JPH09288679A - Tree structure contents retrieval device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tree structure contents retrieval device for enabling a retrieving person to easily grasp retrieval conditions and recognize the retrieval conditions by simple and few times operations. SOLUTION: A history gathering means 91 gathers and manages contents retrieved in a contents retrieval part 5 and reproduction/display time, stores them in a history storage device 10, decides the high-order and low-order contents of a retrieval position corresponding to context display conditions and prepares the reproduction/display time information of the respective contents. The context display conditions are obtained in a context display condition access means 92. A context preparation means 9 prepares context display information composed of the contents of the retrieval position and the high-order and low-order whose sequential relation is clarified in a birds-eye view and the appropriate reproduction/display time information of the respective contents for which the reproduction/display time at the time of retrieval is considered. In this case, when a request is made from the retrieving person, a contents reproduction/display management part 7 present the context display information to a display device 1 or the like.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tree-structured content search device for interactively searching content (moving images, still images, animations) connected to a tree structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Contents (videos, etc.) connected to a tree structure
As a conventional tree-structured content search device for interactively searching for still images and animations, a device that can be easily searched by clicking a specific point (item) with a mouse has been realized.

In the above-described conventional tree-structured content search device, when the search status cannot be grasped during the search, the process of returning to the previous one is repeated, the content is reproduced / displayed again, and an appropriate lower content is searched. The search situation is understood by searching for and playing back / displaying. In addition, the search situation is presented by presenting a search history composed of the names of contents.

[0004]

However, the above-described conventional tree-structured content search device has the following problems.

The first problem is that the searcher goes back one position from the current search position and repeatedly stores the contents,
Also, search the appropriate lower-level content from the current search position,
It is necessary to repeat the storage of the content, and it is a problem that the search situation is difficult to understand, especially when the content connected to a deep and wide tree structure is targeted.

In addition, in the history consisting of the names of contents, it is not possible to understand the full contents of the contents only by the names of the contents, and when the search is repeated, the names of the same contents are duplicated, so the searcher Is difficult to understand, and the situation of contents below the search position cannot be grasped.

That is, these are problems in that it is difficult to understand the retrieval situation.

The second problem is that the number of operations is too large because the searcher needs to repeat operations such as returning from the current search position to the previous one.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tree-structured content search device in which a searcher can easily grasp the search status.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a tree-structured content search device that requires a small number of operations and can easily grasp the search status.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides content storage means for converting moving images, still images, and animations into image data, and storing contents in which each image data is connected in a tree structure. Content search / playback means for sequentially searching and playing back content that matches the search condition from the content storage means, history recording means for recording at least the playback order of the searched and played content, and recording in the history recording means Context creating means for creating context display information composed of the content at the search position and upper and lower content based on the reproduced order, and a context for presenting the created context display information when a context display request is accepted. A tree-structured content detection characterized by comprising: To provide a device.

In the above tree-structured content search device, the history recording means records the playback or display time information of each content in addition to the playback order of each content searched and played by the content search / playback means, and creates a context. The means includes a context consisting of the content at the search position, upper and lower contents thereof, and reproduction / display time information of each content based on the reproduction order and reproduction or display time information recorded in the history recording means. It is preferable to create the display information because the reproduction / display time at the time of retrieval can be grasped.

In the above tree-structured content search device, the context creation means collects the playback order of each content searched and played by the content search / playback means and the playback or display time information by using the history recording means. A history collection unit for managing and a context display condition access unit for acquiring a context display condition when presenting a context, the history collection unit collecting the context display condition according to the acquired context display condition;
It is preferable to perform management, determine upper and lower content of the content at the search position, and create reproduction / display time information of each content from the viewpoint that the context can be displayed in a desired manner.

Further, in the above tree-structured content search device, the context creating means is a bird's-eye view context in which the connection relationship between the content at the search position and the content above and below the content is defined, and the searcher searches and reproduces the content. Context display information including appropriate reproduction / display time information in consideration of the displayed time is created, and the context presenting means presents each content of the context according to the order of the connection relationship and according to the reproduction / display time information. Is preferable because it makes it easier to grasp the search status.

