JP5273959B2 - Video processing apparatus and video processing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a video processing apparatus and a video processing method.

  In a conventional communication system using video and audio, video data, audio data, and text / object data of each participant who uses the system are constantly flowing, and thus a huge network bandwidth is required. In such a system, there is a technique (for example, see Reference 1) for efficiently using a bandwidth. In this technology, it is determined whether or not there is a speech (motion) from audio data (video data). If there is a speech (motion), the video data bit rate is increased, the image size is increased, and the encoding parameter is set. Set.

JP 2005-303736 A

However, the method described in the above-described technique has the following problems.
Since the person who is at the center of communication is the person who is speaking or who is taking the reaction, the central person can be determined from the audio data and the video data. However, during communication, everyone other than the speaker is not necessarily quiet, nor is it still stationary. For this reason, the determination accuracy is reduced, and the bandwidth cannot be used efficiently. In addition, when there is a person who wants to watch, there is a problem that high-quality video data cannot be obtained unless the person participates in communication, and the setting is not free. In addition, when the display becomes larger, the distance between the point indicated by the communication and the video part increases, and it becomes necessary to move the line of sight greatly.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to facilitate communication over a network by improving the quality and position of an image desired to be watched.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a video receiving means for receiving a video from a photographing apparatus corresponding to another video processing apparatus capable of communicating via a network, and a first display for sharing drawing information with the other video processing apparatus. When a start event relating to an input operation in the first window occurs, display control means for displaying on the display device, a second window for displaying the video received by the video receiving means, Determining means for determining whether or not the second window exists around a point where the start event occurs, and when the second window exists around the point where the start event occurs in the determining means The image quality changing means for changing the image quality of the video displayed in the second window when judged.

  The present invention also relates to a video processing method in a video processing apparatus, a video receiving step for receiving video from a photographing apparatus corresponding to another video processing apparatus capable of communicating via a network, and the other video processing apparatus A display control step for displaying on a display device a first window for sharing and displaying drawing information and a second window for displaying the video received in the video reception step; When a start event related to an input operation occurs, a determination step of determining whether or not the second window exists around a point where the start event occurs, and a point where the start event occurs in the determination step If it is determined that the second window exists around the image quality of the video displayed in the second window, And having a picture quality variation step of reduction.

  The present invention may be a computer and a storage medium.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the communication via a network can be performed smoothly by improving the quality and position of the image | video which wants to watch.

<First Embodiment>
Hereinafter, a first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of a communication system. Reference numerals 101 and 102 denote video processing apparatuses (computers) that perform communication between the apparatuses. Reference numerals 111 and 112 denote imaging devices that transmit video (video information) taken at each point to the video processing device via a network. Each device has a communication function and is connected to the network 103. That is, each apparatus is connected so that communication is possible.
As a more specific example, the video processing apparatuses 101 and 102 are, for example, personal computers provided with a display. The photographing devices 111 and 112 are network cameras, for example.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the video processing apparatus. The video processing apparatus includes a CPU 201, a memory 202, a storage device 203, an input device 204, a communication device 205, an output device 206, which is an example of a display device, and a bus 207 as hardware configurations.

  The CPU 201 performs processing calculations. The memory 202 implements a storage area necessary for calculation. The storage device 203 stores the communication system and video processing program data 208 itself, the contents displayed in the window, and data necessary for the operation. The CPU 201 reads out program data (program) stored in the storage device 203 to the memory 202 and executes processing based on the read program, thereby realizing functions, flowcharts, and the like described later.

  The input device 204 accepts information input by the user using a mouse, digitizer, keyboard, or the like. The communication device 205 is a device for connecting the video processing device to the network 103. The video processing device exchanges information with other video processing devices, imaging devices, and the like via the communication device 205.

  The output device 206 outputs information input by the input device 204, information received by the communication device 205, results calculated by the CPU 201, and the like. A bus 207 connects these devices and transfers data.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the video processing apparatus.
In accordance with a request from the information management unit 302, the information storage unit 301 writes the currently managed or displayed object information, video information, or the like into the storage device 203 or the like, or reads out the information written in the storage device 203 or the like.

