JPH09322103A - Multi-dubbing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make dubbing a video source onto a plurality of recording media simultaneously. SOLUTION: A video signal reproduced by a VTR 11 is converted by an encoder 12 into a multiplex signal and the converted signal is fed to a signal distributer 20, in which a plurality of multiplex signals are generated. A plurality of multiplex signals are simultaneously fed to a slave processor 32. The signal conversion processing suitable for recording is conducted in the processor and recorded (dubbed) onto a recording medium provided to a drive means 33. Let number of distributed signals be M and number of recording media be (m), then one video source is simultaneously dubbed onto M×m-sets of recording media. The video source is simultaneously dubbed onto lots of recording media based on the relation of using the signal distributer.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multidubbing device. Specifically, a single digital signal is distributed to a plurality of recording devices by using a signal distributor, or a plurality of recording devices are simultaneously recorded by distributing them to a plurality of recording devices via a signal control unit having an active loop through terminal. The digital signal can be dubbed onto a medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Video-on-demand (VOD) systems and near-video-on-demand (NVOD) systems
When delivering package media as a video delivery system used in a system or the like, a dubbing device (video dubbing device) for creating package media is required.

FIG. 11 shows a conventional example of the dubbing apparatus 10, and the figure shows an apparatus for producing one recording medium (disk). In the figure, V is used as the video source
The TR11 is used, and a digital signal (referred to as a video signal) reproduced from the VTR11 is supplied to a video compression means, in this example, an MPEG encoder 12 to compress and encode the video signal, thereby generating video code data and audio code data. To generate a multiplexed signal. In this example, the multiplexed signal is output via an interface (DVBI / F) conforming to the interface standard for digital video broadcasting.

The multiplexed signal is converted by the editing processor 13 into a format for recording on a recording medium, for example, a magneto-optical disk MO, and the recording medium driving means 14 is controlled according to an instruction from the processor 13 to control the above-mentioned one recording medium. Recorded in. The instruction from the processor 13 is RS
It is transmitted to the VTR 11 and the encoder 12 via the -232C communication interface or the RS-422 communication interface. Instructions to the processor 13 are given on the input unit (keyboard) 15. Both the instruction content and the instruction result are displayed on the monitor 16.

The device shown in FIG. 11 can dubb a single source reproduced by the VTR 11 onto only one recording medium. On the other hand, in the dubbing device shown in FIG. 12, the same source can be dubbed on a plurality of recording media.

Therefore, a plurality of recording medium driving means 14 are connected to the processor 13 via the SCSI bus, and the driving means 14 are connected in a daisy chain. The daisy chain connection will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in the figure, a receiving unit 17 and a transmitting unit 19 are provided inside each driving means 14, and the receiving unit 17
In addition to being sent to the recording medium 18 for recording, the signal received at is also supplied to the transmitting unit 19 and is directly transferred to the receiving unit 17 of the adjacent driving means 14 via the SCSI bus. Therefore, the adjacent driving means 14 are connected to each other one after another via the transmitting / receiving sections 17 and 19, and such a connecting method is called daisy chain connection.

[0008]

By the way, in the multi-dubbing apparatus 10 for simultaneously dubbing the same source to a plurality of recording media 18 by the daisy chain connection as shown in FIG. 13, several driving means 14 are actually used. It can only be daisy chained, and therefore only a few can be dubbed at the same time. It includes the format conversion processing in the processor 13, its processing capacity, the transfer speed of the SCSI interface, and the SCS.
Since there are problems such as the overhead time of the I protocol, the number of units that can simultaneously issue a recording instruction to the driving unit 14 is limited to a few units.

Therefore, the present invention solves such a conventional problem, and proposes a multi-dubbing apparatus capable of simultaneously performing dubbing on a large number of recording media.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the multi-dubbing apparatus according to the present invention as defined in claim 1, a single digital signal is supplied to a signal distributor to generate a plurality of digital signals. The plurality of digital signals are generated and supplied to the plurality of signal recording systems, so that the plurality of digital signals are simultaneously dubbed.

Further, in the multi-dubbing apparatus according to the present invention as defined in claim 5, a signal recording system is constituted by a plurality of recording devices and their control units, and a plurality of the signal recording systems are provided, and the control units are provided. Is provided with an active through output end capable of receiving an input signal from the receiving end and outputting the signal to the outside in addition to the receiving end. Input digital signal is distributed to the plurality of control units, and a single digital signal is simultaneously dubbed by the plurality of recording devices.

