JP2006079349A - Image processor, image processing method and image processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To express time information related to a content by an image using an index image without adding image data to the index image of the content. <P>SOLUTION: A ratio of a lapsed term from a registration date to a present date to a validity term of the content is set as a weighting coefficient, and the present date is normalized to the registration date and an expiration date. An image processor body edits the index image 22 according to a value of the weighting coefficient such that density of the index image becomes low as the validity term wherein the content remains becomes short. Density of a display screen 100 of a UI device becomes dense in order of thumb nails 102a-102d, for example, and it is represented that the validity term wherein the content corresponding to the thumb nail 102a remains is the shortest and that the validity term the content corresponding to the thumb nail 102d remain is the longest. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing program for editing an index image.

  With the widespread use of digital cameras, digital video recorders, PCs (personal computers), and the like, opportunities for handling large amounts of content are increasing. Therefore, in order to easily grasp a large amount of content, it is known to use thumbnails or icons as headings for files such as moving images, still images, and documents. In addition, when an expiration date is set for the content, it is known to show a state where the expiration date is set for the content by adding a figure indicating that the expiration date is set to the icon ( Patent Document 1). In addition, it is known to display additional information such as the creation date of a content so as to overlap the thumbnail (see Patent Document 2).

JP 2000-307994 A JP 2001-337994 A

  However, as described in Patent Document 1, when a figure indicating that an expiration date is set is added to an icon, it is necessary to prepare image data in addition to the icon serving as the headline of the content. In addition, as described in Patent Document 2, when additional information is displayed overlaid on a thumbnail, the additional information is limited to text representation, or image data for displaying additional information overlaid on the thumbnail is provided. There was a problem that it was necessary.

  Therefore, the present invention provides an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing program capable of expressing time information related to content by an image using the index image without adding image data to the index image of the content. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, the first feature of the present invention is that time information acquisition means for acquiring time information, index image acquisition means for acquiring an index image of content, and acquisition by the time information acquisition means. The image processing apparatus includes an editing unit that edits the index image acquired by the index image acquiring unit according to time information. That is, the editing unit edits the index image according to the time information, so that the time information about the content can be expressed by the image using the index image without adding image data to the index image.

  Preferably, the editing means edits the density value of the index image. Therefore, the change or difference in the time information regarding the content can be expressed by the difference in the density value of the index image.

  Preferably, the editing means edits the index image in accordance with the effective period in which the content remains. That is, by editing the index image, it is possible to express a change or difference in the effective period in which the content remains.

  Preferably, the editing unit edits the index image so that the density value of the index image decreases according to the effective period in which the content remains. Preferably, the editing unit edits the index image so that the saturation of the index image is lowered in accordance with the remaining effective period of the content. Preferably, the editing means performs a blurring process on the index image in accordance with the effective period in which the content remains.

  Preferably, the editing means edits the index image so that the image area to be edited of the index image changes according to the ratio of the elapsed period to the effective period of the content. That is, the remaining effective period of the content can be expressed by the ratio of the image area in which the index image is edited.

  Preferably, the editing unit edits the index image according to time information set for the content. Therefore, for example, when the creation date or registration date of content is set for the content, the index image is edited according to the creation date or registration date of the content, so that the difference between the creation date or registration date of the content is expressed. be able to.

  Preferably, the editing unit edits the index image so that the density value of the index image continuously changes according to time information set for the content. Therefore, it is possible to express a continuous difference in time information set for content.

  Preferably, the editing unit edits the index image so that the density value of the index image decreases according to time information set for the content. Preferably, the editing unit edits the index image so that the saturation of the index image is lowered according to the time information set for the content. Preferably, the editing unit performs a blurring process on the index image according to time information set for the content.

  Preferably, the editing unit edits the index image so that the density value of the index image continuously changes according to a period from when the content is set to the present. In other words, since the density value of the index image is normalized so as to continuously change with respect to the period from the time when the content is set to the present, the difference in time information set for the content is continuously Can be expressed.

  The second feature of the present invention is an image processing method for acquiring time information and an index image of content, and editing the index image according to the acquired time information. That is, by editing the index image according to the acquired time information, it is possible to express a change or difference in the time information by the edited index image.

