JP2002152708A - Image switching device and mage switching system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image switching system providing image distribution by which each image input terminal and each image output terminal of respective image switching devices are freely set and switched even in a large-scale image distribution network by solving a problem that interconnection among image input terminals and image output terminals of conventional respective image switching devices cannot have been made, with respect to the conventional image switching devices and a conventional image switching system where image information is switched and distributed to/from the image input terminals and the image output terminals located among points via optical transmission lines. SOLUTION: The image switching device is provided with a switching section that switches a connection destination of its image input terminal or its image output terminal and a switching controls section that stores image switching information of the image switching device and issues a switching instruction to the switching section of other image switching device being a switching object on the basis of a switching request from an image switching terminal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for switching image information between image input terminals and image output devices between a plurality of locations via an optical fiber optical transmission line. To an image switching device and an image switching system that distributes the image to each device.

2. Description of the Related Art A plurality of image switching devices for switching a distribution destination of image information between an image input device and an image output device housed in an optical transmission line are arranged by a plurality of connections, and the image information is transmitted through a large-capacity optical transmission line. There is a demand for an image switching device and an image switching system that can distribute the image.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional image switching apparatus, an image input terminal and an image output terminal are connected via an optical transmission line. In the image switching device, a switching unit for selecting a plurality of image input terminal devices is accommodated, and the switching unit is requested based on a switching request from an image switching terminal connected via Ethernet. Connect to the output device.

[0004]

However, the conventional image switching apparatus is limited to switching between a plurality of image input terminals and image output terminals connected in the image switching apparatus. Therefore, when an attempt is made to construct a large-scale image distribution network accommodating a plurality of image switching devices, an image input device or an image output device connected to each image switching device is connected between the plurality of image switching devices. Can not do it.

According to the present invention, an image switching apparatus capable of freely setting and switching between an image input apparatus and an image output terminal of each image switching apparatus even in a large-scale image distribution network accommodating a plurality of image switching apparatuses. And an image switching system.

[0006]

According to the present invention, in an image switching apparatus accommodating a plurality of image terminals, a switching unit for switching a connection destination of an image terminal and image switching information indicating a connection destination of the image terminal are stored. And a switching control unit that instructs a switching unit of the target image switching device to perform switching based on a switching request from the image switching terminal.

Further, in an image switching system in which an image switching terminal for setting an image distribution destination and an image switching device accommodating a plurality of image terminals are connected by a control line, a switching control unit of the image switching device is connected to the control line by the image switching terminal. This is an image switching system that receives a switching instruction via a control line and controls switching to a switching unit of its own device and a switching unit of another image switching device via a control line.

According to this configuration, switching between a plurality of image terminals among a plurality of image switching devices can be performed, so that a large-scale image distribution network can be constructed.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating node switching information of a switching unit,
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating image switching information of the switching control unit, FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating sharing of image switching information, and FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an image switching procedure according to the embodiment of the present invention.
The same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the drawings.

The embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 will be described below.

In the image switching network of FIG. 1, the image switching devices 1 and 2 are connected by a main optical transmission line 4 and an image switching terminal 5 is connected.
Control switching unit 15, 25 and switching unit via Ethernet6 and 1
Connected to 6, 26. The switching unit 16 includes image output devices 13 and 14
And the image input devices 11 and 12 via the branch optical transmission line 7. The switching unit 26 is connected to the image input devices 21 and 22 via the image output devices 23 and 24 and the branch optical transmission line 8. Further, between the image switching device 1 and the image switching device 2,
The image information is distributed via the transmission path side image path 3 of the main optical transmission path 4.

The node switching information in FIG. 2 is stored in the switching units 16 and 26 of the image switching devices 1 and 2 in FIG.

The node switching information is roughly composed of input information, output information, and its own IP address. Own IP
The address indicates the IP address of the switching unit itself. The input information contains the number of input devices indicating the number of image input devices to be connected and information on each of the input devices. The input device information includes mounting information, route information, and band information. The mounting information indicates at which position of the image switching device the device is mounted. The route information indicates either a branch optical transmission line or a main optical transmission line connected to the image switching apparatus. The band information indicates how many channels housed in the optical transmission line are used. The output device information contains the number of output devices indicating the number of image output devices to be connected and information on each of the output devices.
The output device information includes a number for each connected input device and a path number for designating a path number of the trunk optical transmission line, route information indicating either a branch optical transmission line or a trunk optical transmission line, and information of each transmission line. It consists of band information indicating how many channels are used.

