FR2509075A1 - AUDIO / VIDEO EDITING DEVICE HAVING A FUNCTION-SENSITIVE FUNCTION DISPLAY SCREEN - Google Patents

Abstract

AN AUDIOVIDEO EDITING DEVICE PRESENTS DIFFERENT MENUS OF EDITING FUNCTIONS ON A DISPLAY SCREEN 28 AND MODIFIES THESE MENUS WHILE PERFORMING DIFFERENT EDITING FUNCTIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE TOUCH OF SELECTED AREAS OF THE SCREEN. A SET OF LIGHTS 32, 34 AND PHOTODETECTORS 36, 38 FORM A BEAM NETWORK THROUGH THE FACE OF THE DISPLAY SCREEN. DETERMINED BEAMS ARE INTERRUPTED WHEN THE OPERATOR POINTS HIS FINGER AT SPECIAL CHARACTERS DISPLAYED ON SCREEN 28. MENUS AND EDITING FUNCTIONS DISPLAYED ARE DETERMINED BY AN EDITING CONTROL MOUNT, WHICH INCLUDES A CENTRAL UNIT MEMORY LOADED WITH DATA FROM A COMPUTER FILE, A CHARACTER GENERATOR AND A PLURALITY OF INTELLIGENT LINE CONTROL CIRCUITS COUPLED WITH A PLURALITY OF SOURCE RECORDERS, A RECORDING RECORDER AND A COUPLING BODY ONE OF THE SOURCE RECORDERS WITH THE RECORDING RECORDER. THE DEVICE CAN OPERATE EITHER UNDER THE CONTROL OF CLASSIC KEYPADS OR BY TOUCHING THE DISPLAY SCREEN.

Description

1 CASE 1

  Over the years, editing devices have been developed

  audio / video in complex and elaborate

  both to manipulate audio-visual information (video and audio) recorded by means of these devices in a desired manner In a standard editing device, selected audio-visual information from a plurality of inputs

  different is recorded on a tape recorder (manually

  gnetic) audio / video recording under the minu

  of an operator The information to be recorded is gen-

  contained in one or more of a plurality of

  source tape recorders, but may also come from other input sources such as a microphone or a video camera A switching device coupled between the tape recorder, on the one hand, and the tape recorders sources and other input devices, on the other hand, determines, in response to edit commands, the exact information recorded by the recording tape recorder.

  during the registration operation characterizing a pro-

  standard edition, with reference to a reference track.

  this codec that accompanies each tape recording and that identifies each unit of information from the recording

  Such reference tracks usually involve the use of

  a time code (recorded either directly on the reference track or within the video tracks during the vertical interval, or in combination on these two types of track), as specified in various documents by the Society of Motion Picture And Television Engineers

  (SIPTE) and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

  During a typical edit operation, the operator manually

  nipule a keyboard while watching a video control screen, which provides a visual display of video information by train

  to be recorded on the tape recorder.

  The keyboard is usually a "marked" keyboard, which means

  it is composed of different keys representing specific editing functions The keys can be

  arranged in an ASCII configuration or any other configuration

  The keys arranged in ASCII configuration

  are also marked with letters arranged according to the

  traditional layout of a typewriter keyboard, so that the various different editing functions can be chosen to a large extent to the touch and on the basis of experience and memory, in a very similar way to the typing of a typewriter by an experienced typist. As editing devices have become more elaborate and complex, the keyboards used with these devices have become larger and more likely to be confusing. It is not uncommon, for example, to find

  an editing keyboard consisting of more than one hundred keys,

  each of which has a different editing function or different type of editing functions As a result, considerable time and experience is required with a given machine before the operator can perform editing functions quickly and efficiently. even in the case where the operator is experienced and fully familiar with a given editing device, there is a problem inherent with conventional editing devices, namely that the mechanical considerations imposed by a fixed keyboard having such a large number Functions seriously compromise the creative aspects of editing Typically, temporary code representations of entry and exit points of editing are used instead of editing.

function of the image itself.

  Another limitation of many editing devices

  the fact that the "intelligence" of the

  is confined to a single central location.

  who use a central processor or other

  processing in conjunction with the main editing functions.

  usually have limited processing equipment in a single central location, which restricts the flexibility of

  subsequent use of a particular device.

  Over the years, various attempts have been made to

  improve the human-machine interface involved in publishing.

  One of these approaches involves, for example, the use of a

  photostyle It is manipulated with respect to a sen-

  to select certain editing functions, which re-

  However, at best, such devices replace the keypad keys with the light pen, which requires the operator to take and manipulate the keys.

this one at each operation.

  In view of the above, it is desirable to create an improved human-machine interface editing device to facilitate the artistic and

of video editing.

  It is also desirable to create a device for

  able to display different "menus" of editing functions.

  among which the operator can choose.

  In addition, it is desirable to make an editing device capable of handling different numbers and types.

information entries.

  Furthermore, it is advantageous to create an editing device capable of performing "intelligent" operations in its peripheral parts and not only in a

central part.

  For this purpose, according to the invention, provision is made

  editing tool capable of displaying different information menus.

  tion and edit selections on a display screen.

