JP2007013496A - Apc event display system, apc event display device and apc event display control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To time-sequentially attain the integral display of events to each peripheral equipment to be controlled by a APC. <P>SOLUTION: An APC 1 is provided with an SCP 2 connected to a network 3, an RTP 4 corresponding to each peripheral equipment and an APC event display device 5. The SCP 2 transmits a control signal for controlling the peripheral equipment through a network 3 to each RTP 4, and each RTP 4 which has received the control signal from the SCP 2 through the network 3 controls peripheral equipment 6 connected to its own equipment based on the received control signal, and the APC event display device 5 compiles control data extracted from the control signal acquired by monitoring the network 3 into time series relating to the program time table, and integrates the events at each peripheral equipment 6, and displays those events at the display of the ACP event display device 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an APC event display system, an APC event display device, and an APC event display control method for displaying an event of a program controlled by an APC (automatic program transmission control facility) of a broadcasting station.

  A broadcasting station broadcasts a program from a transmitter by controlling connection between a plurality of devices that input and output program signals (hereinafter referred to as transmission materials) that are on-air according to a timetable, and start or stop of operation. . In order to start broadcasting, switch programs, and the like at precise timing, various devices such as a VTR and a character multiplexing device are controlled in parallel by a controller. (For example, Patent Document 1). Such a system for controlling program broadcasting is called APC (automatic program transmission control equipment).

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a device system controlled by APC of a conventional broadcasting station.
In FIG. 11, the APC 10 includes a SCP (Schedule Control Processor) 20 and RTP (Real Time Processor) 40 (# 1 to #n) to control the peripheral device 60. That is, the RTP 40 that is the control controller receives a control signal output from the SCP 20 that manages the program scheduling information that is the program transmission schedule, and each RTP 40 (# 1 to #n) receives the VTR and the VTR connected to its own device. Operation control of peripheral devices 60 such as a switcher is performed. One sequence (operation) executed according to this operation control is treated as an event.

  For example, a broadcast in which a VTR and a caption transmission device are connected via a switcher and a network at a predetermined time, and caption data of the same transmission material output from the caption transmission device is superimposed on a video signal output from the VTR. It is treated as an event that the signal is on-air from the transmitter.

  The program organization information is composed of a plurality of events in which an on-air time, a transmission material name, and the like are set for each program, and the RTP 40 controls the operation of the peripheral device 60 that executes the event. Each RTP 40 is provided with a display DU that controls the peripheral device 60 connected to its own device and displays the control contents, and displays an event to be processed by each RTP 40 on the screen of the display DU.

Along with the digitization of broadcasting, the number of events increases as the number of devices controlled by APC increases. As a result, for example, in order to select a device to be used on the air, an APC operator must branch and collect display signals from each RTP 40 in order to grasp the usage schedule of each device, that is, the entire event. . Furthermore, even if event information is collected from each RTP, the events processed by each RTP 40 cannot be arranged in time series and displayed on the same screen. Further, since the RTP 40 itself is a device that controls the operation of the device, the display control capability is not sufficient and the number of display event items is limited. As described above, the conventional APC has a problem that the number of events displayed is small and events processed by each RTP cannot be displayed in an integrated manner.
Japanese Patent No. 2547903 (Page 3, Fig. 1)

  Conventional APC event display has a problem that the number of display events is limited and the APC events cannot be displayed in an integrated manner, for example, events for each peripheral device controlled by the APC cannot be collectively displayed.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides an APC event display system, an APC event display device, and an event display control method thereof that can integrally display events for each peripheral device controlled by APC in time series. For the purpose.

  In order to achieve the above object, an APC event display system according to the present invention is an APC (automatic program transmission control) that displays an event for controlling the operation of a peripheral device that handles a program signal transmitted on the air or transmitted by a broadcast station according to a program timetable. Equipment) In an event display system, an SCP (Schedule Control Processor) that transmits a control signal for controlling each of the peripheral devices to each of the peripheral devices via the network and controls the progress of the program, and connected to the network An RTP (Real Time Processor) that receives the control signal transmitted from the SCP and controls the operation of the peripheral device connected to the device itself, and is connected to the network and connected to the peripheral device via the RTP. Each control signal sent to Characterized in that the control data extracted by and a APC event display apparatus for displaying on the display to integrate events at each said peripheral device by editing time series relating to the program timetable.