  The information management unit 302 operates and manages the information storage unit 301. More specifically, the information management unit 302 writes information in the information storage unit 301, deletes information, or reads information from the information storage unit 301 in accordance with a request from the control unit 303.

  The control unit 303 gives an instruction to perform storage or display according to the information received by the reception unit 304. The receiving unit 304 receives drawing information written by the user using a digitizer or the like, a cursor movement instruction, and information (video information) from the photographing apparatus (event information reception, video reception).

  The transmission unit 305 transmits drawing information written by the user using a digitizer or the like, cursor control information, and a control instruction to the photographing apparatus.

  The display unit 306 controls display on the output device 206 and display of the received video on the output device 206 based on drawing information written by a digitizer or the like (display control). More specifically, the display unit 306 controls the output of the window to the output device 206 as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 described later, based on drawing information, video information, and the like.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of display display processing according to the first embodiment.
In step S <b> 401, the control unit 303 receives the mouse down and mouse move event (start event related to the input operation) to the drawing window generated when the communication system participant (user) performs writing. Wait until.

  In step S402, the control unit 303 determines (determines) whether a video window exists around the point where the mouse event has occurred. When determining that it exists, the control unit 303 advances the process to step S403. On the other hand, when determining that it does not exist, the control unit 303 advances the process to step S404. Note that the control unit 303 is located in the vicinity where the mouse event occurs based on the position information of the point where the mouse event received by the reception unit 304 and the position information on the window of the video window stored in the information storage unit 301. It is determined whether a video window exists. Here, the term “periphery” means within a predetermined distance.

  In step S403, the display unit 306 displays a video window with improved quality such as resolution, frame rate, video size, zoom, and the like of the surrounding video window in which the mouse event has occurred based on an instruction from the control unit 303 (image quality). change).

On the other hand, in step S404, based on an instruction from the control unit 303, the display unit 306 returns the quality of the video window that does not exist in the vicinity where the mouse event has occurred to the default (or restored) video window. Is displayed.
The video processing apparatus performs the process shown in FIG. 4 every time a mouse event occurs.

  5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating examples of windows displayed in the conventional communication system. More specifically, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a window displayed on the output device of the video processing device of the participant who participates at the point A in the communication system. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a window displayed on the output device of the video processing device of a participant who participates at a point B which is the other point in the communication system.

  Reference numerals 501 and 601 denote drawing windows (first windows) in which participants can write drawing information and communicate (or share information) with other participants. Information written in the drawing window can be shared by communicating participants. Therefore, the object information 604 written in the video processing device at the point B is shared as the object information 504 also in the video processing device at the point A.

  Reference numerals 502 and 602 denote video windows in which the video processing devices at the points A and B receive and display the video shot by the shooting device at the point A. Similarly, reference numerals 503 and 603 denote video windows (second windows) in which the video processing devices at the points A and B receive and display the images shot by the shooting device at the point B.

  In the case of the above-described prior art, the quality of the video is the same or the quality of the video of a person who has made a large reaction is improved.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a window displayed on the video processing device of the communication system when the processing of the flowchart of FIG. 4 is performed. FIG. 7 shows a window displayed by the video processing apparatus at the point A, and object information 704 written by the video processing apparatus at the point B is displayed with other participants in the same way as in FIGS. Shared.

  Note that 701 to 704 are the same as 501 to 504 in FIG. When the object information 704 is written at the point B, the video processing apparatus (or the control unit 303) determines whether or not the video window 703 at the point B exists within a certain distance (that is, within the peripheral area 705). Confirm (judgment). In the case of the example in FIG. 7, a video window 703 that displays a video shot at a point B exists at a point where the object information 704 is written (that is, a point where a mouse event occurs). Therefore, the video processing apparatus improves the quality of the video window 703 such as resolution, frame rate, video size, and zoom.

