JP2959300B2 - Broadcast program switching control device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a broadcast program switching control device in a broadcasting facility for switching and transmitting program materials for a broadcast program in accordance with a broadcast schedule.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of broadcast program switching control device includes all controlled devices including a switch and peripheral devices for selecting and outputting a designated program material from a plurality of program materials. A centralized control system is used in which all controllers control the system collectively.

That is, a switching schedule of all controlled devices is managed according to a broadcast schedule, and necessary signals are transmitted to each controlled device according to the schedule.
It is provided with one control device.

The type of controlled device is a type of controlled device that selects and outputs a program material specified by a control signal at a timing at which a switching control signal specifying a program material to be switched is given. (Hereinafter, referred to as a type A controlled device) and, in order to enable high-speed switching, input and hold switching advance information designating a program material of a switching destination, and a timing at which a switching timing signal is input. Thus, there is a type of controlled device (hereinafter, referred to as a type B controlled device) that selects and outputs the program material specified by the held switching advance information.

Therefore, in a broadcasting facility in which controlled devices of different types coexist, a switching schedule for all controlled devices is managed, and a switching time arrives for each type A controlled device according to the schedule. Sends a switching control signal specifying the program material for each
Each of the controlled devices is provided with a single control device that outputs prior switching information before the switching time arrives and outputs a switching timing signal at the timing of the switching time.

[0006]

As described above, conventionally, all the controlled devices are directly controlled by one control device. Therefore, when the broadcasting equipment becomes large and the number of controlled devices increases, However, the load on the control device increases, and the switching timing signal, the switching control destination information, and the switching advance information cannot be transmitted at the required timing, and the switching of the program material is not performed properly.

In such a case, it is sufficient to replace the control device with a control device having a larger processing capacity. However, for this purpose, the operation of the broadcasting equipment must be stopped, which causes a trouble in business.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a broadcast program switching control device of a distributed control system capable of flexibly coping with an increase in the scale of broadcast equipment. It is in.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following configuration (1) or (2).

(1) In a broadcast program switching control apparatus in a broadcasting facility including a controlled device of type A, switching control destination information indicating which program material is to be selected by which controlled device according to a switching schedule is actually switched. A plurality of control devices that operate prior to each other and operate independently of each other; control timing generating means that generates a switching timing signal; and switch control destination information output from the control device. For the controlled device specified by the switched control destination information, a switching control signal to switch to the program material specified by the information is synchronized with a switching timing signal generated from the control timing generating means. And a switching control device for transmitting.

(2) In a broadcast program switching control device in a broadcasting facility including a controlled device of type B, switching control destination information indicating which controlled device is to be used to select a program material according to a switching schedule is actually stored. A plurality of control devices which operate independently of each other, outputting prior to the switching time and outputting prior switching information indicating which program material to select to the controlled device prior to the actual switching time; Control timing generating means for generating a timing signal for use, and switching control destination information output from the control device, and the control timing generating means for a controlled device specified by the input switching control destination information. And a switching control device that outputs a switching timing signal in synchronization with a switching timing signal generated from the switch.

[0012]

In the broadcast program switching control device having the configuration (1), each of the plurality of control devices operating independently of each other performs switching control indicating which program material is to be selected by which controlled device according to the switching schedule. Prior to the actual switching time, the destination information is output to the corresponding switching control device, and the switching control device inputs the switching control destination information output from the control device, and is specified by the input switching control destination information. A switching control signal for switching to the program material specified by the same information is transmitted to the controlled device in synchronization with a switching timing signal generated by the control timing generating means.

[0013] In the broadcast program switching control device of the configuration (2), each of the plurality of control devices operating independently of each other performs switching to indicate which controlled device is to select a program material according to the switching schedule. The control destination information is output prior to the actual switching time, and switching advance information indicating which program material is to be selected is output to the controlled device prior to the actual switching time. And outputs the switching timing signal to the controlled device specified by the input switching control destination information in synchronization with the switching timing signal generated by the control timing generating means. I do.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of a broadcast program switching control device according to the present invention includes a time generation unit 1, control devices 2, 3, 4, a control timing generation unit 5, a switching control device 6, 7 and controlled devices 8 and 9.

