JPH11184867A - Video information retrieval/reproduction method/device and record medium programming and recording the method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To select a target part and to instantaneously reproduce a movie from a sense with the part appearing in the movie as a retrieval key by using a closed caption multiplexed with a video signal of a movie title in a video and DVD. SOLUTION: A decoder 11 separates a closed caption signal multiplexed with a video signal, discriminates the presence of the signal in the video signal and reads a start time code. A retrieval list generation part 12 generates a retrieval list based on the above data and a retrieval menu generation control part 13 automatically generates a retrieval menu holding a retrieval key and urges the selection input of a user. A video retrieval/reproduction part 14(15) obtains a time code corresponding to the informed key number and starts reproduction by jumping to the video.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for retrieving and reproducing video information, for example, in a movie recorded on a DVD, which can be reproduced instantaneously from a scene in which a speech to be watched or heard later appears. And a recording medium on which the method is programmed and recorded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A DVD (Digital Video Disc) movie title is provided with an interactive GUI (Graphic User Interface) called a menu.
Some of these menus are called “chapter menus”. Usually, a DVD movie title is composed of several chapters, and a button for jumping directly to these chapters and reproducing them is displayed in the chapter menu. By using this button, the user can play back from the beginning of the specified chapter.

[0003]

A command for jumping to each chapter is described on the above-mentioned chapter menu. Thus, for example, if a user selects a certain chapter button on a menu,
The command is interpreted and the address on the disk where the chapter is recorded is searched. The DVD drive can seek a head based on the address and reproduce a target image.

[0004] The user can jump to the beginning of a preset chapter and play it back. However, jumping to any other scene requires cumbersome operations such as fast-forwarding or rewinding with a remote controller or the like. It is. Therefore, for example, if the user wants to see around that scene where that line is spoken, it is difficult for the conventional technology to easily search for and reproduce that scene, It takes a considerable amount of time to search for a scene.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and uses a closed caption multiplexed on a video signal of a video or DVD movie title without using preset chapter address information. By using this function, a search index is automatically created from the video signal, and the words appearing in the movie are used as search keys to select the desired words, and the movie is instantly played back from that scene. It is an object of the present invention to provide a video information search / reproduction method and apparatus for realizing the above and a recording medium on which the method is programmed and recorded.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A video information retrieval / reproduction method according to the present invention takes in a composite video signal in which closed captions are multiplexed, decodes closed caption data, and decodes a closed caption character string and its time. Create a record list composed of codes and display the record list in a menu format to prompt the user for input,
Alternatively, by inputting a search keyword, a corresponding video signal is reproduced with reference to a time record of a selected or searched list.

[0007] A video information search / playback apparatus of the present invention takes in a recording medium on which video information is recorded and the video information.
In a video information playback system having a playback device that generates and outputs a composite video signal in which closed captions are multiplexed, a decoding unit that captures the composite video signal and decodes closed caption data, and a character string of the decoded closed caption and A search data generating means for generating a search record list using the time code as a set; and (1) generating a search menu for prompting a user to make a selection input by displaying the record list in a menu format. A control means and a video search and reproduction means for reproducing a corresponding video signal by referring to a time record of the selected list, or (2) a search keyword input for prompting the input of an arbitrary keyword included in the words and taking in the keyword Department and its keywords Read the time record corresponding to the character string of closed captions include,
It is characterized by comprising video search and reproduction means for reproducing a video signal corresponding to a scene in which dialogue appears.

A recording medium according to the present invention is used in a video information reproducing system having a recording medium on which video information is recorded, and a reproducing device which takes in the video information and generates and outputs a composite video signal in which closed captions are multiplexed. In addition, a step of decoding a closed caption character string included in the composite video signal and stacking it in a memory, and a step of stacking time code information at that time are programmed. And searching for a time record matching the index number of the selected button from the search list, jumping to the scene of the searched time record and starting video reproduction, or (2) the user Capture input keywords A step of searching for a time code corresponding to a line hit by pattern matching using the input keyword as a search key, and a step of jumping to a scene of the searched time code and starting video playback and recording It is characterized by being performed.

