JP2003143095A - Transmission controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a transmission controller capable of executing processing, such as multi-system broadcast data transmission, distribution, and switching. SOLUTION: A plurality of input units respectively packets specific transmission data from an external signal source, and transmits the packet data to a network, based on time slot information to be supplied from a control unit. An output unit receives the packet data transmitted to the network, and extracts only the packet data transmitted from the specific input unit based on transmission origin information to be supplied from the control unit, and restores the transmission data. The control unit supplies the time slot information indicating a period, when the packet data should be transmitted to the network by each input unit to those input units based on a reference synchronizing signal. Also, the control unit supplies the ID of the specific input unit as the transmission origin ID to the output unit.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transmission control device for transmitting, distributing and switching broadcast data such as television signal data using a computer network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Toward the digitalization of terrestrial television broadcasting,
Multi-channel (analog, digital, mobile etc.)
In addition, it is expected that the demand for digital broadcasting facilities for multi-methods (SDTV, HDTV, etc.) will increase. In a TV broadcasting station, when switching signals of various systems such as analog TV broadcasting, digital TV broadcasting, and data broadcasting as necessary, and distributing and broadcasting, for example, SDTV digital distribution switcher, HDTV digital switcher, etc. Individual devices were used depending on the signaling system and application.

[0003]

However, in consideration of future multi-channels / multi-systems, it is necessary to install a switching / distributing device or the like individually for each signal system from the viewpoint of equipment cost, equipment space, etc. It is inefficient.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and can perform processing such as transmission, distribution, and switching of multi-system broadcast data with a simple configuration without using a complicated and expensive dedicated device. An object of the present invention is to provide a transmission control device capable of performing the above.

[0005]

According to one aspect of the present invention, a transmission control device includes a plurality of input units, one or more output units, and a network connected to the input units and the output units. And a control unit,
Each of the plurality of input units receives data for transmission from an external signal source and packetizes the packetized data to create packet data; and based on time slot information supplied from the control unit, Sending means for sending packet data to the network, wherein the output unit receives the packet data from the network and sends the packet data from a specific input unit based on source information supplied from the control unit. The extraction unit that extracts only the extracted packet data, and the restoration unit that restores the transmission data from the extracted packet data, wherein the control unit has a plurality of input units based on a reference synchronization signal. Determines the period for sending packet data to the network, the time slot information and The supplied to the input unit Te 1
Control means and second control means for supplying an ID indicating a specific input unit to the output unit as the transmission source information.

According to the transmission control device configured as described above, each of the plurality of input units receives specific transmission data from the external signal source and packetizes it. The transmission data can be video data, for example. Each input unit sends packet data to the network based on the time slot information supplied from the control unit.

On the other hand, the output unit receives the packet data sent to the network from the plurality of input units, and based on the source information supplied from the control unit, only the packet data sent from the particular input unit. To extract. This establishes a data path from a particular input unit to a particular output unit. The output unit restores the transmission data from the extracted packet data using, for example, the bit clock restored by the clock restoration information included in the reference synchronization signal.

Further, the control unit supplies, to the plurality of input units, time slot information indicating a period in which each input unit should send the packet data to the network with reference to the reference synchronization signal. Further, the control unit supplies the ID of the specific input unit to the output unit as the transmission source ID.

As a result, based on the time slot information supplied by the control unit, the plurality of input units can send out the transmission data without causing collision with each other. Further, the output unit can acquire only the transmission data of the specific signal source by extracting only the packet including the specific transmission source ID.

In one mode of the above transmission control device, the time slot information is data amount information indicating a data amount of packet data to be transmitted by each of the input units,
Each of the input units includes transmission timing information indicating a timing at which transmission of the packet data should be started.

According to this aspect, each input unit sends the packet data of the amount specified by the data amount information at the timing specified by the sending timing information.

In another aspect of the above transmission control device, the data amount information is determined according to the bit rate of the transmission data received by the input unit from the signal source.

