JP2008096756A - Multi-screen display system and display method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a multi-screen display system in which the synchronization of a moving image displayed on each display device can be maintained even after lapse of time, and to provide a display method thereof. <P>SOLUTION: A client A20A which is a main client informs a multi-cast IP/port number for receiving a time stamp to a subclient which reproduces a split file. The client A20A transmits the time stamp of PCR/SCR of the contents to be reproduced by a multi-cast IP/port. The main client and the subclient reproducing the split file receive the time stamp transmitted from the main client through the multi-cast IP/port, compare the received time stamp with time stamp of each frame of the contents to be received which are stored in a recording section 23 of the self-client, and reproduce the frame having the same time stamp as the received time stamp. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a multi-screen display system including a plurality of display devices and a display method thereof.

  In recent years, large screens such as 45 inches or 60 inches have been used for information displays or commercial displays. Furthermore, there is a multi-screen display system configured to display a single image by arranging a plurality of, for example, four or nine displays adjacent to each other for a lecture hall or a movie theater.

A plurality of displays constituting the large screen are serially connected through, for example, a COM (Communication) port, and video signals are supplied to individual displays by a DVI (Digital Visual Interface) signal from the server. Or LAN (Local Area Network)
And the individual images are supplied from the server in the form of streaming. Since multiple displays are used, it is necessary to synchronize the images.

  As a first conventional technique for synchronizing images, there is a multi-screen display device that displays each screen of a plurality of video enlargement devices in synchronization. The multi-screen display device includes one system controller and a plurality of video enlargement devices that select and output one of a plurality of video sources according to a control signal from the system controller. The plurality of video enlargement devices are composed of one master video enlargement device and a plurality of slave video enlargement devices. When the automatic operation program is transmitted from the system controller to each video enlargement device, the master video enlargement device transmits the activation timing to the slave video enlargement device. Each slave image enlarging device is activated according to the automatic operation program according to the activation timing. After the program ends, the stop timing is transmitted from the master video enlarging device to the slave video enlarging device, and the entire video enlarging device stops (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  As a second conventional technique, there is a multi-screen display device in which a plurality of display devices for displaying information are arranged side by side. The multi-screen display device includes a plurality of display devices and an external control device that controls them. The external control device instructs each display device of each display delay time corresponding to the time difference of the display switching signal sequentially instructed to each display device from the external control device. Each display device sets an instructed display delay time in a timer, and performs display switching by an interrupt signal of the timer (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP-A-2-304593 JP-A-8-222102

  However, the first conventional technique starts display in response to an instruction from the system controller, and display is not started unless there is an instruction from the system controller. Furthermore, although synchronization can be obtained at the timing of starting playback, there is a problem that a shift occurs with the passage of time.

  According to the second conventional technique, each display device sets a display delay time instructed by an external control device to a timer, and displays by a timer interrupt signal triggered by a switching signal from the external control device. Since switching is performed, it is necessary to secure a time interval for switching display that is longer than the display delay time, and there is a problem that it cannot be applied to moving images.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-screen display system and a display method thereof capable of maintaining the synchronization of moving images displayed on each display device even if time elapses.

The present invention relates to a storage unit for storing moving image information to which timing information indicating timing to be reproduced in time series order is provided for each predetermined data unit, and the moving image information is read from the storage unit and displayed as an image. At least timing information is transmitted / received via a communication line, display means for reproduction, extraction means for extracting timing information from moving image information to be displayed and reproduced in time series, instruction means for instructing reproduction of moving image information, and a communication line A plurality of display devices each having transmission and reception means,
The transmission / reception means of the plurality of display devices are connected to each other via a communication line,
When reproduction of moving image information is instructed by an instruction unit included in any one of the plurality of display devices, the display device having this instruction unit uses the extraction unit to extract the moving image information to be displayed and reproduced in time-series order. The timing information is sequentially extracted, the extracted timing information is sequentially transmitted by the transmission / reception means,
When each display device receives timing information by the transmission / reception means, each display device reads a portion of the moving image information stored in the storage means, to which the timing information corresponding to the received timing information is attached. The multi-screen display system is characterized in that it is displayed and reproduced as an image.

  According to the present invention, the storage unit stores moving image information to which timing information indicating timing to be reproduced in time series order is stored for each predetermined data unit, and the display unit stores the moving image information from the storage unit. Information is read out and displayed and reproduced as an image. Timing information is extracted from the moving image information to be displayed and reproduced by the extraction unit in time series. The instruction unit instructs reproduction of the moving image information. When a moving image is displayed and reproduced on a multi-screen display system including a plurality of display devices that transmit and receive at least timing information via a communication line, the display devices are connected to each other via the communication line by each transmission / reception means. If the reproduction of the moving image information is instructed by the instruction means included in any one of the plurality of display devices. By a display device having the indication means, the timing information in chronological order are sequentially extracted, the extracted timing information sequentially transmitted by the transceiver means by extracting means from the video information to be reproduced and displayed. Further, when the timing information is received by the transmission / reception means by each display device, the timing information corresponding to the received timing information is stored among the moving image information stored in the storage means by the display means by each display device. Since the attached portion is read and displayed and reproduced as an image, each display device can continuously synchronize with the timing information from the display device instructed to reproduce the moving image information, and the time is Even after elapse, synchronization of moving images displayed on the respective display devices can be maintained.

In the present invention, the plurality of display devices include a main display device and a sub display device,
When reproduction of the moving image information is instructed by the instruction means included in the main display device, the main display device sequentially extracts the timing information from the moving image information to be displayed and reproduced by the extracting means in time series order, and the extracted timing information is Sequentially sent by sending and receiving means,
When the main display device and the sub display device receive the timing information by the transmission / reception means, the display means reads out the portion of the moving image information stored in the storage means, to which the timing information corresponding to the received timing information is attached. It is characterized by being displayed and reproduced as an image.

  According to the present invention, the plurality of display devices include a main display device and a sub display device, and when the reproduction of the moving image information is instructed by the instruction means included in the main display device, the main display device performs display reproduction. Timing information is sequentially extracted from the moving image information by the extraction means in time series order, the extracted timing information is sequentially transmitted by the transmission / reception means, and the timing information is received by the transmission / reception means by the main display device and the sub display device. And the display means reads out the portion of the moving image information stored in the storage means with the timing information corresponding to the received timing information and displays and reproduces it as an image. In addition, the main display device can be selected by a device other than the display device, such as a server.

Further, according to the present invention, when the reproduction of the moving image information is instructed by the instruction unit included in the sub display device, the sub display device having the instruction unit transmits / receives reproduction instruction information indicating an instruction to reproduce the moving image information. To the main display device,
In the main display device, when the reproduction instruction information is received by the transmission / reception means, the timing information is sequentially extracted from the moving image information to be displayed / reproduced by the extraction means in chronological order, and the extracted timing information is sequentially transmitted by the transmission / reception means. And

  According to the present invention, when reproduction of moving image information is instructed by the instruction unit included in the sub display device, reproduction instruction information indicating an instruction to reproduce moving image information is transmitted / received by the sub display device including the instruction unit. And when the reproduction instruction information is received by the transmission / reception means, the timing information is sequentially extracted and extracted from the moving image information to be displayed and reproduced by the extraction means in chronological order. Since the timing information is sequentially transmitted by the transmission / reception means, even if the start of reproduction is instructed by a display device other than the main display device, the main display device can be the master.

The present invention also provides a storage unit for storing moving image information to which timing information indicating timing to be reproduced in time series order is added for each predetermined data unit, and reading out the moving image information from the storage unit as an image. A display method of a multi-screen display system including a plurality of display devices each having a display unit for displaying and reproducing and an instruction unit for instructing reproduction of moving image information,
When reproduction of moving image information is instructed from an instruction unit included in any one of a plurality of display devices, the display device having this instruction unit sequentially outputs timing information in order of time series from moving image information to be displayed and reproduced. A timing information acquisition enabling step for extracting and sequentially extracting the extracted timing information via a communication line;
Each display device sequentially acquires the timing information that can be sequentially acquired in the timing information acquisition enabling step via the communication line, and according to the acquired timing information among the moving image information stored in the storage unit. A display method of a multi-screen display system, comprising: a display step of sequentially reading out portions to which timing information is attached and displaying and reproducing them as images on a display unit.

  According to the present invention, for each predetermined data unit, a storage unit for storing moving image information to which timing information indicating timing to be reproduced in time series order is stored, and moving image information is read from the storage unit to store the image information. In the timing information acquisition enabling step, when displaying and reproducing a moving image on a multi-screen display system including a plurality of display devices each having a display unit for displaying and reproducing and an instruction unit for instructing reproduction of moving image information, When playback of moving image information is instructed from an instruction unit included in any of the display devices, the timing information is sequentially extracted from the moving image information to be displayed and reproduced by the display device having the instruction unit. Then, the extracted timing information can be sequentially acquired via the communication line. Furthermore, in the display process, the timing information sequentially acquired in the timing information acquisition enabling process is sequentially acquired in each display device via the communication line, and the moving image information stored in the storage unit is acquired. Since the portions with timing information corresponding to the timing information are sequentially read out and displayed and reproduced as images on the display unit, each display device continues by the timing information from the display device instructed to reproduce the moving image information. The synchronization of the moving images displayed on the respective display devices can be maintained even when time elapses.

  According to the present invention, each display device can continuously synchronize according to the timing information from the display device instructed to reproduce the moving image information, and is displayed on each display device even if time elapses. Therefore, when this multi-screen display system is used, there is no need for a server that controls the entire display device when the image is reproduced, and only the display device synchronizes the image. Can be played.

  Further, according to the present invention, since the main display device can be selected by a device other than the display device, such as a server, before the reproduction is started, the main display device is changed according to the processing capability of the display device. can do.

  Further, according to the present invention, even if the start of playback is instructed by a display device other than the main display device, the main display device can be used as a master, so that the start of playback can be instructed from any display device. And convenience can be improved.

  Further, according to the present invention, each display device can continuously synchronize with the timing information from the display device instructed to reproduce the moving image information, and even if time elapses, the display is displayed on each display device. Therefore, by applying this display method to a multi-screen display system, there is no need for a server for controlling the entire display device when reproducing the image, only the display device. The images can be played back in synchronization.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a multi-screen display device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. A multi-screen display device 1 that is a multi-screen display system includes a plurality of clients 20 such as clients A20A to D20D that are connected to each other via a network, and is connected to the server 10 via the network. The network is, for example, a wireless LAN (
LAN (Local Area Network) or wired LAN 30 or IEEE (
A network that uses standards such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (1394). The display method of the multi-screen display system is processed by the multi-screen display device 1.

  The server 10 includes a storage unit 11 configured by a semiconductor memory or a hard disk device that stores data such as content and a program, and content stored in the storage unit 11 as streaming data such as MPEG2 / TS (Moving Picture Experts Group phase 2). / Transport Stream) video output unit 12 for converting to data streaming, and server communication unit for transmitting / receiving streaming data converted by the video output unit 12 or information such as position information of each client 20 to / from the client 20 via the network 13, an input device (not shown) constituted by a keyboard or a mouse, an output device (not shown) constituted by a liquid crystal display, and a server control unit 14 for controlling them.

  The server control unit 14 is configured by a CPU (Central Processing Unit), for example, and performs control by executing a program stored in the storage unit 11. The server control unit 14 acquires the adjacent information regarding each client 20 and the adjacent client 20 from each client 20 by the server communication unit 13, and based on the acquired adjacent information, the configuration of the client 20 and the arrangement of each client 20 Set the position. The adjacency information regarding the client 20 and the adjoining client 20 includes information such as the client ID (Identification) of the client 20 that transmits adjacency information, the presence / absence of the adjoining client 20 in the vertical and horizontal directions, and the client ID of the adjoining client 20. The client ID is information for identifying each client 20.

