JP3191856B2 - Information storage output device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to information, especially to images,
The present invention relates to an information storage and output device for audio information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is an accumulation output method in which program information including images and sounds is stored in a memory, and read out from the memory and output as necessary. In this method, since images and sounds have a large amount of information, they are compressed and coded before being stored in the memory, and the coded data is stored in the memory, thereby reducing the amount of memory and lowering the input / output rate of the memory. There is a way to do that.

[0003] Compression encoding of images and sounds is characterized in that generally, when the compression ratio is increased, the quality and workability during decoding and reproduction deteriorate. That is, in order to improve the compression ratio, the quantization is made coarse in encoding, or the encoded block length is increased by predictive coding such as inter-frame predictive coding.

For this reason, when high quality is required at the time of decoding and reproduction, or when workability of encoded data is required, it is necessary to perform compression encoding at a low compression ratio. on the other hand,
When the encoded data read from the memory is recorded and reproduced on another storage medium or transmitted to a transmission path, the encoding rate may be limited.

For example, ATM (Asynchronous Transfer)
Mode, asynchronous transfer mode), it is difficult to secure a high transmission rate line during congestion, and a low transmission rate line must be used. For low transmission rate circuits,
It is necessary to output encoded data encoded at a high compression rate corresponding to the transmission rate. As described above, it is necessary to meet two requirements for the encoding of one program, namely, the compression ratio due to the quality and workability at the time of decoding and reproduction, and the compression ratio due to the requirement of the transmission rate.

[0006]

However, in the conventional method and apparatus, when images and sounds are compressed and coded and stored in a memory, they are coded at a predetermined coding rate by a predetermined coding method for each program. Because it had accumulated
The above request could not be met.

[0007]

As a first solution to this problem, a plurality of encoded data generated by encoding one program by a plurality of compression encoding methods is stored in a memory such as a hard disk. If necessary, one of the encoded data is selected, read out from the memory, and output. Further, if the coding rate of the plurality of coded data stored in the memory does not match the output rate, for example, the transmission rate of the secured line, the coded data having a coding rate lower than the output rate is selected, and the output rate and Dummy data is added only for the difference rate of the coding rate and output.

[0008] As a second solution, first encoded data generated by encoding a program by a first encoding method with a high encoding rate is stored in a memory, and a first encoded data read from the memory is stored. The encoded data is output as a reduced encoding rate as necessary. If the desired output rate is equal to the first encoded data stored in the memory, the first encoded data stored in the memory is output. Further, when the encoding rate of the encoded data stored in the memory is lower than the output rate, the dummy data is added and output by the difference rate between the output rate and the encoding rate.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment of an Information Storage and Output Device of the Present Invention
Will be sequentially described below with reference to the drawings. FIG.
Is a first embodiment of the information storage and output device of the present invention.
The program information including the moving image and the sound is transmitted from the terminal 2
Each of the N encoders 31 is supplied to the encoder 3N. Each of the encoders 31 to 3N encodes program information according to a different encoding method and encoding rate in accordance with an instruction from the storage controller 6 to generate encoded data.

For example, M standardized by ISO / IEC
According to the encoding method of the PEG standard (ISO / IEC 11172), the encoder 31 encodes all frames of a moving image at an encoding rate of 50 Mbps by intra-frame encoding, and encodes 384 kbps audio by layer 2 encoding. At a coding rate, and generates 53 Mbps coded data including additional information for multiplexing the coded video and audio.

The encoder 32 encodes the moving image at a coding rate of 6 Mbps by allocating intra-frame coding, forward inter-frame predictive coding, and bi-directional inter-frame coding at predetermined intervals for each frame. The audio is encoded at a coding rate of 256 kbps by Layer 2 encoding, and encoded data of 7 Mbps is generated including additional information for multiplexing the encoded moving image and audio.

In the encoder 33, the resolution of the supplied moving image is reduced by filtering, and the number of pixels is reduced for each thinned-out frame by intra-frame coding, forward inter-frame prediction coding, and bidirectional inter-frame coding. At a coding rate of 1.2 Mbps.

The voice is 192 kbp by layer 2 coding.
s at an encoding rate of 1.5 s, including additional information for multiplexing the encoded video and audio,
Is generated. The coded data generated by the coder 31 to the coder 3N are respectively supplied to the changeover switch 4 according to the instruction from the storage controller 6.
And the data is stored in a predetermined area of the storage memory 5.

