SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20140348489 | POST PRODUCTION REPLICATION OF OPTICAL PROCESSING FOR DIGITAL CINEMA CAMERAS USING METADATA - Recording images, including: receiving an optical effects selection, which indicates a selected optical effect to apply to raw image data capturing the images; receiving an optical effects parameter, which indicates how to apply the selected optical effects to the raw image data; storing the optical effects selection and the optical effects parameter as effects metadata; recording the raw image data using a sensor of the digital camera; marking the effects metadata with time information to associate the effects metadata with the recorded raw image data over time; applying the selected optical effect to the raw image data according to the optical effects parameter to create processed image data while preserving the recorded raw image data; and displaying the processed image data on a display of the digital camera. Key words include raw image data and effects metadata. | 11-27-2014 |
20140341429 | COMBINING MULTI-SENSORY INPUTS FOR DIGITAL ANIMATION - Animating digital characters based on motion captured performances, including: receiving sensory data collected using a variety of collection techniques including optical video, electro-oculography, and at least one of optical, infrared, and inertial motion capture; and managing and combining the collected sensory data to aid cleaning, tracking, labeling, and re-targeting processes. Keywords include Optical Video Data and Inertial Motion Capture. | 11-20-2014 |
20140214907 | MEDIA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND PROCESS - A system and method for managing a plurality content items employs an ingest station which may digitize the content items, generate metadata corresponding to each of the content items, and store the metadata and the content items in a storage medium or mediums. The content items may be audio content, video content, or audio/video content. The system and method may provide an association between the metadata and a corresponding content item to facilitate retrieval of the content item. The content items may be retrieved, at least in part, by searching the metadata and employing the association between the metadata and a corresponding content item to locate the desired content item. | 07-31-2014 |
20140026227 | METHOD FOR GENERATING A SECURE COPY OF MEDIA DATA - A system for transferring verified media data. The system comprising: an item of content storing the media data, and having an associated serial number; a computing device including a first storage device and a network interface; a secure copying application program; a secure copy of the media data generated by the secure copying application program and stored on the first storage device; a verification server including a serial number database and having a network connection to the computing device through the network interface, wherein the secure copying application program generates the secure copy after verifying the serial number is valid and active by communicating with the verification server; and a portable copy of the media data, including license information, generated from the secure copy by the secure copying application program. | 01-23-2014 |
20130184844 | DISTRIBUTION BACKBONE - Digitally distributing media content using a distribution backbone system, including: receiving a request for media content from a client, the request including a client profile; performing inventory and analysis of source assets by iteratively progressing through the client profile to create output; performing a capability mapping in which a series of rules that allow the source assets to be mapped to the client profile; and planning a manufacturing process, which determines work items and execution steps from capabilities mapped in response to the request for media content from the client. | 07-18-2013 |
20130041983 | INTELLIGENT ROUTING - Routing of content, including: receiving a request to access a content item from a device; determining at least one of status, location, and format of the content item; and planning a procedure to fulfill the request to access the content item, wherein the procedure includes a method and a route. | 02-14-2013 |
20120236006 | MUSCULO-SKELETAL SHAPE SKINNING - A method for use in animation includes establishing a model having a plurality of bones with muscles attached to the bones, binding skin to the muscles when the model is in a first pose with each vertex of the skin being attached at a first attachment point on a muscle, deforming the model into a second pose, and selecting a second attachment point for each vertex of the skin in the second pose. A storage medium stores a computer program for causing a processor based system to execute these steps, and a system for use in animation includes a processing system configured to execute these steps. | 09-20-2012 |
20120222096 | OPEN MARKET CONTENT DISTRIBUTION - A content distribution system for one or more user devices, including: an open market coordinator (OMC) configured to manage a user domain, wherein the one or more user devices are members of the user domain and have access to content associated with the user domain, and wherein an individual user device has access according to predetermined privileges, the access being valid while the individual user device is a member of the user domain and has an active status with the user domain; and a plurality of domain service providers (DSPs) in communication with the OMC, wherein the DSPs are configured to enforce the predetermined privileges applied to the one or more user devices, and wherein the OMC is configured to support the enforcement of the predetermined privileges among the DSPs. | 08-30-2012 |
20120179780 | RICH MEDIA PUBLISHING - A media publishing system, comprising: a network interface to connect the media publishing system to a user; a plurality of web services to enable the user to build, publish, and access a media project using templates of media items grouped into categories; and a data storage to provide a file system to the plurality of web services, where the file system allows the user to access media items. | 07-12-2012 |
20110283207 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PLATFORM AND LANGUAGE-INDEPENDENT DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY OF PAGE-BASED CONTENT - A system and method for platform and language-independent delivery of page-based content. Content defined in a relatively abstract format is rendered into multiple platform formats in client-side applications' user interfaces in multiple human languages. The relatively abstract format is a subset of XML and is used to define user interface elements to be displayed on a page. A Model-View-Controller architecture is implemented comprising a plurality of servlet filters, a servlet pipeline and a plurality of rendering processors for client detection, client tracking, relatively abstract format preprocessing, relatively abstract format processing and validating, and transforming and rendering of the relatively abstract format into multiple platform formats in client-side applications' user interfaces in multiple human languages. A creation, modification and management tool is also disclosed for creating, modifying and managing platform and language-independent page-based content. | 11-17-2011 |
20110249128 | CAMERA EVENT LOGGER - A camera event logger device coupled to a motion picture camera, including: a data port configured to receive control signals to manage the logger device including a particular receive frequency; a radio-frequency receiver configured to receive time signal of the particular receive frequency to enable fine adjustment of a timecode; a timecode manager including a plurality of timecode readers and at least one timecode generator, a first timecode reader of the plurality of timecode readers configured to receive the time signal from the radio-frequency receiver and make the time signal available to the at least one timecode generator, wherein the at least one timecode generator is configured to generate the timecode by conditioning the time signal, the timecode manager configured to receive camera timecode from the motion picture camera, and to send back adjusted camera timecode adjusted in accordance with the conditioned timecode; a processor configured to receive camera status information from the motion picture camera and the conditioned timecode from the timecode manager, wherein the camera status information is tagged with the conditioned timecode and processed to generate metadata files; and a storage unit configured to store the metadata files. Keywords include logger, timecode, and slate. | 10-13-2011 |
20110231941 | LICENSE MANAGEMENT IN A MEDIA NETWORK ENVIRONMENT - Acquiring a license in a hub network, including: sending a license request from a client to a server through an intermediary device; sending a connection confirmation from the client to the server through the intermediary device; and receiving license data at the client from the server through the intermediary device in response to the license request, wherein the client and the server are not connected in a hub network, wherein the license request identifies a sub-copy version stored on the client, wherein the sub-copy version includes sub-copy locked content data, and wherein the license data is bound to the hub network. | 09-22-2011 |
20110175921 | PERFORMANCE DRIVEN FACIAL ANIMATION - A method of animating a digital facial model, the method including: defining a plurality of action units; calibrating each action unit of the plurality of action units via an actor's performance; capturing first facial pose data; determining a plurality of weights, each weight of the plurality of weights uniquely corresponding to the each action unit, the plurality of weights characterizing a weighted combination of the plurality of action units, the weighted combination approximating the first facial pose data; generating a weighted activation by combining the results of applying the each weight to the each action unit; applying the weighted activation to the digital facial model; and recalibrating at least one action unit of the plurality of action units using input user adjustments to the weighted activation. | 07-21-2011 |
20110142416 | ENHANCEMENT OF MAIN ITEMS VIDEO DATA WITH SUPPLEMENTAL AUDIO OR VIDEO - Apparatus and methods are provided to implement a technique for an interactive video system that allows a user to place supplemental items such as images on a main image being displayed. In one implementation, a user causes images of flying food to be displayed on top of a playing movie. Supplemental item data may be provided on the same media as is the main item data, e.g., on an optical disc, and control information may be provided on the media to control how supplemental item data is applied and presented. | 06-16-2011 |
