JP2008042449A - Camcorder device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the convenience of retreival in the case of accessing a desired clip when reproducing moving image data recorded in a camcorder device. <P>SOLUTION: The camcorder device records a moving image in a disk 3b while composite photographing in each clip and reproduces the moving image recorded in the disk 3b in each clip. A CPU 11 associates a series of clip groups recorded in the disk 3b as a clip group belonging to one and the same composite photographing group as composite photographing group management information 12b until an operation for power disconnection or disk extraction is performed during recording the moving image. The CPU 11 displays representative images in order to select a clip on a reproduction menu screen of an LCD 7 in each composite photographing group on the basis of the composite photographing group management information 12b during reproducing the moving image. At this time, the matter that the clip groups belonging to the same composite photographing group is displayed in a visually determinable manner. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a camcorder device, and more particularly to a management method of moving image data recorded in the camcorder device and a control method when displaying a reproduction menu of the moving image data.

  In shooting using a conventional camcorder device, the following moving image joining may be performed. First, the user presses a recording trigger button in a recording standby (pause) state. With this as a trigger, the recording is shifted from the recording standby state to the recording (REC) state, and recording is started. Thus, the user shoots a clip with a short moving image shooting time of several seconds to several minutes. Thereafter, the user presses the recording trigger button again. Using this as a trigger, the recording state is returned to the recording standby state, and the recording is terminated. By performing such a series of operations many times in succession, each clip being spliced is recorded on the recording medium while splicing the moving image.

  When a desired clip is reproduced from the moving image clips recorded on the recording medium in this manner, first, the reproduction mode is switched to display a predetermined reproduction menu screen on the screen of the display device. On this screen, a thumbnail image (reduced image) corresponding to the representative frame (usually the first frame) of each clip is displayed for each clip. The user selects a desired clip while viewing the displayed thumbnail image. By doing so, the moving image of the selected clip is reproduced.

It is necessary to display and output the thumbnail images for the playback menu for all the clips. In this case, since the size of the playback menu screen is constant, the number of thumbnail images that can be displayed on one screen (one page) is also limited. Therefore, as described above, when shooting is performed while repeating the recording standby state and the recording state, the number of pages on the playback menu screen increases as the number of clips increases (for example, patent documents). 1). Then, when accessing a desired clip, an operation of sending a page (menu page sending operation) is required until the page displaying the corresponding thumbnail image is confirmed.
JP 2005-077983 A JP 11-215457 A

  Under the situation of camcorder shooting as described above, a complicated menu page feed operation is required until the user accesses a desired clip and reproduces it. For this reason, the searchability until a desired clip is accessed is not good. As one of countermeasures, there is known a method of facilitating searchability of recorded contents by displaying a menu screen for each year, month, and day period (see Patent Document 2).

  Patent Document 2 discloses a captured image display device that displays a reduced image of a recorded captured image for each year, month, and day using an image registration list and an edit table for each date. In this apparatus, when the user freely specifies the search range of the photographed image, information in the table is searched to reconstruct the menu screen. However, according to this, the number of pages of the menu screen increases and the menu hierarchy becomes deeper under the use environment such as an athletic meet or a music meeting where a lot of relatively short clips are shot at the same date and time. Then, as in the above-described situation, there remains a problem that the searchability until a desired clip is accessed during reproduction is not good.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to improve the convenience of retrieval when accessing a desired clip during reproduction of moving image data recorded on a camcorder device.

  In order to achieve the above object, a camcorder device according to the present invention records a moving image on a recording medium while tapping a moving image for each clip, and reproduces the moving image recorded on the recording medium for each clip. With this configuration, a series of clips that are being recorded on the recording medium and that belong to the same splicing group until the power is turned off or the recording medium is removed when the moving image is recorded. As shown in FIG.

  In the present invention, at the time of reproduction of the moving image, reproduction for displaying a representative image for selecting the clip on the reproduction menu screen for each of the tethered group based on information managed by the splicing group management means. You may further have a menu display means.

  The reproduction menu display means may be as follows.

  1) The representative image is displayed for each splice group in a format that can be visually judged on the playback menu screen as a clip group belonging to the same splice group.

  2) On the playback menu screen, a plurality of representative images of a plurality of clips constituting the clip group belonging to the same splicing group are displayed in a superimposed form.

