Image-keyed index for video program stored in personal video recorder

• US 20060110128A1
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Dunton, Randy R., Hakimi, Bijan, Booth, Lawrece A.
• Application Number:
  US10/997,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20060110128A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/234
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2516 Hard disks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/455 said record carriers being in one device and being used as primary and secondary/backup media, e.g. HDD-DVD combo device, or as source and target media, e.g. PC and portable player
• 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: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• 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 method includes storing a video program in a storage device. The video program includes a sequence of video signal frames. The method further includes selecting, without user input, key frames from the sequence of video signal frames. The method further includes generating a plurality of index page frames. Each index page frame includes at least one thumbnail image. Each thumbnail image corresponds to a respective one of the selected key frames.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing a video program in a storage device, the video program including a sequence of video signal frames;

selecting, without user input, key frames from said sequence of video signal frames; and

generating a plurality of index page frames, each index page frame including at least one thumbnail image, each thumbnail image corresponding to a respective one of said selected key frames.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a duration of the stored video program; and

determining, based on the determined duration, a number of key frames;

wherein said selected key frames are equal in number to said determined number of key frames.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining the number of key frames is performed without user input.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying at least some of said plurality of index page frames.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

allowing a user to navigate within said stored video program by interacting with said displayed at least some index page frames.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

allowing a user to navigate among the index page frames.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting is based at least in part on contents of said video signal frames.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting is based at least in part on a scene change detection algorithm.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing includes receiving the video program via a cable TV transmission.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing includes receiving the video program via an over-the-air TV broadcast.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing includes receiving the video program via Internet Protocol.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the selected key frames is an intrapicture encoded frame from the sequence of video signal frames.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the index page frames includes a respective plurality of thumbnail images, each of said thumbnail images corresponding to a respective one of said selected key frames.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a receiver located in the housing to receive a video program, the video program including a sequence of video signal frames;

a storage device, located in the housing and responsive to the receiver, to store the received video program; and

a control device, coupled to the storage device, and operative to;

select key frames from said sequence of video signal frames;

generate a plurality of index page frames, each index page frame including at least one thumbnail image, each thumbnail image corresponding to a respective one of said selected key frames; and

store the index page frames in said storage device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said control device is further operative to:

determine a duration of the stored video program; and

determine, based on the determined duration, a number of key frames;

and wherein said selected key frames are equal in number to said determined number of key frames.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said control device is operative to determine the number of key frames without user input.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said control device is operative to select said key frames without user input.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a television coupled to the storage device to display at least some of the index page frames.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a remote control unit to transmit control signals to control said control device to allow a user to navigate within said stored video program by interacting with said displayed at least some index page frames.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a remote control unit to transmit control signals to control said control device to allow a user to navigate among the index page frames.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control device selects said key frames based at least in part on a scene change detection algorithm.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the receiver receives the video program from a cable TV transmission.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the receiver receives the video program from an over-the-air broadcast.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the receiver receives the video program via Internet Protocol.

25. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein at least one of the index page frames includes a respective plurality of thumbnail images, each of said thumbnail images corresponding to a respective one of said selected key frames.

26. An apparatus comprising:

a storage medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a machine result in the following;

storing a video program in a storage device, the video program including a sequence of video signal frames;

selecting, without user input, key frames from said sequence of video signal frames; and

generating a plurality of index page frames, each index page frame including at least one thumbnail image, each thumbnail image corresponding to a respective one of said selected key frames.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said instructions when executed by the machine further result in:

determining a duration of the stored video program; and

determining, based on the determined duration, a number of key frames;

wherein said selected key frames are equal in number to said determined number of key frames.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said determining the number of key frames is performed without user input.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said instructions when executed by the machine further result in:

displaying at least some of said plurality of index page frames.

30. A method comprising:

storing a video program in a storage device, the video program including a sequence of video signal frames;

selecting key video clips from said sequence of video signal frames, each of said key video clips including a subsequence of said video signal frames, each of said subsequences including a respective plurality of said video signal frames; and

generating a plurality of index video clips, each of said index video clips including a plurality of index video frames, at least one of said index video clips being a composite of at least two of said key video clips arrayed in a frame background.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

determining a duration of the stored video program;

determining, based on the determined duration, a number of key video clips;

wherein said selected video clips are equal in number to said determined number of key video clips.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said determining the number of key video clips is performed without user input.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein:

in each of said at least one of said index video clips, said key video clips arrayed in said frame background are each in a respective thumbnail field within said frame background.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

displaying at least some of said plurality of index video clips.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

allowing a user to navigate within said stored video program by interacting with said thumbnail fields in said displayed at least some index video clips.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein said selecting is based at least in part on contents of said video signal frames.

37. The method of claim 30, wherein said selecting is based at least in part on a scene change detection algorithm.

38. The method of claim 30, wherein the storing includes receiving the video program via a cable TV transmission.

39. The method of claim 30, wherein the storing includes receiving the video program via an over-the-air TV broadcast.

40. The method of claim 30, wherein the storing includes receiving the video program via Internet Protocol.

41. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a receiver located in the housing to receive a video program, the video program including a sequence of video signal frames;

a storage device, located in the housing and responsive to the receiver, to store the received video program; and

a control device, coupled to the storage device, and operative to;

select key video clips from said sequence of video signal frames, each of said key video clips including a subsequence of said video signal frames, each of said subsequences including a respective plurality of said video signal frames; and

generate a plurality of index video clips, each of said index video clips including a plurality of index video frames, at least one of said index video clips being a composite of at least two of said key video clips arrayed in a frame background.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said control device is further operative to:

determine a duration of the stored video program; and

determine, based on the determined duration, a number of key video clips;

wherein said selected key video clips are equal in number to said determined number of key video clips.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said control device is operative to determine the number of key video clips without user input.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said control device is operative to select said key video clips without user input.

45. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising:

a television coupled to the storage device to display at least some of the index video clips.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein:

in each of said at least one of said index video clips, said key video clips arrayed in said frame background are each in a respective thumbnail field within said frame background.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, further comprising:

a remote control unit to transmit control signals to control said control device to allow a user to navigate within said stored video program by interacting with said thumbnail fields in said displayed at least some index video clips.

48. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising:

a remote control unit to transmit control signals to control said control device to allow a user to navigate among the index video clips.

49. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the control device selects said key video clips based at least in part on a scene change detection algorithm.

50. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the receiver receives the video program from a cable TV transmission.

51. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the receiver receives the video program from an over-the-air broadcast.

52. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the receiver receives the video program via Internet Protocol.

53. An apparatus comprising:

a storage medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a machine result in the following;

storing a video program in a storage device, the video program including a sequence of video signal frames;

selecting key video clips from said sequence of video signal frames, each of said key video clips including a subsequence of said video signal frames, each of said subsequences including a respective plurality of said video signal frames; and

generating a plurality of index video clips, each of said index video clips including a plurality of index video frames, at least one of said index video clips being a composite of at least two of said key video clips arrayed in a frame background.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said instructions when executed by the machine further result in:

determining a duration of the stored video program; and

determining, based on the determined duration, a number of key video clips;

wherein said selected key video clips are equal in number to said determined number of key video clips.

55. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein:

in each of said at least one of said index video clips, said key video clips arrayed in said frame background are each in a respective thumbnail field within said frame background.

56. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said instructions when executed by the machine further result in:

displaying at least some of said plurality of index video clips.

57. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said instructions when executed by the machine further result in:

allowing a user to navigate within said stored video program by interacting with said thumbnail fields in said displayed at least some index video clips.