  The APC event display device of the present invention transmits a control signal for controlling a plurality of peripheral devices related to a program signal transmitted from the broadcast station on the air or transmitted according to a program timetable to each of the peripheral devices via a network. Provided in an APC having an SCP for controlling the progress of the network and an RTP connected to the network for receiving the control signal transmitted from the SCP and further controlling the operation of the peripheral device connected to the own device, In the APC event display device for displaying an operation control event, a communication interface for inputting / outputting a signal to / from the network and monitoring each control signal transmitted to each peripheral device via the RTP; Control data is extracted from the control signal monitored by the communication interface, and the extracted control data is a table. A controller that integrates and displays events in each peripheral device by editing the time series event data related to the program timetable, and writing and storing them in a built-in storage unit. And an input unit for inputting a command related to the editing.

  Furthermore, the APC event display control method of the present invention is the APC event display control method for displaying an event for controlling the operation of a plurality of peripheral devices that handle program signals to be transmitted on-air or transmitted by a broadcasting station according to a program timetable. Each comprises an SCP connected to a network, an RTP corresponding to each of the peripheral devices, and an APC event display device, and each of the SCPs is used to transmit the on-air or the transmission via the network. Each RTP that transmits a control signal for controlling a peripheral device to each RTP and receives the control signal from the SCP via the network transmits the peripheral device connected to its own device by the received control signal. The APC event display device performs operation control, and each of the APC event display devices is transmitted via the network. The control data extracted by monitoring the control signal is edited into time-series event data related to the program timetable so that each peripheral device integrates and displays the event whose operation is controlled on the display. To do.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an APC event display system, an APC event display device, and an event display control method capable of integrating and displaying events for each peripheral device controlled by APC in time series.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an APC 1 that uses an APC event display device 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, APC 1 includes SCP 2, RTP 4 (# 1 to #N), APC event display device 5, and a network (hereinafter referred to as LAN) 3 connecting them. Various types of external devices 6 are connected to the APC 1 via the RTP 4, and each peripheral device 6 further includes a program signal transmission network 7 for transmitting a program signal input / output by each peripheral device 6. The external device 6 includes a switcher, and the input / output port of each external device 6 is connected to the program signal network 7 via this switcher, and the program signal is transmitted and received between predetermined peripheral devices.

  The SCP 2 edits program scheduling information composed of a plurality of events based on a program timetable (progress table) input from a data server (not shown), and sends control information for controlling each peripheral device 6 via the LAN 5. Output to RTP4 (# 1 to #N). Each RTP 4 (# 1 to #N) controls the peripheral device 6 connected to the own device. In FIG. 1, the RTP 4 and the peripheral device 6 are connected one-to-one, but a plurality of peripheral devices 6 may be connected to one RTP 4.

  The APC event display device 5 is installed, for example, as a part of a studio master device, monitors control information output from the SCP 2 to each RTP 4 (# 1 to #N) via the LAN 3, edits the event, and displays the display screen. To display.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the APC event display device 5.
In FIG. 2, an APC event display device 5 includes a communication interface (hereinafter abbreviated as I / F) 51, a control processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU) 52, a storage unit 53, which are connected by an internal bus or the like. An input unit 54 including a keyboard and a mouse and a display 55 are provided. The communication I / F 51 inputs / outputs signals to / from the LAN 3, monitors a control signal transmitted from the SCP 2 to the RTP 4, and outputs it to the internal bus. The APC event display device 5 may use a personal computer or the like.

  The CPU 52 monitors the internal bus, extracts the control data of the control signal input from the communication I / F, writes it in the table T, and stores it in the storage unit 53. The input unit 54 is for inputting a command for editing the control data and a command for editing the control data stored in the storage unit 53 and displaying it on the display 55 as event information.

