Low bandwidth television

Abstract

The present invention is concerned with client-side production in a personal computer environment of low bandwidth images and audio. A series of low bandwidth still images along with a “script” and audio data is sent over a network in a client/server architecture or is read from a compact disk or other memory. A “director” module residing in a client personal computer uses the “script” to tell the computer how to execute a sequence of “moves” on the still images. These moves include cuts, dissolves, fades, wipes, focuses, flying planes and digital video effects such as push and pull. Moves within a still image occur in real time, and are relatively smooth and continuous as compared to prior art network video. Low bandwidth is achieved because most of the production is done at the client location without relying upon slow, bandwidth-limited downloading of conventional network video formats.

1 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A method, performed by a computer system having a memory and a processor, the method comprising:
 receiving, via a computer network, a script module specifying:
 instructions for executing moves on at least one still image, and 
 a sequence for applying moves to at least one still image; 
   receiving, via the computer network, at least a preliminary portion of an image module comprising a plurality of still images; and   producing a first video by applying, with the processor, instructions for executing moves specified by the script module to at least one still image of the preliminary portion of the image module in the sequence for applying moves specified by the script module.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 storing the received script module; and   storing the received at least preliminary portion of the image module, wherein the script module and the preliminary portion of the image module are stored separately.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 displaying the produced first video.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 while the produced first video is being displayed,
 receiving, via the computer network, a second portion of the image module, and 
 producing a second video by applying, with the processor, instructions for executing moves specified by the script module to at least one still image of the second portion of the image module in the sequence for applying moves specified by the script module; and 
 displaying the produced second video. 
   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 receiving, via the computer network, an audio track, wherein the received audio track is synchronized with the image module.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the script module specifies instructions for executing a dissolve move on at least one still image. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the script module specifies instructions for executing a biaxial wipe move on at least one still image. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the script module specifies instructions for executing a flying banner move on at least one still image. 
     
     
         40 . A computing system, having a memory and a processor, for producing video sequences, the computing system comprising:
 a script module specifying script code representing how an image is to be animated to produce a video sequence;   an image module specifying at least one image; and   a director module configured to apply the script code to the at least one image specified by the image module to produce a video sequence,   
       wherein the computing system is coupled to a computer network and wherein the script module, the image module, and the director module are each received by the computing system via the computer network. 
     
     
         41 . The computing system of  claim 40 , the image module comprising a plurality of still images. 
     
     
         42 . The computing system of  claim 40 , the image module consisting of one still image. 
     
     
         43 . The computing system of  claim 40  wherein the script module and the director module are each received by the computing system via the computer network prior to the computing system receiving the image module via the computer network. 
     
     
         44 . The computing system of  claim 40  wherein the script module comprises a plurality of commands in an edit decision list (EDL). 
     
     
         45 . A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by computer system having a memory and a processor, cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a script module specifying instructions for performing at least one move on an image;   receiving an image module comprising at least one image; and   receiving a director module configured to produce a video by performing a first move on a first image of the image module by executing instructions, specified by the script module, for performing the first move.   
     
     
         46 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 45  wherein the script module specifies instructions for performing a fade move on an image. 
     
     
         47 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 45  wherein the script module specifies instructions for performing a focus move on an image. 
     
     
         48 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 45  wherein the script module specifies instructions for performing a defocus move on an image. 
     
     
         49 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 45  wherein the script module specifies instructions for performing a moving banner move on an image. 
     
     
         50 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 45  wherein the script module specifies instructions for performing a push move on an image. 
     
     
         51 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 45  wherein the script module specifies instructions for performing a pull move on an image.