JP2003339011A - Composite video transmission system, composite video transmission method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To transmit a composite video image resulting from compositing a background video image selected by a user with a video image photographed by the user to a transmission destination. <P>SOLUTION: A system enterprise terminal 20 receives a video image photographed by a user from a user terminal 10 via a network 50 and receives information denoting a transmission destination of a composite video image from the user terminal 10 via the network 50. The terminal 20 transmits selection information for the user to select desired background video image among stored background video images in advance to the user terminal 10 via the network and receives the selection information selected by the user among the selection information items sent from the user terminal via the network 50 from the user terminal 10 after that. Then the terminal 20 produces the composite video image resulting from compositing the background video image designated by the received selection information with the received user video image and transmits the produced composite video image to a user terminal 40 of the transmission destination via the network 50. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention transmits a composite video, which is a composite of a video image taken by a user (hereinafter referred to as a user video) and a background video which is a background of the user video, to a destination via a network. The present invention relates to a composite video transmission system, a composite video transmission method, and a program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the progress of the Internet, images taken from mobile phones and personal computers have been distributed to destinations. However, in the above-described video distribution, the video captured by the photographer is directly supplied to the destination, so in the case of a video having a background, for example, a video captured in a tourist area, the video capturer There is a problem in that it is necessary to pay attention to the background and the location when shooting, and in the worst case, the shooting must be abandoned. Further, in the above-described video distribution, since the captured video is simply supplied to the destination, it is necessary to reflect the photographer's intention to generate the composite video including the background video arbitrarily selected by the photographer. There was a problem that I could not do it.

By the way, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-63443, a print order processing device installed in a tourist spot is used to add an image unique to the tourist spot to an image taken in the tourist spot with a digital camera. A technique is disclosed in which a composited synthetic photo print is generated and the generated composite photo print is transmitted to a recipient terminal located at a remote place. Also,
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-344481 discloses a technique of synthesizing an image of a product with an image of oneself. Neither of these techniques transmits a composite video, which is a video captured by the photographer and a background video arbitrarily selected by the photographer, to a destination designated by the user.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a composite video transmission system or the like capable of transmitting a composite video in which a background video selected by a user is combined with a video captured by the user to a destination. And

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a composite video transmission system according to a first aspect of the present invention provides a user video imaged by a user and a background video which is a background of the user video. A composite video transmission system for transmitting a composite composite video to a destination via a network, wherein a background video storage means for storing the background video and a user video reception for receiving the user video from a user via the network. Means, a destination receiving means for receiving information indicating a destination of the composite video from a user via a network, and a background video shadow desired by the user from among the background videos stored in the background video storage means. Selection information for transmitting selection information to a user via a network, and the selection information transmitted by the selection information transmitting means. Selection information receiving means for receiving the selection information selected by the user from the information through the network, the background image specified by the selection information received by the selection information receiving means, and the user image receiving means. A composite video generation unit that generates a composite video that combines the received user video, and a composite that transmits the composite video generated by the composite video generation unit to the destination received by the destination receiving unit via the network. And a video transmission unit.

According to such a configuration, it is possible to send a composite video, which is a video captured by the user and a background video selected by the user, to the destination.

[0007] Service charge storage means for storing the service charge for the service for transmitting the composite video to the destination for each background video, and the service charge storage means after transmitting the composite video to the destination by the composite video transmitting means. Fee charge content display data generating means for generating display data indicating the charge content for the service by referring to the service fee stored in, and the display data generated by the fee charge content display data generating means. May be provided to the user via the network.

[0008] Payment fee storage means for paying to a business operator who distributes a background image, a payment fee storage means for storing a payment fee for the background image distributed by the business operator for each background image, and the background image from the business operator via a network. The background image receiving means to be received by the background image receiving means and the payment fee stored in the payment fee storage means are referred to, and the content of the payment fee to be paid to the business operator is displayed for the background image received by the background image receiving means. Payment fee content display data generating means,
And a payment fee content display data transmitting means for transmitting the display data generated by the payment fee content display data generating means to the business operator via a network. As a result, there is no need to prepare a background image, and thus there is no need to store and manage the background image. Especially when the business expands and the amount of the background image increases, the effect becomes more remarkable.

Further, in the composite video transmitting method according to the second aspect of the present invention, the composite video in which the user video captured by the user and the background video that is the background of the user video are composited is transmitted to the destination via the network. A method for transmitting a composite video, wherein the user video is received from a user via a network, information indicating a destination of the composite video is received from the user via the network, and the background is stored in advance. The selection information for selecting the background image desired by the user from the video is transmitted to the user via the network, and the selection information selected by the user from the transmitted selection information is received from the user via the network. Then, a background image specified in the received selection information and a received user image are combined to generate a combined image, and the combined image is generated. Serial and transmitting over the network to the destination which receives the composite video.

