Patent Publication Number: US-2007124766-A1

Title: Video synthesizer

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      Various aspects of the present invention relate to customizing video displayed in a viewing system based on user input through interaction with the viewing system.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Professional and amateur video editing tools are available in market. These tools are pieces of software that convert a video file in one format to another format. For example, these video editing tools may typically convert audio video interleave (avi) files to VCD/DVD compliant mpeg files and vice versa. These can cut large avi and mpeg files into smaller video clips and join several avi files to a large avi file and/or a mpeg file and/or a DVD compliant mpeg file. A large file can be trimmed into a smaller file by time or by selection (such as selection of frames). Images from a video file can be extracted to some particular formats. These video editing tools offer a few video effects such as flip rotate, soften, sharpen, to be applied to the entire video file. A user is constrained to select from the few video effects. The user is left with no option to apply video effect to only a portion of the video file.  
      Studios have some specialized equipments and software that mix videos from two or more sources in real time, add motion graphics and several three-dimensional video effects, titles and captions to create a flawless professional video. Such software is expensive and allow for inserting, overwriting or replacing clips into the video. These offer a large number of transitions, filters and effects to choose from. However it requires mastery of video editing skills to operate these specialized equipment and software. These are not suitable for kids and for nonprofessional users. Again, these equipment and software are expensive.  
      Video editing systems are available in the market that combine two or more video sources in a variety of ways into a single video feed. These systems can switch between sources with simple cuts or create transitions such as dissolves, wipes, flips and zooming effects. Such video editing systems are typically used to compose a single video feed and the user is again forced to choose from a limited number of alternatives. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      For the present invention to be easily understood and readily practiced, various embodiments will now be described, for purposes of illustration and not limitation, in conjunction with the following figures:  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram illustrating interaction between a video processing system and a viewing system, in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram illustrating an interaction between a video processing system, a viewing system and a video sourcing system;  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the video processing system of  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a schematic block diagram illustrating another embodiment of the video processing system of  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic block diagram illustrating yet another embodiment of the video processing system of  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 6  is schematic block diagram illustrating interaction between elements in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating a method of operation of a video processing system; and  
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart illustrating functions of seeking video rights and optionally purchasing video rights performed by the video processing system of  FIG. 7  according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram illustrating interaction between a video processing system  101  and a viewing system  103 , the video processing system  101  generates a processed video by applying one or more visual effects to a selected portion of one of a plurality of video elements as per user input and delivers the processed video to the viewing system  103  in accordance with the present invention. The video processing system  101  and the viewing system  103  are located at the same premises. The video processing circuitry  101  includes a user input interface  105 , a communication interface  107 , a storage system  109  and a processing circuitry  115 . The processing circuitry  115  is communicatively coupled to the user input interface  105 , the communication interface  107  and the storage system  109 . The viewing system  103  includes a screen  121 , such as a TV screen, an LCD screen, etc., that can be used to display the processed video. The video processing system  101  and the viewing system  103  are communicatively coupled via one or more an infrared link, a cellular link, a wired link, a cable and an optical fiber link. Other communications links are also well-known in the art.  
      The video processing system  101  facilitates introducing special effects easily into video streams that may be pre-recorded or received in real-time. The video processing system  101  makes it possible to highlight specific portions of a video or digital image, create simple animations that can be incorporated into a video, and present the video in frames of different shapes, such as a heart shaped frame, a circular frame, a moving frame, a frame that moves like a rocket, a bouncing frame, etc. In another embodiment, the video processing system  101  is a toy that a child can operate to create special effects on digital images or on a live video captured via a digital camera or a digital video recorder.  
      The video processing system  101  facilitates tracking and subtraction of specific moving objects in a video. It facilitates identification of a display shape of a frame for the video by a viewer, such as a circular shape, and identification of a location for the shape on the display. The viewer can move the frame, size it and associate the video stream or image that will be displayed in the frame. It also facilitates specification of special effects, such as highlighting, movement, color modifications, etc. The video processing system  101  facilitates specification of a fixed region of interest, and a trackable region of interest in a video stream that will be displayed in the frame.  
