JPH04245789A - Method for managing data - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To offer a data managing method capable of retrieving the information of moving image signals, voice signals, numerals, character strings, static images, and graphics as messages constructed based upon a time axis. CONSTITUTION:An output list 1 stores the identifiers of respective output scenes. An address conversion table 2 is constituted of the identifiers, attributes for distinguishing moving images from voices, segment data size, and the addresses of a memory or an external storage device. Segment data 3a to 3c are sampled moving image signals and voice signals. At the time of retrieval, a retrieving program extracts the initial descriptor from the head of the list 1, retrieves the table 2, extracts the address of the memory or the external storage device and outputs data corresponding to the size based upon the address from the memory or the external storage device to a moving image or voice output device based upon the attribute of the data. Thus retrieval can be executed by repeating the above operation until the scene of the list 1 disappears.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for storing and managing multimedia information including moving images and audio in a memory or external storage device.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, optical disks and magneto-optical disks have been used as media for recording moving image signals and audio signals. CD-ROM is used as a system for recording and searching videos, audio, programs, and character strings on these media.
The system is known. In the CD-ROM system,
A hierarchical file system is defined as a logical format on top of the physical format of an optical disk, making it possible to search and output information using a computer.

The data management method will be explained with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 50 denotes a table called a pathname, which is present in the optical disk and stores relative positions, parent directories, file names, and block addresses. 51a, 51b, 5
1c is a block structure called a file that stores actual signals. Moving image signals, audio signals, programs, and data can be stored in this in the form of digital signals.

Next, a method of searching for information will be explained. All searches are performed by a program on a computer connected to the CD-ROM system. Hierarchical files are managed in a structure called a directory (not shown), but this is used to search for file names; actual searches are performed using file names. Conversions between file names and block addresses on the optical disc are collected in a passname 50 so that the optical disc does not have to be accessed many times. The passname 50 is first read from the optical disk and stored in the memory of the computer. Then, as the program is executed, the file names are converted to block addresses, and from the block addresses files 51a, 51b, 51c
data is output from the optical disc.

[0005]

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in conventional data management methods, only moving image signals and audio signals are stored, and the relationship between the signals is determined by a search program, and they are not managed as data. There was a problem. This has resulted in problems such as the complexity of the search program and the dependence of data on the model. Furthermore, since audio and video are stored, there are problems with improving the efficiency of storage and speeding up searches.

[0006] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to realize a data management method that allows searching for moving image signals, audio signals, numbers, character strings, still images, and graphics information as messages structured on a time axis. .

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The data management method of the first invention extracts a part of the input signal and generates segment data when storing sampled moving image signals and audio signals in a memory or an external storage device. In order to distinguish between a plurality of segment data, an identifier consisting of a unique character string is assigned to the segment data, and an address conversion table between the identifier and the address where the segment data is stored and the segment data at the time of output are provided. The present invention is characterized in that moving image signals and audio signals are managed by an output list in which the output order is described as a sequential order relationship of the identifiers, and the accumulated segment data is sequentially output according to the description of the output list.

[0008] Further, in the data management method of the second invention, as the scenario, a moving image signal and an audio signal are managed using an output control table in which the parallel output relationship of the segment data is described as a table of the identifiers. , the segment data accumulated according to the description in the output control table is output in parallel while being synchronized.

Further, the data management method according to the third aspect of the invention is characterized in that compressed moving image signals and audio signals are stored as the storage signals.

Furthermore, the data management method of the fourth invention is characterized in that a signal obtained by time-division multiplexing a compressed moving image signal and a compressed audio signal is stored as the storage signal.

[0011] Furthermore, in the data management method of the fifth invention, a number, character string, still image, or graphics signal is used singly or in combination as the accumulation signal, and the identifier and the segment are stored in the address conversion table. The present invention is characterized in that it has a timed address conversion table consisting of a memory address where data is stored and a waiting time after the output of the storage signal.

0012

[Operation] The data management method of the present invention will be explained. In applications that handle moving image signals and audio signals, unlike when handling numerical data, the data is structured into a document structure or a network structure, rather than an enumeration or repetition of data. Especially in the case of videos and audio, it is easier to manage if you focus on the temporal structure. Therefore, the relationship between moving image signals and audio signals is described in the form of management information rather than a program, and information can be searched using this as a clue.

In the data management method of the first invention, when storing sampled moving image signals and audio signals in a memory or an external storage device, a part of the input signal is extracted and stored as segment data. In order to distinguish between multiple segment data, an identifier (name) consisting of a unique character string is assigned to the segment data, and in addition to an address conversion table between the identifier and the memory address where the segment data is stored, the segment data is output at the time of output. Video signals and audio signals are managed using an output list whose order is described as a sequential list of identifiers.

[0014] During a search, a search program on a search computer converts the identifier into an address in a memory or external storage device according to the description in the output list, and sequentially outputs the accumulated segment data.

[0015] Furthermore, in the data management method of the second invention, in order to realize a parallel search in which audio is output in synchronization with a moving image, an output in which the parallel output relationship of segment data is described as a table of identifiers is provided. Control tables are used to manage video signals and audio signals.

[0016] At the time of retrieval, video and audio data that has been accumulated and output in parallel is retrieved according to the description in the output control table, converted to addresses in memory or external storage devices in the address conversion table, and the accumulated segment data is Output in parallel while maintaining synchronization.

The search program required for the data management methods of the first and second inventions does not rely on video or audio data, so it can be standardized, and the output list and output control table can be stored on an external storage device like the address conversion table. can be stored as data.

[0018] Furthermore, since sampled moving image signals and audio signals have a large amount of information, in order to efficiently manage them with a computer, it is necessary to
In the data management method of the third aspect of the invention, it is necessary to store compressed moving image signals and audio signals as the storage signals. This allows for efficient storage and faster retrieval.

However, it is difficult to accurately synchronize the output timings of compressed audio and moving images. In the data management method of the fourth aspect of the invention, a signal obtained by time division multiplexing a compressed moving image signal and a compressed audio signal is accumulated as an accumulation signal. As a result, synchronization can be achieved by adjusting the delay time using hardware, making it easy to achieve synchronization.

Furthermore, it is necessary to handle numbers, character strings, still images, and graphics data that have no temporal structure in an integrated manner. In the data management method of the fifth invention, by defining the time to present numbers, character strings, still images, and graphics signals alone or in combination as accumulated signals, it is possible to treat them in the same way as moving images and audio signals. become. Specifically, this is achieved by managing multimedia data by extending the address conversion table to a timed address conversion table consisting of the memory address where the identifier and segment data are stored, and the waiting time after the output of the storage signal. can.

Although the present invention has been described using digital signals, the method of the present invention can also be applied to devices that record moving pictures and audio signals using analog signals, such as laser discs.

As for the multiplexing method for compressed audio and moving images, multiplexing methods such as frame multiplexing are also possible.

[0023] Furthermore, it is naturally possible to use the data structure of the data management method of the present invention in communication messages and exchange them as e-mail or database information through a network.

[0024]

Embodiments Hereinafter, the data management method of the present invention will be explained in detail based on embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the basic configuration of the data management method of the first invention. 1 is an output list, 2 is an address conversion table, and 3a, 3b, and 3c are segment data. The sampled moving image signals and audio signals are stored in a memory or an external storage device as segment data 3a, 3b, and 3c. Output list 1 stores identifiers for each output order (scene). The address conversion table consists of an identifier, an attribute for distinguishing between video and audio, the size of segment data, and an address on memory or an external storage device.

At the time of searching, the search program on the computer that searches uses the first scene descriptor from the beginning of output list 1 (
V001), searches the address conversion table 2, retrieves the address of the memory or external storage device, and outputs data corresponding to the size from the address from the memory or external device to the video or audio output device depending on the attribute. The search is executed by repeating this process until there are no more scenes in the output list 1.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the basic configuration of the data management method of the second invention. 4 is an output control table, and 2 is an address conversion table. Segment data is omitted from illustration. The output control table 4 stores identifiers to be output in parallel for each output order (scene). For this reason, in this embodiment, assuming a case where audio is output in synchronization with a moving image, the identifier 1 and the identifier 2 are configured to be output in parallel with the scene identifier. Complex descriptions are possible by expanding the table to match the number of data that can be output in parallel.

[0028] As in the first invention, the address conversion table is composed of an identifier, an attribute for distinguishing between moving images and audio, the size of segment data, and an address on the memory or external storage device.

