KR101461562B1 - Method and device for synchronizing subtitles of multimedia contents - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for synchronizing subtitles of multimedia content is disclosed. The method for synchronizing subtitles of multimedia content comprising the following steps. A display module generates an image instance. The display module loads a subtitle processing module. The subtitle processing module loads a subtitle file for the image instance. The subtitle processing module generates an arrangement of the subtitles for a page to be synchronized from the subtitle file. The subtitle processing module allocates the subtitle included in the arrangement to subtitle objects. The display module arranges the allocated subtitle objects so as to match with a predetermined synchronization time point of the image instance. The display module displays the image instance. In the step of allocating the subtitles to the subtitle objects, the arrangement of the subtitles is matched with the respective subtitle objects based on a serial number of the subtitle objects.

Description

[0001] METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SYNCHRONIZING SUBTITLES OF MULTIMEDIA CONTENTS [0002]

The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for caption synchronization of multimedia content.

Displaying subtitles for effective use of multimedia contents is one of the common consumption methods. Subtitles can be used to help a user with restricted access to voice data, such as a hearing-impaired person, to consume content similar to other users. In the use of subtitles, synchronization with video is required as much as possible for correct content consumption.

As a conventional method of providing subtitles, there is a video insertion type method. The image insertion method is a method of inserting a necessary subtitle into the image itself according to the timeline of the image at the time of producing the image. This method of inserting images is advantageous in that it enables synchronization intuitively since the author can consider synchronism in the same way. However, in case of changing only subtitles except for video such as modification of subtitle contents or change of subtitle synchronization point, It is troublesome to edit these unnecessary images together.

As another conventional method of providing subtitles, there is a method of using an external subtitle file. Specifically, this means that a subtitle file containing information on the synchronization time point separately from the video content is produced, and the subtitle file is synchronized and reproduced at the time of rendering the video content. The advantage of this case is that it can be corrected by simple editing if there is a content modification due to a typo or the like of the subtitles itself. However, if the synchronization time needs to be advanced, it is inconvenient to change all times after that point do.

Recently, as the production of multimedia contents using the flash technology has become widespread, there is a problem of the same synchronization methods for the multimedia contents by the flash technology.

In multimedia contents using flash technology, a text field is generally used to display subtitles at a specific time. In this way, displaying the text field on the image at a specific time point is an image insertion type method, and it is advantageous that the flash content creator can easily control the presentation of the subtitles according to time order. However, in this case, if there is a typo in the subtitles, or if the contents need to be modified for other reasons, it is necessary to open the source file of each flash content and modify the corresponding part before publishing (compile) .

Even when the flash technology is used, subtitles can be displayed using a separate file. In addition to the flash content file having the extension swf, a subtitle file in a separate text form may be used. Generally, a text file using an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) grammar in which time information indicating a specific time point and a subtitle to be displayed at the time point are arranged in a pair is used as a subtitle. The advantage of using separate XML is that you can easily modify XML files without modifying the Flash content to easily correct typos or content modifications that may be in the subtitles. The disadvantage of the conventional method using XML is that the time information for synchronization should be expressed in units of a thousandth of a second, and if the synchronization information needs to be modified, all subsequent time information must be changed.

The present invention is intended to suggest a method and apparatus for easily handling time information for synchronization in a subtitle file while using separate subtitle files for easy caption correction.

In addition, the present invention is intended to suggest a method and apparatus for easily handling time information in a subtitle file while using a subtitle file in a subtitle synchronization method using a flash technology.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a caption synchronization method for multimedia contents, the method comprising: generating a video instance by a display module; The display module loading a caption processing module; The subtitle processing module loading a subtitle file for the video instance; The subtitle processing module generating an array of subtitles for a synchronization target page from the subtitles file; Wherein the caption processing module includes: assigning each caption included in the arrangement to a caption object; The display module arranging the allocated caption object so as to correspond to a predetermined synchronization point of time of the video instance; And displaying the image instance by the display module. In the step of assigning to the caption object, the arrangement of the captions is associated with each caption object based on the serial number of the caption object.

The caption synchronization method may include any one of the following features.

Wherein the step of generating the caption array by the caption processing module comprises: reading captions from the caption file; Determining whether the subtitles correspond to the synchronization target page; And arranging the subtitles for the page to be synchronized in an orderly manner.

In addition, the multimedia contents may be SWF (ShockWave Flash) format.

In addition, the caption object may be a caption object.

In addition, the serial number of the caption object may correspond to a part of the name of the caption object.

In addition, the subtitle file may be in XML (eXtensible Markup Language) format.