According to this aspect, when transmitting the transmission data from a plurality of signal sources through the network, a large amount of data can be allocated to the transmission data having a high bit rate, and the transmission from the signal sources is possible. An appropriate data amount can be set according to the usage data.

In still another aspect of the above transmission control device, the transmission timing information is represented by a delay time from a synchronization timing indicated by the reference synchronization signal.

According to this aspect, it is possible to adjust the sending timing from each input unit only by supplying different delay times to each input unit.

In still another mode of the above transmission control device, the input unit includes a synchronization detection means for receiving the reference synchronization signal from the outside and detecting the synchronization timing, and the transmission means is detected. Synchronization timing,
Packet data is transmitted to the network based on the transmission timing information.

According to this aspect, the input unit can send the packet data on the basis of the same reference synchronization signal as that used on the control unit side.

In still another mode of the above transmission control device, the packetizing means has an I of an input unit for transmitting the packet data in a header of the packet data.
The extracting unit includes a unit that includes D as a source ID, and the extracting unit extracts only packet data that includes the source ID that matches the source information.

According to this aspect, the output unit can acquire only the transmission data from the specific signal source by referring to the transmission source ID supplied from the control unit.

In still another mode of the above transmission control device, the reference synchronization signal is a single signal including vertical synchronization information and clock timing restoration information corresponding to a format of the transmission data input to the input unit. Or a plurality of signals.

According to this aspect, the time slot information is determined based on the vertical synchronization information and the clock timing restoration information included in the reference synchronization signal.

In still another aspect of the above transmission control device, the data amount indicated by the data amount information corresponds to one field of the video data received by the input unit from the signal source.

According to this aspect, since each input unit sends the packet data of the data amount corresponding to one field of the video data in one time slot, the transmission data should be sent to the output unit field by field. You can

In still another mode of the above transmission control device, the output unit includes a synchronization detecting means for receiving the reference synchronizing signal from the outside and detecting a bit clock, and the restoring means is generated. The transmission data is restored by processing the packet data in synchronization with the bit clock.

According to this aspect, since the transmission data in the output unit is also restored in synchronization with the reference synchronization signal, switching of the transmission data from the specific signal source received by the output unit is also performed in the reference synchronization signal. Since it is performed in synchronization, the data does not become discontinuous when the signal source is switched.

In still another mode of the above transmission control device, the control unit includes a control network dedicated to transmission of control signals, and the input unit and the output unit are the control unit through the control network. From the time slot information and the source information.

According to this aspect, the control signal is transmitted from the control unit to the input unit and the output unit through the dedicated control network. As a result, the transmission data and the control signal are transmitted and received using the respective individual networks, and the communication control of each data can be simplified. Further, it becomes easy to increase or decrease the number of input units and output units.

[0028]

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

[Overall Configuration] FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a transmission control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present device, a plurality of input units 21 to 24 and a plurality of output units 31 to 33 are provided in a high speed Ethernet (registered trademark) LAN 6 (hereinafter, referred to as “high speed LAN”) of about gigabit. It has a configuration in which and are connected. The high-speed LAN 6 is configured as a dedicated LAN for transmission of transmission data such as broadcasting data by this device.

In addition to the high-speed LAN 6 configured for transmission of broadcasting data, a LAN dedicated for transmission of control signals
(Hereinafter, referred to as “control LAN”.) 7 is provided, to which a plurality of input units 21 to 24, a plurality of output units 31 to 33, and a control unit 5 are connected. The control LAN 7 is mainly for the control unit 5 to supply control signals to the input units 21 to 24 and the output units 31 to 33. Therefore, the communication speed as high as that of the high-speed LAN 6 used for transmitting the broadcast data is not required.

Signal sources 11 to 14 are connected to the input units 21 to 24, respectively. Each signal source 11 to 1
4 corresponds to a multi-system signal used in a television broadcasting station, for example, an HDTV signal, an SDTV signal,
It is a device for supplying signals such as a commercial (CM) signal for a program, a data broadcasting signal, and an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) broadcasting signal. Each signal source 11 to 1
4, the broadcasting data 51 to 54 are supplied to the input units 21 to 24, respectively.

