Apparatus, method and computer program product for generating a thumbnail representation of a video sequence

1. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory storing executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor cause the apparatus or another apparatus to at least:

decompose a video sequence including a plurality of frames, wherein at least some of the frames include an image of a scene, at least some of the scenes including at least one object, the images of the at least some of the scenes including at least one image of the respective at least one object, wherein being caused to decompose a video sequence includes being caused to identify one or more transitions in the video sequence, each of the identified one of or more transitions including at least one frame;

identify a plurality of objects from within the at least one frame of the identified one or more transitions in the video sequence;

assign a priority ranking to the identified objects, wherein being caused to assign a priority ranking includes being caused to assign a priority ranking to the identified objects based upon at least one variable associated with each of the identified objects, the at least one variable of an identified object comprising at least one of a size of the object, a number of frames including the object, a motion characterization of the object, or a number of video transitions including the object;

select at least some of the identified objects based upon the assigned priority rankings of the respective objects;

extract the selected objects from the frames of the video sequence including the respective objects; and

combine the selected and extracted objects into an image representation of the video sequence.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein being caused to extract the selected objects includes being caused to extract the selected objects such that at least one of the selected objects is extracted from a frame different from the frame from which another of the selected objects is extracted.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the memory stores executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor cause the apparatus or the other apparatus to further:

alter at least one of the identified objects to thereby denote a relative importance of the respective at least one object in the frames of the video sequence, at least one of the altered objects being combined with at least one other object into the image representation of the video sequence.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein being caused to assign a priority ranking includes being caused to classify at least some of the identified objects as a key object or a context object, at least one object being classified as a key object based upon at least one of the respective object being included in a measurable amount of motion within at least some of the frames of the video sequence, or being in a center of focus of at least some of the frames, and

wherein being caused to select at least some of the identified objects includes being caused to select at least some of the identified objects such that at least one of the selected objects comprises a key object.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is adapted for implementation by at least one of a personal computing device, a media center device, a personal video recorder, a portable media consumption device, a dedicated entertainment device, a television, or a digital television set-top box.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a first means for decomposing a video sequence including a plurality of frames, wherein at least some of the frames include an image of a scene, at least some of the scenes including at least one object, the images of the at least some of the scenes including at least one image of the respective at least one object, wherein the first means being for decomposing a video sequence includes being for identifying one or more transitions in the video sequence, each of the identified one of or more transitions including at least one frame;

a second means for identifying a plurality of objects from within the at least one frame of the identified one or more transitions in the video sequence;

a third means for assigning a priority ranking to the identified objects, wherein the third means is for assigning the priority ranking to the identified objects based upon at least one variable associated with each of the identified objects, the at least one variable of an identified object comprising at least one of a size of the object, a number of frames including the object, a motion characterization of the object, or a number of video transitions including the object;

a fourth means for selecting at least some of the identified objects based upon the assigned priority rankings of the respective objects;

a fifth means for extracting the selected objects from the frames of the video sequence including the respective objects; and

a sixth means for combining the selected and extracted objects into an image representation of the video sequence.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the fifth means is for extracting the selected objects such that at least one of the selected objects is extracted from a frame different from the frame from which another of the selected objects is extracted.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising:

a sixth means for altering at least one of the identified objects to thereby denote a relative importance of the respective at least one object in the frames of the video sequence, at least one of the altered objects being combined with at least one other object into the image representation of the video sequence.

9. An apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the third means is for assigning the priority ranking including classifying at least some of the identified objects as a key object or a context object, at least one object being classified as a key object based upon at least one of the respective object being included in a measurable amount of motion within at least some of the frames of the video sequence, or being in a center of focus of at least some of the frames, and

wherein the fourth means is for selecting at least some of the identified objects such that at least one of the selected objects comprises a key object.

10. An apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is adapted for implementation by at least one of a personal computing device, a media center device, a personal video recorder, a portable media consumption device, a dedicated entertainment device, a television, or a digital television set-top box.