      The storage system  109  stores a plurality of video elements  111  and a visual effect menu  113 . The storage system  109  may be one of a magnetic tape, a digital video disc, a hard disc, and a rewritable memory. The storage system  109  is used to store configuration and details of special effects that can be implemented or enforced on portions of video data (video streams or video content) received from a remote video source. The storage system  109  provides a list of such special effects to the viewing system  103 , if necessary, to permit a viewer to browse through available special effects and choose from them. Such special effects may be enabled or disabled by a viewer on specific portions or regions of interest in a media element or incoming video data.  
      The plurality of video elements  111 , for example, may be one or more of a video part of a television channel program, an extract from a live video program, a video stream, a video game output, a stored video, and a picture. The user input interface  105  receives a viewer&#39;s selections on video effects to be implemented on specific video programs or video data received by the video processing system  101 . For example, the user input identifies one of the plurality of video elements  114  as a target for special effects. In one embodiment, the user selects a video element as a target from a plurality of video elements  114 , the selections is based on a video elements menu  112  or a browsable and selectable catalog of such video elements presented to the viewer. The video elements menu  112  includes a list of the plurality of video elements  111  stored in the storage system  109  or available from a video source that is remote or from a local video source, such as a DVD player.  
      In the one embodiment, the processing circuitry  115  retrieves the video elements menu  112  from the storage system  109  and forwards the video menu  112  to the viewing system  103  for display on the screen  121 . Subsequently the user input interface  105  receives the viewer&#39;s selections as an input selection.  
      The communication interface  107  retrieves the selected one from the plurality of video elements  114  stored in the storage system  109  or communicated by a remote video source. A remote control or some such input device (for example, a pen, a touch sensitive screen, a mouse, etc.) is used by a viewer to make selections. The communication interface  107  sends the selected one of the plurality of video elements  114  to the viewing system  103  that displays it on the screen  121 . The user input interface  105  can then receive an effects user input from the viewer via a remote control or some such input device. The effects user input identifies at least a portion of the one of the plurality of video elements for subjecting it to special effects.  
      In another embodiment of the invention, a viewer visually interacts with the screen  121  on which the viewer selected video elements  114  is displayed. The viewer feeds the effects user input using the user input interface  105 . According to this embodiment, the user input interface  105  communicates via the communication interface  107  with the viewing system  103  to enable the selection of one or more portion of one or more video elements from the plurality of video elements available for display. The storage system  109  stores the effects user input  125 , if necessary, for subsequent or repeated usage.  
      The communication interface  107  also retrieves the visual effect menu  113  from the storage system  109  and sends the visual effect menu to the viewing system  103  for display. The visual effect menu  113  identifies a plurality of visual effects. The user input interface  105  receives a third user input identifying at least one of the plurality of visual effects. The third user input is based on the visual effect menu  113 . The storage system  109  stores the third user input  126 . The processing circuitry  115  of the video processing system  101  applies the at least one of the plurality of visual effects corresponding to the third user input  126  to the at least a portion of the one of the plurality of video elements corresponding to the second user input  125  and generates a processed video element. The processing circuitry  115  delivers the processed video element to the viewing system  103  for display on the screen  121 .  
      One of the plurality of visual effects, for example, when applied to a selected portion of the selected video element  114  causes a rotation of the selected portion of  114  by an angle, or an increase in brightness of the selected portion of  114 , or a change in shape of the selected portion of  114 , or a change in size of the selected portion of  114 , or the selected portion of  114  to spin or the selected portion of  114  to move at a decelerated speed.  
      In one embodiment, the video elements comprise of one or more pre-identified regions of interests and special effects can be applied to these regions of interest (ROI) if the ROI indicates that they can be subjected to them. In another embodiment of the invention, each video element is accompanied by information indicating the availability of ROIs and the special effects they can be subjected to.  
       FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram illustrating an interaction between a video processing system  201 , a viewing system  203  and a video sourcing system  205 . The video processing system  201  is communicatively coupled to the viewing system  203  and the video sourcing system  205  over one or more communication links, such as wireless links. For example, the wireless links may be one of an infrared link, a Bluetooth link, a radio frequency link, a microwave link, a satellite link, an 802.15 link, a cellular phone link and an 802.11 link. The video processing system  201  comprises a user input interface  211 , a communication interface  213 , a processing circuitry  215  and an authentication unit  217 . The viewing system  213  includes a screen  221  and a communication interface  222 . The video sourcing system  205  comprises at least one of a DVD player  231 , a TV broadcaster  233 , a video camera  235 , a photo camera  237  and an Internet server  239 . The processing circuitry  215  is communicatively coupled to the user input interface  211 , the communication interface  213  and the authentication unit  217 . The viewing system  203  is communicatively coupled to the video sourcing system  205 . The DVD player  231 , the TV broadcaster  233 , the video camera  235 , the photo camera  237  and the Internet server  239  have communication interfaces via which these communicate with the video processing system  201  and the viewing system  203 .  
      The viewing system  203  receives a video stream from any one constituent of the video sourcing system  205 . For example, the viewing system  203  receives the video streams from the television broadcaster  233  or some other local source. The viewing system  203  displays the video stream on the screen  221 . The communication interface  213  of the video processing system  201  attempts to receive the video streams from the television broadcaster  233  (or the some other video source).  
      In another embodiment of the invention the video streams may not be a free and an access charge may be applied. The authentication unit  217  of the video processing system  201  seeks information on media rights from the television broadcaster  233  and also tries to authenticate the access by a viewer via the viewing system  203 . The communication interface  213  receives the video streams from the television broadcaster  233  only if the video processing system  201  is authenticated by the television broadcaster  233  to receive the video streams (one or more video streams). In other embodiments of the invention the communication interface  213  receives the video stream from the viewing system  203  for storage or for communication to other systems.  
      If the video camera  235  provides the video element, such as the live video in real-time of the viewer or some other individual in proximity of the video camera  235 , there are no charges typically for such content. In addition, the viewer, such as a child using a toy like embodiment of the present invention, will be able to capture the live video and display it in a frame (window) that is shaped to suit the viewer&#39;s preference, such as a heart shaped frame/window or a circular window that spins or takes off like a rocket, etc.  
      The user input interface  211  of the video processing system  201  receives a selection from a viewer that identifies an object (such as a region of interest that is associated with a moving car or a flower) from the video streams received. The object selected from the video stream is, for example, a tree, a butterfly, a house, an animal, a static object and a moving object. The selection may be based on a visual interaction of a user with the screen  221  on which the video stream is displayed. The selection may additionally be based on any other criterion.  
      For example, the object selected from the video stream may be the fastest moving object at a given time. The user input interface  211  also receives a motion selection. The processing circuitry  215  applies a motion corresponding to the motion selection to the object selected from the video stream thereby generating a processed video stream. As an example, the motion when applied to the selected object may cause the selected object from the video stream to move at an accelerated speed. The application of the motion may cause the selected object from the video stream to spin. It may cause the selected object from the video stream to tilt. The processing circuitry  215  sends the processed video stream to the viewing system  203  for displaying on the screen  221 . The processed video stream retains characteristics of the video stream except the object selected from the video stream (e.g., the tree, or the butterfly, or the house, or the animal) moving at an accelerated speed or spinning or being in a tilted position.  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the video processing system  201  of  FIG. 2  further providing a selection of the video stream from a video guide  322  and a selection of one or more visual effects from a visual effect guide  323 . The video processing system  301  interacts with a screen  303  and a video sourcing system  305 . The video processing system  301  is communicatively coupled to the screen  303  over a wired link and communicatively coupled to the video sourcing system  305  over a wireless link. The video processing system  301  includes a user input interface  311 , a communication interfaces  313 , a processing circuitry  315  and an authentication unit  317 , a display interface  319  and a memory  321 . The screen  303  may be for example, a television screen, a cellular phone screen or a computer screen.  
      The communication interface  313  of the video processing system  301  receives a video guide  322  from the video sourcing system  305  and stores it in the memory  321 . The communication interface  313  forwards the video guide  322  to the screen  303  for display. The user input interface  311  receives a video selection based on the video guide  322 , the selections may be made by a viewer or selected from a preconfigured selections. The video guide identifies the video streams available with the video sourcing system  305 . For example, the video guide identifies a first set of video streams available with a television broadcaster  333 , a second set of video streams available with the Internet server  339  and a third set of video streams available from the video camera  335 . The user input interface may be provided using, for example, a pen, a touchpad, buttons and a mouse. A video element corresponding to the video selection is to be retrieved by the communication interface  313  from the video sourcing system. The video stream may typically be a movie, a video game, a television channel, a live video, and a personal video. All different types of video elements may be provided and some of them may not be free to use.  
