WO2006015337A2

WO2006015337A2 - Dvd authoring system

Info

Publication number: WO2006015337A2
Application number: PCT/US2005/027321
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rajesh B. Khandelwal; Dennis Bushmitch
Original assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2004-07-30
Filing date: 2005-07-29
Publication date: 2006-02-09
Also published as: WO2006015337A3

Abstract

A multimedia authoring system is provided that automatically searches for and retrieves resources which relate to the content of the title being authored (12). The authoring system (12) is configured to access and retrieve such resources (15) from other network devices in a home networking environment as well as other locations outside of the home networking environment (17). For instance, the authoring system may retrieve resources from a broadcast transport stream.

Description

DVD AUTHORING SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to a user end multimedia title authoring and, more particularly, to an architecture that enables title configuration and customization using a plurality of multimedia assets which may reside outside of the authoring tool.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Authoring is the process of collecting and arranging audio, video menus, subtitles and other types of multimedia assets into an interactive branching structure that forms a playable title. Conventional authoring tools are typically standalone systems which facilitate a manual composition of a playable title. Absent from the industry is an architecture that enables title configuration and customization using resources available outside of the standalone authoring tool. Moreover, an architecture that is able to automatically search for and retrieve such resources which relate to the content of the title being authored.

[0003] Therefore, it is desirable to provide a multimedia authoring architecture that enables title configuration and customization using a plurality of multimedia assets which reside outside of the authoring tool and come from multiple sources. In particular, a multimedia authoring engine that interfaces with a digital broadcast stream to retrieve assets which may be used to author a title.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] In one aspect of the present invention, a multimedia title authoring system is provided for integrating multimedia assets from different content providers. The title authoring system includes: an authoring engine adapted to receive an initial multimedia asset for creating a title; a content analyzer operable to determine content of the initial asset upon receipt of the initial asset by the authoring tool; and an content search engine operable to search for additional multimedia assets related to the initial asset based on the content of the initial asset as determined by the content analyzer, where the additional multimedia assets are made available to the authoring engine for integration with the initial asset when creating a title.

[0005] In another aspect of the present invention, a multimedia title authoring system is provided that interfaces with a digital broadcast transport stream. The title authoring system includes: a title authoring engine adapted to receive a multimedia asset from the broadcast transport stream and operable to author a title based on multimedia asset received from the broadcast transport stream; and a content search engine operable to search for additional multimedia assets related to the multimedia asset received from the broadcast transport stream, where the additional multimedia assets are made available to the authoring engine for integration with the initial asset when creating a title.

[0006] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a multimedia title authoring system 10 according to the principles of the present invention;

[0008] Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration for an authoring device; and

[0009] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary operation of the multimedia title authoring system of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Figure 1 illustrates a multimedia title authoring system 10 according to the principles of the present invention. In this exemplary embodiment, an authoring device 12 resides in a home networking environment, where the home networking environment includes a plurality of network devices interconnected by a packet switched network. Although not limited thereto, exemplary network devices may include a digital camera 13 and an audio/video server 14. While the following description is provided with reference to the authoring device 12 residing in a home network, it is readily understood that the authoring device may be a standalone device or reside in other types of network environments.

[0011] The authoring device 12 is preferably configured to receive a digital transport stream from a broadcast source outside of the home network environment. In an exemplary embodiment, the broadcast source is a DTV server 15 which adheres to the DSM-CC protocol, such that digital data is configured on one or more data carousels. Data for the data carousels may be received from one or more content providers 16. The data carousels in turn operate to deliver a digital transport stream over a suitable communication link to a DTV receiver. In this case, the authoring device 12 operates as a DTV receiver to receive the digital transport stream as will be further described below. Alternatively, the functionality of the authoring device may be integrated with a DTV receiver, such as a set-top box.

[0012] The authoring device 12 may also have a broadband connection to the Internet. The authoring device 12 may use this connection to access multimedia content from additional content providers 17 using a Web browser or other suitable technology. It is readily understood that the authoring device may be configured to use other communication media, such as a satellite link, to interface with content providers.

