JP4945497B2 - Content information display method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a content information display method capable of selecting and reproducing and displaying recorded moving image content such as broadcast programs and moving image data from a network.

  In recent years, a large number of moving image contents have been acquired and can be viewed due to the increase in the number of channels of moving image contents by digital television broadcasting and the increase in the bandwidth of networks. In addition, we have acquired a lot of video content by improving video compression / decompression technology, lowering the price of hardware and software that realizes improved video compression / decompression processing, and increasing the capacity and price of storage media. It can be stored in the same storage medium, and the stored video content can be played back.

  By the way, when a large amount of moving image content is stored and stored in such a large-capacity storage medium and one desired moving image content is played back, a very large number of moving image contents must be operated. It takes a lot of time and effort to find the desired video content, and it takes a lot of time and effort to check what kind of video content is stored and stored. Become.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various techniques have been proposed that can reduce the time and effort required for an operation for acquiring a desired moving image content from many moving image contents.

  As an example, a broadcast program table in which each channel is represented by a thumbnail is displayed, and the remote controller is provided with a switching key associated with each display position of the thumbnail. A technique has been proposed in which a thumbnail channel corresponding to the operated switching key is selected, a video of a program of the channel is downloaded, and this video is displayed on a display (for example, Patent Document 1). reference).

As another example, when recording a video image (video image) of a television program, the video image is divided into cuts (image segments continuously captured by one camera), and each cut represents a representative. This makes it easy to overlook the flow of video images and the connection of scenes by displaying a list of representative images (list of digests) for each recorded video image. There is also a technology that makes it easy to grasp and designates one representative video of the desired video video so that it can be played back and viewed from the designated video recording position of the desired video video. It has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2007-110304 A JP-A-9-284698

  By the way, the technique described in Patent Document 1 can acquire and display a desired channel by selecting a desired channel thumbnail among the thumbnails for each channel by operating a remote controller. However, since one thumbnail is displayed for each video image of each channel, it is difficult to reliably grasp the contents of the video image, and no consideration is given to the recorded program. When a thumbnail is selected by operating the remote control, the broadcast program for the selected thumbnail is always acquired and displayed from the start. For example, the broadcast program has already been viewed halfway, When the user wants to watch from the continuation of the broadcast program or when he / she wants to play it back from an interesting part of the broadcast program (for example, a goal scene of soccer), the user can play it from the scene he / she desires. Can not.

  On the other hand, in the technique described in Patent Document 2, since a representative video for each cut is displayed as a digest with respect to a recorded video, the recorded video video corresponding to the cut is displayed. The flow of content will appear, which makes it easy to grasp the content, and by specifying one representative video, this specified video video is specified. Since the video is reproduced from the recording position of the representative video, there is an advantage that the video can be reproduced and viewed from the desired scene of the video video desired by the user.

  However, since the technique described in Patent Document 2 extracts a representative video for each cut and displays it as a digest of the video video, it is necessary to grasp the overall flow of the video video content. Although it is convenient to some extent, a representative video is displayed even for a cut that is not interesting to the user and is not necessary, and there is a possibility that the scene that is the point of the content of the video video becomes unclear.

  Further, since this representative video is uniquely determined mechanically, such as the video of the first frame of the cut, a scene in which the user is interested may not be displayed as the representative video.

  An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem, to display a thumbnail image of a scene desired by the user, so that the user can easily and more surely understand the flow of the recorded content. Another object is to provide a content information display method.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a content information display method for displaying a list of a plurality of recorded content metadata on a content search screen, which is based on a plurality of different rules for each content. One or more thumbnail images are extracted for each rule and stored in the storage means for each of the plurality of different rules. In the content search screen, for each content, the attribute data of the content and the plurality of the plurality of rules are stored . One or more thumbnail images extracted based on any one of the rules are displayed in the first display area on the display screen as the metadata list and displayed on the content search screen. thumbnail image, the thumbnail image according to different rules, can be changed in the first display area, the thumbnail by the different rules The change to the image is made by selecting and determining any one metadata from the metadata list of the content, so that the thumbnail rule change screen is displayed in the second display area on the display screen. When any one of the plurality of rules is selected, a thumbnail image corresponding to the selected / determined metadata is changed to the thumbnail image according to the selected rule. is there.

  Further, according to the present invention, the priority order of the plurality of rules when extracting thumbnail images from content is set for each content genre, and priority is given when content metadata is first displayed on the content search screen. A thumbnail image according to the rule having the highest ranking is displayed as a default thumbnail image.

  Further, according to the present invention, when the content search screen is displayed, the rule for the thumbnail image displayed at the end of the display on the previously displayed content search screen is the highest priority rule, and the highest priority rule is used. The thumbnail image is displayed as a default thumbnail image.

  Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that a list of content metadata can be selectively displayed based on either a content genre or a folder.

  Further, according to the present invention, a thumbnail rule change screen is displayed by selecting / deciding a selected item in the genre or folder column, and one of a plurality of rules is selected on the rule change screen. Thus, the thumbnail images in all metadata in the content metadata list are changed to thumbnail images according to the selected rule.

Further, according to the present invention, by selecting / determining the attribute data of the metadata content, the content corresponding to the metadata for which the attribute data is selected and determined is reproduced / displayed from the start position, and the metadata thumbnail image is displayed. By selecting or determining any of the above, the content corresponding to the metadata for which the thumbnail image is selected and determined is reproduced and displayed from the position corresponding to the selected and determined thumbnail image. Is.

  According to the present invention, for each recorded content, one or more thumbnail images extracted according to a predetermined rule that the user is interested in are displayed at the same time, so that the user can browse such a series of thumbnail images. It is possible to easily grasp the flow of the content and select the content to be reproduced easily. In addition, since the thumbnail image to be displayed can be changed to a thumbnail image according to a different rule, the user can select and display a thumbnail image according to the user's preference according to the genre of the content. Furthermore, it becomes easy and reliable to select content to be reproduced.

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

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a content information display apparatus and method according to the present invention, wherein 1 is a TV (television) receiver, 2 is an apparatus body, 2a is a remote control light receiving unit, and 2b is a microcomputer. ), 2c is a storage device, 2d is a content DB (database), 2e is a metadata DB, 2f is a tuner, 3 is a display device, 4 is a display screen, 5 is a content search screen, 6 is a cursor, 7 is an antenna, 8 Is a remote controller, 8a is a cross key, 8aU is an up button, 8aD is a down button, 8aR is a right button, 8aL is a left button, 8b is an enter button, 9 is a metadata providing server, 10 is It is a network.

  In this figure, this embodiment comprises a TV receiver 1, and this TV receiver 1 is composed of a device body 2, a display device 3, and a remote controller 7 that transmits an operation signal to the device body 2. ing.

  The apparatus main body 2 includes a remote control light receiving unit 2a that receives an infrared ray of an operation signal transmitted from the remote controller 8, a microcomputer 2b that controls each unit according to an infrared operation signal received by the remote control light receiving unit 2a, and an operation of the remote control 8 The antenna 7 and the tuner 2f for receiving the broadcast program designated by, and the broadcast program reserved for recording (hereinafter referred to as content), and the received content database (ie, content DB) 2d and content DB 2d. A storage device 2c for storing a database (metadata DB) 2e of metadata (content summary data) composed of attribute data of each content and thumbnail data.

  The display device 3 includes a display screen 4, a speaker (not shown), and the like, and the antenna 7 is connected to the display screen 4 under the control of the microcomputer 2 b in the device main body 2 according to an operation signal from the remote controller 8. Broadcast program of the channel received by the tuner 2f, the content selected from the content DB 2d of the storage device 2c (recorded program), and a predetermined meta data selected from the metadata DB 2e of the storage device 2c. A content search screen 5 as a GUI (graphic user interface) by data is displayed. Here, the content search screen 5 is being searched. On the content search screen 5, a frame-like cursor 6 for selecting desired metadata is displayed, and the up button 8aU, the down button 8aD, the right button 8aR with the cross key 8a on the remote controller 8 are displayed. By operating any of the left direction buttons 8aL, the operation signal is supplied to the apparatus main body 2, and the cursor 6 moves in the direction corresponding to the operation on the content search screen 5 on the display screen 4.

