JP2002124929A - Apparatus and method for processing information as well as recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily generate scene description information describing contents of a scene at each scene for constituting the contents. SOLUTION: A switching information processor 21 selects image data output from output units 111 to 11N for outputting image data, and acquires switching information regarding selection of the image data from a selector for outputting a stream of the image data to be the contents. A scene description information generator 22 generates scene description information describing the contents of the scene for constituting the contents based on its switching information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a recording medium, and more particularly to a method for easily generating scene description information describing the contents of a scene constituting a content. The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a broadcasting station, a camera (video camera), a VTR (Video Tape Recorder), a CG (Computing
er Graphics) Image data from an image output device that outputs image data (including audio data accompanying the image data, if necessary) is selected by the switcher, and the special effects required by the effector are added. As a result, content broadcast as a program, content recorded on package media, and the like are produced.

[0003]

By the way, a title such as a program name is generally given to the content, and the user grasps (recognizes) the content of the content from the title. You can choose whether to watch.

On the other hand, recently, with the development of digital communication technology using the Internet and the like, digital broadcasting has begun in earnest, and random access recording media such as DVDs and hard disks have been provided at low cost. It has become. Various services in a new form using such a technology have been proposed, and as one of them, it has been considered that contents can be managed in smaller units than before and made available.

That is, for example, ARIB (Association of
Radio Industries and Businesses) 's “Program Arrangement Information Standards for Digital Broadcasting” describes a program index (metadata) that arranges scene description information that describes the contents of the scenes that make up the program. Format is specified.

In order for a user to be able to manage and use the content in small units, the creator of the content, for example, structures the content for each scene constituting the content, and Must be added to the scene description information and provided to the user. Thereby, for example, the user can sequentially record or reproduce the provided contents, and can record or reproduce only desired scenes among the scenes constituting the contents in a fragmentary manner. Can be realized.

Conventionally, however, the creation of scene description information is not particularly taken into account when producing the content. Therefore, when creating the scene description information, the creation of the scene description information is performed separately from the production of the content. ,
It had to be done manually. Therefore, creating scene description information is troublesome, and there is a problem that the creation cost is increased.

On the other hand, the production of the content is performed while switching the scenes constituting the content by, for example, selecting a plurality of materials by a switcher or an effector. In order to structure for each scene that constitutes, the information on the switching point (time) of each scene, that is, the so-called IN point and OUT point is indispensable.

Conventionally, in a switcher or the like,
Information on editing operations such as IN point and OUT point is recorded in the form of, for example, EDL (Edit Decision List),
It may be reused, but it would be useful if such information could be used to create the scene description information so that the scene description information could be generated automatically or semi-automatically. is there.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and it is an object of the present invention to be able to easily generate scene description information describing the contents of a scene constituting a content.

[0011]

An information processing apparatus according to the present invention selects image data output from one or more output devices that output image data, and outputs the image data as a content from a selection device that outputs a stream of image data. And an acquisition unit for acquiring selection information regarding selection of image data, and a generation unit for generating scene description information describing the contents of a scene constituting the content based on the selection information.

An information processing method according to the present invention relates to selection of image data from a selection device that selects image data output from one or more output devices that output image data and outputs a stream of image data serving as content. It is characterized by comprising an obtaining step of obtaining selection information and a generation step of generating scene description information describing the contents of a scene constituting the content based on the selection information.

[0013] The recording medium of the present invention selects image data output from one or more output devices that output image data, and selects image data from a selection device that outputs a stream of image data as content. A program is recorded, comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring information; and a generation step of generating scene description information describing the contents of a scene constituting the content based on the selection information.

According to the information processing apparatus, the information processing method, and the recording medium of the present invention, image data output from one or more output devices for outputting image data is selected.
Selection information about the selection of image data is obtained from a selection device that outputs a stream of image data serving as content, and scene description information that describes the content of a scene constituting the content is generated based on the selection information.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a broadcasting system to which the present invention is applied (a system refers to a system in which a plurality of devices are logically assembled, and whether or not the devices of each configuration are in the same housing. Is shown, an example of the configuration of the embodiment.

In the broadcasting station 1, content as a program is produced, and the content is broadcast as digital broadcast radio waves from the antenna 1A. The radio wave of the digital broadcast is received by the antenna 2A at the user's home and supplied to the receiving device 2. In the receiving device 2, necessary processing is performed on the signal from the antenna 2A, and the resulting content is recorded or displayed on a display (not shown).

The broadcast station 1 also creates scene description information describing the contents of the scenes constituting the content in addition to the content. The scene description information is broadcast as a digital broadcast together with the content, for example. Also, the broadcasting station 1 and the receiving device 2 at the user's home
For example, it is possible to communicate via a network 3 such as a public network or the Internet, and scene description information produced by the broadcasting station 1 is transmitted to the receiving device 2 via the network 3 in response to a request from the receiving device 2. Provided.

