JPH03280234A - Picture reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To look at a picture in skipping over an unnecessary commercial picture, etc., with a simple operation by providing a mode specifying means for automatically performing a fast forward reproducing mode for a prescribed time and automatically changing it over a normal reproducing mode after the prescribed time. CONSTITUTION:A period of a commercial to be inserted in a television broadcast is generally one out of 60sec, 90sec and 120sec. When a commercial search mode specifying switch is pressed by the user from a switch panel 2 or a remote controller 3 by confirming that the television picture is changed from a desired program to a commercial, the picture is fast forwardly reproduced from this specifying time by 58sec, and the mode is changed to normal reproducing from the picture after 58sec. Consequently, only by specifying the mode by the user, an unnecessary picture which is not required for normal reproducing can be shortened in time length to look at for a prescribed period of time. When the required commercial time is 90sec or 120sec, either of the switches 2 and 3 is pressed within 5sec after returning the normal mode, so as to switch a reproducing system over to the fast forward reproducing mode again.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image reproducing apparatus, and particularly to an image reproducing apparatus having a fast forward reproduction mode.

[Prior Art] The recording function of currently used home VTRs (video tape recorders) is to record TV broadcast programs at preset times (scheduled recording) and to record already recorded video tapes. Used for dubbing the contents onto other video tapes, etc.

When a television broadcast program is scheduled to be recorded, images of commercials broadcast during the time set for the reservation are also recorded on the videotape along with images of the desired program.

Therefore, when the user wants to play back images from this videotape and watch the programmed program, he or she must also watch unnecessary commercials.

Generally, home VTRs have a fast-forward playback mode in which images are played back at a faster speed than normal. When performing fast-forward playback, the user manually operates a predetermined key from a remote controller for remotely controlling the VTR or from a switch panel provided on the VTR main body.

In many cases, each time the reproduced image becomes a commercial, the user performs the predetermined key manual operation to perform fast-forward reproduction until the commercial ends and the program is restarted, thereby viewing the commercial portion in a shortened time.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, when a TV program recorded with commercials is played back on a conventional VTR, the user has to fast-forward playback in order to essentially skip the commercial portion. It is necessary to carry out key human power for this purpose. However, in this case, in order to ensure that the fast-forward playback is performed only while the commercial inserted into the program is being played, the user performs the key human effort for fast-forward playback every time a commercial starts, and then , constantly monitor the playback screen to confirm that the commercial has ended and the program has been played, and release the key power for fast forward playback to the VTR.
The playback mode must be returned to the normal playback mode in which image playback is performed at normal speed. As described above, with conventional VTRs, the user has to perform extremely troublesome operations in order to skip unnecessary images.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image reproducing apparatus that solves the above-mentioned problems and allows a user to skip unnecessary images and view them with simpler operations than before.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, an image reproducing device according to the present invention is capable of reproducing images recorded on a recording medium in a fast forward reproduction mode or a normal reproduction mode. , a mode specifying means for automatically performing a fast-forward playback mode for a predetermined time; a means for fast-forward playback of an image recorded on a recording medium for the predetermined time in response to a mode specification by the mode specifying means; and a mode specifying means. means for detecting that the fast-forward playback for the predetermined period of time in response to the mode designation is completed, and normal playback of the image recorded on the recording medium.

[Function] Since the image reproducing apparatus according to the present invention is configured as described above, when the mode is specified by the mode specifying means, the playback mode changes to the fast forward playback mode for a predetermined period and then automatically changes to the normal playback mode. can be switched to therefore,
When an image that does not require playback in the normal playback mode is played back, the user simply specifies the mode using the mode specifying means, thereby viewing the unnecessary image that does not require normal playback by the predetermined period of time. becomes possible.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a partial configuration of a home VTR according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Unlike conventional VTRs, this VTR has a mode (hereinafter referred to as commercial search mode) in which a portion of a videotape (not shown) in which a commercial is recorded is automatically played back in fast forward.

