Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a moving image displayed on a display unit. Images representative of sets of frame images forming said moving image to be processed are displayed on a display unit. The moving image includes a plurality of scene images. Each of said scene images is divided into a cut image which comprises a set of frame images, and each cut image is divided into a plurality of sub-areas. The representative frame images of said respective sub-area of the frame images are designated as representative images. Data of the representative images are linked to respective predetermined keys of an input device. In response to an operation of one of the keys, the representative image linked to the operated one of said keys is displayed on the display unit.

Abstract: A computer-aided editing method of moving image information comprises designating an edition range of original moving image information, applying a special effect processing to the moving image within the designated edition range by an editing apparatus, registering the moving image information applied with the special effect processing as one cut to a memory device, and registering the moving image information outside the designated range as other cuts to the memory device. A computer-aided editing apparatus of moving image information comprises a memory device for storing original moving image, moving images after editing processing and an edition position-associated information, an input device, an editing device for applying a special effect processing to a designated range of the original moving image read out from the memory device in accordance with an image processing program, a control device and a display device.

Abstract: A method of characterizing a video includes the steps of extracting frame images from an input video, calculating a feature of each of the frame images, assigning index information determined by the calculated feature to each of the frame images, stringing together the index information assigned to the frame images, and characterizing the input video by the strung-together index information.

Abstract: This invention relates to an associated video retrieving method and a method therefor which enable a user to freely and easily make associated video retrieval. Video display apparatus having a video display region for visualizing video, an index display region for displaying index information of the videos, point detection unit for detecting a point position for these display regions, object management unit for registering in advance matters or sound in an animation appearing in the video, and control unit for determining a condition of the video to be next playbacked from point information obtained by the point detection unit and from logical structure description of the video separately built up, are provided. Even when a desired scene cannot be specified from the index information, a scene in which any hints relating to the desired scene is found out and associated video retrieval is effected on the basis of such a scene so as to finally obtain the desired scene.

Abstract: A method of characterizing a video by providing index information includes the steps of extracting representative frame images from an input video, calculating a feature of each of the representative frame images, assigning respective codes to the representative frame images, each of the codes being determined by the calculated feature of the representative frame image to which the code is assigned, generating a code string by stringing together the codes assigned to the representative frame images, and storing the code string as index information of the input video.

Abstract: There is provided an editing method and an editing system for conducting editing processing on a video information material containing sound information and moving picture information with the aid of a computer. Information of the video information material is stored in a storage device. The video information is read out from the storage device. The read out video information is displayed on the screen of a display device. An editing position of the video information is displayed on the video information of the screen according to a command from a user. Upon a command from the user, the editing position is altered. Editing processing specified by the user is conducted on video information located in the displayed editing position. And edited video information is displayed on the screen.

Abstract: A method of recording material data of a broadcasting program and displaying its content includes the steps of storing data of a plurality of program materials each having an identification code allotted thereto in a first memory device, extracting one or a plurality of image data representative of the material from the image data of the material for each of the program materials, arranging data of the representative images of each of the program materials in association with the arranged identification code in the sequence of a broadcasting time and storing the data in a second memory device, and reading out the data of the representative images of the program materials from the second memory device on the basis of the identification codes and displaying the data read out on a display.

Abstract: A motion image control method and apparatus wherein, on a window displayed on a display screen of an image editing device, a slider indicator for implementing a shuttle function at the time of reproducing a motion image is provided with an origin in its mid-point and, when an operator releases a knob indicator located at a given position within a predetermined range, the knob is automatically returned to the origin to put the motion image indicator in its stopped state and, when the operator releases the knob located out of the predetermined range, the knob stays still at the moved position to display the motion image at its set reproduction rate. Further, a predetermined reproduction rate of the motion image is set when the knob is within the predetermined range, whereas, when the knob is moved out of the predetermined range with use of a mouse, the reproduction rate is set at a desired reproduction rate corresponding to a displacement of the knob from the predetermined range.

Abstract: A difference between an input image including images of a background image picked up by an image pick-up unit and an object to be monitored is produced as an image of the object, the image of the object is divided into a plurality of parts and the plurality of divided image of the object are produced as a plurality of templates. Each of the plurality of templates is matched with a new input image and images of a plurality of parts in the new input image which have highest degrees of matching with the plurality of templates are used to update the plurality of templates to output a plurality of new templates. Each of the plurality of new templates is matched with a further new input image and images of a plurality of parts in the further new input image which have highest degrees of matching with the plurality of new templates are used to update the plurality of new templates to output a plurality of further new templates.

