JP5354962B2 - Information processing apparatus and information processing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to information display technology.

  As a technique for assisting the viewer's understanding by displaying character information corresponding to the voice in accordance with the voice, there is a caption display technique. In the conventional basic caption display technology, there is a method (first method) in which one caption data is assigned to each video and the caption data is synthesized and displayed at a specified position of each video.

  However, in the above-described basic caption display method, there is a problem that caption display on individual screens becomes too small when picture-in-picture (PINP) display or picture-out-picture (POUTP) display is performed on the video display device. This makes it difficult for the user to read individual subtitles. As a method for solving this problem, when PINP display or POUTP display is performed, the subtitles corresponding to the individual screens are laid out again beyond the frame of the individual screens, and the subtitles are displayed in a large size (second method). There is. With this method, when PINP display or POUTP display is performed, subtitles corresponding to the video on the small display side are re-laid out for the entire screen, so a large display area can be taken. Therefore, since the character can be displayed larger than the case of PINP display or POUTP display by the conventional method, there is an advantage that the character is easy to read for the user.

Further, as a problem other than the above concerning the subtitle display, there is a problem that when a plurality of screens are displayed, the screen is displayed on the subtitles of the other screens, and it is difficult for the user to read the subtitle characters. As a method for solving this problem, when displaying a plurality of screens in a video display device, a method of displaying subtitle characters so that there is no defect by arranging subtitles at positions where the screens do not overlap (third method) There is. This method has an effect of preventing subtitles from being hidden by overlapping screens even when a plurality of screens are displayed on the video display device. Patent document 1 is disclosed as an example of such a technique.
JP-A-7-236100

  However, in the conventional caption display technology, when multiple caption data correspond to one video, when the caption on one screen is hidden by the other screen, the actually displayed video matches the displayed caption. There was a problem of not doing. Hereinafter, this problem will be specifically described with respect to the first to third methods described in the background art.

  In the first method described in the background art, when a plurality of objects and subtitles corresponding to each object are displayed in one window, even if the subtitles in one window are hidden by the other window, No changes are made to the subtitle display. Therefore, the caption of the object that cannot be seen with the other window overlapping is displayed as it is, and there is a problem that the video viewed by the user does not match the caption.

  This example will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a display example of one window. As shown in FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes one window. In the window 100, objects 101 and 102, a character string (caption) 111 corresponding to the object 101, and a caption 112 corresponding to the object 102 are included. Has been placed. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display example when another window 200 is displayed over the object 102 in the window 100 shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, the object 102 that is not displayed on the screen by displaying the window 200 is indicated by a dotted line.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the object 102 is not displayed, but the caption 112 corresponding to the object 102 is displayed. Therefore, the user who sees such a screen may misunderstand that the caption 111 and the caption 112 are captions corresponding to the object 101. Such a problem cannot be solved even by using the second method described in the background art.

  Further, since the third method described in the background art is a technique for preventing the subtitles on the video from being hidden and invisible, the same problem as described above occurs even if the third method is used. A specific example will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the window 200 does not overlap any of the captions 111 and 112 in the window 100. Therefore, in the third method, the captions 111 and 112 are displayed as usual in this case. Therefore, although the object 102 is in a non-display state, the caption 112 corresponding to the object 102 is displayed, and the same problem as in the first method and the second method may occur. That is, the user who sees the screen may misunderstand as if the caption 111 and the caption 112 are captions corresponding to the object 101.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example of the window 100 in which a caption 113 obtained by reducing the caption 111 is arranged instead of the caption 111 because the window 200 overlaps a part of the caption 111 shown in FIG. When the window 200 overlaps a part of the caption 111 shown in FIG. 2, the portion overlapping the window 200 in the caption 111 is not displayed. Therefore, the caption 113 is arranged instead of the caption 111. The caption 113 is obtained by reducing the size of the caption 111 to an appropriate size. Of course, the caption 113 may be changed from the arrangement position of the caption 111.