In addition, the scene description information is stored in a Web server constituting the Internet as the network 3, and the Web server transmits the scene description information to the receiving device 2.
Can also be provided.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of the broadcasting station 1.

The plurality of output devices 11 _{1 to} 11 _N are devices for outputting image data as a material such as a camera (video camera), a CG device, a VTR, and the like.
_The image data output from _{1 to} 11 _N is supplied to the switcher 12.

The switcher 12 has a plurality of output devices 11 _1.
The image data output from the image data 11 to _11N is selected, for example, in accordance with the operation of the operator of the switcher 12, and is output to the content providing device 13 as a scene constituting the content. The content providing device 13 transmits content composed of scenes output by the switcher 13 as digital broadcast radio waves.

Further, the switcher 12, among the image data output from the plurality of output devices 11 ₁ through 11 _N, the switching information (selection information) as information about those selected as the scene content, scene description information generation unit 14.

Here, the switching information includes, for example,
Time information (information corresponding to the IN point and the OUT point) of the image data selected by the switcher 12 regarding the time on the content, and the output device 11 that outputs the image data
Identification information for identifying _n is included.

The scene description information generating device 14 is composed of a switching information processing section 21 and a scene description information generating section 22, acquires switching information supplied from the switcher 12, and outputs the switcher 12 based on the switching information. Scene description information about the scenes constituting the content to be created. That is, the switching information processing unit 21 acquires switching information from the switcher 12, processes the switching information, obtains information necessary for generating scene description information, and supplies the information to the scene description information generation unit 22. Scene description information generator 22
Generates the scene description information using the information supplied from the switching information processing unit 21 and outputs the scene description information to the content providing apparatus 13.

As described above, the content providing device 13 not only broadcasts the content supplied from the switcher 12 by digital broadcasting, but also transmits the content supplied from the scene description information generating device 14 (the scene description information generating unit 22 thereof). The description information is provided to the receiving device 2 by digital broadcasting or via the network 3.

As described above, in the broadcasting station 1, scene description information is generated in parallel with production (or editing) of content as a program.

Next, FIG. 3 shows an example of scene description information generated by the scene description information generating device 14 of FIG.

[0028] In the embodiment of FIG. 3, as the output device 11 ₁ to 11 _N, VTR, cameras A and B, and C
Assuming that four devices of the G device are connected to the switcher 12, the scene description information on the content created using the image data output from these four devices as a material is shown.

In FIG. 3, the contents are, from the beginning, scenes # 1, # 2, # 3, # 4, # 5, # 6,.
Are arranged sequentially. Also, scene # 1
Is composed of image data from the VTR, and scene # 2 is composed of image data from the camera A.
Further, scene # 3 includes C in the image data from camera A.
Scene data # 4 is image data obtained by superimposing image data (CG) from the G device, and scene # 4 is image data obtained by superimposing image data from the CG device on image data from the camera B.
5 is the image data from the VTR, and scene # 6 is the image data from camera A, each of which is configured.

Note that the time at the beginning of the content is set as a reference (0
0:00:00 (0: 00: 00: 00)), in FIG.
The content is scene # 1 for 45 seconds from 00:00:00 to 00:00:46, and scene # 2 for 64 seconds from 00:00:46 to 00:01:50, 00:01:50 75 seconds from 00:03:05 to scene # 3, 30 seconds from 00:03:05 to 00:03:35 scene # 4, from 00:03:35 to 00:04:25. 50 seconds are composed of scene # 5.

The scene description information generating device 14 generates the scene description information using one scene constituting the content as a minimum unit. Therefore, when the scene description information is generated, the scene description information is , Generated for one or more scenes (columns).

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, one scene # 1
Is the scene description information SDI ₁ for two scenes # 2
And # is the scene description information SDI ₂ relative to 3, the two scenes # 3 and # scene description information SDI ₃ relative to 4, scene description information SDI ₄ for one scene # 4, a scene # 5, scene description information SDI ₅ is generated.

The scene description information includes, for example, “start” data indicating the time on the content at which the scene (column) representing the content of the scene description information starts, and “section length” indicating the duration of the scene (column). Data and “contents” data representing the content of the scene (column).

In FIG. 3, the “start” data of the scene description information SDI ₁ is “00:00:00”, the “section length” data is “00:00:46”, and the “content” data is “VTR, Opening ”, whereby the scene description information SDI ₁ is changed from time 00:00:00 on the content to 4
This describes the content of scene # 1 that lasts for only 6 seconds, and it can be seen that the content of scene # 1 is an opening by a VTR.