      The television channel and the video game are typically ‘paid’ video elements. The authentication unit  317  of the video processing system  301  performs media rights management processing with the video sourcing system  305  for receiving a paid video stream. The communication interface  313  receives the paid video stream corresponding to the video selection from the video sourcing system  305  only after the video processing system  301  is successfully authenticated. The communication interface  313  forwards the video stream received from the video sourcing system  305  to the screen  303  via the display interface  319  for display.  
      The user input interface  311  of the video processing system  301  receives a selection that identifies an object from the video stream. The memory  311  of the video processing system  301  stores a visual effect guide  323 . The visual effect guide  323  identifies a plurality of visual effects that can be generated and applied by the video processing system  301  to the object selected from the video stream. In some embodiments the user input interface  311  of the video processing system  301  comprises a plurality of keys corresponding to the plurality of visual effects. A selection of one of the plurality of keys prompts the processing circuitry  315  to apply the visual effect corresponding to the one of the plurality of keys to the object selected from the video stream. In another embodiment, the communication interface  313  forwards the visual effect guide  323  to the screen  303  for display. The user input interface  311  consequently receives a visual effect selection. The processing circuitry  315  applies a visual effect corresponding to the visual effect selection to the object selected from the video stream thereby generating a processed video stream. The visual effect when applied to the selected object may cause and without limitation, the selected object from the video stream to move at an accelerated speed, to spin, to fly, to take a different shape, to take a different size. The processing circuitry  315  delivers the processed video stream to the screen  303  for display.  
      For example, the object selected from the video stream may be a tree (not shown). The visual effect corresponding to the visual effect selection is a spinning effect. The processing circuitry  315  applies the spinning effect (visual effect) to the tree (selected object). The processed video stream retains characteristics of the video stream received from the video sourcing system  305  except the tree in the video stream replaced by a spinning tree in the processed video stream. As time elapses, the video stream received from the video sourcing system  305  may cease to display the tree (selected object). In another embodiment, the processing circuitry  315  ceases to apply the spinning effect (visual effect).  
       FIG. 4  is a schematic block diagram illustrating another embodiment of the video processing system  201  of  FIG. 2  wherein the video processing system  401  interacts with a television screen  411  via a set-top-box  405 . The video processing system  401  is communicatively coupled to the set-top-box  405  over a wireless link. The wireless link may comprise characteristics of any of a variety of communication link types e.g., Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.15, cellular telephony (e.g., GSM/GPRS/EDGE, CDMA, CDMA 2000 , UMTS, WCDMA, etc.), UltraWideBand, standard/proprietary, etc. The set top box  405  is part of an entertainment system  403 . The entertainment system  403  also comprises a television  404 . The television  404  is communicatively coupled to the set top box  405  via communication interface  413 . The television  404  is communicatively coupled to one or more of the video sources  409  via the set top box  405 . The set top box  405  transfers video elements between one or more of the video sources  409  and the television  404 . The set top box is communicatively connected to the television  404  over at least a wireless and a wired link. Communication pathway  407  between the set top box  405  and the video sources  409  is one or more of, for example and without limitation, an infrared link, a radio frequency link, a microwave link, a Bluetooth link, an 802.11 link, a cable and an Ethernet link.  
      The television screen  411  of the television  404  displays a video element received by the set top box  405  from one of the video sources  409 . The video element may be for example and without limitation, a video part of a television channel, a live snippet, a movie, a video part of a sporting or other entertainment event, a video stream, a video game, a stored video, or a picture. The video sources  409  comprise a television broadcaster  441 , a video camera  443 , an Internet server  445 , a photo camera  447  and a DVD  449 . The video processing system  401  receives the video element from the set top box  405 . A user input interface of the video processing system  401  receives a first user input. The first user input identifies at least an object from the video element. The at least an object from the video element may be a figure.  
