Method and system for selecting chapter boundaries for digital video recordings

• US 7,245,820 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2002
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: McGee, Thomas, Barbieri, Mauro
• Primary Examiner(s): Stucker; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Werner; David N.
• Application Number:
  US10/287,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20040086258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 386/1, 386/45, 386/46, 386/52, 386/69, 386/95, 386124-126, 3692751-2755
• US Class Current: 386/280
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/216 Rewritable discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for selecting a chapter boundary for a digital video recording is provided that includes examining cut-rates for the recording. A determination is made regarding whether a default chapter length has passed. A determination is made regarding whether the cut-rate for the recording at the default chapter length is low. The chapter boundary is selected at the default chapter length when the cut-rate for the recording at the default chapter length is low.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a chapter boundary for a digital video recording, comprising:

examining cut-rates for the recording;

determining that a default chapter length has passed;

determining whether the cut-rate for the recording at the default chapter length is low; and

selecting the chapter boundary at the default chapter length when the cut-rate for the recording at the default chapter length is low.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a minimum chapter length has passed; and

examining cut-rates for the recording comprising beginning to examine cut-rates when the minimum chapter length has passed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising continuing to examine cut-rates for the recording when the cut-rate for the recording at the default chapter length is high.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising

determining whether a maximum chapter length has passed, the minimum and maximum chapter lengths defining a boundary selection time frame;

and

selecting the chapter boundary within the boundary selection time frame, the chapter boundary corresponding to a chapter length at which the cut-rate for the recording is low.

5. The method of claim 4, selecting the chapter boundary within the boundary selection time frame comprising selecting the chapter boundary corresponding to a chapter length nearest to the default chapter length.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a keyframe for a chapter following the chapter boundary based on the cut-rates for the recording.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a keyframe for a chapter prior to the chapter boundary based on the cut-rates for the recording.

8. A boundary selector for selecting a chapter boundary for a digital video recording, comprising:

a cut-rate indicator operable to examine cut-rates for the recording;

a chapter length monitor operable to determine that a default chapter length has passed; and

the boundary selector operable to determine whether the cut-rate for the recording at the default chapter length is low and to select the chapter boundary at the default chapter length when the cut-rate for the recording at the default chapter length is low.

9. The boundary selector of claim 8, the chapter length monitor further operable to determine whether a minimum chapter length has passed and the cut-rate indicator operable to examine cut-rates for the recording by beginning to examine cut-rates when the minimum chapter length has passed.

10. The boundary selector of claim 8, the cut-rate indicator further operable to continue examining cut-rates for the recording when the cut-rate for the recording at the default chapter length is high.

11. The boundary selector of claim 10, the chapter length monitor further operable to determine whether a maximum chapter length has passed, the minimum and maximum chapter lengths defining a boundary selection time frame, and the boundary selector further operable to select the chapter boundary within the boundary selection time frame, the chapter boundary corresponding to a chapter length at which the cut-rate for the recording is low.

12. The boundary selector of claim 11, the boundary selector operable to select the chapter boundary within the boundary selection time frame by selecting the chapter boundary corresponding to a chapter length nearest to the default chapter length.

13. The boundary selector of claim 8, further comprising a keyframe extractor operable to select a keyframe for a chapter following the chapter boundary based on the cut-rates for the recording.

14. The boundary selector of claim 8, further comprising a keyframe extractor operable to select a keyframe for a chapter prior to the chapter boundary based on the cut-rates for the recording.

15. A system for selecting a chapter boundary for a digital video recording, comprising:

a computer-processable medium; and

logic stored on the computer-processable medium, the logic operable to examine cut-rates for the recording, to determine that a default chapter length has passed, to determine whether the cut-rate for the recording at the default chapter length is low, and to select the chapter boundary at the default chapter length when the cut-rate for the recording at the default chapter length is low.

16. The system of claim 15, the logic further operable to determine whether a minimum chapter length has passed and to examine cut-rates for the recording comprising beginning to examine cut-rates when the minimum chapter length has passed.

17. The system of claim 15, the logic further operable to continue examining cut-rates for the recording when the cut-rate for the recording at the default chapter length is high, to determine whether a maximum chapter length has passed, the minimum and maximum chapter lengths defining a boundary selection time frame, and to select the chapter boundary within the boundary selection time frame, the chapter boundary corresponding to a chapter length at which the cut-rate for the recording is low.

18. The system of claim 17, the logic further operable to select the chapter boundary within the boundary selection time frame by selecting the chapter boundary corresponding to a chapter length nearest to the default chapter length.

19. The system of claim 15, the logic further operable to select a keyframe for a chapter following the chapter boundary based on the cut-rates for the recording.

20. The system of claim 15, the logic further operable to select a keyframe for a chapter prior to the chapter boundary based on the cut-rates for the recording.