  When the operator touches selected areas of the

  this one responds by changing the menus and executing

  at the same time the desired editing functions.

  a limited menu of information and selection of editing at any given time allows the operator to

  to focus on one or more particular types of opera-

  However, at the same time, the device offers a considerable wealth of possibilities in that the operator can choose the level at which he wants to work and can change each menu at will to combine levels, allowing the realization

  "usurely" menus with virtually il-

  moth-eaten. The wealth of possibilities and the mode of operation of editing devices according to the invention are improved.

  using a provision that places the intelligence capabilities

  gentes at peripheral locations as well as at a

  central location In this way, one and the same process

  central office can communicate with a variety of

  different entry points at the same time.

  appropriate junction ensures the conversion of

  machine-usable form and adapted to

  particular requirements of the input peripheral equipment-

  exit. In a preferred arrangement of an audio / video editing device according to the invention, a control receiver of

  data comprising a cathode ray tube, or other

  positive display screen, is coupled with a editing control editing, from which it receives the various menus of information and editing selections The display screen is equipped with a device for producing a network of

  beamsinterruptible through said screen When the operation

  rator points to a particular character or group of characters on the display, the beams in that area of the display are interrupted and a corresponding signal is transmitted to the edit control editing. edit command, which is made up

  by a central unit, a memory and a character generator.

  responds by making appropriate changes in the

  menu applied to the visual display The Character Generator

  res coupled with the CPU produces the various characters forming the various menus displayed on the receiver of

  At the same time, the central unit, jointly

  with its associated memory, transmits data to other

  parts of the editing device to perform functions

  ed editing, when the operator touches

  particulars of the displayed menus In addition to the

  touch-sensitive data control, the device for

  can be equipped with one or more conventional keyboards,

  able to provide information and

  editions to edit editing editing.

  The edit control assembly includes a plurality of intelligent line control circuits coupled with

  the central unit One of the intelligent line control circuits

  ligents is coupled with the touch sensitive device associated with the data control receiver Another of the intelligent line control circuits is coupled with a recorder

  recording tape on which the edited material is

  Another of the intelligent line control circuits

  The other intelligent line control circuits are each coupled with a different input information source. The input information sources may include such apparatus as video cameras or acoustic micorphones. but are

  typically consist of source tape recorders.

  The switching member is interposed between the recording tape recorder and the various input sources such as

  source tape recorders to control the

  range of input sources with the tape recorder

  Each of the intelligent line control circuits

  which includes its own processing unit and its

  memory, is capable of performing intelligent functions

  In addition to simultaneous data conversion from the CPU in the form of sequential data and vice versa, each intelligent line control circuit acts as a buffer of data between the CPU and the CPU. central unit, on the one hand, and the various tape recorders and other peripheral equipment, on the other hand the intelligent functions performed by the

  intelligent line control circuits allow the uni-

  The result thus obtained is an extensible editing device capable of being coupled with input devices of the type and types.

  variables The various input devices, such as

  The source tape recorders, as well as the switching device and the tape recorder are coupled with the various intelligent line control circuits via junctions which serve to convert the data.

  sequencers from the line control circuits

  in a form usable by the particular recorder.

  or other device, coupled with them.

  The invention will be better understood on reading the

  following description and review of the accompanying drawings, which represent, by way of non-limiting example, a

preferred embodiment.

  In these drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an audio / video editing device according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the data control receiver of the editing apparatus of Fig. 1, also showing the touch sensitive apparatus used in conjunction with this receiver; Figure 3 is a block diagram of the editing device of Figure 1; Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the human junction portion of the editing device of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a block diagram of the various basic functions performed by the edit control editing of the editing apparatus of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a block diagram of a portion of the editing apparatus of Fig. 3 showing the edit control editing in more detail.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram of one of the

  video machine arrangements of the arrangement of Figure 6; FIG. 8 is a block diagram of one of the circuits

  intelligent line control of the layout of the

  Figure 6; Fig. 9 is a block diagram of the switching and effect generator of the arrangement of Fig. 6; and

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing from which

  the editing device uses the data control receiver and the touch sensitive device to convert

  user decisions in editing operations.

  FIG. 1 represents a video editing device 10

  According to the invention the video editing device 10 is

  12 on a desk or is contained therein, and includes a touch-sensitive screen control receiver 14 and a video control receiver 16 mounted on the top of the desk 12 On the top of the desk 12 is also

  mounted a panel 18 provided with a control lever of the type "man-

  "A keyboard marked 20, or a keyboard marked 22 whose keys are arranged in an ASCII configuration,

  keyboards which are both shown in Figure 1, can

  can also be used to ensure human junctions

  variants with the device 10.

  The video editing device 10 of FIG.

  up to three different human junctions,

  respectively constituted by the data control receiver

  14 with a touch-sensitive display, the keyboard labeled 20 and the ASCII keyboard 22, each using a "stick" panel

  18 The panel 18 carries several control keys

  in addition to its joystick type control lever already mentioned When the control of a particular tape drive is obtained by one of the human junctions 14, 20 and 22, the panel has "joystick" "18 can

  be used to control the operation of this unwinder.

  The keyboard marked 20 may be of conventional design; it includes all the various keys and commands necessary to perform the various editing functions used in a modern elaborate editing device The ASCII keyboard,

  22 has its various keys arranged in a conventional configuration.

  similar to that of typewriters, so that the operator can introduce the various editing functions

  in the device 10 by "tapping" on these keys.

  20 and 22 offer an alternative for two

  different from the editing device 10 by the operator

  The video control receiver 16 reproduces an image of the video information recorded on a recording tape recorder as editing is performed by the operator.

  According to the invention, a human junction with the device

  tif edition 10, of superior quality and extremely

  is provided by the data control receiver 14

  with a touch-sensitive screen As shown in detail

  In FIG. 2, the data sensing receiver 14 with a touch sensitive screen essentially consists of

  a cathode ray tube 26 having a display screen

  ge 28 on its front side In the immediate vicinity of the display screen 28 is mounted a touch sensitive input system

  The touch sensitive input system 30 establishes a

  bucket of interruptible beams across the face of the display screen 28 using light-emitting diodes and

  In the example described, the photodetector system

  30 is sensitive to the touch is of the type manufactured by Carroll

  Manufacturing Company of Champaign, Illinois (E UA) and

  takes two different pluralities of light-emitting diodes

  32 to 34 on the left side and along the base of the display screen 28, respectively. The touch-sensitive input system 30 also includes a first plurality of photodetectors 36 on the right side of the display. the display screen 28 facing the light emitting diodes 32 and a second

  plurality of photodetectors 38 above the display screen.