[0013] Figure 2 depicts an exemplary configuration for the authoring device 12. The authoring device 12 generally includes an authoring engine 22, an automatic classifier and segmentation module (referred to herein as a content analyzer) 24, a content search engine 26 and an optical disk writer 28. Each of these software-implemented components is preferably incorporated into a single authoring device 12. However, it is envisioned that one or more of these components (or portions thereof) may reside on other devices associated with the home network environment or outside of the home network environment.

[0014] The authoring engine 22 enables a user to author a title in accordance with a title format specification, such as the DVD format specification or the Blu-ray format specification. Basic authoring functions provided by the tool are readily known in the art and available is numerous commercially available software tools, including Pinnacle Studio, DVD Producer, Adobe's Encore DVD, and Apple's DVD Studio Pro. Exemplary functions may include creating menus, buttons and backgrounds for a title, segmenting multimedia assets, organizing different multimedia assets within a title, etc. In addition to this basic functionality, the authoring engine 22 of the present invention includes other functions as will be further described below. For purposes of this description, multimedia assets are defined as video clips, audio tracks, digital images, button designs, interactive application modules and any other type of digital content which may be incorporated into a title.

[0015] The content analyzer 24 analyzes and determines the content of a multimedia asset. For instance, the content analyzer 24 is able to partition an asset into different segments. A family video may be partitioned, such that one segment is a birthday party, the next segment is a family vacation, another segment is a picnic at a park, etc. In some instances, segments may be further partitioned into sub-segments (e.g., each day of the family vacation is a different sub-segment). Furthermore, the asset or a segment thereof may be assigned a

> theme. In other words, the family vacation video is automatically labeled as a family vacation by the content analyzer. In addition, the asset or segments thereof may also be assigned one or more additional descriptors. In the case of a family vacation to Hawaii, such descriptors may include tropical destination, surfing, golfing, luau, Hawaii, Maui, etc. This type of content analysis of video and audio data is a well developed area which may be readily incorporated into the authoring device. The content analyzer 24 generates as an output metadata for the multimedia asset, including a topic description for the asset as a whole and each segment therein, and segmentation data for the asset, if applicable.

[0016] The content search engine 26 is used to locate additional content which is related to a given asset. In an exemplary mode, the metadata from the content analyzer 24 serves as input to the content search engine 26.

The content search engine 26 formulates search criteria from the metadata and then searches for other multimedia assets accessible to the authoring device. [0017] The content search engine 26 may search in different places. For instance, the content search engine 26 may retrieve assets which are available on an incoming broadcast transport stream. To do so, the content search engine first performs a search of an electronic program guide or some other type of content directory for broadcast transport stream. If content is available which matches the search criteria, the content search engine 26 coordinates retrieval of the content in a manner employed on a conventional set- top box. The content search engine 26 may need to interface with a tuner to tune to the appropriate channel of the transport stream. In some instances (e.g., video-on-demand), the content search engine 26 may also need to initiate a two- way communication session with the DTV server to a gain access to the content. [0018] Multimedia assets may be broadcast in either real-time or in an object carousel form. In either case, data from the transport stream is directed to a transcoder or other type of interface which converts the data to a suitable program stream format (e.g., MPEG-2 format) in accordance with the title format specification. Alternatively, the multimedia asset may be sent over the broadcast media in program stream format and thus no conversion is needed. Program stream data is then buffered in local data store 32, where it is made available to the authoring tool. In an exemplary embodiment, the content search engine 25 accesses the broadcast transport stream in accordance with the OpenCable CableCARD Interface 2.0 Specification OC-SP-CCI F2.0-D02-041230.

[0019] In another instance, the content search engine 26 may retrieve assets using the broadband connection to the Internet. Similarly, metadata from the content analyzer 24 is used to formulate a search string. The content search engine 26 then performs a search for related content. In an exemplary embodiment, the content search engine 26 may interface with a Web-based search engine (e.g., Google search engine) to retrieve multimedia assets from different Web servers. The content search engine may further filter search results, thereby making available only the most relevant assets to the authoring engine.

[0020] In yet another instance, the content search engine 26 may search for assets which reside on other devices in the home networking environment. For example, a family vacation may have resulted in both a video captured by a camcorder as well as number photographs taken with a camera. When authoring a title based on the video, it may be interesting to incorporate a particular photograph as a background to a menu screen. Photographs residing on the memory device of a camera connected to the home network or downloaded to another network device connected to the home network may be retrieved by the content search engine.

