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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A method for relating indexing information associated with at least two
indexing schemes to facilitate the play-back of user-specified digital
video data, the method comprising the steps of:
scanning a stream of digital video data for indexing information related to
at least two indexing schemes prior to being stored in a video server; and
generating a mapping table in order to convert indexing information
associated with one of the at least two indexing schemes to corresponding
indexing information associated with another one of said at least two
indexing schemes, said indexing information identifying discrete portions
of said stream of digital video data so that said portions can be accessed
at a later time.
2. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of storing
the mapping table.
3. The method defined in claim 2, wherein the mapping table is stored in a
database.
4. The method defined in claim 2, further comprising the steps of:
selecting a segment of the stream of digital video data to be displayed on
a video display;
retrieving the mapping table;
monitoring control means included within a graphical user interface of a
video client to determine whether indexing information associated with an
original indexing scheme of the at least two indexing schemes has been
entered using the control means; and
converting any indexing information entered using the control means to
indexing information associated with another indexing scheme of the at
least two indexing schemes which is compatible with a video server that
sends digital video data to the video display for display thereon.
5. The method defined in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:
selecting a segment of the stream of digital video data to be displayed on
a video display;
retrieving the mapping table from said database;
monitoring control means included within a graphical user interface of a
video client to determine whether indexing information associated with an
original indexing scheme of the at least two indexing schemes has been
entered using the control means; and
converting any indexing information entered using the control means to
indexing information associated with another indexing scheme of the at
least two indexing schemes which is compatible with a video server that
sends digital video data to the video display for display thereon.
6. The method defined in claim 4, further comprising the steps of:
transferring the converted indexing information entered using the control
means to the video server; and
displaying a portion of the segment of the stream of digital video data
corresponding to the converted indexing information, said video server
sending the portion to the video display for display thereon.
7. The method defined in claim 5, further comprising the steps of:
transferring the converted indexing information entered using the control
means to the video server; and
displaying a portion of the segment of the stream of digital video data
corresponding to the converted indexing information, the video server
sending said portion to the video display for display thereon.
8. The method defined in claim 4, wherein said indexing information entered
using the control means includes SMPTE time codes.
9. The method defined in claim 5, wherein said indexing information entered
using the control means includes SMPTE time codes.
10. The method defined in claim 8, wherein said converted indexing
information includes MPEG byte-offsets.
11. The method defined in claim 9, wherein said converted indexing
information includes MPEG byte-offsets.
12. The method defined in claim 4, further comprising the step of
displaying said indexing information on the graphical user interface.
13. The method defined in claim 5, further comprising the step of
displaying said indexing information on the graphical user interfaces.
14. The method defined in claim 6, further comprising the steps of:
receiving a call back message from the video server including indexing
information associated with the indexing scheme which is compatible with
the video server, the indexing information corresponding to a portion of
the segment of the stream of digital video data which was actually
displayed on the video display;
converting the indexing information included in the call back message into
indexing information associated with the original indexing scheme; and
displaying on the graphical interface of the video client the indexing
information associated with the original indexing scheme which corresponds
to the portion of the segment of the stream of digital video data which
was actually displayed on the video display.
15. The method defined in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:
receiving a call back message from the video server including indexing
information associated with the indexing scheme which is compatible with
the video server, the indexing information corresponding to a portion of
the segment of the stream of digital video data which was actually
displayed on the video display;
converting the indexing information included in the call back message into
indexing information associated with the original indexing scheme; and
displaying on the graphical interface of the video client the indexing
information associated with the original indexing scheme which corresponds
to the portion of the segment of the stream of digital video data which
was actually displayed on the video display.
16. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the stream of digital video data
includes a plurality of frames, each of the plurality of frames being
associated with one of the SMPTE time codes.
17. The method defined in claim 9, wherein th e stream of digital video
data includes a plurality of frames, each of the plurality of frames being
associated with one of the SMPTE time codes.
18. The method defined in claim 16, wherein the plurality of frames are
I-frames.