Meanwhile, the caption synchronization apparatus for multimedia contents according to another embodiment disclosed herein may include a display module for generating a video instance, arranging a caption object corresponding to a predetermined synchronization point in the image instance, and displaying the image instance; And a caption processing module for loading a caption file for the image instance, generating an array of captions for the synchronization target page from the caption file, and assigning each caption included in the array to a caption object, The module may be loaded with the caption processing module and the captions may be assigned to the caption objects by respectively associating the caption objects with the caption objects based on the serial number of the caption objects.

According to the caption synchronization method and apparatus according to the embodiment disclosed herein, it is possible to omit the cumbersome process of correcting the information about the synchronization point in the subtitle file to correct the synchronized caption.

In addition, according to the caption synchronization method according to the embodiment described herein, it is possible to easily modify the caption contents by using the external caption file, but it is also possible to remarkably reduce the amount of additional correction of the caption file.

1 illustrates a caption synchronization apparatus in which the techniques disclosed herein may be employed.
FIG. 2 shows an example in which the caption synchronization apparatus according to the technique disclosed in this specification is implemented in the form of a multimedia processing apparatus.
3 is a flowchart of a subtitle synchronization method according to an embodiment of the technique disclosed herein.
4 is an illustration of a process in which a display module creates a video instance and loads a caption processing module.
5 shows an example of a subtitle file.
FIG. 6 illustrates an example in which the caption processing module determines whether captions obtained by reading the caption file correspond to the synchronization target page.
7 shows an example of a process of assigning a subtitle to a subtitle object based on a serial number.
8 shows an example of a process in which a display module arranges a caption object.

The techniques disclosed herein apply to a subtitle synchronization method and apparatus. However, the technique disclosed in this specification is not limited to this, and can be applied to all subtitle processing methods, apparatuses, and multimedia devices to which the technical idea of the present invention can be applied.

In addition, although the flash technology has been exemplified to describe the techniques disclosed in this specification, the techniques disclosed in this specification are not limited thereto, but may be applied to a method and apparatus for caption synchronization by other content production techniques to which the technical idea of the present invention can be applied .

In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail. It is to be noted that the accompanying drawings are only for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. The spirit of the present invention should be construed as extending to all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives in addition to the appended drawings.

Also, the singular forms "as used herein include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this specification, the terms "comprising ", or" comprising "and the like should not be construed as necessarily including the various elements or steps described in the specification, Or may be further comprised of additional components or steps.

Further, the suffix "module" and "part" for components used in the present specification are given or mixed in consideration of ease of specification, and do not have their own meaning or role.

Figure 1 - Subtitle Synchronization Device

Referring to FIG. 1, a subtitle synchronization apparatus for multimedia contents is disclosed. 1 illustrates a caption synchronization apparatus in which the techniques disclosed herein may be employed.

Referring to FIG. 1, the caption synchronization apparatus 100 according to the technique disclosed herein may be configured to include a display module 110 and a caption processing module 120. In addition, the caption synchronization apparatus 100 may further include a display 130 for displaying the synchronized image of the display module 110 together with the caption, or a display 130 for displaying the caption file to be processed by the caption processing module 120 And may further include a storage unit 140.

The display module 110 generates a video instance, arranges a caption object in the video instance so as to correspond to a predetermined synchronization point, and displays the video instance.

The video instance represents an image to be displayed together with the subtitles being synchronized. In the case of the flash technology, the image instance may be a previously generated image object before being displayed through a display module for use in a caption synchronization process. The display module 110 may arrange the image instance according to the time line of the image after the synchronization procedure for the image instance is performed and display the image on the display.

The subtitle processing module 120 loads a subtitle file for the video instance, generates an array of subtitles for the synchronization target page from the subtitle file, and assigns the subtitles included in the array to the subtitle object .

The display module 110 can load and execute the caption processing module 120. The display module 110 and the caption processing module 120 may be implemented as separate flash files or as other functions in a single flash file.

The subtitles are obtained from the subtitle file, and are assigned to the subtitle objects one by one. The assignment criterion of the captions is a sequence number or sequence information according to the time sequence of the caption object. For example, subtitles in the subtitle file may be assigned to each subtitle object according to the sequence number sequence of the subtitle object.

Figure 2 - Embodiment of the form of a multimedia processing device

A multimedia processing apparatus is disclosed with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows an example in which the caption synchronization apparatus according to the technique disclosed in this specification is implemented in the form of a multimedia processing apparatus.

The multimedia processing apparatus 200 according to an embodiment disclosed herein may be implemented by including a storage unit 210 and a control unit 220. [

The storage unit 210 may store information necessary for the operation of the multimedia processing apparatus 200. The storage unit 210 may store various software components. The storage unit 210 may store an operating system (OS) 211, application programs 212, and user data 213.

