JP2010183165A - Apparatus and method for switching subtitle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to switch a language for subtitles and utilize the switched language of subtitles for language learning while keeping the switched subtitles language in an output state. <P>SOLUTION: A signal processing control section 22 receives input data including subtitle information and video audio information of a plurality of languages from a recording medium IF section 51 etc. An AV reproducing section 201 reproduces the video audio signals from the input data and outputs the data to an AV output section 23, a subtitle information extracting section 211 extracts the subtitle information, and an OSD generating section 212 outputs the extracted information as OSD to the AV output section 23. If information of a predetermined operation input is received from a receiving section 30 or an operation section 31 in a state that the data are being reproduced while outputting the subtitle information of a specific language, the subtitle switching control section 221 switches the subtitles into subtitles of a language different from the language which has been output and keeps on outputting the switched language, and the AV reproducing section 201 starts reproduction at a header scene for which the subtitle information is output and temporarily stops the reproduction at a predetermined scene. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a caption switching device and a caption switching method for easily switching and outputting a plurality of caption data corresponding to a specific scene.

  In recent years, DVDs in which content such as movies in which specific video data is associated with a plurality of audio data and subtitle data in a plurality of languages are widely used. Such contents are applied not only to DVDs but also to programs broadcast by digital television broadcast waves. Further, a method of using a plurality of audio data and subtitle data in a plurality of languages for language learning has been proposed. In particular, many methods that use a plurality of subtitle languages, which are languages for expressing subtitle information, have been proposed.

  For example, according to Patent Document 1, in a state where subtitles in a specific language are output and played back, the subtitles in different languages are switched according to a predetermined operation, and the first scene of a subtitle frame displayed on one screen is displayed. A method for returning to start playback and use it for language learning is available.

JP 2004-320322 A (paragraph 0018 in FIG. 1)

  However, in the past, after switching to a subtitle in a different language and playing back the scene, the subtitle in the original language is continued to be played back in the scene where the subtitle ends, so the subtitle in the switched language remains output. It was difficult to use for language learning.

  Therefore, in order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a caption switching device and a caption switching method that can be used for language learning while allowing the user to select a caption language to be switched and outputting the switched caption language. The purpose is to do.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention includes data acquisition means for acquiring video information and data including subtitle information in a plurality of languages associated with the video information, and data acquired by the data acquisition means Reproducing means for reproducing the video information, subtitle output means for extracting and outputting subtitle information in a specific language from the subtitle information in the plurality of languages, and the subtitle output means outputting the subtitle information in the first language In addition, when the playback means is playing back or pausing the video information, the subtitle output means receives the operation input for switching the first language to the second language. Control means for controlling the playback means to return to the first scene, start playback and pause in the second scene while switching to the subtitle information and output. It is intended.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention acquires video information and data including subtitle information in a plurality of languages associated with the video information, and reproduces the video information included in the acquired data. When the subtitle information in a specific language is extracted from the subtitle information in the plurality of languages and output, the subtitle information in the first language is output, and the video information is reproduced or paused. When an operation input for switching from one language to the second language is received, the subtitle information is switched to the second language and output to the first scene with the subtitle information being output and temporarily played back in the second scene. It is characterized by controlling to stop.

  According to the present invention, the subtitle language to be switched can be selected by the user, and the switched subtitle language can be output and used for language learning.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the television receiver which is a caption switching apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention. The functional block diagram for demonstrating the subtitle language switching process synchronized with reproduction | regeneration of the video / audio signal read from the optical disk performed by the signal processing control part demonstrated in FIG. The figure which shows one Embodiment of the MENU screen for a user to select the subtitle language switched in the subtitle language switching process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The conceptual diagram of the data to which the subtitle information of several languages was added with the audio-video signal which the subtitle language switching process performed by the signal processing control part handles. The figure which shows one Embodiment of the output scene in the pause from reproduction | regeneration by the normal reproduction | regeneration of data shown in FIG. 4, and a caption switching process.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a television receiver that is a caption switching device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an example in which the caption switching device is applied to a television receiver is shown. However, an HDD recorder, a DVD recorder, an information processing terminal, a portable mobile terminal, and the like having the same configuration as in this embodiment may be used. .

  The television receiver 10 includes a broadcast wave processing unit 20, an external signal input unit 21, a signal processing control unit 22, an AV output unit 23, a receiving unit 30, an operation unit 31, a network IF unit 40, an HDD 50, and a recording medium IF unit. 51 or the like.