When searching, the search program on the computer that searches outputs the first scene (S1) from the first row of output control table 4.
The descriptors (V001 and A001) are retrieved, the address conversion table 2 is retrieved, the address of the memory or external storage device is retrieved, and the size of data from the address is sent to the video output device, and the signal of A001 is sent to the video output device. The signal is output in parallel from the memory or external device to the audio output device,
Wait until both are finished. The search is executed by repeating this process until there are no more scenes in the output control table 4.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the basic configuration of the data management methods of the third and fourth inventions. 5 is a data storage format for compressed video and compressed audio. This corresponds to segment data 3a, 3b, and 3c in FIG. This is an example of a time division multiplexing system in which a compressed moving image signal is assigned to the lower 6 bits and a compressed audio signal is assigned to the upper 2 bits as an accumulation signal. The third invention corresponds to the case where all bits are used for compressed moving images or compressed audio.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the basic configuration of the data management method of the fifth invention. 6 is a timed address conversion table, and 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d are segment data. The contents are compressed moving image and audio data 7a, graphics data 7b, still image data 7c, and character data 7d. 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d are the contents of segment data 3a, 3b, and 3c in FIG. Although not shown, the timed address conversion table is searched from the output list 1 or the output control table 4. Address conversion table with time 6
is an identifier and attributes for distinguishing between videos, audio, graphics, still images, and character strings, and a playback time for video and audio, and a time to store the waiting time after display for still images, graphics, and character strings. , consists of the size of segment data and the address on memory or external storage device.

During a search, the search program on the computer that searches takes out the scene descriptors in order from the beginning of the output list 1 and the output control table 4, searches the timed address conversion table 6, and searches the address of the memory or external storage device. Take out the
Data of the size from the address is transferred to each output device according to the attribute. Graphics, still images, and character strings are displayed or drawn, and then wait for a specified time. When outputting in parallel, synchronization is achieved by waiting for the longest time. Output list 1
The search is repeated until there are no more scenes in the output control table 4.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be explained in more detail using FIGS. 5 and 6. This example is a case where the method of the second invention, the method of the fourth invention, and the method of the fifth invention are used in combination. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of the search system of this embodiment. This search system includes a buffer 10 for storing compressed video and audio signals, a demultiplexer (DEMUX) 11 that separates the multiplexed compressed video and audio signal into a compressed video signal and a compressed audio signal,
Audio decoder 12 for decompressing compressed audio signals, speaker 1
3. A moving image decoder 14 that decompresses a compressed moving image signal, a frame memory 15, a CRT control unit 16 that generates an image signal from the frame memory 15, and scan-converts the output signal of the CRT control unit 16 and the output of the moving image decoder 14. The synthesis unit 17, CRT 18, and control unit (CPU
) 20, memory 21, external storage device interface (control unit) 22, external storage device 23, and bus 24. The external storage device 23 specifically corresponds to a magnetic disk or an optical disk device. In this embodiment, the data consists of an output control table 4, a timed address conversion table 6, and segment data 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d. Compressed video and audio data is time-division multiplexed and stored as shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the procedure of the search program of this embodiment. The operation of this embodiment will be explained in detail based on FIG. 6. (a) The CPU 20 uses the search program on the memory 21 to input the output control table 4 on the external storage device 23 to the memory 21 using the external storage device interface 22 (step 100). (b) Subsequently, the CPU 20 inputs the time-based address conversion table 6 on the external storage device 23 to the memory 21 using the external storage device interface 22 (step 110).
). (c) Next, scene descriptors are taken out in order from the output control table 4, the timed address conversion table 6 is searched, and branching occurs depending on the data attribute (step 120). (d) CPU 20 regarding data whose attribute is compressed video and audio
controls the external storage device control unit 22 and controls the external storage device 23
Data corresponding to the address size is read into the memory 21 (step 130) and output to the buffer 10 (step 131). The compressed video signal output to the buffer 10 is sequentially sent to the demultiplexer 11 and separated into a compressed audio signal and a compressed video signal. The compressed audio signal is decompressed by the audio decoder 12 and output from the speaker 13. The compressed moving picture signal is decompressed by a moving picture decoder 14, scan-converted by a composition section 17, and then superimposed with the image in the frame memory 15 and displayed on the CRT 18. (e) Regarding data whose attribute is a still image, the CPU 20 controls the external storage device control unit 22, reads data corresponding to the size of the address of the external storage device 23 into the memory 21 (step 140), and outputs it to the frame memory 15 ( Step 141). The contents of the frame memory 15 are converted into a video signal by the CRT control section 16, and superimposed with the signal of the moving image decoder 14 in the synthesis section 17, and the CRT control section 16 converts the contents into a video signal.
8 will be displayed. (f) Regarding data whose attributes are characters, the CPU 20 controls the external storage device control unit 22, reads data corresponding to the address size of the external storage device 23 into the memory 21 (step 150), and stores the character code in the font ROM (not shown). )
Convert it to a font and output it to the frame memory 15 (
Step 151). The contents of frame memory 15 are CRT
The video signal is converted by the control unit 16, and superimposed with the signal from the moving image decoder 14 in the synthesis unit 17.
Displayed on RT18. (g) CPU2 for data with graphics attribute
0 controls the external storage device control section 22 and controls the external storage device 2
3 is read into the memory 21 (step 160), and graphics are drawn into the frame memory 15 by the drawing processing module corresponding to the graphics code (step 161). (h) Determine whether there are no more identifiers to be output in parallel for each scene (step 170), and (c) repeat the following process until there are no more identifiers to be output in parallel. (i) Wait for the maximum time for each scene (step 180). (j) Determine whether up to the last row of output control table 4 has been output (
Step 190), if it is not the last scene, repeat (c) and the following, and end the search when there is no next scene (Step 200).