  In this embodiment, for the content received via the antenna 7 and stored as the content DB 2d in the storage device 2c of the device main body 2, the metadata is created in the device main body 2 and the storage device 2c. The metadata of each content is stored in the metadata providing server 9, and is received by the operation of the remote controller 8 for the content stored as the content DB 2d in the storage device 2c, or For content that is reserved for recording and received as the content DB 2d in the storage device 2c and recorded in the storage device 2c, the corresponding metadata is transferred from the metadata providing server 9 to the network 10 together with the recording of the content in the storage device 2c. Is obtained through the storage device 2c and the metatator D It may be stored as 2e.

  2 is a block diagram showing a specific example of the circuit configuration of the apparatus main body 2 in FIG. 1. 11 is a program information extraction unit, 12 is an audio reproduction unit, 13 is a video reproduction unit, 14 is a display synthesis unit, Reference numeral 15 is a memory, 16 is an HDD (hard disk drive), 17 is a DVD (digital versatile disk), 18 is an external interface unit, 19 is a memory, and 20 is an image generation unit. A duplicate description is omitted.

  In the figure, the infrared light of the operation signal from the remote control 7 (FIG. 1) is received by the remote control light receiving unit 2a, and the operation signal is supplied to the microcomputer 2b. Based on this operation signal, the microcomputer 2b controls each part according to the operation of the remote controller 8, and causes the apparatus main body 2 to perform an operation according to this operation.

  When receiving the content of the desired channel (video signal or audio signal of a broadcast program) is instructed by the operation of the remote controller 8, the microcomputer 2b sets the designated channel in the tuner 2f and causes the content of this channel to be received. . The content of the designated channel received by the antenna 7 and selected by the tuner 2f is supplied to the audio reproduction unit 12 via the program information extraction unit 11 and subjected to audio reproduction processing such as amplification, and an audio signal is reproduced. It is supplied to the speaker of the display device 3 (FIG. 1). The received content is supplied to the video reproduction unit 13 via the program information extraction unit 11, and the video signal is subjected to reproduction processing such as amplification. This video signal is supplied to the display device 3 (FIG. 1) via the display synthesis unit 14, and the video of this reception channel is displayed on the display screen 4.

  When an operation signal for instructing recording of the content of this channel is transmitted from the remote controller 8 after starting reception of the desired channel, the microcomputer 2b controls each part for recording in accordance with the received instruction signal. The video signal and audio signal of this reception channel extracted by the program information extraction unit 11 and supplied to the video reproduction unit 13 are supplied to the HDD 16. The HDD 16 forms the storage device 2c shown in FIG. 1, and the video signal and audio signal supplied to the HDD 16 are stored as the content DB 2d.

  At the same time, the program information extraction unit 11 generates metadata from the content of the reception channel using a video signal or an audio signal, supplies the metadata to the HDD 16, and stores it as the metadata DB 2e.

  Further, EPG (electronic program guide) information is superimposed on the video signal of the received program, and this EPG information is extracted by the program information extraction unit 11 and stored in the HDD 16. When an operation signal for instructing display of the program guide is transmitted from the remote controller 8, the microcomputer 2b that has acquired the operation guide acquires the EPG information from the HDD 16 and creates an electronic program guide, which is supplied to the image generator 20 An image signal of an electronic program guide is generated. The display synthesis unit 14 acquires the image signal of the electronic program guide from the image generation unit 20, synthesizes it with the video signal from the video reproduction unit 13 while storing it in the memory 15, and supplies it to the display device 3 (FIG. 1). As a result, the electronic program guide is displayed on the display screen 4 (FIG. 1) of the display device 3. When an operation for receiving a desired channel is performed by the remote controller 8 based on the electronic program, the designated channel is received and displayed on the display device 3 as described above, and the electronic program guide is also displayed. By performing a predetermined operation of the remote controller using, recording of a desired channel can be reserved.

  The content of the channel reserved for recording is received as described above by the control of the microcomputer 2b at the recording reservation time, and the received content is stored (recorded) in the HDD 16 as the content DB 2d. Content metadata is extracted by the program information extraction unit 11 and stored in the HDD 16 as a metadata DB 2e.

  The content of the channel designated by the remote control 8 or the content of the channel reserved for recording can be detachably attached to the apparatus body 2 by a predetermined operation of the remote control 8 (in this case, as an external storage device, Although it is assumed that a DVD is used, another large capacity external storage device may be used), and the content DB may be stored. In this case, the metadata from which this content is extracted by the program information extraction unit 11 is also stored in the DVD 17 as a metadata DB.

  That is, when the received content is stored in the HDD 16, the metadata is also stored in the HDD 16, and when the received content is stored in the DVD 17 (that is, an external storage device), the metadata is also stored in the DVD 17 ( That is, it is stored in an external storage device.

  Further, instead of extracting the content metadata by the program information extracting unit 11, it can be acquired from the metadata providing server 9 in FIG. In this case, the content of the broadcast program reserved for recording is received and recorded, and the microcomputer 2b sends metadata about the content of the broadcast program to be recorded via the network 10 from the external interface unit 18 to the metadata. When requested to the providing server 9, the requested metadata of the content is transmitted from the metadata providing server 9 to the apparatus main body 2 via the network 10. In the apparatus main body 2, the metadata is received by the external interface unit 18, and is stored as the metadata DB 2e in the HDD 16 or the DVD 17 in which the content is stored under the control of the microcomputer 2b.

  When an operation for requesting display of predetermined metadata is performed by the remote controller 8, the operation signal is received by the remote controller light receiving unit 2a and supplied to the microcomputer 2b, and the microcomputer 2b reads the requested metadata from the HDD 16 or the DVD 17 to generate an image. This is supplied to the generation unit 20. The image generation unit 20 processes the metadata to generate an image signal of a content search screen made up of the metadata, and supplies it to the display synthesis unit 14. In the display synthesis unit 14, the image signal of the content search screen is synthesized with the video signal from the video reproduction unit 13 using the memory 15 and supplied to the display device 3 (FIG. 1). As a result, the content search screen 5 is displayed on the display screen 4 of the display device 3.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific example of the content search screen 5 as a GUI (graphic user interface) displayed on the display screen 4 of the display device 3, where 21 is an item column, and 22 is a metadata list display. Area, 23 is operation guidance, 23a to 23d are guides, 24 is a metadata storage location selection field, 25 is a folder / genre (classification) selection field, 25a and 25b are scroll marks, 26 is a content list display / selection field, 27 Is a thumbnail image display / selection field, 28a to 28f are metadata storage location tags, 29a to 29e are folder tags, 30a to 30h are metadata, 31 is content attribute data, and 32 is a thumbnail image, which corresponds to the previous drawing. The same reference numerals are assigned to the parts to be repeated, and the duplicate description is omitted.

  When an operation for requesting display of the content search screen 5 is performed with the remote controller 8 (FIG. 1), the content search screen 5 is displayed on the display screen 4 (FIG. 1) of the display device 3 as shown in FIG.

  The content search screen 5 includes a metadata list display area 22 divided in the horizontal direction for each item in the item column 21 provided on the upper side thereof, and an operation guidance 23 representing operation guides 23 a to 23 d of the remote controller 8. It is made up of. Items in the metadata list display area 22 include a content storage location selection field 24 that enables selection of a content storage location, and a folder / genre (classification) in which a folder and genre of content at the storage location can be selected. A list of content attributes is displayed for each of the selection field 25, the metadata 30a, 30b, 30c,..., And a content list display / selection field 26 in which one of them can be selected. Is displayed, and a thumbnail image display / selection column 27 that enables selection of any one of them is set.

  In the content storage location selection field 24, iVDR as a removable recording medium such as a tag for selecting a storage location where the content is stored, that is, an “all location” tag 28a, an “HDD” tag 28b, a DVD or the like. An "iVDR" tag 28c, an "SD card" tag 28d, an "AV network-like hierarchy" tag 28e, and an "open library" tag 28f are provided for (Information Versatile Disk for Removable usage). Is selected, the metadata 30 (generic name of metadata 30a, 30b, 30c,...) For searching the content stored in the storage location corresponding to the tag is displayed on the content search screen 5. It becomes. The folder / genre (category) selection field 25 is used to classify the metadata 30 to be displayed on the content search screen 5 by a folder or the like or by a genre. Here, it shows a state divided by folders. In this case, regardless of whether or not the content is stored in the folder, all the stored content metadata is displayed as “all "Folder only" tag 29b for displaying content metadata in the "content" tag 29a or folder, folder tag for each user (for example, "dad folder" tag 24c, "mother folder" tag 29d, "sister folder" ”Tag 29e etc.) is provided, and when any one of the tags is selected, the metadata of the content corresponding to the tag is displayed on the content search screen 5. Here, the “all places” tag 28a and the “dad folder” tag 29c are shown in a selected state, and therefore, the metadata of the contents of the “dad” folder stored in all places is displayed. These objects are displayed as metadata 30a, 30b,...

