Index generation method, index generation apparatus, index addition system, and program and storage medium therefor

• US 20020184220A1
• Filed: 01/23/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Masumitsu, Ken, Echigo, Tomio, Murao, Takaaki, Teraguchi, Masayoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,072,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/71 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/739 in form of a video summary, e.g. the video summary being a video sequence, a composite still image or having synthesized frames
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/147 Scene change detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

An index generator that generates an index, which is data description contents, such as video contents, comprises: an index description device, for defining in advance basic index information concerning an index; a video display device for the input, the display or the output of contents to which an index is to be added; a triggering action input device, for accepting a triggering action in the contents that is displayed or output; and an index determination device, for generating index data based on the basic index information, which is defined by the index description device, and triggering action input history information, which is entered by the triggering action input device.

Claims

1. An index generation method comprising the steps of:

defining, in advance, basic index information concerning an index that constitutes data that describes contents; and

generating said index by employing operating procedures that use said basic index information,

wherein information relative to a triggering action for the generation of an index and information concerning a timespan for said index are defined for said basic index information.

2. The index generation method according to claim 1, wherein said information concerning said timespan, which is defined as said basic index information, is a timespan extending from the occurrence of a triggering action to an index start, and a timespan extending from the occurrence of a triggering action to an index end.

3. The index generation method according to claim 1, wherein the weight of said index is defined for said basic index information.

4. The index generation method according to claim 1, wherein said basic index information defines information concerning the hierarchy for a single triggering index that is formed for a single triggering action, and the higher index is added when the lower index is added.

5. The index generation method according to claim 1, wherein said basic index information defines information concerning said index that is formed by the effects produced by multiple triggering actions.

6. An index generation method that uses a triggering action to trigger the index generation of an index which is data concerning contents, comprising the steps of:

selecting a triggering action from among multiple triggering actions that are defined in advance;

determining an index effective time range for said selected triggering action, based on a timespan extending from the occurrence of a triggering action to an index start and a timespan extending from the occurrence of a triggering action to an index end, said timespans being defined in advance; and

generating an index corresponding to said triggering action based on said effective time range.

7. The index generation method according to claim 6, wherein another index for which a part, or all of said effective time range is determined is added to contents.

8. The index generation method according to claim 6, wherein for said timespan extending from the occurrence of said triggering action to said index start, and said timespan extending from the occurrence of said triggering action to said index end, a different value is defined in advance for each triggering action, and said effective time range is determined based on said defined value.

9. An index generation apparatus for generating an index, which is data that describes contents, comprising:

index data definition means for defining index data to be added to contents in advance;

contents output means for outputting contents to which said index is added;

triggering action input means for receiving a triggering action, which acts as a trigger for an index, relative to said contents; and

index generation means for generating said index based on said index data defined by said index data definition means, and said triggering action being received by said triggering action input means.

10. The index generation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said index data that is defined by said index data definition means includes:

triggering information that defines information concerning a triggering action; and

single triggering index information for determining an effective time range formed by the occurrence of a triggering action and the importance level of an index.

11. The index generation apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said index data that is defined by said index data definition means includes:

multiple triggering index information that defines index data obtained by multiple triggering actions affecting each other; and

additional information that defines information to be individually added to indexes.

12. The index generation apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

input history data storage means for storing said received triggering action as history;

correction contents output means for employing said triggering action stored in said input history data storage means to display or output contents used for correction; and

triggering action correction means for correcting said triggering action for said contents that is output by said correction contents output means.

14. The index generation apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said display means displays a list of additional information that are registered in advance, in addition to said list of triggering action types, and said input means receives necessary information that is selected based on said list of additional information that is displayed by said display means.

15. The index generation apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

processing means, for processing a triggering action input by said input means,

wherein said processing means determines an effective time range for an index, including the times preceding and succeeding the occurrence of said received triggering action, and also determines the importance level of said index.

17. The index addition system according to claim 16, wherein said index addition means adds two or more different and independent indexes to a specific portion of said contents.

19. The program according to claim 18, wherein said basic index information defines information concerning the hierarchy of a single triggering index formed of a single triggering action, and information concerning an index that is formed by multiple triggering actions affecting each other.

13. An index generation apparatus, for generating an index that provides meaningful information concerning video, comprising:

display means, for displaying video and for displaying a list of triggering action types, which act as a trigger for an index addition, that are registered in advance; and

input means, for receiving, in accordance with the occurrence of a triggering action in said video displayed by said display means, a necessary triggering action from said list of said triggering action types.

16. An index addition system, for a contents provider that provides video contents, comprising:

index addition means, for adding an index, which is meaningful information, to contents,

wherein said index addition means determines a triggering action, which acts as a trigger for an index addition, and adds said index using a timespan extending from the occurrence of said triggering action to an index start, and a timespan extending from the occurrence of said triggering action to an index end.

18. A program that permits a computer to perform:

a function for defining, in advance, basic index information, which is information concerning an index that constitutes data that describes contents; and

a function for generating said index through operating procedures using said basic index information,

wherein said basic index information defines information concerning a triggering action and information concerning a starting time and an ending time that fall in a predetermined timespan beginning at the occurrence of said triggering action.

20. A program for implementing a function that uses a triggering action to trigger the index generation of an index which is data concerning contents, permitting a computer to perform:

a function for receiving a triggering action that is selected from among multiple triggering actions defined in advance;

a function for determining an effective time range for an index based on a timespan extending from the occurrence of a triggering action to an index start, and a timespan extending from the occurrence of a triggering action to an index end, said timespans being defined in advance; and

a function for employing said effective time range to generate an index corresponding to said triggering action.

21. The program according to claim 20 that permits said computer to further perform:

a function for adding another index upon the initiation of another triggering action for that portion of contents for which an index is generated by said triggering action.

22. A storage medium on which a computer stores a computer readable program that permits said computer to perform:

a process for defining, in advance, basic index information, which is information concerning an index that constitutes data that describes contents; and

a process for generating said index through operating procedures using said basic index information,

wherein, in said process for defining said basic index information, information concerning a triggering action, which acts as a trigger for an index generation, and information concerning a starting time and an ending time that fall in a predetermined timespan beginning at the occurrence of said triggering action are defined.

23. A storage medium on which a computer stores a computer readable program for implementing a function that uses a triggering action to trigger the index generation of an index which is data concerning contents, said program permitting a computer to perform:

a process for receiving a triggering action that is selected from among multiple triggering actions defined in advance;

a process for determining an effective time range for an index based on a timespan extending from the occurrence of a triggering action to an index start, and a timespan extending from the occurrence of a triggering action to an index end, said timespans being defined in advance; and

a process for employing said effective time range to generate an index corresponding to said triggering action.