JPH0963250A - Device and method for retrieving recording image information - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reproduce the required image data after searching by automatically recording date information of plural photographed image data on a memory of a memory cassette, displaying the list of date information and selecting the displayed list of date information. SOLUTION: A main microcomputer 3 controls a mechanical microcomputer 2 and a display microcomputer 4, and the date information and a track number, etc., answering to the date information are taken out of the memory cassette 1. The taken out date information is displayed on a monitor 6 through a display IC 5. A user selects the date information answering to the required image data by using a remote controller 7. Then, in the mechanical microcomputer 2, the traveling control of the memory cassette 1 is performed up to a track number corresponding to the date information, and the required image data are reproduced and displayed on the monitor 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for retrieving recorded image information for retrieving image data recorded on a magnetic tape, for example.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various image data are recorded on a magnetic tape by using a video camera integrated with a VTR. An index search function is known as one method for reproducing desired image data from the image data captured on the magnetic tape. Using this index search function, the index (that is, the relative address) corresponding to the desired image data is immediately searched, and the image data is reproduced.

[0003]

However, this index must be entered by the user at the time of reproducing the magnetic tape, and it is not possible to display a list of indexes that have been entered on the magnetic tape. Furthermore, it was not possible to display a list of recorded dates.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for retrieving recorded image information, which eliminates such drawbacks.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided means for reading items associated with a plurality of image information recorded on a recording medium from a memory provided in a cassette of the recording medium, and a means for reading the items. Recorded image information comprising means for displaying selected items and selecting image information to be searched in the displayed items, and means for searching based on an absolute address corresponding to the selected item. Is a search device.

Further, in the invention described in claim 4, the step of reading the items respectively associated with the plurality of image information recorded on the recording medium from the memory provided in the cassette of the recording medium, and displaying the read items In addition, the method for retrieving recorded image information comprises the step of selecting image information to be retrieved from the displayed items and the step of retrieving based on the absolute address corresponding to the selected item. is there.

According to the present invention, one date information is selected from the plurality of date information supplied to the display microcomputer 4, and the track number corresponding to the selected date information is supplied to the mechanical microcomputer 2. In the mechanical microcomputer 2, It is possible to cue the image data by performing traveling control such as fast forward / rewind to the position of the supplied track number.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the VTR
Image data is recorded on a magnetic tape of a cassette with a memory function (hereinafter referred to as a memory cassette) through digital signal processing using an integrated video camera and digital signal processing. At this time, whether to record image data or still images (still) is selected at the time of shooting, and when recording image data, items such as date information (shooting date) are recorded at the time of shooting. When recording a still image, the shooting date and time are recorded as date information at the time of recording. In this case, it is possible to enter a title in each piece of date information later.

That is, when the photographed image data is recorded on the magnetic tape of the memory cassette, the date information and the first track number (that is, absolute address) of the area where the image data is recorded are recorded in the memory of the memory cassette. To record automatically. The date recorded as this date information is recorded only in the image data recorded first in the day. When searching this image data, at least image data is searched by date information (hereinafter referred to as date search), and when still images are searched, at least still image is searched by date information and time (hereinafter referred to as photo search). ) Do. The data table for the date search and the data table for the photo search are separately provided. In the following description, a memory cassette in which a plurality of image data and date information are recorded in advance is used.

Here, FIG. 1 shows a schematic structure for performing a date search. Here, the main microcomputer 3 controls the entire system. That is, in FIG. 1, the main microcomputer 3 controls the mechanical microcomputer 2, the display microcomputer 4, and the like. The mechanical microcomputer 2 controls the mechanical portion of the system, and the display microcomputer 4 displays the display IC.
5 is used to control the display on the monitor 6.

The memory cassette indicated by 1 is mounted on the VTR main body by the user. At the time of mounting the cassette, the main microcomputer 3 reads out the date information and the track number of a plurality of image data from the memory cassette 1. The read plurality of date information and track numbers are supplied to the main microcomputer 3 and read into its memory. The main microcomputer 3 supplies the read date information to the display microcomputer 4. The display microcomputer 4 generates a display control signal from the supplied date information and supplies the display control signal and the date information to the display IC 5. The display IC 5 is controlled so that the date information is displayed as a list on the monitor 6 based on the supplied display control signal.

A cursor is displayed at a predetermined position on the date information displayed on the monitor 6, and the date information corresponding to the image data to be searched is selected by the cursor. While looking at the monitor 6, the user uses the remote controller 7 to move the cursor to desired date information. At this time, the command from the remote controller 7 is supplied to the display microcomputer 4 via the main microcomputer 3. In the display microcomputer 4,
A display control signal is supplied to the display IC 5 according to the supplied instruction, and the position of the cursor on the monitor 6 is changed.

