JP2007109296A - Video audio reproducing device which demonstrates candidate entries of setting change, its control method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a video audio reproducing device which enables a user who is not much detailed in various functions to know candidate entries of setting change, and raises user-friendliness about setting change, and its control method and a program. <P>SOLUTION: An assistant function is provided. It clearly indicates candidate entries of setting change from an operating condition of a player, and management information or header information of a stream, leads a user who is not much detailed in the function concerned to a correct set value and makes it easy to use. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention clearly indicates candidate items for function setting change in a video / audio playback apparatus that plays back video and audio such as DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) and MPEG4 content, and is easy to use even for users who are not familiar with the function. The present invention relates to a video / audio reproduction device with consideration given to the above.

DVD players and DVD recorders have become widespread as devices for playing back or recording video and audio. In recent years, these devices have many functions such as progressive support, HD (High Definition) support, and various video and audio signal processing functions. It has been differentiated by mounting. However, it has begun to be pointed out that the general user who is not familiar with these functions has difficulty in using it because of its multiple functions. For this reason, each device has been enhanced with an assistant function for help display and setting as one of the ideas for making it easy to use for all users (Universal Design). For example, see Patent Document 1.
Patent No. 2690996 (History-dependent help control system)

  In a video / audio reproduction device such as a DVD player, setting switching of various functions is possible by a GUI (Graphical User Interface) or the like. The following are examples of problems with conventional playback devices. Some of these functions are difficult for general users to understand. For such items, an auto mode may be prepared in which the playback apparatus automatically sets optimum setting values in accordance with management information and header information of the stream to be played back. However, the auto mode is not always versatile when the stream management information and header information are not correct, and there are cases where the setting is switched appropriately. At this time, if the user forgets to change the set value and uses it without noticing it, there is a problem that the video or the like is not displayed normally. In such a case, there is a problem that it is difficult to understand which item the setting value should be changed by the user.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides a video / audio reproduction apparatus, a control method thereof, and a program for the user who are not familiar with various functions, who can know the candidate items for the setting change, and which have improved usability regarding the setting change. For the purpose.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video / audio reproduction device for reading data from a recording medium on which video or audio is recorded, and decoding data read from the data reading unit for each video and audio. Video / audio reproduction means for outputting processed and decoded video and audio, and specific information necessary for reading out and analyzing specific information necessary for optimal output of video and audio in the video / audio reproduction means Analyzing means; operating state storage means for storing the operating state of the playback apparatus; optimal setting determination means for determining whether the setting for the video / audio playback means is optimal; receiving means for accepting an operation from the user to the apparatus; Information display means from the device to the user,
The optimum setting determination unit displays the optimum setting based on the operation state of the apparatus from the operation state storage unit and the information from the specific information analysis unit when the receiving unit receives an operation from a user. It is characterized in that it is displayed to the user using the means or set to the optimum setting.

  A control method according to claim 2 of the present invention is a control method for realizing claim 1.

  Further, the program according to claim 3 of the present invention is a program for realizing claim 2.

  In the present invention, it is possible to provide an assistant function that makes it easy to use even for a user who is not familiar with the function by clearly specifying candidate items for setting change based on the operation status of the playback apparatus, stream management information, and header information. it can.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the overall configuration of the playback apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the overall configuration of the playback apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the playback apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention includes an optical disc 201, an optical pickup 202, a data switching unit 203, a management information / header analysis unit 204, a set value storage unit 205, a video / audio decoding unit 206, The optimum value determination unit 207, setting item extraction unit 208, user action determination unit 209, video / audio output unit 210, and GUI display unit 211 are configured.

  On the optical disc 201, a signal sequence to be reproduced by the reproduction apparatus of the present invention is recorded. An optical pickup (data reading unit) 202 reads a signal sequence recorded on the optical disc 201.

