IP studio system with software definition function and implementation method

Abstract

The invention provides an IP studio system with a software definition function and an implementation method, the system comprises studio hardware equipment, a studio software platform and a software definition function management system, the studio software platform is installed on the studio hardware equipment, and the software definition function management system is installed on the studio software platform. And the software defined function management system is used for managing each studio hardware device. According to the invention, equipment redundancy is reduced, system architecture is simplified, cost is reduced, maintenance and upgrading processes are simplified, wiring is simplified, the system can be easily expanded according to needs, resources can be dynamically allocated by using a virtualization technology, efficiency is further improved, and the system is not limited by transmission distance. High-quality video and audio signals can be easily transmitted in a long distance, so that equipment arrangement is more flexible, and remote production becomes possible.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of IP studios, and in particular to an IP studio system with software-defined functions and an implementation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Traditional broadcast and media production environments often rely on dedicated SDI (Serial Digital Interface) infrastructure, which performs well in terms of reliability and signal quality, but has limitations in flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. With the increase in video resolution (such as 4K and 8K) and the maturity of IP (Internet Protocol) technology, the media industry has begun to seek a more flexible, cost-effective solution that can leverage existing IT infrastructure. The SMPTE ST 2110 standard suite is a set of standards developed by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) to define a new IP-based real-time media transmission framework for the professional broadcast and media industry. The development of this set of standards began in 2016, with the main goal of addressing the limitations of traditional SDI-based video and audio signal transmission systems. The introduction of the SMPTE ST 2110 standard marks a major shift in the broadcast and television industry from traditional SDI infrastructure to IP-based media transmission. This shift not only improves the efficiency and flexibility of media production, but also reduces operating costs and promotes the digital transformation of the media industry.

[0003] An SDI-based studio usually includes the following core equipment: Cameras, cameras equipped with SDI outputs, used to capture video and audio signals; Video switchers: SDI-based video switchers, used to switch and mix between multiple video sources, process video signals, add special effects and transitions; Video servers: used to play existing video materials in the studio; Video recorders: Video recorders that support SDI inputs, used to record video signals. Multi-screen monitors: SDI monitors, used to monitor video signals in real time to ensure image quality and color accuracy; Audio mixers: used to process and mix audio signals; Virtual engines, used to generate graphic-packaged audio and video signals, large-screen audio and video signals, and three-dimensional virtual audio and video signals.

[0004] SDI-based studios were once standard in professional broadcasting and video production, but with the advancement of technology and the rise of networked video transmission, SDI systems have begun to show some limitations and defects: (1) Various devices use different hardware and software, each with its own functions and cannot replace each other. This has caused redundancy and waste of studio equipment. At the same time, different hardware and software architectures have increased system complexity, difficulty and cost of system maintenance; (2) Limited scalability. SDI systems usually rely on physical connections, which means that increasing input or output capacity requires more SDI cables and equipment, which will increase wiring complexity and cost; (3) Low flexibility. The transmission distance of SDI signals is limited, generally not exceeding 100 meters, which limits the flexibility of equipment layout and cannot meet the use in large venues or long-distance transmission scenarios. Therefore, it is very necessary to design an IP studio system with software-defined functions and its implementation method. Summary of the invention

[0005] In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide an IP studio system with software-defined functions and an implementation method thereof.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following solutions:

[0007] The present invention provides an IP studio system with software-defined functions and an implementation method thereof, comprising: studio hardware equipment, a studio software platform and a software-defined function management system, wherein the studio software platform is installed on the studio hardware equipment, the studio software platform comprises a controlled terminal system, an IP video server system, an IP video recorder system, an IP switcher system, an IP mixer system, an IP virtual engine system, an IP multi-image system and an IPG system, the software-defined function management system is used to manage each studio hardware device, the controlled terminal system is used to receive control instructions of the software-defined function management system, and implement the studio hardware device. Configuration information modification: the IP video server system is used to play studio video materials, the IP recorder system is used to record video signals, the IP switcher system is used to switch and mix between multiple video sources, process video information, and add special effects and transitions, the IP mixer system is used to process and mix audio signals, the IP virtual engine system is used to generate graphic-packaged audio and video signals, large-screen audio and video signals, and three-dimensional virtual audio and video signals, the IP multi-screen system is used to monitor video signals in real time and ensure image quality and color accuracy, and the IPG system is used to convert traditional SDI audio and video signals into IP audio and video signals.