  The client A 20A includes a client communication unit 21 that communicates with the server 10 and other clients 20, an input unit 22 that includes a remote controller (hereinafter referred to as “remote control”) for a user to input data, and the server 10 A recording unit 23 for storing information such as streaming data of content received by the client communication unit 21 from the content, and converting the streaming data of the content stored in the recording unit 23 into video data for display, and enlargement if necessary A display unit 24 constituted by a display for display, and a position detection unit 26 for detecting the presence / absence of the client 20 adjacent to the top / bottom / left / right and acquiring the identification information of the adjacent client 20 when there is the adjacent client 20 And programs and processes Comprising a storage device (not shown) constituted by a semiconductor memory or a hard disk drive that stores data necessary, a client control unit 27 for controlling these. The client control unit 27 is composed of, for example, a CPU and controls the program by executing a program stored in a storage device (not shown). Since the client B20B to client D20D have the same configuration as the client A20A, description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of content transmission from the server 10 to the client 20 shown in FIG. The server 10 divides the content based on the configuration of the client 20. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 2, since the number of clients is four, the content is divided into four, and each divided file is divided into each client. 20 to send. Clients A20A to D20D enlarge and display the received images of the respective divided files. In the example shown in FIG. 2, among the divided files obtained by dividing the image into four, the client A 20A enlarges and displays the image of the upper left divided file toward the screen, and the client B 20B displays the upper right divided toward the screen. The image of the file is enlarged and displayed, the client C20C enlarges and displays the image of the lower left divided file toward the screen, and the client D20D enlarges the image of the lower right divided file toward the screen. indicate. Therefore, the client A20A to the client D20D are displayed in one image as a whole in the state shown in FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the appearance of the client 20 shown in FIG. The client 20 includes four position detectors (hereinafter also referred to as “detectors”) 26 that communicate with the adjacent clients 20. The four detectors 26 are provided on the four surfaces of the upper surface, the left side surface, the lower surface, and the right side surface of the client 20.

  FIG. 4 shows an arrangement example of terminals of the detector 26 shown in FIG. The detector 26 has three terminals: a terminal TX, a terminal GND, and a terminal RX. The terminal TX is a terminal for transmitting information, the terminal GND is a ground terminal, and the terminal RX is a terminal for receiving information.

  FIG. 5 shows a connection relationship between the terminal of the detector 26 shown in FIG. 3 and the terminal of the detector 26 of the adjacent client 20. The upper detector 26U1 of the client 20 is connected to the lower detector 26D2 of the client 20 adjacent on the upper side. The terminal TX of the detector 26U1 and the terminal RX of the detector 26D2 are connected, the terminal GND of the detector 26U1 and the terminal GND of the detector 26D2 are connected, and the terminal RX of the detector 26U1 and the terminal TX of the detector 26D2 Is connected. Similarly, the right detector 26R1 of the client 20 is connected to the left detector 26L2 of the client 20 adjacent to the right side, and the lower detector 26D1 of the client 20 is connected to the upper side of the client 20 adjacent to the lower side. Connected to the detector 26U2, the detector 26L1 on the left side of the client 20 is connected to the detector 26R2 on the right side of the client 20 adjacent to the left side.

  The client 20 detects whether or not there is an adjacent client 20 by using these four detectors 26. When the adjacent client 20 is detected, the client ID of the adjacent client 20 is acquired. The client ID is assigned to each client 20 in advance and is set in a storage device (not shown) of each client.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of a connection cable 36 for connecting the detector 26 shown in FIG. The connection cable 36 is a cable that connects adjacent clients 20, and both ends of the connection cable 36 are connected to the detector 26 of each client 20. In this example, the connection cable 36 is used. However, when two clients 20 are adjacent to each other, each terminal of each detector 26 is configured to be in close contact, and the connection cable 36 is not used. Also good.

  After the client 20 is arranged, the server 10 sets the configuration of the actually arranged client 20 by manual setting that is manually set or automatic setting that is automatically set.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of the configuration setting screen 40 in the server 10 shown in FIG. The configuration setting screen 40 shown in FIG. 7 is a screen that is output to an output device (not shown) of the server 10, and is a screen for manually setting the position of each client 20 that is actually arranged in the server 10. is there. An area 41 for displaying the client 20 to be set is on the right side of the configuration setting screen 40, and an area on the left side is a map area for setting the client 20 to a position corresponding to the position where the client 20 is actually arranged. A description will be given by taking as an example the case of the configuration of two vertical rows and two horizontal rows shown in FIG.

  FIG. 7A is a configuration setting screen in which the arrangement position has not yet been set, and the client 20 to be set is displayed in the area 41. The client 20 to be set is the client 20 from which the server 10 has received the adjacent information, and is displayed from the upper side of the area 41 in the order in which the adjacent information is received, for example. The client ID of the first client 20 is “C”, the client ID of the second client 20 is “A”, the client ID of the third client 20 is “B”, and the fourth client 20 The client ID is “D”.

  The user selects the client 20 to be set first using an input device (not shown) of the server 10. At this time, the server 10 instructs the selected client 20 to display that it is selected. For example, a display in which the screen color is changed to a color different from that of the other client 20, a display of the MAC (Media Access Control) address of the client 20, or a display for flushing the screen is instructed.

  FIG. 7B shows a state in which the first client 20 is set at the position of the map area corresponding to the actual position. The user confirms the actual position of the first client 20 selected in FIG. 7A, that is, the client 20 with the client ID “C”, and puts the client 20 at the position of the map area corresponding to the confirmed position. Set.

  FIG. 8 shows the correspondence with the actual position of the client 20 displayed on the configuration setting screen 40 shown in FIG. FIG. 8A shows a configuration for setting on the configuration setting screen 40 shown in FIG. The example shown in FIG. 8A shows an example in the case of a configuration of two vertical rows and two horizontal rows. Client A 20A is arranged on the upper left side, client B 20B is arranged on the upper right side, client C 20C is arranged on the lower left side, and client D 20D is arranged on the lower right side.

  FIG. 8B shows a state where the client C20C is selected. When the first client 20 in the area 41 shown in FIG. 7A is selected, the server 10 displays that the client 20 with the client ID “C” is selected, for example, a display that flushes the screen. Instruct. The client C20C flushes the screen according to an instruction from the server 10.

  FIG. 8C shows a state where the second client 20 in the area 41, for example, the client A 20A is selected. When the second client 20 in the area 41 shown in FIG. 7A is selected, the server 10 displays that the client 20 with the client ID “A” is selected, for example, a display that flushes the screen. Instruct. The client A 20A flushes the screen according to an instruction from the server 10.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of manual setting of the second client 20 on the configuration setting screen 40 shown in FIG. The user confirms the position of the flushed client 20 shown in FIG. 8C, and sets the second client 20, for example, the client A 20A, at the position of the map area corresponding to the position. Similarly, settings are made for the third and fourth clients 20.

  FIG. 10 shows an arrangement position of the client 20 manually set on the configuration setting screen 40 shown in FIG. The client A 20A as the second client 20 is set in the upper left, the client B 20B as the third client 20 is set in the upper right, the client C 20C as the first client 20 is set in the lower left, and the fourth in the lower right. Client D20D, which is the client 20 of, is set. The map manually set in the map area is stored in the storage device 11. The automatic configuration setting will be described later with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 11 shows information transmitted and received between the server 10 and the client 20 shown in FIG. First, the server 10 obtains an IP (Internet Protocol) address and a MAC address set in a LAN card constituting the client communication unit 21 of each client 20 from each client 20 connected via the LAN 30. . The IP address of each client is, for example, “xx.xx.xx.100” for the client A20A, “xx.xx.xx.110” for the client B20B, and “xx.xx.xx” for the client C20C. .120 ”and the client D20D is“ xx.xx.xx.130 ”.

  Next, the server 10 divides the content to be reproduced, for example, the content with the file name “car.mpg” so that the image is divided into four equal parts. Further, the divided file of the divided content and the cooperation information generated from the acquired IP address are transmitted to each client 20 via the LAN 30. The linkage information illustrated in FIG. 11 includes a file name “car.mpg”, a division number “4”, an IP (main) “xx.xx.xx.100”, and an IP (sub) “xx.xx.xx.110”. , IP (secondary) “xx.xx.xx.120”, IP (secondary) “xx.xx.xx.130”, and the like. Each client 20 receives the divided file and the cooperation information, and records the received divided file and the cooperation information in each recording unit 23.

12 shows the cooperation information received by the client 20 shown in FIG.
database) 60 is shown as an example. When the client B 20B whose IP address is “xx.xx.xx.110” receives the split file and the link information via the LAN 30, the client B 20B stores the received split file in the recording unit 23, and further receives the received link information. It is reflected, that is, stored in the cooperation information DB 60 stored in the recording unit 23. The cooperation information DB 60 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 13 shows an example of the cooperation information DB 60 stored in the recording unit 23 shown in FIG. The cooperation information DB 60 forms one record for one content, and one cooperation information received from the server 10 is reflected in one record. One record includes a record number “No.” for identifying the record, a name “content name” for identifying the content, information “storage location” indicating the storage location of the divided file, and the number of the divided content The “number of divisions” indicating the IP address “main” of the main client, and the IP address “sub” of the sub client. The “sub” item includes a plurality of items, and stores an IP address that is “1” less than the number of divisions.

  For example, no. For the record of “1”, the content name “car.mpg”, the storage location “C: ¥ file”, the division number “4”, the main “xx.xx.xx.100”, and the sub “xx.xx.xx” .110 ”,“ xx.xx.xx.120 ”, and“ xx.xx.xx.130 ”,“ NULL ”shown in the sub indicates that the client is not registered. No. As for the record of “2”, the content name “dog.mpg”, the storage location “C: ¥ temp”, the division number “2”, the main “xx.xx.xx.100”, and the sub “xx.xx.xx” .110 ". No. For the record “3”, all items are “NULL”, indicating that they have been deleted. No. For the record “4”, the content name “demo1.mpg”, the storage location “D: ¥ demo”, the division number “4”, the main “xx.xx.xx.100”, the sub “xx.xx.xx. 110 ”, sub“ xx.xx.xx.120 ”, and sub“ xx.xx.xx.130 ”. No. For the record of “5”, the content name “water.mpg”, the storage location “C: ¥ file”, the division number “2”, the main “xx.xx.xx.110”, and the sub “xx.xx.xx” .200 ". No. For the record “6”, the content name “dem2.mpg”, the storage location “D: ¥ demo”, the division number “4”, the main “xx.xx.xx.110”, and the sub “xx.xx.xx. 130 ”, sub“ xx.xx.xx.200 ”, and sub“ xx.xx.xx.220 ”. No. For the record “7”, the content name “toy.mpg”, the storage location “C: ¥ temp”, the division number “4”, the main “xx.xx.xx.100”, the sub “xx.xx.xx. 110 ”, sub“ xx.xx.xx.120 ”, and sub“ xx.xx.xx.130 ”. No. For the record “8”, the content name “0001.mpg”, the storage location “C: ¥ file”, the number of divisions “3”, the main “xx.xx.xx.210”, the sub “xx.xx.xx. 200 ”, and sub“ xx.xx.xx.110 ”.

  FIG. 14 shows an example of the DB update screen 50 of the client 20 shown in FIG. In the DB update screen 50, items of “content name”, “storage location”, “number of divisions”, “main”, and “sub” are shown for each record included in the cooperation information DB 60. A column 55 is added. Further, three operation buttons, a delete button 51, an OK button 52, and a cancel button 53, and a scroll bar 56 for scrolling and displaying records that are not displayed are shown. Of the items in the linkage information DB 60, information that is not “NULL” is displayed on the DB update screen 50, and records in which all items are “NULL” are not displayed. The DB update screen 50 is operated by the input unit 22, for example, a mouse or a remote controller.

  The delete button 51 is an operation button for deleting the content and the record of the content. When a check mark is added to the check column 55 of the record of the content to be deleted and the delete button 51 is pressed, the content stored in the storage location of the recording unit 23 indicated by the record with the check mark is deleted, The record is deleted from the linkage information DB 60. As shown in FIG. 13, all items in the deleted record are “NULL” in the linkage information DB 60.

  The OK button 52 is a button for changing the contents of the registered record. When the content of the record to be changed is changed and the OK button 52 is pressed, the changed content is reflected in the cooperation information DB 60. The cancel button 53 is a button for canceling deletion or change during operation. When the cancel button 53 is pressed, information input during the operation is canceled and the DB update screen 50 is terminated.

  FIG. 15 shows a procedure for feedback of the update contents updated on the DB update screen 50 shown in FIG. 13 to each client. When deleting content, the client A 20A transmits a content name to be deleted and a deletion request to a client having an IP address other than the IP address of the own client among the IP addresses indicated in the record of the content to be deleted. To do. The client that has received the content name to be deleted and the deletion request deletes the content with the received content name and deletes the record of the content from the cooperation information DB 60.

  When changing the contents of the cooperation information DB 60, the client A 20A should change a record to be changed for a client having an IP address other than the IP address of the client among the IP addresses indicated in the changed contents record. Contents and request for change. The client that has received the contents of the record to be changed and the change request reflects the contents of the record to be changed in the linkage information DB 60.

  FIG. 15 shows an example in which the content indicated by the record 61 shown in the upper part of the figure is deleted. Each item of the record 61 includes a content name “demo1.mpg”, a storage location “D: ¥ demo”, a division number “4”, a main “xx.xx.xx.100”, and a sub “xx.xx.xx.110”. , Sub “xx.xx.xx.120”, and sub “xx.xx.xx.130”. The client A 20A deletes the content with the content name “demo1.mpg” from the recording unit 23, deletes the record of the content from the cooperation information DB 60, and then sends a request to delete the content with the content name “demo1.mpg” to the IP address. To “xx.xx.xx.110”, “xx.xx.xx.120”, and “xx.xx.xx.130”. Clients whose IP addresses are “xx.xx.xx.110”, “xx.xx.xx.120”, and “xx.xx.xx.130”, that is, clients B20B to D20D, have content names “demo1. When the content deletion request for “mpg” is received, the content with the content name “demo1.mpg” is deleted from the recording unit 23, and the record with the content name “demo1.mpg” is deleted from the cooperation information DB 60.

  FIG. 16 is a block diagram of a portion related to the synchronized playback in the client 20 shown in FIG. When the client A 20A is the main client and the client B 20B is the secondary client, the portions related to each other are schematically shown.

  The client 20 includes a transmission unit 211, a reception unit 212, a time stamp extraction unit 271, a delay unit 272, a FIFO (First-In First-Out) buffer 273, and a synchronization unit 274. The transmission unit 211 and the reception unit 212 are included in the client communication unit 21. The time stamp extraction unit 271, the delay unit 272, the FIFO buffer 273, and the synchronization unit 274 are included in the client control unit 27.

The time stamp extraction unit 271 generates a time stamp such as PCR (Program Clock Reference) / SCR (SCR) from the content image file 231 stored in the recording unit 23.
Extract System Clock Reference). The delay unit 272 delays the time stamp extracted by the time stamp extraction unit 271 by several ms to several tens of ms, and sends it to the transmission unit 211. The transmission unit 211 transmits the time stamp received from the delay unit 272 via the LAN 30. The frequency of transmitting the time stamp is, for example, 60 times per second. The multicast IP / port number 232 is an IP address and a port number for transmitting a time stamp, and is set in advance in the recording unit 23 or the like. The transmission unit 211 transmits the multicast IP / port number 232 to the client of the IP address indicated by the record of the content to be reproduced in the cooperation information DB 60 stored in the recording unit 23 before starting the transmission of the time stamp. .

  The reception unit 212 receives the time stamp transmitted by the transmission unit 211 using the IP address and port number indicated by the received multicast IP / port number 232, and sends the received time stamp to the synchronization unit 274. The FIFO buffer 273 is a FIFO buffer that stores content read from the image file 231 stored in the recording unit 23 in units of frames. Each time the synchronization unit 274 receives a time stamp from the reception unit 212, the synchronization unit 274 reads a frame having the same time stamp as the time amplifier received from the reception unit 212 from the FIFO buffer 273 and sends the frame to the display unit 24. The display unit 24 displays the frame received from the synchronization unit 274.

  When the client 20 is the main client, the above-described processing is performed. However, when the client 20 is the secondary client, the transmission unit 211, the time stamp extraction unit 271, the delay unit 272, and the FIFO buffer 273 do not operate. Each time the synchronization unit 274 receives a time stamp from the reception unit 212, the synchronization unit 274 reads a frame having the same time stamp as the time amplifier received from the reception unit 212 from the image file 231 of the content stored in the recording unit 23, and displays the frame. Send to part 24.

  FIG. 17 shows a procedure for starting synchronized playback between the clients 20 shown in FIG. FIG. 17A shows a procedure for starting synchronous reproduction when the client instructed to reproduce is the main client. When the remote controller 22a instructs the reproduction of the content, and the main IP address indicated in the cooperation information DB of the content instructed to be reproduced matches the IP address of the own client, the own client is the main client. In the example shown in FIG. 17 (a), the client A 20A, which is the main client, is instructed to reproduce the content by the remote controller 22a. Therefore, the client A 20A uses the content name of the content instructed to be reproduced as the sub name. Send to client and instruct playback. The secondary client is a client having an IP address indicated in the content record instructed to be reproduced.

  FIG. 17B shows a synchronized reproduction start procedure when the client instructed to reproduce is a secondary client. If the remote controller 22a is instructed to reproduce the content, and the main IP address indicated in the link information DB of the content instructed to be reproduced does not match the IP address of the own client, the own client is not the main client. In the example shown in FIG. 17B, since the content reproduction instruction is given by the remote controller 22a to the client B 20B as the secondary client, the client B 20B stores the content instructed in the cooperation information DB of the content. The content name of the content instructed to be reproduced is transmitted to the client having the main IP address shown, in this example, the client A 20A, and a reproduction instruction is requested. When the reproduction instruction is requested, the client A 20A transmits the content name of the content instructed to be reproduced to the sub-client having the IP address indicated in the record of the content instructed to be reproduced, and instructs the reproduction.

  FIG. 18 shows synchronized playback in the main client and the sub client shown in FIG. Synchronous playback is performed by periodically sending a time stamp from the main client to the secondary client by multicast transmission. A multicast IP address / port for multicast transmission is instructed to a secondary client connected to the network, for example, the LAN 30, before transmitting the time stamp. The secondary client receives the time stamp transmitted by multicast from the instructed multicast IP address / port, compares the received time stamp with the time stamp in the content to be reproduced, and reproduces the frame having the same time stamp.

  FIG. 18A shows notification of a multicast IP address / port. The client A 20A, which is the main client, reproduces the divided file by using the IP address / port number of the multicast IP / port at which each client receives the time stamp, for example, “IP = 239.255.1.1: Port = 10”. Notify the secondary client. FIG. 18B shows time stamp transmission. The client A 20A, which is the main client, transmits the PCR / SCR time stamp of the content to be reproduced using the multicast IP address / port. FIG. 18C shows frame reproduction. The main client and the sub client that reproduce the divided file receive the time stamp transmitted from the main client shown in FIG. 18B from the multicast IP / port, and the received time stamp and the recording unit 23 of the own client. Is compared with the time stamp of each frame of the content to be reproduced, and a frame having the same time stamp as the received time stamp is reproduced.

  FIG. 19 is a flowchart of cooperation information generation processing in the server 10 shown in FIG. The linkage information generation process is a process executed by the server 10 and is a process for registering content to be reproduced in advance in each client before performing synchronized reproduction. When the content to be reproduced is registered in each client, the process proceeds to step X1.

  In step X1, the IP address of each client is acquired. That is, when the IP address of the client used when reproducing the content is input by, for example, an input device (not shown), the input IP address is acquired. In step X2, the number of clients that have acquired IP addresses in step X1 is determined as the number of clients that reproduce content. In step X3, the playback content, for example, content specified by a content name input by an input device (not shown) is divided according to the number determined in step X2. For example, if the number determined in step X2 is four, the content is divided into four for each frame, and the same time stamp as the PCR / SCR of the original frame is put in each divided frame.

  In step X4, reproduction information linkage information is created. The cooperation information is, for example, the cooperation information shown in FIG. 11, and includes the file name of the playback content, the number of divisions, and the IP addresses of the main client and the sub client. The number of divisions is the same as the number of units determined in step X2. The number of secondary clients is “number of divisions−1”. In step X5, a divided file and linkage information corresponding to the client position are transmitted to each client. In Step X6, it is determined whether or not the own device is included in the linked reproduction. That is, if the IP address of the own device is included in the IP address of the cooperation information created in step X4, that is, if the IP address of the own device is included in the IP address acquired in step X1, the own device is included in the cooperative reproduction. In step X7, if the IP address of the own device is not included in the IP address acquired in step X1, it is determined that the own device is not included in the linked reproduction, and the process ends. In step X7, it registers in cooperation information DB and is complete | finished. That is, the division file corresponding to the client position is stored in the recording unit 23, the cooperation information is stored in the cooperation information DB, and the process ends.

  FIG. 20 is a flowchart of the cooperation information storage process in the client 20 shown in FIG. The cooperation information storage process is a process executed by the client 20 and stores the divided file and the cooperation information received from the server 10. When receiving the divided file and the linkage information transmitted from the server 10, the process proceeds to step Y1.

  In step Y1, the divided content file is received and saved. That is, the content division file is received, and the received division file is stored in the recording unit 23. In step Y2, cooperation information is received. In step Y3, cooperation information is added to the cooperation information DB, and the process ends. That is, the cooperation information received in step Y2 is added to and stored in the cooperation information DB, and the process ends.

  FIG. 21 is a flowchart of the cooperation information storage detail process in the client 20 shown in FIG. The cooperation information storage detail processing is a flowchart showing in detail the cooperation information storage processing shown in FIG. When the divided file and the cooperation information are received from the server 10, the process proceeds to step Z1.

  In step Z1, it is determined whether or not there is a DB, that is, whether or not the linkage information DB 60 is constructed. If the cooperation information DB 60 is constructed, the process proceeds to step Z2, and if the cooperation information DB 60 is not constructed, the process proceeds to step Z8. In step Z2, the registered number is read. That is, the number of records registered in the cooperation information DB 60 is read. In step Z3, the number of registrations is increased by “1”. In step Z4, the file is stored in a setting storage location. That is, the divided file received from the server 10 is stored in a location in the recording unit 23 set as a storage location.

  In step Z5, the record is recorded in “content name” and “storage location” of the record of the number of registered DBs. That is, the file name of the cooperation information received from the server 10 is recorded in the “content name” of the record of the record number represented based on the number of registrations increased by “1” in step Z3, and the “storage location” In Z4, the storage location of the recording unit 23 that stores the divided file is recorded. In step Z6, the number of divisions is recorded in “division number” of the record of the number of registrations in the DB. In other words, the division number of the cooperation information received from the server 10 is recorded in the “division number” of the record with the record number represented based on the registration number.

  In step Z7, the IP address of the monitor that reproduces the file is recorded in the “IP part (main and sub)” of the record of the number of registered DBs, and the process ends. In other words, the IP addresses “IP” (main) and “IP (sub)” of the cooperation information received from the server 10 are used as the IP addresses “main” and “sub” of the record of the record number represented based on the registered number. To finish recording. A monitor is a client. In step Z8, the cooperation information DB 60 is constructed, the number of registrations is initialized to “0”, and the process proceeds to step Z3.

  FIG. 22 is a flowchart of the cooperation information update process in the client 20 shown in FIG. The linkage information update process is a process for updating the linkage information DB 60. When the DB update screen 50 shown in FIG. 14 is selected, the process proceeds to step A1.

  In step A1, data of the cooperation information DB 60 is acquired. That is, the data of the linkage information DB 60 is read from the recording unit 23. In step A2, the data of the cooperation information DB 60 is displayed. That is, the data acquired in step A1 is displayed on the display unit 24 on the DB update screen 50 shown in FIG. In step A3, edit is input. That is, in response to the DB update screen 50 displayed on the display unit 24, the input unit 22 performs input such as editing of the cooperation information DB 60, for example, deletion of content or change of the content of the record.

  In step A4, it is determined whether or not the delete button 51 has been pressed. If the delete button 51 is pressed, the process proceeds to step A7. If the delete button 51 is not pressed, the process proceeds to step A5. In step A5, it is determined whether or not the OK button 52 has been pressed. If the OK button 52 is pressed, the process proceeds to step A10. If the OK button 52 is not pressed, the process proceeds to step A6. In step A6, it is determined whether or not the cancel button 53 has been pressed. If the cancel button 53 is pressed, the process proceeds to step A13. If the cancel button 53 is not pressed, the process returns to step A3.

  In step A7, it is determined whether an item is selected. If a check mark is added to the check field 55, it is determined that the item is selected, and the process proceeds to step A8. If no check mark is added to the check field 55, it is determined that no item is selected, and the process proceeds to step A9. In step A8, the DB selection item is deleted, and the process proceeds to step A14. That is, the record with the check mark is deleted from the cooperation information DB 60, and the process proceeds to Step A14. Specifically, each item of the corresponding record in the cooperation information DB is set to “NULL”. In step A9, “not selected” is displayed and the process returns to step A3. That is, the message “not selected” is displayed in a pop-up on the DB update screen 50, for example, and the process returns to step A3.

  In step A10, it is determined whether there is an item change. If the content of any record is changed, it is determined that there is an item change, and the process proceeds to step A11. If the content of any record is not changed, it is determined that there is no item change, and the process proceeds to step A12. . In step A11, the selection item is updated in DB, and the process proceeds to step A14. That is, the contents of the changed record are reflected in the linkage information DB 60, and the process proceeds to Step A14. In step A12, “not selected” is displayed and the process returns to step A3.

  In step A13, the change is discarded, and the DB is not updated, and the process is terminated. That is, the DB update screen 50 is terminated without discarding the deleted or changed content and updating the linkage information DB 60. In step A14, a DB update request is transmitted to another client, and the process ends. That is, an update request for causing other clients to perform the deletion performed in step A8 or the change performed in step A11 is transmitted to the client of the IP address of the updated content record, and the process ends. .

  FIG. 23 is a flowchart of cooperative reproduction start processing by the input unit 22 in the client 20 shown in FIG. The cooperative reproduction start process is a process of selecting content according to an instruction from the input unit 22 and reproducing the content in cooperation. When the content is selected and reproduced by the input unit 22, the process proceeds to step B1.

  In step B1, the content registered in the cooperation information DB 60 and the reproducible content in the own device are displayed. That is, the content name of the content registered in the cooperation information DB 60 and the content name of the content stored in the recording unit 23 of the own device alone, that is, without being divided, are displayed on the display unit 24. In step B2, playback content is selected. That is, the content name of the content to be reproduced is selected from the content names displayed on the display unit 24 by the input unit 22.

  In step B3, it is determined whether or not the selected content is content registered in the cooperation information DB 60. If the selected content is a content registered in the cooperation information DB 60, the process proceeds to step B5. If the selected content is not a content registered in the cooperation information DB 60, the process proceeds to step B4. In step B4, the reproduction is completed independently. That is, the content selected from the reproducible content in the own device is played back without linking with other clients, and the process ends.

  In step B5, the link information of the selected content is confirmed. That is, the record of the selected content is confirmed among the records of the cooperation information DB 60. In step B6, it is determined whether or not the main content is the own content. If the IP address of the main client in the selected content record matches the IP address of the local client, it is determined that the main content is the playback device, and the process proceeds to step B8. If the IP address of the client does not match the IP address of the own client, it is determined that the main content is not the own device, and the process proceeds to step B7.

  In step B7, the main client is requested to play, and the process ends. The main client is an IP address client in the “main” column of the selected content record. In step B8, the secondary client is requested to play back. The secondary client is the IP address client in the “secondary” column of the selected content record. In step B9, the target split file is played back by the own device, and the process ends.

  FIG. 24 is a flowchart of the linked reproduction DB update process in response to a request from another device in the client 20 shown in FIG. The coordinated reproduction DB update process performs a process of reproducing content in cooperation with a request from another device and a process of updating the coordinated information DB 60 according to a request from another device. The presence or absence of a request from another machine is confirmed. If there is a request, the process proceeds to step C1 when the request is processed.

  In step C1, it is determined whether a reproduction request has been received. If a reproduction request is received, the process proceeds to step C3. If no reproduction request is received, the process proceeds to step C2. In step C2, it is determined whether it is a DB change request. If a split file and linkage information or an update request is received, it is determined that the request is a DB change request, and the process proceeds to step C9. If no split file and link information and an update request are received, it is determined that the request is not a DB change request, and the process ends. To do.

  In step C3, it is determined whether the reproduction request is a main content reproduction request. If it is a playback request for the main client, it is determined that the playback request is a main content playback request, and the process proceeds to step C5. If it is not a playback request for the main client, it is determined that the playback request is not a main content playback request, Proceed to C4. In step C4, it is determined whether or not the reproduction request is a secondary content reproduction request. If it is a playback request for the secondary client, it is determined that the playback request is a secondary content playback request, and the process proceeds to step C8. If it is not a playback request for the secondary client, it is determined that the playback request is not a secondary content playback request. To do.

  In step C5, the IP address of the secondary client is read from the cooperation information DB 60. In step C6, a reproduction request is transmitted to the client having the read IP address. In step C7, the target divided file is played back on the own device, and the process ends. In step C8, the target divided file is reproduced and the process ends.

  In step C9, it is determined whether it is a registration request. When the divided file and the cooperation information are received, it is determined that it is a registration request, and the process proceeds to Step C11. If the divided file and the link information are not received, it is determined that the request is not a registration request, and the process proceeds to Step C10. In step C10, it is determined whether an update request has been received. The update request is a request for changing the contents of the record or a request for deleting the content. If an update request is received, the process proceeds to step C12. If no update request is received, the process ends.

  In step C11, the content is registered in the DB and the process ends. That is, the received divided file is stored in the recording unit 23, and the received cooperation information is stored in the cooperation information DB 60, and the process ends. In step C12, it is determined whether it is an item correction request. If it is a request for changing the contents of a record, it is determined that it is a request for correcting an item, and the process proceeds to step C14. If it is not a request for changing the contents of a record, it is determined that it is not a request for correcting an item. In step C13, it is determined whether or not the request is for deleting a content. If it is a content deletion request, the process proceeds to step C15. If it is not a content deletion request, the process ends. In step C14, the corresponding item in the cooperation information DB 60 is changed, that is, the content of the corresponding record in the cooperation information DB 60 is changed, and the process ends. In step C15, the corresponding item in the cooperation information DB 60 is deleted, that is, the corresponding content is deleted from the recording unit 23, and the corresponding record in the cooperation information DB 60 is deleted, and the process ends.

  FIG. 25 is a flowchart of the synchronous playback process of the main client shown in FIG. The synchronous reproduction process of the main client is called from step B9 shown in FIG. 23 or step C7 shown in FIG. 24. When called, the process moves to step D1.

  In step D1, the time stamp transmission IP address / port is notified. That is, the IP address / port number of the time stamp transmission IP address / port for receiving the time stamp, that is, the multicast IP / port is transmitted to the secondary client. In step D2, a response from the sub-side is received. That is, the IP address / port number is received, and a response indicating that the received IP address / port number is set in the recording unit 23 is received from the secondary client. In step D3, it is determined whether or not all the sub-sides have been set. When responses are received from all the secondary clients, it is determined that all secondary clients have been set, and the process proceeds to step D4. If responses are not received from all the sub-clients, it is determined that all the sub-sides are not set, and the process returns to step D2.

  In step D4, the time stamp of the playback content is transmitted. In step D5, the time stamp is received from the time stamp transmission IP address / port. In step D6, a frame having the same time stamp as the received time stamp is reproduced. That is, a frame having the same time stamp as the received time stamp is read from the content recorded in the recording unit 23 and reproduced. In step D7, it is determined whether or not it is an end process. When the content being reproduced ends, it is determined that the process is an end process, and the process ends. If the content being reproduced does not end, it is determined that the process is not an end process, and the process returns to step D4.

  FIG. 26 is a flowchart of the synchronous playback process of the secondary client shown in FIG. The secondary client synchronous playback process is called from step C8 shown in FIG. 24. When the secondary client is called, the process proceeds to step E1.

  In step E1, the time stamp transmission IP address / port is received. That is, an IP address / port number for receiving a time stamp is received from the main client. In step E2, the received IP address / port number is set in the recording unit 23. In step E3, a setting response is made to the main side. That is, a response indicating that the IP address / port number has been set is transmitted to the main client.

  In step E4, the time stamp is received from the time stamp transmission IP address / port. In step E5, a frame having the same time stamp as the received time stamp is reproduced. That is, a frame having the same time stamp as the received time stamp is read from the content recorded in the recording unit 23 and reproduced. In step E6, it is determined whether or not it is an end process. When the content being reproduced ends, it is determined that the process is an end process, and the process ends. If the content being reproduced does not end, it is determined that it is not an end process, and the process returns to step E3.

  FIG. 27 is a flowchart of the position setting process processed by the server 10 shown in FIG. The position setting process performs a process of setting the configuration of the client 20 (hereinafter also referred to as “monitor”), that is, the arrangement position. When the monitor configuration is set, the process proceeds to step F1.

  In step F1, it is determined whether or not to use the previous setting. In other words, for example, when an input device (not shown) instructs to use the previous monitor configuration setting stored in the storage unit 11, it is determined to use the previous setting. If the previous setting is used, the process proceeds to step F5. If the previous setting is not used, the process proceeds to step F2. In step F2, it is determined whether or not automatic setting is performed. That is, for example, if there is an instruction to automatically set the monitor configuration by an input device (not shown), it is determined that automatic setting is to be performed. If automatic setting is to be performed, the process proceeds to step F7. If automatic setting is not to be performed, the process proceeds to step F3.

  In step F3, the configuration is manually set. In the manual setting, for example, the monitor configuration is set on the configuration setting screen 40 shown in FIG. In step F4, the current setting is saved and the process ends. That is, the setting of the monitor configuration newly set in step F3 is stored in the storage unit 11, and the process ends. In step F5, it is determined whether there is a set value. That is, when the monitor configuration setting is stored in the storage unit 11, it is determined that there is a set value. If there is a set value, the process proceeds to step F6, and if there is no set value, the process proceeds to step F2. In step F6, the previously stored set value is used and the process ends. That is, the setting of the monitor configuration is set as it is in the setting value stored in the storage unit 11, and the process ends.

  In step F7, an automatic setting process described later for automatically setting the monitor configuration is called. In step F8, an effective block selection process (to be described later) for selecting a group of monitors for displaying content is called. The effective block is a block for displaying content among blocks constituted by adjacent monitors. In step F9, the current setting is saved and the process ends. That is, the setting of the monitor configuration newly set in step F7 and step F8 is stored in the storage unit 11, and the process ends.

  FIG. 28 shows an example of a reception array and a piece array used by the server 10 shown in FIG. In the figure, “piece” is also referred to as “Piece”. FIG. 28A shows a monitor state and a reception array corresponding to the monitor state. The monitor state indicates the actual configuration of the monitor. The reception arrangement is an arrangement in which adjacent information received from each monitor by the server 10 is arranged, for example, in the order of responses from the monitors, and is stored in the storage unit 11 of the server 10. The reception arrangement includes “up”, “left”, and “bottom” items indicating the client IDs of the monitors adjacent to the upper, left, lower, and right sides of each monitor. ”And“ Right ”items. Hereinafter, the client IDs shown in the “upper”, “left”, “lower”, and “right” item columns are referred to as adjacent monitor IDs.

  The monitor shown in FIG. 28A is composed of nine monitors in three rows and three rows. Three monitors with client IDs “B”, “D”, and “F” from the left are arranged in the upper row, and client IDs “C”, “E”, and “G” from the left are arranged in the middle row. ”And three monitors with client IDs“ A ”,“ H ”, and“ I ”from the left are arranged in the lower row.

  For example, for the monitor having its own ID “C”, the “upper” adjacent monitor ID is “B” and the “left” adjacent monitor ID is “NULL”. The “lower” adjacent monitor ID is “A”, and the “right” adjacent monitor ID is “E”. “NULL” indicates that there is no adjacent monitor. Similarly, when the self ID is “E”, “D”, “C”, “H”, and “G” are set, and when the self ID is “I”, “G”, “H”, “NULL” are set. ”And“ NULL ”, the self ID is“ D ”,“ NULL ”,“ B ”,“ E ”, and“ F ”, and the self ID is“ G ”,“ F ”, “E”, “I”, and “NULL”, and the self ID is “A”, “C”, “NULL”, “NULL”, and “H”, and the self ID is “F” Are “NULL”, “D”, “G”, and “NULL”, and for self ID “B”, are “NULL”, “NULL”, “C”, and “D”, and When the self ID is “H”, they are “E”, “A”, “NULL”, and “I”.

  FIG. 28 (b) shows a piece array. The piece array is a two-dimensional array of received adjacent information items and “check” items indicating the arrangement confirmation status in the order of piece numbers indicating the order in which responses are received. The piece array has six items for each piece number: “own ID”, “upper ID”, “left ID”, “lower ID”, “right ID”, and “check”. Of these six items, the items other than “check” correspond to the five items in the reception array shown in FIG. The item “check” indicates the state of confirmation of arrangement, and values “0” to “2” are entered. “0” indicates that the arrangement has been confirmed, “1” indicates an initial value, that is, no confirmation has been performed, and “2” indicates that the arrangement has been confirmed. Is in a state where it is adjacent to a monitor that has not been confirmed yet.

  Each element of the piece array is represented by piece [m] [n]. [M] is a piece number. [N] is a number corresponding to six items of “own ID”, “upper ID”, “left ID”, “lower ID”, “right ID”, and “check”. ”Is a number assigned an integer from“ That is, "Own ID" is [0], "Upper ID" is [1], "Left ID" is [2], "Lower ID" is [3], "Right ID" is [4], and "Check" Is [5]. The contents of the reception array shown in FIG. 28A are entered as they are in piece [0] [0] to piece [8] [4], and “NULL” is entered as it is when there is no connection.

  FIG. 29 shows an example of the confirmed ID storage array used by the server 10 shown in FIG. The confirmed ID storage array sumi [] is an array for registering the client ID of the monitor whose arrangement has been confirmed, and is stored in the storage unit 11. In the figure, “sumi” is also referred to as “Sumi”. The monitor registered in the confirmed ID storage array is a monitor in which the check column of the piece array is “0”, and the client ID of the monitor, that is, “own ID” is registered in the confirmed ID storage array. The confirmed ID storage array shown in FIG. 29 is initialized and all are blank, that is, “NULL”.

  FIG. 30 shows an example of the end ID storage array used by the server 10 shown in FIG. The end ID storage array haji [] is an array for registering client IDs of monitors without a monitor adjacent to the left side and the upper side, and is stored in the storage unit 11. In the figure, “haji” is also referred to as “Haj”. The end ID storage array shown in FIG. 30A is initialized and all blanks, that is, the state of “NULL” is shown. The end ID storage array shown in FIG. 30B shows a state after the end ID search process described later is performed, and the monitor with the client ID “B” is registered. “Haji_count” used in the edge ID search process shown in FIG. 35 indicates the number of monitors without a monitor adjacent to the left side and the upper side, that is, the number of monitors registered in the edge ID storage array, and haji [0] to haji In [haji_count-1], the client ID of the monitor without the adjacent monitor on the left side and the upper side is registered.

  FIG. 31 is a flowchart of the automatic setting process called from the position setting process shown in FIG. The automatic setting process automatically sets the monitor configuration. When called in step F7 shown in FIG. 27, the process proceeds to step G1.

  In step G1, a configuration acquisition / storage process (to be described later) for storing adjacent information received from each monitor in a piece array is called. In step G2, a later-described confirmed ID storage array securing process for initializing the confirmed ID storage array is called. In step G3, an end ID storage array securing process (to be described later) for initializing the end ID storage array is called. In step G4, an end ID search process, which will be described later, for searching for a monitor without a monitor adjacent to the left and upper sides is called.

  In step G5, “block = 0”, “chk_total = 0”, and “BB = 0” are set. That is, the counter block for counting the number of blocks constituted by adjacent monitors, the number of confirmed monitors chk_total, and the end ID confirmation counter BB are cleared to “0”. In the figure, “block” is also referred to as “Block”, and “chk_total” is also referred to as “Chk_total”. In step G6, it is determined whether or not piece [] [5] ≠ 0 in the piece array having the ID of haji [BB]. That is, it is determined whether the value of the check item piece [] [5] in the piece array of the client ID of the client ID of the BB-th monitor in the end ID storage array haji [] is “0”, that is, whether or not it has been confirmed. If piece [] [5] ≠ 0, that is, if it has not been confirmed, the process proceeds to step G7, and if piece [] [5] ≠ 0, that is, if piece [] [5] = 0, the monitor has already been executed. Has already been set, the process proceeds to step G11.

  In step G7, a map storage process (to be described later) for determining a block constituted by adjacent monitors and creating a map of the monitor constituting each block is called. In step G8, “chk_total = chk_total + count + 1” is set. That is, the count value counted in the map storing process in step G7 and “1” are added to the number of confirmed monitors chk_total. In step G9, it is determined whether chk_total <total. If the confirmed number chk_total of the monitors is smaller than the total number of monitors, the process proceeds to step G10. If the confirmed number of monitors chk_total is not smaller than the total number of monitors, the process ends. In step G10, “block = block + 1” is set. That is, “1” is added to the block number block. In step G11, “BB = BB + 1” is set, and the process returns to step G6. That is, “1” is added to the end ID confirmation counter BB, and the process returns to step G6.

  FIG. 32 is a flowchart of the configuration acquisition / storage process called from the automatic setting process shown in FIG. In the configuration acquisition / storage process, a piece array is created to determine the total number of monitors. In the figure, “total” is also referred to as “Total”. When called at step G1 shown in FIG. 31, the process proceeds to step H1.

  In step H1, “total = 0” is set and piece [] is secured / cleared. That is, the total number of monitors is cleared to “0”, a storage area for storing the piece array is secured in the storage unit 11, and the storage area is cleared to NULL. In Step H2, an ID request is transmitted to the client 20, that is, the monitor through the control port. That is, a transmission request for neighboring information including the client ID of each monitor and the client ID of the neighboring client detected by each monitor is transmitted to each monitor via the control port. The control port is a channel for transmitting and receiving control information such as adjacent information and a transmission request thereof between the server 10 and the monitor, and a specific IP address and port number are assigned in the network channel. Channel.

  In step H3, it is determined whether or not there is a response from the monitor, that is, a response of adjacent information. If there is a response from the monitor, the process proceeds to step H4, and if there is no response from the monitor, the process proceeds to step H6. In Step H4, “piece [total] [0] = reception ID” is set, “reception neighbor information is stored in piece [total] [4] from“ piece [total] [0] ”, and“ piece [total] [5] ] = 1 ”. That is, the client ID of the monitor that transmitted the adjacent information included in the adjacent information is registered in the “own ID” of the total piece array, and the “upper ID”, “left ID”, and “lower” of the total piece array are registered. "ID" and "Right ID" include the client ID of the monitor adjacent to the upper side, the client ID of the monitor adjacent to the left side, the client ID of the monitor adjacent to the lower side, and the monitor adjacent to the right side. The client ID is registered. When there is no adjacent monitor, “NULL” indicating that there is no adjacent monitor is registered. An initial value “1” is registered in the “check” item of the total piece array.

  In step H5, “total = total + 1” is set, and the number of monitors responding to total is increased by “1”. In step H6, it is determined whether it is within the timeout. That is, it is determined whether or not a monitoring time for monitoring a response to the ID request transmitted in step H2, for example, 10 seconds has not elapsed. If it is within the timeout, that is, within the monitoring time, the process returns to step H3, and if it is not within the timeout, that is, within the monitoring time, the process is terminated.

  FIG. 33 is a flowchart of the confirmed ID storage array securing process called from the automatic setting process shown in FIG. When called in step G2 shown in FIG. 31, the process proceeds to step J1. In step J1, sumi [] is secured / cleared and the process ends. That is, a storage area for storing the confirmed ID storage array sumi [] is secured in the storage unit 11, the storage area is cleared to NULL, and the process ends.

  FIG. 34 is a flowchart of the end ID storage array securing process called from the automatic setting process shown in FIG. When called in step G3 shown in FIG. 31, the process proceeds to step K1. In step K1, haji [] is secured / cleared and the process ends. That is, a storage area for storing the end ID storage array haji [] is secured in the storage unit 11, the storage area is cleared to NULL, and the process ends.

  FIG. 35 is a flowchart of an end ID search process called from the automatic setting process shown in FIG. When called in step G4 shown in FIG. 31, the process proceeds to step L1. In step L1, “haji_count = 0” is set. That is, the number haji_count of monitors without a monitor adjacent to the left side and the upper side is cleared to “0”. In step L2, “c = 0” is set. That is, the piece number “c” of the array to be checked in the piece array is cleared to “0”. In the figure, “c” is also referred to as “C”.

  In step L3, it is determined whether or not piece [c] [1] = NULL & piece [c] [2] = NULL. That is, it is determined whether or not the monitor of the array to be checked is a monitor without a monitor adjacent to the left side and the upper side. If piece [c] [1] = NULL & piece [c] [2] = NULL, that is, if the monitor of the array to be checked is a monitor without a monitor adjacent to the left side and the upper side, the process proceeds to step L6, and piece [ If c] [1] = NULL & piece [c] [2] = NULL, that is, if the monitor in the array to be checked is a monitor with a monitor adjacent to the left side or the upper side, the process proceeds to step L4. In step L4, “c = c + 1” is set. That is, “1” is added to the piece number “c” of the array to be checked in the piece array. In step L5, it is determined whether c <total. That is, it is determined whether or not the value of the piece number “c” of the array to be checked in the piece array is smaller than the total number of monitors. If c <total, that is, if the value of the piece number “c” of the array to be checked in the piece array is smaller than the total number of monitors, the process returns to step L3. If c <total is not satisfied, that is, the piece array. If the value of the piece number “c” of the array to be checked is not smaller than the total number of monitors, the process ends.

  In step L6, “haji [haji_count] = piece [c] [0]”. That is, the client ID of the monitor without the adjacent monitor on the left side and the upper side is registered in the haji_countth of the end ID storage array. In step L7, “haji_count = haji_count + 1” is set, and the process proceeds to step L4. That is, “1” is added to the number haji_count of monitors without a monitor adjacent to the left side and the upper side, and the process proceeds to Step L4.

  FIG. 36 is a flowchart of the first half of the map storage process called from the automatic setting process shown in FIG. In the map storing process, a block constituted by adjacent monitors is determined and a map of the monitor constituting each block is created. When called in step G7 shown in FIG. 31, the process proceeds to step M1.

  In step M1, “count = 0, MM = 100, NN = 100, cc = 0” is set. First, the counter count for counting the number of monitors in the block is cleared to “0”. Next, for one block, the value MM indicating the position of the vertical candidate for arranging the monitor, the value “100” indicating the vertical position for arranging the monitor first, and the horizontal candidate for arranging the monitor A value “100” indicating the horizontal position where the monitor is first placed is set to the value NN indicating the position of the monitor. In this example, the value of the position in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction at which the monitor is initially arranged is set to “100”, but it is not limited to this value. Further, the counter cc for confirming whether or not the monitor has returned to the first monitor is cleared to “0”.

  In step M2, “mat [block] [0] [0] to mat [block] [254] [254] = NULL, temp = 0” is set. That is, each element of the three-dimensional array mat representing the map for each block is initialized to “NULL”, and temp is cleared to “0”. “block” is a counter for counting the number of blocks. The initial value is “0” and is the first element of the mat array. The second element of the mat array indicates the vertical position of the monitor, and the third element of the mat array indicates the vertical position of the monitor. In streaming, IDs that can be flowed in the same segment are “0” to “254”. In this example, the range of the second and third elements of the mat array is “0” to “254”. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Since the range of the second and third elements of the mat array is “0” to “254”, a position of 255 is prepared as a monitor position in both vertical and horizontal directions, and each monitor is arranged in a 255 × 255 cell. Is set. In the figure, “mat” is also referred to as “Mat”, and “temp” is also referred to as “Temp”.

  In step M3, “next confirmation ID = haji [BB]” is set. That is, the client ID of the monitor to be confirmed next is the confirmed ID registered at the array position indicated by the value “BB” in the end ID storage array haji []. That is, among the monitors registered in the end ID storage array as monitors without the left and upper adjacent monitors, the client ID registered at the array position indicated by the value “BB” is used.

  In step M4, “current ID = next confirmation ID, next confirmation ID = NULL”. That is, the client ID of the monitor for confirming whether there is a current ID, that is, whether there is an adjacent monitor, is the client ID indicated by “next confirmation ID”, and then initializes “next confirmation ID” to “NULL”. To do. In step M5, "sumi [count] = current ID, current ID's piece [] [5] = 0" is set. That is, the client ID indicated by the current ID is registered in the confirmed ID storage array sumi [], and the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the current ID is set to “0”, that is, confirmed.

  In step M6, “M = MM, N = NN”. That is, the value of the pointer M indicating the vertical position of the map is set as the value of MM, and the value of the pointer N indicating the horizontal position of the map is set as the value of NN. In step M7, an array including the current ID is extracted from piece [0] [0] to piece [total-1] [0]. In step M8, “mat [block] [M] [N] = piece of current ID piece [] [0]” is set. In other words, the vertical Mth and horizontal Nth positions of the map are set as client IDs indicated by the current ID.

  In step M9, an upper adjacent process described later for checking whether there is an adjacent monitor on the upper side is called. In step M10, a left adjacency process to be described later for checking whether there is an adjacent monitor on the left side is called. In step M11, a lower adjacent process to be described later for checking whether there is an adjacent monitor on the lower side is called. In step M12, a right adjacent process described later for checking whether there is an adjacent monitor on the right side is called. In Step M13, it is determined whether or not “next confirmation ID” = NULL. If the “next confirmation ID” is NULL, that is, if the monitor to be confirmed next is not in the adjacent monitor, the process proceeds to step M20 shown in FIG. 37, and if the “next confirmation ID” is not NULL, that is, If the monitor to be checked next is in the adjacent monitor, the process proceeds to step M14. In step M14, “count = count + 1” is set, and the process returns to step M4. That is, “1” is added to the counter count for counting the number of monitors in the block, and the process returns to step M4.

  FIG. 37 is a flowchart of the latter half of the map storage process called from the automatic setting process shown in FIG. If it is determined in step M13 illustrated in FIG. 36 that the “next confirmation ID” is NULL, the process proceeds to step M20.

  In step M20, “cc = count” is set. That is, the counter cc for confirming whether or not the first monitor has been returned is set to the value of the counter count for counting the number of monitors in the block. In step M21, it is determined whether or not cc <0. If cc <0, that is, return to the first monitor, the process ends. If not cc <0, that is, if the first monitor is not returned, the process proceeds to step M22.

  In step M22, it is determined whether or not the piece [] [1] = NULL of the sumi [cc] ID. That is, it is determined whether or not the upper ID in the piece array of the client ID registered in sumi [cc] is NULL among the client IDs registered in the confirmed ID storage array sumi []. When the piece [] [1] of the sumi [cc] ID is not NULL, that is, when there is an adjacent monitor on the upper side, the process proceeds to step M27, and the piece [] [1] = NULL of the sumi [cc] ID. If there is no adjacent monitor on the upper side, the process proceeds to step M23.

  In step M23, it is determined whether or not the piece [] [2] = NULL of the sumi [cc] ID. That is, it is determined whether or not the left ID of the piece array of the client ID registered in sumi [cc] is NULL among the client IDs registered in the confirmed ID storage array sumi []. When the piece [] [2] of the sumi [cc] ID is not NULL, that is, when there is an adjacent monitor on the left side, the process proceeds to step M28, and the piece [] [2] = NULL of the sumi [cc] ID. If there is no adjacent monitor on the left side, the process proceeds to step M24.

  In step M24, it is determined whether or not the piece [] [3] = NULL of the sumi [cc] ID. That is, it is determined whether or not the ID below the piece array of the client ID registered in sumi [cc] is NULL among the client IDs registered in the confirmed ID storage array sumi []. When the piece [] [3] of the sumi [cc] ID is not NULL, that is, when there is an adjacent monitor on the lower side, the process proceeds to step M29, and the piece [] [3] = NULL of the sumi [cc] ID. If there is, that is, if there is no adjacent monitor on the lower side, the process proceeds to step M25.

  In step M25, it is determined whether or not the piece [] [4] = NULL of the sumi [cc] ID. That is, it is determined whether or not the right ID in the piece array of the client ID registered in sumi [cc] is NULL among the client IDs registered in the confirmed ID storage array sumi []. When the piece [] [4] of the sumi [cc] ID is not NULL, that is, when there is an adjacent monitor on the right side, the process proceeds to Step M30, and the piece [] [4] = NULL of the sumi [cc] ID. If there is no adjacent monitor on the right side, the process proceeds to step M26. In Step M26, “cc = cc−1” is set. That is, “1” is subtracted from the counter cc for confirming whether or not the monitor has returned to the first monitor, and the process returns to step M21.

  In Step M27, “next confirmation ID = piece [] [1] having an ID of sumi [cc]” is set, and the process proceeds to Step M31. That is, “next confirmation ID” is set as the client ID of the upper ID in the piece array of the client ID registered in sumi [cc], and the process proceeds to step M31. In step M28, “next confirmation ID = piece [] [2] having ID of sumi [cc]” is set, and the process proceeds to step M31. That is, “next confirmation ID” is set as the client ID of the left ID of the piece array of the client ID registered in sumi [cc], and the process proceeds to step M31. In step M29, “next confirmation ID = piece [] [3] having ID of sumi [cc]” is set, and the process proceeds to step M31. That is, “next confirmation ID” is set as the client ID of the lower ID of the client ID registered in sumi [cc], and the process proceeds to step M31. In Step M30, “next confirmation ID = piece [] [4] having ID of sumi [cc]” is set, and the process proceeds to Step M31. That is, “next confirmation ID” is set as the client ID of the right ID in the piece array of the client ID registered in sumi [cc], and the process proceeds to step M31.

  In step M31, a search is made for mat [block] [M] [] and mat [block] [] [N] of mat [block] having “next confirmation ID”. That is, the vertical position M and the horizontal position N where the “next confirmation ID” is located are searched from the block including the client ID indicated by the “next confirmation ID”. Specifically, first, the position of the monitor with the ID of sumi [cc] is searched from the map of the registered blocks, and then the monitor with the ID of sumi [cc] is searched based on the searched position. Based on the relative positional relationship between the position and the monitor position of the client ID indicated by the “next confirmation ID”, the position of the monitor of the client ID indicated by the “next confirmation ID” is determined, and the vertical position thereof Is M, and the horizontal position is N.

  In Step M32, “MM = M, NN = N” is set, and the process returns to Step M14 shown in FIG. That is, the value of MM is the value of M, and the value of NN is the value of N. MM and NN are set to values representing positions in the monitor map to be checked next, that is, the values of M and N found in step M31, and the process returns to step M14 shown in FIG.

  FIG. 38 is a flowchart of the upper adjacent process called from the map storage process shown in FIG. The upper adjacent process confirms whether there is an adjacent monitor on the upper side. When called at step M9 shown in FIG. 36, the process proceeds to step N1.

  In step N1, it is determined whether or not the current ID piece [] [1] is not NULL. If the current ID piece [] [1] is not NULL, that is, if there is a client ID in the ID above the current ID piece array, the process proceeds to step N2, and if the current ID piece [] [1] is NULL, That is, if there is no client ID in the ID above the current ID piece array, the process ends.

  In Step N2, it is determined whether or not the client ID of the current ID piece [] [1] is in piece [0] [0] to piece [total-1] [0]. That is, it is determined whether or not the client ID indicated by the upper ID of the current ID piece array is within the own ID of the piece array. When the client ID of the current ID piece [] [1] is in piece [0] [0] to piece [total-1] [0], that is, the client ID indicated by the upper ID of the current ID piece array is piece. If it is in the own ID of the array, the process proceeds to step N3, where the client ID of the current ID piece [] [1] is not in piece [0] [0] -piece [total-1] [0], that is, If the client ID indicated by the upper ID in the piece array of the current ID is not in the own ID of the piece array, the process ends.

  In Step N3, it is determined whether or not the target piece [] [5] is not “0”. That is, it is determined whether or not the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the upper ID is “0”. If the target piece [] [5] is not “0”, that is, if the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the upper ID has not been confirmed, the process proceeds to Step N4, and the target piece [] [5] is “0”. ", That is, if the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the upper ID has been confirmed, the process ends.

  In step N4, it is determined whether mat [block] [M-1] [N] is not NULL. That is, it is determined whether or not a client ID is set at a position on the map. If mat [block] [M-1] [N] is not NULL, that is, if the client ID is set at one position on the map, the process proceeds to Step N7, where mat [block] [M-1] If [N] is NULL, that is, if the client ID is not set at the position one higher on the map, the process proceeds to Step N5. In Step N5, “target piece [] [5] = 2” is set. That is, the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the upper ID is set to “2”. “2” indicates that it is adjacent to a monitor whose arrangement has been confirmed and has not yet been confirmed. In step N6, the current ID piece [] [1] is set in mat [block] [M-1] [N]. That is, the client ID of the upper ID of the current ID piece array is set at a position one level higher on the map.

  In step N7, piece [] [1] having the current ID is substituted for TID, and piece [] [1] having the current ID is set to NULL. That is, the upper ID of the current ID piece array is set to NULL, and the search has been completed. The TID is a work for temporarily storing a client ID that should be the next confirmation ID. In step N8, piece [] [3] having the target ID is set to NULL. In other words, the lower ID of the piece array of “next confirmation ID” is set to NULL, and the search has been completed. In Step N9, “next confirmation ID = TID” is set. That is, the “next confirmation ID” is the client ID of the upper ID that was in the piece array of the current ID. In Step N10, “MM = M−1, NN = N” is set, and the process ends. That is, MM and NN are set to values representing the position in the monitor map to be checked next, that is, the position one level higher, and the process ends.

  FIG. 39 is a flowchart of the left adjacent process called from the map storage process shown in FIG. The left adjacency process checks whether there is an adjoining monitor on the left side. When called in step M10 shown in FIG. 36, the process moves to step P1.

  In Step P1, it is determined whether or not the piece [] [2] of the current ID is NULL. If the current ID piece [] [2] is not NULL, that is, if there is a client ID in the left ID of the current ID piece array, the process proceeds to step P2, and if the current ID piece [] [2] is NULL, That is, if there is no client ID in the left ID of the current ID piece array, the process ends.

  In Step P2, it is determined whether or not the client ID of the current ID piece [] [2] is in piece [0] [0] to piece [total-1] [0]. That is, it is determined whether or not the client ID indicated by the left ID of the current ID piece array is in its own ID of the piece array. When the client ID of the current ID piece [] [2] is in piece [0] [0] to piece [total-1] [0], that is, the client ID indicated by the left ID of the current ID piece array is the piece ID. If it is in the own ID of the array, the process proceeds to Step P3, and if the client ID of the current ID piece [] [2] is not in piece [0] [0] to piece [total-1] [0], that is, If the client ID indicated by the left ID in the piece array of the current ID is not in the own ID of the piece array, the process ends.

  In Step P3, it is determined whether or not the target piece [] [5] is not “0”. That is, it is determined whether or not the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the left ID is “0”. If the target piece [] [5] is not “0”, that is, if the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the left ID has not been confirmed, the process proceeds to Step P4, and the target piece [] [5] is “0”. ", That is, if the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the left ID has been confirmed, the process ends.

  In step P4, it is determined whether mat [block] [M] [N-1] is not NULL. That is, it is determined whether or not the client ID is set to the left one position on the map. If mat [block] [M] [N-1] is not NULL, that is, if the client ID is set to the left one position on the map, the process proceeds to Step P7, and mat [block] [M] [N -1] is NULL, that is, if the client ID is not set to the left one position on the map, the process proceeds to Step P5. In Step P5, “target piece [] [5] = 2” is set. That is, the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the left ID is set to “2”. “2” indicates that it is adjacent to a monitor whose arrangement has been confirmed and has not yet been confirmed. In step P6, the current ID piece [] [2] is set in mat [block] [M] [N-1]. That is, the client ID of the left ID of the piece array of the current ID is set to the left one position on the map.

  In step P7, piece [] [2] having the current ID is substituted for TID, and piece [] [2] having the current ID is set to NULL. That is, the left ID of the current ID piece array is set to NULL, and the search is completed. In step P8, piece [] [4] having the target ID is set to NULL. That is, the right ID of the piece array of “next confirmation ID” is set to NULL, and the search is completed. In Step P9, it is determined whether or not “next confirmation ID” is set. If “next confirmation ID” is set, the process ends. If “next confirmation ID” is not set, the process proceeds to step P10. That is, if “next confirmation ID” has already been set in the upper adjacent processing shown in FIG. 38, the update of “next confirmation ID” is skipped.

  In Step P10, “next confirmation ID = TID” is set. That is, the “next confirmation ID” is set as the client ID of the left ID that was in the piece array of the current ID. In Step P11, “MM = M, NN = N−1” is set, and the process ends. That is, MM and NN are set to values representing the position in the monitor map to be checked next, that is, the position one place to the left, and the process ends.

  FIG. 40 is a flowchart of the lower adjacent process called from the map storing process shown in FIG. The lower adjacency process checks whether there is an adjacent monitor on the lower side. When called in step M11 shown in FIG. 36, the process proceeds to step Q1.

  In step Q1, it is determined whether or not the current ID piece [] [3] is not NULL. If the current ID piece [] [3] is not NULL, that is, if there is a client ID in the lower ID of the current ID piece array, the process proceeds to step Q2, and if the current ID piece [] [3] is NULL, That is, if there is no client ID in the lower ID of the current ID piece array, the process ends.

  In step Q2, it is determined whether or not the client ID of the current ID piece [] [3] is in piece [0] [0] to piece [total-1] [0]. That is, it is determined whether or not the client ID indicated by the lower ID of the current ID piece array is within the own ID of the piece array. If the client ID of the current ID piece [] [3] is in piece [0] [0] to piece [total-1] [0], that is, the client ID indicated by the lower ID of the current ID piece array is the piece ID. If it is in the own ID of the array, the process proceeds to step Q3, and the client ID of the current ID piece [] [3] is not in piece [0] [0] to piece [total-1] [0], that is, If the client ID indicated by the lower ID of the current ID piece array is not within the own ID of the piece array, the processing ends.

  In step Q3, it is determined whether or not the target piece [] [5] is not “0”. That is, it is determined whether or not the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the lower ID is “0”. If the target piece [] [5] is not “0”, that is, if the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the lower ID has not been confirmed, the process proceeds to step Q4, and the target piece [] [5] is “0”. ", That is, if the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the lower ID has been confirmed, the process ends.

  In step Q4, it is determined whether mat [block] [M + 1] [N] is not NULL. That is, it is determined whether or not the client ID is set at the next lower position on the map. If mat [block] [M + 1] [N] is not NULL, that is, if the client ID is set at the next lower position on the map, the process proceeds to step Q7, where mat [block] [M + 1] [N] If it is NULL, that is, if the client ID is not set at the next lower position on the map, the process proceeds to step Q5. In Step Q5, “target piece [] [5] = 2” is set. That is, the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the lower ID is set to “2”. “2” indicates that it is adjacent to a monitor whose arrangement has been confirmed and has not yet been confirmed. In step Q6, the current ID piece [] [3] is set in mat [block] [M + 1] [N]. That is, the client ID of the lower ID in the piece array of the current ID is set at the position one level lower on the map.

  In step Q7, piece [] [3] having the current ID is substituted for TID, and piece [] [3] having the current ID is set to NULL. That is, the lower ID of the current ID piece array is set to NULL, and the search is completed. In step Q8, piece [] [1] having the target ID is set to NULL. That is, the upper ID of the piece array of “next confirmation ID” is set to NULL, and the search has been completed. In step Q9, it is determined whether or not “next confirmation ID” is set. If “next confirmation ID” is set, the process ends. If “next confirmation ID” is not set, the process proceeds to step Q10. That is, if “next confirmation ID” is already set in the upper adjacent process shown in FIG. 38 or the left adjacent process shown in FIG. 39, the update of “next confirmation ID” is skipped.

  In step Q10, “next confirmation ID = TID” is set. That is, the “next confirmation ID” is set as the lower ID client ID in the current ID piece array. In step Q11, the process ends with “MM = M + 1, NN = N”. In other words, MM and NN are set to values representing the position in the monitor map to be checked next, that is, the position one level below, and the process ends.

  FIG. 41 is a flowchart of the right adjacent process called from the map storage process shown in FIG. The right adjacency process checks whether there is an adjacent monitor on the right side. When called in step M12 shown in FIG. 36, the process proceeds to step R1.

  In step R1, it is determined whether or not the current ID piece [] [4] is not NULL. If the current ID piece [] [4] is not NULL, that is, if there is a client ID in the right ID of the current ID piece array, the process proceeds to step R2, and if the current ID piece [] [4] is NULL, That is, if there is no client ID in the right ID of the current ID piece array, the process ends.

  In step R2, it is determined whether or not the client ID of the current ID piece [] [4] is in piece [0] [0] -piece [total-1] [0]. That is, it is determined whether or not the client ID indicated by the right ID of the current ID piece array is in the own ID of the piece array. If the client ID of the current ID piece [] [4] is in piece [0] [0] to piece [total-1] [0], that is, the client ID indicated by the right ID of the current ID piece array is piece. If it is in the own ID of the array, the process proceeds to step R3, where the client ID of the current ID piece [] [4] is not in piece [0] [0] -piece [total-1] [0], that is, If the client ID indicated by the right ID in the piece array of the current ID is not in the own ID of the piece array, the processing ends.

  In Step R3, it is determined whether or not the target piece [] [5] is not “0”. That is, it is determined whether or not the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the right ID is “0”. If the target piece [] [5] is not “0”, that is, if the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the right ID has not been confirmed, the process proceeds to step R4, and the target piece [] [5] is “0”. ", That is, if the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the right ID has been confirmed, the process ends.

  In step R4, it is determined whether mat [block] [M] [N + 1] is not NULL. That is, it is determined whether or not the client ID is set to the right one position on the map. If mat [block] [M] [N + 1] is not NULL, that is, if the client ID is set to the right one position on the map, the process proceeds to step Q7, where mat [block] [M] [N + 1] If it is NULL, that is, if the client ID is not set to the right one position on the map, the process proceeds to step Q5. In Step Q5, “target piece [] [5] = 2” is set. That is, the check item of the piece array of the client ID indicated by the right ID is set to “2”. “2” indicates that it is adjacent to a monitor whose arrangement has been confirmed and has not yet been confirmed. In step R6, the current ID piece [] [4] is set in mat [block] [M] [N + 1]. That is, the client ID of the right ID in the piece array of the current ID is set to the right one position on the map.

  In step R7, piece [] [4] having the current ID is substituted for TID, and piece [] [4] having the current ID is set to NULL. That is, the right ID of the current ID piece array is set to NULL, and the search is completed. In step R8, piece [] [2] having the target ID is set to NULL. That is, the left ID of the piece array of “next confirmation ID” is set to NULL, and the search is completed. In step R9, it is determined whether or not “next confirmation ID” is set. If “next confirmation ID” is set, the process ends. If “next confirmation ID” is not set, the process proceeds to step R10. That is, when the “next confirmation ID” is already set in the upper adjacent process shown in FIG. 38, the left adjacent process shown in FIG. 39, or the lower adjacent process shown in FIG. The update of “next confirmation ID” is skipped.

  In step R10, “next confirmation ID = TID” is set. That is, the “next confirmation ID” is the client ID of the right ID that was in the piece array of the current ID. In Step R11, “MM = M, NN = N + 1” is set, and the process ends. That is, MM and NN are set to values indicating the position in the monitor map to be checked next, that is, the position to the right of one, and the process ends.

  FIG. 42 is a flowchart of an effective block selection process called from the position setting process shown in FIG. In the effective block selection process, a block for displaying content is selected. When called in step F8 shown in FIG. 27, the process proceeds to step S1.

  In step S1, it is determined whether block> 0. That is, when block = 0, since the number of blocks is “1”, it is determined whether or not the number of blocks is larger than “1”. If block> 0, that is, if the number of blocks is larger than “1”, the block is divided into two or more blocks. Therefore, the process proceeds to step S4. If block> 0 is not satisfied, that is, the number of blocks is “1”. If not, the process proceeds to step S2. In step S2, block = 0 is validated. That is, the block number is “1” with block = 0. In step S3, it is determined whether or not the selected block is configured as a square. That is, it is determined whether or not the shape of the selected and effective block, that is, the shape formed by the monitor screen that forms the block is a quadrangle. If the selected block is configured as a square, that is, if the shape of the selected block is a square, the process ends. If the selected block is not configured as a square, that is, if the selected block is not a square, the process proceeds to step S6. When the shape of the selected block is a quadrangle, the client ID of the monitor included in the block is stored in the storage unit 11.

  In step S4, a block is selected. That is, one block for displaying content is selected from a plurality of blocks. For example, the blocks are selected by assigning a block number to a plurality of blocks in the monitor configuration automatically set in the automatic setting process in step F7 shown in FIG. This is selected by specifying a block number with an input device (not shown) of the server 10. In step S5, the selected block is validated and the process proceeds to step S3. In step S6, the effective range is selected and the process ends. For example, the monitor is selected so that the shape formed by the screen of the selected monitor forms a quadrangle, and the process ends. The monitor selection may be selected, for example, by specifying a client ID with an input device (not shown) of the server 10 or may be selected by instructing a monitor set on the configuration setting screen 40. The selected block number and the client ID of the selected monitor are stored in the storage unit 11. The server 10 transmits the content to the selected monitor among the monitors constituting the block indicated by the block number stored in the storage unit 11.