Each of the input units 21 to 24 is controlled by the control unit 5 by the method described later, and the signal sources 11 to 1
The broadcasting data 51 to 54 supplied from No. 4 are packetized, time-axis multiplexed and sent to the high-speed LAN 6.

On the other hand, the output units 31 to 33 send the packets sent from the input units 21 to 24 to the high speed LAN.
6, the broadcast data in the packet is restored by necessary processing, and is supplied to the transmission devices 41 to 43 as output data 61 to 63. The transmitters 41 to 43 transmit the received broadcast data according to a predetermined method.

The broadcasting data may be SD, for example.
4: 2: 2 component signal or NTSC for TV
A baseband signal such as a composite signal or a 4: 2: 2 component signal for HDTV is preferably used. However, it is also possible to use a compressed signal such as MPEG2.

The control unit 5 uses the control LAN 7 to send a control signal, whereby the input units 21 to 24 are sent.
And the output units 31 to 33 are controlled. Specifically, a transmission and reception instruction is sent to each of the input units 21-24 and the output units 31-33. Also, for each input unit 21 to 24, the number of time slots (the number of UDP packets) allocated to the signal processed by that input unit, and the position of the transmission time slot of each input unit (the data transmission start timing signal Yes, standard V
(Set based on the sync signal). Also,
For each output unit 31 to 33, the ID of the input unit that is sending the broadcast data to be received is the sender ID
Tell as. Further, the control unit 5 gives an instruction for starting and ending the transmission of data to the input unit and the output unit as necessary.

[Structure of Input Unit] Next, the input unit will be described in detail. FIG. 2A shows the configuration of one input unit 21. The other input unit 22
The input units 2 to 24 have the same configuration.
Only 1 will be described.

As shown, the input unit 21 is a PCI
An interface 72, a reference V sync detector 73, a unit CPU 74, two NICs (Network In
terface cards) 75 and 76, a buffer memory 77, and a bit clock restorer 78 are connected.

The interface 72 performs an interface process when the broadcast data 51 from the signal source 11 is taken in. The reference V sync detector 73 extracts V sync (vertical sync) information from a reference sync signal input from the outside.
Further, the bit clock restorer 78 similarly restores the clock timing of the serial data output by this unit from the reference synchronization signal. In the present embodiment, when an SDTV input signal is used as an example, the reference synchronization signal input from the outside can be an intra-station NTSC composite synchronization signal used in a television broadcasting station.

The unit CPU 74 packetizes the broadcasting data 51 input through the interface 72 into a predetermined amount of data, and further UDP (User Datagram).
Protocol) header is added to form a UDP packet. Then, the UDP packetized broadcast data is transmitted to the NIC at the transmission start timing instructed by the control unit 5.
It is sent to the high-speed LAN 6 via 76.

The NIC 75 is connected to the control LAN 7, receives a control signal from the control unit 5 and supplies it to the unit CPU 74.

The buffer memory 77 is used for broadcasting data 51.
It is used to temporarily store broadcast data at the time of packetization and UDP packetization. The buffer memory 77 is also used for time adjustment when sending a UDP packet according to an instruction from the control unit 5.
That is, the UDP packetized broadcasting data is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 77, and when a data transmission instruction arrives from the control unit 5 to the input unit 21, it is controlled by the unit CPU 74. Broadcast data temporarily stored in the high-speed LAN
6 is sent. The broadcast data is accumulated in the buffer memory 77 at the bit rate of the output data from the signal source 11, the UDP data is converted into UDP packets, and then the packets are transmitted in synchronization with the clock of the high-speed LAN 6 to perform time-axis compression. It will be.

