Video access method and video access apparatus

• US 6,954,583 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2001
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Miyatake, Takafumi, Nagasaka, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US09/797,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20010026678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,681 Days
• Field of Search: 386/69, 386/68, 386/67, 386/46, 386/55, 386/6, 386/124, 386/125, 386/45, 386/70
• US Class Current: 386/243
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• 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 21/42228 the reprogrammable keys being displayed on a display screen in order to reduce the number of keys on the remote control device itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

Video picture access method and system capable of index manipulation for accessing a video picture without disturbing a user viewing the picture. Visual effect for allowing the user to check instantaneously whether the index manipulation conforms to user'"'"'s intention. List display unit displays in superposition on a video picture a list containing reduced-size representative images for scenes included in the picture. Exhibition unit makes into appearance a display field of the list while extending stepwise the list over a time. User interface enables selection of a representative image of a scene to be next displayed from the list. Video reproducing unit provides such visual effect that reproduction of a video picture for the selected scene is started from the position of the selected image and a size thereof and makes transition gradually to a full screen picture.

Claims

1. A video picture access system, comprising:

representative image list display means for displaying in superposition on a video picture being displayed on a display screen a representative image list containing at least one representative image of a reduced size corresponding to a scene included in said video picture;

exhibition means for making into appearance said representative image list while extending stepwise a display field of said representative image list over a predetermined time duration;

user interface means for enabling selection of a representative reduced-size image of a scene by a user to be next displayed from said representative image list; and

video picture reproducing means capable of exhibiting such visual effect that reproduction of a video picture of the scene corresponding to the selected representative reduced-size image is started at a display position of said selected representative reduced-size image with a size thereof, whereon said reproduction makes transition temporally gradually to a full screen reproduction in which said video picture is displayed substantially over a whole surface of said display screen.

5. A video picture access system according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for displaying a disk-like image; and

input means implemented in the form of a touch panel,

wherein a jog-and-shuttle function is realized by touching said disk-like image and moving rotationally said disk-like image by tracing it with a finger.

2. A video picture access system, comprising:

means for displaying a disk-like image; and

input means implemented in the form of a touch panel,

wherein a jog-and-shuttle function is realized by touching said disk-like image and moving rotationally said disk-like image by tracing it with a finger.

3. A video picture access method, comprising the steps of;

displaying in superposition on a video picture being displayed on a display screen a representative image list containing at least one representative image of a reduced size which corresponds to a scene included in said video picture;

making into appearance said representative image list while extending stepwise a display field of said representative image list over a predetermined time duration;

starting reproduction of a video picture of a scene corresponding to a representative reduced-size image selected by an operator to be next displayed from said representative image list at a display position of said selected representative reduced-size image with a size thereof; and

causing said reproduction to transit temporally gradually to a full screen reproduction in which said video picture is displayed substantially over a whole surface of said display screen.

6. A video picture access method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

displaying a disk-like image; and

utilizing a touch panel as an input means;

wherein a jog-and-shuttle function is realized by touching the disk-like image and moving rotationally the disk-like image by tracing it with a finger.

4. A computer implemented program for performing a video picture access method, comprising the steps of;

displaying in superposition on a video picture being displayed on a display screen a representative image list containing at least one representative image of a reduced size which corresponds to a scene included in said video picture;

making into appearance said representative image list while extending stepwise a display field of said representative image list over a predetermined time duration;

starting reproduction of a video picture of a scene corresponding to a representative reduced-size image selected by an operator to be next displayed from said representative image list at a display position of said selected representative reduced-size image with a size thereof; and

causing said reproduction to transit temporally gradually to a full screen reproduction in which said video picture is displayed substantially over a whole surface of said display screen.

7. A computer implemented program according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

displaying a disk-like image; and

utilizing a touch panel as an input means;

wherein a jog-and-shuttle function is realized by touching the disk-like image and moving rotationally the disk-like image by tracing it with a finger.