In this switching, the same program information may be supplied N times and stored in the storage memory 5 sequentially from the coded data from the encoder 31. Alternatively, the input allowable rate of the storage memory 5 may be changed for each code. If it is larger than the sum of the encoding rates of the encoded data output from the encoders, a buffer memory is provided at the output stage of each encoder, and the changeover switch 4 is switched according to the accumulation amount of the buffer memory to store the data in the accumulation memory 5. It may be accumulated.

[0015] In this way, the coded data coded with different coding methods and coding rates for one program is stored in the storage memory 5. Further, it encodes a plurality of programs within the range of the memory amount of the accumulation memory 5 and accumulates encoded data.

On the other hand, the output controller 8 inputs output request information indicating a program to be output, an encoding method of encoded data, and an output rate among a plurality of programs. Here, the output rate of the encoded data is, for example, a transmission rate of a line for transmitting the output data.

The output controller 6 responds to the output request information by
One of a plurality of encoded data of a plurality of programs stored in the storage memory 5 is selected. Here, the coding rate of the selected coded data is equal to or lower than the output rate specified by the output request information.

In addition, by selecting encoded data having the closest encoding rate below the specified output rate, unnecessary image quality deterioration can be suppressed. The coded data selected by the output controller 8 is sequentially read from a predetermined area of the storage memory 5 according to the instruction of the output controller 8 and temporarily stored in the buffer memory 7, and the output rate adjuster 9 and the changeover switch 10 To supply. Here, the buffer memory 7 includes a reading speed from the storage memory 5 and an output rate adjuster 9.
And is used to match the supply speed to the changeover switch 10.

According to the instruction from the output controller 8, the output rate adjuster 9 intermittently outputs the encoded data so as to be equal to the output rate when the encoding rate of the encoded data is lower than the specified output rate. Add dummy data,
It is supplied to the changeover switch 10. Changeover switch 10
Is connected to the terminal a of the changeover switch 10 when the coding rate of the coded data is equal to the specified output rate, and is set to the changeover switch when the coding rate of the coded data is lower than the specified output rate. It connects to the terminal b of 10 and outputs.

The output controller 8, the buffer memory 7,
It has a plurality of read-out output units consisting of an output rate adjuster 9 and a changeover switch 10, and is connected to the storage memory 5 in a time-division manner. Each read-out output unit calculates the sum of the coding rates of the coded data read out from the storage memory 5. An information storage device having a plurality of outputs by reading encoded data from the storage memory 5 at a high rate is also included in the present invention.

Next, the second embodiment of the information storage / output device of the present invention will be described.
Will be sequentially described below with reference to the drawings. FIG.
Is a second embodiment of the information storage and output device of the present invention.
Program information including a moving image and audio is supplied to the encoder 3 from the input terminal 2. In accordance with an instruction from the storage controller 6, the encoder 3 encodes program information supplied at a predetermined encoding method and encoding rate to generate encoded data.

For example, M standardized by ISO / IEC
According to the encoding method of the PEG standard (ISO / IEC 11172), all frames of a moving image are encoded at a coding rate of 50 Mbps by intra-frame encoding, and audio is encoded at an encoding rate of 384 kbps by layer 2 encoding. . 53 Mbps encoded data is generated including additional information for multiplexing the encoded moving image and audio.

The encoded data generated by the encoder 3 is stored in a predetermined area of the storage memory 5 in accordance with an instruction from the storage controller 6. Further, it encodes a plurality of programs within the range of the memory amount of the accumulation memory 5 and accumulates encoded data.

On the other hand, the output controller 8 is supplied from the input terminal 12 with output request information indicating a program to be output among a plurality of programs, an encoding method of encoded data, and an output rate. Here, the output rate of the encoded data is, for example, a transmission rate of a line for transmitting the output data.

The output of the output controller 8 is supplied to the storage memory 5 and the buffer memory 7, and according to the output request information,
One of the coded data of a plurality of programs stored in the storage memory 5 is selected. From the buffer memory 7,
The selected and read encoded data is supplied to the changeover switch 10, the decoder 13, and the output rate adjuster 15, respectively.

The decoder 13 decodes the encoded data and supplies the signal to the encoder 14. Encoder 1
4 encodes the decoded program using an encoding method and an encoding rate according to an instruction from the output controller 8.

