Television – Image signal processing circuitry specific to television – Switching
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-26
2004-07-27
Kostak, Victor R. (Department: 2614)
Television
Image signal processing circuitry specific to television
Switching
C348S722000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06768519
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video signal processing apparatus, more particularly relates to a video signal processing apparatus arranged in a studio between a source of a video signal such as a camera or video tape recorder and a final output for switching, combining, and giving specific effects to the video.
2. Description of the Related Art
The video signal processing apparatus covered by this invention is arranged between a source of a video signal and the final output for switching, combining, giving specific effects, adjusting synchronization, correcting, converting, storing, etc. the video.
The sources of a video signal include cameras, video tape recorders, disk drives, video transmitted from remote locations, text and images generated by computer, and so on. The destinations of the final outputs of a video include broadcasting facilities, video tape recorders, etc.
Because such video signal processing apparatuses are used for diverse purposes, it is common for the signal source, final output, and operator to change for each application.
For example, even when a video signal processing apparatus is set fixed in a studio, the number of cameras, the types of the special effects being utilized, and the text generated by the computer change with each program being produced.
In addition, a number of such video signal processing apparatuses may be shared among several studios. For example, at a certain point of time, videos from cameras covering different persons in a studio A and studio B will be input into one video signal processing apparatus, processed, and broadcast as one program. At another point of time, the studio A and studio B will be used for making different programs which will be recorded by different video tape recorders.
Alternatively, a video signal processing apparatus may also be provided inside a mobile unit. In this case, depending on what is being relayed, the number of inputs and the number of video tape recorders for temporary storage will change and it will be necessary to flexibly handle various situations such as simultaneously relaying signals and recording on video tape recorders for temporary storage.
As a technique for flexibly dealing with such changes in configurations, for example, there is the television contribution signal generating apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 10-65965.
FIG. 97
is a schematic view of the configuration of a video signal processing apparatus of the related art.
This figure shows at the center a video signal processing apparatus
1
. The video signal processing apparatus
1
is provided with video signal processing units
2
,
3
,
4
, and
5
comprised of video effect units, text generating units, disk drives, or storage units using individual storage elements. These are the main components of the video signal processing apparatus
1
. The video signal processing apparatus
1
also includes a matrix switch
6
. The matrix switch
6
is also a component of the video signal processing apparatus
6
. The matrix switch receives the inputs to the video signal processing apparatus and the outputs from the video signal processing units
2
,
3
,
4
, and
5
and supplies the inputs to the video signal processing units
2
,
3
,
4
, and
5
and the outputs from the video signal processing apparatus
1
. As the inputs of the matrix switch
6
, video sources
7
,
8
,
9
,
10
are connected. The video sources
7
,
8
,
9
,
10
can be cameras or video tape recorders and output the stock video signals. The outputs of the matrix switch
6
form the output channels
11
,
12
,
13
, and
14
. These may be outputs for broadcasting, monitoring, etc. The video signal processing apparatus
1
is also connected to operator consoles
15
,
16
, and
17
, which comprise operator control panels
15
a
,
16
a
, and
17
a
, respectively, which display graphical user interfaces. The operator consoles
15
,
16
, and
17
are assigned for control of the video signal processing units
2
,
3
,
4
, and
5
.
In the above related art, in order to facilitate change of the configuration of the video signal processing apparatus
1
, a number of the video signal processing units
2
,
3
,
4
, and
5
which independently perform various kinds of video processing are mounted in a single housing and the inputs and outputs of the video signal processing units
2
,
3
,
4
,
5
and the apparatus (housing) are connected to the matrix switch
6
. The matrix switch
6
is controlled to connect the video signal processing units
2
,
3
,
4
, and
5
to the input and output of the apparatus as desired or to connect the output of a certain video signal processing unit to the input of another video signal processing unit.
In order to eliminate the need for manual operation of the intersections of the matrix switch
6
, the matrix switch
6
able to be controlled by control software.
The video signal processing units
2
,
3
,
4
, and
5
could also be treated as physically independent units and be connected to the matrix switch
6
directly or via channels provided in the housing by slot connection (using insertion terminals, contacts, and connectors).
In addition, operator consoles
15
,
16
, and
17
including freely configurable operator control panels
15
a
,
16
a
, and
17
a
were provided. The operator control panels
15
a
,
16
a
and
17
a
could be assigned to specific video signal processing units or groups of video signal processing unit group for control.
Note that a “freely configurable operator control panel” means a graphical user interface like display and operator control screen used as opposed to physical switches.
Summarizing the problems to be solved by the invention, in the related art, various configurations were realized in a video signal processing apparatus by controlling the matrix switch. Such video signal processing apparatuses are often repeatedly used for several applications. For example, a video signal processing apparatus used for a program A and program B may be used for the program A on one day, for the program B on the next day, for the program A on the day after that, for a program C on the day after that, and for the program A on the day after that. In the related art, each time the application changed, it was necessary to change the states (on/off) of a number of intersections of the matrix switch in accordance with the new application. Therefore, a large number of setting operations were needed when an application changed and thus a problem of efficiency arose.
Further, the operator consoles or the operator control panels thereof were usually assigned to specific video signal processing units or groups of video signal processing units for each application of the video signal processing apparatus, however, the video signal processing apparatus was often used for the same application many times. In the related art, each time the application changed, it was necessary to reassign the operator consoles, and thus the efficiency was poor.
Further, at the place of use of the video signal processing apparatus, in many cases the video signal processing units are used to produce output video. Accordingly, one operator console is used for controlling the video of a specific output channel. In the related art, there was no correlation between the internal configuration of the video signal processing apparatus by the matrix switch and the assignment of the operator consoles to the video signal processing units. These were independent in control. However, considering the convenience of operation, an operator console should be assigned charge of operations related to a specific output channel. The fact that the matrix switch is set independent of the assignment of the operator consoles was a problem in terms of the efficiency of the setting operations. Namely, it was necessary to consider the assignment of the operator consoles to match with the settings of the matrix switch.
Further, different video signal processing units have
Fujita Shinichi
Hayashi Ryosuke
Nakamura Sensaburo
Ozaki Norimasa
Frommer William S.
Frommer & Lawrence & Haug LLP
Kostak Victor R.
Sony Corporation
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