19. The method defined in claim 16, wherein the plurality of frames are
I-frames.
20. A video client which relates indexing information associated with at
least two indexing schemes to facilitate the play-back of user-specified
digital video data on a video display, said video player comprising:
a loader which scans said digital video data for indexing information and
loads said digital video data into a video server, said loader comprising
a mapper which generates a mapping table relating indexing information
associated with the at least two indexing schemes; and
a video player that controls the play-back of said digital video data using
said mapping table which is retrieved by said video player when said
digital video data is to be displayed, said video server sending said
digital video data to the video display in response to the control
exercised by said video player.
21. The video client defined in claim 20, wherein said loader stores said
mapping table.
22. The video client defined in claim 20, wherein said loader stores said
mapping table in a database.
23. The video client defined in claim 21, further comprising a graphical
user interface displayed on said video display through which a user may
interact with said loader and said video player, said user interacting
with said loader in order to generate said mapping table and with said
video player in order to select a segment of said digital video data for
play-back on said video display.
24. The video player defined in claim 22, further comprising a graphical
user interface displayed on said video display through which a user may
interact with said loader and said video player, said user interacting
with said loader in order to generate said mapping table and with said
video player in order to select a segment of said digital video data for
play-back on said video display.
25. The video client defined in claim 23, wherein said graphical user
interface further comprises control means for entering user commands, said
video player monitoring said control means to determine whether a user has
entered any commands using said control means, said video player
retrieving said mapping table when a user has selected said segment of
said digital video data using said control means and converting any
indexing information associated with an original indexing scheme of the at
least two indexing schemes that is entered using said control means to
indexing information associated with another indexing scheme of the at
least two indexing schemes that is compatible with said video server which
sends said segment of digital video data to said video display.
26. The video client defined by claim 24, wherein said graphical user
interface further comprises control means for entering user commands, said
video player monitoring said control means to determine whether a user has
entered any commands using said control means, said video player
retrieving said mapping table when a user has selected said segment of
said digital video data using said control means and converting any
indexing information associated with an original indexing scheme of the at
least two indexing schemes that is entered using said control means to
indexing information associated with another indexing scheme of the at
least two indexing schemes that is compatible with said video server which
sends said segment of digital video data to said video display.
27. The video client defined in claim 25, further comprising an application
program interface through which said loader and video player communicates
with said video server, said application program interface placing data
requests generated by said loader and video player in a form which is
recognized by said video server, said video player transferring said
indexing information converted by said video player to said video server
through said application program interface.
28. The video client defined in claim 26, further comprising an application
program interface through which said loader and video player communicates
with said video server, said application program interface placing data
requests generated by said loader and video player in a form which is
recognized by said video server, said video player transferring said
indexing information converted by said video player to said video server
through said application program interface.
29. The video client recited in claim 27, wherein said indexing information
entered using said control means includes SMPTE time codes.
30. The video client recited in claim 28, wherein said indexing information
entered using said control means includes SMPTE time codes.
31. The video client recited in claim 29, wherein said converted indexing
information includes MPEG byte-offsets.
32. The video client recited in claim 28, wherein said converted indexing
information includes MPEG byte-offsets.
33. The video client recited in claim 29, wherein said control means
comprises control buttons which are actuated by said user.
34. The video client recited in claim 30, wherein said control means
comprises control buttons which are actuated by said user.
35. The video client recited in claim 33, wherein said video player further
comprises a command line interpreter for entering text-based commands.
36. The video client recited in claim 34, wherein said video player further
comprises a command line interpreter for entering text-based commands.
37. The video client recited in claim 33, wherein said control buttons
comprise:
a first control button which allows the user to jump within said segment of
digital video data in hour increments;
a second control button which allows the user to jump within said segment
of digital video data in minute increments;
a third control button which allows the user to jump within said segment of
digital video data in second increments; and
a fourth control button which allows the user to jump within said segment
of digital video data in frame increments.
