Apparatus and method for data edition

Abstract: In recent years, the development of the data editing apparatus having the mass storage apparatus is promoted so as to edit the pictures, audio and so on. There are some apparatuses which effect the audio, picture data edition operation by the inputting, outputting operations of the time codes with the numeral values as the conventional data editing apparatuses. According to the invention, by the visual expres­ sion of the time positions of the information, the user may grasp the reproduction time of the pictures, texts, audio data, so that the synchronizing operation of a plurality of media data may be simplified, the graphic edition may be effected and easier multimedia data may be edited.

Description: The present invention relates to a data editing apparatus for digitally editing destination information from sets of material information of moving pictures, still pictures, audio signals, text information etc. in a predetermined time relation, as well as to a data editing method therefore. In recent years, the development of data editing apparatuses having a mass storage provided therein is progressed so as to effect the editing operations of pictures, audio and so on. With the development of them, various applications for the edition of the pictures, audio and so on are developed. Some conventional data editing apparatuses edit the picture data through inputting, outputting operations of time codes as numeral values. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the construction of the conventional data editing apparatus. In Fig. 4, reference numeral 41 is an input part, in which the user inputs instructions, reference numeral 42 is a data storage part for storing audio and picture data, reference numeral 43 is a control part for reading the picture and audio data from the data storage part 42 in accordance with input signals from the input part, reference numeral 44 is an output part which is adapted to receive the picture data and the audio data from the data storage part 42 in accordance with the input signals from the input part 41, and to effect the display and audio outputting operations. The file names of the outputting picture data, audio data, and the output timings are inputted from the input part 41. The control part 43 reads the picture, audio data from the data storage part 42 in accordance with the input data from the input part 41. The read data is fed into the output part 44 so as to effect a series of picture display, audio output operations. But in such a construction as described hereinabove, the reproduction time of the picture, auto data is handled with the numeral values, so that the time and the data are hard to correspond with, with a problem that the synchronization of the media of the pictures and the audio is difficult to be effected. From Rundfunktechnische Mitteilungen, November/December 1986, pages 281-287, a graphic display unit for VTR editing systems is known, in which the display includes master and slave edit data, master data for the takes that have already been edited, the precise position of the tape with regard to the current take, and the machine status. A keyboard in the console enables the operator to modify the edit information and the manner in which the information is displayed. Furthermore, EP-A-268 270 discloses an information editing apparatus, in which a form of the inputted information (pictures, sounds and characters) is converted into a prescribed format in accordance with properties of the information, in order to generate converted information. A first storage means holds the inputted information and/or the converted information. A second storage means holds the edited information, and the information held in the first and second storage means is reproduced to allow a check of the information and the reproduction sequence. The information held in the first storage means or the second storage means is then outputted for generating a recording medium with final information. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed with a view to substantially eliminating the above discussed drawbacks inherent in the prior art data editing methods and has for its essential object to provide an improved data editing method taking advantage of the merits of both of the prior art data editing apparatus. In accordance with the present invention, a data editing apparatus as defined above is structured as defined in claim 1. Furthermore, a data editing method for such a data editing apparatus comprises the steps as defined in claim 4. Preferable embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. In accordance with the above described construction, the present invention has the display control part calculating the respective information amount in a plurality of stored material information and the information amount of the destination information so as to display, outputting the information graphics having the area proportional to the information amount, and in addition, expressing the information of the plurality of material information and destination information so as to allow the visual expression of the time positions of the information, and the user may easily grasp the reproduction time. By the use of the present invention, the synchronization of the picture, text, audio data may be effected, the position to be partially reproduced may be easily specified, and the position to be edited may be easily specified. Further, by the use of the marker, it is possible to visually store the time address value, to simplify the positional specification of the information, and to easily effect the editing operation, thus resulting in extremely larger practical effects. These and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of a data editing apparatus in one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2, Fig. 3 are charts each showing the picture face construction of the editing picture face of the data editing apparatus of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the basic construction of the conventional data editing apparatus; and Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the construction of a display control part of Fig. 1. Before the description of the present invention proceeds, it is to be noted that like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the accompanying drawings. In the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to an apparatus and a method for data edition constructed with a work station having a mass storage memory for storing the digital information. Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1, a block diagram showing the construction of a data editing apparatus according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention. The mass storage which includes a picture information storage part 11 for storing a plurality of material picture information in a time system and the destination picture information, a text information storage part 12 for storing a plurality of material text information in a time system and the destination text information, and an audio information storage part 13 for storing a plurality of material audio information in a time system and the destination audio information. An input part 14 is provided for inputting, by the operations of the user, construction information, arrangement information and indication information. The construction information specifies material information from the plurality of material information so as to indicate the specific area of the specified material information. The arrangement information shows the arrangement condition in the destination information of the specific area of the material information indicated by the construction information. The indication information shows a method of processing the time address value showing the address value of the information of the material information with the time as a unit, the material information and the destination information. Furthermore, a control part 15 is provided for selecting the material information from the respective information storage parts 11, 12, 13 in accordance with the construction information outputted from the input part 14; arranging in the time system the material information selected in accordance with the arrangement information outputted from the input part 14 to produce the destination information so as to store it into the corresponding information storage parts 11, 12, 13. A display control part 16 is provided for effecting a material information graphics displaying operation of picture-outputting the material information graphics having the area proportional to the information amount of the plurality of material information, a destination information graphics displaying operation of arranging in parallel the destination information graphics having the area proportional to the information amount of the plurality of destination information so as to effect the picture outputting operation, a first digital display operation of digitally displaying the time address value in the indication point on the material information graphics indicated in accordance with the indication information from the input part 14, and a second digital display operation of digitally displaying the time address value in the indication time on the destination information graphics indicated in accordance with the indication information from the input part 14. Finally, a synchronization control output part 17 is provided for effecting the time synchronization of the plurality of destination information stored in the plurality of information storage parts 11, 12, 13 in accordance with the respective arrangement information and the indication information from the input part 14 so as to effect the reproducing operation. Concretely, the material picture information to be stored in the picture information storage part 11 is an approximately one minute's moving pictures for introducing dresses of certain design. The destination picture information is a united dress catalog picture information with the short-time moving pictures of various types of design dresses being combined in it. The material text information to be stored in the text information storage part 12 is a text catalog for illustrating the materials, sizes, colors and so on of dresses of a certain design. The destination text information is the united dress catalog text information combined so that the text catalog of design dresses of the various types may become a story. The material audio information to be stored in the audio information storage part 13 is approximately one minute's music. The destination audio information is a united dress catalog audio information with the various type of short-time music being combined in it. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the construction of the display control part 16 of Fig. 1 of the present embodiment. The display control part 16 is composed of the material information time bar display control part 51, the destination information time bar display control part 52, the material information marker display control part 53, the destination information marker display control part 54, the first time address value display control part 55, the second time address value display control part 56, and the display part 57. The material information time bar display control part 51 is used for effecting the material information graphics display operation of picture-outputting the material information graphics having the area proportional to the information amount of the plurality of material information. The destination information time bar display control part 52 is used for effecting the destination information graphics display operation of arranging in parallel the destination information graphics having the area proportional to the information amount of the plurality of destination information so as to effect the picture outputting operation. The material information marker display control part 53 is used for repeatedly displaying the graphics showing the time address value on the material information graphics. The destination information marker display control part 54 is used for effecting an operation of repeatedly displaying the graphics showing the time address value on the destination information graphics. The first time address value display control part 55 is used for effecting a first digital display operation of digitally displaying the time address value in the indication point on the material information graphics indicated in accordance with the indication information from the input part 14. The second time address value display control part 56 is used for effecting a second digital display operation of digitally displaying the time address value in the indication point on the destination information graphics indicated in accordance with the indication information from the input part 14. The display part 57 is used for displaying on one picture face what is produced by each of the display control operation parts. The data editing apparatus constructed as described hereinabove will be described hereinafter in its operation with the use of Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a graph showing the picture face construction of the edition picture face displayed on the display control part 16. The reference numerals 21, 22, 23 in Fig. 2 are material information time bars with the information amount of the material information being