In the present invention, a plurality of the same sources are provided by providing a digital signal distributor, and a signal recording system is connected to each source, and a plurality of driving means provided in the signal recording system are connected by a daisy chain. It is the one. By doing so, even if the number of driving means connected to the signal recording system may be limited, the same source can be dubbed onto a large number of recording media at the same time by increasing the distribution number of the distributor.

As a means for duplicating the same source, an active loop through function may be added to the slave processor side in addition to the distributor. Then, by connecting the slave processors to each other through the active loop through terminals, it is possible to realize the same effect as if the same source is pluralized by using a distributor.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, an embodiment of a multi-dubbing apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Also in the multi-dubbing apparatus according to the present invention, a single source can be simultaneously recorded (dubbed) on a plurality of recording media as in the prior art. In the present invention, the same source is particularly used by using a distributor. It is made to be plural and supplied to each recording medium drive means.

Referring to FIG. 1, the VTR 11 is exemplified as the video source, but it is also possible to use a video source other than the VTR. A video signal which is a digital signal reproduced from the VTR 11 is an encoder 12
Are compression encoded. As in the conventional case, in this example as well, video data and audio data are compressed and encoded to be multiplexed into a multiplexed signal (for DVBI / F). This multiplexed signal is supplied to the signal distributor 20, and one multiplexed signal which is a single source is converted into a plurality of multiplexed signals.

The plurality of multiplexed signals are supplied to the same number of signal recording systems 31A to 31N as the distributed multiplexed signals. Each of the signal recording systems 31A to 31N includes a recording control processor 32 (32A to 32N) and a recording medium driving unit 33 (33A to 33N), and the multiplexed signal is first supplied to the recording control processor 32. It

The processor 32 functions as a slave processor for the master processor 40 as described later. The master processor 40 is a processor for managing the entire apparatus, and includes a plurality of slave processors 3.
The VTR 11 and the encoder 12 described above including 2 are managed. In this example, the RS-232C interface is used as the management communication interface between the slave processors 32, and the RS-422 interface is used between the VTR 11 and the encoder 12 in consideration of the communication distance.

In the slave processor 32, as described above, data rearrangement processing (format conversion processing) is performed so that the input multiplexed signal can be simultaneously dubbed to a plurality of recording media. The recording medium drive means 33 connected to the slave processor 32 has a plurality of drive means, and each of these drive means adopts a configuration as shown in FIG. The driving means 33A is provided with n driving means 33Aa to 33An, which are daisy chain connected. The same configuration is adopted for the other driving means 33B to 33N.

Since there is a limit to the number of recording media that can be dubbed simultaneously in the same slave processor, in this example, one slave processor is connected to about three driving means. The number of connected units is an example.

The distributor 20 described above may be configured as shown in FIG. The multiplexed signal is received by the receiving unit 21, is supplied to the signal distribution IC 22 that also functions as a distribution unit, and is the same as the input multiplexed signal. In this example, a plurality of N multiplexed signals ( DV
BI / F) is output. These multiplexed signals are guided to the transmitters 23a to 23n (n = N) and supplied to the corresponding slave processors 32A to 32N.

As described above, the signal distribution IC 22 is constructed so that the same number of input multiplexed signals are distributed by the number of outputs, and moreover, simply by distributing the signals, a plurality of signals are obtained while performing special signal processing. Since it is not distributed, the signal distributor 20 can multiplex the multiplexed signals with almost no signal delay. If the scale of the signal distribution IC 22 is increased, the number of multiplexed signals to be output can be increased accordingly.

FIG. 3 shows a concrete example of the master processor 40, and its computer basic unit (PC basic unit).
As well known, the CPU 41 has a CPU unit 42 for controlling dubbing, and a working memory unit 43.
The mass storage control unit 45 exchanges data with the mass storage device (HDD device or the like) 44 provided for data storage. The control unit 46 communicates with the keyboard 15.

Corresponding control units are provided between the bus 47 provided in the computer basic unit 41 and the communication interface. Control unit 51
Is a control unit related to the RS-422 communication interface provided between the VTR 11 and. Similarly, the control unit 52 for the RS-422 interface is provided for the encoder 12 and the RS-232C is provided for the plurality of slave processors 32A to 32N.
Interface control units 53A to 53N are provided.

FIG. 4 shows the slave processor 32 (32A).
In the same manner as the master processor 40, the computer section (PC basic section) 61 thereof has a CPU section 62 for controlling signal recording, and is also used for format conversion of multiplexed signals. There is a working memory unit 63, and a mass storage control unit 65 exchanges data with a mass storage device (HDD device or the like) 64 provided for data storage.

