Patent ID: 7747130

Claim:
An apparatus for extracting representative still images from Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) video, comprising: a user requirement input unit for inputting a number n from the user to divide the video curve into n segments, where n is a positive integer; a video curve generation unit for calculating maximum distances between adjacent frames of all I-frames' cumulative DC histogram values of input video and generating a video curve that is a cumulative curve of the maximum distances; a video curve division unit for dividing the video curve into the n segments using nth-order approximation line and nth-order approximation tangent point; a still image selection unit for selecting video images corresponding to the nth-order approximation tangent points of the divided video curve as representative still images, where the nth-order approximation tangent points are the points on the video curve which have the maximum distances between themselves and the nth-order approximation line; and a video output unit for outputting the still images selected by the still image generation unit.