JP2008219312A - Video output device, and fault information collecting method and system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that analysis is difficult in the case that the cause of a fault has been already lost when internal information remaining in a video output device after the occurrence of the fault is acquired and analyzed during the occurrence of the fault and abnormality in the video output device such as a digital television. <P>SOLUTION: In the video output device, two-dimensionally symbolized internal information such as a bar code is continuously outputted and analyzed from hour to hour so as to use the internal information for analysis of an apparatus operation without constraint on information storage capacity inside the device. Further, fault analysis with high reproducibility can be performed by recording the internal information as output video and two-dimensionally symbolized internal information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method of collecting internal information during operation in a video information output device such as a digital television.

  In recent years, home information appliances such as digital televisions and car navigation systems have become complex systems, and analysis work when a failure or abnormality occurs in the device has become a time-consuming and difficult task.

  In such a situation, as shown in Patent Document 1, when a failure or abnormality occurs in a device, the internal information remaining inside the device is output on the spot to support information collection. A method has also been devised.

JP 2006-197301 A

  A method for acquiring and analyzing internal information remaining in a device after the failure when a failure or abnormality occurs in a video output device such as a digital television, as in the technology described in the above patent document However, because the cause of the failure has already been lost, it may be difficult to reproduce and analysis may not be possible.

  In addition, there may be a problem in cost that a memory for storing failure information is required, or the operability of the device may be reduced, such as requiring a complicated information collection procedure for the user.

  The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, to continuously acquire the internal state during operation of the device until the occurrence of a failure or abnormality, or to continuously acquire the operation state and internal state of the screen simultaneously. An object of the present invention is to provide a device capable of acquiring and effectively performing failure analysis.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a video output device for outputting a video such as a digital television broadcast according to the present invention includes a video generation unit that generates a video such as a digital television broadcast, an apparatus state in the device, and an operation of the device. A symbol generation unit that generates information as a two-dimensional symbol; and a video output unit that outputs the video generated by the video generation unit and outputs the two-dimensional symbol generated by the symbol generation unit in accordance with the video It was.

  In video output equipment, internal information converted into two-dimensional symbols, such as barcodes, is output continuously and momentarily, and is used for analysis of equipment operation without restrictions on the information storage capacity inside the equipment. is there. Furthermore, the internal information converted into a two-dimensional symbol is output in conjunction so as not to overlap with a portion of interest on the output screen such as a screen operation target.

  According to the present invention, when a failure or abnormality occurs in a video output device such as a digital TV, the internal information can be acquired and analyzed as moving image video information without restriction on the information storage capacity inside the device. is there.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

  Hereinafter, a system according to an embodiment will be described in which failure analysis is performed by continuously outputting video information of internal device information being operated in a digital television as two-dimensional symbols.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall system configuration of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, for example, a digital television set 001 having a video output capability, a camera 011 for shooting a moving image output from the digital television set 001, and a digital video from a moving image shot by the camera 011. A log information analysis device 012 for collecting and analyzing log information of the television device 001; a recording device 016 for recording the analysis result of the log information analysis device 012; a remote control device 010 used for operating the digital television device 001; And an operator 017 who operates the apparatus.

  Here, the digital television apparatus 001 includes a video output screen 002 for displaying video, an output video generating unit 003 for generating video to be output, and a symbol generating unit 004 for generating a two-dimensional symbol to be displayed on the video output screen 002. A log control unit 005 for controlling log output of operation information in the digital television apparatus 001, a UI control unit 006 for controlling a user interface such as a menu displayed on the video output screen 002, and an external broadcast signal. A broadcast receiving unit 007 that receives and converts to a video, a function control unit 008 that controls other functions of the digital television, and an operation for inputting an external operation such as a remote control device 010 to the digital television device 001 And an input unit 009.

  The log information analysis device 012 analyzes the two-dimensional symbol information included in the input video and the video recording unit 013 for recording the video information input from the camera 011 and converts it into an operation log in the digital television device 001. It comprises a symbol analysis unit 014 and a result display screen 015 for displaying an operation log of the digital television set 001 output from the symbol analysis unit 014. The log information analysis device 012 may be realized by a general-purpose personal computer or the like, or may be a dedicated device.

FIG. 2 shows details of the log control unit 005 and the UI control unit 006.
The log control unit 005 includes a log buffer 020 for accumulating event information 022 to be output, and a final display time 021 representing the time when the log was last output to the video output screen 002.

  The UI control unit 006 includes empty area coordinate information 022 that stores an empty area that does not overlap with an area displaying a menu or the like on the screen. The free space on the screen may be calculated by the operation of the UI control unit, or may be calculated from video information included in the broadcast signal received by the broadcast receiving unit 007.

  The event information 023 is stored in the log buffer, and includes event serial numbers, event occurrence times, event types, and other additional information related to events.