The “start” of the scene description information SDI ₂
The data is "00:00:46" and the "section length" data is "00:02:
19 ”,“ Contents ”data is“ Camera A, bird's-eye view of the venue ”
As a result, the scene description information SDI ₂ is stored at 2 minutes 19 minutes from 00:00:46 on the content.
This describes the contents of scenes # 2 and # 3 that last only for a second, and it can be seen that the contents of scenes # 2 and # 3 are a bird's-eye view of the entire venue taken by camera A.

Further, the “start” data of the scene description information SDI ₃ is “00:01:50”, and the “section length” data is “0”.
0:01:45 ”, the“ contents ”data is“ CG, venue description ”
As a result, the scene description information SDI ₃ is changed from the time 00:01:50 on the content to one minute 45 minutes.
It describes the contents of scenes # 3 and # 4 that last only for a second, and it can be seen that the contents of scenes # 3 and # 4 are images of the venue explanation by the CG device.

The “start” of the scene description information SDI ₄
The data is "00:03:05" and the "section length" data is "00:00:
30 ”,“ Content ”data is“ Camera B, participant group ”,
Respectively, and thereby, the scene description information SD
I ₄ is a description of the contents of the scene # 4 to continue from the time 00:03:05 on the content only for 30 seconds, that the contents of the scene # 4 is a participant group taken by the camera B I understand.

Further, the “start” data of the scene description information SDI ₅ is “00:03:35”, and the “section length” data is “0”.
0:00:50 ”, and the“ contents ”data is“ VTR, pre-interview ”, whereby the scene description information SDI ₅ continues for 50 seconds from the time 00:03:35 on the content. This describes the contents of scene # 5 to be performed, and it can be seen that the contents of scene # 5 are images of a preliminary interview recorded on the VTR.

According to the above scene description information, the contents of the scenes constituting the content can be recognized. Therefore, in the receiving apparatus 2, if the scene description information about the content is recorded together with the content. ,
For example, in addition to playing content sequentially from a certain position,
Only a desired scene can be reproduced fragmentarily.

That is, in the receiving apparatus 2, for example, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (A), the contents are scenes # 1 and #
When recorded as 2, # 3,..., Only scenes having desired contents can be reproduced as shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C. Here, FIG.
(B) shows scenes # 1, # 3, # 4, # 5, # 6,.
.., Etc., the content is reproduced by skipping scene # 2. In FIG.
The content is reproduced by skipping scenes # 2 to # 4.

In addition, according to the scene description information, for example, it is possible to reproduce the content by changing the order of the scenes constituting the content.

Next, FIG. 5 shows an example of the configuration of the scene description information generating device 14 of FIG.

As described above, the scene description information generator 14 shown in FIG. 2 includes the switching information processor 21 and the scene description information generator 22. The switching information processor 21 includes a switching information analyzer 31 and a switching information analyzer 31. The scene description information generation unit 22 includes an information integration unit 41, a component order registration unit 42, a switching pattern registration unit 43, a scene description information generation unit 44, and a scene description information storage unit 45. It is composed of

The switching information analysis unit 31 of the switching information processing unit 21 is composed of a time information extraction unit 33, a material name extraction unit 34, and a material name registration unit 35, and obtains and processes switching information from the switcher 12. ,
The switching-related information obtained as a result is supplied to the switching-related information storage unit 32.

That is, the time information extracting unit 33 extracts, from the switching information, time information (IN) relating to the time on the content of the image data selected by the switcher 12, for example.
(Corresponding to a point and an OUT point), and as switching-related information, a switching-related information storage unit 32
To supply.

The material name extracting unit 34 refers to the material name registering unit 35 based on the identification information included in the switching information for identifying the output device that outputs the image data selected by the switcher 12, and thereby obtains the information. Scene content information representing the content of the scene of the image data output by the output device is obtained and supplied to the switching-related information storage unit 32 as switching-related information together with the identification information.

The material name registration unit 35 includes the output device 11 _n
Is registered in association with identification information for identifying the image data and scene content information representing the content of the scene of the image data output by the output device 11 _n identified by the identification information.

That is, in the material name registration section 35, for example, material name information as a set of identification information and scene content information as shown in FIG. 6 is registered.

Here, in FIG. 6, the output device 11 _n
The identification information for identifying the, the output device 11 Name of _n (the output device name) is used and as the scene content information, name output device 11 _n is subjected to the material as an image data to be output ( (Material name).