The other input units 22 to 24 also have the same structure as the above-mentioned input unit 21. Therefore, each of the input units 22-24 also has a corresponding signal source 12-1.
Convert the broadcasting data supplied from 4 into UDP packets,
High speed L according to the control signal given from the control unit 5.
Processing for sending to AN6 is performed. Since the control unit 5 gives an instruction to send the broadcast data to the input units 21 to 24 at different timings, the broadcast data sent to the high-speed LAN 6 by the plurality of input units 21 to 24 does not collide. .

[Structure of Output Unit] Next, the structure of the output unit will be described. FIG. 2B shows the internal configuration of one output unit 31. Note that the other output units 32 and 33 have the same configuration as the output unit 31, and therefore a duplicate description will not be given.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the output unit 3
1 is a PCI bus 81, an interface 82, a reference V sync detector 83, a unit CPU 84, two NICs.
85 and 86, a buffer memory 87, and a bit clock restorer 88 are connected and configured.

The NIC 86 receives data transmitted on the high speed LAN 6. The reference V-sync detector 83 detects V-sync information from an externally applied reference sync signal, and can be the same as that provided in the input unit. Also, the bit clock recovery unit 88
Similarly restores the bit clock of the serial data output by this unit from the reference synchronization signal. The reference sync signal in this case can also be an in-station NTSC composite sync signal in the television broadcasting station. The NIC 85 is connected to the control LAN 7 and supplies a control signal from the control unit 5 to the unit CPU 84.

The unit CPU 84 has the output unit 31.
It controls internal processing, specifically NI
A target UDP packet is extracted from the data received through C86, and time axis expansion and removal of the UDP header are performed to restore the original broadcast data.

The broadcasting data thus obtained is sent to the transmitting device 41 via the interface 82. The time axis expansion is performed by serializing the extracted UDP packet data with the bit clock generated by the bit clock restorer 88 from the reference synchronization signal.

The buffer memory 87 is provided in the output unit 31.
The above-mentioned data processing that is performed in the time axis expansion, U
Used to temporarily store data during processing such as DP header removal.

The other output units 32 and 33 have the same structure as the above-mentioned output unit 31. However, as will be described later in detail, each of the output units 31 to 33 extracts only the packet of the broadcast data transmitted from the input unit having the designated transmission source ID according to the instruction from the control unit 5, and extracts the packet. Restore the broadcasting data included in. In this way, the path of the broadcast data from the specific input unit to the specific output unit is determined by the instruction of the control unit 5.

As can be seen by comparing FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b), since the input unit and the output unit have the same basic structure, both units can be realized only by changing the setting of the same unit. You can

[Broadcast Data Processing] Next, the broadcast data processing in the input unit and the output unit will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. Figure 3
Fig. 3 shows how the broadcasting data supplied from the signal source to the input unit is processed. Further, FIG. 4A shows a flow of processing performed in the input unit, and FIG. 4B shows a flow of processing performed in the output unit.

First, the processing in the input unit will be described. The broadcast data 51 to 54 supplied from the signal sources 11 to 14 to the input units 21 to 24 are in the form of serial data as shown in the uppermost part of FIG. The serial data input through the interface 72 in the input unit is packetized for each predetermined data amount (step S1), and the packet 100 is created. Then, for this packet, the UDP header 102 and the frame check sequence (FCS: Ethernet (registered trademark)
Frame error detection code) 103 is added to UD
The P packet 101 is created (step S2). In addition,
The UDP header 102 includes a transmission source ID indicating the input unit itself and a destination ID indicating an output unit that receives the UDP packet 101. The source ID and the destination ID are determined by the control unit 5.

Next, these UDP packets 101 are stored in the buffer memory 77 as necessary (step S3), and then under control of the time slot of the control unit 5 (step S4), one field of broadcasting data is transmitted. Minutes, a plurality of UDP packets 101 corresponding to the minute are sent to the high speed LAN 6 (step S5). At this time, the control unit 5 instructs the unit CPU 74 in each input unit about the number of UDP packets 101 to be sent by the plurality of input units 21 to 24 and the sending timing of the UDP packet 101.

