Abstract:
An information processing apparatus includes: a memory that stores schedule information that indicates a start time, an end time, and an event name for each of events; and a processor that operates to: obtain first video management information from an external video recorder, the first video management information indicating a recording start time and a recording end time for each of videos recorded by the external video recorder; determine the videos having the recording start time and the recording end time within the start time and the end time for each of the events by referring to the schedule information and the first video management information; and generate a second video management information from the first video management information by appending the event name to the determined videos.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-332518, filed on Dec. 25, 2007, the entire content of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    One embodiment of the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Conventionally, there is proposed an information processing apparatus that displays character strings contained in previously entered schedule information as title candidates and allows the user to select one from among the character strings when the user enters a title, as video management information, to video information captured with a video camera. An example of such apparatus is disclosed in JP-T-2007-528626 (counterpart U.S. publication is: US 2007/0206921 A1). 
         [0006]    The information processing apparatus has a storage unit for storing schedule information of a person having a possibility that he or she will be captured as video information and schedule information concerning yearly events, etc., a display unit for displaying video and a title selection menu, and a control unit, when a title is given to video information, for calling the schedule information, retrieving an event to which the video information photographing date and time correspond from the schedule information and displaying the character string contained in the event on the title selection menu on the display unit as a title candidate of the video information. The control unit sets the character string selected by the user out of the title selection menu as the title of the video information, so that the user can set the title of the video information without entering any character string and work load of video edit can be lightened. 
         [0007]    The information processing apparatus in the related art enables the user to give a title to video information by performing easy work and thus if a plurality of pieces of video information exist, the listing property improves as the user references the titles. However, if the user classifies and edits video information in such a manner that he or she classifies a plurality of pieces of video information according to a plurality of themes and generates a video information collection for each theme, the user needs to check the video information or the titles one by one to find out the video information matching any desired theme; the user requires an enormous time for managing the video information. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus including: a memory that stores schedule information that indicates a start time, an end time, and an event name for each of events; and a processor that operates to: obtain first video management information from an external video recorder, the first video management information indicating a recording start time and a recording end time for each of videos recorded by the external video recorder; determine the videos having the recording start time and the recording end time within the start time and the end time for each of the events by referring to the schedule information and the first video management information; and generate a second video management information from the first video management information by appending the event name to the determined videos. 
         [0009]    According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus including: a memory that stores schedule information that indicates a start time, an end time, and an event name for each of events; and a processor that operates to: obtain first video management information from an external video recorder, the first video management information indicating a recording start time and a recording end time for each of videos recorded by the external video recorder, wherein the recording start time and the recording end time being within the start time and the end time of a selected event that is selected from among the events included in the schedule information stored in the memory; and generate a second video management information from the first video information by appending the event name to the videos indicated by the first video management information. 
         [0010]    According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus including a processor that operates to: obtain schedule information and first video management information from an external video recorder, the schedule information indicating a start time, an end time, and an event name for each of events, the first video management information indicating a recording start time and a recording end time for each of videos recorded by the external video recorder; determine the videos having the recording start time and the recording end time within the start time and the end time for each of the events by referring to the schedule information and the first video management information; and generate a second video management information from the first video management information by appending the event name to the determined videos. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    A general configuration that implements the various feature of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate embodiments of the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view to show a personal computer (PC) as an information processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram to show the configuration of the PC and a video camera according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are schematic drawings to show schedule information according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing to show video management information according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing to show media video management information according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart to show an operation example of the PC according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart to show an operation example of the PC according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart to show an operation example of the PC according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view to show a DVD writer as an information processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a block diagram to show the configuration of the DVD writer and a mobile terminal according to the second embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    Embodiments of an information processing apparatus of the invention will be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       First Embodiment 
       [0023]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view to show a personal computer (PC) as an information processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention. 
         [0024]    A PC  1  is configured to be connectable to a video camera  2  by a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable  20  for establishing communications therebetween and video information captured with the video camera  2  can be transferred to the PC  1  and the video camera  2  can be operated by the PC  1 . 
         [0025]    The PC  1  includes an upper case  100  and a lower case  110 , and the upper case  100  is connected to the lower case  110  by a hinge part  120  so that it can be opened and closed. The upper case  100  has a display unit  13  implemented as a liquid crystal display panel, etc., for displaying text, an image, etc. The lower case  110  houses electronic components of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), etc., and has on a top face an optical media drive  12  capable of reading and writing, such as a DVD or an HD DVD, a USB port  14   a  to which the USB cable  20  is connected for communicating with an external devices, a keyboard  16   a  for entering a character and a command, and a track pad  16   b  as a pointing device. 