  3) The number of clips of the clip group belonging to the same splicing group is displayed in a visible area within the representative image on the playback menu screen or adjacent to the representative image.

  4) A reduced image of the first frame of the first clip among the clip groups belonging to the same splicing group is displayed as the representative image.

  5) In a form in which a plurality of reduced images of a plurality of first frames corresponding to each of the plurality of clips are superimposed as a representative image of each of a plurality of clips constituting the clip group belonging to the same splice group. The respective display planes are displayed so as to be switchable with each other.

  The splice group management means may be in the following manner.

  1) The number of splice groups, the group number, the number of clips included in each group, and the playback time or playback size of each clip are associated and managed. In this case, the number of splicing groups is updated when the power is turned off or the recording medium is taken out, and a series of clips that are spliced after the next power-on or filling operation of the recording medium is changed to a new same splicing group. You may manage to allocate.

  2) When the power is turned on, the elapsed time since the last power-off is determined. As a result, if the elapsed time is within a preset time, the clip group recorded on the recording medium after the power is turned on is connected to the same clip group recorded on the recording medium before the power is turned off. Manage to be assigned to the shooting group.

  3) It is determined whether the recording medium previously taken out when the recording medium is filled is the same as the recording medium filled this time. As a result, if both are the same, the clip group recorded on the recording medium after filling the recording medium is managed to be assigned to the same splice group as the clip group recorded before the recording medium is taken out. To do.

  According to the present invention, a series of clips that are being spliced together are managed as clips belonging to the same spliced group until the recording medium is removed or the power is turned off. As a result, since a series of moving images that have undergone splice shooting are managed as a group, the convenience of search when the user accesses a desired clip can be greatly improved.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  In this embodiment, a group of clips of a series of moving images being spliced at the time of recording by the camcorder device are grouped and managed until the recording medium is removed or the power is turned off, that is, the same splicing group. Are managed in association with each other. The management of splicing groups is realized by associating, for example, the number of splicing groups, the number of clips included in each group, and the playback time or playback size of each clip as management information different from moving image data. The management information for associating the splicing group may be stored on a non-volatile memory provided in the camcorder apparatus, or may be recorded on a recording medium.

  Further, when playing back a clip that has been grouped by splicing, the thumbnail menu screen displays information about the group and how many clips are included in the group. By realizing the playback function of the camcorder apparatus including such shooting operation information, it is possible to improve the convenience of search when the user accesses a desired clip.

  In addition to the above-mentioned means, when the operation of turning off the power immediately after short clip shooting is frequently repeated, the last update time of the group related information is compared with the current time information inside the camcorder, and the last update is performed. Means for grouping according to the elapsed time from the date and time (for example, the data holding period in the memory) may be provided.

  Similarly, when the same disk is loaded again immediately after the disk ejection operation, the disk identification information obtained from the disk is compared before and after the disk loading operation. If the ID is the same, the final group before loading the disk is compared. Means for managing to add clip information may be provided.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a camcorder device according to this embodiment.

  The camcorder apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes a disk recording / reproducing apparatus, and includes a plurality of system blocks connected to a system bus 10. Each system block includes a camera unit 1 that drives the camera 1a, an ECC (Error Check and Correct) unit 2, a disk controller 3 that controls the disk driver 3a, and a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) 4. In addition, an MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) codec 5, an operation unit 6, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 7, a touch panel 8, a speaker 9, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, and a nonvolatile memory 12 are included. Each of these system blocks can transmit / receive data and control commands to / from each other via the system bus 10.

  Among these, the camera unit 1 drives the camera 1a, such as image input and focus / focus adjustment. The ECC unit 2 adds error detection parity to the data, and performs error correction in the actual data based on the added parity information. The disk controller 3 controls the disk drive 3a to perform data writing to the disk (recording medium) 3b or data reading / reproducing from the disk 3b. The DRAM 4 stores data necessary for processing in each system block. The MPEG codec 5 compresses the original image into MPEG format data, and on the contrary, decodes the MPEG image data into the original image.

  The operation unit 6 is provided as an interface for receiving an operation instruction by pressing a button from a user or an operation instruction from a remote controller (not shown) and notifying the system. The operation / operation instructions include, for example, instructions for switching various operation modes, recording start / end, reproduction start / end, power ON / OFF, disk insertion / removal, and the like. These instruction signals are sent to the CPU 11.

  Further, the LCD 7 directly outputs the moving image input from the camera unit 1 on the screen as it is, or displays and outputs the moving image after reproduction and reading from the disk 3b on the screen. The touch panel 8 is provided as an interface for allowing the user to perform various operations for controlling the present system from the display screen of the LCD 7. The speaker 9 performs audio output after D / A (Digital to Analog) conversion of the input audio data.

  Further, the CPU 11 has software installed in a program memory (not shown) for controlling the entire operation of each system block as a recording / reproducing system. The CPU 11 controls the operation of each system block by executing a program code of control software installed in the program memory. The memory 12 is composed of, for example, a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) or a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, and holds the splicing group management information (hereinafter abbreviated as “management information”) 12a in an updatable manner. Details of the management information 12a will be described later. This memory 12 may be provided alone or in the CPU 11. Alternatively, it may be shared with the DRAM 4.

Next, the basic operations of recording and reproduction in the camcorder recording / reproducing system will be described.
(Basic operation during recording)
First, the basic operation during recording will be described. The CPU 11 is given an operation command for a recording operation mode by a user operation on the operation unit 6 or the touch panel 8 on the LCD 7 when the power is on and the disk is inserted.
As a result, the CPU 11 activates the recording operation mode and shifts to the recording standby mode. In this recording standby mode, uncompressed digital image data of a moving image that has been AD (Analog to Digital) converted is input from the camera unit 1 under the control of the CPU 11, and the video frame of the DRAM 4 is passed through the system bus 10. Accumulated in the working area. At the same time, the frame of the moving image currently being shot is displayed and output to the user on the screen of the LCD 7.

  In this recording standby mode, the CPU 11 receives a control command corresponding to the recording start command from the operation unit 6 or the touch panel 8 on the LCD 7 via the system bus 10. Upon receiving the recording start command, the CPU 11 uses this as a trigger for starting the recording operation to start recording by changing from the recording standby mode to the recording execution (recording) mode, and in the following sequence of the system To control.

  That is, in the recording execution mode, the uncompressed digital image data stored in the DRAM 4 is sequentially compressed in the MPEG stream format by the MPEG codec 5 and then stored in the MPEG data storage area of the DRAM 4 via the loopback system bus 10. The Further, the ECC unit 2 adds a parity bit code for error correction to the MPEG data, and then writes data from the disk controller 3 to the recording medium 3b.

Then, the CPU 11 receives a control command corresponding to the recording stop command from the operation unit 6 or the touch panel 8 on the LCD 7 via the system bus 10. When the CPU 11 receives the recording stop command, it uses this as a trigger for ending recording to make a transition from the recording execution mode to the recording standby mode, and stops the operation of the ECC unit 2, the disk controller 3, and the MPEG codec 5. In this case, the image input from the camera unit 1 and the through display operation on the LCD 7 do not have to be stopped.
(Basic operation during playback)
Next, the basic operation during reproduction will be described. When the power is on and the disk is inserted, the CPU 11 is given a reproduction operation mode operation command by the user operation on the operation unit 6 or the touch panel 8 on the LCD 7. Thereby, the CPU 11 activates the reproduction operation mode and makes a transition to the reproduction standby mode. In this playback standby mode, a reduced image (thumbnail image) is displayed on the LCD 7 so that it is possible to know the outline of what moving image content that the user has photographed on the disc 3b under the control of the CPU 11. Menus are displayed side by side on the screen. In the present embodiment, for example, thumbnail images created by extracting representative images of moving image content are arranged on the LCD 7 and displayed in a menu.

  The above thumbnail image is associated with position information necessary for reading and accessing at the time of reproduction of the position on the disk 3b where the recorded moving image data is recorded. A desired clip can be played back by selecting the thumbnail image. Normally, this thumbnail image is obtained by reading only the first frame (I picture) located at the beginning of a recorded clip from the disk 3b, performing decoding processing by the MPEG codec 5, performing reduction processing, and then on the screen of the LCD 7 Display multiple images side by side.

  In the playback standby mode, the CPU 11 receives a control command corresponding to a playback start command for a desired clip from the operation unit 6 or the touch panel 8 on the LCD 7 in the same manner as when recording is started, via the system bus 10. . Upon receiving the playback start command, the CPU 11 uses this as a trigger for starting the playback operation, transitions from the playback standby mode to the playback execution (during playback) mode, and starts playback. To control.