  First, the broadcast wave processing unit 20 performs channel selection and demodulation / decoding processing of a specific channel on the digital broadcast wave and analog broadcast wave received by the antenna AT, and in addition to video and audio, data broadcast and electronic program guide A signal including data for (EPG) or the like is output to the signal processing control unit 22.

The external signal input unit 21 performs predetermined processing on the video / audio signal input from the outside and outputs the processed signal to the signal processing control unit 22.
The network IF unit 40 is connected to the Internet via a network such as a LAN, receives broadcast program data provided via the connected Internet, program information of the program, and the like, and outputs the data to the signal processing control unit 22. . In addition, it connects to a recording medium such as an external HDD via a network such as a LAN, and exchanges broadcast program data and program information.

  Further, the signal processing control unit 22 performs MPEG encoding / decoding arithmetic processing on the input signal, video signal and audio signal separation processing, data extraction processing from the signal, decompression processing of the compressed signal, etc. And a video / audio signal is output, and a CPU is provided to control a plurality of processes using each block. In the present embodiment, video / audio reproduction processing for reproducing an input video / audio signal according to an operation input, subtitle information extraction processing for extracting subtitle information from the input signal, and the like are controlled.

  Further, the AV output unit 23 includes a display and a speaker, and performs predetermined processing on the video / audio signal input from the signal processing control unit 22 to output video to the display and output audio to the speaker. In this embodiment, the caption information is superimposed on the video signal and output to the display.

  The operation unit 31 receives operation input information for operating the apparatus. Similarly, the receiving unit 30 receives operation input information from the remote controller RC. In this embodiment, an operation input for reproducing a video / audio signal, an operation input for switching a subtitle language synchronized with the reproduction of the video / audio signal, and an operation on a MENU screen for designating a subtitle language to be output. Receive information such as input.

  The HDD 50 stores program data acquired from the broadcast wave processing unit 20, the external signal input unit 21, the network IF unit 40, and the like, program information of the program, and the like. Output data.

  The recording medium IF unit 51 exchanges data with the recording medium RM. That is, if the recording medium RM is an optical disk, it is an optical disk drive, and if the recording medium RM is a memory card, it is a memory reader / writer. In the present embodiment, data to which subtitle information in a plurality of languages is added together with a video / audio signal is read from the optical disc and output to the signal processing control unit 22.

  Next, the subtitle language switching process synchronized with the reproduction of the video / audio signal read from the optical disk, which is executed by the signal processing control unit 22 provided in the television receiver 10 described in FIG. 1, will be described with reference to FIG. explain.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram for explaining subtitle language switching processing synchronized with the reproduction of the video / audio signal read from the optical disc, which is executed by the signal processing control unit 22 described in FIG.

The signal processing control unit 22 includes an AV playback unit 201, a caption information extraction unit 211, an OSD generation unit 212, a caption switching control unit 221, and the like.
The AV playback unit 201 plays back the video / audio signal included in the data read from the recording medium RM by the recording medium IF unit 51 and outputs the video / audio signal to the AV output unit 23. When the operation input for reproducing the video / audio signal or the operation input for switching the subtitle language synchronized with the reproduction of the video / audio signal is performed by the operation unit 31 or the remote controller RC via the subtitle switching control unit 221. The reproduction process corresponding to the operation input is performed. Specifically, these operation inputs are made by a subtitle change button or the like provided on the outside of the apparatus or on the remote controller RC. Further, at a predetermined time interval, reproduction position information indicating an address, time, and the like that can specify data corresponding to the video / audio signal being reproduced is provided to the caption switching control unit 221.

  Then, the subtitle information extraction unit 211 extracts subtitle information in a plurality of languages included in the data read from the recording medium RM by the recording medium IF unit 51, and outputs subtitle information in the language requested by the subtitle switching control unit 221 to the OSD. The data is output to the generation unit 212. Further, every time the content of the output subtitle information is updated, subtitle update information indicating that the subtitle information has been updated is provided to the subtitle switching control unit 221.

  The OSD generation unit 212 performs predetermined processing on the caption information output from the caption information extraction unit 211 to generate an OSD, and outputs the OSD to the AV output 23. In the present embodiment, a setting subtitle selection screen for the user to select a subtitle language to be switched in the subtitle language switching process is generated.