Here, in the present invention, each input unit 21
24 has a feature in that it determines the timing of sending the UDP packet based on the reference V sync signal. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 5 sets the timing at which each of the input units 21 to 24 sends out a UDP packet after a predetermined time from the reference V synchronization position, and supplies it to each of the input units as a sending start timing signal. . In the example of FIG. 3, the control unit 5 sends a transmission start timing signal to the input unit 21 so as to start the transmission of the UDP packet at the same time as the reference V synchronization timing (that is, at time t0), and a predetermined time t1 from the reference V synchronization timing.
A transmission start timing signal is sent to the input unit 22 so as to start the transmission of the UDP packet after the lapse of time. In addition, the control unit 5 sets a predetermined time t from the reference V synchronization timing.
A transmission start timing signal is sent to the input unit 23 so as to start the transmission of the UDP packet after the lapse of 2 seconds, and the reference V
A transmission start timing signal is sent to the input unit 24 so as to start the transmission of the UDP packet after a lapse of a predetermined time t3 from the synchronization timing.

In this way, the control CPU 5 supplies a transmission start timing signal to each of the input units 21 to 24 so as to transmit the UDP packet at different timings, and instructs the start of transmission, so that the plurality of input units 21 to 24 transmit. The UDP packets thus created do not collide on the high-speed LAN 6. This is time slot management.

Further, the control unit 5 determines the number of UDP packets that can be sent from the input units 21 to 24 according to the transmission rate of the broadcast data input to the input units 21 to 24, and the input units 21 to 24. Instruct to.
That is, the input unit handling high-speed broadcast data sends a large number of UDP packets to the high-speed LAN 6, and the input unit handling low-speed broadcast data sends a small number of UDP packets to the high-speed LAN 6. In the present embodiment, a plurality of broadcast data to be transmitted is set to 1 using the reference V sync signal as a reference.
Since each field is time-axis-multiplexed for transmission, the control unit 5 sets priorities for a plurality of broadcasting data to be transmitted, and accordingly, each input unit can send out the number of UDP packets within one field period. Can be determined. For example, referring to the example of broadcasting data in FIG. 1, HDTV data (input unit 21
Priority), then CM data (corresponding to the input unit 23), and if there is a margin, EP
Suppose there is a request to send G data (corresponding to input unit 24). In this case, the control unit 5 first sets the number of UDP packets corresponding to one field of HDTV data input to the input unit 21 as the number of packets that can be transmitted by the input unit 21, and the CM corresponding to the same one field. The number of UDP packets of data is set as the number of transmittable packets of the input unit 23. And during the one field period, U more
If DP packet can be transmitted, EP within that range
The input unit 24 is permitted to transmit the G data UDP packet. UD that can be sent during one field period
The total number of P packets depends on the communication rate of the high speed LAN 6.

On the other hand, on the output unit side, basically the processing opposite to that on the input unit side is performed to restore the broadcasting data from each signal source. Now, it is assumed that the output unit 31 receives the HDTV data sent from the input unit 21 and supplies it to the transmitter 41. In this case, the control unit 5 sends a control signal to the input unit 21, and all the UDPs which the input unit 21 sends to the high speed LAN 6 are sent.
The destination of the packet is designated in the output unit 31. As a result, the unit CPU 74 of the input unit 21
The destination ID in the P header 102 is the ID of the output unit 31.
Set to, and include in all UDP packets, high-speed LAN6
Send to.

On the output unit side, all the output units 31 to 33 receive time-axis multiplexed data as shown in the bottom row of FIG. 3 (step S10), but each output unit has a UDP header of a UDP packet. Only a UDP packet whose destination ID contained therein points to itself is extracted (step S11). Therefore, the output unit 31
Only the UDP packet sent from the input unit 21 is acquired from the high speed LAN 6. In this way, a path from an input unit to an output unit is established.