38. The video client recited in claim 34, wherein said control buttons
comprise:
a first control button which allows the user to jump within said segment of
digital video data in hour increments;
a second control button which allows the user to jump within said segment
of digital video data in minute increments;
a third control button which allows the user to jump within said segment of
digital video data in second increments; and
a fourth control button which allows the user to jump within said segment
of digital video data in frame increments.
39. The video client defined in claim 38, wherein said graphical user
interface further comprises a plurality of time code display windows which
depict a particular SMPTE time code corresponding to said portion of said
segment of digital video data being displayed on said graphical user
interface.
40. The video client defined in claim 38, wherein said graphical user
interface further comprises a plurality of time code display windows which
depict a particular SMPTE time code corresponding to said portion of said
segment of digital video data being displayed on said graphical user
interface.
41. The video client defined in claim 39, wherein said plurality of time
code display windows comprises:
a first time code display window which depicts the hour associated with a
particular SMPTE time code corresponding to said portion of said segment
of digital video being displayed;
a second time code display window which depicts the minute associated with
a particular SMPTE time code corresponding to said portion of said segment
of digital video being displayed;
a third time code display window which depicts the second associated with a
particular SMPTE time code corresponding to said portion of said segment
of digital video being displayed; and
a fourth time code display window which depicts the frame associated with a
particular SMPTE time code corresponding to a portion of said segment of
digital video data being displayed.
42. The video client defined in claim 40, wherein said plurality of time
code display windows comprises:
a first time code display window which depicts the hour associated with a
particular SMPTE time code corresponding to said portion of said segment
of digital video being displayed;
a second time code display window which depicts the minute associated with
a particular SMPTE time code corresponding to said portion of said segment
of digital video being displayed;
a third time code display window which depicts the second associated with a
particular SMPTE time code corresponding to said portion of said segment
of digital video being displayed; and
a fourth time code display window which depicts the frame associated with a
particular SMPTE time code corresponding to said portion of said segment
of digital video data being displayed.
43. The video client defined in claim 41, wherein said control means
further comprises a slide bar which provides access to any frame position
within the segment of digital video data which is proportional to an
entire duration of said segment of said digital video data upon actuation
of said slide bar by said user.
44. The video client defined in claim 42, wherein said control means
further comprises a slide bar which provides access to any frame position
within the segment of digital video data which is proportional to an
entire duration of said segment of said digital video data upon actuation
of said slide bar by said user. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed towards a video client which facilitates
the input and display of digital video data. More particularly, the
present invention is directed towards a method for relating indexing
information associated with at least two indexing schemes to facilitate
the play-back of user-specified digital video data and a video client
incorporating the same.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
Video clients incorporate a graphical user interface through which the user
controls the play-back of a stream of digital video data. Video clients
may consist of a loader which is used to channel information from the
video client to video hardware which is capable of storing the digital
video data. The loader may be used to import digital video data into a
video system in which the video client is integrated, the video system
including the video hardware in which the digital video is to be stored.
Alternatively, the loader utility may be used to export digital video data
to video hardware residing outside of the video system. The video client
may also include a video player which is generally analogous to a
conventional video cassette recorder (VCR) to the extent that the former
includes functions such as play, stop, pause, and rewind. With the
proliferation of multimedia based applications in the computer industry, a
number of video players have been developed for different platforms. These
video players support either individual or multiple video data formats.
Video players may be entirely software based, or they may rely in part on
accelerator cards or some other hardware-based support to perform
decoding.
Currently there are no video players which implement the Society of Moving
Picture and Television Engineers ("SMPTE") time code-based display and
control indexing scheme. SMPTE time codes are easily understood by any one
who is familiar with how to read a conventional digital clock.
Even if a SMPTE time code based video player were available, many video
servers which supply digital video data for play-back on a video display
in response to requests by a video player rely on an incompatible indexing
scheme that would require some form of translation between SMPTE time
codes and indexing information associated with the alternate indexing
scheme which is compatible with the video server.
