JP2016100639A - AV equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to perceive the playback state of an original content when, during the content playback such as a broadcast program, is switched to another video or voice of a game etc.SOLUTION: AV equipment (10) includes a content playback unit (13), an application execution unit (14) and a video/voice switchover unit (15). If a game remote controller (30) is operated during outputting the video and the voice of the content from a display (11) and a speaker (12), the video/voice switchover unit (15) switches over to a video and a superposed voice (voice obtained by superposing an application voice with the content voice whose volume is reduced) of an application, whereas if a TV remote controller (20) is operated during outputting the video and the superposed voice of the application from the display (11) and the speaker (12), the video/voice switchover unit switches over to the video and the voice of the content.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an AV device, and more particularly to an AV device having a function of reproducing content and a function of executing an application program.

  An AV device such as a television device usually has an external input terminal, and can output an image and sound of the external device by connecting the external device such as a game machine, for example. Some AV devices have a function of reproducing content and a function of executing an application program such as a game.

  With such an AV device, the user can switch the input as appropriate to watch a broadcast program or enjoy a game on an external device. For example, there is a playback system that can automatically output a playback video of a game machine and output a playback sound of the game machine by simply driving a game machine connected to an AV device (playback system) (for example, Patent Document 1). See).

JP 2006-19945 A

  In the AV device as described above, for example, when the user comes to the CM while watching a broadcast program, if the user switches to the game screen and enjoys the game, the user cannot know the end of the CM section and broadcast. You may miss the main part of the program.

  In view of such problems, it is an object of the present invention to make it possible for a user to perceive the playback status of original content when switching to another video and audio such as a game during playback of content such as a broadcast program. .

  An AV device according to one aspect of the present invention is operated by a first remote controller, and decodes the content that has been compression-coded to generate a first video and a first audio, and a second content playback unit. An application execution unit that is operated by a remote controller and executes an application program to generate a second video and second audio, a video / audio output unit that outputs video and audio, the first video, and the first video And a video / audio switching unit that controls switching between video and audio output from the video / audio output unit and receiving the second video and the second audio, and the video / audio switching unit When the second remote controller is operated when the first video and the first audio are output from the video / audio output unit, the video / audio output unit Switching the force image and the sound to the second image and the third sound (however, the third sound is a sound obtained by superimposing the first sound with a reduced volume on the second sound); In addition, when the first remote controller is operated when the second video and the third audio are output from the video / audio output unit, the output video and audio of the video / audio output unit are displayed. Switching to the first video and the first audio.

  According to this, the output video and audio of the video / audio output unit are changed from the content video (first video) and audio (first audio) to the application video (second video) and audio (second audio). When switched to, the video / audio output unit outputs superimposed audio (third audio) in which the audio of the content with the volume reduced is superimposed on the audio of the application. Thereby, the user can perceive the reproduction state of the content by hearing while operating the application.

  The video / audio switching unit may switch the output video and audio of the video / audio output unit to the first video and the first audio when an arbitrary button of the first remote control is pressed. Good. The video / audio switching unit switches the output video and audio of the video / audio output unit to the second video and the third audio when an arbitrary button of the second remote controller is pressed. May be.

  According to this, switching to video and audio between contents and applications is facilitated, and user convenience can be improved.

  The video / audio switching unit stores the volume of the first audio immediately before switching the output audio of the video / audio output unit from the first audio to the third audio, and When returning the output sound of the output unit from the third sound to the first sound, the volume of the first sound may be set to the stored sound volume. The video / audio switching unit stores the volume of the third audio immediately before switching the output audio of the video / audio output unit from the third audio to the first audio, and / When the output sound of the sound output unit is returned from the first sound to the third sound, the volume of the third sound may be set to the stored sound volume.

  According to this, when switching to video and audio between contents and applications, the volume is automatically restored to the original volume without the user manually adjusting the volume.

  The content reproduction unit receives a broadcast signal, selects a desired channel, acquires a broadcast program stream, and decodes the broadcast program stream to generate the first video and the first audio May be included.

  According to this, a broadcast program received in real time can be reproduced as content.

  The content reproduction unit may further include a storage device that stores the broadcast program stream, and the codec decodes the broadcast program stream read from the storage device to decode the first video and the first video. May be generated.

  According to this, a recorded broadcast program can be reproduced as content.

  The AV device may include a remote control communication unit that receives a remote control signal wirelessly output from the first remote controller and the second remote controller.

  According to this, it is possible to perform content operation and application operation with the remote control even at a location slightly away from the AV device.

  According to the present invention, when switching to another video and audio such as a game during playback of content such as a broadcast program, the playback status of the original content can be perceived by the user.

