JP2001283069A - Contents providing device, contents reservation control method, program storage medium and contents providing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To always surely and rapidly provide contents corresponding to a request. SOLUTION: The upper limit value of the number of contents which can be simultaneously provided is set. When it is detected that the number of contents to be simultaneously provided at providing schedule time reaches the upper limit value, the fact that reservation is impossible at the providing schedule time is reported to a user PC 2 via the Internet 5. Then the providing schedule is prevented from being set by the number of contents, which exceeds the upper limit value, so that the contents are always surely and rapidly provided to the plurality of client PCs 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a content providing apparatus, a content reservation control method, a program storage medium, and a content providing system, and is suitably applied to, for example, a computer network system that provides content via the Internet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a computer network system, for example, when contents composed of video and / or audio created by an individual are provided via the Internet, a user opens a personal homepage created using a personal computer. Is commonly done.

[0003] When setting up a personal homepage in this way, a user obtains a homepage creation program via a personal computer, creates a homepage hyperlinked to a plurality of contents based on the homepage creation program, and transmits this to the Internet. It is stored in a server of a service provider (hereinafter, referred to as an ISP).

[0004] The ISP provides a homepage from a server to a client who accesses the Internet, and when an anchor on the homepage is clicked, the hyperlinked content is subsequently provided. I have.

[0005]

In a computer network system having such a configuration, an ISP
It reads homepage data stored in a server in response to a request from a client and provides it via the Internet.However, due to limitations in server processing performance and line bandwidth, There is a limit to the number of homepage data that can be provided simultaneously from the server.

For this reason, in the computer network system, a large number of requests for various homepages from a plurality of clients to the ISP server occur simultaneously, and when the number of requests exceeds the upper limit, the homepage is promptly provided to all the plurality of clients. There was a problem that it could not be done.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and proposes a content providing apparatus, a content reservation control method, a program storage medium, and a content providing system capable of reliably and promptly providing content according to a request. It is assumed that.

[0008]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the content supplied from the information processing device is temporarily stored in a dedicated storage area secured for each individual, and the content is stored in response to a client request. Read from the information processing apparatus via the network, and provides the provided scheduled time data indicating the scheduled time of providing the content provided by the content storage / providing means to be provided to the client via the network. The content provision schedule is set based on the content, and the upper limit of the number of contents that can be provided at the same time is set, and that the number of contents that can be provided simultaneously at the predetermined scheduled provision time based on the provision schedule reaches the upper limit. When detected, it informs that reservation is not possible at the scheduled So as to notify the information processing apparatus through the workpiece.

[0009] An upper limit value of the number of contents that can be simultaneously provided is set, and when it is detected that the number of contents that can be simultaneously provided at a desired provision scheduled time has reached a predetermined upper limit, a reservation is made at the provision provision time. By notifying the information processing device via the network that it is impossible,
Since it is possible to prevent the provision schedule from being set with the number of contents exceeding the upper limit, it is possible to always and reliably provide the contents to a plurality of clients.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

(1) Principle of Electronic Commerce Using the Internet The Internet is a computer network constructed by connecting a number of computers to each other via communication links, and e-mail, Gopher, and Gopher are used between the computers. Information can be transmitted and received using various services such as WWW (World Wide Web).

That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a client PC (Personal Compute
r) WWW server 301 (Web server or Web server) that provides various services such as WWW to 302-1 to 302-N
(Also referred to as a site or the like) stores a Web page composed of graphics information such as graphics and images on an internal hard disk.

Each resource used on the WWW, such as the WWW server 301 and the Web page, is provided by UR which is an addressing technology for identifying on the Internet 300.
It can be uniquely recognized by L (Uniform Resource locator).

Therefore, the client PCs 302-1 to 302-N connected to the Internet 300
UTP of a Web page desired to be browsed by a predetermined transfer protocol such as TTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol)
When the RL is specified by the user, a request for browsing a Web page is made to the WWW server 301 according to the URL.

The client PCs 302-1 to 302-1
2-N receives the Web page transmitted from the WWW server 301 as a result of the browsing request to the WWW server 301, and displays the Web page on the display unit via a WWW browser stored in advance in the internal hard disk. The Web page is displayed so that the user can browse the Web page.

