Image switching apparatus, image switching method, and program recording medium

An image switching method which uses two types or more of special effect apparatuses having different I/O interfaces from each other to apply special effect processing to a plurality of input images and further uses an image synthesis step to apply switching processing involving image synthesis processing, wherein

• the method further using a type storage section which stores settings indicating whether to use either a first path which is based on a combination of a first image output interface for a first special effect apparatus and first image input interface for the first special effect apparatus or a second path which is based on a combination of a second image output interface for a second special effect apparatus to be connected to the image synthesis step and second image input interface for the second special effect apparatus,
• the method comprising:
• a routing instruction step of inputting an instruction that causes an image to go through the special effect apparatus;
• an image synthesis/switching step including a selection switching step of performing switching processing for the image selected from a plurality of externally input images and the image from the first or second image input interface and the image synthesis step that performs synthesis processing;
• a synthesis/switching operation input step of performing input operation to select the image to be input to the image synthesis/switching step;
• and
• an assignment management step of referring to the type storage section in response to an instruction from the “routing through special effect apparatus” instruction step and outputting the image in the image synthesis/switching step to the first image output interface as well as acquiring the image from the first image input interface to input the acquired image to the image synthesis/switching step when the setting is the first path, whereas outputting the image in the image synthesis/switching step to the second image output interface as well as acquiring the image from the second image input interface to input the acquired image to the image synthesis/switching step when the setting is the second path, and
• referring to the type storage section in response to an input image selection instruction from the synthesis/switching operation input step and selecting an image to be directed to the first image output interface when the setting is the first path, whereas selecting an image to be directed to the second image output interface when the setting is the second path.

A program recording medium storing an image switching program which uses two types or more of special effect apparatuses having different I/O interfaces from each other to apply special effect processing to a plurality of input images and further uses an image synthesis step to apply switching processing involving image synthesis processing, wherein

• the program further using a type storage section which stores settings indicating whether to use either a first path which is based on a combination of a first image output interface for a first special effect apparatus to be connected to the image synthesis means and first image input interface for the first special effect apparatus or a second path which is based on a combination of a second image output interface for a second special effect apparatus to be connected to the image synthesis step and second image input interface for the second special effect apparatus,
• the program comprising:
• a routing instruction step of inputting an instruction that causes an image to go through the special effect apparatus;
• an image synthesis/switching step including a selection switching step of performing switching processing for the image selected from a plurality of externally input images and the image from the first or second image input interface and the image synthesis step that performs synthesis processing;
• a synthesis/switching operation input step of performing input operation to select the image to be input to the image synthesis/switching step;
• and
• an assignment management step of referring to the type storage section in response to an instruction from the “routing through special effect apparatus” instruction step and outputting the image in the image synthesis/switching step to the first image output interface as well as acquiring the image from the first image input interface to input the acquired image to the image synthesis/switching step when the setting is the first path, whereas outputting the image in the image synthesis/switching step to the second image output interface as well as acquiring the image from the second image input interface to input the acquired image to the image synthesis/switching step when the setting is the second path, and
• referring to the type storage section in response to an input image selection instruction from the synthesis/switching operation input step and selecting an image to be directed to the first image output interface when the setting is the first path, whereas selecting an image to be directed to the second image output interface when the setting is the second path.

An image switching apparatus which uses two types or more of special effect apparatuses having different I/O interfaces from each other to apply special effect processing to a plurality of input images and further uses an image synthesis section to perform switching processing involving image synthesis processing, comprising:

• a first image output interface for a first special effect apparatus to be connected to the image synthesis section;
• a first image input interface for the first special effect apparatus;
• a second image output interface for a second special effect apparatus to be connected to the image synthesis section;
• a second image input interface for the second special effect apparatus;
• a type storage section which stores settings indicating whether to use either a first path which is based on a combination of the first image output interface and first image input interface or a second path which is based on a combination of the second image output interface and second image input interface;
• a routing instruction section for inputting an instruction that causes an image to go through the special effect apparatus;
• one or more image synthesis/switching section including selection switches for an operator to perform switching processing between the image selected from a plurality of externally input images and the first or second image input interface and the image synthesis section which performs synthesis processing;
• a synthesis/switching operation input section for the operator to perform input operation to select the image to be input to the image synthesis/switching section;
• and
• an assignment management section which refers to the type storage section in response to an instruction from the routing instruction section and outputs the image in the image synthesis/switching section to the first image output interface as well as acquires the image from the first image input interface to input the acquired image to the image synthesis/switching section when the setting is the first path, whereas outputs the image in the image synthesis/switching section to the second image output interface as well as acquires the image from the second image input interface to input the acquired image to the image synthesis/switching section when the setting is the second path, and
• refers to the type storage section in response to an input image selection instruction from the synthesis/switching operation input section and selects an image to be directed to the first image output interface when the setting is the first path, whereas selects an image to be directed to the second image output interface when the setting is the second path.

An image switching apparatus which uses two types or more of special effect apparatuses having different interfaces, comprising:

• a type storage section which stores a plurality of types corresponding to the special effect apparatuses and the interfaces;
• a judging section for judging which special effect apparatus is connected and which interface is used;
• and
• an assignment management section which manages predetermined path based on the type, wherein the type is determined by referring to the type storage section according to the judging of the judge section.

An image switching apparatus which uses two types or more of special effect apparatuses having different interfaces, comprising:

• a type memory configured to store a plurality of types corresponding to the special effect apparatuses and the interfaces;
• a circuit configured to judging which special effect apparatus is connected and which interface is used;
• and
• an controller configure to manage predetermined path based on the type, wherein the type is determined by referring to the type storage section according to the judging of the judge section.