International Business Machines Corporation

John Mark Zetts

Alan Richard Tannenbaum

Karl J Kuhn

Maurice Roger Desrosiers

Guy F Verrier

Diana S Wang

Evon C Greanias

Gordon W Arbeitman

Yu L An

Leonard DeGollado

Leung Ping Lee

Gene R Griffin, Jr

Walt Geddes

Mario Jose Galliano

Moe R Desrosiers

Keun J Lee

William J Tracey

A method, apparatus and article of manufacture is provided for automatic insertion of a compressed GOP offset table within a previously encoded MPEG video file, for frame accurate random access of each individual video frame in play-from-offset mode. The method creates a compressed GOP offset table having an entry for each GOP header of every video packet of the MPEG video file, and modifies the MPEG video file by inserting the compressed GOP offset table before the MPEG video file as at least one padding packet, thereby preserving the MPEG compliance and compressed audio/video data of the MPEG video file. The method further has a step for estimating a number of padding packets needed for the GOP offset table, thereby limiting the MPEG video file reading to a single read.

System and method of processing MPEG streams for file index insertion

A method, apparatus and article of manufacture is provided for processing a previously encoded MPEG video high-resolution (HR) file and corresponding proxy file, for frame accurate timecode repair and synchronization of individual video frames of the HR and proxy files. Each video frame header of the HR and proxy files is modified by a compressed timecode packet having an identifying signature, an absolute timecode of the frame, and a relative timecode of the frame. The timecodes have the SMPTE timecode format HH:MM:SS:FF. The method automatically verifies the timecodes in the HR and proxy files timecode packets. If a repair of the HR file anomalous absolute timecodes is needed, the method automatically corrects the anomalous absolute timecodes in the HR file. If the proxy file starting video frame is offset from the HR file starting video frame, the method automatically synchronizes the proxy and the HR files absolute and relative timecodes.

System and method of timecode repair and synchronization in MPEG streams

A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for storyboard thumbnail and video rights metadata insertion is provided for preventing unauthorized use of restricted video frames of a previously encoded MPEG video file. It can insert video rights metadata in the timecode packet of the affected video frame of the MPEG video file; if requested. To allow automatic recreation of a storyboard file from the MPEG video file, it can insert thumbnail status metadata in the timecode packet of the selected video storyboard thumbnail frame of the MPEG video file. If requested, it can update the video rights metadata in a video catalog record and in the timecode packet of the affected video frame of the MPEG video file. When needed, it can update the thumbnail status metadata in a video catalog record and in the timecode packet of the selected video storyboard thumbnail frame of the MPEG video file.

System and method of processing MPEG streams for storyboard and rights metadata insertion

Aspects are described for addressing workflow processing to manage digital broadcast program development and production. A workflow processing aspect includes managing a plurality of production stages to produce a digital broadcast program, and managing storage of data among ingest, object, and program storage during the plurality of production stages to ensure efficiency of digital broadcast program development. The plurality of production stages include a sequence of an ingest stage, a triage stage, a program creation stage, and a program assembly stage. The data storage management includes managing encoding of data into MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 data files during the plurality of production stages.

Workflow process for managing digital broadcast program production

A method, system and article of manufacture is provided for processing a previously encoded MPEG video file for frame accurate timecode identification of each individual video frame. For each frame of the MPEG video file, the method creates a compressed timecode packet having an identifying signature, an absolute timecode of the frame, and a relative timecode of the frame, wherein the timecodes have the SMPTE timecode format HH:MM:SS:FF. Next, the MPEG video file is modified by inserting in a header of each frame of the MPEG video file the corresponding compressed timecode packet, while maintaining the MPEG video file's original frame presentation timing, thereby preserving the MPEG compliance and compressed audio/video data of the MPEG video file. The timecode packet is preferably automatically inserted in a user data packet of the frame, between the picture start header and the first slice header.

System and method of processing MPEG streams for timecode packet insertion

An apparatus and method provide non-intrusive in-service testing of audio/video synchronization testing without using traditional audio marker tones. The network includes an A/V synchronous test signal generator which injects video and audio markers into the video and audio non-intrusively and routes the two signals into a switch where they are switched into a channel for encoding and transmission via the ATM network. At the distant end the signal is decoded and routed by a switch into the A/V test generator and measurement set where the markers are detected and the A/V skew calculated, after which the audio and video are routed to the subscriber. The A/V test set signal generator includes a Video Blanking Interval (VBI) test signal generator and a white noise generator, the former injecting a marker into the video signal and the later injecting an audio marker into the audio signal. The video marker is injected into the VBI and broadband, background audio noise to measure the delay between the audio and video components of a broadcast. The marking of the audio is accomplished by gradually injecting white noise into the audio channel until the noise level is 6 dB above the noise floor of the audio receiver. As a precursor A/V sync signal, a small spectrum of the white noise is notched or removed. This signature precludes inadvertent recognition of program audio noise as the audio marker.