  However, even if the third method is used, the caption 112 corresponding to the object 102 is displayed although the object 102 is not displayed. Therefore, the user who sees such a screen may misunderstand that the caption 111 and the caption 112 are captions corresponding to the object 101.

  Summarizing the above, the same problem occurs regardless of whether the first method, the second method, or the third method is used.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a technique for changing the display form of a caption corresponding to this object in accordance with the display form of the object arranged in the window. With the goal.

  In order to achieve the object of the present invention, for example, an information processing apparatus of the present invention comprises the following arrangement.

That is, an information processing apparatus that generates a plurality of windows and displays the windows on a display device,
Generating means for generating one window using data of an object to be arranged in one window and a character string related to the object;
Generating screen information indicating a display screen in which a plurality of windows including the window generated by the generating unit are arranged in one screen, and outputting the generated screen information to the display device;
The output means includes
Of the first object and the second object arranged in the first window generated by the generation unit, the first object becomes a second window generated by the generation unit other than the first window. Therefore , when it is detected that the character string is concealed, the display form of the first character string arranged in the first window as the character string related to the first object is related to the second object. The screen information is generated after changing to a display form different from the display form of the second character string arranged in the first window as the character string to be performed.

  According to the configuration of the present invention, the display form of the caption corresponding to the object can be changed according to the display form of the object arranged in the window.

  Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiment described below shows an example when the present invention is specifically implemented, and is one of the specific examples of the configurations described in the claims.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration example of the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the information processing apparatus 550 according to the present embodiment includes an input unit 510, an overlap determination unit 511, a caption display form control unit 512, a screen generation unit 513, and an output unit 514.

  Data describing information to be displayed in each window is input to the input unit 510. Here, data input to the input unit 510 will be described.

  Data input to the input unit 510 is roughly classified into data for each window. The data for one window is further roughly divided into data for each object displayed in the window.

  Reference numeral 502 denotes data for a certain window (window A in FIG. 5), which actually exists as a data file. The data file 502 includes data for each object (object A, object B, and object C in FIG. 5). Reference numeral 501 denotes data for the object A, which actually exists as a data file. The data file 501 includes object data 501a, object display area data 501b, and caption data 501c.

  The object data 501a is data for forming an image of the object A. The object data 501a may be the image data of the object A itself, or may be display component data such as a polygon. In any case, the object data 501a may be any data as long as it is data for forming an image of the object A. For example, when the data file 502 is an encoded data file according to MPEG-4, the object data 501a is encoded data for forming an image of the object A in each frame.

  The object display area data 501b is data indicating the display position of the object A displayed in the window A (for example, the display position at the center of the object A) and the vertical and horizontal sizes of the object A. For example, when the data file 502 is an MPEG-4 encoded data file, the object display area data 501b indicates data indicating the vertical and horizontal sizes of the object A, and the display position of the object A in each frame. It becomes data. The contents indicated by the object display area data 501b are not limited to the display position and the vertical and horizontal sizes, but may be data indicating the range of the area occupied by the object A in the window A.

  The caption data 501c includes character string data related to the object A and data indicating the display position of the character string in the window A. Such a character string may be, for example, object information such as the name of the object A, or may be line information such as a line emitted by the object A. In any case, as long as the character string is related to the object A, any character string may be used. Of course, other information may be used instead of the character string.

  When the input unit 510 receives data for each window from the outside, the input unit 510 sends the data to the overlap determination unit 511 and the screen generation unit 513. Note that the form of data acquisition by the input unit 510 is not particularly limited, and data may be received from other devices via a network via wireless or wired communication, or a memory such as a hard disk included in the information processing device 550 You may load from.

