JP2007193157A - Device and method for processing information, and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a configuration to perform processing for displaying data format information of output data on a display part continuously or according to demand from a user. <P>SOLUTION: An information processing device such as an image pickup unit and a DVD player, which outputs a video data outside, acquires data format information which can be displayed on an output destination equipment, deciding a data format of an output data, and performing processing for displaying the decided data format information of the output data on the display part continuously or according to demand from the user. With this configuration, the user can confirm the format information of the data output at arbitrary timing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a computer program. More specifically, the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a computer program that can always check the format information of output data in an apparatus having a data output configuration via a digital interface.

  For example, a DVI (Digital Visual Interface) standard is known as an interface standard for externally outputting digital data including video data from an information processing device such as a digital video camera, a DVD player, or a PC. Furthermore, based on the DVI standard, an HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) standard that can output an audio signal together is known.

  In such HDMI and DVI, a video output device that can display a video format that is a display as an output destination is detected by a data output device, and an optimum output video format is automatically selected by the device that outputs the video. Can be selected and output. Note that this video data output configuration is described in Patent Document 1.

  However, in the data output configuration to which such an interface standard is applied, since the process of automatically determining the output video format is performed in the device on the data output side, the user can select the video format that is actually output. In order to obtain the information, it is necessary to use some confirmation means. For example, the output format confirmation means includes a method of superimposing a display indicating the output video format on the output video, and a method of displaying the output video format information on the display unit on the device side that outputs the video. .

However, the method of superimposing the display on the output video has a problem that the output video format cannot be confirmed, for example, when the video is not displayed on the video display device due to trouble. In addition, when a method for displaying output video format information on the display unit on the device side that outputs video is applied, for example, a small device such as a digital camera does not have a sufficient display area, so output video format information There is a problem that it is not possible to continue to display. For example, many small video cameras and the like are configured to present output video format information only when connected to an external display device. Also, there is a problem that other information cannot be displayed while the output video format information is being displayed.
JP 2001-84214 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and enables data format information output in an information processing apparatus that executes data output in various formats to be confirmed at an arbitrary timing. An object is to provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a computer program.

The first aspect of the present invention is:
A data output section;
A display unit;
Obtaining a displayable format information of the data output destination device via the data output unit, and a control unit for determining the data format of the output data,
The controller is
The information processing apparatus is configured to execute a process of displaying data format information of output data via the data output unit on the display unit continuously or in response to a request from a user.

  Furthermore, in one embodiment of the information processing apparatus of the present invention, the display unit is configured to display an operation unit capable of inputting user operation information, and the control unit is configured to display an operation displayed on the display unit. In accordance with an input of user operation information via the unit, a process of displaying data format information of output data on the display unit is executed.

  Furthermore, in an embodiment of the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, the control unit includes at least one of resolution information of output data and size information of output data as data format information of output data via the data output unit. It is the structure which performs the process which displays the data format information containing this on the said display part continuously or according to the request | requirement from a user.

Furthermore, the second aspect of the present invention provides
An information processing method executed in an information processing apparatus that executes data output via a data output unit,
In the control unit, a format determination step for obtaining displayable format information of the data output destination device via the data output unit and determining a data format of the output data;
In the control unit, a format information display step for executing a process of displaying data format information of output data via the data output unit on the display unit continuously or in response to a request from the user;
There is an information processing method characterized by comprising:

  Furthermore, in one embodiment of the information processing method of the present invention, the display unit is configured to display an operation unit capable of inputting user operation information, and the format information display step is displayed on the display unit. In accordance with an input of user operation information via the operation unit, the step of executing processing for displaying data format information of output data on the display unit is performed.

  Furthermore, in an embodiment of the information processing method of the present invention, the format information display step includes at least one of output data resolution information and output data size information as data format information of the output data via the data output unit. This is a step of executing processing for displaying data format information including the above information on the display unit continuously or in response to a request from the user.