  28 and along it, opposite the diodes

  luminescent 34 Light emitting diodes 32 emit

  infrared rays that extend substantially parallel-

  Through the face of the display screen 28 to the photodetectors 36 Each of the light-emitting diodes 32 corresponds to a particular photodetector 36, so that the infrared ray from this light-emitting diode impinges on this photodetector in a similar manner. , the light-emitting diodes 34 emit infrared rays which extend upwardly along the face of the screen.

  28, substantially parallel to the photodeficiency

38.

  The light-emitting diodes 32 and 34 and the photoluminescent

  detectors 36 and 38 establish an X-Y coordinate system

  beams or rays across the face of the display screen.

  When the operator touches a particular location

  on the screen 28, as shown in FIG. 1, one or more

  infrared rays emitted by the diodes

  luminescent 32 and 34 is or are interrupted A logic control unit 40 which is coupled with the photodetectors 36

  and 38 responds by generating a signal representative of the location

  The logical control cabinet 40 performs this operation by determining the average Y position of the infrared rays emitted by the electroluminescent diodes 32 which are interrupted and by determining the average X position of the infrared rays.

  emitted by the light-emitting diodes 34 which are interrup-

  The output signal resulting from the control box

  40 therefore represents the middle X and Y positions

  from the area touched by the operator on the display

  The logic control cabinet 40 is of conventional design

  and may be constructed or purchased separately or jointly

  with light-emitting diodes 32 and 34 and the

  photodetectors 36 and 38 as part of an optical system.

  30% sensitive to the touch. The particular touch-sensitive input system shown and described is merely a simple example, and it is understood that other touch-sensitive systems capable of generating an output signal indicative of an area touched on the screen. 28 can be used Other

  touch-sensitive systems that can be used

  take a variety of different manufactured products,

  such as those using a conductive glass and a strati-

  those who use acoustic waves, and those in which a conductive pattern is etched

on the display screen.

  As will become clear from the discussion that follows, the data control receiver 14 with its built-in touch-sensitive input system constitutes

  a human junction with the extreme editing device

  rich in possibilities and advantageous.

  edition 10 is capable of displaying any one of a

  The operator then selects one or more of the edit selections by touching 1 '.

  display screen 28 characters that describe or represent

  this or these selections Whenever the display screen

  screen 28 is touched by the operator, the output signal reverts to

  sulting from the logical control cabinet 40 is applied to a

  part of the editing device 10, which compares this information

  with the characters displayed on the screen to determine

  the particular function chosen by the operator

  tif 10 then executes any desired editing functions and,

  at the same time, changes the information displayed on the screen 28.

  Such changes can be made by displaying an entirely new information and selection menu on the control receiver 14 or by simply modifying the initial menu displayed. This allows the operator to focus.

  on editing the point of view of different levels or of different

  In addition, because the composi-

  of a particular menu displayed is practically unlimited, a high degree of flexibility of use and a great wealth of

  possibilities are introduced in the editing device 10.

  FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the editing device 10 The editing device 10 comprises a human junction 42 shown in FIG. 4 as consisting of the "joystick" panel 18 and the marked keyboard 20 The human keyboard 42 is coupled with an editing control assembly 44, and so is the data sensing receiver 14 with a touch-sensitive display Each, the ASCII keyboard, 22 and the touch-sensitive input system 30 once one of the keys or other commands of the panel 18 or the keyboards 20 and 22 is manipulated, or that

  the touch sensitive input system 30 detects the touch

  an area on the receiver receiver display screen.

  data control 14 a corresponding signal is transmitted to the editing control assembly 44 In addition to the transmission

  information menus and editing selections at the reception desk

  controller 14, the control assembly of

  44 controls all other parts of the editing device 10, including three

  audio / video tape sources 46, 48 and 50 different, one recorded

  recording audio / video tape machine 52 and a

  switching and generating effects 54 Each of the recordings

  The audio / video source trimmers 46, 48, 50 apply a different audiovisual input to the switching and effect generating device 54.

  generation of effects 54 responds to commands of the assembly of

  editing unit 44 by transmitting one or more of the signals

  audio-visual input that are applied to it to record

  recording audio / video tape machine 52 Information

  recorded on the audio / video tape recorder

  registration 52 is also applied to a

  tation and pre-visualization 56 commissioned by the

  The switching and display unit 56 in turn provides the information

  video to be displayed on the video control receiver 16 The

  the switching and pre-visualization mechanism 56 is

  necessary for certain types of tape recorders when used as audio / video recording tape recorders Still other types of tape recorders

  eliminate the need for the switching organ and

  preliminary supressing 56 The editing control assembly 44

  is also coupled to control a system of

primante and perforated tape 58.

  A system of flexible discs 60 is coupled with the

  The editing control system 44 provides for both data entry into and editing from the editing control assembly 44. The floppy disk system 60 is a particular example of 'a

  high capacity storage medium that can be used

  for this purpose, but various other types of media for

  These capabilities can also be used for this purpose. Initially, instructions for the various menus to be displayed on the data control receiver 14 and the

  various editing functions that are recorded on a dis-

  that flexible are loaded from the disk system 60 into the logic control assembly 44 Then, as

  editing functions are performed, some information is

  defining the location and nature of different

  editing functions performed along the tape in the

  The audio / video recording tape recorder 52 may be outputted from the edit control assembly 44.

  for storage on the floppy disk system 60.

  Alternative high capacity storage systems can store the information in PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory), or DTC

load), mounted on a plate.