FIGS. 6A and 6B show a set (material) of an output device name as identification information and a material name as scene content information when the contents are a news program and a baseball broadcast, respectively. Name information). FIG. 6 (A)
Then, the output device name "Studio Camera" and the material name "Caster image", the output device name "VTR" and the material name "Opening CG" and "Covered and edited material", the output device name "Relay line" and the material name " The “site video”, the output device name “CG”, and the material names “news item”, “map”, and “weather map” are associated with each other. Also,
In FIG. 6B, the output device name “Camera A” and the material names “Net back”, “Pitcher front”, “Infielder front”,
Output device name “Camera B” and material name “Center stand”, “Pitching scene” and “Ball judge / catcher”, output device name “Camera C” and material name “1st base bench side” and “Right batter front”, The output device name “Camera D” is associated with the material names “3rd base bench side” and “left batter front”.

Therefore, when the content is, for example, a news program (FIG. 6A), when the output device name as the identification information included in the switching information is “studio camera”, the material name extracting unit 34 ,
A material name “caster image” associated with “studio camera” is obtained as scene content information.
Further, when the output device name as the identification information included in the switching information is “VTR”, the material name extraction unit 34 sets the material name “opening CG” or “coverage / edited” associated with “VTR”. Material "
Is obtained as scene content information. Further, when the output device name as the identification information included in the switching information is “relay line”, the material name extraction unit 34 displays the material name “site video” associated with “relay line” in the scene content. Required as information. Also,
When the output device name as the identification information included in the switching information is “CG”, the material name extraction unit 34 sets the material name “news item”, “map”, or “weather” associated with “CG”. Is obtained as scene content information.

The material name registered as the scene content information in the material name registration unit 35 indicates the content of the scene constituted by the material, and also indicates the meaning or role of the scene in content production. It can be said that it represents.

Returning to FIG. 5, the switching-related information storage unit 32 stores the time information supplied from the time information extraction unit 33 and the identification information supplied from the material name extraction unit 34 for the switching information from the switcher 12. And scene content information, and store the information as switching-related information.

Information integration unit 4 of scene description information generation unit 22
1 generates scene description information by comprehensively considering the switching-related information stored in the switching-related information storage unit 32 and the information registered in the component order registration unit 42 and the switching pattern registration unit 43. The data required to perform the processing is obtained and supplied to the scene description information generation unit 44.

The component order registering section 42 includes the output device 1
For each of 1 _{1 to} 11 _N , component order information in which scene content information indicating the content of a scene of image data output by each output device is described in accordance with the order of the content of the scene is registered.

FIG. 7 shows an example of component order information for a news program. In the component order information of FIG. 7, scene content information representing the content of a scene of image data output from each output device for each of the output devices such as a studio camera, a VTR, and a relay line is a time on the content of each scene. It is described with.

According to the component order information of FIG. 7, it can be understood that the contents are constituted by arranging the images of the opening, the caster, the news N1, the caster, the news N2, and the caster in such an order. . Further, it can be seen that the studio camera as an output device outputs an image of a caster, the VTR outputs an image of opening and news N2, and the relay line outputs an image of news N1. Further, according to the component order information, the time on the content at which the scene of the image data output by the output device 11 _n is arranged can be known.

From the above, according to the component order information, if the output device outputting the image data selected by the switcher 12 and the time when the selection is made are known, the contents of the scene of the image data Will be understood.

The component order information as described above is
When a program or the like is produced, it corresponds to a so-called progress table (cue sheet) created in advance. Therefore, data of the progress table can be used as the component order information.

Returning to FIG. 5, the switching pattern registration unit 43 stores the switching pattern in which the image data is switched (selected) in the switcher 12 and the contents of the scene of the image data when switching is performed according to the switching pattern. Is registered in association with the scene content information representing the information.

FIG. 8 shows switching pattern information when the content is a news program (FIG. 8A).
And switching pattern information (FIG. 8B) when the content is a baseball broadcast.

The switching pattern information shown in FIG. 8A indicates that, in the switcher 12, only the image of the CG device is superimposed on the image of the studio camera for about 3 seconds after only the image of the studio camera lasts for less than 10 seconds. Subsequently, if only the image of the CG device continues for 5 seconds or more and then switching is performed in a switching pattern serving as an image of another output device, the image of the other output device is an image of a news item. It represents that. In addition, the switching pattern information of FIG. 8B indicates that the image of the camera on the back of the first base is 3 after the image of the camera behind the net continues for 10 seconds or less in the switcher 12.
If the switching is performed in a switching pattern that becomes an image of another output device after the image of the camera on the center side has continued for 3 seconds or more, and the image of the camera on the center side has continued for 3 seconds or more, the image of the other output device will not be displayed. Indicates that it is an image.

Therefore, when the broadcast station 1 is producing a news program as a content and the switcher 12 switches the switching pattern shown in FIG. It can be understood that the scene of the obtained image data is an image of a news item. Also, in the case where the broadcast station 1 is producing a baseball broadcast as content, when the switcher 12 performs switching of the switching pattern shown in FIG. It can be seen that the data scene is an image of the pitching scene.