20110135280 | FRAMEWORK, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RAPID DEPLOYMENT OF INTERACTIVE APPLICATIONS - Systems and methods are disclosed that provide a framework, e.g., a Java®-based toolkit, that provides various levels of abstraction according to the needs of the designer. The abstraction levels are each associated with a set of packages that provide functionality suitable to the level. A user or designer accesses the level packages within the framework and employs the same to create a desired computer-readable media, e.g., a Blu-ray® disc or “BD”. Other aspects may provide corresponding or complementary functionality. For example, the framework abstracts drawing or graphics primitives to higher-level entities, allowing the same to be easily employed in the creation of arbitrary graphical elements. In another example, a business logic module may be employed which can be customized by using settings files. | 06-09-2011 |
20110134734 | DETERRING THEFT OF OPTICAL MEDIA - An optical media disk is treated with a light-sensitive material that impedes the ability of an optical media player from reading data stored on the disk. This light-sensitive material is a material that changes phase upon exposure to one or more wavelengths of light. During the initial phase, the light-sensitive material will render the disk unreadable. After activation, however, the disk becomes permanently readable by conventional optical media players. In this fashion, theft of yet-to-be-activated optical media is deterred. | 06-09-2011 |
20110119316 | ABSTRACTION LAYER FOR WORKFLOW CLIENT FOR, E.G., BLU-RAY.RTM. DISCS - Systems and methods are disclosed by which digital content can be: created, assembled, interpreted, displayed, and manipulated, without having to re-engineer the same pattern on multiple projects. An input-driven client program is employed that is agnostic to content details via contract, a contract being a previously specified behavior pattern that is not deviated from on the client side, thereby segregating creative and engineering tasks and eliminating duplicated effort. | 05-19-2011 |
20110107193 | METHOD OF REPLACING CONTENT - An observation device including: an input interface configured to receive content which includes at least one term; a processor including a computer readable storage medium storing instructions to cause the processor: to observe the content to detect the at least one term, to remove the detected at least one term from the content, and to replace the removed at least one term by inserting a hyperlink relating to each term, and by applying replacement rules to the content; and an output interface configured to provide the observed content including the hyperlink to a client device for presentation to a recipient. | 05-05-2011 |
20110106918 | REMOTE ACCESS MANAGEMENT - A remote access management service for enabling remote access to an item of media content stored in a network device from a remote device, said network device including a remote access server application program and account information identifying said remote device, and said remote device including a remote access client application program, the service including: an interface configured to provide network connections to said network device and said remote device; and a remote access management application program to collect information on remote access analysis by monitoring remote access transactions between said remote device and said network device, said remote access management application program operating to receive a remote access request from said remote access client application program including said account information and a content identifier indicating said item of media content | 05-05-2011 |
20110091070 | COMBINING MULTI-SENSORY INPUTS FOR DIGITAL ANIMATION - Animating digital characters based on motion captured performances, including: receiving sensory data collected using a variety of collection techniques including optical video, electro-oculography, and at least one of optical, infrared, and inertial motion capture; and managing and combining the collected sensory data to aid cleaning, tracking, labeling, and re-targeting processes. Keywords include Optical Video Data and Inertial Motion Capture. | 04-21-2011 |
20110082773 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ORDERING GOODS OR SERVICES USING BLU-RAY.RTM. DISC PLAYBACK - Systems and methods are provided to implement a technique for requesting goods or services using an item of content or media. In one implementation, a system provides a mechanism to place food service orders over or using BDs. The food menu is presented to the user using BD Java graphics. After the user selects the food and destination, an order is placed within a network server which relays the request to a food service fulfillment vendor. The order can be coupled with the AACS DeviceAttribute for storing user preferences. An additional function is to have the order coupled with MediaAttribute to, e.g., offer food service as a loyalty program. This allows for title-specific promotions and may be used to determine the food service fulfillment vendors. | 04-07-2011 |
20110009991 | DISTRIBUTION BACKBONE - Digitally distributing media content using a distribution backbone system, including: receiving a request for media content from a client, the request including a client profile; performing inventory and analysis of source assets by iteratively progressing through the client profile to create output; performing a capability mapping in which a series of rules that allow the source assets to be mapped to the client profile; and planning a manufacturing process, which determines work items and execution steps from capabilities mapped in response to the request for media content from the client. | 01-13-2011 |
