JP2001197149A - Device and method for multimedia information communication - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a buffer memory, to reduce a semiconductor chip area, to smooth generation of code amount and to perform stable image decoding operation. SOLUTION: In a decoding device 200, encoded data transmitted from an encoding device 100 are received by a transmission decoder 201 and stored in a receiving buffer 202, and these encoded data are decoded while being segmented by an information source multiplex decoder 203. In that case, the number of data transmitted from the encoding device 100 is counted and outputted to a data transmission control part 207 by a data number count part 206, and in the data transmission control part 207, that counted number of transmitted data is compared with a data processing speed in a video decoding device 200 within the previously stored same unit time. When the count value of the number of transmitted data exceeds the number of data processable for the decoding device 200, the stop of data transmission is requested to a data transmitting part 104.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a portable video phone,
The present invention relates to a multimedia information communication device such as a digital broadcast transmitting / receiving device and a multimedia information communication method in general. Further, the image encoding and decoding schemes targeted by the present invention are all standard encoding and decoding schemes specified in the ITU-T recommendations and ISO / IEC standards.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 shows conventional multimedia information shown in TTC Standard Volume V, Volume 3, Higher Layer Protocol (Coding System) (Seventh Edition) issued by the Telegraph and Telephone Technical Committee. 1 shows the configurations of an encoding device and a decoding device of a communication device. The coding apparatus 100 performs an arithmetic process for compressing the amount of information, and performs an information source / multiplex coding apparatus 101 and a transmission buffer 10 for performing a data format creation process after compression.
2. It comprises a transmission encoder 103 for adding an error correction code or the like to an encoded bit stream, and a data transmission unit 104. In addition, the video decoding device 200 includes the encoding device 1
00, a transmission decoder 201 for performing error correction and the like on the transmitted bit stream, a reception buffer 202, an information source / multiplexing decoder 203 for extracting compressed data and expanding compressed information, a buffer remaining amount Detection unit 20
4. It is composed of a data transmission control unit 205.

Here, the transmission buffer 103 is a memory for making the amount of transmission data constant, stores encoded data in the memory, and takes out data at a constant rate. Then, when the capacity of the transmission buffer memory 103 is about to overflow, the information source / multiplexing coding apparatus 101 is operated to reduce the code amount.

A reception buffer 202 is a memory for guaranteeing a decoding processing time for arriving reception data. The reception buffer 202 stores the reception data and takes out the data at a data processing speed of the video signal multiplexing decoder 203. Things. At this time, the buffer remaining amount detection unit 204 detects the remaining capacity of the reception buffer 202, and the data transmission control unit 205 determines whether or not the capacity of the reception buffer 202 becomes zero and overflow occurs. , When it is determined that overflow occurs, the encoding device 100
Of the data transmission unit 104 to stop the data transmission. Then, the data transmission unit 104 acts on the information source / multiplex coding apparatus 101 to reduce the code amount.

[0005]

However, in the conventional multimedia information communication apparatus, whether the transmission request of the coded data is permitted or not is determined based on the remaining amount of the reception buffer 202 of the decoding apparatus or the interface apparatus. On the device side, it is not possible to predict in advance the data transmission stoppage and the coding control, and there is a problem that a decrease in the code amount due to the coding control may cause a significant deterioration in image quality.

Further, if the buffer capacity of the decoding device is increased, overflow is less likely to occur, and the probability of stopping data transmission to the encoding device is reduced. However, a buffer memory (RAM: random (Access memory) occupies a large layout area in a semiconductor chip, and causes an increase in chip area.Since chip area reduction is an essential matter, it is necessary to optimize buffer capacity to the minimum necessary. There was also a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. Instead of determining whether or not a transmission request can be made, coded data is input by an amount corresponding to the processing speed of the decoding device or the interface device, etc., so that the buffer memory can be reduced, optimized, and the amount of generated code can be reduced. An object of the present invention is to provide a multimedia information communication device and a multimedia information communication method capable of obtaining a smoothed and stable image decoding operation.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided a multimedia information communication apparatus for receiving encoded data transmitted from an encoding apparatus, wherein the multimedia information communication apparatus receives the encoded data transmitted from the encoding apparatus. Data number counting means for counting the number of data in a predetermined unit time of the encoded data, and comparing the count number counted by the data number counting means with the number of processable data that can be processed in the predetermined unit time Data transmission control means for requesting the encoding device to stop transmitting the encoded data when the count exceeds the number of processable data.