Furthermore, the third aspect of the present invention provides
A computer program that executes information processing in an information processing apparatus that performs data output via a data output unit,
In the control unit, a format determination step for obtaining displayable format information of the data output destination device via the data output unit and determining a data format of the output data;
In the control unit, a format information display step for executing processing for displaying data format information of output data via the data output unit on the display unit continuously or in response to a request from the user;
In a computer program characterized by causing

  The computer program of the present invention is, for example, a storage medium or communication medium provided in a computer-readable format to a general-purpose computer system capable of executing various program codes, such as a CD, FD, MO, etc. Or a computer program that can be provided by a communication medium such as a network. By providing such a program in a computer-readable format, processing corresponding to the program is realized on the computer system.

  Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a more detailed description based on embodiments of the present invention described later and the accompanying drawings. In this specification, the system is a logical set configuration of a plurality of devices, and is not limited to one in which the devices of each configuration are in the same casing.

  According to the configuration of one embodiment of the present invention, format information that can be displayed from a data output destination device connected via a data output unit in an information processing apparatus that outputs video data externally, such as an imaging apparatus or a DVD player. The data format for the data to be output is determined, and the data format information of the determined output data is displayed on the display unit continuously or in response to a request from the user. The user can check the format information of the output data at an arbitrary timing.

  Details of the information processing apparatus, the information processing method, and the computer program of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  First, a data output configuration example in an imaging apparatus as an embodiment of an information processing apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 shows an imaging apparatus (video camera) 100 as an embodiment of an information processing apparatus of the present invention. The imaging apparatus (video camera) 100 includes an external output terminal 101 that is applied to output digital data. Data recorded in a storage unit in the imaging apparatus by a shooting process in the imaging apparatus 100, specifically, video Data and audio data can be output and reproduced via an external output terminal 101 and a cable 111 to an external device, for example, the monitor 112 shown in FIG.

  For this data output, the DVI (Digital Visual Interface) standard or the HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) standard described above is used as an interface standard when digital data is output to the outside. When the imaging apparatus 100 performs data output using HDMI or DVI, the imaging apparatus 100 detects a video format that can be displayed on the monitor 112 as an output destination, and automatically selects and outputs the optimum output video format. .

  The information processing apparatus of the present invention, that is, for example, the imaging apparatus 100 illustrated in FIG. 1, for example, receives data format information output to an external device such as the monitor 112 illustrated in FIG. In order to enable the user to know, processing for presenting format information of data output via the external output terminal 101 is performed on the display unit 102 of the imaging apparatus 100.

For example, output data format information 121 as shown on the screen 120 shown in FIG. In the example shown in the figure, the TV type and resolution information of the output destination monitor are presented as output data format information 121. That is,
TV type = 16: 9
Resolution = 1920 × 1080i
The output data is video data having a resolution of 1920 × 1080i corresponding to a 16: 9 monitor.

  [I] shown in the resolution = 1920 × 1080i represents interlace, which means that the scanning method is the interlace method. For example, when the resolution = 1920 × 1080p is indicated, [p] represents progressive, which means that the scanning method is the progressive method.

  Next, a hardware configuration example of an imaging apparatus that is an example of the information processing apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. For example, an imaging device 200 that is a digital video camera is an imaging device that includes an HDMI terminal 210 as an external output terminal. The imaging device 200 acquires video and audio data from the imaging unit 201 and the microphone 204. The unit 203 performs encoding processing such as conversion to digital data and data compression, and stores the data in the recording medium 205 via the data bus 206. These processing controls are executed by a CPU 207 serving as a control unit according to a program stored in a memory 208 constituted by, for example, a RAM, a ROM, or the like.