20110007081 | MOBILE MOTION CAPTURE CAMERAS - Capturing motion, including: coupling at least one body marker on at least one body point of at least one actor; coupling at least one facial marker on at least one facial point of the at least one actor; arranging a plurality of motion capture cameras around a periphery of a motion capture volume, the plurality of motion capture cameras is arranged such that substantially all laterally exposed surfaces of the at least one actor while in motion within the motion capture volume are within a field of view of at least one of the plurality of motion capture cameras at substantially all times; attaching at least one wearable motion capture camera to the at least one actor, wherein substantially all of the at least one facial marker and the at least one body marker on the at least one actor are within a field of view of the at least one wearable motion capture camera. | 01-13-2011 |
20110001798 | 3-D AUTO-CONVERGENCE CAMERA - Automatically converging a plurality of images for use in a stereoscopic camera system including a plurality of 2-D cameras, the method including: receiving a focal distance from each 2-D camera of the plurality of 2-D cameras, wherein each 2-D camera includes at least one image sensor; calculating a system focal distance of the stereoscopic camera system by using focal distances received from the plurality of 2-D cameras; determining a center of interest using the calculated system focal distance of the stereoscopic camera system; and moving the at least one image sensor in each 2-D camera to adjust directions of view of the plurality of 2-D cameras to converge at the center of interest. | 01-06-2011 |
20110001797 | 3-D AUTO-CONVERGENCE CAMERA - Automatically converging a plurality of images for use in a stereoscopic camera system including a plurality of 2-D cameras, including: receiving a focal distance from each of the plurality of 2-D cameras; calculating a focal distance of the stereoscopic camera system by using the focal distances received from the plurality of 2-D cameras; determining a center of interest using the calculated focal distance of the stereoscopic camera system; receiving the plurality of images from the plurality of 2-D cameras, wherein each of the plurality of images is generated by each of the plurality of 2-D cameras using the focal distance; and cropping the plurality of images to adjust directions of view of the plurality of 2-D cameras to converge at the center of interest. | 01-06-2011 |
20100315524 | INTEGRATED MOTION CAPTURE - A method including: applying a marking material having a known pattern to a body and a face of an actor; configuring at least one first video motion capture camera to capture the marking material on the body of the actor; configuring at least one second video motion capture camera to capture the marking material on the face of the actor; substantially simultaneously capturing body motion data using the at least one first video motion capture camera and facial motion data using the at least one second video motion capture camera; and integrating the body motion data and the facial motion data. | 12-16-2010 |
20100304725 | CONTACT MANAGEMENT - A contact management system including: a computer in communication with a central database and a mobile device configured to communicate with the central database, wherein the mobile device includes a contact management module that interfaces with a wireless network to allow a user of the mobile device to access contact information in the central database, the contact management module configured to provide synching of contact information within the mobile device with the contact information in the central database. | 12-02-2010 |
20100299264 | OPEN MARKET CONTENT DISTRIBUTION - A method of content distribution for one or more user devices, comprising: associating the one or more user devices with a user domain; acquiring content with one or more user accounts linked to the user domain; accessing the acquired content with the one or more user devices according to predetermined privileges, wherein access for an individual user device of the one or more user devices is valid while the individual user device is associated with the user domain and has an active status with the user domain. | 11-25-2010 |
20100260020 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM - An information processing apparatus includes a data processing section configured to generate data that is capable of being played back using general playback control information containing clip information defining the number of playback packets. The data processing section generates a data file in which data containing a number of playback packets, the number matching the defined number of playback packets, is contained as playback data associated with the clip information. | 10-14-2010 |
20100235391 | ACCESSING ITEM INFORMATION FOR AN ITEM SELECTED FROM A DISPLAYED IMAGE - Accessing item information for items selected from an image including: presenting an image including a plurality of selectable items for selection by a viewer; determining a position of an item selected from the plurality of selectable items by the viewer; sending the determined position of an item along with timing information of the image to a server; receiving information related to the item selected by the viewer from the server, wherein the information related to the item was retrieved by the server from a database using the determined position of an item and the timing information of the image; and presenting the information related to the item. | 09-16-2010 |
