JP2003333487A - Device for recording/reproducing moving image and method for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for recording/reproducing moving images in which a user can insert an index in a desired position during recording the moving images. <P>SOLUTION: During recording the moving images (302) using the device for recording/reproducing the moving images provided with an index insertion button, by operating the index insertion button at a desired timing (303), the index is inserted (304). A frame in the position of the index is displayed as a thumbnail so that efficiency in understanding a content of the moving image data and reproducing/editing procedure is improved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a moving picture recording / reproducing apparatus and a moving picture recording / reproducing method, and more particularly to a moving picture recording / reproducing for editing / reproducing data recorded by using an index indicating a position of a moving picture file. The present invention relates to a device and a moving image recording / reproducing method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Currently, various recording media and recording methods are used in digital recording of moving images.

The recorded data is stored in a recording medium together with the date, title, thumbnails and the like. The recorded data is taken into a personal computer or the like as a file in a compression format such as MPEG, and reproduced or cut out and edited a moving image is performed according to a user's request. For example, at this time, if a large number of MPEG files exist on the recording medium of the system, it is possible to easily understand what kind of scene is recorded only by basic file attribute data such as file name, update date and size. Is difficult,
As the number of files increases, so does the degree.

Therefore, according to the conventional technique, the top frame of the MPEG file is displayed as a thumbnail (reduced display) and MPE is performed.
Many applications for displaying and managing G files have been developed.

Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-213524, it is said that the data rate of compressed image data being recorded is arbitrarily changed, and frames at the boundary of this data rate are used as thumbnails of the file. The method is published.

Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-3346 discloses a method of determining a scene (frame) to be adopted as a thumbnail during reproduction of an MPEG file and storing this frame as a thumbnail at the head of the file. .

Further, as an example of a video camera using an optical disc as a recording medium, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-111963 is used.
The publication discloses a recording / playback method in which a moving image data area and a thumbnail storage area are provided, and a desired position in the moving image data is accessed from the thumbnail.

[0008]

In the above-mentioned conventional moving image management method, a frame such as the first frame from which data can be easily obtained is selected as the thumbnail. Therefore, a thumbnail showing a scene characterizing the file itself is not always displayed. Not necessarily, it is hard to be a standard for referring to the file contents.

Further, from the viewpoint of thumbnails as a reference for referring to the contents of a moving image file, the method as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-213524 is switched to a high data rate, so that the total amount of data can be fulfilled for the purpose. Must be accompanied by an increase in JP-A-11-334
In the case of the publication No. 6, since the thumbnail is selected after the recording, an operation for selecting the thumbnail is required at the time of reproducing or editing. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-111963, a frame at an arbitrary position of a moving image file can be designated as a thumbnail, but this is merely a function of a standard for a reproduction start position.

Further, when reproducing or recording a moving image file, there is a case where a request for inserting an index at an arbitrary position is made according to the convenience of the user. For example, if an index can be added in real time to an impressive or decisive scene during recording (and the position of that index can be used as a thumbnail), the index can be used as a guide for recording images after recording. It can be used very effectively in playback and editing. In addition, it is more useful not only to select one index but also to select multiple indexes, so that the contents of the image can be grasped, and also in the image reproduction / editing work.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a moving image recording / reproducing apparatus having a function of inserting an index at a position desired by a photographer during recording and a moving image capable of reproduction / data editing using index information. It is an object to provide a recording / reproducing method.

[0012]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention constitutes a moving picture recording / reproducing apparatus having an index insertion button and has the following means. A moving image recording / reproducing means including an imaging device, a recording device, a control device, and a display device for recording / reproducing a moving image. Index insertion means capable of freely pressing a prescribed button provided in the moving image recording / reproducing apparatus so as to insert a plurality of indexes at desired positions in the recorded data with a sense of inserting a bookmark in a book. . A file attribute display means capable of displaying the information of the position where the index is inserted as a time stamp, frame number and thumbnail. A moving image editing / playback means that enables moving image editing / playback using the index information created by the index inserting means as a guide.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a moving picture recording / reproducing apparatus used in this embodiment. The moving image data obtained from the optical lens 101 is AD-converted by the image sensor 102 and input to the camera signal processing DSP 103 as an electric signal. The input electrical signal is a camera signal processing DSP1
It is converted into a YUV signal by 03.

A key input interface 109 sends an interrupt signal to the camera control microcomputer 104 when any of the keys installed in the apparatus is input. Upon receiving the interrupt signal, the camera control microcomputer 104 has an external storage area 115 (flash memory or the like).
The interrupt processing program corresponding to the interrupt signal is executed according to the key input / output processing routine of the execution program stored in.