For example, when the encoding rate of the output request information is 1.5 Mbps, the encoder 14 reduces the resolution of the supplied moving image by filtering to reduce the number of pixels for each thinned frame. In addition, coding is performed at a coding rate of 1.2 Mbps by coding that allocates forward interframe predictive coding and bidirectional interframe coding at a predetermined cycle.

The speech is 192 kb by layer 2 coding.
1.5 Mbps including additional information for multiplexing the encoded video and audio at an encoding rate of ps.
Is generated. The output rate adjuster 15
If the coding rate of the coded data is lower than the specified output rate, dummy data is added to the coded data until a predetermined output rate is reached.

The decoder 13 and the encoder 14 of the second embodiment of the information storage and output device of the present invention have the configuration shown in FIG. 3, and the decoder 13 It comprises a demultiplexer 21 supplied from the memory 7, and a video decoder 22 and an audio decoder 23 supplied with the output separated by the demultiplexer 21. The encoder 14 includes a video encoder 24 to which an output from the video decoder 22 is supplied, an audio encoder 25 to which an output from the audio decoder 23 is supplied, Vessel 24
Multiplexor 26 to which the outputs of the audio encoder 25 are supplied
It is composed of

In addition to the above configuration, as a third embodiment of the information storage / output device of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, the output of the demultiplexer 31 is directly supplied to the multiplexer 36. Some of them are described below. The decoder 13 includes a demultiplexer 31 to which a signal is supplied from the buffer memory 7 and a video decoder 32 to which an output demultiplexed by the demultiplexer 31 is supplied. Further, the encoder 14 includes a video encoder 34 to which the output from the video decoder 32 is supplied, and a video encoder 3
4 and an output of the encoded voice data separated by the demultiplexer 31.

For example, when the encoding rate of the output request information is 1.8 Mbps, the decoder 13 demultiplexes the encoded video data and the encoded audio data by the demultiplexer 31. Then, the encoded moving image data is decoded by the video decoder 32 to decode the encoded moving image. The decoded moving image is supplied to the video encoder 34. In the video encoder 34, the resolution of the decoded moving image from the decoder 32 is reduced by filter processing to thin out the number of pixels, and intra-frame encoding, forward inter-frame prediction encoding, and bidirectional inter-frame prediction are performed for each frame. The coding is performed at a coding rate of 1.2 Mbps by coding that allocates the coding in a predetermined cycle.

The encoded video data and the demultiplexer 31
Is supplied to the multiplexer 36. The coded audio data is supplied to the multiplexer 36 without any processing for lowering the rate. And
The encoder 14 generates 1.8 Mbps encoded data including additional information for multiplexing the encoded moving image data and the encoded audio data from the decoder 13.

That is, in accordance with the output request information, the decoder 13 demultiplexes the encoded program data into individual encoded video data and encoded audio data and decodes at least one or more encoded data. And supplies the decoded data and other encoded data to the encoder 14. Then, the encoder 14 encodes the decoded data according to the output request information, and multiplexes the decoded data with other encoded data to generate predetermined encoded program data.

As described in each embodiment, the selected coded data (the signal output to the terminal a of the changeover switch 10) and the coded data re-encoded by the encoder 14 (the terminal of the changeover switch 10). c output signal),
From the encoded data to which the dummy data has been added by the output rate adjuster 15 (the signal output to the terminal b of the changeover switch 10), the output controller 8 according to the output request information
, One of which is selected by the changeover switch 10 and output.

The output controller 8, the buffer memory 7,
A decoder 13, an encoder 14, an output rate adjuster 15,
It has a plurality of read-out output units consisting of a changeover switch 10,
Connection to the storage memory 5 is made in a time-division manner, and a plurality of outputs are read by reading out the coded data from the storage memory 5 at a rate higher than the sum of the coding rates of the coded data read from the storage memory 5 at each readout output unit. The present invention also includes an information storage device having the same.

[0036]

According to the present invention, at least one or more images, or
A plurality of coded data is generated by a plurality of coding methods for a program including audio, the plurality of coded data is stored in a memory, and one is selected from the plurality of coded data stored in the plurality of memories. By outputting the encoded data, encoded data of a program can be output according to the requirements of the quality and workability at the time of decoding and reproduction, and the transmission rate.

A plurality of encoded data is generated from a program including at least one or more images or sounds by a plurality of encoding methods, the plurality of encoded data is stored in a memory, and the plurality of encoded data is stored in the plurality of memories. By selecting one from a plurality of encoded data, and adding the dummy data to the encoded data read from the memory and outputting at a higher encoding rate, the quality, workability, and transmission at the time of decoding and reproduction are transmitted. It is possible to output encoded data of a program according to a request for a transmission rate, and to output the encoded data at an arbitrary encoding rate equal to or higher than the minimum encoding rate of a plurality of encoded data of the stored program.

