JPH08228323A - Multi-media scenario reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To perform skip reproduction in real time with a degree not being conscious of delay time by storing/holding by precedently receiving video information and audio information transmitted from a server and made into raw pieces by prescribed quantity. CONSTITUTION: A scenario managing means 9 takes out synchronous relation between the video information and the audio information from multi-media scenario in a storage means 8, and precedently receives the data of video information and audio information from the server, and stores them in buffer memory 2, 3, and after that, sends each data to decoding means 6, 7. In such a case, the managing means 9 precedently receives the video information and the audio information made into the raw pieces in spite of the instruction of a user, and also, holds them in the memory, and reads out required information made into the raw pieces according to the skip reproduction instruction of the user. Consequently, the user is excluded to await even when the skip reproduction in forward and backward directions are performed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video and audio reproducing apparatus, and more particularly to video information and audio digitally encoded in a predetermined format based on a multimedia scenario describing a synchronization relationship between video information and audio information. The present invention relates to a multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus which decodes and reproduces information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the development of data compression technology, video information of not only still images but also moving images is stored in a storage medium together with audio information, and when read out, the information is provided, or A system has been developed in which the read information is transmitted to a predetermined terminal via a communication line. IS
As a system for communicating characters, images, sounds, etc. between server clients using a communication path such as DN or LAN, there is, for example, the one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-95626. According to the technique of the publication, a media data management unit is provided for each of the video information and the audio information, and when the data preparation in all the management units is completed,
Playback of the multimedia scenario is started.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional example, since the multimedia scenario is started to be played after the data preparation in all the management means is completed, the time required for the server to complete the data transfer preparation, The user has to wait on the multimedia scenario reproducing device side for the transmission time on the digital line, which is not convenient. That is,
When the encoded video information and audio information data is supplied from the server to the terminal via the communication line and the terminal side decodes and reproduces the received data, the user skips forward or backward. There is a problem that the user waits for the time required for the data transfer preparation to be completed in the server at the time of reproduction, and a waiting time occurs each time skipping. When the data to be supplied is software such as a movie, it is necessary to wait until the information of the skip destination is viewed and listened to. Therefore, improvement of such a reproducing device used as a terminal is desired.

Therefore, according to the present invention, even when the multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus receiving information from the server instructs skip reproduction in the forward or backward direction, the user does not notice the delay time in real time. An object is to provide a multimedia scenario playback device capable of skip playback.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, when reproducing a multimedia scenario in a multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus, fragmented video information and audio information transmitted from a server. Is provided in advance by a predetermined amount, is stored in the storage means, and is provided with a scenario management means for controlling the reading from the storage means based on the user's skip instruction, so that the user is not aware of the delay time.

[0006] That is, according to the present invention, a digital line is connected to a server which stores video information and audio information digitally encoded in a predetermined format and a multimedia scenario in which a synchronization relationship between the video information and the audio information is described. It is possible to receive the video information and the audio information and the multimedia scenario from the server, decode the video information and the audio information based on the synchronization relationship shown in the multimedia scenario, and play the multimedia scenario. An apparatus, comprising: a network control unit that receives the video information, the audio information, and the multimedia scenario via the digital line; and a first storage unit that temporarily stores the video information received by the network control unit. Buffer memory and received by the network control means. A second buffer memory for temporarily storing the audio information, a first address register for managing the write address of the first buffer memory,
A second address register for managing a write address of the second buffer memory, a first decoding means for decoding the video information read from the first buffer memory, and the second buffer Second decoding means for decoding the voice information read from the memory, scenario storage means for temporarily storing the multimedia scenario received by the network control means, and instruction of a reproduction mode from a user Input means for receiving the video information and the audio information from the multimedia scenario stored in the scenario storage means, and the desired video information and audio from the server to the network control means. A request is made to receive information in advance in units of units, and the playback mode input to the input means is requested. And scenario management means for controlling the first address register and the second address register in order to write the video information and the audio information in the first buffer memory and the second buffer memory according to the instructions of 1. , A multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus having the same is provided.

[0007]

According to the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the scenario management means extracts the synchronous relationship between the video information and the audio information from the multimedia scenario, receives the video information and the audio information data from the server in advance, and receives the first buffer memory. And stored in the second buffer memory, and the stored data is sent to the first decoding means and the second decoding means and becomes visible to the user after being decoded. Is
Since the video information and the audio information, which are both fragmented regardless of the user's instruction, are received in advance and stored in the storage means, and the necessary fragmented information is read from the storage means according to the user's skip reproduction instruction. Even if skip playback is performed forward or backward, the user is not kept waiting.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a preferred example of the system configuration of the multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus of the present invention. The whole is 1
The multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus shown by 2 can be connected to a server (not shown) (including a host computer constituting a station) via a digital line. The multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus comprises a network control means 1, first and second buffer memories 2, 3, first and second address registers 4, 5, first and second decoding means 6, 7, scenario storage. It has means 8, scenario management means 9, and input means 10.

