- Number
- 12444441
- Published
- 2025-10-14
- Filed
- 2024-09-23
- Assignee
- Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors
- Walters; Matthew
- CPC
- G11B27/10
- Verdict
- Set aside media time alignment, plumbing
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
Abstract
A system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor, a memory storing software code and one or more signal emission device(s) controlled by the computing platform. The software code is executed to determine, using at least one predetermined signal frequency, a calibration signal sequence including an alignment initiation signal and a unique sequence of synchronization signals identified with a unique time interval, emit during the unique time interval, the alignment initiation signal and emit during the unique time interval after emitting the alignment initiation signal, the unique sequence of synchronization signals. The software code is further executed to receive first and second media content produced by first and second recording devices, the first and second media content produced while the first and second recording devices are situated so as to detect the calibration signal sequence, and time align, using the calibration signal sequence, the first and second media content.
Background
BACKGROUND (1) In applications in which multiple recording devices are used to generate media content that is to be combined during post processing, time aligning the media content generated by the different recording devices presents challenges. When shooting on a movie or television set, for example, there are occasions during which the production is shooting with multiple cameras, including multiple main cameras, second unit cameras, crash cameras, and witness cameras all having different capabilities. One conventional technique for time aligning cameras, and the primary method in use at present, is known as “jam syncing.” In jam synching, a timecode reader/generator looks at external, incoming time code information and then “jams” or creates a new central time code based on that information. However, because only expensive and sophisticated professional grade cameras are typically capable of being jam synced, it remains very difficult to time align media content generated by cameras lacking that ability. Although a visual cue such as a physical slate can be used for the main cameras, such a slate is only useful if the camera has a clear view of the slate, which is typically rare in a multi-camera setup. Thus, there remains a need in the art for a solution making the time alignment of media content generated by multiple disparate recording devices faster and easier.
Claims
1. A system comprising: a computing platform including a hardware processor and a system memory; the system memory storing a software code; and one or more signal emission devices controlled by the computing platform; the hardware processor configured to execute the software code to: determine, using at least one predetermined signal frequency, a calibration signal sequence identified with a unique time interval, the calibration signal sequence including an alignment initiation signal and a unique sequence of synchronization signals; emit, using the one or more signal emission devices during the unique time interval, the alignment initiation signal; emit, using the one or more signal emission devices during the unique time interval and after emitting the alignment initiation signal, the unique sequence of synchronization signals; receive a first media content and a second media content produced by a first recording device and a second recording device, respectively, the first media content and the second media content produced while the first recording device and the second recording device, respectively, are situated so as to detect the calibration signal sequence; and time align, using the calibration signal sequence, the first media content and the second media content. ||
11. A method for use by a system including a computing platform having a hardware processor, a system memory storing a software code, and one or more signal emission devices controlled by the computing platform, the method comprising: determining, by the software code executed by the hardware processor and using at least one predetermined signal frequency, a calibration signal sequence identified with a unique time interval, the calibration signal sequence including an alignment initiation signal and a unique sequence of synchronization signals; emitting, by the software code executed by the hardware processor and using the one or more signal emission devices during the unique time interval, the alignment initiation signal; emitting, by the software code executed by the hardware processor and using the one or more signal emission device during the unique time interval, after emitting the alignment initiation signal, the unique sequence of synchronization signals; receiving, by the software code executed by the hardware processor, a first media content and a second media content produced by a first recording device and a second recording device, respectively, the first media content and the second media content produced while the first recording device and the second recording device, respectively, are situated so as to detect the calibration signal sequence; and time aligning, by the software code executed by the hardware processor and using the calibration signal sequence, the first media content and the second media content.