20100232604 | CONTROLLING ACCESS TO CONTENT USING MULTIPLE ENCRYPTIONS - Controlling access to content using multiple encryptions, including: receiving content comprising media data; first encrypting a substantial portion of the content using a primary key; selecting a subset of the substantial portion of the content; and second encrypting the selected subset of the content using a secondary key different from the primary key. | 09-16-2010 |
20100225648 | STORY DEVELOPMENT IN MOTION PICTURE - Developing a story for a motion picture, including: receiving drawings; receiving camera setups by generating an animated 3-D environment; incorporating placeholders for the drawings into the generated 3-D environment; creating shots by ordering and timing the camera setups; and integrating the drawings into the camera setups. | 09-09-2010 |
20100199304 | INTERACTIVE BROADCAST SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH DIFFERENT CONTENT DISPLAYED TO DIFFERENT VIEWERS - In a system and method for providing a television broadcast that displays different content for different viewers, a pool of content items, or particular items from a pool of content items, is integrated with a signal for a television program. The combined signal is transmitted or broadcast in any suitable way, such as by satellite, antenna, cable, or the like. Once the combined signal has been transmitted, or while the signal is being transmitted, different items from the pool of content items are displayed to different viewers. The items may be displayed to viewers during a broadcast of a pre-recorded television program. Rules may be integrated into the combined signal governing how and when items from the pool of content items are displayed. The rules may also govern which items from the pool of content items are displayed. A return channel may be provided so that a viewer may communicate to a content provider. | 08-05-2010 |
20100188401 | MOTION CAPTURE USING PRIMARY AND SECONDARY MARKERS - Capturing the motion of a target. One method includes: coupling a plurality of primary markers to the target; coupling at least one secondary marker to the target; capturing a plurality of primary marker data points, wherein each primary marker data point corresponds to one primary marker of the plurality of primary markers; capturing at least one secondary marker signature, each secondary marker signature corresponding to and uniquely identifying each secondary marker of said at least one secondary marker; and identifying the plurality of primary markers using said at least one secondary marker signature. | 07-29-2010 |
20100171841 | MULTICAST CONTROL OF MOTION CAPTURE SEQUENCES - Capturing motion including: a clock configured to generate a time reference; a plurality of motion capture cameras substantially synchronized to the time reference; at least one device used in motion capture; a multicast module configured to receive the time reference, and to transmit a multicast signal, wherein the multicast signal includes information derived from the time reference to configure the at least one device to operate synchronously with the plurality of motion capture cameras; and an integration module configured to integrate device data generated by the at least one device with camera data generated by the plurality of motion capture cameras. | 07-08-2010 |
20100158473 | CAMERA EVENT LOGGER - A camera event logger device coupled to a motion picture camera, including: a data port configured to receive control signals to manage the logger device including a particular receive frequency; a radio-frequency receiver configured to receive time signal of the particular receive frequency to enable fine adjustment of a timecode; a timecode manager including a plurality of timecode readers and at least one timecode generator, a first timecode reader of the plurality of timecode readers configured to receive the time signal from the radio-frequency receiver and make the time signal available to the at least one timecode generator, wherein the at least one timecode generator is configured to generate the timecode by conditioning the time signal, the timecode manager configured to receive camera timecode from the motion picture camera, and to send back adjusted camera timecode adjusted in accordance with the conditioned timecode; a processor configured to receive camera status information from the motion picture camera and the conditioned timecode from the timecode manager, wherein the camera status information is tagged with the conditioned timecode and processed to generate metadata files; and a storage unit configured to store the metadata files. Keywords include logger, timecode, and slate. | 06-24-2010 |
20100045680 | PERFORMANCE DRIVEN FACIAL ANIMATION - A method of animating a digital facial model, the method including: defining a plurality of action units; calibrating each action unit of the plurality of action units via an actor's performance; capturing first facial pose data; determining a plurality of weights, each weight of the plurality of weights uniquely corresponding to the each action unit, the plurality of weights characterizing a weighted combination of the plurality of action units, the weighted combination approximating the first facial pose data; generating a weighted activation by combining the results of applying the each weight to the each action unit; applying the weighted activation to the digital facial model; and recalibrating at least one action unit of the plurality of action units using input user adjustments to the weighted activation. | 02-25-2010 |
