JP2002262190A - Image processing unit and method, recording medium and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To display a video image of a plurality of streaming data acquired via the Internet on a screen in a way of multiple display. SOLUTION: Selected streaming data are received from a designated streaming data supply server on the basis of stored various settings in a step S1. In a step S2, the received streaming data are decoded and converted into a video signal of a display enabled form. In a step S3, video signals are composited and displayed on the basis of the stored various settings.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program.
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method suitable for reproducing streaming data distributed via a network represented by the Internet, a recording medium, and a program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are many servers that supply streaming data such as moving images via the Internet. Hereinafter, such a server is referred to as a streaming data supply server.

As shown in FIG. 1, a streaming data supply server 1 supplies an unspecified number of terminal devices 3-1 to 3 comprising a personal computer or the like via an Internet 2 as shown in FIG. -N, and a multicast method for distributing streaming data, as shown in FIG.
There is a unicast system in which streaming data is transmitted only to a terminal device 3 which requests transmission of streaming data via the Internet 2.

[0004]

By the way, considering a terminal device for reproducing streaming data obtained via the Internet 2, a plurality of streaming data are received at the same time, and a plurality of videos corresponding to them are displayed on a screen. By displaying the information on a so-called multi-screen divided into a plurality of screens, the convenience for the user is improved. However, there is no terminal device capable of displaying a plurality of videos corresponding to a plurality of streaming data obtained via the Internet on a multi-screen.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and it is an object of the present invention to obtain a plurality of streaming data via the Internet and display a plurality of videos corresponding to the plurality of streaming data on a multi-screen.

[0006]

An information processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: setting means for setting various conditions for each of a plurality of display areas; and connecting means for connecting to a server corresponding to the conditions via a network. Acquiring means for acquiring streaming data corresponding to a condition from a server connected to the connecting means, generating means for decoding the streaming data acquired by the acquiring means to generate a video signal, and a plurality of videos generated by the generating means It is characterized by including a synthesizing means for synthesizing the signals in accordance with the arrangement of the plurality of display areas to generate a synthesized video signal, and a display control means for controlling the display of the synthesized video signal.

[0007] The network may be the Internet.

The various conditions include at least one of designation of a server to be connected, designation of streaming data to be acquired, designation of a display size, and presence / absence of transmission of a command requesting streaming data. can do.

According to the information processing method of the present invention, a setting step of setting various conditions for each of a plurality of display areas, a connection step of connecting to a server corresponding to the conditions via a network, An obtaining step of obtaining streaming data from a server connected in the processing of the connecting step, a generating step of decoding the streaming data obtained in the processing of the obtaining step to generate a video signal, and a generating step of generating the video signal Synthesizing the plurality of video signals obtained according to the arrangement of the plurality of display areas, and generating a synthesized video signal;
A display control step of controlling display of the composite video signal.

The program of the recording medium according to the present invention comprises a setting step of setting various conditions for each of a plurality of display areas, a connecting step of connecting to a server corresponding to the conditions via a network, Obtaining the streaming data to be obtained from the server connected in the processing of the connecting step, generating the video data by decoding the streaming data obtained in the processing of the obtaining step, and generating the video signal in the processing of the generating step. And a display control step of controlling the display of the synthesized video signal by synthesizing the plurality of video signals according to the arrangement of the plurality of display areas to generate a synthesized video signal.

The program according to the present invention includes a setting step of setting various conditions for each of a plurality of display areas, a connection step of connecting to a server corresponding to the conditions via a network, and streaming data corresponding to the conditions. Acquiring from the server connected in the processing of the connecting step, a generating step of decoding the streaming data obtained in the processing of the obtaining step to generate a video signal, and a plurality of generated in the processing of the generating step The computer is characterized by causing a computer to execute a synthesizing step of synthesizing video signals corresponding to the arrangement of a plurality of display areas to generate a synthesized video signal and a display control step of controlling display of the synthesized video signal.

In the information processing apparatus, method, and program according to the present invention, various conditions for each of a plurality of display areas are set, connected to a server corresponding to the conditions via a network, and streaming data corresponding to the conditions are set. Is obtained from the connected server, and the obtained streaming data is decoded to generate a video signal. Further, the generated video signals are
A composite video signal is generated according to the arrangement of the plurality of display areas, and the display of the composite video signal is controlled.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a streaming data reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the streaming data reproducing apparatus 10 acquires a plurality of streaming data via the Internet 2 and displays a plurality of videos corresponding to them on a multi-screen.

Although not shown, the Internet 2
Has a plurality of streaming data supply servers 1. The method of supplying streaming data by these methods is not particularly limited, such as a multicast method, a unicast method, and a method in which the multicast method and the unicast method are mixed.