The network control means 1 performs a data transmission process with a server via a digital line. The first buffer memory 2 is connected to the network control means 1, and the video data transmitted from the server is temporarily stored via the network control means 1. The second buffer memory is similarly connected to the network control means 1,
The voice data transmitted from the server is temporarily stored via the network control means 1. The first address register 4 designates the write block number of the first buffer memory 2 based on the instruction of the scenario management means 9.
Similarly, the second address register 5 has the scenario management means 9
The write block number of the second buffer memory 3 is designated based on the instruction.

The first decoding means 6 is connected to the first buffer memory 2, decodes the video data encoded in a predetermined format, converts it into an analog signal, and sends it to a signal processing circuit (not shown). . The second decoding means 7 is connected to the second buffer memory, decodes the audio data encoded in a predetermined format, converts it into an analog signal, and sends it to the signal processing circuit. These decoding means 6 and 7 are a predetermined decoder, an error correction circuit, D /
It has an A converter and the like. The scenario storage means 8 is connected to the network control means 1 and the scenario management means 9, and the multimedia scenario is temporarily stored via the network control means 1. The scenario management means 9 requests the network control means 1 to receive desired video information and audio information from the server, retrieves the multimedia scenario from the scenario storage means 8, and determines the number of pieces of video information and audio information. To control the first address register 4 and the second address register 5.

With the above configuration, for example, the INS net 64 can be used as the digital line. Video information and audio information transmitted from the server are stored in advance in a predetermined compression encoding format (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, JPEG).
Etc.) and is stored in a storage medium such as an optical disk. The network control unit 1 has a function of communicating with a server according to a predetermined communication protocol and receiving user-desired information from the server. As the first buffer memory 2 for holding the video information in the received data, for example, a memory of about 4 MB can be used. Similarly, as the second buffer memory 3 for holding the audio information, for example, a memory of about 4 MB can be used. A memory of about 1 MB, for example, can be used as the scenario storage means 8 for holding a scenario described later in the received data.

The input means 10 includes an operation panel or a remote control device for the user to select a reproduction mode and to give an instruction to skip forward or backward (jump in chapter units in movie software etc.). The scenario management means 9 issues a command for receiving information from the server to the network control means 1 in accordance with an instruction from the input means 10 and controls the first and second address registers 4 and 5 to control the first and second buffer memories. It controls the writing of the received data to a few. The scenario management means 9 can be composed of a CPU (central processing unit), an interface, a ROM, a RAM and the like.

FIG. 2A shows a description example of a multimedia scenario included in the information transmitted from the server.
This description example is composed of 12 lines. The first string in each row begins with S or T, followed by a number.
S means that the line is defined as a skip point. T means not a skip point. The number following S or T is the time,
The unit is seconds. The second and subsequent character strings in each line mean the segment name of the video information or audio information and its operation. The reproduction start is PLAY and the reproduction stop is STOP.

The scenario will be described in detail. (1) The first line is a skip point, and at time 0, reproduction of VIDEO # 1 which is video data (video segment) is started, and AUDI which is audio data (voice segment).
Start playback of O # 1. (2) The second line is not the skip point, it is time 10
In, the reproduction of the video data VIDEO # 1 is stopped and the reproduction of the audio data AUDIO # 1 is stopped. (3) The third line is a skip point, and at time 15, reproduction of video data VIDEO # 2 is started. (4) The fourth line starts playback of audio data AUDIO # 2 at time 20 instead of the skip point. (5) The fifth line is not a skip point, and at time 25, reproduction of audio data AUDIO # 2 is stopped. (6) The sixth line is not a skip point, but at time 30, reproduction of video data VIDEO # 2 is stopped. (7) Interpret the same from the 7th line to the 12th line.

FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram showing the start and stop of the reproduction of the video information and audio information when the multimedia scenario of FIG. 2A is reproduced. The horizontal axis is the time axis.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining how video data is stored in the first buffer memory 2 when the multimedia scenario shown in FIG. 2A is reproduced. FIG. 3A shows an example in which the number of pieces of video information in the multimedia scenario is four and the first buffer memory 2 is divided into eight in the depth direction. The first buffer memory 2 is divided into 4 × 8 blocks. Each block is designated by two addresses, an upper address and a lower address. The block number of the upper address = 0 and the lower address = 0 is 0-0. Upper address = 0, lower address =
The block number of 1 is 0-1. The same applies hereinafter, and the block number of upper address = 3 and lower address = 7 is 3
-7.

