Broadcasting end detection device and program switching method for broadcast television system

Abstract

The invention discloses an end-of-play detection device and a program switching method for a broadcast television system. The program switching method comprises the following steps: extracting the video content of a rebroadcast program according to the program time of a program list; obtaining the end time of the rebroadcast program according to the end identifier in the video content; the end identification comprises a preset image identification and an audio identification, the image identification comprises a station logo and specific text content of an original television station, and the audio identification comprises voice and program music of a host. According to the program switching method, the switching signal can be adjusted in real time according to the voice content of the host, so that the completeness of the rebroadcast program and the continuity of the switching program are ensured, and a broadcasting accident is avoided.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of broadcast television program play control, and in particular to a play end detection device for a broadcast television system and a program switching method. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the field of broadcast television, especially for provincial television stations, there is a challenge of program length change when rebroadcasting the News Broadcast program of China Central Television (CCTV). The News Broadcast program usually has a fixed broadcast length, i.e. 30 minutes from 19:00 to 19:30 every evening. However, when major news events occur, the program length may exceed this fixed period.

[0003] Without accurate program extension information, if the broadcast control automatically ends the News Broadcast program according to the preset time of 30 minutes and switches to the next program, it will result in incomplete rebroadcasting of the News Broadcast program, which may cause broadcast accidents. On the contrary, if the broadcast on-duty personnel can obtain the program extension information in time, they can manually adjust the broadcast control software after the News Broadcast program to manual control mode. In this way, after the News Broadcast program ends, the on-duty personnel can manually perform the TAKE operation, i.e. skip the current on-air program and immediately broadcast the next program, to ensure smooth switching of the program.

[0004] The existing technical solution requires the broadcast on-duty personnel and the broadcast department leader to manually judge the end time of the rebroadcast program when rebroadcasting the News Broadcast program, and to manually adjust the broadcast control program before the end time. This approach requires a dedicated person to be on duty during the rebroadcast period, which requires a high level of professional skill. On the other hand, since it involves manual operation, there is a risk of operational error, which may lead to broadcast accidents.

[0005] To solve this problem, patent application CN110971842A proposes a switcher that can automatically handle the time extension of the News Broadcast program. This technology uses video image recognition technology to collect and store the station logo and end logo in the News Broadcast program, and to identify and match them in real time to determine the broadcast and end time of the News Broadcast program. When the system recognizes the end logo of the News Broadcast program, it will automatically generate a command to control the switching of the broadcast equipment, ensuring the complete rebroadcasting of the News Broadcast program and the subsequent program, thereby reducing the dependence on manual monitoring and operation, and improving the automation level and accuracy of the broadcast.

[0006] The technical solution can realize automatic extension of the news broadcast time, but in the case of emergency extension of the news broadcast, the end picture playing speed can be adjusted or the end picture can be cancelled, so that the program switching method based on the video image recognition technology cannot accurately obtain the end time of the program, and even after the end of the news broadcast program, the end mark is still waited for, resulting in discontinuity of the switched program. SUMMARY

[0007] Therefore, the present application aims to provide an end detection device for a broadcast television system and a program switching method, which obtains the end time of the relay program according to both image marks and audio marks, so as to ensure the integrity of the relay program and the continuity of the switched program.

[0008] According to an aspect of the present application, a program switching method for a broadcast television system is provided, which comprises: extracting video content of a relay program according to a program time of a program list; obtaining an end time of the relay program according to an end mark in the video content; and sending a switching signal before the end time, wherein the end mark comprises a predetermined image mark and an audio mark, the image mark comprises a station logo of an original television station and specific text content, and the audio mark comprises a host's voice and program music.

[0009] Optionally, a timing start time and a timing duration are obtained according to the host's voice content, and the timing start time and the timing duration are summed to obtain the end time of the relay program.

[0010] Optionally, according to the host's voice content, the timing start time comprises one of a predicted start time, a predicted end time of the relay program, and a host's reporting time.

[0011] Optionally, a partial picture is obtained by cutting a picture of the relay program, and whether the partial picture is the image mark is determined according to the image of the partial picture.

[0012] Optionally, whether the partial picture is the image mark is preliminarily identified according to a color of a peripheral area of the partial picture.