Here, an embodiment of a set caption selection screen for caption language switching processing generated by the OSD generation unit 212 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a MENU screen for the user to select a caption language to be switched in the caption language switching process according to the embodiment of the present invention.
The set subtitle selection MENU screen 301 shown in FIG. 3 includes areas such as a priority display subtitle language selection unit 311, a first subtitle language selection unit 312, a second subtitle language selection unit 313, and a third subtitle language selection unit 314. Yes.

  The priority display subtitle language selection unit 311 is a presentation area for selectively presenting a priority display subtitle language indicating a subtitle language that is output together with the normal reproduction of the video / audio signal. In addition, the first subtitle language selection unit 312, the second subtitle language selection unit 313, and the third subtitle language selection unit 314 are the first subtitle language, the second subtitle language, and the third subtitle that indicate the subtitle language to be switched in the subtitle language switching process. This is a presentation area for presenting each language in a selectable manner. In these presentation areas, a plurality of subtitle languages read together with the video / audio signal reproduced by the AV playback unit 201 are presented so as to be selectable, and the user can select any language from the presented languages. Is possible.

In the present embodiment, in the caption language switching process, the output languages are sequentially switched in the order of the first caption language, the second caption language, and the third caption language.
Specifically, if the subtitle information is given in English, Japanese, French, or Chinese along with the video / audio signal to be played back, it is optional from English, Japanese, French, and Chinese. Is selected as the priority display subtitle language. If Japanese is selected as the priority display subtitle language, “Japanese” is presented to the priority display subtitle language selection unit 311. Next, any one of English, French, and Chinese is the first subtitle. Selected as a language. When English is selected as the first subtitle language, “English” is presented to the first subtitle language selection unit 312 and then any one of French and Chinese is selected as the second subtitle language. The When Chinese is selected as the second subtitle language, “Chinese” is presented to the second subtitle language selection unit 313, and only French can be selected as the third subtitle language, so the third subtitle language selection unit In “314”, “French” is presented. That is, Japanese, English, Chinese, and French are selected as the priority display subtitle language, first subtitle language, second subtitle language, and third subtitle language, respectively.

  When each language is selected in this way, Japanese subtitles are output during normal playback, and the subtitle language is switched to English subtitles by the subtitle language switching process, and then sequentially switched to Chinese and French.

  In the case of data to which three or less languages are added together with the video / audio signal, the priority display subtitle language selection unit 311 is used first, followed by the first subtitle language selection unit 312, the second subtitle language selection unit 312, and the second subtitle language selection unit 312. The caption language selection unit 313 and the third caption language selection unit 314 are used in this order.

  Specifically, if the subtitle information is given in two languages, Japanese and English, and Japanese is selected as the priority display subtitle language, English can be selected as the first subtitle language. However, since there are no other languages that can be selected as the second subtitle language and the third subtitle language, the second subtitle language selection unit 313 and the third subtitle language selection unit 314 for selecting each are not used, that is, normal playback is performed. Japanese subtitles are output, and English is switched by subtitle language switching processing.

  Then, the subtitle switching control unit 221 requests the AV reproduction unit 201 to reproduce the video / audio signal when receiving operation input information for reproducing the video / audio signal by the operation unit 31 or the remote controller RC. When receiving operation input information for outputting caption information of a specific language by the operation unit 31 or the remote controller RC, the subtitle information extraction unit 211 is requested to output caption information of a specific language. Further, the playback position information provided by the AV playback unit 201 is stored in a storage unit (not shown) in synchronization with the caption update information provided from the caption information extraction unit 211. When the operation unit 31 or the remote controller RC receives operation input information for switching the subtitle language in synchronization with the reproduction of the video / audio signal, the subtitle information extraction unit 211 is switched to the subtitle information language to be output. The playback position information when the content of the subtitle information in the language before switching is updated is read from a storage unit (not shown), and playback of the video / audio signal from the read playback position information is read to the AV playback unit 201. Request.

  That is, the subtitle switching control unit 221 sets the subtitle language to be output on the setting subtitle selection MENU screen 301 when an operation input for outputting subtitle information or switching the subtitle language is performed by the operation unit 31 or the remote controller RC. The subtitle information extraction unit 211 is requested to switch to the priority display subtitle language or the first subtitle language, the second subtitle language, and the third subtitle language.

  The subtitle language to be output may be switched between the priority display subtitle language and a specific language from the first to third subtitle languages, or the priority display subtitle language and the first to first subtitle languages may be switched. It may be a form in which all three subtitle languages are cycled and sequentially switched.

