JP2003044364A - Media quality evaluating method, its device, media quality evaluation program and recording medium of the same program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To satisfy both of execution of a media quality evaluation test by hiding attribute information without monitoring personnel and a testee's request of simultaneous browse of the attribute information/media data after the execution. SOLUTION: Direct access to the data contents is prohibited by guarding the media data stored in an evaluating object media DB 6. A personal authentication functional means 1 asks questions to a user 10 as the testee in the case of start of use and discriminates whether or not the use is the first time depending on the response contents. For the first user, personal information is collected by a personal information collection functional means 2 and stored in a personal information DB 5 as use history and after that, the media quality evaluation test in a blind form is automatically started by an evaluation test execution functional means 3. In the case except the first use, the user for the second time and afterward is authenticated by asking questions about the personal information and collating the response contents with the user history and free browse of the media data and the attribute information of the evaluating object media DB 6 by a retrieval function by a free browse functional means 4 is allowed to the authenticated user.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an evaluation method and apparatus for allowing a subject to evaluate the quality of media such as voice, video and still images.

[0002]

The quality of AV (Audio Visual) media is determined by the subjectivity of the person who views it. Therefore, when evaluating the quality of AV media,
It is important to perform an evaluation test using a large number of subjects and obtain quality evaluation values as a distribution. In addition, it is also important to perform blind evaluation in the evaluation in order to eliminate prejudice.

[0003]

By the way, it is important for a business operator related to AV media to evaluate the quality of AV media to which the new technology is applied. At the same time, there is a high demand among the staff of the business operator to check the quality of AV media to which the new technology is applied with their own eyes and ears.
Therefore, it is convenient for both the test executor and the subject if the operator of the operator can be used as the subject of the AV media quality evaluation test. At this time, in conducting the test, as described above, in order to prevent the subject's preconceptions from entering, the media data to be presented (data such as audio / video / still image)
It is not preferable to provide the subject with the attribute information of 1, that is, the information regarding the data acquisition conditions such as the encoding method, the network condition, and the terminal condition. However, on the other hand, it is important for staff other than the person in charge of conducting the test to experience the media data after confirming the attribute information, and there is a situation in which the intention is different from the person in charge of conducting the test.

Therefore, in conducting the test, an evaluation test in a blind test format is carried out under the supervision of the person in charge of the test execution, and after the test is completed, attribute information is shown only to subjects who are interested in the test content. It was necessary to devise a way to experience media data. If the subject deliberately or inadvertently compares the attribute information with the media data and experiences it, the quality evaluation data of the subject will be biased, so the person in charge of the test implementation should avoid such an accident. I had to constantly monitor. Therefore, during the test period, the person conducting the test must always monitor the subject's side. I had to assign a person in charge of implementation. By hiding the attribute information thoroughly, it is possible to carry out the test without the person in charge of the test, but in this case, it is not possible to experience it while comparing the attribute information and media data after the test. , It will not be possible to meet the requirements of the subject employee of the business operator.

An object of the present invention is to provide a requirement for ensuring the validity of the test result, "a media quality evaluation test in a blind test format", and "after the test has been carried out", when the quality evaluation is conducted by the staff of the media company. When conducting an evaluation test that satisfies the interests and interests of business operators, "at the same time as viewing attribute information and media data", it is necessary to monitor the person in charge of performing the test, which was indispensable in the past. It is an object to provide an unnecessary media quality evaluation method and its apparatus.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a media quality evaluation method for reproducing a media containing one or more of audio, video and still images and evaluating the quality thereof. , A procedure of preliminarily accumulating media data together with attribute information by guarding to prevent free browsing and free extraction by a user, and a procedure of determining whether or not it is a first use by input from a user, If the judgment is the first use, input personal information is collected and accumulated as a past use history, and the accumulated media data to be evaluated is presented to the user in a format in which the attribute information is hidden from the user. Perform a media quality evaluation test by using the above procedure, and if the judgment is other than the first use, the personal information input by the user and the past use history are collated. After authenticating that the user of the second and subsequent, the procedure for free of cost media data the accumulated with attribute information, and means media quality evaluation method characterized by comprising.