  Next, with reference to the flowcharts of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a processing procedure in which the digital television apparatus 001 displays log information indicating the operation state of the internal function control unit 008 on the video output screen 002 as a two-dimensional symbol will be described. .

  First, the event generated by the function control unit 008 in step S01 in FIG. 3, for example, event information such as the start and end of the process is recorded in the log buffer 020. In step S02, the log control unit 005 is notified that an event has occurred.

  Next, in step S10 of FIG. 4, if the log control unit 005 has received an event occurrence notification, the process proceeds to the next step S11, and if there is no event occurrence notification, the process returns to step S10. Next, in step S11, the final display time 021 is acquired.

  Next, in step S12, it is confirmed whether or not the current time has passed the display interval time from the last display time. If it has elapsed, the process proceeds to the next step, and if not, the process returns to step S12. Here, the display interval time is a value determined by the video output screen 002 and the frame rate of the camera 011 and the processing capability of the log information analysis device 012. For example, the camera 011 and the log information analysis device 012 have 60 frames per second. If photographing processing is possible, the display of the two-dimensional symbol on the video output screen 002 determines 1/30 second, which is a half frame rate, as the display interval time.

  In step S13, the symbol generation unit 004 converts the event information stored in the log buffer 020 into a two-dimensional symbol image. Here, a so-called two-dimensional bar code such as a QR code (registered trademark) is assumed as the two-dimensional symbol, but other easily machine-readable image codes may be used.

  In step S14, the event information in the log buffer 020 is cleared. In step S15, the free space coordinate information 022 indicating the position of the screen on which the user interface such as the current menu is not displayed, which is held by the UI control unit 006, is acquired, and the two-dimensional symbol is placed on the screen. Determine the position.

  In step S <b> 16, the output video generation unit 003 displays the video output screen 002 using the already generated two-dimensional symbol image and the determined coordinates to be displayed. For example, the display content is as shown in the video output screen 002 of FIG.

  In the next step S17, the current time is stored in the final display time 021, and the series of processes is terminated. This series of processing is performed every time an event occurs, and the display of the two-dimensional symbol corresponding to the event information is continued. In the case of a device that does not have the video output screen 002, the same processing can be realized by connecting the output of the output video generation unit 003 to a device having another screen.

  Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG. 5, the camera 011 and the log information analysis device 012 capture the two-dimensional symbol displayed on the video output screen 002 and the event information generated in the digital television device 001. A processing procedure for collecting data will be described.

  First, the log information analysis apparatus 012 that has received the video sent from the camera 011 in step S20 uses the symbol analysis unit 014 to check whether the video includes a correct two-dimensional symbol. If the correct two-dimensional symbol is included, the process proceeds to the next step, and if not included, the process returns to step S20. Here, instead of the camera 011, an already recorded video may be taken out from the recording device 016 and processed.

  Next, in step S21, the symbol analysis unit 014 converts the two-dimensional symbol included in the photographed video into event information generated by the digital television set 001. Here, the recorded video taken out from the recording device 016 may be used as the video used in the same manner as in step S20.

  In step S22, event information converted from the two-dimensional symbol is displayed on the result display screen 015. The display form may be, for example, a character string format such as the result display screen 015 of FIG. 6, or may be a graph format depending on the type of event, and at the same time, the video output screen 002 captured by the camera 011 is displayed. May be.

  Next, in step S23, the event information is recorded in the recording device 016 so that the event information can be referred to even after the event information is collected. Note that the order of step S22 and step S23 may be reversed.

  In addition, while the series of processing is being performed, by continuing to record the image captured by the camera 011 in the recording device 016, the operation appearing on the video output screen 002 of the digital television device 001 can be referred to later. It becomes. Here, the recording device 016 may be a general hard disk drive or an external storage device using another medium.

  As described above, when a failure or abnormality occurs in a video output device such as a digital television, there is an effect that the internal information can be acquired and analyzed as video information without restriction of the information storage capacity inside the device. In addition to continuing to analyze the internal information and the displayed video information in real time, even if the processing capacity of the analysis device is insufficient for real-time analysis by analyzing using the video once accumulated, analysis There is an effect that can be performed.

  A system according to an embodiment will be described below in which an operation analysis is performed using a video output taken at a remote place by using a communication function such as a camera-equipped mobile phone.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the overall system configuration of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, in the present embodiment, the same digital television device 001 as in FIG. 1, a mobile phone 030 that captures a moving image output from the digital TV device 001, and a digital TV device from a moving image captured by the mobile phone 030 A remote log information analysis device 041 that collects and analyzes 001 log information; a network 040 that is a communication path between the mobile phone 030 and the remote log information analysis device 041; an operator 017 that operates the mobile phone 030; It comprises an analyst 050 who performs analysis by operating the log information analyzer 041.