  The third feature of the present invention is that, in an image processing apparatus including a computer, a step of obtaining time information, a step of obtaining an index image of content, and editing an index image according to the obtained time information In the image processing program for causing the computer of the image processing apparatus to execute the step of performing.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to express time information related to content by an image using the index image without adding image data to the index image of the content.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an outline of an image processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The image processing apparatus 1 includes a user interface (UI) device 10, a storage device 12, a printing device main body 14, a communication device 16, and an image processing device main body 18. The UI device 10 includes, for example, a display device such as an LCD display device or a CRT display device, and an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse, accepts user instructions and settings, and displays an image according to the instructions and settings. The storage device 12 is, for example, an HDD device, and stores data input via the image processing apparatus main body 18, settings made by the user, a program supplied via the recording medium 120, and the like. The printing apparatus main body 14 includes, for example, an image forming apparatus including a paper feeding device, a xerographic device, a fixing device, and the like, and a scanner device (all not shown). The communication device 16 connects, for example, another image processing device and server (not shown) on the network to the image processing device main body 18. The image processing apparatus main body 18 includes a memory 180 including a RAM and a nonvolatile memory, a CPU 182 and the like. The CPU 182 has an RTC (real time clock: not shown) for indicating the current date and time. That is, the image processing apparatus 1 has a function as a general-purpose computer.

The image processing apparatus 1 receives content such as a still image, a moving image, or a document through the scanner device, the communication device 16, or the recording medium 120 of the printing apparatus main body 14 and stores the content under the control of the image processing apparatus main body 18. The information stored in the device 12 is output by displaying on the display device of the UI device 10 or printing by the printing device main body 14.
The image processing apparatus 1 may be one in which the image processing apparatus main body 18 and the storage device 12 are arranged on a network and connected to the UI apparatus 10 and the printing apparatus main body 14 via the communication device 16.

In FIG. 2, the structure of the content data file 2 stored in the storage device 12 is shown. As shown in FIG. 2, the content data file 2 includes content data 20 such as a still image, a moving image, or a document, an index image 22 serving as a content heading such as a thumbnail or an icon, and incidental information 24. The incidental information 24 includes, for example, the date and time (registration date and time) when the content is stored in the storage device 12, the creation date and time of the content, and the like. In addition, when a valid period is set for the content, the supplementary information 24 includes the valid period of the content.
When the content data 20 includes an image such as a still image or a moving image, the data file 2 does not include the index image 22, and the image processing apparatus body 18 processes the content data 20 to generate the index image 22. May be.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the image processing program 3 and the relationship between the image processing program 3 and the data file database (data file DB) 4.
The data file DB 4 is a content database in which the storage device 12 accumulates the content data file 2 accepted by the image processing apparatus 1 as needed.
The image processing program 3 includes an editing determination unit 30, a weighting factor calculation unit 32, an editing amount calculation unit 34, and an output processing unit 36, and is executed by the image processing apparatus body 18 shown in FIG.

  When the editing determination unit 30 receives an output instruction for displaying or printing the index image 22 and setting of an editing method for the index image 22 via the UI device 10, the editing determination unit 30 acquires the auxiliary information 24 from the data file DB 4. In addition, when the editing determination unit 30 acquires the incidental information 24 of the data file 2, the editing determination unit 30 determines whether or not the content has a predetermined setting, and if the content has a predetermined setting, the editing determination unit 30 has the setting. A signal indicating this is output to the weighting factor calculation unit 32, and if it is not set, a signal indicating that there is no setting is output to the output processing unit 36.

  When the weight coefficient calculation unit 32 receives a signal indicating that there is a predetermined setting from the editing determination unit 30, the weighting factor calculation unit 32 acquires the incidental information 24 of the data file 2 from the data file DB 4 and is input via the UI device 10. A weighting coefficient, which will be described later, is calculated according to the setting of the editing method for the index image 22, and is output to the editing amount calculation unit 34.

  Upon receipt of the weighting coefficient from the weighting coefficient calculating unit 32, the editing amount calculating unit 34 acquires the index image 22 from the data file DB 4 and according to the setting of the editing method for the index image 22 input via the UI device 10. Then, the editing amount for the index image 22 is calculated and output to the output processing unit 36.

