Image processing method and apparatus

• US 7,054,539 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2001
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Koji, Ito, Masamichi
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US09/779,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20010012444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: 386 4- 8, 386/52, 386/55, 386 68- 70, 386 45- 46, 386125-126, 386111-112, 348700-701, 358/908, 360/69, 360/72.1, 360 722- 723, 360/73.1
• US Class Current: 386/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23412 for generating or manipulating the scene composition of objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• 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 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44012 involving rendering scenes according to scene graphs, e.g. MPEG-4 scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/814 comprising emergency warnings arrangements specially adapted for emergency or urgency in broadcast systems H04H20/59; arrangements for providing alarms, notifications, alerts to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

An image processing apparatus for reproducing a recorded digital data stream can detect a time information or emergency news object contained in the recorded digital data stream, and inhibit display of the time information or emergency news which is insignificant in reproducing the recorded image. Alternatively, the image processing apparatus displays the object by an icon or the like. Alternatively, the image processing apparatus generates time information by a character generator on the basis of measured time information, replaces time information included in the recorded digital data by the time information generated by the character generator, and reproduces and displays the replaced time information.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus for reproducing a recorded digital data stream, comprising:

determination means for determining whether an object having a real-time attribute exists in the recorded digital data stream;

selection means for selecting whether or not to display the object having the real-time attribute, based on a designation of a user;

generation means for generating a new object based on real-time information at a current time corresponding to a type of the object that is selected not to be displayed by said selection means; and

reproducing means for reproducing the recorded digital data stream while replacing the object having the real-time attribute with the new object generated by said generation means, in a case where said selection means selects not to display the object having the real-time attribute and said determination means determines that the object having the real-time attribute exists.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the digital data stream includes a data stream coded by a digital television MPEG4 scheme, and has main data and sub-data,

the main data includes data having a plurality of objects divided in units of predetermined objects, and

the sub-data includes attribute information of the object.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the digital data stream includes a digital television data stream containing an object coded by an MPEG4 scheme and the sub-data multiplexed on an MPEG2 bitstream.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the real-time attribute includes an on-air-time information attribute which is significant in recording the digital data stream.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising timepiece means for measuring current time,

wherein said reproducing means replaces the object with the new object based on time measurement by said timepiece means in reproducing the object having the real-time attribute.

6. A display device for receiving and displaying digital data reproduced by a reproducing device, comprising:

determination means for determining whether an object having a real-time attribute exists in the digital data;

selection means for selecting whether or not to display the object having the real-time attribute, based on a designation of a user;

generation means for generating a new object based on real-time information at a current time corresponding to a type of the object that is selected not to be displayed by said selection means; and

display control means for displaying a video image corresponding to the digital data while replacing the object having the real-time attribute with the new object generated by said generation means, in a case where said selection means selects not to display the object having the real-time attribute and said determination means determines that the object having the real-time attribute exists.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the real-time attribute includes an on-air time information attribute which is significant in recording the digital data.

8. The device according to claim 6, further comprising timepiece means for measuring current time,

wherein said display control means replaces the object with the new object based on time measurement by said timepiece means in reproducing the object having the real-time attribute.

9. An image processing method of reproducing a recorded digital data stream, comprising:

a determination step of determining whether an object having a real-time attribute exists in the recorded digital data stream;

a selection step of selecting whether or not to display the object having the real-time attribute, based on a designation of a user;

a generation step of generating a new object based on real-time information at a current time corresponding to a type of the object that is selected not to be displayed in said selection step; and

a reproducing step of reproducing the recorded digital data stream while replacing the object having the real-time attribute with the new object generated in said generation step, in a case where the object having the real-time attribute is selected not to be displayed in said selection step and the object having the real-time attribute is determined to exist in said determination step.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein

the digital data stream includes a data stream coded by a digital television MPEG4 scheme, and has main data and sub-data,

the main data includes data having a plurality of objects divided in units of predetermined objects, and

the sub-data includes attribute information of the object.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the digital data stream includes a digital television data stream containing an object coded by an MPEG4 scheme and the sub-data multiplexed on an MPEG2 bitstream.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the real-time attribute includes an on-air time information attribute which is significant in recording the digital data stream.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising a timepiece step of measuring current time,

wherein in said reproducing step, the object is replaced with the new object based on time measurement in said timepiece step in reproducing the object having the real-time attribute.