With such a configuration, it is possible to send a composite video, which is a video captured by the user and a background video selected by the user, to the destination.

After transmitting the composite video to the transmission destination, the service charge for transmitting the composite video to the transmission destination, which is stored in advance, is referred to, and display data indicating the content of the charge for the service is generated, The generated display data may be transmitted to the user via a network.

After receiving the background image from the business operator through the network and receiving the background video from the business operator, refer to the payment fee stored in advance, which is paid to the business operator who distributes the background video image. However, it is also possible to generate display data that displays the content of the payment fee paid to the business operator for the received background image, and transmit the generated display data to the business operator via a network. As a result, there is no need to prepare a background image, and thus there is no need to store and manage the background image. Especially when the business expands and the amount of the background image increases, the effect becomes more remarkable.

A program according to a third aspect of the present invention is a procedure for receiving the user video from a user via a network and a procedure for receiving information indicating a destination of the composite video from the user via the network. , A procedure of transmitting selection information for selecting a background image desired by the user from the pre-stored background image to the user via a network, a selection selected by the user from the transmitted selection information A procedure for receiving information from a user via a network, a procedure for generating a composite video in which the background video specified in the received selection information and the received user video are generated, and a step for receiving the generated composite video Causes the computer to execute the procedure of transmitting to the destination via the network.

With such a configuration, it is possible to send a composite video, which is a video captured by the user and a background video selected by the user, to the destination.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A composite video transmission system and a composite video transmission method according to embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. <First Embodiment>

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a composite video transmission system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This composite video transmission system includes a user terminal 10, a terminal (hereinafter referred to as a system business operator terminal) 20 installed in a system business operator center, and a terminal installed in a video material business operator center that sells a video library. It is composed of (hereinafter, referred to as a video material business operator terminal) 30 and a user terminal 40 that receives a composite video to be described later. The user terminal 10, the system provider terminal 20, the video material provider terminal 30, and the user terminal 40 are connected to a network such as the Internet.

The user terminal 10 is composed of an information processing apparatus such as a mobile phone and a personal computer having a moving image transmitting / receiving function corresponding to the Internet such as iMode, EZweb, etc., and includes a control section, a storage section, an input section, a display section, and communication. A control unit (not shown) is provided. The control unit is a CPU
It has a (Central Processing Unit) and executes processing according to the control program. For example, the control unit causes the display unit to display a “recommended background image selection screen”, which will be described later, provided on the network 50 by the system operator terminal 20. In addition, the control unit transmits the captured image or the image stored in the storage unit to the system provider terminal 20 via the network 50. In addition, the control unit
1) Purchase order information of the video that the orderer desires to purchase 2)
The destination information for designating the destination of the video, 3) Purchaser identification information including information for identifying the purchaser is provided on the network 50.
Is transmitted to the system operator terminal 20 via.

The storage unit includes a RAM, a ROM, a hard disk device, and the like, stores the control program and the photographed video, and is used as a work area of the control unit. The input unit includes a keyboard and outputs a keyboard pressing signal to the control unit. The display is a CRT (Cathode Ray
Tub), a liquid crystal display device, etc., and displays the display data output from the control unit.

The communication control unit controls the communication of data transmission / reception with respect to the system business operator terminal 20 and the video material business operator terminal 30.

The system provider terminal 20 is composed of an information processing device such as a workstation and a server, and has a control unit, a storage unit, an input unit, a display unit, and a communication control unit (these are not shown). Is equipped with.

The control unit is composed of a CPU and the like, and executes processing according to a control program. For example, the control unit receives the purchaser information and the purchase order information transmitted by the user terminal 10, and generates order data described below from these pieces of information. In addition, the control unit generates purchase video information indicating the background video supplied from the video material business operator center based on the generated order data, and transmits the generated purchase video information to the video material business operator terminal 30. To do. In addition, the control unit
Generate a display screen (hereinafter referred to as “cost request information screen”) that displays cost request information indicating the cost of the purchased background image,
The generated charge billing information screen is transmitted to the user terminal 10. The control unit also generates a display screen (hereinafter, referred to as a cost payment screen) for displaying the cost payment information, and transmits the generated cost payment information screen to the video material business operator terminal 30. Further, the control unit synthesizes the background image transmitted from the image material provider terminal 30 and the image transmitted from the user terminal 10, and transmits the synthesized combined image to the user terminal 40 of the order destination.

The storage unit includes a hard disk device, a RAM,
It is composed of a ROM or the like, 1) the above control program,
2) a background image DB (database) that stores the background image transmitted from the image material provider terminal 30, 3) a user image DB that stores the image transmitted from the user terminal 10,
4) It has an order DB for storing order data, which will be described later, transmitted from the user terminal 10, and 5) a material contract data file for storing material contract data, and is used as a work area of the control unit. The input unit includes a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, and outputs a keyboard pressing signal and a mouse operation signal to the control unit. The display is a CRT (Cathod
E-ray tube), a liquid crystal display device, etc. are provided, and display data output from the control unit is displayed. The communication control unit performs communication control regarding data transmission / reception with the user terminal 10, the system provider terminal 20, the video material provider terminal 30, and the user terminal 40.

The video material business operator terminal 30 comprises a control unit, a storage unit, an input unit, a display unit, and a communication control unit. The control unit includes a CPU and the like, and executes processing according to the control program. For example, the control unit receives the purchase video information from the system business terminal 20 and transmits the background video file displayed in the received purchase video information to the system business terminal 20.

The storage unit includes a hard disk device, a RAM,
It is composed of a ROM or the like, stores the control program and the background image file, and is used as a work area of the control unit. The input unit includes a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, and outputs a keyboard pressing signal and a mouse operation signal to the control unit. The display unit includes a CRT, a liquid crystal display device, etc., and displays the display data output from the control unit. The communication control unit performs communication control regarding data transmission / reception with the system provider terminal 20.

The user terminal 40 is composed of a mobile phone, a personal computer or the like having a moving picture transmission / reception function corresponding to the Internet such as iMode and EZweb, and has a control unit, a storage unit, an input unit, a display unit, and communication control. And a section. The control unit includes a CPU and the like, and executes processing according to a control program. For example, the control unit
The composite video transmitted from the system provider terminal 20 is received, and the received composite video is reproduced on the display unit.

The storage unit includes a hard disk device, a RAM,
It is composed of a ROM or the like, stores the control program and the composite video, and is used as a work area of the control unit. The input unit includes a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, and outputs a keyboard pressing signal and a mouse operation signal to the control unit. The display unit includes a CRT, a liquid crystal display device, etc., and displays the display data and video data output from the control unit. The communication control unit controls communication of data transmission / reception with the video material provider terminal 30.

Next, the operation of the composite video transmission system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. The control unit of the video material provider terminal 30 transmits the material contract data shown in FIG. 4 to the system provider terminal 20 (step S1). The material contract data is shown in Fig. 4.
As shown in FIG. 5, the data item includes a title of the background image to be supplied to the system operator, its description, a number for identifying the background image indicated by the title, a reproduction time, and a usage fee.

Upon receiving the material contract data, the control unit of the system operator terminal 20 stores them in the storage unit, and based on the material contract data, the "recommended background image selection screen" shown in FIG. Is generated, and the generated "recommended background image selection screen" is added to the video transmission home page.

The "recommended background image selection screen" is a screen on which information indicating the contents of the background image supplied to the user is displayed. The title of the background image to be selected, its description, and the number designating the title, Buttons that specify playable time, usage fee, and title (located before each title), "Return" button that returns the display screen, "Next" button that advances the screen to the next screen, " It has a "OK" button.

Thereafter, the control unit of the user terminal 10 causes the system operator to operate the Internet 50 by the operation of the orderer.
Access the video transmission homepage (not shown) established above (step S2).

Upon receiving the access to the video transmission home page from the user terminal 10, the control unit of the system operator terminal 20 transmits the display data for displaying the "recommended background video selection screen" to the user terminal 10 (step S3).

When the display data is received from the system provider terminal 20, the control unit of the user terminal 10 displays a "recommended background image selection screen" on the display unit (step S).
4). After that, when the button for designating the title in the "Recommended background image selection screen" is clicked by the operation of the control unit and the orderer, and then the "Enter" button is clicked, the number indicating the clicked title is stored. It is stored in the work area of the unit (step S5), and the purchaser / destination information input screen shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the display unit (step S6).

The purchaser / destination information input screen is shown in FIG.
As shown in, enter the name of the orderer (purchaser), a name input field to enter the address, an address input field to enter the address, a phone number input field to enter the orderer's telephone number, and an orderer's email address. E-mail address input field is provided. In addition, the purchaser / destination information input screen is a destination name input field for inputting the name of the destination of the composite image obtained by combining the video imaged by the orderer and the background image, and the destination address for inputting the address. An input field, a destination telephone number input field for inputting a destination telephone number, and a destination email address input field for inputting a destination email address are provided. Further, the purchaser / destination information input screen includes a "return" button for returning to the previous input screen, for example, a "recommended background image selection screen", and a "decision" button to be clicked when the entered contents are correct. ing.

