WO2006136300A1

WO2006136300A1 - Device and method for determining a point in a film comprising film data applied in chronological order

Info

Publication number: WO2006136300A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/005553
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas Sporer; Michael Beckinger
Original assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
Priority date: 2005-06-22
Filing date: 2006-06-09
Publication date: 2006-12-28
Also published as: JP2008547145A; DE102005045628B3; EP1894199A1; JP5137826B2

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for determining a point in a film (110) comprising film data (112, 114) applied in chronological order. Said device encompasses a memory (320) for storing a reference fingerprint representation of the film data (112, 114). The fingerprint representation is configured such that a history of the fingerprint representation depends on a history of the film data while a time scale is assigned to a stored reference fingerprint representation. The inventive device further encompasses an apparatus (340) for receiving a section read by the film (110), an apparatus (350) for extracting a test fingerprint representation from the read section, and an apparatus (360) for comparing the test fingerprint representation to the reference fingerprint representation in order to determine the point in the film (110) based on the comparison and the time scale.

Description

Apparatus and method for determining a location in a film having film information applied in a temporal sequence

description

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for determining a location in a film having film information applied in a temporal sequence to synchronize, for example, film events with image reproduction.

Audio-video data is on data carriers, e.g. Film or tape, or transmission channels, e.g. Radio or telephone, stored in a fixed format, which can be extended to include new audio formats or other synchronous additional services, such as Subtitles, not allowed. For example, when new audio formats are introduced, new media or movie copies must be produced that have the new audio formats.

Fig. 8 shows an exemplary film 110. Film information is applied to the film in spatial sequence, or during playback, respectively, in chronological order, e.g. Video information or images 112, which are also referred to as "frames" in the English language, and audio information or one or a plurality of analog or digital audio tracks 114 which are used in the digital case "audio frames". Furthermore, the film 110 has, by way of example, feed perforations 116 with the aid of which the film is played back.

For the synchronization of additives, two methods are known in principle.

The first method involves the storage of a time code on the data carrier, such as for DTS (DTS = Digital Theater System) for Kinoton, or in an additional channel with the audio signal is connected. Examples of this are an- xiliary data by DAB and mp3. The time code is then used to play audio or additional information synchronously from an external data carrier, for example CD in DTS. The disadvantage of this method, however, is that each additional format requires more space on the disk or transmission channel, which may not be available anymore. In the case of film, these are, for example, the tracks for analogue sound, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS (SDDS = Sony Dynamic Digital Sound). Proprietary formats, however, prevent the

Use of the timecode of an extension by other extensions. Mutual disturbances of the extensions are not always preventable, an example of this is the use of anxilliary data in mp3 for additional information and bandwidth extension of various manufacturers.

The second method is based on the misuse of analog audio tracks for storing time code as described e.g. in a prototype cinema equipped with an IOSONO system. A disadvantage of this method, however, is that the analog track is present in all systems and is often used as a fallback solution in case of disturbances of other systems, that is, an alienation of the analog track prevents the fallback possibility. The automatic switching to the analogue track, which is built into most cinemas, causes the timecode to be played back as an analogue signal if no signal is present on the "more modern" Dolby Digital or DTS tracks in a pure wave field synthesis playback, which will be explained below, the redundant analog playback are turned off manually, because otherwise the time code can be heard on the redundant other speakers.

Acoustic Wave Field Synthesis, WFS for short, goes beyond the surround approaches of the Dolby, SDDS or DTS formats. In the WFS, the air vibrations of a real situation, which make up the sound, are tried over a whole To recreate space. In contrast to conventional playback using two or more loudspeakers, in which the image of the position of the original sound sources is limited to a line between the loudspeakers, the wave field synthesis is intended to transmit the entire sound field true to the original to the room. This means that the virtual sound sources can be exactly spatially localized, and possibly even seem to exist in the middle of the sounded room, thus they can be bypassed. Systems with up to 200 loudspeakers in cinema systems and up to 900 loudspeakers in theater sound systems have already been implemented.

Wave field synthesis is based on the Huygens principle, which states that any point on a wavefront can be considered as the starting point for an elementary spherical wave. By interference of all elementary waves, a new wavefront arises, which is identical to the original wave.

Such a sound system has been developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology under the name IOSONO and is used in the cinema Ilmenau.

As an example from practice, the cinema Ilmenau called, in which the wave field synthesis is operated in two modes.

In the first mode, the cinema is operated as a "real" wave field synthesis system, where the analog track of the 35 mm film stores the time code, as explained above with regard to the second "abusive" method, and the WFS sound of an external medium, eg Hard disk or DVD, is leaked.

In the second mode, "Compatible Playback", the sound stored on each 35 mm movie is taken from a Dolby processor, alternatively DTS or SDDS could also be used be read, read and decoded, the Dolby processor may also switch automatically to the analog track, and maps the resulting multi-channel signal via WFS on virtual speakers.

Since different signal paths are necessary for both modes, a division of the signal coming from the read head for the analog signal is necessary, resulting in additional technical complexity.

In summary, it can therefore be said that there is no longer any room on today's cinematographic rolls to provide a further synchronization track for, for example, external sound systems or subtitling systems. All previously available cinema sound systems, analog and digital, receive their soundtrack either directly via one or a plurality of sound tracks on the film reel or through a manufacturer-specific time code signal on the film reel. This means that for both known approaches, as explained above, new copies of the films must be produced at mostly considerable costs. Although audio formats such as Dolby Digital and SDDS allow for modern audio experiences, they still do not have timecodes for the synchronization of, for example, subtitles or other language versions of the FiIm soundtrack.

Frank Jordan and Jesper Dannow, therefore, propose a timecode at the "Generating Timecode Information from Analogue Sources", 118th Convention, Audio Engineering Society, May 28-31, 2005 in Barcelona, Spain, Convention Paper 6473 The basis of the analogue soundtrack The publication describes a system called "Soundtitles", which is connected to the analog soundtrack of the projector. Based on a processed, digital copy of the soundtrack and the analogue signal of the film projector, a time information or a time code is determined by cross-correlation. The system "Soundtitles" consists of three components. dul "Sync Tracker generates the time code signal. The second module, the "Sync Player", creates subtitles that are projected onto a projector, for example, while the third module, the "Clip Player", plays synchronized audio clips that are transmitted via wireless headphones to the moviegoer.

A disadvantage of the prior art described above is that the synchronization and timing within the film, as described in the publication, is limited to a search window of, for example, 1 minute. Especially in the initial phase of the film, however, it is difficult to define the right window for a successful synchronization. If the portion read or scanned by the film is not in the portion of the stored movie information used for the synchronization, the synchronization will fail or the synchronization will be erroneous. The cinema audience or movie viewer then hears no or a wrong sound to the film.

The object of the present invention is to provide an efficient concept for determining a location in a film.

This object is achieved by a device for determining a position in a film according to claim 1, a method for determining a position in a film according to claim 20 and by a computer program according to claim 21.

The present invention is based on the finding that each location of a film generally has film information specific to that location, so that in a feature extraction different locations of a film have different, specific characteristics of the features. In other words, different places in a movie have different "fingerprints" on. These fingerprints can in turn be used to find a location in a movie.

According to the invention there is therefore provided an apparatus for determining a location in a film having film information applied in a temporal sequence, comprising: a memory for storing a reference fingerprint representation (FAD) of the movie information, wherein the fingerprint representation is arranged such that a temporal Characteristics of the fingerprint representation depend on a time course of the film information, wherein a stored reference fingerprint representation is associated with a time scale, means for receiving a portion read from the film, means for extracting a test fingerprint representation from the read portion, and means for comparing the test fingerprint representation the reference fingerprint representation to determine the location in the film based on the comparison and time scale.