  3 shows an example in which a program timetable input from a data server is displayed on the display 55 of the APC event display device 5, FIG. 4 shows an example of a table T storing control data for connecting each peripheral device, and FIG. 4 is an example in which event information obtained by editing the control signal of FIG. 4 according to the program timetable of FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an outline of an operation procedure in which the APC event display device 5 performs event display processing.

  Hereinafter, the operation procedure of the APC event display device 5 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  For example, according to the program timetable in FIG. 3, the APC 1 transmits a control signal for controlling the peripheral devices 6 such as cameras and VTRs scheduled to be used on-air via the LAN 3 to each RTP 4 one day before the broadcast. .

  FIG. 3 is an example of a program timetable for digital television broadcasting. News is broadcast from “10:00”, and a video signal of a studio camera in which the announcer reads the news is transmitted for the first five minutes. “10:05” Then, a schedule for broadcasting a local report of a video in which character guidance is superimposed on a VTR video is described.

  FIG. 4 is a control data table of control signals transmitted by the SCP 2 from “10:00” to “10:05”. At “10:00”, a camera for outputting the video signal of the camera to the transmitter is shown. The command “CN” for connecting the signal output from the output port “CAMo” to the input port “TXi” of the transmitter via the switcher “SW” and the program signal transmission network 7 is “CN: CAMo> TXi”. It is described.

  Also, “10:03” includes a playback VTR No. 1 “PV # 1” that broadcasts VTR video in preparation for a local report from “10:05”, a caption data server “CS” that outputs character data, and a video signal. FIG. 4 describes that a connection command is transmitted to the subtitle transmission apparatus M “DT # M” that superimposes character data on “DT # M”, and the control data is stored in the table T of the storage unit 53 in time series. Has been.

  Now, the communication I / F 51 of the APC event display device 5 monitors the LAN 3, acquires the control signal transmitted to each RTP 4 via the SCP 2 (step s1 in FIG. 6), and outputs it to the internal bus. This control signal is transmitted after the header, for example, control data of [CAM & TX & SW / CN: CAMo> TXi / 10: 0 / news corner]. Then, “CAM & TX & SW” as the destination address, camera, transmitter and switcher, connection command “CN: CAMo> TXi” as the operation, operation time “10:00”, and “news corner” as the program data name Is described.

  The CPU 52 monitors the bus, extracts these control data from the control signal, writes it in the table T of FIG. 3, and stores it in the storage unit 53 (step s2).

  Now, on the morning of the broadcast day, it becomes necessary to change the structure of the news, and in order to check the equipment used by the APC operator for on-air, a command for displaying a transmission (on-air) event after 10:00 is input from the input unit 54, for example. Input is made as “10: 00 / TX” (step s3).

  The CPU 52 having received this command via the bus reads the control data table T shown in FIG. 4, edits the event information related to the on-air event, and displays it on the display 55 in the display format shown in FIG. 5 (step s4). .

  In FIG. 5, by editing the control data, a plurality of peripheral devices related to the same on-air event in time series are listed and displayed as event information. For example, in FIG. 4, control related to standby is performed at “10:03”. However, since the command displays only an on-air event, the event “10:03” of standby is here. It is not displayed.

  On the other hand, for on-air from “10:05”, the device used is “Playback VTR # 1”, the content (reference number) of the playback video is “XINT001”, and the character data is “Subtitle Sending Device #M”. It is described that the superimposed character data and the superimposed character data acquire the content of “Qi A005” from the caption data server.

  For these contents, since another command not described in FIG. 4 is transmitted to, for example, the VTR integrated control device and the caption data server (not shown), the CPU 52 reads the control data of the command to read the contents, Here, “XINT001” and “caption transmission device #M” are described in the event information.

  In addition, the event display according to the present embodiment is the same program as shown in FIG. 5, such as high-definition “HD” and standard “SD”, video differences, trilingual monaural “3M”, bilingual stereo “2S”. There is an advantage that the service contents viewed from the whole broadcast are displayed in addition to the conventional controlled event for each RTP4.

