KR100530920B1 - Image and voice transmitting apparatus and receiving apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A reception management unit 11 for receiving information including data and transmission format information thereof from a storage device or a communication path, a separation unit 12 for analyzing and separating the reception information, and transmitting information to the storage device or a communication path. The transmission unit 13, the image extension unit 14 which extends the image, and the image extension management unit 15 manage processing conditions of the image extension unit 14 which extends at least one or more images, and the expanded information. A plurality of image synthesizing apparatuses composed of an image synthesizing unit 16 for synthesizing the images on the basis of the? Can be combined with each other to cope with dynamic changes in the transmission format information.

Description

Image and voice transmitter and receiver {IMAGE AND VOICE TRANSMITTING APPARATUS AND RECEIVING APPARATUS}

The present invention relates to an image and audio transmission apparatus and an image and audio reception apparatus.

For example, by extracting a person's image from a landscape image of a space in which one's own space exists, and superimposing the image and the person's image sent from the other side and the virtual space displayed in common with the other party stored in advance. In other words, there is a thing that aims for a visual communication with a sense of reality that meets the realism that the other person is in front of him (Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-24914).

In particular, in the related art, inventions relating to a method for speeding up images and reducing a memory have been made (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-46592: Image Synthesis Apparatus).

In the related art, a communication system using image synthesis for synthesizing two-dimensional still images or three-dimensional CG data has been proposed. However, a method of realizing a system for simultaneously synthesizing and displaying a plurality of moving images and / or audio is described below. No concrete discussions were made from the viewpoint.

That is, (A1) controlling data and control information (transmitted in a different packet from data) using a plurality of logical transmission paths constructed in software on one or two or more real transmission paths. (Information and communication) and control method thereof, (A2) header information added to the image or audio data to be transmitted (corresponding to the data management information of the present invention). Dynamic change method of (A3) dynamic change of header information (corresponding to transmission management information of the present invention) added for transmission, and (A4) dynamic multiplexing and separating a plurality of logical transmission paths. (A5) specific methods in terms of a method of transmitting a video or audio including (A5) reading a program or data, a method of transmitting an image or audio in consideration of a rise time, and (A6) a method of transmitting an image or audio in consideration of a zapping. There was a problem that no argument was made.

On the other hand, conventionally, as a method of dynamically adjusting the amount of transmission to the network, a method of changing the encoding method or discarding data in units of frames according to the frame type of the video has been proposed (Jincheon Temple Hosa Temple). , Cheol-Nam Koh, A Review of Distributed Adaptive VOD Systems, D-81, Institute of Electronics and Telecommunications Systems (1995).

As a method of adjusting the throughput on the encoder side, a dynamic throughput scalable algorithm has been proposed that can provide a high-quality image under the constraint of processing time. (Attack Dictionary, Attempt Trend, and Sosa Park) , Do-Byeon Yu, Tochon Hwajeon: Software Image Coding by Dynamic Amount Scalable Algorithm, Journal of Electronics and Information Communication Society D-2, Vol. 80-D-2, No.2, pp .444-458 (1997).

An example of realizing synchronous reproduction of a moving picture and an audio is a system of MPEG1 / MPEG2.

In this conventional technique, (B1) in the method of discarding an image according to the frame type of the conventional image, the grading of information that can be handled is within a single stream, so that a plurality of video streams or a plurality of audio streams are used. There is a problem that it is difficult to synchronously reproduce important scene cuts with audio in consideration of handling and editor intention. (B2) In addition, since MPEG1 / MPEG2 is premised on the hardware implementation, it is assumed that the decoder can decode all the given bitstreams. Therefore, there is a problem that the corresponding method when the processing capacity of the decoder is exceeded is not determined.

On the other hand, some conventional methods of transmitting moving images use H. 261 (ITU-T Recommendation H. 261-Video codec for audiovisual services at px64) and the like, and have been implemented by hardware. For this reason, since the upper limit of the performance required in hardware design is taken into consideration, the case where the decoding process cannot be completed within a specified time does not occur.

In this case, the designated time is a time required for transmission of a bitstream in which one picture is encoded. If it is not decoded within this time, the excess time becomes a delay, and when this accumulates and becomes large, the delay from the transmitting side to the receiving side becomes large, making it unsuitable for use as a television telephone. This situation should be avoided.

In addition, there is a problem that moving pictures are not transmitted when the decoding process cannot be completed within a specified time because the communication partner generates an out-of-standard bitstream.

This problem is a problem that occurs not only in moving pictures but also in voice data.

In recent years, however, the network environment has been improved in personal computers (PCs) in the form of the Internet and the spread of ISDN. As a result, the transfer speed has been increased, enabling the transmission of moving images using a PC and a network. The demand for moving picture transmission from the user is suddenly increasing. In addition, due to the improvement in CPU performance, encoding of moving images by software is sufficiently possible.

However, in personal computers, since the same software can be executed on computers with different device configurations such as CPU, bus width, and the presence of accelerators, it is difficult to consider the upper limit of the required performance in advance, and it is sometimes impossible to decode the image within a specified time. .

In addition, when encoded data of a moving picture having a length exceeding the processing capacity of the receiving device is transmitted, encoding within a predetermined time becomes impossible.

Problem (C1): Decodes the image within a predetermined time, and suppresses the delay small.

Also, as a solution for this problem 1, for example, when a moving image is input as waveform data of claim 1 of the present invention or a moving image is output as waveform data of claim 7 of the present invention, the transmitted bitstream In some cases, there is a problem that the actual use efficiency of the transmission path is bad because some parts are not used. In addition, some encoding methods generate the current decoded image based on the previous decoded image (P picture, etc.). However, in the above-described solution of problem 1, the previous decoded image may not be completely restored. There is also a problem that the deterioration of image quality increases rapidly with time.

Task (C2): The task 1 solution means that the practical use efficiency of the transmission path is poor. Moreover, image quality deterioration is spreading.

In software implementation, the frame rate of an image is determined by the time required for one encoding process. Therefore, when the frame rate specified by the user exceeds the processing limit of the calculator, it cannot be specified.

Task (C3): If the frame rate indicated by the user exceeds the processing limit of the calculator, the specification cannot be accepted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image / audio transmission device and an image / audio receiver that solve at least any one of those problems in consideration of the problems of (A1) to (A6) of the first prior art.

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In the first invention of the present application, there is provided a transmitting apparatus for transmitting a content relating to a transmission method and / or a structure of data to be transmitted or an identifier indicating the content to a receiving apparatus as transmission format information, wherein the transmission apparatus comprises: The format information includes (1) an identifier identifying a program or data to be used for processing in a later step in the receiving apparatus, (2) information at the time when the program or data is to be used for processing, or Information for knowing an expiration date of use for processing the program or data, wherein the receiving device judges the identifier and the information to determine the identified program or data according to the information; Or used to set up prior to use to process data. A.

In the second invention of the present application, the information at the time when the program or data is to be used for processing, or the information for knowing the expiration date of the use for processing the program or data, is at least one of a flag, a counter, or a timer. It is a transmission apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiving means for receiving, as transmission format information, an identifier relating to a transmission method and / or a structure of data to be transmitted, or an identifier indicating the content, and processing the data by determining the transmission format information. A receiving apparatus having a control means, wherein the transmission format information includes (1) an identifier for identifying a program or data to be used for processing in a later step in the receiving apparatus, and (2) the program or data Includes information at the time point at which it is to be used for processing, or information for knowing the expiration date of the program or use for processing the data, wherein the control means determines the identifier and the information to determine the identified program. Or prior to use of data to process said identified program or data in accordance with said information. A receiving apparatus which comprises up.

In the fourth invention of the present application, the information at the time when the program or data is to be used for processing, or the information for knowing the expiration date of the use for processing the program or data is at least one of a flag, a counter, or a timer. It is a receiving device characterized in that.

(Example)

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Moreover, the Example demonstrated here mainly solves any of the above-mentioned subjects (A1)-(A6).

The "image" used in the present invention includes both a still image and a moving image. The target image may be three-dimensional image data composed of a two-dimensional image such as computer graphics (CG) and a wire frame model.

1 is a schematic structural diagram of a video audio transmitting and receiving device in an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the reception management unit 11 for receiving information and the transmission unit 13 for transmitting information are means for transmitting information such as a coaxial cable, a CATV, a LAN, and a modem. The communication environment may be a communication environment in which a plurality of logical transmission paths may be used without consciousness of multiplexing means, such as the Internet, or a communication environment in which multiplexing means, such as an analog telephone or satellite broadcast, should be conscious.

Examples of the connection type of the terminal include a form of transmitting and receiving video and audio bi-directionally between terminals, such as a TV telephone and a TV conference system, or a form of satellite or CATV, broadcast type video or audio broadcasting on the Internet. In the present invention, the connection form of such a terminal is considered.

The separator 12 shown in FIG. 1 is a means for interpreting the received information to separate data and control information. Specifically, it is means for decomposing transmission header information and data added to the data for transmission, or for decomposing the data control header and data added to the data itself. The image extension part 14 is a means for extending the received image. For example, it may be a standardized moving picture or a still picture compressed picture such as H. 261, H. 263, MPEG 1/2, or JPEG.

The image extension management unit 15 shown in Fig. 1 is a means for monitoring an image's extended state. For example, if the receiving buffer overflows by monitoring the image's decompression status, the decompression of the image can be resumed from the point where the image can be decompressed by reading the receiving buffer blank without extending the image. Can be.

In Fig. 1, the image synthesizing unit 16 is a means for synthesizing the extended image. As to the composition method, in the script languages JAVA, VRML, and MHEG, images and their structural information (display position and display time (which may include display period)), grouping methods between images, and layer of image display (depth) Then, the method of composing images can be defined by describing the relationship between the object ID (SSRC described later) and these attributes. The script describing the synthesis method is input and output from the network or local storage.

The output unit 17 is a display, a printer, or the like for outputting a result of synthesizing an image. The terminal control unit 18 is a means for controlling these units. In addition, even in a configuration in which an audio is extended instead of an image (corresponding to changing the image extension into an audio extension, the image extension managing unit into an audio extension management unit, and the image synthesis unit into an audio synthesis unit), both image and audio are extended and synchronized in time. The composition may be synthesized and displayed while maintaining.

In addition, an image compression unit which compresses an image, an image compression management unit which manages the image compression unit, an audio compression unit which compresses the voice, and a voice compression management unit which manages the voice compression unit can be used to transfer images and audio.

2 is a diagram illustrating a reception management unit and a separation unit.

Analyzing the transmission contents in the data receiving unit 101 for receiving data in the reception management unit 11 shown in FIG. 1, the control information receiving unit 102 for receiving control information for controlling the data, and the separating unit 12. A transmission format storage section 103 for storing a transmission structure (details will be described later), and a transmission information analysis section 104 for analyzing transmission contents based on the transmission structure stored in the transmission format storage section 103. By configuring each unit, it is possible to independently receive data and control information. For example, it is easy to delete or move a received image or sound while receiving.

As described above, the communication environment targeted by the reception management unit 11 may be a communication environment (Internet profile) capable of using a plurality of logical transmission paths without consciousness of multiplexing means such as the Internet, or an analog telephone or satellite. It may be a communication environment (raw profile) in which multiplexing means must be aware of, such as broadcasting. However, from the user's point of view, it assumes a communication environment in which a plurality of logical channels (logical channels) are prepared (for example, in a communication environment in which TCP / IP is used, an expression called a communication port is generally used). .

As shown in Fig. 2, as the information received by the reception management unit 11, one or more types of data transmission paths and one or more types of logical transmission paths for control for controlling the data to be transmitted are assumed. A plurality of transmission paths for data transmission may be prepared, and only one transmission path for data control may be prepared. In addition, like the RTP / RTCP used in H.323, a data control transmission path may be prepared for each data transmission. In addition, when a broadcast using UDP is considered, a communication mode using a single communication port (multicast address) may be used.

3 is a diagram for explaining a method of transmitting and controlling an image or an audio using a plurality of logical transmission paths. The data to be transmitted itself is called an ES (elementary stream), and the ES may be image information for one frame, image information in a GOB unit or macroblock unit smaller than one frame.

If it is voice, it may be a fixed length determined by the user. The header for data control added to the data to be transmitted is called AL (Adaptation Layer Information). As AL information, the information which shows whether it is a start position which can process data, the information which shows the reproduction time of data, the information which shows the processing priority of data, etc. are mentioned. The data management information of the present invention corresponds to AL information. The ES and AL used in the present invention do not necessarily have to match the contents defined in MPEG1 / 2.