  The folder / genre selection field 25 is provided with scroll marks 25a and 25b, and by operating these, the arrangement of folder tags 29 (a general term for folder tags 29a, 29b, 29c,...) Is arranged. It is possible to scroll upward or downward, and to display a folder tag that is not displayed.

  The content metadata 30 includes content attribute data 31 represented by the content list display / selection column 26 and thumbnail images 32 represented by the thumbnail image display / selection column 27, and one or more thumbnails for one content. An image 32 is created and displayed. The content attribute data 31 displayed here is, for example, the title of the content (for example, this title is limited in the number of characters to be displayed, such as “display up to 22 full-width characters”) or the corresponding content. Recording date (eg [Recording] 00/00 (Wednesday)), channel name (eg BS000), content time length (eg 00h00m), content storage location (eg iVDR TSE), thumbnail image extraction rules (For example, rule 1).

  Here, since the metadata of the content (tag 29c) of the “dad” folder in all the storage locations (tag 28a) is the display target of the content search screen 5, there are various storage locations. For convenience, metadata 30 stored in the same storage location “iVDR TSE” is shown.

  The thumbnail image 32 is created according to a predetermined rule. There are a plurality of rules, and the content metadata 30 displays the thumbnail image 32 created according to one of the rules. . Here, in the metadata 30a, 30c, 30e to 30h, the thumbnail image 32 created by the rule 1 is displayed, in the metadata 30b, the thumbnail image 32 created by the rule 4 is displayed, and in the metadata 30d, It is assumed that the thumbnail image 32 created by the rule 5 is displayed.

Examples of thumbnail image creation rules include:
Rule 1: Extract frame or field images of content at regular intervals
Then, this is a thumbnail image. Rule 2: Containment at the timing when the sound rises (for example, there is a cheer)
Extract a frame or field image of
Rule 3: Content content at the time the subtitle personal text is displayed
Extract a frame or field image and use it as a thumbnail image
Rule 4: Extract frame or field image immediately after commercial (CM)
In each content, a thumbnail image is created for each rule, and a thumbnail image according to one of the rules is displayed as shown in FIG.

  On the content search screen 5, a cursor 6 is displayed. The cursor 6 is operated by operating the remote controller 8 so that tags 28a to 28f in the metadata storage location selection column 24, tags 29a to 29e in the folder / genre selection column 25, content attribute data 31 in the content list display / selection column 26, Although one of the thumbnail images 32 in the thumbnail image display / selection column 27 is selected, it is displayed in the initial state (the tags 28a to 28f in the metadata storage location selection column 24, or the folder / genre selection column). When any one of the 25 tags 29a to 29e is selected), it is assumed that the content attribute data 31 in the content list display / selection column 26 in the metadata 30a displayed at the top (top) is selected. (However, this is not a limitation).

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing a main part of an example of the program information extraction unit 1 in FIG. 1, 33 denotes an input terminal, 34 is the time information adding unit, 35 timer, 36 ₁ the time measuring unit, 36 _{2-36 4} time detection section, 37 ₁ to 37 ₄ thumbnail extraction unit, 38 voice raised detector, 39 text detecting unit, 40 CM (commercial data) end detection section, 41 ₁ to 41 ₄ time information adding unit, 42 _{1-42 4} is a memory, the parts corresponding to FIG. 2 and duplicated description will be omitted with the same reference numerals.

The specific example of the program information extraction unit 11 shows only components for recording content and creating metadata thereof. In addition, a plurality of rules are set for the creation of metadata, and the metadata is created for each rule according to the rule. Here, the rule is defined as the above Rule 1: Fixed time. Extract content frame or field image for each
Then, this is a thumbnail image. Rule 2: Containment at the timing when the sound rises (for example, there is a cheer)
Extract a frame or field image of
Rule 3: Content content at the time the subtitle personal text is displayed
Extract a frame or field image and use it as a thumbnail image
Rule 4: Extract frame or field image immediately after commercial (CM)
This is a four-type rule that uses this as a thumbnail image.

  In FIG. 4, when an operation signal for starting recording is transmitted from the remote controller 8 (FIG. 1) or when the recording start time of the content reserved for recording comes, a control signal from the microcomputer 2b (FIGS. 1 and 2) The program information extraction unit 11 and the content DB 2d start operation.

When the program information extraction unit 11 starts operating, the content _{Cnt of} the channel received from the input terminal 33 is input. At the same time, the timer 35 is cleared and the timing operation starts. As a result, the time information T _if is output from the timer 35 and supplied to the time measuring unit 36 ₁ and the time detecting units 36 _{2 to} 36 ₄ . The received content C _nt input from the input terminal 33 is supplied to the time information adding unit 34, added with the time information T _if from the timer 35 and stored (recorded) in the content DB 2d, and the thumbnail extracting unit 37 _1. -37 ₄ and audio swelling detection unit 38, is supplied to the text detector 39, CM end detection unit 40.

The time measuring unit 36 ₁ , the thumbnail extracting unit 37 _1, and the time information adding unit 41 ₁ generate metadata, in particular, a thumbnail image according to the above rule 1, and the time measuring unit 36 ₁ receives the time from the timer 35. information has time measurement using a T _{an if,} the predetermined time (e.g., 5 minutes) sends a thumbnail extracted signal S _s1 to the thumbnail extraction unit 37 ₁ for each. Thumbnail extracting unit 37 _1, when the thumbnail extraction signal S _s1 is supplied, extracts an image signal of one frame or field at that point as a thumbnail image signals S _V1 from the content C _nt inputted. This thumbnail image signal S _V1 is supplied to the time information adding unit 41 ₁ , and the time information at the time of outputting the thumbnail extraction signal S _s1 from the time measuring unit 36 ₁ is added and stored in the memory 42 ₁ . Similarly, each time the time measuring unit 36 ₁ measures the passage of a predetermined time, the thumbnail image signal S _V1 according to the rule 1 to which time information is added by the thumbnail extracting unit 37 ₁ and the time information adding unit 41 ₁ is obtained. They are created and sequentially stored in the memory 42 ₁ .

The audio excitement detection unit 38 constantly monitors the input content _Cnt, and detects, from the audio information, for example, an increase in the audio of the audience when the excitement occurs in a soccer or baseball program, supplying a thumbnail extracted signal S _s2 to the thumbnail extraction unit 37 _2. The thumbnail extraction unit 37 _2, this thumbnail extracted signal S _s2 is supplied, the image signal of one frame or field at that point from the contents C _nt input is extracted as a thumbnail image signal S _V2, the time information added Supplied to section 41 ₂ . Along with this, the voice raised detector 38 notifies the time detecting unit 36 ₂ of the detection of the protrusion of the sound. Upon receiving this notification, the time detection unit 36 ₂ extracts time information at that timing and supplies it to the time information addition unit 41 ₂ . Thus, the time information adding unit 41 ₂ is stored in the time information is added to the thumbnail image signal S _V2 from the thumbnail extracting unit 37 ₂ in the memory 42 _2. Hereinafter similarly, each time the protrusion of the sound on the content C _nt input by voice raised detector 38 is detected, the rules time information by the thumbnail extracting unit 37 ₂ and the time information adding unit 41 ₂ is added 2 thumbnail image signal S _V2 is obtained by, it is sequentially stored sequentially in the memory 42 _2.