[0008] The present invention also provides a method for implementing an IP studio with software-defined functions, comprising:

[0009] Install the studio software platform on the studio hardware equipment;

[0010] Select a studio hardware device as the server of the software-defined function management system, and start the software-defined function management system to broadcast the IP address and port number to the network through the DNS-SD protocol;

[0011] After the controlled terminal system of the studio hardware equipment in the network receives the IP address and port number of the software-defined function management system through the DNS-SD protocol, it registers its own information to the software-defined function management system through the NMOS IS-04 protocol;

[0012] The device type of each studio hardware device is set as needed in the operation interface of the software-defined function management system, and the software-defined function management system sends the set device type to the controlled terminal system of each studio hardware device through the TCP protocol;

[0013] After receiving the device type information, the controlled terminal system modifies the local configuration file and restarts the studio software platform of the studio hardware device;

[0014] During the startup process, the studio software platform reads the device type information in the local configuration file, and starts the corresponding studio software platform system according to the device type. After the restart is successful, it re-registers its own information to the software-defined function management system through the NMOS protocol;

[0015] In the operation interface of the software-defined function management system, data flows between studio hardware devices are established on demand to realize the transmission and reception of data flows between various studio hardware devices.

[0016] Preferably, the information of the controlled terminal system of the studio hardware equipment in the network includes IP address, port, device type, UDP address and port number of received data stream, and UDP address and port number of sent data stream.

[0017] Preferably, receiving the data stream UDP address and port number means that when using the UDP protocol to receive the data stream, the receiver needs to monitor a specific IP address and port number.

[0018] Preferably, sending the data stream UDP address and port number means that when using the UDP protocol to send the data stream, the sender needs to know the IP address and port number of the receiver.

[0019] Preferably, the equipment types correspond to the various systems of the studio software platform, including video server, video recorder, switcher, mixer, virtual engine, multi-screen, and IPG.

[0020] According to the specific embodiments provided by the present invention, the present invention discloses the following technical effects:

[0021] The present invention provides an IP studio system with software-defined functions and an implementation method thereof. The system comprises studio hardware equipment, a studio software platform and a software-defined function management system. The method comprises installing the studio software platform on the studio hardware equipment, selecting a studio hardware equipment as a server of the software-defined function management system, starting the software-defined function management system to broadcast an IP address and a port number to a network through a DNS-SD protocol, and after a controlled terminal system of the studio hardware equipment in the network receives the IP address and the port number of the software-defined function management system through the DNS-SD protocol, The IS-04 protocol registers its own information into the software-defined function management system, and sets the device type of each studio hardware device as needed in the operation interface of the software-defined function management system. The software-defined function management system sends the set device type to the controlled terminal system of each studio hardware device through the TCP protocol. After receiving the device type information, the controlled terminal system modifies the local configuration file and restarts the studio software platform of the studio hardware device. During the startup process, the studio software platform reads the device type information in the local configuration file and starts the system of the corresponding studio software platform according to the device type. After the restart is successful, the system re-registers its own information into the software-defined function management system through the NMOS protocol, and establishes data flows between studio hardware devices as needed in the operation interface of the software-defined function management system to realize the transmission and reception of data flows between studio hardware devices. The IP studio provided by the present invention adopts a universal hardware platform and implements different tasks through software-defined functions, so that different software modules can be run with the same set of hardware to perform multiple tasks, such as video switching, audio mixing, etc. This method reduces equipment redundancy, simplifies system architecture, reduces costs, and simplifies maintenance and upgrade processes. The IP-based studio can expand its capacity by simply adding more nodes to the network without adding physical lines, which greatly simplifies wiring, reduces costs, and can easily expand the system as needed. With the development of technology, virtualization technology can also be used to dynamically allocate resources to further improve efficiency. The IP system is not limited by transmission distance and can easily transmit high-quality video and audio signals over longer distances, which makes equipment layout more flexible and makes remote production possible. Production staff can collaborate in different locations without having to be concentrated in the same studio. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative labor.

[0023] Figure 1 A structural block diagram of an IP studio system with software-defined functions provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 A flowchart of a method for implementing an IP studio with software-defined functions provided in an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an IP studio system with software-defined functions and an implementation method, which reduces equipment redundancy, simplifies system architecture, reduces costs, simplifies maintenance and upgrade processes, simplifies wiring, and can easily expand the system as needed. Virtualization technology can be used to dynamically allocate resources to further improve efficiency. It is not limited by transmission distance and can easily transmit high-quality video and audio signals over a long distance, making equipment layout more flexible and remote production possible.

