Patent Publication Number: US-2005135782-A1

Title: Information processing apparatus for editing data

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus for editing data and is preferably applicable to the case where data is divided onto multiple tracks using a personal computer, for example.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      In some personal computers, analog voice signals to be recorded which are supplied from analog audio equipment are digitally converted via an external audio device or an internal sound card to generate voice data, and the generated voice data is recorded to an internal hard disk and the like (for example, see the non-patent document 1, http://www.Japan.steinberg.net/products/clean4/img/example.jpg).  
      On a personal computer with such a configuration, a user can perform an edit operation of dividing recorded voice data onto any number of tracks each of which corresponds to a tune, for example.  
      In this case, the personal computer displays the waveform of the recorded voice data on a predetermined record edit screen. While reproducing recorded voice data, the user specifies any position on the waveform of the voice data on the record edit screen with a mouse and the like to input a track separation point into the personal computer.  
      Furthermore, on the personal computer, various information such as the track number and the performance time of each track after separation is displayed on a track list on the record edit screen.  
      The record edit screen of the personal computer with such a configuration, however, has a problem that, an icon indicating a separation point is only attached to the waveform of voice data in response to input of a separation point, and it is impossible to intuitively display to the user the separation condition of the tracks, the time length of each track, the order relationship among the tracks and the like.  
      The record edit screen of the personal computer with such a configuration also has a problem that it is impossible to intuitively display to the user the association between each track on the waveform of voice data and the various information of each track displayed on a track list.  
      Furthermore, the record edit screen of the personal computer with such a configuration has a problem that it is impossible to perform an intuitive operation when changing the order of tracks.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In view of the foregoing, an object of this invention is to provide an information processing apparatus for editing data which enables intuitive editing of data with a simple operation.  
      In order to solve the problems, in the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus for editing data for dividing data to be edited onto multiple tracks, characterized by comprising: display area displaying means for displaying a track segment display area consisting of an area for displaying track segments indicating the tracks, in which a first coordinate axis corresponds to the track numbers of the tracks and a second coordinate axis vertical to the first coordinate axis corresponds to the time axis of the data; and track segment displaying means for displaying a track segment corresponding to a track at a position corresponding to the track number of the track on the first coordinate axis in the track segment display area, with a range corresponding to the period from the start time to the end time of the track on the second coordinate axis.  
      Thereby, it is possible to intuitively notify a user of the place in the order and the performance time of each track through the position relationship among track segments and the length of the track segments.  
      Furthermore, in response to an operation to move the track segment along the first coordinate axis, the track segment displaying means changes the track number of the track corresponding to the track segment, changes the place of the track in the order, and in addition, displays the track segment as having moved to the position corresponding to the changed track number and the changed place in the order.  
      Thereby, it is possible for the user to easily change the order of tracks with an intuitive operation.  
      The nature, principle and utility of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by like reference numerals or characters. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      In the accompanying drawings:  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing the entire configuration of a personal computer;  
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing the configuration of a PC body;  
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing the configuration of a record edit management program;  
       FIG. 4  shows a description example of a project file;  
       FIG. 5  is a table showing tags used for a project file;  
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing a record edit management procedure;  
       FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram showing an opening screen;  
       FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram showing an input selection screen;  
       FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram showing a record edit screen;  
       FIG. 10  is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a track panel;  
       FIGS. 11A  to  11 C are schematic diagrams showing how tracks are separated;  
       FIG. 12  is a schematic diagram showing the track panel after separation positions have been determined;  
       FIG. 13  is a schematic diagram showing an output selection screen;  
       FIGS. 14A and 14B  is a schematic diagram showing how segments are moved when the original segment and the movement-destination segment are both separated segments;  
       FIGS. 15A and 15B  are schematic diagrams showing how segments are moved when the movement-destination segment is an unseparated segment;  
       FIGS. 16A and 16B  are schematic diagrams showing how segments are moved when the original segment is an unseparated segment;  
       FIGS. 17A and 17B  are schematic diagrams showing how segments are moved when the original segment and the movement-destination segment are both unseparated segments;  
       FIG. 18  is a flowchart showing a segment movement procedure;  
       FIGS. 19A  to  19 D are schematic diagrams showing how a cross-fade operation is performed; and  
       FIG. 20  is a flowchart showing a cross-fade procedure. 
    
    
     DETAILED DSECRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT  
      Preferred embodiments of this invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings:  
      (1) Entire Configuration of a Personal Computer  
      In  FIG. 1 , the numeral  1  denotes a personal computer as an information processing apparatus for editing data to which the present invention is applied. To a personal computer body (hereinafter referred to as a PC body)  2  for executing various information processings, there are connected a monitor  3 , a keyboard  4  and a mouse  5 .  
