Patent ID: 6357047
Filing Date: 2002-03-12
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A method of generating a third sequence of digital still images from a first sequence of digital still images and a second sequence of digital still images during playback, wherein the first and second sequences are stored in data files in a file system, each digital image of the first and second sequence including a plurality of pixels, the method comprising:controlling the transfer of the first and second sequences from the data files to a first and a second data buffer, respectively; receiving a transition signal defining a transition from the first sequence to the second sequence; controlling reading of the first and second sequences from the first and second buffers, respectively; and generating the third sequence of digital still images from the read first sequence and the read second sequence in accordance with the defined transition, wherein the step of controlling the transfer of the first and second sequences from the data files to the first and second buffers, respectively, includes transferring to the first and second buffers in accordance with the amount of space available in each of first and second buffers, and wherein the first sequence is associated with the first data buffer and the second sequence is associated with the second data buffer, and wherein transferring comprises: determining an amount of data in the first data buffer and in the second data buffer; selecting one of the first and second sequences, wherein the selected sequence has the least amount of data in the associated data buffer, and selecting a desired amount of data to be read for the sequence; for the selected sequence, reading the desired amount of data from the data file stored in the file system; and repeating steps of determining, selecting and reading during playback of the generated third sequence of digital still images.