The Media Streamer developed by IBM, for instance, relies on a Moving
Pictures Experts Group ("MPEG") byte-offset based-indexing scheme but does
not understand SMPTE time codes. Accordingly, even if a SMPTE time code
based video client were desired, some means for translating the indexing
information associated with the incompatible indexing scheme would still
be required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a method for relating indexing information associated with at
least two indexing schemes to facilitate the play-back of user-specified
digital video data.
According to the present invention, the method comprises the steps of
scanning a stream of digital video data for indexing information related
to at least two indexing schemes prior to being stored in a video server,
and generating a mapping table in order to convert indexing information
associated with one of the indexing schemes to corresponding indexing
information associated with another one of the at least two indexing
schemes. The indexing information identifies discrete portions of said
stream of digital video data so that those portions can be accessed at a
later time.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the method may further
include the step of storing the mapping table. Preferably, the mapping
table is stored in a database.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the method may
further include the steps of selecting a segment of the stream of digital
video data to be played on a video display, retrieving the mapping table,
monitoring control means included within a graphical user interface of a
video client to determine whether indexing information associated with an
original indexing scheme of the at least two indexing schemes has been
entered using the control means, and converting any indexing information
entered using the control means to indexing information associated with
another indexing scheme of the at least two indexing schemes which is
compatible with a video server which sends the digital video data to the
video display.
In addition, the method may also include the steps of transferring the
converted indexing information to said video server, and displaying a
portion of the segment of the stream of digital video data corresponding
to the converted indexing information, the video server sending the
portion to the video display for display thereon.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the indexing
information entered using the control means includes SMPTE time codes.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the converted
indexing information includes MPEG byte-offsets.
In addition to the method described above, the present invention is also
directed to a video client which relates indexing information associated
with at least two indexing schemes to facilitate the play-back of
user-specified digital video data on a video display.
The video client includes a loader which scans the digital video data for
indexing information and loads the digital video data into a video server.
The loader includes a mapper which generates a mapping table relating
indexing information associated with the at least two indexing schemes.
The video client also includes a video player that controls the play-back
of the digital video data on a video display using the mapping table which
is retrieved by the video player when the digital video data is to be
displayed. The video server sending the digital video data to the video
display in response to the control exercised by the video player.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention
will become better understood with reference to the following description,
appended claims, and accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows an overview of a system incorporating a video client of the
present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a flow chart incorporating a method of the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows the constituent elements of a video client of the present
invention.
FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) show two aspects of a graphical user interface
associated with a loader component included in a video client of the
present invention.
FIG. 5 shows an aspect of a graphical user interface associated with a
video player component included in a video client of the present invention
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention is directed to a method for relating indexing
information associated with at least two indexing schemes to facilitate
the playback of user-specified digital video data and a video client
incorporating the same.
FIG. 1 depicts a system incorporating a video client 100 of the present
invention. The system also includes a video server 110 which receives a
stream of digital video data from the video client 100 and delivers a
segment of the stream of digital video data to the video player 100 for
play-back on a video display 120 associated with the video client 100.
Included within the digital video data is indexing information used to
identify a particular portion of the segment of digital video data to
facilitate later access and play-back of that portion. By way of example,
the indexing information may include SMPTE time codes or MPEG
byte-offsets.
The system also includes a database 130 for storing a mapping table
relating indexing information associated with an indexing scheme which is
user-friendly to indexing information associated with an indexing scheme
which is compatible with the video server 110. Preferably, the Digital
Library, developed and marketed by IBM Corporation, is employed as the
database. The Digital Library can store both digital video objects and
information related to the same.
SMPTE time codes are a form of indexing information associated with a
user-friendly indexing scheme. SMPTE time codes relate specific frames of
video to a specific time (e.g. hour, minute, and second). In order to
access a specific portion of the digital video data indexed using SMPTE
time codes, a user merely has to specify a particular time and frame
associated with that portion.
