JP2012182628A - Video processing apparatus and video processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a video processing apparatus and a video processing method capable of endlessly recording and reproducing video data for broadcast.SOLUTION: The video processing apparatus comprises a recording unit, a reception part, an MXF file generation part, a connection information storage part, a recording control part, and a control part. When the reception part receives an instruction of loop recording, the MXF file generation part divides a video signal into plural MXF files and records the MXF files in the recording unit. The recording control part stores the connection information of the plural MXF files divided by the MXF file generation part in the connection information storage part. When the reception part receives an instruction of loop reproduction or output, the reproduction part connects the MXF files in the recording unit in accordance with connection information in the connection information storage part, and reproduces or outputs the result.

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a video processing apparatus and a video processing method for recording and reproducing a video signal.

  For example, video signals used for television broadcasting have been recorded on tape media such as VTRs. In order to record a video signal on such a tape medium, there is a time restriction such as a maximum recording time of 120 minutes, and the video signal cannot be recorded exceeding the maximum recording time.

  In recent years, tapeless technology has become widespread, and video processing apparatuses (video servers) using a hard disk drive (HDD) or a flash memory as a recording medium have been spread instead of VTRs.

  Although the recording time constraints have improved dramatically due to the evolution of such recording media, the recording time per material must be constrained from the viewpoint of managing the material recorded inside the server device. Currently.

  By the way, if you do not know the recording time of the material before starting the recording, such as recording live video from a weather camera or surveillance camera, for example, you will not know whether the material can be recorded to the end and it will fail as a result of recording Or necessary parts may be missing.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-145734

  In recent years, a technique for digitizing video input from a camera and performing endless recording on a hard disk device or the like has been devised, but there is no mention of video data in a format used in the field of television broadcasting.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a video processing apparatus and a video processing method capable of endless recording and reproduction of broadcast video data.

  The video processing apparatus according to the embodiment includes a recording unit, a reception unit, an MXF file generation unit, a connection information storage unit, a recording control unit, and a reproduction unit. The recording unit is for recording or reading an input video signal in the form of a file. The accepting unit accepts an instruction for processing the video signal. The MXF file generation unit divides the video signal into a plurality of MXF files and records them in the recording unit when an instruction for loop recording is received by the reception unit. The connection information storage unit can store connection information for connecting the plurality of MXF files. The recording control unit stores, in the connection information storage unit, connection information of MXF files divided into a plurality by the MXF file generation unit. When the receiving unit receives a loop playback or output instruction, the playback unit connects or plays back or outputs the plurality of MXF files of the recording unit according to the connection information in the connection information storage unit.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the video server of embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of a material management table. It is a figure which shows an example of an event management table. It is a figure which shows an example of a loop recording list. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of a video server. It is a conceptual diagram of loop recording.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a video server according to the embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the video server of this embodiment functions as a video processing apparatus, and includes a multi-encoder unit 2, a recording unit 3, an external control unit 4, a central processing unit 5 (hereinafter referred to as “CPU 5”). A memory 6, a decoder unit 7, a file processing unit 8, and the like.

  The multi-encoder unit 2 includes a recording control unit 21 that controls recording of broadcast video data, a material eXchange Format file (hereinafter referred to as “MXF file”) that is video data for broadcasting from the received video signal (video signal). MXF generation unit 22 for generating

  The recording control unit 21 divides the video data at a GOP boundary existing around a certain recording time and generates an MXF file with the divided video data when the video signal is generated by MPEG2 compression of the video signal. The MXF generation unit 22 is controlled. That is, when receiving a loop recording start command from the external control unit 4, the recording control unit 21 generates a subdivided file or a plurality of MFX files divided in a short time instead of generating a normal MXF file. The MXF generation unit 22 is controlled.

  In addition, the recording control unit 21 notifies the CPU 5 of the start TC and end TC of each generated MXF file. TC is a time code.

  The MXF generation unit 22 is controlled by the recording control unit 21, and generates an MFX file divided at a predetermined time, for example, every GOP boundary of about 1 hour, and records it in the recording unit 3 during loop recording. That is, the MXF generation unit 22 divides the video signal into a plurality of MXF files and records them in the recording unit 3 when the API reception unit 41 receives a loop recording instruction. The MXF file generation unit 22 overwrites the MXF files starting from the first file of the MXF files exceeding a certain number after the loop recording is started. Note that the MXF file after a certain time has elapsed after the start of loop recording may be deleted.

