JP3774295B2 - Information collection system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system including a plurality of input terminals and a plurality of output terminals, arbitrarily selecting a combination thereof, and outputting video and audio information supplied from the plurality of input terminals from the plurality of output terminals. In particular, the present invention relates to an information collection system in which combinations of input terminals and output terminals at this time can be selected by patterning.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In order to efficiently grasp various situations at different locations by capturing the video and audio at those locations, multiple video and audio output terminals such as multiple image monitors and speakers are installed in a specific location. In addition, so-called information collection systems have been used in the past to arbitrarily select and display various video and audio information supplied from video and audio input terminals such as TV cameras and microphones. Useful for accurate information analysis.
[0003]
In the prior art, the selection of information from the input terminal (also referred to as input source) and the selection of the output terminal (also referred to as output source) to which the information is to be supplied are, for example, a plurality of switches arranged in a matrix. Using switches, these changeover switches are individually operated to connect the selected input terminal and output terminal in a hardware manner.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The above prior art does not give consideration to the point that it is necessary to operate a plurality of changeover switches when selecting the input terminal and the output terminal, and there is a problem that it is difficult to change the selection of the input terminal and the output terminal.
That is, in this case, since it is necessary to operate a large number of changeover switches, accurate selection and changeover operations of the switches become complicated, and quick and accurate operation is difficult, so that it is difficult to change the selection. It will end up.
[0005]
In such a system, the selection of a plurality of input terminals, that is, the selection of input information, and the combination of these selected input terminals and output terminals, that is, the combination of which information is displayed on which output terminal, A big difference appears in the quickness and accuracy of the information grasp desired in the situation at that time.
[0006]
Therefore, assuming several situations, according to each situation, the input terminals are selected in advance and the combinations of the selected input terminals and output terminals are patterned as several kinds of combinations, and according to the situation. What is desired is an information collection system of a so-called pattern selection method in which a combination of information selection and display most suitable for grasping the situation at that time can be obtained simply by selecting those combination patterns. The prior art described above has a problem that it is almost impossible to cope with it because it is necessary to quickly operate the changeover switch for each combination pattern.
[0007]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an information collection system that has a plurality of combination patterns of input terminals and output terminals, and can easily change the setting of the function pattern and always obtain an accurate situation analysis. .
Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to collect information that requires fewer restrictions associated with changing the combination when a plurality of combination patterns can be overlapped in order to reduce the types of combination patterns to be prepared. Is to provide a system.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The object is to collect information by providing a plurality of input terminals and a plurality of output terminals, arbitrarily selecting a combination thereof, and outputting video / audio information supplied from the plurality of input terminals from the plurality of output terminals. In the system,
A matrix switch circuit composed of a plurality of electronic switches connecting the input terminal and the output terminal;
Memory means for storing at least two kinds of combination patterns composed of a combination of a plurality of data for individually switching and controlling the plurality of electronic switches;
Selects a combination pattern stored in said memory means, by supplying to the matrix switch circuit, the connection state of the plurality of input output terminal and said plurality of output terminals, the at least two combined pattern data This is achieved by controlling the patterning by superposition .
[0009]
At this time, the object is achieved even if the at least two kinds of combination pattern data are controlled to be patterned by superimposing the basic pattern and the function pattern, and the combination pattern data is set by computer software. Even if it is made, the said objective is achieved.
[0010]
As a result, according to the present invention, the connection state between the plurality of input / output terminals and the plurality of output terminals can be obtained by software that only supplies the combination pattern data read from the memory means to the matrix switch circuit. Depending on the situation at that time, the required patterned connection state can be obtained easily and accurately in a short time.
[0011]
At this time, a plurality of combination pattern data can be used not only independently but also in an overlapped manner, so that the number of types of patterns to be prepared can be reduced.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an information collecting system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is an operation panel, 2 is an operation panel status display CPU, 3 is a system control personal computer, 4 is a serial I / O port, 5 is a digital output port, 6 Is an interface, 7 is a matrix switch circuit for video / audio switching, 8 is a video / audio input device, 9 is a video / audio output device, and 10 is a system controller.
[0013]
The operation panel 1 is used when creating and setting a combination pattern for selecting which of the video / audio input devices 8 the signal from which of the video / audio input devices 8 is output. It is used for an input operation to be performed, and also used for a superposition and release operation of a preselected function pattern (combination pattern).
[0014]
The operation panel state display CPU 2 is a controller for displaying a current selection state by operation of the operation panel 1.