Further, the text detection unit 39 constantly monitors the input content C _nt , determines the presence or absence of text data such as a subtitle person name for each frame or field, and if this is detected, extracts a thumbnail. supplying a signal S _s3 to the thumbnail extraction unit 37 _3. The thumbnail extraction unit 37 _3, when the thumbnails extracted signal S _s3 is supplied, the image signal of one frame or field at that point from the contents C _nt input is extracted as a thumbnail image signal S _V3, time information addition Supplied to the unit 41 ₃ . Along with this, the text detecting unit 39 notifies the detection of the text data to the time detecting unit 36 _3. Upon receiving this notification, the time detection unit 36 ₃ extracts time information at that timing and supplies it to the time information addition unit 41 ₃ . Thus, the time information adding unit 41 _3, it is stored in the time information is added to the thumbnail image signal S _V3 from the thumbnail extracting unit 37 ₃ in the memory 42 _3. In the same way, each time the text data on the content C _nt inputted by the text detector 39 is detected, by the thumbnail extracting unit 37 ₃ and the time information adding unit 41 ₃ and Rule 3 the time information is added by the and thumbnail image signal S _V3 is obtained are sequentially stored in the sequential memory 42 _3.

Further, the CM end detection unit 40 constantly monitors the input content C _nt , determines the presence / absence of the CM for each frame or field, and detects the end of the CM, and _displays the thumbnail extraction signal S _s4 as a thumbnail. and it supplies the extraction unit 37 _4. When this thumbnail extraction signal Ss ₄ is supplied, the thumbnail extraction unit 47 ₄ extracts the image signal of one frame or field at that time from the input content C _nt as the thumbnail image signal S _{V4 and} adds time information. Supplied to the unit 41 ₄ . Along with this, CM end detection unit 40 notifies the time detecting unit 36 ₄ of the detection of the end of the CM. Upon receiving this notification, the time detection unit 36 ₄ extracts time information at that timing and supplies it to the time information addition unit 41 ₄ . Thus, the time information adding unit 41 _4, it is stored in the time information is added to the thumbnail image signal S _V4 from the thumbnail extracting unit 37 ₄ in the memory 42 _4. In the same way, every time the CM end on the content C _nt entered by CM end sensing unit 40 is detected, the rule 4 that the time information by the thumbnail extracting unit 37 ₄ and the time information adding unit 41 ₄ is added It has been obtained thumbnail image signal S _V4 by are sequentially stored in the sequential memory 42 _4.

When this content C _nt ends, the memory 42 ₁ is in a state where the series of thumbnail image signals Sv ₁ created by the rule ₁ is stored, and the memory 42 ₂ stores the series of thumbnail image signals created by the rule 2. sv ₂ is, in the memory 42 _3, a series of thumbnail image signal Sv ₃ created by rule 3, in the memory 42 _4, a series of thumbnail image signal Sv ₄ is in a state of being respectively stored created by the rule 4 . At the end of this content C _nt, write command signal is supplied from the microcomputer 2b metadata DB2e, Thereby, the thumbnail image signal Sv ₁ Sv ₄ from the memory 42 ₁ to 42 ₄ is read, the metadata DB2e Remembered.

In this way, the thumbnail image signal as metadata is stored in the metadata DB 2e, but the description is omitted along with this, but the attribute data of the content C _nt (content attribute data 31 in FIG. 3). ) Is also obtained from, for example, an electronic program guide (EPG) and stored in the metadata DB 2e in association with the thumbnail image signals Sv _{1 to} Sv ₄ .

The thumbnail image signals Sv _{1 to} Sv ₄ of the content C _nt can be created for each user who uses the TV receiver 1, and the corresponding user and the attribute data of the content C _nt for each user. Etc. are associated.

  In addition, here, four thumbnail images according to one rule are used, but the present invention is not limited to this.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart schematically showing the thumbnail image extraction operation according to each rule in the program information extraction unit 11 shown in FIG. 4, where “x” indicates a thumbnail image according to rule 1 and “□” indicates A thumbnail image according to the rule 2, a “▽” mark indicates a thumbnail image according to the rule 3, a “” mark indicates a thumbnail image according to the rule 4, and the time axis indicates a flow of one content _Cut .

In the same figure, the thumbnail image according to rule 1 indicated by “×” is extracted from the input video content _Cut every predetermined time, and is input at the time of “□” where there is a voice excitement such as cheers. A thumbnail image according to rule 2 is extracted from the moving image content _Cut . Further, when the subtitle personal name text indicated by “▽” is displayed, a thumbnail image according to rule 3 is extracted from the input video content _Cut, and at the end of the CM indicated by “◯”, the input video content C is displayed. A thumbnail image according to rule 4 is extracted from _ut .

  FIG. 6 schematically shows a thumbnail image group for each rule based on the above-described thumbnail image signal. Each thumbnail image group is composed of one or more thumbnail images, and the thumbnail images obtained by the same rule are grouped into meta data. It is stored in the data DB 2e.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating the storage position of each thumbnail image in the metadata DB 2e for each rule.

  In the figure, the horizontal axis indicates the rule, and the vertical axis indicates the storage position “position #” of each thumbnail image in the extraction order in the metadata DB 2e, and the thumbnail image in the metadata DB 2e for each rule. Are stored in advance from the first storage position of this storage area in order from the first submitted thumbnail image. “Position 1”, “Position 2”,..., “Position n1”, “Position n2”, and “Position nx” in the “Position #” column indicate the storage positions of the thumbnail images extracted first. These are different for each rule.

Further, “position (second)” in each rule indicates the extraction position of the extracted thumbnail image in the original recorded content from which the thumbnail image was extracted, and is expressed by the time from the start of this recorded content. This is represented by time information added by the time information adding units 41 _{1 to} 41 ₄ in FIG.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing each user's folder. 43a is a “dad” folder, 43b is a “mother” folder, and 43k is an “outside folder” folder.

In the figure, in the metadata DB 2e, for example, a folder for a user such as a “dad” folder 43a or a “mother” folder 43b, or a folder that is not special to the user, that is, an “outside folder” folder 43k is set. The metadata created by the program information extraction unit 11 (FIG. 4) of the moving image content to be recorded is stored in the corresponding folder. For example, when the moving image content _Cut that the TV receiver 1 has reserved for recording in the “dad” mode is recorded, the metadata is stored in the “dad” folder 43a of the metadata DB 2e.

  In each folder, taking the “dad” folder 43a as an example, the metadata obtained according to the rules 1, 2, 3,... For each recorded content 1, 2, 3,. As shown in FIG. 6, the data are stored separately for each rule. Then, the priority order of the rules is determined for each genre of content, and when the display of the content search screen 5 shown in FIG. Displayed as default metadata 30.

  In the example shown in FIG. 8, rule 1 has the highest priority for genre 1 content, and rule 4 has the highest priority for genre 2 content. For content, rule 1 is the highest priority, for content of genre 4, rule 5 is the highest priority, and ... for content of genre m 1 is the highest priority.

  Therefore, at the start of display of the content search screen 5 shown in FIG. 3, if the contents 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are genre 1 contents, the metadata 30a, 3c, and 30e to 30h corresponding to these rules If the thumbnail image 32 of 1 is arranged and displayed in the order of its extraction timing, and the content 2 is the content of the genre 4, the thumbnail image 32 according to the rule 4 is arranged and displayed in the order of its extraction timing. If the content 4 is a content of the genre 5, the metadata 30d corresponding to the content 4 displays the thumbnail images 32 according to the rule 5 arranged in the order of the extraction timing.

  FIG. 9 is an external view showing a specific example of the operation surface of the remote controller 8 in FIG. 1, wherein 8c is a power button, 8d is a blue button, 8e is a red button, 8f is a green button, 8g is a yellow button, and 8h is A content search screen (GUI) call button, 8i is a return button, 8j is a metadata ON / OFF button, 8k is a recording-related button, and the same reference numerals are given to portions corresponding to those in FIG. .

  In the figure, the operation surface of the remote controller 8 is provided with various operation buttons including a power button 8c for turning on / off the power of the TV receiver 1 (FIG. 1). The representative operation buttons for the embodiment will be described, and description of other operation buttons will be omitted.

  Below the power button 8c are a blue button 8d, a red button 8e, a green button 8f, and a yellow button 8g for the content search screen 5 shown in FIG. 4, and content search for turning this content search screen on and off. A screen (GUI) call button 8h, a return button 8i for returning the display state on the display screen 4 to the previous display state, and metadata to be described later corresponding to this during playback of the recorded content A cross consisting of the above-mentioned up button 8aU, down button 8aD, right button 8aR, and left button 8aL, together with a metadata ON / OFF button 8j for recording and a recording related button 8k for recording, playback and stop. A key 8a and an enter button 8b are provided.

