Patent ID: 8600219

Claim:
A video-signal processing apparatus for setting a representative picture for a sequence of video signals, comprising: extracting means for extracting a static picture from the sequence of video signals, the extracting being performed with a predetermined timing, the predetermined timing being a time since a start of a program such that the static picture is extracted at a point which is a predetermined duration into the sequence of video signals; judgment means for forming a judgment as to whether or not the static picture extracted by the extracting means is part of a commercial; and setting means for discarding the static picture and setting a different static picture as the representative picture in response to the judgment means determining that the static picture extracted by the extracting means is part of a commercial, wherein the different static picture set as the representative picture is a picture appearing upon completion of the commercial, wherein the representative picture is a picture that provides a representation of the content contained in the sequence of video signals.