JPH06149694A - Distributed data reception selecting system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce data quantity to be transmitted by providing a distribution node with a computer graphics data working means, and in the case of changing a value of the displayed images while observing the graphics images displayed graphics image by a user after working graphics data by the distribution node and then distributing the worked data to respective destinations. CONSTITUTION:While observing an image displayed on a display 11, a user performs an image selection command to a display image selecting part 12 in order to change the accuracy of the display image or the smoothness of time movement. The selecting part 12 transmits the inputted selection command information to a control part 8. The control part 8 prepares a selection command and transfers the command to a command transmitting part 13. The selection command transmitted by the transmitting part 13 is transmitted to a distribution node through a communication network. The change of preparation of the selection command can be automatically executed also by the control part 8 in addition to the user's command by the user from the user from the selecting part 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a distributed data reception selection system capable of selecting from a receiving terminal the quality of graphics data transmitted from a node that simultaneously distributes graphics data to multiple points.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to directly perform processing such as rotation and deformation of a three-dimensional object inside a computer, it is necessary to model the three-dimensional object with a data structure such as vertex coordinates, ridge line configuration and face configuration. is there. When such graphics data that can be processed by a computer, that is, computer graphics data (hereinafter referred to as CG data) is simultaneously distributed from a distribution node to multiple points,
Conventionally, a method of simultaneously distributing all of the CG data to each terminal of the ground without being aware of the contents of the CG data has been performed.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a communication system for simultaneously distributing CG data to multiple points simultaneously, where 1 is a distribution node for simultaneously distributing CG data to multiple points, 2 is a communication network such as a private network or a public line communication network, 3 Reference numerals 4, 5 are terminals installed at the first, second and third points. The terminals 3, 4, 5 receive the CG data from the distribution node 1 transmitted via the communication network 2.

[0004]

However, the graphics capability of the receiving terminal differs from terminal to terminal, and even if data is received, the data cannot be effectively used. Further, when the receiving terminal is performing multitask processing, all the received data cannot be displayed in graphics. That is, in the conventional method, since the distribution node could not change the transmission data amount while being aware of the contents of the CG data, the data received by the terminal could not be effectively used and the transmission data amount could not be reduced. There was a problem.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of reducing the amount of data to be transmitted.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of efficiently transmitting CG data.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique for easily processing data received by a terminal.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a data distribution communication system for simultaneously distributing structured graphics data in multiple points, wherein the structured graphics are included in a distribution node. Processing means for processing the graphics data, and means for processing the graphics data by the processing means based on the individual information sent to the distribution node, and distributing the processed graphics data to each terminal. Is the most important feature.

The processing means is characterized by including means for thinning out the number of polygons of structured graphics data and means for thinning out key frames.

That is, the present invention is most characterized in that the quality of structured CG data transmitted from the simultaneous multi-ground distribution node can be processed and changed in the distribution node. The method of distributing the processed data to each ground after processing the CG data which is structured in consideration of the request from the terminal is different from the conventional technique.

[0012]

According to the above-mentioned means, since the distribution node is provided with the processing means for CG data, when the user changes the quality of the displayed image while looking at the displayed graphics image, After processing the CG data, the processed data is distributed to each ground, so that the amount of data to be transmitted can be reduced.

Even when the terminal is performing multitask processing, since only the data processable by the terminal is transmitted from the distribution node, efficient CG data transmission is possible.

Furthermore, by transmitting the graphics image in a data format rather than as a two-dimensional image sequence, so-called video, the amount of data to be transmitted can be reduced and the data received by the terminal can be easily processed. Can be

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

The basic configuration of the communication system for simultaneously distributing CG data according to the present invention to multiple points is the same as the configuration of the example of the communication system shown in FIG. 7, but the functional configuration of the receiving terminal is different.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the function of an embodiment of a receiving terminal according to the present invention. The receiving terminal of this embodiment has CG data receiving and command transmitting functions as shown in FIG. It consists of a graphics workstation (hereinafter referred to as GWS).

