JP3060877B2 - Multimedia scenario playback 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 video and audio reproducing apparatus, and more particularly to a video and audio information digitally encoded in a predetermined format based on a multimedia scenario describing a synchronous relationship between video and audio information. The present invention relates to a multimedia scenario playback device that decodes and plays back information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the development of data compression technology, video information of not only still images but also moving images is stored in a storage medium together with audio information and read out to provide information when necessary for reproduction. A system for transmitting read information to a predetermined terminal via a communication line has been developed. IS
As a system for communicating characters, video, audio, and the like between a server and a client using a communication path such as a DN or a LAN, there is a system disclosed in, for example, JP-A-6-95626. According to the technology of the publication, media data management means is provided for each of video information and audio information, and when data preparation in all management means is completed,
Playback of the multimedia scenario is started.

[0003]

In the above conventional example, the reproduction of the multimedia scenario is started after the data preparation in all the management means is completed, so that the time required for the server to complete the data transfer preparation, The user is kept waiting on the multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus only for the transmission time on the digital line, and there is a problem that the usability is not good. That is,
If the encoded video and audio information data is supplied from the server to the terminal via a communication line and the terminal decodes and reproduces the received data, skip forward or backward as desired by the user. At the time of reproduction, the user has to wait for the time required for the data transfer preparation to be completed in the server, and there is a problem that a waiting time is generated every time skipping is performed. When the supplied data is software such as a movie, the user has to wait until the skip destination information is heard and heard. Therefore, it is desired to improve such a reproducing apparatus used as a terminal.

Therefore, the present invention provides a multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus that receives information from a server, and instructs a user to skip forward or backward in a multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus in real time so that the user is not aware of the delay time. An object of the present invention is to provide a multimedia scenario playback device capable of skip playback.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, when a multimedia scenario is reproduced by a multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus, fragmented video information and audio information transmitted from a server are reproduced. Is received in advance by a predetermined amount and stored in the storage unit, and a scenario management unit that controls reading from the storage unit based on the user's skip instruction is provided so that the user is not aware of the delay time.

That is, according to the present invention, a digital line is connected to a server that stores video information and audio information digitally encoded in a predetermined format and a multimedia scenario that describes the synchronous relationship between the video information and audio information. A multimedia scenario reproducing unit that receives the video information and the audio information and the multimedia scenario from the server, and decodes and reproduces the video information and the audio information based on a synchronization relationship indicated by the multimedia scenario. An apparatus, comprising: a network control unit that receives the video information, the audio information, and the multimedia scenario via the digital line; and a first storage unit that temporarily stores the video information received by the network control unit. A buffer memory; A second buffer memory for temporarily storing the audio information, a first address register for managing the write address of the first buffer memory,
A second address register that manages a write address of the second buffer memory, a first decoding unit that decodes the video information read from the first buffer memory, and a second buffer Second decoding means for decoding the audio information read from the memory, scenario storage means for temporarily storing the multimedia scenario received by the network control means, and a reproduction mode instruction from a user Input means for receiving the video information and the audio information from the multimedia scenario stored in the scenario storage means, and retrieves the desired video information and audio from the server to the network control means. A request is made to receive information prior to each segment, and the reproduction mode input to the input means is input. Scenario management means for controlling the first address register and the second address register to write the video information and the audio information to the first buffer memory and the second buffer memory in accordance with the instructions of , A multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus having the same.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the scenario management means extracts the synchronous relationship between the video information and the audio information from the multimedia scenario, receives the video information and the audio information data from the server in advance, and stores the data in the first buffer memory. Is stored in the second buffer memory, and the stored data is sent to the first decoding means and the second decoding means. After being decoded, the data becomes visible to the user. Is
Since the pre-reception of the fragmented video information and audio information is performed independently of the user's instruction, the fragmented information is held in the storage unit, and the required fragmented information is read from the storage unit in accordance with the user's skip reproduction instruction. Even if skip playback is performed in the forward or backward direction, the user does not have to wait.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a preferred example of a system configuration of a multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus according to the present invention. The whole is 1
The multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus indicated by 2 can be connected to a server (not shown) (including a host computer constituting a station) via a digital line. The multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus includes a network control means 1, first and second buffer memories 2, 3, first and second address registers 4, 5, first and second decoding means 6, 7, scenario storage. It has means 8, scenario management means 9, and input means 10.

