DIGITAL TELEVISION DEVICE CAPABLE OF ENCODING MOVIES FROM STILL DIGITAL IMAGES
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a Digital television (DTV) and codec technologies. More particularly the present invention relates deals with digital television device capable of encoding movies from digital still images.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
DTV is a new type of broadcasting technology that transmits the information used to make the TV picture and sound as data bits (like a computer). The digital broadcast can carry more information than is currently possible with analog broadcast technology. DTV technology can also be used to provide interactive video and data services that are not possible with current analog technology. For example, the DTV technology allows the transmission of pictures with higher resolution with surprisingly better picture and sound quality than currently available - called High Definition Television (HDTV) - or the transmission of several 'standard definition' TV programs - called 'multicasting'. The clarity and detailing of the 'Standard definition' digital TV pictures would be similar to that of the best TV pictures being received and displayed today using the current analog broadcast system and TV receivers. DTV technology can also be used to provide interactive video and data service that are not possible with 'analog' technology. In addition, broadcasters can simultaneously transmit a variety of other information through a data bit stream to enhance the TV programming and to provide entirely new services.
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Presently, the user interface and control mechanism of the home movie makers enables a user to create home movies. In a more developed scenario, the Digital television substantially has replaced the analog television. However, it is not still possible to make or to create a movie with still images in a DTV. A user has to presently use a PC or laptop having a movie editor program of generating a clip. The process is very tedious, time consuming and error prone. The movie makers available are PC based applications only. Presently DTV along with USB interface or VCD/DVD players are in use for viewing digital still images, primarily because of the availability of a large sized screen coupled with the problem of non availability of PC with a common user.
US Patent publication No. US 6400378 disclosed a home movie editor that enables the user to edit video. The editor is preferably operable on a personal computer found in many homes today. The home movie editor consists of a graphical user interface and a plurality of device control modules which interface via a bus to the video playback and the recording hardware. The editor scans in video clips as thumbnails and displays the thumbnails in the clip window of the display. Using a cursor and cursor control device, the user can drag and drop clips into the edit window which visually depicts a sequence of edited clips showing the sequence of thumbnails. The clip insertion function is simplified by the insertion pointer that points to the clip boundary closest to the location of the cursor.
Several audio video editors are available in the market which provides editing of the video clips including the editing /inclusion of still pictures in the clip. A PCT application WO 9806045 discloses an apparatus and method which produces a

moving picture including providing a digital image having the content of a multiplicity of individual images defining a view window which may be selectively superimposed over at least a portion of the digital image at a given time, and moving the view window over the digital image allows viewing at least portions of the multiplicity of the individual images in a desired sequence thereby to define the moving picture. Another publication GB 2253539 discloses a picture editing apparatus for a digital still video camera system capable of recording and reproducing, and more particularly, to a picture editing apparatus capable to mix a multiple of pictures during playback.
Therefore a need exits for intermediate movie creation without switching from DTV to PC-based application.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is inline with the storage interface (USB, CD/DVD, Digital Cameras, Camcorders or any DTV supported storage) and Media Viewer kind of applications available with DTVs. The invention provides an application of DTV devices for encoding movies by assigning digital still images, and by adding image effects, transition effects, controlling timelines of each image in the movie, and by adding music or speech to provide narrations for the pasted images. The proposed invention will also allow access any data like titles and credits, dates and time / place or any other media (text-audio-visual) data attached to the digital images to accommodate them in the encoded movie.