According to the present invention, when the searcher becomes unable to grasp the search status, the context creation means simply gives a context display request to the tree-structured content search device, and the context creation means searches the order relation of the upper and lower contents, or the search with it. The context display information created from the playback / display time at the time, that is, the playback / display time indicating the playback / display time at the time of search, together with the current search position and its upper and lower contents are clearly shown. By presenting it, the search situation can be easily grasped. Also,
In this way, by presenting the context only by the instruction operation of the context request, the operation for grasping the search situation is simplified.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a tree-structured content search device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The tree-structured content search device shown in FIG.
Display device 1, window management unit 2, input information analysis unit 3,
Search content management unit 4, content search unit 5, content storage device 6, content reproduction / display management unit 7, audio output device 8, context creating means 9, history storage device 1
0, the context display condition storage device 11 is included.
In addition, the context creating means 9 includes a history collecting means 91,
It has a context display condition access means 92.

The content storage device 6 stores the content connected on the tree structure.

An example of the structure of the content stored in the content storage device 6 and connected on the tree structure will be described below with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. Each node is composed of moving image, still image, or animation content and connection information of lower nodes. The connection information of the lower node is a content identifier indicating the storage location of the content. Also, some animations have audio and some do not.

The window management unit 2 creates / deletes a window for playing / displaying or selecting a moving image, a still image or an animation, and accepts various information input by a searcher using a keyboard or a mouse.

The input information analysis unit 3 analyzes information input by a keyboard or a mouse. Specifically, when the mouse is used, when any point displayed on the display device 1 is clicked, the window management unit 2 accepts it, analyzes it according to the pointed position and the state of the search device, and displays the next screen. Convert to request, screen selection, etc.

The search content management unit 4 updates and manages the state of the tree-structured content search device, and particularly updates the connection information of the searched content. An example of the configuration of the connection information of the retrieved content will be described with reference to FIG. It is composed of a set of a content identifier of a content from the root to the current search position and a subordinate content identifier arranged in order. The connection relation is expressed by the order in which the lines are arranged.

The content search unit 5 searches the content storage device 6 for content using the content identifier as a key.

The content reproduction / display management section 7 is a moving picture,
Playback / display or audio output is performed on the display device 1 and the audio output device 8 according to the content of a still image or animation.

The history storage device 10 stores the reproduction / display history of the content selected by the searcher.

An example of the structure of content reproduction / display history will be described below with reference to FIG.

The content reproduction / display history includes a content reproduction / display number, a content identifier, and a content reproduction display time.

The content reproduction / display number is the order of the content selected by the searcher.

The content identifier is the above-mentioned content identifier.

The content reproduction / display time is the time when the searcher reproduces / displays the content.

The context display condition storage device 11 stores context display conditions.

The context will be described below with reference to FIG.

The context is a set of contents at the current search position and upper and lower contents thereof, and is a set ordered from the upper position to the lower position (the lower order determines the order by width). FIG. 5 is an example of a context display. The content of the context is reproduced / displayed in the window whose position is expressed by the coordinates of integer values in the horizontal and vertical directions. The order is expressed by the difference between the display order of the contents and the color of the window frame.

An example of the structure of the context display condition will be described below with reference to FIG.

The context display condition includes, for example, content reproduction / display size, presentation number, presentation position and window frame color, reproduction / display range and presence / absence of audio output.

The content reproduction / display size is the size of each window in FIG.

The number of presentations is the number of contents above and below the latest content, and the contents below are selected with priority on width. The presentation position is represented by (X, Y) X, Y; integers.

The color of the window frame is 0 to 2 for R, G, and B.
It is represented by a value of 55.

The reproduction / display range specifies the restriction on the reproduction / display time of the content in the context presentation. In the reproduction / display of the content higher than the current search position content, the following reproduction / display range is considered in consideration of the time when the searcher reproduced / displayed the content.

As long as the content reproduction / display time of FIG. 4 does not exceed the guaranteed reproduction / display time, the content reproduction / display time of FIG.
Play / display up to the display time. Content playback in Figure 4 /
When the display time exceeds the guaranteed playback / display time, playback / display is performed up to the product of the shortening rate and the content playback / display time exceeding the guaranteed playback / display time. Note that the discontinuation time means discontinuation of the content reproduction / display reproduction “when the product of the reduction rate and the content reproduction / display time exceeding the guaranteed reproduction / display time is longer than the discontinuation time”.

