JP2006019857A - Content data transmission system and recorder/reproducer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress deterioration of a signal by excluding a useless conversion processing of a video signal. <P>SOLUTION: A tuner 101, a recorder/reproducer 102 and a monitor are cascaded such that the specification of a video signal to be received is requested from the video signal receiving side to the transmitting side and when the recorder/reproducer 102 is in stop mode, the request from a monitor 103 is transmitted, as it is, to the tuner 101 and a video signal from the tuner 101 is transmitted, as it is, to the monitor 103. Since the recorder/reproducer 102 cannot perform useless video signal conversion processing, deterioration of the signal can be suppressed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a content transmission system that transmits content data such as digital video signals between a plurality of electronic devices connected in series, and a recording / playback apparatus that constitutes one of the plurality of devices. The present invention relates to a content data transmission system and a recording / playback apparatus that can efficiently transmit content data when requesting data with different specifications for each.

  Conventionally, when a broadcast program is viewed and a program is to be recorded, a television receiver and a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) recorder, for example, are prepared, and the signals received by the tuners built in each are provided for each device. It is processed internally, and the television receiver displays the video on the display means and outputs the audio from a speaker or the like for viewing, and the DVD recorder records the video and the audio signal in a predetermined format.

  Apart from the above-described form, for example, a tuner (set top box) having a function of receiving broadcast signals exclusively without displaying means, processing the signals, and leading them out to be supplied to other devices, A system is constructed in which a recording / playback device is combined with a monitor equipped with video display means and audio output means, and a signal constituting a broadcast program received by the tuner is recorded by the recording / playback device and then presented on the monitor. It is also possible to do.

  In such a system, for example, each device can adopt a connection method in which both devices are connected to the tuner with the tuner at the center. Recently, however, one digital audio signal in addition to the digital video signal is also used. An HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) standard that enables transmission using a cable of the above type has been proposed. If a cable that complies with the HDMI standard is used, it is possible to connect each device in series in terms of appearance. Actually, it is possible to pass through a device connected in the middle inside the device.

  The HDMI standard has a high transmission rate capable of transmitting an uncompressed high-definition digital video signal, and an HD (High-Definition) video signal currently handled by broadcasting can be sufficiently transmitted.

  In addition, the HDMI standard also has a function such as so-called EDID (Extended Display Identification Data), which allows plug-and-play to request the specification of the data to be sent from the device receiving the transmission. The request information is also transmitted using an HDMI cable.

  Therefore, for example, when a recording / playback device is connected to a tuner and a monitor is connected to the recording / playback device, the monitor requests a desired signal from the recording / playback device, and the recording / playback device requests a desired signal from the tuner. It can be constituted as follows.

  If the requirements of each device are the same, there is no problem, but if they are different, it is necessary to convert the signal so as to meet the requirement before passing it.

  For example, a case where a video signal is appropriately switched between high definition HD and standard SD (Standard) and broadcasted will be described with a specific example.

  FIG. 5 shows an example in which a recording / playback device and a monitor are connected in tandem with a tuner at the head, and a signal desired from the previous device is requested.

  The tuner 501, the recording / playback device 502, and the monitor 503 are compatible with both HD and SD. The tuner 501 and the recording / playback device 502 convert a down converter for converting HD into SD, and convert SD into HD. Each upconverter is provided.

  In the example illustrated in FIG. 5, it is assumed that the monitor 503 requests HD from the recording / playback device 502 and the recording / playback device 502 requests SD from the tuner 501.

  The tuner 501 outputs the received program as it is if it is SD. However, if it is HD, the tuner 501 converts the video signal to SD by a down converter and sends it to the recording / playback device 502. The recording / playback device 502 records the SD signal, converts it to HD using an up-converter, and sends it to the monitor 503. The monitor 503 displays the HD video signal.

  In the case of FIG. 5, when the program received by the tuner is SD, the recording / playback device 502 only performs conversion processing to HD. However, when the broadcast program is HD, the tuner 501 is also used. Conversion processing to SD is performed, and the signal is further deteriorated.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example in which each device is connected in the same manner as FIG. 5, but a request from the monitor 603 is made to the tuner 601 through the recording / playback device 602.

  The tuner 601 sends the received program to the recording / playback device 602 as it is when the received program is HD, and when it is SD, the tuner 601 converts it to HD using an upconverter. The recording / playback device 602 converts the sent signal into SD by a down converter and then records it, and sends the signal from the tuner 601 through the monitor 603 as it is.

