one musical beat in an audio file; providing an editing mode to associate the audio file with a media segment according to a timeline; upon performing at least one editing operation in the editing mode, maintaining that the boundary of the media segment is in alignment with any one of the musical beats, the media segment comprising one of an image still and a video clip, the boundary defining an end of the media segment; wherein the editing mode aligns the boundary with one of the identified musical beats on the timeline by identifying a proximate musical beat closest to a position of the boundary on the timeline, the proximate musical beat comprising one of: (i) a first musical beat located at a position on the timeline closest to but not exceeding the media segment's maximum duration measured from a position on the timeline at which the media segment begins; (ii) for a trimmed media segment, a second musical beat located closest to but not exceeding the trimmed media segment's duration as measured from a position on the timeline at which the trimmed media segment begins; (iii) when the media segment comprises an image still, a third musical beat closest to the image still's default duration as measured from a position on the timeline at which the image still begins; and aligning the boundary to the proximate musical beat by automatically trimming the media segment's current duration to create a trimmed duration for the media segment, wherein trimming results in a new boundary for the media segment occurring simultaneously with the proximate musical beat on the timeline.