Method and device for managing multimedia file

• US 6,944,629 B1
• Filed: 09/06/1999
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shioi, Masahiro, Nomura, Toshio, Hibi, Keiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, SHAHID AL
• Application Number:
  US09/786,779
• Time in Patent Office: 2,199 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/3, 707/5, 707/10, 707/100, 707/104.1, 709/203, 709/219, 704/233, 382/232, 375/240.16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/12 Formatting, e.g. arrangement of data block or words on the record carriers within interface between computers and data recorders G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/102 Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers access by moving the head G11B3/08, G11B5/54, G11B7/085, G11B21/022; by moving the record carrier G11B15/005, G11B17/005, by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3027 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/309 Table of contents
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/326 used signal is a video-frame or a video-field (P.I.P.)
• 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 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A managing method for a multimedia file includes the steps of: generating index information including a source identifier expressing a source having one or more of management units associated with the multimedia file as a title frame, positions of a leading frame and tail frame of the title frame in the source, and a position of a reference frame for decoding the leading frame; and recording the index information onto a recording medium, attaching the index information to the multimedia file. The managing method for a multimedia file may include the steps of: causing a user to specify one or more of the management units associated with the multimedia file as a title frame; generating index information in which a bit stream obtained by encoding a specified title frame is embedded, and recording the index information onto a recording medium, attaching the index information to the multimedia file.

Claims

1. A method of managing a multimedia file managing said multimedia file with index information, multimedia data of said multimedia file being able to be managed in each prescribed management unit, including the steps of:

generating said index information including a source identifier expressing a source having one or more of said management units associated with said multimedia file as a title frame, positions of a leading frame and tail frame of said title frame in said source, and a position of a reference frame for decoding said leading frame; and

recording said index information onto a recording medium, attaching said index information to said multimedia file.

2. The managing method for a multimedia file according to claim 1, wherein said step of generating index information includes a step of generating a plurality of pieces of index information and said recording step includes a step of recording said plurality of pieces of index information and information for specifying the number of said pieces of index information onto a recording medium, attaching said plurality of pieces of index information and said information for specifying the number of said pieces of index information to said multimedia file.

3. The managing method for a multimedia file according to claim 1, further including the steps of:

causing a user to specify one or more of management units associated with said multimedia file as a title frame; and

generating second index information in which a bit stream obtained by encoding a specified title frame is embedded;

wherein said recording step including a step of recording said index information and said second index information onto a recording medium together with flags indicating kinds of said index information and said second index information, respectively, attaching said index information and said second index information to said multimedia file together with said flags indicating kinds of said index information and said second index information.

4. A managing apparatus for a multimedia file managing said multimedia file with index information, multimedia data of said multimedia file being able to be managed in each prescribed management unit, including:

an index information generating section generating index information including a source identifier expressing a source having one or more of said management units associated with said multimedia file as a title frame, positions of a leading frame and tail frame of said title frame in said source and a position of a reference frame for decoding said leading frame; and

an index information attaching section recording said index information onto a recording medium, attaching said index information to said multimedia file.

5. The managing apparatus for a multimedia file according to claim 4, wherein said multimedia file is an image file.

6. The managing apparatus for a multimedia file according to claim 5, wherein said prescribed management unit is a frame of an image.

7. The managing apparatus for a multimedia file according to claim 4, wherein said index information generating section generates a plurality of pieces of index information and

said index information attaching section records said plurality of pieces of index information and information for specifying the number of said pieces of index information onto a recording medium, attaching said plurality of pieces of index information pieces and said information for specifying the number of said index information pieces to said multimedia file.

8. The managing apparatus for a multimedia file according to claim 4, wherein said index information generating section generates said index information including said source identifier specifying a title frame having one or more of said management units in said multimedia file, positions of a leading frame and tail frame of said title frame and a position of a reference frame for decoding said leading frame.

9. The managing apparatus for a multimedia file according to claim 4, wherein said index information generating section generates said index information including said source identifier specifying a title frame having one or more of said management units in a second multimedia file different from said multimedia file, positions of a leading frame and tail frame of said title frame and a position of a reference frame for decoding said leading frame.

10. The managing apparatus for a multimedia file according to claim 4, further including:

an index information specifying section causing a user to specify one or more of said management units associated with said multimedia file as a title frame,

wherein

said index information generating section generating second index information in which a bit stream obtained by encoding a specified title frame is embedded and

said index information recording section recording said index information and said second index information onto a recording medium together with flags indicating kinds of said index information and said second index information, respectively, attaching said index information and said second index information to said multimedia file together with said flags indicating kinds of said index information and said second index information.