20100005172 | NETWORK MANAGEMENT IN A MEDIA NETWORK ENVIRONMENT - Methods and apparatus for managing devices and content in a network environment. In one implementation, a method of adding a client as a member of a hub network includes: detecting a client connected to a server in a hub network; authenticating said client; authorizing said client; and adding said client as a member in said hub network. | 01-07-2010 |
20090324017 | CAPTURING AND PROCESSING FACIAL MOTION DATA - Capturing and processing facial motion data includes: coupling a plurality of sensors to target points on a facial surface of an actor; capturing frame by frame images of the plurality of sensors disposed on the facial surface of the actor using at least one motion capture camera disposed on a head-mounted system; performing, in the head-mounted system, a tracking function on the frame by frame images of the plurality of sensors to accurately map the plurality of sensors for each frame; and generating, in the head-mounted system, a modeled surface representing the facial surface of the actor. | 12-31-2009 |
20090319575 | INDIVIDUALIZING AND ENCRYPTING ON-DEMAND MEDIA CONTENT IN RETAIL KIOSKS - A system for selecting and recording data, comprising: a local storage unit for storing a subset of media content items and other content; a content selection unit to display a catalog of the media content items and other content, to allow a customer to browse, search, and select a media content item and other content from the catalog of media content items and other content, to retrieve the selected media content item and other content from the local storage unit if the selected media content item and other content is found in the subset, and otherwise to retrieve the selected media content item from a remote storage unit, the content selection unit configured to cache the retrieved media content item and other content in the local storage unit for a period of time based on the popularity of the retrieved media content item; a financial transaction unit to determine the cost of the retrieved media content item and other content and display the cost for review and payment by the customer; and an authoring system configured to format, encode, encrypt, and write the media content item and other content onto an article of media when the customer makes the payment. | 12-24-2009 |
20090289941 | COMPOSITE TRANSITION NODES FOR USE IN 3D DATA GENERATION - Several embodiments provide methods and apparatuses for use with node-based compositing to assist in the generation of a second eye or camera of a stereoscopic image. In one implementation, a method for use in 3D movie production comprises the steps: displaying composite nodes to a user, the composite nodes indicating how to composite a first plurality of rendered 2D elements into an output image, the rendered 2D elements and the plurality of composite nodes corresponding to a first eye of a 3D image; and receiving user input to add one or more transition nodes to the composite nodes, each transition node following a respective composite node and to be used for regeneration of one or more elements corresponding to the respective composite node, wherein the composite nodes and the one or more transition nodes are to be used to direct generation of a second eye of the 3D image. | 11-26-2009 |
20090274451 | FIRMWARE UPDATES ON MEDIA - Apparatus and methods are provided to allow convenient updating of the controller of a media device using content-containing media accessible by the device. Features provided in implementations can include, but am not limited to, prompt and efficient distribution of updates to device users, and promotion of use of the device. | 11-05-2009 |
20090271411 | BINDING UNIT MANIFEST FILE - An information processing device including: a storage unit for storing a data file including readable content, and a control file including control information corresponding to the data file; and a data processing unit configured to use a filename conversion table, which stores filename conversion information, to convert the filename of a file stored in the storage unit into a virtual file system (VFS) name, to construct a VFS that includes storage data of a disc and storage data of the storage unit, and to perform a data reading process; wherein the data processing unit: compares the control information stored in the control file and data stored in the storage unit, and reads and/or updates the filename conversion table to reconcile the control information stored in the control file and the stored data in the storage unit. | 10-29-2009 |
20090269042 | CPS UNIT MANAGEMENT IN THE DISC FOR DOWNLOADED DATA - An information processing device comprising: a data processing unit configured to load a disk, which stores content that is divided into content usage control units, and to execute processes for reading the content; and a local storage unit configured to store subsequential data obtained and/or generated subsequentially, wherein the data processing unit is configured to perform processes to: select a title that is an index for reading the subsequential data from dummy titles stored in advance on the disk; set the title as a title for the subsequential data; and store the subsequential data in the local storage unit. | 10-29-2009 |
20090265479 | DUAL-TYPE OF PLAYBACK FOR MULTIMEDIA CONTENT - Using multimedia data for both continuous playback and streaming playback purposes, including: encoding an elementary stream of multimedia content into a fixed length of a group of pictures; multiplexing the encoded multimedia content into a transport stream; locating data offsets of each GOP header inside the transport stream; and uploading the data offsets along with the transport stream to a server. Continuous and streaming playback of multimedia content. | 10-22-2009 |