In contrast, indexing information in the form of MPEG byte-offsets are not
associated with a user-friendly indexing scheme because an MPEG byte
offset reflects the physical address of a frame of digital video data in
memory or disk storage. It is much harder for a user to relate to an
indexing scheme which includes MPEG byte-offsets because they are not
intuitively understood by the vast majority of users. However, MPEG
byte-offsets may be the only form of indexing information that a
particular video server understands. This is the case with the Media
Streamer developed by IBM.
The Media Streamer is described in detail in U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 302,616, entitled "Video Optimized Media Streamer for Generating
Isochronous Data Streams", which was filed on Sep. 8, 1994 and is
incorporated herein by reference.
The Media Streamer understands MPEG byte-offsets but not SMPTE time codes.
Hence, the above-described mapping table is provided in order to
facilitate the conversion of SMPTE time codes into MPEG byte-offsets for
use by the Media Streamer.
The system described in connection with FIG. 1 operates in conformity with
the method of the present invention whose steps are incorporated into the
flow chart shown in FIG. 2. In step 200, the video client (element 100 of
FIG. 1) scans a stream of digital video data for indexing information
related to at least two indexing schemes prior to being stored in the
video server (element 110 of FIG. 1). As described above, this indexing
information may include SMPTE time codes and MPEG byte offsets. In step
210, a mapping table is generated by the video client in order to convert
indexing information associated with one of the indexing schemes to
corresponding information associated with another one of the indexing
schemes. In step 220, the mapping table is stored in a database (element
130 of FIG. 1).
In step 230, a segment of the stream of digital video data is selected to
be played on a video display associated with the video player. In step
240, the mapping table is retrieved from the database after the segment
has been selected by a user of the video client. In step 250, the video
client monitors control means on the graphical user interface thereof in
order to determine whether indexing information has been entered using the
control means, the indexing information being associated with an original
indexing scheme. Preferably, the indexing information entered using the
control means includes SMPTE time codes.
If it is determined in step 255 that indexing information is not entered
using the control means, then the video client continues to monitor the
control means to see if indexing information has been entered. However, if
it is determined in step 255 that indexing information has been entered
then step 260 is performed, in which the indexing information is converted
to indexing information which is associated with an indexing scheme which
is compatible with the video server.
The converted indexing information may include MPEG byte-offsets. In step
270, the converted indexing information is transferred to the video
server. Upon receiving the converted indexing information, the video
server sends a portion of the segment of the stream of digital video data
corresponding to the converted indexing information to the video display
for display thereon.
In step 280, the video server sends a call back message to the video client
including indexing information associated with the indexing scheme which
is compatible with the video server, the indexing information
corresponding to a portion of the segment of the stream of digital video
data which was actually displayed on the video display.
In step 290, the video client converts the indexing information included in
the call back message into indexing information associated with the
original indexing scheme. Subsequently, in step 295, the video client
displays on the graphical user interface the indexing information
associated with the original indexing scheme which corresponds to the
portion of the segment of the stream of digital video data which was
actually displayed on the video display.
FIG. 3 depicts the constituent components of the video client. The video
client 100 may be implemented entirely in software, or may incorporate
specific hardware elements which are designed to provide an interface
between the video player 100 and the video server (element 110 of FIG. 1).
By way of example, the video player 100 may incorporate a decoder card
(not shown) which interfaces with the video server. The decoder card is
used to convert the digital video data into a format which can be
displayed on a conventional television or a window disposed on the screen
of a conventional computer terminal which supports video. The video client
should be implemented on a computer incorporating a video display so that
the graphical user interface can be displayed thereon.
A video client 100 according to the present invention includes three
distinct layers. The only layer with which the user interacts includes the
graphical user interface 300 which constitutes one component of the video
client. It is through the graphical user interface of the video client
that the user enters commands specifying the particular segment of digital
video data which is to be played and indexing information which relates to
a specific portion of the segment from which play-back is to commence.
The user also enters commands via the graphical user interface related to
external streams of digital video data which are to be stored in the video
server and the database if the later is capable of storing digital video
data. However, the first layer may also incorporate a command line
interpreter in order to allow users to key in commands directly.