The device and method for determining a location in a film make it possible to determine anywhere in a film at any time without having to prepare or change the film itself. The relevant time information, the time scale, is stored along with a saved version of the movie. The film is stored in the form of a reference fingerprint representation, which corresponds to a feature extraction. Thus, the required storage space and also the computing power and / or the duration for determining the location can be reduced. Preferred embodiments also have the advantage, with a suitable choice of the fingerprint representation, to enable an unambiguous determination of the position.

The device and the method for determining a position in a film can be used, for example, in a device for generating a control signal for a film event system be used that synchronizes movie events with a picture playback. Examples of movie events include audio, subtitles, and special effects, with special effects such as air currents, jiggling on the cinema chairs, smells, or light effects on the side and back walls. Different audio languages, such as simultaneous playback of the original version and translations into other languages, as well as different audio techniques, such as the synchronization of digital surround sound, are possible with regard to the audio event.

Systems such as wave field synthesis. The device or the method for determining a location, in particular for synchronization in an initial phase of the film, but also cause a higher tolerance to jumps in the middle of the film, so even under adverse circumstances optimal synchronization or determination of a point in a movie to ensure.

Although the examples described above and still speak of a moviegoer or a movie, the invention is not limited to movies for a moviegoer, but generally refers to films or audio-video signals, regardless of whether these are films or other data carriers and storage media, eg Magnetic tapes or hard drives, stored movie information. Moreover, the invention can also be used for pure sound systems without video or, for example, by means of a video ID also for the synchronization of pure video material, i. without sound, to be used with any events.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a ^{Favor ¬} th embodiment of an apparatus for Generating a control signal for a movie event system;

FIG. 2a shows a basic block diagram of an embodiment of an apparatus for performing a correlation; FIG.

Fig. 2b is a schematic block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a device for performing a correlation;

Fig. 2c.1 an exemplary portion of a film

FIG. 2c.2 shows an exemplary course of a tone signal of the section of the film shown in FIG. 2c.1 at a variable, first playback speed and a constant test sample rate;

FIG. 2 c shows an exemplary profile of a sound signal of the section of the film shown in FIG. 2 c 1 at a variable, second playback speed and a constant test sampling rate;

FIG. 2c shows an exemplary course of a sound signal of the section of the film shown in FIG. 2c.1 at a variable, third playback speed and a constant test sample rate;

Fig. 2d.l two exemplary sections of a film;

Fig. 2d.2 an exemplary course of a reference sound signal of the film;

FIG. 2d shows an exemplary course of a test tone signal, based on a first playback speed and a constant test scan rate, for a section of the film; FIG. 2d.4 an exemplary first correlation result from the correlation of the reference sound signal according to FIG. 2d.2 and the test sound signal according to FIG. 2d.3;

Fig. 2d.5 two exemplary sections of a film according to Fig.2d.l;

FIG. 2d.6 shows an exemplary course of a reference sound signal of the film according to FIG. 2d.2;

Fig. 2d.7 shows an example of a test tone signal based on a second playback speed and a constant test sample rate for a portion of the film;

2d.8 shows an exemplary second correlation result from the correlation of the reference sound signal according to FIG. 2d.6 and the test sound signal according to FIG. 2d.7;

3a is a schematic block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a device for determining a location in a film by means of a fingerprint representation;

Fig. 3b.1 shows two sections of a film;

3b.2 shows an exemplary course of the reference sound signal for the two sections according to FIG. 3b.1;

Fig. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a device for detecting a location in a film by means of a coarse and a subsequent fine determination of the location;

Fig. 5a is a schematic block diagram of a preferred embodiment of an apparatus for Generating a control signal for a movie event system;

Fig. 5b.1 two sections of a film;

5b.2 shows an exemplary course of a reference sound signal for a first section of the film;

Fig. 5b.3 shows an exemplary course of a test sound signal for a second portion of the film;

5b.4 an exemplary correlation result from the correlation of the reference sound signal according to FIG. 5b.2 and the test sound signal according to FIG. 5b.3;

6a is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary motion picture display system including an apparatus for generating a control signal for a motion picture event system and a motion picture event system;

FIG. 6b is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary motion picture display system including an apparatus for generating a control signal with an exemplary audio movie event system; FIG.

7 shows a schematic illustration of an exemplary assignment of a time scale to a film information;

Fig. 8 is a schematic representation of an exemplary film with applied film information.

In the following description of the invention and the preferred embodiments, the same reference numerals are used for the same or equivalent elements. In the following the invention will be explained in more detail by means of exemplary embodiments, which use as a film information the sound signal which is applied to the film. However, this is not intended to limit the invention, but serves only to illustrate it.

1 shows a basic block diagram of a device for generating a control signal for a film event system and an exemplary film 110, as has been explained above with reference to FIG. 8, wherein the device for generating a control signal comprises a device 120 for storing the film information, means for receiving a portion read from the film 140, means for comparing the read portion with the stored movie information 112, 114, and means 180 for determining the control signal based on the comparison and the time scale.

The stored film information 112, 114 includes, for example, the audio or audio signals, the images or

Video signals or even brands that can already be found on films, and e.g. determine where the shutter will open or when the sound will be played or when the movie will stop. The stored audio and / or video signals are present, for example, in digitized form, preferably in compressed form, in order to reduce the memory requirement.

One advantage of digitized storage lies in the simple and, above all, error-free duplication of the stored image of the film information.

Unlike conventional systems, the film remains unchanged as previously described, producing only a stored image of the movie information once, e.g. in the production of the film.

When playing the film by means of a film player, for example a film projector, The audio signal received on audio track 114 is received by device 140 for reception and conditioned for comparison by device 160, for example, sampled at a given sample rate and passed as a portion of a given length or number of samples.

The means 160 is adapted to compare this portion read from the film with the stored film information, the means 160 for comparing may be arranged to compare the read portion with the entire stored film information, but preferably the read portion with a portion of the stored ones Film information compares to minimize the computational effort. The comparison can be done, for example, by cross-correlation, but also by calculating the difference, e.g. by calculating a compressed hash sum and searching this in a database. The comparison may consist of the audio signal alone, the video signal alone, a comparison of the audio signal and the video signal and a combination with an evaluation of the aforementioned features. Based on the result of the comparison of the means 160 for comparison and the time scale, the means 180 determines the control signal 190. By means of the control signal 190, a film event system is controlled which, based on the control signal 190, is synchronous with the playing film 110, for example WFS. Sounds or subtitles generated. In this case, the device for generating a control signal or in particular the device for determining the control signal 180 may be designed so that the control signal is an arbitrary time code format, proprietary or standardized, such as e.g. the SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) standardized LTC time code format (LTC = Longitudinal Time Code).

Time synchronous means that, based on the control signal 190, the movie event system is one of the movies currently being played. played place, which is assigned a time on the time scale in the stored movie information, a time corresponding to the time scale corresponding, simultaneous event is generated.

In this case, unlike the illustrated embodiment, instead of the film projector, any film player may be used, any film formats, e.g. Silent films (eg, with video-based synchronization), analog or digital soundtrack, one or more parallel soundtracks, or any other storage media, such as cassettes or hard disks whose format is not changed, as an alternative to a movie can or should, for example, to continue to be compatible with the movie player, but at the same time other movie events should be synchronized.