When reproducing / displaying the subordinate content of the content at the current search position, the content is reproduced / displayed within the guaranteed reproduction / display time.

The presence / absence of voice output indicates whether or not voice is output for a content having voice when the context is presented.

History collecting means 9 of the context creating means 9
1 collects the reproduction / display history of the content when the searcher displays / reproduces the content, and the history storage device 10
To accumulate. It should be noted that when there is a next screen request for returning to the upper content, the content reproduction / display history of the lower content is deleted.

Context display condition access means 92
Acquires the context display condition from the context display condition storage device 9.

Based on the context display conditions acquired from the context display condition storage device 11 by the context display condition access means 92, the context creating means 9 includes upper content to be displayed from the history collecting means 92 and lower content to be displayed from the content search. To get the context.

The specific operation of each component of the tree-structured content search device will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG.
It is a figure showing the flow which shows the example of operation | movement of one Embodiment of this invention. In the figure, S1 to S16 represent steps.

(Step 1) Select a tree structure content to be searched by the search device. A searcher selects from the candidates displayed on the display device 1 with a keyboard or a mouse. The input information analysis unit 3 identifies the tree-structured content by the key clicked on the keyboard or the point clicked by the mouse, and converts it into the root content identifier. This content identifier is transferred to the content search unit 5.

(Step 2) The content search unit 5 searches the content storage device 6 for content by using the content identifier. The searched content is transferred to the search content management unit 4.

(Step 3) Search Content Management Section 4
Adds the set to the connection information of the searched content when the set of the content identifier of the content searched by the content search unit 5 and the subordinate content identifier does not exist in the connection information of the searched content. Further, when the search returning to the higher rank is performed, the search content management unit 4 deletes the connection information of the content below the returned content.

(Step 4) The window management unit 2 creates a window for reproducing and displaying the content.

Further, the window management unit 2 transfers the content to the content reproduction / display management unit 7.

(Step 5) The content reproduction / display management section 7 reproduces / displays the content on the display device 1, and when the content has sound, outputs the sound of the content to the sound output device 8. Also, the content identifier is transferred to the context creating means 9.

(Step 6) Context creating means 9
Shifts the control to the history collecting means 91.

The history collecting means 91 reproduces the contents /
Stores the start time of display or audio output.

When the reproduction / display of the content or the audio output is completed, the content reproduction / display time is calculated from the stored start time.

The content reproduction / display history is retrieved from the history storage device 10, and the existence of the content reproduction / display history having the content identifier transferred from the content reproduction / display management unit 7 is checked. When there is a content playback / display history with the transferred content identifier, this content playback / content playback of the display history /
Delete content playback / display history larger than the display number.

When there is no content reproduction / display history having the transferred content identifier, the content reproduction / display number retrieved from the history storage device 10 is the content reproduction / display number larger by 1 than the largest content reproduction / display number. / Create a display number.

A content playback / display history is created from the created content playback / display number, the transferred content identifier, and the calculated content playback / display time, stored in the history storage device 10, and the control is performed by the window management unit 2. Transition.

(Step 7) The window management unit 2 waits for a searcher's instruction from the keyboard or mouse.

When the searcher wants to know the search status, he gives an instruction for a context request, and the input information analysis section 3 interprets the input information as a context request, and shifts to step 10.

Other input requests are as follows.

When there is an end request, the search device stops.

When the next screen is requested, the process proceeds to step 8.

When the screen is selected, the menu of the selected screen is converted into the content identifier, and the process proceeds to step 2.

(Step 8) Search Content Management Section 4
Acquires a lower content identifier of the content at the current search position and a content identifier immediately above the content at the current search position from the connection information of the searched content, and creates a menu item.

(Step 9) The window management unit 2 creates a window and displays the selection screen on the display device 1.
Go to (Step 7).

(Step 10) Context creating means 9
Transfers control to the context display condition access means 92.

Context display condition access means 92
Acquires the context display condition from the context display condition storage device 11 and transfers the control to the history collecting means 91.