[0009] Thus, by using closed captions multiplexed in a video signal and selecting a target speech by using a speech appearing in a movie as a search key, the scene can be instantaneously reproduced.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a video information search / playback apparatus according to the present invention. Here, D
Personal computer equipped with VD drive (P
C) is illustrated. Therefore, the video information search / playback apparatus of the present invention is composed of the PC body 1, the DVD drive 2, and the TV monitor 3 in terms of hardware. Further, the program structure of the DVD player for realizing the video information search / playback method of the present invention is shown expanded on a main storage device incorporated in the PC main body 1. Specifically, the closed caption decoding unit 11, the search list generation unit 12, the search menu generation control unit 13, the video search unit 14, the video playback unit 15,
The search keyword input unit 16 is provided.

[0011] Closed caption decoder 11
Captures a composite video signal in which closed captions are multiplexed from a DVD disk on which a movie is recorded via a DVD drive 2, decodes the closed caption, and outputs a video signal, closed caption,
This is the part that divides into time records. The search list generation unit 12 is a unit that generates a search list in which the closed caption character string decoded by the closed caption decoding unit 11 and its time record are one record. Search menu generation control unit 13
Presents the search list generated by the search list generation unit 12 as a menu to the user in an easy-to-understand manner.
This is a part for prompting the user to input an item for selecting a scene corresponding to a dialogue to be viewed or heard from the list.

The video search section 14 searches a scene corresponding to a line to be viewed or heard by indexing the search list, transfers control to the video playback section 15, and the video playback section 15 corresponds to the scene. Generates a signal for reproducing an image.

The search keyword input section 16 is an interface for inputting an arbitrary keyword included in the dialogue, inputting the keyword, and indexing a search list.

[0014] The closed caption is a mechanism in which the words and the like of the characters are put in advance as character codes in English subtitles (signals) in TV radio waves, video and DVD software, and are displayed on the screen as required by the user during video reproduction. It is. Closed captions
Unlike ordinary subtitles such as movies, TVs and videos, the contents of subtitles are expressed in their native language. Especially in the United States, systems have been developed and spread for the deaf.
A further significant difference is that the stored subtitle data is not video information but a character code.

When a DVD movie title is reproduced by a player or DVD drive 2, the video output is a composite signal. In the case of a movie title compatible with closed caption, the closed caption signal is multiplexed with the video composite signal. Normally, the video composite signal is output to the TV monitor 3 or the like and reproduced as a video. However, in the case of a monitor having a closed caption decoder, the closed caption is superimposed on the video as subtitles of the dialogue and reproduced.

FIGS. 2 to 8 are views cited for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention, and show the structure of a composite video signal, a search list generated by the present invention, a display example of a caption menu, and a search result. Screen display example of video,
Flowchart (1: operation of search list generation unit 12),
(2: Flow of search operation by search menu) and (3: Flow of search operation by keyword) are shown.

Hereinafter, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

DVD player or DVD driver 2
While playing a DVD movie title on a PC equipped with a closed caption decoder 11
Separates the closed caption signal shown in FIG. 2 multiplexed with the video signal, and is decoded one by one as a character string of dialogue. Normally, closed caption data is composed of 8-bit characters.
At the same time as the presence of the closed caption signal is determined in the video signal, a time record including hour, minute, second and frame information is read.

The decoded character string of the closed caption and the time record corresponding to each character string are stacked one by one by the search list generator 12. For example, when one entire movie is reproduced, one search list is finally generated. FIG. 6 shows a flow of the operation of the search list generation unit 12 for generating the search list. First, a closed caption is detected (step S61), and the character string of the closed caption is decoded and stacked (step S62). Then, TimeCode (FIG. 3), which is the time record information at that time, is stacked (stack S63), and the above operation is repeated until the end of the video is detected (step S64).

Next, when a search list is generated, the search menu generation control unit 13 automatically generates a search menu having a search button based on the generated search list. The search menu generation control unit 13 displays a character string of a character of the previously searched character on the search button, and simultaneously holds a search button number corresponding to the character as internal data (index). A search menu in which buttons holding these pieces of information are arranged is appropriately displayed by a user instruction or the like. FIG. 4 shows a display example of the caption menu.