Two types of information can be mentioned specifically, the information which shows whether it is a start position which can process data. One is a flag for random access, for example, information for indicating that the image is read and reproduced independently regardless of the data before and after, such as an intra frame (I picture). Secondly, an access flag can be defined as a flag simply indicating that it can be read alone. For example, the image is information indicating that the image is at the head of a GOB unit or macroblock unit. Therefore, if there is no access flag, the data is in the middle. It is not necessarily necessary to use both the flag and the access flag for random access as information indicating whether or not the start position is data processing.

In real-time communication such as a TV conferencing system, problems may not occur even if both flags are not added. In order to simplify editing, a random access flag is required. A flag is required, but if necessary, it may be determined before transferring data through the communication channel which flag is required.

The information representing the reproduction time of the data indicates time synchronization information when the image and audio are reproduced, and is called PTS (presentation time stamp) in MEPG1 / 2. In real-time communication such as a TV conferencing system, since time synchronization is not usually considered, information representing a reproduction time is not necessarily required. The necessary information may be the time interval of the encoded frame.

Although large fluctuations in the frame interval can be prevented by adjusting the time interval on the receiving side, there is a possibility that there is a delay by adjusting the reproduction interval. Therefore, it may be determined that time information indicating the frame interval of encoding is not necessary.

The information indicating the reproduction time of the data means whether the PTS or the frame interval means that the reproduction time of the data is not added to the data itself and notified to the receiving terminal through the communication path before data transmission. Data may be transmitted together with the data management information.

When the information indicating the priority of data processing cannot be processed or transmitted depending on the load of the receiving terminal or the load of the network, the load of the receiving terminal or the load of the network can be reduced by stopping the data processing or canceling the transmission. .

In the receiving terminal, the image extension management unit 15 can process the relay terminal or router in the network. The expression method of priority may be a numerical expression or a flag. In addition, by transmitting the offset value of the information indicating the processing priority of the data together with the control information or the data as the data management information (information of AL), a sudden change in the load of the receiving terminal or the network load is allocated to the image or audio in advance. By adding an offset value to the priority that has been set, it is possible to set the dynamic priority according to the operation status of the system.

In addition, information for identifying whether scramble is present or not, copyright or original or copy is transmitted as control information together with the data identifier (SSRC) separately from the data, thereby releasing scramble at the relay node.

The information indicating the processing priority of data may be added in units of streams composed of a plurality of video or audio frame sets, or may be added in units of video or audio frames.

In a coding method such as H. 263 or G. 723, a priority addition means for determining the processing priority at the time of overloading the encoded information on a predetermined basis, and for associating the encoded information with the determined priority, to the transmitting terminal apparatus. (See FIG. 46).

46 is a diagram for explaining priority adding means 5201 to add priority to video and audio.

That is, as shown in Fig. 46, priority is added to each of the encoded video and audio data (processed by the video encoding means 5202 and the audio encoding means 5203, respectively) based on a predetermined rule. The rules for adding the priority are stored in the priority adding rule 5204. The rule is a rule that an I frame (in-frame coded video frame) adds a higher priority than a P frame (inter-frame coded video frame), but a video is a rule that adds a lower priority than audio. This rule may be changed dynamically according to the user's instructions.

Objects to which the priority is added are, for example, screen replacement, image frames or streams instructed by the editor or user, and voiced and unvoiced sections.

As a method of adding the priority of each image or audio frame to define the processing priority at the time of overload, a method of adding by a communication header and embedding in a header of an encoded bitstream of video or audio at the time of encoding are considered. The former can obtain information about priority without decoding, and the latter can be treated independently as a bitstream entity without system dependence.

When priority information is added to the communication header, when one picture frame (e.g., intra-frame coded I frame, inter-frame coded P, B frame) is divided into a plurality of transmission packets. Priority is added only to the communication header that transmits the head of an accessible picture frame. (If the priority is the same within the same picture frame, the priority does not change until the head of the next accessible picture frame appears. ).

The control information may be configured by varying a range of values (for example, time information in 16 bits or 32 bits) in which priority can be expressed according to the purpose.

The decoding apparatus further includes priority determining means for determining the processing method in accordance with the priority of overload of the received various encoded information in the receiving terminal apparatus (see Fig. 47).

Fig. 47 is a view for explaining priority determining means 5301 for analyzing the priority added to video and audio and for determining whether to decode or not.

That is, as shown in FIG. 47, priority is priority added for each stream of video and audio and priority added for each frame of video or audio. These priorities may be used independently, or frame priority and stream priority may be used. Priority determining means 5301 determines the stream or frame to be decoded according to these priorities.

Decode processing is performed using two types of priorities that determine the processing priority upon overload in the terminal.

In other words, Stream Priority (Definite Priority) is used to define the relative priority between bitstreams such as video and audio, and Frame Priority (Definition Priority) is defined between decoding processing units called video frames within the same stream. ; Priority in time series) (FIG. 24).

The former stream priority enables handling of multiple videos and audios. The latter frame priority makes it possible to add another priority even if the video frame (I frame) coded in the same frame is changed according to the screen replacement of the video or the intention of the editor.

In addition, by managing the stream priority in association with the allocation time in the operating system (OS) of the encoding or decoding processing of an image or audio or the priority of the processing, the processing time at the 0S level can be managed. Microsoft's Windows 95 / NT, for example, allows you to define five levels of OS priority. When the means for encoding and decoding are realized in units of threads in software, the priority at the OS level assigned to each thread can be determined from the stream priority of the stream to be processed.

The frame priority and stream priority described herein may be applied to a transmission medium or a recording medium. For example, if the priority of a packet to be transmitted is defined as an access unit priority,

Access unit priority = stream priority-frame priority

The priority of the packet transmission or the processing priority in case of overload by the terminal can be determined from the relationship between the frame priority and stream priority.

Also, a floppy disk, an optical disk, or the like can be used as a data recording medium. In addition, the recording medium is not limited to this, and may be implemented as long as it can record a program such as an IC card, a ROM cassette, and the like. Further, an image or audio relay device such as a router or a gateway for relaying data may be used.

As a usage method related to the specific priority, the image extension management unit or the audio extension management unit includes priority determination means for determining a threshold value of the priority of the encoded information to be processed when the receiving terminal is overloaded. PTS) and the elapsed time from the start of processing up to now or the time to be decoded (DTS) and the elapsed time from the start of processing up to the present, and the threshold value of the priority of the encoded information to be processed according to the comparison result. (Information for changing the threshold value may be referred to grading of I frame insertion interval and priority).

In the example shown in FIG. 20A, the encoder encodes the QCIF and CIF sized images introduced by the encoder (H.263) at the time of encoding, decodes them together with the encoded information (DTS), and displays the time. A time stamp (PTS) indicating the information, priority information (CGD) indicating the processing sequence in case of overload, a frame type (SN), and a sequence number are output.

Also in the example shown in Fig. 20B, the voice is also recorded through a microphone and encoded by the encoder (G. 721), and the time indicating the time of decoding (DTS), the time of reproducing the voice with the encoded information. The stamp PTS, priority information CGD, and sequence number SN are output.

At the time of decoding, as shown in Fig. 20C, the image and the audio are passed to separate buffers, and the image and the audio are compared with the respective DTS (decoding time) and the elapsed time from the current processing start, so that the DTS is delayed. If not, the image and audio are passed to the respective decoders (H.263, G.721).

In the example of FIG. 21, the method of adding the priority at the time of overload in an encoder is recorded. As for the image, I frames (in-frame coded image frames) have high priority "O" and "1", and are assigned high priority (the smaller the number, the lower the priority). P frames have a priority of "2" and are assigned a priority lower than that of I frames. Since I frames are assigned two levels of priority, it can be said that only I frames having a priority of "0" are played when the load of the terminal to be decoded is high. In addition, it is necessary to adjust the insertion interval of the I frame in accordance with the priority addition method.

The example of FIG. 22 is a figure recorded about the determination method of the priority in the receiving terminal at the time of overload. The priority of the discarded frame is set to be larger than the cut off priority. In other words, all image frames are subjected to processing. The maximum value of the priority added to the image frame can be known in advance by notifying the transmitting side to the receiving side at the time of terminal connection (step 101).

When the elapsed time is large (when the decoding process is not sufficient) by comparing the elapsed time from the start of the current processing of the DTS, the threshold of the priority of the image and audio to be processed is lowered and the process is selected ( In step 102, on the contrary, when the elapsed time from the start of processing is small (decoding process is sufficient), the priority threshold is raised to increase the image or sound of the object to be processed (step 103).

If one previous picture frame is skipped to a P frame, the processing is not performed. Otherwise, a priority offset value is added to the priority of the image frame (or audio frame), compared with the threshold of priority, and the data to be decoded is passed to the decoder if the threshold is not exceeded (step 104).

In addition, the priority offset is a method in which the performance of the machine is investigated in advance and the receiving terminal is notified of the offset (the user may instruct the receiving terminal), and the usage method of changing the priority of the stream units of a plurality of video and sound streams ( For example, the last background can be selected to raise the offset value.

In the case of targeting a multi-stream, priority may be added for each stream and skipping of image or audio decoding may be determined. In addition, in real-time communication, the TR (temporary reference) of H.263 can be handled and used in the same manner as in the DTS to determine whether the decoding processing in the terminal is in progress or delayed, and the skip processing described above can be realized.

23 implements the above algorithm and examines the time change of priority.

23 shows a change in priority added to the video frame. This priority is a priority for determining whether to decode when the terminal is overloaded, and is added for each frame. The smaller the value, the higher the priority. In the example of FIG. 23, 0 has the highest priority. When the threshold of priority is 3, the frame of priority to which a value larger than 3 is added is discarded without decoding, and the frame to which the priority to which a value of 3 or less is added is added. By discarding the selective frame by priority, the load on the terminal can be suppressed. The threshold of this priority may be dynamically determined from the relationship between the current processing time and the decoding processing time (DTS) added to each frame. This method can be applied to the same method not only for video frames but also for audio.

When considering a transmission path such as the Internet, if retransmission of coded information lost during transmission is necessary, a retransmission request priority determining unit for determining a threshold value of priority of the coded information to be retransmitted is provided with a reception management unit. Coded to be retransmitted based on the information managed by the determining unit, the number of retransmissions, the loss rate of information, the insertion interval of encoded frames within the frame, and the grading of priorities (for example, the five-level priority). By determining the threshold value of the priority added to the information, it is possible to request retransmission of only an image or audio required by the receiving terminal. If the number of retransmissions or information loss is large, it is necessary to raise the priority of the information to be resent and lower the retransmission or loss rate. In addition, by recognizing the priority used in the priority determination unit, it is possible to eliminate transmission of information other than the processing target.

With regard to the transmitting terminal, the actual transmission rate exceeds the target transmission rate of the transmission terminal information, or the writing of the encoded information to the transmission buffer is added to the elapsed time and the encoded information from the start of the transmission process so far. When the decoded or displayed time is compared and the writing of information to the transmission buffer is delayed, the information added to the encoded information and used in the priority determining unit of the receiving terminal transmits the information by using the priority when overloading. By selecting, the transmission of the image and the audio in accordance with the target rate is possible. In addition, the overload processing skip function, which is performed by the receiving terminal, can also be suppressed in the transmitting terminal by overloading the transmitting terminal.

Since the information of the above-described AL can be transmitted only as necessary, it is effective because the amount of information to be transmitted can be controlled in a narrow area communication channel such as an analog telephone line. In the realization method, data management information added to the data itself by the transmitting terminal is determined in advance before data transmission, and the data management information used for the receiving terminal is notified as control information (for example, using only a random access flag). On the receiving terminal, the information on the AL used by the transmitting side is rewritten by rewriting information (showing what AL information is used) on the transmission structure stored in the transmission format storage section 103 based on the obtained control information. (Data management information) can be recombined (see FIG. 16).

4 is a diagram for explaining a dynamic change method of header information added to image or audio data to be transmitted. In the example of the figure, the data ES to be transmitted is decomposed into data pieces, and the identification information (sequence number) for indicating the order of data in the obtained data pieces and whether the data pieces are a starting position can be processed. Information (marker bits) and time information (time stamp) relating to the transmission of the data pieces are added to the data pieces in the form of communication headers as corresponding to the transmission management information of the present invention.

As a specific example, RTP (Realtime Transfer Protocol, RFC1889) uses information such as the sequence number, marker bit, time stamp, object ID (SSRC), version number, and the like as the communication header. Extension of the header information item is possible, but the item is necessarily added as a fixed item. However, in a communication environment in which a plurality of different coded images and / or voices are transmitted simultaneously and simultaneously, when transmission of storage media such as real-time communication and video on demand, such as a TV telephone, is mixed, a means for identifying the communication header is different. This is necessary.

