JP4578852B2 - Image search apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image search apparatus and method for searching image data recorded on, for example, a magnetic tape.

  Various image data are photographed on the magnetic tape using a VTR integrated video camera. An index search function is known as one method for reproducing desired image data from image data photographed on the magnetic tape. Using this index search function, an index (that is, a relative address) corresponding to desired image data is immediately searched, and the image data is reproduced.

  However, this index has to be typed in by the user at the time of reproducing the magnetic tape, and the index typed on the magnetic tape cannot be displayed as a list. Furthermore, it was not possible to display a list of recorded dates.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to automatically record date information of a plurality of photographed image data on a recording medium, display the date information in a list, and further select the date information displayed in a list as desired. An object of the present invention is to provide an image search apparatus and method for reproducing image data after searching.

In order to achieve the above-described problem, the present invention includes an image pickup unit, a recording unit that records captured image information captured by the image capturing unit, and date information indicating a shooting date of the captured image information on a recording medium, Among the date information based on the display on the display means, a reading means for reading the captured image information and date information recorded by the recording means from the recording medium, a display means for displaying the date information read by the reading means in order. An image search apparatus comprising: a detection unit that detects that desired date information is selected from a recording medium; and a search unit that searches the recording medium for captured image information corresponding to the selected date information based on detection by the detection unit. for date information to be recorded by the recording means, and date information about the video information of the photographed image information, regarding the still image information of the captured image information And a management means for managing and date information separately that, the display means, when the still image information search, and displays the date information on the still picture information in sequence, at the time of moving image information retrieval, order date information about the video information an image retrieval apparatus and displaying.

Further, the present invention provides a recording step for recording captured image information captured by the imaging unit and date information indicating a captured date of the captured image information on a recording medium, and the captured image information and date recorded by the recording step. A reading step for reading information from the recording medium, a display step for sequentially displaying the date information read by the reading step, and that the desired date information is selected from the date information based on the display on the display step. In the image search method comprising a detection step of detecting, and a search step of searching the recording image information corresponding to the selected date information from the recording medium based on the detection of the detection step, for the date information recorded by the recording step, Date information related to moving image information in the captured image information and still image information in the captured image information And a management step of managing separately and date information about the display step, at the time of still image information search, and displays the date information on the still picture information in sequence, at the time of moving image information retrieval, order date information about the video information an image retrieval method and displaying.

  In the present invention, desired related information is selected from a plurality of related information (date information or date information and time) displayed on the display microcomputer (microcomputer) 4, and an address corresponding to the selected related information is assigned to the mechanical microcomputer. 2 and the mechanical microcomputer 2 can cue image data from the supplied address.

  According to the present invention, related information (date information or date information and time) can be recorded on a recording medium when image data is captured, and the related information can be displayed on a monitor. In addition, related information displayed on the monitor is selected, a search is performed based on the address of the image data corresponding to the related information, and the information can be reproduced and displayed on the monitor.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a VTR-integrated video camera is used to digitize a captured image, and 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. At this time, whether to record image data or still image (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 a still image is recorded, 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 date information later.

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

  Here, FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration 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 and the display microcomputer 4. The mechanical microcomputer 2 controls the mechanical part of the system, and the display microcomputer 4 controls the display on the monitor 6 using the display IC 5.

  The memory cassette 1 is attached to the VTR integrated video camera body by the user. When the cassette is mounted, the main microcomputer 3 reads date information and track numbers of a plurality of image data from the memory cassette 1. The plurality of read date information and track numbers are supplied to the main microcomputer 3 and read into the memory. The main microcomputer 3 supplies the read date information to the display microcomputer 4. In the display microcomputer 4, a display control signal is generated from the supplied date information, and the display control signal and date information are supplied to the display IC 5. In the display IC 5, the date information is displayed in a list on the monitor 6 based on the supplied display control signal.

  In the date information displayed on the monitor 6, a cursor is displayed at a predetermined position, and date information corresponding to image data to be searched is selected by the cursor. The user moves the cursor to desired date information using the remote controller 7 while looking at the monitor 6. At this time, a 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 in accordance with the supplied command, and the cursor position of the monitor 6 is changed.

  When the display microcomputer 4 determines that the desired date information is selected by the cursor, search information corresponding to the selected date information is supplied to the main microcomputer 3. In the main microcomputer 3, the track number corresponding to the search information is supplied from the main microcomputer 3 to the mechanical microcomputer 2. In the mechanical microcomputer 2, traveling control such as fast forward / rewind is performed up to a position corresponding to the supplied track number, and image data corresponding to the selected date information is cued. The image data is reproduced from the memory cassette 1 and output to the monitor 6. The display on the monitor 6 automatically switches to the image selected from the date information.

  Here, the operation in one embodiment of the present invention will be described using transition of the screen display of the monitor 6 (FIG. 2). FIG. 2 shows a transition of the screen display that has not been searched yet, either after the memory cassette 1 is mounted or after recording. In this description, the screen transition when performing a date search is shown, but the screen transition when performing a photo search is performed in the same procedure.

  When performing a date search as described above, image data is searched by selecting a date corresponding to desired image data from the dates displayed on the monitor 6, and the searched image data is reproduced. When performing a photo search, a still image is searched by selecting a date / time corresponding to a desired still image from the date / time displayed on the monitor 6, and the searched still image is displayed. In this example, since the date information is selected using the remote controller 7, the [search selection] key, the [Fwd search] key, and the [Rvs search] key that are used are provided in the remote controller 7.

  When the [Search selection] key is pressed while the normal screen is displayed, the image data is searched for, so that the date search is performed and the screen display is switched to the date information list. When the [Fwd search] key is pressed when selecting image data, the date information number corresponding to the image data is incremented by +1 (incremented), and the cursor moves. When the [Rvs search] key is pressed when selecting image data, the date information number is decremented by −1 (decrement), and the cursor moves. In this example, the cursor is displayed in reverse video, but may be displayed by blinking (flashing) or reverse blinking.

  Normally, the monitor 6 displays a normal screen as shown in FIG. 2A. The normal screen means a screen in which no items are displayed, and is a screen displaying image data reproduced from the memory cassette 1, for example. When the [Search Selection] key is pressed in this state, a date search screen shown in FIG. In this date search screen, date information of the memory cassette 1 is displayed on the monitor 6 in order of date. If no key is pressed and 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 and either the normal screen (FIG. 2A) or the date search screen (FIG. 2B) is displayed on the monitor 6, the [Fwd search] key or the [Rvs search] key is When pressed, the screen moves to the screen shown in FIG. 2C. That is, when the [Fwd search] key or the [Rvs search] key is pressed, the cursor of the date search screen is moved, so the [Fwd search] key or the [Rvs search] key is also in the normal screen (FIG. 2A). Since the cursor on the date search screen is moved by pressing, the state of the date search screen shown in FIG. 2C is entered. In the example of FIG. 2, since the search has never been performed, the cursor is always displayed first when the [Fwd search] key or the [Rvs search] key is pressed.

  In the state of the date search screen shown in FIG. 2C, a cursor is displayed on the first date information on the date search screen from the state of FIG. 2B, and whether or not image data corresponding to the date information indicated by the cursor is selected. This is a state of waiting for the determination. Here, when the first date information indicated by the cursor is selected, it is determined that the image data of the date information indicated by the cursor has been selected by resting the cursor at the same position for several seconds. Then, search (position detection) of the image data recorded on the track number corresponding to the date information is performed. When the search for 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, the [Fwd search] key is used. As a result, the cursor moves to the second date information (FIG. 2D) and waits for the user's judgment whether or not to select the image data of the second date information. That is, it is the same state as FIG. 2C. As described above, the [Fwd search] key or the [Rvs search] key is pressed, date information corresponding to 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 screen transition similar to the date search. In this embodiment, a photo mode is possible in which a still image (still) is recorded on the magnetic tape for 7 seconds during shooting. In this photo mode, the shooting date and time are automatically written in the cassette memory. In a photo search for searching for a memory cassette photographed in the photo mode, a desired still image can be searched 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. Then, when switching the displayed still image, a button serving as a reproduction instruction is operated, thereby enabling a 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 SELECT] key is pressed, the screen moves from the normal screen shown in FIG. 3A to the date search screen shown in FIG. 3B. If the date search screen (FIG. 3B) is left without pressing any key, the screen of the monitor 6 returns to the normal screen (FIG. 3A). This normal screen is the same as the normal screen shown in FIG. 2A, for example, and means a screen in which no items are displayed. For example, the normal screen is a screen displaying image data reproduced from the memory cassette 1.

  The date search screen of FIG. 3B displays a short cursor indicating that the third search has been performed previously. When the [Fwd search] key is pressed from the state of the date search screen in FIG. 3B, the cursor is displayed fourth (FIG. 3E), 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 in the fourth position (FIG. 3E), and when the [Rvs search] key is pressed from the normal screen (FIG. 3A). The cursor is displayed third. Further, in the state of the date search screen shown in FIG. 3C, when the [Rvs search] key is pressed, the cursor is displayed second (FIG. 3D).

  When the image data corresponding to the date information indicated by each cursor is selected in the state of the date search screen shown in FIGS. 3C, 3D, and 3E, the cursor is stopped at the same position for about several seconds. It is determined that the date information (that is, image data) indicated by the cursor has been selected, and the track number corresponding to the date information is searched. When the search for the image data 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, once the search is performed, the date information corresponding to the image data that was previously searched is held, and when the [Search Selection] key is pressed, the short cursor is placed on the number of the image data that was previously searched. Is displayed. By displaying the short cursor, the number of the previous image data can be known and can be used as a reference for the next image data to be searched.

  Here, FIG. 4 shows an example of screen display transition for switching between date search / photo search. The normal screen shown in FIG. 4A is the same as the normal screen described above, and when the [Search selection] key, [Fwd search] key, or [Rvs search] key is pressed, the screen shifts to the date search screen (FIG. 4B). . When the date search screen (FIG. 4B) is left as it is or when image data is selected on the date search screen using the [Fwd search] key and [Rvs search] key, the monitor 6 displays the normal screen (FIG. 4). Return to 4A).

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

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

  When the [search selection] key is pressed in the state of the photo search screen shown in FIG. 4E, the state shifts to the state of the date search screen shown in FIG. 4F. In the state of the date search screen (FIG. 4F), 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 monitor 6 The normal screen (FIG. 4A) is displayed. When the [Search selection] key is pressed from the state of the photo search screen (FIG. 4F), the state shifts to the normal screen state shown in FIG. 4D.

  That is, the normal screen shown in FIG. 4A is one of the normal screens in the initial state shown in FIG. 2 and when image data is searched in the previous date search screen, and the normal screen shown in FIG. 4D. Is a normal screen when 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 normal screen state shown in FIG. 5A, the date search screen (FIG. 5B) is displayed, and the screen shifts to the date search state. In the date search screen shown in FIG. 5B, the short cursor is located at the thirteenth position. That is, it indicates that the image data corresponding to the 13th date information has been searched by the previous date search. When the [search selection] key is pressed from the state of the date search screen (FIG. 5B), the screen shifts to the photo search screen (FIG. 5E), and when the [search selection] key is pressed from the state of the photo search screen (FIG. 5E). Then, the screen moves to the normal screen (FIG. 5A).

  That is, when the [Search Selection] key is pressed, the state transitions to the normal screen, date search screen, and photo search screen. As described above, the date and time are displayed on the photo search screen. In FIG. 5, the display of time is removed from the photo search screen to facilitate the drawing.

  When the [Fwd search] key is pressed while the date search screen (FIG. 5B) is displayed, the cursor is displayed at the 14th position on the date search screen (FIG. 5C), and the [Fwd search] key is pressed. By pressing 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 date search screen (FIG. 5B) is displayed, the cursor is displayed at the 13th position on the date search screen (FIG. 5D), and the [Rvs search] key. By pressing 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 screen shifts to the date search screen state shown in FIG. 5C, and the [Rvs search] key is pressed from the state of the normal screen (FIG. 5A). Then, the state of the date search screen shown in FIG.

  When the [Fwd search] key is pressed while the photo search screen (FIG. 5E) is displayed, the cursor is displayed at the 14th position of the photo search screen (FIG. 5F), and the [Fwd search] key is pressed. By pressing 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 photo search screen (FIG. 5E) is displayed, if the [Rvs search] key is pressed, the cursor is displayed at the thirteenth position of the photo search screen (FIG. 5G) and the [Rvs search] key. By pressing 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.

  Further, when the normal screen (FIG. 5A) is displayed after image data has been selected on the photo search screen last time, when the [SEARCH SELECT] key is pressed, the photo search screen (FIG. 5E) is displayed. . 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 from the state of the date search screen (FIG. 5B), the [search selection] key is displayed. When is pressed, the normal screen (FIG. 5A) is displayed.

  Furthermore, when the [Fwd search] key is pressed from the state of the normal screen (FIG. 5A), the state shifts to the state of the photo search screen shown in FIG. 5F, and the [Rvs search] key is pressed from the state of the normal screen (FIG. 5A). Then, the state of the photo search screen shown in FIG.

  As the monitor 6 used in this embodiment, a normal CRT monitor may be used, but a viewfinder may also be used. Furthermore, an OSD (On Screen Display) can be used.

  In this embodiment, the [Fwd search] key and the [Rvs search] key used can also be combined with a function by using a conventional index key.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, and various modifications and applications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a magnetic recording information display device of the present invention. It is a basic diagram of an example used for description of operation | movement of the date search which concerns on this invention. It is a basic diagram of an example used for description of operation | movement of the date search which concerns on this invention. It is a basic diagram of an example used for description of a date search and a photo search according to the present invention. It is a basic diagram of an example used for description of a date search and a 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 control

Claims (2)

Imaging means;
A recording unit that records the captured image information captured by the imaging unit and date information indicating a shooting date of the captured image information on a recording medium;
Reading means for reading out the captured image information and the date information recorded by the recording means from the recording medium;
Display means for sequentially displaying the date information read by the reading means;
Detecting means for detecting that desired date information is selected from the date information based on the display on the display means;
In an image search apparatus comprising: search means for searching the recording medium for the captured image information corresponding to the selected date information based on detection by the detection means;
For the date information recorded by the recording means, there is a management means for separately managing date information relating to moving image information in the photographed image information and date information relating to still image information in the photographed image information. And
An image search apparatus, wherein the display means sequentially displays date information related to the still image information when searching for still image information, and sequentially displays date information related to the moving image information when searching for moving image information . A recording step of recording captured image information captured by the imaging unit and date information indicating a captured date of the captured image information on a recording medium;
A reading step of reading out the captured image information and the date information recorded in the recording step from the recording medium;
A display step for displaying the date information read in the reading step in order;
A detection step for detecting that desired date information is selected from the date information based on the display to the display step;
In an image search method comprising: a search step of searching the recording medium for the captured image information corresponding to the selected date information based on detection of the detection step;
The date information recorded by the recording step includes a management step for separately managing date information related to moving image information in the captured image information and date information related to still image information in the captured image information. And
In the image search method, the display step sequentially displays date information related to the still image information when searching for still image information, and sequentially displays date information related to the moving image information when searching for moving image information .

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