JPH08163172A - Information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To handle a large amount of image data for only a remarked image by controlling the amount of image data corresponding to the recognition of change instruction of image data amount. CONSTITUTION: An information processor 5 performs transmission control corresponding to the frame rate change request of information processors 1-4, and changes a frame rate replying to the request. In such a case, the information processing performing the transmission control continues the transmission of a transmission permission packet corresponding to a frame rate increasing request by depressing a video frame rate increasing button 106 successively, consequently, the frame rate of the information processor from which the frame increasing request is issued can be increased. Also, the order of the next transmission permission of the information processor from which the request is issued is skipped corresponding to a frame rate decreasing request by depressing a video frame decreasing button 107 successively, consequently, a video frame rate can be decreased.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 10 shows an example of a display screen of a conventional video input display device.

Reference numerals 111 to 114 are display screens of the video input display device, 101 is a control panel 102 on which buttons for operating the video input display device are lined up, a video fast forward button, 103 is a video playback start button, 104 Is a video playback rewind button, and 105 is a video playback stop button.

FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of a video input display device which is each terminal device in the conventional system.

Reference numeral 801 is a ROM in which a program for loading the OS of the information processing apparatus is stored, and 802 is
OS, execution program, execution data, etc. are external storage devices
Work area RAM when loaded from 808 and executed
, 803 is a memory bus used for sending and receiving data between the CPU and ROM or RAM, 804 is a CPU, 809 is a CRT which is a display for displaying characters and pictures, and 805 is an I / O such as a keyboard, mouse or hard disk. I / O bus for sending and receiving data between the O device and the CPU, 806 is a keyboard which is an input device, 807 is a mouse which is a coordinate input device, 8
08 is an external storage device such as a hard disk for use as an OS, storage of programs and data, and use as a swap device, and 810 is VRAM, and bitmap images such as diagrams and pictures for display on the CRT 809 are stored in this memory. The information that was transferred and expanded here is configured to appear on the CRT 809.

Reference numeral 811 is a video input unit, which is a video camera described later.
The video analog signal connected to the 902 and input through the CCD of the video camera 902 is converted into a digital signal and expanded in the RAM in the video input unit.

The CPU 804 can then read this data through the I / O bus.

An audio input unit 812 is connected to the video camera 902 similarly to the video input unit 811. An audio analog signal input from a microphone connected to the video camera is converted into a digital signal, and the audio input unit Is configured to be expanded in RAM.

The CPU 804 can then read this data through the I / O bus.

A voice output unit 38 is connected to the speaker 903. The voice digital data written in the RAM in the voice output unit is converted into an analog signal and sent to the speaker 903.

Reference numeral 813 is a video compression / decompression unit for compressing and decompressing video and audio data, 814 is a network transmission / reception unit for controlling the network, and 815 is a network line.

FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of a conventional video input / playback system.

901 is a ROM 801, a RAM 802, a memory bus 8
03, CPU 804, VRAM 810, I / O bus 805, external storage device 808, network transmission / reception unit 814, etc. CRT which is a display for operating, 806 is a keyboard for inputting characters and instructing operations, 807 is a mouse which is a coordinate instructing means,
Reference numeral 902 is a video camera for capturing images, 903 is a speaker with a microphone for reproducing and inputting sound, and 815 is a bus type network line such as Ethernet.

The windows 111 to 114 in FIG. 10 are display examples of the CRT of the information processing apparatus 5 and display images from the video cameras 902 connected to the information processing apparatuses 1 to 4.

The voice input from the microphone attached to the speaker 903 is output from the speaker 903 attached to each information processing apparatus.

The information processing apparatuses 1 to 4 are broadcasting camera images to the network 815, but if all the information processing apparatuses 1 to 4 are transmitting at the same time,
With 815, many collisions occur and transmission efficiency drops.

Therefore, the information processing device 5 is made to perform transmission control.

The operation of the information processing device 5 that controls transmission will be described with reference to FIG.

In the information processing device 5, it is registered that the information processing devices 1 to 4 constituting the system are 1 to 4.

