JP2000235783A - Picture managing device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently manage pictures recorded on plural video tapes. SOLUTION: A VTR 10 outputs indeces recorded on a video tape to a picture control circuit 18 and the circuit 18 makes a video monitor 20 display the contents of the indeces. The circuit 18 retrieves whether related pictures exist in a picture storage device 14 or not and whether information concerning indeces of related picture exist in a memory 22 as directories or not. When related directories do not exist in the memory, a user prepares new directories in the memory 22 and sorts index information of pictures recorded on the video taped properly to directions to preserve them in the memory 22. Then, pictures to be stored in the picture storage device 14 are selected from among all pictures recorded on the video tape and they are reproduced to be stored in the device 14. When the video tape is an unregistered video tape, a new identification number is issued and it is printed from a seal printer 24.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image management apparatus and method, and more particularly, to an image management apparatus suitable for efficiently organizing, reproducing and editing images recorded on a plurality of image recording media. And methods.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the widespread use of VTRs and video cameras, there has been an increasing number of occasions in which images taken by individuals and broadcast images are recorded on a video tape or the like and enjoyed. These video tapes on which images are recorded are arranged with a sticker on which the title and contents are written on the outside of the cassette so that the recorded contents can be easily checked from the outside. The user can arbitrarily record an index such as a photographing start signal on the video tape itself so that each photographed image can be easily searched for.

[0003]

However, such an arrangement method is for each videotape,
It only functions as a rough guide. As the number of video tapes increases, it becomes extremely difficult to grasp where and what is recorded as a whole, and it is difficult to play back the desired image quickly or edit efficiently between images. Becomes impossible.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide an image management apparatus and method for solving such inconvenience.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image management apparatus and an image management method capable of orderly organizing the recording contents of a plurality of recording media and quickly extracting frequently used images.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image management apparatus comprising: an image reproducing unit for reproducing a recorded image from an exchangeable recording medium for recording an image and index information; Image storage means for storing the image of the, a memory for storing the identification number of the recording medium and the index information recorded on the recording medium, a printing means for printing the identification number on the recording medium,
The indexes recorded on the plurality of recording media are organized and stored in the memory, the image reproduced from the image reproducing unit is stored in the image storage unit, an identification number is issued to each recording medium, and the image is stored in the memory. A control for reading and outputting a desired image from the image storage unit and the image reproducing unit based on the stored index and the identification number of each recording medium, and causing the printing unit to print the identification number given to the recording medium. Means.

An image management method according to the present invention comprises an image reproducing means for reproducing a recorded image from an exchangeable recording medium for recording an image and index information, and an image for storing a desired image reproduced from the image reproducing means. Storage means, memory for storing the identification number of the recording medium and the index information recorded on the recording medium, printing means for printing the identification number on the recording medium, and interchangeable for recording the image and index information The indexes recorded on a plurality of recording media are organized and stored in a memory, the image reproduced from the recording medium is stored in an image storage unit, an identification number is issued to each recording medium, and stored in the memory. A desired image is read out and output from the image storage means and the image reproduction means based on the index and the identification number of each recording medium, The granted service number, characterized in that it consists of the steps of printing to the printing means.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. A VTR 10 reproduces and outputs an image recorded on a video tape, and also reproduces and outputs an index signal. Instead of the VTR, a disk playback device such as a DVD playback device may be used. Reference numeral 12 denotes an A / D converter for converting an analog image signal output from the VTR 10 into a digital signal, and reference numeral 14 denotes an A / D converter 1
An image storage device for storing image data output from
Reference numeral 16 denotes a D / A converter for converting image data read from the image storage device 14 into an analog signal, and 18 denotes a VTR 1
0 and an image control circuit that controls the image storage device 14 and controls the display contents of the video monitor 20. Image control circuit 1
8 supplies an analog image signal read from the image storage device 14 and input via the D / A converter 16 to the video monitor 20.

