Patent Publication Number: US-2007101363-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for searching moving picture in portable terminal

Description:
PRIORITY  
      This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 2005-103894, filed Nov. 1, 2005, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for searching a moving picture in a portable terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for searching a moving picture in a portable terminal in which fast forward/rewind functions are performed in a moving picture play mode and search time for displaying the progress of fast forward/rewind to a user, and actual search time for performing fast forward/rewind in the moving picture play mode, are matched to each other.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Traditional portable terminals have evolved into advanced devices capable of offering not only voice communication but also high-speed data transmission. If International Mobile Telecommunication-2000 (IMT-2000) mobile communication networks are commercially deployed, people can enjoy high-speed data communication as well as voice communication using portable terminals. Data processed by portable terminals for data communication may include packet data and video data. In addition, a portable terminal can display moving pictures by including a camera or TV receiver. Thus, portable terminals having a camera can photograph an image, display the photographed image as a moving or still picture, and transmit the photographed image screen.  
      When a moving picture is played in a portable terminal, fast forward/rewind and stop/pause functions may be performed on the played moving picture. If the forward/rewind function is selected during play of the moving picture, a progress bar is displayed on a display unit of the portable terminal to show the status of the fast forward/rewind process to a user. Upon completion of the fast forward/rewind process, play of the moving picture resumes with an Intra (I) frame at the time instant of the completion. However, if the I-frame does not exist at the time of completing the fast forward/rewind process, the play of the moving picture resumes with a previous I-frame.  
      However, when the fast forward/rewind function is performed during play of a moving picture, the search speed of the fast forward/rewind, as displayed by a progress bar, is not matched with the actual search speed of forward/rewind. This results in a failure to search the moving picture with an accurate search time. Moreover, for this reason, an error may occur in the return to the actual time instant of moving picture play after completion of the fast forward/rewind.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for searching a moving picture in a portable terminal in which fast forward/rewind functions are performed in a moving picture play mode. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide for matching a search time for displaying the progress of fast forward/rewind to a user, and an actual search time for performing fast forward/rewind in the moving picture play mode.  
      According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method and apparatus for searching a moving picture in a portable terminal. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention comprise comparing a first search time for displaying the progress of a moving picture search to a user, and a second search time for performing a function corresponding to the moving picture search if the moving picture search is selected in a moving picture play mode of the portable terminal. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention further comprise performing the moving picture search in the moving picture play mode while increasing one of the first search time and the second search time by a difference if the first search time and the second search time have a difference larger than a period of time.  
      According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for searching a moving picture in a portable terminal. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention comprise comparing a first search time for displaying the progress of fast forward to a user, and a second search time for performing fast forward if fast forward is selected in a moving picture play mode of the portable terminal. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention further comprise performing fast forward in the moving picture play mode while increasing one of the first search time and the second search time by a difference if the first search time and the second search time have a difference larger than a period of time. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The above and other objects, exemplary features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method for searching a moving picture while matching search times in a moving picture play mode of a portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
      Throughout the drawings, like reference numbers should be understood to refer to like elements, features, and structures. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
      The matters exemplified in this description are provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of various exemplary embodiments of the present invention disclosed with reference to the accompanying figures. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the exemplary embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. Also, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted for clarity and conciseness.  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , a Radio Frequency (RF) unit  123  performs radio communication for the portable terminal. The RF unit  123  comprises an RF transmitter for up-converting a frequency of a transmission signal and amplifying the up-converted transmission signal. The RF unit  123  also comprises an RF receiver for low-noise-amplification of a received signal and down-converting a frequency of the low-noise-amplified signal. A modem  120  comprises a transmitter for encoding and modulating the transmission signal and a receiver for decoding and demodulating the received signal. An audio processor unit  125  may comprise a COder/DECoder (codec). The codec comprises a data codec processing packet data and an audio codec processing an audio signal. The audio processor unit  125  converts a digital audio signal received from the modem  120  into an analog signal through the audio codec for reproduction. The audio processor unit  125  can also convert transmission of an analog audio signal generated by a microphone into a digital audio signal through the audio codec for transmission to the modem  120 . The codec may be separately provided or may be included in controller  110 .  
      A memory  130  may comprise program memory and data memory. The program memory can store programs for controlling general operations of the portable terminal and control programs for matching a first search time for displaying the progress of fast forward/rewind to a user, and a second search time for performing fast forward/rewind in a moving picture play mode when fast forward/rewind is performed in the moving picture play mode according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The data memory temporarily stores data generated during execution of the programs.  