  In other words, the video processing device improves the quality of the video that the participant wants to watch the writing information (drawing information) and the video at the same time (attention) and keeps away from the writing information if there is any. Because the video that is not attracting attention, the quality is lowered. This makes it possible to efficiently use the network bandwidth.

  When the video window 703 moves away from the writing peripheral area 705, it is considered that the degree of attention has been lowered, and the video processing device cancels the effect of improving the quality. In addition, since the user's own image can be confirmed with the naked eye, even if the quality of the image processing apparatus is improved, there is no effect. Therefore, the video processing device changes the quality of the video even if the video (self-video) shot by the shooting device at the point where it is installed (point A in the example of FIG. 7) exists in the writing peripheral area. There is no problem even if no processing is performed.

  The above is an example of the process of changing the quality of the video in accordance with the position of the writing information (drawing information) and the position of the video window in the video processing apparatus. As a result, the communication part and the video window are close to each other, that is, the quality of the video that you want to watch at the same time is improved, and the video window that is far away is not focused, so the quality can be reduced. . Therefore, the participant can use the communication comfortably. In addition, the network bandwidth can be efficiently used as a communication system.

<Second Embodiment>
The second embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.
Since the system configuration of the communication system, the hardware configuration of the video processing apparatus, and the functional configuration are the same as those in the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of display display processing according to the second embodiment.
In step S <b> 801, the control unit 303 waits until the receiving unit 304 receives a mouse down and mouse move event to a drawing window that is generated when a participant other than his / her location performs a writing operation. Here, the local point is the A point for the video processing apparatus installed at the A point. That is, the control unit 303 of the video processing apparatus at the point A waits until the reception unit 304 receives a mouse down and mouse move event to the drawing window generated when a participant other than the point A performs writing.

  In step S802, the control unit 303 determines whether there is a video window of the participant (user) who generated the mouse event around the point where the mouse event occurred. When determining that it exists, the control unit 303 performs no process and performs the process of step S801 again. On the other hand, when determining that it does not exist, the control unit 303 advances the process to step S803.

  In step S803, based on an instruction from the control unit 303, the display unit 306 moves the video window of the user who generated the mouse event to the point where the mouse event has occurred.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a window displayed on the video processing device of the communication system when the processing of the flowchart of FIG. 8 is performed. FIG. 9 shows a window displayed by the video processing device at point A, and object information 904 written by the video processing device at point B is shared with other participants as in FIG. Yes.

  Note that 901 to 905 are the same as 701 to 705 in FIG. When the object information 904 is written at the point B, the video processing apparatus (or the control unit 303) determines whether or not the video window 903 at the point B exists within a certain distance (that is, within the peripheral area 905). Confirm (judgment). In the case of the example in FIG. 9, there is no video window 903 for displaying the video shot at the point B at the point where the object information 904 is written (that is, the point where the mouse event occurs). Therefore, the video processing apparatus moves the video window 903 to the peripheral area 905 of the object information 904 currently being written. The moving method may move instantaneously or gradually. When the peripheral area 905 of the object information 904 is reached, the first embodiment can be applied and the quality of the video is improved.

  In addition, when the video processing apparatus determines that writing is no longer performed, the video processing apparatus may perform processing such as returning the video window to a predetermined position, and return the video quality to the default by moving away from the writing area (writing position). .

  The above is an example of the process of moving the video window in accordance with the position of the writing information (drawing information) and the position of the video window in the video processing apparatus to change the quality of the video. As a result, the image of the central person of communication automatically moves to a position where it can be easily seen, and the quality of the image is improved because it is a video to be noted. Also, the video processing apparatus may be degraded in quality because it is not necessary to pay attention to the video of a person who does not participate in communication. This allows participants to use the communication comfortably. In addition, the network bandwidth can be efficiently used as a communication system.

