JPH11234635A - Digital video communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manage a transferred video frame and to match interfacing between different models by using a video container and an interface matching device being a video frame transmission means. SOLUTION: A video frame outputted from a video input output device 101 is contained in a payload by a container 102 and drive information is contained in a header. Frame format information and management information from a management information input output device 109 are contained in the header, the generated header and payload are assembled into a video container and its protocol is converted into a communication protocol and the resulting data are transferred to a network connector 105 as communication data. The transferred communication data are assembled into an original video container and a container disassembler 106 disassembles the data into the header and the payload. A video frame transferred to an interface matching device 107 is converted into a format of a video input output device 108 and the video frame is regenerated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital video data communication system using a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional digital video communication system will be described below. The video described below refers to a digitized high-definition video video.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of a conventional high definition video communication system via a network. 6, reference numerals 701 and 705 denote video input / output devices, 702 and 704 denote network connection devices, and 703 denotes a network.

As a network capable of transmitting and receiving high-definition video images at high speed, a network connection device and a switch are connected by an optical fiber, and communication is performed using a communication protocol such as an ATM protocol, a fiber channel protocol, or a HIPPI protocol. There is something to do.

In the video transfer in the system, a video frame output from the video input / output device 701 is input to the network connection device 702 for each transferable data unit defined by the communication protocol, and the video connection is performed by the network connection device 702. The frame is converted into the above-described protocol, transferred from the network connection device 704 to the video input / output device 705 via the network 703, converted from the above-described protocol into a video frame by the network connection device 704, and transmitted to the video input / output device 705. Is reproduced or accumulated.

In the system and the system of the present invention, the container has a format in which the target network accepts the unit as a unit, and the data format to be transferred in the network includes, for example, a header in the container. May be added. But,
This is not a condition of the present invention.

[0007]

However, in the above-described video communication system, the image frame format of the video input / output device on the transmitting side and the receiving side must be the same, and the video input / output device must be transferred via the network. Image frames cannot be reproduced or stored. Therefore, communication can be performed only between video input / output devices having the same machine interface.

Therefore, before sending a video, the model of the input / output device must be checked, and if the model is different, the only option is to give up communication or purchase the required equipment. There was a gender problem.

[0009] Further, information for managing the video to be transmitted / received stored in the video input / output device from the user side, for example, information on copyright, a video indicating a primary usage video or a secondary usage video. Since there is no mechanism for notifying the usage frequency information, storage start date information, usable expiration date information, and the like, it is necessary to provide a new mechanism for the user to manage the video.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to manage video frames to be transferred and to enable interface matching between different models.

[0011]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, there is provided a video container described below as a means for managing video frames to be transferred, and an interface matching device as a means for transmitting video frames of different models. Is used.

According to the present invention, the video container has a function of transmitting information for controlling between video devices, information for driving the video input / output device, and information for managing the video frame, a function of identifying the video format, and the like. As a result, communication can be performed between video devices having various machine interfaces by combining an interface matching device that converts an interface, and a system user can easily manage transmitted and received video.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As a first embodiment of the present invention, a case where data is transferred between video devices having different machine interfaces using a video container will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

The video data handled by the present system is intended for digitized video. Moreover, temporally, it is intended for a moving image in which a still image frame is transferred and displayed at a high speed (for example, 1/30 second).

First, the structure and function of a video container will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a video container for transferring a video frame. In FIG. 2, 2
00 is a header, 201 is format information, 202 is drive information, 203 is management information, and 204 is payload.

The format information 201 contains the V
For example, in a digital VTR of a standard television system, there are D1 and D5 as digital component standards, D2 and D3 as digital composite standards, and DV as a digital component standard of a compression system. As a video compression standard
Motion-JPEG, DCT, MPEG1, MPEG2
MPEG4 and the like.

The drive information 202 is used to transfer a signal for driving the video equipment of the other party. For example, when the video equipment of the other party is a VTR, it is reproduced, recorded, stopped, fast-forwarded, and rewinded as a drive signal. Etc.

The management information 203 includes management information from the other party, such as user comments and precautions, title of transferred video, information on copyright, and usage frequency of video indicating primary usage video or secondary usage video. It is used to transfer information, storage start date information, usable expiration date information, and the like.

The payload 204 is used to store a plurality of video frames to be transferred. Since the video container has the above structure, it is possible to match the data format standard of the video frame of the video input / output device on the transmitting side with the data format standard of the video frame of the video input / output device on the receiving side. In addition, the number of video frames to be transferred can be checked, the number of video frames transmitted and received, the content of video frames, the operation of video input / output devices, the management of video frames, etc. can be performed, and tasks related to video production and editing can be performed efficiently. Becomes possible.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a digital video communication system for transferring video devices having different machine interfaces using a video container. In FIG. 1, 1
01 and 108 are video input / output devices, 102 is a container accommodation device, 103 and 105 are network connection devices, 104 is a network, 106 is a container release device, 107 is an interface matching device, and 109 is a management information input / output device.