Under the control of the CPU 804, the information processing device 5
When transmission control is started according to the program in ROM801 (Step
1101), first, the variable Count for setting the information processing device that permits data transmission is set to 1 (Step 1102).
Then, the information processing device 5 transmits a transmission permission packet instructing the transmission permission of one frame of the video and audio data to the information processing device having the same number as the Count value (Step 110
3). It waits for the information processing apparatus having the same number as the Count value to which the transmission is permitted to end the transmission (Step 1104). The end of the transmission is identified by the reception of the transmission end packet transmitted by the information processing device having the same number as the Count value to which the transmission permission is given. Then, to indicate the transmission permission of the next information processing device
Add 1 to Count (Step 1105). If the value of Count is compared with 4 and is greater than 4 (Step 1106), the number of the information processing devices that make up the system is exceeded in this example.
Set t to 1 (Step 1101). If the Count value is not larger than 4 (Step 1106), the transmission permission packet is transmitted to the information processing apparatus having the same number as the Count value (Step 1106).
103).

Regarding transmission of video and audio data, FIG.
And 8 will be used for explanation. The video data from the camera is read from the RAM in the video input unit 811 and the audio data is read from the RAM in the audio input unit (Step 302). The video data is compressed by the video compression unit 813 (Step 303). Then, the compressed video data and audio data are connected, the data is packetized (Step 304), and the transmission permission from the information processing device 5 is waited for. When the transmission permission is sent, the operation is started from Step 305, and all the generated packets are sequentially transmitted to the network 815 (Step 307). Then, a transmission completion packet that notifies the completion of the transmission is transmitted to the information processing device 5 that controls transmission (Step 308), and the process returns to Step 302.

Regarding reception of video and audio data, FIG.
And FIG. 8 will be described.

Wait to receive video and audio packets
(Step 402). When the video packet is received, the operation is started from Step 403, the transmission source is checked (Step 404), and the data is extracted from the packet (Step 405). Check whether the video and data from the sender have been collected for one screen (Step 40
6) If not gathered, wait for receiving a video packet (Step 402). When one screen of video and data from the sender is collected, video data and audio data are generated. Since the video data is compressed, the video compression / decompression unit 813 decompresses the video data (Step 407). The video data is written to the RAM in the video input unit 811 and displayed on the portion displaying the video from the information processing device of the transmission source, and the audio input 812
Write audio data to the internal RAM and output audio (Ste
p 708). Then, it waits for the next video and audio data packet to be received (Step 402).

A program for checking the contents of the received packet and passing control to an appropriate program according to the contents will be described with reference to FIG. Wait until the packet is received (Step 1202). When received, the packet header is checked and if the packet is a video packet (Step 1203), the Step
Go from Step 1204 to Step 403 in Figure 4. If the received packet is not a video packet, check whether it is a transmission permission packet (Step
1205), if it is a transmission permission packet, from Step 1206
Go to Step 306. If not, other packet processing is performed (Step 1207), and the packet is waited for again (Step 1202).

[0025]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the above conventional example,
The information processing device 5 that performs transmission control is configured to count the variable Count one by one and pass a notification that one frame may be transmitted to the information processing device having the same number as the Count value. . For this reason, the frame rates of videos from multiple information processing devices are almost the same.
I could not make a request to change the frame rate of one unit.

[0026]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first aspect of the present invention is an information processing apparatus connected to a network to which a plurality of information processing apparatuses are connected. A recognition unit that recognizes an instruction to change the amount of image data output by any information processing device of the devices; and a control unit that controls the amount of image data output by the arbitrary information processing device according to the recognition. Characterize.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided one of a plurality of information processing devices connected to a network management information processing device via a network, and the information processing device for management transmits data via the network. It is characterized by further comprising: a receiving unit that receives the output permission data of the image data at a variable arbitrary timing, and an output unit that outputs the image data to the network according to the received output permission data.

[0028]

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows an example of a display screen of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 106 is a video frame rate increase request button, and 107 is a video frame rate decrease request button.
Others are the same as those in FIG.

The windows 111 to 114 in FIG. 1 display images from the video cameras 902 of the information processing devices 1 to 4. The sound input from the microphone attached to the speaker 903 is output to the speaker 903 attached to each information processing device.
Output from

The information processing devices 1 to 4 are broadcasting camera images to the network 815, but if all the information processing devices 14 are transmitting at the same time, the network 815
As a result, many collisions occur and transmission efficiency drops. Therefore, in this example, the information processing device 5 is made to perform transmission control.

In this embodiment, the information processing device 5 controls transmission in response to a frame rate change request from the information processing devices 1 to 4 and changes the frame rate according to the request. The following is a description with reference to the drawings.

First, the operation of the information processing device 5 that controls transmission will be described with reference to FIG. In the information processing device 5, it is registered that the information processing devices constituting the system are 1 to 4.