  In the conventional method of displaying an event in each RTP 4, for example, in the event described in FIG. 4 above, the RTP 4 that controls each peripheral device such as a playback VTR, a caption transmission control device, and a caption data server controls it. Only events are displayed. Therefore, the APC operator must monitor the screen of each RTP display DU and pick up an event at the same time, so that it takes time to work, and there are problems such as overlooking peripheral devices that execute the event. However, in this embodiment, since devices related to the same event are displayed in time series, there is no oversight, and the screen can be scrolled, so that a large amount of event information can be displayed in an integrated manner.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram when the APC event display device 5 is configured by a server and a client.
In FIG. 7, the APC event display device 5 includes a server 50 and a client 500 (# 1 to #m), each of which is an information terminal such as a personal computer. The server 50 and each client 500 are connected via a LAN 3. Or connected by another network 30. The internal configuration of the server 50 and each client 500 is the same as that of the APC event display device 5 of FIG. The client 500 can display integrated event information in the same manner as the server 50. For example, a plurality of APC operators can be installed in the main studio, and a plurality of APC operators can search and display other events at the same time. You can search and display events at a remote location.

  The server 50 executes the operation procedure shown in FIG. 6, and writes and stores control data extracted from the control signal monitoring the LAN 3 in the storage unit 53. Further, when the server 50 receives a command related to the event display from the client 500 via the LAN 3 or the network 30, the CPU 52 of the server 50 reads out control data corresponding to the command from the table T of the storage unit 53 and sends it to the client 500. Control to send.

  Further, for example, when a command is input from the input unit 54 such as “10: 00 / TX”, the client 500 transmits the command to the server 50 via the communication I / F 51 and the LAN 3. As a result, control data related to an event related to transmission after 10:00 is requested to the server 50. Then, the control data returned from the server 50 is edited into event information in the same manner as the single APC event display device 5 and displayed on the display 55 in a predetermined format.

  The event data (information) displayed on the client 500 may be edited by the server 50, read from the storage unit 53 of the server 50, and returned to the client 500. good. The edited event information is edited and described in the screen display format, for example, in XML or html format, and remote monitoring in the Web format is performed via the network 30 that executes the TCP / IP procedure. Anyway.

  Next, as an application example of the APC event display device, a case where the present invention is applied to a media service using various broadcasts will be described. The digital broadcasting service broadcasts TV programs by providing services such as HD (high definition) and SD (standard) video types, audio multiplexing, and subtitle superposition. Furthermore, not only television but also cooperation with radio broadcasting, and recently, providing a character information service using a cellular phone server or the like. There are various combinations such as cooperation between radio broadcasting and a mobile phone or the Internet.

  These media services are performed by editing the materials and contents according to the respective services and outputting them to the outside while using the contents and program materials that are common to television broadcasting and radio broadcasting.

FIG. 8 is a functional system diagram showing an application example of an APC event display device corresponding to a plurality of service media.
In FIG. 8, the APC 1 includes RTPs (# 3 to #H) corresponding to a plurality of switchers (# 3 to #H). These switchers (# 3 to #H) operate to connect an external device for each service. Since the APC event display device 5 is connected to the LAN 3, by monitoring the control signal transmitted to each of these switchers, an event corresponding to each service can be displayed.

FIG. 9 is a diagram of a TV broadcast program (FIG. 9A) and a program timetable of text news on a mobile phone (FIG. 9B), and FIG. 10 is a diagram of control data when the text news is updated. FIG. 11 of the table T and FIG. 11 are examples of event display for the text news.
In the program timetable of FIG. 9B, it is shown that the text news is updated every 30 minutes in Japanese and English, such as headline news.

  FIG. 10 shows an event display corresponding to the program. For the text news service, a caption server is used, and the switcher “SW # 3” connects the devices in the system that transmits the text news. That is, the output “CSo” of the caption server not shown in FIG. 1 is connected to the input “DT # Mi” of the caption sending device not shown in FIG. 1 as “CN: DT # Mi>”. In addition, the output “DT # Mo” of the caption transmission device is connected to a server “NS” that provides a text news service of a mobile phone not shown in FIG. : DT # Mo> NS ”.

  Then, at 10:00, it is understood that the headline news Japanese “HN10” and English “EHN10” are output from the caption server CS as the contents from the caption server CS to the caption transmission device “DT # M”.