FIG. 4 shows a streaming data reproducing apparatus 1.
0 shows a configuration example. Remote controller 11
Has various buttons as shown in FIG. 5 on its surface, and accepts a user operation of pressing them, and notifies the control unit 12 of the operation.

The control unit 12 includes a remote controller 11
Image synthesizing unit 1 in response to a user operation notified from
9 is controlled. Further, the control unit 12 responds to a user operation notified from the remote controller 11 and sets a setting window 61 as a user interface (FIG. 9).
Is output to the video synthesizing unit 19. Further, the control unit 12 generates a command for requesting the streaming data supply server 1 to transmit stream data in response to a user operation notified from the remote controller 11, and outputs the command to the packet generation unit 21.

The packet receiving unit 13 receives a packet of streaming data distributed or transmitted by the streaming data supply server 1 via the Internet 2,
Output to the packet decomposer 14. Packet disassembly unit 14
Extracts the data portion of the packet input from the packet receiving unit 13 and outputs it to the data sorting unit 15.

The data distribution unit 15 outputs the data input from the packet decomposing unit 14, for example, the data constituting the first streaming data to the buffer 16-1, and the data constituting the second streaming data. Are sorted for each belonging streaming data so as to be output to the buffer 16-2.
Output to -n.

The buffer 16-1 buffers the first streaming data input from the data distribution unit 15 until it reaches a predetermined data amount, and then outputs it to the decoding unit 17-1. The decoding unit 17-1 decodes the first streaming data input from the buffer 16-1, and outputs the obtained first video data to the display setting unit 18-1. The display setting unit 18-1 converts the first video data input from the decoding unit 17-1 into a video signal in a format that can be displayed by the display unit 20, and outputs the video signal to the video synthesizing unit 19.

Similarly, a buffer 16-i (i = 2, 3,
.., N) buffer the i-th streaming data input from the data distribution unit 15 until the data amount reaches a predetermined data amount, and then output the buffered data to the decoding unit 17-i. The decoding unit 17-i decodes the i-th streaming data input from the buffer 16-i,
The obtained i-th video data is output to the display setting unit 18-i. The display setting unit 18-i converts the i-th video data input from the decoding unit 17-i into a video signal in a format that can be displayed by the display unit 20 and outputs the video signal to the video synthesizing unit 19.

The video synthesizing unit 19 converts the first to n-th video signals input from the display setting units 18-1 to 18-n into
The display position and size are adjusted and combined based on the control from the control unit 12, and the obtained combined video signal is output to the display unit 20. Further, the video synthesizing unit 19 controls the control unit 1.
The video signal of the setting window 61 input from the control unit 2 is superimposed on the composite video signal and output to the display unit 20. Display 2
0 displays a video corresponding to the video signal input from the video synthesis unit 19.

The packet generator 21 packetizes a command input from the controller 12 and converts the command into a packet.
Output to The packet transmission unit 22 includes the packet generation unit 2
The packetized command input from the server 1 is transmitted to the streaming data supply server 1 via the Internet 2.

FIG. 6 shows a configuration example of a personal computer which operates as the streaming data reproducing apparatus 10 by executing a dedicated application location program.

This personal computer has a CPU (Cent
ral Processing Unit) 31 is built in. An input / output interface 35 is connected to the CPU 31 via a bus 34. The input / output interface 35 includes an operation input unit 3 including input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a remote controller for inputting operation commands by a user.
6. CRT (Cathode Ray Tu) for displaying the synthesized video signal
be) or LCD (LiquidCrystal Display), a storage unit 38 such as a hard disk drive for storing programs and various data, and the Internet 2.
Communication unit 3 that communicates streaming data via the
And a drive 40 for reading and writing data from and to a recording medium such as a magnetic disk 41 to a semiconductor memory 44.
Is connected. The bus 34 has a ROM (Read Only Memo)
ry) 32 and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 33 are connected.

A program for causing this personal computer to execute the operation as the streaming data reproducing apparatus 10 includes a magnetic disk 41 (including a floppy disk), an optical disk 42 (CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Online)).
y Memory), a DVD (including a Digital Versatile Disc), a magneto-optical disk 43 (including an MD (Mini Disc)), or a semiconductor memory 44 and supplied to a personal computer and read by the drive 40. Installed in a hard disk drive built in the storage unit 38. The program installed in the storage unit 38 is loaded from the storage unit 38 to the RAM 33 and executed by a command from the CPU 31 corresponding to a command from the user input to the input unit 36.