Here, the Web page is HTML
(Hyper Text Markup Language) is typical, and the HTML document defining the Web page includes HTML in order to specify how to display the Web page. A symbol called a specified tag (reserved word) is included.

Incidentally, the HTML document includes various tags for displaying graphics, controls, and other functions, and includes a Web page that can be used by the WWW server 301 that requests browsing of the Web page or another WWW server. Can be specified as a link destination.

Therefore, the Web page is displayed in the client PC 302 in a display method intended by the provider of the Web page.
-1 to 302-N are displayed on the display unit.

Recently, the above-mentioned WWW has been used for electronic commerce using the Internet 300.

In this case, in the WWW server 301,
A Web page composed of a product catalog in which products to be sold are electronically listed is prepared, and in response to a browsing request from the customer, the Web page is owned by the client personal computers 302-1 to 302- owned by the customer.
N.

Thus, the client PCs 302-1 to 302-1
302-N displays a Web page received from the WWW server 301 via the Internet 300 on a display unit, and as a result, allows a customer to browse a product catalog to be sold.

Client PCs 302-1 to 302-N
When the user specifies a desired product on the Web page of the product catalog displayed on the display unit, the user is notified to the WWW server 301 via the Internet 300.

Upon receiving the request, the WWW server 301 requests customer information from the client PCs 302-1 to 302-N, and the client PCs 302-1 to 302-N.
From N, customer information such as the name of the customer who purchases the product, the credit card number owned by the customer, and the address indicating the delivery destination of the product is received.

Next, upon receiving the above-mentioned customer information, the WWW server 301 transmits a Web page for confirming the order of the product to the client PCs 302-1 to 302-N, and confirms the order contents to the customer on the Web page. And then
Adjust product delivery schedule.

In such electronic commerce using the Internet 300, electronic contents such as music are electronically delivered to the customer via the Internet 300, and the personal information is provided to the customer using a delivery company or the like. By delivering physical goods such as computers,
Electronic commerce for various products can be realized.

Incidentally, the definition of the Web page is not only HTML but also XML (eXtensible Markup Language).
The XML uses tags in the same way as HTML, but can express the structure of a document and its meaning, and also has a document type definition (DTD: Document Type Definition).
nition), attributes such as a hierarchical structure and a data type can be specified for the tag.

Therefore, in the WWW server 301, W
If the web page is defined using XML, for example, data for information processing such as an order code, a product code, a unit price, and a quantity stored in a database in advance can be embedded in various tags, respectively. It can be used not only for browsing a page but also for automatically executing information processing such as order calculation using data for information processing embedded in the tag.

(2) Configuration of Content Providing System In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a content providing system according to the present invention which realizes electronic commerce using the Internet as a whole, and a user PC (Performance) used by a content creator.
sonal Computer) 2, a content provider 3 that stores content created by the user PC 2 and provides the content in response to a request, and a plurality of client PCs 4 that receive the provision of the content specified on the Web site from the content provider 3 ( 4A to 4N), an online mail order company 6 for the content creator to perform online shopping on the Internet via the user PC 2, a commercial video (hereinafter, referred to as a CM video), and the CM video And a commercial client (hereinafter, referred to as a CM client) 7 requesting that the content provider 3 provide the client PC 4 to the client PC 4.

The content providing system 1 returns the profit received by the content providing provider 3 to the content creator in accordance with the number of times of access from the client PC 4 to the personal content created by the user PC 2 (hereinafter, this will be referred to as “content creator”). Is called a profit return) system, which encourages content creators to produce even better content,
A completely new business model on the Internet 5 has been constructed for the purpose of increasing the number of accesses to C4.

Here, the content provider 3, the online mail-order company 6, and the CM client 7, which are surrounded by a broken line, have a business alliance 8 in an alliance with each other, and a content creator (user PC).
Profit return processing is performed in various forms for 2).

(3) User PC User Registration Procedure In this content providing system 1, the user PC 2
First, it is necessary to perform a user registration procedure with the content providing provider 3, and the user registration procedure will be described in detail below.