Reference numeral 22 denotes a memory for storing the identification number of the video tape registered by the user and index information recorded on the video tape; 24, a sticker printer for printing the identification number of the video tape on a sticker; In accordance with an instruction from the user, the memory 22, the seal printer 24
A command control circuit for controlling the image control circuit 18;
Is an operation device including a keyboard and a remote operation device for inputting various commands and explanations by a user, and 30 is an input interface for transmitting an input from the operation device 28 to the command control circuit 26.

The image storage device 14 stores a large number of images reproduced from a plurality of video tapes. Information about the index of the image stored in the image storage device 14 is stored in the memory 22 as a directory.
That is, the information about the image and its index is stored in an orderly manner for each image content so as to form a hierarchical directory between the image storage device 14 and the memory 22. The images stored in the image storage device 14 are filed as a part of the hierarchical directory in the memory 22.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of a hierarchical directory formed between the image storage device 14 and the memory 22. There are directories A1 to An under the root directory. Each of the directories A1 to An is a directory in which the contents of an image are largely organized, such as "child growth record" and "family event", and the name can be arbitrarily assigned by the user. Subdirectories a1 to an below the directory are subdivided directories for each related video, and can be divided into contents such as "athletic meet" and "birthday". The sub directories a1 to an can also be arbitrarily named by the user. The lowermost directories b1 to bn are directories that actually store image files and index information, and are assigned to each videotape on which related videos to be collected in the upper directory an are recorded. Video tape identification number. The image stored in the image storage device 14 is filed under a directory whose directory name is the identification number of the video tape on which the image was originally recorded.

The operation of this embodiment will be described. When newly capturing an image and its information from a video tape, the image control circuit 18 and the instruction control circuit 26 wait until a video tape is inserted into the VTR 10. When the VTR 10 detects that a video tape has been inserted into the VTR 10,
The TR 10 outputs the index recorded on the video tape to the image control circuit 18, and the image control circuit 18 causes the video monitor 20 to display the contents of the index according to the index.

At this stage, information on whether or not the related image exists in the image storage device 14 and information on the index of the related image are stored in the memory 2 as a directory.
2 to see if it exists. The user can instruct the user to specify in advance whether the directory search is to be performed by the user using the operation device 28 or automatically performed by the command control circuit 26.

When the user performs a search by himself, the command control circuit 26 reads the directory stored in the memory 22 and outputs it to the image control circuit 18, and displays the contents or structure of the directory on the screen of the video monitor 20. Let it. The user selects a directory suitable for the content of the image recorded on the video tape currently loaded in the VTR 10 while looking at the directory structure displayed on the video monitor 20.

In the case of automatic search by the instruction control circuit 26,
The user inputs a character string indicating the content of the image corresponding to each index recorded on the video tape by using the operation device 28 while watching the index displayed on the video monitor 20. The command control circuit 26 searches a directory having a directory name similar to the content of the image input by the user by character string collation. The command control circuit 26 determines whether there is a directory having the information of the related image according to the search result, and if the related directory exists, selects the directory from the memory 22. If there is no related directory, the command control circuit 26 informs the user of the memory 2 by using the operation device 28.
2 causes a new directory to be created, and the index information of the images recorded on the video tape to be appropriately allocated to directories in the memory 22 and stored in the memory 22.

Next, an image to be stored in the image storage device 14 is selected from all the images recorded on the video tape. The method of selecting an image includes a method in which the user arbitrarily selects the image using the operation device 28, and a method in which the image control circuit 18 automatically selects the image according to the recorded date and time and / or the importance of the content. Can be considered. Image control circuit 18
Causes the VTR 10 to reproduce the selected image. The reproduced analog image signal is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 12 and stored in the image storage device 14 as an image file. This image file becomes a part of the hierarchy constituting the directory. During these series of operations,
The operation state can be observed on the screen of the video monitor 20.

It is determined whether the video tape loaded in the VTR 10 is a newly registered product, that is, a video tape to which no identification number has been given. The recognition number is a serial number with the first registered video tape being number one. V
If the video tape loaded in the TR 10 has not been given an identification number, the instruction control circuit 26 reads the currently registered identification number from the memory 22 and increments the identification number by one. The obtained number is stored in the memory 22 as a new video tape recognition number. The new identification number is sent to the sticker printer 24 and printed on the sticker. The user removes the video tape loaded in the VTR 10 from the VTR 10 and then attaches the seal.