For example, the time stamp information indicates the PTS which is the playback time as described above in the case of MPEG 1/2, but the encoded time interval in H. 261 or H. 263. However, if the H. 263 is to be synchronized with audio and processed, it is necessary to indicate that the time stamp is information of the PTS. This is because, in H.263, the time stamp information represents the time interval between encoded frames, and the time stamp of the first frame is defined as RTP.

Therefore, either (a) the flag indicating whether or not the time stamp is PTS is set to the communication header information (necessary extension of the communication header) or (b) the header information of the payload of H.263 or H.261 (ie, AL information). ) (In this case, expansion of payload information is necessary).

As the header information of the RTP, a marker bit, which is information indicating whether or not the data fragment can be processed, is added, but an access flag indicating that the AL information is a start time at which data can be accessed as described above. In some cases, it may be desirable to have a random access flag indicating that data can be randomly accessed. Since it is inefficient to have a duplicate in the communication header, a method of substituting an AL flag with a flag prepared in the communication header is also considered.

(c) The problem is solved by newly installing a flag in the communication header indicating that the AL flag is substituted with the header added to the communication header without adding the flag to the AL, or by defining that the marker bit of the communication header is the same as that of the AL. (You can expect faster interpretation than letting AL). In other words, it is a flag indicating whether or not the marker bit has the same meaning as the flag of AL. In this case, it is considered to describe the improvement or extension area of the communication header.

Conversely, (d) the meaning of the marker bit in the communication header may be interpreted to mean that at least one of a random access flag or an access flag exists in AL. In this case, in order to know that the meaning of the analysis has changed from the conventional one, it can correspond to the version number of the communication header. In addition, if the access flag or the random access flag is provided only in the communication header or the AL header, the processing is simple. (In the former case, it is possible to install both flags, but the new extension of the communication header is necessary. do).

Although adding information indicating the priority of data processing as information of AL has been described, adding the processing priority of the data to the communication header does not interpret the contents of the data even when the determination of the priority processing of the data is on the network. Can be done. In the case of IPv6, it is possible to add to a layer lower than the level of RTP.

By adding a timer or counter for indicating the valid period of data processing to the communication header of the RTP, it is possible to determine how any state change of the transmitted packet is changing. For example, when the necessary decoder software is stored in a storage device having a slow access speed, it is possible to determine at what point the information is needed by the decoder and a timer or counter. In this case, depending on the application, timer, counter, and data processing priority information are not necessary in AL information.

5A to 5B and Figs. 6A to 6D are diagrams for explaining a method of adding AL information.

As shown in FIG. 5A, AL is added only to the head of data to be transmitted, or as shown in FIG. 5B, data ES to be transmitted is decomposed into one or more pieces of data, and then added to each of the pieces of data. By sending control information notifying whether or not to transmit to the receiving terminal, it becomes possible to select a handling grade of the transmission information. Attaching AL to granular data is useful when access delays are a problem.

As described above, in order to notify the receiving terminal in advance of the reorganization of the data management information on the receiving side or the method of arranging the data management information with the data, it is prepared as AL information by using an expression method such as a flag, a counter, a timer, or the like. The reception terminal responds smoothly by preparing it as a communication header and notifying the reception terminal.

In the above examples, a method of avoiding duplication of the RTP header (or communication header) and AL information, and a method of extending the RTP communication header or AL information has been described. However, the present invention does not necessarily need to be RTP. For example, unique communication headers or AL information may be newly defined using UDP or TCP. The Internet profile uses RTP, but the raw profile does not define a multifunctional header like RTP. There are four aspects of the AL information and the communication header (see Figs. 6A to 6D).

(1) In RTP and AL, RTP header information or AL information is corrected and extended so that the already allocated header information is not duplicated. (In particular, time stamp information is duplicated, timers, counters and data processing priority information are Extended information). Alternatively, even if the header of the RTP is not extended and the AL information overlaps with that of the RTP, the method may not be considered. These correspond to the contents shown so far. Since RTP has already been put to practical use in some H. 323, the extension of RTP that maintains compatibility is valid (see Fig. 6A).

(2) The communication header is simplified (for example, only a sequence number) irrespective of RTP, and the rest of the AL information is provided as multifunctional control information. In addition, a flexible transmission format is defined by allowing the item used as AL information to be set variable before communication (see Fig. 6B).

(3) The AL information is simplified regardless of RTP (in the extreme example, no information is added to the AL) so that all control information is included in the communication header. Sequence numbers, time stamps, marker bits, payload types, and object IDs, which can be frequently referred to frequently as communication headers, are set as fixed header information and extended as extension information for data processing priority information and timer information. An identifier indicating whether or not information is provided may be provided, and reference may be made if extended information is defined. (See Figure 6c)

(4) Irrespective of the RTP, the communication header and the AL information are simplified and the format is defined and transmitted as a packet different from the communication header and the AL information. For example, the AL information defines only marker bits, time stamps, and object IDs, and communication headers also define only sequence numbers, which are payload information and priority information for data processing as transfer packets (second packets) different from their information. Also, a method of defining and transmitting timer information and the like is also considered (see FIG. 6D).

As shown above, considering the purpose or the header information already added to the image or audio, the communication header, the AL information, and the packet (second packet) to be transmitted separately from the data can be freely defined (customized) according to the use. Is preferred.

FIG. 7 illustrates a method of transmitting information by dynamically multiplexing and separating a plurality of logical transmission paths. In order to save the number of logical transmission paths, an information multiplexing unit capable of initiating or terminating information multiplexing on logical transmission paths for transmitting a plurality of data or control information according to a user's instruction or the number of logical transmission paths is provided. It is realized by providing an information separating section for separating the multiplexed information in the transmitting section.

In FIG. 7, the information multiplex is called a "group MUX". Specifically, a multiplexing method such as H.223 can be used. This group MUX may be installed in a transmitting / receiving terminal. The group MUX may be installed in a router or terminal of a relay to interconnect a communication path to a small area, and if the group MUX is realized in H.223, the group MUX is interconnected with H.324.

In order to withdraw the control information (multiplexing control information) about the information multiplex with agility, the control information of the information multiplex is not transmitted by multiplexing with the data in the information multiplexing unit, but instead of being multiplexed. Delay due to this can be reduced. Accordingly, the control information regarding the information multiplexing unit is transmitted by notifying the data multiplexed with the data or not by multiplexing the data and transmitting the data through another logical transmission path instead of multiplexing with the data to maintain the conventional multiplexing and consistency. Therefore, the user can select whether to reduce the delay caused by the multiplexing. Here, the multiplexing control information relating to the information multiplexing section is information indicating the content of multiplexing, for example, what multiplexing is performed on each piece of data.

As described above, at least the information for notifying the start and end of the multiplexing, the information for notifying the combination of logical transmission paths to be multiplexed, the flag for notifying the method of transmitting the control information (multiplexing control information) relating to the multiplexing, the counter By using an expression method such as a timer, the setup time can be shortened at the receiving side by transmitting as control information or transmitting data as data management information to the receiving terminal. As described above, items representing flags, counters, and timers may be provided in the transmission header of the RTP.

In the case where a plurality of information multiplexing units or information separating units exist, transmission of control information (multiplexing control information) together with an identifier for identifying the information multiplexing unit or information separating unit identifies which control information (multiplexing control information) regarding the information multiplexing unit. can do. Examples of the control information (multiplexing control information) include a multiplexing pattern and the like. In addition, the identifier of the information multiplexing unit or the information separating unit can be generated by determining the identifier between the terminals using random numbers. For example, it is sufficient to generate a random number in a predetermined range between the transmitting and receiving terminals and to use the larger value as the identifier (identification number) of the information multiple part.

Since the data multiplexed in the information multiplex is different from the media types defined in the conventional RTP, the information indicating the multiplexed information in the information multiplex (new media type, H. 223) is defined in the payload type of the RTP. Just define it.

As a method of improving the access speed to the multiplexed data, it is expected that the multiplexed information can be interpreted quickly by arranging information transmitted or recorded from the information multiplexes in the order of control information and data information. In addition, the item described by the data management information added to the control information is fixed, and header information can be quickly interpreted by adding and multiplexing an identifier (unique pattern) different from the data.

8 is a diagram for explaining a transmission procedure of a broadcast program. The control information is transmitted as the information of the broadcast program by the correspondence between the logical transmission path identifier and the broadcast program identifier, or the broadcast program identifier is transmitted in addition to the data as data management information (AL information) and transmitted in the plurality of transmission paths. It is possible to identify which program is being broadcasted for. In addition, the relationship between the data identifier (SSRC in RTP) and the logical transmission line identifier (for example, LAN port number) is transmitted as control information to the receiving terminal, and the receiving terminal confirms that it can be received (confirmation / Rejection), even if the control information and the data is transmitted to an independent transmission path by transmitting the corresponding data, the correspondence between the data is maintained.

By combining the identifier indicating the order of transmission of the broadcast program or data with the information of the counter or timer indicating the expiration date when the broadcast program or data is used as the information, it is transmitted in addition to the broadcast program or the data and without a return channel. Broadcasting is realized (if the expiration date has passed, even if there is insufficient information, broadcasting program information and data reproduction are started). Also considered is a method of broadcasting without separating into control information and data using an address (multicast address) of a single communication port.

In the case of the communication without the back channel, the control information must be transmitted sufficiently in advance of the data so that the receiving terminal can know the structure information of the data. In addition, control information should generally be transmitted in a reliable transmission channel without packet loss. However, in the case of using a low reliability transmission channel, it is necessary to periodically transmit control information having the same transmission sequence number. This is not limited to sending control information about setup time.

Also, an item (for example, an access flag, a random access flag, a data reproduction time (PTS), data processing priority information, etc.) that can be added as data management information is selected, and the data identifier (SSRC) and the control information are used as control information. Flexible data management and transmission by determining whether the data is transmitted in a logical transmission path different from the data together or as data management information (AL information) together with the data before sending the data by notifying the receiving side as control information. This becomes possible.

As a result, since data information can be transmitted to the AL without adding information, there is no need to extend the definition of a conventionally defined payload when transmitting image or audio data using RTP.

9A to 9B are diagrams showing a method of transmitting an image or an audio in consideration of a read time and a rise time of a program or data. In particular, when a program or data exists and is used in a receiving terminal when the resource of a terminal is limited in one direction without a return channel such as satellite broadcasting or a mobile terminal, a program (for example, H. 263, MPEG1) is used. / 2, software of an audio decoder, etc.) or data (e.g., image data or audio data) exist in a storage device (e.g., DVD, hard disk, file server on a network, etc.) that takes time to read. An identifier for identifying a program or data required in advance, an identifier of a stream to be transmitted (e.g., SSRC or Logica1 Channel Number), a flag for estimating the time required by the receiving terminal, and a counter (count up and down). , Which is required by receiving as control information or with data as data management information in an expression method such as a timer. It is possible to shorten the set-up time of the RAM and the data (Fig. 18).

On the other hand, when a program or data is transmitted, the storage location (e.g., hard disk, memory) at the receiving terminal of the program or data, the time taken for starting or reading, the type of terminal or the storage place and the time taken for starting or reading Program or data required by the receiving terminal by transmitting the program or data from the transmitting side together with information indicating the corresponding relationship (e.g., CPU power, storage device and average response time) and usage order. If necessary, scheduling can be performed regarding the storage location or reading time of a program or data.

10A to 10B are diagrams for explaining a corresponding method for erasing (channel switching of TV).

Unlike satellite broadcasting, which only receives images in the related art, when a program must be executed at a receiving terminal, a setup time until reading or rising of the program becomes a big problem. This can be said to be the same even when the resource used is limited, such as a mobile terminal.

As a solution, a watching program for the user to watch, and a program that the user is watching when the program or data required by the program other than the user is watching exist in a storage device that takes time to read. A bushing unit which periodically checks for other programs by the receiving terminal, an identifier for identifying a program or data that is necessary in advance, information such as flags, counters, and timers for estimating the time required for the receiving terminal, Receive the correspondence between the data as control information (information for controlling the terminal processing, which is transmitted in a packet different from the data), or as data management information (AL information) and preparing the program or data to be read. The setup time at the side terminal can be expected to be shortened.

As a second solution, in the case where a broadcasting channel for broadcasting only a title image of an image broadcast in a plurality of channels is provided, and a program or data required by a viewer to switch viewing programs exists in a storage device that takes time to read, Select the title image of the program that you want to watch once and present it to the viewer, or present what is being read, and set up by reading the program or data required from the storage device and restarting the program that the viewer wants to watch after the reading ends. It is possible to prevent the freezing of the screen occurring at the time. The title image referred to here refers to a broadcast image obtained by sampling a program broadcast on a plurality of channels periodically.

In addition, the timer is a time expression, for example, indicating at what point in time the program required to decode the data stream sent from the transmitting side is needed. The counter is a basic time unit determined between transmitting terminals, and may be information indicating how many times. The flag is transmitted and notified with the data or control information (information for controlling the terminal processing transmitted in a packet different from the data) transmitted before the time required for setup. Both the timer and the counter may be embedded in the data and transmitted, or may be transmitted as control information.

As a method of determining the setup time, for example, when a transmission path such as an ISDN operating on a clock base is used, the transmission is transmitted as transmission management information in order to notify the receiving terminal when a program or data is needed at the receiving terminal. By using the transmission serial number for identifying the order relationship of the data, the time when the setup is performed can be predicted by notifying the receiving terminal together with the data as the data management information or as the control information. In addition, when the transmission time fluctuates due to jitter or delay, such as the Internet, RTCP (medium transmission protocol of the Internet) is a means already realized, and it adds a propagation delay of transmission from jitter or delay time. This is in addition to the setup time.

11A to 19B are diagrams illustrating specific examples of protocols that are actually transmitted and received between terminals.

The transmission format and the transmission procedure are described in ASN.1. In addition, this transmission format is extended based on H.245 of the ITU. As shown in Fig. 11A, the image and audio objects may have a hierarchical structure. In this example, each object ID has attributes of a program identifier (Program ID) and an object ID (S SRC). Structural information and composition method are described in script languages such as Java and VRML.

11A is a diagram illustrating an example of a relationship between objects.

In FIG. 11A, an object is media such as an image, an audio, a CG, and a text. In the example of FIG. 11A, the objects have a hierarchical structure. Each object has a program number (e.g., "Program ID" corresponding to the channel of the TV) and an object identifier "Object ID" for identifying the object. In case of transferring each object by RTP (Realtime Transfer Protocol), the object identifier can easily identify the object by corresponding to SSRC (synchronous source identifier). In addition, the structure description between objects can be described in the description languages JAVA and VRML.

Two methods of transmitting these objects are considered. One is a broadcast type, which is unidirectionally transmitted from a transmitting terminal. The other is also considered a form of transmitting an object (communication type) between the transmitting and receiving terminals (terminal A, terminal B).

For example, as the transmission method, RTP can be used in the case of the Internet. Control information is transmitted using a transmission channel called LCNO in the standard of the telephone. In the example of Fig. 11A, a plurality of transmission channels are used for transmission, but these channels are assigned the same program channel (Program ID).

11B is a view for explaining a method for realizing a protocol for realizing the function described in the present invention. Here, the description will be made using the transmission protocol (H. 245) used in the standards of TV telephones (H. 324, H. 323). By extending H.245, the functions described in the present invention are realized.

The description method shown in the example of FIG. 11B is a protocol description method called ASN.1. “Terminal Capability Set” expresses the capability of the terminal. In the example of FIG. 11B, the function described as "mpeg4 Capability" is extended with respect to the conventional H.245.

In FIG. 12, "mpeg4 Capability" means the maximum number of videos ("Max Number Of Video") that can be processed simultaneously by the terminal, the maximum number of sounds (Max Number Of Sounds), and the maximum number of multiplexing functions that can be realized by the terminal. (“Max Number Of Mux”) is recorded.

In Fig. 12, these are collectively expressed as the maximum number of objects ("Number Of Process Objects") that can be processed. In addition, a flag is recorded to record whether the communication header (represented by AL in FIG. 12) can be changed. When this value is true, the communication header can be changed. In case of notifying each other of the number of objects that can be processed between terminals using "MPEG4 Capability," "MEPG4 Capability Ack" if the notified party is repairable, otherwise "MEPG4 Capability Reject". Return to the terminal that sent MEPG4 Capability ”.

In FIG. 13A, a protocol for using the aforementioned group MUX in which a plurality of logical channels are multiplexed onto a single transport channel for sharing one transport channel (in this example, a transport channel of a LAN) in a plurality of logical channels is used. The method of describing is illustrated. In the example of FIG. 13A, multiplexing means (Group MUX) is associated with a transmission channel ("LAN Port Number") of a local area network (LAN). "Group Mux ID" is an identifier for identifying multiplexing means. When using the "Create Group Mux" to notify each other when using multiplexing means between terminals, select "Create Group Mux Ack" if the notified party can repair (use), otherwise "Create Group Mux Reject". Return to the terminal that sent the "Create Group Mux". The separating means, which is a means for performing the opposite operation of the multiplexing means, can be realized in the same way.

In Fig. 13B, the case of erasing the multiplexing means already generated is described.

In Fig. 13C, a relationship between a transmission channel of a LAN and a plurality of logical channels is described.

The transmission channel of LAN is described as “LAN Port Number” and the plurality of logical channels is described as “Logical Port Number”.

In the example of FIG. 13C, it is possible to match up to 15 logical channels with respect to a transmission channel of one LAN.

If only one MUX can be used in Fig. 13C, the Group Mux ID is unnecessary. If multiple Muxes are used, Group Mux IDs are required for each H.223 command. Further, a flag may be provided for notifying the correspondence of the ports used between the multiplexing and separating means. In addition, a command may be provided for selecting whether to multiplex control information or transmit it through another logical transmission path.

In the description of Figs. 13A to 13C, the transmission channel is a LAN, but a system such as H.223 and MPEG2 may not be used.

In FIG. 14, "Open Logical Channel" shows a protocol technique for defining an attribute of a transport channel. In the example of FIG. 14, "MPEG4 Logical Channel Parameters" is extended and defined for the protocol of H.245.

In Fig. 15, a program number (corresponding to a TV channel) and a name of a program are associated with a transmission channel of a LAN ("MPEG4 Logical Channel Parameters").

In addition, in Fig. 15, "Broadcast Channel Program" is a description method for transmitting a correspondence between a transmission channel of a LAN and a program number in a broadcast type. In the example of FIG. 15, a correspondence relationship between a maximum of 1023 transport channels and a program number may be transmitted. In the case of a broadcast, since only one-sided transmission is performed from a transmitting side to a receiving side, it is necessary to periodically transmit these information in consideration of the loss during transmission.

In FIG. 16A, attributes of an object (e.g., video, audio, etc.) transmitted as a program are described ("MPEG4 Object Class definition"). Object information (“Object Structure Element”) is associated with an identifier of a program (“Program ID”). A maximum of 1023 objects can be associated. As the object information, a field defining a transmission channel of LAN ("LAN Port Number"), a flag indicating whether scramble is used ("Scramble Flag"), and an offset value for changing the processing priority when the terminal is overloaded ( "CGD Offset") and an identifier (Media Type) for identifying the type of media (video, audio, etc.) to be transmitted.

In the example of FIG. 16B, in order to manage the decoding processing of the ES (here, defined as a data string corresponding to one frame of video), AL (here, defined as additional information required to decode one frame of video) Is added. As information of AL,

(1) Random Access Flag (flag indicating whether or not it can be reproduced alone, true if the frame is an encoded video frame),

(2) Presentation Time Stamp,

(3) CGD Priority (the priority value for determining the processing priority when the terminal is overloaded) is defined. An example of a case where the data sequence for one frame is transmitted using RTP (Real Time Transfer Protocol, a protocol for transferring continuous media to the Internet) is shown. "AL Reconfiguration" is a transmission expression for changing the maximum value that can be represented by the AL.

In the example of FIG. 16B, as “Random Access Flag Max Bit”, up to 2 bits can be represented. For example, if 0, the Random Access Flag is not used. 2 is the maximum value of 3.

Moreover, you may express by the real part and mantissa part (for example, 3x6). In addition, when it is not set, you may operate | move in the state determined by default.

In Fig. 17, "Setup Request" shows a transmission expression for transmitting a setup time. Before sending the program, the "Setup Request" is sent, the transmission channel number ("Logical Channel Number") to be transmitted, the program ID to be executed ("excute program number"), the data ID ("data number") to be used, The ID of the command to be executed ("execute command number") is sent to the receiving terminal in association. As another expression method, an execution permission flag ("flag") corresponding to the transmission channel number, a counter ("counter") that records how many times a setup request is received afterwards, and a timer value indicating how long to execute thereafter ( "Timer").

In addition, examples of the request scheduled request include rewriting AL information and securing a rise time of the group Mux.

FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining a transmission expression for notifying the use of the AL described in FIG. 16B from the transmitting terminal to the receiving terminal ("Control AL definition").

In FIG. 18, if "Random Access Flag Use" is true, the Random Access Flag is used. Otherwise do not use. This AL change notification may be transmitted as a control information on a transmission channel different from the data, or may be transmitted on the same transmission channel with the data.

Moreover, a decoder program etc. are mentioned as a program to run. In addition, setup requests can be used for both broadcast and communication. In addition, the request terminal instructs the receiving terminal which item as the control information to use as the AL information. Similarly, it is possible to instruct the receiving terminal which item in the communication header, which item as AL information, and this item as control information.

FIG. 19A shows an example of a transmission expression for changing the structure of header information (data management information, transmission management information, control information) transmitted using an information structure identifier (“header ID”) according to a purpose between transmission and reception terminals. do.

In FIG. 19A, "class ES header" distinguishes a structure of data management information transmitted through a transmission channel such as data and information transmitted through transmission management information between transmission and reception terminals by an information structure identifier.

For example, if the value of "header ID" is 0, only the item of buffer size ES is used. If the value of "header ID" is 1, the item of "reserved" is added.

Further, by using a default identifier (“use Header Extension”), it is determined whether or not to use an information structure of a default format. If "use Header Extension" is true, the inner item of the if statement is used. It is assumed that these structural information is determined between the transmitting and receiving terminals in advance. In addition, the structure which uses either an information structure identifier and a default identifier may be sufficient.

In FIG. 19B, “AL configuration” shows an example of changing a structure of control information transmitted through a transmission channel different from data according to a use between transmission and reception terminals. The method of using the information structure identifier and the default identifier is the same as that of FIG. 19A.

In the present invention, a method of realizing a system for simultaneously synthesizing and displaying a plurality of moving images and / or voices has been described in detail from the following viewpoints.

(1) Transmission (communication and broadcasting) and control of images and audio using a plurality of logical transmission paths. In particular, a method of transmitting a control channel and a logical transmission path for transmitting data independently has been described.

(2) A dynamic change method of header information (AL information) added to image or audio data to be transmitted.

(3) A dynamic change method of communication header information added for transmission.

Specifically, in (2) and (3), a method of integrating and managing AL information and overlapping information in the communication header, or a method of transmitting AL information as control information, has been described.

(4) A method of dynamically multiplexing and separating multiple logical transmission paths to transmit information.

A method of saving the number of channels in a transmission path and a method of realizing efficient multiplexing have been described.

(5) A method of transmitting an image or an audio in consideration of reading time and rise time of a program or data. The various methods and methods for shortening the appearance setup time have been described.

(6) Transmission method of image or sound for erasure.

The present invention is not limited to only two-dimensional image synthesis. The expression form which combined a two-dimensional image and a three-dimensional image may be sufficient, and the image synthesis method which combines an image so that a plurality of images may adjoin like a wide-field image (panorama image) may be included.

In addition, not only the wired bidirectional CATV and B-ISDN are the communication modes targeted in the present invention. For example, transmission of video or audio from the center terminal to the home terminal is radio wave (for example, VHF band, UHF band) and satellite broadcasting, and information transmission from the home terminal to the center terminal is analog telephone line. Or N-ISDN (video, audio, and data are not necessarily multiplexed).

In addition, a communication mode using wireless such as IrDA, PHS (Personal Handy Phone) or wireless LAN may be used. The target terminal may be a portable terminal like a portable information terminal, or may be a desktop terminal like a set top box or a personal computer. Application fields include a TV telephone, a multi-point monitoring system, a multimedia database search system, a game, and the like. The present invention includes not only a receiving terminal but also a server or a relay device connected to the receiving terminal.

The previous examples have described a method of avoiding duplication of the (communication) header and the AL information of the RTP, and a method of extending the communication header and the AL information of the RTP. However, the present invention does not necessarily need to be RTP. For example, unique communication headers or AL information may be newly defined using UDP or TCP. In the Internet profile, RTP is used, but the raw profile does not define a multifunctional header like RTP. As described above, four aspects are possible in terms of the AL information and the communication header.

In this way, the structure of each piece of data management information, transmission management information, and control information used by the transmitting terminal and the receiving terminal (for example, the first is a random access flag and is assigned as 1-bit flag information, and the second is By dynamically determining the order of the added information and the structure of the information with the number of bits) of 16-bit allocation by the sequence number, the structure of the information can be changed depending on the situation, and can be changed according to the use or the transmission path.

The structure of each information may be the one already shown in Figs. 6A to 6D. If RTP, the data management information AL indicates header information for each media (e.g., H.263-specific video header information or H.263). Payload header information) and delivery management information are header information of RTP, and control information may be information for controlling RTP such as RTCP.

In addition, it is a well-known information structure set in advance between transmission and reception terminals, and includes a default identifier for indicating whether information is to be transmitted or received and processed by data management information, transmission management information, and control information (which is transmitted in a different packet from the data). Information on controlling the terminal processing) to determine whether or not the information structure is being changed, and set the default identifier only when the change is being made, and the change contents in the manner as shown in FIG. By notifying (for example, changing the time stamp information from 32 bits to 16 bits), it is not necessary to send configuration information unnecessarily even if the structural information of the information is not changed.

For example, when it is desired to change the information structure of data management information, the following two methods are considered. First, in the case of describing to the data itself how to change the information structure of the data management information, it sets a default identifier (it needs to be written in the fixed area and the position) of the information existing in the data described with respect to the information structure of the data management information. After that, changes to the information structure will be described.

As another method, when changing the information structure in the data management information by describing a method of changing the information structure of the data in the control information (information structure control information), the data management information for setting and changing the default identifier installed in the control information The contents of the information structure are described, and the ACK / Reject notifies and confirms that the information structure of the data management information has been changed to the receiving terminal, and then transmits the data whose information structure has been changed. In the case of changing the information structure of the transmission management information and the control information itself, the above two methods can be realized (Fig. 19).

As a more specific example, although the header information of MPEG2 is fixed, for example, a default identifier is provided in a program map table (defined in PSI) that associates a video stream and an audio stream of MPEG2-TS (transport stream) with the video. If a default identifier is set by defining a configuration stream that describes how to change the information structure of the stream or audio stream, the component stream can be parsed first and then the headers of the video and audio streams can be interpreted according to the contents of the configuration stream. have. The configuration stream may be the content shown in FIG.

The contents (transmission format information) relating to the transmission method of the present invention and / or the structure of the data to be transmitted correspond to, for example, the information structure in the above embodiment.

In the above embodiment, the description has been focused on the case of transmitting contents related to a transmission method to be changed and / or a structure of data to be transmitted. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, only an identifier of the contents is transmitted. Of course, a configuration may be sufficient. In this case, as the transmission apparatus, for example, as shown in FIG. 44, (1) the contents relating to the transmission method and / or the structure of the data to be transmitted or an identifier indicating the contents are used as transmission format information, and the data to be transmitted. Transmission means 5001 for transmitting using the same transmission path as the transmission path of the transmission path, or a transmission path different from the transmission path, (2) the contents related to the transmission method and / or the structure of the data to be transmitted, and An image / audio transmission device having a storage means 5002 for storing a plurality of identifiers, wherein the identifier is contained in at least one of data management information, transmission management information, and information for controlling the processing on the terminal side. do. As the reception apparatus, for example, as shown in Fig. 45, reception means 5101 for receiving the transmission format information transmitted from the image / audio transmission apparatus, and transmission information for analyzing the received transmission format information. An image and audio receiver provided with an analyzing means 5102 may be used. Furthermore, the image and sound receiving apparatus includes contents relating to the transmission method and / or structure of the data to be transmitted, and storage means 5103 for storing a plurality of the identifiers, and the identifier as the transmission format information. In the case of the reception, the content stored in the storage means may be used when analyzing the content of the identifier.

Specifically, a plurality of information structures are determined and prepared in advance by the transmitting and receiving terminals, and for identifying the plurality of types of information structures, the plurality of types of data management information, transmission management information, and control information (information structure control information). By transmitting the information structure identifier together with the data or as the control information, it becomes possible to identify each type of data management information, transmission management information, and control information, and each information according to the media format or transmission path thickness to be transmitted. You can freely choose your information structure. The identifier of the present invention corresponds to the information structure identifier.

These information structure identifiers and default identifiers can be read and interpreted even if the information structure is changed in the receiving terminal by adding them to a predetermined fixed length area or position of the information to be transmitted.

In addition to the configuration described in the above-described embodiment, if a broadcasting channel that broadcasts only the title image of an image broadcast in a plurality of channels is provided and the viewer takes time to set up a program or data required by switching the viewing program, the viewing is performed once. It is good also as a structure which selects the title image of the program to be presented, and presents it to a viewer.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to change the information structure according to the situation by dynamically determining each information structure of data management information, transmission management information, and control information used in the transmitting terminal and the receiving terminal. Can be changed accordingly.

In addition, the information structure is changed by installing a default identifier in the data management information, the transmission management information, and the control information, respectively, to indicate whether or not to process the information by transmitting and receiving the information in a known information structure set in advance between the transmitting and receiving terminals. It is possible to know whether or not there is a change, and it is not necessary to send configuration information unnecessarily even if the structural information of the information is not changed by setting a default identifier and notifying the change only when the change is being made.

In addition, a plurality of types of data management information are determined in advance by preparing a plurality of information structures at a transmitting and receiving terminal, and transmitting information structure identifiers for identifying a plurality of types of data management information, transmission management information, and control information together with the data or as control information. It is possible to identify each piece of information of transmission management information and control information, and the information structure of each piece of information can be freely selected according to the media format to be transmitted or the thickness of the transmission path.

These information structure identifiers and default identifiers can be read and interpreted even if the information structure is changed in the receiving terminal by adding them to a predetermined fixed length area or position of the transmitted information.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In this case, one of the above-described problems (B1) to (B3) is mainly solved.

The meaning of "image" used in the present invention includes both a still image and a moving image. The target image may be three-dimensional image data composed of a two-dimensional image such as computer graphics (CG) and a wire frame model.

25 is a schematic structural diagram of a picture coding and a picture decoding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Transmission management unit 4011 for transmitting or recording the encoded various pieces of information is a means for transmitting information such as a coaxial cable, CATV, LAN, modem, or the like. The picture coding apparatus 4101 includes a picture coding unit 4012 for encoding picture information such as H.263, MPEG1 / 2, JPEC or Huffman coding, and the transmission management unit 4011. The image decoding apparatus 4102 further includes a reception management unit 4013 for receiving various pieces of encoded information, an image decoding unit 4014 for decoding the received various pieces of image information, and an image synthesizer for combining one or more decoded images. 4015 and the output part 4016 comprised with the display, printer, etc. which output an image.

26 is a schematic structural diagram of a speech encoding and speech decoding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The speech encoding apparatus 4201 is configured to include a transmission management unit 4021 for transmitting or recording various pieces of encoded information, and a speech coder 4022 for encoding voice information such as G.721 and MPEG1 audio. The voice decoding apparatus 4202 further includes a reception management unit 4023 for receiving various pieces of encoded information, a voice decoding unit 4024 for decoding the various pieces of voice information, and a voice synthesis unit 4025 for synthesizing one or more decoded voices. And output means 4026 for outputting voice.

Time series data of an audio or moving image is encoded or decoded by the above devices.

25 and 26, the communication environment may be a communication environment in which a plurality of logical transmission paths may be used without consciousness of multiplexing means such as the Internet, or a communication environment in which multiplexing means, such as analog telephone or satellite broadcasting, should be conscious. . Examples of the connection type of the terminal include a form of transmitting and receiving video and audio bi-directionally between terminals, such as a TV telephone and a TV conference system, or a form of satellite or CATV, broadcast type video or audio broadcasting on the Internet.

Similarly, the method of synthesizing an image or an audio is described in JAVA, VRML, and MHEG script languages such as structure information (display position and display time) of image and audio, grouping method of images and voices, and image display layer ( Depth) and object ID (ID for identifying individual objects such as image and sound) and their attribute relations can be described to define a method of synthesizing an image or sound. Scripts describing the synthesis method are obtained from network or local storage.

Further, the image encoding apparatus, the image decoding apparatus, the speech encoding apparatus, and the speech decoding apparatus may be configured in any number and in any combination, respectively.

It is a figure explaining the priority addition part and priority determination part which manage the process priority at the time of overload. Image coding is performed by encoding methods such as H. 263 or G. 723, by determining the priority of the processing at the time of overloading the encoded information based on a predetermined criterion and associating the encoded information with the determined priority. It is provided in the apparatus 4101 or the speech coding apparatus 4201.

The priority criteria is, for example, scene replacement, image frames or streams instructed by the editor or user, and voiced and unvoiced sections.

Priority addition methods for defining the processing priority during overload include a method of adding to a communication header and embedding in a header of a bitstream in which video or audio is encoded at the time of encoding. The former is capable of obtaining information on priority without decoding, and the latter can be treated independently as a bitstream entity without system dependence.

As shown in Fig. 27B, when adding priority information to a communication header, one picture frame (e.g., intra-frame coded I frame, inter-frame coded P, B frame) is divided into a plurality of transmission packets. If the image is a picture, priority is given only to the communication header which transmits the head of the accessible picture frame as single information (when the priority is the same within the same picture frame, priority is given until the head of the next accessible picture frame appears. Degrees do not change).

In the decoding apparatus, the picture decoding apparatus 4102 or the audio decoding apparatus 4202 includes a priority determining unit 32 that determines a processing method according to the priority of overloading the received various encoded information.

28A to 28C are diagrams for describing grading with added priority. Decode processing is performed using two types of priorities that determine the processing priority upon overload in the terminal.

Namely, Stream Priority (Definition of Processing Priority when Overload in Bitstream Units such as Video and Audio) and Processing Priority in Overload Unit in Frame Units (Video Frames) in the Same Stream are defined. Defines the frame priority (Priority in time series data) to define (see Fig. 28a).

The former stream priority enables handling of multiple videos and audios. The latter frame priority makes it possible to add another priority even if a video frame (I frame) coded in the same frame is changed according to the screen replacement of the video or the intention of the editor.

As the meaning of the value expressed by the stream priority, the case of treating as a relative value and the case of treating as an absolute value can be considered (see Figs. 28B and 28C).

Stream priority and frame priority are dealt with in a network, such as a router or a gateway terminal, and in the case of a terminal, a transmitting terminal and a receiving terminal.

There are two ways to express absolute and relative values. One is the method shown in FIG. 28B, and the other is the method shown in FIG. 28C.

In FIG. 28B, the absolute value priority is a value indicating an order in which editors or mechanically added image streams or audio streams are processed (or must be processed) in the event of overload (not considering load fluctuations of actual networks or terminals). ). The relative priority is a value for changing the absolute priority value according to the load of the terminal or the network.

By managing the priority separately from the relative value and the absolute value, only the relative value is changed by the sender or the relay device according to the load change of the network, so that the hard disk and the absolute priority added to the original video or audio stream remain. It is possible to record in VTR. If the absolute priority value is recorded in this way, video and audio can be reproduced in a form that is not affected by network load variation. Relative or absolute priority may be transmitted over the control channel independently of the data.

Similarly, in FIG. 28B, the frame priority, which defines the processing priority of the frame under overload with finer grading than the stream priority, can be treated as a relative priority value or as an absolute priority value. For example, in order to reflect the change in the load of the network or the terminal by describing the absolute frame priority in the information of the coded image, the coded information is transmitted in the relative frame priority relative to the absolute priority added to the preceding video frame. By describing in the communication header of the communication packet, it is possible to add the priority according to the network or the terminal load while maintaining the conventional priority even at the frame level.

The relative priority may be transmitted by describing the correspondence with the frame in the control channel independently of the data rather than the communication header. This makes it possible to record to the hard disk or the VTR while leaving the absolute priority added to the original image or audio stream.

On the other hand, in FIG. 28B, when reproducing to a receiving terminal while transmitting through a network instead of recording to a receiving terminal, since the absolute value and the relative value do not need to be managed separately from the receiving terminal, the transmitting side has to perform both levels of frames and streams in advance. In this case, only the absolute value may be calculated by calculating the absolute priority value and the relative priority value before transmission.