  Upon receiving the playback start command, the CPU 11 changes the disk controller 3 to the disk 3b based on disk management information such as a file system for managing the position and size on the disk 3b where the moving image data of the playback target clip is recorded. to access. The corresponding moving image data is read out and stored in the DRAM 4.

  Next, the ECC unit 2 performs error correction processing on the read data from the disk 3b stored in the DRAM 4, and corrects data errors caused by scratches or deterioration on the disk 3b. Subsequently, the actual data (MPEG data) obtained by removing the parity code bit of the ECC unit 2 from the read data after error correction is input to the MPEG codec 5 and the MPEG data is decoded. The original image data generated by the decoding process of the MPEG codec 5 is accumulated in the video frame area of the DRAM 4 via the system bus 10 and continuously output and displayed on the screen of the LCD 7. This is performed at intervals of 30 frames per second when the image data is an NTSC (National Television System Committee) standard video signal.

When the read position of the disk 3b reaches the end of data of the moving image content and the CPU 11 detects this, the CPU 11 transitions from the reproduction execution mode to the reproduction standby mode as a reproduction end trigger. This is the same when the CPU 11 receives a playback stop command from the operation unit 6 or the touch panel 8 on the LCD 7 via the system bus 10. At the end of the reproduction, the CPU 11 stops the display output operation to the ECC block 2, the disk controller 3, the MPEG codec 5, and the LCD 7.
(Recording / playback operation during splicing)
Next, a description will be given of a case where grouping of shot clips by splicing according to the present invention is applied to a disc recording / playback system of a camcorder apparatus having the above system configuration.

  FIGS. 2A and 2B are state transition diagrams of the camcorder apparatus for explaining triggers corresponding to the start and end of grouping processing of splice clips according to the present invention.

  FIG. 2A includes a power-off mode M30 in addition to the recording standby mode M10, the recording mode M11, the playback standby mode M20, and the playback mode 21 described above. In this case, the state transition due to the user's power ON operation is a trigger for starting the grouping process, and the transition to the power-off mode M30 due to the user's power OFF operation is the trigger for the end of the grouping process (group completion). .

  FIG. 2B includes a disk ejection mode M40 in place of the power-off mode M30 of FIG. In this case, the state transition due to the disk insertion operation from the user serves as a trigger for starting the grouping process, and the transition to the disk ejection mode M40 due to the disk ejection operation from the user serves as a trigger for the end of the grouping process.

  As shown in the state transition diagrams of FIGS. 2A and 2B, normal splice recording is performed by the following operation. That is, the recording standby mode M10 is changed to the recording mode M11 by the recording start operation from the user, and the recording operation is performed. And it returns to recording standby mode M10 again by the recording stop operation from a user. This operation is repeated by performing the recording start operation again unless the operation for switching to the reproduction operation mode, the power-off (power-off) operation, or the disk ejection operation is performed. Thereby, a series of moving image shooting is performed while each clip of the moving image is shot.

  When such splicing shooting is performed, data is written so that each clip of the moving image is continuous in an empty area on the disk 3b as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) to 3 (d). FIGS. 3A to 3D show the data arrangement of each clip of the moving image arranged on the disk 3b in the case of performing the splice recording as described above. In the figure, splice group numbers (GRP # 1, # 2, etc.) associated with each clip by splice group management information 12a described below, and clip numbers (SCN # 1, # 2) in each group are shown. 2, # 3, etc.).

  For example, the examples of FIGS. 3A to 3C show a state in which three clips (SCN # 1 to # 3) belonging to the same group 1 (GRP # 1) are sequentially shot. In the example of FIG. 3D, the first clip (SCN # 1) belonging to the group 2 (GRP # 2) is displayed after the group 1 splice shooting shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C is completed. It shows the state of shooting. FRM # 1 in the figure represents the first frame of each clip in groups 1 and 2, and in this embodiment constitutes a representative image used as a thumbnail image to be described later.

  The present embodiment is characterized in that the CPU 11 creates the management information 12a shown in FIG. 4 on the memory 12 every time each moving image clip is generated by the splicing shooting as described above. FIG. 4 shows the data (table) structure of the management information 12a according to this embodiment. In the table of management information 12a shown in the figure, the number of splicing groups, the last update date and time (not shown) when the last clip information was created, the clip group information of each group, and the playback information of each clip are stored. It is managed hierarchically. Among these, the clip group information of each group includes the number of clips included in the group, the clip number, the playback start time, and the playback end time. When a clip is generated when the file is completed, the clip number and the file name are associated with each other in the management information 12a table or other management information table so that the connection is established. You may manage the shooting group.