[0007] Alternatively, a media quality evaluation device for playing back media including one or more of audio, video, and still images and evaluating the quality thereof is provided with a guard for preventing free browsing and free extraction by users. Media storage means that stores the obtained media data together with attribute information, personal information storage means that stores the personal information when the user used it in the past as a usage history, and whether it is the first use by input from the user. Along with the determination, if it is other than the first use, a means for verifying the personal information input by the user and the accumulated past use history to authenticate the user for the second time and thereafter, and if the determination is the first use. Means for collecting personal information input from the user and accumulating it in the personal information accumulating means, and if the judgment is the first use, the media data to be evaluated is attribute information. Conducted media quality evaluation test in hidden to the user format is read from the media storage means,
A means for obtaining an evaluation result, an evaluation result accumulating means for accumulating the evaluation result, and a media data accumulated in the media accumulating means, together with attribute information, can be freely browsed if the second and subsequent users are authenticated. And a means for performing the media quality evaluation device.

[0008] Alternatively, a media quality evaluation program for reproducing a medium containing one or more of audio, video and still images and evaluating the quality of the medium is provided with a guard for preventing free browsing and free extraction by the user. And a procedure for pre-storing the media data together with the attribute information, and a procedure for determining whether or not it is the first use by input from the user,
If the determination is the first use, the input personal information is collected and accumulated as a past use history, and the stored media data to be evaluated is presented to the user in a format in which attribute information is hidden from the user. Perform a media quality evaluation test by presenting the results, and accumulate the evaluation results obtained in the test, and if the judgment is other than the first use, compare the personal information input by the user with the past usage history. After authenticating the user for the second time and thereafter, the procedure for freely browsing the stored media data together with the attribute information is a program executed by a computer. As a means.

Alternatively, the medium quality evaluation program is recorded in a computer-readable recording medium, and a recording medium having the medium quality evaluation program recorded therein is used as means.

In the present invention, a security lock is applied to the accumulated media data to prohibit direct access to the data contents. A question is asked to the user who is the subject at the start of use, and whether or not it is the first use is determined based on the content of the answer. As a result of the determination, for the first-time user, after collecting the personal information and accumulating it as the usage history, the blind-type media quality evaluation test is automatically started. If the result of the determination is other than the first use, ask a question about the personal information and verify the answer contents and the already-stored use history information to authenticate the user for the second time or later and be authenticated. For the second and subsequent users, the list information regarding the attribute information of the accumulated media data and the search function are provided, and the function of freely browsing the selected media data is provided.

Since the media data is guarded (security lock), the user cannot directly browse each media data or extract it from the database. As a result, it is possible to prevent the user from browsing or extracting intentionally or inadvertently. The personal information collation function at the start of use prevents the user from impersonating another person, so that the user must have at least one blind type quality evaluation test experience. In addition, since the usage history information is stored, it is possible to automatically determine the second and subsequent uses, and the second and subsequent users can immediately use the media data free browsing function. It becomes possible.

As described above, by utilizing the security function by the personal authentication, even if the person in charge of conducting the test is absent, the request from the person in charge of conducting the test "media quality evaluation test by the blind test format" and "after the test is conducted" It is possible to satisfy both of the request from the staff member of the business operator, "simultaneous browsing of attribute information and media data."

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a media quality evaluation apparatus of the present invention. This apparatus has four functional means, namely, a personal authentication function means 1, a personal information collecting function means 2, an evaluation test execution function means 3, and a free browsing function means 4, and three databases (DB) as personal information D.
B5, evaluation target media DB6, and evaluation result DB7
And an input means 8 and a display means 9 as means for forming an interface with the user 10.

The evaluation target media DB 6 stores media data, which is protected (security lock) for preventing free browsing and free extraction by the user 10, together with attribute information. Personal information DB5 is user 10
This is for accumulating personal information as a usage history when used in the past.

The personal authentication function means 1 determines whether or not it is the first use by the input from the user 10 through the input means 8 and, if it is other than the first use, the personal information input by the user 10 through the input means 8. And the past usage history stored in the personal information DB 5 are compared to authenticate whether the user is the second or later user.

The personal information collecting function means 2 is the input means 8 as an answer to the question displayed on the display means 9 from the user 10 when the judgment by the personal authentication function means 1 is the first use.
The personal information input from is collected and stored in the personal information DB 5.

If the judgment by the personal authentication function means 1 is the first use, the evaluation test execution function means 3 collects the personal information by the personal information collection function means 2 and accumulates it in the personal information DB 5 and then The media data is read from the evaluation target media DB 6 in a format in which the attribute information is hidden from the user, is displayed on the display means 9 to perform the media quality evaluation test, and the evaluation result is obtained from the user 10 who is the subject through the input means 8. Is obtained and accumulated in the evaluation result DB7.