As shown in FIG. 3, the user PC 2
1 via a CPU 10 and a hard disk drive (HD
D) 12, RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, IEEE
E (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Enginee
rs) Display unit 1 composed of 1394 interface 14, network interface 16, and liquid crystal display
7 are connected to each other.

In such a user PC 2, the HD
OS (Operating System) which is a basic program in D12
In addition, various application software are stored, and these application software are stored in RAM.
13 and is appropriately activated to execute predetermined processing.

That is, in the user PC 2, the online sign-up icon 20 on the desktop screen 19 (Microsoft Windows screen) displayed on the display unit 17 by activating the OS as shown in FIG. 4 is clicked by the content creator. And the CPU 10 is HD
By starting the automatic online sign-up software from D12, a user information registration screen 21 as shown in FIG.

The user information registration screen 21 is for registering user information when applying for a personal casting service as indicated in the screen title, and the content creator follows the screen in accordance with this screen.
"Address,""Phonenumber,""Emailaddress,"
"Date of birth", "Credit card number", "First desired user ID", "Second desired user ID", "Third desired user ID", "Preferred channel name", "Password" and "Password confirmation" And finally select "Application Service" from "All-you-can-use course" or "Beginner course".

Here, the personal casting service is a content providing form newly started in the content providing system 1 of the present invention, and a content providing form called an on-demand type and a live type is used. This will be described in detail later.

On the user information registration screen 21, a cancel button 22 for invalidating the contents of the user information input by the content creator, and an application button for making an application with the user information input by the content creator 23 are provided.

Accordingly, when the application button 23 is clicked after the input of the user information is completed, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 sets the user information registration screen 21 as shown in FIG.
A user information file 25 having the same content as that shown in FIG. 5 is created, and is stored in the network interface 16 (FIG. 3).
From the Internet 5 (FIG. 2) to the content provider 3 using a predetermined protocol.
The user information file 25 is written and stored in the DD 12.

As shown in FIG. 7, the content provider 3 stores an Internet service provider (hereinafter referred to as an ISP) 31 for connecting the user PC 2 to the Internet 5 and the content supplied from the user PC 2. And an application service provider (hereinafter referred to as an ASP) 32 that provides the service in response to a request from the client PC 4.

The ISP 31 includes a control server 33 for controlling the entire system, a charging management database 34 for performing charging management for the user PC 2, and a network interface 35 for performing network connection with the user PC 2 via the Internet 5. Local Area Netw
ork) 42, and performs charge management and network control based on the control of the control server 33.

The ASP 32 includes a management server 36 for managing the whole system, a user information database 37 for managing the user information file 25 of the user PC 2,
A provision schedule management database 38 for managing a provision schedule of contents, a contents server 39 for storing and providing contents, and a client PC 4 (viewer) as a viewer of the contents
Via a LAN 43, a viewer information database 40 for managing viewer information related to the CM and a CM management database 44 for storing and managing a CM video supplied from the CM client 7 in association with a CM video ID (Identification). It is connected, and performs user information management, provision schedule management, content storage and provision processing, viewer information management, and CM provision management based on the control of the management server 36.

The content provider 3 receives the user information file 25 transmitted from the user PC 2 at the time of the user registration procedure by the management server 36 via the network interface 35 of the ISP 31 and the network interface 41 of the ASP 32.

When the management server 36 of the ASP 32 receives the user information file 25, the management server 36 according to the user registration procedure program started from the internal hard disk shown in FIG.
, The process proceeds from the start step of the routine RT1 to the step SP1.

In step SP1, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads the contents of the user information file 25 transmitted from the user PC 2, checks the number of digits of the credit card number, and when the number is correct, proceeds to the next step SP2. Move on.

When the credit card number does not have the correct number of digits, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 notifies the user PC 2 via the Internet 5 to that effect, and prompts the user to input a credit card number having the correct number of digits.

In step SP2, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 accesses the user information database 37 and checks whether or not the credit card number of the sent user information file 25 is duplicated. Only, proceed to the next step SP3.

In step SP3, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 accesses the credit check server 26 of the credit card company from the network interface 41 via the Internet 5 and checks whether the credit card number is valid. Only when the credit card number can be used, the process proceeds to the next step SP4.