  As the recording medium 205, various types of media such as a DV tape, a DVD disk, an HDD, and a flash memory can be applied. By connecting the TV monitor 213 to the HDMI terminal 210 of the imaging device 200 with the HDMI cable 212, the imaging device 100 acquires displayable video format information of the TV monitor 213, and the video acquired by the imaging unit 201 and the microphone 204. The audio data or the data already recorded on the recording medium 205 is set in a format compatible with the displayable video format of the TV monitor 213 and output. This format conversion is executed by the video format conversion unit 209. Note that the control of the series of processing is also executed by the CPU 207 as a control unit according to a program stored in a memory 208 configured by, for example, a RAM, a ROM, or the like.

  The CPU 207 determines an optimal output video format that matches the displayable video format of the TV monitor 213, converts it to the optimal output video format determined by the video format conversion unit 209, and via the HDMI terminal 210 and the HDMI cable 212. Data is output to the TV monitor 213.

When this data is output, the format information of the output data is displayed on the display unit (liquid crystal panel) 211. For example, when the user operates a GUI button displayed on the display unit (liquid crystal panel) 211 that can be used as a touch panel, the format information of the output data can be displayed on the display unit (liquid crystal panel) 211 and confirmed. . For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the display unit 211 of the imaging apparatus has output data format information as
TV type = 16: 9
Resolution = 1920 × 1080i
It can be confirmed that the output data is output with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 corresponding to a 16: 9 monitor and an interlace method. In addition, the display mode shown in the figure is an example, and in addition to this, it may be configured to display more detailed format information, or may be configured to display format information using icons.

  Note that the user can erase the displayed output data format information and display other information by operating a GUI button displayed on the display unit (liquid crystal panel) 211 that can be used as a touch panel. is there. A transition example of information displayed on the display unit (liquid crystal panel) 211 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 4 shows the following four display screen examples displayed on the display unit (liquid crystal panel) 211.
(A) Normal screen (b) Menu screen-1
(C) Menu screen-2
(D) Output data format presentation screen

  For example, as an initial screen, (a) normal screen or (b) menu screen-1 is displayed on the display unit (liquid crystal panel) 211, and (a) the user touches the menu button displayed on the normal screen. Then, (b) transition to the menu screen-1. Further, when the user touches the menu button displayed on (b) menu screen-1, the screen changes to (c) menu screen-2. Further, when (b) menu screen-1 or (c) menu screen-2 is presented, touching the status check (STATUS CHECK) button displays (d) an output data format presentation screen. On this (d) output data format presentation screen, the user can know the format information of the data output to the TV monitor 213 via the HDMI terminal 210.

  Note that the display data of the display unit illustrated in FIG. 4 is an example of a liquid crystal panel (touch panel) that can perform both input and display as a user interface, but the input device and the display device may have different configurations. In this case, in addition to the liquid crystal panel as the display device, an organic EL panel or LED display panel can be used, and as the input device, a button, a slide switch, a remote controller, or the like can be used.

  Next, a configuration example of a DVD player will be described with reference to FIG. 5 as an example of the information processing apparatus of the present invention, that is, an apparatus for outputting video data externally. A DVD player 300 shown in FIG. 5 is a DVD playback device including an upscaler 307, and the video played back by the DVD drive 301 can be upscaled to an HD (High Definition) video by the upscaler 307.

  When a TV monitor 310 capable of displaying HD video is connected to the HDMI terminal 308 of the DVD player 300 via the HDMI cable 309, the DVD player 300 can display the TV monitor 310 under the control of the CPU 305 as a control unit. Get the HD video format. Further, the CPU 305 as the control unit selects a video format that can be upscaled by the upscaler 307 from the obtained displayable video formats, and the DVD drive 301 reproduces the data reproduced from the DVD and decoded by the decoder 202. Then, upscaling processing is executed in the upscaler 307 via the data bus 304 and output to the TV monitor 310 via the HDMI terminal 308.

  These processing controls are executed by a CPU 305 serving as a control unit in accordance with a program stored in a memory 306 including, for example, a RAM, a ROM, and the like. The CPU 305 determines an optimum output video format that matches the displayable video format of the TV monitor 310, and outputs data having the determined format to the TV monitor 310 via the HDMI terminal 308.