1 is an external view of an AV device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the main components of AV apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the main components of a content reproduction part. 10 is a flowchart of processing for switching output video and audio from content video and audio to video and audio of an application. It is a flowchart of the process which switches an output video and an audio | voice from the video and audio | voice of an application to the video and audio | voice of a content.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an external view of an AV apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The AV device 10 is a device having a function of reproducing content such as a broadcast program and a function of executing an application program such as a game (hereinafter simply referred to as an application). The AV device 10 includes a display 11 and a speaker 12. A content image, an application execution screen, and the like are displayed on the display 11, and content audio, application BGM, and sound effects are output from the speaker 12.

  Operations relating to content playback in the AV device 10 can be performed using the TV remote controller 20. The operation of the application executed on the AV device 10 can be performed using the game remote controller 30.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing main components of the AV device 10. The AV device 10 includes, for example, a display 11, a speaker 12, a content reproduction unit 13, an application execution unit 14, a video / audio switching unit 15, and a remote control communication unit 16.

  The display 11 is a device that displays an image, and can be constituted by, for example, a flat panel display made of a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL panel. The speaker 12 is a device that outputs sound. One or a plurality of speakers 12 are arranged at appropriate locations of the AV device 10. Note that the portion composed of the display 11 and the speaker 12 corresponds to the video / audio output unit in the claims.

  The content reproduction unit 13 decodes the compression-encoded content and generates content video and audio. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the main components of the content playback unit 13. The content reproduction unit 13 includes, for example, a tuner 131, a codec 132, and a storage device 133.

  The tuner 131 receives various broadcast signals such as terrestrial digital broadcast, BS / CS digital broadcast, and cable broadcast, selects a channel desired by the user, and acquires stream data (broadcast program stream).

  The broadcast program stream can include, for example, a caption data signal and electronic program guide information in addition to the video signal and the audio signal. These signals are MPEG-2 and H.264. It is compressed and encoded in a predetermined encoding format such as H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC. The codec 132 receives stream data that has been compression-encoded from the tuner 131, performs decoding and signal separation, and outputs a video signal and an audio signal.

  The storage device 133 is a device that records a broadcast program stream, and can be configured by, for example, an optical disk device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a Blu-ray (registered trademark). The broadcast program stream is data including a video signal, an audio signal, and other signals (for example, a caption data signal). In the storage device 133, these signals are compressed and encoded by a predetermined method and stored. The codec 132 records the broadcast program stream received from the tuner 131 as it is, or decodes the broadcast program stream and re-encodes it in another encoding format in the storage device 133.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the application execution unit 14 executes an application program stored in a storage device (not shown) to generate video and audio of the application. The application is non-content that can be operated interactively by a user such as a game or SNS (Social Networking Service). The application execution unit 14 can be configured by, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes a program.

  The video / audio switching unit 15 receives the video and audio of the content from the content generation unit 13, receives the video and audio of the application from the application execution unit 14, and displays the video displayed on the display 11 and the audio output from the speaker 12. Control switching. As described above, the AV device 10 includes a content reproduction function and an application execution mechanism, and the user can use the AV device 10 by switching these functions. The video / audio switching unit 15 appropriately switches the video and audio of the content and the video and audio of the application according to the switching of the functions.

  The television remote controller 20 is a remote controller for operating the content reproduction unit 13 and includes, for example, a numeric keypad for selecting a channel for television broadcasting and a button for video operation. The TV remote controller 20 corresponds to a first remote controller referred to in the claims.

  The game remote controller 30 is a remote controller for operating the application execution unit 14, and includes, for example, a cross cursor key, a joystick, and various buttons. The game remote controller 30 corresponds to a second remote controller referred to in the claims.

  The TV remote controller 20 and the game remote controller 30 output wireless remote control signals in accordance with key operations and button operations by the user. The remote control communication unit 16 receives remote control signals that are wirelessly output from the TV remote control 20 and the game remote control 30. Specifically, the remote controller communication unit 16 communicates with the TV remote controller 20 and the game remote controller 30 using infrared communication, WiFi (registered trademark) communication, Bluetooth (registered trademark), or the like. The game remote controller 30 may be connected to the remote controller communication unit 16 by a cable.

  Remote control signals received by the remote control communication unit 16 from the TV remote control 20 and the game remote control 30 are transferred to the content reproduction unit 13 and the application execution unit 14, respectively. Each of the content reproduction unit 13 and the application execution unit 14 operates according to the received remote control signal.

  The operation of the TV remote control 20 and the game remote control 30 is also transmitted from the remote control communication unit 16 to the video / audio switching unit 15. As will be described later, the video / audio switching unit 15 switches video and audio to be output to the display 11 and the speaker 12 with the operation of the television remote controller 20 and the game remote controller 30 as triggers.

