Index data generation apparatus, index data generation method, index data generation program and recording medium on which the program is recorded

A contents data reproduction apparatus comprising:

• an acquisition device which acquires contents data having at least video data;
• an extraction device which extracts sub-image data from the main-image data that indicates said acquired video data and that is image data that aids contents of the main-image data that changes over time;
• a first detection device which detects partial image data that indicates the areas of change in the images of said extracted sub-image data;
• a second detection device which detects the number of changes and points of change in each detected partial image data when at least two or more said partial image data are detected from one or two or more said sub-image data by said first detection device;
• a setting device which sets hierarchical levels for each partial-image data based on the number of changes of said detected partial-image data;
• a generation device which generates index data that indicates a plurality of scenes in said contents data based on the hierarchical levels of each said detected partial-image data and points of change in each said detected partial-image data;
• and
• a reproduction device which reproduces said contents data based on said generated index data.

An index data generation method comprising:

• an acquisition process of acquiring contents data that contains at least video data;
• an extraction process of extracting sub-image data from the main-image data that indicates said acquired video data and that is image data that aids contents of the main-image data that changes over time;
• a first detection process of detecting partial image data that indicates the areas of change in the images of said extracted sub-image data;
• a second detection process of detecting the number of changes and points of change in each detected partial image data when at least two or more said partial image data are detected from one or two or more said sub-image data by said first detection process;
• a setting process of setting hierarchical levels for each partial-image data based on the number of changes of said detected partial-image data;
• and
• a generation process of generating index data that indicates a plurality of scenes in said contents data based on the hierarchical levels of each said detected partial-image data and points of change in each said detected partial-image data.

A contents data reproduction method comprising:

• an acquisition process of acquiring contents data having at least video data;
• an extraction process of extracting sub-image data from the main-image data that indicates said acquired video data and that is image data that aids contents of the main-image data that changes over time;
• a first detection process of detecting partial image data that indicates the areas of change in the images of said extracted sub-image data;
• a second detection process of detecting the number of changes and points of change in each detected partial image data when at least two or more said partial image data are detected from one or two or more said sub-image data by said first detection process;
• a setting process of setting hierarchical levels for each partial-image data based on the number of changes of said detected partial-image data;
• a generation process of generating index data that indicates a plurality of scenes in said contents data based on the hierarchical levels of each said detected partial-image data and points of change in each said detected partial-image data;
• and
• a reproduction process of reproducing said contents data based on said generated index data.

An information recording medium in which an index-generation program is recorded in a readable way by a computer included in an index data generation apparatus, the index generation program causing the computer to function as:

• an acquisition device which acquires contents data that contains at least video data;
• an extraction device which extracts sub-image data from the main-image data that indicates said acquired video data and that is image data that aids the main-image data that changes over time;
• a first detection device which detects partial image data that indicates the areas of change in the images of said extracted sub-image data;
• a second detection device which detects the number of changes and points of change in each detected partial image data when at least two or more said partial image data are detected from one or two or more said sub-image data by said first detection device;
• a setting device which sets hierarchical levels for each partial-image data based on the number of changes of said detected partial-image data;
• and
• a generation device which generates index data that indicates a plurality of scenes in said contents data based on the hierarchical levels of each said detected partial-image data and points of change in each said detected partial-image data.

An information recording medium in which an contents data reproduction program is recorded in a readable way by a computer included in an contents data reproduction apparatus, the contents data reproduction program causing the computer to function as:

• an acquisition device which acquires contents data having at least video data;
• an extraction device which extracts sub-image data from the main-image data that indicates said acquired video data and that is image data that aids the main-image data that changes over time;
• a first detection device which detects partial image data that indicates the areas of change in the images of said extracted sub-image data;
• a second detection device which detects the number of changes and points of change in each detected partial image data when at least two or more said partial image data are detected from one or two or more said sub-image data by said first detection device;
• a setting device which sets hierarchical levels for each partial-image data based on the number of changes of said detected partial-image data;
• a generation device which generates index data that indicates a plurality of scenes in said contents data based on the hierarchical levels of each said detected partial-image data and points of change in each said detected partial-image data;
• and
• a reproduction device which reproduces said contents data based on said generated index data.