When playing back or editing an image and its information previously captured in the image storage device 14, the user inputs information specifying the desired image from the operation device 28, and the command control circuit 26 , The directory having the information of the image is searched from the memory 22. When a directory is found, the command control circuit 26 determines from the information recorded in the directory whether or not an image desired by the user is stored in the image storage device 14 as an image file.

When the image desired by the user is stored in the image storage device 14, the image control circuit 18 reads the image from the image storage device 14 based on the index information stored in the memory 22. . The image data read from the image storage device 14 is converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 16 and applied to the video monitor 20 via the image control circuit 18. As a result, the corresponding image is displayed on the screen of the video monitor 20. The user can edit the displayed image by inputting a predetermined command or the like from the operation device 28.

When the image desired by the user is not stored in the image storage device 14 as an image file, the command control circuit 26 determines the video tape on which the image is stored based on the information stored in the memory 22. Is displayed on the screen of the video monitor 20 via the image control circuit 18 to urge the user to insert the corresponding video tape into the VTR 10. The user copies the videotape to VTR1
When it is inserted into 0, the instruction control circuit 26 supplies the index information stored in the memory 22 to the image control circuit 18, and the image control circuit 18 controls the VTR 10 in accordance with the index information to perform cueing of the image and the like. Then, an image is reproduced from the video tape and displayed on the screen of the video monitor 20. At this time, the user can also display the displayed image on the operation device 2.
8 can be edited.

The part consisting of the command control circuit 26 and the image control circuit 18 may be realized by a single CPU. FIG.
The schematic configuration block diagram is shown. The same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. Reference numeral 40 denotes a CPU having both functions of the command control circuit 26 and the image control circuit 18.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the CPU 40 when newly fetching an image and its information from a video tape.

The operation waits until a video tape is loaded in the VTR 10 (S1). When the video tape is loaded into the VTR 10, the VTR 10 reproduces the index recorded on the loaded video tape and outputs it to the CPU 40,
The CPU 40 outputs the index to the video monitor 20 (S2). The user looks at the screen of the video monitor 28,
Wait for the contents of the image corresponding to each index recorded on the video tape to be input by the operation device 28 (S
3). After the input, an image related to the content of the image is stored in the image storage device 14 and the user searches for whether information relating to the index of the relevant image exists in the memory 22 as a directory or the CPU 40 automatically performs the search. Wait for the user's designation (S4).

Based on the result of the automatic search (S5) or the user's own search (S13), it is determined whether or not a directory having information of related images exists (S6).
If a related directory exists (S6), the directory is selected from the memory 22 (S7). If there is no related directory (S6), the user is prompted to input a new directory name (S14), and a new directory is created (S15). The index information of the image recorded on the video tape is stored in a directory selected from existing ones or a newly created directory in the memory 22 (S8).

An image to be stored in the image storage device 14 is selected from among all the images recorded on the video tape (S
9). Similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, this image can be selected by a method arbitrarily selected by the user or a method automatically selected by the CPU 40 according to the recording date and time or the importance of the content. Can be Copy selected image to VTR10
Is reproduced from a video tape, and the reproduced image signal is converted from an analog signal to a digital signal by the A / D converter 12, and then stored as a file in the image storage device 14 (S10).

It is determined whether or not the video tape loaded in the VTR 10 is newly registered, that is, a video tape to which no identification number has been given (S11). The definition and issuing method of the identification number are the same as those in the embodiment shown in FIG. If the video tape loaded in the VTR 10 has not been given an identification number, the identification number is issued and registered in the memory 22 as a new video tape. At the same time, the information of the new identification number is applied to the sticker printer 24 and printed on the sticker (S12). The user attaches the sticker to a video tape.

FIG. 5 shows a CPU 40 for reproducing or editing an image and its information taken into the image storage device 14.
2 shows an operation flowchart.