  The overlap determination unit 511 forms each window using data corresponding to each window. For example, the window A is formed using the data file 502. Forming the window A means arranging each object and the corresponding character string in the window A using each data in the data file 502. For example, when processing the object A, the following processing is performed. That is, the image of the object A based on the object data 501a is arranged at the display position indicated by the object display area data 501b, and the character string based on the caption data 501c is arranged at the position indicated by the caption data 501c. By performing such processing using data for each object (object A, object B, and object C in FIG. 5) included in the data file 502, the window A can be formed. Note that the window formation performed by the overlap determination unit 511 is not performed for actual display, but is performed on a memory in order to perform arithmetic processing described later.

  Next, the overlap determination unit 511 performs the following process for each window. That is, by displaying another window (the other window), it is determined whether or not the object placed in the window of interest is hidden. The process for determining whether or not the object displayed in the target window is hidden by another window depends on whether the other window is managed by an application that manages the target window or another application. Different.

  When the other window is managed by an application that manages the window of interest, the overlap determination unit 511 acquires the range of the display area on the screen of the other window from the application. On the other hand, when the other window is managed by an application (other application) other than the application that manages the window of interest, the overlap determination unit 511 accesses the OS (operating system) of the information processing apparatus 550. Then, the OS is requested to acquire “range of display area on the screen of another window currently being operated by another application”. Then, the overlap determination unit 511 acquires the display area range of each window provided from the OS in response to the request. Thereby, the overlap determination unit 511 can acquire the range of the display area on the screen of another window.

  In this way, by performing processing according to the application that manages the other window, the overlap determination unit 511 can acquire the range of the display area on the screen of the other window.

  On the other hand, the overlap determination unit 511 grasps the display position and the vertical and horizontal sizes of each object arranged in the target window from the corresponding object display area data. In other words, the overlap determination unit 511 grasps the range of the area occupied by each object in the window of interest. For example, in the case of the object A, since the display position and the vertical and horizontal sizes of the object A are grasped by the object display area data 501b, the range of the area occupied by the object A in the window A is grasped as a result. .

  Then, for each object displayed in the window of interest, the overlap determination unit 511 determines whether or not a predetermined ratio (for example, 60%) or more of the display area area of the object is hidden by the display area on the screen of the other window. Check. Then, the overlap determination unit 511 specifies an object that is determined (detected) as “hidden” in the check as a hidden object.

  Note that the process for determining whether or not the object displayed in the window of interest is hidden by another window is not limited to such a process, and a process corresponding to the system configuration may be used.

  On the other hand, the screen generation unit 513 forms each window (a plurality of windows) using data corresponding to each window. That is, screen information indicating a display screen in which a plurality of windows are arranged in one screen is generated. The window formation process performed by the screen generation unit 513 is the same as the window formation process performed by the overlap determination unit 511. However, the window forming process performed by the overlap determining unit 511 is not for display, whereas the window forming process performed by the screen generating unit 513 is for display. Further, the screen generation unit 513 follows an instruction from the caption display form control unit 512 when arranging a character string based on the caption data on the window.

  The caption display form control unit 512 controls the display form of the character string corresponding to the object specified as the hidden object by the overlap determination unit 511. For example, when the object A is specified as a hidden object, the caption display form control unit 512 prohibits the screen generation unit 513 from using the caption data 501c. That is, the character string corresponding to the object A is hidden.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a window in which a character string corresponding to a hidden object is hidden. As shown in FIG. 4, reference numeral 100 denotes one window. In the window 100, objects 101 and 102 and a character string (caption) 111 corresponding to the object 101 are arranged. Here, when the object 102 is not hidden by the window 200, the caption 112 corresponding to the object 102 is displayed. In practice, however, the object 102 is hidden by the window 200 as shown in FIG. Yes. Therefore, in this case, the caption 112 is hidden (in FIG. 4, the non-display state is indicated by a dotted line).

  The control of the display form of the character string is not limited to this, and various things can be considered.

  For example, when the object A is specified as a hidden object, the caption display form control unit 512 instructs the screen generation unit 513 to increase the transparency of the character string based on the caption data 501c. As a result, the screen generation unit 513 arranges a character string corresponding to the caption data 501c with the instructed transparency. Note that the size and color of the character string may be changed and set instead of the transparency, or the setting may be changed by combining these.