Next, when the "enter" button is clicked (step S7) after the necessary items have been entered in all of the above-mentioned input fields by the operation of the orderer, the control section of the user terminal 10 causes the storage section. The purchase order information consisting of the numbers indicating the titles stored in the work area and the purchaser / destination information consisting of the input items entered on the purchaser / destination information input screen are transmitted to the system business operator terminal 20. (Step S
8).

Upon receiving the purchase order information and the purchaser / destination information (step S9), the control unit of the system operator terminal 20 generates the order data shown in FIG. 7 based on these information ( In step S10), the generated order data is stored in the storage unit. After that, the control unit generates image transmission request information for requesting the transmission of the background image based on the order data, and transmits this to the image material provider terminal 30 (step S11). The video transmission request information includes a number indicating the title of the background video.

Upon receiving the video transmission request information (step S12), the control unit of the video material business operator terminal 30 reads out the background video file of the background video indicated by the above-mentioned number indicated in the video transmission request information from the storage unit. , Sends this to the system operator terminal 20 (step S13)

Upon receiving the background image file, the control unit of the system operator terminal 20 stores it in the storage unit. next,
The control unit transmits, to the user terminal 10, display data for displaying the information for notifying the orderer of the purchase permission and for displaying the “main image selection screen” shown in FIG. 8 (step S14).

When the display data for displaying the "main image selection screen" is received (step S15), the control unit of the user terminal 10 displays the main image selection screen on the display unit (step S16). The control unit operates according to the orderer's operation to select from among the selection items “use images to be captured” and “use saved images” displayed on the main image selection screen. When the button to select one is clicked, the button to specify the shooting time is clicked, and then the “OK” button is clicked,
The above input items are transmitted to the system provider terminal 20 (step S17). After that, the control unit transmits the captured image to the system provider terminal 20 via the network 50 (step S18).

Upon receiving the video from the user terminal 10, the control unit of the system operator terminal 20 synthesizes the received video with the background image contracted in advance (step S19), and sends the synthesized video to the destination user terminal 40. Network 5
Transmission is started via 0 (step S20).

When the composite video is received, the control unit of the user terminal 40 starts reproduction of the received video (step S2).
1). It should be noted that as the method of designating the composition range and the composition method, existing technologies such as well-known chroma key processing and range selection of the main image by the orderer are used, and the composition method is not limited in the system of this embodiment.

When the line disconnect button (not shown) is clicked by the orderer's operation, the control unit of the user terminal 10 informs the system operator terminal 20 that the video transmission has been completed.
(Step S22).

When the control unit of the system operator terminal 20 receives the notification that the transmission of the video has been completed, it stops transmitting the composite video and transmits a notification that the transmission of the composite video is completed to the user terminal 40. (Step S23).

The control unit of the user terminal 40 stops the reproduction of the composite video which receives the notification that the transmission of the composite video is ended (step S24), and returns to the call waiting state.

Next, the control unit of the system operator terminal 20 displays the charge request information for charging the charge to the orderer based on the video transmission time and the order data. The charge request information shown in FIG. Generate the display data to display the screen,
The generated display data is transmitted to the user terminal 10 (step S25).

When the display data is received, the control unit of the user terminal 10 displays a charge request information screen on the display unit (step S26). After that, the system operator terminal 20
The control unit charges the cost displayed in the cost billing information as the mobile phone usage charge of the orderer.

Subsequently, the control unit of the system business operator terminal 20 generates display data for displaying the cost payment information screen shown in FIG. 10 for displaying the cost payment information to be paid to the video material business operator center from the purchased video information. , And transmits the generated expense payment information to the video material provider terminal 30 (step S2).
7). The system business operator deposits the expenses for a predetermined period into the designated account of the material business center.

Upon receiving the display data, the control unit of the video material business operator terminal 30 displays a cost payment information screen on the display unit based on the received display data (step S2).
8), the process ends.

According to the composite image generation system of this embodiment, the orderer can transmit images in various situations by combining not only the image taken by himself but also the background image. Further, according to this system, since the system business operator does not need to prepare the content for the background image, it is possible to easily manage the content update and the like. The effect is remarkable especially when the business expands and the content amount increases. Furthermore, in this system,
Since the video material business does not need to prepare a transmission system, it can enter the business with low risk.