20090262184 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING AND EDITING 3D IMAGERY - Systems and methods are provided for viewing and displaying 3D imagery. In one implementation, a method of displaying 3D imagery comprises receiving layout data comprising data representing a first camera, the first camera being non-editable; generating a first pair of a left camera and a right camera from the layout data based on the first camera, wherein the left camera and the right camera are editable; retrieving, from an external memory, streaming geometry data corresponding to the layout data; and generating the 3D imagery using the first pair of the left camera and the right camera and the streaming geometry data. | 10-22-2009 |
20090262108 | STREAMING GEOMETERY FOR USE IN DISPLAYING AND EDITING 3D IMAGERY - Method and systems are provided using streaming geometry in 3D imagery production. In one implementation a method for use in the display of 3D video images comprises receiving a first set of data corresponding to an output from a layout in a production pipeline, generating geometry data for one or more objects represented within the first set of data, merging the geometry data for each of the one or more objects to create one or more merged files, generating a table of contents, wherein the table of contents specifies the location of the geometry data for each of the one or more objects within the one or more merged files and storing the geometry data and the table of contents to a memory device for subsequent retrieval | 10-22-2009 |
20090254611 | System and Method for Platform and Language-Independent Development and Delivery of Page-Based Content - A system and method for platform and language-independent delivery of page-based content. Content defined in a relatively abstract format is rendered into multiple platform formats in client-side applications' user interfaces in multiple human languages. The relatively abstract format is a subset of XML and is used to define user interface elements to be displayed on a page. A Model-View-Controller architecture is implemented comprising a plurality of servlet filters, a servlet pipeline and a plurality of rendering processors for client detection, client tracking, relatively abstract format preprocessing, relatively abstract format processing and validating, and transforming and rendering of the relatively abstract format into multiple platform formats in client-side applications' user interfaces in multiple human languages. A creation, modification and management tool is also disclosed for creating, modifying and managing platform and language-independent page-based content. | 10-08-2009 |
20090251469 | METHOD FOR DETECTING COLLISIONS AMONG LARGE NUMBERS OF PARTICLES - A method for detecting object collisions in a simulation, which includes identifying a plurality of objects moving along a path within a simulation area, and defining a grid comprising defined regions which individually define a region within which any of the plurality of objects could potentially occupy. For each of the objects, the method further includes identifying which of the defined regions that each of the plurality of object occupies for at least a portion of a time step, and for each of the objects, determining an associated potential collision set by identifying objects of the plurality of objects which occupy common regions of the defined regions during any portion of the time step. In addition, for each of the objects, the method further includes determining an actual collision set comprising objects with which a given object will collide during the time step based upon location parameters of objects included in the potential collision set. | 10-08-2009 |
20090245514 | FORENSIC DECRYPTION TOOLS - Providing authorized copies of encrypted media content including: receiving application for authentication to make copies of the media content; providing forensic decryption tools to process the media content; transmitting a permission to make copies of the media content using the forensic decryption tools; performing authorized decryption of the media content; and making and forensically marking copies of the decrypted media content. | 10-01-2009 |
20090231492 | SMART SLATE - Techniques used for movie, video, or television production, including: generating production information about recorded data of one of: (1) audio sequence; (2) video sequence; and (3) audio and video sequences; tagging the generated production information with timing information; displaying the generated production information on a display; recording the tagged production information, wherein a clapstick of a slate is used to initiate the recording automatically; and associating the tagged production information with corresponding recorded data. | 09-17-2009 |
20090231459 | CAMERA DIRECT DAILIES - Obtaining camera direct dailies using a parallel recording scheme on a set, including; simultaneously recording camera-original video in a master recording session and a lower-resolution proxy recording session; transferring lower-resolution video from the lower-resolution proxy recording session to a stage ingest station; integrating data including sound, logging, color correction, metadata, and high-resolution video from the master recording session at the stage ingest station; and generating camera direct dailies using the integrated data and the video from the lower-resolution proxy recording session. | 09-17-2009 |