converted into the area, and reference numerals 24, 25, 26 are the destination information time bars having the area proportional into the information amount of the destination information. Reference numeral 27 is the material information display portion with the material information time bars 21, 22, 23 being display on it, and reference numeral 28 is the destination information display portion with the destination information time bars 24, 25, 26 being displayed on it. Reference numeral 29 is a time display portion for digitally displaying the time address value of the information among the indication information. Reference numerals 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 are markers for displaying the optional time address value on the time bar. Reference character a is a first material information, reference character b is a second material information, and reference character c is a third material information. Reference character M is the destination information of the picture, reference character A is the destination information of the audio, and reference character T is the destination information of the text. The time bars are represented with such bars as shown in the drawing. The reproduction time is calculated from the information amount of the material information, the destination information and the transfer speed thereof so as to convert them into the lengths. Therefore, the lengths are proportional to the reproduction time. Here, the material information of the a, b, c is read, displayed from the picture information storage part 11 with the plurality of picture material information being stored therein. Fig. 3 is a graph showing the picture face construction of the edition picture face after the insertion edition to be displayed on the display control part 16. Similar as in Fig. 2, in Fig. 3, reference numerals 21, 22, 23 are the material information time bars, reference numerals 35, 25, 26 are the destination information time bars. Reference numeral 35 is a time bar after the edition of the time bar 24 of Fig. 2. Reference numeral 27 is the material information display portion displaying the material information time bars 21, 22, 23, reference numeral 28 is the destination information display portion displaying the destination information time bars 35, 25, 26, reference numeral 29 is a time display portion for digitally displaying the time address value among the indication information. Reference numerals 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 are markers, reference character a is a first material information, reference character b is a second material information, reference character c is a third material information. Reference character M is the destination information of the picture, reference character A is the destination information of the audio, and reference character T is the destination information of the text. When an optional point p on the time bar or an optional marker 33 on the time bar is specified with the use of a mouse of the input part 14, the indication information of the point p of the material information a or of the marker 33 of the destination information A is fed into the control part 15 from the input part 14. The control part 15 calculates the time address value from the coordinates of the point p or the marker 33. The display control part 16 receives the point information thereof so as to effect the first digital display operation or the second digital display operation for digitally displaying it on the time display portion 29. At the same time, the optional information corresponding to the point p, or the marker 33, is called from the information storage part so as to reproduce it by the synchronization control output part 17. By the specification of the optional point on the time bar like this, the display of the time address value and the reproduction of the data are effected. The markers 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 are marks for storing the points on the time bars. When the accessing is effected onto the same point on the time bar with the mouse, the marker marking on the point previously is left there, and the same point is to be specified simply by the choice of the marker. In the editing operation, in order to insert the information between p and q of the material information a into the position of the information corresponding to the point r of the picture information M, the optional point p and the optional point q on the time bar of the material information a are specified by the use of the mouse of the input part 14 to specify the optional point r on the time bar of the destination information A. The construction information of fetching the information between p and q of the material information a from the input part 14 to the control part 15 and the arrangement information of inserting the fetched information into the position of the point r of the picture information M are fed to the control part. The control part calls the portion of the material information between p and q of the information a from the picture information storage part 11 to build-in the material information in the optional position of the destination information corresponding to the point r so as to produce the new destination information M for storing the destination information M in the picture information storage part 11. At the same time, the portion which has the length proportional to the reproduction time of the new destination information M, and is newly built in displays the time bar the same in color as the original material by the display control part 17. The same things can be said even about the other edition operations such as copying, deleting, and so on. Also, in the above description, the editing operation of the picture information has been described. The same things can be said even about the audio and the text. When the optional coordinate t is specified with the mouse in the abscissas axis direction in the synchronizing, reproducing operations, the control part reads the respective destination information corresponding to the point t from the picture information storage part, the text information storage part, the audio information storage part in accordance with the indicating information of effecting the synchronizing, reproducing operations from the position of the coordinate t from the input part so as to effect the reproducing operation at the same time by the synchronization control output part. In the present embodiment, the mass storage apparatus is adapted to digitally store information. But the mass storage apparatus for storing the information is not restricted to it. For example, a capacity storage apparatus for storing analog data may obtain, also, the same effects.