When the display microcomputer 4 determines that the desired date information is selected by the cursor, the search information corresponding to the selected date information is supplied to the main microcomputer 3, and the main microcomputer 3 outputs the search information. The corresponding track number is supplied from the main microcomputer 3 to the mechanical microcomputer 2. In the mechanical microcomputer 2, traveling control such as fast-forwarding / rewinding is performed up to a position corresponding to the supplied track number, and the image data corresponding to the selected date information in the memory cassette 1 is searched for. And
This image data is reproduced from the memory cassette 1 and output to the monitor 6. The display on the monitor 6 is automatically switched to the image selected from the date information.

The operation of the embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the transition of screen display on the monitor 6 (FIG. 2). This FIG. 2 shows the transition of the screen display which has not been searched even after the memory cassette 1 is mounted or after recording. Then, although the screen transition at the time of performing the date search is shown, the screen transition at the time of performing the photo search is performed in the same procedure.

That is, when performing the date search as described above, the date is displayed on the monitor 6, and by selecting the date corresponding to the desired image data, the image data is searched and then reproduced, and the photo search is performed. When performing, when the date and time are displayed on the monitor 6 and the photo search is completed by selecting the date and time corresponding to the desired still image,
The searched still image is displayed. Furthermore, in this example, since the remote controller 7 is used to select date information, the [search select] key, the [Fwd search] key and the [Rvs search] key used are included in the remote controller 7.

When the normal screen is displayed,
When the [select search] key is pressed, in order to search the image data, the state is changed to the date search state, and the screen display is switched to a list of date information. When the [Fwd Search] key is pressed when selecting image data,
The number of the date information corresponding to the image data is incremented by "+1", that is, the cursor moves. When the [Rvs search] key is pressed when selecting the image data, the number of the date information is decremented by "-1", that is, the cursor is moved. In this example, the character is displayed in reverse video, but it may be displayed by blinking (blinking) or reverse blinking.

Normally, the monitor 6 displays a normal screen as shown in FIG. 2A. This normal screen means a screen in a state in which items are not displayed, and is a screen displaying image data reproduced from the memory cassette 1, for example. When the [select search] key is pressed in this state, the date search screen shown in FIG. 2B is displayed on the monitor 6. On this date search screen, the date information of the memory cassette 1 is displayed on the monitor 6 in order of date. If no key is pressed and the key is left as it is, the screen of the monitor 6 returns to the state of displaying the normal screen (FIG. 2A).

When the [search selection] key is pressed, the monitor 6
When either the normal screen (FIG. 2A) or the date search screen (FIG. 2B) is displayed on the screen, when the [Fwd search] key or the [Rvs search] key is pressed,
The screen moves to the screen shown in FIG. 2C. That is, [Fwd search]
When the [Rvs Search] key or the [Rvs Search] key is pressed, the cursor moves on the date search screen. Therefore, even when the [Fwd Search] key or [Rvs Search] key is pressed in the normal screen (Fig. 2A), the date Since the cursor moves on the search screen, the state moves to the date search screen shown in FIG. 2C. Further, in the example of FIG. 2, since the search has never been performed, when the [Fwd search] key or the [Rvs search] key is pressed, the first search is always performed.
The cursor is displayed at the third position.

In the state of the date search screen shown in FIG. 2C, the cursor is displayed at the first date information on the date search screen from the state of FIG. 2B, and whether the image data for the date information indicated by the cursor is selected or not is selected. Or, it is in a state of waiting for the user's judgment. Here, when selecting the first date information indicated by the cursor, it is determined that the image data of the date information indicated by the cursor is selected by keeping the cursor at the same position for several seconds. Then, the search or search (position detection) of the image data recorded on the track number corresponding to the date information is performed. When the search of the image data is completed, the searched image data is reproduced, and the reproduced image data is reproduced and displayed on the monitor 6 as shown in FIG. 2E.

When selecting image data different from the image data corresponding to the date information shown in FIG. 2C, [F
wd search] key is pressed. As a result, the cursor is moved to the second date information (FIG. 2D), and it is in a state of waiting for the user's judgment as to whether or not to select the image data of the second date information. That is, this is the same state as in FIG. 2C. In this way, the [Fwd Search] key or [Rvs
By pressing the [Search] key, the date information corresponding to the desired image data is selected, and the selected image data can be searched.

It is also possible to perform a photo search instead of the date search, and the search is performed by the screen transition similar to the date search. In this embodiment, a photo mode in which a still image (still) is recorded on a magnetic tape for 7 seconds at the time of shooting is possible. In this photo mode, the shooting date and time are automatically written in the memory of the cassette. In the photo search in which the memory cassette photographed in the photo mode is searched, a desired still image can be searched by using the [Fwd search] key and the [Rvs search] key as in the date search. The searched still image is continuously displayed on the monitor 6. And
When switching the still image to be displayed, the button is operated in response to the reproduction instruction, thereby enabling the photo mode in which the tape feeding of the memory cassette is started.

Next, FIG. 3 shows an example of the transition of the screen display when the search has been performed at least once.
When the [search selection] key is pressed, the normal screen shown in FIG. 3A is changed to the date search screen shown in FIG. 3B. If the date search screen (FIG. 3B) is left as it is without pressing any key, the screen of the monitor 6 returns to the normal screen (FIG. 3A). This normal screen is similar to the normal screen shown in FIG. 2A, for example, and means a screen in which no item is displayed, and is a screen displaying image data reproduced from the memory cassette 1, for example.

Then, on the date search screen of FIG. 3B, a short cursor indicating that the third search has been performed previously is displayed. When the [Fwd search] key is pressed from the state of the date search screen of FIG. 3B, the cursor is displayed at the fourth position (FIG. 3D), and when the [Rvs search] key is pressed,
The cursor is displayed third (FIG. 3C). When the [Fwd Search] key is pressed from the normal screen (Fig. 3A), the cursor is displayed at the fourth position (Fig. 3D),
When the [Rvs search] key is pressed from the state of the normal screen (FIG. 3A), the cursor is displayed at the third position. Furthermore, in the state of the date search screen shown in FIG. 3C, [R
When you press the vs search key, the cursor is displayed second.

In the state of the date search screen of FIGS. 3C, 3D, and 3E, when selecting the image data corresponding to the date information indicated by each cursor, the cursor should be kept still at the same position for about several seconds. Then, it is determined that the date information (that is, image data) indicated by the cursor is selected, and the track number corresponding to the date information is searched. When the image data search is completed,
The selected image data is reproduced, and the selected image data is reproduced and displayed on the monitor 6 as shown in FIG. 3F.

In this way, when the search is performed once, the date information corresponding to the image data that was searched last time is held, and when the [Search selection] key is pressed, the number of the image data that was searched previously is held. Display the short cursor on. By displaying this short cursor, the number of the previous image data can be known and can be used as a reference for the image data to be searched next.

Here, an example of the transition of the screen display for switching the date search / photo search is shown in FIG. The normal screen shown in FIG. 4A is the same as the above-mentioned normal screen, and when the [search selection] key, [Fwd search] key or [Rvs search] key is pressed, the state moves to the date search screen (FIG. 4B). . The date search screen (Fig. 4
In the state of B), when left as it is, or when image data is selected on the date search screen by the [Fwd search] key and [Rvs search] key, the monitor 6 returns to the normal screen (FIG. 4A).

In the state of the date search screen shown in FIG. 4B,
When the [select search] key is pressed, the state moves to the photo search screen shown in FIG. 4C. In the state of the photo search screen (FIG. 4C), when left as it is, or when the image data is selected on the photo search screen (FIG. 4C) by the [Fwd search] key and the [Rvs search] key, the monitor 6 is displayed. , Normal screen (Fig. 4
D) is displayed. Also, the photo search screen (Fig. 4C)
4A when the [Search selection] key is pressed from the state of
Move to the state of the normal screen shown in.

In the state of the normal screen shown in FIG. 4D, that is, in the state of the normal screen which has transited from the photo search screen last time, the [search selection] key, [Fwd search]
When the key or the [Rvs search] key is pressed, the state moves to the photo search screen (FIG. 4E). In the state of the photo search screen (FIG. 4E), when left as it is, or on the photo search screen (FIG. 4E) by the [Fwd search] key and the [Rvs search] key,
When the image data is selected, the normal screen (FIG. 4D) is displayed on the monitor 6.

In the state of the photo search screen shown in FIG. 4E,
When the [select search] key is pressed, the state moves to the date search screen shown in FIG. 4F. The date search screen (Fig. 4
In the state of F), when left as it is, or when image data is selected on the date search screen (FIG. 4F) by the [Fwd search] key and [Rvs search] key, the normal screen (Fig. Four
A) is displayed. Also, the photo search screen (Fig. 4F)
When the [Search selection] key is pressed from the state of
Move to the state of the normal screen shown in.

That is, the normal screen shown in FIG. 4A is one of the normal screen in the initial state shown in FIG. 2 and when the image data is searched in the previous date search screen. The normal screen shown is a normal screen when the image data is searched in the previous photo search screen.

Here, an example of the state transition by the operation key is shown in FIG. First, when the [search selection] key is pressed from the state of the normal screen shown in FIG. 5A, the date search screen (FIG. 5B) is displayed and the state moves to the date search state. FIG.
On the date search screen shown in B, the short cursor is at the 13th position.
It is located at th. That is, it indicates that the image data corresponding to the 13th date information was searched by the previous date search. The date search screen (Fig. 5
When the [Search selection] key is pressed in the state of B), the screen moves to the photo search screen (Fig. 5E). When the [Search selection] key is pressed in the state of the photo search screen (Fig. 5E), the normal screen (Fig. 5A) is displayed. ).