Therefore it is the principle object of the present invention to devise a codec that encodes and decodes a digital stream or signal and capable of editing, designing a movie clip using selected broadcast programs and chosen digital still pictures over a digital television.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an encoder (hardware and software) for converting sequence of images into a movie file developed exclusively for DTV. This way, user can create a movie file with various compression qualities by selecting a number of photos, visual effects, transitions and adding music/speech and can store it either in DTV itself for later playback or move to an USB or any other DTV supported storage device for distribution across multiple media players including a PC.
The disclosure eliminates the need of a separate computer device for creating (or encoding) such movies and thereby enables converting the traditional media viewers available for DTVs into an effective media editors. This way, it also converts traditional DTV device into a creative media editor device.
As per another embodiment of the invention there is provided a remote control device configured with a MENU feature which is exclusively configured for movie making, adding image effects, transitions, time control, adding music / speech, and controlling compression quality.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
Figure 1 is a flow chart showing the method steps adoptable for encoding of movies from Digital still images in a Digital television as per the present
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invention.
DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which : Fig. 1 describes the proposed movie encoding scheme for Digital television.
In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video image encoder including its porting to the existing DTV hardware and software units to control and operate the movie encoding means. The concept of an encoder (in algorithm form) is used in the expected way. However the novel thing is to configure the software application on the existing DTV hardware and the development of a new hardware to support the movie encoding means into the DTV itself.
The encoding software or hardware is ported into the DTV device in an optimal way (with reference to memory and encoding time) that enables the DTV to encode movie from the raw data. In a second aspect of the invention , there is provided a remote control device for the control and operation of the encoding means including a dedicated processor on which the MENU feature shall be configured for carrying out the necessary method steps.
Now referring to Fig 1, the digital still images are fed to the DTV in a raw format (RGB format), through any DTV supported media storage like (USB, CD/DVD,
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Digital Cameras, Camcorders or any DTV supported storage). The text - audio -visual data may be attached to the still image or can be fed to the DTV by the supported media storage as discussed hereinabove. The data is fed to the DTV by an interface via DTV viewer application configured for the purpose. The DTV as herein devised also has a screen capture utility to capture the views / pictures / audio-visual data from the broadcast programmes or the like and store it to a virtual or permanent memory for future applications.
Transferring the stored still pictures to the DTV is the first step in making the desired movie show. The porting of encoder on the DTV itself with an USB interface and configuration of DTV remote control device MENU option to control and operate the encoding means make-up the entire invention. Using said MENU option the command of the movie creation is executed. The pictures are then further transferred to the movie creator application. The user can select several pictures from different folders by the use of the remote control key.
The selected pictures appear in the collections pane of the movie creator screen. The pictures can be selected/deleted or organized/arranged using the remote control device. The MENU command is provided with a subcommand for controlling the presentation time for each image, since the user wants the pictures stay on the screen for a time. This is easy to adjust by using the timeline subcommand and modify the timing of clips in the users project (the default time is 3s). The timeline shows the pictures that the user has added and how long they will each be displayed. The time is displayed as hours: minitues:seconds,l/10sec:l/100sec (h:mm:ss.ts:hs). Moreover the subcommand initiates a subprogram wherein the user can modify / change the timelines in a user friendly manner with examples.
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The visual effects of the selected pictures are modified using a dedicated subcommand of the MENU command. Further, the visual effects for each still image are stored (optional, default is image in its original form). The visual effects can be changed by the subcommands relating to the visual effect selection. The visual effects can also be provided from a library / database stored in the DTV which can be uploaded form outside memory. The user can create his, own amazing cinematic special effects or choose from hundreds of presets, including particle systems, sci-fi-lights words and realistic muzzle flashes including High Definition support, enhanced controls and additional grading filters.
The transition effects of the selected pictures are modified using another subcommand of the menu command. The transition effects while transiting from one image to another (optional, default is simple transition and appear the next image) like the Fade and Wipe etc. The subcommand also facilitates the preview of users modified movie show. The transitions between the pictures; are a bit abrupt and generally may not on screen long enough to get a good look at them. The user can fix that by creating new transitions, if necessary.
The present invention also facilitates to add Music or speech (Optional, no default) to the selected pictures. In case of speech, user needs to narrate using microphone. In case of music, user should have music files stored on local DTV storage or USB storage. These additions are initiated by using another subcommand of the menu command. The subcommand also controls the editable recording of the sound signal and the captured data is saved as an audio file in a specific folder in the DTV memory storage area.