<Third Embodiment>
Hereinafter, a third embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
Since the system configuration of the communication system, the hardware configuration of the video processing apparatus, and the functional configuration are the same as those in the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of display display processing according to the third embodiment.
In step S <b> 1001, the control unit 303 waits until the receiving unit 304 receives a mouse down and mouse move event to a drawing window that is generated when a participant other than his / her location performs a writing. Here, the local point is the A point for the video processing apparatus installed at the A point. That is, the control unit 303 of the video processing apparatus at the point A waits until the reception unit 304 receives a mouse down and mouse move event to the drawing window generated when a participant other than the point A performs writing.

  In step S1002, the display unit 306 displays a video window with improved quality, such as resolution, frame rate, video size, zoom, and the like of the user (participant) at the point where the mouse event occurred based on an instruction from the control unit 303. To do.

  Subsequently, in step S1003, the control unit 303 waits until the receiving unit 304 receives a mouse up event generated by the participant who generated the mouse down and mouse move events. That is, the control unit 303 waits until the reception unit 304 receives an end event related to the input operation.

  Subsequently, in step S1004, the control unit 303 stops receiving the mouse down and mouse move events to the drawing window generated when the participant performs writing for a predetermined time. Wait until.

  In step S1005, the display unit 306 cancels the effect of improving the quality of the video based on the instruction from the control unit 303.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram (part 1) illustrating an example of a window displayed on the video processing device of the communication system when the processing of the flowchart of FIG. 10 is performed. FIG. 10 shows a window displayed on the video processing apparatus at the point A, and object information 1104 written by the video processing apparatus at the point B is shared with other participants as in FIG. .

  1101 to 1104 are the same as 701 to 704 in FIG. When the object information 1104 is written at the B point, the video processing device (or the control unit 303) improves the video quality of the video window 1103 at the B point. In the example of FIG. 11, the quality is improved by increasing the size of the video window 1103.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram (part 2) illustrating an example of a window displayed on the video processing device of the communication system when the process of the flowchart of FIG. 10 is performed.

  The video processing apparatus (or control unit 303) improves the quality of the video of the video window 1203 at the point B when the object information 1204 is written from the point B as in FIG. In the example of FIG. 12, the quality is improved by changing the pan / tilt / zoom, such as zooming out the video so that the entire image can be seen.

<Other embodiments>
In the first to third embodiments, the processing in the video processing apparatus has been described. However, the above-described processing may be applied to a photographing apparatus that provides video information to the video processing apparatus. That is, when a write event occurs, the video processing device transmits a command or the like for improving the video quality to the imaging device that is shooting the user in order to improve the video quality of the user. Upon receiving the command, the imaging device performs control for improving the quality of the video according to the command, and transmits (provides) the taken video to the video processing device. Then, the video processing apparatus only needs to display the provided video information without any modification, and the processing load can be reduced. In addition, for a video that is not focused on, the bandwidth of the network can be used more efficiently by interrupting the provision of video information from the imaging device side.

  The object of the present invention is achieved by the following. That is, a storage medium (or recording medium) in which a program code of software that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is recorded is supplied to the system or apparatus. Then, the central processing means (CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reads and executes the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium recording the program code constitutes the present invention.

  In addition, by executing the program code read by the central processing means of the system or apparatus, an operating system (OS) or the like operating on the system or apparatus performs actual processing based on the instruction of the program code. Do some or all. The case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by the processing is also included.

  Further, it is assumed that the program code read from the storage medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion card inserted into the system or apparatus or a function expansion unit connected thereto. After that, based on the instruction of the program code, the CPU of the function expansion card or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by the processing. It is.

  When the present invention is applied to the storage medium, the program code corresponding to the flowchart described above is stored in the storage medium.

  As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to smoothly perform communication via the network by improving the quality and position of the video to be watched.

  The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims. Can be modified or changed.