  When the control data table T in FIG. 10 or the event display in FIG. 11 is read in detail, the news that has been updated to “10:30” is “JHN10R” in Japanese, but in English Since “EHN10” remains unchanged, it can be seen from the event display that the English text news is actually updated every hour.

  In the APC event display device 5, since a switcher (and its RTP 3) is prepared as a peripheral device 6 corresponding to each service medium, the switcher (# 3 to ##) of the peripheral device 6 to which the control signal transmitted by the SPC 2 is transmitted. The service media can be understood from the description in (H). Further, since the control data table T has a program column, it is possible to determine the service medium related to each control signal from the program and edit the event display for each service medium.

  As described above, the event display device of the present invention can display events not only for program materials directly broadcast and provided by broadcasting stations, but also for various service media provided by applying the program materials. It is also possible to grasp the event of the information provided by the entire broadcasting station.

The block diagram of APC using the APC event display apparatus which concerns on the Example of this invention. The block diagram which shows the function structure of an APC event display apparatus. An example of a program timetable. The example of the table of the control data which connects each peripheral device. The example of a display of event information which edited program timetable and operation control. The flowchart which shows the outline | summary of the operation | movement procedure of the APC event display apparatus which concerns on the Example of this invention. The block diagram in the case of comprising an APC event display apparatus with a server and a client. Functional system diagram showing an application example of an APC event display device corresponding to a plurality of service media The figure of the program timetable of the program of a television broadcast, and the character news of a mobile telephone. The figure of the table T of the control data at the time of updating the character news of a mobile telephone. An example of event display for text news. The example of a structure of APC which performs the conventional event display.

Explanation of symbols

1 APC (automatic program transmission control equipment)
2 SCP (Schedule Control Processor)
3 LAN
4 RTP (Real Time Processor)
5 APC event display device 51 Communication I / F (interface)
52 CPU (control processing unit)
53 Storage Unit 54 Input Unit 55 Display 6 Peripheral Device 7 Program Signal Transmission Network

Claims (19)

