Program endpoint time detection apparatus and method, and program information retrieval system

[0031]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a program endpoint time detection apparatus 1 of present invention.

[0032]As shown in the FIG. 1, the program endpoint time detection apparatus 1 comprises an audio classification unit 11 for classifying audio signals into a speech signal portion and a non-speech signal portion; a keyword retrieval unit 12 for retrieving, as a candidate endpoint keyword, endpoint keyword indicating start or end of the program from the speech signal portion; a content analysis unit 13 for performing content analysis on context of the candidate endpoint keyword retrieved by the keyword retrieval unit 12 to determine whether the candidate endpoint keyword is a valid endpoint keyword; and a program endpoint time determination unit 14 for performing statistics analysis based on the retrieval result of said keyword retrieval unit 12 and the determination result of said content analysis unit 13, and determining the endpoint time of the program. As is obvious to tho

[0049]FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a program endpoint time detection apparatus 1′ according to present invention.

[0050]For the units with a same function as those in the FIG. 1, repeated explanation will be omitted, and only the difference will be explained.

[0051]In addition to the audio classification unit 11, the keyword retrieval unit 12, the content analysis unit 13 and the program endpoint time determination unit 14 shown in the FIG. 1, the program endpoint time detection apparatus 1′ shown in the FIG. 3 includes an audio scene analysis unit 15 for dividing the input audio signals into a plurality of portions containing a program-on-the-spot audio portion; a fixed audio retrieval unit 16 for retrieving a fixed audio portion from the non-speech signal portion; and a feature audio retrieval unit 17 for retrieving, from the non-speech signal portion divided by the audio classification unit 11, a feature audio portion indicating start or end of the program; wherein the program e