      The user input interface of the video processing system  401  may typically be a mouse and/or a layout of buttons. The user input interface (e.g., the mouse, the layout of buttons) communicates with television  404  via the set top box  405  for enabling selection of the at least an object from the video element. The video processing system  401  sends a visual effect menu to the set top box  405  and the set top box  405  sends the visual effect menu to the television  404  that displays the visual effect menu on the television screen  411 . The visual effect menu comprises a list of plurality of video effects. The user input interface of the video processing system  401  receives a second user input. The second user input identifies a visual effect selected from the plurality of visual effects using the visual effect menu. The user input interface communicates with television  404  via the set top box  405  for enabling selection of the visual effect using the visual effects menu that is displayed on the television screen  411 . In some embodiments, the visual effect may be selected from only some of the plurality of visual effects depending upon the at least an object from the video element identified by the first user input.  
      As an example, the plurality of visual effects comprises a tilting effect, a spinning effect and a speed increasing effect. If the at least an object identified by the first user input is a moving object, then the tilting effect and the speed increasing effect may be activated and not the spinning effect. In that case, the visual effect identified by the second user input is either the tilting effect or the speed increasing effect. The video processing system  401  applies the visual effect identified by the second user input to the at least an object identified by the first user input. For the above example, the visual effect when applied to the moving object either makes the moving object tilt or makes the moving object move at an increased speed. A new processed video element is thus generated. For the above example, the new processed video element retains all characteristics of the video element except the at least an object moves with a tilt or the at least an object moves at the increased speed. The video processing system  401  sends the processed video element to the set top box  405 . The set top box  405  sends the processed video element to the television  404  for display on the television screen  411 .  
      In another embodiment, the user input interface of the video processing system  401  receives a first user input that identifies a video selection. A video element corresponds to the video selection. The first user input may also identify one video source from the video sources  409 . For example and without limitation, the first user input identifies a sports channel broadcast by the television broadcaster  441 . The video processing system  401  triggers delivery of the video element (e.g., sports channel) from the television broadcaster  441  to the video processing system  401  and the television screen  411  via the set top box  405 . The user input interface of the video processing system  401  subsequently receives a second user input that identifies at least a portion of the video element (e.g., sports channel) and a visual effect. For example, the at least a portion may refer to a right top quarter of the television screen  411  and the visual effect may be a brightness doubling effect. The video processing system  401  constructs a processed video element by applying the visual effect identified by the second user input to the at least a portion of the video element identified by the second user input. The video processing system  401  sends the processed video element to the set top box  405  that forwards the processed video element to the television screen  411  for display. In the above example, the video processing system  401  applies the brightness doubling effect to the sports channel displayed on the right top quarter of the television screen. The processed video element is the sports channel with the right top quarter of the sports channel revealed as twice brighter than rest of the sports channel.  
      In one embodiment, the video processing system  401  is incorporated into a set top box  405  that is communicatively coupled to the TV screen  411 . The processed video with special effects created by the set-top-box  405  is displayed on the TV screen  411 . The video source  409  may provide its own special effects and the viewer can either choose from them and/or create additional special effects (and save them optionally).  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic block diagram illustrating yet another embodiment of the video processing system  201  of  FIG. 2  wherein the video processing system  501  receives a video element from an Internet server  509  and forwards the processed video element to one of screens  503  and a remote storage system  507  that is accessible via Internet  505 . The screens  503  comprise a television screen  531 , a computer screen  533  and a cell phone screen  535 . The video processing system  501  is communicatively coupled to all of the screens  503  over one or more of a wired link, a wireless link and a cellular phone network. The video processing system  501  is communicatively connected to the Internet  505  through an Internet access point  513 . The Internet server  509 , the remote storage system  507 , a billing server  511  and the video processing system  501  are communicatively coupled to each other via the Internet  505 .  
      A user input interface of the video processing system  501  receives a user input that identifies a video selection. The user input interface of the video processing system  501  is one or more of, for example, a mouse, a touchpad, a thumbwheel, a pen, a layout of buttons and a voice based. A user may interact with the screens  503  visually. The user input interface of the video processing system  501  communicates with screens  503  to enable the video selection and any other selection. The user input interface in some other embodiment presents a plurality of options to the user so that the user input interface does not communicate with the screens  503  for the video selection and the any other selection.  
      The video processing system  501  retrieves a video element corresponding to the video selection from the Internet server  509  via the Internet access point  513 . The video element is for example, and without limitation a picture, a movie. The video processing system  501  delivers the received video element (e.g., the picture, the movie) to the one of the screens  503  (e.g., the computer screen  533 ) for display. The user interacts with the one of the screens  503  (the computer screen  533 ) visually. The user input interface of the video processing system receives another user input identifying at least a portion of the video element and a visual effect. In some embodiments the visual effect identified by the another user input is based on a guide stored in the remote storage system  507 . The video processing system  501  retrieves the guide from the remote storage system  507  and sends the guide to the one of the screens  503  (the computer screen  533 ) for display. The user input interface of the video processing system  503  subsequently receives the another user input.  
      The video processing system  501  constructs a processed video element from the video element (e.g., the picture, the movie) by applying the visual effect to the at least a portion of the video element. For example and without limitation, the video element is the picture, the at least a portion of the video element is a butterfly from the picture and the visual effect is a flying effect. The video processing system  501  applies the flying effect (the visual effect) to the butterfly from the picture (the at least a portion of the video element) and constructs the processed video element. The processed video element is a video that retains all characteristics of the picture except the butterfly that appears flying in the video. The video processing system sends the processed video element (the video with a flying butterfly) to the one of the screens  503  (the computer screen  533 ) for display. The video processing system  501  also forwards the processed video element to the remote storage system  507  for storage.  
      The video element (e.g., the picture, the movie) corresponding to the video selection is not always free to use. For example and without limitation, the video element is the movie. Before retrieving the video element (e.g., the movie) from the Internet server  509 , the video processing system  501  purchases video rights for the video element (e.g., the movie) via interaction with the billing server  511 . The billing server  511  authenticates the video processing system  501  and after successful authentication by the billing server  511 , the Internet server  509  releases the video element (e.g., the movie) to the video processing system  501 . Authentication may typically be a password based. The billing server  511  generates a monthly bill and the monthly bill is based on instances of the video element (e.g., the movie) being retrieved by the video processing system  501 .  
      In another embodiment, purchasing of video rights for the video element, such as acquiring a DRM object) is supported. In still another embodiment, it is based on pre payment. The billing server  511  tracks and maintains a usage record for the video processing system  501  to stop the video processing system  501  from retrieving the video element more than a maximum number of times from the Internet server  509  and/or to stop the video processing system  501  from retrieving more than a maximum number of video elements from the Internet server  509 .  
       FIG. 6  is schematic block diagram illustrating interaction between a video processing system  601 , a viewing system  603 , video sources  607 , a memory  605  and communication pathway  609  between these elements in accordance with the present invention. The video processing system  601  includes a video driver  621 , a storage system  622 , a processing circuitry  623 , an authentication unit  624 , a user input interface  625  and a communication interface  635 . The viewing system  603  comprises a screen  641 , a video driver  642 , a processing circuitry  643 , a communication interface  644  and an input interface  647 . The video sources  607  includes a video storage device  661 , a television broadcasting source  662 , a local video source  663 , an Internet server  664 , a photo camera  665  and a video camera  666 .  
      The user input interface  625  of the video processing system  601  supports selection of special effects and video elements via buttons  626 , a touchpad  627 , a pen interface  628  for a touch sensitive screen, a thumbwheel  629 ,a mouse  630  and a voice input mechanism  631 . The user input interface  624  makes it possible for a viewer to employ one or more input devices (means) to enter their selections or to browse available choices of special effects and input sources. For example, the buttons  626  may be used by a viewer to start or stop the display, to advance forward or to reverse, etc. The touchpad  627  may be employed to enter the number of a special effect and associate it with a channel number that is keyed in using the touch pad. The pen  628  may be used to enter a name, search for saved special effects, etc. The thumbwheel  629  and the mouse  630  can be used to scroll down lists, navigate screens of information, etc. The voice based interface  631  makes it possible to provide input using voice commands and voice selections.  