Further, a buffer remaining amount detecting means for detecting a remaining amount in a receiving buffer of the decoding device which receives the encoded data transmitted from the encoding device, a count output of the data number counting means, and a buffer remaining amount detecting means. Selecting means for selecting the detection output of the data number, and when the count output of the data number counting means is selected by the selecting means, the data transmission control means includes: Comparing with the number of processable data, if the count exceeds the number of processable data, requesting the encoding device to stop transmitting the encoded data, Is selected, it is determined whether or not the reception buffer overflows based on the detection output,
When the reception buffer overflows, requests the encoding device to stop transmitting the encoded data,
It is characterized by the following.

[0010] The encoded data is based on the ITU-T recommendation, ISO / I
It is a bit stream encoded according to a standard encoding system defined in the EC standard.

Further, the multimedia information communication device is a decoding device that decodes encoded data in its own device.

The multimedia information communication device is provided between an encoding device and a decoding device that receives and decodes encoded data transmitted from the encoding device. Characterized in that the interface device does not perform decryption.

[0013] In the multimedia information communication method according to the next invention, the number of coded data transmitted from the coding device in a predetermined unit time is counted, and the counted number is set to the same time as the predetermined unit time. In the decoding device, the number of processable data that can be processed by the decoding device is compared with the number of data that can be processed. Request.

Further, the remaining amount in the receiving buffer for receiving the encoded data transmitted from the encoding device is detected, and the count output and the detection output of the buffer remaining amount detection are selected. In the case where the count number is the count output and the number of processable data, the count number exceeds the number of processable data. While outputting the data transmission stop request, when the detection output of the buffer remaining amount detection is selected, it is determined whether the reception buffer overflows based on the detection output, and the reception buffer overflows. In this case, a data transmission stop request of the encoded data is output to the encoding device.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an encoding device, which is a multimedia information communication device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and a decoding device. In FIG. 1, 10
1 is an information source / multiplex coding apparatus, 102 is a transmission buffer, 103 is a transmission coding apparatus, and 104 is a data transmission unit, and these constitute the coding apparatus 100.

Reference numeral 201 denotes a transmission decoder, 202 denotes a reception buffer, 203 denotes an information source / multiplexing decoder, 206 denotes a data number counting unit, and 207 denotes a data transmission control unit.
These constitute a video decoding device 200.

Next, the operation will be described. First, the encoding device 1
On the 00 side, the information source / multiplex coding apparatus 101 performs arithmetic processing for compressing the amount of information, and then performs multiplexing processing to create a coded bit stream in a data format format after compression, and transmits the coded bit stream. The data is accumulated in the buffer 102. The transmission encoder 103 adds an error correction code or the like to the coded bit stream stored in the transmission buffer 102 and outputs the coded bit stream to the data transmission unit 104.
4 transmits to the decoding device 200 an encoded bit stream to which an error correction code or the like has been added.

On the other hand, in the decoding device 200, the transmission decoder 2
01 receives the bit stream transmitted from the encoding device 100, performs error correction and the like, decodes the bit stream, and stores it in the reception buffer 202. The information source / multiplexing decoder 203 reads out the compressed coded data stored in the reception buffer 202 while extracting the data, decompresses the compressed information, and outputs the compressed information.

At this time, the data number counting unit 206 determines that the data processing speed of the entire decoding device 200 corresponds to the data processing speed.
In order to input encoded data, the number of data transmitted from encoding apparatus 100 is counted, and the count value is output to data transmission control section 207.

In the data transmission control unit 207, the count of the number of transmission data in the unit time currently counted from the data number counting unit 206 and the information source / source in the same unit time stored or set in advance. The number of data that can be decoded by the multiplexing decoder 203, that is, the data processing speed in the video decoding device 200 is compared. When the count value of the number of transmission data is smaller than the number of data that can be processed, and there is no possibility that the count value exceeds the number of data that can be processed, the data number counting unit 20
6 transmits a data transmission request signal to the data transmission unit 104 of the encoding device 100. On the other hand, when the count value of the number of transmission data may approach the data processing speed of the decoding device 200 and the count value may exceed the number of processable data, and when the count value of the number of transmission data increases the data processing speed of the decoding device 200. In the case described above, a data transmission request signal is not output to the data transmission unit 104 of the encoding device 100, and a request to stop data transmission is made.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the transmission timing of the data transmission request signal in the data transmission control section 207. The data number counting unit 206 includes, for example, the data decoding device 2
It is assumed that the period of a signal generated in a certain period used in 00 is used. Specifically, the data decoding device 2
00 indicates that the maximum number of bits that can be decoded in one second is, for example, 6
Assuming that the data rate is 4 Kbps, for example, at an interval of 10 ms as shown in FIG. 2A, 640 data as shown in FIG. 2C are generated according to the system clock as shown in FIG. 2B. Can be processed. Therefore, the data transmission control unit 20
7, based on the count output of the data number counting unit 206, as shown in FIG. 2D, an active (high) data transmission request signal is received every 10 ms while 640 pieces of data are received. While transmitting to the 100 data transmitting units 104, when the number exceeds 640, the data transmission unit 104 is set to non-active (low), does not output a data transmission request signal, and requests to stop data transmission.

Even if the data number counting unit 206 sends a data transmission stop request to the encoding device 100, there is a delay until the encoding device 100 responds, during which data is transmitted from the data encoding device 100. It is thought to come. Therefore, for the surplus data,
Stored in the reception buffer 202. This receive buffer 2
Since the capacity value of 02 only needs to store the surplus,
It may be significantly smaller than before. Therefore, the encoding device 10
In consideration of delay until 0 responds, data encoding device 1
Data number counting unit 2 so that the data transmitted from 00 does not exceed 640, which is the number of bits that can be decoded.
If 06 sends a data transmission stop request to the encoding device 100, the reception buffer 202 becomes unnecessary.

Therefore, according to the first embodiment, data number counting section 206 counts the number of data transmitted to decoding apparatus 200, and data transmission control section 207 determines the number of data that can be decoded by decoding apparatus 200. Since the data transmission request signal is transmitted to the encoding device 100 so that data is input, a stable image decoding operation can be realized on the decoding device 200 side, and the generated code amount can be smoothed on the encoding device 100. That is, in the decoding device 200,
Since almost the number of data that can be decoded is transmitted, no operation failure occurs. Further, in the encoding device 100, since the data transmission request signal transmitted from the decoding device 200 periodically repeats active and non-active, a certain degree of prediction can be performed, and the generated code amount can be easily smoothed.

According to the first embodiment, the hardware of the data number counting unit 206 and the data transmission control unit 207 in the decoding device 200 is insignificant, while the capacity of the reception buffer 202 is reduced. Since the device can be reduced or made unnecessary, the area of the semiconductor chip size when the present device is implemented as an LSI can be reduced, which is very effective.

Embodiment 2 The decoding device of the multimedia information communication device according to the second embodiment of the present invention is a combination of the conventional device shown in FIG. 6 and the device of the first embodiment shown in FIG. FIG. 3 shows a configuration of an encoding device and a decoding device of the multimedia information communication device according to the second embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 204 denotes the same buffer remaining amount detection unit as the conventional one shown in FIG. 6, and 208 denotes a selection switch. Since the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the same reference numerals are given and the description is omitted.

Next, the operation will be described. First, in the second embodiment, the detection output of the buffer remaining amount detection unit 204 or the count output of the data number counting unit 206 is selected by the selection switch 208.

When the detection output of the buffer remaining amount detection unit 204 is selected by the selection switch 208, the data transmission control unit 207 controls the buffer remaining amount detection similarly to the case of the prior art having the configuration shown in FIG. The detection output of the unit 204 is input, and a data transmission request signal is output based on the remaining amount of the reception buffer 202.

