Digital video reproduction apparatus and method

• US 7,417,680 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2002
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoneyama, Kazuto, Aoki, Morio
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Nhan T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bemben; Richard M
• Application Number:
  US10/301,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20030133032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,106 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.99, 34833301-33313
• US Class Current: 348/333.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00387 Multiple functions per key
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00442 Simultaneous viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. using a mosaic display arrangement of thumbnails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00453 arranged in a two dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00461 marking or otherwise tagging one or more displayed image, e.g. for selective reproduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8047 using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

The invented apparatus includes a part of measuring the duration of activation of a select button on its control pad. When the select button is activated longer than a predetermined period, the apparatus enters a mode of continuously selecting multiple thumbnails for selecting a plurality of successive thumbnails. During this mode, after selecting a range of successive thumbnails with a cursor positioning mechanism on the control pad, when the select button is activated, it becomes determinate that the thumbnails in the selected range be selected and the apparatus exits the mode of continuously selecting multiple thumbnails.

Claims

1. A camera comprising:

a thumbnail picture arraying part;

a control pad including a cursor positioning control and a select button operable for selecting at least one thumbnail from an array of thumbnail pictures generated by the thumbnail arraying part;

a thumbnail selection control which controls the thumbnail arraying part and enables selection of the at least one thumbnail picture according to an output signal from the control pad;

a display unit which displays the array of thumbnail pictures;

a timer for measuring a duration of continuously pressing without releasing of the select button;

wherein, after detecting that the select button is continuously depressed without releasing for longer than a predetermined period, the camera enters a mode of continuously selecting multiple thumbnail pictures, the mode of continuously selecting multiple thumbnail pictures enabling the camera to receive selection of a starting cell and an ending cell of thumbnail pictures after the select button is released, wherein selection of at least one cell of thumbnail pictures that are present between the starting cell and the ending cell is received in response to receiving selection of the starting cell and the ending cell of thumbnail pictures; and

wherein, when the select button is continuously depressed without releasing for less than the predetermined period, the camera enters a mode of selecting single thumbnail pictures to enable selection of thumbnail pictures one at a time,

wherein in the mode of continuously selecting multiple thumbnail pictures, the starting cell and the ending cell are selected using the cursor positioning control to designate the starting cell, the ending cell, and the at least one cell of thumbnail pictures between the starting cell and the ending cell, and after designating the starting cell, the ending cell, and the at least one cell of thumbnail pictures between the starting cell and the ending cell, releasing the camera from the mode of continuously selecting multiple thumbnail pictures.

2. A camera according to claim 1 wherein in the mode of selecting single thumbnail pictures, when the select button is continuously depressed without releasing for longer than the predetermined period with the cursor positioned at a selected thumbnail picture, the camera enters a mode of continuously unselecting thumbnail pictures for unselecting successive thumbnail pictures that have been selected.

3. A camera according to claim 1 wherein in the mode of continuously selecting multiple thumbnail pictures, when the select button is continuously depressed without releasing for longer than the predetermined period with the cursor positioned at a selected thumbnail picture, the camera enters a mode of continuously unselecting thumbnail pictures for unselecting successive thumbnail pictures that have been selected.

4. A camera according to claim 2 wherein during the mode of continuously unselecting thumbnail pictures, after selecting a range of successive thumbnail pictures by designating starting and ending cells of thumbnail pictures when the select button is again continuously depressed without releasing, the selected thumbnail pictures are unselected and the camera exits the mode of continuously unselecting thumbnail pictures.

5. A camera according to claim 3 wherein during the mode of continuously unselecting thumbnail pictures, after selecting a range of successive thumbnail pictures when the select button is again continuously depressed without releasing, the selected thumbnail pictures are unselected and the camera exits the mode of continuously unselecting thumbnail pictures.

6. A camera according to claim 1 wherein upon designation of the selected range of thumbnail pictures, the display unit is caused to display the designated thumbnail pictures in a visually different manner than undesignated thumbnail pictures.