FIG. 3B shows the contents of the first buffer memory 2 immediately after the start of the preceding reception of the video data from the server in order to reproduce the multimedia scenario. Block number 0- of the first buffer memory
0 to the first block # 10 of the video data VIDEO # 1.
This indicates that 0 is stored. 3 (b)-
In (i) of FIG. 4, the shaded portion indicates that the data is stored, and the other blank portions indicate that the data is not stored. FIG. 3C is a continuation of FIG. 3B, in which the block addresses 0-0 of the first buffer memory are shown.
In the top block # 100 of the video data VIDEO # 1
Is stored, and the video data VID is stored in the block number 1-0.
The head block # 200 of EO # 2 is stored, and the head block # 300 of the video data VIDEO # 3 is stored in the block number 2-0.

FIG. 3D is a continuation of FIG. 3C, in which block addresses 0-0 of the first buffer memory are shown.
In the top block # 100 of the video data VIDEO # 1
Is stored, and the video data VID is stored in the block number 1-0.
The first block # 200 of EO # 2 is stored, the first block # 300 of video data VIDEO # 3 is stored in block number 2-0, and the first block # 400 of video data VIDEO # 4 is stored in block number 3-0. Is stored in the block number 3-3.
The fourth block # 403 of DEO # 4 is stored.
3E is a continuation of FIG. 3D, and since the user has started the reproduction of the multimedia scenario, the reproduction of VIDEO # 1 which is the first video data of the scenario is started and the block number 0 is displayed. Data stored in −0
100 has been sent to the first decoding means 6 and is empty. Since advance reception from the server is being performed in parallel, block numbers 0-4, 1-4, 2-4, 3-4 are
Video data blocks # 104, # 204, # respectively
304 and # 404 are stored.

FIG. 4 (f) is a continuation of FIG. 3 (e). Since the user has skipped twice during the reproduction of the multimedia scenario, the reproduction of the video data VIDEO # 1 is performed by the video data block #. Interrupted just before 103,
Video data VIDEO # which is the second skip point
3 is started, the data # 300 stored in the block number 2-0 is sent to the first decoding means 6,
It's empty. Block numbers 0-5, 1-5, 2-5, and 5-5 are received in advance because parallel reception is being performed from the server.
3-5, video data blocks # 105 and #, respectively.
205, # 305, # 405 are stored. (G) of FIG. 4 is a continuation of (f) of FIG.
The reproduction of DEO # 3 progresses, and the data blocks immediately before the data block # 304 are sent to the first decoding means 6 and become empty. Since the preceding reception from the server is being performed in parallel, block numbers 0-7, 1-7, 2-
Video data block # 10
7, # 207, # 307, and # 407 are stored.

FIG. 4 (h) is a continuation of FIG. 4 (g), in which the reproduction of the video data VIDEO # 3 proceeds and the data block immediately before the video data block # 305 is the first block.
Has been sent to the decoding means 6 and has become empty. Although the preceding reception from the server is performed in parallel, the data is stored up to the last block of the first buffer memory 2 in the depth direction, so that wraparound is performed and the video data is stored from the first block. Since the video information stored in the upper address = 0 is not being reproduced, the data of the first block # 100 of VIDEO # 1 is received and the block number 0 is received.
Store in 0. No data is received in the block having the upper address = 1 because there is no empty block. Since the video information stored in the upper address = 2 is being reproduced,
The ninth block # 308 of VIDEO # 3 is stored.
No data is received in the block with the upper address = 4 because there is no empty block.

4I is a continuation of FIG. 4H, in which the reproduction of the video data VIDEO # 3 progresses and the first decoding means 6 extends to the data block immediately before the data block # 306. Has been sent to and is empty. Since advance reception from the server is being performed in parallel, the upper address =
A block # 101 of the video data VIDEO # 1 is stored in the block number 0-1 of 0, and a block # 309 of the video data VIDEO # 3 is stored in the block number 2-1 of the upper address = 2. Further, the block having the upper address = 1 or 3 does not receive data because there is no empty block. Note that the situation in which audio data is stored in the second buffer memory 3 is also the same.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a bit configuration of the first address register 4. The first address register 4 is composed of 5 bits in total. The upper 2 bits mean the upper address of the first buffer memory 2, and the lower 3
The bit means the lower address of the first buffer memory 3. FIG. 6 is a flow chart for explaining the process of receiving the video data in advance in the scenario management means 9, and FIGS. 3 (b) to 4 (i) show the case where the operation is performed as shown in this flow chart. ing.