  The recording unit 3 is realized by, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD). In the recording unit 3, a plurality of MFX files 33 a to 33 d generated by the MXF generation unit 22 divided in a short time are sequentially stored. That is, the recording unit 3 is for recording or reading the input video signal in the form of a file.

  The external control unit 4 includes an API receiving unit 41, a loop recording unit 42, a reproduction control unit 43, and the like.

  The API receiving unit 41 receives a command (command message) instructing loop recording, loop playback, and the like from an external device or an input device such as a keyboard, and issues an instruction according to the received command.

  For example, when the command received from the external control device is a loop recording command, the API receiving unit 41 issues a loop recording instruction to the loop recording unit 42. In the case of a loop playback command, the API receiver 41 issues a loop playback instruction to the playback controller 43. That is, the API receiving unit 41 functions as a receiving unit that receives an instruction for processing a video signal.

  The loop recording unit 42 controls each unit in accordance with a loop recording instruction from the API receiving unit 41. The loop recording unit 42 issues a command such as loop recording start / stop to the multi-encoder unit 2 in response to a loop recording instruction.

  Further, the loop recording unit 42 issues a loop event registration request to the event management unit 52 of the CPU 5 in response to a loop recording instruction. The loop event registration request is issued to the event management unit 52 when the loop operation is started.

  Further, the loop recording unit 42 creates a loop recording list which is connection information of a plurality of MXF files (material group) generated by the multi-encoder unit 2 from the content management information of the material management table 62 managed by the CPU 5 during loop recording. And stored in the loop recording list table 61 of the memory 6. That is, the loop recording unit 42 stores the connection information of the MXF file divided into a plurality by the MXF generation unit 22 in the loop recording list table 61.

  In response to a loop playback instruction, the playback control unit 43 refers to the loop recording list table 61 in the memory 6 and plays back / plays a plurality of MFX files 33a to 33d (material group) recorded in the recording unit 3 according to the connection information. Control the output.

  The playback control unit 43 controls the decoder unit 7 according to the loop playback instruction to play back the loop recorded material. The playback control unit 43 controls the file processing unit 8 according to the loop output instruction and outputs the loop recording material as one MXF file.

  In other words, the playback control unit 43, the decoder unit 7 and the file processing unit 8 can receive a plurality of MXF files of the recording unit 3 in accordance with the link information of the loop recording list table 61 when the API reception unit 41 receives a loop playback or output instruction. Play or output by concatenating. In addition, when reproducing | regenerating and outputting a raw material separately, the reproduction | regeneration control part 43 performs reproduction | regeneration / output using the content management information of a single raw material.

The CPU 5 includes a material management unit 51 and an event management unit 52.
The material management unit 51 stores the start TC and end TC provided from the multi-encoder unit 2 in the material management table 62 as content management information, and reads out this information in response to a request (inquiry) from the external control unit 4. provide.

  Upon receiving the loop recording event registration request, the event management unit 52 issues a new event ID that does not overlap with the issued ID, and uses the event ID as a key to store the contents of the loop recording event (see FIG. 3) in the event management table. 63.

  The memory 6 stores management information such as a loop recording list table 61, a material management table 62, and an event management table 63.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the material management table 62 includes, for example, the next material management table / pointer, material ID, material information version, material classification, material type, deletion prohibition, video / audio identification, material code, material name, and time. Stamp (year / month / day), timestamp (hour / minute / second), reservation, file size, material duration, number of material blocks, start time code, material verification status, video format, brightness level, chroma level, material flag, audio codec Each data is stored in items such as the number of audio input channels, audio level (Ch1), audio level (Ch16), control unit material management area, used memory information, and non-storage management area.

  The user can assign a flag indicating deletion prohibition to the column of deletion prohibition item as desired, and a file to which this flag is assigned is not overwritten.

  That is, the material management table 62 stores information (material management information) for managing each subdivided MXF file (material).

  As shown in FIG. 3, the event management table 63 includes a next event management information pointer, an event ID, owner information that is an ID of an event registration request source, an operation mode (normal recording, loop recording, normal playback, loop playback, etc. ), Material name, input channel, output channel, MEM_ID, reservation, and the like are stored.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the loop recording list table 61, the file name (identifier) of the loop operation target and the pointer of the material management table 62 for managing this file are as many as the number of loop settings (the number of files stored or a fixed number of files). Registered for hours). The contents of the loop recording event are registered in the loop recording list table 61. That is, the loop recording list table 61 functions as a connection information storage unit capable of storing connection information for connecting a plurality of MXF files.

  In this example, pointers (material management table / pointer) to each material management table from the loop material (MXF1) to the loop material (MXFm) are registered. m indicates the number of loop settings indicating how many files are looped, and n indicates the number of files generated by division.

Hereinafter, the operation of the video server 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.
The video server 1 has a special recording mode called a loop recording mode in addition to a normal recording mode.

  In this video server 1, the API receiver 41 of the external control unit 4 waits for the reception (input) of a command from an external control device or a keyboard, and performs an operation according to the received command (FIG. 5). Step S101).

  If the command received from the external control device or the keyboard is, for example, a loop operation instruction (Yes in step S102), the API receiver 41 then determines whether the received command is a command indicating loop recording or a command indicating loop playback. Is determined (step S103).

  As a result of the determination, if the received command is a command indicating loop recording (Yes in step S103), the API receiving unit 41 starts the loop recording through the loop recording unit 42 and the MXF file and the recording control unit 21 of the multi-encoder unit 2. The generation unit 21 is instructed.

  In this case, the loop recording unit 42 sets the count number n indicating the number of MXF file generations to “1” in the memory 6 and instructs the recording control unit 21 to generate the MXF file.

  In response to an instruction from the external control unit 4, the recording control unit 21 instructs the MXF generation unit 22 to generate an MXF file in the loop recording mode. By this instruction, the MXF generation unit 22 is input from an external material server or the like. The video signal is subdivided into predetermined time units, for example, about one hour, and a plurality of MXF files (material group) are generated and sequentially recorded in the recording unit 3 (step S105).

  When one MXF file is generated, the loop recording unit 42 determines whether or not a command indicating interruption of loop recording is input (step S106), and if a command of interrupting loop recording is input (step S106). Yes), the processing is terminated there.

  If the command for interrupting loop recording is not input (No in step S106), the recording control unit 21 confirms whether the set count number n is equal to the predetermined loop setting number m ( If the count number n and the loop setting number m are not the same (No in step S107), 1 is added to the count number n (step S108), and an instruction is given to generate the next file.

  On the other hand, if the count number n is equal to the loop setting number m (Yes in step S107), the count number n is reset to “1” (step S104), and the generation from the first file and the file of the recording unit 3 are performed. Instruct to overwrite. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 6, loop recording in which the same number of MXF files are always generated in order is realized.

  That is, in the loop recording mode, the video signal capturing operation is the same as the normal recording operation, but the method of recording and managing the captured material is different.

  When loop recording is performed, the loop recording unit 42 stores (registers) the connection information of the subdivided MXF files (material group) in the event management table 63 and associates them with each MXF file (material). . Thus, each MXF file (material) is managed by the event management table 63.

  The recording control unit 21 notifies the content management unit 51 of the start TC and end TC of the MXF file (material group) subdivided (divided) by the MXF generation unit 22, and the content management unit 51 loops by this notification. Content management information indicating that the information is recorded in a special mode called the recording mode is registered (held) in the material management table 62.

  During loop recording, when the user instructs deletion prohibition from an external control device or keyboard, a deletion prohibition flag is added to the material management table 62 of the MXF file being recorded at that time, and the loop recording operation overwrites it. It will not be done.

  On the other hand, if the command received from the external control device or the keyboard is a loop operation but is not a command indicating loop recording (Yes in step S102, No in S103), that is, in the case of a loop playback instruction, an API receiving unit 41 instructs the playback control unit 43 to start loop playback. In response to this instruction, the reproduction control unit 43 refers to the loop recording list table 61 to detect the first MXF file to be reproduced, and instructs the decoder unit 7 or the file processing unit 8 to reproduce the detected MXF file. .

  In response to this instruction, the MXF file (material group) recorded in the recording unit 3 is read from the recording unit 3 in the order of the pointers and is reproduced or output as one MXF file (step S109).

  At this time, the playback control unit 43 refers to the event management table 63 to confirm the event management information of the link destination linked (linked) with the next event management information pointer, and the next MXF according to the event management information Instructs linked playback of files.

  That is, at the time of loop playback or output of a file, the playback control unit 43 refers to the contents of the loop recording list table 61 of the memory 6, the content management information of the material management table 62, and the linkage information of the event management table 63 to record. A plurality of MXF files (material group) recorded in the unit 3 are continuously reproduced and output in the same manner as a single material.