      To the PC body  2 , there are connected a microphone  6 , a line input cable  7  and a speaker  8 . The PC body  2  digitally converts analog voice signals collected via the microphone  6  and analog voice signals inputted from external analog audio equipment such as a tape recorder via the line input cable  7  to generate (that is, record) voice data. The PC body  2  is adapted to, after performing various edit processings such as division and connection on the recorded voice data as required, based on a user operation, output (that is, record) the voice data as a voice data file to a recording medium such as an internal hard disk drive and a CD-RW disk inserted in a compact disk-rewritable (CD-RW) drive, and output the recorded voice data file via the speaker  8 .  
      Furthermore, a universal serial bus (USB) audio device  9  which performs high-precision digital conversion is USB connected to the PC body  2 . Thereby, it is possible to record a voice data file at a higher quality by digitally converting analog voice signals supplied from external analog audio equipment with the USB audio device  9  to input them into the PC body  2  and to restore the voice data file to analog voice signals at a higher quality by analog converting the recorded voice data file with the USB audio device  9 .  
      In addition, a modem  10  is USB connected to the PC body  2  to enable data communication with information processors such as other personal computers and various servers on the Internet.  
      The circuit configuration of the PC body  2  will be now described in detail. In the PC body  2 , a memory  12  as a work area for executing various programs, a video interface  13  for generating display signals for the monitor  3 , and a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bridge  14  are connected to a central processing unit (CPU)  11  which entirely controls the PC body  2  via a CPU bus  15 .  
      To the PCI bridge  14 , there are connected an integrated drive electronics (IDE) interface  16 , an audio interface  17  and a USB interface  18  are connected via a PCI bus  15 .  
      To the IDE interface  16 , there are connected a hard disk drive  19  storing an operating system and various application programs such as a record edit management program to be executed by the CPU  11 , and a CD-RW drive  20 . The IDE interface  16  controls accesses to the hard disk drive  19  and the CD-RW drive  20 .  
      The microphone  6 , the line input cable  7  and the speaker  8  are connected to the audio interface  17 . The audio interface  17  digitally converts analog voice signals inputted from the microphone  6  and the line input cable  7  to generate voice data and sends it to the PCI bus  15 . The audio interface  17  also analog converts voice data supplied from the PCI bus  15  to generate analog voice signals and outputs it via the speaker  8 .  
      The keyboard  4 , the mouse  5 , the USB audio device  9  and the modem  10  are connected to the USB interface  18 . The USB interface  18  sends operation signals supplied from the keyboard  4  and the mouse  5  based on user operations to the PCI bus  15  and controls sending/receiving of digital voice data to and from the USB audio device  9  and sending/receiving of send/receive data to and from the modem  10 .  
      In response to the PC body  2  being powered on, the CPU  11  reads the operating system from the hard disk drive  19 , loading it on the memory  12  and execute it. The CPU  11  is adapted to realize various functions by reading various application programs from the hard disk drive  19  in response to operations of the keyboard  4  and the mouse  5  performed by a user and execute them while the operating system is running.  
      (2) Record Edit Management Program  
      As described above, in the personal computer  1 , record edit processings, such as recording, division and connection of voice data and output of a voice data file to the hard disk drive  19  or a CD-RW disk, are executed by the CPU  11  reading and executing a record edit management program stored in the hard disk drive  19 .  
       FIG. 3  shows the configuration of the record edit management program. A GUI section  30  displays various operation screens of the record edit management program on the monitor  3 . It also generates operation instructions based on input operations from the keyboard  4  and the mouse  5  performed by the user, and sends them to a recording reproduction control section  31  and a project management section  32 .  
      The recording reproduction control section  31  controls recording and reproduction of voice data in response to an operation instruction sent from the GUI section  30 . That is, when a recording instruction is supplied from the GUI section  30  in response to an operation by the user, the recording reproduction control section  31  receives voice data supplied from an audio device  33  (the USB audio device  9 , the audio interface  17  and a software module for accessing thereto) and sends it to a voice data management section  34 .  
      The voice data management section  34  manages reading and writing of a voice data file Mf from and to the hard disk drive  19  and reading and writing of tune information from and to a tune list storage section  36 . That is, the voice data management section  34  stores voice data supplied from the recording reproduction control section  31  in the hard disk drive  19  as a voice data file Mf. In this case, the voice data management section  34  copies the voice data and sends it to a gap-between-tunes detection section  37 .  