[0027] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0028] Figure 1 The structure block diagram of the IP studio system with software-defined functions provided by the embodiment of the present invention is as follows: Figure 1As shown, the present invention provides an IP studio system with software-defined functions, which adopts unified hardware devices, defines the functions of the hardware devices by software, and establishes data stream connections between devices through software. The IP studio system refers to a studio system based on the SMPTEST 2110 standard set, which uses IP network technology to transmit and process uncompressed high-definition, ultra-high-definition video and audio signals, as well as related metadata and control information. The system includes: studio hardware devices, a studio software platform and a software-defined function management system. The studio software platform is installed on the studio hardware devices. The studio software platform includes a controlled terminal system, an IP video server system, an IP recorder system, an IP switcher system, an IP mixer system, an IP virtual engine system, an IP multi-screen system and an IPG system. The software-defined function management system is used to manage each studio hardware device, and the controlled terminal system is used to receive the software-defined function management system. The control instructions of the system are used to modify the configuration information of the studio hardware equipment. The IP video server system is used to play the studio video materials. The IP recorder system is used to record the video signal. The IP switcher system is used to switch and mix between multiple video sources, process video information, and add special effects and transitions. The IP mixer system is used to process and mix audio signals. The IP virtual engine system is used to generate graphic packaged audio and video signals, large-screen audio and video signals, and three-dimensional virtual audio and video signals. The IP multi-screen system is used to monitor the video signal in real time and ensure the picture quality and color accuracy. The IPG system is used to convert traditional SDI audio and video signals into IP audio and video signals;

[0029] Install a unified studio software platform on the studio hardware equipment, and manage the studio equipment through a software-defined function management system. You can define the type of each device, such as an IP video server or an IP video recorder, and establish data stream connections between devices, such as directing the video stream output by an IP video server to an IP video recorder;

[0030] The equipment types in the studio are set in the software-defined function management system, and the software-defined function management system sends control instructions to the controlled terminal system on the corresponding equipment. The controlled terminal system parses the instructions, writes the configuration information into the configuration file, and opens, closes, establishes data stream connections, and other operations on the IP video server system, IP recorder system, IP switcher system, IP mixer system, IP virtual engine system, IP multi-screen system, and IPG system on the equipment according to the instructions.

[0031] like Figure 2 As shown, the present invention also provides a method for implementing an IP studio with software-defined functions, comprising:

[0032] Install the studio software platform on the studio hardware equipment;

[0033] Select a studio hardware device as the server of the software-defined function management system, and start the software-defined function management system to broadcast the IP address and port number to the network through the DNS-SD protocol;

[0034] DNS-SD (DNS Service Discovery) is a DNS (Domain Name System)-based protocol used to automatically discover services and devices on a local area network (LAN). It combines three key technologies: mDNS (Multicast DNS), SRV records, and TXT records to achieve automatic discovery, notification, and selection of services;

[0035] After the controlled terminal system of the studio hardware equipment in the network receives the IP address and port number of the software-defined function management system through the DNS-SD protocol, it registers its own information to the software-defined function management system through the NMOS IS-04 protocol;

[0036] An IP address (Internet Protocol Address) is a unique address assigned to each device in a network. It is used to locate and address devices in the network. The port number is a number used by the transport layer to identify a specific process or service. It is a 16-bit number ranging from 0 to 65535. The port number is used to distinguish different services or applications running on the same device;

[0037] The NMOS (Networked Media Open Specifications) protocol is a set of open specifications proposed by AMWA (Advanced Media Workflow Association) for the management and control of professional media workflows on IP (Internet Protocol) networks. The IS-04 protocol is one of a set of standards developed by AMWA (Advanced Media Workflow Association) to promote interoperability between media devices based on IP networks. NMOS IS-04 focuses on device discovery and registration, and its full name is "Node Discovery & Registration". The NMOS IS-04 protocol provides a mechanism that allows media devices to self-announce and register their functions and existence on the network, allowing control layer software to discover, control and manage these devices. This greatly simplifies the deployment and management of network media workflows and reduces the need for manual configuration;

[0038] The device type of each studio hardware device is set as needed in the operation interface of the software-defined function management system, and the software-defined function management system sends the set device type to the controlled terminal system of each studio hardware device through the TCP protocol;

[0039] After receiving the device type information, the controlled terminal system modifies the local configuration file and restarts the studio software platform of the studio hardware device;

[0040] During the startup process, the studio software platform reads the device type information in the local configuration file and starts the corresponding studio software platform system according to the device type. For example, if the device type is a switcher, the IP switcher system will be started; if the device type is a video server, the IP video server system will be started. After the restart is successful, the studio software platform re-registers its own information to the software-defined function management system through the NMOS protocol.