         [0026]    The video camera  2  has an image capturing unit  24  including an optical system having a plurality of lens groups and an image pickup device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) and a USB port  21   a  into which the USB cable  20  is inserted for communicating with an external machine, and stores video information generated, when the image is captured, in a storage unit provided in the main unit of the video camera and video management information (first video management information) associated with the video information in the storage unit. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram to show the configuration of the PC and the video camera according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
         [0028]    The PC  1  has a storage unit  10  such as an HDD for storing information, memory  11  for temporarily storing information and aiding in processing of the sections, the above-mentioned optical media drive  12  capable of reading and writing information from and onto an optical recording medium of a DVD or an HD DVD, the above-mentioned display unit  13  for displaying text and an image on a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, etc., a communication unit  14  for communicating with the video camera  2  through the USB cable  20  inserted into the USB port  14   a,  a control unit  15  for controlling the operation of the sections and operating a program, and an input unit  16  including switches to which operation functions are assigned including the keyboard  16   a  and the track pad  16   b.    
         [0029]    The storage unit  10  stores schedule information  10 A including the event name, date information, etc., set for each event and media video management information  10 B (second video management information) as information associated with video information when the video information is written onto a record medium in the optical media drive  12 . 
         [0030]    The control unit  15  runs a schedule management program  15 A for editing the schedule information  10 A, a video management information edit program  15 B for editing the media video management information  10 B, and a media generation program  15 C for controlling the optical media drive  12  when video information and the media video management information  10 B are written onto a record medium. 
         [0031]    The video camera  2  has a communication unit  21  for communicating with the PC  1  through the USB cable  20  inserted into the USB port  21   a,  a control unit  22  for controlling the operation of the sections, the above-mentioned image capturing unit  24  including an optical system including a plurality of lens groups and an image pickup device such as a CCD, and a storage unit  23  of a detachable SD card, etc., for storing information. The video camera  2  also has an input unit (not shown) for executing photographing operation of the image capturing unit  24 , menu operation of an image pickup program (not shown) operating in the control unit, etc. 
         [0032]    The storage unit  23  stores video management information  23 A of associated information with video information  23 B, such as the photographing date and the photographing start and end times with the video camera  2 , for example, an IFO file, etc., and the video information  23 B of real data of video captured in the image capturing unit  24 . 
         [0033]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are schematic drawings to show schedule information according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
         [0034]    The schedule information  10 A has an event name entered by the user and indicating the name of an event, a date on which the event is scheduled to be executed, a start time at which the event is scheduled to be started, an end time at which the event is scheduled to be ended, and detailed schedule data that can be set in the event, as shown in  FIG. 3A . The detailed schedule data is entered by the user and has a schedule name indicating the name of a schedule, the start time of the schedule, and the end time of the schedule. 
         [0035]    A schedule display window  50  is displayed on the display unit  13  by the schedule management program  15 A based on the schedule information  10 A; it displays events  51   a  to  51   c  each displayed only as the event name for an event not across days, an event band  52  displayed as a band with the event name for an event across days, a detailed schedule  53  for displaying schedule names, for example, as popup display for the detailed schedule data, and schedule names  53   a  to  53   e  each displayed together with the start time of the detailed schedule, as shown in  FIG. 3B . Not only the monthly display, but also weekly display and daily display may be produced. 
         [0036]      FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing to show video management information according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
         [0037]    The video management information  23 A has a title name for video information, a photographing date on which the video information was captured, a photograph start time, and a recording end time. The title name is given automatically by the control unit  22  at the photographing time; generally it is set using the number of photographing times, etc. The photographing date, the photograph start time, and the recording end time are given automatically at the photographing time based on a clock contained in the control unit  22 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing to show media video management information according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
         [0039]    Media video management information  60  ( 60   a  to  60   d ) has an event name ( 61   a  to  61   d ) displayed as a name when the media video management information  60  is used to record video information on a record medium, one or more titles  630  ( 631   a  to  633   d ) set for each video management unit, and an all title event list  62  ( 62   a  to  62   d ) as playback order information describing the playback order of the titles  630 . The all title event list  62  is generated when two or more titles  630  exist. The title  630  has a title name  640  ( 641   a  to  643   d ). An entry point  650  ( 651   d,    653   d ) as reference information like a bookmark or a chapter can be set for the title  630 . 
         [0040]    The media video management information  60   a  has an event name  61   a  acquired from the event name “Trip to Hokkaido” of the schedule information  10 A, an all title play list  62   a  describing the playback order of titles, titles  631   a  to  634   a  corresponding to titlenames “0001.dat” to “0004.dat” of the video management information  23 A with the recording start time to the recording end time contained between the start time and the end time of “Trip to Hokkaido,” namely, between “0:00” on “Feb. 13, 2007” and “24:00” on “Feb. 16, 2007” and title names  641   a  to  644   a  with serial numbers 1 to 4 given to the event name “Trip to Hokkaido” of the schedule information  10 A. 
