Avid Technology Limited

Lumapix, Inc.

Michael Chilton Sheasby

A Michael Mondry

Daniel Desbois

Luis Talavera

Thomas P Nadas

Sylvain G Moreau

Nicholas M Michaud

Thomas Krul

Shailendra Mathur

Michel Eid

Rejean Gagne

Michel Gangnet

Daniel Langlois

Marc-Andre Decoste

Jean-Claude Bouchard

Andrew Skowronski

Gabriel Lneien Duford

Charles J Migos

Michael Gachet

Craig S Murphy

Luis Fernando Talavera Abdala

Marc Hebert

A method and computer graphics program executed by one or more processors is described for arranging regions which refer to various parts of a graphical layout such that changes to the original layout result in updates to the said regions. The regions themselves may be arranged by the user in patterns for various purposes, such as condensing graphical content spread over many parts of the original layout into a single output page in order to minimize the consumption of ink and paper when printing.

Method and system for referenced region manipulation

A method and system for automatically producing arrangements of two-dimensional extents in a computer-based editing or animation environment is presented. The method consists of defining a set of objects having two or more dimensions, automatically calculating and presenting an arrangement of said objects, and optionally iterating to produce alternative arrangements. The arrangements may use templates to guide the selection of sizes, border colors and transparency, rotation, and other attributes of the contained regions.

System and method for automatic generation of image distributions

A method and computer graphics program executed by a processor for interactively subdividing a region in a computer controlled graphics display system is described. The user directly manipulates a control object (or 'handle') using a pointing device such as a computer mouse with the result that the region exposing the control object is evenly divided into an array or volume of smaller regions. The distance from the position of the start of interaction with the control object (the 'click') is continuously monitored to interactively update the number of divisions in the horizontal and vertical directions. Example displays during this interaction phase include overlaid grids representing the actual position of pending subdivisions, or a matrix of abstract subregions representing the count of subregions that will be created when the user indicates that the interaction is complete by releasing the control object. Upon release of the control object, the previewed splits to the region are converted to real splits in the region.

Method and system for interactive region segmentation

Method and system for automatic generation of image distributions

A method and computer program executed by a processor is described for visually distributing a multiplicity of data objects within a visual computing environment. The user directly manipulates a cursor using a pointing device such as a computer mouse to sequentially indicate where a plurality of objects are to be positioned: these objects are presented as visual controls attached to the cursor, providing feedback as to the identification, order, and number of objects to be distributed. As the user indicates the desire to place the next-to-be dropped object (for example by clicking a button on the computer mouse), that object is dropped at the current cursor position, the representation of that object removed from the set of visual controls attached to the cursor, and the subsequent objects to be dropped advanced by one. The user may optionally re-order the objects to be dropped prior to actually dropping them, and may optionally exit and return to the dropping mode at any time.

Method and system for distributing multiple dragged objects

The present invention provides for a property editor in a graphics image system in order to specify parameter values for effects in an effect tree. A separate instance of the property editor is not invoked for each effect within the effect tree, but rather the property editor permits the modification of multiple effects from the same instance of the editor. Advantageously, the user is not required to navigate between a view of the effect tree and the property editor in order to edit effects.

Editor for effect tree parameters

A novel NLE system and method of constructing edit sequences includes reference clips which can be employed in the sequences. The reference clips include a reference to metadata defining a child sequence. The reference clip is loaded into a parent sequence in the NLE system, rather than the netadata for the child sequence and, as the reference clip and its reference typically have a much smaller memory footprint than the metadata for the child sequence, the memory requirements for the NLE system to load the parent sequence are reduced, as is the time required to accomplish the load. In addition, the metadata defining the child sequences can be persisted separately from the parent sequences, and used in a any parent sequence by employing a reference clip to the persisted child sequence. This also allows multiple instances of reference clips to a child sequence to be employed, in a single parent sequence or in multiple parent sequences and by multiple users. New versions of a child sequence can be automatically employed in any subsequent playback of a parent sequence which contains a reference clip referring to the child sequence. Further, access control, security, and version control can employed with the persisted child sequences.

Non-linear editing system and method employing reference clips in edit sequences

A method and system for comparing a comparison source image to an active project in a viewer, particularly for editing the active project. The comparison source is stored or routed to a comparison buffer, and displayed within a comparison view in the viewer. The comparison view can be sized and positioned as desired to effect the desired editing function.

Method and system for editing digital information using a comparison buffer

A method and system for editing function curves in a computer-based editing or animation environment. The method consists of defining a region having two dimensions. The region contains a number of selected keys associated with one or more function curves. Resizing or moving the region causes the selected keys to be resized or moved accordingly.

Method and system for editing function curves in two dimensions

The present invention advantageously provides for a method and system that is operable on a computer system, for selectively determining parameters values or keys to be made available to graphical imaging system to drive a animation application. The method includes receiving a Parameter Set (PSet) having a plurality of parameters corresponding to the animation application, assigning one or more of said parameters a value; marking a subset of said parameters, modifying the keys of only marked parameters according to the parameter's value, and running the animation application in response to the keys after marking.

Marking parameters for animation

A system has a hierarchical organization for modifying and applying tools for manipulating data types. The system has a user interface for displaying the hierarchical organization, an inspector for viewing and modifying an internal structure of the tools and a button for launching each of the inspectors.

Taxonomy of objects and a system of non-modal property inspectors

The present invention relates to method and apparatus for presenting a graphical user interface for use in displaying graphics on a computer display. A frame window is launched that includes a main menu and defines a window border that bounds a user work surface on a display monitor. A first borderless child window is attached to the frame window. This first borderless window is a graphics display window for displaying an image on the user work surface. One or more additional borderless child windows are attached to the frame window. These other child windows display controls such as buttons and icons that allow the user to control depiction of the image within the first borderless child window. The buttons and icons have a sculpted appearance that appears raised in a first state and appear reversed when `depressed` or activated by the user.

Graphics design software user interface

Graphics software for use in rendering an image on a computer display. The software is used in conjunction with special hardware including a high resolution computer monitor and high speed graphics imaging software. The software allows the user to create and manipulate paint objects that define the way images are modified by rendering tools such as a drawing tool or a titling tool. The attributes for a plurality of paint objects are defined in a hierarchy and can be stored on a memory device such as a computer hard drive. The organization into a hierarchy of the various attributes making up a complex object such as a paint stroke or a text body result in an ability to deal with branches of the hierarchy as persistable objects in their own right.

Computer imaging using graphics components

A user interface receives user input representative of movement of a mouse pointer relative to a datum point. This datum point is established as a origin with four quadrants. The movement is determined to be either in a first sense or an opposite second sense relative to the datum point. A variable responsively increments when the movement is in the first sense and responsively decrements when the movement is in the second opposite sense. The user may move the pointer in a generally circular or spiral pattern in a clockwise or counterclockwise sense about the origin until the desired value is attained.

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Boucherville, Canada

Michael Chilton Sheasby