JP2005101701A - Audio signal confirmation method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily confirm whether or not an audio signal in response to an essential audio channel determined with respect to an audio mode of a program exists before the transmission of a plurality of broadcast sources for constituting the program. <P>SOLUTION: Before the transmission of a plurality of the broadcast sources for constituting the program, the essential audio channel determined with respect to the audio mode of the program and the audio signal in response to the essential audio channel of the program are displayed on a screen (S210, S211). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a broadcast material transmission system for transmitting a program composed of a plurality of broadcast materials, and is determined in advance for the audio mode of the program before transmitting the plurality of broadcast materials constituting the program. The present invention relates to a technique for confirming whether there is an audio signal corresponding to an essential audio channel.

  A broadcast material transmission system for editing and transmitting broadcast materials such as programs using a video server for recording and reproducing video signals and audio signals at a broadcasting station or the like is well known. .

  Before sending the video signal and audio signal output from the video server to the outside (on-air), it is necessary to check whether there is an audio signal corresponding to the required audio channel determined for the audio mode of the program .

  In conventional analog broadcasting, there are only two channels of audio, and there are only three types of audio modes: monaural, stereo, and dual. Therefore, any audio mode material can be easily heard and confirmed during playback.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-32731

  However, in terrestrial digital broadcasting started in 2003, there are up to 8 channels of audio. The number of essential audio channels to be used in the 8 channels is determined in advance according to the audio mode determined by the program. Therefore, the audio mode differs depending on each program, and the number of channels differs depending on the audio mode.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the audio mode of digital broadcasting and the essential audio channel. Each voice mode has a code and a name. For example, the code M is monaural. In this case, the voice-required channel is channel 1 (CH1), and the voice content is M (monaural). The code S is stereo. In this case, the audio essential channels are channel 1 (CH1) and channel 2 (CH2), and the audio contents are L (left signal) and R (right signal). The code 51 is 5.1 surround. In this case, the audio essential channels are channels 1 (CH1) to 6 (CH6), and the audio contents are L, R, C (central signal), and LFE (woofer, bass). ), LS (rear left signal) and RS (rear right signal). As described above, the audio essential channel and the audio content differ depending on the audio mode.

  Also, when filing to a video server, the audio of the original material is replaced with another audio channel (audio mapping), or the audio of the stereo channel material for digital broadcasting is converted into a 2-channel monaural for analog broadcasting (downmixing) ).

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of downmixing. In the example of converting from 2 channel stereo to dual monaural, if the input is 2 stereo with code 2S, the required audio channels are channels 1 to 4, and the audio content is L1 (first left signal), R1 (first Right signal), L2 (second left signal), R2 (second right signal), but in order to set the output to code 2S2M, the audio essential channels are only channels 1 and 2, and the audio content is M1. (Sum of first left and right signals) and M2 (sum of second left and right signals).

  In the case of digital terrestrial broadcasting, the audio mode of each program can be displayed on the screen with a code corresponding to the audio mode and a name indicating the content of the audio mode. There arises a problem that it is difficult to determine whether or not there is an audio signal corresponding to the required essential audio channel.

  An object of the present invention is to easily confirm whether or not there is an audio signal corresponding to an essential audio channel determined for the audio mode of the program before sending a plurality of broadcast materials constituting the program. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for confirming the presence / absence of an audio signal of a possible essential audio channel.

  The present invention provides, on the screen, a required audio channel determined for the audio mode of the program and an audio signal corresponding to the required audio channel of the program before sending a plurality of broadcast materials constituting the program. Is displayed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to easily confirm whether or not there is an audio signal corresponding to the essential audio channel determined for the audio mode of the program before transmitting a plurality of broadcast materials constituting the program. It is possible to obtain an audio signal presence / absence confirmation method for possible essential audio channels.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a broadcast material transmission system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 101 is a video / audio material, 102 is a video / audio reproduction device, 103 is a video server, 104 is a distributor, 105 is a monitor, 106 is a registration table (for example, a personal computer), 107 is a sound board, 108 is a video monitor, Reference numeral 109 denotes a control computer, and 110 denotes a data server.

  A plurality of video / audio materials 101 constituting a program are reproduced by a video / audio reproduction device 102 and compressed and recorded in MPEG2 by a video server 103. The video / audio signal output from the video server 103 is transmitted to the outside (on-air) via the distributor 104 and is monitored by the monitor 105 at that time.

  Whether the broadcast material has an audio signal corresponding to the required audio channel determined for the audio mode of the program before sending a plurality of video and audio materials constituting the program, that is, broadcast materials to the outside (on-air) It is necessary to confirm.

  For this purpose, the video registration console 106 is activated. When the video registration console 106 is activated, the recorded video / audio signal is monitored by the video monitor 108 via the registration console 106, and the audio signal is input to the sound board 107. The audio signals of each channel are displayed on the operation screen of the registration console 106.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a flow from the activation of the registration console 106 in FIG. 1 until the essential audio channel and audio signal determined by the audio mode of the program are displayed on the operation screen of the registration console 106. is there.