  After loading the menus and other information in edit editing editing 44 from the system of

  discs 60, the editing control assembly 44 transmits

* puts an initial menu of information and selections at the reception desk

  When the operator responds by pressing a key on one of the keyboards 20 and 22, or by touching the display screen 28 of the data control receiver 14, the signal is transmitted from the human junction 42 to editing command editing 44 editing editing editing 44 identifies the editing function represented by

  the signal then, if necessary, change the display on the

  the data control receiver 14, either by providing

  to the current menu, either by transmitting a new menu to the data control receiver 14 At the same time, all the editing functions to be performed in the device are executed under the control of the editing control editing. the case where video information from one or more of the source recorders 46, 48

  and 50, must be recorded on the recorder

  52, the edit control assembly 44 controls those of the source recorders 46, 48 and 50 that are involved, the recorder 52 and the switch member

  and effect generation 54 The processing of the various different video information is carefully synchronized,

  through the use of the timecode or

  recorded on the different lengths of the tape and which identifies the recordings frame by frame

  * edit command 44 continues to respond to signals -

  from the human junction 42 and to change the

  menus in the data control receiver 14, and

  cute editing functions accordingly until

  all editing operations are complete.

  As previously described, the editing control assembly

  tion 44 controls the source recorders 46, 48 and 50, the

  Recording Recorder 52 and Switching and Effect Generating Device 54 The Editing Control Editing 44 has a choice of cutouts, inserts, cross fades, and special effects. Benchmarks are manually chosen to control the speed and direction of the tape. The entry and exit points of

  are manually marked in this operating mode.

  If desired, cue points can also be selected by introducing timecode values for

  entry and exit points Primer values for

  purpose and end are also introduced, as well as the duration

  crossfades and special effects.

  The source audio / video tape recorders 46, 48 and are coupled with the edit control editing 44 by

  via machine junctions 62, 64 and 66, respectively

  The recording audio / video tape recorder 52 is coupled with the edit control assembly 44 by a

  machine junction 68 The printer and tape system

  58 is coupled to the edit control 44 by a junction 70 The switch and effect generation 54 is coupled to the edit control 44 by a switch member 72 The various junctions 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, and 72 are used to convert the transmitted data from the edit control edit

  44 and to this one of the sequential form as it appears

  at the output of the editing control assembly 44 in one

  form that can be used by the particular recorder or other

  With which the junction is coupled, for example, a type

  tape recorder requires a line voltage of

  continuously between 0 volts and + 10 volts for

  der the forward and backward scrolling of the tape, while a

  different type of tape recorder requires a frequency signal

  The various junctions perform the appropriate conversion of the data from the edit control assembly 44 to form these forms. A typical junction is described in such a way that

  detailed with reference to Figure 7.

  Figure 5 shows the basic functions

  cut through the editing control assembly 44, while FIG. 6 shows this arrangement in detail. Reference will first be made to FIG. 6, in which it can be seen that the editing control assembly 44 includes a central unit 74 and associated memory 76 The memory 76 comprises at the

  parts of read-only memory (ROM) and parts of

  The central unit 74 is coupled with the diskette system 60 through a disk control circuit 78. The central unit 74 is

  also coupled with human junction 42 via

  of a character generator 80, which transmits a

  output signal to the data control receiver 14, which signal represents the information displayed on it when

  information from the floppy disk contained in the system

  of flexible disks 60 is loaded into the assembly of

  This information is stored in the memory 76 The CPU 74 responds to the signals from

  of the human junction 42 and applied to it by the

  Via an intelligent line control circuit 82 and a data bus 84 On the basis of the transmitted signals

  from the human junction 42, the central unit 74 executes

  cute, in the device 10, all the editing functions that are dictated by the signals At the same time, the central unit 74 causes a change in the menu currently

  displayed on the data control receiver 14 or the pre-

  a new menu if necessary This is done by determining the desired characters to be displayed on the data control receiver 14 from the memory 76,

  and by transmitting these characters to the character generator.

  The character generator 80, which stores the various characters in a dot matrix configuration, responds to the characters extracted from the memory 76 causing

  displaying the desired characters on the control receiver

the 14th.

  In the data stored in the memory 76 from the system of flexible disks 60 are included general instructions called here "operating system", this one

  being designated by 86 in Figure 5 The operating system

  86 controls four separate processes ensured by the

  ganes referred to herein as the command generator 88,

  display generator 90, input-output control 92 and

  The four different processes 88, 90,

  * 92 and 94 are executed simultaneously under the control of the system.

  The command generator 88 responds to signals from the human junction 42 by routing the

  to be done This translates into the generation of

  which are entered in a common database 96.

  The display generation process 90 involves the evaluation of

  the data entered into the common database 96, which is intended to determine what should be

  displayed on the data control receiver 14 The general

  The display driver 90 provides all the necessary data relating to changes in the display to the character generator 80 The input / output control process 92

  controls the printer system and perforated tape.

  58 and a file system as well as any other

  peripheral equipment, with the exception of the various recordings

  Tape Trimmers and Switching Devices The machine control process 94 responds to data entered in

  the common database 96 by determining which operations

  must be done by the source tape recorders 46, 48 and 50, the tape recorder

  52 and the switching elements.

  order issuance by the edit command

  44 to tape recorders and switching devices.

  Due to the fact that the editing process has become more and more elaborate, the efficient use of the time of

  Costly live publishing has become a major priority.

  In addition, editions edited and viewed offline,

  which is less expensive, must have their parameters

  registered for later reference, reproduction, transfer to live equipment For this purpose, a list of such editorial decisions is stored jointly

  with all the parameters necessary to carry out those decisions

  This information can be stored in the flexible disk system 60, in the memory 76 or in the system.

  printer and perforated strip shown in Figure 3.

  If an editing session is interrupted, the editing decisions and parameters can be temporarily stored at one of these locations for later reloading and execution. Once editing is edited

  is completed, this information can be used for vision-

  publish or to transfer such editions to an equi-

live.