First, the process waits for input of information for specifying an image desired by the user (S21). After the input, a directory having information on the image desired by the user is searched from the memory 22 (S22). If the directory is found, the directory is read (S23), and it is determined whether or not the image desired by the user is stored in the image storage device 14 as an image file (S24).

If the desired image is stored in the image storage device 14 (S24), the image is read from the image storage device 14 based on the index information stored in the memory 22 (S25). The image data read from the image storage device 14 is converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 16, applied to the video monitor 20, and displayed as an image (S26).

If the desired image is not stored in the image storage device 14 as an image file (S24), the memory 2
The identification number of the video tape on which the image is recorded is displayed on the screen of the video monitor 20 on the basis of the index information recorded in 2 to urge the user to load the video tape into the VTR 10 ( S27). When the user loads the corresponding video tape into the VTR 10 (S28),
Based on the index information stored in the memory 2, V
The CPU 10 controls the TR 10 to perform cueing of the video tape and reproduce the image (S29). The reproduced image signal is displayed as an image on the screen of the video monitor 20 (S26).

The user can edit the image displayed on the screen of the video monitor 20 by inputting various commands from the operation device 28.

[0033]

As can be easily understood from the above description, according to the present invention, the recorded images of a plurality of image recording media can be comprehensively and orderly arranged in a memory.
By storing frequently used images in the image storage means, the images can be quickly retrieved, and the user can efficiently organize, reproduce, and edit many images.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a hierarchical directory formed by an image storage device 14 and a memory 22.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart of a CPU 40 for newly taking in an image and its information from a video tape.

FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart of a CPU 40 for reproducing or editing an already captured image and its information.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10: VTR 12: A / D converter 14: Image storage device 16: D / A converter 18: Image control circuit 20: Video monitor 22: Memory 24: Seal printer 26: Command control circuit 28: Operation device 30: Input Interface 40: CPU

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 5/907 H04N 5/782 Z G11B 27/00 C (72) Inventor Hidetoshi Wada 3 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo (30) Inventor Teruo Hieda 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo F-term (reference) 5C018 AB01 AB02 DC00 FB04 5C052 AB03 AC08 CC20 DD04 GA03 GA04 GA05 GA07 GB09 GC00 GD03 GE00 5D077 AA08 CA02 DC21 DD01 EA12 EA33 EA34 HC12 HC41 5D110 AA04 DA01 DB09 DC06 DF04 FA08

Claims (4)

[Claims] An image reproducing means for reproducing a recorded image from an exchangeable recording medium for recording an image and index information, an image storing means for storing a desired image reproduced from the image reproducing means, and the recording medium A memory for storing the identification number of the document and the index information recorded on the recording medium, a printing unit for printing the identification number on the recording medium, and organizing the indexes recorded on the plurality of recording media in the memory. The image reproduced from the image reproducing means is stored in the image storage means, an identification number is issued to each recording medium, and the identification number of each recording medium is determined based on the index stored in the memory and the identification number of each recording medium. A control means for reading and outputting a desired image from the image storage means and the image reproducing means, and causing the printing means to print the identification number given to the recording medium. Image management apparatus characterized by comprising a. 2. The image management device according to claim 1, wherein said image reproducing means is a VTR. 3. An image reproducing means for reproducing a recorded image from an exchangeable recording medium for recording images and index information; an image storing means for storing a desired image reproduced from the image reproducing means; A memory for storing the identification number of the document and the index information recorded on the recording medium, a printing means for printing the identification number on the recording medium, and recording on a plurality of exchangeable recording media for recording images and index information The stored indexes are organized and stored in a memory, the images reproduced from the recording medium are stored in an image storage unit, an identification number is issued to each recording medium, and the index stored in the memory and the identification of each recording medium are recognized. A desired image is read out from the image storage unit and the image reproduction unit based on the number and output, and the identification number given to the recording medium is Image management method characterized by comprising the steps of printing to the print unit. 4. The image management method according to claim 3, wherein said image reproducing means is a VTR.