Video apparatus and method

• US 20020197060A1
• Filed: 08/12/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Toyoda, Kenji, Kazami, Kazuyuki, Itoh, Masaharu, Yokonuma, Norikazu
• Application Number:
  US10/216,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20020197060A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2525 Magneto-optical [MO] discs
• 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: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

A video apparatus includes a memory in which image information denoting a moving image is recorded and a thumbnail creator that creates thumbnail information denoting thumbnails upon completion of recording of the image information in the memory. The apparatus also includes various types of user interfaces by which a user can designate frames of the moving image information for thumbnail creation.

Claims

1. A video apparatus comprising:

a memory into which image information related to a moving image is recorded; and

a thumbnail creator that reads the image information recorded in the memory and creates thumbnail information that corresponds to the moving image upon completion of recording of the image information in the memory.

2. The video apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the thumbnail creator creates thumbnail information in time-series order, start with a lead portion of the image information.

3. The video apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the video apparatus is a hand held, portable video recording and playback apparatus that generates the image information and stores the image information in the memory.

4. The video apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image information is pre-recorded in the memory.

5. The video apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory records, the image information in compressed, MPEG format.

6. The video apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an image pick-up that optically captures an image of a subject to generate the image information; and

a picture recorder that records the image information generated by the image pick-up in the memory and determines whether or not the recording has been completed,

wherein the thumbnail creator includes a reader that reads the recorded image information from the memory when the picture recorder determines that recording has been completed and creates the thumbnail information based on the read image information.

7. The video apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an image pick-up that optically captures an image of a subject to generate the image information;

a picture recorder that records the image information generated by the image pick-up in the memory;

a task manager that manages tasks, including the picture recording and the thumbnail creating which includes reading of the image information by the thumbnail creator; and

a task start controller that determines a start point and an end point of the picture recording process through the picture recorder and starts the thumbnail creating process at the end point as a task of lower priority than the picture recording process.

8. The video apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a user interface by which the operator designates a frame which is to be converted to a thumbnail,

wherein the picture recorder records a mark corresponding to the frame designated through the user interface in the memory, and

the thumbnail creator selects at least one second frame that follows in time-series order the frame corresponding to the mark recorded in the memory by the picture recorder, the at least one second frame being selected from among image information recorded in the memory and as an object of thumbnail information creation.

9. The video apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the thumbnail creator selects a plurality of the second frames that correspond to the mark recorded in the memory by the picture recorder, the plurality of frames being selected from among image information recorded in the memory and as an object of thumbnail information creation.

10. The video apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a first user interface by which the operator designates a frame which is to be converted to a thumbnail,

wherein the picture recorder records a mark corresponding to the frame designated through the first user interface in the memory, and

the thumbnail creator defines, from among image information recorded in the memory, a frame that corresponds to a last mark recorded into the memory by the picture recorder in time-series order, as the subject for creating thumbnail information.

11. The video apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a first user interface by which the operator designates a frame to be converted into a thumbnail;

a display for displaying images denoted by image information recorded in the memory; and

a second user interface by which the operator selects one frame from among the frames displayed by the display,

wherein the picture recorder records a mark corresponding to the frame designated through the first user interface into the memory, and

the thumbnail creator defines, from among the frames denoted by image information recorded in the memory, the frame selected via the second user interface, in place of the frame corresponding to the mark recorded in the memory by the picture recorder, as the subject for creating thumbnail information.

13. The video apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the thumbnail creating means creates thumbnail information in time-series order starting with a lead portion of the image information.

14. The video apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the video apparatus is a hand-held, portable video recording and playback apparatus that generates the image information and stores the image information in the memory means.

15. The video apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

imaging means for converting an optical image of a subject into the image information; and

picture recording means for recording the image information generated by the imaging means in the memory means and determining whether or not the recording has been completed,

wherein the thumbnail creating means includes means for reading the recorded image information from the memory means when the picture recording means determines that recording has been completed and for creating the thumbnail information based on the read image information.

