JP2009124337A - Image processor, radio terminal, and information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To acquire an image from video image with a simple operation and system configuration. <P>SOLUTION: A cellular phone 180 transmits an image request to a program video recorder 110 by an infrared transmitting part. In the program video recorder 110, a thumbnail creating part 150 creates a thumbnail from the currently reproduced frame by a video record reproducing part 140 in accordance with the image request from the cellular phone 180. The infrared transmitting part 164 transmits the thumbnail created by the thumbnail creating part 150 to the cellular phone 180. The cellular phone 180 receives the thumbnail by an infrared receiving part and stores the received thumbnail. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to information processing technology, and more particularly to technology for acquiring a still image from a video being played back.

  A still image is created and used from a video such as a television broadcast.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for creating a still image from a television broadcast video and using it on a mobile phone. The technique proposed in Patent Document 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 5 is FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1. In the information processing system shown in FIG. 5, the broadcast station 1 broadcasts a program. The metadata creation server 6 receives a television broadcast program from the broadcast station 1 via the Internet 5, creates metadata based on the received broadcast signal, and publishes it on a web page on the Internet.

  The cradle 2 records a television broadcast program and stores recording data when a recording instruction is issued from the mobile phone 3. Also, when there is an instruction to create a thumbnail image from the mobile phone 3, the metadata corresponding to the target program is acquired from the web page that discloses the metadata, and one frame at a time is extracted from the recorded data based on the metadata Then, a thumbnail image that becomes a still image is created.

Thereafter, if the cradle 2 transmits a thumbnail image to the mobile phone 3, the user of the mobile phone 3 can use the thumbnail image as a standby screen.
JP 2006-253960 A

  However, in the method according to Patent Document 1, the user of the mobile phone 3 needs to give a recording instruction, a thumbnail image creation instruction, a thumbnail image transmission instruction, etc. to the cradle 2 until the thumbnail image reaches the mobile phone. The operation is complicated.

  Further, it is necessary to construct the metadata creation server 6 and the like, and the system configuration becomes enormous.

  One aspect of the present invention is an image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus includes a wireless reception unit, a reproduction unit that reproduces video, a still image creation unit, and a wireless transmission unit.

  The still image creation unit creates a still image from the frame being played back in the video when the wireless reception unit receives an image request for requesting a still image during playback of the video by the playback unit. The still image created by the still image creation unit is transmitted.

  Another aspect of the present invention is a wireless terminal. The wireless terminal includes an image request unit that outputs an image request that can request provision of a still image, a wireless transmission unit that transmits an image request from the image request unit to an external device, and an external device in response to the image request A wireless reception unit that receives a still image transmitted from the wireless communication unit, and an image storage unit that stores a still image received by the wireless reception unit.

  Yet another embodiment of the present invention is an information processing system. This information processing system includes an image processing device and a wireless terminal.

  The wireless terminal includes an image request unit that outputs an image request that can request provision of a still image, a wireless transmission unit that transmits an image request from the image request unit to the image processing apparatus, and image processing in response to the image request A wireless reception unit that receives a still image transmitted from the apparatus, and an image storage unit that stores a still image received by the wireless reception unit. The image processing apparatus includes a wireless reception unit, a reproduction unit that reproduces video, and a frame that is being reproduced in the video when the wireless reception unit receives an image request from the wireless terminal during reproduction of the video by the reproduction unit. A still image creation unit that creates a still image, and a wireless transmission unit that transmits the still image created by the still image creation unit to a wireless terminal.

  It is also effective as an aspect of the present invention to express each aspect described above by replacing it with a method or a program that causes a computer to operate as the apparatus.

  According to the technique of the present invention, a still image can be acquired from a video image with a simple operation and system configuration.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 shows an information processing system 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The information processing system 100 includes a program recording device 110, an antenna 120, a playback execution device 170, and a mobile phone 180. In the description of each device of the information processing system 100, portions that are related to the technology of the present invention will be described with emphasis, and portions that are normally provided in the device and not particularly related to the technology of the present invention will be described and illustrated. Is omitted.

