Index Imparting System Using Control Signal

• US 20080154932A1
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Masaaki, Kobayashi, Norihiko, Nakada, Toru
• Granted Patent: US 7,873,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/41 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/222 Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00

Abstract

An index imparting system is capable of avoiding reconditioning work, automatically generating accurate metadata, and automatically imparting information relevant to a program. The index imparting system is provided with: a control signal detecting section to identify a type of each control signal and an identifier for uniquely specifying each control signal following the detection of various kinds of control signals and obtain time of the detection. An index generating section generates metadata following the acquisition of a type, an identifier, and time identified at the control signal detecting section and, in the meantime, imparts attribute information to the metadata.

Claims

1. An index imparting system which generates metadata by using control signals of various kinds of devices used in a broadcast station, the system comprising:

a control signal detecting section to identify the type of each control signal and an identifier for uniquely specifying each control signal following the detection of various kinds of control signals and obtain the time of the detection;

a control signal attribute information managing section to manage the identifier of a control signal and attribute information relevant thereto in a tied manner beforehand and then identify the attribute information on the basis of an identifier obtained at the control signal detecting section; and

an index generating section to generate metadata following the acquisition of a type, an identifier, and time identified at the control signal detecting section and, in the meantime, impart the attribute information obtained by the request from the control signal attribute information managing section to the metadata.

5. The index imparting system according to claim 1, comprising a log analyzing section to generate log data wherein time is sorted for each identifier following the acquisition of an identifier and time from the control signal detecting section and output the log data to the index generating section.

6. The index imparting system according to claim 5, wherein the log analyzing section comprises:

a log output section to generate log data wherein time is sorted for each identifier by using an identifier and detected time of a control signal and output the log data to a network or a removable medium; and

a log input section to input the log data via the network or the removable medium and output the log data to the index generating section.

7. The index imparting system according to claim 1, wherein the index imparting system detects a control signal of any of a microphone, a VCR, and a telop, generates metadata following the acquisition of a type, an identifier, and time thereof, and, in the meantime, imparts attribute information relevant to the control signal to the metadata.

8. The index imparting system according to claim 1, wherein the control signal detecting section comprises:

a control signal type identifying section to detect an input control signal and identify a type and an identifier thereof;

a control signal type managing section to manage the control signal and the type and the identifier thereof in a tied manner in order to enable the identification of a control signal;

a time obtaining section to obtain time when the control signal is detected; and

an index generation requesting section to send the identified type and identifier and the obtained time to the index generating section and request to generate metadata.

9. The index imparting system according to claim 8, wherein the control signal detecting section is provided with a microphone signal voice pressure level judging section to measure a voice pressure level of an input voice signal and judge the existence of vocalization.

10. The index imparting system according to claim 9, wherein the microphone signal voice pressure level judging section judges that voice is generated only when a measured voice pressure level is a prescribed value or more and sends a voice control signal to the control signal type identifying section.

11. The index imparting system according to claim 9, wherein the microphone signal voice pressure level judging section judges a measured voice pressure level, judges that voice is generated only when the voice pressure level is continuously maintained for a prescribed period of time and sends a voice control signal to the control signal type identifying section.

12. The index imparting system according to claim 1, wherein the control signal attribute information managing section comprises:

an attribute information database to store an identifier for uniquely specifying each of the control signals of various kinds of devices and attribute information which is information relevant to each user of the various kinds of devices or each of the various kinds of devices in a tied manner;

an attribute information managing section to obtain attribute information from the attribute information database in response to a request from the index generating section for the attribute information; and

an attribute information registering section to receive registration of the identifier and attribute information stored in the attribute information database.

13. The index imparting system according to claim 12, wherein the control signal attribute information managing section comprises a database searching section connected to a database which stores detailed information of attribute information and automatically imparts the detailed information obtained from the database to metadata generated at the index generating section.

14. The index imparting system according to claim 13, wherein the database is a database which stores detailed information on at least any one of a person, news, and a script.

15. The index imparting system according to claim 12, wherein the attribute information registering section is connected online to a device to edit a VCR or a telop, and attribute information which is registered to the attribute information registering section is obtained by registering online information obtained or input by using the editing device.

16. The index imparting system according to claim 12, wherein attribute information which is registered to the attribute information registering section is obtained by storing information obtained or input by using the device to edit a VCR or a telop in a removable medium as the attribute information, and registering the information by using the removable medium.

2. An index imparting system, comprising:

a control signal detecting section to detect a voice control signal of a microphone into which voice of a performer himself is input, identify an identifier of the microphone, and obtain time of the detection;

a control signal attribute information managing section to manage the identifier of the microphone and attribute information relevant to a person wearing the microphone in a tied manner beforehand and then identify the attribute information relevant to the person on the basis of an identifier obtained at the control signal detecting section; and

an index generating section to generate metadata following the acquisition of an identifier and time identified at the control signal detecting section and, in the meantime, impart the attribute information relevant to the person obtained by the request from the control signal attribute information managing section to the metadata.

3. An index imparting system, comprising:

a control signal detecting section to detect a control signal of a VCR with which the VCR is switched, identify an identifier thereof, and obtain time of the detection;

a control signal attribute information managing section to manage the identifier of the VCR and attribute information relevant to the VCR in a tied manner beforehand and then identify attribute information relevant to the VCR on the basis of an identifier obtained at the control signal detecting section; and

an index generating section to generate metadata following the acquisition of an identifier and time identified at the control signal detecting section and, in the meantime, impart the attribute information relevant to the VCR obtained by the request from the control signal attribute information managing section to the metadata.

4. An index imparting system, comprising:

a control signal detecting section to detect a control signal of a telop with which the telop is switched, identify an identifier thereof, and obtain time of the detection;

a control signal attribute information managing section to manage the identifier of the telop and attribute information relevant to the telop in a tied manner beforehand and then identify attribute information relevant to the telop on the basis of an identifier obtained at the control signal detecting section; and

an index generating section to generate metadata following the acquisition of an identifier and time identified at the control signal detecting section and, in the meantime, impart the attribute information relevant to the telop obtained by the request from the control signal attribute information managing section to the metadata.