  If the content search screen (GUI) call button 8h is operated on a display screen 4 of the display device 4 other than the content search screen 5, for example, the display state of the moving image content of the reception channel, the content shown in FIG. A search screen 5 is displayed. In the initial display state of the content search screen 5, the first (top location) “all locations” tag 28 a is selected in the content storage location selection field 24, and the “all content” tag is selected in the folder / genre selection field 25. 29a is selected, and a list of metadata 30a, 30b, 30c,... Corresponding to these tags 28a, 29a is displayed. The cursor 6 is positioned on the content attribute data 31 in the content list display field 26 of the metadata 30a at the first (top position).

  When one of the cross keys 8a of the remote controller 8 is operated in such a display state, the cursor 6 moves in a direction corresponding to the operation. For example, when the down button 8aD is operated in the state shown in the figure, each time the operation is performed, the cursor 6 moves one by one in the order of the downward arrangement of the metadata 30, and the content attribute data 31 is one by one. It will be selected. When the upward button 8aU is operated, the cursor 6 moves one by one in the upward arrangement order of the metadata 30 each time the operation is performed, and the content attribute data 31 is selected one by one. . When the right button 8aR is operated in the state shown in the figure, the cursor 6 moves rightward to the first thumbnail image 32 in the thumbnail image display / selection field 27, and when the right button 8aR is further operated, The thumbnail images 32 are moved one by one to the right in the arrangement order of the thumbnail images 32 in the same metadata 30, and the thumbnail images 32 are selected one by one. When the left button 8aL is operated with the thumbnail image 32 selected, the cursor 6 moves leftward one by one in the order of arrangement of the thumbnail images 32 in the same metadata 30 each time the button is operated. The thumbnail image 32 is selected one by one. When the cursor 6 is on the thumbnail image 32 arranged first in the thumbnail data 30, and the left button 8aL is further operated, the cursor 6 moves to the left, and the same metadata 30 The content attribute data 31 in the content list display / selection column 26 is moved to a selected state.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, when the cursor 6 is in a state in which the content attribute data 31 is selected in the content list display / selection column 26 of any metadata 30, the left button 8aL of the cross key 8a is When operated, the cursor 6 moves to the left and moves to the default folder tag 29 in the folder / genre selection field 25 (generic name for the folder tags 29a to 29e. In this case, the “dad” tag 29c). . However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the folder tag 29 may be moved to another folder tag 29 (for example, the currently selected folder tag 29 (in this case, the “dad” tag 29c)). In this state, when either the up button 8aU or the down button 8aD is operated, the cursor 6 moves one by one up and down in the arrangement direction of the folder tags 29 and selects one of these folder tags 29. Can do. FIG. 10 shows a state where the “mom” tag 28d is selected (in FIG. 10, only parts necessary for the description are denoted by reference numerals. The same applies to the drawings described later. The parts corresponding to are given the same reference numerals).

  Further, when the right button 8aR is operated in the above state, the cursor 6 moves to the content attribute data 31 on the right side of the folder tag 29 at this time, and selects it.

  Further, when the upper button 8aU of the cross key 8a of the remote controller 8 is operated in a state where some of the folder tags 29 are not displayed and the cursor 6 selects the uppermost “all contents” tag 29a. The cursor 6 moves further upward, and the scroll mark 25a is selected. When the enter button 8b (FIG. 8) of the remote controller 8 is operated in such a state, the folder tag 29 array is scrolled upward. Similarly, when a part of the folder tags 29 is not displayed and the cursor 6 selects the lowermost folder tag 29 and the down button 8aD of the cross key 8a of the remote controller 8 is operated, The cursor 6 moves further downward and the scroll mark 25b is selected. When the enter button 8b (FIG. 8) of the remote controller 8 is operated in such a state, the downward scroll of the array of folder tags 29 is performed.

  Furthermore, when the left button 8aL is operated with the cursor 6 selecting one of the folder tags 29, the content storage location in the metadata storage location selection column 24 on the left side of the folder / genre selection column 25 is displayed. It moves to the default content storage location tag 28 (in this case, the “all locations” folder 28a) of the tag 28 (generic name of the content storage location tags 28a to 28f), and makes it selected. It should be noted that it may be moved to another content storage location tag 28 such as the content storage location tag 28 currently selected (in this case, the “all locations” folder 28a). In this state, when either the up button 8aU or the down button 8aD is operated, the cursor 6 moves up and down one by one in the arrangement direction of the content storage location tag 28, and any of these content storage location tags 28 is moved. Can be selected. When the right button 8aR is operated, the cursor 6 is moved to one of the folder tags 29 in the folder / genre selection column 25 on the right side of the metadata storage location selection column 24 (for example, the default folder tag 29 or Move to the currently selected folder tag 29).

  In this manner, the fact that the operation for moving the cursor 6 can be performed with the cross key 8a, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 10, in the operation guidance 23 of the content search screen 5, the icon of the cross key 8a and “ This is indicated by the guidance 23a consisting of the indication “selection”. Thereby, the user can recognize that the cursor 6 can be moved by operating the cross key 8a. The selected content attribute data 31 and thumbnail image 32 and the folder selected in the folder / genre selection field 25 are determined with the cursor 6 selecting the corresponding folder tag 29. 8 is performed by operating the determination button 8b (FIG. 8), whereby the metadata 30 of the folder selected and determined is displayed on the content attribute data 31 and the thumbnail image 32.

  The same applies to the content storage location tag 28 in the metadata storage location selection field 24. In order to inform the user of this determination operation, the operation guidance 23 is provided with a guidance 23b including an icon of the determination button 8b and a display of “decision”. Thus, the user can recognize that the selected object can be determined by operating the determination button 8b. The same applies to the content attribute data 31 in the content list display / selection column 26 and the thumbnail image 32 in the thumbnail image display / selection column 27.

  In the item column 21 of the content search screen 5 shown in FIG. 3, “(green) classification: folder” is described in the folder / genre selection column 25, and the item is displayed by operating the green button 8 f of the remote controller 8. Can be switched between a genre and a folder. When the green button 8f of the remote controller 8 is operated in the display state of the folder / genre selection field 25 shown in FIG. 3, the content search screen 5 in which the genre is set is displayed.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a specific example of the content search screen 5 in which such a genre is set. 5a is a content search screen, 44a is a “movie” tag, 44b is a “sport” tag, and 44c is “hobby education”. Tag, 44d is a “playlist” tag, 44e is a “download” tag, 44f is a “rental” tag, 44g is a “photo” tag, 44h is a “video” tag, 44i is a “music” tag, 44j is “video mail” ”Tag, and parts corresponding to those in FIG.

  On the content search screen 5a, a genre tag is displayed in the folder / genre selection field 25. Here, as a genre tag, “movie” tag 44a, “sports” tag 44b, “hobby education” tag 44c, “playlist” tag 44d, “download” tag 44e, “rental” tag 44f, “photo” tag 44g, “moving image” tag 44h, “music” tag 44i, and “video mail” tag 44j are shown as examples.

  Assuming that the “movie” tag 44a is selected as a default in this case, the content attribute data 31 of metadata for this genre “movie” is displayed in the content list display / selection column 26, and 1 for this is displayed. The thumbnail image 32 having the highest priority is displayed in the thumbnail image display / selection column 27.

  The operation of moving the cursor 6 with respect to the content search screen 5a with the remote controller 8 (FIG. 8) is the same as described with reference to FIG.

12A and 12B are diagrams showing other specific examples of the content search screen, where 5b ₁ and 5b ₂ are content search screens, 32a and 32b are thumbnail images, and reference numerals are given only to the main parts. In addition, the same reference numerals are given to the portions corresponding to those in FIG.

When the right button 8aR of the cross key 8a of the remote controller 8 is operated on the content search screen 50a shown in FIG. 11, the content search screen 5b ₁ shown in FIG. In the content search screen 5b ₁ , the cursor 6 is positioned on the first thumbnail image 32a of the metadata 30a, and the thumbnail image 32a is in a selected state.

  In this state, when the right button 8aR of the remote controller 8 is operated, the cursor 6 moves one by one in the thumbnail image 32 in the right direction for each operation, but the cursor 6 moves in the metadata list display area 22. When the right end thumbnail image 32b displayed at the right end is reached, the metadata 30a scrolls to the left as shown in FIG. 12B, and new thumbnail images 32 appear and display sequentially from the right end. Become so. Further, the content attribute data 31 of the metadata 30a and the subsequent thumbnail image 32 are not displayed.