  In the case of FIG. 6, when the program received by the tuner 601 is SD, the conversion process is performed by the tuner 601 and the recording / playback device 602, so that the signal deteriorates.

Furthermore, in the case of the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 6, even when the recording / playback device 602 stops operating in, for example, the pause mode, the down converter operates, leading to useless energy consumption. As described, useless conversion may be performed, and there is a strong demand for improvement. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a video tape recorder that records a high-definition video signal incorporates an up-converter and a down-converter to reduce the number of analog / digital conversions or digital / analog conversions to reduce the signal. Proposals have been made to prevent this.

However, in this proposal, there is no description at all regarding the point that a plurality of devices are connected in cascade and the device that sends the signal requires the specification of the signal to be transmitted.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-75971

  As described above, conventionally, when a plurality of devices are connected in cascade and configured to request signal specifications from a device that sends signals, useless signal change processing occurs. Thus, there is a problem of deteriorating the signal.

  The present invention has been made in response to the above-described points, and is configured to switch a request for a device on a signal transmission side according to an operation state, thereby eliminating unnecessary signal conversion processing, and as a result, a signal It is an object of the present invention to provide a content data transmission system and a recording / playback apparatus that can prevent the deterioration of video.

  The content data transmission system of the present invention includes a receiving means for receiving at least a video signal of a first format and a broadcast signal that alternatively includes a video signal of a second format different from the first format, and the reception A first conversion means for converting the video signal of the first format received by the means to the second format, and a video signal of the second format received by the reception means for converting to the first format. From the second conversion means, the first format video signal and the second format video signal output from the reception means, the video signal output from the first conversion means and the second conversion means A first electronic device comprising first selection means for alternatively selecting and outputting the output video signal; and the video signal output from the first electronic device. A first setting is made to switch between an operating state to be used and an operating state not to be used, and to instruct the first electronic device to output one of the video signals in the first or second format. And a third conversion for converting the video signal of the first or second format supplied from the first electronic device according to the request into the second or first format and outputting the converted signal. And a second electronic device comprising a second selection device for selectively switching and outputting a video signal supplied from the first electronic device and an output of the third conversion device; And a second means for instructing the second electronic device to output one of the video signals in the first or second format. Request A second request supply in a case where the third electronic device having a supply means and the second electronic device are not using the video signal supplied from the first electronic device. Control means for supplying a request signal from the means to the first electronic device and outputting a video signal in a format based on the request signal.

  The content data transmission system of the present invention includes a first electronic device that selectively switches and outputs at least two types of content data having different signal forms, and the first electronic device connected to the first electronic device. To the second electronic device that sends a control signal for outputting one of the two types of content and receives a video signal output based on the control signal, and is connected to the second electronic device. A third electronic device that sends a control signal for outputting one of the two types of contents to the second electronic device and receives a video signal output based on the control signal; and the second electronic device Control means for selectively sending a control signal for the second electronic device or a control signal for the third electronic device to the first device in accordance with the operating state of the device. Toss .

  The recording / playback apparatus of the present invention includes a receiving unit that receives a broadcast including a plurality of types of video signals having different resolutions, a converting unit that converts the resolution of the received video signal, and an output of the received video signal or the converting unit. A control signal for outputting a video signal of any one of the above resolutions is supplied to a tuner that is alternatively switched and output, and the video signal supplied from the tuner is recorded, and the resolution based on the control signal from the monitor means A recording / playback apparatus for outputting a signal to the monitor means, supplying a control signal from the monitor to the tuner and outputting a video signal output from the tuner to the monitor in a state where the recording is not executed It is comprised so that it may do.

  According to the present invention, since unnecessary signal conversion processing is not performed, deterioration of content data can be prevented and energy consumption can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, a content data transmission system and a recording / playback apparatus incorporated in an outline system of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a circuit configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a content data transmission system of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, a content data transmission system 100 includes a tuner 101, a recording / playback apparatus 102, and a monitor 103. The tuner 101 includes a channel selection / demodulation / decoding unit 105 to which a broadcast reception signal from an antenna 104 that catches a broadcast radio wave is supplied.

  This channel selection / demodulation / decoding unit 105 performs channel selection, demodulation, error correction, descrambling, MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) 2-TS (Transport Stream) demultiplexing and MPEG decoding processing, An uncompressed digital video signal and a digital audio signal (not shown) are output.

  Here, the digital video signal is an HD signal or an SD signal, and is output to different signal lines. The HD signal is divided into a path supplied to the selector 107 via the down converter 106 and a path supplied directly to the selector 107. Similarly, the SD signal is divided into a path supplied to the selector via the up converter 108 and a path supplied directly to the selector 107.