  Although a mobile phone is used here, an equivalent device having a camera, a communication function, and the like may be used. The remote log information analysis device 041 may be realized by a general-purpose personal computer or the like, or may be a dedicated device. The digital television device 001 is the same as that shown in FIG.

  Next, the cellular phone 030 includes an infrared I / F 031 that transmits and receives infrared rays, a camera 032 that can capture a moving image displayed by the digital television device 001, an operation input unit 033 that inputs an operation of the operator 017, a display By a screen 034, a voice input / output unit 035, a communication control unit 036 for performing communication via the network 040, a shooting control unit 037 for controlling shooting by a camera and storing temporary images, and an infrared I / F 031 And an infrared control unit 038 for controlling communication.

  The remote log information analysis apparatus 041 includes a voice input / output unit 042, an operation input unit 043 for inputting an operation of the person in charge of analysis 050, a result display screen 044 for displaying an analysis result, a symbol analysis unit 045, a video It comprises a recording unit 046, a communication control unit 047 for performing communication through the network 040, and a recording device 048.

  Next, the two-dimensional symbol displayed on the digital television 001 is photographed by the mobile phone 030, and event information generated in the digital television device 001 is collected using the remote log information analysis device 041 via the network 040. The processing procedure will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The processing procedure for displaying the two-dimensional symbol by the digital television set 001 is the same as that shown in FIGS.

  First, the shooting control unit 037 receives the video shot by the camera 032 in step S30, and performs buffering or the like when the communication speed is low. Next, in step S31, the imaging control unit 037 converts the video signal into a format to be transmitted over the network and sends it to the communication control unit 036. The communication control unit 036 transmits to the remote log information analysis apparatus 041 via the network 040. Send.

  Next, in step S32, the remote log information analysis apparatus 041 receives the video signal transmitted from the mobile phone 030 via the network 040 by the communication control unit 047. In step S33, the video recording unit 046 records the video signal received by the communication control unit 047 in the recording device 048.

  Next, in step S34, the symbol analysis unit 045 confirms whether or not the received video includes a correct two-dimensional symbol. If the correct two-dimensional symbol is included, the process proceeds to the next step, and if not included, the process ends. Here, instead of the video received from the mobile phone 030, a video already recorded may be taken out from the recording device 048 and processed.

  In step S35, the symbol analysis unit 045 converts the two-dimensional symbol included in the received video into event information generated in the digital television set 001. Here, the recorded video taken out from the recording device 048 may be used as the video used in the same manner as in step S34.

  Next, the event information converted from the two-dimensional symbol in step S36 is displayed on the result display screen 044. The display format may be, for example, a character string format such as the result display screen 015 of FIG. 6, or may be a graph format depending on the type of event, or the video of the digital television device 001 received at the same time may be displayed. .

  Next, in step S37, the event information is recorded in the recording device 016 so that the event information can be referred to even after the collection of the event information is completed. Note that the order of step S36 and step S37 may be reversed. Here, the recording device 048 may be a general hard disk drive or an external storage device using another medium.

  Next, a processing procedure for controlling the digital TV apparatus 001 at a remote location from the remote log information analysis apparatus 041 together with the mobile phone 030 by the operation of the analyst 050 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The control here refers to, for example, an operation such as channel switching normally performed by a remote control device or the like, and on / off of a two-dimensional symbol display, but may be an operation of other digital television devices.

  First, in step S40, the operation input unit 043 receives the control input of the analyst 050. In step S41, the communication control unit 047 transmits a control command to the mobile phone 030 via the network 040. Next, in step S42, the communication control unit 036 receives the control command sent from the remote log information analysis apparatus 041.

  In step S43, the infrared control unit 038 transmits the control command received by the communication control unit 036 to the digital television set 001 via the infrared I / F 031. When performing these series of processes, if an instruction from the analyst 050 to the operator 017 is necessary, the voice input / output unit 042 and the voice input / output unit 035 can be used to communicate with each other by voice. I can do it.

  In this way, when a failure or abnormality occurs in a video output device such as a digital television, internal information can be acquired and analyzed as video information without restrictions on the information storage capacity inside the device even in remote locations. There is an effect. In addition, the ability to acquire internal information while performing control from a remote location has the effect of enabling specialists at remote locations to collect information necessary for analysis by reproducing operations that cause problems on devices. .

  An embodiment for preventing overlap of two-dimensional symbols on the display of the original broadcast screen when analyzing the failure by continuously outputting the internal information of the device operating in the digital television as a two-dimensional symbol below. The system will be described. The overall system configuration, details of each part, and processing procedure of the present embodiment are the same as those in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the first embodiment.

  Next, a processing procedure for determining the value of the free area coordinate information 022 of FIG. 2 referred to in step S15 of FIG. 4 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in step S50, the magnification for reducing the resolution of the video received by the broadcast receiving unit 007 and outputting it to the output video generating unit 003 is set. The reduction ratio may be a fixed value such as 80%, or may be a value given by the operator 017.