  Referring now to FIG. 6, the central unit 74 may be constituted by a central unit

  any suitable device, such as the central unit on

  the only one sold under the designation LSI-ll by Digital

  Equipment Corporation Memory 76 preferably has a capacity of

  RAM of 64K bytes or more A time generator

  sation 98 generates system timing signals

  for editing control editing 44 As previously described

  Finally, the touch-sensitive input system 30 works in conjunction with the touch-sensitive display data control receiver 14 to perform various functions in response to an operator's touching of the display. These functions include control of the device, data entry and change of an editing decision The panel

  "joystick" 18 is used in conjunction with the system

  touch-sensitive entry system 30 to perform a

  manual unwinding and selection of entry points

  / release edition The "joystick" panel 18 can also

  It can be used in conjunction with the marked keyboard 20 or the ASCII keyboard, 22 together, the 20 or 22 rack and the panel 18 allow the operator to enter system edit data, select menus, adjust of the

  editing points and to control the operation of the

  The keyboard marked 20 has specialized keys for device-specific operations. All operating functions of the device are controlled by

  marked keys such as viewing, editing, searching, -

  marking, rewinding, entering and leaving marks of reproduction

  In addition, the free keys on the keyboard are labeled 20, insert, crossfade, and input / output adjustment / adjustment.

  can be used by the operator to define functions

  which may change from one edition to the next Each of

  these free keys can be used to control the

  editing control panel 44 in a similar way to the com-

  the touch sensitive input system 30 to change points of a menu presented by the control receiver of

  data 14 or to change menus.

  The switching and effect generating device 54 may be used to select a split, crossfade,

  insert or one of a lot of different transitions.

  Transitions occur from one source to another, and a selection of sharp edges or soft edges is possible. All effects are reversible.

  Insert mode provides a fade-in or fade-in

  a foreground inserted into a background The entry of

  an insert actually cuts in the background a window

  be the shape of the video image to be inserted, such as a title or any graphic representation The foreground of the insert fills the window of the background The fade times can be selected In the course of all the

  effects, except inserts, the sound is melted from a given source.

born in another.

  To allow an understanding of the nature of the different menus displayed on the data control receiver 14, it is convenient to consider a particular example of a

  editing device 10 comprising both menus

  Mayors and secondary menus The primary menus are designed to allow the most frequent editing tasks to be performed. These menus usually display a moderate amount of information allowing the operator to

  keep track of many basic operations without

  the menus, while at the same time limiting the total information displayed on any menu, to avoid any

  confusion and the appearance of spurious signals on the screen.

  There are six primary menus including the following:

  1 Device Settings This is the first menu that appears

  on the data control receiver 14 after the

  in circuit of the editing device It is mainly used

  As a reference point or as a reference point, from which you can select other menus for editing. The general commands for operating the device are usually

located on this menu.

  2 List of Editing Decisions This menu displays a portion of

  the current editing decision and provides the necessary command

  to modify it

  tions by means of the switching member 54 are also displayed. 3 Editing Decision List Configuration This menu is

  used for selecting editing decision parameters.

  It gives a list of all the parameters that can be used as headers on the list of editing decisions and indicate their current configuration The menu contains multiple versions of the headers of the list of editing decisions and provides the necessary commands to add,

  eliminate or modify parameters in the list listings.

publishing decision.

  4 Edit edit This menu contains an active display of the particular edit during editing. It indicates and allows the operator to choose editing and editing output entry points, unwinders, reels. and Effects This menu can be combined with a number of secondary menus to meet editing requirements

more specific.

  5.-Unwinder Configuration This menu allows you to select and display the status of unwind parameters, such as

  the logical order, the line control circuit channel in-

  telligent, the type of junction, the coil number and the state

the unwinder.

  In this example, the secondary menus are

  for discrete specialized publishing functions and

  are not included in the primary menus All menus se-

  except for a numeric key-block appear

  in the form of editions at the bottom of the main menus

  The key blocks provoke the introduction by the opera-

  digital data such as the duration of

  start and end Unwinding commands for saving

  Video tape machines (VCRs) provide playback, rewind, forward-winding, search and shuttle functions. Special effects are realized with various soft controls Fractional sound editing modes picture can be chosen from

  different points on the source video tapes.

  viewing of editions, cuttings, fades

  chained, transitions, fades to black and insert modes or from these modes of a programmable duration

  are included, as well as primer commands.

  FIG. 7 represents the details of a typical junction which can be for example one of the machine junctions 62, 64, 66 and 68. As described above, each of these junctions ensures bidirectional transmissions between the mounting of FIG.

  command 44 and the controlled recorder The entrance to the junction

  includes a pair of sequential data drivers

  100 and 102 The driver 100 transmits sequential data

  tials, from a sequential data processor 104,

  edit editing editing 44 Reciprocally, the conductor

  102 transmits sequential data, starting from

  editing command 44, to the separate data processor

  quentials 104 The sequential data processor 104

  includes a universal asynchronous transceiver, which

  the incidental sequential data in the form

  multanimate before applying them to a central unit-memory unit 105 A personality module 106 is specific to the

  particular peripheral device connected, such as an

  band recorder 108 The personality module 106 converts

  the simultaneous data from the central memory unit 105 in drive control commands in a suitable form for use by the recorder

  As previously described, peripheral devices

  Different phériques require different types of signals.

  For example, some tape recorders require a

  DC voltage to control the speed of the capstan, while others require an AC signal,

  whose frequency determines the speed of the band.