  The data switching unit 203 outputs the signal recorded on the optical disc 201 read through the optical pickup 202 to the management information / header analysis unit 204 when the signal is management information or header partial data. In this case, the video / audio decoding unit 206 is switched. The management information / header analysis unit 204 analyzes the management information part and the header part of the stream to be reproduced, and the optimum value determination unit 207 extracts necessary information.

  A set value storage unit (operation state storage means) 205 stores set values for each function of the playback device. The video / audio decoding unit 206 decodes the video / audio stream data input from the data switching unit 203 according to the data, and outputs the decoded data to the video / audio output unit 210. The optimum value determination unit 207 determines the optimum value of the setting item based on the stream data information input from the management information / header analysis unit 204. The setting item extraction unit 208 uses the output from the user action determination unit 209 as a trigger, extracts setting change candidate items based on information from the optimum value determination unit 207 and the setting value storage unit 205, and displays a GUI display unit 211. To communicate.

  The user action determination unit (reception unit) 209 determines that an assistant request item has been selected from various user actions, and transmits it to the setting item extraction unit 208. The video / audio output unit 210 receives the signal from the video / audio decoding unit 206 and outputs it as a video / audio signal to the outside. The GUI display unit (information display unit) 211 displays the setting change candidate items extracted by the setting item extraction unit 208 on the screen as a GUI.

  Video / audio reproduction means for decoding the data read from the optical pickup 202 by the video / audio decoding unit 206 and the video / audio output unit 210 for each video and audio, and outputting the decoded video and audio. Constitute.

  The data switching unit 203 and the management information / header analysis unit 204 constitute specific information analysis means for reading and analyzing specific information necessary for optimal video and audio output in the video / audio reproduction means from the optical pickup 202.

  Further, the optimum value judging unit 207 and the setting item extracting unit 208 constitute an optimum setting judging unit 20 for judging whether or not the setting for the video / audio reproduction unit is optimum. The optimum setting determining means 20 receives the operation from the user by the user action determining unit 209, and performs the optimum setting based on the operation state of the apparatus from the setting value storage unit 205 and information from the specific information analyzing means. Displayed to the user using the GUI display unit 211 or set to the optimum setting.

  Next, the operation in the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The present invention improves user convenience by extracting and displaying setting change candidate items in response to an assistant request from a user. Among the setting items of the playback device, an item in which an auto mode in which the playback device automatically sets an optimum setting value exists is included.

  First, it is assumed that a user who is not familiar with the functions and contents installed in the playback apparatus has previously changed the setting values of some items, and some of them include an item in which the auto mode exists. If several types of streams are being played back, the setting value may not be optimal for the stream to be played back, and appropriate video / audio output may not be obtained. At this time, the user feels uncomfortable with the video or audio output, and recognizes that the setting value of some item must be changed. However, the user cannot understand which item setting should be changed.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the control flow of the playback apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention. In step 101, the user requests the playback apparatus to perform an assistant function. An example of the user action at this time is selection of a help item from a GUI menu as shown in FIG.

  In step 102, in response to the user action in step 101, the user action determination unit 209 triggers an item extraction trigger on the setting item extraction unit 208. The setting item extraction unit 208 is effective by switching the setting from the current operating state of the playback device recorded in the setting value recording unit 205 based on the effective function item list as shown in FIG. Extract setting items. Assuming that the current player state is the operation state A (Progressive output) and is ON, the setting item extraction unit 208 switches the setting and sets the function 1 (with AUTO), function 3, function 4, and function as effective items. 9 is extracted.

  In step 103, the setting item extraction unit 208 extracts items having an auto mode among items extracted in step 102 that are set to other than the auto mode. The function 1 (Transfer Mode) extracted in Step 102 includes, for example, setting 1 (Video mode) and setting 2 (Film mode) in addition to the AUTO mode. When setting items are displayed on the GUI, FIG. It is assumed that setting 1 (Video mode) that is not the auto mode is set as indicated by 501 in FIG.