  In addition, the operation input information for reproducing the video / audio signal by the operation unit 31 or the remote controller RC may be directly input to the AV reproduction unit 201 without using the subtitle switching control unit 221.

Next, an embodiment of the caption language switching process executed by the signal processing control unit 22 will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing the correspondence between audio data and subtitle information of a specific video scene, together with elapsed time, in data to which subtitle information of a plurality of languages is added together with the video / audio signal.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the video / audio signal and the caption information for each specific video scene illustrated in FIG. 4 are output.
Each video scene shown in FIG. 4 corresponds to audio data and subtitle information corresponding to a plurality of languages (English, Japanese,...) Together with the video data.
Specifically, in the video scene A, “Morning” in English as the audio data, “Good morning” in Japanese, ..., “Morning!” In English as the subtitle information, “Good morning!” In Japanese, and so on. Similarly, for the video scene B, “Hi” in English as the audio data, “Hi” in Japanese,..., “Hi!” In English as the subtitle information, and “Hi!” In Japanese. ", ... corresponds. On the other hand, speech data as a dialogue is not added to the video scene B1, but English “Hi!”, Japanese “Hi!”,. In addition, a plurality of video scenes exist between the video scenes, and various audio data and subtitle information correspond to each video scene.

Each of the times A, B, B1, and C indicates the elapsed time when the video / audio signal is reproduced, and the reproduction position information can be specified.
The normal reproduction by the AV reproduction unit 201 sequentially reproduces data corresponding to each time in the order of time A to time B to time B1 to time C shown in the elapsed time.
Specifically, when each video scene shown in FIG. 4 is normally played back, “Japanese” is output as the language of the audio data, and “Japan” is displayed as the priority display subtitle language on the setting subtitle selection MENU screen 301. When the word is selected, in the video scene A, as shown in FIG. 5A, audio “Good morning” 501 and subtitle information “Good morning!” 511 are output together with the video. In the video scene B, as shown in FIG. 5B, audio “Hi” 502 and subtitle information “Hi!” 512 are output together with the video. In the video scene B1, as shown in FIG. 5C, the audio as the dialogue is not output together with the video, but the subtitle information “Hi!” 512 is still output.

  Further, since the content of the subtitle information to be output is updated to subtitle information “Good morning!” 511 at time A, the playback position provided by the AV playback unit 201 in synchronization with the subtitle update information provided by the subtitle information extraction unit 211. Time A is stored as information, and similarly, time B, time B1, and time C are sequentially stored.

  In addition, when “English” is selected as the first subtitle language on the set subtitle selection MENU screen 301 and the above-described normal reproduction is performed, the video / audio signal is synchronized with reproduction at time B1. When an operation input for switching the caption language is performed, the caption switching control unit 221 first outputs to the caption information extraction unit 211 the caption information of “English” selected as the first caption language. In response, the caption information extraction unit 211 switches from “Japanese” caption information to “English” caption information. Further, the caption switching control unit 221 requests the AV playback unit 201 to play back the video / audio signal from the stored time B. That is, the AV playback unit 201 starts playback from the video scene at time B, and the subtitle information extraction unit 211 outputs subtitle information in “English”.

  Specifically, the reproduction is started from the video scene in which the audio “Hi” 502 and the caption information “Hi!” 513 are output together with the video, as shown in FIG. That is, the video scene at this time is obtained by changing the caption information from “Japanese” to “English” with respect to the video scene B in the normal reproduction.

  Then, the reproduction is continued. At time B1, the reproduction of the video / audio signal is paused while the subtitle information “Hi!” 513 is output as in the video scene shown in FIG.

  That is, normal playback is performed with “Japanese” selected as the priority display subtitle language and “English” selected as the first subtitle language, and the video scenes shown in FIGS. If the subtitle language switching process is requested when the video scene shown in FIG. 5 (c) is output after the transition, playback starts from the video scene shown in FIG. 5 (d), and FIG. The video scene is output and paused.

  In addition, after the subtitle language is switched, the subtitle language is switched in synchronization with the playback of the video / audio signal while the playback of the video / audio signal is paused at the playback position information at the time when the operation is input. When the operation input for performing is performed again, the subtitle language output in the state where the normal reproduction is performed may be returned, and the two subtitle languages may be switched alternately according to the subsequent operation input. Moreover, you may sequentially switch to any subtitle language among the priority display subtitle language and the first to third subtitle languages. In the case of such an embodiment, an embodiment may be provided in which a selection column indicating that the priority display subtitle language and the first to third subtitle languages are selected and a switching order column indicating the switching order are provided. .