[0013] Optionally, in the case of preliminary identification of the image mark, text content of the partial picture is further identified to accurately identify whether the partial picture is the image mark.

[0014] Optionally, in the case of preliminary identification of the image mark, a station logo in the partial picture is further identified to accurately identify whether the partial picture is the image mark.

[0015] Optionally, before the end time of the relay program, the end time is updated in time according to the end mark in the host's voice.

[0016] Optionally, the end time of the relay program is obtained according to at least two of the end identifiers.

[0017] Optionally, the switching signal includes at least one of a switching prompt signal and a switching operation signal.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present application, there is provided a play end detection device for a broadcast television system, comprising: a video signal collecting module for collecting a video signal of a relay program as video data of the relay program; a content extracting module for extracting images and audio from the video data; an image comparing module for identifying an image identifier from the images and obtaining an end time of the relay program according to the image identifier; an audio comparing module for identifying an audio identifier from the audio and delaying according to the audio identifier to obtain the end time of the relay program; and a notification module for sending a switching signal before the end time, wherein the image identifier includes a station logo and specific text content of a primary television station, and the audio identifier includes a host's speech and program music.

[0019] The program switching method and the play end detection device according to the embodiments of the present application obtain the end time of the relay program by identifying the image identifier and the audio identifier in the program content. Compared with the program switching method based on the video image recognition technology, the video image recognition technology and the speech recognition technology are combined, and the end time of the relay program is accurately obtained by comprehensive judgment of multiple end identifiers, so that the switching is performed before the end time of the relay program, thereby ensuring the integrity of the relay program and the continuity of the switched program.

[0020] In the preferred embodiments, the speech recognition is performed on the host's broadcast content to obtain a timing start time and a timing duration, so as to calculate the end time of the relay program. Since the priority of the host's broadcast content is higher than that of the image identifier, the end time of the relay program can be accurately determined even in the case that the end screen of the relay program is cancelled, and there is no need to wait for the end identifier after the end of the relay program. Since the switching to the next program can be performed in time, the continuity of the switched content can be ensured.

[0021] In the preferred embodiments, when the image identifier is identified, the screen of the relay program is cut, and the image identifier is identified by multiple steps of preliminary identification of the edge and accurate identification of the text and / or the station logo, so that the end screen can be quickly filtered out, the speed of the image screen identification is improved, the hardware requirement and the cost of the image comparing module are reduced, and the end screen of the relay program is monitored frame by frame, so as to further improve the accuracy and the real-time performance of the switching control. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present application will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments of the present application taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0023] Figure 1 a schematic block diagram of a broadcast television playout system according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0024] Figure 2 a schematic block diagram of a broadcast television playout system according to an embodiment of the present application is shown; Figure 1 a schematic block diagram of a broadcast television playout system according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0025] Figure 3 a schematic block diagram of a broadcast television playout system according to an embodiment of the present application is shown; Figure 4 schematic diagrams showing the end frame and the cut frame of a relay program, respectively;

[0026] Figure 5 a flowchart showing a program cut-in / cut-out method according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Various embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the various drawings, like elements are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals in order to show the features of the present application more clearly. Each part in the drawings is not drawn to scale for the sake of clarity.

[0028] The specific embodiments of the present application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0029] Figure 1 a schematic block diagram of a broadcast television playout system according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0030] The broadcast television playout system 100 includes a main playout switching device 100, a backup playout switching device 102, a playout end detection device 103, a playout control workstation 104, and a switch 105. It should be noted that only the functional modules of the broadcast television playout system related to the relay program are shown in the Figure 1

[0031] During the relay program, the broadcast television playout system 100 receives the program signals of the original television station, such as satellite signals and fiber signals. The satellite signals received by the satellite ground station are TS signals (a kind of compressed digital video signals), which are converted into SDI signals (a kind of uncompressed digital video signals) via video format conversion. The main playout switching device 100 in the broadcast television playout system 100 is used to generate the signals of the main playout channel, including PGM (Program) signals, PST (Preview) signals, CLEAN signals, etc., wherein the PGM signals are the actual playout program signals, the PST signals are the preview signals, and the CLEAN signals are clean signals without station marks and other superimposed information.

[0032] ​The standby play switching device 102 serves as a redundant device to take over the play task when the main play switching device 100 fails, ensuring the continuity and safety of the play. The standby play switching device 102 can also process the PGM, PST and CLEAN signals to ensure the quality of the play during switching.

[0033] The play end detection device 103 estimates or detects the end time of the relay program. The device identifies the end identifier in the relay picture through video image recognition technology and audio recognition technology to obtain the end time of the relay program. Before the end time of the relay program, the play end detection device 103 sends a switching signal to the play control workstation 104 to trigger the play of the subsequent program.

[0034] The play control workstation 104 serves as the control center of the broadcast television play system 100, receives the signal of the play end detection device 103, and generates a control instruction according to the switching signal to control the switching action of the main play switching device 100 and the standby play switching device 102. The play control workstation 104 is also responsible for coordinating the operation of the entire broadcast television play system 100, including the scheduling of signals, the control of play time, and the handling of abnormal situations.

[0035] The switch 105 forms a local area network between the play end detection device 103 and the play control workstation 104 to realize network communication between the play end detection device 103 and the play control workstation 104. For example, the switching signal generated by the play end detection device 103 is sent to the play control workstation 104 through network communication.

[0036] According to the program switching method and the play end detection device of the embodiment of the application, the play end detection device 103 obtains the end time of the relay program by identifying the image identifier and the audio identifier in the program content. Compared with the program switching method based on video image recognition technology, the video image recognition technology and the speech recognition technology can be combined to accurately obtain the end time of the relay program by comprehensive judgment of multiple end identifiers, so that the switching is performed before the end time of the relay program to ensure the integrity of the relay program and the continuity of the switched program.

[0037] Figure 2 shows Figure 1 A schematic block diagram of the play end detection device in the broadcast television play system.

[0038] The play end detection device 103 includes a video signal acquisition module 1, a timing module 2, a content extraction module 3, an image comparison module 4, an audio comparison module 5, and a notification module 6.

[0039] The starting time of the news broadcast program of CCTV is fixed at 19:00 every evening. In the existing program switching method based on video image recognition technology, the end of playing detection is started before the expected end time of playing, for example, at 19:25. According to the program switching method of the embodiment of the present application, since the host's broadcast information also needs to be monitored, the end of playing detection is started at the starting time of playing, for example, at 19:00.

[0040] The timing module 2 generates a timing signal according to the expected program time of the program list, thereby starting the video signal acquisition module 1. The video signal acquisition module 1 acquires the video signal of the relay program as the video data of the relay program. The content extraction module 3 obtains the image data and the audio data from the video data.

[0041] The image comparison module 4 identifies the image identifier from the picture of the relay program to obtain the end time of the relay program. The image identifier includes the station logo and the predetermined text content in the end picture of the program. In order to improve the speed of image picture recognition, when identifying the image identifier, the image comparison module 4 cuts the picture of the relay program, takes multiple steps of preliminary recognition of edge recognition and accurate recognition of text and / or station logo recognition to identify the image identifier, so that the end picture can be quickly screened out. The video image recognition technology for identifying the station logo and the character recognition technology for identifying the text content are known to those skilled in the art.

[0042] The audio comparison module 5 identifies the audio identifier and the program length from the audio of the relay program to obtain the end time of the relay program. The audio identifier includes the specific program music and the host's voice in the end picture of the program. In order to obtain the end time of the relay program in real time, the host's voice is recognized to obtain the broadcast content. For example, during the process of the relay program, the host's broadcast content includes: "the end of the program", "goodbye to the audience friends", "the program xxx is broadcast here, goodbye", "everyone, today's news broadcast program will take about 38 minutes", "the international news will be broadcast next", "everyone, today's news broadcast program will be delayed for 18 minutes".

[0043] The audio comparison module 5 identifies the audio end identifier in the relay program when detecting the broadcasting content of "the end of the program", "goodbye, audience friend", "the program xxx is broadcast to here, goodbye". The audio comparison module 5 obtains the end time of the relay program after a predetermined delay time. The audio comparison module 5 obtains the program start time as the timing start time and "38 minutes" as the timing duration when detecting the broadcasting content of "each audience, today's news broadcast program needs about 38 minutes". The audio comparison module 5 obtains the program host's broadcasting time as the timing start time and the expected program duration of the international news (for example, 10 minutes) as the timing duration when detecting the broadcasting content of "the following international news is broadcast". The audio comparison module 5 obtains the program expected end time as the timing start time and "18 minutes" as the timing duration when detecting the broadcasting content of "each audience, today's news broadcast program will be delayed for 18 minutes". Then, the audio comparison module 5 sums the timing start time and the timing duration to obtain the end time of the relay program. Then, the timing start time and the timing duration are summed to obtain the end time of the relay program.