      A noise removal processing section  38  acquires voice data from the gap-between-tunes detection section  37 , performs a noise removal processing on the voice data to remove noises included in parts which should be silent and clear the silent parts, and then returns the voice data to the gap-between-tunes detection section  37 . The gap-between-tunes detection section  37  automatically detects the gaps between tunes based on the silent parts of the voice data for which noises have been removed, and sends separation point information indicating the position of the gaps between tunes to the project management section  32 .  
      The project management section  32  manages a project PJ, an aggregation of data to be handled by the record edit management program. The project PJ comprises a voice data file Mf, a project file PF in which various information on the voice data file Mf is stored, and tune information including the performance time and the title of each tune read from the tune list storage section  36 .  
      The project management section  32  specifies the start time and the end time for each of the tunes (that is, tracks) separated at a separation point in the project file Pf, based on the separation point information supplied from the gap-between-tunes detection section  37 .  
      Furthermore, the GUI section  30  sends the waveform of each track of the voice data file Mf recorded to the hard disk drive  19 , to an information providing server which provides an album information search service  39  (such as MoodLogic®) over the Internet, via the modem  10  ( FIG. 1 ).  
      In this case, the information providing server retains in advance many pieces of album information each of which comprises the title and the number of tunes of an album, and the title, the performance time and the waveform of each track, and the like. The album information search service  39  searches the album information using the waveform sent from the GUI section  30 , and returns the title and the performance time of a track corresponding to the waveform to the GUI section  31 .  
      The GUI section  31  specifies the title and the performance time of the track returned from the album information search service  39  based on the sent waveform, in an appropriate part of the project file Pf and displays the title and the performance time of the track on a track list display area  76  ( FIG. 12 ) of a record edit screen  60  to be described later.  
       FIG. 4  shows a description example of a project file Pf. The project file Pf is written in the extensible markup language (XML), and the start time and the end time (“track start” and “end”) of each track, the title and the name of the artist (“name” and “artist”), the file name of the reference source voice data file Mf (“soundfile src”) of the project file Pf and the like are specified therein.  FIG. 5  shows examples of tags used for such project files Pf.  
      In response to a reproduction instruction which has been supplied from the GUI section  30  in response to an operation by the user, the recording reproduction control section  31  controls the voice data management section  34  to read a voice data file Mf and outputs it to the audio device  33 .  
      Description will be now made on a sequence of processings from activation of the record edit management program described above to recording, editing and output to a recording medium of voice data using the flowchart shown in  FIG. 6 .  
      The CPU  11  of the personal computer  1  starts a record edit management procedure RT 1  at a start step and proceeds to step SP 1  to display an opening screen  50  shown in  FIG. 7  on the monitor  3 .  
      There are displayed a start button  51  for staring the sequence of processings of the record edit management program at the center of the opening screen  50 , and a user guide button  52  for displaying an online user guide on the right side of the start button  51 . At the next step SP 2 , the CPU  11  waits for a click on start button  51  to be performed by a user, and proceeds to the next step SP 3  if confirming that start button  51  has been clicked.  
      At step SP 3 , the CPU  11  displays an input selection screen  54  shown in  FIG. 8  on the monitor  3 . At the center of the input selection screen  54 , there are displayed three input selection buttons  54 , that is, a line input selection button  54 A for selecting the line input cable  7  as an input terminal for analog voice signals, a microphone input selection button  54 B for selecting the microphone  6  as input equipment for analog voice signals, and a USB audio device selection button  54 C for selecting the USB audio device  9  as input equipment, and there is displayed a “GO” button  55  for determining the selected input terminal or equipment on the right of the three input selection buttons.  
      At the next step SP 4 , the CPU  11  waits for an input selection operation to be performed by the user, and proceeds to the next step SP 5  if confirming that the “GO” button  55  has been clicked after selection of any of the input selection buttons  54 A to  54 C.  
      At step SP 5 , the CPU  11  displays the record edit screen  60  shown in  FIG. 9  on the monitor  3 . On this record edit screen  60 , the user can perform various record edit operations.  
      At the center of the record edit screen  60 , there is displayed a recording start button  61  for starting recording from the input terminal or equipment selected at the input selection screen  54 . In a panel area  62  occupying the lower half of the record edit screen  60 , there is displayed an automatic marking setting panel  63  for selecting “enabled” (that is, “to be executed”) or “disabled” (that is, “not to be executed”) for an automatic marking function for attaching a separation point marks (described later) at the gaps between tunes based on the result of automatic detection of gaps between tunes. By checking an automatic marking check box  64 , the automatic marking function is enabled.  