The network control means 1 performs data transmission processing with a server via a digital line. The first buffer memory 2 is connected to the network control means 1, and the video data transmitted from the server is temporarily stored via the network control means 1. The second buffer memory is likewise connected to the network control means 1,
The audio data transmitted from the server is temporarily stored via the network control means 1. The first address register 4 specifies a write block number of the first buffer memory 2 based on an instruction from the scenario management means 9.
Similarly, the second address register 5 stores the scenario management means 9.
, The write block number of the second buffer memory 3 is designated.

The first decoding means 6 is connected to the first buffer memory 2, decodes video data encoded in a predetermined format, converts it into an analog signal, and sends it to a signal processing circuit (not shown). . The second decoding means 7 is connected to the second buffer memory, decodes audio data encoded in a predetermined format, converts the audio data into an analog signal, and sends the analog signal to the signal processing circuit. These decoding means 6 and 7 are provided with an error correction circuit, a D / D
It has an A converter and the like. The scenario storage means 8 is connected to the network control means 1 and the scenario management means 9, and the multimedia scenario is temporarily stored via the network control means 1. The scenario management means 9 requests the network control means 1 to receive desired video information and audio information from the server, retrieves the multimedia scenario from the scenario storage means 8, and retrieves the number of video information and audio information fragments. Is calculated, and the first address register 4 and the second address register 5 are controlled.

In the above configuration, for example, an INS net 64 can be used as a digital line. The video information and audio information transmitted from the server are stored in a predetermined compression encoding format (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, JPEG
And the like, and are stored in a storage medium such as an optical disk. The network control means 1 has a function of performing communication with a server according to a predetermined communication protocol and receiving desired information of a user from the server. As the first buffer memory 2 for holding the video information in the received data, for example, a memory of about 4 MB can be used. Similarly, as the second buffer memory 3 for holding audio information, for example, a memory of about 4 MB can be used. Further, as the scenario storage means 8 for holding a scenario described later in the received data, for example, a memory of about 1 MB can be used.

The input means 10 includes an operation panel or a remote control device for the user to select a reproduction mode or to instruct a forward / backward skip (jump for each chapter in movie software or the like). The scenario management means 9 issues a command for receiving information from the server to the network control means 1 in accordance with an instruction from the input means 10 and controls the first and second address registers 4 and 5 to control the first and second buffer memories. It controls the writing of received data to 2, 3. The scenario management means 9 can be composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an interface, a ROM, a RAM, and the like.

FIG. 2A is a description example of a multimedia scenario included in information transmitted from a server.
This description example is composed of 12 lines. The first character string in each line starts with S or T, followed by a number.
S means that the line is defined as a skip point. T means that it is not a skip point. The number following S or T is the time,
The unit is seconds. The second and subsequent character strings in each line mean the unit name of video information or audio information and its operation. The reproduction start is PLAY, and the reproduction stop is STOP.

The scenario will be described in detail. (1) The first line is a skip point, and at time 0, playback of VIDEO # 1 as video data (video unit) is started, and AUDI as audio data (audio unit) is started.
The reproduction of O # 1 is started. (2) The second line is not a skip point but time 10
, The reproduction of VIDEO # 1 as video data is stopped, and the reproduction of AUDIO # 1 as audio data is stopped. (3) The third line is a skip point, and at time 15, playback of video data VIDEO # 2 is started. (4) The fourth line is not a skip point, but at time 20, playback of audio data AUDIO # 2 is started. (5) The fifth line is not a skip point, but at time 25, the reproduction of audio data AUDIO # 2 is stopped. (6) The sixth line is not a skip point, but stops reproduction of video data VIDEO # 2 at time 30. (7) The same applies to the seventh to twelfth lines.

FIG. 2B schematically shows the start and stop of reproduction of video information and audio information when the multimedia scenario of FIG. 2A is reproduced. The horizontal axis is the time axis.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining how video data is stored in the first buffer memory 2 when the multimedia scenario shown in FIG. 2A is reproduced. FIG. 3A shows an example in which the number of pieces of video information in the multimedia scenario is four, and the first buffer memory 2 is divided into eight in the depth direction. The first buffer memory 2 is divided into 4 × 8 blocks. Each block is specified by an upper address and a lower address. The block number of the upper address = 0 and the lower address = 0 is 0-0. Upper address = 0, Lower address =
The block number of 1 is 0-1. The same applies to the following, and the block number of upper address = 3 and lower address = 7 is 3
−7.

