Network-based rendering and steering of visual effects

Abstract

Systems and methods for applying visual effects to video in a client/server or cloud-based system are described. Using a web browser, for example, users can apply and control both simple and sophisticated effects with dynamic real-time previews without downloading client-side software. Rendering and previewing of the effects is done on the server and rendered images can be sent in rapid succession to the client, allowing simple, real-time feedback and control. Other aspects of the technology are also described.

1 . A computer-readable hardware device storing instructions that, if executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, from a remote server, a web page,
 wherein the web page specifies one or more controls for applying visual effects to video data; 
   providing for display an indication of one or more visual effects that can be applied to the video data,   sending, to the remote server, an indication of a first selected at least one visual effect to apply to the video data,
 wherein the remote server is configured to apply the at least one visual effect to the video data and wherein the at least one visual effect has at least one associated controllable parameter, 
   receiving, from the remote server, first modified video data,
 wherein the first modified video data comprises one or more video frames modified based on the first selected at least one visual effect; and 
   while the first modified video data is being displayed,
 receiving an indication to modify the at least one controllable parameter associated with the at least one visual effect. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer-readable hardware device of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
 storing a modified first frame of video data;   associating a first value for the at least one controllable parameter with the stored modified first frame of video data; and   storing a modified second frame of video data;   associating a second value for the at least one controllable parameter with the stored modified second frame of video data.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-readable hardware device of  claim 2 , the operations further comprising:
 in response to receiving a request to apply the at least one visual effect to the modified first frame with the at least one controllable parameter set to the first value, retrieving the stored modified first frame of video data; and   in response to receiving a request to apply the at least one visual effect to the modified second frame with the at least one controllable parameter set to the second value, retrieving the stored modified second frame of video data.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-readable hardware device of  claim 1 , wherein the video data has associated audio data, the operations further comprising:
 providing for display an indication of one or more audio effects that can be applied to the audio data associated with the video data;   receiving a selection of at least one audio effect to apply to the audio data associated with the video data;   sending, to the remote server, an indication of the at least one audio effect to apply to the audio data associated with the video data; and   receiving, from the remote server, modified audio data based on the at least one audio effect.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-readable hardware device of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
 while the first modified video data is being displayed, manipulating the display of the one or more controls for applying visual effects to the video data based on parameter values set for each control and each frame of the modified video data.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-readable hardware device of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
 receiving a second selection of at least one visual effect to apply to the video data,   sending, to the remote server, an indication of the second selected at least one visual effect to apply to the video data,   receiving, from the remote server, second modified video data,   providing the first modified video data and the second modified video data, and   receiving a selection of preferred modified video data.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-readable hardware device of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
 while the first modified video data is being displayed,
 sending, to the remote server, the indication to modify the at least one controllable parameter associated with the at least one visual effect. 
   
     
     
         8 . The computer-readable hardware device of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
 while the first modified video data is being displayed,
 receiving, from the remote server, second modified video data based on the modified at least one controllable parameter associated with the at least one visual effect. 
   
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a component configured to receive, from a remote client computer, one or more video frames of video data;   a component configured to send, to the remote client computer, a web page specifying one or more controls for applying visual effects to the video data;   a component configured to receive, from a browser executing on the remote client computer, a selection of at least one visual effect to apply to the video frames, wherein the at least one visual effect has at least one associated controllable parameter;   a component configured to apply the selected at least one visual effect to the video frames to produce first modified video data; and   a component configured to send, to the remote client computer, the produced first modified video data.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a component configured to identify additional frames of the video data; and   a component configured to speculatively apply the at least one visual effect to the identified additional video frames.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a component configured to delete video data in response to determining that the at least one controllable parameter associated with the at least one visual effect has been modified.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a component configured to receive, from the remote client computer, a request to render the video data based on one or more visual effects; and   a component configured to send, in response to determining that the video data has been rendered, a notification comprising at least one of a text message, an email, or a social media posting to a user.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a component configured to, while the first modified video data is being displayed, receive second modified video data based on a modified at least one controllable parameter associated with the at least one visual effect.   
     
     
         14 . A method, performed by a computing system having a memory and a processor, comprising:
 sending, to a remote rendering server, at least a portion of video data comprising one or more video frames;   receiving, from the remote rendering server, a web page,
 wherein the web page specifies one or more controls for applying visual effects to the video data; and 
   with a browser executing on a processor of the computing system,
 receiving a selection of at least one visual effect to apply to the video data,
 wherein the at least one visual effect has at least one associated controllable parameter, and 
 
 sending, to the remote rendering server, an indication of the selected at least one visual effect to apply to the video data,
 wherein the remote rendering server is configured to apply the at least one visual effect to the video data, and 
 
   while first modified video data is being displayed,
 sending, to the remote rendering server, an indication to modify the at least one controllable parameter associated with the at least one visual effect. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the remote rendering server, the first modified video data,
 wherein the first modified video data comprises one or more video frames modified based on the selected at least one visual effect. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the at least one visual effect comprises a plurality of visual effects including blur, warp, rays, shake reduction, color transformation, fade, wipe, biaxial wipe, and still image insertion effect. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the video data has associated audio data, the method further comprising:
 providing for display an indication of one or more audio effects that can be applied to the audio data associated with the video data; and   receiving, from the user, a selection of at least one audio effect to apply to the audio data associated with the video data.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the video data has associated audio data, the method further comprising:
 sending, to the remote rendering server, an indication of the at least one audio effect to apply to the audio data associated with the video data; and   receiving, from the remote rendering server, modified audio data based on the at least one audio effect.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the at least one audio effect is at least one of reverberation, filtering, noise reduction, or gain. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the at least one controllable parameter is brightness, saturation, strength, or position. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the at least one controllable parameter comprises at least one of detail, speed, randomness, tint, blur amount, width, length, quality, zoom, color, mix, enable, angle, combine, invert, opacity, reverse, variation, style, or sharpen.