In FIG. 1, 7 is a data receiving unit and 8 is a control unit, which is composed of a main CPU (central processing unit) of the GWS and controls the entire device. 9
Is a graphics engine, which is composed of a processor that performs graphics processing at high speed. 10 is a frame buffer, 11 is a display, 12 is a display image selection unit, 1
3 is a command transmission unit.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a three-dimensional shape model in the xyz coordinate system according to the present invention. In FIG. 2, 6 is a quadrangular pyramid, which is composed of five vertices V1 to V5 and four faces.

The quadrangular pyramid 6 is described in the computer as data shown in FIG. 3, for example. FIG. 3A shows coordinate data of the vertices of the quadrangular pyramid 6, and the written vertices are represented by three-dimensional coordinates of x, y, and z. FIG. 3B
Is the configuration data of the ridgeline of the quadrangular pyramid 6, and indicates the starting point and the end point that configure each ridgeline. FIG. 3C is configuration data of the surface of the quadrangular pyramid 6 and shows the vertices forming each surface.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a frame sequence of frame numbers 1 to 9 representing a moving image according to the present invention. In computer graphics, generally, as shown in FIG. 3, a typical image (key frame) that determines a series of operations is defined, and temporal passage and movement are considered so as to be continuous with these images. The appropriate number of images are inserted to create a moving image. In the case of FIG. 4,
Frames 1, 4, and 7 are key frames.

When the object moves over time, the coordinates of each vertex, that is, the coordinate value of each vertex of FIG. 3A changes. Further, in the case of the deformation of the object, not only the deformation of the coordinate values but also the generation and disappearance of the vertices occur, and at that time, the generation and disappearance of the ridge line and the surface occur. That is, each data shown in FIG. 3 may be changed over time.

As described above, the CG data is structured by the data indicating the vertex coordinates, the edge line configuration, the surface configuration, and the key frame. As shown in FIG. 7, such structured CG data is simultaneously distributed to multiple terminals from the distribution node 1 and transmitted to the terminals 3, 4, and 5 of each ground.

Next, the operation of the receiving terminal of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The data receiving unit 7 receives the CG data transmitted from the distribution node 1 via the communication network 2 and notifies the control unit 8 of what data has been received. Further, the data receiving unit 7 transfers the received CG data to the graphics engine 9. The control unit 8 decodes a command input by the user by the display image selection unit 12 and controls the entire device. For example, the viewpoint position information input from the display image selection unit 12 is decoded, and the graphics engine 9 or the like is notified to display the image viewed from the viewpoint. Graphics engine 9 is CG
Data is processed at high speed, and the result is frame buffer 1
Write to 0. The data written in the frame buffer 10 is read by the raster scan, and the display 1
1 is displayed as a graphics image.

While viewing the image displayed on the display 11, the user gives an image selection instruction to the display image selection unit 12 in order to change the fineness of the display image and the smoothness of temporal movement. The display image selection unit 12 transmits the input selection instruction information to the control unit 8. The control unit 8 creates a selection command and transfers it to the command transmission unit 13. The selection command transmitted by the command transmission unit 13 is transmitted to the distribution node 1 via the communication network 2. The trigger for creating the selection command is the display image selection unit 1
Not only the instruction from the user by the user 2 but also the control unit 8 may automatically perform the instruction. For example, when the terminal is performing multitask processing, the number of polygons that can be received and processed by graphics is limited. In that case, the control unit 8 automatically creates a command for requesting data such as the number of polygons that can be processed, and the command transmission unit 1
Transfer to 3.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the function of the embodiment of the distribution node 1 according to the present invention. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 14 is a CG data generator, which generates data in a format that can be processed on the GWS. Reference numeral 15 is a key frame thinning processing unit, 16 is a polygon thinning processing unit, 17 is a CG data transmitting unit, 18 is a command receiving unit,
Reference numeral 19 is a CG data processing control unit.

Next, the operation process of the distribution node of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The CG data generator 14 generates data in a format that can be processed on the GWS. CG
The output data of the data generator 14 is thinned by the key frame thinning processor 15. In FIG. 4, the key frame is set for every 3 frames, but for example, this is set for every 6 or 9 frames. By this key frame thinning process, the amount of data transmitted to the terminal can be reduced.