      The controller  110  controls the overall operation of the portable terminal. The controller  110  may comprise the modem  120  and the codec. The controller  110  operates to compare the first search time for displaying the progress of fast forward/rewind and the second search time for performing fast forward/rewind in the moving picture play mode at time intervals when fast forward/rewind is performed in the moving picture play mode according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. If the compared first search time and second search time has a difference that is larger than an interval of time, the controller  110  operates to match the first search time and the second search time while increasing at least one of the first search time and the second search time by the difference. The time intervals may comprise tick units for processing events of a moving picture during play of the moving picture.  
      A camera unit  140  comprises a camera sensor for photographing image data and converting a photographed optical signal into an electric signal, and a signal processor for converting an analog image signal photographed by the camera sensor into digital data. The camera sensor is can be a CCD sensor and the signal processor may be implemented with a digital signal processor (DSP). The camera sensor and the signal processor may be integrated as one body or be separately provided.  
      A video processor unit  150  generates screen data for displaying an image signal output from the camera unit  140 . The video processor unit  150  processes an image signal output from the camera unit  140  by the frame unit and outputs frame image data suitable to the characteristics and size of display unit  160 . The video processor unit  150  comprises a video codec and compresses frame image data displayed on the display unit  160  according to a suitable compression method or reconstructs compressed frame image data into original frame image data. The video codec may be, for example, JPEG codec, MPEG-4 codec, or Wavelet codec. The video processor unit  150  can have an On Screen Display (OSD) function and may output OSD data according to a screen size displayed under the control of controller  110 .  
      The display unit  160  displays an image signal output from the video processor unit  150  on a screen and displays user data output from the controller  110 . Here, the display unit  160  can be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), and if so, the display unit  160  may comprise an LCD controller, a memory for storing image data, and an LCD display device. When the LCD is implemented with a touch screen, the display unit  160  may also serve as an input unit. If fast forward/rewind is performed in the moving picture display mode according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the display unit  160  displays a progress bar to show the status of fast forward/rewind to the user. The progress bar shows the user the progress of the moving picture.  
      A key input unit  127  comprises alphanumeric keys for inputting number and character information, and function keys for setting various functions. The key input unit  127  may also comprise a key for selecting fast forward/rewind in the moving picture play mode according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
      Hereinafter, a process of searching a moving picture in the moving picture play mode of the portable terminal will be described in detail with reference to  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method for searching a moving picture while matching search times in the moving picture play mode of the portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
      An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 2 , if fast forward/rewind is selected in a moving picture play mode of step  201  in which a moving picture is played in a portable terminal, the controller  110  senses the selection in step  202  and compares a first search time for displaying the progress of fast forward/rewind to a user and a second search time for performing fast forward/rewind in the moving picture play mode in step  203 .  
      In step  203 , the controller  110  checks the first search time for displaying the progress of fast forward/rewind through the progress bar showing progress of the moving picture in the moving picture play mode. At the same time, the controller  110  checks the second search time for performing fast forward/rewind on the played moving picture. The controller  110  compares the checked first search time and second search time at time intervals. If the first search time and the second search time have a difference larger than a period of time, for example, one second, the controller  110  senses the fact in step  204  and checks if the first search time is larger than the second search time in step  205 .  
      If the first search time is larger than the second search time, the controller  110  senses the fact and performs fast forward/rewind while increasing the second search time by the difference between the first search time and the second search time in step  206 .  
      For example, if fast forward is selected in the moving picture play mode, the first search time and the second search time are compared at time intervals. If the first search time is 6 seconds and the second search time is 4 seconds, the second search time is increased by the difference between the two, which for this example is 2 seconds, and then fast forward is performed.  
      If rewind is selected in the moving picture play mode, the first search time and the second search time are compared at time intervals. If the first search time is 5 seconds and the second search time is 2 seconds, the second search time is increased by the difference between the two, which for this example is 3 seconds, and then rewind is performed.  
      However, if the second search time is larger than the first search time, the controller  110  senses the fact and fast forward/rewind is performed while increasing the first search time by the difference between the first search time and the second search time in step  207 .  
      Upon completing the fast forward/rewind in moving picture play mode in steps  202  through  207 , the controller  110  senses the completion in step  208  and resumes play of the moving picture with a portion of the moving picture following completion of the fast forward/rewind in step  209 . In step  209 , if an Intra (I) frame exists at the time of completion of the fast forward/rewind, the controller  110  resumes play of the moving picture with the I-frame. However, if the I-frame does not exist, the controller  110  searches for a previous I-frame and resumes play of the moving picture with the found previous I-frame.  
      As described above, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, when a moving picture is searched in a moving picture play mode of a portable terminal, a search time for displaying the progress of fast forward/rewind to a user and an actual search time for performing fast forward/rewind in the moving picture play mode are matched with each other, thereby searching the moving picture with an accurate search time.  
      While the present invention has been shown and described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.