At this time, when the operation panel 1 is composed of a switch unit, the presently selected state may be displayed by, for example, a tally lamp (indicator), but the combination of the video / audio input / output device and the input / output pattern If the number of types is large, for example, the operation panel 1 should be a CRT display with a touch panel, and the operation panel status display CPU 2 should be a personal computer.
[0015]
The system control personal computer 3 controls the entire system. The system control software including the input / output combination pattern setting software by the operation of the operation panel 1 and the control software of the operation panel state display CPU 2 include Resident.
[0016]
Further, the system control personal computer 3 is provided with a memory for storing a combination pattern generated by operating the operation panel 1, and is configured to output these combination patterns as necessary. .
[0017]
Further, the system control personal computer 3 has the following functions. That is, these combination patterns (function patterns) are given priorities, as will be described later, whereby the system control personal computer 3 has the highest priority when the combination patterns are overlaid. It works to validate a pattern with higher rank, and when a pattern is added, it stores it in a predetermined memory buffer, and works to keep all the combined patterns always overlaid. It is configured.
[0018]
The serial I / O port 4 is for communication between the operation panel status display CPU 2 and the system control personal computer 3, and the digital output port 5 is for communication between the system control personal computer 3 and the matrix switch circuit 7. The system controller 10 including the system control personal computer 3 is configured, and the interface 6 is an interface for applying a signal output from the digital output port 5 to the matrix switch circuit 7.
[0019]
The matrix switch circuit 7 controls the combination of the video / audio input device 8 and the video / audio output device 9. The matrix switch circuit 7 includes, for example, m × n electronic switches arranged in a matrix and is supplied from the system control personal computer 3. The control signal is configured to arbitrarily connect m inputs and n outputs.
[0020]
The video / audio input device 8 supplies various video signals and audio signals to the outside, such as a TV camera, TV broadcast tuner, personal computer screen data, VTR (video tape recorder), LD (laser disk device), microphone, cassette deck, etc. These devices constitute an input terminal.
[0021]
The video / audio output device 9 includes various devices that reproduce video and audio, such as a video monitor, a video projector, and a speaker device, and constitutes an output terminal.
[0022]
Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
First, FIG. 2 shows the structural concept of the system control software that runs on the system control personal computer 3 in this embodiment. In the figure, P0 to Pk are combination patterns, where k is It is an integer of 1 or more.
[0023]
Here, these combination patterns P <b> 0 to Pk are selected from any input terminal among the input terminals of each video / audio input device 8, and to any output terminal among the video / audio output devices 9. Whether to output is set in advance by patterning, whereby the on / off state of each electronic switch in the matrix switch circuit 7 is controlled as a whole, and the combination between input and output is patterned.
[0024]
Each of these patterns is arbitrarily set in advance by operating the operation panel 1 as described above, and is stored in a memory provided in the personal computer 3. It may be written in
[0025]
First, P1 is a basic pattern, which is a combination pattern that is automatically set in the matrix switch circuit 7 when the system is started up. When the system is started up, the input terminal and output that are considered optimal for grasping the first situation A combination of terminals is patterned as an on / off combination of each electronic switch of the matrix switch circuit 7.
[0026]
In this embodiment, it is assumed that it is applied to information collection in an emergency. For this reason, the basic pattern P0 is used to grasp the initial situation when the system is started up in an emergency. It is a pattern of combinations of input terminals and output terminals that are considered optimal.
[0027]
Next, the remaining patterns P1, P2, P3,..., Pk are function patterns 1 to k that are set according to various situations, respectively, and in this embodiment, the patterns are superimposed on the basic pattern P0. The function as a predetermined pattern is obtained.
[0028]
And as this predetermined function, it is assumed that a combination of an input terminal and an output terminal, which is considered to be able to obtain information that is most suitable for grasping the situation, is obtained in advance according to various situations. It is a pattern.
In this case as well, it goes without saying that patterns corresponding to various other situations assumed in an emergency are adopted as in the basic pattern P0.
[0029]
Next, these patterns will be described in more detail with specific examples.
This embodiment is for the case where the number of input terminals is 40 and the number of output terminals is 16, as shown in the following specific example. The pattern has a matrix configuration of 41 × 16, that is, the number of inputs = m = 41 and the number of outputs = n = 16.