The absolute value priority in FIG. 28C is a value uniquely determined between frames obtained from the relationship between the stream priority and the frame priority. The priority of relative values is a value indicating the order in which editors or mechanically added picture streams or audio streams are processed (or to be processed) upon overload. In the example of FIG. 28C, the frame priority of each stream of video and audio and the stream priority of each stream are added.

An absolute frame priority (absolute) is obtained from the sum of relative frame priority and stream priority (ie absolute frame priority = relative frame priority + stream priority). This calculation method may be a method of subtracting or multiplying integers.

Absolute frame priority is mainly used in networks. This is because, in a relay device such as a router or a gateway, the necessity of determining the priority of each frame in addition to the stream priority and the frame priority becomes unnecessary in the expression by the absolute value. By using this absolute frame priority, processing such as frame discard in the relay device is facilitated.

On the other hand, relative frame priority is expected to be applied to an accumulation system mainly for recording and editing. In editing, multiple video and audio streams may be handled simultaneously. In such a case, there is a possibility that a limit is placed on the number of video streams or frames that can be reproduced by the load of the terminal or the network.

In such a case, the stream priority and the frame priority are managed separately so that the absolute value can be expressed simply by changing the stream priority of the stream that the editor wants to display first or the user wants to see. Unlike when you do, you don't have to recalculate all of the frame priorities. Thus, it is necessary to use absolute expressions and relative expressions appropriately depending on the use.

By describing whether the value of the stream priority is to be used as a relative value or an absolute value, it is effective at the time of transmission and expresses the effective priority even when accumulating.

In the example of FIG. 28B, a flag or identifier indicating whether the value expressed in the stream priority is an absolute value or a relative value in addition to the stream priority is provided and distinguished. In the case of frame priority, a flag or identifier is unnecessary because a relative value is described in the communication header and an absolute value is described in the encoded frame.

In the example of FIG. 28C, a flag or identifier for identifying whether the frame priority is an absolute value or a relative value is provided. If the value is absolute, the priority is calculated from the stream priority and the relative frame priority, so that the calculation process is not performed by the relay apparatus or the terminal. In addition, in the receiving terminal, if the calculation equation is already known between the terminals, it is possible to invert the relative frame priority from the absolute frame priority and the stream priority. For example, the access unit priority of transmitted packets

Absolute priority of transport packet = stream priority-frame priority,

You can obtain from the relational expression Since the frame priority is subtracted from the stream priority, the frame priority may be expressed as a degradation priority.

Further, the processing of data may be managed by associating one or more stream priorities with the processing priority of data passing through a TCP / IP logical channel (LAN port number).

In addition, it is possible to reduce the need for retransmission by assigning a stream priority or a frame priority lower than that of text or control information. This is because there are many cases in which the problem does not occur even if a part of the image or sound is lost.

It is a figure explaining the method of assigning priority to the image data of multiple resolution.

When one stream is composed of two or more substreams, it is possible to define the processing method of the substream by adding the stream priority to the substream and describing the logical sum or logical product at the time of accumulation or transmission.

In the case of a wavelet, it is possible to decompose one image frame into a plurality of different resolution image frames. In addition, even in a DCT-based encoding method, by dividing and encoding into high frequency components and low frequency components, decomposition into image frames having different resolutions is possible.

In addition to the stream priority added to the plurality of video streams composed of the decomposed series of video frames, the relationship is defined by AND (logical product) and OR (logical sum) to describe the relationship between the video streams. A concrete usage is that if the stream priority of stream A is 5 and the stream priority of stream B is 10 (the smaller the number is, the higher the priority), if the stream data is discarded by priority, the stream B side is discarded. However, by describing the relationship between streams, in the case of AND, even if the priority of the stream B is lower than the priority of the threshold, it is defined to transmit and process without discarding.

This allows related streams to be processed without being discarded. In the case of OR, it is defined as discardable. As in the past, the disposal may be performed at the transmitting and receiving terminal or at the relay terminal.

In addition, as an operator for a relation description, when the same video clip is encoded into separate streams of 24 Kbps and 48 Kbps, it may be necessary to play either (exclusive logical OR EX-OR as a relation description).

When the former has a priority of 10 and the latter has a value of 5, the user may reproduce the latter based on the priority, or the user may select the latter without depending on the priority.

30 is a diagram illustrating a method of configuring a communication payload.

In the case of a plurality of substreams, the transmission packets are made easier by, for example, configuring the transmission packets in order of high priority according to the stream priority added to the substreams. In addition, even when the communication packet is configured by gathering the information of the objects having high frame priority by combining the grading in detail, the discarding at the communication packet level can be easily performed.

In addition, since the slice structure of the image is associated with the communication packet, it is easy to return when the packet is missing. In short, the re-sync marker for resynchronization is unnecessary by matching the slice structure of the moving picture to the structure of the packet. If the structure of the slice and the structure of the communication packet do not match, it is necessary to add a resync marker (an indication for indicating the return position) so as to be resynchronized when information is lost due to a missing packet or the like.

In accordance with this, high error protection is considered for high priority communication packets. The slice structure of an image refers to a unit of combined image information such as GOB or MB.

It is a figure explaining the method of associating data with a communication payload. By transmitting a stream or an object with a communication packet along with control information or data, an arbitrary data format is generated according to the communication situation or purpose. For example, in RTP (Real time Transfer Protocol), the payload of the RTP is defined for each encoding to be handled. The current RTP format is fixed. For H. 263, as shown in Fig. 31, three data formats from mode A to mode C are defined. In H.263, communication payloads for multi-resolution video formats are not defined.

In the example of FIG. 31, the layer No. and the above-described relation description (AND, OR) are added to the data format of mode A and defined.

32 is a diagram illustrating correspondence between frame priority, stream priority, and communication packet priority.

32 shows an example in which the priority added to the communication packet in the transmission path is the communication packet priority, and the stream priority and the frame priority correspond to the communication packet priority.

In normal communication using IP, it is necessary to transfer data in association with the priority packet of lower IP packets and the frame priority and stream priority added to the image and audio data. Since image and audio data are divided and transmitted in IP packets, it is necessary to correlate the priorities with each other. In the example of the figure, since the stream priority takes a value from 0 to 3 and the frame priority takes a value from 0 to 5, the upper data can take a priority from 0 to 15.

In IPv6, 0 through 7 of priorities (4 bits) are reserved for congestion-contro11ed traffic, and 8 through 15 of priorities are reserved for real-time communication traffic or uncontrolled congestion traffic. Priority 15 has the highest priority and priority 8 has the lowest priority. This is the priority at the packet level of IP.

In the transmission of data using IP, it is necessary to correspond the priority of upper 0 to 15 to the priority of 8 to 15 which is the priority of lower IP. Correspondence may be a method of clipping a part of higher priority, or may be associated with an evaluation function. The correspondence between the priority of the upper data and the lower IP is managed by the relay node (router, gateway, etc.) and the transmission / reception terminal.

The transmission means is not limited to IP alone, but may be a transmission packet having a flag of whether it can be discarded or not, such as TS (transport stream) of ATM or MPEG2.

The frame priority and stream priority described so far can be applied to a transmission medium or a data recording medium. It can be performed using a floppy disk, an optical disk, or the like as a data recording medium.

The recording medium is not limited to this, and the recording medium can be similarly implemented as long as it can record a program such as an IC card or a ROM cassette. In addition, a video and audio relay apparatus such as a router or a gateway for relaying data may be used.

In addition, priority retransmission processing can be performed by determining time series data to be retransmitted based on information of stream priority (priority between time series data) and frame priority (priority in time series data). For example, when decoding is performed at the receiving terminal based on the priority information, it is possible to prevent retransmission of streams or frames which are not subject to processing.

The priority stream or frame to be retransmitted may also be determined from the relationship between the number of retransmissions and the number of successes of transmission separately from the priority currently being processed.

On the other hand, the transmitting terminal also enables priority transmission processing by determining time series data to be transmitted based on information of stream priority (priority between time series data) or frame priority (priority in time series data). For example, by determining the stream or frame priority to be transmitted based on the average data rate or the number of retransmissions, adaptive video or audio transmission is possible even when the network is overloaded.

The above embodiment is not limited to only two-dimensional image synthesis. The expression form which combined a two-dimensional image and a three-dimensional image may be sufficient, and the image synthesis method which combines an image so that a plurality of images may adjoin like a wide field image (panorama image) may be included. In addition, not only the wired bidirectional CATV and B-ISDN are the communication modes targeted in the present invention. For example, transmission of video and audio from the center terminal to the home terminal is radio wave (for example, VHF band, UHF band) and satellite broadcasting, and information transmission from the home terminal to the center terminal is analog telephone line. Or N-ISDN (video, audio, and data are not necessarily multiplexed). It may also be a wireless communication type such as IrDA, PHS (personal handy phone) or wireless LAN.

The target terminal may be a portable terminal like a portable information terminal, or may be a desktop terminal like a set top box or a personal computer.

As described above, according to the present invention, it becomes easy to synchronously reproduce important scenes with audio, focusing on handling a plurality of video streams or a plurality of audio streams and reflecting the intention of the editor.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Moreover, the Example demonstrated here mainly solves any of the above-mentioned subjects (C1)-(C3).

Fig. 33 shows the construction of the transmitter as the first embodiment.

2101 denotes an image input terminal, and the size of one image is, for example, 144 pixels long and 176 pixels wide. 2102 is a video encoding apparatus, which is composed of four components 1021, 1022, 1023, and 1024 (see Recommendation H. 261).

1021 is a switching unit for dividing an input image into macroblocks (a square region of 16 pixels in length and 16 pixels in width), and determining whether to encode an encoding of this block into intra / inter, 1022 to calculate from the last encoding result. A motion compensation means for creating a motion compensation image based on a local decoded image that can be generated, calculating a difference between the input image, and outputting the result in units of macroblocks. There is a short time full pixel motion compensation. 1023 denotes orthogonal transform means for performing DCT transform on each macro block, and 1024 denotes variable length encoding means for performing entropy encoding on the DCT transform result and other encoded information.

2103 is a counting means, which counts the number of executions of four components of the moving picture coding apparatus 2102, and outputs the result to the converting means for each input image. At this time, the motion compensation means 1022 counts the number of executions for each of the two half pixels and the full pixels.

2104 is a converting means, and outputs a data string as shown in FIG. The variable length code from the moving picture coding apparatus 2102 and the data string from the converting means 2104 are multiplexed as one data string as a transmission means, and output to the data output terminal 2109.

With the above configuration, the number of executions of essential processing (switching unit 1021, orthogonal transforming unit 1023, variable length encoding unit 1024) and non-essential processing (motion compensating unit 1022) can be transmitted to the receiving apparatus. .

40 is a flowchart of a transmission method according to the second embodiment.

Since the operation in this embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment, corresponding elements are added. The image is input at 801 (the image input terminal 2101, and the image is divided into macro blocks at 802. Then, the processes from 803 to 806 are repeated until the processing for all macro blocks is completed by the conditional branch of 807). If each process is executed so that the number of processes from 803 to 806 can be recorded in a specific variable, the corresponding variable is incremented by one.

First, in 803, it is determined whether intra / inter encoding of a macroblock to be processed is performed (switch 1021). In the case of an inter, motion compensation is performed at 804 (motion compensation means 1022). Thereafter, DCT transform and variable length encoding are performed at 805 and 806 (orthogonal transform means 1023 and variable length encoding means 1024). Upon completion of processing for all macro blocks (Yes at 807), a variable representing the number of executions corresponding to each processing is read at 808 to generate a data string as shown in FIG. Output multiplexed strings and signs. The above processes 801 to 808 are repeatedly executed as long as the input image continues.

With the above configuration, the number of executions of each process can be transmitted.

Next, Fig. 35 shows the configuration of the receiving apparatus as the third embodiment.

35 to 307 are input terminals for inputting the output of the transmission apparatus of the first embodiment, and 301 is reception means for drawing out and outputting the variable length code and the data string by demultiplexing based on the output of the transmission apparatus of the first embodiment. In this case, the time required for receiving one piece of data at this time is measured and this is also output.

303 is a video decoding apparatus that receives a variable length code as an input, and is composed of five components. 3031 is variable length decoding means for extracting DCT coefficients and other encoded information from variable length codes, 3032 is inverse orthogonal transform means for performing inverse DCT transform processing on DCT coefficients, and 3033 is a switch for intra / inter each macroblock. The output is classified into up and down on the basis of the encoding information of whether or not it is encoded to the side. 3034 creates a motion compensation image using the last decoded image and the encoding information of the motion as a motion compensation means, and adds and outputs the output of the inverse orthogonal conversion means 3032 to this image. 3035 is an execution time measuring means, which measures the execution time from when the variable length code is input to the decoding apparatus 303 until the decoding and output of the image is completed and outputs it.