  In this way, for the metadata 30 in which the number of thumbnail images 32 is large and only a part of the thumbnail images 32 is displayed, the content attribute data 31 of the metadata 30 and the arrangement of the thumbnail images 32 subsequent thereto are scrolled. The thumbnail images 32 that have not been displayed until now are displayed, so that all the thumbnail images 32 can be selected.

  When the arrangement of the content attribute data 31 and the subsequent thumbnail image 32 is scrolled to the left and the thumbnail image 32 arranged on the left side is not displayed, the cursor 6 is displayed at the left end of the arrangement of the thumbnail image to be displayed. By moving and further operating the left direction button 8aL of the remote control 8, the arrangement of the content attribute data 31 and the subsequent thumbnail image 32 can be scrolled to the right direction, which has not been displayed so far. The left thumbnail image 32 can be displayed from the left side.

  The operation guidance 23 on the above-described content search screen 5 includes a guidance 23d including a display of “[yellow] thumbnail switching”. By operating the yellow button 8g (FIG. 9) of the remote controller 8, thumbnails of different rules are displayed. It has been shown that switching to an image can be performed. For example, FIGS. 13A and 13B show the content search screen 5 when the yellow button 8g of the remote controller 8 is operated on the content search screen 5a shown in FIG. In FIGS. 13A and 13B, 5c is a content search screen, 6a is a cursor, and 45 is a menu screen. Parts corresponding to those in the previous drawings are given the same reference numerals and redundant description is omitted. .

When the yellow button 8g of the remote controller 8 is operated in accordance with the “[yellow] thumbnail switching” guidance 23d in the operation guidance 23 while the content search screen 5a shown in FIG. 11 is displayed, FIG. A content search screen 5c ₁ is displayed, a menu screen 45 on which a list of thumbnail image extraction rules (that is, rules 1 to 4) is displayed, and a cursor 6a is displayed to select one of these rules. It becomes a state. In this case, the cursor 6 for selecting the metadata 30 and the like is in a non-operating state with respect to the operation of the remote controller 8, and the cursor 6 a in the menu screen 45 moves according to the operation of the remote controller 8.

Therefore, by operating the up button 8aU or the down button 8aD with the cross key 8a of the remote controller 8, the cursor 6a is moved up or down, and a desired rule on the menu screen 45, for example, “rule” select 2 ", and operates the decision button 8b of the remote controller 8, will be" rule 2 "selected by the cursor 6a is determined, as a content search screen 5c ₂ shown in FIG. 13 (b) The thumbnail image 32 of the metadata 30 a selected by the cursor 6 is changed from the thumbnail image of the rule 1 so far to the thumbnail image 32 of the rule 2. At the same time, the display of the thumbnail image extraction rule in the content attribute data 31 of the metadata 30a is changed from “thumbnail: rule 1” to “thumbnail: rule 2”, and the thumbnail image 32 is based on rule 2. Is displayed.

  When the thumbnail image 32 displayed on the content search screen 5 is changed to a different rule for other content (for example, metadata 30b) different from the above, for example, the content search screen 5a shown in FIG. In the display state, by operating the down button 8aD of the cross key 8a of the remote controller 8 once, the cursor 6 is moved downward to select the metadata 30b. Thereafter, FIG. , (B), the remote controller 8 may be operated.

  As described above, the default thumbnail image 32 of the content displayed first on the content search screen 5 becomes the thumbnail image 32 according to the highest rule in the determined priority order, and this is displayed, but the yellow button of the remote controller 8 is displayed. By operating 8g, the thumbnail image 32 according to an arbitrary rule can be displayed. In this way, when the display of the content search screen 5 is completed after being changed to the thumbnail image 32 according to another rule, the next time the content search screen 5 is displayed, the last time the content search screen 5 is displayed. The rule of the displayed thumbnail image 32 becomes the rule with the highest priority, and the thumbnail image 32 based on this rule is displayed as a default.

In the operation of the remote controller 8 shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the thumbnail image 32 is changed to the thumbnail image 32 of a different rule for the selected one metadata 30. By operating the button 8g (FIG. 9), the thumbnail images 32 of all the metadata 30 displayed in the metadata list display area 22 can be changed to the thumbnail images 32 based on different rules at the same time. This will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 (a) and 14 (b). In FIGS. 14A and 14B, 5d ₁ and 5d ₂ are content search screens, 6b is a cursor, and 45a is a menu screen. Description is omitted.

For example, when the content search screen 5a shown in FIG. 11 is displayed, the cursor 6 is currently selected in the folder / genre selection field 25 by operating the left direction button 8aL of the cross key 8a of the remote controller 8. When the yellow button 8g of the remote controller 8 is operated in accordance with the guidance [23] [[Yellow] thumbnail switching] in the operation guidance 23 in this state, the tag is moved to the genre tag (here, “movie” tag 44a). The content search screen 5d ₁ shown in (a) is displayed, and a menu screen 45a on which a list of thumbnail image extraction rules (rules 1 to 4 in this case) is displayed is displayed, and a cursor 6a is displayed to display these rules. Either one is selected. At this time, the cursor 6 is in a non-operating state with respect to the operation of the remote controller 8 and is fixed to the state in which the “movie” tag 44 a is selected, and the cursor 6 a in the menu screen 45 a moves according to the operation of the remote controller 8. To do.

Therefore, by operating the up button 8aU or the down button 8aD with the cross key 8a of the remote controller 8, the cursor 6a is moved up or down, and a desired rule on the menu screen 45, for example, “rule” When “3” is selected and the determination button 8b of the remote controller 8 is operated, the “rule 3” selected by the cursor 6a is determined, and the content search screen 5d ₂ shown in FIG. The thumbnail images 32 of all the metadata 30 to be displayed are changed from the thumbnail images of the rule 1 to the thumbnail images 32 of the rule 3 so far. At the same time, the display of the thumbnail image extraction rule in the content attribute data 31 of the metadata 30 is changed from “thumbnail: rule 1” to “thumbnail: rule 3”, and the thumbnail image 32 is based on the rule 3. Is displayed.

  According to the operations shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, even if there is the metadata 30 of the thumbnail image 32 having different rules in the metadata 30, it is displayed by performing the rule changing operation. That is, the thumbnail image 32 of the same rule specified in all metadata is displayed.

  As described above, in the default of the content search screen 5, the thumbnail image 32 having a predetermined priority order is displayed in each metadata 30. By operating the yellow button 8 g of the remote controller 8, the thumbnail according to an arbitrary rule is displayed. The image 32 can be displayed.

  Then, when the display is changed to the thumbnail image 32 based on a rule different from the previous one, the display of the content search screen 5 is finished when the thumbnail image 32 based on the changed rule is displayed. When the content search screen 5 is displayed, the thumbnail image 32 according to the changed rule becomes the default thumbnail image 32. That is, the thumbnail image 32 according to the rule finally displayed last time becomes the default thumbnail image 32 on the content search screen 5 displayed next time.

  13A and 13B and FIGS. 14A and 14B relate to the content search screen 5 in which “genre” is selected in the folder / genre selection field 25. FIG. The same applies to the content search screen 5 in which “Folder” shown in FIG.

  In each content search screen 5, a guidance 23 c of “[red] deletion” is displayed in the operation guidance 23, and the metadata 30 and thumbnail image selected by the cursor 6 by the operation of the red button 8 e of the remote controller 8. It is shown that 32 can be deleted. This will be described with reference to FIG.

For example, as shown in FIG. 12A, the desired metadata, for example, the content search screen 5b ₁ in which the first thumbnail image 32 of the metadata 30a is selected with the cursor 6 is displayed on the remote control 8. When the red button 8e is operated, as shown in FIG. 15 (a), the first thumbnail image 30 of the metadata 30a on the content search screen 5b ₁ shown in FIG. 12 (a) is deleted, the metadata 30a Then, the content search screen 5e in which the next thumbnail images are moved up and arranged one by one is displayed.

