Touch screen control of video sources using preset configurations

Abstract

The present invention is a video production and control system that uses a touch screen display and user interface, managed by a controller, for video source control. The system may include a set of touch screen windows that display feeds from sources of video information. For a selected feed window, the system displays a set of representations of preset configurations of the video source, which might be a camera, a video recorder, a handheld device, a storage device, a computer, or other source of video data. The representations may be thumbnail images of a view through the video source when it has the corresponding configuration. Selecting a different thumbnail using the touch screen will cause a controller to send control data through an output port that directs the video source to assume the newly chosen preset configuration. Some combination of controls in the touch screen user interface and control panel allow a user to manually reconfigure a video source, and optionally create a new corresponding preset thumbnail.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method, comprising:
 a) storing a first set of configuration pairs, each pair including an image and corresponding control data;   b) simultaneously displaying the images on a touch screen; and   c) upon sensing a first touch event selecting an image in the set of pairs, emphasizing the image and sending the control data corresponding to the image through a first video source control connection.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 d) receiving a first video feed through a first video feed connection, wherein the first video source control connection and the first video feed connection are included in a first video source interface; and   e) displaying the first video feed on the touch screen simultaneously with the images.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein sending the control data through the video source control connection affects subsequent content of the first video feed. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 f) storing a second set of configuration pairs, each pair including an image and corresponding control data;   g) receiving a second video feed through a second video feed connection that is contained in a second video source interface, the second video source interface including a second video source control connection;   h) displaying content of the second video feed on the touch screen; and   i) upon sensing a second touch event indicating selection of the second video feed, simultaneously displaying the second set of images on the touch screen.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 j) upon sensing a third touch event, which selects an image in the second set of configuration pairs, emphasizing the image and sending the control data corresponding to the image through the second video source control connection.   
     
     
         19 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 c) receiving an indication through a user interface, which includes the touch screen, that a first configuration pair, including a first image and first control data, is to be modified;   d) sending a nonempty set of source control commands through the first video source control connection; and   e) after sending the set of source control commands, receiving a second image and second control data through the first video source interface, and replacing, in the first configuration pair, the first image and first control data with the second image and second control data, respectively.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the indication is received through the touch screen. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein a source control command, in the set of source control commands, is determined by at least one user interface event. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein a source control command, in the set of source control commands, is based upon a nonempty set of user interface events. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the set of user interface events includes a touch screen event. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the set of user interface events includes a joystick event. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein a source control command, in the set of source control commands, is a pan, tilt, or zoom command directed to a camera. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 e) receiving a video feed through the first video feed connection in a configuration that corresponds to the second image.