  In the special recording mode called loop recording shown here, the storage area of the recording unit 3 is made efficient by returning to the first material out of a certain number of materials that have been generated or after a certain amount of time has elapsed (overwriting) in order. Can be used. Of course, depending on the user's specification, it is possible to perform recording that stops due to the capacity limitation of the recording unit.

  On the other hand, when the command received from the external control device or the keyboard is, for example, a command indicating normal recording, that is, a recording instruction (Yes in step S110), the API receiving unit 41 performs normal recording operation, The MXF file generation unit 21 is instructed through the recording control unit 21, and in response to this instruction, the MXF file generation unit 21 generates one MXF file from the input video signal and records it in the recording unit 3 (step S111).

  If the command received from the external control device or the keyboard is not a command indicating normal recording (No in step S110), the API receiving unit 41 performs playback control of normal playback / output of the MXF file in the instruction. The playback control unit 43 instructs the decoder unit 7 or the file processing unit 8 to perform normal playback and file output of the MXF file as a single material.

  In response to this instruction, the decoder unit 7 or the file processing unit 8 reads the MXF file (material group) recorded from the recording unit 3 and reproduces or outputs the file (step S112).

  As described above, according to this embodiment, when a loop recording instruction is received separately from a normal recording instruction, the video signal is divided and recorded in a plurality of MXF files, and the plurality of MXF files are connected. Therefore, the MXF file, which is broadcast video data, can be recorded endlessly and reproduced.

  In addition, the material management table 62 for managing individual MXF files divided into a plurality of columns can be provided with a deletion prohibition flag. It is possible to build a mechanism that can easily delete unimportant materials, to reliably record important information that does not know when it occurs, and to efficiently use recording media.

  In addition, since a material including important information can be easily reproduced or taken out independently, a user can effectively and efficiently use a valuable video.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  Further, each component shown in the above embodiment may be realized by a program installed in a storage such as a hard disk device of a computer, and the program is stored in a computer-readable electronic medium: electronic media, The computer may realize the functions of the present invention by causing a computer to read a program from an electronic medium.

  Examples of the electronic medium include a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, flash memory, and removable media. Further, the configuration may be realized by distributing and storing components in different computers connected via a network, and communicating between computers in which the components are functioning.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Video server, 2 ... Multi-encoder unit, 3 ... Recording unit, 4 ... External control unit, 5 ... Central processing unit (CPU), 6 ... Memory, 7 ... Decoder unit, 8 ... File processing unit, 21 ... Recording control unit, 21 ... MXF generation unit, 22 ... Recording control unit, 41 ... API receiving unit, 42 ... Loop recording unit, 43 ... Reproduction control unit, 51 ... Material management unit, 52 ... Event management unit, 61 ... Loop recording List table, 62 ... material management table, 63 ... event management table.

Claims (4)

A recording unit for recording or reading an input video signal in the form of a file;
A reception unit that receives an instruction to process the video signal;
An MXF file generation unit that divides the video signal into a plurality of MXF files and records them in the recording unit when an instruction for loop recording is received by the reception unit;
A connection information storage unit capable of storing connection information for connecting the plurality of MXF files;
A recording control unit that stores connection information of MXF files divided into a plurality of pieces by the MXF file generation unit in the connection information storage unit;
A playback control unit for connecting or playing back or outputting the plurality of MXF files of the recording unit according to connection information in the connection information storage unit when an instruction for loop playback or output is received by the reception unit; A video processing apparatus characterized by the above. The recording control unit
When generating the video data by MPEG2 compression of the video signal, the MXF file is configured to divide the video data at a GOP boundary existing around a certain recording time and generate an MXF file with the divided video data. The video processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generation unit is controlled. The MXF file generation unit
2. The video processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after the start of loop recording, the MXF file after a predetermined time is deleted or overwritten in order from the first file of the MXF file exceeding a certain number. In a video processing method in a video processing apparatus having a recording unit for recording or reading an input video signal in the form of a file,
Receiving an instruction to process the video signal;
When an instruction for loop recording is received, the video signal is divided into a plurality of MXF files and recorded in the recording unit,
Storing the connection information of the MXF file divided into a plurality of MXF files in a connection information storage unit capable of storing connection information for connecting the plurality of MXF files;
When a loop playback or output instruction is received, a video processing method characterized in that the plurality of MXF files of the recording unit are connected and played back or output according to connection information in the connection information storage unit.

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