Moving image recording apparatus and method, moving image reproducing apparatus, moving image recording and reproducing method, and programs and storage media

Abstract

A moving image recording apparatus is provided, which allows a user to enjoy reproducing a moving image by easily finding a corresponding desired scene from moving images. A moving image is recorded together with attribute information therefor. Division points at which the moving image breaks on a time base are detected, and the moving image is divided at the detected division points into scenes. The scenes into which the moving image is divided at the detected division points are joined to limit the number of scenes to not more than a predetermined value if the number of the scenes into which the moving image is divided exceeds the predetermined value. Still images are created from respective ones of the scenes the number of which has been limited, and the created still images are recorded as the attribute information.

1 . A moving image recording apparatus comprising: 
 recording means for recording a moving image together with attribute information therefor;    division point detecting means for detecting division points at which the moving image breaks on a time base and dividing the moving image at the detected division points into scenes;    scene joining means for joining the scenes into which the moving image is divided at the detected division points to limit a number of scenes to not more than a predetermined value if a number of the scenes into which the moving image is divided exceeds the predetermined value; and    still image creating means for creating still images from respective ones of the scenes the number of which has been limited; and    wherein the created still images are recorded as the attribute information by said recording means.    
   
   
       2 . A moving image recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein if a length of any of the scenes into which the moving image is divided is smaller than a predetermined value, said scene joining means joins the scene to at least one other scene.  
   
   
       3 . A moving image recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said recording means records, as the attribute information, lengths of the scenes into which the moving image is divided at the division points and the created still images in association with time information on the moving image.  
   
   
       4 . A moving image recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said division point detecting means detects the division points based on amounts of changes between frame images constituting the moving image.  
   
   
       5 . A moving image recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said division point detects the division points based on discontinuities between time codes.  
   
   
       6 . A moving image recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said division point detecting means detects the division points based on the attribute information.  
   
   
       7 . A moving image recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said scene joining means joins the scene to the at least one other scene so as to minimize differences between lengths of the scenes.  
   
   
       8 . A moving image recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein even if the number of the scenes into which the moving image is divided at the detected division points is equal to or less than the predetermined value, if the length of any of the scenes is smaller than the predetermined value, said scene joining means joins the scene to the at least one other scene.  
   
   
       9 . A moving image recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said still image creating means creates each of the still images from a leading frame image of a corresponding one of the scenes.  
   
   
       10 . A moving image recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , which is applied to a moving image recording and reproducing apparatus comprising: 
 display means for displaying the created still images;    still image selecting means for selecting any of the displayed still images; and    reproducing means for reproducing scenes of the moving image corresponding to the selected still images.    
   
   
       11 . A moving image recording method comprising the steps of: 
 recording a moving image together with attribute information therefor;    detecting division points at which the moving image breaks on a time base and dividing the moving image at the detected division points into scenes;    joining the scenes into which the moving image is divided at the detected division points to limit a number of scenes to not more than a predetermined value if a number of the scenes into which the moving image is divided exceeds the predetermined value;    creating still images from respective ones of the scenes the number of which has been limited; and    recording the created still images as the attribute information.    
   
   
       12 . A moving image recording and reproducing method comprising the steps of: 
 recording a moving image together with attribute information therefor;    detecting division points at which the moving image breaks on a time base and dividing the moving image at the detected division points into scenes;    joining the scenes into which the moving image is divided at the detected division points to limit a number of scenes to not more than a predetermined value if a number of the scenes into which the moving image is divided exceeds the predetermined value;    creating still images from respective ones of the scenes the number of which has been limited;    recording the created still images as the attribute information;    displaying the created still images;    selecting any of the displayed still images; and    reproducing scenes of the moving image corresponding to the selected still images.    
   
   
       13 . A moving image reproducing apparatus that is applicable to a moving image recording apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  and that reproduces an animated image recorded in a storage medium, comprising: 
 display means for displaying still images recorded in the storage medium;    still image selecting means for selecting any of the displayed still images; and    reproducing means for reproducing scenes of the moving image corresponding to the selected still images.    
   
   
       14 . A computer-readable storage medium storing a program code for realizing a moving image recording method as claimed in  claim 11 .  
   
   
       15 . A computer-readable storage medium storing a program code for realizing a moving image recording and reproducing method as claimed in  claim 12.