Patent ID: 7428372

Claim:
An apparatus for recording a sequence of video data signals on a record carrier, the sequence of video signals comprising pictures of an intra-picture type coded without reference to other pictures and pictures of an inter-picture type coded with reference to other pictures, the apparatus comprising: input means for receiving video data signals; generating means for generating characteristic point information signals, the characteristic point information signals identifying a characteristic point in the sequence of video data signals, the characteristic point information signals comprising a block of information, the block of information comprising: position data defining a position of the characteristic point in the sequence of video data signals; and size data providing information related to a size of an I-picture selected from the pictures of the intra-picture type; processing means for processing the characteristic point information signals for a plurality of characteristic points into a sequence of characteristic points information signals; and writing means for writing the sequence of video data signals and the sequence of characteristic points information signals on the record carrier; characterized in that the apparatus comprises: classifying means for classifying the size of the I-picture in a size interval out of a plurality of predefined size intervals; mapping means for mapping the size interval into the size data.