  The tape recorder 108 is coupled with the central memory unit assembly 105, both-through the

  personality module 106 and through a

  time code reader / reader 110 The connection between the

  tape recorder 108 and the processor / code reader tem-

  porel 110 provides communication for the temporary code track

  The time code track is generally transferred from the tape to the tape recorder 108 and is transmitted to the processor / time code reader 110 where it is decoded.

  by converting the sequential bit stream into simul-

  neous. The output signals of the junction of FIG. 7 transmitted to the edit control assembly 44 consist of unwanted count signals, state signals, and time code data. The count and status signals

  are "buffered" and then transmitted to the data bus 84 to the

  The sequential time code data is converted into simultaneous data by the time code processor / reader 110, as previously described. This data is then transmitted to the editing device.

edit command 44.

  Reference will again be made to FIG. 6, about which it has previously been noted that the human junction 42 is coupled with the central unit 74 by an intelligent line control circuit 82. In the example described, the control circuit edition 44 comprises the intelligent line control circuit 82 and three other intelligent line control circuits 112, 114 and 116 The smart line control circuit 112 couples the central unit 74 with the machine junction 62 The control circuit smart line 114

  couple the central unit 74 with the connecting body junction

  The intelligent line control circuit 116 couples the central unit 74 with the machine junction 68 Each of the intelligent line control circuits-82, 112, 114 and 116 comprises an intelligent transmission link between

  editing control assembly 44 and a peripheral device

  as external, such as audio / video tape recorders and human junction 42 Data from the unit

  74 and transmitted on the data bus 84 are presented

  attempt in the simultaneous form Each of the control circuits

  82, 112, 114 and 116 converts these data into the se-

  before applying them to the peripheral device.

  Conversely, data transmitted from the peripheral device

  that in the central unit 74 are converted from the sequential

  simultaneous form by the various communication circuits.

  In addition to converting the form of the data, the various control circuits 82, 112, 114 and 116 act as buffers between the peripheral device and the control device 82, 112, 114 and 116.

  the central unit 74 The intelligent line control circuits

  Furthermore, the ligands further verify the input compositions of the data.

  These data comps and perform some primitive control circuit functions, such as automatic timecode and status requests. The CPU 74 can not communicate simultaneously with two or more peripheral devices.

  presence of the various control circuits has the effect of

  virtually simultaneous communication, receiving and retaining the data until the central unit 74

be free to receive them.

  The various intelligent line control circuits 82, 112, 114 and 116 are of identical construction, one of them being shown in FIG. 8 The smart line control circuit shown in FIG.

  first bus transceiver 118 coupled with the central unit

  tral 74 for transmitting an address and data between the intelligent line control circuit and the central unit 74 The bus transceiver 118 is coupled with a unit

  central station (U C) 120 of intelligent line control circuit

  gent (ILC) through an address bus 122 and a data bus 124.

  The address bus 122 is also coupled to a 4K random access memory (RAM) 126 and a 1K ROM 128. The data bus 124 is also coupled to the 4K RAM 126. and with the ROM 128 of 1 K A second bus transceiver 130 is coupled with the central unit 120 via a control bus 132 and

  with the central unit 74, and is able to process requests

  delay and control transmitted between the cir-

  Intelligent Line Control Cook and Central Unit 74.

  An address comparator 134 has two different inputs

  The address comparator 134 compares the contents of the address received from the receiver, one of which is supplied by the bus transceiver 118 and the other by a group of wafer address selection switches 136. CPU with the setting

  of the address switch selection group 136 of

  If a valid comparison is made, the comparator 134 requests control of the data and address buses 122 and 124 from the U C 120 of the intelligent line control circuit. When this command is given by the control circuit Intelligent line, data is transferred

  from the central unit 74 to the RAM 126 of the communication circuit

  The U C 120 in turn composes the data contained in the RAM 126, and then transmits these data.

  data via a universal asynchronous transmitter

  138, at the junction, as shown in FIG. 7 The incident sequential data from the trunk is simultaneously converted by the universal asynchronous transceiver 138, which generates and transmits a signal

  Interrupting the U C 120 When U C 120 processes the

  interrupt data, the incident data is composed and

  128 The new data contained in

  RAM 126 are then read by the central unit.

  The frequency at which the sequential signals from the universal asynchronous transceiver 138 are transmitted to the trunk is determined by means of a trunk command 74, which requests a U-C bus command. a

  transmission speed generator (baud) 140, joint

  with a group of 142 selector switches

transmission rate.

  The switching and effect generating device 54 is shown in detail in FIG.

  intelligent line control 114 associated with the communication organ

  tation 54 is coupled with it via the

  junction member 72 The junction member

  mutation 72, which may be of similar construction to that shown in FIG. 7, is coupled so as to

  receive composite synchronization signals and

* Composite beam suppression devices The junction

  The switching gate 72 includes an address bus 144 and a data bus 146 at its output. The buses 144 and 146 are coupled with a video processor / mixer 148 at the output of the switching member 54, or by means of a circuit. 150 video crossing points, or by a waveform generator 152 and a video processor 154 The buses 144 and 146 are also

  coupled with an audio cross point circuit 156.

  The switching and effect generating device 54 is mainly used for mixing and transition operations. In the case of a mixing operation, one of the input signals of the audio crosspoint circuit 156 and one of the input signals of the video crosspoint circuit 150 is applied to the video processor / mixer 148 The video processor 154 is also used during this operation A transition operation is performed using

  the waveform generator 152 and the video processor 154.

  Figure 10 is a flowchart describing how

  whose editing device 10 uses the con-

  control of data 14, together with the input system

  sensitive to the touch 30, to convert decisions of the opera-

editor in editing operations.

  During a step 160 (FIG. 10), the device 10 creates, via the editing control assembly 44, a

  list of valid choices to be submitted to the different operator A

  In the later stages of an editing process, a different set of requests from the operator is considered valid. The Edit Command Set 44 first determines this set of choices in step 160. depends on the type of operation being performed In addition, the

  editing control editing 44 may need to consider the

  training received from other unwinders or other sources, as well as

  than the previous information stored in the memory 76.

  In the next step 162, each valid choice is

  stored on the screen 28 of the data control receiver 14.

