Patent ID: 6546185
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: G06F,G06K,H04N

Abstract:
A system for identifying and searching a particular character in a motion picture comprising:a character table generator that initially detects and identifies characters by detecting Face_Scenes when a face in a frame of the motion picture is greater than a predetermined size and detecting characters by their faces in the Face_Scenes, makes a character table based on the detected faces in the Face_Scenes and indexes scenes in which the character in the character table appears in the motion picture based upon the Face_Scenes; a recording medium inputting and storing the motion picture, the character table, and index information indicating scenes in which a character in the character table appears in the motion picture; a display unit; a user interface receiving a character selection; and reproduction unit automatically searching and displaying on the display unit at least one scene in which the selected character appears in the motion picture based upon the character table and the index information, wherein the character table generator detects faces in the Face_Scenes by automatically initially detecting faces in the Face_Scene, wherein the automatic initial detecting comprises identifying density lines connecting portions having the same lightness on an image of a face or identifying a direction of a nose.