7. A camera comprising:

a reproducing part to reproduce compressed data of digital video signals and thumbnail data corresponding to the compressed data stored on a storage medium;

a thumbnail arraying part to generate data for displaying thumbnail pictures in an array on one screen page using the thumbnail data;

a video signal processor which converts the data for displaying thumbnail pictures in an array from the thumbnail arraying part into analog video signals;

a display unit which displays the array of thumbnail pictures using the analog video signals;

a control pad including a cursor position control and a select button operable for selecting at least one of the thumbnail pictures from the array;

an operation control part coupled to receive requests from the control pad;

a thumbnail selection control part to exert control of thumbnail selection from the array of thumbnail pictures;

a timer for measuring a duration of continuously pressing without releasing the select button; and

wherein, after detecting that the select button is continuously depressed without releasing for longer than a predetermined period, the camera enters a mode of continuously selecting multiple thumbnail pictures, the mode of continuously selecting multiple thumbnail pictures enabling the camera to receive selection of a starting cell and an ending cell of thumbnail pictures after the select button is released, wherein selection of at least one cell of thumbnail pictures that are present between the starting cell and the ending cell is received in response to receiving selection of the starting cell and the ending cell of thumbnail pictures; and

wherein in the mode of continuously selecting multiple thumbnail pictures, the starting cell and the ending cell are selected using the cursor position control to designate the starting cell, the ending cell, and the at least one cell of thumbnail pictures between the starting cell and the ending cell, and after designating the starting cell, the ending cell and the at least one cell of thumbnail pictures between the starting cell and the ending cell, releasing the camera from the mode of continuously selecting multiple thumbnail pictures.

8. A camera according to claim 7 wherein during the mode of continuously selecting multiple thumbnail pictures, after selecting a range of successive thumbnail pictures, when the select button is again continuously depressed without releasing, the selected range is determined and the camera exits the mode of selecting multiple thumbnail pictures.

9. A camera according to claim 7 wherein when the select button is continuously depressed without releasing for longer than a predetermined period with a cursor positioned at a selected thumbnail, the camera enters a mode of continuously unselecting thumbnail pictures to thereby unselect successive thumbnail pictures previously selected.

10. A camera according to claim 9 wherein during the mode of continuously unselecting thumbnail pictures, after selecting a range of successive thumbnail pictures, when the select button is again continuously depressed without releasing, the selected thumbnail pictures in the selected range are unselected and the camera exits the mode of unselecting thumbnail pictures.

11. A camera according to claim 7 wherein upon designation of the selected range of thumbnail pictures, the display unit is caused to display the designated thumbnail pictures in a visually different manner than undesignated thumbnail pictures.

12. A camera comprising:

a thumbnail arraying part;

a control pad including a cursor positioning control and a select button operable for selecting at least one thumbnail from an array of thumbnail pictures generated by the thumbnail arraying part;

a thumbnail selection control which controls the thumbnail arraying part and enables selection of the at least one thumbnail picture according to an output signal from the control pad;

a display unit which displays the array of thumbnail pictures; and

a timer for measuring a duration of continuously depressing without releasing of the select button;

wherein, when detecting that the select button is depressed, in the event that the timer measures a duration of continuously depressing without releasing of the select button for less than a predetermined period, the camera enters a mode of selecting single thumbnail pictures, which enables selection for thumbnail pictures, and

wherein, when detecting that the select button is depressed, in the event that the timer measures a duration of continuously depressing without releasing of the select button for more than a predetermined period, the camera enters a mode of continuously selecting multiple thumbnail pictures, the mode of continuously selecting multiple thumbnail pictures enabling the camera to receive selection of a starting cell and an ending cell of thumbnail pictures by using the cursor positioning control after the select button is released, whereby multiple thumbnail pictures including the starting cell, the ending cell, and any cells that are present between the starting cell and the ending cell are selected, the camera being released from the mode of continuously selecting multiple thumbnail pictures after the ending cell is selected.