Video searching method and apparatus, video information producing method, and storage medium for storing processing program thereof

• US 20020034373A1
• Filed: 11/26/2001
• Published: 03/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koichi Morita, Mitsuo Asai, Takeshi Onodera, Tomoyuki Ishida, Yoshihiro Takiyasu
• Original Assignee: Koichi Morita, Mitsuo Asai, Takeshi Onodera, Tomoyuki Ishida, Yoshihiro Takiyasu
• Inventors: Ishida, Tomoyuki, Onodera, Takeshi, Morita, Koichi, Asai, Mitsuo, Takiyasu, Yoshihiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,449,608 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/739 in form of a video summary, e.g. the video summary being a video sequence, a composite still image or having synthesized frames
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/743 a collection of video files or sequences
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/745 the internal structure of a single video sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A video searching method, and apparatus, having a function of representing a video file are provided such that the contents of video files stored in a storage device may be recognized definitely and rapidly. The video searching apparatus includes a computer, a storage device, a device for controlling them, and a display device. The apparatus includes a software resource for producing a group image formed of at least two still images of scenes representing the contents of each of video files stored in the storage device. In the apparatus, the size of the group image is changed at any time. In response to manipulation of the group image, file operation such as deletion, movement or name change of a corresponding video file is performed.

Claims

1. A video searching method for storing a plurality of video images in a storage device respectively as video files, and searching and displaying said video files, said video searching method comprising the steps of:

for each of said plurality of video files stored in said storage device, extracting a plurality of images for representing contents of the video file, at desired intervals beforehand;

producing a group image for each of said video files from said extracted plurality of images, said group image representing an image obtained by arranging said extracted plurality of images in a predetermined range and lumping said extracted plurality of images together; and

displaying at least one of said group images respectively corresponding to said video files stored in said storage device on a display device.