In a preferred embodiment, the audio signal is used as movie information for synchronization. At this time, the portion read from the film is scanned at a given sampling rate, hereinafter referred to as the test sampling rate, to produce a test tone signal and the stored movie information is stored in digital form, the stored film information being hereinafter referred to as the reference signal , and the test tone signal and reference tone signal are compared in the cross-correlation comparing means 160.

In one embodiment, the test signal sample rate and the reference signal sample rate are fixed, that is, constant. The means 160 for comparison may then be designed, for example, to generate a first correlation result at a first time on the basis of a first test tone signal and a first reference tone signal to determine a first time scale of the time scale, and at a second time a second test tone signal a second reference sound signal a second To generate the correlation result to determine a second time of the time scale, for example, to determine therefrom a time difference or playback speed or to determine a speed difference compared to a desired or reference playback speed. On this basis, the means 180 for determining the control signal determines the control signal, for example, to synchronize the movie event system.

A disadvantage of a constant sampling rate, however, is that at a changing test playback speed, the correlation result deteriorates, and thus the accuracy of the determination of the time or the point in the film is inaccurate and thus the synchronization is worse. This disadvantage can be compensated by varying the sampling rates, ie the test sampling rate and / or the reference sampling rate.

2a shows a schematic block diagram of a device for carrying out a correlation between a test sound signal that can be played at a variable playback speed and a reference sound signal that is a digitally stored version of the test sound signal, wherein the device for carrying out a correlation is a device 210 for determining a measure of a test playing speed, means 230 for varying a test sampling rate or reference sampling rate, and means 250 for comparing. Means 230 is configured to vary a test sampling rate at which the test sound signal 270 is sampled to produce a modified test signal 272 or to vary a reference sampling rate to produce a modified reference sound signal 276 based on a reference sound signal 274. The means 230 for varying is further configured to vary the test sampling rate or reference sampling rate such that a deviation between a test playback speed associated with the test sound signal or a reference playback speed corresponding to the modulated sound rate. or a deviation between a test playback speed associated with the modified test sound signal 272 and a reference playback speed associated with the reference sound signal 274, or a deviation between a test playback speed associated with the modified test sound signal 272 and a reference playback speed associated with a modified reference sound signal 276 is reduced, the term playback speed or the problem of a variable playback speed being explained in more detail below.

The device 250 for comparing the modified test tone signal 272 and the reference sound signal 274, or the

Test tone signal 270 and the modified reference tone signal 276, or the modified test tone signal 272 and the modified reference tone signal 276 is designed to determine a result 278 of the correlation.

For example, in an apparatus for generating a control signal for a film event system, such as shown in FIG. 1, the embodiment of the apparatus for performing a correlation shown in FIG. 2a may be used as means 160 for comparison.

Fig. 2b shows a schematic block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a device for performing a correlation between a test sound signal and a reference sound signal.

2b shows means 280 for storing a reference sound signal 274 which is a digital version of the test sound signal 270, the reference sound signal 274 having been generated once based on a given memory reference playback speed and a memory reference sampling rate. The test tone signal is played back at a variable test playback speed and sampled at a test sample rate to produce the test tone signal 270.

The test-play-speed measurement means 210 of the test sound signal 270 controls the means 230 for varying on the basis of the test-playback-speed measurement. The means 230 for varying in turn controls a reference rate converter 232 and a variable sampler 234, wherein the sample rate converter 232 is configured to convert from the reference audio signal based on the memory reference playback speed and a memory reference sampling rate into a modified reference sound signal 276 which corresponds to a reference sound signal based on a different memory reference playback speed and / or memory reference sampling rate, and wherein the variable sampler 234 is adapted to sample the test sound signal at a varied sample rate different from the standard or basic sample rate to generate modified test tone signal 272.

In contrast to FIG. 2 b, the device for performing a correlation can also be designed in such a way that the test sound signal 270 is always supplied via the variable scanner 234 to the device 250 for comparison, wherein the variable sampler 234 is then designed such that one of the variables Test sampling rate of the standard or basic sampling rate, and further be formed that the reference sound signal 274 is always supplied via the Referenzabastratenkonverter 232 of the means 250 for comparison, wherein the Referenzabtastratenkonverter 232 is designed such that it is driven by the device 230 passes the reference tone signal 274 unmodified to the means 250 for comparison. The illustration selected in FIG. 2b of the separate supply of the test tone signal 270 relative to the modified test tone signal 272 and the reference tone signal relative to the modified reference tone signal 276 to the means 250 for comparison serves to be able to represent the alternative design possibilities or realization possibilities.

For example, in an embodiment in which the means 250 for comparing is adapted to compare the modified test sound signal 272 with the unmodified reference sound signal 274, no reference sampling rate converter 232 is necessary or the apparatus for performing a correlation according to FIG 2b does not include a reference sample rate converter 232. Likewise, a comparing means 250 configured to compare the unmodified test sound signal 270 with the modified reference sound signal 246 does not include a variable sampler 234.

In another embodiment, the means 280 for storing is a means for storing a movie information, wherein the stored movie information is associated with a time scale, and the test sound signal 270 is, for example, a movie sound signal. The device for

Performing a correlation according to FIG. 2b can then be used, for example, as a means for comparing 160 according to FIG.

Fig. 2c.1 shows a portion of an exemplary film 110 having a soundtrack 114 as previously described in Fig. 1. In FIG. 2c.1, two locations of the film 110 are shown, a first location, hereinafter referred to as location Li, and a second location, hereinafter referred to as location L ₂ . The two locations Li and L ₂ define a portion on the film 110 that has a length of ΔL = Li-L ₂ . Fig. 2c.2 shows an exemplary course of the test sound signal, which is assigned to the section between the point Li and L ₂ described in Fig. 2c.1, further wherein the time at which the point Li of the film is played, referred to as time Ti and the time at which point L _{2 of} the movie is played is referred to as time T ₂ . The time duration ΔT = Ti - T ₂ is dependent on the length of the relevant section and the playback speed v of the film, it applies:

ΔT = ΔL / v or

T ₂ - Ti = (L ₂ - L ₁ ) / v.

When sampling the test tone signal at the sampling rate f = 1 / Δt, where Δt is the sampling period and ΔT = n • Δt, the test tone signal may be shown as a result of n + 1 samples, as exemplified in Fig. 2c.2 with n = 10 , being represented.

When the film is played back at a playback speed v and a sampling rate f = 1 / Δt, the film segment between Li and L ₂ or Ti and T _{2 is} subdivided into n time segments or represented by n + 1 sample values, for example:

n = ΔL / (Δt • v) or n = ΔL • f / v,

that is, the number of sampling periods or samples for a given film section ΔL is proportional to the sampling rate f, or antiproportional to the sampling period Δt and antiproportion to the playback speed v. In other words, for a section of constant length ΔL, the quotient "f / v" or the product "Δt • v ^{λλ must be} constant if n or the number of samples n + 1 is to be constant." In this case, the first sample equal, then the individual samples are the same under the condition mentioned above. Accordingly, in generating the stored film information or the reference sound signal at a memory sampling fspeich r _e and a memory playback speed Vspei _c h _he the stored portion of the film information and the test tone signal represented for example by N _S p _Eicher + 1 reference samples and stored.

