JP2000069361A - Information processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To perform not only a designated video object but also related video objects in accordance with connection information of the video object when performing multiplexing processing of multimedia data. It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for performing multiplexing processing on all video objects related to correction of input material information without omission. SOLUTION: A list of video objects is displayed on a display unit 502, and a user of the device selects and specifies a processing target from the list of video objects on an input unit 503, and a control unit 505 stores the video object in a storage device 504. According to the reproduction order information, a video object to be processed simultaneously when the input material of the specified video object is corrected is determined.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for multiplexing multimedia information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, many methods and apparatuses have been provided for encoding moving image information, audio information, and the like into a format that can be easily handled by a computer. Methods and apparatuses for multiplexing the encoded moving image information and audio information by a method such as time division are widely used. Hereinafter, the multiplexed data is called a video object.
For example, the MPEG2 system is a system for encoding moving image information, and is also a system for multiplexing encoded audio information and the like in a time-division manner. The encoded and multiplexed information is often recorded as a file on various media, and by reading out the file later, the recorded moving picture information, audio information, and the like can be decoded and presented. For example, DVD-Video
According to the standard, multimedia data composed of moving picture information, audio information, subtitle information, and the like is recorded on an optical disc using the MPEG2 system. The recorded multimedia data is decoded by a playback device and displayed on a television device or the like.

When a medium capable of recording a large amount of data such as an optical disk is used, a plurality of multimedia data are often recorded on one medium.
As described above, when a plurality of data are recorded, the viewer gives an instruction to the reproducing apparatus, and the data desired by the viewer is reproduced and presented from the recorded multimedia data. In particular, when a plurality of multimedia data are continuously reproduced and presented, it is preferable that the display of the multimedia data to be reproduced first and the display of the multimedia data to be reproduced again be connected continuously without any seam. . Such a function of seamless playback is called seamless playback in the DVD-VIDEO standard. In order to realize a seamless playback function in a playback device, a process for enabling seamless playback when performing multiplexing in advance to create multimedia data is required. Specifically, when the video object 1 and the video object 2 are reproduced seamlessly, a process of moving the audio data component gathered at the end of the video object 1 to the head of the video object 2 is performed. In order to perform this processing, connection relationship information of two pieces of multimedia data to be reproduced seamlessly is required. An apparatus for performing encoding and multiplexing includes:
The head part and the tail part of the multimedia data are appropriately processed based on such connection information.

The reason why this processing is necessary for seamless reproduction will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 14 is a view for explaining the timing at which the material data constituting the video object is transferred to the audio decoder / video decoder and the increase / decrease of the buffer amount of the audio decoder / video decoder. FIG. 14 is a diagram composed of five stages. The first stage has a rectangle G1 and the third stage has a rectangle G.
The second and fifth stages have a rectangle G3. The rectangle G3 means a video object read from the file, and the rectangle G1
Means video material data extracted from the video object indicated by the rectangle G3 and transferred to the video decoder. Similarly, rectangle G2 means audio material data extracted from the video object indicated by rectangle G3 and transferred to the audio decoder. Note that the rectangle G1,
The rectangles G2 and G3 are on the same time axis, and the time axis is described above the rectangle G1.

In FIG. 1, a rectangle G3 comprises a plurality of small rectangles. The small rectangle means a pack which is a time division unit when data is multiplexed and recorded by time division. Rectangle G3
The pack placed at the head of the video object indicated by is a pack for management information. Following the management information pack, each of the arranged packs is labeled V for a video pack, and each labeled A is an audio pack. Each pack constituting the rectangle G3 describes, in addition to the material information, information indicating whether each pack is a video pack or an audio pack, and timing information at which each pack is transferred to a buffer. Hereinafter, the material information portion in the pack is referred to as a packet. At the time of reproducing the video object, each pack is transferred to each buffer such as a video decoder and an audio decoder at an appropriate timing in packet units according to the timing information.

[0006] In the same figure, the first-stage rectangle G1
Means data of a video packet input to the buffer of the video decoder. Each small rectangle means a pack. The second row is a graph showing the amount of data stored in the buffer of the video decoder in response to the input of the video pack indicated by the rectangle G1. The buffer storage amount increases as video packets are input, and decreases when the data in the buffer is used for decoding and video output. In the figure, while video packet data forming the first image of a moving image is accumulated in the buffer (time Tb1 to Tb2), the buffer accumulation amount increases, and the time at which the decoding and output of the video packet data are performed The buffer accumulation amount decreases at Td1.

The input of the video packet represented by rectangle G1 to the video decoder is completed at time Tvf1,
The decoding and output of the video packet data input up to f1 are completed at time Tvf2. As described above, there is a difference between the time of input to the buffer and the time of actual decoding and output. For this reason, a waiting time occurs between the start of the processing of the video object head pack and the actual output of the video to the screen. In the figure, Tb1 to Td1 correspond to this. Conversely, even after the reading processing of the video object ends, the video output continues. In the figure, the reading of the video object is completed at Tvf1, but the actual video reproduction is continued to Tvf2 by the data stored in the buffer.