      In some embodiments, the user input interface  625  includes a plurality of buttons where each of the plurality of buttons corresponds to only one of the plurality of video elements. The first user input identifies one of the plurality of buttons and hence consequently identifies a video element corresponding to the one of the plurality of buttons. The communication interface  635  retrieves the video element from the storage system  622  and sends the video element (e.g., a video, a movie, a picture) to the viewing system  603 . The viewing system  603  displays the video element on the screen  641 . The communication interface  635  retrieves the list that identifies a plurality of visual effects from the storage system  622  (e.g., a hard disc) and sends it to the viewing system  603  for display.  
      The user input interface  625  receives a second user input that identifies at least a portion from the video element (e.g., a video, a movie, a picture) and at least a visual effect selected from the plurality of visual effects using the list displayed on the screen  641 . The at least a visual effect may be for example and without limitation, a spinning effect, a tilting effect, a reshaping effect and a resizing effect. The processing circuitry  623  of the video processing system  601  constructs a single customized video element by applying the at least a visual effect identified by the second user input to the at least a portion from the video element identified by second user input.  
      The communication pathway  609  is at least one or more of an Intranet  671 , an Internet  672 , a wireless link  673  and a direct link  674 . For example, it could be an infra red interface for a remote control, a wired interface such as a firewire or a S-video interface to a video camera or a DVD player, etc.  
      The storage system  605  a flash memory, a magnetic tape, a hard disc, an optical disc and a digital video disc. The storage system  605  may also be a repository of a personal video recorder that is remotely hosted. The storage system  622  of the video processing system  601  has a plurality of video elements and a list that identifies a plurality of visual effects stored in it. The storage system  622  also stores a video guide information that comprises a list that identifies the plurality of video elements. The plurality of video elements is typically a video, a movie and a picture. The storage system  622  may be for example and without limitation a hard disc. The communication interface  635  of the video processing system  601  retrieves the video guide information from the storage system  622  and sends the video guide information to the viewing system  603  for display on the screen  641 . The user input interface  625  of the video processing system  601  subsequently receives a first user input that identifies a video element from the plurality of video elements, i.e. a video source and the actual content being delivered for processing and incorporation of special effects.  
      An example of a video element may be a video showing a snail walking on grass. The second user input identifies two portions, a fist portion and a second portion from the video element (e.g., the video showing a snail walking on grass). The first portion is the snail and the second portion is a portion of the screen  641  displaying grass. The second user input identifies two visual effects, first visual effect and a second visual effect. The first visual effect is a size doubling effect and the second visual effect is a tilting effect. The processing circuitry  623  applies the first visual effect (e.g., the size doubling effect) to the first portion (e.g., the snail) and the second visual effect (e.g., the tilting effect) to the second portion (e.g., the portion of the screen  641  displaying grass). The single customized video element is an enlarged snail that is enlarged by two times walking on tilted grass. The communication interface  635  sends the single customized video element to the viewing system  603  for display on the screen  641 . In another embodiment, the communication interface  635  sends the single customized video element to the memory  605  for storing.  
      In some embodiments, the user input interface  625  receives another user input that identifies a video storage request and one of the video sources  607 . The communication interface  635  receives a video element from the one of the video sources  607  and stores the video element in the storage system  622 .  
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating a method of operation of a video processing system, as it responds to user input by generating a processed video element by applying visual effects to a selected video element, the user input provided through interaction with a screen on which the video element is displayed. The method starts at step  703 . The video processing system awaits a user input as shown at step  705 . The video processing system is communicatively coupled to a video source. The video processing system includes a storage system that stores a plurality of video elements. Video elements may be and without limit, video part of a television channel, a movie, a video game, a video stored in Internet server, a stored picture, a live video and a recorded video.  
      At step  707  the video processing system verifies if the user input has identified a video element stored in the storage system of the video processing system. If the video element identified by the user input is stored in the storage system, the video processing system retrieves the video element from the storage system at step  713 . If the video identified by the user input is not stored in the storage system, then the video processing system tries to find out if the video element is available with the video source at step  709 .  