To illustrate the situation, Figs. 2c.2 to 2c.4 show exemplary scans or storages of the film portion between the location Li and the location L ₂ for a constant sampling rate f and a variable sampling rate Δt and a variable playback speed, respectively. 2.c2 an exemplary sampling or storage for a first playback speed Vi, Fig. 2c.3 sampling or storage of the same film portion at a second playback speed v _2, and Fig. 2c.4 a sample of the same film portion for a third scan speed V ₃ shows. It is in this game accession vi half the size of v ₂ and twice as large as V _3: V = V _2/2 and vi = 2 ^• V3.

All three audio signals shown in FIGS. 2c.2 to 2c.4 have the same first sample at the point L ₁ or at the corresponding time Ti. Therefore, as shown by way of example in FIGS. 2c.2 to 2c.4, the stored image information or the reference sound signal in FIG. 2c.2 is represented by ru + 1 = 11 sampling values, in FIG. 2c.3 the same film segment is shown n ₂ + 1 = 6 samples, and in Fig. 2c.4 the same movie section is shown with n ₃ + 1 = 21 samples.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2c.2 to 2c.4, at a constant sampling rate, an increase in the playback speed v corresponds to a temporal compression of the audio signal, ie a doubling of the playback speed vi from FIG. 2c.2 results, as in FIG. 2c.3 shown to halve T ₂ -Ti and n, and to reduce the Game speed v at a temporal extension of the audio signal, ie halving the playback speed vi of Fig. 2c.2 leads as shown in Fig. 2c.4 to a doubling of T ₂ ~ Ti and n.

FIGS. 2d.l and 2d.2 essentially correspond to FIGS. 2c.1 and 2c.2. Compared to FIG. 2c.1, FIG. 2d shows two additional locations which define a search section or a search window with respect to the film and the film information applied thereon, wherein a first location of the search window is denoted by L ₀ , and one second location of the search window is denoted by L ₃ , wherein the portion between the location Lo and the location L _{3 is} greater than the portion which is defined by the locations Li and L ₂ , or ΔL _fen s _te r > ΔL with

Accordingly, in Fig. 2d.2, in addition to Fig. 2c.2, the time T ₀ , which represents the time associated with the location Lo based on a given playback speed, has been determined to be ΔL _window r = L ₃ _-L ₀ and ΔL = L ₂ and the time T ₃ , which represents the time associated with the location L ₃ based on a given playback speed.

On the generation of the stored movie information or the reference sound signal and the additionally stored

Transmit time scale, this means that T ₀ defines, for example, the time on the time scale, which is assigned to the point Lo, the time Ti defines the time on the time scale that defines the point Li, the time T _2, the time on the time scale, the point L ₂ and the time T ₃ defines the time on the time scale associated with the point L ₃ on the film.

Fig. 2d.3 corresponds to Fig. 2c.2.

In the following, based on FIGS. 2d.2 to 2d.4, a basic course of a comparison of two signals by means of correlation or the problem of a variable playback system will be explained. speed when comparing two signals are exemplified and explained.

2d.3 represents a currently read film information or test tone signal 270 applied to the film, and FIG. 2d.2 represents a stored film information or a reference sound signal, wherein in an optimal case, shown here by FIGS 2 and 2d.3, the memory playback speed and the memory scan rate at which the reference sound signal was generated coincided with the playback speed of the test sound signal and the sampling rate of the test sound signal, and the quotient of memory sampling rate f memory and memory playback speed as previously shown v _Spe i _ch it with the quotient of the sampling rate f for the test tone signal and the playback speed of the test tone signal v match. In this case, the reference sound signal, or a portion of the reference sound signal defined by Ti and T ₂ , may exactly match the test sound signal representing the portion between Ti and T ₂ , more specifically the sample value sequences thereof, and a clear local one by correlation Maximum or a correlation peak are obtained, as shown by way of example in Fig. 2d.4.

The position of the peak in turn indicates the time shift of the test sound signal relative to the reference sound signal or the search window. Based on this, the current time with respect to the stored time scale can then be determined.

FIGS. 2d.5 to 2d.8, in contrast to FIGS. 2d.l to 2d.4, show an example in which the playback speed of the test sound signal shown in FIG. 2d.7 is compared with the playback speed of the test sound signal, as shown in FIG Fig. 2d.2 is shown is reduced.

Fig. 2d.5 corresponds to Fig. 2d.l. Fig. 2d.6 corresponds to Fig. 2d.2, that is, Fig. 2d.6 represents an exemplary represents a progression of a reference sound signal, which is based on a memory sampling rate f _Sp ei _c forth and a memory playback speed v _S peich _e r. Fig. 2d.7 shows an exemplary course or exemplary sampling of the test sound signal, based on a comparison with 2d.3 or

Fig. 2d.6 unchanged test sample rate f, however, a changed, reduced playback speed v 'of the test sound signal.

Based on a considered period of time ΔT, this means that in the same time segment ΔT at a reduced speed v 'only a smaller portion or a portion of lesser length Δl / is played back from the film according to Δl / = v' ^• ΔT - gen on the currently playing film after the period .DELTA.T only one point L ' ₂ , which lies in front of the point L ₂ is reached, as shown in Fig. 2d.5. Relative to the reference sound signal and the time scale associated therewith, the point L '2 is assigned the time T' _{2 of} the time scale, as shown in FIG. 2d.7.

With reference to the individual samples of the test sound signal, this means that the "spatial" course of the test sound signal given by the soundtrack of the film is unchangeable, so that at a lower playback speed v 'a sampling period Δt or a corresponding spatial sampling section Δl' corresponds. which is smaller than Δl, so that, as shown in Fig. 2d.7 compared to Fig. 2d.6, the samples of the test sound signal with respect to the "spatial" waveform to the left "wander".

In the opposite case that the changed playback speed v 'is greater than the memory playback speed vsp _e i _{cher /} the opposite case occurs, in the same time interval Δt a larger spatial Ab ^¬ cut Δl is played, so that the samples of the test sound signal on the " spatial "course of the test sound signal to" right "on the waveform" wander ". At a modified playback speed, whether higher or lower than the memory playback speed, the result of the comparison will be degraded, since, even under otherwise optimal conditions, the test sound signal and the reference sound signal represent two different spatial sections of the film. The greater the deviation of the memory playback speed from the test playback speed, the worse the result of the comparison. In the case of a comparison by means of correlation, the magnitude of the local maximum or peak decreases and the maximum itself becomes wider and flatter, for example, so that the time determination with respect to the time scale becomes increasingly inaccurate until it is no longer possible.

For example, under real-world conditions, the playback speed of the test tone signal will not only vary between different movie players, but may vary during a movie. Accurate tracking is essential to ensure synchrony throughout an entire movie.

Therefore, the means for performing a correlation varies the sampling rate of the test sound signal or the sampling rate of the reference sound signal to detect the adverse effect of a variable sampling rate of the test sound signal as described above according to the above-described condition that the quotient of sampling rate and playback speed of the Test sound signal and the reference sound signal must be equal to minimize, to represent the same film section with the same samples.

For a reference digital audio signal previously generated at a memory sampling rate, the change in playback speed is effected by sample rate conversion, where the stored reference sound signal 274 is appropriately interpolated, for example, to obtain a reference rate. to generate the renztonsignal at the sample rate corresponding to the changed playback speed.

FIG 2d.l -. 2d.8 illustrate simplified examples in which the clarity sake was assumed that the memory playback speed v _Spe Icher a normal or usual playback speed of a playback device corresponding to generate a test tone signal. As previously discussed, however, the quotient of sample rate f and playback speed v is the magnitude that must be the same for the reference sound signal and the test sound signal to represent the same portion of the film with the same samples as previously indicated. For example, when generating the reference sound signal, a double playback speed can also be used if the sampling rate is doubled at the same time.

