Video distribution device and a video receiving device

• US 20030051256A1
• Filed: 09/04/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Uesaki, Akira, Mochizuki, Yoshiyuki, Kobayashi, Tadashi, Hijiri, Toshiki
• Application Number:
  US10/233,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20030051256A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4728 for selecting a Region Of Interest [ROI], e.g. for requesting a higher resolution version of a selected region
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/222 Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A video distribution device 10 is a device communicating with a video receiving device 20 via a communication network 30, which includes a video acquisition unit 110 that acquires plural videos taken from various perspectives, a video analysis unit 120 that analyzes a detail contained in the video on a video basis and generates its analysis result as content information, and a video matching unit 130 that verifies a conformity level of each content information with preference information notified by a viewer, decides a video to be distributed, and distributes the video.

Claims

1. A video distribution device that distributes a video via a communication network comprising:

a video acquisition unit operable to acquire plural videos taken from various perspectives;

a video analysis unit operable to analyze details contained in the videos on a video basis and generate detail information as analysis results; and

a video matching unit operable to verify a conformity level of the video detail with a viewer'"'"'s preference based on each of the detail information and preference information notified from the viewer, decide a video with the high conformity level from the plural videos, and distribute the video.

2. The video distribution device according to claim 1,

wherein the preference information includes information indicating a preference level of the viewer for an object,

the video analysis unit generates the detail information containing information that specifies the object to be displayed on a screen, and

the video matching unit distributes the video displaying the object with the high preference level.

3. The video distribution device according to claim 2,

wherein the video analysis unit generates the detail information containing information that indicates a position or an area on the screen where the object is displayed, and

the video matching unit decides a video based on the position or the area on the screen where the object with the high preference level is displayed.

4. The video distribution device according to claim 3,

wherein the video matching unit distributes a video displaying the object as close as possible to a center of the screen.

5. The video distribution device according to claim 3,

wherein the video matching unit distributes a video displaying the object as big as possible on the screen.

6. The video distribution device according to claim 1,

wherein the video analysis unit describes the detail information with a predefined descriptor, and

the video matching unit decides a video based on the detail information described with the descriptor.

7. The video distribution device according to claim 1,

wherein the video distribution device further includes a measurement unit operable to measure a status of the object contained in the video, and

the video analysis unit generates the detail information based on a result measured by the measurement unit.

8. The video distribution device according to claim 7,

wherein the preference information includes a descriptor identifying the object and a descriptor specifying the viewer'"'"'s preference level quantitatively for each object,

the video analysis unit generates the detail information including information that indicates whether or not the specific object is displayed on the screen based on the result measured by the measurement unit, and

the video matching unit distributes the video displaying the object with the high preference level based on the preference information.

9. The video distribution device according to claim 8,

wherein the video analysis unit generates the detail information based on the result measured by the measurement unit, which includes information indicating the position or the area on the screen where the object with the specific high preference level is displayed, and

the video matching unit distributes the video displaying the object with the high preference level as close as possible to the center of the screen based on the detail information and the preference information.

10. The video distribution device according to claim 1,

wherein the video analysis unit generates the detail information for each frame of the video, and

the video matching unit decides a video at predefined intervals based on the preceding detail information generated for the previous frames.

11. The video distribution device according to claim 1,

wherein the preference information includes information indicating the viewer'"'"'s preference level for each of the plural objects,

the video analysis unit generates the detail information including information that specifies each of the plural objects displayed on the screen, and

the video matching unit distributes the video displaying the object with the high preference level among the plural objects.

12. The video distribution device according to claim 11,

wherein the video analysis unit generates the detail information that includes information indicating each momentum of the plural objects, and

the video matching unit specifies the object having the biggest function value that assesses both of the preference level and the momentum among those of the plural objects, and distributes the video displaying the specified object.

13. The video distribution device according to claim 12,

wherein the video analysis unit repeats generating the detail information at regular time intervals based on the plural videos acquired by the video acquisition unit, and

the video matching unit repeats, at the regular time intervals, selecting a video from the plural videos based on the detail information generated by the video analysis unit, and distributing the video.

14. The video distribution device according to claim 11,

wherein the video analysis unit generates the detail information including information that indicates each momentum of the plural objects, and

the video matching unit counts the number of the videos displaying the object with the highest preference level among the plural videos, distributes a video displaying the object with the second highest preference level when the number is 0, distributes the video when the number is 1, and distributes one video decided based on at least one of the display position, the display size and the momentum of the object displayed on the screen when the number is 2 or more.

15. The video distribution device according to claim 1,

wherein the video distribution device further includes an additional information memory unit operable to memorize additional information corresponding to each of the plural videos in advance, and

the video matching unit reads out the additional information corresponding to the video selected and decided from the plural videos, and distributes the additional information with the video concerned.

16. A video distribution device that distributes a video via a communication network comprising:

a video acquisition unit operable to acquire plural videos taken from various perspectives;

a video analysis unit operable to analyze details contained in the videos on a video basis and generate detail information as analysis results; and

a video multiplexing unit operable to multiplex each video and each of the detail information for the plural videos, and distribute the multiplexed videos and detail information.