  When the output processing unit 36 receives the editing amount for the index image 22 from the editing amount calculation unit 34, the output processing unit 36 acquires the index image 22 from the data file DB 4 and edits the index image 22 according to the received editing amount. Further, the output processing unit 36 performs processing for matching the edited index image 22 with the display device or printing device main body 14 of the UI device 10, and the edited index image 22 is displayed on the display device or printing device main body 14 of the UI device 10. Output to. Further, when the output processing unit 36 receives a signal indicating that the content does not have a predetermined setting from the editing determination unit 30, the output processing unit 36 acquires the index image 22 from the data file DB 4 and does not edit the index image 22, and the UI. The data is output in accordance with the display device of the apparatus 10 or the printing apparatus main body 14.

Next, a first embodiment of the editing method for the index image 22 in the present invention will be described.
FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing the concept of the weighting factor wk calculated by the weighting factor calculating unit 32 in the first embodiment of the editing method for the index image 22. As described above, the content data file 2 includes the content registration date and validity period in the incidental information 24. In the incidental information 24, for example, the set valid period is 30 days, and the registration date A is 1 pm on March 1, 2004. The expiration date B is the last date and time of the effective period. For example, the image processing apparatus main body 18 calculates from the registration date and time A and the effective period as 3:00 pm on March 31, 2004. The current date and time C is acquired by the CPU 182 by the RTC, and is, for example, 1 pm on March 18, 2004.

The image processing apparatus main body 18 sets the registration date and time A to the validity period (B-A) from the registration date and time A to the expiration date B, with the registration date and time A set to 0 and the expiration date B to 1.0. The current date / time C is normalized with respect to the registration date / time A and the expiration date / time B by setting the ratio of the elapsed period (CA) from the current date / time C to the weighting coefficient wk. That is, the weighting coefficient wk is expressed as in the following expression 1.
Weight coefficient wk = (C−A) / (B−A) (1)
Further, the image processing apparatus main body 18 edits the index image 22 according to the value of the weight coefficient wk so that the density of the index image 22 decreases as the effective period in which the content remains becomes shorter.
The current date and time C may be normalized with respect to the content creation date and the expiration date B.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing image processing (S10) in which the image processing apparatus body 18 edits the index image 22 according to the first embodiment of the editing method for the index image 22.
As shown in FIG. 5, in step 100 (S100), the image processing apparatus main body 18 accepts an editing method setting for the index image 22 and an output instruction by display or printing via the UI apparatus 10.

  In step 102 (S102), the image processing apparatus body 18 determines whether or not the content has an effective period set. If the effective period is set, the process proceeds to S104, and no effective period is set. In this case, the process proceeds to S114.

  In step 104 (S104), the image processing apparatus body 18 obtains information on the validity period included in the incidental information 24 from the data file DB4, and calculates the validity period B.

  In step 106 (S106), the image processing apparatus main body 18 acquires the registration date A included in the incidental information 24 from the data file DB4.

  In step 108 (S108), the image processing apparatus body 18 obtains the current date and time C by RTC.

  In step 110 (S110), the image processing apparatus body 18 calculates the weighting factor wk of the current date and time C using the above-described equation 1.

  In step 112 (S112), the image processing apparatus body 18 sets the editing amount for the index image 22 in accordance with the value of the weighting factor wk so that the density of the index image 22 decreases as the remaining effective period of the content decreases. calculate.

In step 114 (S114), the image processing apparatus main body 18 edits the index image 22 in accordance with the editing amount, and performs processing for matching the index image 22 with the display device or the printing apparatus main body 14 of the UI apparatus 10. Output to the display device or the printer main body 14.
In other words, when the editing amount for the index image 22 is calculated, the image processing device main body 18 edits the index image 22 according to the editing amount and performs processing for matching with the display device or the printing device main body 14 of the UI device 10. And output to the display device of the UI device 10 or the printer main body 14. In addition, when there is no expiration date set in the content, the image processing apparatus main body 18 performs processing for matching the index image 22 acquired from the data file DB 4 with the display device or the printing apparatus main body 14 of the UI device 10, and the UI device 10 display devices or printing device main body 14. (Output processing)

FIG. 6 is a display screen example of the UI device 10 displaying a plurality of thumbnails (index images) edited by the first embodiment of the editing method for a plurality of still image contents.
The display screen 100 of the UI device 10 shown in FIG. 6 is darker in the order of thumbnails 102a to 102d, for example. The remaining valid period of the content corresponding to the thumbnail 102a is the shortest, and the content corresponding to the thumbnail 102d is displayed. It expresses that the remaining effective period is the longest.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams showing changes in thumbnails edited by the modification of the first embodiment of the editing method for the index image 22, wherein FIG. 7A shows the first modification, and FIG. 7B shows the second. (C) is a thumbnail displayed on the UI device 10 showing a third modification.
As shown in FIG. 7A, the first modification of the first embodiment is to increase (offset) the brightness of the thumbnail as the remaining effective period becomes shorter, for example, for still image content. , Expressing the length of the remaining effective period.

Here, the thumbnail is displayed by the UI device 10, and when the basic colors R (red), G (green), and B (blue purple) are edited so that the brightness is high, the thumbnail approaches white. Further, the basic colors R, G, and B are edited as shown in Equation 2 below, and become the edited basic colors R ′, G ′, and B ′, respectively.
R ′, G ′, B ′ = R, G, B + 255 × wk (2)
In Equation 2, wk is the weighting factor shown in Equation 1, and the second term on the right side represents the editing amount using the weighting factor wk for the basic colors R, G, and B. Further, in Expression 2, when the values of R ′, G ′, and B ′ are larger than 255, the value exceeding 255 is regarded as 255.

  As shown in FIG. 7 (B), the second modification of the first embodiment is such that, for example, still picture content is reduced by lowering the saturation of the thumbnail as the remaining effective period becomes shorter. Express the length of the effective period. That is, the thumbnail approaches an achromatic color (gray) as the remaining effective period becomes shorter.

Here, the thumbnail is converted so as to be represented by the hue H, the saturation S, and the lightness L, and the saturation S is edited as shown in the following Equation 3 to become the edited saturation S ′.
S ′ = S × (1.0−wk) (3)
In Equation 3, wk is the weighting factor shown in Equation 1.

  As shown in FIG. 7C, the third modification of the first embodiment is to increase the blurring processing amount for thumbnails as the remaining effective period becomes shorter, for example, for still image content. Represents the length of the remaining effective period. That is, the thumbnail has a sharpness effect that decreases as the remaining effective period becomes shorter.

FIG. 8 shows thumbnails edited by the fourth modification of the first embodiment of the editing method for the index image 22 and displayed on the UI device 10.
In the fourth modification of the first embodiment, for example, the ratio of the area where the density is reduced (low density area) to the area where the thumbnail is displayed changes depending on the remaining effective period of the still image content. Has been. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the area in which the thumbnail is displayed is represented by, for example, coordinates (w, h) of the thumbnail displayed in the UI device 10 in the main scanning direction w and the sub scanning direction h. The upper left corner of the thumbnail is the origin of coordinates (0, 0), and the lower right coordinate of the thumbnail is (wl, wh). In the thumbnail, the coordinates in the main scanning direction of the position where the density is switched are represented as lp.

Here, the coordinates lp in the main scanning direction of the position where the density is switched are calculated as shown in the following equation 4.
lp = wl−wl × wk (4)
In Equation 4, wk is the weighting factor shown in Equation 1.

  When time elapses with respect to the valid period, the density of the region surrounded by (lp, 0), (lp, hl), (wl, 0), (wl, hl) of the thumbnail is lowered. Further, since the value of the coordinate lp becomes smaller as the remaining effective period of the content becomes shorter, as shown in FIG. 9, as the remaining effective period becomes shorter, the area of the thumbnail in which the density is reduced becomes the anti-main scanning direction ( In FIG. 9, the width increases from the right side to the left side. That is, the fourth modification of the first embodiment regards the image width of the thumbnail as the set effective period length, and widens the area where the density of the thumbnail is reduced as the remaining effective period of the content decreases. By doing so, the remaining ratio of the effective period is expressed.

  The expression of the remaining ratio of the effective period is not limited to the change of the area of the low density region in the anti-main scanning direction according to the elapsed time, but the area of the low density region changes in the sub scanning direction, for example. Alternatively, the area of the low concentration region may change from the center to a circle.

Next, a second embodiment of the editing method for the index image 22 in the present invention will be described.
FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing the concept of the weighting factor wk ′ calculated by the weighting factor calculating unit 32 in the second embodiment of the editing method for the index image 22. In the second embodiment, the index image 22 is edited in accordance with the content registration date C ′ with respect to the past date A ′ and the current date B ′.
The past date and time A ′ is, for example, the past date and time (set date and time) arbitrarily set by the user with respect to the current date and time B ′, such as 3 months ago or 30 days ago, or the oldest data stored in the data file DB 4 The registration date and time of the file 2, and can be selected by the user as one of the settings for the editing method of the index image 22. The current date B ′ is acquired by the CPU 182 by the RTC. Further, as described above, the content data file 2 includes the content registration date C ′ in the incidental information 24.