In an APC (automatic program transmission control facility) event display system for displaying an event for controlling the operation of at least one peripheral device that handles a program signal transmitted by a broadcast station on the air or transmitted according to a program timetable,
An SCP (Schedule Control Processor) that transmits a control signal for controlling each of the peripheral devices to each of the peripheral devices via a network and performs program progress control;
RTP (Real Time Processor) for controlling the operation of the peripheral device connected to the network and receiving the control signal transmitted from the SCP and further connected to the device;
The control data connected to the network and monitored and extracted from the control signals transmitted to the peripheral devices via the RTP are edited in time series related to the program timetable by each peripheral device. An APC event display system comprising: an APC event display device that integrates the events and displays them on a display.   2. The APC event display system according to claim 1, wherein the program signal includes a plurality of media services such as television, radio broadcasting, text broadcasting, and data broadcasting.   The APC event display system according to claim 2, wherein the displayed event is displayed for each media service. When a switcher is provided as the peripheral device for each media service,
The APC event display device
4. The APC event display system according to claim 3, wherein the event is displayed for each media service by reading a destination address corresponding to a switcher for each media service from the control signal. The APC event display device
4. The APC event display system according to claim 3, wherein the event is displayed for each media service by reading a program section for each media service from the control signal. The APC event display device comprises a server and a client connected to the network,
The server
Control data extracted by monitoring each control signal transmitted to each peripheral device via the RTP is written and stored in a built-in storage unit, or the extracted control data is related to the program timetable Write and store in the storage unit as event data edited in time series,
The client
By sending a command for reading the stored control data from the storage unit of the server to the server via the network and editing the control data returned from the server, the event is displayed on the display of the own device. An APC event display system for displaying or transmitting a command for reading the stored event data from the storage unit and displaying the event data returned from the server on a display of the device . An SCP for controlling the progress of a program by transmitting a control signal for controlling at least one peripheral device related to a program signal to be transmitted on the air according to a program timetable to each of the peripheral devices via a network;
An APC that is connected to the network and that receives the control signal transmitted from the SCP, and further includes an RTP that controls the operation of the peripheral device connected to the device, and displays an event of the operation control In the event display device,
A communication interface for inputting / outputting signals to / from the network and monitoring each control signal transmitted to each peripheral device via the RTP;
By extracting control data from the control signal monitored by the communication interface, writing and storing the extracted control data in a built-in storage unit, and editing it into time-series event data related to the program timetable A control unit that integrates and displays events in the peripheral device on a display;
An APC event display device comprising: an input unit for inputting a command related to the editing to the control unit.   8. The APC event display device according to claim 7, wherein the program signal includes a plurality of media services such as television, radio broadcasting, text broadcasting, and data broadcasting.   9. The APC event display device according to claim 8, wherein the displayed event is displayed for each media service. The controller is
10. The APC event display device according to claim 9, wherein the event is displayed for each media service by reading a destination address corresponding to a switcher for each media service from the control signal. The controller is
The APC event display device according to claim 9, wherein the event is displayed for each media service by reading a program section for each media service from the control signal. An SCP for controlling the progress of a program by transmitting a control signal for controlling at least one peripheral device that handles a program signal to be transmitted on-air or transmitted according to a program timetable to each peripheral device via a network;
An APC that is connected to the network and that receives the control signal transmitted from the SCP, and further includes an RTP that controls the operation of the peripheral device connected to the device, and displays an event of the operation control In the event display device,
Communication means for inputting / outputting signals to / from the network, monitoring each control signal transmitted to each peripheral device via the RTP, and extracting control data from the control signal monitored by the communication means And writing and storing the extracted control data as a table in a built-in storage unit, or integrating the events in each peripheral device displayed on the display from the data to time series related to the program timetable A server including a control unit that generates event data edited in the storage unit and writes and stores the event data in the storage unit, and an input unit that inputs a command related to the editing to the control unit;
A second communication means for inputting / outputting a signal between the display and the network; and a command for reading the stored control data from the storage unit of the server to the server via the second communication means. Send and edit the control data returned from the server to integrate the events in each peripheral device in a time series related to the program timetable, and display the event on its own display, or A second control unit that transmits a command to read the stored event data from the storage unit of the server, and displays the event data returned from the server on a display of the device; And at least one client having an input unit for inputting a command to the second control unit. Event display device. In an APC event display control method for displaying an event for controlling operation of at least one peripheral device that handles a program signal transmitted by a broadcast station on the air or transmitted according to a program timetable,
The APC is
An SCP each connected to a network;
RTP corresponding to each of the peripheral devices;
An APC event display device,
The SCP is
Each RTP that transmits the control signal for controlling each of the peripheral devices for transmission to the RTP and that receives the control signal from the SCP via the network via the network.
Control the operation of the peripheral device connected to the device by the received control signal,
The APC event display device
By integrating the control data extracted by monitoring each control signal transmitted through the network into time-series event data related to the program timetable, the events for which the peripheral devices are controlled in operation are integrated. And displaying it on a display.   14. The APC event display control method according to claim 13, wherein the program signal includes a plurality of media services such as television, radio broadcast, text broadcast, and data broadcast.   15. The APC event display control method according to claim 14, wherein the displayed event is displayed for each media service. When a switcher is provided as the peripheral device for each media service,
The APC event display device
16. The APC event display control method according to claim 15, wherein the event is displayed for each media service by reading a destination address corresponding to the switcher for each media service from the control signal. The APC event display device
16. The APC event display control method according to claim 15, wherein the event is displayed for each media service by reading a program section for each media service from the control signal. The APC event display device includes:
A server and a client connected to the network;
The server
Control data extracted by monitoring each control signal transmitted to each peripheral device via the RTP is written and stored in a built-in storage unit, or event data obtained by editing the control data is stored in the storage unit Write and remember
The client
Sending a command to read the stored control data from the storage unit of the server to the server via the network, and editing the control data returned from the server to display the event on its own display 14. The event data returned from the server is displayed by transmitting a command for displaying or reading the stored event data from the storage unit, and the event data returned from the server is displayed on the display of the device. APC event display control method.   19. The APC event display control method according to claim 18, wherein event data returned from the server is edited in XML or html format.

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