Replaying video information

• US 20020141733A1
• Filed: 12/06/2001
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Europe (Amsterdam) BV (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony United Kingdom Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: McGrath, Mark John, Kydd, Andrew, Thorpe, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,493,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/46
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• 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

Abstract

Video replay apparatus comprises a video material store and a replay controller for controlling replay of video material store; the replay controller being operable to control replay of video material stored in the store in accordance with associated data defining an information content of the video material.

Claims

1. Video replay apparatus comprising:

(i) a video material store;

(ii) a replay controller for controlling replay of video material from said video material store; and

(iii) said replay controller being operable to control replay of video material stored in said store in accordance with associated data defining an information content of said video material.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said information data defines information events within said video material, said replay controller being operable to replay said video material at so as to give a defined rate of information events in said replayed sequence.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, comprising a user control, in which said replay controller is operable to vary a threshold information content to define an information even within said video material, in response to said user control.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, comprising a user control, in which said rate of information events is defined by said user control.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said data defining said information content of said video material comprises data defining said presence of faces within said video material.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said data defining said information content of said video material comprises data defining said presence of speech within audio material associated with said video material.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said data defining said information content of said video material comprises data defining image activity within said video material.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said data defining said information content of said video material comprises data defining colour content of said video material.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising an information content analyser for deriving said information content data from said video material and/or associated audio material.

10. A method of replaying stored video material, said method comprising said steps of controlling replay of video material from said video material store in accordance with associated data defining an information content of said video material.

11. Computer software having program code for carrying out a method according to claim 10.

12. A data providing medium by which computer software according to claim 11 is provided.

13. A medium according to claim 12, said medium being a transmission medium.

14. A medium according to claim 12, said medium being a storage medium.