  Of course, the caption display form control unit 512 does not notify the screen generation unit 513 of any object that is not specified as a hidden object. In this case, the screen generation unit 513 does not control the display mode of the character string as described above for an object that is not specified as the hidden object, and arranges the character string based on the caption data.

  Then, the screen generation unit 513 sends the screen information generated in this way to the output unit 514.

  The output unit 514 sends the screen information received from the screen generation unit 513 to an external device (for example, a display device configured with a CRT, a liquid crystal screen, or the like). When the screen information is sent to the display device, it is sent after being converted into a video signal after appropriate image processing. In this way, the screen information is appropriately processed according to the transmission destination.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart of processing performed by the information processing apparatus 550 according to the present embodiment. Since the processing in each step is as described above, it will be briefly described here.

  First, in step S601, when the input unit 510 receives data for each window from the outside, the input unit 510 transmits the data to the overlap determination unit 511 and the screen generation unit 513.

  Next, in step S602, the overlap determination unit 511 forms each window using data corresponding to each window. Next, the overlap determination unit 511 performs the following process for each window. That is, by displaying another window, it is determined whether or not the object placed in the window of interest is hidden. That is, for each object displayed in the window of interest, the overlap determination unit 511 determines whether or not a predetermined ratio (for example, 60%) or more of the display area of the object is hidden by the display area on the screen of another window. To check. Then, the overlap determination unit 511 identifies an object that is determined to be “hidden” in the check as a hidden object.

  If there is even one object identified as the hidden object, the process proceeds to step S604 via step S603. On the other hand, if there is no object identified as the hidden object, the process proceeds to step S605 via step S603.

  In step S604, the caption display form control unit 512 controls the display form of the character string corresponding to the object specified as the hidden object by the overlap determination unit 511. That is, as described above, the screen generation unit 513 is instructed to realize various possible display mode controls.

  In step S605, the screen generation unit 513 forms each window (a plurality of windows) using data corresponding to each window. When the screen generation unit 513 receives an instruction to control the display form of the character string from the caption display form control unit 512, the display form of the character string is changed according to the instruction. Then, the screen generation unit 513 sends the screen information generated in this way to the output unit 514.

  In step S606, the output unit 514 sends the screen information received from the screen generation unit 513 to an external device (for example, a display device configured with a CRT, a liquid crystal screen, or the like).

  In the present embodiment, the display form of the character string corresponding to the object is controlled only when the object is hidden by the window display. However, the conditions for performing such display form control are not limited to this.

[Second Embodiment]
Each unit configuring the information processing apparatus 550 illustrated in FIG. 5 may be realized by dedicated hardware, or part or all may be realized by software. In this case, a computer such as a general PC (personal computer) that executes the software can be applied to the information processing apparatus 550.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of computer hardware applicable to the information processing apparatus 550.

  The CPU 701 controls the entire computer using computer programs and data stored in the RAM 702 and the ROM 703 and executes each process described in the first embodiment as being performed by the information processing apparatus 550.

  The RAM 702 has an area for temporarily storing computer programs and data loaded from the external storage device 706, data received from the outside via an I / F (interface) 707, and the like. Further, the RAM 702 also has a work area used when the CPU 701 executes various processes. That is, the RAM 702 can provide various areas as appropriate.

  The ROM 703 stores a boot program, setting data of the computer, and the like.

  The operation unit 704 is configured by a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, and various instructions can be input to the CPU 701 by an operator of the computer.

  The display unit 705 is configured by a CRT, a liquid crystal screen, or the like, and can display a processing result by the CPU 701 using an image, text, or the like. For example, a screen based on the screen information described as being output by the output unit 514 can be displayed.

  The external storage device 706 is a large-capacity information storage device represented by a hard disk drive device. The external storage device 706 stores an OS (Operating System) and computer programs and data for causing the CPU 701 to execute various processes described in the first embodiment as performed by the information processing device 550.