If the personal authentication function means 1 authenticates the user for the second time and thereafter, the free browsing function means 4 stores in the evaluation target media DB 6 according to the search / instruction from the user 10 through the input means 8. The selected media data is displayed on the display unit 9 together with the attribute information so that the media data can be browsed freely.

Next, an embodiment of the media quality evaluation method according to the present invention will be described.

FIGS. 2 to 5 show four types of functional blocks activated in this method, and the types and flows of data exchanged between the user and the database (DB) in each functional block. There is.

In this method, the required functions are the following four types possessed by each functional means described in FIG. 1. Personal authentication function (Fig. 2) 2. Personal information collection function (Fig. 3) 3. Evaluation test execution function (Fig. 4) 4. Free browsing function (Fig. 5) In this method, the above-mentioned three types of databases (D
Data is exchanged using B) as a storage means. A. Personal information DB B. Evaluation target media DB C. Evaluation result DB FIG. 6 describes the processing procedure of this method in the form of a flowchart. The procedure of this processing also represents an operation example of the apparatus in FIG.

First, at the start of use, the personal authentication function (FIG. 2) operates and a question (1) asking whether it is the first use is displayed on the display means. When answering (2) from the input means that it is the first use, the personal information collecting function is activated. When answering (2) that it is the second and subsequent uses, a question (1) for identifying the user is displayed on the display means. In response to this question, the answer (2) from the user through the input means is collated with the personal information DB, and a search request (3) is made to check whether there is matching data. When the search result (4) is obtained that there is only one matching data, the display means displays the question (1) about the information that only the person himself / herself cannot know (or is difficult to know). It If the answer (2) is answered correctly to this question, it is judged that "it is certainly the second or later use" and the free browsing function is activated. If there is more than one data that matches the answer to the question, repeat the question to narrow down the range to further identify the individual, and when it is narrowed down to only one person, only the person who knows (or knows) Question about information is displayed. If this question is answered correctly, it is determined that it is the second and subsequent use, and the free browsing function is activated. If no matching data is found when collating with the personal information DB, "response error" or "false response"
Then, the screen returns to the opening screen before the start of use.

When the personal information collecting function (FIG. 3) is started after it is determined to be the first use, the question (1) about the name / password set by himself / fact that is difficult for anyone other than himself to know. By collecting the information necessary for individual identification and identity verification by the user's response (2) through the display and input means, the tester analyzes the evaluation result such as age, gender, job category, department etc. Data to be used as a reference when performing is also collected, and registration (3) of the collected answer contents (personal information) is performed in the personal information DB. When the necessary personal information has been collected, the evaluation test execution function is automatically started.

When the evaluation test execution function (FIG. 4) is activated, the evaluation test execution function reads the media data (1) stored in the evaluation target media DB and presents it to the user using the display means (2). Then, the evaluation result (3) input by the user through the input means is accumulated (4) in the evaluation result DB. When presenting the media data to the user, the attribute information of the media data is hidden and presented.

The attribute information includes: -information on the contents of the original data and the creation environment before the quality deterioration is added-the creation date and time of the data including the quality deterioration, the creator's information, the encoding speed, the encoding There may be information on the setting conditions of the network / terminal in the data creation such as the method, the code error occurrence rate, the frame update period, the presence / absence of the deterioration compensation function, and the test result of the quality evaluation test performed separately.

There may be several kinds of methods for presenting and evaluating media data. For example: ・ Show only the data to be evaluated and let them be evaluated individually. -In addition to the data to be evaluated, media data that serves as a reference is presented at the same time, and the result of comparison with the reference data is used as the evaluation data.・ Simultaneously present multiple evaluation target data to rank the quality / select the best (inferior) data. -The specific information is extracted from the evaluation target data, and the extraction result is used as the evaluation data (whether or not the information is accurately transmitted is evaluated). And so on.

Generally, the cycle of presenting the evaluation target media data and inputting the evaluation result is repeated a plurality of times. At that time, the presentation order of the evaluation target media data is important because it affects the evaluation test result. Regarding the control of the media data presentation order: -Fix in advance to a specific presentation order.・ Display at random. -A plurality of presentation order information prepared in advance is accumulated in the presentation order information DB, and the presentation order information is called from each user at random or according to the DB registration order, and the media data is presented accordingly. And so on.

When the free browsing function (FIG. 5) is activated, the free browsing function searches the authenticated second and subsequent users.
When the designation (1) is made through the input means, the media data accumulated in the evaluation target media DB and its attribute information are presented (4) through the display means so that they can be viewed at the same time. We also provide a search function using attribute information as a search key to assist in extracting target data from many media data. That is, when the user gives a search (1) instruction using the attribute information as a search key, a search request (2) is made to the evaluation target media DB, and the search result (3) is presented as browsing data. It is also possible to present a plurality of media data at the same time to enable direct comparison. Since the user can experience the media data while looking at the attribute information, the user can directly understand the relationship between the value of each attribute parameter and the media quality.

It should be noted that some or all of the functions of each part in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 can be configured by a computer program and the program can be executed by the computer to implement the present invention, or 2 to
It is needless to say that the processing procedure shown in FIG. 5 can be configured by a computer program and the computer can be caused to execute the program, or the program for realizing the function in the computer or the processing procedure in the computer. A program for executing the program can be read by a computer-readable recording medium, for example, FD (floppy disk (registered trademark)) or M.
The data can be recorded in O, ROM, memory card, CD, DVD, removable disk, etc., and can be saved or distributed. It is also possible to provide the above program through a network such as the Internet or electronic mail.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention,
(1) The requirement from the tester side that "a media quality evaluation test in a blind test format can be reliably performed even if the tester is absent", and (2)
"Simultaneous viewing of attribute information and media data after test"
There is an effect that it is possible to realize a media quality evaluation method and a device thereof that simultaneously satisfy the requirements from the business operator staff subject side.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of an embodiment of a media quality evaluation apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an input / output relationship of a personal authentication function required in an embodiment of the media quality evaluation method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an input / output relationship of a personal information collecting function required in an embodiment of the media quality evaluation method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an input / output relationship of an evaluation test execution function required in an embodiment of the media quality evaluation method of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an input / output relationship of a free browsing function required in an embodiment of the media quality evaluation method of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of processing in an embodiment of the media quality evaluation method of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols] 1 ... Personal authentication function means 2. Personal information collection function means 3 ... Evaluation test execution function means 4 ... Free browsing function means 5 ... Personal information DB 6 ... Media DB for evaluation 7 ... Evaluation result DB 8 ... Input means 9 ... Display means 10 ... User

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A media quality evaluation method for playing back a medium containing one or more of audio, video, and still images and evaluating the quality thereof, and guarding to prevent free browsing and free extraction by users. Procedure to store media data together with attribute information in advance, a procedure for determining whether it is the first use by input from the user, and if the determination is the first use, collect the input personal information and Of the evaluation result obtained by the media quality evaluation test by presenting the stored evaluation target media data to the user in a format in which the attribute information is hidden from the user. If the determination is other than the first use, the personal information input by the user is compared with the past use history to authenticate the user for the second time and thereafter, and Media quality evaluation method characterized by freedom and procedure for browsed comprises a media data together with attribute information. 2. A media quality evaluation device for playing back media including one or more of audio, video and still images and evaluating the quality thereof, with guards for preventing free browsing and free extraction by users. The media storage means that stores the obtained media data together with the attribute information, the personal information storage means that stores the personal information when the user used it in the past as a usage history, and whether it is the first use based on the input from the user. Along with the determination, if the determination is other than the first use, the personal information entered by the user is compared with the accumulated past use history to authenticate the user for the second time and thereafter, and if the determination is the first use. , Means for collecting personal information input from the user and accumulating it in the personal information accumulating means, and if the judgment is the first use, the media data to be evaluated is attribute information A means for obtaining the evaluation result by performing a media quality evaluation test by reading out from the media accumulating means in a hidden form, an evaluation result accumulating means for accumulating the evaluation result, and the second and subsequent users are authenticated. Then, the media quality evaluation device is provided with means for freely browsing the media data stored in the media storage means together with the attribute information. 3. A media quality evaluation program for playing back a medium containing one or more of audio, video and still images, and evaluating the quality of the medium, which is guarded to prevent free browsing and free extraction by users. Procedure to store the media data together with the attribute information in advance, a procedure for determining whether it is the first use by input from the user, and if the determination is the first use, collect the entered personal information. The media quality evaluation test is performed by accumulating the past use history and presenting the accumulated media data to be evaluated to the user in a format in which the attribute information is hidden from the user, and the evaluation obtained in the test. After the procedure of accumulating the results and if the judgment is other than the first use, after verifying that the user is the second time or later by comparing the personal information input by the user with the past use history. Media quality evaluation program, characterized in that the procedure for free of cost the storage media data together with attribute information, and a program to be executed by a computer. 4. A recording medium on which the medium quality evaluation program according to claim 3 is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium.