JP2010212746A - Transmission system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that reproduction points are not connected seamlessly when a picture to be transmitted is changed from the output of a reproduction picture of an active system to the output of a reproduction picture of a standby system in case of fault occurrence, in a transmission system having a dual system having the active system and standby system. <P>SOLUTION: In the transmission system, a system changer 302 has a comparing function for reproduction points of the active system and standby system to delay the output of a frame synchronizer of the standby system when the reproduction point of the standby system is early, or to skip the reproduction of a standby system picture reproducer 101-2 when the reproduction point of the standby system is delayed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a transmission system, and more particularly to a transmission reproduction function.

  A broadcasting system in a television broadcasting station mainly includes a broadcasting system, a transmission control system, and a transmission system. The broadcast system is a computer system that consistently manages the sales, organization, and broadcasting of the broadcasting station, and the transmission control system is an automatic broadcasting system using a computer. In addition, the transmission system manages and transmits / reproduces broadcast materials such as TV programs, CMs (advertisements), and offers using a video reproduction device.

In the transmission system, most of the configured devices have a duplex configuration, and it is impossible to provide appropriate video to the viewer, or in the event of a video failure that results in no video, by switching the active system to the standby system, Reliability is ensured without interruption of broadcasting.
The configuration of a conventional transmission system that switches between an active system and a standby system will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an example of a conventional transmission system. Reference numeral 101-1 denotes an active video player, 101-2 denotes a standby video player, 102 denotes a system changer, and 103 denotes a transmission controller.
In FIG. 1, the transmission controller 103 controls the active video player 101-1, the standby video player 101-2, and the system changer 102 under the control of a higher-level control device (not shown).
The same video data is simultaneously input from the same video source to the active video player 101-1 and the standby video player 101-2.

First, each of the active video player 101-1 and the standby video player 101-2 reproduces the input video data in accordance with the control signal input from the transmission controller 103, and the reproduced video data. Output to the system changer 102.
The system changer 102 outputs either the playback video of the active video player 101-1 or the standby video player 101-2 to the outside as a transmission video according to the control signal input from the transmission controller 103. . In the example of FIG. 1, video data reproduced by the active video player 101-1 is output as a transmission video. This output video to be sent is video data that is finally on-air (broadcast).
The transmission system in FIG. 1 is configured to switch and output either video data reproduced by the active video playback device 101-1 or the standby video playback device 101-2 as a transmission video by the system changer 102. When a failure occurs in the active system, the system is switched to the standby system.

Next, the internal processing operation of the system changer will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the internal processing operation of the system changer 102 of FIG. Reference numeral 201 denotes a working / spare switching unit, 202-1 denotes a working frame synchronizer (FS), and 202-2 denotes a spare frame synchronizer (FS).
In FIG. 2, the system changer 102 has a function of switching and outputting the active video and the standby video, and a frame synchronizer (active FS 202-for outputting the video in phase with the synchronization signal from the outside. 1 and the function of the backup FS 202-2).
When a failure occurs in the active playback video by such a system changer 102, it becomes possible to output the standby playback video as the active transmission video by an external switching signal ( (See Patent Document 1). Then, when the playback video for the active system and the standby system are switched and the playback video for the standby system is output as the transmission video for the active system, the active video is output as a backup video for the standby system, except when the video is interrupted. Is output.
As shown in FIG. 2, when the active playback video input from the active video player 101-1 is output as it is as the active outgoing video, the standby video as shown in FIG. The standby reproduction video input from the video player 101-2 is output as it is as the standby transmission video, but is omitted in FIG.

  However, as described with reference to FIG. 1, the active playback video and the standby playback video are output from independent video players. For this reason, the same point is not necessarily reproduced at the same time when the active reproduction video is output and when the standby reproduction video is output. Therefore, when a failure occurs in the playback video of the active system, such as when a failure occurs in the transmission system, the output video is switched from the output of the active playback video to the output of the standby playback video. Playback points may not be connected seamlessly.

JP 2007-251454 A

  As described in Patent Document 1, in the past, when the transmission video is switched from the output of the active playback video to the output of the standby playback video, the playback points may not be seamlessly connected. There was a problem.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention is configured to perform synchronous processing of active-system video data and standby-system video data that are reproduced by a video playback device having a duplex configuration of an active system and a standby system. .

  That is, the transmission system of the present invention reproduces the same video source and outputs it as video data, the active video material player and the standby video material player, the active video material player and the standby video material. In a transmission system having a system changer for outputting any of the video data reproduced from a playback device as a transmission video, and a transmission controller, the system changer is input based on control from the transmission controller. From the current / preliminary switching unit, which switches the video data reproduced from the active video material reproduction device and the standby video material reproduction device and outputs the video data as the active reproduction video and the standby reproduction video; Compares the playback points of the input active playback video and standby playback video, and outputs mismatch information if they do not match. A synchronization comparison unit, an active frame synchronizer that outputs the active reproduction video input from the synchronization comparison unit as an active video in phase with an external synchronization signal, and an input from the synchronization comparison unit A preliminary frame synchronizer that outputs the preliminary reproduction video as a preliminary video in phase with a synchronization signal from the outside, and an alarm notification unit that inputs the mismatch information and notifies the transmission controller of the mismatch information, The synchronization comparator outputs a synchronization control signal for delaying the playback point to the standby frame synchronizer when the playback point of the standby playback video is earlier than the playback point of the active playback video, The synchronizer delays the playback point of the standby playback video based on the synchronization control signal. The active playback video and the standby playback video are synchronized, and the transmission controller sets the standby playback video based on the discrepancy information when the playback point of the standby playback video is later than the playback point of the active playback video. The system video player is controlled and synchronized.

Preferably, the transmission system of the present invention further includes an alarm terminal, and the transmission controller controls the alarm terminal based on the mismatch information and outputs an alarm notification.
Preferably, in the transmission system of the present invention, the transmission controller controls the standby video player when the playback point of the standby playback video is slower than the playback point of the active playback video. A standby point is instructed, and video reproduction is started from the standby point at the same timing based on the accompanying information.

  In the present invention, when the video data to be transmitted is switched from the active playback video to the standby playback video in the event of a failure, the active video data and the standby video data are processed synchronously to reproduce before and after the switching. Match points. Accordingly, the transmission video before switching the transmission video output and the transmission video after the switching can be seamlessly connected, and an object is to improve the function of the transmission system.

The block diagram which shows the structure of an example of the conventional transmission system. The figure for demonstrating the internal processing operation | movement of the conventional system changer. The block diagram which shows the structure of one Example of the sending system of this invention. The figure for demonstrating the internal processing operation | movement of one Example of the system changer of this invention. The flowchart for demonstrating one Example of the synchronous processing operation | movement of this invention. The figure explaining the detail of a synchronous adjustment when it determines with the reproduction | regeneration point of the reproduction | regeneration video of a backup system being late | slower than the reproduction | regeneration point of the reproduction | regeneration video of an active system by one Example of this invention.

The transmission system of the present invention is provided with a function for comparing the current and standby playback points in the system changer, and when the standby playback point is early, delays the output of the standby frame synchronizer to reproduce the standby playback. When the point is late, the playback of the standby video player is skipped.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of each figure, components having the same function are given the same reference numerals, including those in FIGS. 1 and 2 describing the prior art, and the description will be omitted as much as possible to avoid duplication. The configuration of the transmission system of the present invention for switching between the active system and the standby system will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the sending system of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a configuration in which the system changer 102 is replaced with a system changer 302 having a different function, the transmission controller 103 is replaced with a transmission controller 303 having a different function, and an alarm terminal 304 is added to the configuration of FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the internal processing operation of the system changer 302 of FIG. Reference numeral 405 denotes a synchronization comparison unit, and 403 denotes an alarm notification unit. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the working / standby switching unit 201, the working FS 202-1 and the standby FS 202-1 have the same functions as the conventional one. FIG. 4 shows a synchronization comparison unit for comparing the playback point of the active video and the playback point of the standby video in the subsequent stage of the active / preliminary switching unit 201 with respect to the conventional configuration of FIG. And an alarm notification unit 403 for notifying (outputting) mismatch information when the playback points do not match.
3 and 4, as in FIGS. 1 and 2, either the video data reproduced by the active video playback device 101-1 or the standby video playback device 101-2 is transmitted as a transmission video by the system changer 102. It is configured to switch and output, and when a failure occurs in the active system, it is switched to the standby system.

3 and 4, the transmission controller 303 controls the active video player 101-1, the standby video player 101-2, and the system changer 302 under the control of a host controller (not shown). To do.
The same video data is simultaneously input from the same video source to the standby video player 101-2.
Then, each of the active video player 101-1 and the standby video player 101-2 reproduces the input video data in accordance with the control signal input from the transmission controller 303, and the reproduced video data. The data is output to the current / spare machine switching unit 201 of the system changer 302.
The system changer 302 outputs either the playback video of the active video player 101-1 or the standby video player 101-2 to the outside as a transmission video according to the control signal input from the transmission controller 303. . This output video to be sent is video data that is finally on-air (broadcast).

In the system changer 302, the working / standby switching unit 201 outputs the input playback videos of the working / standby systems to the synchronization comparing unit 405 according to the control of the transmission controller 303. For example, when there is no instruction from the sending controller 303 to switch the active playback video to the standby playback video, the active playback video input from the active video player 101-1 is used as it is. To the synchronization comparison unit 405, and the standby reproduction video input from the preliminary video player 101-2 is output to the synchronization comparison unit 405 as the preliminary reproduction video as it is.
However, when there is an instruction from the transmission controller 303 to switch the active playback video to the standby playback video, the active playback video input from the active video player 101-1 is used as the standby playback video. To the synchronization comparison unit 405, and the standby playback video input from the standby video player 101-2 is output to the synchronization comparison unit 405 as the active playback video.

Simultaneously with the output of the video, the synchronization comparison unit 405 includes data of the time code (TC) superimposed on the input playback video of the current system and the time code (TC) superimposed on the playback video of the standby system. And compare the time code. If the time code is shifted, it can be seen that the playback point is shifted. Also, it can be determined how much time is shifted from the shift amount.
When the playback point of the standby playback video is earlier than the playback point of the active playback video (the time of the TC data is earlier), the synchronization comparison unit 405 delays the playback point to the subsequent FS 402-2. A synchronization control signal is output. By this operation, it is possible to synchronize the playback points of the active transmission video and the standby transmission video. At the same time, the synchronization comparison unit 405 outputs mismatch information for alarm notification to the alarm notification unit 403. In response to the input mismatch information, the alarm notification unit 403 outputs warning information (alarm notification) indicating that the playback point is shifted to the transmission controller 303. The sending controller 303 causes the alarm terminal 304 to output an alarm notification based on the warning information. Warnings output from the alarm terminal 304 may be transmitted to other connected devices, or may be controlled by other devices and other means such as warning sound output, warning light display or blinking, etc. A combination of these may be used.
Also, when the standby playback point is later than the active playback point (the time of the TC data is later) due to the mismatch information of the synchronization comparison unit 405, the playback point of the video player is set earlier via the transmission controller. Process to do. That is, the transmission controller 303 determines that the standby playback point is slower than the playback point of the active system based on the input mismatch information, and the standby video player based on the deviation amount of the playback point. A control signal is output to 101-2 to perform synchronous adjustment (details of the adjustment will be described later).

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the synchronization processing operation of the system changer (for example, see the system changer 302 in FIGS. 3 and 4) and the delivery controller (for example, see the delivery controller 303 in FIG. 3) of the present invention. It is a flowchart. This processing operation is performed by the synchronization comparison unit of the system changer unless otherwise specified.
In synchronization comparison step S501, synchronization comparison is performed for the TC of the input reproduction video for the current system and the TC of the reproduction video for the standby system, and the process proceeds to step S502.
In the reproduction point mismatch determination step S502, it is determined whether the two TCs match or not. If they match, the process returns to the synchronization comparison step S501. If they do not match, the process proceeds to the mismatch information notification step S503. .
In mismatch information notification step S503, a mismatch information notification is output to the sending controller, and the process proceeds to alarm notification step S504.
In the alarm notification step S504, an alarm notification signal is output from the sending controller to the alarm terminal, a warning is output to the alarm terminal, and the process proceeds to the reproduction point determination step S505.
In the reproduction point determination step S505, it is determined whether the TC of the reproduction video for the standby system is earlier or later than the TC of the reproduction video for the active system. If the TC is early, the process proceeds to the standby FS delay step S506. In step S507, the process proceeds to the standby video reproduction delay step S507.
In backup FS delay step S506, the synchronization comparison unit controls the backup FS, delays the output of the playback video of the backup system by the amount of the shift, and returns the process to the synchronization comparison step S501.
In the standby video playback delay step S507, the transmission controller controls the standby playback video device and outputs a control signal to the standby video playback device 101-2 to perform synchronization adjustment (for details of the adjustment, see The process returns to the synchronous comparison step S501.

FIG. 6 is an embodiment of the present invention, and details of the synchronization adjustment when it is determined in the system changer 302 that the playback point of the standby playback video is later than the playback point of the active playback video. FIG. The abscissa represents the elapsed time and the operating status of the active video player 101-1, the standby video player 101-2, the system changer 302, and the sending controller 303.
In FIG. 6, the synchronization comparison unit 405 of the system changer 302 detects the deviation of the reproduction point by reading and comparing the time code data superimposed on the video signals of the current video and the preliminary video, and at time t1, An alarm is output from the system changer to the transmission controller, and the amount of deviation from the current playback position of the active video is notified, and synchronization processing is started.
Next, when the standby playback point is later than the active playback point at time t2, the transmission controller 303 instructs the standby video player 101-2 to specify the standby point, and performs standby processing. I do. Thereafter, the playback video is synchronized by starting at time t3 at the same time.
The standby position at this time needs to be calculated from the current playback position and the time required for standby by the video player. Thereafter, the start point is automatically controlled at the timing at which the standby position should be reproduced, thereby reproducing the correct point.

  As described above, by performing playback timing synchronization processing in the transmission system, playback points are seamlessly connected even when the transmission video is switched from the active playback video to the standby playback video in the event of a failure.

  101-1: active video player, 101-2: standby video player, 102: system changer, 103: transmission controller, 201: active / standby switching unit, 202-1: active system FS, 202-2 : FS of standby system, 302: System changer, 303: Sending controller, 304: Alarm terminal, 403: Alarm notification unit, 405: Synchronization comparison unit.

Claims (1)

The active video material playback device and the standby video material playback device that play back the same video source and output as video data, and the video played from the active video material playback device and the standby video material playback device, respectively. In a transmission system having a system changer that outputs any of the data as a transmission video and a transmission controller,
The system changer switches the input video data reproduced from the active video material playback device and the standby video material playback device based on the control from the transmission controller to switch the active system playback video and the standby system playback. An active / preliminary switching unit that outputs as video, and a synchronous comparison unit that compares the playback points of the active playback video and the standby playback video input from the active / preliminary switching unit, and outputs mismatch information if they do not match An active frame synchronizer that outputs the active playback video input from the synchronization comparator as an active video in phase with an external synchronization signal, and the preliminary playback video input from the synchronization comparator A standby frame synchronizer that outputs a backup system image in phase with a synchronization signal from the outside, and the mismatch information is input And an alarm notification unit that notifies the mismatch information to the output controller,
The synchronization comparison unit outputs a synchronization control signal for delaying the playback point to the standby frame synchronizer when the playback point of the standby playback video is earlier than the playback point of the active playback video, A frame synchronizer, based on the synchronization control signal, delays the playback point of the standby playback video, synchronizes the active playback video and the standby playback video,
When the playback point of the standby system playback video is later than the playback point of the active system playback video, the sending controller controls the standby system video player based on the discrepancy information to perform synchronization adjustment. Feature delivery system.

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