  The selector 107 is controlled by the controller 109 and switches and outputs one of the input signals. The controller 109 is supplied with a request signal from another device in the subsequent stage, and controls the selector 107 based on the request signal. The output of the selector 107 is led to the recording / playback device 102 by, for example, the HDMI cable 110.

  The recording / playback device 102 includes a recording / playback unit 111 that records and plays back an SD signal in a recording medium (not shown) in the content data sent from the tuner 101. Further, the recording / playback apparatus 102 directly supplies the up converter 112 that converts the SD signal sent from the tuner 101 into an HD signal, the output of the up converter 112, and the HD signal and SD signal sent from the tuner 101, respectively. The selector 113 is provided.

  The selector 113 is controlled by the controller 114, and switches and outputs one of the input signals. The controller 114 is supplied with a request signal from a subsequent monitor, and controls the selector 113 based on the request signal. Further, it outputs its own request signal to the controller 109 of the tuner 101. The output of the selector 113 is led to the monitor 103 by an HDMI cable 115, for example.

  The monitor 103 includes a display unit 116 that displays a video signal supplied via the recording / playback device 102 and a controller 117 for deriving the request signal to a previous device.

  The controller 109 of the tuner 101 and the controller 114 of the recording / playback apparatus 102 are connected by a line 118, and the controller 114 of the recording / playback apparatus 102 and the controller 117 of the monitor 103 are connected by a line 119 to transmit request signals. 118 and 119 are actually incorporated in the HDMI cable 115.

  In the content data transmission system 100 configured as described above, the recording / playback device 102, which is the middle device among the devices connected in cascade, sends the request signal of the monitor 103 in accordance with its own operating state. Configured to handle. That is, as a recording / playback device, when recording is being performed, its own request signal is sent to the tuner 101. It operates to transmit to the tuner 101.

  FIG. 2 shows only the active block extracted from the circuit configuration diagram of FIG. 1. In this case, the monitor 103 outputs a signal requesting transmission of the HD signal from the controller 117. The recording / playback apparatus 102 is performing a recording operation, and outputs a signal requesting an SD signal from the controller 114.

  When the received program is an HD signal, the tuner 101 outputs a signal converted into SD by the down converter 106 to the recording / playback device 102. When the received program is an SD signal, the tuner 101 outputs the SD signal as it is. The data is output to the recording / playback apparatus 102.

  In the recording / playback apparatus 102, the sent SD signal is recorded, converted into an HD signal by the up-converter 112, and output to the monitor 103. This state is the same as the state shown in FIG.

  Next, if the recording / reproducing apparatus 102 stops recording, for example, the controller 114 of the recording / reproducing apparatus 102 operates to transmit the request signal from the monitor 103 to the tuner 101 as it is.

  Thereby, the tuner 101 outputs a signal converted into an HD signal by the up-converter 108 when the received program is an SD signal, and the signal as it is when the received program is an HD signal. Is output.

  In the recording / playback apparatus 102, the transmitted HD signal is directly transmitted and transmitted to the monitor 103. In this case, since the recording / playback apparatus 102 arranged in the middle does not perform signal conversion processing, the signal supplied to the monitor 103 has not undergone unnecessary conversion processing and can receive a signal without deterioration. It can be done.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining processing for switching the states of FIGS. 2 and 3 by the recording / playback apparatus 102. In FIG. 4, the process starts in step S401, and in step S402, it is determined whether or not the content transmission system is operating. That is, it is determined whether or not the tuner 101 and the monitor 103 are operating. If they are operating, it is next determined in step S403 whether or not the recording / playback apparatus 102 is in the recording mode. If the recording mode is selected, a signal requesting SD is sent to the tuner 101 in step S404, and the SD signal is received.

  In step S405, it is determined whether the request from the monitor 103 is HD. As a result, if it is determined that it is HD, the SD signal received from the tuner 101 is up-converted in step S406, and is output to the monitor 103. If it is determined that it is not HD, it is determined in step S407 by the tuner 101. The received SD signal is output to the monitor 103 as it is.

  Next, in step S408, it is determined whether or not the content transmission system is turned off. If not, the process returns to step S403. If it is turned off, the process ends in step S409.

  If it is determined in step S403 that the mode is not the recording mode, it is determined in step S410 whether or not it is the stop mode. If it is determined that the mode is not the stop mode, the process proceeds to step S404 to request the tuner 101 for an SD signal. Receive it.

