Video signal editing apparatus

• US 6,011,898 A
• Filed: 07/25/1997
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Iwasaki, Kenichi, Murakami, Hirofumi, Yanagita, Noboru, Yoshihiro, Mitsugu
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US08/900,348
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 386/95, 386/68, 386/52, 386/46, 386/69, 386/67, 386/1, 386/4, 386/55
• US Class Current: 386/241
• 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 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/028 with computer assistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• 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 27/3027 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• 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 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/78263 for recording on tracks inclined relative to the direction of movement of the tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9201 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/937 by assembling picture element blocks in an intermediate store

Abstract

The present invention has as its object to reduce the time and and effort in the work of finding a portion necessary for editing work from a video signal recorded on a video tape. A VTR apparatus (12) reproduces a video signal and sampling data showing the start and end of the shot from a video tape (120). A VP circuit (22) reduces the size of the video signal. A detection circuit (24) detects the boundaries of scenes or important portions based on the reproduced sampling data. The sampling memory (30) samples and records the video signal reduced by the VP circuit (22) at a timing of detection of the boundaries of the scene or important portions by the detection apparatus (24). A display device (34) displays the video signal stored in the sampling memory (30) in a predetermined array along with a time code etc.

Claims

1. A video signal editing apparatus comprising:

recording means for storing video signals and, in correspondence with the video signals, starting and ending signals for indicating starting and ending points representing a storage position of the stored video signals, and a designation signal designating a position of said video signals when an image located between said starting and ending points is designated for video capture;

reproducing means for reproducing said video signals, said starting and ending signals, and said designation signals;

monitor means for successively displaying in a predetermined array reduced-size images in accordance with said video signals;

video reducing means for generating a reduced video signal representing a reduced-size version of an image represented by said video signal;

sampling means for sampling said reduced video signal at predetermined intervals when a first mode is selected, and for sampling said reduced video signal at a position designated by at least one of said starting and ending signals and said read designation signal when a second mode is selected;

pointing means for designating a reduced size image displayed on the monitor means;

memory means for recording/reproducing said video signals reproduced by said reproducing means; and

control means for controlling said reproducing means to reproduce at least one of said video scenes designated by said pointing means and for controlling said memory means for recording said video scene reproduced by said reproducing means.

2. The video signal editing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sampling means is operative to sample said reduced video signal from a point of time earlier than a point of time designated by said designating signal in said second mode.

3. A video signal editing apparatus for facilitating a reproduction operation when editing video scenes recorded on a video tape, wherein data indicating positions of said video scenes on said video tape is recorded on said video tape and data indicating positions of good scenes within said video scenes considered important to a user is recorded on said video tape, wherein said data indicating a position of said good scenes are recorded in successive positions of a longitudinal track disposed along said video tape adjacent said video scenes such that said data is recorded in successive positions of said longitudinal track from a position adjacent a start position of said good scenes to a position adjacent an end position of said good scenes thereby facilitating said reproduction operation when editing said good scenes, said apparatus comprising:

display means for displaying said video scenes on a display;

image reducing means for reducing said video scenes to a smaller size such that a plurality of image-reduced video scenes are displayable together by said display means;

control means for controlling said display means to display only said good scenes, for controlling said image reducing means to reduce only said good scenes as indicated by said data recorded in said longitudinal track on said video tape, and for controlling said display means to display said good scenes reduced by said image reducing means as a plurality of image-reduced good scenes, thereby facilitating said reproduction operation for said good scenes during editing, wherein said control means causes said display means to display an editing window adjacent said good scenes reduced in size by said image reducing means for providing a plurality of editing commands selectable by said user;

editing means for editing said good scenes displayed by said display means and reduced by said image reducing means;

reproducing means for reproducing said video signals recorded on said tape;

random access memory means for storing in randomly-accessed data storage positions data representing said video signals reproduced by said reproducing means;

wherein said tape is advanced to a position where said data in said longitudinal track indicates the good scenes and said control means controls said reproducing means to reproduce said good scenes as the tape is advanced and controls said random access memory means to store said data representing said good scenes; and

editing means for editing said good scenes stored in said random access memory means, so as to edit the good scenes displayed by said display means and reduced by said image reducing means.

4. A video signal editing apparatus for facilitating a reproduction operation when editing video scenes recorded on a video tape, wherein data indicating positions of said video scenes on said video tape is recorded on said video tape and data indicating positions of good scenes within said video scenes considered important to a user is recorded on said video tape, wherein said data indicating a position of said good scenes are recorded in successive positions of a longitudinal track disposed along said video tape adjacent said video scenes such that said data is recorded in successive positions of said longitudinal track from a position adjacent a start position of said good scenes to a position adjacent an end position of said good scenes thereby facilitating said reproduction operation when editing said good scenes, said apparatus comprising:

display means for displaying said video scenes on a display;

image reducing means for reducing said video scenes to a smaller size such that a plurality of image-reduced video scenes are displayable together by said display means;

control means for controlling said display means to display only said good scenes, for controlling said image reducing means to reduce only said good scenes as indicated by said data recorded in said longitudinal track on said video tape, and for controlling said display means to display said good scenes reduced by said image reducing means as a plurality of image-reduced good scenes, thereby facilitating said reproduction operation for said good scenes during editing, wherein said control means causes said image reducing means to reduce an image positioned before said start position of a respective good scene corresponding to an event which is missed due to a timing selection of the respective good scene; and

editing means for editing said good scenes displayed by said display means and reduced by said image reducing means.