  The computer program includes a computer program for causing the CPU 701 to execute the functions of the overlap determination unit 511, the caption display form control unit 512, and the screen generation unit 513 illustrated in FIG. Such data includes data describing information to be displayed in each window. Such data is a data file for each window including a data file 502 as shown in FIG.

  Computer programs and data stored in the external storage device 706 are appropriately loaded into the RAM 702 under the control of the CPU 701 and are processed by the CPU 701.

  The I / F 707 is for enabling data communication between the computer and an external device, and corresponds to, for example, the input unit 510 and the output unit 514 shown in FIG.

  Reference numeral 708 denotes a bus connecting the above-described units.

[Other Embodiments]
Needless to say, the object of the present invention can be achieved as follows. That is, a recording medium (or storage medium) that records a program code (computer program) of software that implements the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to the system or apparatus. Needless to say, such a storage medium is a computer-readable storage medium. Then, the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reads and executes the program code stored in the recording medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the recording medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the recording medium on which the program code is recorded constitutes the present invention.

  Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, an operating system (OS) or the like running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code. Needless to say, the process includes the case where the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized.

  Furthermore, it is assumed that the program code read from the recording medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion card inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. After that, based on the instruction of the program code, the CPU included in 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. Needless to say.

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

It is a figure which shows the example of a display of one window. It is a figure which shows the example of a display when another window 200 is superimposed and displayed on the object 102 in the window 100 shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a window 100 in which a caption 113 obtained by reducing the caption 111 is disposed instead of the caption 111 because the window 200 overlaps a part of the caption 111 illustrated in FIG. 2. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the window which hidden the character string corresponding to the hidden object. It is a block diagram which shows the function structural example of the information processing apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the process which the information processing apparatus 550 which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention performs. And FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of computer hardware applicable to the information processing apparatus 550.

Claims (8)

An information processing apparatus that generates a plurality of windows and displays the windows on a display device,
Generating means for generating one window using data of an object to be arranged in one window and a character string related to the object;
Generating screen information indicating a display screen in which a plurality of windows including the window generated by the generating unit are arranged in one screen, and outputting the generated screen information to the display device;
The output means includes
Of the first object and the second object arranged in the first window generated by the generation unit, the first object becomes a second window generated by the generation unit other than the first window. Therefore , when it is detected that the character string is concealed, the display form of the first character string arranged in the first window as the character string related to the first object is related to the second object. The screen information is generated after the display form is changed to a display form different from the display form of the second character string arranged in the first window as the character string to be processed. The output means includes
If the first object is detected that it is therefore concealed in the second window, to claim 1, characterized in that to generate the screen information from the hide the first string The information processing apparatus described. The output means includes
If the first object is detected to be thus being concealed in the second window, the transparency of the first string after changing to a different transparency and transparency of the second string The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein screen information is generated. The output means includes
If the first object is detected to be thus being concealed in said second window, from said change the size different from the size of the first string size the second string The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein screen information is generated. The output means includes
If the first object is detected to be thus it is concealed in said second window, from said change to a different color from the color of the first character and the second character string color column The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein screen information is generated. An information processing method performed by an information processing device that generates a plurality of windows and displays the windows on a display device,
A generation step of generating one window using data of an object to be arranged in one window and a character string related to the object, the generation unit of the information processing apparatus;
The output unit of the information processing device generates screen information indicating a display screen in which a plurality of windows including the window generated in the generating step are arranged in one screen, and outputs the generated screen information to the display device. An output process,
In the output step,
Of the first object and the second object arranged in the first window generated in the generation step, the first object is included in the second window generated in the generation step in addition to the first window. Therefore , when it is detected that the character string is concealed, the display form of the first character string arranged in the first window as the character string related to the first object is related to the second object. The screen information is generated after changing to a display form different from the display form of the second character string arranged in the first window as a character string to be processed.   A computer program for causing a computer to function as each unit included in the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.   A computer-readable storage medium storing the computer program according to claim 7.

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