  First, in step S201, the registration console 106 is activated. Then, in the next step S202, the data managed by the data server 110 is read into the registration console 106. In the next step s203, a program list is displayed on the operation screen of the registration console 106.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the program list display 106A displayed on the operation screen of the registration console 106 of FIG. In FIG. 3, the program list display 106A is displayed with items such as a program code, a broadcast date, a program name, and a subtitle.

  In the next step s204, one program is selected. For example, in FIG. 3, one program name is selected and the “Preview” button is clicked.

  In the next step s205, the operation screen of the registration console 106 is changed to a preview screen display, and information of the selected program (including the program code) is input from the data server 103 to the registration console 106.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example in which the operation screen of the registration console 106 in FIG. 1 is a preview screen display 106B. In FIG. 4, 401 is a program event display field, 402 is the first screen panel of each event, 403 is a video playback panel, 404 is an operation key, and 405 is an audio display field.

  In step S206, the playback key is operated on the preview screen display 106B of the registration console 106. In FIG. 4, the reproduction key button in the operation key button row 404 is clicked.

  Then, in the next step S207, the control computer 109, which has been notified that the reproduction operation is performed from the registration console 106, controls the video server 103 to output video / audio signals.

  In the next step S208, the output video / audio signal is transmitted to the video monitor 108 via the registration console 106, and the video signal is displayed on the video monitor 108. The video signal is also displayed on the operation screen of the registration console 106. In FIG. 4, it is displayed on the video reproduction panel 403.

  In the next step S209, the sound signal is transmitted to the sound board 107, and the sound board 107 divides the sound signal into the sound signal of each channel and inputs it to the registration console 106.

  In the next step S210, the registration console 106 is provided with the table shown in FIG. 8 showing the correspondence between the program code and the required audio channel. Therefore, the required audio channel is read from the program code, and the required audio channel for the program is selected. Is displayed in the voice display column 405 of FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display example of essential audio channels and audio signal levels in the audio display field 405 of FIG. In FIG. 5, frames 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507 and 508 are arranged for each of the eight audio channels.

  When the registration console 106 recognizes that the audio mode of the program is 5.1 surround, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, the essential audio channels in the case of 5.1 surround are channels 1 to 6. The essential audio channel is displayed by changing the color of the frames 501 to 506 corresponding to the channels 1 to 6 from, for example, no color to presence of a color.

  In step S211, the registration console 106 displays the audio signals of the respective channels as audio level meter displays 601 to 606 in the frames 501 to 506.

  At this time, in step 212, the registration console 106 determines whether an audio signal is present on the essential audio channel. If the result of determination is No, a warning image is displayed on the screen of the registration console 106 in step s213.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of display of essential audio channels and audio signal levels in the audio display field 405 of FIG. FIG. 6 shows that among the essential audio channels 1 to 6, there is no audio signal in channel 3 and the level does not increase. At this time, the registration console 106 displays a warning image on the screen. FIG. 7 shows an example of the warning image in the case of FIG. 6, and displays the warning image 750 in FIG. 7 at the center of the screen 106B in FIG.

  If the result of determination in step S212 is YES, it is determined in next step S214 whether the stop key has been pressed and playback has ended. If YES, the process ends. If NO, the process proceeds to step S207. Return, display the next video / audio signal again, and repeat until the stop key is pressed.

  According to the present embodiment, since the essential audio channel determined for the audio mode of the program is visually displayed in advance before sending out a plurality of broadcast materials constituting the program, it corresponds to the essential audio channel. It is possible to easily check whether there is an audio signal. In addition, according to the present embodiment, a warning image is displayed on the screen when there is no audio signal in the essential audio channel, so that confirmation is more reliable and work efficiency is improved.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the broadcast material transmission system of embodiment of this invention. In FIG. 1, after starting a registration console, it is a figure which shows the flow until the essential audio | voice channel and audio | voice signal determined by the audio | voice mode of a program are displayed on the operation screen of a registration console. It is a figure which shows the example of the program list displayed on the operation screen of the registration console 106 of FIG. It is a figure which shows the example in case the operation screen of the registration console 106 of FIG. 1 is a preview screen. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display example of essential audio channels and audio signal levels in the audio display column of FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing that there is no audio signal for one channel in the essential audio channel, although another example of the display of the essential audio channel and the audio signal level is shown in the audio display column of FIG. 4. It is a figure which shows the example of the warning image in the case of FIG. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the audio | voice mode of digital broadcasting, and an essential audio | voice channel. It is a figure which shows the example of a downmix.

Explanation of symbols

  101: Video / audio material, 102: Video / audio reproduction device, 103: Video server, 104: Distributor, 105: Monitor, 106: Registration table, 106A: Program list display, 106B: Preview screen display, 107: Sound board, 108 : Video monitor, 109: Computer for control, 110: Data server, 401: Event display column of program, 402: First screen panel of each event, 403: Video playback panel, 404: Operation key button row, 405: Audio display Column, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508: frame, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 606: voice level meter display, 750: warning screen.

Claims (1)

  Prior to transmitting a plurality of broadcast materials constituting a program, an essential audio channel determined for the audio mode of the program and an audio signal corresponding to the essential audio channel of the program are displayed on the screen. An audio signal confirmation method characterized by the above.

Images