The image switching information of FIG. 3 corresponds to the image switching device of FIG.
These are stored in the switching control units 15 and 25 of 1 and 2.

The image switching information is roughly divided into the number of output devices, output device information, transmission line side output information, and IP address information. The output device information is obtained from the path number indicating the connection port between the switching unit and the output device, the IP address of the switching unit, the number of input devices indicating the number of input devices connected, and the input device information indicating information on each input device. Become. The IP address information indicates the IP address of the switching control unit. In FIG. 1, since the number of switching control units accommodated is one, the number of IP address information indicates one.

In FIG. 4, the image switching information 151, 251 of each of the switching controllers 15, 25 stores the same information. The information includes image switching information, information on the output devices 1 to 4, and IP address information.

In the initial state, the switching control unit does not hold information on the image input device and the image output device existing in the network, and performs the following operation.

Referring to FIG. 1, when the image switching apparatus 1 is started, the switching section 16 sends the node switching information to the switching control section 15 in the same image switching apparatus 1 as the initial setting information. Ethernet based on 15 IP addresses
Notify via 6. Upon receiving the notification of the node switching information from the switching unit 16, the switching control unit 15 creates the image switching information 151 of FIG.
51, the IP addresses of the switching control unit 15 and the switching unit 16 are added, and the switching control unit 25 of the image switching device 2 and the switching control unit 25 of another image switching device are notified using the multicast IP address. I do.

The switching control unit 15 of the image switching device 1 periodically
The image switching information 151 stored (every 30 seconds) is notified to the switching control unit of another image switching apparatus by multicast.

Here, it is assumed that the switching unit 16 notifies the switching control unit 15 of the node switching information 161 and the switching unit 26 notifies the switching control unit 25 of the node switching information 161. The switching unit 16 informs the switching control unit 15 of the node switching information 161 of the image input devices 11 and 12, the image output devices 13 and 14, and the output 3 to the transmission line side existing in the image switching device 1 of the switching unit 16. Is notified of the IP address that has been allocated to itself. Similarly, in the switching unit 26, the image input device (21, 22), the image output device (23, 24),
The switching control unit 25 is notified of the node switching information 261 of input 3 from the transmission path side and its own IP address. Switching control section
At 15, the image switching information 25 transmitted from the switching control unit 25
1 receives the image switching information 1
By extracting the difference from the image input device 51,
1, 12, 21, 22, image output devices 13, 14, 23, 24, and transmission line output 3 are created as new image switching information, and all switching control units are notified with a multicast IP address, and switching is performed. The notification is made using the IP address of the unit 16 and the information is newly stored in the memory.

This operation is the same in the switching control unit 25 that has received the image switching information 151 from the switching control unit 15, and the switching control unit 25 creates the same image switching information and stores it in the memory. Next, the switching control unit 15 transmits the image switching information 51 newly held in the memory to the Ethernet 6. The switching control unit 25 that has received the new image switching information from the switching control unit 15 determines that there is no difference from the image switching information 251 held by itself, and does not change any of its own image switching information. By performing this communication regularly, the switching control unit 1
5 and the switching control unit 25 can share the image switching information existing in the entire network. Refer to FIG. 4 for the sharing of the image switching information.

When a switching information request is sent from the externally connected image switching terminal 5 to the switching control unit 15 via the Ethernet 6, the switching control unit 15 obtains the image switching information in all the networks previously acquired. The input device (11, 12, 2
1, 22), output devices (13, 14, 23, 24), switching control unit (1
The IP address of (5, 25) is notified to the image switching terminal 5 via the Ethernet 6 as a response. At this time, the number of image input devices capable of delivering images to the image output devices 13 and 14 is one.
The input devices 1 and 12 are capable of distributing images to the output devices 3 and 4. The information of the input devices 3 and 4 and the input from the transmission line is exclusive in the switching control unit in advance, and the information is image-converted. Notify the switching terminal. As a result, it becomes possible for the image switching terminal to acquire the combination information of the input device and the output device which can be distributed in the image existing in the entire network and the information of the switching control unit existing in the network.

