JPH04326165A - Picture processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a moving picture displayed system by which the contents of an moving picture display system by which the contents of an moving picture can be easily grasped. CONSTITUTION:In this invention, at the time of displaying moving picture information stored in an information storage device 201 in order to confirm it, a scene divider 202 generates plural divided signals in conformity to the stored moving picture information. On the reception of this signal, a distributor 203 changes the storing destination of the read out moving picture information. The divided moving pictures come to be distributed to temporary storage devices 204 to 207, but a partial moving picture read out of each of them is reduced respectively by the reducers 208 to 211. Since each reduced moving picture is written in the preset area of a VRAM 212, the moving pictures at different time of the moving picture information are displayed at a time on the display screen of a display device 217.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus for checking moving image information in a moving image database.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Image information database systems have conventionally existed, but most of them have focused on still images. However, in recent years, there has been the development of inexpensive, large-capacity storage devices such as optical disks and magneto-optical disks, and the development of high-speed MPUs (Micro Processing Units).
ng Unit), DSP (Digital Sig
With the development of LSIs dedicated to arithmetic operations, such as the nal Processor, and proposals for highly efficient video encoding methods, the development of database systems that can also handle video images is progressing.

[0003] Such database systems are generally called multimedia databases, and can be roughly divided into two types. One is a read-only system, and the CD-
It operates software stored and supplied in package media such as ROM. The other is reading/editing/
This is a system in which writing can be done freely, and requires a means for efficiently selecting desired image information, that is, an efficient search means.

However, moving images contain more information than still images, and the nature of the information is also significantly different from still images. For this reason, conventional keyword searches, which have been common as search means for still images and text, have limitations in terms of description of features unique to moving images, such as movement of objects in images, scene changes, and stories.

[0005] Therefore, a method shown in FIG. 3 has been proposed as a new retrieval means for moving image information (IEICE Technical Research Direction IE89-33).

FIG. 3-1 shows a method of displaying a plurality of reduced moving image information simultaneously to obtain a desired moving image. In the figure,
301 to 306 are different and completely independent moving image information files, and 307 shows the display screen when these moving image information files are reduced.

FIG. 3-2 shows a method of sequentially displaying a plurality of frame still images or partial moving images from one moving image at a certain time or every scene change to assist in understanding the content. In the figure, 308 is one moving image information file, 309 to 314 are partial moving images at fixed time intervals, 31
Reference numerals 5 to 320 indicate frame still images in which a scene change has occurred in the moving image information file 308, and 321 indicates a state of a display screen in which continuous images of partial moving images or still images of scene change frames are sequentially displayed. There is.

[0008]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, when searching for moving image information, it is important to know how to accurately grasp the content in a short period of time. In this respect, although the first conventional example is suitable for selecting desired image information from a plurality of image information, it is not possible to grasp the content in a short time.

[0009] In addition, in the second conventional example, although it is possible to judge the outline in a short time because it displays a still image, it has the disadvantage that it is difficult to grasp the expression by movement, which is a characteristic of moving images. there were.

The present invention has been made in view of the related art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a moving image display method that allows the content of moving images to be easily understood.

[0011]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve this problem, an image processing apparatus of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, in a moving image display method that displays one piece of moving image information stored in a storage medium, there is a dividing means for dividing the moving image information into a plurality of partial moving image information, and a portion divided by the dividing means. The present invention includes a reduction means for reducing each piece of moving image information, and a display means for simultaneously displaying partial moving images reduced by the reduction means on a common display screen.

0012

[Operation] In the configuration of the present invention, the moving image information stored in the storage medium is divided by the dividing means. Then, each divided moving image information is reduced by a reduction means,
displayed simultaneously on a common display screen.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

An overview of the operation of the embodiment will be briefly explained using FIG. 1-1.

Each piece of moving image information in this embodiment is stored in a storage medium as a file.

In the figure, reference numeral 101 denotes a moving picture information file, which is composed of time-divided moving picture information files 102 to 107 that are time-divided in fixed time units (t0 in the figure). In other words, when playing under normal conditions, scene a→b→c
→... are played in this order. 108 is a display device.

When determining whether or not a target moving image is selected from among those stored in the storage medium, the moving image is not played back from the beginning on the entire screen of the display device 108, but rather each time-divided moving image is Information files 102 to 107 are reduced and displayed simultaneously on the same screen.

The display screen of the illustrated display device 108 shows that each time-division moving image information file 102 to 107 is displayed.

FIG. 2 shows the device configuration in this embodiment.

In the figure, 201 is an information storage device (storage medium) in which several moving image information files are stored, and in this embodiment, a large capacity and high-speed random access function is required, so a magnetic disk or a high-speed random access function is required. Consists of optical discs.

A scene divider 202 divides the moving image information file stored in the information storage device 201 into a plurality of moving image information files. In other words, the information storage device 201
When the moving image information files stored in the memory are sequentially read from the beginning, a switching signal is generated every time a certain period of time elapses.

Returning to FIG. 2, 203 is the information storage device 20
The video information file read from 1 is sent to scene distributor 2.
According to instructions from 02, it is divided into temporary storage devices 204 to 204.
207, and is generally composed of a switch circuit such as a multiplexer.

[0023] The temporary storage devices 204 to 207 are distributed by the distributor 20.
Each time-division image information file 10 sent from 3
2 to 107, and is composed of, for example, a small magnetic disk or a semiconductor memory.

208-211 are temporary storage devices 204-2
Time division video information file 10 sent from 07
This is a reducer that reduces images 2 to 107 to an appropriate size so that they can be displayed simultaneously, and in this case, thinning processing is performed.