  With each choice of the set of valid choices are associated more

  important pieces of information One of these

  is a description of where the choice should be

  presented to the operator on the screen 28 A piece of information

  An additional label is the label that must be printed on screen 28 so that the operator can identify and understand the choice. Once a valid set of choices has been assembled, each label is displayed at its corresponding position on the screen. The operator is thus informed of what is the current choice and is supposed to select one of them now. In the next step 164, the screen 28 of the data control receiver 14 is scanned and a decision 166 is

  taken to determine if a beam was interrupted or not.

  When the operator has determined which of the labels displayed on

  screen 28 corresponds to the action he wants the

  edition 10 starts, he puts a finger (or an object

  any) on this label on the screen 28 As described above

  the light-emitting diodes 32 and 34 mounted at

  immediate vicinity of the screen 28 emit infrared beams

  which are directed to corresponding photodetectors.

  among the photodetectors 36 and 38 The application of the operator's finger to a particular location on the screen

  28 results in one or more of the photodetectors 36 de-

  tect an interruption of the infrared beams that they

  Normally by periodically examining the outputs of the photodetectors 36 and 38, the editing device detects the presence of a finger. By assigning numerical values to the various photodetectors 36 and 38, the editing device

  can also calculate numbers that represent the co-

  horizontal and vertical order of the finger on the screen 28. Following the periodic examination of the output signals of the photodetectors 36 and 38, the decision 166 indicates whether one or more of the infrared beams have been interrupted or not.

  If Decision 166 indicates that one or more of the

  infrared rings were interrupted, so during the next step 168, the distance between the finger and each of the choices

  displayed on the screen 28 is calculated It has already been mentioned

  the fact that at each choice displayed on screen 28 is

  associated with an indication of the position to which it is

  on the screen Each element of a choice game is examined and the distance between the position associated with that choice and the position of the finger is calculated The choice that is most

  near the position of the finger is assumed to be the one that the

  If the finger is too far from the nearest choice, no operation is performed. These conditions

  are represented by decision 170 (Figure 10).

  If decision 170 gives a "yes" answer indicating that the finger has been placed at least within the nominal range of one of the choices and if it has been determined that this choice is the one desired by the operator , the value associated with this choice is calculated in the course of the following step 172 At each choice of a set of determined choices is associated a value of

  of step 172, the value associated with the choice selected by the operator

  is determined Using this value, the device

  10 performs the desired operation during the next step.

  174 (FIG. 10) The value determined during step 172 corresponds to the type of signal generated when using either

  the keyboard marked 20, the ASCII keyboard, 22.

  The various operations of the flowchart of Figure 10 described above will be better understood by considering a

  example If it is assumed that at a particular stage of a

  this edition, the operator is supposed to enter a figure of

  taken between 0 and 9, there are then ten possible choices to each

  of these choices is associated a position on the screen 28 of the

  Each choice corresponds to a label printed on the screen 28, so that the numbers 1 f "," 2 "," 3 ", etc. are displayed on the screen If the operator wishes to select the number "7", he puts a finger on the screen

  28 where the label "7" was displayed.

  infrared rings corresponding to this location are inter-

  broken and the editing device determines the coordinates

  horizontal and vertical finger Each of the ten choices pos-

  sibles is examined and the distance between its position on 1 '

  screen 28 and the position of the finger on said screen is calculated.

  In this example, it is determined that the correct choice

  answer to the digit "7" is the closest To each choice is associated a value In the example considered, the value corresponding to "7" could be the ASCII code representing

  "7" It is this value that most gold equipment

  The dialer 10 uses this value as if it came from a conventional keyboard or a transmission device, such as the keyboard marked.

or the ASCII keyboard, 22.

  Of course, the invention is not limited to the particular preferred embodiment shown and described;

  it is susceptible of many variants without

  map for that of the spirit nor the field of the invention.

Claims (19)