The image processing apparatus main body 18 sets the past date and time A ′ to the numerical value 0, the current date and time B ′ to the numerical value 1.0, and the reference period (B ′ from the past date and time A ′ to the current date and time B ′. The weighting factor wk ′ is calculated using the ratio of the formal elapsed period (C′−A ′) from the past date and time A ′ to the registration date and time C ′ with respect to −A ′), and the past date and time A ′ and the current date and time B are calculated. Normalize 'registration date / time C'. The weighting coefficient wk ′ is expressed as in the following expression 5.
Weight coefficient wk ′ = 1.0− (C′−A ′) / (B′−A ′) (5)
Further, the image processing apparatus main body 18 determines the index according to the value of the weight coefficient wk ′ so that the density of the index image 22 becomes lower (according to the age of the content) as the content registration date C ′ is earlier. The image 22 is edited.
Note that the index image 22 may be edited by normalizing the creation date of the content instead of the registration date C ′ with respect to the past date A ′ and the current date B ′.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing image processing (S20) in which the image processing apparatus body 18 edits the index image 22 according to the second embodiment of the editing method for the index image 22.
As shown in FIG. 11, in step 200 (S200), the image processing apparatus main body 18 accepts an editing method setting for the index image 22 and an output instruction by display or printing via the UI apparatus 10. Note that the setting of the editing method includes a user making a setting related to the setting date and time for calculating the weighting coefficient wk ′.

  In step 202 (S202), the image processing apparatus body 18 determines whether there is a set date and time set by the user. If there is a set date and time, the process proceeds to S204. The process proceeds to S206.

  In step 204 (S204), the image processing apparatus main body 18 acquires information about the set date and time from the storage device 12, and sets the set date and time as a past date and time A '.

  In step 206 (S206), the image processing apparatus main body 18 acquires information on the registration date and time from the data file 2 registered earliest in the data file DB4 and sets it as the past date and time A '.

  In step 208 (S208), the image processing apparatus body 18 accesses the data file DB4, acquires information on the registration date and time of the data file 2 to be output by the UI apparatus 10 or the printing apparatus body 14, and registers the registration date and time C. 'And.

  In step 210 (S210), the image processing apparatus body 18 obtains the current date and time B 'by the RTC.

  In step 212 (S212), the image processing apparatus main body 18 calculates the weighting coefficient wk 'of the registration date C' according to the above-described equation 5.

  In step 214 (S214), the image processing apparatus body 18 sets the weighting coefficient wk ′ so that the density of the index image 22 becomes lower (according to the age of the content) as the content registration date C ′ is earlier. The editing amount for the index image 22 is calculated according to the value.

  In step 216 (S216), the image processing apparatus main body 18 edits the index image 22 in accordance with the editing amount, and performs processing for matching the index image 22 with the display device or the printing apparatus main body 14 of the UI apparatus 10. Output to the display device or the printer main body 14. (Output processing)

Next, a first modification of the second embodiment of the editing method for the index image 22 will be described.
The first modification of the second embodiment expresses the registration date / time C ′ of the content by increasing (offset) the brightness of the thumbnail as the registration date / time C ′ is earlier, for example, for still image content. To do.

Here, the thumbnail is displayed by, for example, the UI device 10, and approaches white when the basic colors RGB are edited so that the brightness is high. Further, the basic colors R, G, and B are edited as shown in Equation 6 below, and become the edited basic colors R ′, G ′, and B ′, respectively.
R ′, G ′, B ′ = R, G, B + 255 × wk ′ (6)
However, in Expression 6, wk ′ is the weighting coefficient shown in Expression 5, and the second term on the right side represents the editing amount using the weighting coefficient wk ′ for the basic colors R, G, and B. In Expression 6, when the values of R ′, G ′, and B ′ are larger than 255, the value exceeding 255 is regarded as 255.

Next, a second modification of the second embodiment of the editing method for the index image 22 will be described.
The second modification of the second embodiment represents the registration date / time C ′ of the content by lowering the saturation of the thumbnail as the registration date / time C ′ is earlier in the still image content, for example. That is, the thumbnail is closer to an achromatic color (gray) as the registration date C ′ is earlier.