[0021] In an exemplary embodiment, the home networking environment may be configured in accordance with the Universal Plug and Play (L)PnP) protocol. Briefly, the content search engine 26 is configured to function as a control point. The content search engine 26 may discover different Media Servers residing in the network and then use a ContentDirectory Service to browse the list of content available on each Media Server. If the content search engine 26 locates any assets of interest, it can coordinate retrieval of the content from the Media Server to the authoring device which acts as a Media Renderer. Thus, the content search engine 26 relies upon the UPnP A/V architecture to search for and retrieve content from devices in the network. It is readily understood that other retrieval architectures are also within the broader aspects of the present invention. [0022] Exemplary operations of the title authoring system 10 of the present invention are further described below in relation to Figure 3. For illustration purposes the exemplary operations will be described in relation to a family video having footage of a vacation to Hawaii. It is readily understood that the authoring system of the present invention is suitable for authoring other types of multimedia assets (and combinations thereof).

[0023] To author a title, a system user first designates a multimedia asset (or set of assets) to serve as a starting point at 42. The designated multimedia asset may have been input to the authoring device from an external recording device (e.g., a family video from a digital camcorder) or retrieved from another external source, such as an asset in the broadcast transport stream. In any case, the multimedia asset is placed in an asset data store. [0024] The authoring engine preferably provides a suitable user interface for designating the initial multimedia asset. At this point, the system user may be prompted at 43 to input configuration and/or customization parameters to facilitate the process. For example, the system user may select the preferred format specification for the title. Alternatively, the system user may elect to proceed with previously designated default parameters. The system user can then initiate automatic title configuration and customization.

[0025] Upon initiation, the content analyzer 24 proceeds at step 44 to analyze the content of the initial multimedia asset. The content analyzer 26 may determine the video to have a vacation theme. The content analyzer 24 then segments the video into different chapters based on this theme. For example, a vacation video may be segmented so that each chapter corresponds to a different day of the trip; whereas, a sporting event video, such as a football game, is segmented so that each chapter corresponds to a different quarter of the game. Segmentation may be in part based on metadata (e.g., timestamp data) accompanying the video. The content analyzer 24 will also assign additional descriptors for the video and/or for the segments of the video.

[0026] Metadata generated by the content analyzer 24 is then used by the content search engine 26 to locate additional content which may be needed to author a title as shown at 46. In an exemplary embodiment, the content search engine 26 will first search for buttons and backgrounds which may be used to author the title. In the case of a Hawaiian vacation, the content search engine 26 may be search for buttons and/or backgrounds having a tropical theme, such as pineapples, coconuts or palm trees. The content search engine 26 will then search for sound tracks to supplement video content. It is readily understood that the content search engine may be configured to search for other types of assets which may be used in the authoring process.

[0027] In the preferred embodiment, searching and retrieval is done without user intervention. However, it is also envisioned that the user may be prompted at 45 to review and modify or input proposed search strings into the content search engine 25. In addition, the user may be prompted to review search results and select the assets of interest. Retrieved/selected content, along with any accompanying metadata, is stored in the asset data store 32 for later use by the authoring tool. It is readily understood that retrieved content may come from one or more content providers and be retrieved using one or more of the communication media described above. [0028] Next, the authoring engine 22 begins to author a title based on the initially designated asset (i.e. the family video) and in accordance with a title format specification. In the case of the DVD specification, the authoring engine 22 will generate all of the resources needed by the title manager application as indicated at 48. During this authoring process, the authoring engine 22 is further configured to integrate some of the other multimedia assets retrieved by the content search engine 26 into the title.

[0029] Likewise, the authoring engine 22 preferably performs the authoring process without user intervention, thereby resulting in a fully configured title. However, it is also envisioned that the user may be prompted at 47 for input throughout the authoring process. For example, the user may be prompted to select a preferred button design or a preferred background design for a given menu. In another example, the user is prompted to select a sound track for integration with the video. In these examples, the selections may have been retrieved by the content search engine or from a database of content associated with the authoring tool, it is readily understood that the authoring engine22 may be configured to prompt the user for other types of input.