Referring to FIG. 1, this VTR includes a microcomputer 1 and a switch panel 2 provided outside the main body of the device. The switch panel 2 includes a plurality of switches (not shown) that perform the same functions as those of conventional home VTRs, as well as a switch for the user to specify a commercial search mode (hereinafter referred to as commercial search mode). (referred to as designated switch)2
Contains 0. Commercial search mode designation switch 20
and other switches in the switch panel 2,
combined to form a key matrix. In response to key input from these switches, microcontroller 1 sets V
Functional blocks (not shown) including a reproduction system within the TR main body are controlled in accordance with the mode specified by manual key input. Further, the user can give various instructions to the VTR not only from the switch panel 2 but also from the remote control 3. However, unlike the prior art, the remote control 3 is provided with a switch 30 for specifying the commercial search mode in addition to a switch for giving the same instructions to the VTR body as in the prior art. When a switch provided on the remote controller 3 is pressed, an optical signal corresponding to the pressed switch is outputted from the remote controller 3.

This VTR further includes a remote control light receiving section 4 and an amplifier 5. The optical signal from the remote control 3 is photoelectrically converted by the remote control light receiving section 4, and is taken into the VTR body as an electrical signal. The electrical signal from the remote control light receiving section 4 is amplified by the amplifier 5 and input to the microcomputer 1. The microcomputer 1 responds to the signal input from the amplifier 5,
The functional blocks such as the reproduction system are controlled in accordance with the mode instructed by the remote controller 3.

This VTR further includes a control head 6 and an amplifier 7.

The control head 6 reads control pulses recorded on the video tape during playback. The control pulse is a pulse signal whose generation cycle is one field period, and is used to control the capstan servo of the VTR during reproduction.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a typical track pattern on a videotape. Referring to FIG. 3, during recording, on the video tape 8, there are
Control transistors 10 on which control pulses are recorded are formed on the periphery of the tape 8, in a straight line with respect to the running direction of the tape 8, on which video tracks on which video signals are recorded. A video signal for one field is recorded in each video track 9, and the control pulse corresponds to the control track 10 one-to-one with each video track 9, as shown schematically in FIG. It is recorded in such a positional relationship that During playback, the signals recorded on each of the video track 9 and control track 10 are read simultaneously. Therefore, by counting the number of control pulses read during playback, it can be determined from how many video tracks the image was played back. That is, from the number of read control pulses, it is possible to know in real time how much time the image has been reproduced. The control pulse is a head (
The images are read by a dedicated fixed head (control head) 6 that is separate from the video head.

Referring again to FIG. 1, control pulses read by control head 6 are input to microcomputer 1 via amplifier 7. When the user instructs the commercial search mode during playback, the microcomputer 1
Counts the number of control pulses input through the amplifier 7, and controls the playback system based on the count value so that fast-forward playback is performed only for the portion of the videotape where commercials are recorded. do.

The microcomputer 1 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 101,
ROM (Read Only Memory) 102. and RAM
(random access memory) 103. The ROM 102 stores in advance a program that defines control operations that the microcomputer 1 performs in response to instructions from the switch panel 2 and the remote controller 3. CPU10
I writes/writes data to the RAM 103 as necessary according to the program stored in the ROM 102 in advance.
The control operation is realized while reading.

Prior to explaining the operation of the microcomputer 1 in the commercial search mode, the duration of a commercial currently being broadcast on television will be explained.

Currently, most commercials have a duration of 15 seconds or 30 seconds, and very rarely 60 seconds. Because these commercials are inserted in combination between programs and within a program, the length of each inserted commercial period is generally 60 seconds, 90 seconds, or 120 seconds. That's it.

The control operation of the microcomputer 1 in the commercial search mode will be explained below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing in detail the processing operations performed by the microcomputer 1 in response to key input from the switch panel 2 and the remote controller 3 only in the commercial search mode.

When this VTR is in normal playback mode, the CPU 101
While controlling the reproduction system so that normal image reproduction is performed, in processing step S1, it is determined whether or not there is the key power to instruct another mode from the remote control 3. If you have the key power to instruct other modes from remote control 3,
The process of CPUl0I moves to step S3. remote control 3
If you don't have the key power to direct other modes from C.
The process of the PU 101 moves to processing step S2. In processing step S2, the CPUI determines whether there is any other key input from the switch panel 2.