  Next, video and audio switching processing by the video / audio switching unit 15 will be described. First, processing for switching the output video and audio of the display 11 and the speaker 12 from the video and audio of the content to the video and audio of the application will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of processing for switching output video and audio from content video and audio to application video and audio. The video / audio switching unit 15 outputs the video and audio of the content received from the content reproduction unit 13 to the display 11 and the speaker 12 (S11). As a result, the video (content video) generated by the content reproduction unit 13 is displayed on the display 11, and the audio (content audio) generated by the content reproduction unit 13 is output from the speaker 12.

  When the user operates the TV remote controller 20 in a state where the video and audio generated by the content reproduction unit 13 are output from the display 11 and the speaker 12 (YES in S12), the remote control communication unit 16 causes the remote controller of the TV remote controller 20 to operate. The signal is received and transferred to the content reproduction unit 13. Further, the remote control communication unit 16 transmits to the video / audio switching unit 15 that the TV remote control 20 has been operated.

  In accordance with the remote control signal transferred from the remote control communication unit 16, the content playback unit 13 performs user-desired operations such as TV channel switching, volume increase / decrease, video playback fast forward / rewind / pause / stop (for example). S13). At this time, the video / audio switching unit 15 is informed that the TV remote control 20 has been operated from the remote control communication unit 16, but currently the video and audio generated by the content reproduction unit 13 are sent to the display 11 and the speaker 12. Since the video is being output, the video and audio generated by the content reproduction unit 13 are continuously output to the display 11 and the speaker 12 without switching the video and audio (S11).

  If neither the TV remote controller 20 nor the game remote controller 30 is operated in a state where the video and audio generated by the content reproduction unit 13 are output from the display 11 and the speaker 12 (NO in S12, NO in S14), the display 11, the video generated by the content reproduction unit 13 is continuously displayed, and the audio generated by the content reproduction unit 13 is continuously output from the speaker 12.

  On the other hand, when the user operates the game remote controller 30 (NO in S12, YES in S14), the remote control communication unit 16 transmits to the video / audio switching unit 15 that the game remote control 30 has been operated. Here, the remote controller communication unit 16 may transmit the information when an arbitrary button of the game remote controller 30 is pressed.

  When the video / audio switching unit 15 is informed that the game remote controller 30 has been operated from the remote control communication unit 16, the video / audio switching unit 15 stores the audio volume of the content currently being output (S15). Then, the video / audio switching unit 15 switches the video and audio output to the display 11 and the speaker 12 to the video and superimposed audio generated by the application execution unit 14 (S16).

  Superimposed sound refers to sound obtained by superimposing the sound reproduced by the content reproduction unit 13 on the sound generated by the application execution unit 14 (the sound of the application) with a reduced volume. By outputting such superimposed sound from the speaker 12, the user can simultaneously listen to the sound of the content that was previously viewed while listening to the sound of the application.

  As will be described later, the video / audio switching unit 15 stores the volume of the superimposed audio currently being output when the audio output to the speaker 12 is switched from the superimposed audio to the content audio. Therefore, the video / audio switching unit 15 may set the volume to a value stored in advance when the audio output to the speaker 12 is switched to the superimposed audio (S16). Thus, the user's convenience can be improved because the original volume is automatically set without the user manually setting the volume each time the video and audio are switched.

  Next, processing for switching the output video and audio of the display 11 and the speaker 12 from the video and audio of the application to the video and audio of the content will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart of processing for switching the output video and audio from the video and audio of the application to the video and audio of the content. The video / audio switching unit 15 outputs the video of the application received from the application execution unit 14 and the above superimposed audio to the display 11 and the speaker 12 (S21). Thereby, the video (video of the application) generated by the application execution unit 14 is displayed on the display 11, and the audio generated by the content reproduction unit 13 is added from the speaker 12 to the audio generated by the application execution unit 14. The superimposed voice is output.

  When the user operates the game remote controller 30 in a state where the video and superimposed audio generated by the application execution unit 14 are output from the display 11 and the speaker 12 (YES in S22), the remote control communication unit 16 The remote control signal is received and transferred to the application execution unit 14. Further, the remote control communication unit 16 transmits to the video / audio switching unit 15 that the game remote control 30 has been operated.

  The application execution unit 14 performs user-desired processing such as a game action in accordance with the remote control signal transferred from the remote control communication unit 16 (S23). At this time, the video / audio switching unit 15 is informed that the game remote controller 30 has been operated from the remote control communication unit 16, but currently displays the video and superimposed audio generated by the application execution unit 14 on the display 11 and the speaker 12. Therefore, without switching the video and audio, the video and superimposed audio generated by the application execution unit 14 are continuously output to the display 11 and the speaker 12 (S21).

