Moving picture searching apparatus

• US 6,256,162 B1
• Filed: 04/18/1997
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Akihiko, Onozuka, Kuniharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Loomis, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, KIN C
• Application Number:
  US08/737,971
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 360/72.2, 360/72.1, 360/71, 386/68-70, 386/81, 386/82
• US Class Current: 360/72.2
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/022 Control panels
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to a moving picture searching apparatus, where moving picture information recorded can be searched easily when desired moving picture information is picked out. Of single or plural moving picture(s) S2 recorded in predetermined recording medium, moving picture information which meets the condition designated by a user and obtained based on output S1 of input means 2 are searched based on respective index information which has been recorded in the recording medium 6 with respective corresponding moving picture information. On the other hand, after this, when it is confirmed on the basis of the output S1 of the input means that the user designated first operation mode, respective moving picture information S2 picked out by the search are sequentially reproduced at a predetermined timing and displayed on display means 4. Therefore, the user can look and confirm the contents of respective moving picture signals S2 which have the condition designated by the user as an index information, without complicated operation.

Claims

1. A moving picture reproducing apparatus for reproducing moving pictures stored in a storage medium, the apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting key word information for specifying some portion of said moving pictures and designated time information for indicating a reproducing period;

search means for searching said moving pictures having information commensurate with said key word information, in order to select a plurality of said moving pictures from all moving pictures stored in said storage medium;

means for specifying a reproduce portion of said plurality of said moving pictures in accordance with said designated time information; and

means for reproducing said specified reproduce portion of each selected moving picture respectively, so that said specified reproduce portions of said plurality of selected moving pictures are sequentially and automatically reproduced from said storage medium.

2. The moving picture reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said search means sequentially reproduces said portion of moving picture from the beginning of moving picture.

3. The moving picture reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said search means sequentially reproduces said portion of said plurality of said moving pictures at a previously predetermined portion for said reproduce portion.

4. The moving picture reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when said search means further determines that data indicating a designation of a next key operating mode is input by said input means while reproducing said plurality of said moving pictures, the particular moving picture which is being currently reproduced is interrupted and said search means reproduces the next moving picture indicated in said keyword information.

5. The moving picture reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said keyword information indexes the addresses on said recording medium where corresponding moving pictures are recorded.

6. The moving picture reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said search means displays said keyword information corresponding to said moving pictures when selection retrieval ends.

7. The moving picture reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said keyword information is displayed on a display unit which is different from a display unit where moving pictures based on the moving pictures searched by said search means are displayed.

8. The moving picture reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said keyword information is recorded in a recording medium which is different from a recording medium where the moving pictures are recorded.

9. The moving picture reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said search means records said keyword information and said moving pictures according to said data input by said input means sequentially in a blank area on the recording medium;

wherein said search means sequentially reproduces said moving pictures according to said keyword information input by said input means and displays a portion of the reproduced pictures for said predetermined period.

10. The moving picture reproducing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said means for reproducing displays said keyword information simultaneously with the displayed portion of said particular moving picture.

11. A method for reproducing moving pictures stored in a storage medium, comprising the steps of:

inputting key word information for specifying some portion of said moving pictures and designated time information for indicating a reproducing period;

searching for a plurality of moving pictures having information commensurate with said key word information, in order to select a plurality of moving pictures from an all moving pictures stored in said storage medium;

specifying a reproduce portion of said selected plurality of moving pictures in accordance with said designated time information; and

reproducing said specified reproduce portion of selected moving picture respectively so that said plurality of specified reproduce portions of said plurality of selected moving pictures are sequentially and automatically reproduced from said storage medium.

12. The method for reproducing moving pictures according to claim 11, wherein when said search is finished, said keyword information corresponding to found respective moving pictures is displayed.

13. The method for reproducing moving pictures according to claim 11, wherein in said step of reproducing, when data indicating the designation of a next keyword is input, the reproduction of said plurality of moving pictures which is being currently reproduced is interrupted and the reproduction of said next moving picture is started.