JP4978076B2 - Image generating apparatus and image display apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image generation apparatus capable of switching and outputting a thumbnail list video signal and an arbitrarily selected thumbnail reproduction signal on a TV monitor capable of displaying a high-definition video signal.

  In recent years, in addition to TV monitors compatible with the NTSC system, HDTV monitors compatible with high-definition video signals (hereinafter referred to as HD video signals) such as terrestrial digital broadcasting and BS digital broadcasting are also on the market.

  This HD video signal has an effective pixel count of 1920 horizontal pixels × 1080 vertical lines, or 1280 horizontal pixels, compared to a standard video signal (hereinafter referred to as an SD video signal) having 720 horizontal pixels × 480 vertical lines in the NTSC format. X It has a resolution of 720 lines in length, is a video signal with a higher resolution (higher image quality, higher definition) than the NTSC system, and can express a high-definition image on an HDTV monitor.

  On the other hand, for liquid crystal displays (hereinafter referred to as LCDs) such as video cameras and digital still cameras, SD video signals are used by using a small LCD with a small number of pixels in order to place importance on portability, portability, and cost. Is generally displayed. In addition, semiconductor media and hard disk drives have come to be used as recording media for video cameras. When selecting an image playback target with such a video camera, a thumbnail method utilizing the random accessibility of media is used as means for improving the search efficiency.

  In the thumbnail method, reduced images (hereinafter referred to as “thumbnail images”) are arranged in a vertical and horizontal matrix format on the screen of the display device using images recorded on media in a predetermined number of images. A playback image is displayed by selecting an arbitrary thumbnail image through an interface (hereinafter referred to as GUI).

  Patent Document 1 discloses an imaging unit, a recording medium for recording a video signal, an image display unit, a user setting unit capable of setting various video outputs by user selection, and a video signal according to the setting. Determining the connection status of various TV monitor connection cables connected to an image processing unit for converting HD video signals or SD video signals to video output terminals for outputting HD video signals or SD video signals to various TV monitors; A system control unit that selects an HD video signal or an SD video signal by a signal switching unit according to the determination and outputs the selected signal to a video output terminal, and switches screen display contents and user interfaces of various TV monitors according to the selected signal. The structure provided with this is disclosed.

  In this way, an SDTV monitor that outputs an SD video signal and an HDTV monitor that outputs an HD video signal, and an apparatus having an image output function capable of selecting an SD video signal and an HD video signal, depending on the selected TV system. The display screen contents and GUI can be switched.

  With such a configuration, the screen display content and GUI that are switched for each TV system selected by the signal switching unit are the number of thumbnail images displayed and the number of GUI display items for the thumbnail images, and when connected to an HDTV monitor. A thumbnail list and GUI corresponding to the number of pixels of the HD video signal can be generated and displayed.

  Hereinafter, a conventional image generation apparatus described in Patent Document 1 as a background art of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an imaging apparatus to which a conventional image generation apparatus is applied. In FIG. 4, a video camera 401 and an HDTV monitor 403 are connected by a cable 404 capable of transmitting an HD video signal. . When an image recorded in the video camera 401 is reproduced, the image is displayed on the LCD 402 or the HDTV monitor 403 attached to the video camera 401.

  When displaying the thumbnail list image and the GUI image on the HDTV monitor, the video camera 401 generates and outputs a thumbnail list image having the resolution of the HD video signal as in the display example 405 of the HDTV monitor. At this time, since the LCD 402 displays at the resolution of the SD video signal, the thumbnail list image having the resolution of the HD video signal is not displayed on the LCD 402 as in the display example 406 of the LCD screen.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an imaging apparatus to which a conventional image generation apparatus is applied. In FIG. 5, an imaging unit 501 reads a subject image formed by an optical system (not shown) from a solid-state imaging device and outputs it as a video signal. The image processing unit 503 performs automatic exposure, white balance processing, and the like on the video signal captured from the imaging unit 501. The image memory 502 temporarily stores the image data processed by the image processing unit 503.

  Further, when there is a recording request from the system control unit 504, the image processing unit 503 records the image data temporarily stored in the image memory 502 on the storage medium 505 in a compressed or uncompressed manner, and the system control unit 504 When a reproduction request is received from the image data, the image data is read from the storage medium 505, decompressed, and output to the image memory 502.

  The image display unit 506 displays the image data temporarily stored in the image memory 502 plus the data by OSD (On Screen Display). The image processing unit 503 generates the image data temporarily stored in the image memory 502 plus OSD data. The signal switching unit 507 receives the data encoded as the HDTV signal 511 and the data encoded as the SDTV signal 512. The signal switching unit 507 outputs the HDTV signal 511 or the SDTV signal 512 selected by the switching signal from the system control unit 504 to the video output terminal 508.

  The video output terminal 508 has a function of detecting that the TV monitor connection cable is connected and the type of the cable, and the detection result is notified to the system control unit 504 as a connection and cable type detection signal 514. A switching state display LED 509 displays the state of the switching signal 513 from the system control unit 504.

  Here, the user setting unit 510 can set various video outputs according to the user's selection, and the image processing unit 503 can select a video signal from the imaging unit 501 or a video from the storage medium 505 according to the setting of the user setting unit 510. It is configured to have a function of converting a signal into a high definition high definition video signal or a standard resolution standard video signal.

  Further, the system control unit 504 determines the connection state of various TV monitor connection cables connected to the video output terminal 508 that outputs a high-definition video signal or a standard video signal to various TV monitors, and responds to the determination by the determination unit. The signal switching unit 507 selects the HD video signal or SD video signal and outputs it to the video output terminal 508. The system control unit 504 displays various TV monitor screens according to the selected HD video signal or SD video signal. It is configured to have a function of switching display contents and GUI.

Image output that can be connected to either an SDTV monitor that supports SD video signals or an HDTV monitor that supports HD video signals, and can select SD video signals or HD video signals depending on which one is connected The image generation apparatus having a function can switch the display screen content and GUI according to the selected TV system, and can fully utilize the performance of the connected TV monitor.
JP 2005-101865 A

  However, the conventional video display device capable of displaying video by simultaneously connecting to both the SDTV monitor and the HDTV monitor has the following problems.

  For example, consider a case where a HDTV monitor is connected as an external output in a video camera equipped with an LCD. When a video camera generates a thumbnail list image according to the number of pixels of the HD video signal and displays it on the HDTV monitor, a high-definition thumbnail list image based on the HD video signal is displayed on an LCD that only supports display of an SD video signal. Is converted into the SD video signal format and displayed, or nothing is displayed on the LCD. In this case, the former causes a drop in visibility due to conversion to a low resolution, and the latter causes a drop in operability because the thumbnail list is displayed only on the HDTV monitor. Conversely, if a thumbnail list image corresponding to the LCD is generated, the HDTV monitor cannot make use of the high resolution. As described above, in the conventional image generation apparatus, in order to generate a thumbnail list image in accordance with either the high definition video signal or the standard video signal, the display on the TV monitor of another TV system is A display suitable for the resolution could not be made.

  In view of such problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image generation apparatus that enables thumbnail display corresponding to a plurality of monitors having different resolutions.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention inputs a thumbnail list video signal in a standard video signal format in which a plurality of reduced images are arranged in a screen and status information of an arbitrarily selected thumbnail as an input. High-definition thumbnail generation means for multiplexing and outputting the signal and the status information, and the thumbnail generation means includes the thumbnail list video signal in a partial area of the high-definition video signal having a resolution higher than that of a standard video signal format. Is multiplexed, and the status information is multiplexed in other areas.

  According to the present invention, when displaying a thumbnail list image on an HDTV monitor, a thumbnail list video signal in the SD video signal format is converted into an HD video signal, and an arbitrarily selected thumbnail image is maintained while maintaining the ratio of the number of vertical and horizontal pixels. By outputting the thumbnail list image in SD video signal format as it is on the LCD, it is possible to display a high-definition thumbnail list image that takes advantage of the display characteristics of the connected HDTV monitor and to ensure operability Has the effect of being able to.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. In this embodiment mode, a video camera to which the image generation apparatus of the present invention is applied will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a display example when a video camera and an HDTV monitor according to the present embodiment are connected and thumbnail list images are displayed on the LCD and the HDTV monitor, respectively, and FIG. 2 is a thumbnail list in the video camera. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a configuration of an image generation apparatus that generates an image. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of video output switching control in the image generation apparatus.

  In FIG. 1, a video camera 101 and an HDTV monitor 103 are connected by a cable 104. When an image recorded in the video camera 101 is reproduced, the image is displayed on the LCD 102 or the HDTV monitor 103 attached to the video camera 101. As the cable 104, a D terminal cable or an HDMI cable capable of transmitting an HD video signal is used.

  When displaying the thumbnail list image on the HDTV monitor, the thumbnail list image having the resolution of the SD video signal and the status information image of the arbitrarily selected thumbnail image are multiplexed on the HD video signal, and the display example 105 of the HDTV monitor is performed. Generate and output as follows. Specifically, if the video signal output from the video camera 101 to the HDTV monitor 103 is in the 1080i format, the thumbnail list image is multiplexed on the left side with respect to the angle of view of horizontal 1920 pixels × vertical 1080 lines, and the free right side Status information images are multiplexed in the space. If the video signal output from the video camera 101 to the HDTV monitor 103 is in the 720p format, the thumbnail list images are multiplexed on the left side with respect to the angle of view of 1280 pixels by 720 lines, and the space on the right side is vacant. Multiple status information images. If the video signal output from the video camera 101 to the HDTV monitor 103 is an SD video signal, a thumbnail list image generated with 720 pixels wide × 480 lines vertically is output as it is. At this time, an arbitrarily selected thumbnail image is output. The status information image is not displayed. In either case, the thumbnail list image of the resolution of the SD video signal is displayed on the LCD 102 as it is.

  In FIG. 2, status information for displaying the status of the selected thumbnail image is input from the input terminal 201. From the input terminal 202, a video signal such as an HD video signal, an SD video signal, or the like, which is obtained by reading a subject video imaged by an optical system (not shown) of the video camera 101 from an individual imaging device (not shown) is input. Input format information for determining format information of a video signal input to the input terminal 202 is input from the input terminal 203. Output format information for determining the format information of the video signal to be output is input from the input terminal 204. From the input terminal 205, thumbnail discrimination information for discriminating whether or not the input video signal is a thumbnail list image is input. The format conversion means 206 performs format conversion of the input video signal. If the video signal input from the input video signal is an HD video signal, the standard signal conversion means 207 converts it into an SD video signal and outputs it to the video signal output terminal 211. Output to the signal output terminal 211. The high-definition thumbnail list image generation unit 208 multiplexes and outputs the high-definition thumbnail list image on the HD video signal. The selection unit 209 selects and outputs the output from the format conversion unit 206 and the output from the high-definition thumbnail list image generation unit 208. The output terminal 210 outputs the output video signal selected by the selection unit 209 to the D terminal or the HDMI terminal. Note that the input terminals 201, 203, 204, and 205 are input from a control unit (not shown) of the video camera 101.

  First, the input video signal is input from the input terminal 202 to the format conversion means 206, and in synchronization with this, the input format information of the input video signal is input from the input terminal 203, the output format information is input from the input terminal 204, and the thumbnail discrimination information is input. Input from the input terminal 205. As the thumbnail discrimination information, for example, true is input when the input video signal is a thumbnail list image, and false is input otherwise. The thumbnail list image is input as an SD video signal format. At this time, a signal indicating the SD video signal format is input to the input format information, and true is input to the thumbnail discrimination information.

  The input video signal input from the input terminal 202 is subjected to format conversion in the format conversion means 206 based on the input format information and the output format information. As an example of format conversion, when the input format information is 1080i and the output format information is 480i (down-conversion), when the input information format information is 720p and the output format information is 1080i (up-conversion), the input format information May be 720p and the output format information may be 480i (down-conversion). As an example in which format conversion is not performed, there are a case where the input format information and the output format information are the same, and a case where the input format information is 480i and the output format information is 1080i or 720p. If the input video signal is a thumbnail list image, that is, if the thumbnail discrimination information is true, the SD video signal format is output without performing format conversion.

  The input video signal input from the input terminal 202 is also input to the standard signal conversion means 207, subjected to format conversion into the SD video signal format, and a video signal in the SD video signal format is output to the video output terminal 211. . As an example of format conversion, when the input format information is 1080i or 720p, it is converted to 480i. If the input format information is 480i or the thumbnail discrimination information is true, the SD video signal format is output without performing format conversion.

  On the other hand, the high-definition thumbnail list image generation unit 208 generates and outputs a high-definition thumbnail list image when the thumbnail discrimination information is true. Specifically, the thumbnail list image in the SD video signal format output from the format conversion unit 206 is first multiplexed with the output video signal based on the output format information together with the status information of the arbitrarily selected thumbnail image. For the HD video signal as a background when multiplexing, a fixed value video signal such as a blue back or a black back is generated based on the output format information.

  The output format for displaying the high-definition thumbnail list image is the output format of the non-thumbnail list image that was displayed immediately before. For example, when an image is played back in 1080i HDTV format, when the playback of this video signal is terminated and a thumbnail list image is displayed, a thumbnail list image is generated and displayed in 1080i HDTV format. The same applies when the playback video signal is a 720p HDTV.

