Apparatus and method for generating thumbnail images

A method for generating thumbnail images, the method comprising:

• generating a first reduced frame and a second reduced frame by, respectively, extracting a first DC image from a first I-picture and a second DC images from a second I-picture, wherein the first and second I-pictures are included in a first section of an MPEG coded video stream;
• comparing said first and second reduced frames to determine a difference between the first and second I-pictures;
• and
• generating a thumbnail image from at least one of the first reduced frame or the second reduced frame, when the first section is stable and the thumbnail image is not blank.

A method for providing thumbnail images, the method comprising:

• receiving a digital input signal for generating a sequence of video images and first information;
• generating at least a first image and a second image from the digital input signal, wherein the first and second images are included in the sequence of video images;
• processing the first image and the second image to respectively produce a first reduced image and a second reduced image;
• comparing the first reduced image with the second reduced image;
• generating at least one thumbnail image from one of the first image, the second image or a third image, if any, positioned between the first image and the second image in the sequence of video images;
• and
• displaying the thumbnail image in association with the first information.

A method for generating one or more thumbnail images from a sequence of video images, the method comprising:

• generating at least a first image and a second image from a first segment of a digital video stream;
• processing the first image and the second image to respectively produce a first reduced image and a second reduced image;
• comparing the first reduced image with the second reduced image to determine whether the first segment includes a stable sequence of video images;
• generating at least one thumbnail image from the sequence of video images in the first segment, in response to determining that:
• the first segment includes a stable sequence of video images;
• and
• the thumbnail image is not blank.