JP7577487B2 - Preview device, preview program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a preview device and a preview program.

Preview devices are used to check broadcast materials before they are sent out for broadcast. Conventional preview devices, as described in Patent Document 1 for example, use a first method in which hardware such as a video server, decoder, and switcher are controlled by server control based on program on-air information to preview the materials on a monitor.

As described in Patent Document 2, instead of controlling hardware to perform a preview, there is a second method in which broadcast material data is converted (encoded) in advance into a format that can be played on a web browser to generate a media file for web preview, and this media file is stored on a server, allowing web material to be previewed based on the media file.

JP 2005-244713 A JP 2010-183264 A

However, the first method described in Patent Document 1 requires the preparation of dedicated hardware for previewing, which increases capital investment costs, and has the problem that previewing can only be performed in places where dedicated hardware for previewing is installed.

In addition, the second method described in Patent Document 2 involves previewing on the Web, so although playback is possible on a terminal connected via a network, it is time-consuming because it is necessary to encode the broadcast material data in advance to generate a media file and store it on the server. In addition, when the broadcast material data is encoded, it is converted into a media file in a format different from the broadcast material data, so it cannot be said that a preview based on a media file is the same as a preview of the broadcast material data.

The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a preview device and a preview program that enable previewing of broadcast materials without the need for dedicated hardware or prior encoding processing.

According to an embodiment, a preview device includes a recording unit, a material analysis unit, a decoding unit, and a video synthesis unit. The recording unit stores files that individually store data of a plurality of different broadcast materials in a format for a broadcast station, and playback information for controlling playback of the broadcast materials. The material analysis unit analyzes the broadcast materials based on the playback information of the broadcast materials to be previewed, and extracts data of the broadcast materials required for previewing from the files stored in the recording unit in the format for the broadcast station . The decoding unit individually decodes each piece of data of the broadcast materials extracted by the material analysis unit. The video synthesis unit synthesizes the results of decoding of the broadcast materials decoded by the decoding unit into a format playable by a browser.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a Web preview device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a video synthesis unit in the embodiment. FIG. 1 shows the data format of an MXF file that stores base video data of broadcast material. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of playback information. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of a terminal according to the present embodiment. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of a server in the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a preview setting screen according to the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another functional configuration of the terminal according to the embodiment.

The following describes the embodiment with reference to the drawings.

The Web preview device 1 in this embodiment decodes broadcast materials stored in the server 11 on the terminal 21 and performs a preview by compositing the images. The terminal 12 requests the server 11 to acquire the broadcast materials, and the server 11 extracts and generates only the data necessary for the preview from the broadcast materials and playback information for controlling the playback of the broadcast materials. The terminal 12 decodes the data of the broadcast materials generated by the server 11, and combines and outputs the decoded results.

This makes it possible to preview broadcast material without having to pre-encode it, as was previously necessary with conventional methods.

[Configuration of the Web Preview Device 1]
Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a Web preview device 1 according to this embodiment. The Web preview device 1 according to this embodiment includes a server 11 and a terminal 21 connected via a network 30. Although one terminal 21 is shown in Fig. 1, a plurality of terminals 21 may be provided.

The server 11 has a computer configuration including a processor, memory, and storage device, and realizes various functions by executing programs stored in the memory using the processor.

The server 11 has a file server 111, a database (DB) 112, a material analysis unit 113, and a web server unit 114.

The file server 111 stores files that save broadcast material data in a format for broadcast stations. For example, MXF (Material eXchange Format) is used as the format for broadcast stations (see Figure 3). MXF files are a container format that is suitable for converting broadcast material and the like into files and transmitting them, for example, between broadcast stations over a network. Broadcast material includes, for example, base video, subtitles, and provider display.

DB112 stores playback information for controlling the playback of broadcast materials stored in the file server 111 (see Figure 4).

The material analysis unit 113 analyzes and extracts the video and audio data, subtitles, and presentation display data required for previewing from the MXF files stored in the file server 111 based on the playback information stored in the DB 112.

The web server unit 114 communicates with the interface unit 214 of the terminal 21.

The terminal 21 has a computer configuration including a processor, memory, and storage device, and realizes various functions by executing programs stored in the memory with the processor. For example, the terminal 21 realizes a function for previewing broadcast materials stored in the server 11 by executing a preview program with the processor. Preview programs include, for example, a web browser program and a program using JavaScript (registered trademark) that is executed on a browser.

The terminal 21 realizes the functions of a decode unit 211, a video synthesis unit 212, a main unit 213, and an interface unit 214 through the preview program.

The decoding unit 211 performs decoding processing on the data of broadcast materials (e.g., base video, subtitles, presentation display, etc.) extracted by the material analysis unit 113 of the server 11.

The video synthesis unit 212 synthesizes the results of the decoding of the broadcasting materials decoded by the decoding unit 211 so that they can be played back by the main unit 213 (browser). The video synthesis unit 212 specifies the contents of the video to be rendered, such as the base video, subtitles, and presentation display, according to the technical specifications of the Canvas of HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) (HTML5), for example.

The main unit 213 is realized by, for example, a web browser, and allocates processing requests to the decode unit 211, the video synthesis unit 212, and the interface unit 214. The main unit 213 displays on the display a preview setting screen for inputting designation of the material to be previewed, and designation of at least one of the video, subtitles, and presentation display included in the broadcast material to be previewed. The main unit 213 displays on the display a preview according to the decoded result of the broadcast material synthesized by the decode unit 211.

The interface unit 214 communicates with the web server unit 114.

Next, the function of the image synthesis unit 212 in this embodiment will be described. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image synthesis unit 212 in this embodiment.

The video synthesis unit 212 includes, for example, a base video Canvas 212a, a provision Canvas 212b, a subtitle Canvas 212c, and an output Canvas 212d.

The base video Canvas 212a and the provision Canvas 212b draw the video (base video, provision display video) decoded by the decoding unit 211. The subtitle Canvas 212c draws the subtitle information analyzed by the material analysis unit 113. The output Canvas 212d sequentially composites the base video Canvas 212a, the provision Canvas 212b, and the subtitle Canvas 212c to generate an output video.

In addition, the video synthesis unit 212 (output Canvas 212d) can select and synthesize either the base video Canvas 212a, the provision Canvas 212b, or the subtitle Canvas 212c according to the broadcast material (base video, subtitles, provision display) to be displayed in the preview, in accordance with the specifications input through the preview setting screen displayed by the main unit 213.

Figure 3 shows the data format of an MXF file that stores base video data for broadcast materials stored in the file server 111 of server 11.

Because MXF files are container formats, various video encoding methods can be used. In this embodiment, for example, MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group)-2 and LongGOP are used. However, this is not limited to MPEG-2 and LongGOP.

As shown in Figure 3, the base video MXF file 31 contains video data, audio data 1 to 8, and subtitle data for each frame.

An MXF file is a file format consisting of a collection of data elements called KLV (Key-length-value). The material analysis unit 113 extracts video and subtitle data based on the key value of the MXF file according to the playback information of the broadcast material to be previewed. The video and subtitle data extracted by the material analysis unit 113 is sent to the terminal 21 in batches of several frames (for example, 15 frames).

In addition, the file server 111 stores an MXF file in which the data for the provided display is saved, in the same format as the MXF file 31 shown in FIG. 3. In this case, the subtitles are data for displaying, for example, the name of the company that provides the subtitles. Since the data format is the same, an illustration of the MXF file in which the data for the provided display is saved is omitted.

Figure 4 shows an example of playback information stored in DB112.

Figure 4 shows, for example, playback information for material X (e.g., broadcast program X), and includes playback start time, playback end time, and provision information regarding provision display. The provision information includes information for the number of times the provision information is displayed during the broadcast of material X (program) (2 times in Figure 4). The provision information includes start time, end time, and material ID. The material ID is data that specifies the video file used for provision display.

The material analysis unit 113 extracts data for displaying the material specified as the preview target from the MXF file stored in the file server 111 according to the playback information.

[Operation of the Web Preview Device 1]
Fig. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation of the terminal 21 in this embodiment.Fig. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation of the server 11 in this embodiment.

The main unit 213 of the terminal 21 displays on the display a preview setting screen that allows the user to specify the preview target from the broadcast material stored in the server 11 (step A1).

Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of a preview setting screen in this embodiment. The preview setting screen shown in Figure 7 is provided with a material designation area 41 for inputting the designation of the material to be previewed, a base video button 421, a subtitle button 422, and a provided display button 423 for designating whether or not to composite each video for the base video, subtitles, and provided display of the broadcast material to be played back. In addition, an OK button 43 for indicating completion of the settings and an NG button 44 for indicating cancellation of the settings are provided.

In the material designation area 41, for example, a list of materials stored in the server 11 (file server 111) is displayed, and the target for preview can be selected from the list. Figure 4 shows the state in which "material X" has been selected as the target for preview.

In addition, in FIG. 7, the base video button 421 and the subtitle button 422 are selected as the playback targets, indicating that a preview is to be displayed that combines the base video and subtitle video, excluding the presentation display.

When the OK button 43 is pressed to indicate completion of setting the material to be previewed, the main unit 213 inputs the content specified on the preview setting screen and requests the interface unit 214 to acquire the material (step A2). That is, it requests acquisition of the material to be previewed ("material X" in the settings shown in FIG. 4).

The interface unit 214 requests the web server unit 114 to obtain the material (step A3).

When the Web server unit 114 of the server 11 receives a request to acquire material from the terminal 21 (Figure 6, step B1), it requests the material analysis unit 113 to analyze the material requested by the terminal 21 as a target for preview (step B2).

The material analysis unit 113 obtains data of the material to be previewed from the file server 111, and also obtains playback information corresponding to the broadcast material to be previewed from the DB 112 (step B3).

The material analysis unit 113 analyzes the broadcast material to be previewed based on the acquired playback information of the broadcast material, and extracts from the MXF file the data required to display a preview image for the material specified on the terminal 21 (step B4).

The web server unit 114 transmits the data extracted by the analysis by the material analysis unit 113 to the interface unit 214 of the terminal 21 (step B5).

The interface unit 214 of the terminal 21 acquires the analysis result data from the material analysis unit 113 via the Web server unit 114 (Figure 5, step A4).

The main unit 213 receives the broadcast material data from the interface unit 214 and issues a decode request to the decoding unit 211 (step A5).

In response to the decoding request, the decoding unit 211 decodes the base video and provided video data of the broadcast material received from the server 11 (step A6). The decoding by the decoding unit 211 differs from the case of encoding the broadcast material data, and therefore does not change the content of the original broadcast material.

The main unit 213 passes the decoded results from the decode unit 211 to the video synthesis unit 212 and requests synthesis of the decoded results (step A7).

The video synthesis unit 212 synthesizes the results of decoding by the decoding unit 211 in response to a request from the main unit 213 (step A8). Here, the video synthesis unit 212 synthesizes the broadcast materials (base video, subtitles, and provided display) to be previewed, which are specified on the preview setting screen. For example, when video and subtitles are specified as on the preview setting screen shown in FIG. 7, the output Canvas 212d of the video synthesis unit 212 synthesizes the base video Canvas 212a and the subtitle Canvas 212c to generate an output video.

The main unit 213 displays the output video synthesized by the video synthesis unit 212 on the browser screen (step A9). In the preview displayed by the main unit 213, the objects (base video, subtitles, and provided display) previously specified on the preview setting screen are synthesized and displayed, so that the video suited to the purpose of the preview can be confirmed.

In this way, the Web preview device 1 in this embodiment analyzes the broadcast material and performs a decoding process on the extracted data to be previewed, making it possible to preview the broadcast material without using dedicated hardware and without performing prior encoding processing.

Therefore, since dedicated hardware for previewing is not required, there is no need to increase capital investment costs, and the preview can be viewed on a terminal 21 installed in any location connected to the server 11 via the network 30, without being limited to a location where dedicated hardware is installed.

In addition, there is no longer a need to perform pre-encoding processes to display the preview, which eliminates the need to go through the trouble of displaying the preview and saves time.

The functional configuration of the terminal 21 may be different from that shown in Figure 1 and may be as shown in Figure 8.

Broadcast materials often have a frame rate of 30 fps (29.97 fps), so 30 frames need to be rendered per second. The configuration shown in FIG. 8 has multiple decode units 211-1 to 211-n, multiple video synthesis units 212-1 to 212-n, and multiple interface units 214-1 to 214-n. That is, each processing unit is threaded using, for example, WebWaker (registered trademark), so that multiple frames can be processed in parallel. This makes it possible to display a smooth preview.

In the above description, the Web preview device 1 is configured from a server 11 and a terminal 21, but it is also possible to realize it as a device that integrates the functions of the server 11 and terminal 21 described above.

In addition, the techniques described in each of the above embodiments can also be distributed by storing them on a storage medium such as a magnetic disk (a flexible disk, a hard disk, etc.), an optical disk (a CD-ROM, a DVD, etc.), a magneto-optical disk (MO), or a semiconductor memory as a program that can be executed by a computer.

In addition, this storage medium may be in any storage format as long as it is capable of storing a program and is computer-readable.

Furthermore, an OS (operating system), database management software, network software, or other MW (middleware) running on a computer based on instructions from a program installed on the computer from a storage medium may execute some of the processes for implementing the above-described embodiments.

Furthermore, the storage medium in each embodiment is not limited to a medium independent of a computer, but also includes a storage medium that stores or temporarily stores a program downloaded from a LAN, the Internet, etc.

The number of storage media is not limited to one, and the storage media of the present invention also includes cases where the processes in each of the above embodiments are executed from multiple media, and the media configuration may be any configuration.

The computer in each embodiment executes each process in each of the above embodiments based on a program stored in a storage medium, and may be configured as either a single device such as a personal computer, or a system in which multiple devices are connected to a network.

In addition, the computer in each embodiment includes a processor, microcomputer, etc., included in an information processing device, and is a general term for devices and equipment that can realize the functions of the present invention by a program.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the claims.

1...Web preview device, 11...Server, 111...File server, 112...Database (DB), 113...Material analysis section, 114...Web server section, 21...Terminal, 211, 211-1, ..., 211-n...Decoder section, 212, 212-1, ..., 212-n...Video synthesis section, 213...Main section, 214, 214-1, ..., 214-n...Interface section, 30...Network, 212a...Base video canvas, 212b...Providing canvas, 212c...Subtitle canvas, 212d...Output canvas.

Claims (5)

a recording unit for storing files for storing data of a plurality of different broadcast materials in a format for a broadcast station, and playback information for controlling playback of the broadcast materials;
a material analysis unit that analyzes the broadcast material to be previewed based on playback information of the broadcast material and extracts data of the broadcast material required for previewing from a file stored in the recording unit in a format for a broadcast station ;
a decoding unit that individually decodes each of the broadcasting material data extracted by the material analysis unit;
a video synthesis unit that synthesizes the results of the decoding of the broadcasting material by the decoding unit into a format that can be played back by a browser. The apparatus further includes an input unit for inputting a designation of at least one of a video, a subtitle, and a presentation display included in the broadcast material as a preview target,
2. The preview device according to claim 1, wherein the video synthesizing section synthesizes a result of decoding at least one of the broadcasting material data of the video, the subtitle, and the presentation display corresponding to the input specification into a format reproducible by a browser. The preview device according to claim 1, which has multiple decoding units and multiple video synthesis units and processes multiple frames in parallel. A preview device having a server and a terminal connected via a network,
The server,
a recording unit for storing files for storing data of a plurality of different broadcast materials in a format for a broadcast station, and playback information for playing back the broadcast materials;
a material analysis unit that, in response to a request from the terminal, analyzes the broadcast material to be previewed based on playback information of the broadcast material, and extracts data of the broadcast material required for previewing from a file saved in a broadcast station format stored in the recording unit ;
The terminal includes:
a decoding unit that individually decodes the broadcasting material data extracted by the material analysis unit;
a video synthesis unit that synthesizes the results of the decoding of the broadcasting material by the decoding unit into a format that can be played back by a browser. Computer,
a display unit that displays a screen for allowing a user to select a preview target from among the broadcasting materials recorded in the recording unit of the server;
an interface unit that receives from the server the broadcast material data required for the preview, which is extracted from a file that stores a plurality of different broadcast material data individually in a broadcast station format in accordance with a preview target designated through the screen, by analyzing the broadcast material based on playback information of the broadcast material to be previewed from the file stored in the broadcast station format ;
a decoding unit for individually decoding the broadcasting material data received by the interface unit;
A preview program for causing the decoding unit to function as a video synthesis unit that synthesizes the results of the broadcasting material decoded by the decoding unit into a format that can be played back in a browser.