The input key 110 is, for example, a record button or a play button, and has a function that is standardly equipped in a commercially available video camera. For example, when the user presses the record button, the camera control microcomputer 104 determines the camera signal processing DSP based on the state of the optical lens 101 and the information obtained from the image sensor 102.
103 is optimally controlled, and a finder image is displayed on the LCD display panel 106 via the LCD control 105.

The recording data input from the optical lens 101 is output as a digital electric signal by the image sensor 102, converted into a YUV digital video signal by the camera signal processing DSP 103, and sent to the MPEG codec section 111. The MPEG codec unit 111 uses the SDRAM or the like as the video memory 112 and the camera signal processing DSP 10
The image obtained from 3 is expanded and the moving image data is MPEG.
Compress.

Further, during recording, a voice is recorded by the microphone 107 having a built-in sound together with the image. Audio data is 1
After AD conversion by 08, the main CPU 113 performs software encoding by using a voice compression program.

A voice compression method such as AAC or MP3 format is used as a compression method, an MPEG stream is generated in synchronization with the moving image data output from the MPEG codec section 111, and the compressed MPEG stream data is mai.
System internal bus 116 according to an instruction from nCPU 113
Is output to.

The MPEG stream data is stored in the buffer RAM 114 for writing efficiency, overall system performance, error avoidance, etc., and then written and stored in the external storage area 115 as needed. The external storage area 115 can use a flash memory, a hard disk, an optical disk, or the like.

The above is a series of flow of the recording operation of the moving picture recording apparatus of the present invention and the moving picture recording apparatus of the conventional example.

The major difference between the moving picture recording apparatus of the present invention and the conventional moving picture recording apparatus is that the apparatus of the present invention has an index insertion function in addition to the standard functions (buttons) of a conventional video camera commercially available. The point is that a button is equipped as a part of the input key 110. By pressing this button, the user can insert the index at a desired position as if he / she puts a bookmark on the book or attaches a sticky note.

When the index insertion button is pressed for a long recording, for example, assuming a children's athletic meet, if the photographer inserts an index in the scene where the child appears, the playback position after recording is a guideline. Can be As described above, it is possible to insert a plurality of indexes instead of a single location.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of index insertion. Images are captured at regular intervals during recording. At this time, the photographer can press the index insertion button at a desired timing, and when the index insertion button is pressed, the image captured next becomes the index target image. In FIG. 2, 201 and 202 correspond to this.

Next, an index insertion method according to the present invention will be described.

As an index insertion example 1, an example of using a time stamp for index insertion will be given.

First, it is assumed that the photographer presses the index insertion button of the input key 110 at a desired position while the moving image recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention is recording. In that case, during the recording process described above, an index writing area corresponding to the recorded data is created as a file different from the recorded data. Each time the photographer presses the index insertion button, a time stamp is written in this area.

Information such as the relative time from the start of recording or the current time can be used for the time stamp, but the time stamp indicated by the index can be used for MPEG.
The position on the data can be specified. In this way, by pressing the index insertion button, a time stamp is written at any time, and an index file is created separately from the MPEG file.

The insertion example 2 of the index is the same in function as the insertion example 1, but is a method of using the frame number for the data to be written in the index writing area.

When recording is started, the MPEG codec section 1
11 stores data while performing compression processing at 30 frames per second, for example. At this time, the number of encoded frames is counted simultaneously with the encoding. Thereafter, each time the index insertion button is pressed, as in the index insertion example 1, the frame number at this time is written in the index writing area at any time, and an index file is created separately from the MPEG file.

Index insertion example 1 and index insertion example 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When recording starts in step 301, image frames are taken in at regular intervals in step 302. Since the pressing of the index insertion button is constantly monitored during recording, if not pressed, the process branches to NO in step 303 to perform MPEG encoding in step 305 and MPE in step 306.
The recording process such as writing the G file is repeated.

On the other hand, if the index insertion button is pressed, the time stamp and frame number are written in the index file in step 304, and the recording process from step 305 is performed. In step 307, it is determined whether or not the recording is finished. If the recording is finished, in step 308, the MPEG file and the index file are closed.

At this time, the index file and MP
Although the EG file is a separate file, the information held by the index file is a measure of the content of the MPEG file, so both files need to be associated.

As the method, the association is identified from the file name such as by making the same file name, or the MPEG file name and the storage destination path held by the index file are stored to associate the MPEG file with the index file. May be.