Under the control of the CPU 804, the information processing device 5
When transmission control is started according to the program of M801 (Step 20
1), the variable Count for setting the information processing device that permits data transmission is set to 1 (Step 202). It is checked whether or not the information processing device having the same number as the Count value is listed in the untransmittable list (Step 207). If it is on the list, remove this information processing device from the list and proceed to Step 214
go to. If it is not on the list, a transmission permission packet indicating that one frame of video and audio data may be transmitted is transmitted to the information processing apparatus having the same number as the Count value (Step 204). Next, it waits to receive a packet from the network (Step 205). The received packet is checked, and if the packet is a video frame rate reduction request packet (Step 208), the host whose video frame rate should be reduced is checked (Step 123), and the corresponding host is registered in the untransmittable list (Step 208). Step 209). And Step 214
go to.

Further, the received packet is checked, and if the packet is a video frame rate increase request packet,
(Step 206), the host for which the video frame rate should be increased is checked (Step 210). Waits for the host currently transmitting video to finish transmitting (Step 212), and transmits a transmission permission packet to the host checked in Step 210 (Step 21).
3). Then return to Step 205.

On the other hand, if the received packet is not a video frame rate increase request packet (Step 206), it waits until the transmission of the host currently transmitting video is completed (S
tep211), and add 1 to Count (Step 214). In this example, C
If the value of ount is greater than 4 (Step 215), the number of information processing devices that make up the system is exceeded, so Count
Set to 1 (Step 202). If the Count value is not larger than 4 (Step 215), the transmission permission packet is transmitted to the information processing apparatus having the same number as the Count value (Step 20).
Four).

The video and audio data transmitting operation of this embodiment is the same as that of the conventional example.

The operation of receiving the video and audio data is the same as the conventional example.

The procedure for issuing a request to increase the video frame rate will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 1.

Wait for the button in FIG. 1 to be pressed. When the button is pressed, the process proceeds to Step 503 in Fig. 5 to check the value of the subtraction timer to prevent the video frame rate change request from being issued too much (Step 506). If it is not 0, the button is pressed again. Wait for (Step 502). If it is 0, a video frame rate increase request packet is transmitted (Step 507). Set an appropriate value in the subtraction timer, start the subtraction timer (Step 508), and wait for a button input again (Step 502).
The subtraction timer used here is configured to stop when it returns to zero.

A procedure for issuing a request to reduce the video frame rate will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 1. This is almost the same as the procedure for issuing a request to increase the video frame rate.

Wait for the button in FIG. 1 to be pressed. When the button is pressed, the process proceeds to Step 603 in Fig. 6 to check the value of the subtraction timer to prevent too many video frame rate change requests (Step 606). If it is not 0, the button is pressed again. Wait for (Step 602). If it is 0, a video frame rate increase request packet is transmitted (Step 607). Set an appropriate value in the subtraction timer, start the subtraction timer (Step 608), and wait for a button input again (Step 602).

A program for pressing the button in FIG. 1 or checking the content of the received packet and passing control to an appropriate program according to the content will be described with reference to FIG.

It is checked whether or not the video frame rate increase button has been pressed (Step 702). If the button is pressed, go from Step 712 to Step 503 in FIG. Next, check whether the frame rate reduction button has been pressed (Step
703). If the button is pressed, go from Step 712 to Figure 6
Go to Step 603. If any other button is pressed (Step 707), process the appropriate button (Step 707).
706). Check whether packet is received or not (Step 704)
If it has not been received, it is checked again whether the video frame rate increase button has been pressed (Step 702). If it is received, the header of the packet is checked (Step 705), and if the packet is a video packet, Step 710 to Step of FIG.
Go to 403. If the packet is not a video packet, it is checked whether it is a transmission permission packet (Step 708). If it is a transmission permission packet, Step 711 goes to Step 306 in FIG. If not, perform other appropriate packet processing (Ste
p 709) and check again whether the video frame rate increase button has been pressed (Step 702).

In this example, by continuing to press the video frame rate increase button (FIG. 1106), the video frame rate increase request continues to be issued, and each time the request is received, the information processing device performing transmission control transmits Since the permission packet is continuously transmitted, as a result, the frame rate of the information processing apparatus that has requested the frame rate increase can be increased.