In step SP4, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 accesses the user information database 37 again and checks whether the first to third desired user IDs of the user information file 25 have already been used. 3
If any of the desired user IDs has not been used yet, the process proceeds to the next step SP5.

In step SP5, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 selects an unused user ID having a higher desired rank among the first to third desired user IDs, and
After a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) corresponding to the user information file 25 is determined, a user information DB table 45 as shown in FIG. 9 is generated based on the user information file 25, and this is newly registered in the user information database 37. Move to step SP6.

Here, the user information DB table 45 newly registered in the user information database 37 contains, in addition to the contents of the user information file 25, the URL determined according to the user ID and the URL required for receiving profit return. Points, the user status (stage 1) indicating the rank of the user according to the accumulated points, the connection start date and time, the connection end date and time, the Internet connection fee of the ISP 31 to the Internet 5 at the present time, and the ASP 32 A new service usage fee has been added for the application service (“unlimited course”).

As described above, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
After determining the URL corresponding to the user ID and registering the URL in the user information database 37, the moving image file of the content produced by each content creator can be stored in the dedicated dedicated server of the content server 39 corresponding to the URL. The right to exclusively write in the storage area is given.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32 stores a user information DB table 45 of the user information database 37.
Is managed for each content creator,
The cumulative number of points of the content creator is increased and updated according to the number of accesses from the client PC 4, and the user status of the content creator is changed according to the cumulative number of points, and the connection start date and time, the connection end date and time, and the current Various data on the Internet connection fee and the service usage fee for the application service are sequentially updated.

By the way, the user status is a rating for the content creator according to the accumulated number of points, and is ranked as stage 1, stage 2, and professional stage in ascending order. Therefore, a content creator with a higher user status can receive more profits.

At step SP6, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 sends the selected user ID together with the selected user ID.
URL corresponding to D to network interface 4
1 notifies the user PC 2 via the Internet 5.

At this time, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
"Automatically connects to the URL corresponding to the user ID and saves the moving image file of the content
Automatic upload software programmed to "write automatically to a dedicated storage area of the content server 39 corresponding to RL" is supplied to the user PC 2 via the Internet 5 as shareware.

As a result, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2
The automatic upload software is downloaded via the Internet 5, and the upload icon 27 of the automatic upload software is displayed on the desktop screen 19 (FIG. 4) based on the automatic upload software.

When the upload icon 27 on the desktop screen 19 is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 transmits the ISP 3 from the Internet 5 according to the automatic upload software.
1 to the ASP 32, and gives an instruction to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 to "automatically write a moving image file of the content to a dedicated storage area of the content server 39 corresponding to the URL". ing.

Thus, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Writes the moving image file of the content supplied from the user PC 2 to the dedicated storage area of the content server 39 based on the URL, and stores the moving image file of the content in response to the request from the client PC 4. And can be provided.

As described above, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2
The user ID is selected and the URL is determined by the user information registration procedure by the content creator.
Once the automatic upload software is downloaded from the SP 32, the upload icon 27 is displayed without the content creator being aware of or inputting the URL.
Uploading a moving image file of the produced content to a dedicated storage area of the content server 39 can be more easily performed by only a click operation on.

As a result, in the content providing system 1, it is possible to construct a system as if a personal broadcasting station for providing content via a channel dedicated to the user (hereinafter referred to as "my channel") was opened. It has been done.

At step SP7, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 has completed the user registration procedure processing.
A user registration completion notification mail is created, transmitted to the user PC 2 from the network interface 41 via the Internet 5, and the user registration procedure is completed in the next step SP8.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32
The control server 33 of the ISP 31 that is building a business alliance in response to a request, a telephone company (not shown) that performs line connection from the user PC 2 to the access point of the ISP 31, and online mail order The message is transmitted to the company 6.

As a result, the control server 33 of the ISP 31 and the online mail order company 6 also store the user information DB table 4
5 will be held.

Therefore, each time the user PC 2 accesses the ISP 31, the telephone company, the online mail order company 6, etc., the user PC 2 does not have to perform a troublesome registration procedure for the content creator, but only the first user registration procedure processing. It has been done.

Incidentally, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Individual user information DB table 4 for control server 33 of SP31, telephone company and online mail order company 6
Regarding the transmission of the contents of No. 5, a consent is previously obtained from the content creator at the time of the user registration procedure.