[0041] In the operation interface of the software-defined function management system, data streams between studio hardware devices are established on demand to realize the transmission and reception of data streams between studio hardware devices. For example, an output data stream of an IP video server is connected to an input data stream of an IP switcher. The software-defined function management system sends the UDP address and port number of the output data stream of the IP video server to the controlled terminal system of the IP switcher. The controlled terminal system of the IP switcher reconfigures the UDP address and port number for receiving the input data stream, thereby realizing the reception of the output data stream of the IP video server.

[0042] The information of the controlled terminal system of the studio hardware equipment in the network includes IP address, port, device type, UDP address and port number of received data stream, and UDP address and port number of sent data stream.

[0043] The UDP address and port number for receiving data streams means that when using the UDP protocol to receive data streams, the receiver needs to listen to a specific IP address and port number.

[0044] Sending data stream UDP address and port number means that when using UDP protocol to send data stream, the sender needs to know the IP address and port number of the receiver.

[0045] The equipment types correspond to the various systems of the studio software platform, including video server, video recorder, switcher, mixer, virtual engine, multi-screen, and IPG.

[0046] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

[0047] The present invention uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The above examples are only used to help understand the method and core ideas of the present invention. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, according to the ideas of the present invention, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. In summary, the content of this specification should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

Claims

1. A software-defined IP studio system, characterized in that: include: Studio hardware equipment, studio software platform and software-defined function management system. The studio software platform is installed on the studio hardware equipment. The studio software platform includes a controlled terminal system, an IP video server system, an IP recorder system, an IP switcher system, an IP mixer system, an IP virtual engine system, an IP multi-screen system and an IPG system. The software-defined function management system is used to manage various studio hardware equipment. The controlled terminal system is used to receive control instructions from the software-defined function management system to modify the configuration information of the studio hardware equipment. The IP video server system is used to play studio video materials. The IP recorder system is used to record video signals. The IP switcher system is used to switch and mix between multiple video sources, process video information, and add special effects and transitions. The IP mixer system is used to process and mix audio signals. The IP virtual engine system is used to generate graphic-packaged audio and video signals, large-screen audio and video signals, and three-dimensional virtual audio and video signals. The IP multi-screen system is used to monitor video signals in real time and ensure image quality and color accuracy. The IPG system is used to convert traditional SDI audio and video signals into IP audio and video signals.

2. A method for implementing a software-defined function IP studio, characterized in that: include: Install the studio software platform on the studio hardware equipment; Select a studio hardware device as the server of the software-defined function management system, and start the software-defined function management system to broadcast the IP address and port number to the network through the DNS-SD protocol; After the controlled terminal system of the studio hardware equipment in the network receives the IP address and port number of the software-defined function management system through the DNS-SD protocol, it registers its own information to the software-defined function management system through the NMOS IS-04 protocol; The device type of each studio hardware device is set as needed in the operation interface of the software-defined function management system, and the software-defined function management system sends the set device type to the controlled terminal system of each studio hardware device through the TCP protocol; After receiving the device type information, the controlled terminal system modifies the local configuration file and restarts the studio software platform of the studio hardware device; During the startup process, the studio software platform reads the device type information in the local configuration file, and starts the corresponding studio software platform system according to the device type. After the restart is successful, it re-registers its own information to the software-defined function management system through the NMOS protocol; In the operation interface of the software-defined function management system, data flows between studio hardware devices are established on demand to realize the transmission and reception of data flows between various studio hardware devices.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The information of the controlled terminal system of the studio hardware equipment in the network includes IP address, port, device type, UDP address and port number of received data stream, and UDP address and port number of sent data stream.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The UDP address and port number for receiving data streams means that when using the UDP protocol to receive data streams, the receiver needs to listen to a specific IP address and port number.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that: Sending data stream UDP address and port number means that when using UDP protocol to send data stream, the sender needs to know the IP address and port number of the receiver.

6. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The equipment types correspond to the various systems of the studio software platform, including video server, video recorder, switcher, mixer, virtual engine, multi-screen, and IPG.

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