In one embodiment of FIG. 2b, the means 210 for determining may determine a measure of a test playing speed based on the result 278 of the correlation.

One possibility is to use a single correlation result for the determination of a measure of the playback speed, for example, by comparing an amplitude of a peak with a predetermined threshold to determine whether a deviation between a playback speed of a test sound signal and a reference sound signal in a given Area is located.

In a preferred embodiment, at least two different reference sound signals, based on different reference sampling rates and corresponding to different reference playback speeds, are compared to the test sound signal to compare the results of the correlation, for example by means of a quality assessment, which will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG from these a most similar reference sound signal and thus based on the known sampling rate and the known memory playback speed to determine a measure of the playback speed of the test sound signal. In this case, the different reference sound signals can be formed one after the other and compared with the test sound signal or simultaneously formed and compared.

A particularly preferred embodiment of. Apparatus for performing a correlation produces three reference tone signals based on different reference sample rates, the reference tone signal of the middle of the three sample rates being based on the reference sample rate of the reference tone signal having the best quality or maximum match with the test tone signal in a previous comparison, and the two other reference sound signals each have a reference sampling rate higher or lower than the reference sampling rate of the mean reference sound signal and reference sampling rate, respectively. This is controlled by the means 230 for varying on the basis of an output of the means 210 for determining the measure of the test playing speed. This ensures that the reference sampling rate or the reference playback speed of the reference sound signal is matched to the playback speed or reference sampling rate of the test tone signal.

Fig. 3a shows an exemplary film as shown in Fig. 8 and a principal block diagram of a device for detecting a location in the film.

The embodiment of the device for detecting a position in a film shown in FIG. 3a can be used, for example, in a device for generating a control signal for a film event system, as shown for example in FIG. 1, as device 180 for determining the control signal. The device for determining a position in a film has a memory 320 for storing a reference fingerprint representation of the film information, wherein the fingerprint representation is designed so that a time course of the fingerprint representation depends on a temporal course of the film information, and wherein a stored reference fingerprint representation is a Time scale, having means 340 for receiving a portion read from the film, means 350 for extracting a test fingerprint representation from the read portion, and means 34 for comparing the test fingerprint representation with the reference fingerprint representation, on the basis of the comparison and the time scale to determine the location in the movie.

In a preferred embodiment, the fingerprint representation comprises a representation in the form of a spectral flatness, wherein a time profile of the fingerprint representation comprises a temporal profile of the spectral flatness.

Fig. 3b.1 shows an exemplary film 110 as shown in Fig. 8. In this case, for example, a position of the film when playing the film at a given playback speed corresponds to the time Tioo of the time scale, the point L _{103 to} the time T _{103 of} the time scale, the point L ₁₁₃ , the time Tn _{3 of} the time scale and the Place L1 ₁ 6 the time Tue the time scale.

In the step of generating the reference fingerprint representation of the movie information, in one embodiment, a fingerprint is determined for particular spatial and temporal portions of the film.

For example, FIG. 3b.2 shows a first section comprising the section from the point Lχ _O o to Ln ₃ and Ti ₀₀ to Ti ₁₃ , respectively, and a second section comprising the section of FIG the point Lχ _O 3 up to the point Lu ₃ or from the time Tχo3 to the time Tn ₆ includes. Based on these sections, a fingerprint associated with this section is created based on, for example, spectral analysis, Fourier transformation, or other feature extraction methods. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the fingerprint comprises the spectral flatness γ _x ² , which is calculated from the course of the power density spectrum, so that the value of the spectral flatness is determined for each section, and depending on the time course of the film information, for example Sound signal, a sequence of spectral flatness, which are stored in the memory 320 with the associated time scale.

Sampling rate, length or duration of the section, or the distance between two consecutive sections are determined according to the requirements for, for example, uniqueness or accuracy of determining the location in the film. The longer the section, the clearer the feature's feature in general, the higher the sampling rate and / or the smaller the distance between two sections, the more accurately the location in the movie can be determined. The higher the sampling rate, the longer the sections and the smaller the distances between them

Sections, the higher the memory requirement for the reference signal or the request for the processing power in the signal processing.

A significant advantage of the fingerprint representation in the form of the spectral flatness is its small memory requirement compared to, for example, a complete storage of the power density spectrum for a same section. Preferably, a trace of spectral flatness is used as a fingerprint for a portion. Figure 4a shows an exemplary film 110, as shown in Figure 8, and a device for detecting a location in a film having film information applied in a temporal sequence.

The embodiment of the device for detecting a position in a film shown in FIG. 4a can be used, for example, in a device for generating a control signal for a film event system, as shown for example in FIG. 1, as device 180 for determining the control signal.

The means for determining a location includes a memory 420 for storing film information deposited on a film in sequence, with a time scale associated with the stored movie information, means 440 for receiving a portion read from the film, and synchronization means 460 configured to compare a sequence of samples of the read portion underlying a first sampling rate and a first search window of the stored film information to obtain a coarse result, and a sequence of samples of the read portion; which is based on a second sampling rate and a second search window of the stored film information to obtain a fine result indicative of the location of the film, wherein a position of the second search window in the stored film information depends on the coarse result, and wherein the first Search window time l I is longer than the second search window, and further wherein the first sample rate is lower than the second sample rate.

FIG. 5a shows an exemplary film 110, as shown in FIG. 8, as well as a preferred embodiment of a device for generating a control signal for a movie event system that is formed based on an analog soundtrack applied to the film the film read portion of the audio signal or test tone signal and a stored digital version of the test sound signal, hereinafter referred to as reference sound signal, which is associated with a time scale to determine the control signal by comparing the test sound signal and the reference sound signal by means of the time scale.

5a shows a preferred embodiment of an apparatus for generating a control signal for a motion event system, comprising a first film sound sampler 542 connected to a first A / D converter 544 (A / D = analogue / digital), wherein the first A / D converter 544 having a first feature extractor 552, first means 562 for correlation with a first reference tone signal based on a first sampling rate, second means 564 for correlation with a second reference tone signal, which is based on a second sampling rate and connected to a third means 566 for correlation with a third reference sound signal based on a third sampling rate, the sampling rate also being called a sample rate. An input of the first means 562 for correlation, an input of a second means 564 for correlation, and an input of the third means 566 for correlation are coupled to an output of a sample rate converter 232, referred to as a sample rate converter (SRC). connected.

An output of the first means 562 for correlation, an output of the second means 564 for correlation and an output of the third means 566 for correlation are connected to an input of a first means 568 for quality assessment. The quality assessment device 568 in turn is coupled to the sample rate converter 232 and to a sampler selection means 570, an output of the sampler selection means 570 being connected to an input of a timer 582. The timer 582 in turn is stored with the An audio track device 522 is connected to an input of the sample rate converter 232 for storing the audio track.

An output of the first feature extractor 552 is connected to an input of a feature comparison device 554 having, for example, a feature classifier and a database of features, an output of the feature comparison device 554 having an input of the timer 582 is connected.

An output of the timer 582 is coupled to an input of a time code generation means 584 having a time code database or coupled to a time code database, and an output of the time code generation means 584 is connected to an input of a time code slicer 586, the means 586 is adapted to output a time code 592, and wherein an output of the time code smoothing means 586 is connected to an input of a word clock generator 588, which in turn is adapted to output a word clock signal 594.