  In step 104, data is read from the optical disc 201 through the optical pickup 202. At this time, as typical data structures, management information 5025 and a stream 5022 are recorded on the optical disc 5021 as exemplified by 5021 to 5025 in FIG. Further, the stream 5022 is divided into a header part 5023 and a video / audio data part 5024. Such data is divided into management information or a header portion by the data switching unit 203 and input to the management information / header analysis unit 204. Based on the result analyzed by the management information / header analysis unit 204 by the optimum value determination unit 207, the optimum setting value 502 for the stream data currently being reproduced is determined. In this example, it is assumed that the optimum value of function 1 (Transfer Mode) when the operation state A (Progressive output) is ON is determined as setting 2 (Film mode).

  In step 105, the setting item extraction unit 208 compares the result from the optimum value determination unit 207 with the setting value of the item extracted in step 103, and extracts an item that is different from the optimum value. If extracted, the process ends at step 106, and if not extracted, the process ends at step 107. In this example, since it is extracted, the process proceeds to step 106.

  In step 106, the GUI display unit 211 displays items and recommended setting values that are different from the optimum values extracted in step 105 on the display as GUI displays. For example, as the setting change candidate item display 503 in FIG. 5C, the current setting of function 1 (Transfer Mode) is setting 1 (Video mode), and the recommended setting is AUTO mode or setting 2 (Film mode). And provide an assistant function to the user. When the setting is changed, the setting becomes valid and the setting value is stored in the setting storage unit 205.

  In the above embodiment, items that differ from the optimum value are displayed as candidates on the GUI. However, a method may be used in which the item is not displayed but automatically changed to the optimum value.

  With the operation flow as described above, the user can know the candidate items for the setting change, and there is an advantage that the usability regarding the setting change is improved.

  The video / audio reproduction device according to the present invention provides an assistant function to the user regarding the setting of the function of the reproduction device when reproducing a stream in which video or audio such as DVD or MPEG4 is recorded, and improves usability. Is realized.

Control flow diagram of video / audio playback apparatus in an embodiment of the present invention 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a video / audio reproduction device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows an example of the GUI display which selects a help item in step 101 of FIG. The figure which shows the setting change function list which is used when changing the setting according to the state of the present playback device and extracting the effective item (A) shows an example of setting items in GUI display, (b) shows an example of the recording data structure and analysis results (c) shows a display example of setting change candidate item 503

Explanation of symbols

20 Optimal setting judgment means
101 Steps to select help items
102 Steps to switch settings and extract effective items
103 Steps for extracting setting value items other than auto mode
104 Steps for comparing management information and setting values
105 Step to determine the difference
106 Steps for displaying candidate items
107 End of processing steps
201 optical disc
202 Optical pickup
203 Data switching part
204 Management information / header analysis part
205 Setting value storage
206 Video / audio decoder
207 Optimum value judgment unit
208 Setting item extractor
209 User action determination section
210 Video / audio output section
211 GUI display
501 Current set value display
5021 optical disc
5022 Stream structure
5023 Header
5024 Video / audio data section
5025 Management Information Department
503 Setting change candidate display

Claims (3)

Data reading means for reading data from a recording medium on which video or audio is recorded;
Video / audio reproduction means for decoding the data read from the data reading means for each video and audio, and outputting the decoded video and audio;
Specific information analysis means for reading out and analyzing the specific information necessary for optimal output of video and audio in the video / audio reproduction means;
Operating state storage means for storing the operating state of the playback device;
Optimal setting determination means for determining whether the setting for the video / audio reproduction means is optimal;
Accepting means for accepting an operation from the user to the device;
Information display means from the playback device to the user,
The optimum setting determination means includes
The receiving unit receives an operation from the user, and displays the optimum setting to the user using the information display unit based on the operation state of the apparatus from the operation state storage unit and the information from the specific information analysis unit. Alternatively, a video / audio reproduction device characterized by setting to an optimum setting. A control method for realizing claim 1. The program for implement | achieving Claim 2.

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