  In the case of FIG. 4, there are a total of N splice groups 1 to N on the disk 3b, M clips included in group 1, K clips included in group 2, and N groups included. The clip is composed of L pieces and a rosary connected structure. By adopting such a data structure, it is possible to facilitate the updating process of the management information 12a when a clip is newly generated by joint recording.

  5 and 6 are diagrams showing changes in the data structure of the management information 12a on the memory 12 before and after a new clip is shot. FIG. 5 shows the data structure of the management information 12a before splicing shot, and FIG. 6 shows the data structure of the management information 12a after splicing shot. In the example of FIG. 5, as shown in the data arrangement of FIG. 3B, the first clip (SCN # 1) of group 1 (GRP # 1) is shot and recorded, and then the second clip is recorded. This corresponds to the management information 12a when the clip (SCN # 2) is photographed and connected and recorded. In the example of FIG. 6, as shown in the data arrangement of FIG. 3C described above, the third clip (SCN # 3) of the group 1 (GRP # 1) is captured from the data arrangement of FIG. 3B. This corresponds to the management information 12a when the connection recording is performed again.

  In other words, the management information 12a before splicing in FIG. In addition, the clip information included in the corresponding splice group (GRP # 1) includes two clips, clip reproduction information for 30 seconds (SCN # 1) and clip for 15 seconds (SCN # 2). is doing. On the other hand, in the management information 12a after the splice shooting in FIG. 6, the number of clips is increased by 1 to 3, and reproduction information of a clip (SCN # 3) for 30 seconds is further added. .

  The management information 12a is stored in a nonvolatile memory such as a DRAM or a flash memory as described above. Therefore, the management information 12a is retained even when the reproduction standby mode M20 is switched during the recording standby mode M10 shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b). Therefore, after the transition to the recording standby mode M10 again, it is possible to continue the continuous recording and add the clip information.

  Further, in the present embodiment, when the state transition from the recording standby mode M10 or the reproduction standby mode M20 to the power-off mode M30 shown in FIG. Operate. That is, it is characterized in that an operation that causes a series of splice operations to be discontinuous due to the power-off operation occurs, and this is used as a trigger to complete the splice group. The same applies to the case where the state transition by the disk ejection operation to the disk ejection mode M40 in FIG.

  As described above, since the management information 12a is data normally developed on the memory 12, the data is erased if the power is turned off for a long time. Also, when another disk is loaded immediately after the disk is taken out, the management information 12a is no longer relevant to the actual moving image data.

  In order to avoid such a problem, in this embodiment, when the power is turned off or the disk removal process is performed, the management information 12a recorded on the memory 12 by a series of splicing shooting as a procedure of the system termination process. Each piece of clip information is completed as being in the same group. Then, after recording and writing on the disc 3b as a management information data file different from the moving image data, the power is turned off or the disc is ejected. When power-on or disk loading is detected again, the management information data file is read from a predetermined position on the disk 3b and developed on the memory 12.

  It should be noted that the embodiment of the power-off or disk ejection operation according to the present invention described below is not described. However, even if the operation of turning off the power is repeated immediately after recording a relatively short clip, the following means may be provided as a method for managing a series of groups without creating a large number of groups. Good. That is, this means compares the last update time (not shown) in the management information 12a table of FIG. 5 with the current time information inside the camcorder, and performs grouping according to the elapsed time from the last update date and time. . In this case, as the elapsed time for completing the group, it is desirable to set the upper limit as long as the data in the nonvolatile memory can be held, such as every hour or every several hours.

  In addition, even when the same disk is loaded again immediately after the disk removal operation due to a user's operation mistake, etc., the following means are provided as a method for avoiding creating a group more than necessary. May be. That is, this means compares the disc identification information acquired from the disc before and after the disc loading operation, and if the ID is the same, adds clip information to the final group before loading the disc and does not create a new group. It is something to manage. By having a constraint condition for performing grouping including such various operation situations, it is possible to solve the problems that have occurred in the prior art without failure.