Apparatus and method of in-service audio/video synchronization testing

A switched, digital high-broadband network provides automated control and in-service and out-of-testing of analog video signals, encoded and decoded real time, into MPEG 2 digitized format with a high level of security and protection of content and without attendant degradation of the analog signal sometimes experienced in satellite transmissions. The switch network, typically an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network, has multiple gateways for connection to video signal sources and sinks. Each gateway includes an analog/digital video switch for receiving the video signals and distributing them to an MPEG 2 encoder for conversion into digital packets. A multiplexer is coupled to the encoder and a digital switch for inserting the multiplexed signal into the switched ATM network. The multiplexer and the digital switch encode destination address information into the digital packets to ensure proper routing. Each gateway further includes a de-multiplexer and MPEG 2 decoder connected to the digital switch for separating the digital packets from the ATM network into separate MPEG 2 streams subsequently decoded into analog video and returned to the video sinks. A command and control center is coupled to each gateway for remote testing of point-to-point and point-to-multipoint circuits; testing a switch circuit before and after the establishment of a connection to a customer; in service testing of MPEG 2 encoding content; detecting and isolating digital network problems, and off-line network testing and automating network utilization. The command and control center includes test executives which ensure the quality and availability of video traffic. The test executives run continuously run without manual intervention providing network operators with network status through user consoles.

System and method of automated testing of a compressed digital broadcast video network

Primary and secondary servers are coupled together for furnishing a backed-up video streaming function for outputting a series of video content presentations to a user group. The primary server functions as the primary provider of the video files and the secondary server is arranged to operate as a &ldquo;hot stand-by&rdquo; to back-up the primary server. In the event the primary server is disabled, the secondary server takes over for the primary server in furnishing video content in accordance with a common playlist. When the secondary server goes down for any reason, the illustrated methodology effectively re-synchronizes the video content and the video stream of the secondary server with that of the primary server such that the secondary server is enabled to resume the back-up function without interruption of the video file streaming process being carried on by the primary server. Various program routines and sample screen displays are illustrated in an exemplary embodiment of the back-up dual server video streaming system and methodology.

Video server content synchronization

A switched digital video broadcast network provides in-service testing of digitized broadcast video signals subject to analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion. The network includes a plurality of gateways, each gateway coupled to video signal sources and sink. Video frames transmitted on the network are subject to analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion and compression in an MPEG,encoder/decoder. Each gateway and includes a test pattern generator and test measurement analyzer for in-service testing of the video signals. The test pattern generator inserts a test signal on pre-selected lines (,or,) in a Video Blanking Interval (VBI) and time periods of a video frame. The test signal may be dynamically placed at any location in the frame using concealment techniques The video lines are not seen by television viewers. The test pattern generator and test measurement analyzer are synchronized using vertical integral time code and a trigger packet sent by the transmitting station. The test signals enable both in-service and out-of-service testing to be performed for the entire suite of EIA/TIA 250C standard video tests.

System and method of in-service testing of compressed digital broadcast video

Video server streaming synchronization

A method of and system for facilitating stylus input into a text entry field in a pen-based computer system. The system detects a touch down of a stylus and determines whether the touch down is in a text entry field. Upon detection of movement of the stylus in the text entry field greater than a threshold, the system draws an include rectangle around the text entry field. The system sizes the include rectangle based on the size of the text entry field. The system interprets and completely inks any stroke of the stylus starting within the include rectangle within a predetermined timeout as an input to the text entry field. The system erases the include rectangle whenever it detects a stylus touch down outside the include rectangle, or the predetermined timeout expires without the system detecting a stylus touch down.

Method of and system for facilitating user input into a small GUI window

A system and method for determining whether or not a non-system pointer is equivalent to a system pointer. The system and the non-system pointer each have pointer IDs. The system first determines whether the pointer ID of the non-system pointer is in a table of pointer IDs and flagged in the table as being equivalent to the system pointer. Whenever the pointer ID of the non-system pointer is not in the table of pointer IDs, the system determines, based on the shape of the non-system pointer, whether the non-system pointer is equivalent to the system pointer.

Method and system for recognition of pointers

Pre-recognition analysis on stroke characteristics such as the count, size and position of each stroke in real-time as it is drawn improves recognition accuracy. After each stroke, the set of strokes is weighted toward handwriting or gesture. The system uses a gesture threshold size to distinguish between gestures and handwriting. The system also uses the stroke count to distinguish between the two inputs, relying on the knowledge of the allowable number of strokes in a gesture. The count information may also be used in conjunction with the stroke size information to weight the set of strokes between gestures handwriting. Once the stroke size crosses a gesture vs. text size threshold, the result is weighted toward gestures. By examining the `white space` between strokes and the juxtaposition of the strokes, a gesture vs. text determination can be made with high accuracy.

Distinguishing gestures from handwriting in a pen based computer by

To distinguish between gestures and handwriting, the pen subsystem examines the size of the user's writing. The user may set the gesture versus text size according to his/her handwriting style. In this manner, the user knows exactly how large to make the gestures. If the user declines to customize the setting, the pen subsystem can query other user settings that indicate approximate size of the user's handwriting. A third choice available the system dynamically determine and track the size of handwriting. This would allow multiple users to serially use the computer without having to change settings.

Distinguishing gestures from handwriting in a pen based computer by size

A data processing system corrects handprinted character input represented as a sequence of points described by a writing path of a pointing device. The system receives a writing path signal from a pointing device in the data processing system, describing a first hand printed character input. The system performs character recognition on the writing path signal to provide a first character string. The system then displays the first character string in an edit pad area. The system then receives a correcting writing path signal in the edit pad area from the pointing device, describing a correction to the first hand printed character input. The system then performs character recognition on the correcting writing path signal to provide a second character string.

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Falls Church, VA, United States of America

John Mark Zetts