Supporting the graphical user interface are two other components of the
video client 100 which constitute a second layer of the same. One
component of the second layer is the loader 310. The loader 310 is
responsible for loading, unloading, exporting, and deleting digital video
data within the system described above in connection with FIG. 1.
Specifically, the user can load external digital video data from outside
the system and store the digital video data in the video server and the
database if the later is capable of supporting digital video data. The
user can also unload, export or delete digital video data residing in the
system using the loader 310. Unloading is to be distinguished from
exporting to the extent that unloading outputs the digital video data to
an output file and removes the same from the system.
In order to load, unload, export, or delete digital video data, the user
enters commands through either the graphical user interface or the command
line interpreter which may both support the loader 310. These commands are
selected from a library of loader functions corresponding to the functions
described above.
When the user first imports a stream of digital video data into the system
through the video client 100, the loader 310 calls an MPEG Mapper which is
a loading tool implemented in software. The MPEG Mapper scans the imported
stream of digital video data in order to locate SMPTE time codes which the
MPEG compression format supports.
At the same time, the MPEG Mapper counts the byte offsets and produces a
one-to-one mapping between the SMPTE time code associated with each frame
of digital video data and a corresponding MPEG byte-offset. The mapping
table is then written by the MPEG Mapper into a temporary file. Although
SMPTE time codes and MPEG byte offsets have been specified a mapping table
can be created which relates indexing information associated with
alternative indexing schemes.
Once the temporary file associated with the mapping table is created, the
loader 310 creates a video item associated with a specific segment of the
stream of digital video data. The video item includes several distinct
parts and a list of attributes assigned by the user via the loader. One
part corresponds to the physical digital video data or object. Another
part corresponds to a descriptive object which contains additional
information for search and play, including the mapping table. The
remaining part corresponds to annotation notes entered by the user when
the logging process is initiated during play-back.
The above-mentioned attributes include a unique name for the video segment,
a descriptive name for the video segment, the specific video server in
which the segment is located (if there are more than one in the system),
the data rate at which the video was encoded, the number of streams (or
versions) of the video segment which may be played concurrently, the
duration of the video segment, and the total number of bytes associated
with the video segment when stored in memory.
Once the video item is created it is stored in the database or the video
server and the temporary file representing the mapping table is deleted.
Another component of the second layer of the video client 100 is a video
player 320 which implements a number of functions related to the play-back
of a user-specified segment of digital video data including the retrieval
of the mapping table created by the loader 310. These functions are
initiated by user-specified commands including play, stop, pause, fast
forward, slow forward, rewind to beginning, and jump. In addition, the
video player facilitates the conversion of SMPTE time codes, which are
entered by the user, to MPEG byte-offsets and visaversa. An MPEG
byte-offset is required by the video server (element 110 of FIG. 1) in
order for it to retrieve a portion of the segment of digital video data
for play-back on a video display (element 120 of FIG. 1).
The third layer of the video client includes the application program
interface ("API") which allows the video client to communicate with a
video server, such as the Media Streamer described above. The API
component of the video client allows for the conversion of local function
calls to remote procedure calls ("RPCs") which are supported by the video
server. An RPC may include a position parameter which corresponds to an
MPEG byte-offset associated with a particular frame of a segment of
digital video data corresponding to a portion of the segment which the
user wishes to view. By way of example, the frame may be an I-frame
associated with the MPEG compression format.
There may be more than one graphical user interface associated with the
video client 100. By way of example, the loader 310 and video player 320
components of the second layer may each have an associated graphical user
interface through which their corresponding functions are entered.
Exemplary aspects of the graphical user interface associated with the
loader are shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b).
FIG. 4(a) depicts one aspect of the graphical user interface which includes
control buttons associated with the above-described functions of the
loader. Descriptive text corresponding to each function is shown to the
right of each control button. In FIG. 4(a), the user has selected the load
function which stores an external digital video data file in the video
server (element 110 of FIG. 1) or the database (element 130 of FIG. 1) if
the later supports digital video data. The control buttons which are
associated with the batch related functions allow a user to enter a series
of commands to be executed sequentially. A file then can be created in
order to store these commands.