On the other hand, when the count output of the data number counting section 206 is selected by the selection switch 208, the data transmission control section 207 sends the data to the data transmission control section 207 in the same manner as in the first embodiment having the configuration shown in FIG. Number counting unit 20
6 and outputs a data transmission request signal to the decoding device 200 based on the number of data input per predetermined time.

Therefore, according to the second embodiment, the prior art for determining whether or not a data transmission request can be made by checking the remaining capacity of the reception buffer 202 and the determination of whether or not a data transmission request is possible based on the number of data that can be processed by the decoding device 200 Since the embodiment 1 can be switched by the selection switch 208, the method of determining whether or not a data transmission request can be performed can be switched according to the system. For example, since the data rate (transmission rate) management department may change to either the sender (decoding device) side or the receiver (decoding device) side depending on the system, for example, in a system where the receiver manages the rate, While using the technology of Embodiment 1,
In a system in which the sender manages the rate, control is performed on whether or not a data transmission request can be made by checking the remaining amount of the reception buffer capacity. As a result, by adopting the configuration of the second embodiment, it is possible to flexibly cope with such a rate management of the system.

Embodiment 3 In the first embodiment described above, the number-of-data counting section 206 and the data transmission control section 207 are provided in the decoding apparatus 200 as shown in FIG. And an interface device that connects

FIG. 4 shows a configuration of an encoding device 100 and an interface device 300 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 300 denotes an interface device for multiplexing / demultiplexing video data and audio data and the like, and 301 denotes a reception buffer for keeping the data amount in the interface device 300 constant. The other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and therefore, the same reference numerals are given and the description is omitted.

The operation of the third embodiment is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment.
At 00, the number of data input within a predetermined time is counted,
The data transmission control unit 207 outputs a data transmission control signal to the data transmission unit 104 so that the number of data is input in accordance with the data processing speed of the interface device 300. Therefore, according to the third embodiment, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained in the interface device 300.

Embodiment 4 FIG. In the second embodiment described above, the buffer remaining amount detection unit 204, the data number counting unit 206, and the data transmission control unit 207 are provided in the decoding device 200 as shown in FIG. 3, but in the fourth embodiment, Is provided in an interface device connecting the encoding device and the decoding device.

FIG. 5 shows a configuration of an encoding device 100 and an interface device 300 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 300 denotes an interface device for multiplexing / demultiplexing video data and audio data and the like, and 301 denotes a reception buffer for keeping the data amount in the interface device 300 constant. The other configuration is the same as that of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, and therefore, the same reference numerals are given and the description is omitted.

The operation of the fourth embodiment is almost the same as that of the second embodiment. The remaining buffer detecting unit 204, the number of data counting unit 206, and the data transmission control unit 207 Only operates in the interface device 300 instead of the decoding device. That is, first, the selection switch 208 detects the output of the buffer remaining amount detection unit 204 or the data number counting unit 2
06 count output and the buffer remaining amount detection unit 2
When the detection output of No. 04 is selected, the data transmission control unit 207 outputs a data transmission request signal based on the remaining amount of the reception buffer 202 while the data transmission request signal is output, as in the case of the prior art having the configuration shown in FIG. When the count output of the number counting section 206 is selected, the number of data input to the interface device 300 per predetermined time is counted, and the data transmission control is performed, as in the first embodiment of the configuration shown in FIG. The unit 207 outputs a data transmission control signal to the data transmission unit 104 so that data is input in an amount corresponding to the data processing speed of the interface device 300. Therefore, according to the fourth embodiment, the same effect as that of the second embodiment can be obtained in the interface device 300.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, the number of coded data transmitted from the coding apparatus in a predetermined unit time is counted, and the counted number is counted within the same time as the predetermined unit time. Compared with the number of processable data that can be processed, if the count exceeds the number of processable data, so as to request the encoding device to stop data transmission of the encoded data, In a decoding device, an interface device, or the like, to which encoded data is transmitted from the encoding device, almost the number of data that can be decoded is transmitted, so that operation failure does not occur and stable image processing can be performed.

Further, in the coding apparatus, since the data transmission request signal periodically repeats active and non-active, a certain degree of prediction can be performed, and the generated code amount can be easily smoothed.