When the image switching terminal 5 obtains the image switching information in the entire network, the image switching terminal 5 then obtains the restriction information of the image input device that distributes the image to the image output device,
It requests the switching control units 15 and 25 to notify of the restriction information of the image switching terminal that issues the switching request and the restriction information (hereinafter collectively the exclusive information) of the switching control units 15 and 25 that issue the switching instruction. However, since it is assumed that the system is in the initial state, the switching control unit 15 does not have the exclusive information.
A response is returned to the image switching terminal 5 without adding any information, and the image switching terminal 5 displays the image switching information on the GUI. When the switching control units 15 and 25 hold the exclusive information, the exclusive information is returned to the image switching terminal 5 as a response, and the image switching terminal 5 extracts the difference between the image switching information and the exclusive information. Is performed, and the difference result is displayed on the GUI.

When the image switching terminal 5 displays the image switching information on the GUI, the above three pieces of information are determined by the operation of the operator.

As a limitation example of the switching control unit that issues the switching instruction, it is assumed that the IP addresses of the output device 11 and the switching control unit 15 are selected. This prevents a switching control terminal from issuing a switching instruction to a plurality of switching control units when an image switching command is issued across image switching systems, and allows a plurality of switching control units to issue a switching request to the same switching unit. Will be issued. Here, it is assumed that the switching control unit 15 issues a switching request to all output devices.

As a limitation example of the image switching terminal that issues a switching request, the IP address of the image switching terminal and the switching control units 15 and 2
Assume that we select each of the five IP addresses. As a result, the switching control units 15 and 25 allow only the switching request command from the switching control terminal having the IP address, and can prevent malfunction due to simultaneous switching command issuance from a plurality of image switching terminals. become.

Here, it is assumed that all combinations of input devices and output devices that can be distributed are permitted.

When the above-mentioned exclusive information is determined, the switching control terminal sends the exclusive information to the switching control unit 1 which has issued the switching information request.
5, 25 notification (exclusive information notification hereinafter). Switching control unit 1
In 5 and 25, the same exclusive information is shared by the switching control units 15 and 25 by constantly reporting the exclusive information to the multicast described above. As a result, all the switching control units can share the exclusive information.

FIG. 5 shows an image switching procedure according to the embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described below.

The image switching terminal 5 has an IP
An image switching instruction is issued to the switching control unit 15 of the image switching device 1 via the Ethernet 6 based on the address. Switching control unit 1
5 receives the image switching instruction and stores it as image switching information 151 in the memory. The control switching unit 15 uses the I
Issue a switching instruction via Ethernet based on the P address. The switching unit 16 receives the switching instruction from the switching control unit 15 and stores it as node switching information 161 in the memory. The switching unit 16 switches based on a switching instruction for performing a cross-connection between the image input device 11 and the transmission path image path 3 in the main optical transmission path 4. When the switching unit 16 completes the switching according to the switching instruction, the switching control unit
Issue a response to 15. The switching control unit 15 switches to the IP address of the switching unit 26 of the image switching device 2 based on a switching instruction for performing a cross connection between the transmission path image path 3 in the main optical transmission path 4 and the image output device 23 via the Ethernet 6. When the switching unit 26 completes the switching based on the switching instruction, the switching control unit 15
Issue a response via hernet6. Upon receiving the response from the switching unit 26, the switching control unit 15 notifies the image switching terminal 5 of the completion of switching by issuing a response.

It is assumed that the image output device 23 is switched from the image input device 22 to the image input device 11 to distribute the image from the image input device 11 to the image distribution.