      The video processing system may be communicatively coupled to a plurality of video sources. In one embodiment of the invention, the user input identifies one of the plurality of video sources where the video element is available. In another embodiment, the user input does not specify in which one of the plurality of video sources the video element is available. The video processing system searches for the video element in all of the plurality of video sources. If the video element is available with the video source, the video processing system receives the video from the video source at step  711 . If the video is not available with the video source or any of the plurality of video sources, the video processing system awaits another user input as shown at step  705 .  
      The video processing system determines a portion and or an object selected from the video element using the user input in step  715 . A user selects the portion or the object from the video element. The user input in addition identifies a visual effect. The video processing system applies the visual effect identified by the user input to the selected portion and or to the selected object of the video at step  717 , thereby generating a new processed video. At step  719 , the video processing system forwards the processed video to the screen for display. The video processing system awaits another user input as shown at step  705 .  
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart illustrating functions of seeking video rights and optionally purchasing video rights performed by the video processing system of  FIG. 7  according to one embodiment of the present invention. Processing starts at step  803 . Then at a next block  805 , the video processing system responds to a video selection received via a user input interface of the video processing system by sending request to a video source. A video element corresponding to the video selection is available in the video source. The video element may be, for example, a video part of a television channel, a movie, a video game, a video stored in Internet server, a stored picture, a live video and a recorded video. The video source may be, for example, a camcorder, a memory, an Internet server, an Intranet server, a television broadcaster, a DVD, and a photo camera. All of types of video elements are typically not free to view and/or free to use for further processing. In one embodiment the video element corresponding to the video selection is not free to use.  
      At the next step  807 , if necessary, the video processing system seeks video rights for the video element from the video source. The video processing system purchases video rights for the video element, if necessary. Purchasing may be typically either online, or a pre-paid based or a post-paid based or a combination of these. In all types of purchasing, the video processing system is authenticated by the video source based on one or more inputs. The inputs may typically be a password and a personal identification number. An authentication unit communicatively coupled to the video source and the video processing system does authentication. A billing unit keeps track of video element usage and generates invoice based on the video element usage. The billing unit is communicatively coupled to the video source and the video processing system. One or more of the billing unit and the authentication unit may reside within the video source or within the video sourcing system. For the online purchasing at least, visual interaction with a screen is done. The video processing system receives the video element in step  809 . The video element is displayed on a screen for further visual interaction. In some embodiments, the video processing system triggers display of the video element on the screen.  
      At step  811  the video processing system stores the video element in a storage system if the user input interface receives a video storage request. The video processing system receives a selection of at least a portion or at least an object of the video element and also receives a visual effect selection via the user input interface. At step  813  the video processing system applies a visual effect corresponding to the visual effect selection to the at least a selected portion or the at least a selected object of the video element to generate a processed video element. Then, at step  815  the video processing system forwards the processed video element to the screen for display and/or to a storage system for storing. Processing terminates at  817 .  
      As one of average skill in the art will appreciate, the term “communicatively coupled”, as may be used herein, includes but is not limited to wireless and wired, direct coupling and indirect coupling via another component, element, circuit, or module. As one of average skill in the art will also appreciate, inferred coupling (i.e., where one element is coupled to another element by inference) includes wireless and wired, direct and indirect coupling between two elements in the same manner as “communicatively coupled”.  
      The present invention has also been described above with the aid of method steps illustrating the performance of specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functional building blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined herein for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships are appropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention.  
      The present invention has been described above with the aid of functional building blocks illustrating the performance of certain significant functions. The boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries could be defined as long as the certain significant functions are appropriately performed. Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also have been arbitrarily defined herein to illustrate certain significant functionality. To the extent used, the flow diagram block boundaries and sequence could have been defined otherwise and still perform the certain significant functionality. Such alternate definitions of both functional building blocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention.  
      One of average skill in the art will also recognize that the functional building blocks, and other illustrative blocks, modules and components herein, can be implemented as illustrated or by discrete components, application specific integrated circuits, processors executing appropriate software and the like or any combination thereof. Moreover, although described in detail for purposes of clarity and understanding by way of the aforementioned embodiments, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. It will be obvious to one of average skill in the art that various changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit and scope of the invention, as limited only by the scope of the appended claims.