The operating system 211 (e.g., LINUX, UNIX, OS X, WINDOWS, Chrome, Symbian, WinCE, Windows Mobile, iOS, Android, Tizen, VxWorks, pSOS or other embedded operating systems) And / or < / RTI > drivers for controlling system tasks, such as, e. G.

The application programs 212 may be various applications running on the operating system 211. The application program 212 may be, for example, educational contents implemented in the form of an executable program.

Also, the application program 212 may be a platform for executing flash content. In other words, the application program 212 may be a platform for executing flash content in which a subtitle processing method is implemented using flash technology as an example. In this case, the application program 212 may be the display module 110 and the caption processing module 120 of FIG. 1 implemented using the flash technology. For example, the application program 212 generates a video instance as in the display module 110 described with reference to FIG. 1, arranges a caption object in the video instance so as to correspond to a predetermined synchronization point, And loads the subtitle file for the video instance as in the subtitle processing module 120 described with reference to FIG. 1, and arranges the subtitles for the synchronization target page from the subtitle file And assigns each of the captions included in the arrangement to the caption object. The following description will not be repeated.

The storage unit 210 may be implemented as a volatile memory and a nonvolatile memory depending on whether a storage function is maintained according to power supply. The storage unit 210 may be a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM) , A magnetic disk, an optical disk, a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (for example, SD or xD memory) And may include at least one type of storage medium. Also, the storage unit 210 may be a module for using a storage function provided by a network storage or a cloud service connected through a communication module.

In the storage unit 210, a caption file according to the embodiment disclosed herein may be stored in the form of user data 213.

The control unit 220 controls the components of the multimedia processing apparatus 200 to perform the methods disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention. The control unit 220 may be configured to execute software components stored in the storage unit 210.

Figure 3 - Method of synchronizing subtitles and other drawings

A method for synchronizing subtitles is described below with reference to FIG. An example of subtitle synchronization will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8. FIG.

3 is a flowchart of a subtitle synchronization method according to an embodiment of the technique disclosed herein.

First, the display module creates a video instance (S10).

The image instance represents an image to be displayed together with a subtitle to be subsequently synchronized. In the case of the flash technology, the image instance may be a previously generated image object before being displayed through a display module for use in a caption synchronization process. The display module may arrange according to the time line of the image after the synchronization procedure for the image instance is performed and display the image on the display. It will be detailed later.

For example, in the case of a display module implemented with flash technology, a method such as 'createEmptyMovieClip' on an action script can be called to create a video instance for a subtitle synchronization operation.

Next, the display module loads the caption processing module (S20).

The display module and the caption processing module may be implemented as separate flash files, for example, in order to implement the functions described below. Meanwhile, the display module and the caption processing module may be implemented as a single flash file. In this case, the step of loading the caption processing module may be interpreted as a function call.

For example, in the case of a display module implemented with flash technology, a method such as 'loadMovie' can be called to load the subtitle processing module.

Figure 4 is an illustration of an example flash technique that illustrates a display module creating (401) a video instance and loading (402) a subtitle processing module called 'script.swf'.

Next, the subtitle processing module loads a subtitle file for the video instance (S30).

The subtitle file may be in XML (eXtensible Markup Language) format. Unlike a caption file using a general XML format, a caption file according to the technique disclosed in this specification differs in that a text file conforming to the XML syntax or a caption belonging to a synchronization target page are described in order.

5 shows an example of a subtitle file. The XML file 410 may have a page separation tag corresponding to the synchronization target page in the image instance, for example, a '<sco>' tag 411 or a '<page> tag 413. Also, the XML file 410 may include captions using the '<caption>' tag 415, for example, in the page separation tag.

Next, the caption processing module generates an array of captions for the synchronization target page from the caption file (S40).

In detail, the process of generating the caption array by the caption processing module may include reading the caption file 410, determining whether the captions correspond to the synchronization target page, And arranging the subtitles for the subtitles in an orderly manner.

The step of reading the caption file 410 may include a process of parsing a text file composed of XML syntax or a process of separating caption data per page according to a specific XML grammar.

The step of determining whether the subtitles correspond to the synchronization target page may be a process of comparing the page number of the synchronization target page with the information of the page tag in the subtitle file.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example in which the caption processing module determines whether captions obtained by reading the caption file correspond to the synchronization target page. For example, the subtitle processing module determines whether subtitles correspond to a section or a page to which the synchronization target page belongs (421, 423). This corresponds to the process of confirming the page classification tags 411 and 413 in the caption file 410 in the example shown in FIG. If it is determined that a certain subtitle belongs to the page to be synchronized, the subtitle processing module performs a process of arranging the subtitle into an array (425).

Next, the caption processing module assigns each caption included in the arrangement to a caption object (S50).

The caption object is an object for displaying a caption on the video instance. For example, the caption object may be a caption object in the flash technology.

The subtitle object is ultimately related to a specific subtitle to be displayed on the video instance among subtitles read from the subtitle file. For this purpose, the subtitle object serial number can be used. That is, the step of allocating to the caption object may correspond the arrangement of the captions to each caption object based on the serial number of the caption object. The serial number of the caption object may correspond to a part of the name of the caption object or may be a separate attribute belonging to the caption object.

For example, when the subtitle object has a name of the form "mcCaption_ + serial number", the subtitle processing module determines that the sequence number of the subtitles in the synchronization target page is 'mcCaption_' The subtitle having the same sequence number as the subtitle can be selected and assigned to the corresponding subtitle object. Referring to FIG. 7, a process 427 of assigning a caption to a caption object based on the serial number can be confirmed.

Next, the display module arranges the allocated caption object so as to correspond to a predetermined synchronization point of time of the video instance (S60).

It is important that the information about the time at which the caption in the video instance should be displayed is not included in the XML-type caption file. This is because, in the case where additional work is inevitable due to an error or contents correction in the subtitle contents, the modification of the subtitle contents must be possible without correcting the already produced image.

However, the technique disclosed in this specification is characterized in that, in order to improve the disadvantage caused by the information on the synchronization point being displayed in the subtitle file, the subtitle object allocated in such a manner is displayed so that it can be displayed at a predetermined time point of the video instance do.

To this end, the time at which each caption object is displayed in the synchronization target page is predetermined at the time of image production, and the display module arranges the caption object at a predetermined synchronization point.

8, the display module confirms the serial number indicated in the name 433 of the caption object 433 in order to arrange the caption object 431, and determines the position of the caption object 431 based on the position of the caption object 431 Is displayed so as to be displayed at a specific time point (435) on the way of being displayed.

Next, as described above, the caption object assigned with the captions is arranged in accordance with the synchronization point in the video instance, and the display module displays the caption in synchronization with the displayed image instance (S70) I will.

The scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein, and the present invention can be modified, changed, or improved in various forms within the scope of the present invention and the claims.

Claims (7)

A subtitle synchronization method of multimedia contents,
The display module creating a video instance;
The display module loading a caption processing module;
The subtitle processing module loading a subtitle file for the video instance;
The subtitle processing module generating an array of subtitles for a synchronization target page from the subtitles file;
Wherein the caption processing module includes: assigning each caption included in the arrangement to a caption object;
The display module arranging the allocated caption object so as to correspond to a predetermined synchronization point of time of the video instance; And
The display module displaying the image instance,
Wherein the caption processing module generates the caption array,
Parsing the subtitle file in XML grammar to read subtitles;
Comparing the page number of the synchronization target page with the page tag information in the subtitle file to determine whether the subtitles correspond to the synchronization target page; And
And arranging the subtitles for the page to be synchronized in an orderly manner,
Wherein the synchronization point of the image instance is a plurality of points of time at which each caption object determined at a production time of the image content related to the image instance is to be displayed and the synchronization points are arranged in a time-
Wherein the assigning of the caption object to the caption object associates the arrangement of the captions with each caption object based on the serial number of the caption object. delete The method according to claim 1,
The multimedia content
SWF format. The method of claim 3,
The subtitle object
Wherein the caption object is a caption object. 5. The method of claim 4,
The serial number of the caption object is
Wherein the subtitle corresponds to a part of a name of the caption object. 6. The method of claim 5,
The subtitle file
Wherein the subtitle is in an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) format. A subtitle synchronization apparatus for multimedia contents,
A display module for creating a video instance, arranging a caption object in the video instance so as to correspond to a predetermined synchronization point, and displaying the video instance; And
A caption processing module for loading a caption file for the image instance, generating an array of captions for the synchronization target page from the caption file, and assigning each caption contained in the array to a caption object,
The display module loads the caption processing module,
The subtitle processing module parses the subtitle file in XML syntax to read subtitles and compares the page number of the synchronization target page with the page tag information in the subtitle file to determine whether the subtitles correspond to the synchronization target page And arranges the subtitles for the page to be synchronized in an order in order to generate the subtitles array,
Wherein the synchronization point of the image instance is a plurality of points of time at which each caption object determined at a production time of the image content related to the image instance is to be displayed and the synchronization points are arranged in a time-
Wherein the subtitles are assigned to the subtitle object by respectively associating the subtitles with the subtitle object based on the serial number of the subtitle object.

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