The control unit 67 provided between the bus 66 provided in the computer basic unit 61 and the communication interface is provided for performing communication with the master processor 40, and the bus 66 is also provided with the control unit 67. Is provided with an encoded data input / output unit 70 for receiving the multiplexed signal from the signal distributor 20 and outputting the output signal whose format has been converted by the CPU unit 62 to the drive unit 33.

The coded data input / output unit 70 for video data and audio data has a structure as shown in FIG.

In the figure, the multiplexed signal output from the encoder 12 is received by the receiving section 71, and then stored alternately in a pair of FIFO type memories 72A and 72B. The write address designation for the memories 72A and 72B is performed by the FIFO controller 73.

Further, the multiplexed signal data stored in the memories 72A and 72B is taken into the slave processor 32 side via the bus interface 74, and the format conversion processing is executed in accordance with the instruction of the slave processor 32 to perform the format conversion. The created data is stored again in the corresponding memories 72A and 72B.

Thereafter, the memories 72A and 72B enter the read mode based on the read address designated by the DMA controller 75, and the multiplexed signal after the format conversion is simultaneously sent to the corresponding driving means 33 via the SCIS controller 76. , Is recorded (dubbed) on the corresponding recording medium 18.

Here, assuming that the number of signal distributions is M and the number of recording media is m, one video material can be dubbed onto M × m recording media at the same time, so that a large number of recording media can be recorded at a time. Dubbing becomes possible.

Further, when the signal distributor 20 is provided as shown in FIG. 1, even if the number of recording media to be dubbed is increased, only one VTR 11 and one encoder 12 are required. The configuration is greatly simplified.

Now, the dubbing operation of the multi-dubbing apparatus 10 thus configured will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of processing on the master processor 40 side. In step 81, an initial setting instruction is given to the processor. This initialization processing is performed along with the initialization of the internal state of the master processor 40 and the VTR 11 and the encoder 1 which are control targets.
This is initialization for two and a plurality of slave processors 32. Then, in step 82, condition setting for dubbing the video signal is performed. This setting content is input by the operator operating the keyboard 15 while looking at the monitor 16. The condition setting includes the start time (time code) of the video material, the length of the video material, and the code in the encoder 12. The conversion rate and the number of audio channels.

When the condition setting is completed, this time, the individual devices are controlled. First, step 8
At 3, a Cue-up instruction is given to the VTR 11, and the VTR 11 enters the reproduction standby mode. Then, in step 84, the setting conditions such as the video format, the coding rate, and the number of audio coding channels among the above-mentioned setting conditions are transmitted to the encoder 12.

Subsequently, in step 85, the above-mentioned VTR1
1. Instruct the encoder 12 and the slave processor 32 to start processing. When the processing is started, the plurality of slave processors 32 operate and the multiplexed signals are simultaneously recorded in the plurality of recording media 18.

In the master processor 40, this processing state is constantly monitored until the recording of the video material is completed (step 86,
87), when an abnormal message is input, an abnormal process corresponding to the message is executed, and then the abnormal message is output for monitoring (step 88), and then the VTR 11,
The dubbing end instruction is given to the encoder 12 and the slave processor 32, and the end process of the master processor itself is performed. The contents are also displayed on the monitor (step 89).

On the other hand, on the slave processor 32 side, FIG.
It is processed according to the flowchart shown in FIG. When the initial setting instruction is issued from the master processor 40, the slave processor 32 itself is initialized (step 9).
1, 92), when the operation start instruction is input, the following operation is executed (step 93).

First, the multiplexed signal received from the encoder 12 via the DVBI / F is format-converted for each input data of unit length (steps 94, 95), and then the write instruction is given to the driving means 33. . Specifically, this input data is written at the address of the recording medium designated by the input data (step 96).

When the writing of the input data is normal, the process returns to step 94 until the end instruction is given, and the data writing process is continued (steps 97, 9).
8). When the operator gives an end instruction, the end processing of the slave processor 32 itself and the drive means 33 are performed.
Is completed (recording file ending process) (step 100).

On the other hand, in the abnormal state where the data writing is not normally performed, this abnormal state is transmitted to the master processor 32 (step 99), and when the end instruction is given from the processor side, the step 100 is executed. The end processing in is executed.

By the way, the multi-dubbing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 is configured to simultaneously form a plurality of identical multiplexed signals by using the signal distributor 20, but the multi-dubbing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. The same processing is realized without using.