      At step SP 6 , the CPU  11  waits for an click on the recording start button  61  to be performed by the user, and proceeds to the next step SP 7  if confirming that the recording start button  61  has been clicked.  
      At step SP 7 , the CPU  11  as separation point segment displaying means deletes the automatic marking setting panel  63  and, instead, displays a track panel  70  as shown in  FIG. 10  in the panel area  62  of the record edit screen  60 , and then starts recording.  
      At the upper part of the track panel  70 , there is displayed a bar-shaped recording progress bar  71  which extends towards the right from the start to the end of recording, corresponding to the lapse of recording time. This recording progress bar  71  is shown in red during recording and in light blue after recording.  
      Below the recording progress bar  71 , there is provided a separation point mark display area  73  for displaying separation point marks  72  for separating recorded voice data onto multiple tracks. The separation point marks  72  are automatically attached to silent parts between tunes by the record edit management program if the automatic marking function is enabled. The separation point marks  72  can be manually attached by the user after recording.  
      Below the separation point mark display area  73 , there is provided a segment display area  75  for displaying segments  74  as track segments for visually indicating the performance time and the place in the order of respective tracks. On the left side of the segment display area  75 , there is provided a track list display area  76  for displaying the track number, the title and the performance time of each track in characters.  
      In the track list display area  76 , the title of a track which the GUI section  30  ( FIG. 3 ) has acquired from the album information search service  39  is automatically displayed on the same rank as a segment  74  corresponding to the track. It is also possible to manually edit the title of a track in the track list display area  76 .  
      Below the recording progress bar  71 , there is provided a time axis scale  77  indicating the time axis of the recording progress bar  71 , the separation point mark display area  73  and the segment display area  75  as a scale, and at the upper right of the time axis scale  77 , there are provided a time scale zoom-in button  78 A and a time scale zoom-out button  78 B for zooming the time scale of the time axis scale  77 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 11A , the segment  74  extends towards the right in synchronization with the recording progress bar  71  during recording.  
      In the case where the automatic marking function is enabled, if a separation point mark  72  is automatically attached to a silent part and the track is separated as shown in  FIG. 11B , then extension of a segment  74 A indicating the first track stops at the position of the separation point mark  72 , and a segment  74 B indicating the next track starting from the separation point mark  72  is displayed one rank below the segment  74 A. This new segment  74 B also extends towards the right in synchronization of the recording progress bar  71 .  
      As described above, if the automatic making function is enabled, the segments  74 A,  74 B, . . . indicating respective tracks automatically separated are sequentially displayed in a staircase pattern in the segment display area  75  as the recording progresses. If the automatic making function is disabled, the segment  74  extends in synchronization with the recording progress bar  71  without being separated.  
      During the recording state, there is displayed a recording end button (not shown) instead of the recording start button  61  on the record edit screen  60  ( FIG. 9 ). The CPU  11  stops recording if confirming that the recording end button has been clicked.  
      During the recording stop state, the user can perform edit processings such as changing the separation position of tracks by moving a separation point mark  72  on the track panel  70  ( FIG. 10 ), reseparating a track by adding a new separation point mark  72  and connecting consecutive two tracks by deleting a separation point mark  72 .  
      When separation point marks  72  are displayed on the track panel  70 , the separation position between tracks has not been determined yet, and the corners of each segment  74  are displayed as connected to its previous and following segments  74  as shown in  FIG. 1C . Such segment in this condition is referred to as an unseparated segment.  
      On confirming that a “GO” button  65  ( FIG. 9 ) of the record edit screen  60  has been clocked, the CPU  11  then determines the separation positions between tracks. That is, as shown in  FIG. 12 , the segments  74  for which separation has been completed are displayed on the track panel  70  in a condition that each of them is not connected to the preceding and following segments  74 . The recording progress bar  71  and separation point marks  72  are deleted.  
      When separation point marks  72  are displayed ( FIG. 10 ), it is also possible to determine each separation position individually by right-clicking a separation point mark  72  to display a popup menu (not shown) and selecting a “separate” from the popup menu. In this case, segments for which separation has been completed and unseparated segments are displayed in a mixed condition on the track panel  70 .  
      In this condition, the user can change the order of the tracks by moving each of the segments  74  upward or downward (arrow direction). That is, if a segment  74  is moved one rank upward, then the track indicated by the segment  74  is moved one rank forward in the order. If a segment  74  is moved one rank downward, then the track indicated by the segment  74  is moved one rank backward in the order.  
      After the order of the tracks are changed as described above, if confirming that an output button  66  ( FIG. 9 ) of the record edit screen  60  has been clicked (step SP 8  of  FIG. 6 ), the CPU  11  determines the editing result and proceeds to the next step SP 9 .  