  1 editing device, in which information   from at least one source is registered under   control device (44), said device being characterized in that it comprises a control receiver (14) coupled with the control assembly (44) for providing a visual display of information and choice of edition, means (30) capable, in response to the touching of selected areas of the visual display by an operator, to provide an indication of the area touched to the control mount (44) and means therein of the control assembly (44) for   to provide an editing function in response to the indication   to said control assembly (44).   2 Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises means associated with the control assembly (44) for modifying the visual display in response to   the indication supplied to said control assembly (44).   3 Editing device according to claim 1,   characterized in that the control receiver (14) comprises a cathode ray tube (26) having a screen (28), and in that the touch sensitive means (30) comprise   means (32,34) for producing a network of spokes through   to the screen (28) disposed in the immediate vicinity of a surface   said screen (28) and means (36,38) for producing a   when at least one of said rays is interrupted by an operator.   4 editing device, characterized in that it comprises   in combination, at least one source (46,48 or 50) of information   to edit, a recorder (52) for recording the information   edited editing and control means for controlling the recording of the information to be edited in the recorder   (52), said control means comprising a visual display   suel (28), ways to establish different information menus.   editing method for presentation on the visual display (28) and means (30) responsive to the touching of selected areas of the visual display (28)   by an operator, to select menus of information of edi-   for presentation on the display visual (28).   Editing device according to claim 4, characterized in that the means (30) sensitive to the touching of selected areas of the visual display (28) by an operator comprise means for selecting a menu of editing information for presentation on the visual display (28) based on the editing information displayed at a particular location of the affected visual display (28) by an operator.   6 Editing device according to claim 5,   characterized in that the aforesaid control means comprise   means (30) capable, in response to the touching of selected areas of the visual display (28) by an operator,   to carry out editing operations within that paragraph positive editing (10).   7 Editing device, characterized in that it comprises, -   in combination, at least one information source (46,48, or), a recorder (52), a switching member (54) for selectively coupling the information source (46,48 or 50) to the recorder (52), a processor (74) for controlling the information source (46, 48 or 50), the recorder (52) and the switching member (54), a memory (76) coupled to the processor ( 74), a character generator (80) coupled   with the processor (74) to produce characters to display   expensive under the control of said processor (74), a receiver of   display control (14) coupled with the character generator   (80) to display the characters produced by the latter and means (30) capable of responding to the selection of a   particular part of the display on the receiver of con-   (14), to provide a corresponding indication to the cessor (74).   8 Editing device according to claim 7,   characterized in that it further comprises a storage system   of data (60) coupled to the processor (74).   9 Editing device according to claim 7,   characterized in that it further comprises a plurality of cir-   control dishes (112, 114, 116, 82) coupled between the   caterer (74) and said information source (46, 48 or 50), the recorder (52), the switching member (54) and the means   (30) above providing a corresponding indication, each   each of said control circuits (112, 114, 116, 82) being   to convert data from the sequential form to the simultaneous form.   Editing apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises a plurality of junctions (62, 64, 66) coupled between the processor (74) and said information source (46, 48 or 50), recorder   (52) and the switching member (54), each of said junctures   tions (62, 64, 66) being able to convert data from   the sequential form to a form usable by the machine.   11 editing device according to claim 7,   characterized in that said means (30) providing an indication   corresponding cation are sensitive to the touching of   particular aspects of the display on the control receiver (14) by an operator.   Editing device according to Claim 11, characterized in that the control receiver (14) comprises   a cathode ray tube (26) having a display screen   and wherein said means (30) providing a corresponding indication comprises an array (32,34) capable of producing an interruptible array of beams through the display screen (28) of the cathode ray tube (26).   13 Editing device, characterized in that it com-   takes, in combination, a central unit (74), a memory (76) coupled with said central unit (74), a character generator (80) coupled with said central unit (74),   a human junction (42) coupled with the car generator   encoders (80), means (82,84) coupling the human junction (42) with the central unit (74), at least one source recorder (46), a first control circuit (112) coupling said source recorder ( 46) with said central unit (74), a recording recorder (52), a second control circuit (116) coupling said recording recorder   (52) with said central unit (74), a switching member   tion (54) coupled between said source recorder (46) and said recording recorder (52), and a third control circuit (114) coupled between the switching member (54) and the central unit (74), the first, second and third control circuits (112, 116, 114) each being capable of storing and converting the transferred data form to   from the central unit (74) or to it.   Editing device according to Claim 13, characterized in that at least one of the first, second and third control circuits (112, 116, 114) comprises a   CPU (120) and a memory (126,128).   Editing device according to claim 13, characterized in that at least one of said first, second and third control circuits (112, 116, 114) comprises a processor (120), a transceiver (118) coupled with said processor (120), a memory (126, 128) coupled to the processor (120) and the transceiver (118), and an address comparator (134) coupled between the transceiver (118) and the processor (120).   16 Editing device according to claim 15,   characterized in that it further comprises a transmitter-receiver-   (138) coupled to the processor (120) and capable of   vertify data from the simultaneous form to the sequential tial.   17 Editing device according to claim 13,   characterized in that it further comprises a first   (62) coupled between the first control circuit (112) and said source recorder (46), a second junction (68)   coupled between the second control circuit (116) and the   recording registrar (52), and a third junction (72) coupled between the third control circuit (114) and the switching member (54), each of the first, second and third junctions (62, 68, 72) comprising a processor (104, 110) for converting data of the sequential form   to a form usable by the machine.   Editing apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that at least one of the first, second and third junctions (62, 68, 72) comprises a sequential data processor (104) coupled with one of the circuits controller (112, 116, 114), a time code processor (110) coupled to said sequential data processor (104) and a data conversion module (106) coupled to said   sequential data processor (104) -   Audio / video editing device, characterized in that it comprises, in combination, an editing control editing (44), a data control receiver (14) coupled to said editing control editing ( 44) and having a display (28) for displaying, a human junction (42) coupled to the edit control assembly (44) and capable of providing therefor signals representative of specific portions of the display selected by an operator on the control receiver (14), the edit control assembly (44) producing displays on the data control receiver (14) and being capable of modifying these displays in accordance with signals thereto applied to   from the human junction (42), a plurality of recordings   source audio / video tape trimmers (46, 48, 50) coupled to the edit control assembly (44), an audio / video recording tape recorder (52) coupled to the edit control assembly (44) and a switching member (54) coupled between the plurality of audio / video source tape recorders   (46, 48, 50) and the recorded audio / video tape recorder   (52), the switching member (54) also being coupled to the edit control assembly (44) and the latter being capable of controlling the plurality of audio / video source tape recorders (46, 48, 50), the audio / video recording tape recorder (52) and the switching member (54).   Editing device according to claim 19,   characterized in that it further comprises a storage system   data store (60) coupled with the edit control assembly tion (44).   21 editing device according to claim 19, characterized in that the human junction (42) comprises a   touch-sensitive system (30) mounted on a display face   display of the control receiver (14).   Editing device according to claim 21,   characterized in that the human junction (42) also comprises   at least one keyboard (20, 22) carrying a plurality of   keys that represent predefined editing functions   born. The editing apparatus according to claim 19, characterized in that it further comprises a plurality of junctions (62, 64, 66) each coupled between the edit control editing (44) and a different one of the plurality of recorders. audio / video tape recorders (46, 48, 50), the audio / video tape recorder   trement (52) and the switching member (54).   24 Editing device according to Claim 19, characterized in that the editing control arrangement (44)   comprises a plurality of line control circuits   telescopes (112, 114, 116, 82) respectively coupled with a different one of the plurality of audio / video source tape recorders (46, 48, 50), with the audio / video recording tape recorder (52). ), with the   switching (54) and with the human junction (42).