16. The video apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

imaging means for converting an optical image of a subject into the image information;

picture recording means for performing a picture recording process for recording the image information generated by the imaging means in the memory means;

task management means for managing tasks including the picture recording process and the thumbnail creating process, which includes reading of the image information by the thumbnail creating means; and

task start control means for determining a start point and an end point of the picture recording process through the picture recording means and starting the thumbnail creating process at the end point as a task of lower priority than the picture recording process.

17. The video apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

designating means for allowing an operator to designate a frame which is to be converted to a thumbnail,

wherein the picture recording means includes means for recording a mark corresponding to the frame designated through the designating means in the memory means, and

the thumbnail creating means selects at least one second frame that follows in time-series order the frame corresponding to the mark recorded in the memory means by the picture recording means, the at least one second frame being selected from among image information recorded in the memory means and as an object of thumbnail information creation.

18. The video apparatus according to claim 17, wherein:

the thumbnail creating means selects a plurality of the second frames that correspond to the mark recorded in the memory means by the picture recording means, the plurality of frames being selected from among image information recorded in the memory means and as an object of thumbnail information creation.

19. The video apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

first designating means for allowing an operator to designate a frame which is to be converted to a thumbnail,

wherein the picture recording means includes means for recording a mark corresponding to the frame designated through the first designating means in the memory means, and

the thumbnail creating means defines, from among image information recorded in the memory means, a frame that corresponds to a last mark recorded into the memory means by the picture recording means in time-series order, as the subject for creating thumbnail information.

20. The video apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

first designating means for allowing an operator to designate a frame to be converted into a thumbnail;

display means for displaying images denoted by image information recorded in the memory means; and

second designating means for allowing the operator to select one frame from among the frames composed of images displayed by the display means,

wherein the picture recording means includes means for recording a mark corresponding to the frame designated through the first designating means into the memory means, and

the thumbnail creating means defines, from among the frames denoted by image information recorded in the memory means, the frame selected via the second designating means, in place of the frame corresponding to the mark recorded in the memory means by the picture recording means, as the subject for creating thumbnail information.

12. A video apparatus comprising:

memory means for storing image information related to a moving image; and

thumbnail creating means for reading the image information recorded in the memory means and creating thumbnail information that corresponds to the moving images upon completion of storing of the image information in the memory means.

21. A method of creating thumbnails, comprising the steps of:

storing image information representing moving images in a memory; and

initiating thumbnail information creation by reading the stored image information from the memory immediately upon completion of the storing step.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the thumbnail information indicates thumbnails in time-series order starting with a lead portion of the stored image information.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the storing step is performed by a hand-held, portable video recording apparatus.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the hand-held, portable video recording device also performs the step of thumbnail information creation.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

optically capturing the image of a subject to generate the image information;

recording the generated image information in the memory; and

determining whether or not the recording has been completed,

wherein the thumbnail information creation is initiated when it is determined that recording has been completed.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

optically capturing the image of a subject to generate the image information;

performing a picture recording process for recording the generated image information in the memory;

managing tasks including the picture recording process and the thumbnail information creation process;

determining the start and end points of the picture recording process; and

starting the thumbnail creating process at the end point as a task of lower priority than the picture recording process.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

designating a frame which is to be converted to a thumbnail;

recording, in the memory, a mark corresponding to the designated frame; and

selecting at least one second frame that follows in time-series order the designated frame corresponding to the recorded mark, the at least one second frame being selected from among image information recorded and as an object of thumbnail information creation.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein:

a plurality of the second frames that correspond to the recorded mark are selected, the plurality of frames being selected from among image information recorded and as an object of thumbnail information creation.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

designating a frame which is to be converted to a thumbnail;

recording, in the memory, a mark corresponding to the designated frame; and

defining, from among recorded image information, a frame that corresponds to a last mark recorded in time-series order, as the subject for creating thumbnail information.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

designating a frame to be converted into a thumbnail;

displaying images denoted by recorded image information;

selecting one frame from among the frames composed of displayed images;

recording a mark corresponding to the designated frame; and

defining, from among the frames denoted by recorded image information, the selected frame in place of the frame corresponding to the recorded mark, as the subject for creating thumbnail information.