JP2007080070A - Image recording and reproducing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent conflict of resources due to operations of a control point function and a device function, in a UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) camcoder. <P>SOLUTION: For allowing the camcoder to function as a control point, an "ssdp:alive" message is transmitted to prevent its functioning as a device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image recording / reproducing apparatus that can be controlled from other devices on a network or can control other devices on a network.

  There are many devices that have a digital interface. Each device is connected via a digital interface to construct a communication network. The Internet is one of the largest communication networks. By participating in the Internet, information exchange using e-mail and WWW (World Wide Web) systems can be realized on a global scale, and various services of all devices can be used. Participation in the communication network of each device has been increased by plug and play when a cable is inserted into the digital interface or when the power of each device is input. Examples of building a plug-and-play communication network include IEEE1394 and UPnP (Universal Plug and Play).

  In UPnP, the device itself is defined as a device, and the function of the device is defined as a service. In addition, there are two types of devices on the UPnP network, which are “devices” that provide the functions of the devices as services and “control points” that control devices and use the services provided by devices. It is. There are also devices that combine both of these types. The device and the control point perform discovery, which is detection and notification of the device and the service of the device, using SSDP (Simple Service Discovery Protocol). Notification of the service or the like is performed by transmitting a discovery message, and detailed data of the device and service notified by the discovery message is described using XML (Extensible Markup Language). When a device is connected to a UPnP network, it acquires an IP address from a DHCP server existing on the network, and multicasts the type of the device and the services that the device has as an ssdp: alive message. For example, when the device has a VTR function, the device transmits information such as the type, recording format, and playback function of the corresponding recording medium in XML format. Information such as supported recording media and recording formats are defined as state variables, and functions for performing device operations such as playback functions are defined as actions. When a device is disconnected from the UPnP network, it is recommended to send an ssdp: byebye message to notify that it is disconnected. The ssdp: alive message describes the period during which the device or service notified by the ssdp: alive message is valid. If the ssdp: byebye message is not sent, the control point has passed the valid period received. By doing so, the service or the like is invalidated. When the control point is also connected to the network, it obtains an IP address from a DHCP server on the network, waits for a service to be notified from a controllable device, or multicasts a search request for the required service to the network. To detect the device. When each device on the UPnP network receives the search request, a device to be searched or a device having a service described in the request transmits a response to the control point. The control point that has acquired the necessary service information inquires the device about the state variable and requests the action. The inquiry or action request is transmitted from the control point to the device using an HTTP request, and the result is transmitted from the device to the control point using an HTTP response.

  Some devices have both a function of a control point for controlling other devices in a network and a function of a device controlled by other devices. A conventional example of a specific device will be described with reference to FIG. For example, IEEE802.11a standard wireless LAN devices (404), (405), and (406) are mounted on the digital television (401), camera recorder player (402), and printer (403), respectively. Each device uses the wireless LAN device to form the UPnP network. When the power is turned on, the camera recorder player (402) sends the ssdp: alive message from the wireless LAN device (405). The ssdp: alive message includes information that the camera recorder player (402) can send video and control playback stop. Here, the digital television (401) has a function of a control point that can remotely control the camera recorder player (402). Upon receiving the ssdp: alive message from the camera recorder player (402), the digital television (401) displays a panel image (408) for controlling the camera recorder player (402). The user operates this panel with the remote control (407) or the like. For example, when the user performs a playback operation on this panel, a playback control command is sent from the digital television (401) to the camera recorder player (402). Upon receiving the command, the camera recorder player (402) sends the playback video over the network. The digital television (401) receives and displays the video. As another example of operation, the printer (403) sends out the ssdp: alive message from the wireless LAN device (406) when the power is turned on. This ssdp: alive message includes information that the printer (403) can control the printing of the input image. Here, the camera recorder player (402) has a control point function that can remotely control the printer (403). The camera recorder player (402) sends the still image recorded in the memory to the printer (402) and performs print control. That is, in this example, the camera recorder player (402) has both a function as a device that is controlled by the digital television (401) and transmits a video and a function of a control point that controls the printer (403) to print.

As a conventional example, for example, Patent Document 1 can be cited.
JP 2002-351878 A

  However, in the conventional configuration, when the function as a device and the function of the control point operate simultaneously in the same device, there is a problem that the control operation is delayed or the service quality is deteriorated due to an increase in processing load. For example, when playback control is received from the digital television (401) while the printer (403) is being controlled by the camera recorder player (402), the processing load on the camera recorder player (402) increases, and the playback video cannot be read smoothly. However, there is a problem that the video displayed on the digital television (401) is disturbed or it takes time to send still image data to the printer (403).

  In order to overcome the above drawbacks, the present invention provides a wired or wireless digital interface means connected to a network, controlled operation means operated by other devices in the network, and whether or not the controlled operation means can be operated. Notification means for notifying other devices, control means for controlling other devices of the network, user interface means for the user to instruct the operation of the control means, and the user interface means to control other devices from the user Means is provided for notifying other devices of the operation of the controlled operation means when an instruction to do so is given.

  As described above, according to the present invention, wired or wireless digital interface means connected to the network, controlled operation means that are controlled and operated from other devices in the network, and whether or not the controlled operation means is operable. Notification means for notifying other devices, control means for controlling other devices in the network, user interface means for the user to instruct the operation of the control means, and the user interface means that other devices can be sent from the user. By providing means for notifying other devices of the operation of the controlled operation means when an instruction to control is provided, it is possible to eliminate problems such as delay of control operation and deterioration of service quality.