  The program recording apparatus 110 records a television broadcast program and reproduces video data obtained by recording. The reception recording unit 130, a recording / reproducing unit 140 that performs recording and reproduction, and a recording / reproducing unit 140 are provided. Storage unit 142 that stores the video data recorded by the user, a thumbnail generation unit 150, a storage unit 152 that stores thumbnail images generated by the thumbnail generation unit 150 (hereinafter also simply referred to as thumbnails), and an instruction signal from the remote controller. An infrared interface (hereinafter referred to as an RC interface) 162 provided for reception and an infrared transmission unit 164 are provided.

  The reception processing unit 130 includes a tuner 132, a signal processing unit 134, and an output unit 136. The tuner 132 selects a channel, receives a broadcast signal selected via the antenna 120, and provides it to the signal processing unit 134. The signal processing unit 134 demodulates the broadcast signal from the tuner 132 to obtain a video signal (including an audio signal). The output unit 136 outputs the video signal obtained by the signal processing unit 134 to the recording / playback unit 140.

  When recording, the recording / playback unit 140 performs a recording process on the video signal from the reception processing unit 130 to obtain video data. This video data is stored in the storage unit 142. Further, the recording / playback unit 140 reads the video data stored in the storage unit 142 and outputs the video data to the playback execution device 170 during playback.

  The playback execution device 170 includes a display device 172 such as a display and an audio output device 174 such as a speaker, and performs image display and audio output on the video data from the recording / playback unit 140.

  When the recording / playback unit 140 records a video signal to obtain video data, the thumbnail creation unit 150 creates a thumbnail that is a still image for a representative scene in the video. This thumbnail is stored in the storage unit 142 together with the video data. Many of today's recording apparatuses have such a thumbnail creation function, and search is improved by creating thumbnails and storing them together with video data.

  In the present embodiment, the thumbnail creation unit 150 creates a thumbnail even when an image request is received from the RC interface 162. In this case, the thumbnail creation unit 150 creates a thumbnail from the frame being played back by the recording / playback unit 140 and outputs the thumbnail to the storage unit 152.

  The RC interface 162 is an infrared interface for receiving an instruction signal from a remote controller (not shown) of the program recording apparatus 110. In the present embodiment, the RC interface 162 is also used for receiving an image request from the mobile phone 180. . When the RC interface 162 receives an image request from the mobile phone 180, the RC interface 162 transfers the image request to the thumbnail creation unit 150 and outputs the identification information of the mobile phone 180 included in the image request to the infrared transmission unit 164.

  The infrared transmission unit 164 transmits the thumbnail created by the thumbnail creation unit 150 and stored in the storage unit 152 and the identification information from the RC interface 162.

  FIG. 2 shows a mobile phone 180. The cellular phone 180 includes an infrared receiving unit 182, an image storage unit 184, a setting unit 186, an infrared transmission unit 188, a control unit 190, and an operation unit 192.

  The operation unit 192 is for a user to give an instruction to the mobile phone 180, and is, for example, a numeric button or a symbol button.

  The control unit 190 controls other functional blocks of the mobile phone 180 based on an instruction given by the user via the operation unit 192. Here, a case where a still image is acquired from the program recording apparatus 110 will be described.

  For example, it is assumed that a user who is watching a video being played by the playback execution device 170 gives an instruction to request a still image to the mobile phone 180 via the operation unit 192. This instruction is made, for example, by pressing a predetermined button.

  Upon receiving this instruction, control unit 190 causes infrared transmission unit 188 to transmit identification information of mobile phone 180 and an image request. The identification information of the mobile phone 180 is unique information that can identify the mobile phone 180, such as the model, model number, and serial number of the mobile phone 180, for example.

  When the infrared receiving unit 182 receives the thumbnail after the image request and the identification information are transmitted by the infrared transmission unit 188, the control unit 190 compares the identification information received together with the thumbnail with the identification information of the mobile phone 180, When the identification information matches, the thumbnail received by the infrared receiving unit 182 is stored in the image storage unit 184. In this case, the control unit 190 outputs a setting instruction to the setting unit 186. If the two pieces of identification information do not match, the control unit 190 discards the thumbnail received by the infrared receiving unit 182.

  When the setting unit 186 receives a setting instruction from the control unit 190, the setting unit 186 sets the thumbnail received by the infrared receiving unit 182 and stored in the image storage unit 184 to be displayed on the display screen of the mobile phone 180. This setting is, for example, one of a setting for displaying a thumbnail as a standby screen and a setting for displaying a thumbnail as a reception screen.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the mobile phone 180 and the program recording device 110 in the information processing system 100 shown in FIG. The left side of FIG. 3 shows the processing of the mobile phone 180, and the right side of FIG. 3 shows the processing of the program recording device 110. For ease of understanding, FIG. 3 shows only those related to the process in which the mobile phone 180 acquires thumbnails from the program recording device 110.

