Video searching method, apparatus, and program product, producing a group image file from images extracted at predetermined intervals

• US 20020178450A1
• Filed: 07/10/2002
• Published: 11/28/2002
• 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 6,584,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/61
• 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 displaying method of displaying, on a display unit, contents of video files. Each of the video files is composed of a plurality of images. The video displaying method includes the steps of extracting, from one of the video files, a plurality of images at predetermined intervals from the images composing the video file; displaying the extracted images on the display unit; prompting selection of one image from the displayed images; reproducing the video file including the selected image beginning at a position of the selected image in the video file; and displaying the reproduced video file on the display unit.

Claims

1. A video displaying method of displaying, on a display unit, contents of video files, each of the video files being composed of a plurality of images, the video displaying method comprising the steps of:

extracting, from one of the video files, a plurality of images at predetermined intervals from the images composing the video file;

displaying the extracted images on the display unit;

prompting selection of one image from the displayed images;

reproducing the video file including the selected image beginning at a position of the selected image in the video file; and

displaying the reproduced video file on the display unit.

2. A video displaying method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

inputting a number of images to be displayed on the display unit; and

determining the predetermined intervals based on the inputted number of images to be displayed on the display unit and a length of the video file.

3. A video displaying method according to claim 1, wherein the extracted images are managed as one file.

4. A video displaying apparatus for displaying, on a display unit, contents of video files, each of the video files being composed of a plurality of images, the video displaying apparatus comprising:

means for extracting, from one of the video files, a plurality of images at predetermined intervals from the images composing the video file;

means for displaying the extracted images on the display unit;

means for prompting selection of one image from the displayed images;

means for reproducing the video file including the selected image beginning at a position of the selected image in the video file; and

means for displayed the reproduced video file on the display unit.

5. A video displaying apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

means for inputting a number of images to be displayed on the display unit; and

means for determining the predetermined intervals based on the inputted number of images to be displayed on the display unit and a length of the video file.

6. A video displaying apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the extracted images are managed as one file.

7. A computer-readable storage medium storing a video displaying program for displaying, on a display unit, contents of video files, each of the video files being composed of a plurality of images, the video displaying program comprising:

an instruction for extracting, from one of the video files, a plurality of images at predetermined intervals from the images composing the video file;

an instruction for displaying the extracted images on the display unit;

an instruction for prompting selection of one image from the displayed images;

an instruction for reproducing the video file including the selected image beginning at a position of the selected image in the video file; and

an instruction for displaying the reproduced video file on the display unit.

8. A computer-implemented program for performing a video displaying method of displaying, on a display unit, contents of video files, each of the video files being composed of a plurality of images, the video displaying method comprising the steps of:

extracting, from one of the video files, a plurality of images at predetermined intervals from the images composing the video file;

displaying the extracted images on the display unit;

prompting selection of one image from the displayed images;

reproducing the video file including the selected image beginning at a position of the selected image in the video file; and

displaying the reproduced video file on the display unit.