[0030] Lastly, system user designates where to store the resulting title at 49. More specifically, the authoring engine may interface with the optical disk writer 28 to burn the title onto an optical medium. The authoring engine 22 may also store the title on a local data store or transfer the title to another data store, such as a Media Server, within the home networking environment.

[0031] In another aspect of the present invention, the title authoring system 10 of the present invention is also suitable for personalizing titles. Prior to personalizing a title, a user's preferences are captured by a user preference engine34. User preferences may be input by a system user using an input interface provided by the user preference engine 34. User preferences for presentation of the title may include default selections of color, fonts, buttons, background images, menu layouts, etc. In addition, a system user may specify automatic advertisement deletion or automatic removal of adult only content.

[0032] Alternatively, the user preference engine 34 may monitor user interactivity patterns and formulate user preferences based on this input. In an exemplary embodiment, the user preference engine 34 monitors the broadcast content being viewed by a viewer. By analyzing any bookmarks created during a viewing session, the user preference engine 34 can formulate a user preference. For example, if a viewer is continually skipping commercials, then this preference may be noted in that viewer's profile. Although not limited thereto, this technique is particularly suitable for a home entertainment system which employs a time-shifting viewing service, such as TiVo digital video recorder and service. It is readily understood that other types of user preferences may also be formulated by monitoring user interactivity patterns.

[0033] In another exemplary embodiment, the user preference engine 34 monitors a user's interactions with the title authoring engine 22. For example, given a choice between smaller sized button or a larger sized button, a visually impaired viewer may select the larger size button when authoring a title. Similarly, a viewer may have frequently selected a preferred background image or audio track when authoring titles. These preferences may also be noted by the user's profile.

[0034] During the authoring process, a multimedia asset may be personalized in accordance with the requesting user's preferences. For instance, the content analyzer and authoring engine may cooperatively operate to remove any commercials residing in the title. If the asset contains subtitles, the authoring engine may translate the subtitles into the language of the requesting user (e.g., English language subtitles may be translated to Spanish language subtitles). Based upon available resources of the authoring device, the language translation function may reside on another device in or outside of the home networking environment. It is readily understood that other types of user personalization of the title may be implemented during the title authoring process by the title authoring engine. [0035] In another aspect of the present invention, the title authoring system 10 of the present invention may be used to customize a surveillance video from a home security system. In this example, the title authoring system receives and stores video feeds from one or more security cameras associated with the home security system. The video feeds are analyzed and segmented by the content analyzer. For instance, the content analyzer may perform scene- by-scene analysis to identify scenes having motion therein (which is presumably of interest to the viewer). Only scenes having some type of motion are used as a basis for a title creation; whereas, remaining video footage may be archived or discarded. It is readily understood that indicators other than motion may be used to identify scenes of interest to a viewer. It is also envisioned that triggers for scene analysis may optionally be input into the content analyzer from motion detectors proximate to respective security cameras.

[0036] Segmented video content along with metadata for each identified scene is then used by the title authoring engine to author a title. In particular, the title authoring engine creates an interactive menu structure for the title, where each chapter corresponds to a scene having some type of motion and the subtitle for each chapter may includes a timestamp indicating when the video was captured. [0037] The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A multimedia title authoring system, comprising: an authoring engine adapted to receive an initial set of multimedia assets for creating a title; a content analyzer in data communication with the authoring engine and operable to determine content of the initial set of multimedia assets upon receipt of the set of multimedia assets by the authoring tool; and an content search engine in data communication with the content analyzer and operable to search for additional multimedia assets related to the initial set of multimedia assets based on the content of the initial set of multimedia assets as determined by the content analyzer, where the additional multimedia assets are made available to the authoring engine for integration with the initial asset when creating a title.

2. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 1 wherein the authoring engine enables a user to select a multimedia asset to be retrieved by the authoring engine from a digital broadcast transport stream.

3. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 2 further comprises a tuner adapted to receive the broadcast transport stream, wherein the title authoring engine enables a user to select a multimedia asset transported by the broadcast transport stream and operable to interface with the tuner to tune to an appropriate channel of the broadcast transport stream

4. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 1 further comprises an interface adapted to receive a digital transport stream over a broadcast media and translate the digital transport stream to a format compatible with a title format specification.

5. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 1 further comprises a transcoder adapted to receive a digital transport stream over a broadcast media and operable to convert the digital transport stream to a program stream format compatible with a DVD format specification.

6. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 1 wherein the authoring engine is operable to author a title from the initial set of multimedia assets in accordance with at least one of a DVD format specification or a Blu-ray format specification.

7. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 1 wherein the authoring engine is operable to author a title which integrates the initial set of multimedia assets with at least one additional multimedia asset found by the content search engine.

8. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 7 wherein the at least one additional multimedia asset is further defined as an interactive software application embedded into the title.

9. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 1 wherein the content engine is further operable to segment at least one of the multimedia assets into a plurality of multimedia segments and the authoring engine generates a title from the plurality of multimedia segments, where segment corresponds to a chapter of the title.

10. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 1 wherein authoring engine is further operable to generate an interactive menu structure for the title in part based on the additional multimedia assets.

11. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 1 further comprises an asset data store for storing a plurality of multimedia assets, wherein the content search engine is operable to search the asset data store for additional multimedia assets related to the initial asset.

12. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 10 wherein the content search engine includes a user interface that enables a system user to specify a search criteria for the search of additional multimedia assets.

13. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 1 wherein the content search engine interfaces with a home networking environment and is operable to search for additional multimedia assets residing in the home networking environment.

14. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 1 wherein the content search engine interfaces via a broadband communication link with remotely located content servers and is operable to search for additional multimedia assets residing on the remotely located content servers.

15. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 1 further comprises an optical disk writer in data communication with the authoring engine and operable to write a title onto an optical disk.

16. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 1 further comprises a user preference engine in data communication with the authoring engine and operable to capture user authoring preferences, wherein the authoring engine authors the title based in part on the user authoring preferences.

17. A multimedia title authoring system, comprising: a title authoring engine having an interface to a digital broadcast transport stream, the title authoring engine adapted to receive a multimedia asset from the broadcast transport stream and operable to author a title based on the received multimedia asset in accordance with a title format specification; and a content search engine in data communication with the title authoring engine and operable to search for additional multimedia assets related to the multimedia asset received from the broadcast transport stream, where the additional multimedia assets are made available to the authoring engine for integration with the initial asset when creating a title.

18. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 17 further comprises a tuner adapted to receive the broadcast transport stream, wherein the title authoring engine enables a user to select a multimedia asset transported by the broadcast transport stream and operable to interface with the tuner to tune to an appropriate channel of the broadcast transport stream.

19 The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 17 further comprises an interface adapted to receive a digital transport stream over a broadcast media and translate the digital transport stream to a format compatible with a title format specification.

20. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 17 further comprises a transcoder adapted to receive a digital transport stream over a broadcast media and operable to convert the digital transport stream to a program stream format compatible with a DVD format specification.

21. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 17 wherein the authoring engine is operable to author a title from the initial set of multimedia assets in accordance with at least one of a DVD format specification or a Blu-ray format specification.

22. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 17 wherein the content engine is further operable to segment at least one of the multimedia assets into a plurality of multimedia segments and the authoring engine generates a title from the plurality of multimedia segments, where segment corresponds to a chapter of the title.

23. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 17 wherein authoring engine is further operable to generate an interactive menu structure for the title in part based on the additional multimedia assets.

24. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 17 further includes a content analyzer in data communication with the title authoring engine and operable to determine content of the multimedia asset received from the broadcast transport stream.

25. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 24 wherein the authoring engine is operable to author a title which integrates the multimedia asset received from the broadcast transport stream with at least one additional multimedia asset found by the content search engine.

26. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 17 further comprises an asset data store for storing a plurality of multimedia assets, wherein the content search engine is operable to search the asset data store for additional multimedia assets related to the initial asset.

27. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 17 wherein the content search engine interfaces with a home networking environment and is operable to search for additional multimedia assets residing in the home networking environment.

28. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 17 wherein the content search engine interfaces via a broadband communication link with remotely located content servers and is operable to search for additional multimedia assets residing on the remotely located content servers.

29. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 17 further comprises an optical disk writer in data communication with the authoring engine and operable to write a title onto an optical disk.

30. The multimedia title authoring system of Claim 17 further comprises a user preference engine in data communication with the authoring engine and operable to capture user authoring preferences, wherein the authoring engine authors the title based in part on the user authoring preferences.