Transmission device, transmission method, receiving device, and receiving method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016373789-A1
Application number	US-201414900262-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 16, 2014
Priority date	Jul 5, 2013
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

[Object] To enable a service for the distribution of a multi-image arrangement to be performed in a favorable manner.
[Solving Means] A transmitting side transmits a container in a prescribed format, said container including encoded image data for multiple images pertaining to a multi-image arrangement distribution service, and having a prescribed number of video streams. Position information indicating the arrangement position of the multiple images is inserted into the video stream layer. A receiving side receives and decodes the prescribed number of video streams, thereby obtaining image data for the multiple images. The image data for the multiple images is arranged on the basis of the position information, thereby obtaining image data for a group picture (a multi-image-arranged image).

First claim

1 . A transmission device, comprising:
a transmitting unit that transmits a container of a predetermined format containing a predetermined number of video streams containing encoded image data of a plurality of images of a multi-image-arrangement distribution service; and an information-inserting unit that inserts position information in the video-stream layer, the position information showing arrangement positions of the plurality of images.

2 . The transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein
the information-inserting unit further inserts offset information in the video-stream layer, the offset information being used to adjust display timing of the plurality of images.

3 . The transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein
the information-inserting unit further inserts type information in the video-stream layer, the type information showing the multi-image-arrangement type.

4 . The transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein
the information-inserting unit further inserts type information in the video-stream layer, the type information showing a rotation type of the plurality of images during display.

5 . The transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein
the information-inserting unit further inserts lifetime information in the video-stream layer, the lifetime information showing display-allowed time of the plurality of images is controlled or not.

6 . The transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein
the information-inserting unit further inserts identification information in the container layer, the identification information identifying the multi-image-arrangement distribution service.

7 . The transmission device according to claim 6 , wherein
the information-inserting unit further inserts identification information in the container layer, the identification information identifying if the multi-image-arrangement distribution service is a moving/still-image mixed service or not.

8 . The transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein
the information-inserting unit further inserts information on a total number of the video streams relating to the multi-image-arrangement distribution service in the container layer.

9 . The transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein
the information-inserting unit further inserts type information in the container layer, the type information showing if the each video stream is a moving-image stream, a still-image stream, or a mixed stream, the mixed stream containing still images and moving images mixed.

10 . A transmission method, comprising:
a transmitting step of transmitting a container of a predetermined format containing a predetermined number of video streams containing encoded data of a plurality of images of a multi-image-arrangement distribution service; and an information inserting step of inserting position information in the video-stream layer, the position information showing arrangement positions of the plurality of images.

11 . A receiving device, comprising:
a receiving unit that receives a predetermined number of video streams containing encoded image data of a plurality of images of a multi-image-arrangement distribution service, position information being inserted in the predetermined number of video streams, the position information showing arrangement positions of the plurality of images; a decoder unit that decodes the predetermined number of video streams, and obtains image data of the plurality of images; and a processing unit that arranges image data of the plurality of decoded images based on the position information, and obtains image data of a multi-image-arranged image.

12 . The receiving device according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a decoded buffer that temporarily stores the image data of the plurality of images obtained by the decoder unit; and a virtual display buffer that temporarily stores the image data of the multi-image arrangement, wherein the processing unit reads the image data of the plurality of images from the decoded buffer in series, and writes the image data of the plurality of images in areas corresponding to the arrangement positions of the position information of the virtual display buffer.

13 . The receiving device according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a display controller that reads image data corresponding to part or all of display areas of the multi-image-arranged image from the virtual display buffer, and displays images in the part or all of image areas.

14 . The receiving device according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a user operation unit that informs the display controller of the display area.

15 . The receiving device according to claim 14 , further comprising:
a user operation unit that informs the display controller of the number of displays, images of the display area being to be displayed on the displays.

16 . The receiving device according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a request transmitting unit that transmits, to a transmitting side, requests to stop and resume transmission of the predetermined number of video streams.

17 . A receiving method, comprising:
a receiving step of receiving a container of a predetermined format containing a predetermined number of video streams containing encoded data of a plurality of images of a multi-image-arrangement distribution service, position information being inserted in the predetermined number of video streams, the position information showing arrangement positions of the plurality of images; a decoding step of decoding the predetermined number of video streams, and obtaining image data of the plurality of images; and a processing step of arranging image data of the plurality of decoded images based on the position information, and obtaining image data of a multi-image-arranged image.

18 . A transmission device, comprising:
a metafile generator that generates a metafile containing information to be used by a client terminal to obtain a predetermined number of video streams, the predetermined number of video streams containing encoded image data of a plurality of images of a multi-image-arrangement distribution service, a distribution server being capable of distributing the multi-image-arrangement distribution service via a network; and a metafile transmitting unit that transmits the generated metafile to the client terminal via the network in response to a transmission request from the client terminal, wherein position information is inserted in the video-stream layer, the position information showing arrangement positions of the plurality of images, and the metafile generator generates the metafile containing information showing to constantly read the predetermined number of video streams.

19 . The transmission device according to claim 18 , wherein
the metafile generator generates the metafile further containing identification information, the identification information identifying if the predetermined number of video streams are still-image streams or moving-image streams.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Tsukagoshi Ikuo

Classifications

• H04N21/854

  Content authoring · CPC title

• H04N21/2365

  Multiplexing of several video streams · CPC title

• H04N21/2353

  specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata · CPC title

• H04N21/235 Primary

  Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors · CPC title

• H04N21/4314

  for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid · CPC title