JPH08307847A - Video quality control device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] In a service that provides video information, it accurately conveys video movements and scenarios to users as information for users to search for video by using video quality according to price. At the same time, it is possible to gradually promote the user's willingness to enjoy video for the video providing service. [Structure] The video quality processing unit 14 controls the video attributes such as image, sound, and color that the video information has based on the video quality selection information, so that the video quality is adjusted according to the price paid by the user for the video. Limit in stages.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video quality control device for video information in a system or the like for providing stored video for a fee via a network or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the development of video information processing technology, a service for providing accumulated video through a network or the like for a fee has been implemented. In such a video providing service, the video provider asks the user to select the video provided by the user from a large number of competing video channels, and pays a price commensurate with the amount and quality of the video enjoyed by the user. We are providing the video for the purpose of getting it.

Conventionally, when a video user searches for a video channel he or she desires, there is a method of selecting the video by inferring its content from the title of the video indicated by the character information and time limitation. The method of seeing a partial video sample and selecting a video from them was used.

[0004]

However, in the method of selecting an image by inferring its content from the title of the image indicated by the character information, the fun of the motion of the original image is transmitted to the user well. If it does not exist, there is a problem that you cannot use the provided video. Also, in the method of selecting a video by viewing a sample of a partial video that is limited in time, the video provided when the partial video presented as a demonstration happened not to be the video expected by the user. There is a problem that you can not use. Further, these methods have a problem that the user's desire to enjoy the video cannot be promoted step by step.

An object of the present invention is to make the motion of a video interesting by stepwise limiting only the quality of voice or image among the attributes of the video as information for the user to search the video. It provides a video that is not lost and that does not divide the video in time, thereby accurately communicating the motion and scenario of the video to the user, and gradually increasing the user's desire to enjoy the video providing service. Another object of the present invention is to provide a video quality control device that can be promoted.

[0006]

According to the video quality control device of the present invention, in a service for providing video information, the user controls the video attributes such as image, voice, and color of the video information so that the user can control the video. It has a means to gradually limit the video quality according to the price paid.

More specifically, a video quality selection information processing unit for converting an input signal from the video quality selection device into video quality selection information and a video quality / attribute correspondence information storage unit based on the video quality selection information. Based on the video quality / attribute correspondence information, the video attribute control unit that retrieves the created video quality / attribute correspondence information, and the video attributes specified by the video quality / attribute correspondence information from the video information stored in the video information storage unit. Based on the video quality control unit that performs control and the video quality selection information that is input from the video attribute control unit via the video quality control unit, the billing information stored in the billing information storage unit is searched and input from the timer. The user pays for the image by including the time information and the charging information, calculating the charge, storing the charge in the charge information storage unit, and displaying the charge on the charge display device. To limit the video quality step-by-step in accordance with the consideration.

[0008]

According to the video quality control device of the present invention, as the information for the user to search the video, only the quality of the voice and the image among the attributes of the video are limited stepwise, so that the motion is interesting. By providing video that does not lose time and that is not divided in time, the motion and scenario of the video are accurately communicated to the user, and the user's desire to enjoy the video for the video providing service is gradually promoted. can do.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

The video quality control device 15 of this embodiment has a video quality processing section 14 for stepwise limiting the video quality of the video information provided to the user. The video quality processing unit 14 converts the electric signal input from the video quality selection device 2 into video quality selection information in the video quality selection information processing unit 3. Based on this video quality selection information, the video attribute control unit 5 searches the video quality / attribute correspondence information storage unit 4 for the video quality / attribute correspondence information stored in the form as shown in FIG. The obtained video quality / attribute correspondence information is input to the video quality control unit 6.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of video quality / attribute correspondence information. As shown in FIG. 2, the video quality / attribute correspondence information is composed of information about the type of video attribute to be controlled and the control method corresponding to the video quality selection information. For example, if the user selects the video quality of grade 2, the narrow band is selected for the audio accompanying the video, and the monochrome 16 gradation is selected for the image with low resolution. The selected video quality / attribute correspondence information is input to the video quality control unit 6.

If the user selects the video stop, the video stop information is selected. The video quality control unit 6 sequentially extracts the video information stored in the video information storage unit 11, and defines the extracted video information by the video quality / attribute correspondence information input from the video attribute control unit 5. The processed image is processed.