The apparatus for generating a control signal for a film event system optionally further comprises a second film sound sampler 542 'connected to a second A / D converter 544', the second A / D converter 544 'having a second feature extractor 552', with a fourth means 562 'for correlation with a fourth reference sound signal based on the first sampling rate, with a fifth means 564' for correlation with a fifth reference sound signal based on the second sampling rate, and with a sixth means 566 'for a correlation with a sixth reference sound signal connected at the third sampling rate. An output of the fourth means 562 'for correlation, an output of the fifth means 564' for a correlation and an output of the sixth means 566 'for a correlation are connected to an input of a second means 568' for quality evaluation, wherein an output of the second Further, means 568 'for quality evaluation is connected to an offset compensation 569 and another output is connected to an input of the sample rate converter 232, and further wherein the means for offset compensation 569 is connected to the sample selection 570.

In doing so, the first film tone sampler 542, also referred to as the main sampler, is positioned so that there is enough time for the device to generate a control signal to lock up. The first film tone sampler 542 thus provides a pre-delayed signal. The correlation window width or width of the portion of the test tone signal is added to the synchronization time. Based on the perforations on the film roll, the time difference for the pre-delay can be set exactly. As a first clue, three seconds is recommended.

The operation of the exemplary embodiment of the device for generating a control signal for a film event system is explained in more detail below, the principle being explained on the basis of the test sound signal or its signal processing chain generated by the first film sound scanner 542, since the second, optional signal processing chain or Signal processing of the test tone signal generated by the second film tone sampler 542 'corresponds to the first, so it will be discussed only on the means 569 for offset compensation specifically.

The first film sound sampler 542 reads the sound signal from the soundtrack of the film and samples the sound signal from the soundtrack of the film, and passes this signal on to the first A / D converter 544, the first A / D converter 544 being extended. is formed to generate a digital audio signal or test tone signal based on the sampling rate of the first film sound sampler 542 and the playback speed of the film from which the soundtrack or movie information is read.

On the basis of the test sound signal 270, one or a plurality of features is extracted or a test fingerprint representation is formed. For example, the spectral flatness is used as a characteristic or fingerprint for the feature extraction or fingerprint representation. The test fingerprint representation is then compared by the feature comparison device 554 with a reference fingerprint representation, as previously noted, wherein the fingerprint representation is such that a time history of the fingerprint representation depends on a temporal history of the movie information, and where a A reference fingerprint representation stored in feature 554 is associated with a time scale, and means 554 for comparing is adapted to determine a location in the film based on the comparison of the test fingerprint representation with the reference fingerprint representation and the time scale respectively a time code signal 554Z produce.

The sample rate converter, based on the stored reference tone signal 274, generates the same signal at slightly different sample rates, i. modified reference tone signals for the correlations to be calculated in parallel. Here, the case that a modified reference sound signal has the same sampling rate as the original reference sound signal is included herein, so that in the discussion of Fig. 5 in the following generally the term reference tone signals is used.

In other words, the sampling rate converter 232 generates three reference sound signals 276 or modified reference sound signals. Signals 276, wherein a first reference sound signal based on a first sampling rate and the first means 562 for correlation is supplied, wherein a second reference sound signal 276 based on a second sampling rate and the second means 564 for correlation is supplied, and a third reference sound signal 276 on based on a third sampling rate and supplied to a third means 566 for correlation. Sample rate converter 232 provides low-level, sample rate-different signals to the correlation

Means 562, 564, 566 for correlation, wherein the sampling rate is always set in response to the previous measured maximum peak-to-noise value from the correlation. In each case a correlation gets a modified reference tone signal with this sampling rate, another correlation gets a slightly lower, one level lower, and another correlation gets a slightly higher graduated sampling rate. This ensures that the sample rate converter can, for example, tune or synchronize to a change in the speed of the analog audio signal.

The means 522 for storing the soundtrack and the sampling rate converter 232 are preferably designed to use a window width of 2 ^n, in order to calculate low-cost large correlation windows by means of the fast Fourier transformation (FFT). In parallel, more than three correlations can be calculated to compensate for sudden jumps in the soundtrack. The correlation window is chosen to be large in order to obtain a clear correlation peak. In order to obtain the recognition accuracy of the correlation peak under a sample or a sampling period, oversampling of the input signal or test tone signal can be performed.

The means 522 for storing the sound track are in response to the supplied time code signal 582Z of the time bers 582 the reference sound signal in the length of the correlation window, wherein the correlation window is the search window in which the test sound signal is searched.

The first means 568 for quality assessment is designed to perform a maximum value search in the cross-correlated signals or the amounts of the signals and to weight the quality of the cross-correlated, depending on the height of the correlation peak compared to other peaks in the cross-correlated or to determine the quality of each individual correlation on the basis of the peak-to-noise distance.

On the basis of the quality assessment, the best quality reference tone is determined and the displacement of the peak from the search window is determined based on the position of the peak of the best quality reference tone, for example as a time code difference between the measured and currently valid time code or relative time code issued.

Depending on the result of the quality assessment, the first quality assessment device 568 sends a control signal 568A to the sampling rate converter 232, which for example distinguishes only the three signal values "0", "+1" and "-1", for example "0". the sampling rates of the last sample rate conversion or correlation are maintained, since the correlation result from the modified reference tone signal with the average sampling rate has been determined to be the highest quality, at "+1" the sampling rates are increased by one more level than the last sample rate conversion or correlation because the correlation result from the modified reference tone signal having the highest sampling rate was determined to be the highest quality, and at -1 the sample rates are reduced from the previous sample rate conversion by one step, since the correlation is from the test tone signal and the modified reference sound signal with the lowest reference sample rate had the best correlation result or peak-to-noise ratio.

In other words, depending on which sampling rate (first, second or third) the best correlation peak has been obtained, the sample rate converter will be e.g. is increased or decreased by one sample rate delta value, or so driven that it does not sample rate conversion.

The correlation serves to address two important aspects. First, determining the location in the film or determining the point in time in the film on the basis of the time code difference from the correlation. Second, determining the measure of the playback speed to determine the optimum reference sample rate or sample rate conversion of the reference sample rate, respectively. The adaptation of the sampling rates or the recapture of adapted playback speeds in turn enables better correlation results and thus in turn improves the timing or determination of the location in the film and thus in turn improves the synchronization and the prediction.

A preferred exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 5 is designed, by means of a signal analysis, to detect signal parts with specific characteristics in order to then hide them during synchronization and thus to prevent false detections or synchronizations or to avoid random fluctuations of the time axis.

Such characteristics may be, for example, the loudness of the signal part or the "problem" of a signal and the signal analysis or detection of problematic parts on the basis of SNR (signal-to-noise ratio), PNR (peak-to-noise), spectral power or power density spectrum, spectral flatness or averaging a time ^¬ union based sequence. For example, below a threshold value of the peak-to-noise ratio or peak-to-noise ratio, the time code difference can be recognized as invalid. Or if, for example, several peaks with a similar peak-to-noise ratio are detected, the time code difference can also be recognized as invalid.

Furthermore, for example, the quality of correlations with quiet signal parts, that is to say signal parts with a low amplitude, is lower than with correlations with loud signals because of the higher quantization noise in the digital sampling, therefore quiet signal parts are suppressed by means of threshold values or adaptively, to avoid random fluctuations of the time axis. In addition, the signal energy can be another quality feature.

Another example is the hiding of problematic, because recurrent signal parts in order to avoid ambiguity and thus, for example, incorrect synchronization.

Problematic signal parts or sections can also be signaled as metadata, for example, in order to hide these signal parts, regardless of the quality of the current correlation.

The time code generation means 584 is designed to convert based on the time code signal 582Z of the timer 582, which may for example be based on an internal or proprietary time code, into a standardized time code or a time code signal based on a standardized time code, for example.

The timer 582 is controlled by an internal clock

(Interval or frequency of correlations), a coarse audio ID fingerprint or fingerprint representation, for example, the time code signal 554Z from the feature determination tion or fingerprint representation, and the determined correlation difference, for example, the time-code difference signal 570Z determined from the correlation of the device 570 for picker selection. The timer must prioritize correlation signal (highest priority), time code from feature determination, and internal clock (lowest priority).

The time code smoothing means 586 is arranged to smooth the time code signal 584Z so as to avoid, for example, a hopping time code or, if there are time codes from the correlation, to find meaningful intermediate values, e.g. Compensate for pauses in the analog tone. The time code signal 592 generated by the time code slicer 586 is preferably a standard time code with which the movie event system is synchronized. However, the time code signal 592 can also be used to generate a corresponding sample clock or sample clock via a very slowly regulating phase-locked loop (PLL) if the enclosed audio reproduction system is of a digital type. Such phase locked loops are available as finished devices and are not the subject of this patent.

Optionally, more than one telecine with time varying offset from the projection lens may be used to improve the robustness of film damage or portions that are poorly tuned for synchronization.

A second film tone sampler 542 'may then be used, for example, since the second film tone sampler 542' is already present in conventional cinema systems. Breaks in the analogue tone can hereby be bridged by the film tone samplers 542, 542 'attached at different locations on the motion picture film, since the probability increases with short pauses in the film tone, the at least one scanner, the first film sound scanner 542 or the second film sound scanner 542', provides enough signal for a correlation and the associated synchronization.

Furthermore, optionally, different scanners, e.g. for analogue sound, Dolby Digital sound (including decoder), DTS digital sound (including DTS decoder) or another sound and a combination of the above may be used as the reference soundtrack and / or test soundtrack.

In this case, individual tracks can be used for comparison using averaging, majority decision or prioritization, automatically or via metadata, the time information generated therefrom, as well as a downmix to mono.

Generally speaking, different scanners may be used for different audio formats and / or different film scanners with different timing offsets.

Using a downmix on mono has the advantage that when the monaural track is used as a stored audio track, it saves less than storing five channels, for example.

The storage of different, that is, more than one soundtrack, ie no downmix, means that all channels are stored independently of each other and then, for example, as explained above, corresponding comparisons or majority decisions are performed, then the synchronization using a particular channel, the actual soundtrack and a corresponding channel of the stored soundtrack.

The initialization phase or the first synchronization and the resynchronization after a recording pause form two critical phases during a film projection or a synchronization of a film event system. Preferred embodiments therefore initially calculate more than three parallel correlations, since no synchronization has yet occurred, that is, more than three reference tone signals of different sampling rates are compared with the test tone signal in order to obtain the correct sampling rate or playback speed of the test tone signal as quickly as possible determine. It is also possible to try different sampling rates in succession until one of the correlations has the best signal-to-noise ratio.

Alternatively or additionally, the first feature extractor 552 and the feature classifier 554 provide a coarse absolute in conjunction with the database

Time code value defining a coarse location in the film to perform a fine determination of the location of the film or a fine time code determination in a second step, for example, by the correlation. For example, once synchro- nization has taken place, three correlations can be used to re-synchronize changes in the playback speed of the test tone signal during the movie screening.

The accuracy with which a location in a movie or time associated with a location can be assigned on a time scale depends on the sampling rate of the reference sound signal and the sampling rate of the test sound signal; the higher the sampling rate, the more accurate the location be determined in the movie. However, a lower sampling rate has the advantage that with the same number of samples, a longer portion of the reference sound signal or the test sound signal can be represented. A preferred embodiment is therefore designed, in a first step, to determine a rough determination of a location in a film by displaying a longer section of the film by means of a reference sampling signal with a lower sampling rate, and also a test tone signal by sampling. obtained at a lower sampling rate. Based on the coarse location in the film, in a second step, a higher sample rate reference tone signal and a higher sample rate test tone signal are used to finely determine the location in the film.

In other words, the window length is adjusted when correlated. At the beginning of the search, time-long windows but a reduced sampling rate of the signals are used, if a time should be approximately found and only tracked, short windows may even be used with oversampling of the signals to achieve a higher temporal accuracy.

In the initialization phase, for example, a "compatible reproduction" of the "old" audio format can take place until the exact position is determined.

Similarly, a "compatible" playback of the "old" audio format can be done if the synchronization has been lost significantly until the exact position is determined again.

The scanner selection means 570 and the offset compensation means 569 are necessary only in embodiments with more than one film sound scanner. For example, the scanner selection means 570 decides whether the result or time code difference of the first quality judging means 568 (568Z) or the result or time code difference 568Z 'of the second quality judging means 568' is sent to the job setting determiner 582 in the movie or a time code 582Z. Since the second film tone sampler 542 'scans the test tone signal at another location on the film, the offset between the location where the first film tone sampler 542 scans the film to where the second film tone sampler 542' scans the film by means 569 for offset compensation. so that the timer 582 obtains the correct time code difference 570Z regardless of whether the time code difference 568Z or the time code difference 568Z 'is selected with respect to the most recently stored or last stored location of the movie stored in the timer.

In contrast to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5a, the different reference sound signals of different reference sampling rates can also be generated one after the other and compared with the test sound signal in order to determine the measure of the playback speed of the test sound signal or the optimum reference sampling rate. Alternatively, more than three modified reference sound signals may be compared to the test sound signal, in parallel or serially, to allow not only early synchronization fast sync but also during movie screening, the film event system for large cracks in the film, e.g. caused by cuts or in the film missing sections, faster to resynchronize to the current location in the film.

Deviating from the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 a, a synchronization of a film event system can also take place on the basis of the images applied to the film, both for an evaluation of features or fingerprints and for a correlation of a test image signal with one or a plurality of references - picture signals.

In this case, as described above, the correlation of audio and / or video signals for determining the temporal location in an audio and / or video stream can be used, and a synchronous playback can be controlled on the basis of this timing determination.

Alternatively, the determination of an audio and / or video signature from the raw material in the form of an audio ID / Video ID (ID = Identification) can be used to roughly determine the time in a long AV stream to allow for synchronization anywhere.

The basic idea of the invention is, for example, to digitally store the already existing analog tone, in order to then synchronize it with the analog audio track on the motion picture film by means of correlation and other feature determination. The output signal or control signal of the device for generating a control signal or of the synchronizing device can be any time code format. Preferably, of course, e.g. used the SMPTE standardized LTC time code format. For each motion picture film, a data set for the device for generating a control signal or for the synchronization device must be created during production.

For each movie, an extra volume for the previously described device for generating a control signal or synchronization device is created during production.

The data carrier includes the digitized analog audio track, e.g. in dolby stereo format as found on the roll of film, feature data about the soundtrack and matching timecodes.

In the following, an exemplary determination of a time code difference will be described with reference to FIGS. 5b.1 to 5b.4.

FIG. 5b.1 shows an exemplary film 110 with a sound track 114, as already described in FIG. 8.

Based on the time code signal 582Z of the timer 582, a reference sound signal 274 is read from the device 522 for storing a sound track and a modified reference sound signal according to FIG. 5b.2 is generated by the device for sample rate conversion 232, which contains a film section from the point L ₀ up to the point L ₃ or the point of time To assigned to the point L ₀ or a corresponding representing the time code T and the time L ₃ associated with the point L ₃ or time code.

FIG. 5b.3 shows an exemplary test sound signal or section of a test sound signal, which is defined by the start time Ti and the end time T ₂ and has been generated on the basis of the sampling rate f = 1 / Δt.

FIG. 5b.4 shows the result of the correlation of the modified reference sound signal according to FIG. 5b.2 and the section of the test sound signal FIG. 5b.3. The time difference ΔT "= Ti-T ₀ between the start time T _{0 of} the search window or modified reference sound signal from FIG. 5b.2 and the time T _{1 of} the search window or reference sound signal is the time shift based on

Time code difference or the relative time code is formed. In this case, the time Ti is the time or the temporal shift of the test sound signal at which a portion of the n = 11 samples long reference sound signal coincides with the maximum test tone signal, or a correlation of the reference sound signal and the N = 11 samples long test sound signal as the correlation result is a maximum having .

It is not necessary for the quality assessment 568 to know the absolute time To or the time Ti, since, for example, the timer 582 knows the last absolute time or absolute time code and only requires the time code difference 570Z to obtain the updated absolute time or time code to determine. The difference can be represented, for example, from the position of the peak with respect to the time of the beginning of the search window. In FIG. 5b.4, the peak is, for example, the fourth sample, ie the test signal from FIG. 5b.3 is shifted by "3 ^• Δt" relative to the reference sound signal from FIG. 5b.2, where Δt is the Ab ^¬ corresponding to the modified sampling rate is the tasting period. Thus, the time code difference 570Z can consist, for example, of the value n = 3. Here, the advantage of the adapted to the variable playback speed of the test sound signal sampling rate or playback speed of the reference tone signal advantageous to wear, since the .DELTA.t is adapted to the playback speed, a more accurate determination of the location in the film or displacement relative to the search window is possible than at a fixed sampling rate of the reference sound signal, since then only multiples of this sampling rate are generated for a determination of the location in the film.

In this case, for example, the time To of the search window or reference sound signal can be equal to the Ti of the previous correlation, since the film is played only forward.

6a shows an embodiment of a film system in which a device 100 for generating a control signal 190 is coupled to a movie event system 600, thereby generating the device 100 for generating a control signal based on the film 110, as shown in FIG that the control signal 190, for example a time code, is synchronized with the movie event system 600.

6b shows a film system comprising a device 100 for generating a control signal 100 and a wave field synthesis system 610 as an exemplary film event system, the exemplary embodiment of the wave field synthesis system 610 comprising a device 620 for controlling the wave field synthesis system, a digital memory 622 for the wave field synthesis audio signals and a plurality of loud speakers 624 for the wave field synthesis system. Based on the film 110 or, for example, an analog movie soundtrack 114, the control signal generating device 100 generates the control signal 190 to lip-sync a wave analog audio audio experience to an originally analog-converted movie. As an alternative to the wave field synthesis system 610, other audio systems, for example digital audio systems or digital surround audio systems, can of course also be synchronized lip-synchronously by means of the device 100 for generating a control signal.

FIG. 7 shows an exemplary film as shown in FIG. 8, an exemplary digitally stored reference sound signal 720, and an assignment of a time scale.

For example, in generating the stored movie information or reference tone signal, the analog audio signal is sampled at a given playback speed and rate, for example, 44.1 kHz, and audio portions of, for example, 10 ms are stored as a so-called audio frame, that is, the digital reference sound signal is present on the memory as a result of audio frames. The assigned time of a time scale can then be, for example, to number the audio frames from 0 or 1 in ascending order as time code or time scale, time code TCl corresponds to audio frame AFI in FIG. 7, or, for example, the start time or end time of one To find audio frames as time code, such as for the first audio frame either 0 ms or 10 ms if an audio frame has a duration of 10 ms.

Time codes usually have formats such as hour: minute: second: frame, whereby the frame usually refers to video frames with, for example, 24 frames per second (cinema film). A time scale or time code can therefore, for example, assign a plurality of audio frames to a video frame or define an audio frame as the smallest time scale unit. Accordingly, the time code or the time scale can then for example assign 4 audio frames to a time code, see TCl 'in FIG. 7, which comprises four audio frames AFI -AF4, or assign a single Audi frame to a time code, see TCl in Fig. 7, which is associated with an audio frame AFI. Depending on the audio format, the audio Frames also represent temporally overlapping sections of the audio signal.

The control signal 190 may be formed, for example, as a time code, but also as a sequence of pulses, where, for example, each pulse corresponds to a time scale unit and, similar to a relative time code, the film event system accumulates the pulses to synchronize with the film.

A further exemplary embodiment, in order, furthermore, to have available, for example, an analog audio signal as a fallback, but at the same time also to realize a time code for synchronous additional services, offers the approach of embedding a watermark in the audio and / or video signal. Advantage of this solution is that even with "difficult" audio signals, such as very quiet passages or even similar "monotonous" noises, a clean clock recovery is possible. For this variant, in principle the complete set of the relevant Watermark claims, in particular in the field of searching for the correct clock rate or the readjustment of the sampling rate, makes sense. The decisive disadvantage of this approach, however, is that the actual film has to be changed or a new version or copy of the film has to be created in order to be able to embed the watermarks in the audio and / or video signal.

Depending on the circumstances, the method according to the invention can be implemented in hardware or in software. The implementation may be on a digital storage medium, in particular a floppy disk or CD with electronically readable control signals, which may interact with a programmable computer system such that the method is performed. In general, the inventions thus fertil in a computer program product with a program stored on a machine-readable carrier, the program code for performing the inventive procedural ^¬ Rens, when the computer program product on a computer expires. In other words, the invention can thus be realized as a computer program with a program code for carrying out the method when the computer program runs on a computer.

Claims

claims

A device for detecting a location in a film (110) applied in a temporal sequence

Film information (112, 114), having the following features:

a memory (320) for storing a reference fingerprint representation of the movie information (112, 112);

114), wherein the fingerprint representation is designed such that a time profile of the fingerprint representation depends on a temporal course of the film information, and wherein a stored reference fingerprint representation is assigned a time scale;

means (340) for receiving a portion read from the film (110);

means (350) for extracting a test fingerprint representation from the read portion; and

means (360) for comparing the test fingerprint representation with the reference fingerprint representation to determine the location in the film (110) based on the comparison and the timescale.

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the film information is applied on an analog soundtrack on the film, and wherein the means (340) for receiving is adapted to receive the analog sound information from the analog soundtrack.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the means (350) for extracting is designed to display as a fingerprint representation with a ner spectral flatness, so that a time course of the fingerprint representation includes a time course of the spectral flatness.

The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising another device for receiving a portion read from the film, the portion being different than the portion received by the receiving device (140).

5. Method for determining a location in a movie

(110) comprising film information (112, 114) applied in a temporal sequence, comprising the following steps:

Receiving a portion read from the film (110);

Extracting a test fingerprint representation from the read portion; and

Comparing the test fingerprint representation with the reference fingerprint representation, wherein the fingerprint representation is configured such that a time profile of the fingerprint representation depends on a temporal progression of the film information (112, 114), and wherein the stored reference fingerprint representation is assigned a time scale for displaying on the Based on the comparison and the time scale to determine the location in the film (110).

A computer program comprising program code for carrying out a method according to claim 5 when the computer program is run on a computer.