The component order information shown in FIG.
In producing the content, it can be said that it represents a predetermined switching pattern over the entire content. On the other hand, the switching pattern information of FIG. It can be said that this is a general switching pattern, that is, a local switching pattern.

Referring back to FIG. 5, the scene description information generating section 44 obtains “start” data, “section length” data, and “contents” data from the information supplied from the information integrating section 41, and obtains these data. Based on the data, scene description information is generated and supplied to the scene description information storage unit 45.

The scene description information storage unit 45 stores the scene description information from the scene description information generation unit 44 and supplies the scene description information to the content providing device 13 (FIG. 2) as needed.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The scene description information generation processing by the scene description information generation device 14 in FIG. 5 will be described.

The switching information processing section 21 monitors the switcher, and determines in step S1 whether the switcher 12 has output the switching information. If it is determined in step S11 that the switcher 12 has not output the switching information, the process returns to step S1.

If it is determined in step S1 that the switcher 12 has output the switching information,
The switching information processing unit 21 acquires the switching information, and proceeds to step S2. In step S2,
Time information and material names are obtained based on the switching information.

That is, the switching information is supplied to the time information extracting unit 33 and the material name extracting unit 34, and the time information extracting unit 33 extracts the time information from the switching information.
The information is supplied to the switching-related information storage unit 32. The material name extracting unit 34 extracts an output device name as identification information from the switching information, and further, in the material name information registered in the material name registering unit 35 (FIG. 6), the extracted output device name and The corresponding scene content information as a material name is obtained. Then, the material name extracting unit 3
4 supplies the output device name and the scene content information obtained by the above processing to the switching-related information storage unit 32.

In step S3, the switching-related information storage unit 32 performs switching of a set of the time information supplied from the time information extraction unit 33 and the output device name and scene content information supplied from the material name extraction unit 34. The information is stored as related information, and the process proceeds to step S4.

In step S4, the information integration section 41 reads out the latest switching-related information from the switching-related information storage section 32, and, when necessary, switches some switching-related information obtained in the past. The information is read from the information storage unit 32. Further, in step S4, the information integration unit 41 supplies one or more pieces of switching-related information including the latest switching-related information read from the switching-related information storage unit 32 to the scene description information generation unit 44, and includes The switching-related information described above is compared with the component order information (FIG. 7) registered in the component order registration unit 42.

Then, proceeding to step S5, the information integration section 41 determines whether or not there is component order information that conforms to the switching-related information, and if not, skips step S6 and proceeds to step S7. move on.

When it is determined in step S5 that there is component order information that matches the switching-related information, that is, in the component order information, the switching-related information read from the switching-related information storage unit 32 is used. If there is a portion that matches the switching pattern of the recognized image data, the process proceeds to step S6, and the information integration unit 41 registers the component order information of the matching portion as component component order information as component order registration. The information is read from the unit 42 and supplied to the scene description information generating unit 44, and the process proceeds to step S7.

In step S 7, the information integration section 41 collates one or more pieces of the switching-related information read from the switching-related information storage section 32 with the switching pattern information (FIG. 8) registered in the switching pattern registration section 43.

Then, the process proceeds to step S8, where the information integration section 41 determines whether there is switching pattern information suitable for the switching-related information, and if not, skips step S9 and proceeds to step S10. .

If it is determined in step S 8 that there is switching pattern information that matches the switching-related information, that is, the switching-pattern registration unit 43 stores the switching-related information read from the switching-related information storage unit 32. If there is something that matches the switching pattern of the recognized image data,
Proceeding to step S9, the information integration unit 41 reads the matching switching pattern information as the matching switching pattern information from the switching pattern registration unit 43, supplies the read switching pattern information to the scene description information generation unit 44, and proceeds to step S10.

In step S10, the scene description information generation unit 44 converts the one or more pieces of switching-related information supplied from the information integration unit 41 and, if any, the compatible component order information and the adaptive switching pattern information. Based on this, scene description information is generated.

That is, the scene description information generating section 44 obtains “start” data and “section length” data from the time information in the switching related information. Further, the scene description information generation unit 44 converts the output device name and the scene content information in the latest switching-related information and, when present, the latest switching-related information in the adaptive component order information and the adaptive switching pattern information. Scene content information corresponding to the scene of the corresponding image data is included in the “content” data. Then, the scene description information generation unit 44 supplies the set of “start” data, “section length” data, and “contents” data to the scene description information storage unit 45 and stores the set, and returns to step S1. Hereinafter, the same processing is repeated.

