JP2011010091A - Output information control apparatus and output information control method - Google Patents

Abstract

When a viewer views VOD content in which an error has occurred, a normal video is output without outputting the video in which the error has occurred.
An error determination unit 210 detects an error in data of a VOD content acquired by a VOD data acquisition unit 201 via a network IF unit 21. If an error is detected, the error determination unit 210 sets an error start unit. Information is output to the data management unit 220. If no error is detected thereafter, the error determination unit 210 outputs error end unit information to the data management unit 220. Further, the data management unit 220 specifies the error data part, further requests the retransmission of the data at the error part, executes an error process for receiving new data, and shifts to the process of acquiring the data again. The data management unit 220 stores the acquired data in the data storage unit 241 so that an error location can be specified.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an output information control apparatus and output information control method for controlling and outputting information according to the state of acquired information, and more particularly to a technique for outputting error data included in acquired information.

  In recent years, a server that stores video content data connected to the Internet or a CATV network is requested to transmit desired content, and the content data transmitted from the server is acquired to obtain a video / audio signal. Devices that support output VOD (Video On Demand; hereinafter referred to as VOD) services are widely used.

  In the VOD service, content data is transmitted from a server connected to a network such as a network or a CATV network. If an error occurs in data transmission due to a network failure or a content supply server failure, an output video is output. In some cases, content viewing problems such as block noise, out-of-synchronization between output video and output audio, and pause of output video or output audio may occur. And it is strongly desired to avoid the occurrence of such problems.

  For example, according to Patent Document 1, when a moving image is acquired and reproduced by the VOD service, if the moving image is not displayed at a correct display timing or there is lost frame data, error processing is performed. A method for re-requesting the corresponding frame data is disclosed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-243377 (paragraphs 0019-0020 in FIG. 3)

  However, in Patent Document 1, frame data that could not be output or lost frame data is re-requested, and the re-transmitted corresponding frame data is received and displayed again, so that an error occurs in the acquired VOD content. Thus, the viewer views a normal video after the video in which the error has occurred. That is, when viewing the VOD content in which an error has occurred, the viewer cannot output a normal video without outputting the video in which the error has occurred.

  Accordingly, in order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention provides an output that allows a viewer to output a normal video without outputting the video in which an error has occurred when viewing the VOD content in which the error has occurred. An object is to provide an information control device and an output information control method.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a data acquisition unit that acquires data of a requested VOD content from a server that accumulates data of the VOD content distributed based on an external request, and the data acquisition unit includes: An error detection means for detecting an error in the acquired data; a control means for controlling the data acquisition means so as to request retransmission of data for which an error has been detected by the error detection means; and Data management means for distinguishing and managing data in which an error has been detected and data retransmitted under the control of the control means, and output by excluding data detected by the data management means that has detected an error And a data output means.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention acquires requested VOD content data from a server that accumulates VOD content data distributed based on an external request, and detects an error in the acquired data. And control to request retransmission of the data in which the error is detected, and separately manage the data in which the error has been detected and the data retransmitted by the control. In this case, the detected error data is excluded and output.

  According to the present invention, when a viewer views a VOD content in which an error has occurred, a normal video can be output without outputting the video in which the error has occurred.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the set top box which is an output information control apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the system configuration | structure by each module which performs the acquisition control process of VOD content data, and an output control process. The flowchart for demonstrating the detailed operation | movement of the acquisition control process accompanied by the error process with respect to the error data of VOD content. The flowchart for demonstrating the detailed operation | movement of the error process with respect to error data. The flowchart for demonstrating the detailed operation | movement of a play list production | generation process. The conceptual diagram of operation | movement of the acquisition control process of VOD content data, and an output control process.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a set top box which is an output information control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an example in which the output information control apparatus is applied to a set-top box is shown. However, a television receiver, HDD recorder, DVD recorder, information processing terminal, portable mobile terminal, and the like having the same configuration as in this embodiment. It may be.

  The set-top box according to the present embodiment acquires a predetermined program by acquiring a broadcast program or video content provided through a communication line such as the Internet or a CATV (Community Antenna TeleVision; cable TV; hereinafter referred to as CATV) network. The reproduction process is performed and a video signal and an audio signal are output.

  The set top box 10 includes a broadcast wave processing unit 20, a network IF unit 21, a receiving unit 30, an operation unit 31, a signal processing control unit 40, an HDD 50, a recording medium IF unit 51, a video output unit 61, an audio output unit 62, and the like. It is configured.