      At step SP 9 , the CPU  11  displays an output selection screen  80  shown in  FIG. 13  on the monitor  3 . At the center of the output selection screen  80 , there are displayed two output destination selection buttons  81 , that is, a CD-RW drive selection button  81 A for selecting the CD-RW drive  20  as the destination for outputting edited tracks and a hard disk drive selection button  81 B for selecting the hard disk drive  19  as the destination for outputting the tracks. On the right side of the two buttons, there is displayed a start button  82  for determining a selected output destination to start output.  
      At the next step SP 10 , the CPU  11  waits for an output destination selection operation to be performed by the user. After either the output destination selection buttons  82 A or  82 B is selected, the CPU  11  proceeds to the next step SP 11  if confirming that the start button  82  has been clicked.  
      At step SP 11 , the CPU  11  outputs a voice data file Mf corresponding to tracks to the selected output destination, and ends the record edit management process at the next step SP 12 .  
      The CPU  11  is adapted to convert a voice data file Mf into a file in a WAVE format, which is a data format for the Windows® standard audio recording/reproduction functions to output it, if the hard disk drive  19  is selected as the destination for outputting tracks, and converts the voice data file Mf into a data format for recording to a CD-R or a CD-RW to output it, if the CD-RW drive  20  is selected as the destination for outputting tracks.  
      (3) Detailed Description of Record Edit Screen  
      As described above, on the track panel  70  ( FIG. 10 ) of the record edit screen  60 , there are displayed segments  74  as track segments for visually indicating the performance time and the place in the order of respective separated tracks in the segment display area  75 .  
      In the segment display area  75 , the horizontal axis direction as a second coordinate axis corresponds to the time axis of voice data, and it is defined that the time increases from the left side to the right side of the segment display area  75 . The left edge of each segment  74  is displayed at the position that corresponds to the start time of a corresponding track, and the right edge is displayed at the position that corresponds to the end time of the corresponding track. Accordingly, the length of each segment  74  indicates the performance time of the track corresponding to the segment  74 .  
      In the segment display area  75 , the vertical axis direction as a first coordinate axis corresponds to the track numbers of segments  74 , and it is defined that the track number increases from the upside to the downside of the segment display area  75 .  
      Accordingly, in the segment display area  75 , the segment  74  for the track number  1  is always displayed at the left top of the segment display area  75 , and the segments  74  of track numbers  2 ,  3 , . . . are sequentially displayed in a staircase pattern down to the left. Thereby, on the track panel  70 , the user can be intuitively notified of the order of the tracks through the vertical and horizontal relationships among the segments  74  displayed in the segment display area  75 .  
      Furthermore, in the segment display area  75 , segments for which separation has been determined (hereinafter referred to as separated segments) and unseparated segments are displayed in a mixed condition. In the segment display area  75 , the separated segments and the unseparated segments are displayed in different colors (for example, the separated segments in green, and unseparated segments in blue), so that the user can be intuitively notified of the separated/unseparated condition of the segments.  
      Furthermore, in the segment display area  75 , segments with a time length equal to and below a predetermined time length (for example, one second) are displayed in a color (for example, in red) different from the color of the other segments, so that the presence of excessively short tracks is emphasized to notify the user.  
      Furthermore, in the segment display area  75 , it is possible to specify, on a popup menu (not shown) displayed by right-clicking each segment  74 , execution of various voice processing, such as a normalization processing for individually adjusting the volume of tracks and a noise removal processing, for the track to which the segment  74  corresponds. In the segment display area  75 , the segment corresponding to the track for which such voice processing has been performed is displayed in a color different from the color of the other segments, so that the presence of the tracks for which various voice processings have been performed is emphasized to the user.  
      Furthermore, in the segment display area  75  of the track panel  70 , by vertically drug-and-dropping a segment  74 , the place in the order of the track corresponding to the segment  74  can be changed.  
      In this case, in the track panel  70 , separated segments and unseparated segments are displayed in a mixed condition as described above. When the original segment and the movement-destination segment are both separated segments, the original and movement-destination segments move independently from each other. By contrast, when the original segment or the movement-destination segment is an unseparated segment, the unseparated segment moves together with its previous and following unseparated segments as an integrated group.  
      First, description will be made on how segments are moved in the case where the original and movement-destination segments are both separated segments, using  FIGS. 14A and 14B .  
      In  FIG. 14A , there are displayed six separated segments  90 A to  90 F in that order the segment display area  75  of the track panel  70 . Suppose that, in this condition, the segment  90 B disposed for the second track is drug-and-dropped to the fifth track for which the separated segment  90 E is disposed.  