Further, at least one image or a program including audio is encoded by a first encoding method to generate first encoded data, and the first encoded data is stored in a memory. And the first stored in the memory
And decodes the decoded data by encoding the decoded program by a second encoding method to generate second encoded data, and outputting the second encoded data. The encoded data of the program can be output at an arbitrary encoding rate that accumulates the encoded data of the program according to the requirements of the quality and workability at the time of the encoded reproduction, and the encoded data stored in the memory is one for one program. , It is possible to reduce the required memory amount.

Further, at least one image or a program including audio is encoded by a first encoding method to generate first encoded data, and the first encoded data is stored in a memory. Reading and decoding the first encoded data stored in the memory, encoding the decoded program by a second encoding method to generate second encoded data, Dummy data is added to encoded data to generate third encoded data, and the first encoded data, the second encoded data, and the third encoded data are switched and output according to predetermined conditions. By doing so, if the encoded data of the program according to the requirements of the quality and workability at the time of decoding and reproduction and the transmission rate of transmission is equal to or higher than the encoding rate of the first encoded data, the image quality is not degraded by re-encoding. Any Together can be output by the coding rate, coding data to be stored in memory for a good one for one program, it can be reduced the amount of memory required.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a block configuration of a first embodiment of an information storage and output device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a block configuration of a second embodiment of the information storage and output device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific block configuration of a decoder and an encoder according to a second embodiment of the information storage / output device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific block configuration of a decoder and an encoder according to a third embodiment of the information storage / output device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Information storage output device 2 Program information input terminal 3,14,31-3N Encoder 4,10 Changeover switch 5 Storage memory 6 Storage controller 7 Buffer memory 8 Output controller 9,15 Output rate adjuster 11 Encoded data Output terminal 12 Output request information input terminal 13 Decoder 21, 31 Demultiplexer Q 22, 32 Video (video) decoder 23 Audio (audio) decoder 24, 34 Video (video) encoder 25 Audio (Audio) encoder 26,36 Multiplexer

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. Program information including at least one image or sound at a plurality of encoding rates.
Re and coding means for generating a plurality of coded data, means for storing said plurality of encoded data in the storage memory, in response to the output request information for instructing the output rate, before
A plurality of encoded data stored in the serial storage memory, wherein
Code with a coding rate that is less than or equal to the indicated output rate of
Means for selecting and reading one of the coded data . 2. The information storage and output device according to claim 1 , further comprising means for adding dummy data to the encoded data read from said storage memory to increase the encoding rate. Output device. 3. Even without least one one or more images, or means for generating a first encoded data by encoding the program information including voice, storing said first encoded data in the storage memory Means for decoding the first coded data read from the storage memory , and program information for decoding the first coded data.
The encoding rate for re-encoding is
The first encoded data corresponding to the output request information
Lower than the coding rate of the means for generating the data
Setting means for coding rate to be set to the rate, set by the setting means of the coding rate coding rate
Depending on the decoded program information encoded again to the information storage output device comprising means for generating, by comprising the second coded data. 4. The information storage and output device according to claim 3 , wherein the means for decoding the first encoded data comprises: a demultiplexer; and a video encoder among outputs of the demultiplexer. and a video decoder which data is supplied, before Symbol means for generating a second coded data includes a video encoder output of the video decoder is supplied, the video encoder And a multiplexer to which the encoded data of the output of the demultiplexer is supplied. 5. A means for encoding at least one image or program information including audio by a first encoding method to generate first encoded data, and generating the first encoded data. Means for accumulating data in a storage memory, means for decoding the first encoded data read from the storage memory, and encoding the decoded program information by a second encoding method to perform a second encoding Means for generating data; means for adding third dummy data to the first encoded data to generate third encoded data at an increased encoding rate; and first encoding read from the storage memory. Means for switching and outputting data, second encoded data, and third encoded data according to predetermined conditions, and outputting the information. 6. At least one image or sound
Program information including voice at multiple coding rates
To store multiple encoded data generated by
Memory means and output request information indicating the output rate,
From a plurality of encoded data stored in the memory means,
Code with a coding rate that is less than or equal to the indicated output rate of
Means for selecting and reading one of the encrypted data.