FIG. 3 (b) shows the contents of the first buffer memory 2 immediately after starting the advance reception of video data from the server in order to reproduce a multimedia scenario. Block number 0- of the first buffer memory
0, the first block # 10 of the video data VIDEO # 1
0 is stored. (B) of FIG.
In (i) of FIG. 4, a shaded portion indicates that data is stored, and a blank portion other than that indicates that no data is stored. FIG. 3C is a continuation of FIG. 3B, and the block addresses 0-0 of the first buffer memory are shown.
In the first block # 100 of the video data VIDEO # 1,
Is stored, and the video data VID is stored in the block number 1-0.
The first block # 200 of EO # 2 is stored, and the first block # 300 of video data VIDEO # 3 is stored in the block number 2-0.

FIG. 3D is a continuation of FIG. 3C, in which block addresses 0-0 of the first buffer memory are stored.
In the first block # 100 of the video data VIDEO # 1,
Is stored, and the video data VID is stored in the block number 1-0.
The first block # 200 of EO # 2 is stored, the first block # 300 of video data VIDEO # 3 is stored in block number 2-0, and the first block # 400 of video data VIDEO # 4 is stored in block number 3-0. Is stored. Similarly, the video data VI is stored in the block number 3-3.
The fourth block # 403 of DEO # 4 is stored.
(E) of FIG. 3 is a continuation of (d) of FIG. 3. Since the user has started the reproduction of the multimedia scenario, the reproduction of VIDEO # 1, which is the video data at the head of the scenario, is started and the block number 0 is displayed. Data # stored in −0
100 is sent to the first decoding means 6 and is empty. Since the precedent reception from the server is performed in parallel, the block numbers 0-4, 1-4, 2-4, and 3-4 are used.
Video data blocks # 104, # 204, #
304 and # 404 are stored.

FIG. 4 (f) is a continuation of FIG. 3 (e). Since the user has skipped twice during the reproduction of the multimedia scenario, the reproduction of the video data VIDEO # 1 is performed in the video data block #. Suspended just before 103,
Video data VIDEO # which is a second skip point
3 is started, and the data # 300 stored in the block number 2-0 is sent to the first decoding means 6, and
It is empty. Since the precedent reception from the server is performed in parallel, the block numbers 0-5, 1-5, 2-5,
3-5, video data blocks # 105 and # 105, respectively.
205, # 305, and # 405 are stored. (G) of FIG. 4 is a continuation of (f) of FIG.
The reproduction of DEO # 3 proceeds, and the data block up to the data block immediately before data block # 304 is sent to the first decoding means 6 and is empty. Since the preceding reception from the server is performed in parallel, the block numbers 0-7, 1-7, 2-
7, 3-7, respectively, video data block # 10
7, # 207, # 307, and # 407 are stored.

FIG. 4H is a continuation of FIG. 4G, in which the reproduction of the video data VIDEO # 3 proceeds and the first data block up to the data block immediately before the video data block # 305 is shown.
Are sent to the decoding means 6 and are empty. Preceding reception from the server is performed in parallel, but since data is stored up to the last block in the depth direction of the first buffer memory 2, wraparound is performed, and video data is stored from the first block. Since the video information stored at the upper address = 0 is not being reproduced, the data of the first block # 100 of VIDEO # 1 is received and the block number 0 is received.
Store to −0. The block with the upper address = 1 does not receive data because there is no empty block. Since the video information stored at the upper address = 2 is being reproduced,
The ninth block # 308 of VIDEO # 3 is stored.
The block with the upper address = 4 does not receive data because there is no empty block.

FIG. 4 (i) is a continuation of FIG. 4 (h). The reproduction of the video data VIDEO # 3 proceeds, and the first decoding means 6 extends to the data block immediately before the data block # 306. And is empty. Since the precedent reception from the server is performed in parallel, the upper address =
Block # 101 of video data VIDEO # 1 is stored in block number 0-1 of 0, and block # 309 of video data VIDEO # 3 is stored in block number 2-1 of upper address = 2. In addition, data reception is not performed for the block of the upper address = 1 or 3, since there is no empty block. Note that the manner in which audio data is stored in the second buffer memory 3 is the same.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a bit configuration of the first address register 4. As shown in FIG. The first address register 4 is composed of a total of 5 bits. The upper 2 bits indicate the upper address of the first buffer memory 2 and the lower 3 bits
The bit means a lower address of the first buffer memory 3. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the process of precedently receiving the video data in the scenario management means 9. FIGS. 3B to 4I show the case where the operation is performed according to this flowchart. ing.