      In this case, since the original segment (separated segment  90 B) and the movement-destination segment (separated segment  90 E) are both separated segments, the original and movement-destination segments move independently from each other. That is, as shown in  FIG. 14B , the original separated segment  90 B moves to a track next to (that is, to the lower right of) the movement-destination separated segment  90 E, and the separated segments  90 C,  90 D,  90 E and  90 B move forward (that is, to the upper left).  
      In this way, the original separated segment  90 B moves to the fifth track which is the drug-and-drop destination.  
      Next, description will be made on how segments are moved in the case where the original segment is a separated segment and the movement-destination segment is an unseparated segment, using  FIGS. 15A and 15B .  
      In  FIG. 15A , in the segment display area  75  of the track panel  70 , separated segments  90 A,  90 B and  90 C, and unseparated segments  91 D,  91 E and  91 F are displayed in that order. Suppose that, in this condition, the segment  90 B disposed for the second track is drug-and-dropped to the fifth track for which the unseparated segment  91 E is disposed.  
      In this case, the movement-destination unseparated segment  91 E moves together with its preceding and following unseparated segments  91 D and  91 F as an integrated unseparated segment group  92 A. That is, as shown in  FIG. 15B , the original separated segment  90 B moves to a track next to the unseparated segment group  92 A including the movement-destination unseparated segment  91 E (that is, to the lower right of the unseparated segment  91 F, which is the last segment of the unseparated segment group  92 A), and the separated segment  90 C, the unseparated segment group  92 A and the separated segment  90 B move forward.  
      In this way, the original separated segment  90 B moves to the sixth track, a track after the fifth track where it has been drug-and-dropped.  
      Next, description will be made on how segments are moved in the case where the original segment is an unseparated segment and the movement-destination segment is a separated segment, using  FIGS. 16A and 16B .  
      In  FIG. 16A , in the segment display area  75  of the track panel  70 , unseparated segments  91 A,  91 B and  91 C, and separated segments  90 D,  90 E and  90 F are displayed in that order. Suppose that, in this condition, the unseparated segment  91 B arrange for the second track is drug-and-dropped to the fifth track for which the separated segment  90 E is arranged.  
      In this case, the original unseparated segment  91 B moves together with its preceding and following unseparated segments  91 A and  91 C as an integrated unseparated segment group  92 A. That is, as shown in  FIG. 16B , the unseparated segment group  92 A including the original unseparated segment  91 B moves to a track next to the movement-destination separated segment  90 E, and the separated segments  90 D and  90 E, and the unseparated segment group  92 A move forward. In this way, the original separated segment  90 B moves to the fourth track, a track before the fifth track to which it has been drug-and-dropped.  
      Furthermore, description will be made on how segments are moved in the case where the original and movement-destination segments are both unseparated segments, using  FIGS. 17A and 17B .  
      In  FIG. 17A , in the segment display area  75  of the track panel  70 , unseparated segments  91 A and  91 B, separated segment  90 C and the unseparated segments  91 D,  91 E and  90 F are displayed in that order. Suppose that, in this condition, the unseparated segment  91 B arranged for the second track is drug-and-dropped to the fifth track for which the unseparated segment  91 E is arranged.  
      In this case, the original unseparated segment  91 B moves together with its preceding unseparated segment  91 A as an integrated unseparated segment group  92 A, and the movement-destination unseparated segment  91 E moves together with its preceding and following unseparated segments  91 D and  91 F as an integrated unseparated segment group  92 B.  
      That is, as shown in  FIG. 17B , the unseparated segment group  92 A including the original unseparated segment  91 B moves to a track next to the unseparated segment group  92 B including the movement-destination unseparated segment  91 E (that is, to the lower right of the unseparated segment  91 F, which is the last segment of the unseparated segment group  92 B), and the separated segment  91 C, the unseparated segment groups  92 B and  92 A move forward.  
      In this way, the original separated segment  90 B moves to the sixth track, a track after the fifth track where it has been drug-and-dropped.  
      In this way, in the track panel  70 , consecutive unseparated segments are moved as an integrated unseparated segment group, so that the order of tracks can be changed while keeping continuity among unseparated segments.  
      Next, description will be made on a segment movement display procedure on the track panel  70  described above, using the flowchart shown in  FIG. 18 . The CPU  11  of the personal computer  1  as display area displaying means and track segment displaying means starts a segment movement display procedure RT 2  at a start step and proceeds to step SP 21 .  
      At step SP 21 , the CPU  11  waits for an drug-and-drop operation to be performed on a segment displayed in the track panel  70 , and proceeds to the next step SP 22  if detecting a segment being drug-and-dropped by a user.  
