System and apparatus for notetaking with digital video and ink

Abstract

Media input streams are retrieved by a notetaking device and referenced for playback. The media streams are from microphones, video cameras, and media players present during a notetaking session. Facilities provided by the notetaking device allow a user to capture stills from the media streams, make annotations, and reference important events that occur during a notetaking session. Thumbnails, snaps, and backgrounds may be created from the input media streams and are used to reference into the media streams which are stored for later playback. A channel changer allows a user to switch between the various media streams during either notetaking or playback. A timeline is automatically generated that references important events, including slide changes, presented during a notetaking session.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A notetaking system, comprising: 
 a notetaking device that comprises,    a media input mechanism configured to retrieve at least one live media stream,    at least one user input mechanism configured to accept user inputs, and    a control device configured to allow said user to at least one of manipulate, connote, and summarize said at least one media stream via said user inputs.    
     
     
         2 . The notetaking system according to  claim 1 , wherein said notetaking device further comprises: 
 a timeline device that identifies and indexes significant events in a timeline that references said at least one media stream.    
     
     
         3 . The notetaking system according to  claim 1 , wherein said notetaking device further comprises: 
 a timestamp mechanism configured to timestamp and link actions taken by said user to said at least one media stream.    
     
     
         4 . The notetaking device according to  claim 1 , wherein said notetaking device further comprises: 
 a still frame capture device configured to capture still frames from said at least one media stream; and    an indexer configured to link each still frame to one of a segment or a location in said at least one media stream.    
     
     
         5 . The notetaking system according to  claim 4 , wherein said notetaking device further comprises: 
 an annotator configured to,    accept user inputs directed toward an annotation of at least one of the captured frames, and    apply the annotation to the frames that the annotation is directed toward.    
     
     
         6 . The notetaking system according to  Claim 1 ,wherein said notetaking device further comprises: 
 an ink stroke capture device configured to capture ink strokes on a note page; and    an indexer configured to link each note page to one of,    a segment of said at least one media stream, and    a location in a timetable of events displayed on said notetaking device.    
     
     
         7 . The notetaking system according to  claim 6 , wherein each note page link is graphically represented in a same color as the ink strokes captured on the corresponding note page.  
     
     
         8 . The notetaking device according to  claim 1 , wherein said notetaking device further comprises: 
 further comprising a channel mechanism configured to identify and select at least one channel of the media streams for display by said notetaking device.    
     
     
         9 . The notetaking system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a note server that provides multimedia inputs, each input corresponding to one of the media streams.    
     
     
         10 . The notetaking system according to  claim 7 , wherein said inkstrokes of each note page are one of plural user selectable colors.  
     
     
         11 . A method of notetaking, comprising the steps of: 
 retrieving at least one input media stream;    accepting user inputs corresponding to actions to be performed on said at least one input media stream; and    performing at least one of manipulating, annotating, and summarizing said at least one input media stream according to said user input actions.    
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising the step of: 
 constructing a timeline referencing events associated with said input media stream.    
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said step of constructing includes the step of linking at least one of annotations, video clips, slide changes, audio clips, still frames, and annotations as events referenced by said timeline.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising the step of: 
 storing a timestamp identifying each event.    
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of: 
 capturing still frames from said input media stream; and    linking each of said still frames to one of a point and a segment of said input media stream.    
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising the step of annotating at least one of the captured still frames.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising the step of selecting said at least one input media stream from at least one input channel.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said events include at least one of slide changes and frame changes of at least one of the input media streams.  
     
     
         19 . A note server, comprising: 
 a capture device configured to capture data input from at least one source device; and    a distribution device configured to distribute the captured data to at least one client device.    
     
     
         20 . The note server according to  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 a slide change recognition device configured recognize changes in the captured data and inhibit distribution of all but changed data.    
     
     
         21 . The note server according to  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 a metadata device configured to build a set of metadata corresponding to captured data;    wherein said metadata is distributed in connection with the corresponding captured data.    
     
     
         22 . The note server according to  claim 19 , wherein said server is further configured to save each media input and make each media input available for recall by said at least one client.  
     
     
         23 . The note server according to  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 an index recognition device configured to recognize an index to a segment or point in one of the captured data and data stored on said at least one source device;    wherein said index recognition device is further configured to initiate a distribution of said segment or the source device stored data beginning at said point to at least one client.    
     
     
         24 . A method of server operation, comprising the steps of: 
 capturing media data from at least one source device; and    distributing the media data captured to at least one client device.    
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising the step of: 
 recognizing changes in the media data captured; and    distributing only a changed media data to said at least one client.    
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising the steps of: 
 retrieving an index to a segment or point of one of the captured media data and media data stored on said at least one source device; and    distributing the indexed media data to at least one client device.    
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising the steps of: 
 constructing a metadata tag corresponding to the media data to be distributed; and    distributing the metadata tag in connection with the corresponding media data.