         [0041]    The media video management information  60   b  has an event name  61   b  acquired from the event name “Play” of the schedule information  10 A, a title  631   b  corresponding to a title name “0005.dat” of the video management information  23 A contained between the start time and the end time of “Play,” and a title name  641   b  using the event name “Play.” The media video management information  60   b  is only the title  631   b  and thus does not have an all title play list describing the title playback order. 
         [0042]    The media video management information  60   c  has an event name  61   c  acquired from the event name “Trip to Kamakura” of the schedule information  10 A, a title  631   c  corresponding to a title name “0006.dat” of the video management information  23 A contained between the start time and the end time of “Trip to Kamakura,” and a title name  641   c  using the event name “Trip to Kamakura.” 
         [0043]    The media video management information  60   d  has an event name  61   d  acquired from the event name “Field day” of the schedule information  10 A, an all title play list  62   d  describing the playback order of titles, titles  631   d  to  633   d  corresponding to title names “0007.dat” to “0009.dat” of the video management information  23 A with the recording start time to the recording end time contained between the start time and the end time of “Field day,” namely, between “10:00” on “Feb. 27, 2007” and “16:30”, and title names  641   d  to  643   d  given detailed schedule data “Opening ceremony,” “Lunch,” and “Parent-child relay” of the schedule information  10 A. Since the start times and the end times of the schedule names “Footrace” and “Closing ceremony” are contained in the titles  631   d  and  633   d  given the title name  641   d  “Opening ceremony” and the title name  643   d  “Parent-child relay,” the start times are set as entry points  651   d  and  653   d  and entry point names  661   d  “Footrace” and  663   d  “Closing ceremony” are given. 
         [0044]    The operation of the PC according to the first embodiment of the invention will be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0045]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart to show an operation example of the PC according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
         [0046]    To begin with, the video management information edit program  15 B acquires the schedule information  10 A from the storage unit  10  (S 10 ) and acquires the video management information  23 A from the video camera  2  through the communication unit  14  (S 11 ). 
         [0047]    Next, the video management information edit program  15 B generates media video management information  10 B in the storage unit  10  for each event of the schedule information  10 A (S 12 ), extracts the video management information  23 A with the photographing time period between the recording start time and the recording end time or at least a part of the photographing time period contained in the event time period between the start time and the end time of the event (S 13 ), and sets the extracted video management information  23 A in the media video management information  10 B as a title (S 14 ). 
         [0048]    At this time, the event name is used as the title name of the title and if more than one title exists, serial numbers are given to the event names. If a detailed schedule is set, the schedule name contained in the schedule time period between the start time and the end time of the schedule is given to the title name. 
         [0049]    If two or more schedules exist for one title (YES at S 15 ), the video management information edit program  15 B adopts the schedule name of the oldest schedule as the title name of the title, generates entry points for titles for other schedules, and sets the schedule name as the entry point name (S 16 ). 
         [0050]    Next, if the extracted video management information  23 A, namely, two or more titles exist for one piece of the media video management information  10 B (YES at S 17 ), the video management information edit program  15 B generates an all title play list so as to play back the extracted titles in the time order (S 18 ). 
         [0051]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart to show an operation example of the PC according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
         [0052]    First, the schedule management program  15 A acquires the schedule information  10 A from the storage unit  10  and displays the schedule display window  50  shown in  FIG. 3B . If the user selects any desired event (S 20 ), the schedule management program  15 A acquires the schedule information  10 A of the selected event (S 21 ) and acquires the video management information  23 A from the video camera  2  through the communication unit  14  (S 22 ). 
         [0053]    Next, the schedule management program  15 A generates media video management information  10 B of the selected event in the storage unit  10  (S 23 ), extracts the video management information  23 A with the photographing time period or at least a part of the photographing time period contained in the event time period (S 24 ), and sets the extracted video management information  23 A in the media video management information  10 B as a title (S 25 ). 
         [0054]    If two or more schedules exist for one title (YES at S 26 ), the schedule management program  15 A adopts the schedule name of the oldest schedule as the title name of the title, generates entry points for titles for other schedules, and sets the schedule name as the entry point name (S 27 ). 
         [0055]    Next, if the extracted video management information  23 A, namely, two or more titles exist for one piece of the media video management information  10 B (YES at S 28 ), the schedule management program  15 A generates an all title play list so as to play back the extracted titles in the time order (S 29 ). 
         [0056]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart to show an operation example of the PC according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
         [0057]    The media generation program  15 C displays the media video management information  60  shown in  FIG. 5  on the display unit  13  and requests the user to select any desired media video management information  60 . At this time, only the event names may be displayed on the display unit  13  for requesting the user to select any desired media video management information  60 . Next, the media generation program  15 C acquires the selected media video management information  60  (S 30 ) and acquires the corresponding video information  23 B from the video camera  2  through the communication unit  14  based on the title of the acquired media video management information  60  (S 31 ). Next, the media generation program  15 C writes the media video management information  60  and the video information  23 B onto an external record medium in the optical media drive  12  (S 32 ). 