17. The video distribution device according to claim 16,

wherein the video analysis unit generates the detail information that includes information identifying an object contained in the video and information indicating whether or not the object is displayed on a screen, and

the video multiplexing unit multiplexes the detail information for each video, and distributes the multiplexed detail information.

18. The video distribution device according to claim 17,

wherein the video analysis unit generates the detail information containing information that indicates a position or an area on the screen where the object is displayed.

19. The video distribution device according to claim 16,

wherein the video analysis unit describes the detail information with a predefined descriptor.

20. The video distribution device according to claim 16,

wherein the video analysis unit further includes a measurement unit operable to measure a status of the object contained in the video, and

the video analysis unit generates the detail information based on a result measured by the measurement unit.

21. The video distribution device according to claim 16,

wherein the video analysis unit generates the detail information for each frame of the video, and

the video multiplexing unit multiplexes the detail information for each frame of the video, and distributes the multiplexed detail information.

22. A video receiving device that receives plural videos distributed from a video distribution device,

wherein the video distribution device that distributes the video via a communication network comprises:

a video acquisition unit operable to acquire the plural videos taken from various perspectives;

a video analysis unit operable to analyze details contained in the videos on a video basis and generate detail information as analysis results; and

a video multiplexing unit operable to multiplex each video and each of the detail information for the plural videos, and distribute the multiplexed video and detail information, and

the video receiving device comprises;

a preference information accepting unit operable to accept an entry of preference information indicating a preference level of a viewer for an object;

a selection unit operable to verify a conformity level of the video detail with the viewer'"'"'s preference based on the accepted preference information and each of the detail information, and select a video with the high conformity level from the received videos; and

a display unit operable to display the selected video.

23. A video receiving device that receives plural videos distributed from a video distribution device,

wherein the video distribution device that distributes the video via a communication network comprises:

a video acquisition unit operable to acquire the plural videos taken from various perspectives;

a video analysis unit operable to analyze details contained in the videos on a video basis and generate detail information as analysis results; and

a video multiplexing unit operable to multiplex each video and each of the detail information for the plural videos, and distribute the multiplexed video and detail information,

the video analysis unit generates the detail information that includes information identifying an object contained in the video and information indicating whether or not the object is displayed on a screen,

the video multiplexing unit multiplexes the detail information for each video, and distributes the multiplexed detail information,

the video analysis unit generates the detail information containing information that indicates a position or an area on the screen where the object is displayed, and

the video receiving device comprises;

a preference information accepting unit operable to accept an entry of preference information indicating a preference level of a viewer for an object;

a selection unit operable to select a video displaying the object with the high preference level as close as possible to a center of the screen from the plural videos based on each of the detail information and the preference information; and

a display unit operable to display the selected video.

24. A video receiving device that receives plural videos distributed from a video distribution device,

wherein the video distribution device that distributes the video via a communication network comprises:

a video acquisition unit operable to acquire the plural videos taken from various perspectives;

a video analysis unit operable to analyze details contained in the videos on a video basis and generate detail information as analysis results; and

a video multiplexing unit operable to multiplex each video and each of the detail information for the plural videos, and distribute the multiplexed video and detail information,

the video analysis unit generates the detail information that includes information identifying an object contained in the video and information indicating whether or not the object is displayed on a screen,

the video multiplexing unit multiplexes the detail information for each video, and distributes the multiplexed detail information,

the video analysis unit generates the detail information containing information that indicates a position or an area on the screen where the object is displayed, and

the video receiving device comprises;

a preference information accepting unit operable to accept an entry of preference information indicating a preference level of a viewer for an object,

a selection unit operable to select a video displaying the object with the high preference level as big as possible on the screen based on each of the detail information and the preference information, and

a display unit operable to display the selected video.

25. A video receiving device that receives plural videos distributed from a video distribution device,

wherein the video distribution device that distributes the video via a communication network comprises:

a video acquisition unit operable to acquire plural videos taken from various perspectives;

a video analysis unit operable to analyze details contained in the videos on a video basis and generate detail information as analysis results; and

a video multiplexing unit operable to multiplex each video and each of the detail information for the plural videos, and distribute the multiplexed video and detail information,

the video analysis unit generates the detail information for each frame of the video, and

the video multiplexing unit multiplexes the detail information for each frame of the video, and distributes the multiplexed detail information,

the video receiving device comprises;

a preference information accepting unit operable to accept an entry of preference information indicating a preference level of a viewer for an object;

a selection unit operable to verify a conformity level of the accepted preference information with each of the preceding detail information generated for the previous frames, and select a video to be displayed from the received videos at predefined intervals; and

a display unit operable to display the selected video.

26. A video distribution method for distributing a video via a communication network, including:

a video acquisition step for acquiring plural videos taken from various perspectives;

a video analysis step for analyzing details contained in the videos on a video basis and generates detail information as analysis results; and

a video matching step for verifying a conformity level of the video detail with a viewer'"'"'s preference based on each of the detail information and preference information notified from the viewer, deciding a video with the high conformity level from the plural videos, and distributing the video.