Claims: A data editing apparatus for digitally editing destination information from sets of material information of moving pictures, still pictures, audio signals, text information etc. in a predetermined time relation, comprising a) a plurality of information storage parts (11, 12, 13) for storing a plurality of material information sets and the edited destination information; b) an input part (14) for inputting, by the operations of a user, construction information for specifying sets and specific areas of material information, arrangement information showing the arrangement condition in the destination information of the specific sets and areas of the material information indicated by the construction information, indicating information showing a processing method of a time address value showing the address value of the set of the material information with the time being provided as a unit, the material information and the destination information; c) a control part (15) for selecting sets of material information from the plurality of information storage parts (11, 12, 13) in accordance with the construction information inputted by the input part (14), arranging the material information selected in accordance with the arrangement information inputted by the input part (14) so as to produce the destination information in the predetermined time relation, and storing it in the corresponding information storage part (11, 12, 13); d) a display control part (16) for effecting graphic display operations of the sets of material information and of the destination information in the form of parallel time bars having an area proportional to the information amounts, a first digital display operation of digitally displaying the time address value in the indication point on the material information graphics indicated in accordance with the indication information from the input part, and a second digital display operation of digitally displaying the time address value in the indicating point on the destination information graphics indicated in accordance with the indication information from the input part (14); and e) a synchronization control output part (17) for synchronizing in time the plurality of sets of destination information to be stored in the plurality of information storage parts (11, 12, 13) in accordance with the respective arrangement information and the indication information from the input part (14). A data editing apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the display control part (16) effects an operation of displaying the address value on the material information graphics as a time value (29), and an operation of displaying the graphics showing the address value on the destination information graphics as a time value (29). A data editing apparatus in accordance with claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the graphic display operations the type of the material information and the construction of the destination information are expressed in color information. A data editing method for digitally editing destination information from sets of material information of moving pictures, still pictures, audio signals, text information etc. in a predetermined time relation, comprising the steps of a) calculating, by a display control part (16), a respective information amount in a plurality of sets of stored material information and an information amount of destination information, b) arranging in parallel information graphics having an area proportional to the information amount, c) expressing the information of the plurality of sets of material information and the destination information to effect display outputting operations so as to visually express the information amount; d) digitally displaying the time address value (29) of a position on the information graphics indicated in accordance with indication information showing a processing method of the time value expressing the address value of the set of the material information from an input part (14) with the time as a unit, as well as the material information and the destination information; and e) effecting a time-synchronizing operation of the destination information of a plurality of information storage parts (11, 12, 13) to reproduce it in accordance with arrangement information showing the arrangement condition in the destination information of the specific area of the material information indicated by the construction information specifying a set of material information from the respective material information, indicating the specific area of the specified material information, and the indication information from the input part (14). A data editing method in accordance with claim 4, characterized by displaying the graphics showing the time address value on the material information graphics, and displaying the graphics showing the time address value on the destination information graphics.

Inventors: ENDO KOICHIRO, KITAGAWA HIDEMASA, MORI YOSHIHIRO, SUZUKI KISOKO, ENDO, KOICHIRO, KITAGAWA, HIDEMASA, MORI, YOSHIHIRO, SUZUKI, KISOKO
Applicants: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC IND CO LTD, MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: G11B27
IPC codes: G11B27