The output unit 31 having received the UDP packet addressed to itself temporarily stores the UDP packet in the buffer memory 87. Then, the time axis expansion is performed by reading the UDP packet in accordance with the reference V sync signal obtained by the reference V sync detector 83 in the output unit (step S12), and the
The DP header is removed (step S13). And U
The packet data from which the DP header has been removed is converted into serial data by the bit clock generated from the reference V sync signal (step S14) and supplied to the transmitter 41. In this way, the broadcasting data is restored in the output unit. The transmitter 41 transmits the supplied broadcasting data (step S15).

[Switching / Distributing Process] Next, the switching process of broadcasting data will be described. The switching process is to switch the broadcasting data output by a certain output unit from one signal source that has been received until then to another signal source. Specifically, one output unit, which has received the broadcast data transmitted from one input unit, is controlled so as to receive the broadcast data transmitted from another input unit after a certain switching time. The unit 5 controls the input unit and the output unit.

The distribution process means that a plurality of output units share the broadcasting data of the same input unit. Specifically, in the transmission source information controlled by the control unit 5, the transmission source information of the broadcasting data transmitted from one input unit is controlled to be shared by the target output unit. . This can also be operated as an independent switching transmission system up to the number of output units.

The instruction on how to control the input / output unit is given when the operator in the television broadcasting station manually inputs a switching instruction to the control unit 5.
There is a case where an APS (Automatic Program Switching System) inputs a control instruction to the control unit 5 in accordance with a program that is made in advance.

Now, the output unit 31 is the input unit 2
It is assumed that the broadcast data transmitted from the No. 1 is being received, and after a certain time T, the switching process is performed so as to receive the broadcast data transmitted from the input unit 22. Before switching (before time T), the control unit 5 uses the UDP in which the input unit 21 sets the output unit 31 as the destination ID.
The input unit 21 is instructed to send a packet, but after time T, an instruction is made to set an output unit other than the output unit 31 as the destination ID (after time T, sending from the input unit 21 is prohibited. May be). Further, the control unit 5 instructs the input unit 22 to send out the UDP packet having the output unit 31 as the destination ID after the time T. Further, the control unit 5 receives the UDP packet including the ID of the input unit 21 as the transmission source ID before the time T with respect to the output unit 31, and includes the ID of the input unit 22 as the transmission source ID after the time T. Instruct to receive the UDP packet.

As a result, the broadcasting data is sent from the input unit 21 to the output unit 31 before the time T, and from the input unit 22 to the output unit 3 after the time T.
The broadcast data will be sent to 1, and switching will be performed.

Here, in the system of the present invention, the transmission timing of the video data from each input unit is managed with reference to the vertical synchronizing position of the video signal, so that each video data is surely in the unit of one field. It is sent out and received by the output unit. Therefore, if the synchronization of the reference synchronization signals supplied to the input unit side and the output unit side is ensured, the broadcasting data is switched field by field, so that broadcasting data (especially image data ) Can be prevented from switching. As a result, it is possible to switch smoothly while maintaining the continuity of images.

The control unit 5 also controls the input unit 2 for a short period near the time T when the switching is performed.
UDP packets addressed to the output unit 31 can be sent from both 1 and 22. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the broadcast data output from the output unit 31 from being interrupted at the time of switching.

In the configuration of FIG. 1, when the output unit is single, only the broadcasting data from the single input unit is sent to the high speed LAN 6 before and after the switching, and two inputs are input during the switching process. Only the broadcasting data from the unit will be sent to the high speed LAN 6.

[0068]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Regardless of the broadcasting data system to be transmitted, it is possible to integrally perform multi-system and multi-channel broadcasting data transmission, distribution and switching control by one device. Therefore, the cost of the facility can be reduced and the space can be saved. In addition, since the switching process of multiple channels can be performed on a single operation screen, a small number of people can operate.