[0044] The notification module 6 receives the end time of the relay program from the image comparison module 4 and the audio comparison module 5, and sends the switching signal before the end time is converted.

[0045] The switching signal includes at least one of a switching prompt signal and a switching operation signal. The switching prompt signal is used to send a prompt signal to the on-air duty personnel and the on-air department leader, including displaying an alarm icon on the control terminal interface, sending an alarm message to a designated mobile terminal, turning on a sound and light alarm device, and the like. The on-air duty personnel and the on-air department leader manually control the switching action of the main on-air switching device 100 and the standby on-air switching device 102 after receiving the switching signal. The switching operation signal is used to automatically control the switching action of the main on-air switching device 100 and the standby on-air switching device 102.

[0046] The play end detection device 103 according to the embodiment of the application obtains the end time of the relay program by identifying the image identifier and the audio identifier in the program content. Compared with the program switching method based on the video image recognition technology, the video image recognition technology and the speech recognition technology can be combined, and the end time of the relay program can be accurately obtained by using the comprehensive judgment of multiple end identifiers, so that the switching is performed before the end time of the relay program, thereby ensuring the integrity of the relay program and the continuity of the switched program.

[0047] Figure 3 and Figure 4 The schematic diagrams of the end screen of the relay program and the cut screen are shown respectively.

[0048] As Figure 3As shown in the end screen of the News Broadcast program of the China Central Television (CCTV), the image logo of the China Central Television (CCTV) will be superimposed on the top of the screen. The image logo includes the logo of the China Central Television (CCTV) in the graphic frame, and the text contents such as the name and / or the website address. Therefore, the relevant image logo can be used as the end logo of the relay program.

[0049] As shown in the end screen of the News Broadcast program of the China Central Television (CCTV), the image logo of the China Central Television (CCTV) will be superimposed on the top of the screen. The image logo includes the logo of the China Central Television (CCTV) in the graphic frame, and the text contents such as the name and / or the website address. Therefore, the relevant image logo can be used as the end logo of the relay program. Figure 4 As shown in the end screen of the News Broadcast program of the China Central Television (CCTV), the image logo of the China Central Television (CCTV) will be superimposed on the top of the screen. The image logo includes the logo of the China Central Television (CCTV) in the graphic frame, and the text contents such as the name and / or the website address. Therefore, the relevant image logo can be used as the end logo of the relay program.

[0050] According to the embodiments of the present application, when identifying the image logo, the preliminary identification mode of edge recognition is adopted to determine whether the graphic frame exists, and if the graphic frame exists, the accurate identification mode of multiple steps of text and / or logo recognition is further adopted to identify the image logo, so that the end screen can be quickly filtered out, the speed of image screen identification is improved, the hardware requirement and cost of the image comparison module are reduced, and the end screen of the relay program is monitored frame by frame, so that the accuracy and real-time performance of the switching control are further improved.

[0051] Figure 5 A flow chart of the program switching method according to the embodiments of the present application is shown. For example, the main steps of the program switching method are performed by the end detection device shown in Figure 2

[0052] In step S01, the detection step of the end time of the program is started in time according to the program time of the program list. For example, the program switching method of the embodiments of the present application is performed immediately after the start time of the News Broadcast program.

[0053] In step S02, the video signal of the relay program is collected as the video data of the relay program, and the image data and the audio data are obtained from the video data.

[0054] In step S03, the audio logo related to the end time of the relay program and the program duration are identified in the audio data. The audio logo is, for example, the specific program music and the specific broadcast content of the host in the end screen of the program.

[0055] During the relay program, the host may inform the change of the program duration in the form of voice broadcast. Therefore, the program switching method of the present application identifies the broadcast content of the host in real time, and sums the start time and the duration according to the detected broadcast content, so as to estimate the end time of the relay program, and thus the end time of the relay program is obtained in real time.

[0056] ​In step S04, it is judged whether there is a broadcast content related to the program duration. If the broadcast content is not related to the program duration, step S05 is executed. If the broadcast content is related to the program duration, step S06 is executed to calculate the end time of the relay program according to the program duration announced by the host, and the switching is performed at the end time of the relay program.

[0057] In step S05, an image mark related to the end time of the relay program is identified in the video data. The image mark is, for example, a specific image of the end screen of the program.

[0058] In the end screen of the relay program, the image mark of the China Central Television (CCTV) will be superimposed on the top of the screen. The image mark includes the station mark in the text box, and the text content such as the name and / or the website address. Therefore, the relevant image mark can be taken as the end mark of the relay program.

[0059] In this step, for example, the screen of the relay program is cut to obtain a partial screen, and it is judged whether it is the image mark according to the image of the partial screen. According to the color of the peripheral area of the partial screen, it can be preliminarily identified whether it is the image mark. In the case of preliminary identification as the image mark, the station mark and / or the text content in the partial screen are further identified to accurately identify whether it is the image mark.

[0060] In step S07, it is judged whether there is an image mark related to the end screen. If there is the image mark, step S08 is executed. If there is no image mark, step S02 is returned to repeat the extraction of the image data and the audio data in the video signal, and the detection of the image mark and the audio mark.

[0061] In step S08, it is judged whether there is an audio mark related to the end screen. If there is the audio mark, step S09 is executed to switch to the next program in advance according to the program end time indicated by the audio mark. If there is no audio mark, step S10 is executed to switch to the next program according to the program end time of the program list.

[0062] According to the embodiment of the present application, the broadcast content of the host is subjected to voice recognition to obtain the timing start time and the timing duration, so as to calculate the end time of the relay program. Since the priority of the broadcast content of the host is higher than that of the image mark, the end time of the relay program can be accurately judged in the case of cancellation of the end screen of the relay program, without waiting for the end mark after the end of the relay program. Since the switching to the next program can be performed in time, the continuity of the switching content can be ensured.

[0063] In accordance with the practices of the present invention, these embodiments have been described in relation to the above-described embodiments, which are intended to be illustrative only and not restrictive of the invention. Obviously, many modifications and variations of this invention can be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concept of the progression of the invention. No limitation with respect to the specific implementation of the present invention is intended or implied. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. It is intended that the patent be construed as covering all alternatives falling within the true scope of the present invention along with all equivalents thereto.

Claims

1. A program switching method for a broadcast television system, comprising: extracting video content of a relay program according to program time of a program list; obtaining an end time of the relay program according to an end identifier in the video content; and sending a switching signal before the end time, wherein the end identifier comprises a predetermined image identifier and an audio identifier, the image identifier comprises a station logo of an original television station and specific text content, and the audio identifier comprises a host's voice and program music. 2.The program switching method of claim 1, wherein: a timing start time and a timing duration are obtained according to the host's voice content; and the timing start time and the timing duration are summed to obtain the end time of the relay program. The timing start time comprises one of a predicted start time, a predicted end time of the relay program, and a host's announcement time according to the host's voice content.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, A partial picture is obtained by cutting a picture of the relay program, and whether the partial picture is the image identifier is determined according to the image of the partial picture.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, Whether the partial picture is the image identifier is preliminarily identified according to a color of a peripheral area of the partial picture.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, In a case where the partial picture is preliminarily identified as the image identifier, text content of the partial picture is further identified to accurately identify whether the partial picture is the image identifier.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, In a case where the partial picture is preliminarily identified as the image identifier, a station logo in the partial picture is further identified to accurately identify whether the partial picture is the image identifier.

7. The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein, The end time is updated in time according to the end identifier in the host's voice before the end time of the relay program.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, The end time of the relay program is obtained according to at least two end identifiers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, 10.A broadcast end detection device for a broadcast television system, comprising: a video signal acquisition module configured to acquire a video signal of a relay program as video data of the relay program; a content extraction module configured to obtain an image and an audio from the video data; an image comparison module configured to identify an image identifier from the image and obtain an end time of the relay program according to the image identifier; an audio comparison module configured to identify an audio identifier from the audio and delay the audio identifier to obtain the end time of the relay program; a notification module configured to send a switching signal before the end time, wherein the image identifier comprises a station logo of an original television station and specific text content, and the audio identifier comprises a host's voice and program music. ​

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