Also, a video frame lowering button (see FIG.
By pressing and holding 7), the video frame rate lowering request continues to be issued, and each time the request is received, the information processing apparatus that is performing transmission control requests the next transmission permission of the information processing apparatus that made the frame rate lowering request. Since the order is skipped, the video frame rate can be reduced as a result.

Further, by reducing the set value of the subtraction timer and increasing the transmission frequency of the frame rate reduction request packet, the information processing apparatus which is performing transmission control always skips the order of transmission permission. The image of the corresponding information processing device can be stopped.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, a plurality of information processing apparatuses exchange image information with each other to input an image,
In a system for displaying an image, any one or more of the information processing devices controls an information processing device that is transmitting an image, and controls so that image information of a certain value or more does not flow to a network. Means for requesting to change the frame rate of the video transmitted by the specific information processing device, and the information processing device requested to change the frame rate based on the request By providing a device with a means for changing the amount of transmitted video, it is possible to change the frame rate of the video of a specific information processing device, so that the focused video can be viewed smoothly or needs attention. There is an effect that the frame rate of a non-existing video can be reduced, and as a result, the frame rate of another video can be increased.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and even when each information processing device is a video server, there is an information processing device that controls transmission of a plurality of information processing devices. Can adapt this.

In the present embodiment, the information processing device that makes a frame rate increase request is an information processing device that constitutes the system, but the present invention is not based on this, and an information processing device outside the system makes a request. You can go.

[0051]

As described above, the present invention is an information processing apparatus connected to a network to which a plurality of information processing apparatuses are connected, and any one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses is Since each of the information processing devices connected to the network has a recognition means for recognizing an instruction to change the amount of output image data, and a control means for controlling the amount of image data output by the arbitrary information processing device according to the recognition. The output amount of the output image data can be made variable, and a large amount of image data can be handled only for the image output from the attention information processing device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of a video input display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation flowchart of an information processing device that is a master that gives a transmission permission.

[FIG. 3] A video from a video camera 902 is sent to the network 81.
6 is a flowchart showing the operation when outputting to 5.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation when displaying an image flowing from a network.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart when issuing a request to increase a video frame rate.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart when issuing a request to reduce the video frame rate.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation when a packet is received from the network 815.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a video input display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a video input / playback system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of a conventional video input display device.

FIG. 11 is a conventional example of an operation flowchart of an information processing apparatus that is a master that gives a transmission permission.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a conventional example of a flowchart showing an operation when a packet is received from a network 815.

Claims (17)

[Claims] 1. An information processing device connected to a network to which a plurality of information processing devices are connected, the recognition recognizing a data amount change instruction output by any one of the plurality of information processing devices. An information processing apparatus, comprising: a means for controlling the amount of image data output by the arbitrary information processing apparatus according to the recognition. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus has an image display unit. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus has an image input unit. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data transmitted via the network has a predetermined data amount. 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the change instruction is an instruction to change a frame rate of image data. 6. The control means is control for increasing or decreasing the frame rate.
The information processing device according to the item. 7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the amount of image data by changing the number of times of sending a transmission permission instruction to the arbitrary information processing apparatus. 8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the images input from the plurality of information processing apparatuses are displayed as multi in the image display units of the plurality of information processing apparatuses. 9. One of a plurality of information processing apparatuses connected to an information processing apparatus for network management via a network.
Accordingly, receiving means for receiving output permission data of image data transmitted from the management information processing device via the network at a variable arbitrary timing, image data according to the received output permission data. And an output unit for outputting the information to the network. 10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising input means for inputting the image data. 11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the output permission data is variably generated by the management information processing apparatus according to an instruction from the plurality of information processing apparatuses. 12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising display means for displaying image data transmitted via the network. 13. The information processing according to claim 12, wherein the display unit displays the image data output from the plurality of information processing apparatuses in a multi-image display according to the number of the plurality of information processing apparatuses. apparatus. 14. The instruction is given to an arbitrary information processing apparatus of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, and the instruction from an instruction unit displayed for each of the plurality of information processing apparatuses on the display means. The information processing device according to claim 11 or claim 13, wherein the information processing device is performed according to the following. 15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the instruction is to increase or decrease a transmission frame rate of the image data. 16. The information processing device for management increases the number of times of output of the output permission data when the increase of the transmission frame rate is instructed.
The information processing device according to the item. 17. The information processing apparatus for management decreases the number of times of outputting the output permission data when the decrease of the transmission frame rate is instructed.
The information processing device according to the item.