  As shown on the left side of FIG. 3, when receiving an instruction for requesting a still image via the operation unit 192 in the mobile phone 180, the control unit 190 transmits the identification information of the mobile phone 180 and the image request by infrared transmission. The data is transmitted to the unit 188 (S10, S12). After transmission, when the infrared receiver 182 receives a thumbnail image within a predetermined time T0 (S14: Yes, or S14: No, S40: Yes, S14: Yes), the controller 190 receives the thumbnail image together with the thumbnail image. The identification information and the identification information of the mobile phone 180 are compared, and when both the identification information matches, the received thumbnail image is stored in the image storage unit 184. Further, the setting unit 186 sets the thumbnail image stored in the image storage unit 184 as, for example, the standby screen display image of the mobile phone 180 in accordance with the setting instruction from the control unit 190 (S20: Yes, S30).

  On the other hand, if the identification information received together with the thumbnail image does not match the identification information of the mobile phone 180 in step S20, the control unit 190 discards the received thumbnail image and returns the process to step S14. Wait for the next thumbnail image (S20: No, S22, S14 ~).

  If the infrared receiving unit 182 has not received a thumbnail image even after the time T0 has elapsed after the transmission of the image request and the identification information (S14: No, S40: No), the control unit 190 sets the timeout as, for example, a mobile phone An error message is displayed on a display unit 180 (not shown), and the process ends (S44).

Next, processing in the program recording apparatus 110 will be described.
As shown on the right side of FIG. 3, in the program recording apparatus 110, when the RC interface 162 receives an image request during playback of a video by the recording / playback unit 140, the thumbnail creation unit 150 reads a still image from a frame being played back. Are created and stored in the storage unit 152 (S50, S52, S54). The infrared transmission unit 164 transmits the thumbnail stored in the storage unit 152 and the identification information received together with the image request by the RC interface 162 in step S52 (S56).

As described above, according to the information processing system 100 of the present embodiment, the user of the mobile phone 180 acquires a thumbnail image and uses it on the mobile phone 180 side only by performing a button operation for instructing an image request once. Can be simple.
Further, since there is no need for a server or the like, the scale of the system is small and the construction is easy.

  Furthermore, since the program recording device 110 uses the thumbnail image creation function originally provided in many recording devices, a means for creating a thumbnail image is newly added to provide the mobile phone 180 with the thumbnail image. There is no need.

  In addition, since the RC interface normally provided in the recording apparatus is used as a wireless reception unit that receives an image request from the mobile phone 180, the program recording apparatus 110 in the present embodiment can be realized with a small apparatus scale.

Also, when transmitting an image request from the mobile phone 180 to the program recording device 110, the identification information of the mobile phone 180 is also transmitted, and when transmitting a thumbnail image from the program recording device 110 to the mobile phone 180, it is received together with the image request. When the identification information received together with the thumbnail does not match its own identification information, the cellular phone 180 discards the thumbnail. By doing so, it is possible to prevent erroneous acquisition of an image transmitted from another device to another mobile phone, and it is possible to handle a plurality of mobile phones with one program recording device.
<Second Embodiment>

  FIG. 4 shows an information processing system 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The information processing system 200 includes a television broadcast receiver 210, an antenna 120, and a mobile phone 180. The information processing system 200 is provided to the mobile phone 180 during the reproduction of the broadcast signal received by the television broadcast receiver 210, and differs from the information processing system 100 shown in FIG. Only the portion will be described, and in FIG. 4, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the information processing system 100 shown in FIG.

  In the information processing system 200, when the RC interface 162 receives an image request during reproduction of a video signal from the reception processing unit 130 by the reproduction unit 240 of the television broadcast receiver 210, the image request is transmitted to the still image capture unit 252. The identification information transferred to the thumbnail creation unit 254 and received together with the image request is transferred to the infrared transmission unit 164.

  When receiving the image request, the still image capturing unit 252 captures the screen being reproduced by the reproducing unit 240 to obtain a still image and outputs the still image to the thumbnail creating unit 254.