As described above, the scene description information generating device 1
In 4, the switching information is obtained from the switcher 12, and the scene description information is generated in parallel with the production of the content based on the switching information. Therefore, the scene description information is easily generated at low cost. be able to. Further, by using the scene description information, it is possible to provide a service with a high degree of freedom for content distribution, storage, search, browsing, and the like.

Next, FIG. 10 shows another configuration example of the broadcasting station 1 of FIG. In the figure, portions corresponding to those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description thereof will be omitted as appropriate below. That is, the broadcast station 1 of FIG. 10 is configured such that the scene description information generation device 14 is provided with a new operation information processing unit 23 in addition to the switching information processing unit 21 and the scene description information generation unit 22. For the operation information processing unit 23, the output device 11 ₁
Or other operation information from the 11 _N is adapted to be supplied is basically is constructed as in FIG.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the output device 11 ₁
Operation information representing the contents of the operation is output from, for example, a camera or the like that can be operated from among 11 to 11 _N , and this operation information is output from the operation information processing unit 23.
It is supplied to.

Here, for example, the operation information output by the camera includes information indicating that pan, tilt, and zoom have been performed.

The operation information processing section 23 processes the operation information supplied from the output device 11 _n, and supplies the operation parameters obtained as a result to the scene description information generation section 22.
In this case, the scene description information generation unit 22 generates the scene description information based on not only the switching-related information from the switching information processing unit 21 but also the operation parameters from the operation information processing unit 23.

FIG. 11 shows an example of the configuration of the scene description information generating device 14 of FIG. In the figure, portions corresponding to those in FIG. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description thereof will be omitted as appropriate below. That is, the scene description information generation device 14 in FIG. 11 includes the operation information acquisition unit 51 and the operation information analysis unit 5 that constitute the operation information processing unit 23.
2 and an operation parameter storage unit 53 are newly provided, and an operation pattern registration unit 46 is newly provided in the scene description information generation unit 22. Is configured.

The operation pattern registration section 46 has the output device 1
Operation pattern information in which 1 _n operation patterns are associated with scene content information representing the contents of scenes of image data output by the output device 11 _n operated according to the operation patterns is registered.

That is, FIG. 12 shows an example of operation pattern information when the content is a soccer relay.

In the operation pattern information shown in FIG. 12, image data output by an arbitrary camera is displayed in response to an operation pattern in which zoom-in is performed and an imaging direction is out of the field. Is associated with scene content information indicating that the scene is an image of a half-time spectator. Further, in the operation pattern information of FIG. 12, the center bird's-eye view camera that shoots the entire field zooms out and performs an operation in which the shooting direction is the goal direction. Scene content information indicating that the scene of the image data output by the overhead camera is an attack scene is associated with the scene. In the operation pattern information of FIG. 12, zoom-in is performed in a plurality of field cameras that capture a field, and operations are performed in which the shooting directions of the plurality of field cameras are various directions. For an operation pattern in which an operation in which images of a plurality of field cameras are switched in a short time is performed, a scene of image data output from each of the plurality of field cameras is
Scene content information indicating that the scene is an out-of-play scene is associated with the scene.

[0089] Here, the operation pattern information, the scene content information, not only the operation pattern of the output device 11 _n, it is possible to also keep association operation pattern of the switcher 12.

The operation patterns serving as the operation pattern information include an operation pattern in which the operation of any one output device is described in time series, an operation pattern in which the operations of a plurality of output devices are described in time series, and Is the switcher 12
, An operation pattern describing the operation of only the output device selected in the time series, the operation pattern describing the operation of the output device selected by the switcher 12 and the operation of the output device not selected, and these operation patterns It is possible to adopt any combination of the above.

Returning to FIG. 11, the operation information acquisition section 51 acquires operation information output from the output device 11 _n and supplies it to the operation information analysis section 52.

As described above, it is possible to associate the scene content information with the operation pattern of the switcher 12 as the operation pattern information. In this case,
The operation information acquisition unit 51 acquires operation information not only from the output device 11 _n but also from the switcher 12.

The operation information analysis unit 52 includes the operation information acquisition unit 5
By analyzing the operation information from the output device 11
For example, an operation parameter indicating the presence or absence of a zoom-in or zoom-out operation of the camera and an imaging direction as _n is obtained and supplied to the operation parameter storage unit 53.

The operation parameter storage unit 53 stores the operation parameters from the operation information analysis unit 52.

Next, the scene description information generation processing by the scene description information generation device 14 in FIG. 11 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

In the scene description information generating device 14 shown in FIG. 11, when the output device 11 _n outputs operation information, the operation information acquiring unit 51 receives the operation information and supplies it to the operation information analysis unit 52. The operation information analysis unit 52 analyzes the operation information from the operation information acquisition unit 51, and supplies the operation parameters obtained as a result to the operation parameter storage unit 53 for storage.