  An example of multiplexing is shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, an HDTV video signal (1080i, the horizontal number of pixels 1920 pixels × vertical 1080 lines) is input as output format information. Then, a thumbnail list image of the SD video signal format input from the input terminal 202 is multiplexed on the left side area of the fixed value video signal of the background possessed by the high-definition thumbnail generating means, and the input terminal 201 is displayed on the right side area of the screen. The status information related to the thumbnail image input from is multiplexed. This status information is information about thumbnail images selected from thumbnail list images by the user operating the operation buttons of the video camera 101, a remote controller or the like (not shown).

  When multiplexing, the vertical / horizontal pixel ratio of the SD video signal format is not changed. That is, the HD video signal is multiplexed with the field angle of 1920 × 1080 pixels while maintaining the field angle of 720 × 480 pixels of the SD video signal. As a result, the thumbnail list image is displayed in a part of the HD video signal. The status information is encoded by inputting character information such as OSD, and decoded by the high-definition thumbnail list image generating means 208 to generate a character-shaped bitmap and multiplex it at a predetermined position, or There is a method to input directly in the bitmap format. Examples of status information to be displayed include recording date and time (Rec Date, Rec Time), video format, time code start point, end point (TC Start, TC End), and the like.

  In this way, the high-definition thumbnail list image in which the thumbnail list image and the status information are multiplexed is output to the selection unit 209.

  The selection unit 209 receives the outputs of the format conversion unit 206 and the high-definition thumbnail list image generation unit 208, and either one is selected and output to the output terminal 210. A control example of the selection unit 209 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The selection unit 209 receives input signals from the output format information input terminal 204 and the thumbnail discrimination information input terminal 205 as control signals. First, when a video signal that is a selected signal is input to the selection unit 209, if the thumbnail discrimination information indicates false, the output of the format conversion unit 206 is selected and output to the output terminal 210. . When the thumbnail discrimination information indicates true, the output of the format conversion means 206 is output based on the output format information when the output format information indicates the SD signal format. When the format information indicates the HDTV signal format, the output of the high-definition thumbnail list image generation means 208 is selected and output to the output terminal 210, and at the same time, the thumbnail list image or playback video in the SD video signal format is output to the output terminal 211. Output a signal.

  According to the image generating device of the present invention, the thumbnail list image in the SD video signal format is output to the HDTV monitor while being multiplexed with the status information, and further, the thumbnail list image is simultaneously output as the SD video signal format. It has the effects of obtaining a fine thumbnail list image and ensuring visibility and operability and simplification of the control unit, and is useful as an image generation apparatus that switches between a thumbnail list image and a reproduction signal for display.

The figure which showed the example of a connection of a video camera and a HDTV monitor, and the display example of a thumbnail list image in embodiment of this invention Configuration diagram of an image generation apparatus in an embodiment of the present invention The flowchart which showed the image generation method in embodiment of this invention The figure which showed the example of a connection of a video camera and an HDTV monitor, and the display example of a thumbnail list image by the conventional system Configuration diagram of image generation device in conventional method

Explanation of symbols

101 video camera 102 LCD
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 103 HDTV monitor 104 Cable 105 Display example of HDTV monitor 106 Display example of LCD screen 201 Thumbnail status information input terminal 202 Video signal input terminal 203 Input format information input terminal 204 Output format information input terminal 205 Input of thumbnail discrimination information Terminal 206 Format conversion means 207 Standard signal conversion means 208 High definition thumbnail list image generation means 209 Selection means 210 Video signal output terminal 211 Video signal output terminal 401 Video camera 402 LCD
403 HDTV monitor 404 Cable 405 HDTV monitor display example 406 LCD screen display example 501 Imaging unit 502 Image memory 503 Image processing unit 504 System control unit 505 Storage medium 506 Image display unit 507 Signal switching unit 508 Video signal output terminal 509 LED
510 User setting section 511 HDTV signal 512 SDTV signal 513 Switching signal 514 Connection and cable type detection signal

Claims (1)

Format conversion means for converting the format of the input video signal;
A standard signal converting means for converting the output of the format converting means into an SD signal format and outputting the converted signal to a first output terminal;
High-definition thumbnail generation means for multiplexing and outputting a thumbnail list image in SD signal format and a status information image of an arbitrarily selected thumbnail image on a high-definition video signal ;
Selection means for selecting the output of the format conversion means and the output of the high-definition thumbnail generation means and outputting to the second output terminal ;
The high-definition thumbnail generation means multiplexes the thumbnail list image in a partial area of the high-definition video signal, and multiplexes and outputs the status information image in another area ,
If the input video signal is a thumbnail list image, the selection means outputs the output of the format conversion means when the output format information is in the SD signal format, and the high-definition thumbnail generation means when the output format is the HDTV signal format. An image generation apparatus that outputs