  In addition, the VOD server 110 connected to the set top box 10 via a network such as the Internet accumulates data of VOD content distributed based on an external request.

  The broadcast wave processing unit 20 acquires a digital broadcast wave signal or an analog broadcast wave signal received by the antenna AT, performs channel selection and demodulation decoding processing on the acquired signal, and performs video / audio data or Data for creating an EPG is output to the signal processing control unit 40.

  The network IF unit 21 stores video / audio data such as broadcast programs and video contents, data for creating a program guide and a video content list, etc., which are connected via a network such as the Internet, LAN, and WAN. Data provided by the server 110 is acquired, and the acquired data is output to the signal processing control unit 40. The network IF unit 21 is connected to a recording medium such as an external HDD or a memory card via a LAN or the like, and transmits / receives video / audio data to / from the connected recording medium. In this embodiment, the network IF unit 21 acquires VOD content that is video / audio data such as video images provided from the VOD server 110 connected via the connected network, and outputs the acquired VOD content to the signal control processing unit 40. Further, the network IF unit 21 requests the VOD server 110 to retransmit the specific video / audio data under the control of the signal processing control unit 40, acquires the retransmitted video / audio data, and outputs it to the signal control processing unit 40. To do.

  The recording medium IF unit 51 is compatible with USB standards and i. A connection unit based on various standards such as the LINK standard is connected to a recording medium such as an external HDD or a memory card, and video / audio data of video content is transmitted / received to / from the connected recording medium. In particular, the recording medium IF unit 51 transmits information related to the video / audio data to the external recording medium together with the video / audio data of the VOD content.

The receiving unit 30 receives (receives) information on an operation input from the remote controller RC. Similarly, the operation unit 31 receives operation input information for operating the apparatus.
The signal processing control unit 40 performs MPEG encoding / decoding operation processing and separation of video and audio signals on data input from the broadcast wave processing unit 20, the network IF unit 21, the recording medium IF unit 51, and the like. Processing, data extraction processing for generating a program guide or a video content list, or decompression processing of a compressed signal is performed and stored in the HDD 50, and a video signal is output to the video output unit 61 to output an audio output unit 62. An audio signal is output to

  In the present embodiment, the signal processing control unit 40 determines whether there is an error in data such as video content input from the network IF unit 21, and if there is an error, the error location can be identified. Data subjected to predetermined processing is stored in the HDD 50. Furthermore, the signal processing control unit 40 controls the network IF unit 21 so as to request retransmission of data at the error location.

  The signal processing control unit 40 includes a CPU (not shown), and controls the execution of a plurality of processes using each module provided in the signal processing control unit 40 and each module connected to the signal processing control unit 40.

  The video output unit 61 includes a connection unit that connects to an external television receiver, an AV amplifier, or the like that includes a video input unit, and is an output unit that outputs an analog video signal or a digital video signal. The video output unit 61 outputs a video signal excluding the error part.

  The audio output unit 62 includes a connection unit that is connected to an external television receiver or an AV amplifier that includes an audio input unit, and is an output unit that outputs an analog audio signal or a digital audio signal. The audio output unit 62 outputs an audio signal excluding the error part.

  The HDD 50 stores video / audio data and the like via the broadcast wave processing unit 20, the network IF unit 21, the recording medium IF unit 51, and the like, and outputs the corresponding data for reproduction and copying of the stored video / audio data. In this embodiment, video / audio data of VOD content is stored.

The audio / video data may be stored in an external HDD connected via the recording medium IF unit 51 instead of the HDD 50.
With such a configuration, when the set top box 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention detects an error location in the data of the VOD content acquired via the network IF unit 21 or the like, the set top box 10 identifies the error location. Performs chapter point assignment processing, request processing for re-transmission of data at the error location, and stores the acquired data in its own HDD 50 or an external HDD, and outputs data such as reproduction of the stored data Execute the process. These processes are mainly executed by the signal processing control unit 40.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 2, the system configuration of each module that executes the VOD content data acquisition control process and the output control process provided in the signal processing control unit 40 described in FIG. 1 will be described.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a system configuration of each module that executes VOD content data acquisition control processing and output control processing.
The signal processing control unit 40 includes a VOD data acquisition unit 201, an error determination unit 210, a data management unit 220, a data demodulation unit 231 and the like. The error determination unit 210 includes an error detection unit 211, an error end determination unit, and the like. The data management unit 220 includes a chapter point assigning unit 221 and a playlist generating unit 222. Furthermore, although the HDD 50 includes the data storage unit 241, the data storage unit 241 may be an embodiment provided in an external HDD connected via the recording medium IF unit 51.

  With the system configuration of each of these modules, the set top box according to the present embodiment specifies the error location of the acquired VOD content data, stores the data so that this error location can be specified, and also stores the error location. Requests retransmission of data, receives new data, and outputs data excluding errors.

  The VOD data acquisition unit 201 acquires VOD content data via the network IF unit 21, performs predetermined processing such as extraction of video / audio data, and outputs the extracted video / audio data to the data management unit 220. . Further, the VOD data acquisition unit 201 measures input data rate information related to a transfer rate of data input from the network IF unit 21 in association with time information or position information that can specify data. Furthermore, the VOD data acquisition unit 201 controls the network IF unit 21 to request the VOD server 110 to retransmit the corresponding data based on the time information or the location information notified from the data management unit 220.

  The error determination unit 210 includes an error detection unit 211 and an error end determination unit 212. The error detection unit 211 detects an error based on input data rate information measured by the VOD data acquisition unit 201, and the error ends. Determine whether or not. The error detection unit 211 also outputs to the data management unit 220 time information or position information that can specify the error start point and end point.

  Further, the error end determination unit 212 determines whether or not the error has ended based on the input data rate information measured by the VOD data acquisition unit 201, and specifies time information or position information that identifies the location where the end of the error has been determined. Is output to the data management unit 220.

  The input data rate information is not information regarding the transfer rate of data input from the network IF unit 21 measured by the VOD data acquisition unit 201, but data acquired by the network IF 21 via the network, measured by the network IF 21. It may be information regarding the transfer rate. In this case, the error determination unit 210 acquires input data rate information from the network IF unit 21 and determines an error.

  In addition, the error determination unit 210 uses other information that is not input data rate information in order to determine various errors such as packet loss (packet loss) or delay due to a failure of the VOD server 110 or the network. Also good. For example, in the form of using output signal error information based on an abnormality of the output signal such as block noise of the output video due to various errors described above, a synchronization error between the output video and the output audio, and suspension of the output video or output audio It does not matter. In this case, the error determination unit 210 determines the error by acquiring output signal error information from the data demodulation unit 231 that outputs the video signal and the audio signal, the video output unit 61, the audio output unit 62, and the like.

  The data management unit 220 includes a chapter point assigning unit 221 and a playlist generation unit 222, stores the video / audio data input from the VOD data acquisition unit 201 in the data storage unit 241, and stores the video / audio data in the data storage unit 241. The read video / audio data is read out and output to the data demodulator 231. Note that the data management unit 220 associates the error start unit information and error end unit information input from the error determination unit 210 with the video / audio data input from the VOD data acquisition unit 201 and stores them in the data storage unit 241. . The chapter point assigning unit 221 assigns chapter points to specific portions of the video / audio data input from the VOD data acquiring unit 201.

  The playlist generation unit 222 generates a playlist that defines the playback order of the chapters separated by the chapter points assigned by the chapter point assignment unit 221 to the video / audio data input from the VOD data acquisition unit 201. The generated playlist is stored in the data storage unit 241.

  The data demodulator 231 demodulates the video / audio data input from the data manager 220 and separates it into a video signal and an audio signal, outputs the video signal to the video output unit 61, and outputs the audio signal to the audio output unit 62. To do.

  The data storage unit 241 stores the video / audio data output by the data management unit 220, and outputs the corresponding data under the control of the data management unit 220 to reproduce the stored video / audio data. Also, the playlist generated by the playlist generation unit 222 is stored.

  It should be noted that the time information used for various purposes in the above description may be an embodiment defined by replacing with the position information. Similarly, in the following description, the time information is converted into the position information. It may be an embodiment defined by replacement.

  That is, the set top box according to the present embodiment executes the VOD content data acquisition control process and the output control process by the system configuration of these modules.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 3, a detailed operation of the data acquisition control process accompanied with the error process for the error data of the VOD content executed by the system configuration described in FIG. 2 will be described.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the detailed operation of the acquisition control process accompanied by the error process for the error data of the VOD content.
First, the VOD data acquisition unit 201 acquires VOD content data via the network IF unit 21 (S301), performs predetermined processing, and outputs video / audio data to the data management unit 220 (S302). If reception of all data of the video content is not completed (N in S303), the error determination unit 210 determines whether an error is detected in the acquired data (S304). If reception of all data has been completed (Y in S303), the process proceeds to a playlist generation process (S309). Details of this process will be described later.

  Further, when no error is detected in the acquired data (N in S304), the VOD data acquisition unit 201 executes the process of acquiring data again (S301), and thereafter, the acquired data is predetermined as described above. A series of processes for determining whether or not the data reception is completed by executing the above process is executed.

  On the other hand, when an error is detected in the acquired data (Y in S304), the error determination unit 210 outputs the current error start unit information to the data management unit 220. Further, the VOD data acquisition unit 201 continuously acquires the data of the VOD content (S305), performs predetermined processing, and outputs the video / audio data to the data management unit 220 (S306).

  Further, it is determined whether or not the data error has ended (S307). If the error does not end, that is, if the error is continuously detected (N in S307), the VOD data acquisition unit 201 acquires the data again. (S305) is executed, and thereafter, as described above, a predetermined process is performed on the acquired data and output to execute a series of processes for determining whether the data error has ended.

  On the other hand, when the error ends, that is, when the error is not detected (Y in S307), the error determination unit 210 outputs the current error end unit information to the data management unit 220. Then, the data management unit 220 identifies an error section of the data based on the error start unit information and the error end unit information input from the error determination unit 210, further requests retransmission of the data at the error location, and creates a new one. An error process (S308) for receiving data is executed, and the process proceeds to a process for acquiring data again (S305).

  That is, the data acquisition control process that accompanies error processing for the error data of the VOD content according to the present embodiment determines whether there is an error in the data of the acquired VOD content, and continues if it is determined that there is an error. In this process, data is acquired, and when it is determined that there is no error thereafter, the error section is specified and the data at the error location is received again.

Next, a detailed operation of error processing for error data executed in the flowchart described in FIG. 3 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the detailed operation of error processing for error data.
In the error processing described with reference to FIG. 4, the error determination unit 210 detects an error in the data of the VOD content acquired by the VOD data acquisition unit 201 in the flowchart shown in FIG. This process is executed after it is determined that the process has ended.

  First, the chapter point assigning unit 221 measures the data of the VOD content input from the VOD data acquisition unit 201 when measuring a predetermined delay time (Tc) from the time when the error end unit information is input from the error determination unit 210. A chapter point is given in association with the time information (S401). Then, the data management unit 220 stores the data of the video content to which the chapter points are assigned in the data storage unit 241.

  Furthermore, the data management unit 220 associates the data stored in the data storage unit 241 with the time information of the data even for a portion corresponding to a predetermined prefix time (Ta) from the error start unit information. Chapter points are assigned (S402).

  Then, the data management unit 220 adds the predetermined time (Ta), the error time (Tb) that is the difference between the error end part information and the error start part information, and the predetermined delay time (Tc). A certain error interval time (Ter) is calculated. Further, the data management unit 220 starts from the time information of the data of the VOD content at the time when the chapter point is given after inputting the error end information, and starts the error section which is time information before the error section time (Ter) from this start point. The part information is calculated (S403).

  Then, the data management unit 220 notifies the calculated error section start unit information to the VOD data acquisition unit 201, and the VOD data acquisition unit 201 stores the data from the error section start unit based on the notified error section start unit information. The network IF unit 21 is controlled so as to request retransmission. That is, a skip command to the error section start part is transmitted to the VOD server 110 (S404).

  Further, the data management unit 220 corrects the end time of data acquisition of the VOD content by the VOD data acquisition unit 201 so as to be delayed by the error interval time (Ter) (S405). The correction of the end time may not be executed when the end time of data acquisition is not set in advance.

  That is, by such an operation, the set top box according to the present embodiment identifies an error location in the acquired VOD content data, and receives new data by retransmitting the data at the error location.

Next, the detailed operation of the playlist generation process executed in the flowchart described with reference to FIG. 3 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the detailed operation of the playlist generation process.
The playlist generation process described with reference to FIG. 5 is a process executed when the VOD data acquisition unit 201 finishes acquiring data in the flowchart shown in FIG.

  First, when data acquisition is completed, the data management unit 220 extracts chapter information related to chapters delimited by chapter points given to the stored data (S501), and each chapter is delimited as error data. It is determined whether it is an error section (normal section divided as normal data) (S502).

Then, the playlist generation unit 222 generates a playlist that continuously reproduces the normal section except the error section, and stores it in the data storage unit 241.
Therefore, by such an operation, the set top box according to the present embodiment outputs video / audio data having no error data except for an error portion of the acquired VOD content data.

Next, the outline of the operations of the VOD content data acquisition control process and the output control process described so far will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of operations of VOD content data acquisition control processing and output control processing.
Specifically, first, the VOD data acquisition unit 201 starts the acquisition time 0, acquires the data D0 of the VOD content until the acquisition time T1, and acquires the data D1 until the acquisition time T2. Note that there is no data error in the data D0 and D1 between the acquisition times T0 and T2, so the error determination unit 210 does not detect an error.

  Subsequently, when the VOD data acquisition unit 201 starts acquiring the data D2 at the acquisition time T2, the error determination unit 210 detects an error, and when the acquisition of the data D2 ends at the acquisition time T3, the error determination unit 210 Determines that the error has ended. And the chapter point provision part 221 gives a chapter point to the data acquired at the acquisition time T4 after the predetermined delay time (Tc), and further has a predetermined pre-time (Ta) starting from the acquisition time T4. A chapter point is also given to data of the acquisition time T1 before the error interval time (Ter), which is the sum of the error time (Tb) and a predetermined delay time (Tc). Furthermore, the data management unit 220 requests re-transmission of data from the data D1 (transmits a skip command to the data D1) via the VOD data acquisition unit 201 and the network IF unit 21.

  In the subsequent acquisition times T4 to T5, the VOD data acquisition unit 201 sequentially acquires the retransmitted D1r to D2r to D3r, and since there is no error in the acquired data, the error determination unit 210 does not detect an error. .

  Further, at subsequent acquisition times D5 to T6, the VOD data acquisition unit 201 continues to acquire D4, which is data continuous to D3, and the error determination unit 210 detects an error because there is no error in the acquired data. do not do.

  That is, the data D1 to D3 acquired between the acquisition times T1 to T4 that are set as the error section are regarded as error sections, and normal data D1r to D3r are acquired by re-transmission of the data, and continuous data D4 is obtained. Will continue to be acquired.

Similarly, a process of outputting the data acquired in this way will be described with reference to FIG.
(Example 1)
In Example 1, the data management unit 220 skips the error section and outputs it. That is, data D1 to D3 are stored in the data storage unit 241 as data subsequent to the data D0. However, since these data are in the error section, the data is skipped and re-acquired after the data D0. D1r to D3r are output, and control for outputting D4 is executed.

(Example 2)
In Example 2, the data management unit 220 deletes the error section from the data storage unit 241. That is, data D1 to D3 that are error sections are deleted from the data storage unit 241, and data D1r to D3r are stored as data subsequent to the data D0 in the data storage unit 241, and D1r reacquired after the data D0. ..., D3r is output, and then control for outputting D4 is executed.

Therefore, error data is not output by the data output control in (Example 1) or (Example 2).
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the error location of the acquired data of the VOD content is specified, the data is stored so that this error location can be specified, and new data is transmitted by retransmitting the data of the error location. Therefore, when the viewer views VOD content in which an error has occurred, a normal video can be output without outputting the video in which the error has occurred.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Set top box, 20 ... Broadcast wave process part, 21 ... Network IF part, 30 ... Reception part, 31 ... Operation part, 40 ... Signal processing control part, 50 ... HDD, 51 ... Recording medium IF part, 61 ... Image | video Output unit, 62 ... audio output unit, 201 ... VOD data acquisition unit, 210 ... error determination unit, 211 ... error detection unit, 212 ... error end determination unit, 220 ... data management unit, 221 ... chapter point assignment unit, 222 ... Play list generation unit, 231... Data demodulation unit.

Claims (6)

Data acquisition means for acquiring requested VOD content data from a server that accumulates VOD content data distributed based on an external request;
An error detection means for detecting an error in the data acquired by the data acquisition means;
Control means for controlling the data acquisition means so as to request retransmission of data in which an error has been detected by the error detection means;
Data management means for distinguishing and managing data in which the error is detected by the error detection means and data retransmitted under the control of the control means;
Data output means for excluding data detected by the error managed by the data management means and outputting the data;
An output information control apparatus comprising:   2. The output information control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means includes control for requesting transmission of data continuous to the data subsequent to retransmission of the data in which the error is detected.   3. The output information control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the data output means skips and outputs the data in which the error is detected.   3. The output information control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the data management unit deletes data in which the error is detected.   3. The output information control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the error detection means detects a predetermined amount of data before and after the detected data as an error. Obtain the requested VOD content data from the server that stores the VOD content data distributed based on the request from the outside,
Detecting an error in the acquired data,
Controlling the error to request retransmission of detected data;
Managing the data in which the error is detected and the data retransmitted by the control separately,
Excluding the detected data for the error managed separately, and outputting,
An output information control apparatus characterized by that.

Images