  Note that this is the one in which the specified thumbnail image 32 is deleted on the content search screen 5e, and is not deleted in the metadata DB 2e (FIGS. 1 and 4). In this case, the thumbnail image extraction rule in the metadata 30a is rule 1. However, as described in FIG. 13, by specifying rule 1 again for the metadata 30a, the thumbnail according to rule 1 is specified. All the images 32 are read from the metadata DB 2e, and the original display state shown in FIG. Therefore, the thumbnail image 32 deleted previously is restored and displayed.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 11, when the desired metadata, for example, the content attribute data 31 of the metadata 30a is selected with the cursor 6, the red button 8e of the remote controller 8 is operated. Then, the entire metadata 30a is deleted, and as shown in FIG. 15 (b), the metadata 30 below the metadata 30b is advanced, the metadata 30b is displayed at the top, and the content attribute data 31 is set to the cursor 6 The content search screen 5f selected in is displayed. In this state, the cursor 6 is moved to the currently selected tag (here, “movie” tag 44a) in the folder / genre selection field 25, and the decision button 8b of the remote control 8 is operated, so that the tag is matched. The metadata 30 of the genre to be read is read from the metadata DB 2e again and displayed, and thus the deleted metadata 30a is also displayed again.

  In this way, it is possible to delete the unnecessary content metadata 30 and the unnecessary thumbnail image 32 in the metadata 30 and display only the required thumbnail image 32 of only the required metadata 30. .

  In this example, the content search screen 5 is selected for “genre” in the folder / genre selection field 25, but the content search screen 5 for which “folder” shown in FIGS. 3 and 10 is selected. The same applies to the case of.

  As shown in FIG. 11, when any metadata, for example, the content attribute data 31 of the metadata 30a is selected by the cursor 6 on the content search screen 5a, the determination button 8b of the remote controller 8 is operated. Then, the content for the metadata 30a stored in the content DB 2d (FIGS. 1 and 4) is read from the start, supplied to the display device 3 (FIG. 1), and shown in FIG. 16 (a). As described above, the content image 46 is displayed on the display screen 4.

  Also, as shown in FIG. 12 (a), any thumbnail image 32 of any metadata 30, for example, the thumbnail 32a of the metadata 30a, is selected by the cursor 6 on the content search screen 5a. When the enter button 8b of the remote controller 8 is operated, the content corresponding to the metadata 30a stored in the content DB 2d (FIGS. 1 and 4) corresponds to the thumbnail image 32a selected by the cursor 6. It is read from the time, supplied to the display device 3 (FIG. 1), and displayed as a content video 46 on the display screen 4 as shown in FIG.

Here, the time corresponding to the thumbnail image 32a is time information added to the thumbnail image by the time information adding units 41 _{1 to} 41 ₄ described with reference to FIG. 4, and the corresponding content _Cut includes The time information adding unit 34 adds the same time information as that of the thumbnail image when the corresponding thumbnail image is extracted. Therefore, when the thumbnail image 32 is selected and determined by operating the determination button 8b as described above under the control of the microcomputer 2b (FIG. 2), the time of the time information added to the thumbnail image 32 is determined. The corresponding content is read from the content DB 2d from the position where the time information of the same time is added and supplied to the display device 3. As a result, the content is read and reproduced from the position in accordance with the thumbnail image 32 that has been selected and determined.

  When the metadata ON / OFF button 8j (FIG. 9) of the remote controller 8 is operated in the state shown in FIG. 16 (a), as shown in FIG. 16 (b), this is displayed on the side of the display screen 4, for example, the lower side. The metadata 30 displayed on the content search screen 5 corresponding to the displayed content is displayed, and the cursor 6 is displayed on one of the thumbnails 32. Each time the right button 8aR or the left button 8aL of the cross key 8a of the remote controller 8 is operated, the cursor 6 sequentially moves to the adjacent thumbnail image 32 in the right direction or the left direction. As a result, any one of the thumbnail images 32 can be selected. However, when the decision button 8b of the remote controller 8 is operated in a state where any one of the thumbnail images is selected, the content is reproduced and the video 46 is displayed. Although being displayed, the reproduction display is started from the position in the content corresponding to the time information added to the selected thumbnail image 32.

  When the metadata ON / OFF button 8j of the remote controller 8 is operated again in the state shown in FIG. 16B, the display of the metadata 30 and the cursor 6 is ended, and the display shown in FIG. It becomes a state.

  In this way, even when the selected recorded content is being reproduced, the operation of the metadata ON / OFF button 8j, the cross key 8a, and the decision button 8b on the remote controller 8 can be used to start from the desired position of this content. Can be played back.

  FIG. 17 is a view showing another specific example of the display form of the metadata 30 on the content search screen 5, and 47 is a thumbnail image concealing portion, and parts corresponding to the previous drawings are given the same reference numerals. A duplicate description is omitted.

FIG. 17A shows the content search screen 5 having the same contents as the content search screen 5b ₁ shown in FIG. 12A. For example, the top thumbnail image 32 of the top metadata 30a is selected by the cursor 6. It is in. The thumbnail image 32 is extracted from the entire content according to the specified rule. In this specific example, the climax of the content content (for example, drama or sports) is displayed at the last part of the content. Thus, such a scene is not notified to the user, and the thumbnail image 32 of such a part is not displayed on the content search screen 5.

  Therefore, in the content search screen 5 shown in FIG. 17A, the cursor 6 is moved by operating the right button 8aR of the cross key 8a of the remote controller 8 in order to determine the position from which the user views the content. In some cases, the thumbnail images 32 are moved to the right along the arrangement of the thumbnail images 32, and the thumbnail images 32 are checked one by one. For the thumbnail images 32 for the scenes at the end of this content, FIG. ), The thumbnail image 32 is not displayed as the thumbnail image concealment unit 47. This prevents the user from knowing the scene such as the ending of the content and knowing the ending in advance before viewing the content.

  FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing the operation of this embodiment by the operation of the remote controller 8 described above.

  When the power of the TV receiver 1 (FIG. 1) is turned on by operating the power button 8c (FIG. 9) of the remote controller 8, the video of the content of the reception channel is displayed on the display screen 4 of the display device 3.

  In this state, when the content search screen (GUI) call button 8h of the remote controller 8 is operated (step 100), for example, the content search screen 5a shown in FIG. 11 is displayed (step 101).

  When the cursor 6 is moved to the right by operating the right button 8aR of the cross key 8a of the remote controller 8 on the content search screen 5a (step 102), the cursor 6 is displayed as a thumbnail as shown in FIG. When moving to the image 32 and continuing the operation of the remote controller 8 (step 104), the arrangement of the thumbnail images 32 is scrolled to the left as shown in FIG. 12B, and the thumbnails that have not been displayed so far are displayed. The image 32 is displayed.

  Also, in the state shown in FIG. 12B, the left button 8aL of the cross key 8a of the remote controller 8 is operated to move the cursor 6 leftward to the state shown in FIG. 12A (step 105). When the cursor 6 is moved to the left (step 102), the cursor 6 matches the content attribute data 31, and the yellow button 8g of the remote controller 8 is operated in this state (step 106), FIG. 13 (a). As shown in FIG. 13, the thumbnail image rule change menu screen 45 is displayed (step 107). When the cursor 6 a is moved to select one rule and the determination button 8 b of the remote controller 8 is operated, FIG. ), The thumbnail image of the content whose content attribute data 31 is selected by the cursor 6 is selected by the cursor 6a. It is changed to le thumbnail image 32 (step 108).

Furthermore, for example, on the content search screen 5 shown in FIG. 11 or the content search screen 5c ₂ shown in FIG. 13B (step 101), the cursor 6 is moved by operating the left button 8aL of the cross key 8a of the remote controller 8. When the cursor 6 is moved to the left (step 102), the cursor 6 is moved to the folder / genre selection field 25 to match the currently selected tag, and the yellow button 8g of the remote control 8 is operated in this state (step 109). 14A, a thumbnail image rule change menu screen 45a is displayed (step 110), the cursor 6b is moved to select one rule, and the OK button 8b of the remote control 8 is operated. Then, as shown in FIG. 14 (a), the sum of all contents displayed on the content search screen 5 at this time is displayed. Lumpur image is changed to the thumbnail image 32 of the rule selected by the cursor 6a (step 111).