(Step 11) The history collection means 91 extracts the reproduction / display history of the content from the history storage device 10, and according to the maximum maximum value of the reproduction / display of the context display condition, the content of the upper content of the content at the current search position is detected. The content to be played back / displayed is determined, the playback / display time of the content in the content presentation is calculated, and the order of the content and the context information of the playback / display time regarding the higher order of the context are created.

Depending on the playback / display time of the above contents,
It is possible to realize the content reproduction / display time of an appropriate time that reflects the nature of the content and the search status.

(Step 12) Context creating means 9
Transfers the identifier of the content at the current position to the content search unit 5. The content searching unit 5 searches the content storage device 6 for a content identifier lower than the content identifier at the current position, using the maximum value of the lower level of the reproduction / display in the context display conditions as an upper limit, and transfers it to the context creating means 9.

The context creating means 9 rearranges the content identifiers in the priority of the width, and creates the context information of the order of the contents in the lower order of the context.

(Step 13) The content search section 5
Content is retrieved from the content storage device 6 by the content identifier of the context in the order of the content in the higher order of the context, the content identifier of the content at the current position, and the content identifier of the context in the order of the content in the lower order of the context.

(Step 14) Context creating means 9
Creates context playback / display information based on the content retrieved in step 13, context display conditions, context information of content order and playback / display time for upper contexts, and content order context information for lower contexts.

(Step 15) The window management unit 2
A window is created based on the window size and the color of the window frame specified in the context reproduction / display information, and is displayed on the display device 1.

(Step 16) The content reproduction / display management unit 7 determines whether the content reproduction / display information shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG.
The content is reproduced / displayed for each window displayed in, and when the content has sound, the sound of the content is output to the sound output device.

A searcher can easily understand the order relation of contexts by the difference in the color of the window frame and the reproduction / display order of the contents.

Control is transferred to (step 7).

[0080]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to present in a bird's-eye view the context display information composed of the order relation of contents and the appropriate length reproduction / display time, and the searcher can search. You can easily understand the situation.

Further, the context is presented only by the operation of instructing the context request, and the search status can be grasped by a simple operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a tree-structured content search device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of contents connected to a tree structure in the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of connection information of searched contents in the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a structure of a content reproduction / display history in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of displaying a context in the above embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of context display conditions in the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a flow showing an example of the operation of the above-described embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Display device 2 ... Window management part 3 ... Input information analysis part 4 ... Search content management part 5 ... Content search part 6 ... Content storage device 7 ... Content reproduction / display management part 8 ... Audio output device 9 ... Content creation means 91 ... history collection means 92 ... context display condition access means 10 ... history storage device 11 ... context display condition storage device

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A content storage unit for converting a moving image, a still image, and an animation into image data, and storing contents in which each image data is connected in a tree structure, and a content which matches the search condition is sequentially searched and reproduced from the content storage unit. Content search / playback means, at least history recording means for recording the playback order of each searched and played content, content at the search position based on the playback order recorded in the history recording means, and its upper layers A tree-structured content search device comprising: context creating means for creating context display information composed of subordinate contents; and context presenting means for presenting the created context display information when a context display request is received. . 2. The history recording means, in addition to the reproduction order of each content searched and reproduced by the content search / reproduction means,
The reproduction or display time information of each content is recorded, and the context creating means, based on the reproduction order and the reproduction or display time information recorded in the history recording means, the content at the search position and upper and lower contents thereof. 2. The tree-structured content search device according to claim 1, further comprising: creating context display information including reproduction / display time information of each content. 3. The context creating means includes history collecting means for collecting and managing, using a history recording means, a reproduction order of each content searched and reproduced by the content search / reproduction means, and reproduction or display time information, and context. And a context display condition access unit for acquiring a context display condition when presenting the, and the history collection unit performs the collection and management according to the acquired context display condition, 3. The tree-structured content search device according to claim 2, wherein the content is determined and reproduction / display time information of each content is created. 4. The context creating means appropriately plays in consideration of a context in which a connection relationship between the content at the search position and upper and lower content thereof is clearly shown in a bird's-eye view and a time at which the searcher searches and plays or displays the content. /
The context display information including display time information is created, and the context presenting unit presents each content of the context according to the order of the connection relationship according to the reproduction / display time information. The tree structure content search device according to claim 3.