  If neither the TV remote controller 20 nor the game remote controller 30 is operated in a state where the video and superimposed audio generated by the application execution unit 14 are output from the display 11 and the speaker 12 (NO in S22, NO in S24), The video generated by the application execution unit 14 is continuously displayed on the display 11, and the superimposed audio is continuously output from the speaker 12.

  On the other hand, when the user operates the TV remote control 20 (NO in S22, YES in S24), the remote control communication unit 16 transmits to the video / audio switching unit 15 that the TV remote control 20 has been operated. Here, the remote controller communication unit 16 may transmit the information when an arbitrary button of the TV remote controller 20 is pressed.

  When the video / audio switching unit 15 is informed that the TV remote control 20 has been operated from the remote control communication unit 16, the video / audio switching unit 15 stores the volume of the superimposed audio currently being output (S25). Then, the video / audio switching unit 15 switches the video and audio output to the display 11 and the speaker 12 to the video and superimposed audio generated by the content reproduction unit 13 (S26).

  Note that, as described above, the video / audio switching unit 15 stores the volume of the content audio currently being output when the audio output to the speaker 12 is switched from the content audio to the superimposed audio. Therefore, the video / audio switching unit 15 may set the volume to a previously stored value when switching the audio output to the speaker 12 to the audio of the content (S26). Thus, the user's convenience can be improved because the original volume is automatically set without the user manually setting the volume each time the video and audio are switched.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, for example, when a user approaches a CM while watching a broadcast program, the user presses any button on the game remote controller 30 to switch to the game screen and enjoys watching the game. When the sound of the broadcast program is monitored and it is recognized that the main program has started based on the sound, the user can press any button on the TV remote controller 20 to return to the broadcast program screen and resume viewing of the broadcast program. This prevents the start of the main part of the broadcast program from being overlooked when the video and audio of the application are temporarily switched during the CM of the broadcast program or the like.

  The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. The configuration and processing shown in the above embodiment using FIGS. 1 to 5 are only one embodiment of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention to the configuration and processing.

10 AV equipment 11 Display (video / audio output unit)
12 Speaker (video / audio output section)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13 Content reproduction part 131 Tuner 132 Codec 133 Memory | storage device 14 Application execution part 15 Video / audio switching part 16 Remote control communication part 20 Television remote control (1st remote control)
30 Game remote control (second remote control)

Claims (8)

A content reproduction unit that is operated by the first remote controller and decodes the compression-encoded content to generate the first video and the first audio;
An application execution unit that is operated by the second remote controller and executes the application program to generate the second video and the second audio;
A video / audio output unit for outputting video and audio;
A video / audio switching unit that receives the first video, the first audio, the second video, and the second audio, and controls switching between video and audio output from the video / audio output unit; With
When the second remote controller is operated when the first video and the first audio are being output from the video / audio output unit, the video / audio switching unit is configured to output the video / audio output unit. The output video and audio are switched to the second video and third audio (where the third audio is audio obtained by superimposing the first audio with the volume reduced on the second audio). When the first remote controller is operated when the second video and the third audio are output from the video / audio output unit, the output video and audio of the video / audio output unit Is switched to the first video and the first audio.   The video / audio switching unit switches the output video and audio of the video / audio output unit to the first video and the first audio when an arbitrary button of the first remote control is pressed. Item 14. The AV device according to Item 1.   The video / audio switching unit switches the output video and audio of the video / audio output unit to the second video and the third audio when an arbitrary button of the second remote controller is pressed. The AV device according to claim 1 or 2.   The video / audio switching unit stores the volume of the first audio immediately before switching the output audio of the video / audio output unit from the first audio to the third audio, and The volume of the said 1st audio | voice is set to the said memorize | stored volume when returning the output audio | voice of an output part from the said 3rd audio | voice to the said 1st audio | voice. AV equipment.   The video / audio switching unit stores the volume of the third audio immediately before switching the output audio of the video / audio output unit from the third audio to the first audio, and 5. The volume of the third voice is set to the stored volume when the output voice of the output unit is returned from the first voice to the third voice. 6. AV equipment.   The content reproduction unit receives a broadcast signal, selects a desired channel, acquires a broadcast program stream, and decodes the broadcast program stream to generate the first video and the first audio The AV device according to claim 1, further comprising: The content reproduction unit further includes a storage device that stores the broadcast program stream,
The AV device according to claim 6, wherein the codec generates the first video and the first audio by decoding a broadcast program stream read from the storage device.   8. The AV device according to claim 1, further comprising a remote control communication unit that receives a remote control signal that is wirelessly output from the first remote controller and the second remote controller.

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