Apparatus, method, and program for controlling moving images

Abstract

In order to enable playback of a moving image in a variable manner according to desired weight, a desired threshold value of weight is obtained for a moving image regarding which a distribution of the weight at each point on a time axis has been generated. A time range extraction unit extracts all time ranges as high weight ranges wherein the weight is equal to or higher than the threshold value in the distribution. A representative image generation unit generates representative images that respectively represent the moving image in all the extracted time ranges. A display control unit displays a catalog of the representative images so as to enable playback of the moving image from the time range corresponding to a desired one of the representative images through selection of the desired representative image.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a moving image control apparatus of a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a graph that shows a distribution of weight;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing procedures carried out in the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 shows a moving image playback screen in the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 explains extraction of time ranges;

FIG. 6 shows a table of extracted time ranges;

FIG. 7 shows the moving image playback screen wherein a catalog of representative images is displayed for the case where a threshold value is Th0;

FIG. 8 shows the moving image playback screen wherein the catalog of representative images is displayed for the case where the threshold value is Th1;

FIG. 9 shows the moving image playback screen wherein the catalog of representative images is displayed for the case where the threshold value is Th2;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a moving image control apparatus of a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing procedures carried out in the second embodiment;

FIG. 12 shows a moving image playback screen in the second embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a moving image control apparatus of a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing procedures carried out in the third embodiment;

FIG. 15 shows a moving image transfer screen in the third embodiment;

FIG. 16 explains classification of parts of the moving image in the third embodiment; and

FIG. 17 shows a moving image playback screen of another embodiment.

Claims

1. A moving image control apparatus comprising: threshold value acquisition means for obtaining a desired threshold value of weight for a moving image regarding which a distribution of the weight at each point on a time axis has been generated;time range extraction means for extracting all time ranges as high weight ranges wherein the weight is equal to or higher than the threshold value in the distribution of the weight;representative image generation means for generating representative images respectively representing the moving image in all of the extracted time ranges; anddisplay control means for displaying a catalog of all the representative images so as to enable playback of the moving image from the time range corresponding to a desired one of the representative images by selection of the desired representative image.

2. A moving image control apparatus comprising: threshold value acquisition means for obtaining a desired threshold value of weight for a moving image regarding which a distribution of the weight at each point on a time axis has been generated; andplayback control means for changing a manner of playback of the moving image between first time ranges as high weight ranges wherein the weight is equal to or higher than the threshold value in the distribution of the weight and second time ranges as low weight ranges wherein the weight is lower than the threshold value in the distribution, in the case where an instruction to playback the moving image is received.

3. A moving image control apparatus comprising: threshold value acquisition means for obtaining a desired threshold value of weight for a moving image regarding which a distribution of the weight at each point on a time axis has been generated; andcompression control means for compressing the moving image in second time ranges as low weight ranges wherein the weight is lower than the threshold value in the distribution of the weight at a higher compression rate than first time ranges as high weight ranges wherein the weight is equal to or higher than the threshold value in the distribution, in the case where an instruction to transfer or copy the moving image is received.

4. The moving image control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value acquisition means obtains the threshold value by accepting specification of a desired value of the weight.

5. The moving image control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the threshold value acquisition means obtains the threshold value by accepting specification of a desired value of the weight.

6. The moving image control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the threshold value acquisition means obtains the threshold value by accepting specification of a desired value of the weight.

7. The moving image control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value acquisition means obtains the threshold value by accepting specification of a desired total time of the time ranges as the high weight ranges and by calculating a desired value of the weight according to the total time with reference to the distribution of the weight.

8. The moving image control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the threshold value acquisition means obtains the threshold value by accepting specification of a desired total time of the time ranges as the high weight ranges and by calculating a desired value of the weight according to the total time with reference to the distribution of the weight.

9. The moving image control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the threshold value acquisition means obtains the threshold value by accepting specification of a desired total time of the time ranges as the high weight ranges and by calculating a desired value of the weight according to the total time with reference to the distribution of the weight.

10. A moving image control method comprising the steps of: obtaining a desired threshold value of weight for a moving image regarding which a distribution of the weight at each point on a time axis has been generated;extracting all time ranges as high weight ranges wherein the weight is equal to or higher than the threshold value in the distribution of the weight;generating representative images respectively representing the moving image in all of the extracted time ranges; anddisplaying a catalog of all the representative images so as to enable playback of the moving image from the time range corresponding to a desired one of the representative images by selection of the desired representative image.

11. A moving image control method comprising the steps of: obtaining a desired threshold value of weight for a moving image regarding which a distribution of the weight at each point on a time axis has been generated; andchanging a manner of playback of the moving image between first time ranges as high weight ranges wherein the weight is equal to or higher than the threshold value in the distribution of the weight and second time ranges as low weight ranges wherein the weight is lower than the threshold value in the distribution, in the case where an instruction to play back the moving image is received.

12. A moving image control method comprising the steps of: obtaining a desired threshold value of weight for a moving image regarding which a distribution of the weight at each point on a time axis has been generated; andcompressing the moving image in second time ranges as low weight ranges wherein the weight is lower than the threshold value in the distribution of the weight at a higher compression rate than first time ranges as high weight ranges wherein the weight is equal to or higher than the threshold value in the distribution, in the case where an instruction to transfer or copy the moving image is received.

13. A program causing a computer to execute a moving image control method comprising the procedures of: obtaining a desired threshold value of weight for a moving image regarding which a distribution of the weight at each point on a time axis has been generated;extracting all time ranges as high weight ranges wherein the weight is equal to or higher than the threshold value in the distribution of the weight;generating representative images respectively representing the moving image in all of the extracted time ranges; anddisplaying a catalog of all the representative images so as to enable playback of the moving image from the time range corresponding to a desired one of the representative images by selection of the desired representative image.

14. A program causing a computer to execute a moving image control method comprising the procedures of: obtaining a desired threshold value of weight for a moving image regarding which a distribution of the weight at each point on a time axis has been generated; andchanging a manner of playback of the moving image between first time ranges as high weight ranges wherein the weight is equal to or higher than the threshold value in the distribution of the weight and second time ranges as low weight ranges wherein the weight is lower than the threshold value in the distribution, in the case where an instruction to play back the moving image is received.

15. A program causing a computer to execute a moving image control method comprising the procedures of: obtaining a desired threshold value of weight for a moving image regarding which a distribution of the weight at each point on a time axis has been generated; andcompressing the moving image in second time ranges as low weight ranges wherein the weight is lower than the threshold value in the distribution of the weight at a higher compression rate than first time ranges as high weight ranges wherein the weight is equal to or higher than the threshold value in the distribution, in the case where an instruction to transfer or copy the moving image is received.