  The behavior of the camera recorder player who implemented this plan in the UPnP network will be described with reference to FIG. For example, IEEE802.11a standard wireless LAN devices (104), (105), and (106) are mounted on the digital television (101), the camera recorder player (102), and the printer (103), respectively. Each device uses the wireless LAN device to form the UPnP network. When the power is turned on, the camera recorder player (102) sends an ssdp: alive message from the wireless LAN device (105). This ssdp: alive message includes information on a function as a device such that the camera recorder player (102) can send video or control playback stop. Upon receiving the ssdp: alive message from the camera recorder player (102), the digital television (101) displays a panel image (108) for controlling the camera recorder player (102). When the power is turned on, the printer (103) sends out the ssdp: alive message from the wireless LAN device (106). This ssdp: alive message includes information on the function of the device such that the printer (103) can control the printing of the input image. Here, the user presses the print button (109) to print the still image recorded on the memory card (110) attached to the camera recorder player (102). When the camera recorder player (102) detects that the user has pressed the print button (109), it sends an ssdp: byebye message from the wireless LAN device (105). The digital TV (101) that has received the ssdp: byebye message output from the camera recorder player (102) determines that the camera recorder player (102) has disappeared from the UPnP network and has displayed it on the screen. ) Erase the panel image (108) for controlling. Since the panel image (108) for controlling the camera recorder player (102) disappears from the screen of the digital television (101), the user cannot remotely control the camera recorder player (102). The camera recorder player (102) sends out the ssdp: alive message from the wireless LAN device (105) again when the printing operation on the printer (103) is completed. Upon receiving the ssdp: alive message from the camera recorder player (102), the digital television (101) displays a panel image (108) for controlling the camera recorder player (102).

  FIG. 2 is a configuration example of the camera recorder player (102). The video imaged through the lens (202) is converted into a digital signal by the camera signal processing unit (203) and input to the recorder signal processing unit (204). The recorder signal processing unit (204) performs video data compression processing and recording / playback processing to / from the disk media (208) and the memory card (210). The video currently being shot and the playback video are displayed on the LCD panel (206). The system control unit (207) controls the entire system of the camera recorder player (102). The user presses a button on the input instruction unit (209) to perform shooting or playback. It also instructs to print a still image in the memory card (210) or the disk medium (208). The wireless LAN unit (205) transmits and receives UPnP messages, control data, and video data through the antenna (213).

  Next, an operation example will be described. First, when the user presses the power button (214), the system control unit (207) turns on the power of the entire circuit, and transmits a UPnP ssdp: alive message from the wireless LAN unit (205) through the antenna (213). Also, the ssdp: alive of the other device received from the wireless LAN unit (205) is received. For example, information on a printer that can be controlled by receiving an ssdp: alive message transmitted from an external printer is stored in a memory (215) inside the system control unit (207). Here, for example, when a video playback control signal is input from the control point of an external digital TV or the like to the wireless LAN unit (205), the system control unit (207) sends the disk media (208) to the recorder signal processing unit (204). Instruct playback. The reproduced video data is transmitted through the wireless LAN unit (205). For example, when the user presses the print button (212) to instruct printing, the system control unit (207) transmits an ssdp: byebye message from the wireless LAN unit (205). Subsequently, the system control unit (207) sends a print control signal from the wireless LAN unit (205) to the external printer device based on the information stored in the memory (215). At the same time, still image data is read from the memory card (210) or the disk medium (208) and transmitted from the wireless LAN unit (205). When all the print data has been transmitted, the system control unit (207) transmits an ssdp: alive message from the wireless LAN unit (205).

  An example of the processing flow is shown in FIG. When the power is turned on in the process (301), an ssdp: alive message is transmitted in the process (302). In process (303), data is received from the wireless LAN unit. In the process (304), the received content is checked, and if it is an ssdp: alive or ssdp: byebye message of another device, the information of the other device is stored or deleted in the memory (305). The received content is checked in the process (304), and if it is a control instruction from another device, the reproduction operation of the content instructed in the process (306) is controlled. In process (307), a button input which is a user interface is checked. If it is a power OFF instruction, the power of the main body is turned OFF in processing (309). If it is a print instruction, an ssdp: byebye message is transmitted in step (308). In the process (310), print control is performed for the external printer apparatus in accordance with the information of the external printer apparatus stored in the process (305). When the end of data transmission is confirmed in the process (311), an ssdp: alive message is transmitted in the process (312).

  With this configuration, when the user is using the printer device service with the camera recorder player (102) as a control point, remote control such as playback control from other control points can be prevented. The processing load on the camera recorder player (402) increases, and the video to be displayed on the digital television (401) is disturbed because the playback video cannot be read out smoothly, or the still image data is sent to the printer (403). The problem of taking time can be eliminated.

  Furthermore, by issuing the ssdp: byebye message, the panel image (108) for controlling the camera recorder player (102) disappears from the screen of the digital television (101), so the misunderstanding that the panel is out but cannot be controlled. There is also an effect that does not give the user.

Network configuration diagram Equipment block diagram Processing flow Network configuration diagram

Claims (4)

  Wired or wireless digital interface means connected to the network, controlled operation means operated by being controlled from other devices in the network, notification means for notifying other devices whether or not the controlled operation means is operable, and network Control means for controlling other equipment, user interface means for the user to instruct the operation of the control means, and the controlled operation when there is an instruction from the user to control other equipment by the user interface means An image recording / reproducing apparatus, characterized in that means for notifying other devices of the operation of the means is provided.   2. The image recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for notifying the other device that the controlled operation means can be operated when the control of the other device is completed.   2. The image recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the network is a UPnP network.   2. The image recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notification that the operation is possible is a UPnP “ssdp: alive” message, and the notification that the operation is not possible is an “ssdp: byebye” message.

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