That is, when the [search selection] key is pressed, the state transits to the normal screen, the date search screen and the photo search screen. Although the date and time are displayed on the photo search screen as described above, the time display is removed from the photo search screen in FIG. 5 to simplify the drawing.

When the [Fwd search] key is pressed while the date search screen (FIG. 5B) is displayed,
A cursor is displayed at the 14th position on the date search screen (FIG. 5C), and the [Fwd search] key is pressed several times to move the cursor to the position of the date information corresponding to the desired image data, and the desired image data is displayed. Is selected. Similarly, when the date search screen (Fig. 5B) is displayed, [Rv
[s search] key is pressed, the 13th screen of the date search screen is displayed.
The cursor is displayed at the third position (Fig. 5D), and [Rvs
By pressing the [Search] key several times, the cursor is moved to the position of the date information corresponding to the desired image data, and the desired image data is selected.

When the [Fwd Search] key is pressed from the state of the normal screen (FIG. 5A), the state moves to the date search screen shown in FIG. 5C, and the [Rvs search] key is changed from the state of the normal screen (FIG. 5A). When is pressed, the state moves to the state of the date search screen shown in FIG. 5D.

When the [Fwd search] key is pressed while the photo search screen (FIG. 5E) is displayed, the cursor is displayed at the 14th position on the photo search screen (FIG. 5F), and the [Fwd search] is displayed. ] By pressing the key several times, the cursor is moved to the position of the date information corresponding to the desired image data, and the desired image data is selected. Similarly, when the [Rvs search] key is pressed while the photo search screen (Fig. 5E) is displayed, the cursor is displayed at the 13th position on the photo search screen (Fig. 5G), and the [Rvs search] key is further pressed. Press the button several times to move the cursor to the position of the date information corresponding to the desired image data,
The desired image data is selected.

When the normal screen (FIG. 5A) is displayed after the image data is selected on the photo search screen last time and the [search selection] key is pressed,
The photo search screen (FIG. 5E) is displayed. Then, when the [Search selection] key is pressed from the state of the photo search screen (Fig. 5E), the date search screen (Fig. 5B) is displayed, and the [Search selection] key is displayed from the state of the date search screen (Fig. 5B). When is pressed, the normal screen (Fig. 5A)
Is displayed.

When the [Fwd Search] key is pressed from the state of the normal screen (FIG. 5A), the state moves to the state of the photo search screen shown in FIG. 5F, and the normal screen (FIG. 5A).
When the [Rvs search] key is pressed from the state of Fig. 5G,
Move to the state of the photo search screen shown in.

Monitor 6 used in this embodiment
A normal CRT monitor may be used, but it is also possible to use a viewfinder. Furthermore, OSD
(On-screen display) can also be used.

This embodiment was used [Fwd search]
The key and the [Rvs search] key can also be made to function by using the conventional index key.

[0040]

According to the present invention, the date information can be recorded on the magnetic tape when the image data is photographed, and the date information can be displayed on the monitor. Further, the date information displayed on the monitor is selected, a search is performed by the track number (absolute address) of the image data corresponding to the date information, and it can be reproduced and displayed on the monitor.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a magnetic recording information display device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a transition diagram of an example used for explaining a date search operation according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a transition diagram of an example used for explaining a date search operation according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a transition diagram of an example used for explaining the state transition of the date search and the photo search according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a transition diagram of an example used for explaining the state transition of the date search and the photo search according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 memory cassette 2 mechanical microcomputer 3 main microcomputer 4 display microcomputer 5 display IC 6 monitor 7 remote controller

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A means for reading an item associated with each of a plurality of image information recorded on a recording medium from a memory provided in a cassette of the recording medium, displaying the read item, and displaying the displayed item. An apparatus for retrieving recorded image information, comprising: a unit for selecting the image information to be retrieved in an item, and a unit for conducting an retrieval based on an absolute address corresponding to the selected item. 2. The apparatus for retrieving recorded image information according to claim 1, wherein the item is date, time, or title information. 3. The apparatus for retrieving recorded image information according to claim 1, wherein the display means for displaying the item selectively displays the item of the retrieved image information and the retrieved image information. An apparatus for retrieving recorded image information, characterized in that 4. A step of reading an item associated with each of a plurality of image information recorded on a recording medium from a memory provided in a cassette of the recording medium, displaying the read item, and displaying the displayed item. A method for retrieving recorded image information, comprising: a step of selecting the image information to be retrieved in an item, and a step of retrieving based on an absolute address corresponding to the selected item.