212 is a so-called VRAM (video RAM).
), and reducers 208 to 21 are provided in each region 213 to 216.
The reduced images reduced in step 1 are sequentially expanded. 217 is a display device, such as a CRT.

Next, the operation of FIG. 2 will be explained below.

When a moving image information file stored in the information storage device 210 is instructed by a file instruction means (not shown) (for example, a keyboard), the scene distributor 2
02 determines the division point of each time-division video information file 102 to 107 based on the corresponding management information, and outputs the result to the distributor 203. The distributor 203 sequentially switches and stores the moving image information files in the temporary storage devices 204 to 207 in accordance with the instruction signal from the scene divider 202. After this is completed, it is displayed on the display device 217, but when reading from each temporary storage device 204-207, each time-division video information file 108-108 (or each scene unit video information Files 109 to 114) are reduced to a size that can be displayed simultaneously.

In the above example, a plurality of time-divided moving images read out at appropriate time intervals from one moving image information file are reduced and displayed on one screen, but originally If the video information file is quite long, it is expected that the parts located at the back will not be displayed. In such a case, the entire length (time length) of the video information file may be detected, divided into four equal parts, and each divided into four parts, and each part may be displayed as a time-divided video file.

[Description of Second Embodiment] In addition, the video (scene) of one moving image information file is cut out in units of divisions (hereinafter referred to as scene changes), reduced in size, and displayed on the same screen. It's okay. Usually, a moving image stored as a moving image information file is often composed of several scenes. For example, it is easy to understand this if we consider images recorded with a video camera. In other words, when recording one video, it is not often the case that the video continues to be recorded for the entire time, but the recording is stopped at an appropriate point and recorded again. Therefore, in the second embodiment, such scene changes are reduced in units and displayed on the same screen. Figures 1-2 illustrate this.

[0030] The problem here is how the scene divider 202 detects scene breaks, since each scene has a different time length. In the second embodiment, when a moving image is read from the information storage device 201, if the contents of temporally adjacent frame images are significantly different, it is determined that a scene change has occurred. For specific determination, the luminance difference value between frames is monitored, and if the luminance difference value is greater than a certain value, it is determined that a scene change has occurred.

Of course, the scene change may be determined not at the stage of reproducing the moving image but when storing the moving image in the information storage device 201. If the determined scene change position is separately stored in a management file or the like, and playback is performed based on the contents of this management file, the load on the scene divider 202 can be reduced, and at least the speed during playback can be improved. It becomes possible.

[0032] In the first and second embodiments described above, the number of time-division moving image information files (or scene unit moving image information files) was described as 4 or 6, but the number is not limited to this. However, if these numbers are increased, the hardware scale will generally increase.

Although a method of monitoring the brightness difference value between adjacent frame images has been described as a means for detecting a scene change, it is also possible to make a determination based on a motion vector, which has been actively researched in recent years. In this case, if the motion vectors in the frame image are scattered and inconsistent, it may be determined that there is a scene change.

Furthermore, it is expected that semiconductor memories will become mainstream as temporary storage devices due to the development of highly efficient encoding systems and the establishment of highly integrated semiconductor manufacturing technology.

Furthermore, in the embodiment, it has been explained that the division is performed at fixed time intervals and at each scene change, but the division is not limited to this, and the division may be triggered by the movement of a specific object, color, sound, etc. .

[0036] Also, although a configuration has been shown in which the divided moving image information is held in the temporary storage devices 204 to 207, information regarding the division is given at the time of reading from the information storage device 201, and the information storage device 201 is If access is possible, there is no need for a scene divider, distributor, or temporary storage device, and it is possible to configure frame memories for the number of divisions.

Although not shown because it is not directly related to the present invention, high-efficiency encoding (moving image compression).

As explained above, according to this embodiment, 1
By dividing one moving image information file into scenes or arbitrary time units, reducing the size of these divided moving images, and displaying them simultaneously, it becomes possible to grasp the contents of the moving image information file in a short time and accurately. Further, although a display device 217 is provided in this embodiment, such a display device is not an essential requirement in the present invention, and may simply be a broadcast television receiver.

[0039]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, 1
It becomes possible to easily understand the contents of one moving image.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1-1 is a diagram for explaining the principle of moving image reproduction in the first embodiment.

FIG. 1-2 is a diagram for explaining the principle of moving image reproduction in a second embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram of an image processing device according to an embodiment.

[Figure 3-1] and

FIG. 3-2 is a drawing explaining a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 Video information files 102-107 and 112-117 Time-division video information file 108 Display device 201 Information storage device 202 Scene divider 203 Distributor 204-207 Temporary storage device 208-211 Reducer

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A moving image display method for displaying one piece of moving image information stored in a storage medium, comprising: dividing means for dividing the moving image information into a plurality of partial moving image information; An image processing device comprising: a reduction means for reducing each of the partial moving image information that has been reduced; and a display means for simultaneously displaying the partial moving images reduced by the reduction means on a common display screen. . 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dividing means divides the moving image information stored in the storage medium into predetermined intervals. 3. The dividing means includes a delimiter detecting means for detecting a delimiter in the video of the moving image information stored in the storage medium, and the divider detects the delimiter in the video based on the delimiter in the video detected by the delimiter detecting means. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus divides moving image information. 4. An image processing apparatus comprising: dividing means for dividing a moving image file into a plurality of parts; and means for supplying the plurality of moving image files to a display means so that the plurality of moving image files can be viewed simultaneously.