      At step SP 22 , the CPU  11  determines whether or not the drug-and-dropped original segment is a separated segment. If a positive result is obtained at SP 22 , this means that the original segment is a separated segment, and the CPU  11  proceeds to step SP 23 .  
      At step SP 23 , the CPU  11  determines whether or not the movement-destination segment to which the drug-and-dropped segment has moved is a separated segment. If a positive result is obtained at step SP 23 , this means that the original and movement-destination segments are both separated segments. The CPU  11  then proceeds to step SP 24  to display that the original and movement-destination segments have moved independently from each other, and returns to step SP 21 .  
      On the contrary, if a negative result is obtained at step SP 23 , this means that the original segment is a separated segment but the movement-destination segment is an unseparated segment. The CPU  11  then proceeds to step SP 25  to display that an unseparated segment group including the movement-destination segment has moved as an integrated group, and returns to step SP 21 .  
      On the contrary, if a negative result is obtained at step SP 22 , this means that the original segment is an unseparated segment, and the CPU  11  proceeds to step SP 26 .  
      At step SP 26 , the CPU  11  determines whether or not the drug-and-dropped original segment is a separated segment. If a positive result is obtained at step SP 26 , this means that the original segment is an unseparated segment but the movement-destination segment is a separated segment. The CPU  11  then proceeds to step SP 27  to display that an unseparated segment group including the original segment has moved as an integrated group, and returns to step SP 21 .  
      On the contrary, if a negative result is obtained at step SP 26 , this means that the original and movement-destination segments are both unseparated segments. The CPU  11  then proceeds to step SP 28  to display that each of an unseparated segment group including the original segment and an unseparated segment group including the movement-destination segment have moved as an integrated group, and returns to step SP 21 .  
      The CPU  11  continuously executes the above-mentioned processing while the track panel  70  is displayed.  
      In addition to the configuration described above, the track panel  70  enables setting and releasing of cross-fade between two continuous tracks by drug-and-dropping the fore end of a segment.  
      The cross-fade is a processing for gradually switching voice of the former and latter tracks while mixing them by performing fade-out on the ending part of the former track for a predetermined fade period Tf while performing fade-in on the starting part of the latter track for the predetermined fade period Tf, and then overlapping the fade-out part of the former track and the fade-in part of the latter track.  
      That is, as shown in  FIG. 19A , in a condition where there are two segments  95 A and  95 B indicating two consecutive tracks, by drug-and-dropping the segment fore end  95 B 1  of the latter segment  95 B towards the left (that is, towards the direction in which it is overlapped with the former segment), the CPU  11  performs the above-mentioned cross-fade on the two tracks corresponding to the two segments  95 A and  95 B.  
      As shown in  FIG. 19B , the CPU  11  then moves the entire latter segment  95 B forward by the fade period Tf to be overlapped with the former segment  95 A, and displays the rear end of the former segment  95 A and the fore end of the latter segment  95 A with a slope to visually notify the user of the cross-fade provided between the segments  95 A and  95 B.  
      As shown in  FIG. 19C , in the case where cross-fade is set between two consecutive tracks, by drug-and-dropping the segment fore end  95 B 1  of the latter segment  95 B towards the right (that is, towards the direction in which it is separated from the former segment), the CPU  11  releases the cross-fade provided on the two tracks corresponding to the two segments  95 A and  95 B.  
      As show in  FIG. 19D , the CPU  11  then moves the entire latter segment  95 B backward by the fade period Tf, and displays the rear end of the former segment  95 A and the fore end of the latter segment  95 A with their slopes restored to vertical lines to visually notify the user to the effect that the cross-fade provided between the segments  95 A and  0 . 95 B has been released.  
      Detailed description will be now made on a cross-fade procedure on the track panel  70  described above, using the flowchart shown in  FIG. 20 . The CPU  11  of the personal computer  1  starts a cross-fade procedure RT 3  at a start step and proceeds to step SP 31 .  
      At step SP 31 , the CPU  11  waits for a drug-and-drop operation to be performed on the fore end of a segment displayed in the track panel  70 , and proceeds to the next step SP 32  if detecting a drug-and-drop operation has been performed on the fore end of a segment by a user.  
      At step SP 32 , the CPU  11  determines the operation direction of the drug-and-drop operation. If the operation direction of the drug-and-drop operation is determined to be the left direction at step SP 32 , the CPU  11  proceeds to step SP 33 .  