<Second Embodiment> Next, a composite video distribution system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 11, this composite video distribution system is composed of a user terminal 110, a system provider terminal 120, and a user terminal 140, which are connected to a network 150 such as the Internet. In this system, the system business operator terminal 120 holds the background video and is not provided with the video material business operator terminal 30 of the first embodiment. Therefore, the operation of this composite video transmission system is the operation other than the operation of the video material provider terminal 30 in the operation of the composite video transmission system of the first embodiment, and the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0050]

As described above, according to the invention described above, it is possible to transmit a composite video in which the background video selected by the user is combined with the video captured by the user to the destination.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a composite video transmission system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the composite video transmission system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the composite video transmission system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of material contract data.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a recommended background image selection screen.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a purchaser / transmission destination information input screen.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration example of order data.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a main image selection screen.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a cost billing information screen.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a cost payment information screen.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a composite video transmission system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10,110 User terminal 20,120 System operator terminal 30, video material operator terminal 40,140 User terminal 50, 150 networks

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A composite video transmission system for transmitting a composite video, which is a composite of a user video captured by a user and a background video as a background of the user video, to a destination via a network, wherein the background video is Background video storage means for storing, user video receiving means for receiving the user video from the user via a network, destination receiving means for receiving information indicating the destination of the composite video from the user via the network, Selection information transmitting means for transmitting selection information for selecting a background image shadow desired by the user from the background images stored by the background image storage means to the user via a network, and transmission by the selection information transmitting means The selection information selected by the user from the selected selection information is received from the user via the network. Selection information receiving means, a background image specified by the selection information received by the selection information receiving means, and a composite video generation means for generating a composite video that combines the user video received by the user video receiving means, The composite video generated by the composite video generation means,
A composite video transmission system comprising: a composite video transmission means for transmitting via a network to the transmission destination received by the transmission destination reception means. 2. A service charge storage unit for storing, for each background image, a service charge for a service for transmitting a composite image to a destination, and the service charge after the composite image transmitting unit transmits the composite image to the destination. A charge bill content display data generating unit that refers to the service charge stored in the storage unit and generates display data indicating a charge content of the charge for the service; and the charge bill content display data generating unit generated by the charge bill content display data generating unit. The composite video transmission system according to claim 1, further comprising: a charge bill display data transmission unit that transmits display data to the user via a network. 3. A payment fee storage means for paying to a business operator who distributes background video, a payment fee storage means for storing a payment fee for the background video distributed by the business operator for each background video, and a network for the background video from the business operator. The content of the payment fee to be paid to the business operator for the background image received by the background image receiving means by referring to the background image receiving means received via the background image receiving means and the payment fee stored in the payment fee storage means. And a payment fee content display data transmitting means for transmitting the display data generated by the payment fee content display data generating means to the business operator via a network. The composite video transmission system according to claim 1 or 2. 4. A composite video transmission method for transmitting a composite video, which is a composite of a user video captured by a user and a background video as a background of the user video, to a destination via a network, wherein the user video is transmitted. Selection for receiving from the user via the network, receiving information indicating the destination of the composite video from the user via the network, and selecting the background video desired by the user from the background video stored in advance Information is transmitted to the user via a network, the selection information selected by the user from the transmitted selection information is received from the user via the network, and a background image specified in the received selection information, Generate a composite video that combines the received user video, and connect a network to the destination that received the generated composite video. To transmit, the mixed video transmission method characterized by. 5. After transmitting the composite video to the destination, referring to the service charge stored in advance for transmitting the composite video to the destination, and generating display data indicating the content of the charge for the service. Then, the generated display data is transmitted to the user via a network, The composite video transmitting method according to claim 4. 6. A payment fee paid to the business operator who distributes the background video, which is stored in advance after receiving the background video from the business operator via the network and receiving the background video from the business operator. And generating display data for displaying the content of the payment fee paid to the business operator in the received background image, and transmitting the generated display data to the business operator via a network. Item 5. The composite video transmission method according to Item 4 or 5. 7. A procedure for receiving the user video from a user via a network, a procedure for receiving information indicating a destination of the composite video from the user via the network, among the background videos stored in advance. A procedure for transmitting selection information for selecting a desired background image by the user to the user via a network, a procedure for receiving selection information selected by the user from the transmitted selection information from the user via the network, A procedure of generating a composite video in which the background video specified in the received selection information and the received user video are combined, and a step of transmitting the generated composite video to the destination receiving the transmission via a network, A program that causes a computer to execute.