Abstract: An apparatus for sensing an object within an imaging field of an image pickup device includes a memory for storing data of a reference background picture of the imaging field, a device for inputting picture data from the image pickup device, a device for comparing the inputted picture data with the stored reference background picture data to detect a difference value between the inputted picture data and the stored reference background picture data, and to detect a polarity of the difference value, a converter for converting the difference value into binarization data based on a difference threshold value which is changed in response to the polarity of the difference value so that an object within the imaging field can be distinguished from an area of increased brightness within the imaging field and an area of increased darkness within the imaging field, a calculator for calculating a similarity between the inputted picture data and the stored reference background picture data, and a detector for sensing whe

Abstract: There is provided a video retrieval method, and apparatus, capable of fast matching a feature of a target video with a feature of an enquiry video without conducting work of providing keywords for video retrieval. As for the target video, both a video which is being broadcasted and a video included in a data base can be dealt with.

Abstract: An operation sequence user adaptive system for use in a processing system. The system including a central processing unit in which after objects displayed on a display screen of a display are specified from a mouse or a keyboard, and when a function to be effected for the objects are specified through selection of a function selective menu, a pertinent function of an application program is executed. The adaptive system includes a function of storing a data structure for storing therein a usage frequency of each of the functions, an update function of monitoring an operation conducted by the user for each function and updating a weight between particular functions successively operated, and a combining function of combining, when the weight updated by the update function exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the particular functions associated with the weight.

Abstract: A method of editing an image with the aid of a computer while watching moving image information displayed on a screen includes a step of selecting still images representing a plurality of video scenes or a plurality of video cuts constituting the moving image information, a step of determining a hierarchical structure among a plurality of scenes and a plurality of cuts represented by still images, a step of designating static images related to an optional hierarchical structure portion in the hierarchical structure, and a step of displaying the hierarchical portion including designated still images on a screen with such an arrangement that shows the hierarchical structure.

Abstract: In order to provided information for helping a viewing user remember the contents of past viewing of a video program, in an easy-to-comprehend form and in as small an information amount as possible, a video terminal device capable of controlling video playback by a controller stores a position of the video program at which it was interrupted by the user. The interrupted position is stored in a video library of a video server. Images representative of a portion from the start or another position of the interrupted video program up to the interrupted position are extracted by a video digest making program. The extracted representative images are represented by a list display based on reduced icons or a digest image. The list or the digest image is displayed before resuming the interrupted video program.

Abstract: There is provided a video retrieval method, and apparatus, capable of fast matching a feature of a target video with a feature of an enquiry video without conducting work of providing keywords for video retrieval. As for the target video, both a video which is being broadcasted and a video included in a data base can be dealt with.

Abstract: A user adaptive system in a computer system executing an application program. The user adaptive system includes a storage area for storing therein a data structure corresponding to a combination of values for parameters to be arbitrarily set by a user for a job to be executed in the application program, a storage area for updating the combination of values in the structure, each time a parameter setting operation is conducted by the user, and a storage area operative, when a particular combination of values for the parameters is used more than a predetermined number of times, for registering the particular combination of values for the parameters.

Abstract: An information processor, which manages operational history data or status data to revert an application back to any desired point in the past or make use of the past operations, includes an interface screen having cards thereon, as objects, that are manipulated by a user so as to make use of history. Contents of the history are represented while the order of the cards, placed one upon another, is associated with the time series of the history. A card representation is provided on the screen presented by the application to the user at any point in a past or to provide a card representation defined by images which alternately display screen representations before and after a change in the application screen by the operation performed by the user at any point in the past, while the before-change and after-change representations are displayed for different periods of time.

Abstract: A real time visual communication system capable of improving a correspondence between a received video signal and a received audio signal in real time and improving reality. An AV signal is separated into a video signal and an audio signal, and the output state of the video or audio signal is controlled by the characteristics of the audio or video signal. For example, the sound field, reverberation, and the like are controlled in accordance with the characteristics of the video signal. A suitable image pickup unit is selected in accordance with the characteristics of the audio signal to make the sights of conversation participants coincide with each other. It is possible to reproduce sounds of audio signals well matching video signals and to provide visual communication having good reality because of the combination of matched audio and video signals.

Abstract: A method for detecting a contour of a given subject to be separated from images utilizing an image separating system. First, a plurality of candidate points which have been input by a user are displayed on a screen. A smooth curve which connects the plurality of candidate points is determined and is displayed on a display apparatus. The intensity of light on a straight line extending in a direction normal to each candidate point is determined. The position of the candidate point is corrected based upon the rate of change in the intensity of light which is determined for each candidate point. A smooth curve which passes the corrected candidate points is determined and is displayed on the display apparatus. The specified image, represented by the smooth curve connecting the corrected candidate points, is then separated from the rest of the image elements.

Abstract: A multi-processor system for multidimensional image signal processing includes a plurality of co-processors and a host processor which issues processor numbers and a command to the co-processors through a bus. Due to the multi-dimensional nature of the processor numbers, data processing for given ranges of an image signal can be shared by the co-processors. A particular multi-dimensional processor number issued by the host computer which allows simultaneous communication to be performed between the host processor and the co-processors.