Abstract:
Disclosed is a system and method for editing video data through marking during video playing so that image retrieval and compiling can be easily made afterwards. During playing the video, the user commands at any position. The system gets the corresponding playing time and stores it as a mark. Then, in the editing operation, the system rapidly and precisely fetches the corresponding video clip according to the mark for replay and compiling so as to save time and improve efficiency.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention generally relates to an image processing system and method, and in particular relates to a system and method of video editing.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Recently, home-use and public multimedia products are getting popular as video facilities and digital technologies being continuously improved and Internet being widely applied. Users can get image data from kinds of sources and store and retrieve them conveniently. However, the image data have to be processed for specific requirements. For example, the users want to compile their home videos into VCD or electronic albums, to publish to video networks, or even to select and store favorite programs from the television and to compile and retrieve them afterwards. People store video information more and more, the requirements of editing and retrieving also become more and more. When retrieving and editing video information, the user usually has to play the image from the start point by using fast-forward and fast-backward keys to search the required portion. This method is not precise for getting specific image clips. The search takes a long time as the search speed being limited, especially when searching a long video. The user usually requires trying several times to get the required video portion. Therefore, facing the recent plenty image contents, it is desired to have a search method that can mark the video image for later retrieval and editing so as to save user&#39;s time and to improve the searching precision.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The object of the invention is to provide a system and method for editing video data through marking during video playing so that image retrieval and compiling can be easily made afterwards.  
         [0004]     A video marking system for storing user-designated image position according to the invention includes a video databank for storing video files; an image playing module for getting and playing a video file from a start point; a time module for counting and displaying from the start point the playing time of the current image position; a mark-command module for receiving user&#39;s command of marking and getting the corresponding playing time of the current image position; and a mark storing module for storing the corresponding playing time.  
         [0005]     The invention further provides a video editing system for compiling video clips according to the marks of image positions. The system includes a recall module for receiving user&#39;s command of recall and confirming the corresponding playing time of image; an image fetching module for fetching corresponding video clips according to the playing time; a command receiving module for receiving user&#39;s operation command; and an operation module for executing the user&#39;s command of video editing.  
         [0006]     A video marking method for storing user-designated image position according to the invention includes steps of playing a video file; counting and displaying from the start point the playing time of the current image position; receiving user&#39;s command of marking and getting the corresponding playing time of the current image position; and storing the corresponding playing time.  
         [0007]     The invention further provides a video editing method for compiling video clips according to the marks of image positions. The method includes steps of receiving user&#39;s command of recall and confirming the corresponding playing time of image; fetching a corresponding video clip according to the playing time; receiving user&#39;s operation command; and executing the user&#39;s command of video editing.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow. However, this description is for purposes of illustration only, and thus is not limitative of the invention, wherein:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is schematic diagram of a video marking system of the invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a video editing system of the invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a video marking method of the invention; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a video editing method of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     The invention provides a system and method of video editing. User first designates marks on the playing video. The system then fetches the corresponding video clips according to the marks for required editing.  
         [0014]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a video marking system for storing user-designated image position according to the invention includes a video databank  110  for storing video files; an image playing module  120  for getting and playing a video file from a start point; a time module  130  for counting and displaying from the start point the playing time of the current image position; a mark-command module  140  for receiving user&#39;s command of marking and getting the corresponding playing time of the current image position; and a mark storing module  150  for storing the corresponding playing time. The details are described as follows. 
        1) The video databank  110  stores video files obtained from kinds of sources, such as recorded by camcorders, downloaded from websites or televisions.     2) The image playing module  120  gets a video file from the video databank  110  according to user&#39;s command, and plays the video file from a start point.     3) The time module  130  counts and displays from the start point the playing time of the current image position. The playing time is displayed in a format of “hour/minute/second”.     4) The mark-command module  140  receives user&#39;s command of marking and gets the corresponding playing time of the current image position when user inputs the marking command.     5) The mark storing module  150  stores the corresponding playing time of the user-designated image position.        
 
         [0020]     The invention further provides a video editing system for compiling video clips according to the marks of image positions. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the system includes a recall module  210  for receiving user&#39;s command of recall and confirming the corresponding playing time of image; an image fetching module  220  for fetching corresponding video clips according to the playing time; a command receiving module  230  for receiving user&#39;s operation command; and an operation module  240  for executing the user&#39;s command of video editing. The details are described as follows. 
        1) The recall module  210  receives user&#39;s command of recall and confirms the corresponding playing time of image to be recalled.     2) The image fetching module  220  fetches the corresponding video clips according to the playing time     3) The command receiving module  230  receives user&#39;s operation command, such as delete, replay, move, copy, paste and so on.     4) The operation module  240  executes the user&#39;s command of video editing. After deletion or moving, it also joints the rest parts.        
 
         [0025]     A video marking and editing method of the invention applied through a multimedia viewer (MMV) is described below.  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a video marking method for storing user-designated image position. The video file is taken from a storage device or a video/audio input, processed by a central processing unit and a video input processor, and displayed via a display unit. During the display, marks of corresponding image positions are designated by the user so that replay or editing of the video file can be easily made afterwards. First, playing the video file (step  310 ). Counting and displaying from the start point the playing time of the current image position (step  320 ). The playing time is displayed in a format of “hour/minute/second”. The user presses a “mark” button to designate the video position during viewing the video. The system receives user&#39;s command of marking, gets the corresponding playing time of the current image position (step  330 ) and stores the corresponding playing time (step  340 ). The video playing is continued for the user to make further marks. When the user wants a further mark (step  350 ), he or she presses the “mark” button to return the process to the step  330 . The video portion between two marks is that to be fetched. If there is only one mark in the video file, i.e., the user only presses one time during the viewing, then the video content from the mark to the end of the file is fetched.  
         [0027]     After the video marking, the user can easily recall the video clips for further editing.  FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a video editing method of the invention. The video editing method compiles video clips according to the marks of image positions. The method includes steps of receiving user&#39;s command of recall and confirming the corresponding playing time of image (step  410 ). Then, fetching a corresponding video clip according to the playing time (step  420 ); receiving user&#39;s operation command (such as delete, replay, move, copy, paste and so on) (step  430 ); and executing the user&#39;s command of video editing (step  440 ). After deletion or moving, it also joints the rest parts.  
         [0028]     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to on e skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.