Next, FIGS. 7 and 8 show display examples when the screen of the display section 20 (or the display section 37) is divided and multi-screen display is performed. In each of the display areas (display areas A to J), images corresponding to different streaming data are displayed. The images displayed in each display area may have different resolutions, frame rates, parameters related to image quality, bit rates of the original streaming data, and the like.

The size of each display area can be uniform as shown in FIG. 7, or as shown in FIG. 8, only a specific display area (display area E in FIG. 8) is widened. Other display areas can be narrowed. The setting of the size of the display area can be set in advance by the side that supplies the streaming data, but the setting can be changed by the user.

The case where the side supplying the streaming data sets the size of the display area in advance is, for example, as follows.
When distributing as streaming data of a plurality of advertisement videos, it may be used as a tool that appeals to the consumer's visual sense, such as setting the display size differently according to the advertisement fee.

FIG. 9 shows a display example of a setting window 61 displayed on the display unit 20 in response to a predetermined operation of the user (such as pressing a predetermined button provided on the remote controller 11). The user enters the display position designation field 62 to the request selection field 66 of the setting window 61
Various settings are executed by operating the remote controller 11 and the like.

In the display position specification column 62, a display area to be set in the subsequent supply server selection column 63 to the request selection column 66 is specified. For example, as shown in the figure, when the display area A is specified, the input to the supply server specification column 63 to the request selection column 66 is set for the display area A.

In the supply server designation column 63, one of a number of streaming data supply servers connected to the Internet 2 is designated. As a designation method, one may be selected from a plurality of candidates registered in advance, or a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) may be input and designated.

In the data selection column 64, one of a plurality of streaming data that can be supplied by the streaming data supply server 1 designated in the supply server designation column 63 is selected. The choices here are the supply server designation column 63
Is supplied from the streaming data supply server 1 designated by.

In the image size specification field 65, candidates for which the size of the display area is set in advance (for example, large, medium,
Small or automatic). When "auto" is selected, the data is displayed in the size set by the streaming data supply side. The size of the display area may be specified by a numerical value, for example, 150 × 100 (dots).

In the request selection field 66, valid or invalid is selected. When “valid” is selected, a command requesting transmission of the streaming data selected in the data selection column 64 is transmitted to the streaming data supply server specified in the supply server specification column 63.

The various settings made on the setting window 61 are retained even when the power of the streaming data reproducing apparatus 10 is turned off, unless changed by the user.

Next, the streaming data reproducing apparatus 10
Of streaming data display processing by
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This streaming data display processing is started when the power of the streaming data reproducing device 10 is turned on.

In step S1, the packet receiving unit 1
3 through the data distribution unit 15, based on the various settings held, from the streaming data supply server specified in the supply server specification column 63 for each display area, and the streaming selected in the data selection column 64. Data packets are received, the data is extracted, distributed for each streaming data, and supplied to the corresponding buffers 16-1 to 16-n. Note that when the selected streaming data is distributed by the unicast method, a command for requesting transmission is transmitted only when “valid” is selected in the request selection field 66, and is supplied accordingly. Streaming data packets are received and sorted.

In step S2, the decoding unit 17-
The streaming data received in step S1 is decoded by 1 to 17-n, and is converted into a video signal in a format that can be displayed on the display unit 20 by the display setting units 18-1 to 18-i. In step S3, the video synthesizing unit 19 synthesizes the first to n-th video signals from the display setting units 18-1 to 18-n based on the held various settings and displays them on the display unit 20. You. Thereafter, the processing of steps S1 to S3 is repeated until the power of the streaming data reproducing device 10 is turned off.

If the user performs an operation to display the setting window 61 during the processing of steps S1 to S3, the setting window 61 is superimposed on the video of the streaming data displayed on the multi-screen by the interruption processing. Is displayed. When the user changes the setting in the displayed setting window 61, the processing after step S1 is restarted based on the setting.

As described above, according to the streaming data reproducing apparatus 10 of the present invention, a plurality of videos corresponding to a plurality of streaming data obtained via the Internet 2 can be displayed on a multi-screen. Note that a plurality of streaming data includes not only video but also audio, and only audio corresponding to the video specified by the user is output.

The streaming data reproducing apparatus 10 of the present invention can acquire streaming data (for example, audio, program data, etc.) other than video via the Internet 2 and reproduce (execute) it. In that case, nothing may be displayed in the corresponding display area, or an arbitrary image prepared in advance may be displayed.

Here, the recording medium of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, the recording medium is a magnetic disk 41 on which the program is recorded, which is distributed separately from the computer to provide the program to the user.
(Including floppy disk), optical disk 42 (CD-ROM
(Compact Disc-Read Only Memory), DVD (Digital Versa
tile Disc), magneto-optical disc 43 (MD (Mini
Disc 32) or a package medium including a semiconductor memory 44 or the like, and provided to a user in a state where the program is incorporated in a computer in advance.
It is composed of a hard disk included in.