      At step SP 33 , the CPU  11  determines whether or not there is any other segment in the left direction of the drug-and-dropped segment, that is, in the previous track. If a positive result is obtained at step SP 33 , this means that the drug-and-drop operation is an operation to set cross-fade. The CPU  11  then proceeds to step SP 34  to perform cross-fade on the two consecutive tracks, and returns to step SP 31 .  
      On the contrary, if a negative result is obtained at step SP 33 , the CPU  11  returns to step SP 31  without performing cross-fade.  
      If the operation direction of the drug-and-drop operation is determined to be the right direction at step SP 32 , the CPU  11  proceeds to step SP 35 .  
      At step SP 35 , the CPU  11  determines whether or not cross-fade is set for the drug-and-dropped segment. If cross-fade is set for the segment at step SP 35 , this means that the drug-and-drop operation is an operation to release the cross-fade. The CPU  11  then proceeds to step SP 36  to release the cross-fade provided on the two consecutive tracks, and returns to step SP 31 .  
      On the contrary, if a negative result is obtained at step SP 35 , the CPU  11  returns to step SP 31  without executing release of the cross-fade.  
      The CPU  11  continuously executes the above-mentioned processing while the track panel  70  is displayed.  
      (4) Operation and Effects  
      In the above configuration, the personal computer  1  displays segments  74  corresponding to respective tracks, obtained as a result of automatically or manually separating voice data, in the segment display area  75  on the track panel  70  on the record edit screen  60 .  
      The personal computer  1  defines the horizontal axis of the segment display area  75  as a time axis on which time increases from the left side towards the right side and defines that, on the vertical axis of the segment display area  75 , the track number increases from the upside to the downside. The personal computer  1  displays the segments for respective tracks in accordance with these two display definitions. Accordingly, the personal computer  1  displays segments with a horizontal length corresponding to the performance time of the corresponding track, in the order of track numbers and in a staircase pattern down to the left.  
      Accordingly, it is possible for the personal computer  1  to intuitively notify a user of the place in the order and the performance time of each track through the position relationship among segments and the length of the segments.  
      In addition, it is possible for the personal computer  1  to intuitively notify the user of the separation/unseparation condition of segments by displaying separated segments for which separation has been determined and unseparated segments for which separation has not been determined in different display colors and to intuitively notify the user of the continuity relationship among unseparated segments by displaying unseparated segments with their corners connected with other unseparated segments.  
      Furthermore, it is possible for the personal computer  1  to, by displaying segments corresponding to such tracks on which various voice processings have been performed, such as normalization and noise removal, or segments corresponding to excessively short tracks in a different color, intuitively notify the user of the presence of these tracks through the display color.  
      In addition, it is possible for the personal computer  1  to enable the user to easily change the order of tracks with an intuitive operation by moving a segment based on a vertical drug-and-drop operation performed on the segment to change the order of tracks.  
      In this case, if the original segment or the movement-destination segment is an unseparated segment, then, by moving the unseparated segment and its preceding and following segments as an integrated unseparated segment group, the personal computer  1  can change the order of tracks while keeping the continuity among the unseparated segments.  
      In addition, since the personal computer  1  sets and releases cross-fade between two continuous tracks based on a left-direction or right-direction drug-and-drop operation performed on the fore end of a segment, the user can easily set and release cross-fade with an intuitive operation.  
      (5) Other Embodiments  
      In the embodiment described above, description has been made on the case where the present invention is applied to a record edit management program for editing voice data. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and can also be applied to a picture edit management program for editing picture data.  
      In the embodiment described above, the horizontal axis direction of the segment display area corresponds to the time axis of voice data, and the vertical axis perpendicular thereto corresponds to the track numbers. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is also possible that the vertical direction of the segment display area corresponds to the time axis of voice data, and the horizontal direction to the track numbers.  
      Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the segment movement display procedure and the cross-fade procedure described above are performed by the CPU  11  of the personal computer  1  reading and executing a record edit management program prestored in the hard disk drive  19 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and these procedures may be performed by installing a program storage medium storing the record edit management program into the PC body  2 .  
      As described above, according to the present invention, a track segment is displayed at a position corresponding to a track number on a first coordinate axis of a track segment display area, with a range corresponding to the period from the start time to the end time of the track on a second coordinate axis, and thereby, it is possible to intuitively notify a user of the place in the order and the performance time of each track through the position relationship among track segments and the length of thereof.  
      In response to an operation of moving a track segment along the first coordinate axis, the track number of the track corresponding to the track segment is changed and the order of tracks is also changed. Furthermore, the track segment is displayed as having moved to the position corresponding to the changed track number and the changed place in the order. Thereby, it is possible for the user to easily change the order of tracks with an intuitive operation.  
      While there has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be aimed, therefore, to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.