  Further, for example, when the cursor 6 matches the content attribute data 31 of the content, for example, in the content search screen 5a shown in FIG. 11, by operating the right direction button 8aR of the cross key 8a of the remote controller 8, FIG. ) And FIG. 12B, the cursor 6 is brought into a state where it coincides with the predetermined thumbnail image 32 (step 112). When the determination button 8b of the remote controller 8 is operated in this state (step 113), The content is reproduced from the position according to the time information added to the thumbnail image 32, and the video is displayed on the display screen 4 as shown in FIG. 16A (step 114). In this state, when the metadata ON / OFF button 8j of the remote controller 8 is operated (step 116), as shown in FIG. 16B, the content-related metadata is displayed in a state where the content video is displayed. Data 30 is displayed with cursor 6 (step 116). By operating the right direction button 8aR or the left direction button 8aL with the cross key 8a of the remote controller 8, the cursor 6 can be moved along the arrangement of the thumbnail images, and the desired thumbnail image 32 is selected and the remote controller 8 is selected. By operating the determination button 8b, reproduction from the position of the content corresponding to the time information added to the selected thumbnail image 32 is set, and display of the content from this position is started.

  When the metadata ON / OFF button 8j of the remote controller 8 is operated in the display state of the content video 46 shown in FIG. 16B (step 117), the display of the metadata 30 is finished, and FIG. The display returns to the state in which only the content video 46 shown in FIG. When the content search screen (GUI) call button 8h of the remote controller 8 is operated in this state (step 118), for example, the content search screen 5a shown in FIG. 11 is displayed (step 101).

  If the content search screen (GUI) call button 8h of the remote control 8 is operated while the content search screen 5 is displayed, the display of the content search screen 5 is terminated and the video display state of the reception channel is entered. (Step 119).

  Thus, in this embodiment, when receiving the content to be recorded, a plurality of different thumbnail image groups are extracted from the content according to a plurality of different rules, and any one of them is displayed as an array of thumbnail images. Thus, the contents can be roughly grasped from the arrangement of the thumbnail images.

  Further, by selecting and determining a desired thumbnail image from the arrangement of the content images by operating the remote controller 8, the corresponding content can be reproduced and displayed from the position where the video of the thumbnail image exists. It is possible to reproduce and display content desired to be displayed from a desired position. Therefore, when the user wants to view the content desired by the user because he / she is watching halfway or has little time to view the content, the position to start viewing can be easily determined.

  Furthermore, since thumbnail images can be obtained for each of a plurality of rules, it is possible to select and display thumbnail images obtained according to the rules preferred by the user, and to easily find a scene of interest. Can do.

1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an embodiment of a content information display apparatus and method according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram illustrating a specific example of a circuit configuration of the apparatus main body in FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows one specific example of the content search screen displayed on the display screen of the display apparatus in FIG. It is a block block diagram which shows the principal part of one specific example of the program information extraction part in FIG. FIG. 5 is a timing chart schematically showing thumbnail image extraction operation by each rule in the program information extraction unit in FIG. 4. It is a figure which shows typically the thumbnail image group for every rule by a thumbnail image signal. It is a figure which shows typically the memory location in metadata DB of each thumbnail image for every rule. It is a figure which shows the folder of each user roughly. It is an external view which shows a specific example of the operation surface of the remote control in FIG. It is a figure which shows a content search screen when the other folder in a folder / genre selection column is selected and determined on the content search screen shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows one specific example of the content search screen in which the genre was set in the folder / genre selection column. It is a figure which shows the other specific example of a content search screen. It is a figure which shows a content search screen when moving a cursor to the right end of metadata and operating the right direction button of a remote control on the content search screen shown to Fig.12 (a). It is a figure which shows a content search screen when the yellow button of a remote control is operated on the content search screen shown in FIG. 11 in the state where metadata is selected. FIG. 13A is a diagram showing a content search screen when a rule is selected on the menu screen on the content search screen. It is a figure which shows a content search screen when the yellow button of a remote control is operated on the content search screen shown in FIG. 11 in the state where the tag of the genre is selected. FIG. 14A is a diagram showing a content search screen when a rule is selected on the menu screen on the content search screen. It is a figure which shows the content search screen when operating the red button of a remote control. It is a figure which shows the display state of the content by the determination button of a remote control being operated with respect to the content attribute data or thumbnail image selected on the content search screen. It is a figure which shows the other specific example of the display form of the metadata on a content search screen. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation by operating a remote controller 8;

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 TV receiver 2 Apparatus main body 2a Remote control light-receiving part 2b Microcomputer 2c Storage device 2d Content DB
2e Metadata DB
2f tuner 3 display device 4 display screen 5, 5a to 5f, 5b ₁ , 5b ₂ content search screen 6, 6a, 6b cursor 7 antenna 8 remote control 8a cross key 8aU up button 8aD down button 8aR right button 8aL left direction Button 8b Determination button 8c Power button 8d Blue button 8e Red button 8f Green button 8g Yellow button 8h Content search screen (GUI) call button 8i Back button 8j Metadata ON / OFF button 8k Recording related button 9 Metadata providing server 10 Network 11 Program information extraction unit 12 Audio playback unit 13 Video playback unit 14 Display synthesis unit 15 Memory 16 HDD
17 DVD
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 18 External interface part 19 Memory 20 Image generation part 21 Item field 22 Metadata list display area 23 Operation guidance 23a-23d Guidance 24 Metadata storage location selection field 25 Folder / genre selection field 26 Content list display / selection field 27 Thumbnail image display / Selection column 28a to 28f Content storage location tag 29a to 29e Folder tag 30a to 30h Metadata 31 Content attribute data 32, 32a, 32b Thumbnail image 33 Input terminal 34 Time information addition unit 35 Timer 36 ₁ hour measurement unit 36 _{2 to} 36 ₄ time detecting unit 37 ₁ to 37 ₄ thumbnail extracting unit 38 speech raised detector 39 text detector 40 CM (commercial data) end detection unit 41 ₁ to 41 ₄ time information adding unit 42 ₁ to 42 ₄ memory 43a "Dad" folder 43b "Mom" folder 43k "Outside folder" folder 44a "Movie" tag 44b "Sport" tag 44c "Hobby education" tag 44d "Playlist" tag 44e "Download" tag 44f "Rental" tag 44g "Photo" ”Tag 44h“ video ”tag 44i“ music ”tag 44j“ video mail ”tag 45, 45a rule change menu screen 46 content video 47 thumbnail hidden part

Claims (6)

A content information display method for displaying a list of metadata of a plurality of recorded contents on a content search screen,
For each content, based on a plurality of different rules, one or more thumbnail images are extracted for each rule and stored in the storage means for each of the different rules.
In the content search screen, for each content, the content attribute data and one or more thumbnail images extracted based on any one of the plurality of rules are used as the metadata list. , Display in the first display area on the display screen ,
The thumbnail image displayed on the content search screen can be changed to a thumbnail image according to a different rule on the first display area ,
Changes to thumbnail images due to the different rules
When any one metadata is selected / decided from the content metadata list , a thumbnail rule change screen is displayed in the second display area of the display screen. A content information display method, wherein a thumbnail image corresponding to the selected / determined metadata is changed to the thumbnail image according to the selected rule when any one is selected. In claim 1,
The priority order of the plurality of rules when extracting the thumbnail image from the content is set for each genre of the content,
The content information display method, wherein when the metadata of the content is first displayed on the content search screen, the thumbnail image according to the rule with the highest priority is displayed as a default thumbnail image. In claim 2,
When the content search screen is displayed, the rule for the thumbnail image displayed at the end of the display on the content search screen displayed last time is set to the highest priority rule, and the rule according to the highest rule is used. A content information display method comprising displaying a thumbnail image as a default thumbnail image. In claim 1, 2 or 3,
The content information display method, wherein the content metadata list can be selectively displayed based on either a content genre or a folder. In claim 4,
By selecting / determining the selected item in the genre or folder column, a thumbnail rule change screen is displayed,
When one of a plurality of rules is selected on the rule change screen, the thumbnail images of all the metadata in the metadata list of the content are changed to the thumbnail images according to the selected rule. Content information display method characterized by being performed. In any one of Claims 1-5 ,
By selecting / determining the attribute data of the content of the metadata, the content corresponding to the metadata for which the attribute data is selected and determined is reproduced / displayed from its start position,
By selecting / determining one of the thumbnail images of the metadata, the content corresponding to the metadata for which the thumbnail image has been selected and determined from the position corresponding to the selected thumbnail image, A content information display method characterized by being reproduced and displayed.

Images