In the scene description information generating apparatus 14 shown in FIG. 11, the same processes as those in steps S1 to S9 in FIG. 9 are performed in steps S21 to S29, respectively, after the process in step S29 or in FIG. If it is determined in step S28 corresponding to step S8 that there is no switching pattern information that matches the switching-related information, the process proceeds to step S30.

In step S30, the information integration section 41
The necessary operation parameters obtained in the past together with the latest operation parameters are read from the operation parameter storage unit 53, and one or more operation parameters including the latest operation parameters are stored in the operation pattern registered in the operation pattern registration unit 46. This is compared with the information (FIG. 12).

Then, the process proceeds to step S31, where the information integration section 41 determines whether or not there is operation pattern information that matches the operation pattern represented by the operation parameter, and if not, skips step S32. The process proceeds to step S33.

If it is determined in step S31 that there is operation pattern information that matches the operation pattern represented by the operation parameter, that is, an operation pattern having an operation pattern that matches the operation pattern represented by the operation parameter If the information exists, the process proceeds to step S32, where the information integration unit 41 reads out the operation pattern information having the matching operation pattern from the operation pattern registration unit 46 as the compatible operation pattern information,
The information is supplied to the scene description information generation unit 44, and the process proceeds to step S33
Proceed to.

In step S33, the scene description information generating section 44 converts the one or more pieces of switching-related information supplied from the information integrating section 41, if any, the conforming component order information, the conforming switching pattern information, Then, scene description information is generated based on the adaptive operation pattern information.

That is, the scene description information generating unit 44
In the same manner as in step S10, the “start” data and the “section length” data are obtained from the time information in the switching-related information, and the output device name and scene content information in the latest switching-related information are obtained.
Also, if present, scene content information corresponding to the scene of the image data corresponding to the latest switching-related information in the adaptive component order information and the adaptive switching pattern information is included in the “content” data. further,
If the applicable operation pattern information exists, the scene description information generation unit 44 includes the scene content information in the applicable operation pattern information in the “content” data.

Then, the scene description information generation unit 44 supplies the set of the “start” data, “section length” data, and “contents” data to the scene description information storage unit 45 and stores the set. And the same process is repeated thereafter.

As described above, the scene description information generating device 1
In 4, except that the switching information is obtained from the switcher 12, the acquired operation information from the output device 11 _n, on the basis of the switching information and the operation information, since the scene description information is generated, detailed contents of more scenes Can be easily and inexpensively generated at a low cost. Further, by using such scene description information, the degree of freedom in distributing, storing, searching, browsing, etc. of the content can be improved. Service can be provided.

Next, the above-described series of processing can be performed by hardware or software. When a series of processing is performed by software, a program constituting the software is
Installed on a general-purpose computer.

FIG. 14 shows an example of the configuration of an embodiment of a computer in which a program for executing the above-described series of processing is installed.

The program is stored in a hard disk 105 or a ROM 1 as a recording medium built in the computer.
03 can be recorded in advance.

Alternatively, the program may be a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Onl
y Memory), MO (Magneto optical) disc, DVD (Digita
l Versatile Disc), a magnetic disk, a semiconductor memory, etc., can be temporarily or permanently stored (recorded) in a removable recording medium 111. Such a removable recording medium 111 can be provided as so-called package software.

The program can be installed in the computer from the removable recording medium 111 as described above, can be wirelessly transferred from a download site to the computer via a digital satellite broadcasting artificial satellite, or can be transmitted to a LAN (Local Area). Network), the Internet, and the like, and can be transferred to a computer by wire. In the computer, the transferred program can be received by the communication unit 108 and installed on the built-in hard disk 105.

The computer has a CPU (Central Processing).
Unit) 102. The CPU 102 has a bus 1
01, the input / output interface 110 is connected. The CPU 102 operates the input / output unit 107 including a keyboard, a mouse, a microphone, and the like by the user via the input / output interface 110. When a command is input, the ROM (Read O
nly Memory) 103 is executed. Alternatively, the CPU 102 may execute a program stored in the hard disk 105, a program transferred from a satellite or a network, received by the communication unit 108 and installed in the hard disk 105, or a removable recording medium 111 mounted in the drive 109. The program read and installed on the hard disk 105 is stored in a RAM (Random Access Memory).
y) Load to 104 and execute. Thereby, the CPU 10
2 performs processing according to the above-described flowchart or processing performed by the configuration of the above-described block diagram. Then, the CPU 102 transmits the processing result as necessary, for example, via the input / output interface 110.
An output is made from an output unit 106 composed of an LCD (Liquid CryStal Display), a speaker, or the like, or transmitted from a communication unit 108, and further recorded on the hard disk 105.