         [0058]    According to the first embodiment described above, information is extracted from the video management information  23 A of the video camera  2  based on the schedule information  10 A to create the media video management information  10 B, so that a title name can be given to the video information  23 B captured with the video camera  2 , the video information  23 B can be recorded collectively on a record medium for each event, and management of the video information  23 B is facilitated. 
         [0059]    The video management information  23 A and the video information  23 B may be acquired not only from the video camera  2 , but also from external storage, etc., or may be information stored in the storage unit  10  of the PC  1 . Information may be recorded based on the media video management information  60  not only on an external record medium, but also in the storage unit  10 . 
         [0060]    The media video management information  60  is generated in event units and may be divided into pieces based on the capacity of the record medium to record the media video management information  60 . A plurality of pieces of the media video management information  60  may be unified based on the capacity of the record medium to record the media video management information  60 . 
       Second Embodiment 
       [0061]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view to show a DVD writer as an information processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention. Parts having the same configuration and function as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals in the description that follows. 
         [0062]    A DVD writer  3  can be connected to a video camera  2  by a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable  20  for communicating information with each other and video information captured with the video camera  2  can be transferred to a PC  1  and the video camera  2  can be operated by the PC  1 . The DVD writer  3  can also be connected to a mobile terminal  4  by a USB cable  40  for communicating information with each other and can reference the information stored in the mobile terminal  4 . 
         [0063]    The DVD writer  3  houses electronic components of a CPU, an HDD, etc., and has on a top face an optical media drive  32  capable of reading and writing, such as a DVD or an HD DVD, a display unit  33  implemented as a liquid crystal display panel, etc., for displaying text, an image, etc., a USB port  34 a to which the USB cable  20  is connected for communicating with an external machine, and an input unit  36  for operating the function of the DVD writer  3 . 
         [0064]    The mobile terminal  4  has a control unit and a storage unit in the main body of the mobile terminal  4  and also has a USB port  41   a  to which the USB cable  40  is connected for communicating with the DVD writer  3 , an input unit  44  for operating the function of the mobile terminal  4 , and a display unit  45  implemented as a small-sized liquid crystal display panel, etc., for displaying text, an image, etc. The mobile terminal  4  includes a schedule management function and enables the user to enter an event and a schedule through the input unit  44 . 
         [0065]      FIG. 10  is a block diagram to show the configuration of the DVD writer and the mobile terminal according to the second embodiment of the invention. 
         [0066]    The DVD writer  3  has a storage unit  30  such as an HDD for storing information, memory  31  for temporarily storing information and aiding in processing of the sections, the above-mentioned optical media drive  32  capable of reading and writing information from and onto an optical recording medium of a DVD or an HD DVD, the above-mentioned display unit  33  for displaying text and an image on a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, etc., a communication unit  34  for communicating with the video camera  2  and the mobile terminal  4  through the USB cables  20  and  40  inserted into USB ports  34   a  and  34   b,  a control unit  35  for controlling the operation of the sections and operating a program, and an input unit  36  including switches to which operation functions are assigned. 
         [0067]    The storage unit  30  stores media video management information  30 B as information associated with video information when the video information is written onto a record medium in the optical media drive  32 . 
         [0068]    The control unit  35  operates a video management information edit program  35 B for editing the media video management information  30 B and a media generation program  35 C for controlling the optical media drive  32  when video information and the media video management information  30 B are written onto a record medium. 
         [0069]    The mobile terminal  4  has a communication unit  41  for communicating with the DVD writer  3  through the USB cable  40  inserted into the USB port  41   a,  a control unit  42  for controlling the operation of the sections, a storage unit  43  of a detachable SD card, etc., for storing information, an input unit  44  for executing menu operation, etc., of a telephone function program (not shown) operating in the control unit  42 , and the above-mentioned display unit  45  for displaying text and an image on the liquid crystal display (LCD) panel. 
         [0070]    The control unit  42  stores a schedule management program  42 A for editing schedule information  43 A. 
         [0071]    The storage unit  43  stores the schedule information  43 A including the event name, date information, etc., set for each event. 
         [0072]    The video management information edit program  35 B acquires the schedule information  43 A from the storage unit  43  of the mobile terminal  4  and also acquires the video management information  23 A from the video camera  2 . The video management information edit program  35 B generates media video management information  30 B based on the schedule information  43 A and the video management information  23 A. 
         [0073]    According to the second embodiment described above, the media video management information  30 B is generated based on the schedule information  43 A acquired from the mobile terminal  4 , so that if the DVD writer  3  as an information processing apparatus does not have the schedule management program  42 A, similar advantages to those of the first embodiment can be achieved.