It is a figure which shows an example of the system configuration | structure of a communication system. It is a figure which shows an example of the hardware constitutions of a video processing apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of a function structure of a video processing apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the display display process of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the window currently displayed on the output device of the video processing apparatus of the participant who is participating in A point among communication systems. It is a figure which shows an example of the window currently displayed on the output device of the video processing apparatus of the participant who is participating in B point which is the other point among communication systems. It is a figure which shows an example of the window displayed with the video processing apparatus of a communication system when the process of the flowchart of FIG. 4 is performed. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the display display process of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the window displayed with the video processing apparatus of a communication system when the process of the flowchart of FIG. 8 is performed. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the display display process of 3rd Embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram (No. 1) illustrating an example of a window displayed on the video processing device of the communication system when the processing of the flowchart in FIG. 10 is performed; FIG. 11 is a diagram (No. 2) illustrating an example of a window displayed on the video processing device of the communication system when the processing of the flowchart in FIG. 10 is performed;

Explanation of symbols

101 Video Processing Device 102 Video Processing Device 103 Network 111 Imaging Device 112 Imaging Device 201 CPU
202 Memory 203 Storage device 204 Input device 205 Communication device 206 Output device 207 Bus 208 Program data

Claims (10)

Video receiving means for receiving video from an imaging device corresponding to another video processing device capable of communicating via a network;
Display control means for displaying on a display device a first window for sharing and displaying drawing information with the other video processing device and a second window for displaying the video received by the video receiving means;
When a start event related to an input operation in the first window occurs, a determination unit that determines whether or not the second window exists around a point where the start event occurs;
An image quality changing means for changing the image quality of the video displayed in the second window when the determining means determines that the second window exists around the point where the start event has occurred;
A video processing apparatus comprising: In the case where a start event related to an input operation in the first window is generated by a user of the other video processing device, the determination means determines whether the second window exists around the point where the start event has occurred. Determine whether or not
If the determination means determines that the second window does not exist around the point where the start event has occurred, moving means for moving the second window to the vicinity of the point where the start event has occurred The video processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: The image quality changing means changes the image quality of the video displayed in the second window when the moving means moves the second window to the vicinity of the point where the start event has occurred. The video processing apparatus according to claim 2. 4. The image quality changing means according to claim 1, wherein the quality of at least one of the resolution, the frame rate, and the zoom of the video displayed in the second window is raised from the default. The video processing apparatus described in 1 . A video processing method in a video processing device,
A video receiving step for receiving a video from a photographing device corresponding to another video processing device capable of communicating via a network;
A display control step of displaying on a display device a first window for displaying drawing information in common with the other video processing device and a second window for displaying the video received in the video reception step;
A determination step of determining whether or not the second window exists around a point where the start event occurs when a start event related to an input operation in the first window occurs;
An image quality changing step for changing the image quality of the video displayed in the second window when it is determined in the determining step that the second window exists around the point where the start event occurs;
A video processing method comprising: In the determination step, when a start event related to an input operation in the first window occurs by a user of the other video processing device, does the second window exist around a point where the start event occurs? Determine whether or not
In the determination step, when it is determined that the second window does not exist around the point where the start event occurs, a moving step of moving the second window around the point where the start event occurs The video processing method according to claim 5, further comprising : In the image quality changing step, when the second window is moved to the vicinity of the point where the start event has occurred in the moving step, the image quality of the video displayed in the second window is changed. The video processing method according to claim 6 . 8. The image quality changing step according to claim 5, wherein at least one quality of resolution, frame rate, and zoom of the video displayed in the second window is raised from a default. The video processing method described in 1 . On the computer,
A video receiving step for receiving a video from a photographing device corresponding to another video processing device capable of communicating via a network;
A display control step of displaying on a display device a first window for displaying drawing information in common with the other video processing device and a second window for displaying the video received in the video reception step;
A determination step of determining whether or not the second window exists around a point where the start event occurs when a start event related to an input operation in the first window occurs;
An image quality changing step for changing the image quality of the video displayed in the second window when it is determined in the determining step that the second window exists around the point where the start event occurs;
A program characterized by having executed. A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to claim 9.

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