The controlled device 9 is a controlled device of type A, includes a switching device and peripheral devices, and is designated by the switching control signal b at the timing when the switching control signal b is given from the switching control device 6. And sends the selected program material.

The controlled device 8 is a controlled device of type B, includes a switching device and a peripheral device, inputs and holds switching advance information e1 or e2 given from the control device 2 or 3, and controls the switching control device. 7, at the timing when the switching timing signal a is given, the program material specified by the held switching advance information e1 or e2 is selected and transmitted.

The switching control device 6 is a device that controls switching between the controlled device 9 and another type A controlled device (not shown), and receives switching control destination information d1 or d2 given from the control device 3 or 4. In synchronization with the switching timing signal g generated by the control timing generator 5, the control target device 9 specified by the switching control destination information d 1 or d 2 is transferred to the program material specified by the information. This is a device that transmits a switching control signal b instructing switching, and then transmits a switching completion notification f3 or f4 to the transmission source of the switching control destination information d1 or d2.

The switching control device 7 is a device for controlling switching of the controlled device 8 and another type B controlled device (not shown), and receives switching control destination information c1 or c2 given from the control device 2 or 3. In synchronization with the switching timing signal g, the switching control destination information c1 or c
This device transmits the switching timing signal a to the controlled device 8 designated by 2 and then transmits the switching completion notification f1 or f2 to the transmission source of the switching control destination information c1 or c2.

The control timing generator 5 is a means for generating a switching timing signal g and supplying it to the switching controllers 6 and 7. The control timing generator 5 is, for example, 1
It comprises means for generating a switching timing signal g every second and means for generating a switching timing signal g when a button (not shown) is pressed.

The time generating section 1 is a means for distributing a time h for switching control schedule management to the control devices 2 to 4.

The control devices 2 to 4 are devices that operate independently. Among these, the control device 2 is for controlling the controlled device of type B, and causes the controlled device to select the program material based on the switching schedule preset in advance and the distributed time h. Prior to the actual switching time, the switching control device 7
, And the switching advance information e1 indicating which program material is to be selected is output to the type B controlled device prior to the actual switching time.

The control device 4 is for controlling a type A controlled device, and allows the controlled device to select which program material based on a switching schedule set in advance and the distributed time h. The switching control destination information d2 indicating whether the switching control device is of type A is output prior to the actual switching time.

Further, the control device 3 is a type A and a type B
Is a device which can control the controlled devices together, and the control device 2
And the functions of the control device 4.

Hereinafter, the operation of the broadcast program switching control device of this embodiment will be described.

Now, a part of the switching schedule of the program material transmitted by the controlled device 9 of type A is set in the control device 4, and the part of the switching schedule of the program material transmitted by the controlled device 8 of type B is part of the switching schedule. It is assumed that the switching schedule is set in the control device 2 and the remaining portions of both switching schedules are set in the control device 3.

Each of the control devices 2 to 4 has a switching time indicated by the internally set switching schedule and a distribution time h.
The following operations are performed when the time comes before the switching time by a predetermined time.

The control device 2 outputs prior switching information e1 indicating which program material is to be switched to the controlled device 8 for switching the program material in accordance with the switching schedule, and controls the controlled device 8 The switch control destination information c1 specifying the controlled device 8 is transmitted to the switching control device 7 to be controlled.

In accordance with the switching schedule, the control device 4 controls the switching control device 6 for controlling the controlled device 9 for switching the program material.
Sends the switching control destination information d2 indicating which program material is to be switched.

The control device 3 performs the same operation as the control device 4 for the type A controlled device 9 and the same operation as the control device 2 for the type B controlled device 8 in accordance with the switching schedule. Perform the operation.