The polygon thinning processing unit 16 thins the vertices of the key frame image to reduce the number of polygons (planes) forming the graphics image.

FIG. 6 is a part of a three-dimensional shape model formed by quadrangular polygons, and black circles represent vertices. The number of polygons is reduced to 1 by thinning out only the vertices marked with X from the vertices marked with black circles (leaving only the vertices marked with X).
It can be reduced to / 4. Further, by thinning out only the vertices of white circles (leaving only the vertices of white circles), the number of polygons can be reduced to 1/16. Since the amount of data is reduced by this polygon thinning-out process, not only the amount of data transmitted to the terminal is reduced, but also the processing at the terminal is reduced.

The command receiving unit 18 receives the selection command transmitted from each terminal via the communication network 2 using the upstream channel and transmits it to the CG data processing control unit 19. The CG data processing control unit 19 gives an instruction to the key frame thinning processing unit 15 and the polygon thinning processing unit 16 in order to create CG data of the number of key frames and the number of polygons requested by the terminal. CG data transmitter 1
At 7, the thinned CG data is distributed to each terminal.

As can be seen from the above description, according to the present embodiment, by providing the distribution node 1 with the CG data processing means, the quality of the displayed image can be improved while the user looks at the displayed graphics image. When changing, the distribution node 1 processes the CG data and then distributes the processed data to each ground, so that the amount of data to be transmitted can be reduced.

Even when the terminal is performing multitask processing, since only the data that can be processed by the terminal is transmitted from the distribution node, efficient CG data transmission is possible.

Furthermore, by transmitting the graphics image in a data format rather than as a two-dimensional image sequence, so-called video, it is possible to reduce the amount of data to be transmitted and to easily process the data received by the terminal. Can be

Although the present invention has been specifically described based on the embodiments, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Nor.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the user changes the quality of the displayed image while looking at the displayed graphics image, after processing the CG data in the distribution node, Since the processed data is distributed to each destination, the amount of data to be transmitted can be reduced.

Even when the terminal is performing multitask processing, since only the data processable by the terminal is transmitted from the distribution node, efficient CG data transmission is possible.

Since the data is transmitted in the data format, the data received by the terminal can be easily processed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram showing functions of an embodiment of a receiving terminal according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a three-dimensional shape model in an xyz coordinate system according to the present invention,

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing coordinate data of apexes of the quadrangular pyramid shown in FIG. 2, edge line configuration data, and plane configuration data;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a frame sequence of frame numbers 1 to 9 representing a moving image according to the present embodiment,

FIG. 5 is a block configuration diagram showing functions of an embodiment of a distribution node 1 in this embodiment,

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a part of a three-dimensional shape model formed by quadrangular polygons of the present embodiment,

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an example of a communication system that simultaneously distributes CG data to multiple points.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Distribution node, 2 ... Communication network such as public line communication network, 3,
4, 5 ... Terminals for each ground, 6 ... Square pyramid, 7 ... Data receiving section, 8 ... Control section, 9 ... Graphics engine, 10 ...
Frame buffer, 11 ... Display, 12 ... Display image selection unit, 13 ... Command transmission unit, 14 ... CG data generation unit, 15 ... Key frame thinning processing unit, 16 ... Polygon thinning processing unit, 17 ... CG data transmission unit, 18 ... Command receiving unit, 19 ... CG data processing control unit.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kazufumi Watanabe 1-1-6 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nihon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a data distribution communication system for simultaneously distributing structured graphics data to multiple points, a processing means for processing the structured graphics data is provided in the distribution node and sent to the distribution node. A distributed data reception / selection method characterized by further comprising means for processing the graphics data by the processing means based on the received individual information and distributing the processed graphics data to each terminal. 2. The distributed data reception / selection method according to claim 1, wherein said processing means comprises means for thinning out the number of polygons of structured graphics data and means for thinning out key frames.