14. An image processing apparatus for reproducing a recorded digital data stream, comprising:

determination means for determining whether an object having a super-imposed attribute exists in the recorded digital data stream;

designation means for designating a reproducing form of the object having the super-imposed attribute from a plurality of reproducing forms;

generation means for generating a predetermined icon corresponding to a type of the object having the super-imposed attribute; and

reproducing control means for reproducing the recorded digital data stream while replacing the object having the super-imposed attribute with the predetermined icon generated by said generation means, in a case where said designation means designates a predetermined reproducing form in which the object having the super-imposed attribute is not to be displayed and said determination means determines that the object having the super-imposed attribute exists.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said generation means generates a plurality of icons corresponding to each type of the objects having the super-imposed attribute.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined reproducing form designated by said designation means further includes reproducing by using an audio object.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined reproducing form includes the predetermined icon and inhibits the display of the object having the super-imposed attribute.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined reproducing form includes display of time information obtained in recording the digital data stream.

19. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the object having the super-imposed attribute includes an emergency news telop.

20. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said designation means comprises:

instruction means for instructing whether or not to display the predetermined icon on a display screen; and

changing means for changing the predetermined reproducing form to a new reproducing form to display the object having the super-imposed attribute in accordance with an instruction operation of said instruction means.

21. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

the digital data stream includes a data stream coded by a digital television MPEG4 scheme, and has main data and sub-data,

the main data includes data having a plurality of objects divided in units of predetermined objects, and

the sub-data includes attribute information of the object.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the digital data stream includes a digital television data stream containing an object coded by an MPEG4 scheme and the sub-data multiplexed on an MPEG2 bitstream.

23. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein designation by said designation means can be executed during reproducing of the object having the super-imposed attribute.

24. An image processing method in an image processing apparatus for reproducing a recorded digital data stream, comprising:

a determination step of determining whether an object having a super-imposed attribute exists in the recorded digital data stream;

a designation step of designating a reproducing form of the object having the super-imposed attribute from a plurality of reproducing forms;

a generation step of generating a predetermined icon corresponding to a type of the object having the super-imposed attribute; and

a reproducing control step of reproducing the recorded digital data stream while replacing the object having the super-imposed attribute with the predetermined icon generated in said generation step, in a case where a predetermined reproducing form in which the object having the super-imposed attribute is not to be displayed is designated in said designation step and it is determined in said determination step that the object having the super-imposed attribute exists.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein a plurality of icons corresponding to each type of the objects having the super-imposed attribute are generated in said generation step.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the predetermined reproducing form further includes reproducing by using an audio object.

27. The method according to claim 24, wherein the predetermined reproducing form includes the predetermined icon and inhibits the display of the object having the super-imposed attribute.

28. The method according to claim 24, wherein the predetermined reproducing form includes display of time information obtained in recording the digital data stream.

29. The method according to claim 24, wherein the object having the super-imposed attribute includes an emergency news telop.

30. The method according to claim 24, wherein the designation step comprises:

an instruction step of instructing whether or not to display the predetermined icon on a display screen; and

a changing step of changing the predetermined reproducing form to a new reproducing form to display the object having the super-imposed attribute in accordance with an instruction operation in said instruction step.

31. The method according to claim 24, wherein

the digital data stream includes a data stream coded by a digital television MPEG4 scheme, and has main data and sub-data,

the main data includes data having a plurality of objects divided in units of predetermined objects, and

the sub-data includes attribute information of the object.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the digital data stream includes a digital television data stream containing an object coded by an MPEG4 scheme and the sub-data multiplexed on an MPEG2 bitstream.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein designation in said designation step can be executed during reproducing of the object having the super-imposed attribute.

34. A computer-readable recording medium on which is stored a program for executing an image processing method of reproducing a recorded digital data stream, the program comprising:

a determination step for determining whether an object having a real-time attribute exists in the recorded digital data stream;

a selection step of selecting whether or not to display the object having the real-time attribute, based on a designation of a user;

a generation step of generating a new object based on real-time information at a current time corresponding to a type of the object that is selected not to be displayed in said selection step; and

a reproducing step of reproducing the recorded digital data stream while replacing the object having the real-time attribute with the new object generated in said generation step, in a case where the object having the real-time attribute is selected not to be displayed in said selection step and it is determined in said determination step that the object having the real-time attribute exists.

35. A computer-readable recording medium on which is stored a program for executing an image processing method of reproducing and displaying a recorded digital data stream, the program comprising:

a determination step for determining whether an object having a super-imposed attribute exists in the recorded digital data stream;

a designation step for designating a reproducing form of the object having the super-imposed attribute from a plurality of reproducing forms;

a generation step for generating a predetermined icon corresponding to a type of the object having the super-imposed attribute; and

a reproducing control step for reproducing the recorded digital data stream while replacing the object having the super-imposed attribute with the predetermined icon generated by said generation step, in a case where a predetermined reproducing form in which the object having the super-imposed attribute is not to be displayed is designated by said designation step and it is determined by said determination step that the object having the super-imposed attribute exists.