If there is no key power from switch panel 2, CPU10
1 returns to processing step S1 again, and continues to detect the presence or absence of human input of the interrupt key from the remote controller 3. If there is a key input from the switch panel 2, the CPU process moves to processing step S3. In this way, in processing steps S1 and S2, the switch panel 2 and the remote control 3
Interrupt key human power is detected.

When an interrupt key is pressed from the switch panel 2 or the remote controller 3, the CPU 10I determines in processing step 3 whether or not the key press is for instructing the commercial search mode.

If the key input indicates the commercial search mode, the CPU 10I determines whether or not the stored data A in a predetermined register provided in the RAM 103 has a logical value of "1". If data A is not “1#,” C
PUl0I switched the playback system to fast forward playback mode (
After processing step S6), the control pulses read by the control head 6 are counted (processing step S7), and it is determined whether the count value corresponds to 58 seconds in real time (processing step S8).

If the count value is less than the value corresponding to 58 seconds, C
The process of PUl0I returns to process step S6 again, and control pulses are counted continuously. In other words, the series of processes in process steps 56 to S7 are repeated until the control pulses are counted for 58 seconds. Then, when the count value becomes a value corresponding to 58 seconds,
After the CPU 101 returns the reproduction system to the normal reproduction mode (step S9), it forces the data A in the predetermined register to the logical value "1" (step 510). Subsequently, after counting a time period of 5 seconds (processing step 511), the CPU 101 forces the data A to the logical value "0" again (processing step 512), and ends the processing in the commercial search mode.

After confirming that the reproduced image has been switched from the desired program to a commercial, the user presses the commercial search mode designation switch from the switch panel 2 or the remote control 3. Therefore, when the playback image changes from the desired program to a commercial, the images for 58 seconds after the user specified the commercial search mode are played back in fast forward, and the actual time at the time of recording starts after the user specified the commercial search mode. Normal playback starts from the image 58 seconds later.

Therefore, if the duration of a commercial is 60 seconds, if the user confirms that the playback image has switched to a commercial and presses the commercial search mode designation switch, only the commercial portion will be played in fast forward and the program will resume. The VTR automatically switches to normal playback mode at approximately the same timing. The reason why we set the time for fast-forward playback to be 2 seconds shorter than the 60 seconds required for commercials is that from the time the user notices that the playback image has switched to a commercial, until the user performs the key action of specifying the commercial search mode. This is because the delay time was taken into account.

Now, the series of processing from processing steps 86 to S12 is executed when data A in the register is not "1". but. As described above, the processing end stage in the commercial search mode includes processing step S12 in which data A is forced to be "0". Therefore, when the commercial search mode is newly specified, the CPU
The processing in I always moves from processing step S4 to processing step S6, and the above series of processing is always performed.

If the duration of the commercial is 90 seconds or 120 seconds, the commercial is normally played for about 30 seconds or about 60 seconds even after the processing in step S9 of CPU10I is completed. In this case, the CPU 10I performs the processing in step S9, and when the VTR returns from fast-forward playback mode to normal playback mode, the user confirms that the played image is still a commercial, and after returning to normal playback mode, the user Press the commercial search mode designation switch again from the switch panel 2 or remote control 3 within seconds. CPUl0I detects this key human power in processing step S1 or S2 and processing step S3,
Processing from processing step S4 is performed again. However, since the interrupt key that specifies the commercial search mode is pressed within 5 seconds after the process in process step S9 is completed, data A in the register is set to the logical value "1" forced in process step S10. It is. Therefore, in this case, the processing of the CPU 101 moves from processing step S4 to processing step 813, and the CPU 101
I switches the reproduction system from the normal reproduction mode to the fast forward reproduction mode again. Thereafter, the CPU 10I counts the control pulses input to the microcomputer 1 (processing step 514), and determines whether the count value corresponds to 28 seconds in real time (processing step 515).