The scenario management means 9 reads the multimedia scenario from the scenario storage means 8 and calculates the number of segments of the video information (step S101). In the example of (a) of FIG. 2, the number of segments = 4. The variables m and n are set to 0 as initial values (steps S102 and S10).
3). The value of the variable m is set in the upper address register of the first address register 4, and the value of the variable n is set in the lower address register of the first address register 4 (steps S104 and S105). It is determined whether the block having the block number indicated by the first address register 4 is empty (step S106). Variable m if not empty
Is added to 1 (step S110). If it is empty, it is determined whether or not the video data stored in the block of the variable n = 0 and the upper address m is being reproduced (step S107).

If yes in step S107, 1 block is added to the variable m after receiving one block of video data from the continuation of the previous time (step S108) (step S11).
0). If no, one block is received from the beginning of the video data (step S109), and then 1 is added to the variable m (step S110). It is determined whether or not the variable m has become larger than the number of phonemes-1 (step S111). If not, the process returns to step S104. When it becomes large, 0 is set to the variable m (step S112), and 1 is added to the variable n (step S113). It is determined whether the variable n has become larger than the maximum value of the upper address (step S114), and if not, the process returns to step S104. If it becomes larger, the process returns to step S102.

The same applies to the flow chart for explaining the process of receiving the voice data in advance in the scenario management means 9. Further, although the depth of the first buffer memory 2 is set to 8 in the above embodiment, the depth is not limited to 8.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When the information from the server is received and the multimedia scenario is reproduced by the multimedia scenario reproducing device, the segmented video information and audio information are received in advance regardless of the user's instruction, and stored in the storage means. Since the necessary fragmented information is stored and read out from the storage means in accordance with the user's skip playback instruction, the user is not kept waiting even if skip playback is performed in the forward or backward direction, and the delay time is not noticed. You can

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus of the present invention.

2A is a diagram showing a description example of a multimedia scenario in the embodiment of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a reproduction of video information and audio information when the multimedia scenario of FIG. It is the figure which showed the start and stop typically.

3A is a schematic diagram showing a relationship between an address and a storage area of the first buffer memory 2 in the embodiment of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3B to 3E are images to the first buffer memory 2. It is a figure explaining how data is stored.

4 (f) to (i) subsequent to (b) to (e) of FIG.
FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining how video data is stored in the first buffer memory 2.

5 is a diagram showing a bit configuration of a first address register 4 in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a process of precedingly receiving video data in the scenario management means 9 in the embodiment of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Network Control Means 2, 3 Buffer Memory 4, 5 Address Registers 6, 7 Decoding Means 8 Scenario Storage Means 9 Scenario Management Means 10 Input Means 12 Multimedia Scenario Playback Device

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A digital line connectable to a server storing a multimedia scenario in which video information and audio information digitally encoded in a predetermined format and a synchronization relationship between the video information and audio information are described. A multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus for receiving video information and audio information and the multimedia scenario from the server, and decoding and reproducing the video information and audio information based on a synchronization relationship shown in the multimedia scenario. A network control unit that receives the video information, the audio information, and the multimedia scenario via the digital line; a first buffer memory that temporarily stores the video information received by the network control unit; The audio information received by the network control means A second buffer memory for temporally storing; a first address register for managing a write address of the first buffer memory; a second address register for managing a write address of the second buffer memory; First decoding means for decoding the video information read from the first buffer memory, and second decoding means for decoding the audio information read from the second buffer memory Scenario storage means for temporarily storing the multimedia scenario received by the network control means, input means for receiving a playback mode instruction from a user, and the multimedia scenario stored in the scenario storage means The synchronous relationship between the video information and the audio information is extracted from the A request is made to receive desired video information and audio information from the server in advance in units of segments, and the first buffer memory and the second buffer memory are instructed according to the reproduction mode instruction input to the input means. On the other hand, a multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus having scenario management means for controlling the first address register and the second address register for writing the video information and the audio information. 2. The scenario management means calculates the number of segments of each of the video information and the audio information from the description content of the multimedia scenario, and according to the calculation result, the first buffer memory and the first buffer memory. The multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the multimedia scenario reproducing apparatus is configured to control the first address register and the second address register to manage two buffer memories.