JP2012231349A - Storage device and portable terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

【Task】
In the prior art, although there was a conversion reservation notification function for video data or the like, it was not considered to provide a function for extracting a part desired by the user from the content.
In addition, in the technology for minimizing the completion time at the time of content conversion, the result of extracting a user-desired portion may not always be obtained.
[Solution]
In the present invention, the feature point information regarding the content is utilized to extract the content desired by the user, the content in the vicinity of the feature point is increased in the conversion rate (the amount of code necessary for the conversion), The conversion rate is lowered and conversion is performed while adjusting the overall conversion time. In addition, information specified by the user is provided in a form explicitly specified in the content.
[Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a storage device having a content conversion function and a portable terminal.

  In recent years, video data has been digitized and the price of storage products has fallen, and content such as video, photos, and music data is stored as a storage product necessary for users to easily store video data. Opportunities to purchase equipment for this are also increasing.

  Conventional devices related to storage have been proposed as shown below for a device having a function for supporting a user to browse content.

JP 2010-263532 A JP 2010-114755 A

  The invention of Patent Document 1 realizes a function of making a conversion reservation for content to be viewed on a portable device and notifying the completion thereof.

  The invention of Patent Document 2 proposes a function for completing content conversion in the shortest time by adjusting feature point information and conversion format of content.

  In the prior art, although there was a conversion reservation notification function for video data or the like, it was not considered to provide a function for extracting a part desired by the user from the content.

  In addition, in the technology for minimizing the completion time at the time of content conversion, the result of extracting a user-desired portion may not always be obtained.

  An object of the present invention is to improve the usability of a storage apparatus and a portable terminal.

  In the present invention, for example, feature point information related to content is used to extract user-desired content, content near the feature point is increased in conversion rate (the amount of code required for conversion), and the conversion rate is decreased for other content. Try to convert while adjusting the time. In addition, information specified by the user is provided in a form explicitly specified in the content.

  According to the present invention, usability of the storage device and the portable terminal can be improved.

It is a hardware connection block diagram which showed the implementation method. Example 1 It is function explanatory drawing of the Example of this invention. Example 1 It is a software block diagram which showed the implementation method. Example 1 It is DB (file, face information) block diagram which showed the implementation method. Example 1 It is DB (reservation information) block diagram which showed the implementation method. Example 1 It is a processing flow figure showing content conversion reservation processing. Example 1 It is a processing flow figure showing content conversion reservation processing. (Example 2) It is a processing flow figure showing information superposition processing at the time of contents conversion. (Example 3) Video conversion specification explanatory diagram showing the implementation method (Example 1) Hardware configuration diagram of portable terminal showing implementation method (Example 1)

  Examples of the present invention will be described below.

  FIG. 1 is a hardware connection configuration diagram showing an implementation method.

  Reference numeral 100 denotes an external storage apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a storage apparatus) in this embodiment. Reference numeral 110 denotes another external storage apparatus in the present embodiment, which is equivalent to the external storage apparatus 110. A mobile terminal 120 is a portable information terminal having a UI (User Interface) function such as command input from a user and screen display, and a communication function with an external device. Reference numeral 130 denotes a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC), which, like the mobile terminal 120, is a computer terminal having a UI function such as command input from a user and screen display and a communication function with an external device. Reference numeral 140 denotes a network to which a device having a communication function is connected. The storage apparatus 100 is a usage form connected to the network as NAS (Network Attached Storage), and the storage apparatus 110 is a usage form connected to the personal computer 130.

  In FIG. 1, the storage apparatus, the mobile terminal 120 and the PC 130 are connected to the network 140 and can communicate with each other.

  In this embodiment, the connection with the network 140 is described as being connected to a LAN (Local Area Network), and the connection between the PC and the storage device B is described as being connected with a USB (Universal Serial Bus). However, it may be a general-purpose connection path regardless of whether it is eSATA (external serial ATA) or other wired or wireless.

  FIG. 2 is a functional explanatory diagram of the embodiment of the present invention.

  Reference numeral 210 denotes an operation screen of the mobile terminal 120. While viewing this screen, the user selects content selection, conversion method, and the like.

  220 indicates the original content (original content) stored in the storage apparatus 100, and 230 indicates the converted content.

  Reference numeral 231 denotes content in the vicinity extracted as feature information designated by the user, and is a portion that may be converted to low image quality for content length adjustment.

  Reference numeral 232 denotes a content extracted as feature information designated by the user, where a similar video is extracted as much as possible in accordance with the content length designated by the user, and is converted into high quality.

  240 shows a display example of the operation screen 210 of the mobile terminal 120.

  Reference numeral 241 denotes an interface for designating feature information.

  Reference numeral 242 denotes an interface for conversion reservation.

  Reference numeral 243 denotes a reproduction interface. The content that has been converted is played back while being converted in real time as will be described later.

  Reference numeral 244 denotes an interface for designating the content length. Here, the original length is converted, or the user-desired length is designated.

  Reference numeral 245 denotes an interface for designating related feature information. Specify feature information specific to the target content. For example, the storage device may present the entry / exit scene for athletic meet content, the goal scene for a soccer game, etc. from the information that the storage device has analyzed in advance and obtained the results of searching related information on the Internet You may do it.

  FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram regarding the handling of content operated by the function of the embodiment of the present invention.

  250 reduces the load for reproducing the size on the mobile terminal 120 by converting the range corresponding to the user-specified feature information to high image quality and the other to low image quality while maintaining the same reproduction length as the original content 220. Do.

  Reference numeral 910 denotes an area in the vicinity of the scene corresponding to the user-specified feature information, and a scene that is a candidate for an area to be used when the converted content is within the range of the user-specified length. This is the area converted to low image quality.

  Reference numeral 911 denotes a scene corresponding to the feature information specified by the user, which is converted into high image quality.

  230 is an example of the content after the conversion described above, in which the user-specified length is shorter than the original. If the user-specified length is longer than the original, it may be generated by adding it as a digest scene before or after the original.

  Reference numeral 260 denotes an example of a scene playback screen corresponding to the user-specified feature information. A superimposed display is provided so that the name corresponding to the feature information and the position in the screen can be identified. In the case of the vicinity of the scene, information such as from which part of the screen the person, object, etc. corresponding to the user-specified feature information appears may be superimposed and displayed.

  FIG. 3 is a software configuration diagram illustrating the implementation method.

  Reference numeral 300 denotes a processing range of the external storage apparatus in the present embodiment. Reference numeral 301 denotes an external apparatus that is connected to the apparatus and transmits / receives data. 301 may be a device similar to the device of the present embodiment, or may be a PC or other storage device. The external device may be a mobile terminal, and the number of connection destinations may be one or more.

  Reference numeral 302 denotes a communication control unit that performs data transmission / reception control with an external device. In the present embodiment, description will be made assuming that it is connected to a LAN (Local Area Network), but it may be a USB (Universal Serial Bus) or other general-purpose connection path.

  Reference numeral 303 denotes a CPU control unit, which controls each processing unit of the entire apparatus. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the CPU control unit performs processing.

  Reference numeral 304 denotes a DB (Data Base) operation unit, which performs processing related to the operation of the DB stored in the storage described later.

  Reference numeral 305 denotes a reservation control unit, which performs content conversion reservation processing of data stored in the storage with the external device.

  Reference numeral 306 denotes a content control unit, which performs control for performing content extraction, joining, and conversion to another format desired by the user during content conversion.

  Reference numeral 307 denotes an R / W control unit, which controls to read / write various data stored in the storage.

  Reference numeral 308 denotes a storage, which is a recording medium for storing various data.

  When the DB operation unit 304 updates the information in the storage 308, it is always processed via the R / W control unit 307. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, the DB update is performed according to the above procedure.

  Reference numeral 309 denotes a video conversion unit, which extracts an appropriate frame (similar to a still image here) from still image data or moving image data, and performs information compression processing. For example, an image resizing process is shown.

  Reference numeral 310 denotes a face recognition processing unit, which indicates a process of specifying a location where a face is shown from content and extracting a position in the image. In this embodiment, the face recognition process is used, but it is also possible to use it for object recognition by using data suitable for an object to be recognized as comparison data used for recognition. Although face recognition is selected for the description of the embodiment, it may be replaced with content-specific feature recognition processing, scene change, moving object recognition, and the like as described above for the functions.

  FIG. 4 shows a configuration example of the DB used in the apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  The DB shown in the figure is used in the DB operation unit 304 described above.

  Reference numeral 401 denotes an ID management area, which is a unique number of data managed in the DB. When video data is newly added, a new number is used.

  Reference numeral 402 denotes an area for managing a file name, which is designated by the user when the video data is stored in the storage 308 or is set with a file name determined by the apparatus, and manages this file name information.

  Reference numeral 403 denotes an area for managing tags, information on whether or not the device storing the video data is a main body, information on which face recognition processing has been performed (indicated as FR in the example in the figure), thumbnail image ( In the example in the figure, FACE and SCENE are written).

  Reference numeral 404 denotes an area for managing tag addition information, which stores additional information related to a tag in which video data is stored (for example, an ID for specifying detected face information).

  Reference numeral 405 denotes time information in which scene position information related to the tag information is stored.

  Next, a configuration example of a DB that manages feature information will be shown.

  Reference numeral 406 denotes a tag ID. When the tag information is, for example, content related to face recognition, a unique ID for managing face recognition results is shown.

  Reference numeral 407 denotes a file name. For example, in the case of contents related to face recognition, a file name including the face is stored.

  Reference numeral 408 denotes feature information. For example, in the case of content related to face recognition, a template number used for detection and information indicating a feature amount are stored.

  Reference numeral 409 denotes name tag information, which stores name information of components managed by the tag ID.

  Reference numeral 410 denotes coordinate and size information. For example, in the case of content related to face recognition, the position in the recognized face frame (image) and the size information of the face are stored.

  FIG. 5 shows a configuration example of the DB used in the reservation function used in the apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  The DB shown in the figure is used in the DB operation unit 304 described above.

  Reference numeral 501 denotes an area for managing a reservation ID, which is a number unique to reservation data managed in the DB. When reservation data is newly added, a new number is used.

  Reference numeral 502 denotes an area for managing file names, which stores the original file names of contents designated as reservation setting targets by the user.

  Reference numeral 503 denotes a post-conversion file name, in which a virtual file name for accessing the post-conversion content from the mobile terminal is stored.

  Reference numeral 504 denotes additional information, which stores feature information designated by the user, progress information during conversion, and the like.

  Reference numeral 505 denotes time information, which stores the content length (reproduction time) designated by the user.

  A first embodiment that realizes content conversion from the content stored in the NAS reserved by the user from the mobile terminal and the face information and content length designated by the user according to the present embodiment will be described below. It should be noted that operations such as content specification on the mobile terminal, face recognition algorithm, and video format conversion algorithm are not described here because known methods are employed.

  FIG. 6 is a process flowchart showing the content conversion reservation process.

  When there is no description, it is the CPU control unit 303 that mainly controls the processing.

  In S101, the communication control unit 302 and CPU control unit 303 obtain information related to content conversion from an external user terminal, and the DB control unit 304 stores reservation information in the storage 308 via the R / W control unit 307. Is stored. Thereafter, when there is no description about the storage of information, it is assumed that the information stored in the storage is stored or retrieved by the same route.

  In step S102, the CPU control unit 303 checks the presence / absence of feature information. If there is, the CPU performs a specified feature extraction process described later. If not, the CPU control unit 303 moves to a subsequent process without performing the specified feature extraction process.

  In step S103, the CPU control unit 303 specifies the target portion while searching the DB for the original content of the user-specified virtual content file stored in the storage. If the user-specified feature information is an image itself, the face recognition processing unit 310 extracts the feature information and uses this information. For example, when the user designates a face as feature information, all the parts that may contain the face are extracted as candidates, that is, from high to low feature information similarity. .

  In step S104, the CPU control unit 303 checks whether or not the content playback time (content length) is specified. If there is, the CPU performs a conversion adjustment process to be described later. If not, the CPU controller 303 proceeds to the subsequent process without performing the conversion adjustment process.

  In step S105, the CPU control unit 303 selects a content conversion method specified by the user or suitable for the user's terminal, and then adjusts the converted content to match the length specified by the user. Estimate and calculate the content length, and if the specified feature extraction part is included and converted, if the specified length is exceeded, the content length is adjusted and adjusted based on the specified feature information, with the largest differences being gradually removed from the candidates. By the way, the process proceeds to the latter stage. Although not described in the flow, if adjustment is impossible, the communication control unit 302 notifies the user terminal to that effect.

  In S106, the communication control unit 302 notifies the user terminal that the conversion reservation is made with the content conversion contents estimated so far.

  In S107, the reservation control unit 305 updates the reservation information via the DB operation unit 304.

  Thereafter, content conversion processing is performed by the video conversion unit 309 and the content control unit 310 based on the reservation information determined above. After completion, the communication control unit 302 via the reservation control unit 305 notifies the user terminal. Thereafter, the converted content is transmitted to the user terminal via the communication control unit 302.

  In the present embodiment, the case of making a reservation is shown. However, when a high-performance CPU, a dedicated content conversion LSI, or the like is installed, the content is converted in real time after the above flow and transmitted to the user terminal. Is also possible.

  As described above, with respect to the content designated by the user, it is possible to acquire and view a video including a scene that the user desires to view at a desired length on the user's mobile terminal.

  Here, the operation of the mobile terminal will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  1000 denotes a target portable terminal in this embodiment. Unless otherwise specified, the controller 1004 controls each unit constituting the portable terminal, performs display on the display unit 1007, and inputs and outputs audio. This is performed with the microphone 1008 and the speaker 1009. The communication control unit includes an antenna 1001, a transmitter 1002, and a receiver 1003, and performs connection processing with the storage apparatus 300. This mobile terminal has a key operation unit 1010 for inputting designation from the user, and when the connection process is completed, the user-specified content information, content length, feature information, etc. inputted from the key operation unit 1010 are stored in the storage apparatus 300. Send to. This transmission process may be input through the GUI of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. Based on the transmitted information, the portable terminal receives the data converted by the storage device 300 described above, and the signal processor 1006 performs a reproduction process of the converted data. For example, the user designates a 120-minute soccer game as content information, and designates a specific player as feature information. If the user specifies 15 minutes as the content length, this information is also sent. In this case, the storage apparatus 300 performs face recognition processing for a specific player and converts the appearance scene of this player into 15 minutes. Depending on the type of content, the content information specific to the content other than the user-specified feature information, for example, a soccer game, including the goal scene, may be transmitted to the mobile terminal as converted data.

  A second embodiment that realizes content conversion from the content stored in the NAS reserved by the user from the mobile terminal and the face information and content length designated by the user according to the present embodiment will be described below. Since Example 2 has many common parts with Example 1, the difference will be described below.

  FIG. 7 is a process flowchart showing the content conversion reservation process.

  FIG. 7 describes differences from the flowchart of the first embodiment described above.

  When there is no description, it is the CPU control unit 303 that mainly controls the processing.

  In S201, it is checked whether or not the user-specified converted content supports VBR (Variable BitRate). If there is, the conversion bit rate distribution processing described later is performed. If not, the conversion bit rate distribution processing is not performed. Move on to processing.

  In S202, as described in the above description of the function, the period including the feature point is set to a high bit rate (high image quality), and the video before and after that is set to a low bit rate (low image quality).

  Henceforth, it is the same as that of Example 1.

  As described above, with respect to the content specified by the user, it is possible to acquire and view a video including a scene desired to be viewed with a user-desired length in a higher quality state on the user's mobile terminal.

  A third embodiment that realizes content conversion from the content stored in the NAS reserved by the user from the mobile terminal and the face information and content length designated by the user according to the present embodiment will be described below. In addition, since Example 3 has many common parts with Example 1, 2, it describes below about a difference.

  FIG. 8 is a process flow diagram showing information superposition processing at the time of content conversion.

  When there is no description, the processing is mainly performed by the CPU control unit 303 by the content control unit 306.

  In S301, when the user-specified conversion content is generated by the content conversion process, the feature information is extracted by the face recognition processing unit 310 at the frame position or read and acquired by the 304 DB control unit.

  In S302, it is checked whether or not there is information that matches or is similar to the feature information specified by the user in the frame. If there is, the feature information superimposing process described later is performed. Move on.

  In S303, the content conversion processing is continued by superimposing information such as a frame line on the feature information area on the frame. In addition, when the format of the content after conversion corresponds to tag information incidental, it may be configured as tag information.

  As described above, with respect to the content specified by the user, it is possible to acquire and view the video on the user's mobile terminal in a state where the relevant information can be confirmed in the scene of the feature information specified by the user.

  The above-described embodiments can be implemented in combination.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 300 ... External storage apparatus in a present Example 301 ... External device 302 ... Communication control part 303 ... CPU control part 304 ... DB (Data Base) operation part 305 ... Reservation control part 306 ... Content control unit 307 ... R / W control unit 308 ... Storage 309 ... Video conversion unit 310 ... Face recognition processing unit

Claims (9)

A storage device that can be connected to a network,
A transmission / reception unit for transmitting / receiving data via a network;
Storage to store content,
A recognition processing unit for extracting video data related to a specific video from video data included in the content stored in the storage;
A conversion unit for converting stored content based on the video data extracted by the recognition processing unit;
Have
Transmitting the data converted by the conversion unit;
Storage device. The storage device according to claim 1,
The recognition processing unit extracts video data related to specific information from video data included in content stored in the storage based on feature information specified by a user.
Storage device. The storage device according to claim 2,
The conversion unit receives a conversion reservation from a user, and converts content stored based on the reception.
Storage device. The storage device according to claim 3,
If the conversion reservation from the user is accepted, the fact that the conversion is complete is sent to the user.
Storage device. The storage device according to claim 2,
When the conversion unit receives a conversion instruction from the user, the conversion unit converts the content stored based on the instruction in real time.
Storage device. The storage device according to claim 2,
The conversion unit converts the scene according to the feature information specified by the user with higher image quality than other scenes.
Storage device. The storage device according to claim 2,
The conversion unit converts the content in a possible format that clearly specifies a portion corresponding to user-specified feature information.
Storage device. A portable terminal that can be connected to an external storage device,
A key operation unit for a user to input content information, content length, and feature information;
Transmitting means for transmitting information input to the key operation unit to an external storage device;
A receiving unit that receives the converted data related to the content information, the content length, and the feature information input by the user;
A display for displaying the converted data received by the receiver;
Having
Mobile device. The mobile terminal according to claim 8, wherein
The feature information is information about a face or a name,
Mobile device.

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