From the GUI of the image switching terminal 5, the image input device 11 is provided on the input side of the switching unit 16, and the transmission path image path 3 is provided on the output side.
Switch request instruction to select the switch via Ethernet6
Issue to 5. The switching control unit of the issue destination is the switching control unit 15 determined by the above-described exclusive information. Upon receiving the switching request instruction, the switching control unit 15 obtains from the IP address of the switching unit 26 of the image output device 23 information that the image output device 23 is under the control of the switching unit 26, and obtains the information of the image input device 11 information. From the IP address of the switching unit 16, it is possible to acquire that the image input device 11 exists under the switching unit 16.

First, the switching control unit 15 issues a switching request from the image input device 11 to the transmission path image path 3 side output to the switching unit 16 on the image distribution side. In the switching unit 16 receiving the instruction,
The route and the band used by the image input device 11 and the route and the band used by the output 3 to the transmission line corresponding to the path number are obtained from the internal table from the switching instruction contents, and both the routes and the band are obtained. Cross-connect bands. Here, if the switching is completed normally, a normal response is returned. However, if the table search fails or the cross-connect fails, an abnormal termination response is returned to the switching control unit. When the switching is completed normally, it is established that the image is distributed from the image switching device 1.

When the response from the switching unit 16 is received, the switching control unit 15 returns an abnormal termination response to the image switching terminal when the response is abnormal. Switching unit 16
If the response from is normal, the image distribution from the image switching apparatus 1 has been established, and the process proceeds to the next sequence.

Next, the switching control unit 15 issues a switching instruction from the transmission path side input of the transmission path image path 3 to the image input device 21 to the switching unit 26 on the image output side. Upon receiving the switching instruction, the switching unit 26 determines the path and the bandwidth used for the transmission path side input of the transmission path image path 3 corresponding to the path number, and also determines the path and the path used by the image output device 23 corresponding to the path number. The bandwidth is retrieved from a table internally held, and both routes and the bandwidth are cross-connected. Also in this case, the switching unit 26 returns either a normal response or an abnormal response.

The switching control unit 15 which has received the response from the switching unit 26 returns an abnormal termination response to the image switching terminal 5 when the response is abnormal. Switching unit 26
If the response from the
The image is output to 23. By performing this procedure, it becomes possible to perform image switching over the entire network extending between the image switching devices.

The instruction from the switching control unit 25 is the opposite of the above.
First, when the switching instruction is given to the switching unit 26, at the time when the switching by the switching unit 26 is completed, there is a possibility that the cross-connection has not been performed in the image switching device 1, and the image distribution has not been established. An image disconnection alarm is detected by the image output device 23, and a state occurs in which no image is output to the monitor. For this purpose, the switching control unit 25 issues a switching instruction to the switching unit 16 having the image input device 11 under its control. This makes it possible to perform image switching without detecting an image disconnection alarm in the output device.

[0038]

According to the present invention as described above, a large-scale image distribution network can be constructed, and a plurality of image switching devices in the image distribution network can set image paths through a plurality of transmission paths. Image switching can be remotely controlled.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating node switching information of a switching unit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating image switching information of a switching control unit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating sharing of image switching information.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an image switching procedure according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2 image switching device 3 transmission path image path 4 main optical transmission path 5 image switching terminal

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Mari Kawahara 1-5-2, Honcho, Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa Prefecture Inside Fujitsu Hokuriku Communication System Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yasu Yasushi 1-2-5-2 Honcho, Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa Fujitsu Hokuriku Communication Within System Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoichi Ashida 4-1-1, Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa F-term within Fujitsu Limited (reference) 5C064 BA01 BA07 BC10 BC14 BD02 BD09 BD14 EA01 EA05

Claims (2)

[Claims] In an image switching apparatus accommodating a plurality of image terminals, a switching unit for switching a connection destination of the image terminal, switching information of the switching unit is stored, and based on a switching request from the image switching terminal, An image switching device, comprising: a switching control unit that instructs a switching unit to perform switching. 2. An image switching system in which an image switching terminal for setting a connection destination of an image terminal and an image switching device accommodating a plurality of image terminals are connected by a control line. Switching via a control line to a switching unit that receives a switching instruction via a control line and switches a connection destination of an image terminal accommodated in the own device and a switching unit for switching a connection destination of an image terminal accommodated in another image switching device An image switching system characterized by instructing.