[0030]
In addition, as described above, in the following specific examples, a combination pattern corresponding to each function can be obtained by superimposing a function pattern on a basic pattern as necessary. The number of function patterns at that time is 3 (k = 3), so that four types of combination patterns including the basic pattern can be selected.
[0031]
That is, selectable combination patterns in this embodiment are:
▲ 1 ▼ Basic pattern ▲ 2 ▼ Basic pattern + Function pattern 1
(3) Basic pattern + function pattern 2
(4) Basic pattern + function pattern 3
There are four types.
[0032]
First, FIG. 3 shows details of the basic pattern P0 whose priority is named “at the time of start-up”, and therefore, when the system is started up in an emergency, this combination is automatically set in the matrix switch circuit 7. Thereafter, this becomes a basic pattern of the combination of the input terminal and the output terminal. The priority order will be described later.
[0033]
Next, FIG. 4 shows details of the function pattern named “in-store TV”, and the priority is 3.
FIG. 5 shows details of the function pattern named “video communication”, and the priority is 2.
FIG. 6 shows the details of the function pattern named “TV meeting”, and the highest priority is 1.
[0034]
In FIG. 3 to FIG. 6, the input terminals such as a TV tuner are arranged vertically on the left side, and as described above, there are 41 types including the input of the switch for turning off the connection. .
Next, an output terminal such as an image monitor is horizontally arranged on the top, and as described above, there are 16 types. Here, the nine-screen monitor is a monitor having nine image display surfaces. That is.
[0035]
And the cell which is divided by the vertical and horizontal lines, and the grid at the intersection of the input terminal and the output terminal corresponds to the electronic switch, and the corresponding input terminal and output terminal are connected by the black circle added here. If a white circle is added, it indicates that the electronic switch at this intersection is configured to be arbitrarily turned on and off.
[0036]
Further, in this embodiment, specific examples are shown in order to prevent the selection state from being contradicted by superimposing with the basic pattern and to simultaneously superimpose a plurality of function patterns. In this way, each function pattern is given a priority, and when the patterns are superimposed, the priority is stored in the memory. When an electronic switch ON / OFF state that contradicts the basic pattern occurs, the function pattern is always stored. When ON / OFF by is prioritized and two or more function patterns are superimposed, only the function pattern having a higher priority is always enabled.
[0037]
Therefore, in this embodiment, for example, when an operation is performed by superimposing a basic pattern and a certain function pattern k, a function pattern k + 1 having a higher priority than the function pattern k is further superimposed. The function is invalidated, and the function based on the superposition of the basic pattern and the function pattern k + 1 superposed later is made valid.
[0038]
On the contrary, even if a function pattern k-1 having a lower priority than the function pattern k is further overlapped during operation while a certain function pattern k is superimposed on the basic pattern, at this time, this function pattern k The function -1 is not activated and the function by superimposing the basic pattern and the function pattern k is enabled as it is.
[0039]
Even at this time, as described above, the fact that the function pattern k-1 having the lower priority is superimposed is stored in the memory buffer, so that the function pattern k having the higher priority previously superimposed is stored. When is removed, the function by superimposing the low-priority function pattern k-1 and the basic pattern is automatically enabled.
[0040]
Therefore, according to this embodiment, there is no restriction on the superposition of the function pattern with respect to the basic pattern, and the function pattern can be arbitrarily added or removed at a desired timing.
[0041]
Next, selection contents in each pattern will be described.
First, in the basic pattern named “at the time of start-up” in FIG. 3, the in-house communication main store TV is output to the externally transmitted in-store TV line.
Similarly, the PC terminal office terminal is output to the external transmission video communication system, and OFF is output to the external transmission TV meeting line.
[0042]
On the other hand, in the conference room, the TV broadcast and the branch television are displayed on the nine-screen monitor, and the console monitor and the headquarters monitor, and the main monitor 1 is supplied with the office terminal of the PC terminal.
The other input terminals can be appropriately selected and turned on.
[0043]
Here, when the function pattern 1 named “in-store TV” in FIG. 4 is superimposed, the fixed camera 1 in the conference room is output to the externally transmitted in-store TV line so that all input sources can be selected. Become.
On the other hand, the external transmission video communication system, the TV meeting line, and the output of the conference room are the same as in the basic pattern, and there is no change.
[0044]
Next, if the function pattern 2 named “video contact” in FIG. 5 is superimposed, the external transmission in-store TV line and TV meeting line remain set to the same input terminal as in the basic pattern. The fixed room camera 1 is output to the externally transmitted video communication system, and all input sources can be selected.