Moreover, the user can add Titles and credits, date and time, place, watermarks, or any other media (text audio-visual) data attached to the digital still images by using a subcommand from the MENU command. The user is prompted to choose where to add the title and select a style for the screen. The present invention also facilitates a preview of every additional feature wherein the user can edit the anomalies, if any.
The encoded movie is available for local playback and storage (i.e. on DTV itself) or can be transferred to any other DTV supported media storage and for distribution along multiple media player devices. Therefore, the present invention introduces a novel development and porting of video image encoder to the existing DTV hardware and software units including configurations of a DTV remote control MENU to control and operate the movie encoding means by creating a dynamic slide show by importing the still photos, mix with different types to create a video with still pictures, video clips, and music or voice-overs.
ADVANTAGES
1. The proposed invention enables the traditional DTV device experiencing
high quality picture and sound effects by decoding broadcasted digital
media contents into sophisticated movie encoder from digital still images
(with all text-audio-visual data), by adding visual effects, transitions,
controlling presentation time of each still image and adding music /
speech.
2. The proposed invention eliminates the need to switch from DTV to a
separate computer, laptop and PC based application for encoding a movie
from digital still images.
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3. The invention provides immediate and on-demand movie creation without
switching from TV to PC based application.
4. The local movie is available for -
Local playback and storage and transfer to all DTV supported storage devices for distribution across variety of digital devices like mobile, PC, portable media players, USB monitors or sociable display devices (SODI).
5. The invention enables combination with image capture feature of DTV to
encode a movie file from captured images. This way customized movie
can be created by capturing images from broadcast programs.
6. Applications like creating a movie from digital images reaches to larger
class of users compared to PC.
Although the foregoing description of the present invention has been shown and described with reference to particular embodiments and applications thereof, it has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the particular embodiments and applications disclosed. It will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that a number of changes, modifications, variations, or alterations to the invention as described herein may be made, none of which depart from the sprit or scope of the present invention. The particular embodiments and applications were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the

invention and its practical applications to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such changes, modifications, variations, and alterations should therefore be seen as being within the scope of the present invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.
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WHAT IS CLAIMED IS :
1. An improved digital television (DTV) device adaptable for encoding a
movie from digital still images thereby creating a movie including adding
to the created movie visual effects, transition, controllable presentation
time of each image, and music or speech, comprising
- a video image encoder configured in correspondence with the
operational adaptability of the existing DTV hardware for encoding
raw data in the form of digital still images including text-audio
visual data attached to said still images;
- a remote control means comprising a plurality of MENU features
configured for controlling and operating movie encoding steps; and
- a synchronizing means capable to combine the video image
encoder and the screen capture feature for creating customized
movies using images captured from broadcast programs.
2. The DTV device according to caliml, characterized in that the video image
encoder enables access of data representing titles and credits,
watermarks, date and time, place, including all kinds of media data
attached to the captured images.
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3. The DTV device according to caliml, characterized in that the plurality of
MENU features operated in movie creation in a sequence of: MAIN MENU
- create movie -> select images -> add visual effects -> add effects -> add transitions -> select compression quality -> encode movie.
4. A video image encoder adaptable to the existing hardware of a DIV,
configured to encode raw format data representing digital still images
including the attached text- audio-visual data, and to add visual effects,
transition, presentation time, and music /speech.
Dated this 25th day of JUNE 2007


ABSTRACT
This invention provides a novel application for DTV devices for encoding movies by pasting digital still images, and by adding image effects, transition effects, controlling timeless of each image in the movie, and by adding music or speech to provide narrations for the pasted images. The invention will also allow access any data like titles and credits, dates and time, place, or any other media (text-audio-visual) data attached with the digital images to accommodate them in the encoded movie. In this application, an encoder (hardware or software) for converting sequence of images into a movie file will be developed exclusively for DTV. This way, user can create a movie file with various compression qualities by selecting number of photos, visual effects, transitions, and adding music / speech and can store it either in DTV itself for later playback or more to an USB or any other DTV supported storage device for distribution across multiple media players including PC.
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The present invention is inline with the storage interface (USB, CD/DVD, Digital Cameras, Camcorders or any DTV supported storage) and Media Viewer kind of applications available with DTVs. The invention provides an application of DTV devices for encoding movies by assigning digital still images, and by adding image effects, transition effects, controlling timelines of each image in the movie, and by adding music or speech to provide narrations for the pasted images. The proposed invention will also allow access any data like titles and credits, dates and time / place or any other media (text-audio-visual) data attached to the digital images to accommodate them in the encoded movie.

This invention provides a novel application for DTV devices for encoding movies
by pasting digital still images, and by adding image effects, transition effects,
controlling timeless of each image in the movie, and by adding music or speech
to provide narrations for the pasted images. The invention will also allow access
any data like titles and credits, dates and time, place, or any other media (text-
audio-visual) data attached with the digital images to accommodate them in the
encoded movie. In this application, an encoder (hardware or software) for
converting sequence of images into a movie file will be developed exclusively for
DTV. This way, user can create a movie file with various compression qualities by
selecting number of photos, visual effects, transitions, and adding music /
speech and can store it either in DTV itself for later playback or more to an USB
or any other DTV supported storage device for distribution across multiple media
players including PC.