When this data is output, the format information of the output data is displayed on the display unit (LED panel) 303. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the display unit 303 of the DVD player has output data format information as
Resolution = 1920 × 1080i
It can be confirmed that the output data is output with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 corresponding to a 16: 9 monitor and an interlace method.

  Here, a DVD player is taken as an example of the video playback device, but any media may be used as long as it is a device that can playback and output video. For example, the same output data format information can be displayed on an HDD recorder or a BD player. In this example, an LED display panel is used as an example of the display unit, but a liquid crystal panel, an organic EL panel, or the like can also be used.

  Next, the functional configuration of the information processing apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, the block diagram shown in FIG. 7 is a block diagram in which components necessary for executing the above-described processing are selected and shown. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the information processing apparatus of the present invention includes a control unit 401, a data processing unit 402, a display unit 403, and a data output unit 404.

  The control unit 401 is a CPU, for example, and executes control of data output processing according to a program stored in a memory (not shown). The data processing unit 402 acquires data to be output via the data output unit 404 from a storage unit or the like, and generates output data, that is, performs format conversion.

  A display unit 403 displays format information of data output via the data output unit 404. For example, the format information described with reference to FIGS. The data output unit 404 is, for example, an HDMI terminal, and outputs the format data generated in the data processing unit 402 to an externally connected monitor.

  When a data display device such as a monitor is connected via the data output unit 404, the control unit 401 acquires video format information that can be displayed on the data display device, and determines a format to be output. In this determination process, the video format that can be displayed by the data display device is basically selected, and the highest quality data format among the formats that can be output by the own device is selected.

  The data processing unit 402 generates output data in the data format determined by the control unit 401 and outputs the output data via the data output unit 404. When outputting data, the control unit 401 outputs the format information of the output data to the display unit 403. When the display unit 403 is used as an input unit as a UI capable of inputting user operation information, the control unit 401 displays data according to the operation information according to the user operation information for understanding the display unit. Execute. Specifically, various display data described above with reference to FIG. 4 are displayed.

The display information includes the format information of the output data. Specifically,
TV type = 16: 9
Resolution = 1920 × 1080i
Such information will be displayed. As other format information,
TV type = 4: 3
Resolution = 1280 × 720p, 720 × 480p, 720 × 480i,
The various format information such as are displayed according to the output format.

  The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it is obvious that those skilled in the art can make modifications and substitutions of the embodiments without departing from the gist of the present invention. In other words, the present invention has been disclosed in the form of exemplification, and should not be interpreted in a limited manner. In order to determine the gist of the present invention, the claims should be taken into consideration.

  In the above-described embodiment, the processing example in which the USB cable is applied as a communication unit between the information processing apparatus such as the imaging apparatus and the external apparatus such as the PC or the printer has been described. However, the information processing apparatus and the PC as the external apparatus are described. The connection to the printer and the printer is not limited to the USB cable, and a configuration similar to the above-described processing may be executed in a configuration in which other wired or wireless communication means is applied.

  The series of processes described in the specification can be executed by hardware, software, or a combined configuration of both. When executing processing by software, the program recording the processing sequence is installed in a memory in a computer incorporated in dedicated hardware and executed, or the program is executed on a general-purpose computer capable of executing various processing. It can be installed and run.

  For example, the program can be recorded in advance on a hard disk or ROM (Read Only Memory) as a recording medium. Alternatively, the program is temporarily or permanently stored on a removable recording medium such as a flexible disk, a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), an MO (Magneto optical) disk, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), a magnetic disk, or a semiconductor memory. It can be stored (recorded). Such a removable recording medium can be provided as so-called package software.

  The program is installed on the computer from the removable recording medium as described above, or is wirelessly transferred from the download site to the computer, or is wired to the computer via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet. The computer can receive the program transferred in this manner and install it on a recording medium such as a built-in hard disk.