Here, in the present specification, processing steps for writing a program for causing a computer to perform various kinds of processing do not necessarily have to be processed in chronological order in the order described in the flowchart, and may be performed in parallel. Alternatively, it also includes processing executed individually (for example, parallel processing or processing by an object).

The program may be processed by one computer, or may be processed by a plurality of computers in a distributed manner. Further, the program may be transferred to a remote computer and executed.

[0113]

According to the information processing apparatus, the information processing method, and the recording medium of the present invention, image data is output.
Selection information regarding selection of image data is obtained from a selection device that selects image data output from the above output device and outputs a stream of image data serving as content, and configures the content based on the selection information. Scene description information describing the contents of the scene is generated. Therefore, scene description information can be easily generated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a broadcast system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a broadcasting station 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating scene description information.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating reproduction of content using scene description information.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a scene description information generation device 14.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing material name information.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing component element order information.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating switching pattern information.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a scene description information generation process.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing another configuration example of the broadcasting station 1.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating another configuration example of the scene description information generation device 14.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing operation pattern information.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the scene description information generation processing.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a computer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 broadcast station, 1A antenna, 2 receiver, 2
A antenna, 3 networks, 11 _{1 to} 11 _N
Output device, 12 switcher, 13 content providing device, 14 scene description information generating device, 21 switching information processing unit, 22 scene description information generating unit, 23 operation information processing unit, 31 switching information processing unit, 32 switching related information storage unit, 33
Time information extractor, 34 Material name extractor, 35
Material name registration unit, 41 information integration unit, 42 component order registration unit, 43 switching pattern registration unit,
44 scene description information generation unit, 45 scene description information storage unit, 46 operation pattern registration unit, 51 operation information acquisition unit, 52 operation information analysis unit, 53 operation parameter storage unit, 101 bus, 102 CPU, 10
3 ROM, 104 RAM, 105 hard disk,
106 output unit, 107 input unit, 108 communication unit, 109 drive, 110 input / output interface, 111 removable recording medium

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kazuo Haraoka 7-35 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation F-term (reference) 5C022 CA00 5C023 AA21 BA15 CA03

Claims (14)

[Claims] An image data output from one or more output devices that output image data is selected, and selection information regarding the selection of the image data is obtained from a selection device that outputs a stream of image data serving as content. An information processing apparatus comprising: an obtaining unit; and a generating unit configured to generate scene description information describing the contents of a scene constituting the content based on the selection information. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generation unit generates the scene description information by using one scene constituting the content as a minimum unit. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the selection information includes time information about a time on the content of the corresponding image data, and the generation unit generates the scene description information including the time information. The information processing device according to claim 1. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection information includes identification information for identifying the output device that outputs the corresponding image data, and the generation unit generates the scene description information including the identification information. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a selection information storage unit configured to store the selection information, wherein the generation unit stores the latest selection information stored in the selection information storage unit and one or more of the selections stored in the past. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scene description information is generated based on information. 6. A registration unit for registering scene content information indicating a scene content of the image data output by the output device, wherein the generation unit generates the scene description information including the scene content information. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 7. The registering means corresponds to identification information for identifying the output device and the scene content information representing the content of a scene of the image data output by the output device identified by the identification information. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the information processing apparatus is attached and registered. 8. The registration unit associates a selection pattern with which image data of the output device is selected with the scene content information indicating a content of a scene of the image data selected in accordance with the selection pattern. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the information is registered. 9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generation unit generates the scene description information based on operation information indicating operation contents of the output device. 10. An operation information storage unit for storing the operation information, wherein the generation unit stores the latest operation information stored in the operation information storage unit and one or more of the operations stored in the past. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the scene description information is generated based on information. 11. A registration unit for registering an operation pattern of the output device and scene content information representing a scene content of image data output by the output device operated according to the operation pattern in association with each other. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the generation unit generates the scene description information including the scene content information. 12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a registration unit configured to register scene content information indicating a content of a scene of the image data output by the output device together with an order of the scene in the content. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scene description information including the following is generated. 13. An image data output from one or more output devices that output image data is selected, and selection information relating to the selection of the image data is obtained from a selection device that outputs a stream of image data serving as content. An information processing method comprising: an acquiring step; and a generating step of generating scene description information describing the contents of a scene constituting the content based on the selection information. 14. A recording medium on which a program to be executed by a computer is recorded, wherein image data output from one or more output devices for outputting image data is selected, and a stream of image data serving as content is output. And a generating step of generating scene description information describing the contents of a scene constituting the content based on the selection information. Is recorded on the recording medium.