System and method for computer-assisted manual and automatic logging of time-based media

Abstract

A customizable logging and content management system for indexing multimedia, including a synchronized timer object that provides a time reference upon request in connection with the media, and a logger object that logs predefined events that occur in the media by associating the events with respective time references from the timer object. A video server is provided that captures and digitally stores events logged by the logging application as media segments, and a search and retrieval engine is provided that enables the media segments to be located, retrieved and viewed based on the indexes. The system includes a graphical user interface generator that enables customized user interfaces and logging databases to be created from database tables for use in the logging application.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A media logging system for indexing media, comprising:
 a timer object that provides a time reference upon request in connection with the media; and   a logger object that logs predefined events that occur in the media by associating the events with respective time reference from the timer object.   
     
     
         2 . The logging system of  claim 1 , wherein the logger object includes a graphical user interface having a plurality of interface objects that can be selected by a user of the logging system in order to log events that occur in the media. 
     
     
         3 . The logging system of  claim 2 , wherein the interface objects include labels thereon corresponding to predetermined events that may typically occur in the particular media being logged. 
     
     
         4 . The logging system of  claim 2 , wherein the logging system is adapted for use in logging a sporting event and the interface objects correspond to events that occur during the sporting event 
     
     
         5 . The logging system of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface is customizable to correspond to types of events that occur in the particular media being logged. 
     
     
         6 . The logging system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes an arrangement that automatically logs predefined events in the media being logged based on video analysis. 
     
     
         7 . The logging system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes an arrangement that automatically logs predefined events based on text analysis. 
     
     
         8 . The logging system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes an arrangement that automatically logs predefined events based on audio analysis. 
     
     
         9 . The logging system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes a video server that captures logged events and digitally stored the captured events as media segments. 
     
     
         10 . The logging system of  claim 9 , wherein the user interface includes a feature that enables the media segments to be selectively retrieved and viewed. 
     
     
         11 . The logging system of  claim 10 , wherein the feature includes a search engine that enables logged events to be searched using various search parameters. 
     
     
         12 . A media asset management system for managing media assets, comprising:
 a logging application that creates indexes of events that occur in the media;   a video server that captures and digitally stores events logged by the logging application as media segments; and   a search and retrieval engine that enables the media segments to be located and retrieved based on the indexes.   
     
     
         13 . The media asset management system of  claim 12 , wherein the logging application includes a graphical user interface that enables a user to select predefined events that occur in the media to be indexed. 
     
     
         14 . The media asset management system of  claim 13 , wherein the graphical user interface includes interface objects having labels thereon corresponding to predefined events that typically occur in the particular media being logged by the logging application. 
     
     
         15 . The media asset management system of  claim 14 , wherein the logging application is adapted for use in logging a sporting event and the interface objects correspond to events that occur during the sporting event. 
     
     
         16 . The media asset management system of  claim 12 , wherein the video server includes an arrangement that automatically logs predefined events based on video analysis. 
     
     
         17 . The media asset management system of  claim 12 , herein the video server includes an arrangement that automatically logs predefined events based on text analysis. 
     
     
         18 . The media asset management system of  claim 12 , wherein the video server includes an arrangement that automatically logs predefined events based on audio analysis; 
     
     
         19 . The media asset management system of  claim 13 , wherein the user interface includes a feature that enables the media segments to be viewed. 
     
     
         20 . A customizable media asset management system for managing media assets, comprising:
 a logging application that creates indexes of events that occur in the media;   a video server that captures and digitally stores events logged by the logging application as media segments; and   a graphical user interface generator that creates customized user interfaces for the logging application based on information entered in a database.   
     
     
         21 . The customizable media asset management system of  claim 20 , wherein the graphical user interface generator generates user interface objects for a logging screen for use by a user when using the logging application. 
     
     
         22 . The customizable media asset management system of  claim 20 , wherein the creation of the customized user interface is database driven  23 . The customizable media asset management system of  claim 20 , wherein the user interface generator is further operable to dynamically generate a logging database for use by said logging application.