The management information input / output device 109 is assumed to be, for example, a personal computer, but the user can easily realize input / output of management information. As the video input / output devices 101 and 108, a plurality of types of cameras, VTRs, monitors, and the like are assumed, but other devices can be commonly used regardless of the type of the video input / output device. However, when the format of the video input / output device is changed to a different format, the format information of the management information input / output device 109 needs to be changed. The network connection devices 103 and 105 are assumed to be DSUs (Digital Service Units). ATM on the network 104
Protocol, Fiber Channel Protocol, HIPPI
A network for information communication that performs communication using a communication protocol such as a protocol is assumed.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of an interface matching device for matching the data formats of video frames on the transmitting and receiving sides. 3, reference numeral 107 denotes an interface matching device; 301, a format information identification circuit; 302 and 304, switches; and 303, a format conversion circuit. Format information identification circuit 301
Switches 302 and 304 are switched by the control from
One is chosen.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a container storage device for assembling a container. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 501 denotes a header generation circuit, 502 denotes a payload accommodation circuit, and 503 denotes a container assembly circuit.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a container opening device for opening a container. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 601 denotes a header release circuit, 602 denotes a payload release circuit, and 603 denotes a container disassembly circuit.

According to the present invention, the video frame output from the video input / output device 101 is accommodated in the payload 204 by the payload accommodation circuit 502 of the container accommodation device 102 due to the above structure. The drive information is stored in the header 200 by the header generation circuit 501. The format information and the management information from the management information input / output device 109 are accommodated in the header 200 by the header generation circuit 501, and the generated header 200 and the payload 204
Is assembled into a video container composed of a header 200 and a payload 204 having the structure shown in FIG. 2, then converted into a communication protocol in the network connection device 103, and converted into communication data as communication data.
4 to the network connection device 105.

The communication data converted and transferred to the communication protocol is used to assemble the original video container, transfer the video container to the container opening device 106, and use the container disassembly circuit 603 to output the header 200 and the payload 204.
The header is transferred to the header release circuit 601, and the format information 2 stored in the header 200
01, drive information 202, and management information 203 are released.

The released format information is sent to the format information identifying circuit 30 of the interface matching device 107.
1 is switched to the format conversion circuit 303 according to the format information 201 notified from the format information identification circuit 301 by the switches 302 and 304.

The drive information 202 is stored in the video input / output device 108.
And the video input / output device 108 is driven. The management information 203 is transferred to the management information input / output device and stored as user information. The payload 204 is transferred to the payload release circuit 602, and the video frame accommodated in the payload 204 is transferred to the interface matching device 107.
Is forwarded to

The video frame transferred to the interface matching device 107 is transferred to the format conversion circuit 303 switched by the switch 302, converted into the format of the video input / output device 108, and
4 to the video input / output device 108, and the video frame is reproduced or stored.

The format conversion circuit 303 converts the video format of the transmission source into the video format of the reception side, and may perform, for example, compression or decompression. In the case of the same type of format for transmission and reception, the video quality does not change, but in the case of different types of formats, the video quality is adjusted to the lower one. It is characterized in that it is automatically connected between different models, and it is only necessary to take measures such as improving the quality if necessary.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By using the video container, the system user can easily manage the transmitted / received video, and by providing the format conversion function, the video input / output device on the receiving side can be used even between video input / output devices of different machine interfaces. There is an effect that reproduction / recording / accumulation of the transferred video frame can be efficiently realized. In addition, even if the type of the video input / output device changes, the configuration of the present system can be continuously used without being affected, so that there is an advantage that an economic effect can be expected due to long-term equipment.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a system for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a video container for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of an interface matching device for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a container storage device for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a container opening device for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a video communication system for explaining an example of the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

101, 108, 701, 705 Video input / output device 102 Container accommodation device 103, 105, 702, 704 Network connection device 104, 703 Network 106 Container release device 107 Interface matching device 109 Management information input / output device 200 Header 201 Format information 202 Drive Information 203 Management information 204 Payload 301 Format information identification circuit 302, 304 Switch 303 Format conversion circuit 501 Header generation circuit 502 Payload accommodation circuit 503 Container assembly circuit 601 Header release circuit 602 Payload release circuit 603 Container decomposition circuit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A digital video communication system for transmitting video data between a video input / output device on a transmitting side and a video input / output device on a receiving side via a network, wherein the transmitting side includes a plurality of video input / output devices. A container housing having a function of adding at least the video format standard information of the video input / output device to the frame information as a header, and creating a video container that is information in a format matching the data format transferred in the network. A container opening device having a function of separating header information and frame information from the container, and the frame information, based on video format standard information in the separated header information, Interface matching device with a function to match the video format standard of the receiving video input / output device. Digital video communication system according to claim Rukoto. 2. The digital video communication system according to claim 1, wherein the container accommodation device on the transmitting side includes:
It has a function of adding information for driving the video input / output device and information for managing the video frame, and the container opening device on the receiving side converts the information for driving the video input / output device and the video frame from the header information of the container. A video input / output device having a function of separating the information to be managed, and a video input / output device having a function controlled according to information for driving the video input / output device and information for managing a video frame. system.