27. A video distribution method for distributing a video via a communication network, including:

a video acquisition step for acquiring plural videos taken from various perspectives;

a video analysis step for analyzing details contained in the videos on a video basis and generates detail information as analysis results; and

a video multiplexing step for multiplexing each video and each of the detail information for the plural videos, and distributing the multiplexed video and detail information.

28. A video receiving method for receiving plural videos distributed from a video distribution device,

wherein the video distribution device that distributes the video via a communication network comprises:

a video acquisition unit operable to acquire plural videos taken from various perspectives;

a video analysis unit operable to analyze details contained in the videos on a video basis and generate detail information as analysis results; and

a video multiplexing unit operable to multiplex each video and each of the detail information for the plural videos, and distribute the multiplexed video and detail information,

the video receiving method including;

a preference information accepting step for accepting an entry of preference information indicating a preference level of a viewer for an object;

a selection step for verifying a conformity level of the video detail with the viewer'"'"'s preference based on the accepted preference information and each of the detail information, and selecting a video with the high conformity level from the received videos; and

a display step for displaying the selected video.

29. A program used for a video distribution device that distributes a video via a communication network, the program having a computer execute:

a video acquisition step for acquiring plural videos taken from various perspectives,

a video analysis step for analyzing details contained in the videos on a video basis and generates detail information as analysis results, and

a video matching step for verifying a conformity level of the video detail with a viewer'"'"'s preference based on each of the detail information and preference information notified from the viewer, deciding a video with the high conformity level from the plural videos, and distributing the video.

30. A video distribution system that distributes a video via a communication network comprising a video distribution device and a video receiving device,

wherein the video distribution device includes:

a video acquisition unit operable to acquire plural videos taken from various perspectives;

a video analysis unit operable to analyze details contained in the videos on a video basis and generates detail information as analysis results; and

a video matching unit operable to verify a conformity level of the video detail with a viewer'"'"'s preference based on each of the detail information and preference information notified by the viewer, and decide a video with the high conformity level from the plural videos and distribute the video,

the video receiving device includes;

a sending unit operable to send the preference information to the video distribution device;

a receiving unit operable to receive the video with the high conformity level distributed from the video distribution device; and

a display unit operable to display the received video.

31. A video distribution system that distributes a video via a communication network comprising a video distribution device and a video receiving device,

wherein the video distribution device includes:

a video acquisition unit operable to acquire plural videos taken from various perspectives;

a video analysis unit operable to analyze details contained in the videos on a video basis and generate detail information as analysis results; and

a video multiplexing unit operable to multiplex each video and each of the detail information for the plural videos, and distribute the multiplexed video and detail information; and

the video receiving device includes;

a receiving unit operable to receive the plural videos and the detail information of the videos distributed from the video distribution device;

a preference information accepting unit operable to accept an entry of preference information indicating a preference level of a viewer for an object;

a selection unit operable to verify a conformity level of the video detail with the viewer'"'"'s preference based on the accepted preference information and the detail information received by the receiving unit, and select a video with the high conformity level from the received videos; and

a display unit operable to display the selected video.

32. The video distribution system according to claim 31,

wherein the video analysis unit generates the detail information including information that specifies each of the plural objects displayed on a screen,

the preference information includes information indicating the viewer'"'"'s preference level for each of the plural objects, and

the selection unit selects a video displaying the object with the high preference level from the plural objects.

33. The video distribution system according to claim 32,

wherein the video analysis unit generates the detail information that includes information indicating each momentum of the plural objects, and

the selection unit specifies the object having the biggest function value that assesses both of the preference level and the momentum from the plural objects, and selects a video displaying the specified object.

34. The video distribution system according to claim 33,

wherein the video analysis unit repeats generating the detail information at regular time intervals based on the plural videos acquired by the video acquisition unit, and

the selection unit repeats selecting a video from the plural videos at the regular time intervals based on the detail information generated by the video analysis unit.

35. The video distribution system according to claim 32,

wherein the video analysis unit generates the detail information including information that indicates each momentum of the plural objects, and

the selection unit counts the number of the videos displaying the object with the highest preference level among the plural videos, distributes a video displaying the object with the second highest preference level when the number is 0, distributes the video when the number is 1, and selects one video decided based on at least one of the display position, display size and momentum of the object displayed on the screen when the number is 2 or more.

36. The video distribution system according to claim 31,

wherein the video distribution device further includes an additional information memory unit operable to memorize additional information corresponding to each of the plural videos in advance,

the video multiplexing unit reads out the additional information corresponding to each of the plural videos from the additional information memory unit, multiplexes the additional information with the videos and the detail information, and distributes the multiplexed videos, detail information and additional information,

the selection unit selects additional information corresponding to the concerned video in addition to the video selection, and

the display unit displays the video together with the additional information selected by the selection unit.