Here, the thumbnail is converted so as to be represented by hue H, saturation S, and lightness L, and saturation S is edited as shown in the following equation 7 to become edited saturation S ′.
S ′ = S × (1.0−wk ′) (7)
However, in Expression 7, wk ′ is the weighting coefficient shown in Expression 5.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the index image is edited according to the date / time information related to the content has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the image processing apparatus main body 18 stores the content data file 2. The size may be determined, and the index image may be edited according to the size of the data file 2. When editing the index image according to the size of the data file 2, set the size of the reference data file and edit the index image according to the size of the content data file 2 with respect to the size of the reference data file. You may make it do.

It is a block diagram which shows the outline of the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a data file structure figure which shows the structure of the data file of the content which a memory | storage device memorize | stores. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of an image processing program, and the relationship between an image processing program and a data file database. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the concept of the weighting coefficient wk which a weighting coefficient calculation part calculates in the 1st Example of the editing method with respect to an index image. It is a flowchart which shows the image process (S10) in which the image processing apparatus main body edits an index image by 1st Example of the edit method with respect to an index image. It is an example of a display screen of a UI device displaying a plurality of thumbnails (index images) edited by the first embodiment of the editing method for a plurality of still image contents. It is a figure which shows the change of the thumbnail edited by the modification of the 1st Example of the edit method with respect to an index image, Comprising: (A) shows a 1st modification, (B) shows a 2nd modification. , (C) are thumbnails displayed on the UI device showing the third modification. It is a thumbnail that has been edited by the fourth modification of the first embodiment of the editing method for the index image and displayed on the UI device. FIG. 10 is a thumbnail showing a state in which a density-reduced area in a thumbnail is changed in the anti-main scanning direction edited by the fourth modification of the first embodiment of the editing method for the index image. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the concept of the weighting coefficient wk 'which a weighting coefficient calculation part calculates in the 2nd Example of the editing method with respect to an index image. It is a flowchart which shows the image process (S20) in which the image processing apparatus main body edits an index image by the 2nd Example of the edit method with respect to an index image.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image processing apparatus 10 ... User interface (UI) apparatus
100 ... Display screen
102a to 102d ... Thumbnail 12 ... Storage device 14 ... Printing device body 16 ... Communication device 18 ... Image processing device body
180 ... memory
182 ... CPU
2 ... Data file 20 ... Content data 22 ... Index image 24 ... Additional information 3 ... Image processing program 30 ... Editing determination unit 32 ... Weight coefficient calculation unit 34 ... Edit amount calculation unit 36 ... output processing unit 38 ... editing program DB
4 ... Data file DB

Claims (15)

  Time information obtaining means for obtaining time information, index image obtaining means for obtaining an index image of content, and editing for editing the index image obtained by the index image obtaining means according to the time information obtained by the time information obtaining means And an image processing apparatus.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the editing unit edits a density value of an index image.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the editing unit edits the index image in accordance with a remaining effective period of the content.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the editing unit edits the index image so that the density value of the index image decreases according to a valid period in which the content remains.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the editing unit edits the index image so that the saturation of the index image is lowered in accordance with a remaining effective period of the content.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the editing unit performs a blurring process on the index image in accordance with a remaining effective period of the content.   7. The index image according to claim 1, wherein the editing unit edits the index image so that an image area to be edited of the index image changes according to a ratio of an elapsed period to a valid period of the content. Image processing device.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the editing unit edits the index image according to time information set for the content.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the editing unit edits the index image so that the density value of the index image continuously changes according to time information set for the content.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the editing unit edits the index image so that the density value of the index image decreases according to time information set for the content.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the editing unit edits the index image so that the saturation of the index image is lowered according to time information set for the content.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the editing unit performs a blurring process on the index image according to time information set for the content.   The editing unit according to claim 2, wherein the editing unit edits the index image so that the density value of the index image continuously changes according to a period from the time when the content is set to the present. Image processing device.   An image processing method comprising: acquiring time information and an index image of content, and editing the index image according to the acquired time information.   An image that causes a computer of the image processing apparatus to execute a step of obtaining time information, a step of acquiring an index image of content, and a step of editing an index image in accordance with the acquired time information in an image processing device including a computer Processing program.

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