  Note that the various processes described in the specification are not only executed in time series according to the description, but may be executed in parallel or individually according to the processing capability of the apparatus that executes the processes or as necessary. Further, in this specification, the system is a logical set configuration of a plurality of devices, and the devices of each configuration are not limited to being in the same casing.

  As described above, according to the configuration of the embodiment of the present invention, the data output destination connected via the data output unit in the information processing apparatus that outputs video data to the outside, such as an imaging device or a DVD player, for example. Processing to obtain displayable format information from the device, determine the data format for the data to be output, and display the data format information of the determined output data on the display unit continuously or in response to a request from the user Therefore, the user can check the format information of the output data at an arbitrary timing.

It is a figure explaining the data output structure from the imaging device as one Example of the information processing apparatus of this invention, and the display structural example of the format information of output data. It is a figure explaining the structural example of the imaging device as one Example of the information processing apparatus of this invention. It is a figure explaining the example of a display of the format information of the output data displayed on the display part of the imaging device as one Example of the information processing apparatus of this invention. It is a figure explaining the transition example of the output information displayed on the display part of the imaging device as one Example of the information processing apparatus of this invention. It is a figure explaining the structural example of the DVD player as one Example of the information processing apparatus of this invention. It is a figure explaining the example of a display of the format information of the output data displayed on the display part of the DVD player as one Example of the information processing apparatus of this invention. It is a block diagram explaining the function of the information processing apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Imaging device 101 External output terminal 102 Display unit 111 Cable 112 Monitor 120 Screen 121 Output data format information 200 Imaging device 201 Imaging unit 202 Video processing unit 203 Audio processing unit 204 Microphone 205 Recording medium 206 Data bus 207 CPU
208 Memory 209 Video Format Conversion Unit 210 HDMI Terminal 211 Display Unit 212 HDMI Cable 213 TV Monitor 300 DVD Player 301 DVD Drive 302 Decoder 303 Display Unit 304 Data Bus 305 CPU
306 Memory 307 Upscaler 308 HDMI terminal 309 HDMI cable 310 TV monitor 401 Control unit 402 Data processing unit 403 Display unit 404 Data output unit

Claims (7)

A data output section;
A display unit;
Obtaining a displayable format information of the data output destination device via the data output unit, and a control unit for determining the data format of the output data,
The controller is
An information processing apparatus configured to execute a process of displaying data format information of output data via the data output unit on the display unit continuously or in response to a request from a user. The display unit
It is a configuration that can display the operation unit that can input user operation information,
The controller is
The configuration according to claim 1, wherein a process of displaying data format information of output data on the display unit is executed in response to input of user operation information via the operation unit displayed on the display unit. Information processing device. The controller is
Data format information including at least one of resolution information of output data and size information of output data as data format information of output data via the data output unit is continuously or from the user. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is configured to execute a process of displaying in response to a request. An information processing method executed in an information processing apparatus that executes data output via a data output unit,
In the control unit, a format determination step for obtaining displayable format information of the data output destination device via the data output unit and determining a data format of the output data;
In the control unit, a format information display step for executing a process of displaying data format information of output data via the data output unit on the display unit continuously or in response to a request from the user;
An information processing method characterized by comprising: The display unit
It is a configuration that can display the operation unit that can input user operation information,
The format information display step includes:
5. The step of executing a process of displaying data format information of output data on the display unit in response to an input of user operation information via the operation unit displayed on the display unit. Information processing method. The format information display step includes:
Data format information including at least one of resolution information of output data and size information of output data as data format information of output data via the data output unit is continuously or from the user. The information processing method according to claim 4, wherein the information processing method is a step of executing processing to display in response to a request. A computer program that executes information processing in an information processing apparatus that performs data output via a data output unit,
In the control unit, a format determination step for obtaining displayable format information of the data output destination device via the data output unit and determining a data format of the output data;
In the control unit, a format information display step for executing processing for displaying data format information of output data via the data output unit on the display unit continuously or in response to a request from the user;
A computer program for executing

Images