The user looks at the character string of the dialogue displayed on the button from the buttons of the search menu displayed on the TV monitor 3 and selects a scene that he / she wants to reproduce. And select the button. The search menu generation control unit 13 notifies the video search unit 14 of the index number corresponding to the button selected by the user. The video search unit 14 refers to the previously generated search list, and corresponds to the notified button number.
The time code information for reproducing the dialogue is obtained, and the time code is notified to the video reproducing unit 15. Video playback unit 15
Refers to the notified time code, jumps to the video of the time code, and starts playback from the time code. FIG. 5 shows a screen example of the searched video.

For example, once the reproduction of the DVD movie title is interrupted and the search menu is called up, the search menu shown in FIG. Here, for example, “I leaned all about cooking from >>”
When the user wants to play back from the scene with the line, the user selects the second button from the top. Since the selected button is index number 2, the video search unit 14 refers to the second record in the search list, and the corresponding time record “00:01:15:” shown in the search list in FIG. "00" to the video reproducing unit 15. The video reproduction unit 15 starts reproduction from a scene whose time record is “00: 01: 15: 00” by a command. In that case, it is not necessary to reproduce the closed caption subtitles on the TV monitor 3.

FIG. 7 shows the flow of the search operation of the search list using the search menu. The button displayed in the menu by the search menu generation control unit 13 is selected by the user (step S71), and a time code that matches the index number of the button selected by the video search unit 14 is searched from the search list (step S72). I do. Then, it jumps to the time code scene searched by the video reproducing unit 15 and starts reproducing the video (step S73).

Note that a search can be performed by using a keyword instead of the search menu. In this case, a search keyword input unit 16 is added to the PC body 1. In the search keyword input section 16, for example, when the user inputs a part of a movie line memorized fragmentally in the mind as a keyword, a search list is referred to using the keyword information as a search key, and The time record of the item whose character string matches is notified to the video search unit 14. Then, as described above, the video reproduction unit 15 refers to the notified time record, jumps to the video of the time record, and starts reproduction from the time record. The flow of this operation is shown as a flowchart in FIG.

That is, when the user inputs a keyword (step S81), the search keyword input section 16
The video search unit 14 searches the search list for a time code corresponding to a line hit by pattern matching using the input keyword as a search key (step S82). Upon receiving this result, the video playback unit 15 jumps to the scene of the searched time code and starts video playback (step S83).

As described above, the first feature of the present invention is to separate a closed caption signal multiplexed into a video signal, determine the presence of a closed caption in the video signal, and start the closed caption. It reads and stacks time records to create a search list. Then, a search menu having a search button is automatically generated based on the generated search list. The search button displays the characters of the characters searched earlier in character code. When the user selects the scene that he wants to reproduce from the buttons in the search menu displayed on the monitor, it is generated first. Refers to the search list provided, obtains time code information corresponding to the notified button number at which the line is reproduced, jumps to the video of the time code, and starts reproduction from the time record. This is the second feature. In addition, instead of displaying the search menu and prompting the user to select and input, the user is prompted to enter a keyword, and the input keyword is used as a search key to search a time list for a line hit by pattern matching from a search list. Then, it is also possible to jump to the scene of the searched time record and start video reproduction, which is a third feature.

The closed caption itself can be multiplexed into a video signal, regardless of the medium. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to a DVD, but can be applied to a video tape, a TV broadcast, or the like. Conceivable.

Assuming that a TV broadcast movie program is recorded on a video tape, for example, a video deck or the like can be used instead of the above-mentioned DVD drive, and the other components can be realized with almost the same configuration. During recording, a TV video signal is taken into the apparatus of the present invention, and a closed caption search index is sequentially generated. In the time code, information from the recording start time is stacked. When the program ends and the recording ends, a search menu is automatically generated from the generated search table, and this menu is displayed, for example, during tape playback. When the user selects a desired index from the menu, the video tape is fast-forwarded / rewinded based on the time code of the index, and can be reproduced from a target scene. In the case of a video tape, unlike a DVD disk, a random search is basically impossible, but by applying the present invention, a video can be searched with a feeling closer to a random search.