[0008] The rectangle G2 in the third row means data of an audio packet which is separated from the video object and input to the buffer of the audio decoder. Each small rectangle means a packet. The fourth row is a graph showing the amount of data stored in the buffer of the audio decoder in accordance with the input of the audio packet indicated by the rectangle G2. The input of the pack and the consumption of the buffer are the same as in the case of the video decoder, and the data input at time Tad1 is output at the timing of time Tap1. It should be noted that the buffer of the audio decoder can store much less data than the buffer of the video decoder. This means that the reproducible time is short. For this reason, audio data cannot be accumulated in the buffer at the same timing as the data for video output, and the video buffer is sufficiently filled, and the video data is output immediately before decoding and output. Must be multiplexed in the video object so that audio data corresponding to the audio data can be input to the audio decoder. Therefore, the rectangle G
As shown in FIG. 3, no audio pack is arranged near the head of the video object, and the first audio pack is arranged so as to be able to be sent to the audio decoder at the timing Td1 when the first image is displayed. ing. Conversely, near the end of the video object indicated by rectangle G3, an audio pack that stores audio data for an image that has already been transferred to the video decoder by time Tvf1 is arranged. .

As described above, audio packs are generally collected at the end of a video object. As a matter of course, even if transfer of all video packs of a certain video object has been completed, processing of the next video object is started until transfer of all remaining audio packs is completed. It is not possible.

[0010] For the above-mentioned reasons, in two video objects to be reproduced seamlessly, the audio pack gathering at the end of the previous video object is moved to the head of the next video object. The number of audio packs moved depends on the relationship between the amount of video packs and the amount of audio packs.

Further, when three or more video objects are connected seamlessly, the movement between the second and third video objects depends on the movement amount between the first and second video objects. The amount changes.

[0012] Therefore, if any modification is made to the material data of a certain video object, the effect of the modification is not limited to the video object containing the material, but to the video objects connected in a seamless manner. Propagate.

Next, an example of a multiplex processing apparatus will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a conventional multiplex processing device.

Reference numeral 1501 denotes a mass storage device;
2 is a display unit, 1503 is an input unit, 1504
Is a control unit, and 1505 is a data bus.

A mass storage device 1501 is a hard disk, which records material information and also records video objects created by processing.

A display unit 1502 is a CRT, and is used by the apparatus to present various information to a user.

The input unit 1503 is a mouse or / and a keyboard, and is used by a user to give an instruction to the device.

A control unit 1504 is composed of a RAM that stores a CPU and its operation program and is also an execution memory, and controls a display unit 1502 to display a list of processable video objects. And a processing target video object selection accepting operation for controlling the input unit 1503 to select and determine a processing target video object, and controlling the mass storage device 1501 to determine a video object from the material information for the selected video object. And a multiplexing processing operation for creating

[0019]

In the multiplex processing apparatus described above, when an arbitrary material file is modified,
It is necessary for the user of the device to select and specify an appropriate video object and perform the multiplexing processing of the multimedia data again in consideration of the influence caused by this correction.

However, it is difficult for a user of the apparatus to determine the extent to which the effect of the correction is affected. This is because the user of the device may be different from the creator of the scenario information that describes the order in which the video objects are presented, and the algorithm that determines the range affected by the modification from the scenario information is If it is complicated enough for humans, it is highly likely that mistakes will occur due to misunderstandings other than experienced users, and if you use a method of creating one video object by connecting multiple materials This is because it is difficult for the user to grasp the correspondence between the video object and the material.

If the judgment is wrong, there is a danger that abnormal data will be created if a narrow range is specified, and conversely, unnecessary time will be spent if a too wide range is specified. In any case, there is a problem.

In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for multiplexing multimedia data after automatically determining a multiplexing target.

[0023]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention creates a video object by multiplexing at least video information and / or audio information and / or subtitle information. A video object list display unit for displaying a list of video objects that can be processed, a video object selection reception unit for instructing and selecting an arbitrary video object from the video object list display, A playback order information input unit for inputting playback order information that defines a connection relationship between the video objects; and a processing target video object determination that determines a video object to be processed based on the selected video object and the playback order information input information. And a part.

An information processing apparatus according to the present invention is an information processing apparatus for multiplexing at least video information and / or audio information and / or subtitle information to create a video object, wherein the video information and / or audio A material list display unit for displaying a list of names of information and / or subtitle information, a material selection receiving unit for instructing and selecting an arbitrary material from the material list display, and a reproduction order for defining a connection relationship between a plurality of the materials A playback order information input unit for inputting information, a video object component material determination unit that determines a material that constitutes one video object from the playback order information, and a video object component material determination unit. A video that holds the names of the video information and / or audio information and / or subtitle information that make up the video object. An object constituent material information holding unit, a selected video object determining unit for determining a video object corresponding to the material specified and selected by the material selection receiving unit from the video object constituent material information, the selected video object and the reproduction order A video object determining unit that determines a video object to be multiplexed from the information input information and the video object constituent material information.

The information processing apparatus according to the present invention is an information processing apparatus for multiplexing at least video information and / or audio information and / or subtitle information to create a video object. , A video object selection accepting unit for instructing and selecting an arbitrary video object from the video object list display, and inputting reproduction order information defining a connection relationship between the plurality of video objects. A playback object information input unit, a processing object video object determination unit that determines a video object to be processed from the selected video object and the playback order information input information, and a processing object determined by the processing object determination unit. List of video objects It is characterized in that it has processed the video object list display unit for displaying.

The information processing apparatus according to the present invention is an information processing apparatus for multiplexing at least video information and / or audio information and / or subtitle information to create a video object, wherein the video information and / or audio A material list display unit for displaying a list of names of information and / or subtitle information, a material selection receiving unit for instructing and selecting an arbitrary material from the material list display, and a reproduction order for defining a connection relationship between a plurality of the materials A playback order information input unit for inputting information, a video object component material determination unit that determines a material that constitutes one video object from the playback order information, and a video object component material determination unit. A video that holds the names of the video information and / or audio information and / or subtitle information that make up the video object. (E) an object constituent material information holding unit, a selected video object determining unit for determining a video object corresponding to the material specified and selected by the material selection receiving unit from the video object constituent material information, the selected video object and the reproduction A processing target video object determining unit for determining a video object to be multiplexed from the order information input information and the video object constituent material information, and a material corresponding to the video object determined to be a processing target by the processing target object determining unit Processing target material name judging unit for judging from the video object constituent material information, and a processing target material name for displaying a list of the materials judged to be the processing object video object by the processing target material name judging unit Has a list display section It is characterized in that.

[0027]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A multimedia data multiplex processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The multiplexing processing apparatus is automatically subjected to multiplexing processing based on reproduction order information in which the reproduction order of the material or the video object is described and material or video object selection information specified by the user of the apparatus. A video object is selected and determined.

(Data Structure of Video Object) First, the data structure of a video object will be described.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the data structure of a video object. Here, description will be made assuming that the data is recorded in the MPEG2 system. A video object is composed of a plurality of video object units, and one video object unit is time-divisionally multiplexed and recorded with video information, audio information, subtitle information, and the like.
One video object unit has 15 frames (=
(0.5 seconds).

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between video objects and materials. One video object is a video material
It is composed of a plurality of audio materials and a plurality of subtitle materials.

(Data Structure of Playback Order Information) Next, the playback order information that defines the connection relationship between a plurality of video objects will be described.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a connection relationship between a plurality of video objects. The reproduction of the video object # 2 is started seamlessly after the reproduction of the video object # 1 is completed. After the reproduction of the video object # 2 is completed, one of the video objects # 3-1 / 2/3 is reproduced. At this time, the viewer gives a certain instruction to the playback device to determine which video object is to be played back, or plays another video object during playback of any video object. It is possible to switch to Similarly, when the reproduction of any of the video objects # 3-1 / 2/3 ends, the reproduction of the video object # 4 starts. Here, a format such as video object # 3, which is composed of a plurality of video objects and one of which is reproduced and displayed at the time of reproduction, is called an angle.

The video object # 5 is not directly connected to the video objects # 1 to # 4. For this reason, even if the viewer instructs the playback device to play back the video object # 5 after the playback of the video object # 4 ends, the two are not played back seamlessly. In addition, the video object # 6 starts to be reproduced seamlessly immediately after the reproduction of the video object # 5.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a data structure of the reproduction order information. The reproduction order information is composed of reproduction order information for each video object. The reproduction order information for each video object is composed of previous video object information, next video object information, and angle-constituting video object information. In the previous video object information, reference information for a video object reproduced before the video object is recorded. Similarly, in the next video object information, reference information for a video object to be reproduced next is recorded. If there is no video object to be reproduced before or next to the video object, information that means "there is no video object" is recorded as the previous / next video object information.

If the video object is one of the video objects constituting the angle,
Angle configuration video object information is recorded. Here, reference information for all video objects constituting the angle is recorded. If the video object to be played next or before the video object is a video object constituting an angle, the next video object information or the previous video object information contains the first of the video objects constituting the angle. Reference information for the video object is recorded.

(Configuration of the present information processing apparatus) Next, the present information reproducing apparatus will be described. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an information reproducing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 5, 501 is a mass storage device, 502 is a display unit, 503 is an input unit,
504, a storage device; 505, a control unit;
6 is a data bus.

The large-capacity storage device 501 is a hard disk, and records material information such as video, audio, subtitles, and video object information created by multiplexing these material information.

A display unit 502 is a CRT, and includes a recorded file list, video object list information, reproduction order information,
Displays information on a list of video objects to be processed.

An input unit 503 is a keyboard and / or a mouse. The input unit 503 selects and instructs a video object to be processed from a list of video objects displayed on the display unit 502, and inputs an instruction from a list of recorded files displayed on the display unit 502. It is used to select and instruct material information to be used as a component of a video object, and to input reproduction order information.

The storage device 504 is a RAM, and stores reproduction order information and video object constituent material information for recording references to material information constituting each video object.

The control unit 505 is composed of a RAM which stores a CPU and its operation program and also serves as an execution memory. The control unit 505 controls the mass storage device 501 and the display unit 502 and is recorded in the mass storage device 501. A recorded file list display operation for displaying a list of files; a video object constituent material receiving operation for controlling the input unit 503 to select and specify material information to be used as a component of an arbitrary video object from the recorded file list; The input unit 503 controls the display unit 502 to control the display unit 502 to display a list of processable video objects. Control and select the video object to be processed from the video object list When the video object to be processed is received by the input unit 503, the video object to be processed is determined by referring to the reproduction order information recorded in the storage device 504. The processing target video object determining operation to be performed and the processing target video object list displaying operation for controlling the display unit 502 to display a list of video objects determined to be the processing target are performed.

(Video Object Component Material Receiving Operation)
Next, the operation of the information processing apparatus will be described. First, the video object component material receiving operation will be described.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a data structure of video object constituent material information. The video object name is an item indicating the name of the video object.
The user of the device can easily perform various operations by assigning a management name to each video object.

The video material file name is an item representing the name of a video material file constituting the video object. Here, one video object is configured from only one video material. The audio material file name is an item similarly representing the name of the audio material file, and typically, one video object is composed of a plurality of audio materials. The same applies to subtitles as to audio.

The user of the device operates the input unit 503 to
Data corresponding to the table in FIG. 6 is input. Typically, the data input operation is performed interactively using the display unit 502. The user instructs the number of audio materials and the number of subtitle materials, and further selects one file corresponding to each constituent material from the files recorded in the mass storage device 501.

Thus, the input and created video object constituent material information is stored in the storage device 504. Typically, at the same time, table information containing reference information for each video object constituent material information is created in the storage device 504.

Although the description has been given here assuming that the material file is already recorded in the large-capacity storage device 501, the user of the device can use a storage device or a network device from which a medium can be removed. The connection allows the mass storage device 50 to be connected via the data bus 506.
Obviously, it is possible to place the file in No. 1.

Also, a video and / or audio and / or subtitle encoding device is added to the device, and the user of the device gives an instruction to these devices so that these devices can be connected via the data bus 506. Mass storage device 5
Obviously, it is possible to arrange an encoded file at 01. In particular, when an encoding device is added, the user of the device does not directly create information corresponding to the video object constituent material information, but the user of the device encodes the method of creating the material constituting each video object. It is also possible to describe information for instructing the creator and to automatically create the video object constituent material information.

(Video Object Selection Accepting Operation) Next, a video object list displaying operation and a video object selecting accepting operation will be described.

The control unit 505 searches all the video object constituent material information stored in the storage device 504, and typically extracts only the video object name item from each video object constituent material information, and displays the same. 502
Is displayed as a list of video objects.

At this time, the corresponding video work information is added to the video object constituent material information in advance, and only the video objects that compose the video work according to the video work on which the user of the apparatus is to work. It can be easily assumed that the user's convenience is displayed by displaying the list in the list.

From the video object list displayed in this manner, the user of the apparatus specifies the object of the multiplexing process in the input unit 5.
Enter with 03. Typically, the control unit 505 controls the display unit 502 to display a mark indicating selection on a video object selected by the user as a target of the multiplexing process, thereby distinguishing the video object from unselected items. Finally, the user of the device informs the input section 5 that the selection operation has been completed.
03 to the control unit 505.

Instead of displaying a list of video objects, a list of names of materials constituting the video objects is displayed, and when a user selects a material, a video object corresponding to the material is automatically selected. Targeted schemes are also possible.

(Reproduction Order Information Input Accepting Operation) Next, the reproduction order information input accepting operation will be described.

When a user inputs the reproduction order information, a GUI (Graphical U) is typically used.
An editing device that uses a service interface is used. The information processing apparatus only needs to receive the reproduction order information shown in the data structure of FIG. 4 as an input, and it is sufficient that the information can be acquired regardless of the method using the GUI.

Here, an editing apparatus using a GUI will be briefly described. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a GUI of the editing device for the reproduction order information. FIG. 7A is a video visually representing the structure of the reproduction order information, and the display screen is updated at any time by editing by the user. In this figure, a rectangle represents a set of a series of video objects, an ellipse represents a video object, and a triangle represents an angle. Arrow lines indicate the playback order of video objects and angles. The line segment without the arrow is described between the angle and the video object included in the angle,
The video objects that make up the angle are shown. In the figure, there are video object sets P # 1 and P # 2, and in P # 1, after video objects V # 1 and V # 2 are seamlessly reproduced sequentially, V # 3-1 or V # 3 -2 or V # 3-3 is alternatively reproduced. After the reproduction of V # 3-1, V # 3-2, or V # 3-3 is completed, V # 4 is reproduced seamlessly. The structural diagram shown here is structurally identical to the diagram showing the reproduction order of the video objects shown in FIG.

FIG. 7B shows a list of video objects. The video object list displays all the searched video objects in the form of icons in the same manner as the video object list display operation.

FIG. 7C shows a so-called tool box, which is a GUI for receiving an instruction from the user. There are four types of icons for instructions, which are indicated by arrows, rectangles, triangles, and trash can icons from the top. By pressing a mouse button on the icon, an instruction can be given to the device. When an icon indicated by an arrow is selected, the apparatus changes to a mode for selecting an operation target. In this state, by pressing a mouse button on any of the icons shown in FIG. 7A, the specified icon can be set as a target of the next operation.

When the icon of the trash can is pressed while the icon to be operated is selected, the icon to be operated is deleted. When the triangle icon is pressed in the same state, a triangle icon indicating a new angle is added, and an arrow segment is drawn from the operation target icon to the newly added icon.

By pressing a square icon in an arbitrary state, a square icon representing a new video object set is added. At the time of the newly added icon, there is no line segment and no arrow connecting this square icon to another icon.

When an oval icon representing a video object is to be added to FIG. 7A, a mouse button is pressed on an arbitrary icon shown in FIG. Is moved to an arbitrary position in FIG. 7A and then the button is released. At this time, an oval icon indicating a video object is added at an appropriate position according to the position where the button is released. If the arrow is over a square icon that is not yet connected,
After the oval icon is added, an arrow line is drawn from the square icon to the oval icon. If the outgoing arrow is an oval icon that has not yet been connected, a new oval icon is added, and an arrow line is drawn from the existing icon to the added icon. . If the mouse button is released at the bottom of a triangle icon that has not yet been connected with an arrow line, a new oval icon is added, and an arrow line is drawn from the triangle icon to the oval icon . Similarly, in the case of the right part of the triangle icon, a normal line segment is drawn from the triangle icon to the oval icon.

(Processing Video Object Determination Operation)
Next, the processing target video object determination operation will be described.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of determining the video object to be processed. In the figure, a video object is described as a VOB (Video OBject).

Step S801 is a phase for initialization. Here, the list of video objects to be multiplexed is first emptied. Further, a process is performed in which the first one of the video objects selected by the user is set as the target video object. If there is no video object selected, the process branches to NO in the next process in S802, and the process shown in the flowchart ends.

In step S803, processing for adding the video object of interest to the multiplexing processing target list is performed. This means that the video object selected by the user is added to the multiplexing target list.

Next, in the conditional branch of S804, it is confirmed whether or not the target video object has audio. If there is no audio, regardless of the reproduction order of the video objects, the influence of the modification of the material constituting the video object of interest does not affect other video objects. In such a case, the process for the video object of interest ends here, and the flow branches to S809 to make the next selected video object the video object of interest. S8
If the next selected video object cannot be found in 09, the process branches to the NO side in a conditional branch in S802, and the processing shown in the flowchart is ended. Conversely, if there is a voice, S8 is searched in order to search the range affected by the material modification.
The process branches to 05.

In S805, it is confirmed whether or not there is a video object to be reproduced seamlessly next to the target video object. If the next video object does not exist, there is no video object affected by the modification of the material constituting the video object of interest. In this case, the processing for the video object of interest ends, and the flow branches to S809 to search for the next selected video object. Conversely, if there is a next video object, the process branches to step S806. In S806, a process of adding the video object next to the video object of interest to the multiplexing processing target list is performed. As a result, the video object that is affected by the modification of the material constituting the certain video object is added to the multiplexing processing list.

At S807, it is checked whether the target video object is one of the video objects constituting the angle. If the video object of interest forms an angle, all video objects forming the angle are added to the multiplexing processing target list. Conversely, if no angle is configured,
No action is taken. Regardless of the determination made in the conditional branch in S807, the process eventually branches to the conditional branch in S805. As a result, a certain video object and subsequent video objects are sequentially added to the list of video objects to be multiplexed.

Thus, at the stage when the processing shown in the flowchart is completed, it is determined that the video object included in the multiplexing target list is a multiplexing target video object.

(Processing for Displaying List of Video Objects to be Processed) Finally, the operation for displaying a list of video objects to be processed will be described.

The control unit 505 controls the control unit 502 to display a list of video objects determined to be processed by the processing target video object determination operation. In this case, it is preferable that the video object is displayed so as to be superimposed on the list display of the video objects. This displays all video objects, video objects selected and designated by the user, and video objects determined to be multiplexed by the device on the same list, so that the user of the device can proceed with the creation of the video work. This is to make it easier to grasp the situation and the amount of processing.

At this stage, it is also conceivable that the user of the apparatus again provides a function of adding / deleting a video object to be processed. Particularly, in the case of a skilled user, it is conceivable to select a multiplexing processing target without automatically judging the multiplexing processing target by the apparatus for addition / deletion here.

Next, a multimedia data multiplexing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

(Data Structure of Video Object) First, a data structure of a video object in the second embodiment will be described.

FIG. 9 shows video objects and video / audio / video objects.
It is a figure showing the correspondence of a caption material. The difference from FIG.
That is, a plurality of pieces of material information are connected to form one video object. For this reason, it appears that a plurality of video objects are connected in appearance. Here, a video object formed by linking a plurality of pieces of material information is referred to as a linked video object. The linked video object is configured as one file and is created by one multiplexing process. When the connected video object is played back by the playback device, after the playback of the portion corresponding to the video object 1 is completed, the portion corresponding to the video object 2 is continuously played back. In this sense, there is no difference between a playback device and a simple video object or a connected video object.

As described above, since the connected video object is composed of a plurality of materials, it is necessary for the user of the apparatus to determine the corresponding connected video object when the material is corrected. It becomes more difficult as compared with the case where objects correspond one-to-one.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the data structure of the video object connection information. The video object connection information is configured such that the video object constituent material information shown in FIG. 6 is sequentially arranged by the number of video objects to be connected. This shows the video objects that make up the concatenated video object,
Further, the material constituting each video object is shown.

(Configuration of the present information processing apparatus) Next, the present information reproducing apparatus will be described. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an information reproducing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 11, reference numeral 1101 denotes a mass storage device, 1102 denotes a display unit, 1103 denotes an input unit, 1104 denotes a storage device, 1105 denotes a control unit, and 1106 denotes a data bus. .

The mass storage device 1101 is a hard disk, and records material information such as video, audio, subtitles, and video object information created by multiplexing these material information.

The display unit 1102 is a CRT, and displays a list of recorded files, video object list information, playback order information, video object list information to be processed, and the like.

The input unit 1103 is a keyboard or / and a mouse. The input unit 1103 is used to select and instruct a video object to be processed from a list of video objects displayed on the display unit 1102, or to input a command from a list of recorded files displayed on the display unit 1102. It is used to select and instruct material information to be used as a component of a video object, and to input reproduction order information.

The storage device 1104 is a RAM, and stores reproduction order information, video object constituent material information, and video object connection information.

The control unit 1105 is composed of a RAM which stores a CPU and its operation program and is also an execution memory, and has a mass storage device 1101 and a display unit 110.
2 to display a list of files recorded in the mass storage device 1101 and to control the input unit 1103 to use the recorded file list as a component of an arbitrary video object from the recorded file list. Video object constituent material receiving operation for selecting and instructing material information to be performed, a reproduction order information input receiving operation for controlling the input unit 1103 to input reproduction order information, and determining connection of video objects according to the reproduction order information. Video object connection determining operation, a video object connection information generating operation for generating video object connection information according to the determination in the video object connection determining operation, and a connected video object that can be processed by controlling the display unit 1102. Material list display operation to display a list of materials that compose A corrected material selection accepting operation for controlling the input unit 1103 to select and determine a corrected material from a material list, and a connected video to be processed based on the video object connection information, the corrected material selection information, and the reproduction order information. A connected video object determination operation for determining an object and a connected video object list display operation for controlling the display unit 1102 to display a list of connected video objects determined to be processed are performed.

The difference from the block diagram of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is that the video object connection information storage area is arranged in the storage device 1104 and the operation performed by the control unit 1105 is different. It is different.

(Video Object Connection Judgment Operation) Next, the operation of the information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment will be described. First, the video object connection determination operation will be described.

In this information processing apparatus, the connection judgment of the video objects is automatically performed by the apparatus. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the video object connection determination operation. In the figure, the video object is VOB
(Video OBject).

Step S1201 is a phase for initialization. Here, first, the first video object reproduction order information in the reproduction order information is set as the target reproduction order information. If the reproduction order information is empty here, S12
The process branches to the NO side in the conditional branch of 02, and the processing shown in the flowchart ends. Conversely, if it is not empty, the flow branches to S1203.

In step S1203, a process of storing the video object corresponding to the playback order information of interest as the first video object in the linked video object is performed. The video object stored here is the head, and up to the video object determined to be the end in the subsequent processing constitutes one connected video object. In the figure, a video object corresponding to the target reproduction order information is referred to as a target VOB. Similarly, a video object that is the head of the connected video object is referred to as a head VOB.

In S1204, a branching process is performed according to the angle-structured video object information of the reproduction order information of interest. If the angle configuration video object information exists, this video object becomes a video object configuring the angle. Because it is impossible to connect the video objects that make up the angle,
In the processing of S1209, it is determined that this video object is a video object that independently forms a connected video object. Thereafter, in step S1208, video object playback order information serving as the next target playback order information is searched from the playback order information. At this time, the video object reproduction order information corresponding to the video object that has already been determined to be a video object constituting the connected video object is excluded from the search target. Then, the playback order information is searched in order, and the video object playback order information found first is set as attention playback order information. At this time, if the playback order information of interest cannot be found even if the search is advanced to the end of the playback order information, the process branches to NO in the conditional branch of S1202,
The processing shown in the flowchart ends.

Conversely, if the video object does not constitute the angle, branch processing is performed in step S1205 depending on whether the next video object exists.
Here, if the next video object does not exist, the video object to be connected is interrupted. Therefore, the video object stored in the processing of S1203 is changed to the object processed in S1205. It is determined in the processing of S1210 that up to the video object constitutes one connected video object. After the end of the processing of S1210, in the same way as after the end of the processing of S1209, in S1208, the next replay order of interest is searched.

On the other hand, if the next video object exists, the flow branches to S1206 to check whether the video object of interest at present is a video object constituting an angle. If the angle has been configured, the process branches to S1211 and proceeds to S1201.
From the video object stored in the processing of step 3,
In S1206, it is determined that up to the video object immediately before the target video object being processed constitutes one connected video object. S121
After the end of the process of S1, the same as after the end of the process of S1209,
In step S1208, the next playback order information of interest is searched.

Further, if it is determined in S1206 that the angle is not formed, in the processing in S1207, the reproduction order information corresponding to the video object described as the next video object in the target reproduction order information As the playback order information of interest, and the flow shifts to S1205.

(Operation of Determining Connected Video Object to be Processed) Next, the operation of determining the connected video object to be processed will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The difference between the flow chart of FIG. 13 and the flow chart of FIG. 8 is that not the video object but the linked video object is targeted. Also,
The processing shown in S1305 and S1306 is slightly different.

In S1305, when searching for a video object to be connected next, attention is paid to the last video object constituting the concatenated video object, and branching is performed according to the presence of the video object connected next to this video object.

The processing in S1306 is different from the processing in the flowchart in FIG. 8 in that a connected video object including the video object searched in S1305 is added to the processing target.

(Operation of Displaying List of Connected Video Objects to be Processed) Finally, the operation of displaying the list of connected video objects to be processed will be described.

The control unit 1105 controls the control unit 502 to display the video objects constituting the connected video object and the material list constituting the video object which have been determined to be processed by the processing for determining the connected video object. I do. In this case, it is preferable that the video object list and the specified material list are displayed in a superimposed manner. This displays the material specified by the user and the materials that make up the linked video object that has been determined to be processed by the device on the same list, so that the user of the device can progress the video work creation and the amount of processing. This is to make it easier to grasp the situation.

At this stage, it is also conceivable that the user of the apparatus again provides a function of adding / deleting a connected video object to be processed. In particular, in the case of a skilled user, it is conceivable that the addition / deletion at this point may be made to select a processing target without performing automatic processing target determination by the apparatus.

Although the multiplexing method is the MPEG method, any method capable of multiplexing and recording a plurality of information materials may be used.

Note that video objects include video material
Although the audio material and the subtitle material are recorded, any information may be recorded as long as it can be recorded as data, such as reproduction control information and computer program information.

Although the large-capacity storage device is assumed to be a hard disk, it is a medium capable of recording multimedia data, and may be a readable / writable medium, such as a DVD-RAM drive. And media.

Although the display unit is a CRT, any display medium such as a liquid crystal display or a television receiver that can display character information may be used.

Although the input unit is a keyboard or / and a mouse, any input unit such as a touch panel or a voice input device that can select an arbitrary item from the listed items may be used.

[0107]

As described above, according to the present invention, not only the video objects designated by the user of the apparatus are subjected to the multiplexing process, but according to the connection relationship between the separately described video objects. In addition, it is possible to automatically set a video object within a range that is affected by modification of a material constituting a video object designated by a user as a multiplexing processing target.

As a result, the user can multiplex only the video objects related to the corrected material without excess or deficiency, without worrying about the range of the video objects that will be affected when the material is corrected. It becomes possible.

Also, by displaying the video objects judged to be processed by the apparatus in a superimposed manner on the list of processable video objects, it is easy for the user to grasp the progress of video work creation and the amount of processing. It is possible to

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a data structure of a video object in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a relationship between a video object and material information in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a connection relationship between video objects in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a data structure of reproduction order information in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of the information processing apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a data structure of video object constituent material information in the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a GUI for inputting reproduction order information in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation of determining a video object to be processed in the first embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a relation between a video object and material information in the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a data structure of video object connection information in the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a second embodiment of the information processing apparatus.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a video object connection determination operation in the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of determining a connected video object to be processed in the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a pack transfer procedure and buffer consumption during video object playback.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional multiplex processing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 501, 1101, 1501 Mass storage device 502, 1102, 1502 Display unit 503, 1103, 1503 Input unit 504, 1104 Storage device 505, 1105, 1504 Control unit 506, 1106, 1505 Data bus

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yasushi Uesaka 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Inside Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Terms (reference) 5C023 AA21 AA34 AA38 BA15 DA03 5C063 AA01 AB03 AB05 CA40 DA01 DA03 DA05 DA13 5D110 AA26 AA28 BB20 CA05 CA06 CA18 CA46 DA03 DA09 DA12 DB05 DC05 DC16 DC27 DD03 DE02 DE04 DE06 FA05 FA08

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus for creating a video object by multiplexing at least video information and / or audio information and / or subtitle information, and displaying a list of video objects that can be processed. A video object selection receiving unit for instructing and selecting an arbitrary video object from the video object list display; and a reproduction order information input unit for inputting reproduction order information for defining a connection relationship between the plurality of video objects. An information processing apparatus, comprising: a video object to be processed determining unit that determines a video object to be processed from the selected video object and the reproduction order information input information. 2. An information processing apparatus for multiplexing at least video information and / or audio information and / or subtitle information to create a video object, wherein the video information and / or audio information and / or subtitle information is A material list display unit for displaying a name list; a material selection receiving unit for instructing and selecting an arbitrary material from the material list display; and a reproduction for inputting reproduction order information defining a connection relationship between the plurality of materials. An order information input unit, a video object constituent material determining unit that determines a material that constitutes one video object from the reproduction order information, and the video that configures each video object according to the determination by the video object constituent material determining unit. Video object configuration material information that holds the names of information and / or audio information and / or subtitle information A holding unit, a selected video object determining unit that determines a video object corresponding to the material specified and selected by the material selection receiving unit from the video object constituent material information, and the selected video object and the reproduction order information input information. An information processing apparatus comprising: a processing target video object determining unit that determines a video object to be multiplexed from the video object constituent material information. 3. An information processing apparatus for creating a video object by multiplexing at least video information and / or audio information and / or subtitle information, and displaying a list of processable video objects. A video object selection receiving unit for instructing and selecting an arbitrary video object from the video object list display; and a reproduction order information input unit for inputting reproduction order information for defining a connection relationship between the plurality of video objects. A processing target video object determining unit that determines a video object to be processed based on the selected video object and the reproduction order information input information; and a list of video objects determined to be processed by the processing target object determining unit. Target video The information processing apparatus characterized by having a project list display part. 4. An information processing apparatus for multiplexing at least video information and / or audio information and / or subtitle information to create a video object, wherein the video information and / or audio information and / or subtitle information is A material list display unit for displaying a name list; a material selection receiving unit for instructing and selecting an arbitrary material from the material list display; and a reproduction for inputting reproduction order information defining a connection relationship between the plurality of materials. An order information input unit, a video object constituent material determining unit that determines a material that constitutes one video object from the reproduction order information, and the video that configures each video object according to the determination by the video object constituent material determining unit. Video object constituent material information that holds the names of information and / or audio information and / or subtitle information A holding unit, a selected video object determining unit that determines a video object corresponding to the material specified and selected by the material selection receiving unit from the video object constituent material information, and the selected video object and the reproduction order information input information. A processing object video object determining unit that determines a video object to be multiplexed from the video object configuration material information; and a material corresponding to the video object determined to be processed by the processing object determination unit. A processing target material name judging unit for judging from the material information; and a processing target material name list display unit for displaying a list of the materials determined to be the materials constituting the processing target video object by the processing target material name judging unit Information processing characterized by having Apparatus. 5. The information according to claim 3, wherein a size of the processing target material is displayed as additional information on the processing target video object display unit or the processing target material name list display unit. Processing equipment. 6. An expected processing time calculated from a size of the processing target material is displayed as additional information on the processing target video object display unit or the processing target material name list display unit. Alternatively, the information processing apparatus according to claim 4.