Furthermore, since the capacity of the receiving buffer can be reduced or made unnecessary, the area of the semiconductor chip size when the present device is implemented as an LSI can be reduced, which is very effective.

Further, according to the present invention, the remaining amount in the receiving buffer for receiving the encoded data transmitted from the encoding device is detected, and the count output and the detection output of the buffer remaining amount detection are selected. When the count output is selected, the count number, which is the count output, is compared with the number of data that can be processed. If the output of the data transmission stop request is output and the detection output of the buffer remaining amount detection is selected, it is determined whether or not the reception buffer overflows based on the detection output, and the reception buffer overflows. , A request to stop data transmission of encoded data is output to the encoding device. It can be switched.

[0040]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a multimedia information communication device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a transmission timing of a data transmission request signal in a data transmission control unit 207 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a multimedia information communication device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a multimedia information communication device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a multimedia information communication device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional multimedia information communication device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Encoding device 101 Information source / multiplex encoder 102 Transmission buffer 103 Transmission encoder 200 Decoding device 201 Transmission decoder 202 Reception buffer 203 Information source / multiplexing decoder 204 Buffer remaining amount detection unit 205, 207 Data transmission control unit 206 Data number counting section 208 Selection switch 300 Interface device 301 Receive buffer

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5C059 KK08 KK22 KK34 KK35 KK50 MA00 PP04 RB01 RC32 RE04 RE16 RE20 RF05 SS07 SS30 UA02 UA33 5K034 AA06 CC01 CC02 DD01 EE10 FF02 HH01 HH02 HH06 HH16 NN11

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A multimedia information communication device that receives encoded data transmitted from an encoding device, wherein the data is used to count the number of data in a predetermined unit time of the encoded data transmitted from the encoding device. Number counting means, comparing the count number counted by the data number counting means and the number of processable data that can be processed within the predetermined unit time, when the count number exceeds the number of processable data, A multimedia information communication device, comprising: a data transmission control unit that requests the encoding device to stop transmitting the encoded data. 2. The multimedia information communication device according to claim 1, further comprising: a buffer remaining amount detecting unit that detects a remaining amount in a receiving buffer of a decoding device that receives the encoded data transmitted from the encoding device. Selecting means for selecting a count output of the data number counting means and a detection output of the buffer remaining amount detection, wherein the data transmission control means selects the count output of the data number counting means by the selecting means. If the count number exceeds the processable data number, the count number is a count output and the processable data number is compared. If a request for cancellation is made and the detection output of the buffer remaining amount detection is selected, the reception buffer is determined based on the detection output. It determines whether or not to overflow, if the receive buffer overflows, requests transmission stop of the encoded data to the encoding apparatus, it multimedia information communication apparatus according to claim. 3. The multimedia information communication device according to claim 1, wherein the coded data is coded according to a standard coding method defined in an ITU-T recommendation and an ISO / IEC standard. A multimedia information communication device characterized by being a bit stream. 4. The multimedia information communication device according to claim 1, wherein the multimedia information communication device is a decoding device that decodes encoded data in its own device. 5. A multimedia information communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said multimedia information communication apparatus comprises: an encoding apparatus; and a decoding apparatus which receives and decodes encoded data transmitted from said encoding apparatus. A multimedia information communication device, characterized in that the device is an interface device that is provided between the devices and does not perform decoding of encoded data by itself. 6. A method for counting the number of encoded data transmitted from an encoding device in a predetermined unit time, and calculating the count and the number of processable data that can be processed in the same time as the predetermined unit time. In comparison, when the count number exceeds the processable data number, a request for stopping the data transmission of the encoded data is issued to the encoding device. 7. The multimedia information communication method according to claim 6, further comprising: detecting a remaining amount in a reception buffer for receiving encoded data transmitted from an encoding device, and further including the count output and the buffer remaining amount. When the count output is selected, the count number that is the count output is compared with the processable data number, and the count number exceeds the processable data number. If the detection output of the buffer remaining amount detection is selected while outputting a data transmission stop request of the encoded data to the encoding device, the reception buffer overflows based on the detection output. And determining whether to perform the transmission of the encoded data to the encoding device when the reception buffer overflows. A multimedia information communication method, comprising outputting a stop request.