The software prepared in the present invention is referred to as a DVD player and has been described as an application program. However, the software may be incorporated in an OS regardless of the distribution form, or may be a single application program or a service. As a program, floppy disk, hard disk, or CD-RO
It can take the form of being recorded and distributed on an optical disk such as M and MO.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, a search index is automatically created from a video signal without using the preset address information of a chapter, and the index can be freely used by using the index. This enables a high degree of search. For example, if a searchable scene has not been set in the movie title,
When only a few representative scenes are set, such as VD, more video search indexes can be obtained by using a closed caption signal multiplexed in a video signal of a movie as a search key. The automatic generation makes it easy to search for movie scenes. This makes it possible to reduce the time and labor required for scene retrieval.

Also, a graphical search menu in which the characters of the characters are used as search buttons from the movie title can be automatically generated, or the keyword can be changed by inputting an arbitrary keyword in the words. You can easily and quickly search for scenes that include it.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a composite video signal used in the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a search list used in the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a caption menu screen used in the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display of a video searched according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure for creating a search list;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of a scene search by selecting a search menu according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of a scene search by keyword input according to the present invention;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 PC body, 2 DVD drive, 3 TV monitor,
11: Closed caption decoding unit, 12: Search list generation unit, 13: Search menu generation control unit, 14 ...
Video search unit, 15: Video playback unit, 16: Search keyword input unit,

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A composite video signal in which closed captions are multiplexed, a closed caption data is decoded, a closed caption character string is decoded, and a record list including a time code thereof is created. For retrieving and reproducing video information, wherein the video information is used as data for reproduction. 2. A record list is displayed in a menu format to prompt a user to make a selection input, and a corresponding video signal is reproduced by referring to a time record of the selected list. 1. The video information search / reproduction method according to 1. 3. Inputting an arbitrary keyword included in a line, reads a time record corresponding to a character string of a closed caption including the keyword, and reproduces a video signal corresponding to a scene in which the line appears. The video information search / reproduction method according to claim 1, wherein: 4. A video information reproducing system having a recording medium on which video information is recorded and a reproducing device for taking in the video information and generating and outputting a composite video signal in which closed captions are multiplexed, wherein the composite video signal is A video information search system comprising: decoding means for decoding captured closed caption data; and search data generating means for generating a search record list in which a character string of the decoded closed caption and its time code are combined. Playback device. 5. A search menu generation control means for prompting a user to make a selection input by displaying a record list in a menu format, and a video for reproducing a corresponding video signal with reference to a time record of the selected list. Search,
5. The video information searching and reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a reproducing unit. 6. A search keyword input section for prompting input of an arbitrary keyword included in a line and capturing the keyword, and reading a time record corresponding to a character string of a closed caption including the keyword, corresponding to a scene where a line appears Video search to reproduce the video signal
5. The video information searching and reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a reproducing unit. 7. A composite video signal used in a video information reproducing system having a recording medium on which video information is recorded, and a reproducing device for taking in the video information and generating and outputting a composite video signal in which closed captions are multiplexed. Decoding the character string of the closed caption contained in and stacking it in memory;
A computer-readable recording medium on which the step of stacking the time code information at that time is programmed and recorded. 8. A step of generating a search list using a set of a closed caption character string and corresponding time record information, adding a search button to each set, and holding an index number corresponding to each button as internal data. Is programmed and recorded.
The computer-readable recording medium according to the above. 9. A step of prompting a user to select and input, and searching a search list for a time record that matches the index number of the selected button, and jumping to a scene of the searched time record to start video reproduction. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the steps are programmed and recorded.
The computer-readable recording medium according to the above. 10. A step of capturing a keyword input by a user, a step of searching for a time code corresponding to a line hit by pattern matching using the input keyword as a search key, and jumping to a scene of the searched time code. 9. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 8, wherein the step of performing video playback is programmed and recorded.