When the count value is less than the value corresponding to 28 seconds, CPUl0I repeats the processing from processing step 813 again. In other words, CPUl0I performs processing step 8.
In steps 13 to S15, control pulses are counted until 28 seconds worth of images are played back in fast forward. When the count value of the control pulse reaches a value corresponding to 28 seconds, the CPU 101 performs a series of processes from processing steps 89 to S12. As a result, after the user specifies commercial search mode again, 28 seconds worth of images in real time at the time of recording are played back in fast forward, and from the image 28 seconds after the user specifies commercial search mode again, Normal playback will occur automatically. therefore,
If the duration of the commercial is 90 seconds, the user's
By specifying the commercial search mode for the second time, the images of the commercial period until the program is restarted are automatically played back in fast forward, and almost at the same time as the program is restarted, the VTR is switched to the normal playback mode.

If the duration of the commercial is 120 seconds, the commercial is normally played for about 30 seconds after the second processing in step S9 is completed. In this case, the user presses the commercial search mode designation switch again from the switch panel 2 or the remote control 3 within 5 seconds after the VTR returns to the normal playback mode. As a result, the CPU 101 performs the series of processes in processing steps 813 to S15 and processing steps 89 to S12 again. In this series of processing, at the end of processing step S9, normal playback is performed from the image 28 seconds after the third commercial search mode designation by the user in real time at the time of recording. That is, if the duration of a commercial is 120 seconds, only the commercial portion is automatically played back in fast forward by pressing the interrupt key three times by the user.

Note that when the key input from the switch panel 2 or remote controller 3 specifies a mode other than commercial search mode, the CPU 01 causes the VTR to enter the mode specified by the key input from the switch panel 2 or remote controller 3. In order to cause the corresponding operation to be performed, a processing operation is performed according to a program different from the program shown in processing step S4 and processing steps 86 to S15 (processing step S5).

In addition, in this embodiment, the delay time from when the user notices that the playback image has switched to a commercial until the user performs a key manual operation to specify the commercial search mode, and the delay time from when the user notices that the playback image has switched to a commercial, and the time when the user continues to fast-forward playback of commercials. Although the grace period until the key human power is performed is tentatively set to 2 seconds and 5 seconds, respectively, these preliminary periods are not limited to these values, and image playback in normal playback mode will be resumed in a timely manner when the program is restarted. It should be set to a value like this.

In this way, with the VTR of this embodiment, the user only needs to perform the key human effort for fast-forward playback when the playback picture switches to a commercial, and the video will automatically move forward until the commercial ends and the program resumes. Fast-forward playback is performed for a period of . Therefore, in order to return the VTR to the normal playback mode at the timing when the program is restarted, the user no longer needs to continue monitoring the playback image during the period when the playback image is a commercial, as in the past.

Note that time measurement in processing step Sll is not necessary.
However, it is not necessary to perform this by counting control pulses, and any method that can accurately measure minute time may be used. Of course, the method for measuring the time during which image reproduction is performed in the fast-forward reproduction mode is not limited to the method of counting control pulses, and any other arbitrary method may be used.

In this embodiment, a program was created that defines the control operation of the microcomputer 1, assuming that the fast-forward playback mode is used for fast-forward playback of commercial parts. It is also possible to use such a mode for other purposes, for example, to skip portions where the same scene is repeated.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the user can fast-forward and play only unnecessary image parts during playback, with a much simpler operation than before, thereby allowing the user to skip over unnecessary images. It becomes possible. In other words, the user's operability of the device is improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partial schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a home VTR according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the microcomputer 1 in the commercial search mode in FIG. 1, and FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a track pattern on a videotape in a VTR. In the figure, 1 is a microcomputer, 2 is a switch panel, 3 is a remote control, 4 is a remote control receiver, 5 and 7 are amplifiers,
6 is a control head, 20 and 30 are commercial search mode designation switches, 101 is a CPU, 102
103 is a ROM, and 103 is a RAM 5S1 to S15 are processing steps. In addition, in the figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts. Agent Masuo Oishi Fig. 8: "Tepa left taper." 9: "Bite" fee 2 10: Cort O-Lt., 7

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An image playback device that plays back images recorded on a recording medium in a fast-forward playback mode or a normal playback mode, comprising: mode designation means that automatically performs the fast-forward playback mode for a predetermined period of time; means for fast-forwarding and reproducing the recorded image for the predetermined time in response to a mode designation by the designating means; and detecting the end of the fast-forward reproduction of the recorded image for the predetermined time in response to the mode designation by the designating means. , and means for normally reproducing recorded images.