[0035]

[Effects of the Invention] By using the data management method of the present invention, it is possible to search for messages structured on a time axis. This has the effect that stored information can be output sequentially or in parallel without creating a complicated search program. Furthermore, since the relationship between pieces of information can be held as data, there is an effect that the dependence of the information on the model can be reduced.

Furthermore, the method of the third invention enables efficient storage and speeding up of retrieval, and the method of the fourth invention makes it possible to easily realize synchronization such as between moving images and audio. It has the effect of becoming Further, when the method of the fifth invention is used, there is an effect that compressed moving image signals, compressed audio signals, character strings, data, graphics, and still image information can be managed in an integrated manner.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a data management method of a first invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the data management method of the second invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the data management method of the third and fourth inventions.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the data management method of the fifth invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a search operation in an embodiment of the data management method of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a search device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Output list 2 Address conversion tables 3a, 3b, 3c Segment data 4 Output control table 6 Address conversion table with time 7a Compressed video and audio data 7b Graphics data 7c Still image data 7d Character data 10 Buffer 11 Demultiplexer 12 Audio decoder 13 Speaker 14 Video decoder 15 Frame memory 16 CRT control section 17 Composition section 18 CRT 20 Control section (CPU) 21 Memory 22 External storage device interface 23 External storage device 24 Bus 50 Passname 51a, 51b, 51c File

Claims (5)

[Claims] Claim 1: When storing sampled moving image signals and audio signals in a memory or an external storage device, a part of the input signal is extracted as segment data, and the segment data is used to distinguish between a plurality of segment data. is given an identifier consisting of a unique character string, and an address conversion table between the identifier and the address where the segment data is stored, and an output in which the output order of the segment data at the time of output is described as a sequential order relationship of the identifiers. A data management method characterized by managing moving image signals and audio signals in a list, and sequentially outputting the accumulated segment data according to descriptions in the output list. 2. A video signal and an audio signal are managed using, as the output list, an output control table in which parallel output relationships of the segment data are described as a table of identifiers, and according to the description of the output control table. 2. The data management method according to claim 1, wherein the accumulated segment data is output in parallel while being synchronized. 3. The data management method according to claim 1, wherein compressed moving image signals and audio signals are stored as the storage signals. 4. The data management method according to claim 1, wherein a signal obtained by time division multiplexing a compressed moving image signal and a compressed audio signal is stored as the storage signal. 5. The storage signal is a number, a character string, a still image, a graphics signal, singly or in combination, and the address conversion table includes the identifier, the memory address where the segment data is stored, and the storage. 2. The data management method according to claim 1, further comprising a timed address conversion table composed of waiting times after the output of the signal.