In addition, in the index insertion example 1 and the insertion example 2 described above, the method of storing the time stamp or the frame number as a separate file from the MPEG file has been described, but the index information does not have to be a separate file structure, and the By storing the index information in the header portion of the file, it is possible to hold the index information in one MPEG file without dividing the file.

Further, the information held by the index is not limited to the time stamp or frame number, but image data at the position where the index insertion button is pressed may be captured and registered as a thumbnail using a still image compression format such as JPEG. It is possible.

Next, the editing / reproducing operation of the MPEG file from the data obtained by inserting the index as described above will be described.

The MPEG file or index file obtained by recording a moving image and inserting an index is used as a guide for reproduction / editing work.

FIG. 4 shows the data moving image data editing / editing of the present invention.
It is an example of a file display screen in a reproduction program. It is assumed that the photographer has recorded for 60 minutes, and during that time, indexes have been inserted at positions of 15 minutes, 37 minutes, and 51 minutes from the start (file name is sports.mpeg).

At the time of reproducing after recording, the moving image data editing / reproducing program of the present invention recognizes index information when displaying a list of moving image files.
Is displayed. A file name and index information can be displayed as shown in FIG. 4, and the index information can be arbitrarily switched by the user such as a time stamp, frame number, and thumbnail image.

After the file list is displayed in the form of a list together with the index, the index is used as a guide for moving picture reproduction and editing. If the user specifies the index position during playback, playback can be started from this position. Also, when editing, moving images can be cut out using the index position as a guide for cutting out. Furthermore, it is possible to delete / change the index and insert the index during reproduction.

As another application example, when one thumbnail is designated from the thumbnails after recording as shown in FIG. 5, a predetermined number of frames (in this example, four frames before and after the designated frame) are displayed. .

The reproduction / editing position is set from among the nine thumbnails displayed. For example, among the nine thumbnails displayed in FIG. 5, three thumbnails are designated. Further, the 3 thumbnails designated at this time can be replaced with the 5 thumbnails designated previously, or can be added to the thumbnails displayed in the file list.

That is, the index can be roughly inserted during recording and the index can be set in detail after recording. It is also possible to designate the positions of the three thumbnails designated at that time for file display. It is also possible to cut out as a still image or use as a file icon.

[0046]

As described above, according to the present invention, an index can be inserted at a position desired by a photographer during recording of a moving image, so that a bookmark can be inserted in the recorded moving image file. With such a feeling, it can be effectively utilized for reproduction / editing from the position of the index, and the content of the file can be easily grasped from the thumbnail image.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a moving image recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of index insertion.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of index insertion.

FIG. 4 is an example of a file display screen according to the moving image data editing / playback program of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an application example of index selection by the moving image data editing / playback program of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 Optical lens 102 image sensor 103 camera signal processing DSP 104 camera control microcomputer 105 LCD control 106 LCD display panel 107 microphone 108 AD 109 Input key I / F 110 input key 111 MPEG codec section 112 memory 113 mainCPU 114 buffer RAM 115 External storage device

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A moving image recording / reproducing apparatus comprising: a recording unit for recording moving image data; and a storage unit for storing moving image data recorded by the recording unit, wherein an index is provided during recording by the recording unit. A moving image recording / reproducing apparatus comprising an index insertion button for inserting information, wherein the index information is stored in the storage means. 2. The moving image recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the index information is recorded as an electronic file. 3. The moving image recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the index information is recorded as a file separate from the recorded moving image data. 4. The moving image recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving image data recorded by the recording unit and the index information are created as one file. 5. The moving image recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the index information is a time stamp. 6. The moving image recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the index information is a frame number of moving image data. 7. The moving image recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an extracting unit that extracts, as a thumbnail image, a frame corresponding to an index position in the moving image data from the index information. 8. The image display means is further provided, and the moving image data stored in the storage means and the thumbnail image extracted by the extraction means are displayed on the image display means. The moving image recording / reproducing apparatus described. 9. The thumbnail image extracted by the extraction means and a predetermined number of frame images before and after the thumbnail image are read from the storage means and displayed on the image display means. Item 9. The moving image recording / reproducing apparatus according to item 8. 10. An arbitrary image is designated from the thumbnail image and the predetermined number of frame images displayed on the image display means, and the designated image is newly added as index information, or the index information is added. 10. The moving image recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein: 11. A moving image recording / reproducing method for recording moving image data and storing the recorded moving image data, wherein index information designated during recording of the moving image data is stored. Video recording / playback method.