Therefore, in the configuration shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of slave processors 101 (101A to 101N) are provided.
A processor having an active loop through function is used. Slave processors are connected to each other by using the active loop through function, and the multiplexed signal from the encoder 12 is transmitted to the subsequent slave processor side.

Therefore, the multiplexed signal output from the encoder 12 is the slave processor 101 (101
It is supplied only to A), and the remaining slave processors are connected to each other by an active loop through terminal.

FIG. 9 shows a specific example of the slave processor 101 having this function. However, only the encoded data input / output unit 110 is different from the configuration of FIG. 4, so the corresponding parts are the same. The reference numerals are given and the description thereof is omitted. The encoded data input / output unit 110 is configured as shown in FIG. This FIG. 10 is also the encoded data input / output unit 70 of FIG.
Since their basic configurations are the same, corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 10, what is newly provided is a driver 77 as a transmission unit.
Is configured to directly receive output data from the receiving unit 71. Therefore, from this driver 77, the receiving unit 7
The same signal as the multiplexed signal input to 1 (for DVBI / F)
Is output as is. By attaching this driver 77, this processor is provided with an active loop through function, and the output of the driver 77 is given to the receiving section of the additional data input / output section provided on the slave processor 101B side of the next stage.

With this processing, the same multiplexed signal as the multiplexed signal output from the encoder 12 is input to the plurality of slave processors, and as a result, a plurality of the same multiplexed signals are obtained at the same time. . Therefore, if the signal recording systems 31A to 31N are operated in the same manner as in FIG. 1, video materials can be dubbed onto a plurality of recording media 18 simultaneously.

[0048]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of video materials are formed by forming a plurality of video materials with a signal distributor or by interconnecting the processors with a processor having an active loop through function. It is designed to be given to the processor.

According to this, a plurality of video materials can be constructed without considering the problems such as the format conversion processing in the processor, the processing capacity of the processor itself, the data transfer speed of the SCSI interface, etc. It has the feature that the material can be dubbed. The configuration can be greatly simplified.

Therefore, the present invention is extremely suitable when applied to a dubbing device for a video distribution system.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of essential parts showing an embodiment of a multi-dubbing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system diagram showing an example of a signal distributor.

FIG. 3 is a system diagram showing an example of a master processor.

FIG. 4 is a system diagram showing an example of a slave processor.

FIG. 5 is a system diagram showing an example of an encoded data input / output unit.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing example on the master processor side.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of processing on the slave processor side.

FIG. 8 is a system diagram of a main part showing an embodiment of a multi-dubbing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a system diagram showing an example of a slave processor used in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a system diagram showing an example of an encoded data input / output unit used in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a system diagram of a dubbing device.

FIG. 12 is a system diagram of a conventional multi-dubbing device.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a daisy chain connection example.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Multi-dubbing device, 11 ... VTR, 1
2 ... Encoder, 20 ... Signal distributor, 31 ...
.Signal recording system, 32 ... Slave processor, 33.
..Recording medium driving means, 40 ... Master processor,
101 ... Processor having active loop-through function, 18 ... Recording medium

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A single digital signal is supplied to a signal distributor to generate a plurality of digital signals, and the plurality of digital signals are supplied to a plurality of signal recording systems, whereby a plurality of digital signals are simultaneously generated. A multi-dubbing device characterized by being dubbed. 2. The signal distributor according to claim 1, wherein the signal distributor comprises a receiver, a signal distributor IC as distributor, and a transmitter for transmitting a plurality of received signals. Multi-dubbing device. 3. The signal recording system comprises a recording device and a control section thereof, and the recording device has a single or a plurality of recording media, and when a plurality of recording media are used, the digital signal is simultaneously output. The dubbing is adapted to be performed.
The described multi-dubbing device. 4. The multi-dubbing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the digital signal is a compression-coded signal. 5. A plurality of recording devices and a control section thereof constitute a signal recording system, and a plurality of the signal recording systems are provided, and the control section has a receiving end and an input signal from the receiving end. And an active loop-through output end capable of outputting the signal to the outside is provided, and the plurality of control units are interconnected by the active loop-through output end to distribute a single input digital signal to the plurality of control units. A multi-dubbing device, wherein a single digital signal is dubbed simultaneously by the plurality of recording devices. 6. The multi-recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the recording device is provided with a single or a plurality of recording media, and the input digital signals are simultaneously dubbed onto these recording media. Dubbing equipment. 7. The multi-dubbing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the digital signal is a compression-coded signal.