System and method for recording and reproducing multimedia based on an audio signal

An apparatus for summarizing multimedia, comprising:

• storage for storing a compressed multimedia file partitioned into a sequence of segments, and a metadata file including index information and an importance level for each segment in the sequence, the importance level being continuous over a closed interval, and the importance level based on an audio signal of the multimedia file;
• unit for selecting an importance level threshold in the closed interval;
• unit for reproducing the multimedia file according to the index information, the importance level and the importance level threshold;
• unit for sliding a window over the multimedia file in a forward direction, the sliding window including a plurality of the segments, and an anchor segment in a fixed relationship with respect to the window while sliding the window;
• unit for determining the importance level for the sliding window from the importance levels of the segments in the window;
• and
• unit for assigning the importance level of the window to the anchor segment in the window while sliding the window.

A disc recorder, comprising:

• recorder for recording an inputted video signal or audio signal on a predetermined recording medium;
• unit for dividing the video signal or audio signal into predetermined segments to extract a feature from the video signal or a feature from the audio signal for each segment;
• unit for generating metadata including feature data corresponding to the features and start positions of the segments, in which the recorder records the metadata on the recording medium in association with the segments, the unit for generating generates the feature data corresponding to all the segments within a predetermined window based on the feature data of the respective segments included in the window, and the window includes an anchor segment in which predetermined feature data is set;
• and
• unit for generating the feature data corresponding to all the segments within a predetermined window based on the feature data of the respective segments included in the window and the feature data set in the anchor segment.