20090219168 | LIVING POSTERS - Presenting a sequence of images including: displaying a static image, wherein the static image includes at least one object in a static state; defining a triggering event that changes the static state of the at least one object; defining the changes to the static state of the at least one object in a dynamic sequence of images; and moving the at least one object in the static image according to the dynamic sequence of images when the triggering event is detected. | 09-03-2009 |
20090179899 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EFFICIENT OFFSET CURVE DEFORMATION FROM SKELETAL ANIMATION - A method for use in animation includes establishing an influence primitive, associating the influence primitive with a model having a plurality of model points, and for each of the plurality of model points on the model, determining an offset primitive that passes through the model point. Another method includes deforming the model, and determining a deformed position of each of the plurality of model points by using a separate offset primitive for each model point. A computer readable storage medium stores a computer program adapted to cause a processor based system to execute one or more the above steps. | 07-16-2009 |
20090158133 | METHOD OF REPLACING CONTENT - A computer-implemented method of controlling content includes receiving an input from the user and monitoring content in an application program or content exchanged between the application program and an operating system residing at the user's computer system. The method includes determining whether monitored content corresponds to a predetermined advertisement. If the monitored content corresponds to the predetermined advertisement, the predetermined advertisement is replaced with another predetermined advertisement based on the user input. | 06-18-2009 |
20090141910 | MULTI-MODE LED INDICATORS FOR RECORDING DEVICES - A method and apparatus for indicating the status of a track in a multi-track recorder is described. An indicator light capable of outputting different colored lights is used to indicate the status of a track in the multi-track recorder. The color and the blinking sequence of the indicator light indicates the status of the track. | 06-04-2009 |
20090070198 | STUDIO FARM - A method for reviewing and developing media content, including: receiving the media content submitted by a media creator; enabling reviewers to view and rate the media content; receiving ratings of a plurality of media contents from the reviewers; selecting at least one media content from the plurality of media contents based on the ratings; and disseminating the at least one media content. | 03-12-2009 |
20080270092 | METHOD FOR SIMULATING LARGE NUMBERS OF SPHERICAL BODIES INTERACTING - A method for use in computer graphics includes receiving data representative of a plurality of particles. For each particle, the method further includes calculating a time at which a collision will occur based on a current trajectory of the particle. For pairs of particles that will collide with each other, another operation includes changing a direction of the particles to avoid a collision, wherein the changed directions approximate directions that would result from the collision. For particles in static contact, another operation includes allowing particles to push each other without bouncing. For particles in static contact that were previously moved by being pushed, the method also does not allow the particles to move during future collisions occurring during a time step. | 10-30-2008 |
20080266299 | METHOD FOR PREDICTIVELY SPLITTING PROCEDURALLY GENERATED PARTICLE DATA INTO SCREEN-SPACE BOXES - A method for use in rendering includes receiving an input particle system, an instancing program, and a number indicating a maximum number of particles to be stored in memory, providing an input particle count representative of at least a portion of the input particle system to at least one operator for the instancing program, running the at least one operator in a prediction mode to generate an output particle count, comparing the output particle count to the number indicating a maximum number of particles to be stored in memory, and spatially splitting a bounding box representative of the input particle count in response to the output particle count being greater than the number indicating a maximum number of particles to be stored in memory. | 10-30-2008 |
20080266293 | METHOD FOR CONVERTING POLYGONAL SURFACES TO LEVELSETS - A method for use in computer graphics includes receiving data defining an explicit surface representation of three-dimensional (3D) geometry and casting a ray into the explicit surface representation. For each point where the ray intersects the explicit surface, a direction of the ray is compared to a direction of a surface normal of the explicit surface at that point, and then a count is incremented or decremented based on a first rule that uses a result of the comparison at that point. Then, for one or more voxels corresponding to the ray, data is generated for each voxel that indicates the voxel is either inside or outside of the explicit surface based on a second rule that uses a value of the count at that voxel. Another method includes defining a narrow band of voxels near the explicit surface, and then for each voxel in the narrow band, approximating a distance between the voxel and a closest point on the explicit surface by assuming a set of two-dimensional (2D) distances associated with the voxel and a portion of the explicit surface form a triangle. For each voxel outside of the narrow band, a distance to a closest point on the explicit surface is approximated by interpolating the approximated distances in the narrow band. | 10-30-2008 |