  6 to 8 are diagrams showing the data structure of the management information 12a recorded on the memory 12 when a new splicing group is generated by the power-off process or the disk ejection process. FIGS. 6 to 8 show the management information 12a before and after the splicing group management information 12a is generated using the splicing group management information 12a to generate new splicing group information by a power-off operation or a disk ejecting operation. Shows data structure changes.

  FIG. 6 shows the data structure of the management information 12a before removing the disc. FIG. 7 shows the data structure of the management information 12a immediately after the disk is ejected or the power is turned off. FIG. 8 shows the data structure of the management information 12a after shooting a new moving image clip after turning on the power or after loading the disc.

  The change in the management information 12a shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 is performed after the clip shown in FIG. 3C is photographed, followed by disk removal or power-off operation, and then recording again. This corresponds to the case where the data arrangement is.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the method of group completion and new group registration of the management information 12a is realized as follows. That is, in the state before the disk removal or the power interruption shown in FIG. 6, three pieces of clip information (SCN # 1 to # 3) of group 1 (GRP # 1) are recorded in the management information 12a, and the number of groups is “ 1 ”and the number of clips is“ 3 ”. When a disk ejection or power-off operation is detected from this state, the management information 12a increments the splicing group number by one to “2” as shown in the state after the disk ejection or power-off in FIG. , The number of clips included in the group 2 (GRP # 2) is updated to “0”. This completes group 1. Then, when the disc is loaded next time or when the power is turned on, the management information 12a is referred to, and the clip information (SCN # 1) belonging to the group 2 (GRP # 2) is added as in the state after the new clip shooting shown in FIG. Do it. The updated management information 12a is written and recorded in a management data area on the disc 3a at a position distinguishable from the moving image file, and an appropriate end process or disc eject process is performed.

  As shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D, the management information 12a is updated through the procedure as described above through a power-off or disk eject operation. That is, in the management information 12a, the splice group number is incremented and a new clip number is assigned. By doing so, it is possible to group a series of splicing clips of moving images.

  Next, a method of reproducing a moving image clip group that has been subjected to the above-described splicing grouping will be described.

  9 to 11 show representative images displayed on the display panel 21 of the LCD 7 in the reproduction standby mode M20 in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b) based on the management information 12a generated by the splice recording described above. An example of a playback menu display screen using (thumbnail icon) 22 is shown.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in the top hierarchy menu screen of FIG. 9, representative images 22 corresponding to the respective groups (GRP # 1 to # 6) corresponding to the number of splice groups in splice group management information 12a. Is output to the display panel 21 of the LCD 7. Reference numeral 23 in FIG. 9 indicates the selected representative image 22.

  In addition, the number of representative images 22 of each group that can be displayed on the display panel of the LCD 7 is limited to a maximum of six as shown in FIG. 9, for example, and there is a number of splice groups exceeding the number. The playback menu screen is configured over a plurality of pages. In the example of FIG. 9, representative images 22 for a total of 6 groups (GRP # 1 to # 6) are displayed in a display format of 2 rows and 3 columns on the playback menu screen for one page. As shown in FIG. 9, the page feed operation between pages of the playback menu screen displays a menu page feed icon 25 and allows the user to select and perform page feed and page return.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, a reduced image obtained by decoding the first frame (FRM # 1) of each clip is used as the representative image of each clip. When a plurality of clips are included in the same splicing group, the fact is displayed and output in a format that the user can easily recognize. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, for each clip in the same splicing group, a plurality of display planes for displaying a plurality of reduced representative images 22 are displayed and output in the form of overlapping each other. In the example of FIG. 9, the display plane of the first frame (FRM # 1) of the first clip (SCN # 1) among the plurality of clips in the same splicing group is located on the forefront side. The display plane on which the representative images 22 of the clips in the same splicing group are overlaid can be switched by the user's selection operation.

  Further, as indicated by reference numeral 24 in FIG. 9, the number of clips included in the same splicing group is displayed and output in a screen area adjacent to the representative image 22 with reference to the management information 12a. In this way, auxiliary information for performing desired clip reproduction is also output to the user.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the representative image 22 in the case where a plurality of clips are included in the same splice shooting group displays the representative image 22 of the first clip (SCN # 1). When the representative image 22 of this group is selected by the user, as shown in FIG. 10, the display jumps to the sub-hierarchy menu screen that displays and outputs the representative images 22 of all the clips included in the same group. Thus, desired clip reproduction is performed while visually recognizing the representative images 22 of all the clips in the same group. Reference numeral 23 in FIG. 10 indicates the selected representative image 22. In this case, as shown in the figure, there is provided a return icon 26 for returning to the upper hierarchy before the jump.