  If it is determined in step S410 that the mode is the stop mode, it is determined in step S411 whether the request of the monitor 103 is HD, and if it is HD, an HD signal is requested to the tuner 101 in step S412. If it is not HD, an SD signal is requested to the tuner 101 in step S413.

  Next, in step S414, the signal sent from the tuner 101 is directly transmitted to the monitor, and the process proceeds to step S408.

  According to the above processing, depending on whether or not the recording / reproducing apparatus 102 is in the stop mode, the request for the monitor 103 is transmitted to the tuner 101 as it is or the request for transmitting the recording / reproducing apparatus 102 itself is transmitted. However, although the signal from the tuner 101 is not used at all, useless signal processing of converting the signal for the recording / playback apparatus 102 can be omitted, and deterioration of the signal can be suppressed. Is.

  As a result, the recording / playback apparatus 102 does not need to downconvert the signal from the tuner 101, so that it is not necessary to provide a downconverter, leading to cost reduction.

As described above, according to the present invention, wasteful signal conversion processing can be omitted, so that wasteful signal degradation does not occur, and a recording / playback apparatus having a simple configuration in which a down converter is omitted is applied. It has the effect of being able to do it.
The present invention can be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

1 is a circuit block diagram showing an embodiment of a content data transmission system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram for explaining an operation state of the system shown in FIG. 1. The circuit block diagram for demonstrating the other operation state of the system shown in FIG. The flowchart for demonstrating the process in which the operation state of FIG.2 and FIG.3 is set. The circuit block diagram which shows one operation state of a general content data transmission system. The circuit block diagram which shows the other operation state of a general content data transmission system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Content data transmission system 101 ... Tuner 102 ... Recording / reproducing apparatus 103 ... Monitor 104 ... Antenna 105 ... Channel selection / demodulation / decoding part 106 ... Down converter 107 ... Selector 108 ... Up converter 109 ... Controller 110 ... HDMI cable 111 ... Recording Playback unit 112 ... Upconverter 113 ... Selector 114 ... Controller 115 ... HDMI cable 116 ... Display unit 117 ... Controller 118, 119 ... Line 121 ... Display

Claims (3)

Receiving means for receiving at least a video signal of a first format and a broadcast signal alternatively containing a video signal of a second format different from the first format; and a first format received by the receiving means First conversion means for converting the video signal of the second format into the second format, second conversion means for converting the video signal of the second format received by the reception means into the first format, and the reception Alternatively, the first format video signal and the second format video signal output from the means, the video signal output from the first conversion means and the video signal output from the second conversion means. A first electronic device comprising first selection means for selecting and outputting to
Switching between the operation state using the video signal output from the first electronic device and the operation state not using the video signal, and the image in the first or second format for the first electronic device. First request supply means for giving an instruction to output one of the signals, and a video signal of the first or second format supplied from the first electronic device according to the request, the second or second A third conversion means for converting to a first format and outputting; a second selection for selectively switching between the video signal supplied from the first electronic device and the output of the third conversion means; A second electronic device comprising means;
Utilizing means for utilizing the video signal output from the second electronic device, and giving an instruction to the second electronic device to output either the first or second format video signal A third electronic device comprising a second request supply means;
When the second electronic device is not using the video signal supplied from the first electronic device, a request signal from the second request supply means is sent to the first electronic device. And a control means for outputting a video signal in a format based on the request signal,
A content data transmission system comprising: A first electronic device that selectively switches and outputs at least two types of content data having different signal forms;
A second control signal that is connected to the first electronic device and that outputs one of the two types of contents to the first electronic device and receives a video signal output based on the control signal. Electronic equipment,
A control signal for outputting one of the two types of contents is sent to the second electronic device connected to the second electronic device, and a third video signal is output based on the control signal. Electronic equipment,
Control means for alternatively sending a control signal for the second electronic device or a control signal for the third electronic device to the first device according to the operating state of the second electronic device;
A content data transmission method comprising:   A receiving means for receiving a broadcast including a plurality of types of video signals having different resolutions, a converting means for converting the resolution of the received video signal, and an output of the received video signal or the converting means are selectively switched and output. A control signal for outputting the video signal of any one of the resolutions to the tuner is supplied, the video signal supplied from the tuner is recorded, and a resolution signal based on the control signal from the monitor means is output to the monitor means. A recording / playback apparatus configured to supply a control signal from the monitor to the tuner and to output a video signal output from the tuner to the monitor in a state where the recording is not executed. A recording / playback device characterized.

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