  In addition, after the subtitle language has been switched, the operation input for switching the subtitle language synchronized with the playback of the video / audio signal has been performed again within a predetermined time after the playback of the video / audio signal has started. In this case, the reproduction of the video / audio signal may be started from the reproduction position information at the time when the subtitle information before the reproduction position information where the reproduction is started is updated.

  In addition, the above-described caption language switching process may be performed even when an operation input for switching the caption language synchronized with the playback of the video / audio signal is performed in a state where the normal reproduction is paused.

  Furthermore, the reproduction is started after the subtitle language is switched, and the video / audio signal is reproduced with the reproduction position information at the time when the subtitle information that appears next to the reproduction position information at the time when the operation is input is updated. You may pause.

(Modification 1)
An embodiment in which an external device connected to the outside of the television receiver 10 has a function equivalent to that of the recording medium IF unit 51.
When an external device control unit (not shown) included in the television receiver 10 transmits a control signal for reading data from a recording medium attached to the external device, a block that reads data from the recording medium included in the device from the external device is used. Data including subtitle information in a plurality of languages is read, and the read data is input via the external signal input unit 21. The input data is input to the AV playback unit 201 to play back a video / audio signal, and is input to the caption information extraction unit 211 to extract caption information. An external device control unit (not shown) performs a caption language switching process while controlling a block that reads data from a recording medium included in the external device.

Note that a method using a mutual device control function called CEC of the HDMI (registered trademark) standard can be applied to the external device.
(Modification 2)
An embodiment in which broadcast program data acquired via the broadcast wave processing unit 20 is stored in the HDD 50 and the stored broadcast program data is reproduced.
The signal processing control unit 22 performs predetermined processing on digital broadcast wave or analog broadcast wave data including subtitle information in a plurality of languages received by the antenna AT and stores the data in the HDD 50. The data stored in the HDD 50 is input to the AV reproducing unit 201 to reproduce the video / audio signal, and is input to the subtitle information extracting unit 211 to extract the subtitle information. Then, subtitle language switching processing is performed while reading data from the HDD 50.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, whenever the subtitle information is updated, the reproduction position information at that time is stored, and the video / audio signal to which the subtitle information of a plurality of languages is added is subtitle information of a specific language. When a predetermined operation input is made in the normal playback state while outputting, the subtitle information in a language different from the language that was output is switched and playback from the playback position information in which the subtitle information before switching is updated is performed. Since the playback of the video / audio signal is paused while the subtitle information of the language switched at the predetermined playback position information is output, the subtitle information of the switched language can be output and used for language learning. it can.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Television receiver, 20 ... Broadcast wave processing part, 21 ... External signal input part, 22 ... Signal processing control part, 23 ... part, 30 ... Reception part, 31 ... Operation part, 40 ... Network IF part, 50 ... HDD, 51 ... recording medium IF unit, 201 ... AV playback unit, 211 ... subtitle information extraction unit, 212 ... OSD generation unit, 221 ... subtitle switching control unit.

Claims (4)

Data acquisition means for acquiring data including subtitle information in a plurality of languages associated with video information and the video information;
Playback means for playing back the video information included in the data acquired by the data acquisition means;
Subtitle output means for extracting and outputting subtitle information of a specific language from the subtitle information of the plurality of languages;
When the subtitle output means outputs the subtitle information of the first language and the reproduction means reproduces or pauses the video information, it receives an operation input for switching the first language to the second language. If the subtitle output means switches to the subtitle information of the second language and outputs the subtitle information, the playback means returns to the first scene and starts playback and pauses in the second scene. Control means to
A subtitle switching device comprising: The caption switching device according to claim 1, further comprising language selection means that allows a user to select a language of caption information output by the caption output unit.   2. The caption switching device according to claim 1, wherein the data acquisition means acquires data recorded on a DVD or broadcast program data. Obtaining data including subtitle information in a plurality of languages associated with video information and the video information;
Playing back the video information included in the acquired data,
Extracting and outputting subtitle information of a specific language from the subtitle information of the plurality of languages,
When the subtitle information of the first language is output and the video information is being reproduced or paused, when the operation input for switching the first language to the second language is received, the second language Control to return to the first scene while switching to language subtitle information and output and start playback and pause in the second scene.
A subtitle switching method characterized by that.

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