  In step S51, the resolution of the entire display area of the output video generation unit 003 is acquired. Next, in step S52, a free area is calculated from the resolution of the entire display area and the video reduction ratio. For example, the empty area at a reduction ratio of 80% is 20% both vertically and horizontally as shown in FIG. In step S53, the empty area obtained in step S52 is set in the empty area coordinate information 022.

  In this way, when a failure or abnormality occurs in a video output device such as a digital television, when the internal information is acquired as video information and analyzed, the two-dimensional symbol overlaps the original broadcast screen display is prevented. There is an effect.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the detail of the log control part and UI control part of the digital television apparatus of this invention. It is an example of the flowchart of the process sequence which displays the log information of this invention as a two-dimensional symbol. It is another example of the flowchart of the process sequence which displays the log information of this invention as a two-dimensional symbol. It is another example of the flowchart of the process sequence which collects the log information of this invention as a two-dimensional symbol. It is a figure which shows an example of the detail of the image | video output screen and result output screen of this invention. It is a whole block diagram of one Embodiment of this invention which collects the information of the apparatus in a remote place using a mobile telephone. It is an example of the flowchart of the process sequence which collects the information of the apparatus in the remote place of this invention. It is an example of the flowchart of the process sequence which controls the apparatus in the remote place of this invention. It is an example of the flowchart of the process sequence which prevents the overlap of a two-dimensional symbol by the reduced display of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the detail of the reduction | decrease display of the video output screen of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

001: Digital TV device, 002: Video output screen, 003 ... Output video generation unit 004 ... Symbol generation unit, 005 ... Log control unit, 006 ... UI control unit,
007: Legal transmission / reception unit, 008 ... Function control unit, 009 ... Operation input unit,
010 ... Remote control device, 011 ... Camera, 012 ... Log information analysis device,
013 ... Symbol analysis unit, 015 ... Result display screen, 016 ... Storage device,
017 ... operator, 005 ... log control unit, 020 ... log buffer,
021 ... last display time, 022 ... free space coordinate information, 023 ... event information,
002 ... Video output screen, 015 ... Result display screen,
001: Digital TV device, 017: Operator, 030: Mobile phone,
031 ... Infrared I / F, 032 ... Camera, 033 ... Operation input unit, 034 ... Display screen,
035: Audio input / output unit, 036 shooting control unit,
038 ... Infrared controller, 040 ... Network, 041 ... Remote log information analyzer,
042 ... voice input / output unit, 043 ... operation input unit, 044 ... result display screen,
045: Symbol analysis unit, 046: Video recording unit, 047: Communication control unit,
048 ... Recording device, 050 ... A person in charge of analysis

Claims (7)

In a video output device that outputs video such as digital TV broadcasts,
A video generator for generating video such as digital television broadcasts;
A symbol generator for generating device status inside the device and operation information of the device as a two-dimensional symbol;
A video output device comprising: a video output unit that outputs the video generated by the video generation unit and outputs the two-dimensional symbol generated by the symbol generation unit in accordance with the video. The video output device according to claim 1,
The video output device, wherein the symbol generation unit generates a two-dimensional code including log information including event serial numbers, event occurrence times, event types, and other additional information related to events. The video output device according to claim 1,
The image generation unit generates a reduced image,
The video output device, wherein the video output unit synthesizes the two-dimensional symbol in an empty area on the screen generated by the video reduction. A failure information collection system for a video output device that outputs video such as digital television broadcasts,
A video generator for generating video such as digital television broadcasts;
A symbol generator for generating device status inside the device and operation information of the device as a two-dimensional symbol;
A video output unit that outputs the video generated by the video generation unit and outputs the two-dimensional symbol generated by the symbol generation unit according to the video;
A video recording unit for recording the video output from the video output unit;
A failure information collection system comprising: a symbol analysis unit that extracts a two-dimensional symbol from the video recorded by the video recording unit and converts the symbol into log information. In the failure information collection system according to claim 4,
The fault information collecting system, wherein the video recording unit records video captured by a mobile phone with a built-in camera. A failure analysis device for a video output device that outputs video such as digital television broadcasts,
A video input unit that inputs video information in which two-dimensional symbols representing device status and operation information of the video output device are combined;
A failure analysis apparatus comprising a symbol analysis unit that extracts a two-dimensional symbol from the video information and converts it into log information. A method for collecting fault information of a video output device that outputs video such as digital television broadcasting,
When a failure occurs, generating a device state inside the device and operation information of the device as a two-dimensional symbol;
Combining the two-dimensional symbol with the video output;
A method of collecting fault information, comprising: outputting a video in which the two-dimensional symbol is synthesized to the outside of the video output device.

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