  As another method, as shown in FIG. 11, the same menu screen display as in the example of FIG. 9 may be used, and a representative image 22 of a different clip in the same group may be output to perform desired clip reproduction. In this case, it is necessary for the user to select a playback clip using a different interface, for example, a jog dial or a cross key, and to determine playback using a button. In the example of FIG. 11, as indicated by reference numeral 27, the number of the reproduction clip being selected in the same group is also displayed in synchronization with the representative image 23 being selected. In the example of FIG. 11, the representative image of the second clip (SCN # 2) of the three clips (SCN # 1 to # 3) in the group 1 (GRP # 1) is selected.

  12 and 13 are flowcharts for explaining an example of processing at the time of recording and reproduction of the moving image. A control program corresponding to the flowchart shown in the figure is stored in advance in a program memory in the CPU 11, for example, and is executed by the CPU 11.

  In FIG. 12, when the CPU 11 receives a command corresponding to the power-on or disk filling operation from the user (step St1: YES), the CPU 11 reads the splicing group management information 12a from the disk 3b and develops it on the memory 12 (see FIG. 12). Step St2). Next, when receiving a recording operation mode command from the user (step St3: recording operation mode), the CPU 11 makes a transition to the recording standby mode M10 (step St4).

  In this state, when the CPU 11 receives a command corresponding to the recording start operation from the user (step St5: YES), the CPU 11 shifts to the recording mode M11 and starts recording the clip being spliced onto the disc 3b. (Step St6). Next, when receiving a command corresponding to the recording stop operation from the user (step St7: YES), the CPU 11 stops the recording of the clip on the disk 3b. At the same time, the CPU 11 increments the number of splice clips and adds the corresponding clip information to the management information 12b on the memory 12 as shown in FIG. 6 (step St8). The processes in steps St3 to St8 described above are repeatedly executed until the CPU 11 receives a command corresponding to the power-off or disk ejection operation from the user.

  Next, it is assumed that the CPU 11 receives a command corresponding to a power-off or disk ejection operation from the user (step St9: NO). Then, the CPU 11 increments the splicing group number for the management information 12b on the memory 12 as shown in FIG. 7 described above, and sets the clip number under the new group specified by the incremented group number. Newly assigned (step St10). Then, the CPU 11 writes the management information 12a updated on the memory 12 onto the disk 3b (step St11), and then performs a power-off or disk ejection process (step St12).

  On the other hand, when the CPU 11 receives an operation command for the reproduction operation mode from the user in step St3, the CPU 11 makes a transition to the reproduction standby mode M10 as shown in FIG. 13 (step St21).

  In this state, the CPU 11 displays a top layer menu screen (see FIG. 9) on the LCD 7 (step St22). When the CPU 11 receives a command corresponding to the page turning / returning operation by the icon operation on the LCD 7 (see above) from the user (step St23: YES), the CPU 11 executes the page turning / returning (step St24). Further, when the CPU 11 receives a command corresponding to the transition operation to the sub-tier menu screen (see above) from the user (step St25: YES), the CPU 11 displays the sub-tier menu screen (see FIG. 10s) on the LCD 7 (see FIG. 10s). Step St26).

  Next, when the CPU 11 receives a command corresponding to the selection operation of the representative image 22 from the user (step St27: YES), the CPU 11 makes a transition to the in-reproduction mode M21, and the moving image corresponding to the clip of the selected representative image 22 is displayed. Playback is executed (step St29). Thereby, the moving image data of the desired clip is reproduced and output on the LCD 7. The processes in steps St21 to St28 are repeatedly executed until the CPU 11 receives a command corresponding to the reproduction end operation from the user (step St29).

  Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the group of clips being spliced is managed as a group of clips belonging to the same splice group until the disk 3b is removed or the power is turned off. Based on the management information 12a, a representative image is displayed for each splice group on the playback menu screen during clip playback. At this time, a clip group belonging to the same splicing group is displayed in a format that can be visually determined. Information on how many clips are included in the same splicing group is also displayed. As a result, since a series of moving images that have undergone splice shooting are managed as a group, the convenience of searching when a user accesses a desired clip can be greatly improved.