11. A method comprising:

decomposing a video sequence including a plurality of frames, wherein at least some of the frames include an image of a scene, at least some of the scenes including at least one object, the images of the at least some of the scenes including at least one image of the respective at least one object, wherein decomposing a video sequence includes identifying one or more transitions in the video sequence, each of the identified one of or more transitions including at least one frame;

identifying a plurality of objects from within the at least one frame of the identified one or more transitions in the video sequence;

assigning a priority ranking to the identified objects, wherein assigning a priority ranking comprises assigning a priority ranking to the identified objects based upon at least one variable associated with each of the identified objects, the at least one variable of an identified object comprising at least one of a size of the object, a number of frames including the object, a motion characterization of the object, or a number of video transitions including the object;

selecting at least some of the identified objects based upon the assigned priority rankings of the respective objects;

extracting the selected objects from the frames of the video sequence including the respective objects; and

combining the selected and extracted objects into an image representation of the video sequence.

12. A method according to claim 11 , wherein extracting the selected objects comprises extracting the selected objects such that at least one of the selected objects is extracted from a frame different from the frame from which another of the selected objects is extracted.

13. A method according to claim 11 further comprising:

altering at least one of the identified objects to thereby denote a relative importance of the respective at least one object in the frames of the video sequence, at least one of the altered objects being combined with at least one other object into the image representation of the video sequence.

14. A method according to claim 11 , wherein assigning a priority ranking includes classifying at least some of the identified objects as a key object or a context object, at least one object being classified as a key object based upon at least one of the respective object being included in a measurable amount of motion within at least some of the frames of the video sequence, or being in a center of focus of at least some of the frames, and

wherein selecting at least some of the identified objects comprises selecting at least some of the identified objects such that at least one of the selected objects comprises a key object.

15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein that in response to execution by a processor cause an apparatus to at least:

decompose a video sequence including a plurality of frames, wherein at least some of the frames include an image of a scene, at least some of the scenes including at least one object, the images of the at least some of the scenes including at least one image of the respective at least one object, wherein being caused to decompose a video sequence includes being caused to identify one or more transitions in the video sequence, each of the identified one of or more transitions including at least one frame;

identify a plurality of objects from within the at least one frame of the identified one or more transitions in the video sequence;

assign a priority ranking to the identified objects, wherein being caused to assign a priority ranking includes being caused to assign a priority ranking to the identified objects based upon at least one variable associated with each of the identified objects, the at least one variable of an identified object comprising at least one of a size of the object, a number of frames including the object, a motion characterization of the object, or a number of video transitions including the object;

select at least some of the identified objects based upon the assigned priority rankings of the respective objects;

extract the selected objects from the frames of the video sequence including the respective objects; and

combine the selected and extracted objects into an image representation of the video sequence.

16. A computer program product according to claim 15 , wherein being caused to extract the selected objects includes being caused to extract the selected objects such that at least one of the selected objects is extracted from a frame different from the frame from which another of the selected objects is extracted.

17. A computer program product according to claim 15 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium has computer-readable program code portions stored therein that in response to execution by the processor cause the apparatus to further:

alter at least one of the identified objects to thereby denote a relative importance of the respective at least one object in the frames of the video sequence, at least one of the altered objects being combined with at least one other object into the image representation of the video sequence.

18. A computer program product according to claim 15 , wherein being caused to assign a priority ranking includes being caused to classify at least some of the identified objects as a key object or a context object, at least one object being classified as a key object based upon at least one of the respective object being included in a measurable amount of motion within at least some of the frames of the video sequence, or being in a center of focus of at least some of the frames, and

wherein being caused to select at least some of the identified objects includes being caused to select at least some of the identified objects such that at least one of the selected objects comprises a key object.

19. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory storing executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor cause the apparatus or another apparatus to at least:

decompose a video sequence including a plurality of frames, wherein being caused to decompose a video sequence includes being caused to identify one or more transitions in the video sequence, and each of the identified one or more transitions includes at least one frame;

identify a plurality of objects within the at least one frame of the identified one or more transitions in the video sequence;

assign a priority ranking to the identified objects, wherein being caused to assign a priority ranking includes being caused to assign a priority ranking to the identified objects based upon at least one variable associated with each of the identified objects, the at least one variable of an identified object comprising at least one of a size of the object, a number of frames including the object, a motion characterization of the object, or a number of video transitions including the object;

select at least one of the identified objects based on the assigned priority ranking of the plurality of objects;

extract the at least one selected object from the plurality of frames of the video sequence; and

combine the at least one extracted object into an image representation of the video sequence.