The processed image is displayed on the display device 13 via the image display processing unit 1. In parallel with this, the video quality / attribute correspondence information is input to the billing processing unit 8. The charging processing unit 8 searches the charging information stored in the charging information storage unit 7 based on the video quality selection information input from the video attribute control unit 5 via the video quality control unit 6.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of billing information stored in the billing information storage unit 7. As shown in FIG. 3, the billing information is composed of video quality selection information and a video usage unit price corresponding to each video quality selection information. For example, if the user selects the grade 2 video quality, a charge of 20 yen per unit time is selected as the video usage unit price. The video usage unit price retrieved from the billing information storage unit 7 is input to the billing processing unit 8.

At the same time, the billing processing unit 8 detects the time when the video quality selection information is input from the time input from the timer 9 for each unit time, and inputs it to the charge information storage unit 10 as the start time of calculation. .

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of charge information stored in the charge information storage unit 10. As shown in FIG. 4, the fee is the time when the enjoyment of the video is started, that is, the start time when the video quality selection information is input, and the time when the enjoyment of the video is ended, that is, the start time when the video stop information is input. It consists of the end time and information about the price that matches the video enjoyed during that time.

The charging processing unit 8 integrates the time information and the charging information input from the timer 9, calculates the charge, and stores it in the charge information storage unit 10. The charge is given by the following formula.

(Charge) = (Unit price of video use) × (Start time of calculation-Start time of calculation) (1) Further, in the charging processing unit 8, the charge accumulated by the calculation formula (1) is displayed on the charge display device. Display on 12.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a video in which only the quality of voice and image among the attributes of the video is limited stepwise. FIG. 5A is an example in which the user selects the video quality of grade 1, and in this case, the video is displayed under the condition that the audio has a narrow band and the image has a low resolution of monochrome 2 gradations. FIG. 5B shows an example in which the user selects the video quality of grade 2, and in this case, the video is displayed under the condition that the audio has a narrow band and the image has a low resolution of 16 gradations of monochrome.

In the embodiment described above, the video quality
As shown in FIG. 2, the video attributes of the video quality / attribute correspondence information stored in the attribute correspondence information storage unit 4 are narrow band and wide band as voice, low resolution and high resolution as image,
Monochrome and color as color, 2,16,32 as gradation
Although the gradation is used, for example, three or more types of bands may be defined as voice. In addition to the low resolution and the high resolution, many intermediate resolutions may be set for the image. In addition, attributes such as reverse color other than monochrome and color may be set as the color. Also, as the gradation 2,
Although 16 and 32 gradations are used, gradations other than this may be set. You may make it change these attributes regularly by defining a special function.

Further, as the video use unit price stored in the billing information storage unit 7, any value other than the values shown in FIG. 3 may be set. The video usage unit price may be changed regularly by defining a special function.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention,
As information for the user to search for the video, the quality of the motion of the video is not lost by gradually limiting only the quality of the voice and the image among the attributes of the video, and the video is not lost. It is possible to provide video that is not divided in time, accurately convey the motion and scenario of the video to the user, and gradually promote the user's willingness to enjoy the video for the video providing service.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of video quality / attribute correspondence information stored in a video quality / attribute correspondence information storage unit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of billing information stored in a billing information storage unit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of fee information stored in a fee information storage unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a video in which only the quality of audio and images among the attributes of the video is limited stepwise.

[Description of Codes] 1 video display processing unit 2 video quality selection device 3 video quality selection information processing unit 4 video quality / attribute correspondence information storage unit 5 video attribute control unit 6 video quality control unit 7 billing information storage unit 8 billing processing unit 9 timer 10 charge information storage unit 11 video information storage unit 12 charge display device 13 display device 14 video quality processing unit 15 video quality control device

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A video quality control device for use in a service for providing video information, wherein a video attribute relating to the quality of audio or image possessed by the video information is controlled so that the user pays for the video. A video quality control device comprising means for stepwise limiting the video quality of the video information provided to the user. 2. A video quality control device for use in a service for providing video information, comprising video information storage means for storing video information to be provided, means for inputting information for selecting video quality, and input video quality. Means for selecting, based on the selection information, a video attribute relating to the quality of sound or image of the video information stored in advance corresponding to the video quality selection information; and the video information storage means based on the selected video attribute. Video quality control means for limiting video quality by controlling video attributes for stored video information;
Means for outputting the video information controlled by the video quality control means, and means for calculating a charge for the video information to be provided based on the charge information predetermined according to the video quality selection information or the video attribute An image quality control device comprising: