Broadcast control

Abstract

A broadcast control apparatus for visual data includes a touch screen display panel operable to receive and display visual data simultaneously in real time from a plurality of visual sources. It also includes a touch screen graphical panel for the retrieval of control functions from a control function register. The visual data from at least one of the visual sources is selectable for use by finger pressure on the associated portion of the touch screen display panel and the selected data is modifiable in accordance with the retrieved control function.

1 . A broadcast control system for performing digital video effects during a broadcast of video data, the system comprising:
 a video display panel configured to display video data from a plurality of video sources that includes at least one live video stream, wherein the video data from the respective video sources is displayed on respective display portions of the video display panel in real time;   a scene editing selector configured display on a preview monitor the video data of the at least one live video stream in response to a selection by an operator of the broadcast control system of the respective display portion corresponding to the at least one live video stream; and   a digital video effect controller configured to perform a real-time transition effect from the at least one live video stream to at least one other video source of the plurality of video sources when the operator of the broadcast control system selects the respective display portion corresponding to the at least one other video source during the broadcast of the at least one live video stream to perform the real-time transition effect from the at least one live video stream to the at least one other video source, such that broadcast of the at least one live video stream transitions to broadcast of the selected at least one other video source.   
     
     
         2 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the video display panel is configured to display the video data indicative of the respective plurality of video sources in a matrix displaying the corresponding display portions. 
     
     
         3 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the digital video effect controller is configured to perform the real-time transition effect from the at least one live video stream to the at least one other video source when the operator of the broadcast control system touches and drags the respective display portion for the at least one live video stream to the respective display portion for the at least one other video source. 
     
     
         4 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a touch screen graphical panel configured to retrieve at least one control function from a control function register, wherein the respective video data simultaneously displayed for each of the respective video sources is selectable for use by the operator touching an associated portion of the video display panel and the selected video data is configured to be modified in accordance with a retrieved at least one control function. 
     
     
         5 . The broadcast control system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one control function comprises at least one of a digital video effect and an audio effect. 
     
     
         6 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 5 , wherein the at least one control function is executable in real time. 
     
     
         7 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a programmable panel having a plurality of programmable keys that is each programmable to retrieve a control function, wherein each programmable key programmed with a respective control function appears back-lit on the video display panel with a first color indicating to an operator that the key is ready for operation and each programmable key that has not yet been programmed and are available for programming appearing backlit with a second color. 
     
     
         8 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one other video source of the plurality of video sources comprises at least one of another live video stream, a video camera, a videotape recorder, a disk server, a computer generated source, and a remote video feed. 
     
     
         9 . A broadcast control system for performing digital video effects during a broadcast of video data, the system comprising:
 a video display panel configured to display video data associated with a plurality of video streams, such that the respective video data is displayed on respective display portions of the video display panel;   a scene editing selector configured display on a preview monitor the video data of a first video stream of the plurality of video stream in response to a selection by an operator of the broadcast control system of the respective display portion corresponding to the first video stream; and   a digital video effect controller configured to perform a real-time transition effect of the first video stream displayed in the preview monitor to a second video stream of the plurality of video streams when an operator of the broadcast control system selects the respective display portion corresponding to the second video stream during the display of the video data in the preview monitor of the first video stream to perform the real-time transition effect from the first video stream to the second video stream, such that a broadcast of the first video stream transitions to a broadcast of the selected second video stream.   
     
     
         10 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 9 , wherein the video data associated with the plurality of video streams are provided separate from a plurality of video sources. 
     
     
         11 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 9 , wherein the first and second video streams are provided from a plurality of video sources comprising at least one of live video streams and video data from at least one of a video camera, a videotape recorder, a disk server, a computer generated source, and a remote video feed. 
     
     
         12 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 11 , wherein the video display panel is configured to display the video data indicative of the respective plurality of video sources in a matrix displaying the corresponding display portions. 
     
     
         13 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 11 , wherein the digital video effect controller is configured to perform the real-time transition effect from the first video stream to the second video stream when the operator of the broadcast control system touches and drags the respective display portion for the first video stream to the respective display portion for the second video stream. 
     
     
         14 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 11 , further comprising a touch screen graphical panel configured to retrieve at least one control function from a control function register, wherein the respective video data simultaneously displayed for each of the respective video streams is selectable for use by the operator touching an associated portion of the video display panel and the selected video data for the respective video stream is configured to be modified in accordance with a retrieved at least one control function. 
     
     
         15 . The broadcast control system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one control function comprises at least one of a digital video effect and an audio effect and the at least one control function is executable in real time. 
     
     
         16 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 11 , further comprising a programmable panel having a plurality of programmable keys that is each programmable to retrieve a control function, wherein each programmable key programmed with a respective control function appears back-lit on the video display panel with a first color indicating to an operator that the key is ready for operation and each programmable key that has not yet been programmed and are available for programming appearing backlit with a second color. 
     
     
         17 . A broadcast control system for performing digital video effects during video broadcast, the system comprising:
 a scene editing selector configured to display, on a preview monitor, video data of a first video stream in response to a selection of the first video stream from a video display panel;   a video editing graphical panel configured to display at least one control function configured to perform a respective digital video effect for video broadcast of the first video stream; and   a digital video effect controller configured to apply a selected digital video effect to the selected first video stream upon receiving a selection of the at least one control function for performing the selected digital video effect, such that the first video stream is configured to be broadcast with the selected digital video effect applied thereto.   
     
     
         18 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 17 , further comprising the video display panel that is configured to display video data associated with a plurality of video streams, including the first video stream, with the respective video data associated with the plurality of video streams being displayed on respective display portions of the video display panel. 
     
     
         19 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 18 , wherein the digital video effect controller is configured to perform the selected digital video effect of the selected first video stream upon receiving the selection from an operator of the broadcast control system. 
     
     
         20 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 19 , wherein the selected digital video effect is a real-time transition to a second video stream of the plurality of video streams that is performed when the operator of the broadcast control system selects the respective display portion corresponding to the second video stream to perform the real-time transition from the first video stream to the second video stream. 
     
     
         21 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 20 , wherein the digital video effect controller is configured to perform the real-time transition from the first video stream to the second video stream when the operator of the broadcast control system touches and drags the respective display portion for the first video stream to the respective display portion for the second video stream. 
     
     
         22 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 20 , wherein the video data associated with the plurality of video streams are provided separate from a plurality of video sources. 
     
     
         23 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 22 , wherein the first and second video streams are provided from a plurality of video sources comprising at least one of live video streams and video data from at least one of a video camera, a videotape recorder, a disk server, a computer generated source, and a remote video feed. 
     
     
         24 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 18 , wherein the video display panel is configured to display the video data indicative of the respective plurality of video sources in a matrix displaying the corresponding display portions. 
     
     
         25 . The broadcast control system of  claim 18 , wherein the selected digital video effect comprises at least one of a digital video effect and an audio effect and the at least one control function is executable in real time. 
     
     
         26 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 18 , further comprising a programmable panel having a plurality of programmable keys that is each programmable to retrieve a control function, wherein each programmable key programmed with a respective control function appears back-lit on the video display panel with a first color indicating to an operator that the key is ready for operation and each programmable key that has not yet been programmed and are available for programming appearing backlit with a second color. 
     
     
         27 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 18 , wherein the preview monitor is further configured to display the video of the selected first video stream with the selected digital video effect applied thereto. 
     
     
         28 . The broadcast control system according to  claim 27 , further comprising a video broadcast controller configured to broadcast the selected first video stream with the selected digital video effect applied thereto upon receiving a transmission control signal from an operator of the broadcast control system.