Once the user has selected the load function, another aspect of the
loader's graphical user interface is displayed on the video display, as
shown in FIG. 4(b). This aspect of the graphical user interface allows the
user to specify a specific segment of digital video data to be loaded. The
user then enters the video name which has two distinct portions. One
portion is a key entry by which the video segment, as a whole, is uniquely
identified. The other is a descriptive name which is easily understood by
the user. The index class shown in FIG. 4(b) corresponds to a class of
associated segments of digital video data, as specified by the user. By
way of example, FIG. 4(b) shows the default classification which is
"Video".
If the batch commands are to be loaded in a specific file, the file name is
entered, or a particular file is selected from a list. The loader command
including the video name of the specific segment of video are then added
to the batch command file when a user actuates the ADD TO BATCH control
button after the START BATCH control button has been selected.
Once the user is satisfied with the information which has been entered, the
OK control button is actuated by the user. Alternatively, the user may
cancel the entries by actuating the CANCEL control button, or select a
help feature of the loader by actuating the HELP control button.
The control buttons are actuated either through a mouse or keyboard
associated with the computer upon which the video client is provided,
whereas text-based information may be entered via the keyboard if needed.
FIG. 5 shows an aspect of the graphical user interface associated with the
video player. The graphical user interface includes a number of control
buttons and a slide bar for entering commands.
Control buttons 500-540 correspond to player functions which are usually
associated with conventional VCR's. Specifically, control button 500
corresponds to a pause command by which the segment of digital video
currently being played is paused. Control button 510 corresponds to a
rewind command by which the segment of digital video currently being
played is rewound towards the beginning of the segment. Control button 520
corresponds to a play command by which the segment of digital video is
played at normal speed. Control button 530 corresponds to a slow forward
command by which the segment of digital video data is played at half its
normal speed. Control button 540 corresponds to a fast forward command by
which the segment of digital video data is played at three times the
normal speed. The video player's graphical user interface may also include
a control button (not shown) which corresponds to a stop command by which
the segment of digital video data halted and removed from the video
display.
Also included within the video player's graphical user interface is a slide
bar 550. The slide bar allows direct access to any frame position within
the segment of digital video data which is proportional to the entire
duration of the video. However, the slide bar 550 only provides for
relatively large jumps from one frame of digital video data to another,
the jumps being taken in both the forward and backward direction.
An important aspect of the video player's graphical user interface is the
ability to display indexing information corresponding to SMPTE time codes.
To accomplish the display of indexing information, four time code display
windows 560-590 which depict the hour, minute, second, and frame,
respectively, associated with a particular SMPTE time code.
When the user actuates the slide bar 550 via a mouse or some other entry
device which is included on the computer in which the video client is
provided, the user sees the corresponding change in the display of
indexing information 560-590.
In order to accomplish smaller jumps within the segment of digital video
data, four SMPTE time code buttons 600-630 are provided on the graphical
user interface. A first SMPTE time code buttons 600 allows for the user to
jump within the segment of digital video data in hour increments. A second
SMPTE time code button 610 allows the user to jump within the segment of
digital video data in minute increments. A third SMPTE time code button
620 allows the user to jump within the segment of digital video data in
second increments. Finally, a fourth SMPTE time code button 630 allows the
user to jump within the segment of digital video data in discrete frame
increments.
Once a SMPTE time code entry has been made via the SMPTE time code buttons
600-630, the video client will request that the video server start the
play-back of that portion of the segment of digital video data starting
from the frame associated with the SMPTE time code entry on the video
display.
Additional functions are also supported through the video player's
graphical user interface. By selecting the PORT control button, for
instance, the user can select a specific port to connect to and
subsequently play the selected segment of digital video data on. The
default port setting may be the video display, although other devices may
be connected to receive the segment of digital video data. The CONNECT
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