In the present specification, the steps of describing a program recorded on a recording medium may be performed in chronological order according to the order described, or may be performed in parallel even if not necessarily performed in chronological order. Alternatively, it also includes individually executed processing.

[0044]

As described above, according to the information processing apparatus, method and program of the present invention, streaming data corresponding to a condition is obtained from a server corresponding to the condition, decoded, and a plurality of video signals obtained are obtained. Are combined in accordance with the arrangement of a plurality of display areas, so that a plurality of images of streaming data acquired via the Internet can be displayed on a multi-screen.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a multicast method.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a unicast method.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for describing an outline of a streaming data reproducing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a streaming data reproduction device 10.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a remote controller 11;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a personal computer that operates as the streaming data reproduction device 10 by executing a program.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a display example of a multi-screen display.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example of a multi-screen display.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display example of a setting window 61.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the streaming data reproduction device 10.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 streaming data supply server, 2 internet, 10 streaming data reproducing device, 11
Remote controller, 12 control unit, 13 packet reception unit, 14 packet decomposition unit, 15 data distribution unit, 16 buffer, 17 decoding unit,
18 display setting section, 19 video synthesis section, 20 display section, 21 packet generation section, 22 packet transmission section, 31 CPU, 41 magnetic disk, 42 optical disk, 43 magneto-optical disk, 44 semiconductor memory, 61 setting window

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) H04N 5/93 G09G 5/00 555D 7/173 630 H04N 5/93 EF term (reference) 5C025 AA30 BA14 BA25 BA28 CA06 CB10 DA05 5C053 FA06 FA29 GB06 JA21 KA05 KA24 LA06 LA11 LA15 5C064 BA07 BB10 BC18 BC23 BD02 BD08 BD09 5C082 AA01 AA34 BA02 BA12 BB01 CA56 CA64 DA87 MM09 MM10 5E501 AB14 AC16 BA20 FA06 FA15

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus for displaying a plurality of images of streaming data supplied via a network on a plurality of display areas provided on a screen, wherein each of the plurality of display areas has various conditions. Setting means for setting, a connection means for connecting to a server corresponding to the condition via the network, and an acquisition means for acquiring the streaming data corresponding to the condition from the server connected to the connection means, A decoding unit that decodes the streaming data obtained by the obtaining unit to generate a video signal; and synthesizes the plurality of video signals generated by the generation unit in accordance with an arrangement of the plurality of display areas. Combining means for generating a combined video signal, and display control means for controlling display of the combined video signal, Information processing device. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet. 3. The various conditions include at least one of designation of the server to be connected, designation of the streaming data to be acquired, designation of a display size, and presence / absence of transmission of a command requesting the streaming data. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: 4. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus for displaying a plurality of video images of streaming data supplied via a network on a plurality of display areas provided on a screen. A setting step of setting various conditions; a connecting step of connecting to a server corresponding to the conditions via the network; and the streaming data corresponding to the conditions, the server connected in the processing of the connecting step. An acquiring step of acquiring the streaming data acquired in the processing of the acquiring step to generate a video signal, and a plurality of the video signals generated in the processing of the generating step. Combining according to the arrangement of multiple display areas,
An information processing method comprising: a combining step of generating a combined video signal; and a display control step of controlling display of the combined video signal. 5. A control program for an information processing apparatus for displaying a plurality of video images of streaming data supplied via a network on a plurality of display areas provided on a screen, comprising: For each, a setting step of setting various conditions, a connection step of connecting to a server corresponding to the conditions via the network, and the streaming data corresponding to the conditions are connected in the processing of the connection step. An obtaining step of obtaining from the server, a generating step of decoding the streaming data obtained in the processing of the obtaining step to generate a video signal, and a plurality of the video signals generated in the processing of the generating step. Are synthesized according to the arrangement of the plurality of display areas,
A recording medium in which a computer-readable program is recorded, comprising: a combining step of generating a combined video signal; and a display control step of controlling display of the combined video signal. 6. A computer for displaying a plurality of video images of streaming data supplied via a network on a plurality of display areas provided on a screen, wherein various conditions are set for each of the plurality of display areas. A setting step of connecting to a server corresponding to the condition via the network; and an acquiring step of acquiring the streaming data corresponding to the condition from the server connected in the processing of the connection step. Generating a video signal by decoding the streaming data obtained in the processing of the obtaining step, and arranging the plurality of video signals generated in the processing of the generating step in the plurality of display areas. Synthesized according to
A program for executing a combining step of generating a combined video signal and a display control step of controlling display of the combined video signal.