Further, the transmission control device of the present invention is a distribution device that obtains a plurality of outputs from a plurality of inputs even if it is a switching device that obtains one output from a plurality of inputs by changing the configurations of the input unit and the output unit. Since it can also be used as, a single device can be used for multiple purposes. In addition, since processing related to input and output is performed on a unit-by-unit basis, the input unit or output unit is operated at high-speed LA.
The number of inputs / outputs can be easily increased / decreased simply by adding or deleting N to the control LAN.

Further, since the baseband signal can be transmitted as it is as a broadcast signal, high image quality can be maintained,
The processing after the output unit can be easily performed.

Further, since the broadcasting signal is based on the V sync signal of the reference sync signal, if the synchronization between the reference sync signals on the input unit side and the output unit side is maintained, the video of the vertical sync unit is used. It is possible to switch while ensuring continuity.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a transmission control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an input unit and an output unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 shows how broadcasting data supplied from a signal source to an input unit is processed.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing in an input unit and an output unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

5 control unit 6 high-speed LAN 7 control LAN 11-14 Signal source 21-24 Input unit 31-33 Output unit 41-43 transmitter 100 packets 101 UDP packet

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Masaaki Yamada             1-1-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo Morning in Japan             Nihon Broadcasting Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takashi Tanaka             1-8-14 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo d             Lu S I Japan Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hideo Watanabe             1-8-14 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo d             Lu S I Japan Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 5K028 CC02 CC05 EE05 EE07 KK01                       KK12 KK32 LL12 MM05 RR02                       SS23 SS24                 5K033 BA13 CA11 CB15 CC01 DA01                 5K034 CC02 DD03 EE11 HH01 HH65                       MM15 MM24 MM31 QQ04 QQ07

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of input units, one or more output units, a network connected to the plurality of input units and the output unit, and a control unit, each of the plurality of input units. , Receives data for transmission from an external signal source, packetizes it,
Packetizing means for creating packet data, and sending means for sending the packet data to the network based on time slot information supplied from the control unit, wherein the output unit includes packet data from the network Receiving means for extracting only packet data sent from a specific input unit based on source information supplied from the control unit, and restoring for restoring the transmission data from the extracted packet data The control unit determines a period during which a plurality of input units should send packet data to the network with reference to a reference synchronization signal and supplies the time slot information to the input unit. 1 control means and the ID of a specific input unit to the sender information And a second control means for supplying the output unit to the output unit. 2. The time slot information indicates data amount information indicating a data amount of packet data to be transmitted by each of the input units, and timing at which each of the input units should start transmitting the packet data. The transmission control device according to claim 1, further comprising transmission timing information. 3. The transmission control device according to claim 2, wherein the data amount information is determined according to a bit rate of transmission data received by the input unit from the signal source. 4. The transmission control device according to claim 2, wherein the transmission timing information is indicated by a delay time from a synchronization timing indicated by the reference synchronization signal. 5. The input unit comprises synchronization detection means for receiving the reference synchronization signal from the outside and detecting the synchronization timing, and the transmission means includes the detected synchronization timing and the transmission timing information. The transmission control device according to claim 4, wherein the packet data is sent to the network based on the packet data. 6. The packetizing means includes means for including, in a header of the packet data, an ID of an input unit for transmitting the packet data as a sender ID, and the extracting means matches the sender information. Sender ID
6. The transmission control device according to claim 1, wherein only the packet data including the packet is extracted. 7. The reference synchronization signal is a single signal or a plurality of signals including vertical synchronization information and clock timing restoration information corresponding to a format of the transmission data input to the input unit. The transmission control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6. 8. The transmission control device according to claim 7, wherein the data amount indicated by the data amount information corresponds to one field of the video data received by the input unit from the signal source. 9. The output unit includes synchronization detection means for receiving the reference synchronization signal from the outside and generating a bit clock, and the restoration means processes the packet data in synchronization with the generated bit clock. 9. The transmission control device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission data is restored by doing so. 10. The control unit includes a control network dedicated to transmission of control signals, and the input unit and the output unit receive the time slot information and the source information from the control unit through the control network. The transmission control device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission control device receives the transmission signal.