  Thus, for example, a moving image to which time stamps, for example, timing information representing timings to be reproduced in chronological order, are provided for each predetermined data unit, for example, for each frame unit, by, for example, the recording unit 23 serving as a storage unit. For example, content that is image information is stored, and moving image information is read from the storage means, for example, by the display unit 24, which is display means, and is displayed and reproduced as an image, and is displayed by, for example, the time stamp extraction unit 271 that is extraction means. Timing information is extracted from the moving image information to be reproduced in chronological order, the reproduction of moving image information is instructed by, for example, the input unit 22 which is an instruction unit, and the communication line is transmitted by the client communication unit 21 which is a transmission / reception unit. For example, at least timing information is transmitted via the LAN 30. When a moving image is displayed and reproduced on, for example, the multi-screen display device 1 which is a multi-screen display system including the client 20, for example, a plurality of received display devices, the plurality of display devices are connected via the communication line by each transmission / reception means. When reproduction of moving image information is instructed by instruction means included in any one of a plurality of display devices connected to each other, it is extracted from the moving image information to be displayed and reproduced by the display device having this instruction means. The timing information is sequentially extracted by the means in chronological order, and the extracted timing information is sequentially transmitted by the transmission / reception means. Further, when the timing information is received by the transmission / reception means by each display device, the timing information corresponding to the received timing information is stored among the moving image information stored in the storage means by the display means by each display device. Since the attached portion is read and displayed and reproduced as an image, each display device can continuously synchronize with the timing information from the display device instructed to reproduce the moving image information, and the time is Even after elapse, synchronization of moving images displayed on the respective display devices can be maintained. Therefore, when this multi-screen display system is used, when reproducing an image, there is no need for a server that controls the entire display device, and the image can be reproduced in synchronization with only the display device.

  Further, the plurality of display devices such as the client 20 include a main display device such as the main client and a sub display device such as the sub client, and a moving image is input by the input unit 22 that is an instruction means included in the main display device. When the reproduction of content such as information is instructed, the main display device sequentially extracts time information such as time stamps in time-series order from the moving image information to be displayed and reproduced by, for example, a time stamp extraction unit 271. When the extracted timing information is sequentially transmitted by, for example, the client communication unit 21 which is a transmission / reception means, and the timing information is received by the transmission / reception means by the main display device and the sub display device, for example, the display unit 24 which is the display means. Is a storage means For example, a portion of the moving image information stored in the recording unit 23, to which timing information corresponding to the received timing information is attached, is read and displayed and reproduced as an image. The main display device can be selected by a device other than the device, such as a server. Therefore, the main display device can be changed according to the processing capability of the display device.

  Still further, when the reproduction of content such as moving image information is instructed by, for example, the input unit 22, which is instruction means possessed by, for example, the sub-client that is the sub-display device, the sub-display device having this instruction means causes the moving image to be displayed. When reproduction instruction information representing an instruction to reproduce information is transmitted to, for example, the main client, which is the main display device, by the client communication unit 21, which is a transmission / reception unit, and the reproduction instruction information is received by the transmission / reception unit by the main display unit. Since, for example, the time stamp extraction unit 271 that is the extraction means, for example, extracts the timing information that is the timing information from the moving image information to be displayed and reproduced, and the extracted timing information is sequentially transmitted by the transmission / reception means. Playback starts when a display device other than the main display device is In be indicated, it is possible to the main display device and master. Therefore, it is possible to instruct the start of reproduction from any display device, and convenience can be improved.

  Furthermore, a storage unit that stores, for example, content that is, for example, moving image information with time stamps that are timing information representing timings to be reproduced in time-series order, for example, for each frame unit that is a predetermined data unit For example, a recording unit 23, a display unit 24 that reads out moving image information from the storage unit and displays and reproduces it as an image, for example, and an input unit 22 that is an instruction unit for instructing reproduction of moving image information are provided. When displaying a moving image on a multi-screen display system such as the multi-screen display device 1 including a plurality of display devices each including, for example, the client 20, for example, in the synchronous playback process of the main client, which is a timing information acquisition step. A moving image from an instruction unit included in any one of the plurality of display devices When the reproduction of the information is instructed, the display device having this instruction unit sequentially extracts the timing information from the moving image information to be displayed and reproduced in the time series order, and the extracted timing information is sequentially transmitted via the communication line such as the LAN 30. And get it. Furthermore, in the display process such as the primary client synchronous playback process and the secondary client synchronous playback process, the timing information sequentially acquired in the timing information acquisition enabling process is sequentially transmitted through the communication line in each display device. Of the moving image information acquired and stored in the storage unit, the portion with timing information corresponding to the acquired timing information is sequentially read out and displayed and reproduced as an image on the display unit. The display devices can synchronize with each other continuously according to the timing information from the display devices, and can maintain the synchronization of the moving images displayed on the display devices even when time elapses. Therefore, by applying this display method to a multi-screen display system, when reproducing an image, there is no need for a server that controls the entire display device, and the image can be reproduced in synchronization with only the display device. .

1 shows a configuration of a multi-screen display device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. An example of content transmission from the server 10 shown in FIG. 1 to the client 20 is shown. It is a perspective view of the external appearance of the client 20 shown in FIG. The example of arrangement | positioning of the terminal of the detector 26 shown in FIG. 3 is shown. The connection relationship between the terminal of the detector 26 shown in FIG. 3 and the terminal of the detector 26 of the adjacent client 20 is shown. An example of the connection cable 36 for connecting the detector 26 shown in FIG. 3 is shown. The example of the structure setting screen 40 in the server 10 shown in FIG. 1 is shown. The correspondence with the actual position of the client 20 displayed on the configuration setting screen 40 shown in FIG. 7 is shown. An example of manual setting of the second client 20 on the configuration setting screen 40 shown in FIG. 7 is shown. The arrangement position of the client 20 manually set on the configuration setting screen 40 shown in FIG. 7 is shown. Information transmitted and received between the server 10 and the client 20 shown in FIG. The example which reflects the cooperation information which the client 20 shown in FIG. 11 received in cooperation information DB60 is shown. An example of cooperation information DB60 memorize | stored in the recording part 23 shown in FIG. 1 is shown. An example of the DB update screen 50 of the client 20 shown in FIG. 1 is shown. 14 shows a procedure for feedback of each update content updated on the DB update screen 50 shown in FIG. 13 to each client. It is a block diagram of the part relevant to the synchronous reproduction | regeneration with the client 20 shown in FIG. A procedure for starting synchronous reproduction between the clients 20 shown in FIG. 1 will be described. 18 shows synchronized playback in the main client and sub-client shown in FIG. It is a flowchart of the cooperation information generation process in the server 10 shown in FIG. It is a flowchart of the cooperation information preservation | save process in the client 20 shown in FIG.

It is a flowchart of the cooperation information preservation | save detailed process in the client 20 shown in FIG. It is a flowchart of the cooperation information update process in the client 20 shown in FIG. It is a flowchart of the cooperation reproduction start process by the input part 22 in the client 20 shown in FIG. It is a flowchart of the cooperation reproduction | regeneration DB update process by the request | requirement from the other machine in the client 20 shown in FIG. FIG. 19 is a flowchart of synchronous playback processing of the main client shown in FIG. 18. FIG. It is a flowchart of the synchronous reproduction process of the secondary client shown in FIG. It is a flowchart of the position setting process which the server 10 shown in FIG. 1 processes. The example of the receiving arrangement | sequence and piece arrangement | sequence which the server 10 shown in FIG. 1 uses is shown. The example of the confirmed ID storage arrangement | sequence which the server 10 shown in FIG. 1 uses is shown. The example of the edge ID storage arrangement | sequence which the server 10 shown in FIG. 1 uses is shown. It is a flowchart of the automatic setting process called from the position setting process shown in FIG. 32 is a flowchart of a configuration acquisition / storage process called from the automatic setting process shown in FIG. 31. FIG. 32 is a flowchart of a confirmed ID storage array securing process called from the automatic setting process shown in FIG. 31. FIG. FIG. 32 is a flowchart of an end ID storage array securing process called from the automatic setting process shown in FIG. 31. It is a flowchart of the terminal ID search process called from the automatic setting process shown in FIG. FIG. 32 is a flowchart of the first half of map storage processing called from the automatic setting processing shown in FIG. 31. FIG. 32 is a flowchart of the second half of a map storage process called from the automatic setting process shown in FIG. 31. It is a flowchart of the upper adjacent process called from the map storage process shown in FIG. It is a flowchart of the left adjacent process called from the map storage process shown in FIG. It is a flowchart of the lower adjacent process called from the map storage process shown in FIG.

It is a flowchart of the right adjacent process called from the map storage process shown in FIG. It is a flowchart of the effective block selection process called from the position setting process shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multiscreen display apparatus 10 Server 11 Memory | storage part 12 Image | video output part 13 Server communication part 14 Server control part 20 Client 21 Client communication part 22 Input part 23 Recording part 24 Display part 26 Position detection part 27 Client control part 30 LAN
36 Connection cable 40 Configuration setting screen 50 DB update screen 60 Cooperation information DB
211 Transmission Unit 212 Reception Unit 271 Time Stamp Extraction Unit 272 Delay Unit 273 FIFO Buffer 274 Synchro Unit

Claims (4)

Storage means for storing moving image information to which timing information representing timing to be reproduced in time series order is stored for each predetermined data unit, and display means for reading out the moving image information from the storage means and displaying and reproducing it as an image Extraction means for extracting timing information from moving image information to be displayed and reproduced in time series, instruction means for instructing reproduction of moving image information, and transmission / reception means for transmitting and receiving at least timing information via a communication line Including a plurality of display devices each having
The transmission / reception means of the plurality of display devices are connected to each other via a communication line,
When reproduction of moving image information is instructed by an instruction unit included in any one of the plurality of display devices, the display device having this instruction unit uses the extraction unit to extract the moving image information to be displayed and reproduced in time-series order. The timing information is sequentially extracted, the extracted timing information is sequentially transmitted by the transmission / reception means,
When each display device receives timing information by the transmission / reception means, each display device reads a portion of the moving image information stored in the storage means, to which the timing information corresponding to the received timing information is attached. A multi-screen display system characterized in that it is displayed and reproduced as an image. The plurality of display devices include a main display device and a sub display device,
When reproduction of the moving image information is instructed by the instruction means included in the main display device, the main display device sequentially extracts the timing information from the moving image information to be displayed and reproduced by the extracting means in chronological order, and extracts the extracted timing information. Sequentially sent by sending and receiving means,
When the main display device and the sub display device receive the timing information by the transmission / reception means, the display means reads out the portion of the moving image information stored in the storage means to which the timing information corresponding to the received timing information is attached. The multi-screen display system according to claim 1, wherein the multi-screen display system is displayed and reproduced as an image. When reproduction of moving image information is instructed by the instruction means included in the sub display device, the sub display device having this instruction means transmits reproduction instruction information representing an instruction to reproduce moving image information by the transmission / reception means. To
In the main display device, when the reproduction instruction information is received by the transmission / reception means, the timing information is sequentially extracted from the moving image information to be displayed / reproduced by the extraction means in chronological order, and the extracted timing information is sequentially transmitted by the transmission / reception means. The multi-screen display system according to claim 2. A storage unit for storing moving image information to which timing information indicating timing to be reproduced in time series order is provided for each predetermined data unit, and a display unit for reading out the moving image information from the storage unit and displaying and reproducing the image as an image And a display method of a multi-screen display system including a plurality of display devices each having an instruction unit for instructing reproduction of moving image information,
When reproduction of moving image information is instructed from an instruction unit included in any one of a plurality of display devices, the display device having this instruction unit sequentially outputs timing information in order of time series from moving image information to be displayed and reproduced. A timing information acquisition enabling step for extracting and sequentially extracting the extracted timing information via a communication line;
Each display device sequentially acquires the timing information that can be sequentially acquired in the timing information acquisition enabling step via the communication line, and according to the acquired timing information among the moving image information stored in the storage unit. A display method for a multi-screen display system, comprising: a display step of sequentially reading out portions to which timing information has been attached and displaying and reproducing them as images on a display unit.

Images