Method and apparatus for dynamically recording, editing and combining multiple live video clips and still photographs into a finished compostion

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of dynamically creating a video composition including the steps: a) recording a first real-world event as a first video clip using a video composition creation program residing on a portable device in response to a first user record input, the portable device comprising a camera lens, a processor, a memory device, and a display device that displays an image of the first real-world event perceived by the camera lens during the recording of the first real-world event; and b) selecting a transition using the video composition creation program in response to a user transition selection input, the video composition creation program automatically combining the first video clip and the selected transition to create the video composition; and c) the video composition creation program saving the video composition on the memory device as a single file in response to a user save input.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A video recording and editing apparatus comprising:
 a portable device comprising video composition software, a programmable processor, a camera lens, a microphone, a memory device, and a display device, the programmable processor operatively coupled to the camera lens, the microphone, the memory device, and the display device, the video composition software instructing the programmable processor to:
 activate a camera mode for recording video of a scene imaged by the first camera lens, wherein while the camera mode is active, the software instructs the programmable processor to:
 display a user-selectable video record button and the scene imaged by the first camera lens, and 
 maintain the video record button actively user-selectable; 
 
 activate an edit mode while maintaining the camera mode simultaneously active, the edit mode enabling editing of a video composition, wherein while the edit mode is active, the software instructs the programmable processor to display a user-selectable editing toolbar over the displayed scene imaged by the first camera lens; and 
 receive, while the camera mode and the edit mode are simultaneously active, one of a user video record input indicating selection of the video record button to start video recording, a user video pause input indicating selection of the video record button to stop video recording, and a user edit input indicating selection of an edit operation from the editing toolbar. 
   
     
     
         2 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein while the camera mode is active, the software instructs the programmable processor to:
 start recording video of the scene imaged by the first camera lens in response to receiving the user video record input; and   stop recording video of the scene imaged by the first camera lens in response to receiving the user video pause input.   
     
     
         3 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the software further instructs the programmable processor to activate the edit mode while the portable device is recording video. 
     
     
         4 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the software further instructs the programmable processor to activate the edit mode while the portable device is displaying the scene imaged by the first camera lens and not recording video. 
     
     
         5 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the software instructs the programmable processor to activate the edit mode in response to receiving the user video record input. 
     
     
         6 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the software instructs the programmable processor to activate the edit mode in response to receiving the user video pause input. 
     
     
         7 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the software further instructs the programmable processor to add a recorded video to the video composition in response to receiving the user video pause input. 
     
     
         8 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the software instructs the programmable processor to activate the edit mode in response to receiving a user activation input. 
     
     
         9 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the software further instructs the programmable processor to save the video composition to the memory device in response to receiving a user save input. 
     
     
         10 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein while the edit mode is active, the software instructs the programmable processor to:
 perform the edit operation on the video composition in response to receiving the user edit input.   
     
     
         11 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the edit operation includes video transition insertion into the video composition, and the editing toolbar displays one or more video transitions for selection and insertion into the video composition. 
     
     
         12 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the edit operation includes audio file insertion into the video composition, and the editing toolbar displays one or more audio files for selection and insertion into the video composition. 
     
     
         13 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the edit operation includes image file insertion into the video composition, and the editing toolbar displays one or more image files for selection and insertion into the video composition. 
     
     
         14 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the edit operation includes video clip insertion into the video composition, and the editing toolbar displays one or more video clips for selection and insertion into the video composition. 
     
     
         15 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the software instructs the programmable processor to:
 in the camera mode, display a user-selectable photograph record button and the scene imaged by the camera lens and maintain the photograph record button actively user-selectable; and   receive, while the camera mode and the edit mode are simultaneously active, one of a user photograph record input indicating selection of the photograph record button to capture a photographic image and the user edit input indicating selection of the edit operation from the editing toolbar   
     
     
         16 . A video recording and editing apparatus comprising:
 a portable device comprising video composition software, a programmable processor, a camera lens, a microphone, a memory device, and a display device, the programmable processor operatively coupled to the camera lens, the microphone, the memory device, and the display device, the video composition software instructing the programmable processor to:
 activate a camera mode for recording video of a scene imaged by the camera lens, wherein while the camera mode is active, the software instructs the programmable processor to:
 display a video record button, an edit mode activation button, a video composition save button, and the scene imaged by the camera lens, wherein the video record button is user-selectable to receive a user video record input when video is not being recorded by the portable device and a user video pause input when video is being recorded by the portable device, wherein the edit mode activation button is user-selectable to receive an activation input, and wherein the video composition save button is user-selectable to receive a user save input, and 
 maintain the video record button actively user-selectable; 
 
 in response to receiving a user video record input, start recording video of the scene imaged by the camera lens; 
 in response to receiving a user video pause input, stop recording video of the scene imaged by the camera lens; 
 in response to receiving one of the user video pause input or a user activation input:
 activate an edit mode while maintaining the camera mode simultaneously active, the edit mode enabling editing of a video composition, wherein while the edit mode is active, the software instructs the programmable processor to display an editing toolbar over the displayed scene imaged by the camera lens, the editing toolbar being user-selectable to receive a user edit input; 
 
 in response to receiving the user edit input, perform an edit operation on the video composition; and 
 in response to receiving a user save input, save the video composition in accordance with the video composition timeline to the memory. 
   
     
     
         17 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the edit operation includes video transition insertion into the video composition, and the editing toolbar displays one or more video transitions for selection and insertion into the video composition. 
     
     
         18 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the edit operation includes audio file insertion into the video composition, and the editing toolbar displays one or more audio files for selection and insertion into the video composition. 
     
     
         19 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the edit operation includes image file insertion into the video composition, and the editing toolbar displays one or more image files for selection and insertion into the video composition. 
     
     
         20 . The video recording and editing apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the edit operation includes video clip insertion into the video composition, and the editing toolbar displays one or more video clips for selection and insertion into the video composition.