An input terminal different from that in the basic pattern is set for each output terminal in the conference room.
[0045]
Furthermore, if the function pattern 3 named “TV meeting” in FIG. 6 is added, the conference room fixed camera 1 is output to the TV transmission line for external transmission, and other than the TV meeting transmission / reception input other than this. All the input terminals can be selected, and different output terminals from those in the basic pattern are set for each output terminal in the conference room. The rest is set to be the same as in the basic pattern.
[0046]
Thus, in the situation where all of the functional patterns 1 to 3 are superimposed on the basic pattern, three types of functional patterns are added on top of the basic mode. As described above, this embodiment In the operation, only the “TV meeting” function pattern 3 having the highest function superposition priority is validated, and the operation is performed in a state added to the basic pattern.
[0047]
Next, even though the “in-store TV” function pattern 1 and the “video contact” function pattern 2 are removed, the “TV meeting” function pattern 3 having the highest function superposition priority is still valid. No change in operation.
Furthermore, even if the “in-store TV” function pattern 1 and the “video contact” function pattern 2 are added again thereafter, the operation does not change.
[0048]
By the way, it is assumed that the “TV meeting” function pattern 3 is removed after the above procedure.
In this case, normally, the addition of the “in-store TV” function pattern 1 and the “video contact” function pattern 2 is ignored, and the “start-up” basic pattern should be activated.
[0049]
This is because if you look at the priority of patterns and enable only high priority patterns, when a high priority function pattern is enabled, add a lower priority function pattern. Because it will be ignored.
[0050]
Therefore, in this case, when a function pattern with a higher priority is enabled, when adding a function pattern with a lower priority than this, the function pattern with a higher priority is first removed, and then It becomes necessary to add a function pattern having a low priority order, which causes restrictions on operation.
[0051]
However, in this embodiment, as described above, the fact that the function patterns with lower priority are superimposed is stored in the memory buffer, so that the function pattern with higher priority that was previously superimposed is removed. When this occurs, the function based on the superposition of the lower priority function pattern and the basic pattern is automatically enabled. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the superposition of the functional pattern with respect to the basic pattern is performed. There is no restriction at all, and a function pattern can be arbitrarily added or removed at a desired timing.
[0052]
Note that such a specific programming method for software is used, for example, when the drawing pattern is superposed on the drawing surface by using well-known graphic software, and can be easily implemented. .
[0053]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the connection state between the plurality of input / output terminals and the plurality of output terminals can be obtained by software that only supplies the combination pattern data read from the memory means to the matrix switch circuit. Depending on the situation, the required patterned connection state can be obtained easily and accurately in a short time.
[0054]
At this time, a plurality of combination pattern data can be used not only independently but also in an overlapping manner, so that the number of types of patterns to be prepared can be reduced, and the configuration can be simplified.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an information collecting system according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing a software structure in an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a basic pattern which is an example of a combination pattern in an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a function pattern 1 which is an example of a combination pattern in an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a function pattern 2 that is an example of a combination pattern according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a function pattern 3 which is an example of a combination pattern in an embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Operation panel 2 Operation panel status display CPU
3 PC for system control 4 Serial I / O port 5 Digital output port 6 Interface 7 Matrix switch circuit 8 Video / audio input device (input terminal)
9 Video / audio output device (output terminal)
10 System controller P0 Basic pattern P1 Function pattern 1
P2 Function pattern 2
P3 Function pattern 3
Pk Function pattern k

Claims (3)

In an information collection system comprising a plurality of input terminals and a plurality of output terminals, arbitrarily selecting a combination thereof, and outputting video and audio information supplied from the plurality of input terminals from the plurality of output terminals,
A matrix switch circuit composed of a plurality of electronic switches connecting the input terminal and the output terminal;
Memory means for storing at least two kinds of combination patterns composed of a combination of a plurality of data for individually switching and controlling the plurality of electronic switches;
Selects a combination pattern stored in said memory means, by supplying to the matrix switch circuit, the connection state of the plurality of input output terminal and said plurality of output terminals, the at least two combined pattern data An information collection system configured to be controlled to be patterned by superposition . In the invention of claim 1,
Information collection system characterized in that even without the upper Kisukuna two combination pattern data is configured to be controlled patterned by superposition of the basic pattern and functional patterns. In the invention of claim 1 or 2,
An information collecting system, wherein the combination pattern data is set by software of a computer.

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