Information processing for retrieving coded audiovisual data

An information processing method for retrieving coded AV data, said information processing method comprising:

• an accepting step for accepting a retrieval condition;
• a decoding step for decoding a part of said AV data which is coded in such a manner as to correspond to the retrieval condition accepted in said accepting step;
• a computing step for computing a correlation coefficient of the retrieval condition accepted in said accepting step and the AV data decoded in said decoding step;
• a comparing step for comparing said correlation coefficient computed in said computation step with a predetermined threshold value;
• and
• an incrementing step for incrementing said retrieval condition or said threshold value.

A distribution medium for distributing a computer-readable program to an information processing apparatus for retrieving coded AV data in order to execute a process, said process comprising:

• an accepting step for accepting a retrieval condition;
• a decoding step for decoding a part of said AV data which is coded in such a manner as to correspond to the retrieval condition accepted in said accepting step;
• a computing step for computing a correlation coefficient of the retrieval condition accepted in said accepting step and the AV data decoded in said decoding step;
• a comparing step for comparing said correlation coefficient computed in said computation step with a predetermined threshold value;
• and
• an incrementing step for incrementing said retrieval condition or said threshold value.

An information processing apparatus for retrieving AV data in which signal characteristics are hierarchically recorded, said information processing apparatus comprising:

• accepting means for accepting a retrieval condition;
• extracting means for extracting a part of signal characteristics from AV data in which said signal characteristics are hierarchically recorded in such a manner as to correspond to the retrieval condition accepted by said accepting means;
• computation means for computing a correlation coefficient of the retrieval condition accepted by said accepting means and the signal characteristics extracted by said extracting means;
• comparison means for comparing said correlation coefficient computed by said computation means with a predetermined threshold value;
• and
• incrementing means for incrementing said retrieval condition or said threshold value.

An information processing method for retrieving AV data in which signal characteristics are hierarchically recorded, said information processing method comprising:

• an accepting step for accepting a retrieval condition;
• an extracting step for extracting a part of signal characteristics from AV data in which said signal characteristics are hierarchically recorded in such a manner as to correspond to the retrieval condition accepted in said accepting step;
• a computing step for computing a correlation coefficient of the retrieval condition accepted in said accepting step and the signal characteristics extracted in said extracting step;
• a comparing step for comparing said correlation coefficient computed in said computation step with a predetermined threshold value;
• and
• an incrementing step for incrementing said retrieval condition or said threshold value.

A distribution medium for distributing a computer-readable program to an information processing apparatus for retrieving AV data in which signal characteristics are hierarchically recorded in order to execute a process, said process comprising:

• an accepting step for accepting a retrieval condition;
• an extracting step for extracting a part of signal characteristics from AV data in which said signal characteristics are hierarchically recorded in such a manner as to correspond to the retrieval condition accepted in said accepting step;
• a computing step for computing a correlation coefficient of the retrieval condition accepted in said accepting step and the signal characteristics extracted in said extracting step;
• a comparing step for comparing said correlation coefficient computed in said computation step with a predetermined threshold value;
• and
• an incrementing step for incrementing said retrieval condition or said threshold value.