302 denotes the number of times of execution of each element (variable length decoding means 3031, inverse orthogonal transformation means 3032, converter 3033, motion compensation means 3034) from the data string from the receiving means 301, and execution time. It is estimation means for receiving the execution time from the measurement means 3035 and estimating the execution time of each element.

In the estimation method, for example, when linear regression is used, the estimation execution time may be the target variable y and the execution frequency of each element is the explanatory variable x_i. In this case, the regression parameter a_i will be regarded as the runtime of each element. In the case of linear regression, it is necessary to accumulate a large amount of historical data, which consumes a lot of memory. However, if the user does not like this, the estimation of the internal state variable by the Kalman filter may be used. In this case, it is assumed that the observed value is the execution time and the execution time of each element as an internal state variable, and the observation matrix C changes in stages by the number of executions of each element. 304 is a number reducing means for changing the number of times of execution of each element so as to reduce the number of times of full pixel motion compensation and to increase the number of times of half pixel motion compensation. Many of these calculations are as follows.

First, the execution time and the estimated execution time of each element are received from the estimation means 302, and the execution time is estimated. If this time exceeds the time taken to receive the data from the receiving means 301, the number of times of full pixel motion compensation is increased until it is not exceeded, and the number of times of half pixel motion compensation is reduced. 306 denotes an output terminal of the decoded image.

When the motion compensation means 3034 is instructed to perform half pixel motion compensation from the encoded information, but when the predetermined number of executions of the half pixel motion compensation is exceeded, the motion compensation means 3034 rounds the half pixel motion to full motion as a full pixel motion. Perform pixel motion compensation.

According to the first and third embodiments described above, if the execution time of the decoding process is predicted from the estimated execution time of each element, and this exceeds the time (designated time) required to receive one piece of data, The motion compensation of the long-running half pixel is replaced with the motion compensation of full pixel. As a result, it is possible to prevent the execution time from exceeding the specified time, thereby solving the problem (C1).

Moreover, the processing time of IDCT calculation can be shortened by not using a high frequency component in IDCT calculation in a receiver. In other words, the calculation of the low frequency component during the IDCT calculation may be regarded as an essential process and the calculation of the high frequency component is a non-essential process, and the calculation frequency of the high frequency component of the IDCT calculation may be reduced.

41 is a flowchart of a receiving method according to a fourth embodiment.

Since the operation in this embodiment is similar to that in the third embodiment, corresponding elements are added. In step 901, the variable a_i representing the execution time of each element is initialized (estimating means 302). In 902, the input of the multiplexed data and the time required for this are measured (receiving means 301). In 903, the multiplexed data is output by separating the variable length code and the data string (receiving means 301). At 904, the number of executions is extracted from the data string (FIG. 2), and these are set in x_i. In 905, the actual number of executions is calculated from the execution time a_i of each element and each execution number x_i (number reduction means 304). Measurement of the execution time of the decoding process is started at 906, and the decoding processing routine described later is started at 907, and measurement of the execution time of the decoding process is then terminated at 908 (video decoding apparatus 303, execution time measurement). Means 3035). In 908, a_i is updated by estimating the execution time of each element from the execution time of the decoding process in 908 and the actual number of executions of each element in 905 (estimating means 302). The above processing is executed for each input multiplexed data.

Further, the decoding processing routine 907 performs variable length decoding at 910 (variable length decoding means 3031), performs inverse orthogonal transformation at 911 (inverse orthogonal transformation means 3032), and fetches the processing at 912 at 910. Branches to information of the received intra / inter (converter 3033). In the case of the inter, motion compensation is performed at 913 (motion compensation means 3034). In 913, the number of executions of the half pixel motion compensation is counted. If this exceeds the actual number of executions obtained in 905, the half pixel motion compensation is replaced with the full pixel motion compensation. After the above processing is completed for all the macroblocks (step 914), this routine ends.

According to the second and fourth embodiments described above, the execution time of the decoding process is estimated from the estimated execution time of each element, and this exceeds the time (designated time) required to receive one piece of data. If possible, the motion compensation of the long-running half pixel is replaced with the motion compensation of full pixel. As a result, it is possible to prevent the execution time from exceeding the specified time, thereby solving the problem (C1).

Next, Fig. 36 shows the configuration of the receiving apparatus as the fifth embodiment.

Most of the components of the present embodiment are the same as those described in the second embodiment, and only the addition of two components and the modification of one component will be described.

402 is modified to output the execution time of each element obtained as a result of the estimation to the number limiting means 304 separately from the output to the estimation means 302 described in the second embodiment. 408 is a transmission means, which generates a data string as shown in Fig. 37 from the execution time of each element and outputs it. The execution time will be sufficient because a maximum of about 65 milliseconds can be expressed in 16 bits in microseconds. 409 is an output terminal for sending this data string to the transmission means.

The reception method corresponding to the fifth embodiment may be a step in which the step of generating a data string as shown in FIG. 37 is added immediately after 808 in FIG.

Next, Fig. 38 shows the configuration of the transmitter according to the sixth embodiment.

Most of the components of this embodiment are the same as those described in the first embodiment, and since only two components are added, the point will be described. 606 is an input terminal for receiving a data string output by the receiving apparatus of the third embodiment, and 607 is a receiving means for receiving the data string and outputting execution time of each element. 608 is a means for determining the number of executions of each element, the order being as follows. First, processing in the switcher 1021 is performed for all the macroblocks in the image, and the number of executions of the switcher 1021 at this point is obtained. The number of executions of the motion compensation means 1022, the orthogonal transform means 1023, and the variable length encoding means 1024 thereafter can be uniquely determined according to the processing result up to this point in time. Therefore, by using these execution times and the execution time from the receiving means 607, the execution time required for decoding on the receiving apparatus side is estimated. This predictive decoding time is obtained as the total of each element of the product of the execution time of each element and the number of execution times. If the predictive decoding and the time are longer than the time required for transmission of the code amount (e.g. 16kbits) to be generated in the current picture specified by the differential controller or the like (e.g., 25Omsec if the transmission rate is 64kbit / sec), the decoding time. Increase the number of executions of full pixel motion compensation to avoid exceeding the time required for this transmission, and reduce the number of executions of half pixel motion compensation (the execution time is shorter because full pixel motion compensation is shorter). You can).

The moving picture encoding apparatus 2102 performs each processing based on the number of executions specified by the determining means 608. For example, when the motion compensator 1022 completes the half pixel motion compensation by the specified number of half times of motion compensation, only the full pixel motion compensation is performed thereafter.

Further, the selection method may be studied so that half pixel motion compensation is uniformly scattered in the image. For example, first obtain all the macroblocks that require half-pixel motion compensation, and obtain the quotient (3) by dividing this number (eg, 12) by the number of half-pixel motion compensation executions (eg, 4). The method of performing half pixel motion compensation may be performed only by dividing the order from the beginning of the macroblock requiring pixel motion compensation by this quotient (0, 3, 6, 9).

According to the fifth and sixth embodiments described above, the estimated execution time of each element is transmitted to the transmitting side, and the transmitting side predicts the execution time of the decoding process, and this is likely to take one piece of data. In order not to exceed the time (specified time), the motion compensation of the long-running half pixel is replaced with the motion compensation of the full pixel. As a result, the execution time does not exceed the designated time without discarding half pixel motion compensation information among the sent encoding information, thereby solving the problem (C2).

In non-essential processing, inter macroblock coding may be divided into three types: normal motion compensation, 8 ㅧ 8 motion compensation, and overlap motion compensation.

42 is a flowchart of a transmission method according to the seventh embodiment.

Since the operation in this embodiment is similar to the sixth embodiment, corresponding elements are added. In 1001, the initial value of the execution time of each processing is set. An image is input at 801 (input terminal 2101), and the image is divided into macroblocks. At 1002, it is determined whether to encode intra / inter for all macroblocks (switch 1021). As a result, since the number of executions of each process from 1005 to 806 can be known, the actual execution number is calculated from the number of executions and the execution time of each process in 1003 (determination means 608).

Thereafter, the processing from 1005 to 806 is repeated until the processing for all macroblocks is completed by the conditional branch of 807.

In addition, when each processing is executed so that the number of processing from 1005 to 806 can be recorded as a specific variable, the corresponding variable is incremented by one. First, at 1005, branching is made based on the determination result at 1002 (switch 1021. In the case of an inter, motion compensation is performed at 804 (motion compensation means 1022). Here, the number of half pixel motion compensation is counted. If this exceeds the actual number of executions obtained in 1003, half pixel motion compensation is not performed, but full pixel motion compensation is performed instead, followed by DCT transform and variable length encoding at 805 and 806 (orthogonal transform). Means 1023, variable length encoding means 1024. Upon completion of the processing for all macroblocks (YES at 807), a variable representing the number of executions corresponding to each processing is read out at 808 and shown in FIG. A data string as described above is generated, and the data string and the code are multiplexed and output, and in 1004, the data string is received, and the execution time of each subsequent processing is retrieved and set.

The above processes from 801 to 1004 are repeatedly executed as long as the input image continues.

According to the seventh embodiment, the paragraph starting at the end of the description of the fifth embodiment described above and the seventh embodiment transmit the estimated execution time of each element to the transmission side, and the execution time of the decoding process at the transmission side. By predicting this, the motion compensation of the long-running half-pixel is replaced with the motion compensation of the full pixel so that it does not exceed the time (designated time) that is likely to be spent receiving one minute of data. As a result, the execution time does not exceed the specified time without discarding half pixel motion compensation information among the transmitted encoded information, thereby solving the problem (C2).

Next, Fig. 39 shows the configuration of the transmitter according to the eighth embodiment.

Most of the components of this embodiment are the same as those described in the first embodiment, and since only four components are added, the point will be described.

As an execution time measuring means, 7010 measures an execution time from when an image is input to the encoding apparatus 2102 to complete encoding and encoding of the image and outputs it. 706 denotes the number of times of execution of each element (transformer 1021, motion compensation means 1022, orthogonal transformation means 1023, variable length decoding means 1024) from the data sequence from the counting means 2103, and execution time It is estimation means for receiving the execution time from the measurement means 7010 and estimating the execution time of each element. The estimation method may be the same as that described in the estimation means 302 of the second embodiment. 707 is an input terminal for inputting a frame rate value from the user, 708 is a determining means for obtaining the number of times of execution of each element, and the order thereof is as follows.

First, all the macroblocks in the image are processed by the switcher 1021, and the number of executions of the switcher 1021 at this point is obtained. The number of executions of the motion compensation means 1022, the orthogonal transform means 1023, and the variable length encoding means 1024 thereafter can be uniquely determined according to the processing result up to this point in time. Next, the sum of each element of the product of the number of executions and the estimated execution time of each element from the estimating means 706 is calculated to calculate the predictive encoding time. If the predictive encoding time is longer than the time available for encoding one picture obtained from the inverse of the frame rate from 707, the number of full pixel motion compensation executions is increased and the number of half pixel motion compensation executions is reduced.

The number of executions is determined by repeating the increase / decrease processing and the calculation of the predictive encoding time until the predictive encoding time becomes less than the usable time.

The moving picture encoding apparatus 2102 performs each processing based on the number of executions specified by the determining means 608. For example, the motion compensator 1022 executes only the number of motion compensation executions for the specified half pixel, and when the half pixel motion compensation is completed, only the motion compensation of the full pixel is executed thereafter.

Further, the selection method may be studied so that the half pixel motion compensation is uniformly scattered in the image. For example, first, all macroblocks requiring motion compensation of half pixels are obtained, and the quotient (3) obtained by dividing this number (for example, 12) by the number of executions of motion compensation of half pixels (for example, 4) is obtained. The method of performing half pixel motion compensation may be performed only by dividing the order from the beginning of the macroblock requiring half pixel motion compensation by this quotient (0, 3, 6, 9).

According to the eighth embodiment shown above, the execution time of each process is estimated, and the execution time required for encoding is predicted in advance based on the estimated execution time, and this prediction encoding time is used for encoding an image whose frame rate is determined from the frame rate. The problem (C3) can be solved by determining the number of executions to be less than the possible time.

In the motion compensation means 1022, there is a full search motion vector detection method that detects that the smallest SAD (sum of absolute values of pixel-to-pixel differences) among the vectors in the left, right, up, down, and 15 pixel ranges is detected to detect the motion vector. There is also a three-step motion vector detection method (described in annex. H. 261). This selects 9 points of evenly placed relationship in the search range and selects its SAD minimum point. Next, select 9 points again in the narrow range near this point and select the SAD minimum point. Performing this process once again is a three-step motion vector detection method.

Consider these two methods as non-essential processing methods, estimate the execution time separately, estimate the execution time required for encoding based on the estimated execution time, and perform a full search appropriately so that the prediction execution time is less than or equal to the user specified time. The number of executions of the motion vector detection method may be reduced, and instead, the number of executions of the three-step motion vector detection method may be increased.

In addition to the three-step motion vector detection method, a motion vector detection method based on a fixed number of times, which further simplifies processing, or a motion vector detection method that returns only (0.0) motion vectors as a result may be used in combination.

43 is a flowchart of a transmission method according to the ninth embodiment.

Since the operation in this embodiment is similar to the eighth embodiment, corresponding elements are added. For detailed operation of each flowchart, please refer to the description of the corresponding element. In addition, since it is substantially the same as the second embodiment, only the differences will be described.

In 1101, the initial value of the execution time of each process is set in the variable a_i. Also, at 1102, a frame rate is input (input terminal 707). 1103 determines the actual number of executions from the frame rate at 1102, the execution time a_i of each process, and the number of executions of each process obtained from the intra / inter determination result at 1002 (determination means 708). 1105 and 1106 are for measuring the execution time of the encoding process. 1104 updates the variable a_i by estimating the execution time of each process from the execution time at 1106 and the actual number of executions of each process (estimating means 706).

According to the ninth embodiment shown above, the execution time of each process is estimated, the execution time required for encoding is predicted in advance based on the estimated execution time, and the prediction encoding time is used for encoding the image determined from the frame rate. The problem (C3) can be solved by determining the number of executions to be less than the available time.

In the second embodiment, when generating the data string at 808, a 2-byte area may be added immediately after the start code shown in Fig. 2, and a binary representation of the length of the code may be added thereto.

In the fourth embodiment, the code length is extracted from this two-byte area at the time of inputting the multiplexed data at 902, and the transfer time of the code obtained from the code length and the transfer rate of the code is calculated at 905. May be used (reduce the number of times of half pixel motion compensation so as not to exceed the transmission time of the code).

In the first embodiment, when generating the data string in 2104, a 2-byte area may be added immediately after the start code shown in Fig. 2, and a binary representation of code length may be added thereto.

In the third embodiment, the code length is extracted from this two-byte area at the time of inputting the multiplexed data in 301, and the number of executions at 304 is calculated from the code length and the transfer time of the code obtained from the code rate. May be used (reduce the number of times of half pixel motion compensation so as not to exceed the transmission time of the code).

In the fourth embodiment, immediately after 909, the actual number of executions of the half pixel motion compensation is recorded to calculate the maximum value thereof. If the maximum value is less than a sufficiently small value (e.g., 2 or 3), a data string (data string composed of a specific bit pattern) indicating that half pixel motion compensation is not used may be generated and transmitted. Also, in the second embodiment, immediately after 808, the presence or absence of the data string is checked, and when a data string indicating that half pixel motion compensation is not received is received, the processing of the motion compensation may be always full pixel motion compensation at 808. do.

This idea can also be applied in addition to motion compensation. For example, the processing time of DCT calculation can be shortened by not using a high frequency component in DCT calculation. In short, in the reception method, when the ratio of the execution time of the IDCT calculation to the total execution time exceeds a predetermined value, a data string indicating the effect is transmitted to the transmitting side. When the transmitting side receives this data string, only the low frequency component may be calculated in the DCT calculation, and all of the high frequency components may be zero.

In addition, although an Example was demonstrated using an image here, you may apply said each method to audio | voice other than an image.

Also in the third embodiment, the actual number of executions of the half pixel motion compensation is recorded at 3034, and its maximum value is calculated. If the maximum value is less than or equal to a sufficiently small value (e.g., 2 or 3), a data string (data string consisting of a specific bit pattern) indicating that half pixel motion compensation is not used may be generated and transmitted. In the case where a data string indicating that half pixel motion compensation is not used in the first embodiment is received, the processing of motion compensation in 1022 may always be made full pixel motion compensation.

This idea can also be applied in addition to motion compensation. For example, the processing time of DCT calculation can be shortened by not using a high frequency component in DCT calculation. In short, as a receiving method, when the ratio of the execution time of the IDCT calculation to the total execution time exceeds a predetermined value, a data string indicating the effect is transmitted to the transmitting side.

When the transmitting side receives this data string, only the low frequency component may be calculated in the DCT calculation, and all of the high frequency components may be zero.

In addition, although an Example was demonstrated using an image here, you may apply the said method etc. to audio | voice other than an image.

As is apparent from the above description, for example, according to the first and third embodiments, the execution time of the decoding process is estimated from the estimated execution time of each element, and this is the time required for receiving one piece of data. If it is likely to exceed the (specified time), the motion compensation of the long pixel with long execution time is replaced with the motion compensation of the full pixel. As a result, it is possible to prevent the execution time from exceeding the specified time, thereby solving the problem (C1).

For example, according to the fifth embodiment and the seventh embodiment, the estimated execution time of each element is transmitted to the transmitting side, and the transmitting side predicts the execution time of the decoding process, which is required to receive one piece of data. The motion compensation of the long-running half pixel is replaced with the motion compensation of the full pixel so as not to exceed the probable time (designated time). As a result, half pixel motion compensation information is not discarded among the sent encoding information, and the execution time can be prevented from exceeding the specified time, thereby solving the problem (C2).

For example, according to the ninth embodiment, the execution time of each process is estimated, and based on this estimated execution time, the execution time required for encoding is predicted in advance, and the encoding of the image whose prediction encoding time is determined from the frame rate is performed. The problem (C3) can be solved by determining the number of executions to be less than or equal to the available time.

As described above, even if the computational load increases, a function (CGD: Computational Graceful Degradation) that flexibly degrades the quality can be realized.

In addition, a recording medium such as a magnetic recording medium or an optical recording medium having recorded thereon a program for causing a computer to execute all or part of the steps (or the operation of each means) described in any one of the embodiments described above. The above operation may be performed by a computer using the recording medium.

As described above, according to the present invention, for example, by dynamically determining the structures of data management information, transmission management information, and control information used by the transmitting terminal and the receiving terminal, it is possible to change the information structure according to the situation. Thus, changes can be made depending on the purpose or transmission path. In addition, it becomes easy to synchronously reproduce important scene cuts with audio by handling a plurality of video streams or a plurality of audio streams and reflecting the intention of the editor. In addition, the execution time of the decoding process is estimated from the estimated execution time of each element, and if it is likely to exceed the time (designated time) required to receive one piece of data, the motion compensation of the long execution time is solved. By substituting for the motion compensation of the pixel, the execution time does not exceed the specified time.

1 is a schematic structural diagram of a video audio transmitting and receiving device in an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a diagram illustrating a reception management unit and a separation unit.

3 is a diagram illustrating a method of transmitting and controlling an image or an audio using a plurality of logical transmission paths.

4 is a diagram showing a dynamic change method of header information added to data of an image or audio to be transmitted.

5A to 5B are diagrams showing a method of adding AL information.

6A to 6D are diagrams showing an example of a method of adding AL information.

7 is a diagram illustrating a method of transmitting information by dynamically multiplexing and separating a plurality of logical transmission paths.

8 is a diagram illustrating a transmission procedure of a broadcast program.

Fig. 9A is a diagram showing a method of transmitting an image or audio in consideration of reading time and rise time of a program or data when a program and data are present in a receiving terminal.

FIG. 9B is a diagram showing a method of transmitting an image or audio in consideration of a read time and a rise time of a program or data when a program or data is transmitted.

10A is a diagram illustrating a corresponding method for erasing.

10B is a diagram illustrating a corresponding method for erasing.

11A illustrates a specific example of a protocol actually transmitted between terminals.

11B is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a protocol actually transmitted between terminals.

12 illustrates a specific example of a protocol actually transmitted and received between terminals.

13A illustrates a specific example of a protocol actually transmitted and received between terminals.

13B is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a protocol actually transmitted and received between terminals.

13C is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a protocol actually transmitted and received between terminals.

14 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a protocol actually transmitted and received between terminals.

15 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a protocol actually transmitted and received between terminals.

16A is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a protocol actually transmitted and received between terminals.

16B is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a protocol actually transmitted and received between terminals.

17 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a protocol actually transmitted and received between terminals.

18 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a protocol actually transmitted and received between terminals.

19A is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a protocol actually transmitted and received between terminals.

19B is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a protocol actually transmitted and received between terminals.

20A to 20C are schematic diagrams of the demo system of the CGD of the present invention.

21 is a diagram illustrating a method of adding priority when overloaded by an encoder.

Fig. 22 is a diagram showing a method for determining priority at the receiving terminal during overload.

23 is a diagram illustrating a time change of priority.

24 is a diagram illustrating stream priority and object priority.

25 is a schematic structural diagram of a picture coding and a picture decoding device in an embodiment of the present invention.

26 is a schematic structural diagram of a speech encoding and speech decoding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

27A to 27B are diagrams showing a priority adding unit and a priority determining unit for managing the processing priority during overload.

28A-28C show grading with added priority.

29 is a diagram showing a method of assigning priority to image data having multiple resolutions.

30 is a diagram illustrating a method of configuring a communication payload.

FIG. 31 illustrates a method of associating data with a communication payload. FIG.

32 is a diagram showing correspondence between object priority, stream priority, and communication packet priority.

Fig. 33 is a block diagram of the transmitter according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

34 is an explanatory diagram of the first embodiment.

35 is a configuration diagram of a receiving apparatus as a third embodiment of the present invention.

36 is a configuration diagram of a receiving apparatus as a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

37 is an explanatory diagram of a fifth embodiment.

Fig. 38 is a block diagram of a transmitter according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 39 is a block diagram of the transmitter according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention.

40 is a flowchart of a transmission method as a second embodiment of the present invention.

41 is a flowchart of a receiving method as a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

42 is a flowchart of a transmission method as a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

43 is a flowchart of a transmission method as a ninth embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 44 is a configuration diagram showing an example of the image / audio transmission device of the present invention.

45 is a configuration diagram showing an example of the image and sound receiving apparatus of the present invention.

46 is a view for explaining priority adding means for adding priority to video and audio of the video and audio transmitting apparatus of the present invention.

Fig. 47 is a view for explaining priority determination means for determining whether to perform decoding processing by analyzing the priority added to the video and audio of the video and audio receiving apparatus of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

11: reception management unit 12: separation unit

13 transfer unit 14 image extension unit

15: image height management unit 16: image synthesis unit

17 output unit 18 terminal control unit

4011: Transmission management unit 4012: Image coding unit

4013: reception management unit 4014: image decoding unit

4015: Image synthesis unit 4016: Output unit

4101: picture coding apparatus 4102: picture decoding apparatus

301: receiving means 302: estimating means

303: Decoding device for moving pictures 304: Number reducing means

306: output terminal 307: input terminal

3031 variable length encoding means 3032 inverse orthogonal transformation means

3033: switchover 3034: motion compensation means

3035: execution time measurement means

Claims (9)

delete delete delete delete delete A transmitting apparatus having a transmitting means for transmitting a content relating to a transmission method and / or a structure of a data to be transmitted or an identifier indicating the contents as transmission format information to a receiving apparatus, The transmission format information includes (1) an identifier for identifying a program or data to be used for processing in a later step in the receiving apparatus, and (2) information at the time when the program or data is to be used for processing. Or information for knowing the expiration date of the use for processing the program or data, And the receiving device is used to determine the identifier and the information and to set up the identified program or data prior to use for processing the identified program or data according to the information. . The method of claim 6, The information at the time when the program or data is to be used for processing, or the information for knowing the valid period of use for processing the program or data, is at least one of a flag, a counter, or a timer. Receiving apparatus having receiving means for receiving as contents of transmission method and / or about structure of data to be transmitted or identifier indicating the contents as transmission format information, and control means for processing the data by determining the transmission format information. To The transmission format information includes (1) an identifier for identifying a program or data to be used for processing in a later step in the receiving apparatus, and (2) information at the time when the program or data is to be used for processing. Or information for knowing the expiration date of the use for processing the program or data, And said control means determines said identifier and said information and sets up said identified program or data prior to use for processing said identified program or data in accordance with said information. The method of claim 8, Information at the time when the program or data is to be used for processing, or information for knowing the valid period of use for processing the program or data is at least one of a flag, a counter, or a timer. .