When the switching control device information c1 or c2 is sent from the control device 2 or 3, the switching control device 7 stores it internally and waits for the arrival of a switching timing signal g.

When the switching control destination information d1 or d2 is sent from the control device 3 or 4, the switching control device 6 stores the information therein and waits for the arrival of a switching timing signal g.

When the prior switching information e1 or e2 is sent from the control device 2 or 3, the controlled device 8 of type B stores it internally and waits for the switching timing signal a to be sent. . The controlled device 9 of type A is waiting for the switching control signal b to be sent.

Thereafter, when a switching timing signal g is generated from the control timing generator 5, the switching controller 7
Sends the switching timing signal a to the controlled device 8 in accordance with the switching control destination information c1 or c2 held therein. As a result, the controlled device 8 switches and transmits the program material according to the location indicated by the switching advance information e1 or e2 held therein. Thereafter, the switching control device 7 sends the switching completion notification f1 or f2 to the control device 2 or 3
To send to.

The switching control device 6 also controls the controlled device 9 in accordance with the switching control destination information d1 or d2 held therein.
Sends a switching control signal b. As a result, the controlled device 9 switches and transmits the program material according to the location indicated by the switching control signal b. Thereafter, the switching control device 6
Sends the switching completion notification f3 or f4 to the control device 3 or 4.

By performing the above operations,
Switching of the program material is performed in the controlled devices 8 and 9 according to the switching schedule.

[0037]

As described above, according to the broadcast program switching control device of the present invention, one control device does not directly control all controlled devices, but performs switching control destination information and switching control according to a switching schedule. Since the controlled devices are controlled by a plurality of independent control devices that output advance information and a switching control device that controls switching of the controlled devices in response to the switching control destination information from the control devices, load distribution is reduced. Will be possible.

Further, the switching timing based on the switching control destination information and the switching advance information generated by the plurality of control devices that operate independently of each other is determined by the switching timing generated by the control timing generating means provided commonly to the equipment. Since the timing is synchronized with the timing signal, the switching can be performed at a uniform timing throughout the broadcasting equipment.

Further, since each control device is provided with an independent control device, it is possible to adopt a redundant configuration in which when one of the control devices fails, another control device takes over, and when the load increases. It is also possible to flexibly add a new control device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a main part configuration diagram of an embodiment of a broadcast program switching control device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Time generation part 2,3,4 ... Control device 5 ... Control timing generation part 6,7 ... Switching control device 8,9 ... Controlled equipment a ... Switching timing signal b ... Switching control signal c1, c2, d1, d2 ... Switching control destination information e1, e2... Switching advance information f1 to f4... Switching completion notification g.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A broadcast program switching control device in a broadcast facility including a controlled device that selects and outputs a program material specified by a switching control signal at a timing at which a switching control signal designating a switching destination program material is supplied. A plurality of control devices that operate independently of each other and that output switching control destination information indicating which controlled device and which program material is to be selected in accordance with the switching schedule prior to the actual switching time; Control timing generating means for generating a timing signal, and switching control destination information output from the control device,
For the controlled device specified by the input switching control destination information, a switching control signal for switching to the program material specified by the information is synchronized with a switching timing signal generated by the control timing generating means. And a switching control device for transmitting the broadcast program. 2. A switching advance information designating a switching destination program material is inputted and held, and at a timing when a switching timing signal is inputted, a program material designated by the held switching advance information is selected and output. A broadcast program switching control device for a broadcasting facility including a controlled device, which outputs switching control destination information indicating which controlled device is to be used to select a program material according to a switching schedule prior to an actual switching time and A plurality of control devices operating independently of each other, which output the prior switching information to the controlled device prior to an actual switching time; control timing generating means for generating a switching timing signal; Input the switching control destination information output from
A switching control device that outputs the switching timing signal in synchronization with a switching timing signal generated by the control timing generation means for the controlled device specified by the input switching control destination information. Characteristic broadcast program switching control device.