The scenario management means 9 reads out the multimedia scenario from the scenario storage means 8 and calculates the number of video information fragments (step S101). In the example of FIG. 2A, the number of fragments is four. 0 is set to variables m and n as initial values (steps S102 and S10).
3). The value of the variable m is set in the upper address register of the first address register 4, and the value of the variable n is set in the lower address register of the first address register 4 (steps S104 and S105). It is determined whether the block of the block number indicated by the first address register 4 is empty (step S106). If not empty, variable m
Is added to (step S110). If empty, it is determined whether or not the video data stored in the block with the variable n = 0 and the upper address m is being reproduced (step S107).

If yes in step S107, after receiving one block of video data from the previous time (step S108), 1 is added to the variable m (step S11).
0). If no, one block is received from the beginning of the video data (step S109), and 1 is added to the variable m (step S110). It is determined whether or not the variable m has become larger than the number of fragments−1 (step S111). If not, the process returns to step S104. If it has increased, 0 is set for the variable m (step S112), and 1 is added to the variable n (step S113). It is determined whether or not the variable n has become larger than the maximum value of the upper address (step S114), and if not, the process returns to step S104. If it has become larger, the process returns to step S102.

The same applies to the flow chart for explaining the processing for precedently receiving audio data in the scenario management means 9. Further, in the above embodiment, the depth of the first buffer memory 2 is set to 8, but is not limited to 8.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When the multimedia scenario is played back by the multimedia scenario playback device by receiving information from the server, prior to receiving the segmented video information and audio information irrespective of the user's instruction, the information is stored in the storage means. Since the information is stored and the necessary fragmented information is read from the storage unit in accordance with the user's skip reproduction instruction, the user does not have to wait and does not become aware of the delay time even when performing skip reproduction in the forward or backward direction. You can do so.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

2A is a diagram illustrating a description example of a multimedia scenario in the embodiment of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating reproduction of video information and audio information when the multimedia scenario of FIG. It is the figure which showed the start and stop typically.

3A is a schematic diagram illustrating a relationship between an address and a storage area of a first buffer memory 2 in the embodiment of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3B to 3E are diagrams illustrating images stored in the first buffer memory 2; FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining how data is stored.

FIG. 4 (f) to (i) following (b) to (e) in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining how video data is stored in a first buffer memory 2.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a bit configuration of a first address register 4 in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a process of receiving video data in advance in the scenario management means 9 in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Network control means 2, 3 Buffer memory 4, 5 Address register 6, 7, Decoding means 8 Scenario storage means 9 Scenario management means 10 Input means 12 Multimedia scenario playback device

Continuation of front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 5/76-5/956 H03M 7/00 H04N ^7/ 14-7/173 H04N ^7/ 24-7/68

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A digital line which can be connected to a server which stores video information and audio information digitally encoded in a predetermined format and a multimedia scenario describing a synchronous relationship between the video information and audio information. A multimedia scenario playback device that receives video information and audio information and the multimedia scenario from the server, and decodes and plays back the video information and audio information based on a synchronization relationship indicated by the multimedia scenario. A network control unit that receives the video information, the audio information, and the multimedia scenario via the digital line; a first buffer memory that temporarily stores the video information received by the network control unit; The audio information received by the network control means is A second buffer memory that temporarily stores, a first address register that manages a write address of the first buffer memory, a second address register that manages a write address of the second buffer memory, A first decoding unit for decoding the video information read from the first buffer memory; a second decoding unit for decoding the audio information read from the second buffer memory; Scenario storage means for temporarily storing the multimedia scenario received by the network control means; input means for receiving a reproduction mode instruction from a user; and the multimedia scenario stored in the scenario storage means. The synchronous relationship between the video information and the audio information is extracted from the A request is made from the server to receive desired video information and audio information prior to each segment, and the first buffer memory and the second buffer memory are stored in accordance with a reproduction mode instruction input to the input means. A multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus, comprising: scenario management means for controlling the first address register and the second address register to write the video information and the audio information. 2. The scenario management means calculates the number of units of each of the video information and the audio information from the description content of the multimedia scenario, and according to the calculation result, the first buffer memory and the second 2. The multimedia scenario playback device according to claim 1, wherein the multimedia scenario playback device is configured to control the first address register and the second address register to manage two buffer memories.