  The present invention can be used for a camcorder device. For example, the present invention can be applied to the use of a method for managing moving image data recorded in a camcorder device and a control method for displaying a playback menu.

1 is a schematic system block diagram showing an overall configuration of a camcorder device according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A) And (b) is a state transition diagram of a camcorder apparatus. (A)-(d) is a figure explaining the data structure of the clip of the moving image recorded on a disc at the time of moving image recording. It is a figure explaining the data structure of splicing group management information. It is a figure explaining the data structure of splice group management information before splice photography. It is a figure explaining the data structure of splice group management information after splice photography. It is a figure explaining the data structure of splicing group management information before a disk removal (power-off). It is a figure explaining the data structure of splicing group management information after a disk removal (power-off). It is a figure explaining the data structure of splicing group management information after new clip photography. It is a figure explaining the example of a display of the top hierarchy menu screen among the reproduction menu screens at the time of animation reproduction. It is a figure explaining the example of a display of a subhierarchy menu screen figure among the reproduction menu screens at the time of video reproduction. It is a figure explaining the example of a display of the top hierarchy menu screen among the reproduction menu screens at the time of animation reproduction. It is a flowchart explaining the process example at the time of moving image recording. It is a flowchart explaining the example of a process at the time of video reproduction.

Explanation of symbols

1 Camera unit 2 ECC unit 3 Disk controller 4 DRAM
5 MPEG codec 6 Operation unit 7 LCD
8 Touch panel 9 Speaker 10 System bus 11 CPU
12 Memory 12a Splice group management information 21 Display panel 22 Representative image 23 Selected representative image 24 Number of clips 25 Menu page feed icon 26 Icon for returning to the upper layer menu

Claims (11)

In a camcorder device that records a moving image on a recording medium while splicing a moving image for each clip, and reproduces the moving image recorded on the recording medium for each clip.
During the recording of the moving image, a series of clips that are being recorded on the recording medium are associated and managed as clips belonging to the same joint shooting group until the power is turned off or the recording medium is removed. A camcorder device comprising splicing group management means.   Replay menu display means for displaying a representative image for selecting the clip on the play menu screen for each splice group based on information managed by the splice group management means when playing back the moving image. The camcorder device according to claim 1, further comprising:   The playback menu display means displays the representative image for each splice group in a format that can be visually determined on the playback menu screen that the clips belong to the same splice group. The camcorder device according to claim 2.   The reproduction menu display means displays a plurality of representative images of each of a plurality of clips constituting a clip group belonging to the same splice group on the reproduction menu screen in a superimposed form. 2. The camcorder device according to 2.   The reproduction menu display means displays the number of clips of the clip group belonging to the same splice group in a visible area in the representative image on the reproduction menu screen or adjacent to the representative image. The camcorder device according to claim 2.   The camcorder device according to claim 2, wherein the reproduction menu display means displays a reduced image of the first frame of the first clip among the clip groups belonging to the same splicing group as the representative image.   The reproduction menu display means includes a plurality of reduced images of a plurality of first frames corresponding to each of the plurality of clips as representative images of a plurality of clips constituting the clip group belonging to the same splicing group. 3. The camcorder device according to claim 2, wherein each of the display planes is displayed in a superposed form so as to be switchable.   2. The splicing group management unit manages the splicing group number, the group number, the number of clips included in each group, and the playback time or playback size of each clip in association with each other. 8. The camcorder device according to any one of items 7.   The splice group management means updates the splice group number when the power is turned off or the recording medium is ejected, and a series of clip groups that are spliced after the power is turned on or the recording medium is filled are newly created. The camcorder device according to claim 8, wherein the camcorder device is managed so as to be assigned to the same splicing group.   The splice group management means determines an elapsed time from the previous power-off when the power is turned on, and if the elapsed time is within a preset time, a clip group recorded on the recording medium after the power is turned on 10. The camcorder device according to claim 1, wherein the camcorder device is managed so as to be assigned to the same splicing group as the clip group recorded on the recording medium before the power is turned off.   The splicing group management means determines whether the recording medium previously taken out at the time of filling the recording medium and the recording medium filled at this time are the same, and if both are the same, after filling the recording medium, The clip group recorded on the recording medium is managed so as to be assigned to the same splicing group as the clip group recorded before the recording medium is taken out. The camcorder device described.