RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20090285546A1
• Filed: 04/27/2009
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: YOSHIDA, Mari
• Granted Patent: US 9,159,368 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/73 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/745 the internal structure of a single video sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/40 in video content extracting overlay text G06V20/62; video retrieval G06F16/70; processing of video elementary streams in video servers H04N21/234; processing of video elementary streams in video clients H04N21/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• 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 27/30 on the same track as the main recording
• 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 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

In a recording and reproducing apparatus and a recording and reproducing method for the recording and reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing image information on a scene obtained through photographing, relative to a predetermined first recording medium and being capable of setting one or more chapters to each scene, a face recognizing process is executed for a photographed image based on the image information, an importance level of each chapter is set in accordance with a result of the face recognizing process for a very important person (VIP) set by a user, and each chapter having a relevant importance level among importance levels of respective chapters is selectively reproduced. A user can therefore find an object chapter and scene quickly and easily.

Claims

1. A recording and reproducing apparatus capable of setting one or more chapters to each scene, comprising:

a recording and reproducing unit for recording and reproducing image information on said scene obtained through photographing, relative to a predetermined first recording medium;

a face recognizing execution unit for executing a face recognizing process for a photographed image based on said image information;

an importance level setting unit for setting an importance level of said each chapter in accordance with a result of said face recognizing process for a very important person (VIP) set by a user; and

a control unit for controlling said recording and reproducing unit so as to selectively reproduce said each chapter having a relevant importance level, among importance levels of respective chapters.

2. The recording and reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of reproducing modes are provided;

said each reproducing mode is set with a different threshold value; and

said control unit compares said threshold value of said reproducing mode designated by a user with said importance level of said each chapter, and controls said recording and reproducing unit so as to selectively reproduce said each chapter having said importance level equal to or higher than said threshold value.

3. The recording and reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit for displaying a list of face images recognized by said face recognizing execution unit during photographing of said each scene; and

a VIP setting unit for setting as said VIP a subject corresponding to said face image selected by a user from said displayed list of face images.

4. The recording and reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said VIP is a person whose face is registered before photographing of said each scene.

5. The recording and reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said importance level setting unit sets said importance level of said each chapter in accordance with the number of times said VIP appears on said each chapter.

6. The recording and reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control unit:

manages said importance level of said each chapter set to said each scene, for said each scene whose image information is recorded in said first recording medium; and

presents a user with information on whether said importance level of said each chapter is set to said each scene, in response to a user request.

7. A recording and reproducing method for a recording and reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing image information on a scene obtained through photographing, relative to a predetermined first recording medium and being capable of setting one or more chapters to each scene, the method comprising:

a first step of executing a face recognizing process for a photographed image based on said image information;

a second step of setting an importance level of said each chapter in accordance with a result of said face recognizing process for a very important person (VIP) set by a user; and

a third step of selectively reproducing said each chapter having a relevant importance level, among importance levels of respective chapters.

8. The recording and reproducing method according to claim 7, wherein:

a plurality of reproducing modes are provided;

said each reproducing mode is set with a different threshold value; and

said third step compares said threshold value of said reproducing mode designated by a user with said importance level of said each chapter, and selectively reproduces said each chapter having said importance level equal to or higher than said threshold value.

9. The recording and reproducing method according to claim 7, wherein said second step:

displays a list of face images recognized during photographing of said each scene; and

sets as said VIP a subject corresponding to said face image selected by a user from said displayed list of face images.

10. The recording and reproducing method according to claim 7, wherein said VIP is a person whose face is registered before photographing of said each scene.

11. The recording and reproducing method according to claim 7, wherein said second step sets said importance level of said each chapter in accordance with the number of times said VIP appears on said each chapter.

12. The recording and reproducing method according to claim 7, wherein:

said importance level of said each chapter set to said each scene is managed for said each scene whose image information is recorded in said first recording medium; and

information on whether said importance level of said each chapter is set to said each scene, is presented to a user in response to a user request.