Television – Camera – system and detail – Combined image signal generator and general image signal...
Reexamination Certificate
1997-04-21
2001-09-25
Garber, Wendy R. (Department: 2612)
Television
Camera, system and detail
Combined image signal generator and general image signal...
C386S349000, C348S236000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295086
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to image processing and, in particular, to an apparatus and method for recording digital still images on a data storage medium (e.g., a floppy disk) based on moving images reproduced from a digital VTR (Video Tape Recorder), for example.
In recent years, microprocessor-controlled devices, such as personal computers, have become very popular and widespread around the world. A personal computer may, for example, be used for displaying image data, captured from an outside source (a video camera), on a monitor device connected to the computer. Various processing operations may then be performed on the captured image data utilizing image processing software, for example.
Further, household use of digital VTRs (including digital camcorders) capable of recording and playing back moving picture image information has become widespread. The digital VTRs are capable of obtaining higher quality pictures than analog VTRs, that is VTRs for recording and reproducing analog image signals. Hence, it appears logical that an image obtained and/or played back by a digital video camera/digital VTR be captured by a computer and processed for various types of recreational or business use.
An obstacle, however, exists in such processing of images produced by the digital VTR. Namely, when an image reproduced from the digital VTR is supplied to the computer, the digital image signal has to be converted to an analog image signal. This analog image signal is then converted back to the digital form by the computer, and an image file is created in accordance with the appropriate video signal format. The thus obtained image file is recorded and stored on a recording medium, such as a hard disk or a floppy disk.
The reason for performing these seemingly unnecessary transformations (from digital to analog and back to digital domains) is as follows: the digital VTR records/reproduces the digital image using a special recording/reproducing format that is not compatible with display/manipulation of the digital images (in units of picture frames, for example) by the computer. Hence, the image represented by a digital signal is typically converted to an analog signal (represented as picture frames) to be captured by the computer prior to its processing operations. It is apparent that these conversions between analog and digital domains negatively affect picture quality.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to capture digital still images from digital moving images.
It is another object of the present invention to generate data files containing digital still images.
It is yet another object of the present invention to record data files containing digital still images on a recording medium.
It is still another object of the present invention to reproduce data from data files containing digital still images.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a data structure for still images stored in data files that are recorded on a recording medium.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects, features and advantages are accomplished by an apparatus and method for processing digital moving image data. In accordance with the present invention, a still image, represented by frame data, is extracted from the digital moving image data. A data file corresponding to the still image is then generated. The data file includes the extracted frame data and file management data corresponding to the extracted frame data.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the file management data includes at least one of the following: file identification information for identifying the data file; file version information for indicating the data file version; detailed format information for indicating a data format of the digital moving image data; data attribute information for specifying preselected data attributes; file size information for indicating the entire data file length; data size information for indicating the length of the extracted frame data in the data file; and data offset information for indicating the length of the file management data.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, images represented by digital signals are recorded/reproduced according to a preselected video format, wherein these digital signals correspond to the digital moving image data.
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Fukushima Shinichi
Izumi Nobuaki
Tsukamoto Junichi
Frommer William S.
Frommer & Lawrence & Haug LLP
Garber Wendy R.
Harrington Alicia
Savit Glenn F.
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