  The thumbnail creation unit 254 creates a thumbnail by adjusting the image size and resolution of the still image from the still image capture unit 252 and outputs the thumbnail to the storage unit 152.

  The infrared transmission unit 164 transmits the thumbnail stored in the storage unit 152 and the identification information transferred from the RC interface 162.

  The mobile phone 180 is the same as the mobile phone 180 in the information processing system 100 shown in FIG. 1, and a description thereof is omitted here.

  The information processing system 200 of the present embodiment can exhibit the same effect as the information processing system 100 shown in FIG.

  In the above, the technique concerning this invention was demonstrated based on embodiment. The embodiment is an exemplification, and various changes and increases / decreases may be added without departing from the gist of the present invention. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that modifications to which these changes and increases / decreases are also within the scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, a mobile phone is used as an example of a wireless terminal. However, if a wireless communication interface capable of receiving an image request and a still image is provided, the technique of the present invention is applied. Can do.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the mobile phone 180 sets the thumbnail transmitted in response to the image request as a standby screen so as to save the user's trouble. May be stored for later use by the user.

It is a figure which shows the information processing system concerning the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the mobile telephone shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process in the information processing system shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the information processing system concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the prior art.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Information processing system 110 Program recording device 120 Antenna 130 Reception processing part 132 Tuner 134 Signal processing part 136 Output part 140 Recording / reproducing part 142 Storage part 150 Thumbnail creation part 152 Storage part 162 Remote controller interface 164 Infrared transmission part 164 Infrared transmission part 170 Playback execution device 172 Display device 174 Audio output device 180 Mobile phone 182 Infrared receiver 184 Image storage unit 186 Setting unit 188 Infrared transmitter 190 Control unit 192 Operation unit 200 Information processing system 210 Television broadcast receiver 240 Playback unit 252 Still image Capture unit 254 Thumbnail creation unit

Claims (13)

A wireless receiver;
A playback unit for playing back images,
During the reproduction of the video by the reproduction unit, when the wireless reception unit receives an image request for requesting a still image, a still image creation unit that creates a still image from the frame being reproduced in the video;
An image processing apparatus comprising: a wireless transmission unit configured to transmit the still image created by the still image creation unit. It further comprises a recording unit for recording and storing television broadcast images,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction unit reproduces the video recorded by the recording unit. A television broadcast receiver,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the still image creation unit obtains the still image by performing capture processing on the video. A remote controller,
A remote controller interface for receiving an instruction signal from the remote controller,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the remote controller interface also serves as the wireless reception unit. The image request includes identification information of a wireless terminal that has transmitted the image request,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission unit transmits the identification information together with the still image.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless reception unit and the wireless transmission unit perform reception or transmission using infrared rays. An image request unit that outputs an image request that can request the provision of a still image;
A wireless transmission unit that transmits the image request from the image request unit to an external device;
A wireless reception unit that receives a still image transmitted from the external device in response to the image request;
A wireless terminal comprising: an image storage unit that stores the still image received by the wireless reception unit. The wireless transmission unit transmits identification information of the wireless terminal together with the image request,
The wireless device further includes a control unit that compares the identification information received together with the still image with the identification information of the wireless terminal, and discards the still image when the two pieces of identification information do not match. The wireless terminal according to claim 7.   The wireless terminal according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the wireless reception unit and the wireless transmission unit perform reception or transmission using infrared rays.   The wireless terminal according to claim 7, wherein the wireless terminal is a mobile communication terminal.   The wireless terminal according to claim 10, wherein the wireless terminal is a mobile phone. An image display unit;
The wireless terminal according to claim 7, further comprising a setting unit configured to perform setting so that the still image received by the wireless reception unit is displayed on the image display unit. An information processing system having an image processing device and a wireless terminal,
The wireless terminal is
An image request unit that outputs an image request that can request the provision of a still image;
A wireless transmission unit that transmits the image request from the image request unit to an image processing device;
A wireless reception unit that receives a still image transmitted from the image processing device in response to the image request;
An image storage unit for storing the still image received by the wireless reception unit,
The image processing apparatus includes:
A wireless receiver;
A playback unit for playing back images,
A still image creation unit that creates a still image from a frame being played back in the video when the wireless reception unit receives the image request during playback of the video by the playback unit;
An information processing system comprising: a wireless transmission unit configured to transmit the still image created by the still image creation unit.

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