(4) Form of Personal Casting Service In the content providing system 1 of the present invention, as described above, there are an on-demand type and a live type as contents providing form by the personal casting service.

In the on-demand type, contents are stored in advance in a dedicated storage area of the contents server 39 corresponding to the URL obtained by the user PC 2 at the time of user registration of the personal casting service. This is a service form in which contents are provided to the requested client PC 4 via the area, and the contents are provided to the requested client PC 4 via a channel dedicated to oneself (my channel) like a personal broadcasting station. It is made possible.

On the other hand, in the live type, only registered users of an unspecified number of personal casting services are designated by URL for each video channel of a specific genre (for example, a wedding channel, a music live channel, a theater live channel, and an event live channel). The dedicated storage area of the content server 39 is divided and used for each time zone, and the shared storage area of the content server 39 is used to stream and reproduce the live video content to the requested client PC 4 via the dedicated storage area. This is a service form that is provided in real time by transmitting data.

As described above, in the live type, an unspecified number of registered users can freely use the content by reserving the use time frame for the dedicated storage area of the content server 39 specified by the URL for each video channel of a specific genre. Is provided so that live video content can be provided to a client PC 4 that has made a request via a public video channel (hereinafter referred to as a public channel).

(5) On-Demand Personal Casting Service Next, an on-demand personal casting service of the content providing system 1 will be specifically described.

(5-1) On-Demand Content Production Processing The CPU 10 of the user PC 2 (FIG. 3)
By launching the image capture software from
0 is displayed on the display unit 17 as shown in FIG.

In this case, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2
The digital video camera 18 connected via the IEEE 1394 interface 14 and the capture screen 50 by the image capturing software are linked to each other, and an on-demand mode is set in response to a click operation of the movie mode switching button 53 by the content creator. Set to.

The CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays the image captured by the digital video camera 18 in the finder display area 51 to allow the content creator to confirm it, and the digital cinema is clicked on by the content creator by clicking the capture button 52. The recording by the video camera 18 is started, and the recording is ended based on the click operation of the capture button 52 again.

At this time, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 converts the moving image data of the digital video camera 18 recorded according to the click operation of the capture button 52 into the IEEE.
Capture via the 1394 interface 14
Record temporarily in D12.

Next, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2
Confirmation screen 5 according to the image capture software as shown in
5 is displayed on the display unit 17. The confirmation screen 55 includes H
A video display area 56 for reproducing and displaying moving image data once recorded on the DD 12, a time code display area 57 for displaying a time code for the moving image data being reproduced,
A date display area 58 for displaying the date at the time of recording, operation buttons 59 for performing operations such as reproduction, stop, fast rewind, and fast forward for moving image data, and a part or all of moving image data in HD.
Delete button 60 and OK button 61 to delete from D12
Is provided so that the scene of the moving image data recorded on the confirmation screen 55 can be confirmed by the content creator and edited so as to leave only the desired scene.

Therefore, after the content creator confirms and edits the scene of the recorded moving image data on the confirmation screen 55, when the content creator clicks the OK button 61, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 next edits from the HDD 12. By activating the software, an edit screen 65 as shown in FIG.

The edit screen 65 has three types of confirmation screen display areas 6 that can display a confirmation screen 55 of moving image data recorded by the digital video camera 18.
6 to 68, an order button 69 for determining the synthesis order for the three types of moving image data, and a synthesis button 7 for synthesizing the three types of moving image data in the determined synthesis order.
0 and an OK button 71 are provided.

Accordingly, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 determines the synthesis order for the three types of moving image data by the click operation of the order button 69 by the content creator.
A moving image file is generated by synthesizing three types of moving image data in accordance with the synthesizing order in response to a click operation of the synthesizing button 70, and the moving image file is stored in the content server 39 of the ASP 32 as an HDD.
12 is stored once.

(5-2) On-Demand Schedule Reservation After that, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 clicks the OK button 71 by the content creator or clicks the upload icon 27 of the desktop screen 19 (FIG. 4). At the time of user registration, the automatic upload software downloaded in advance from the ASP 32 is activated, and an on-demand personal cast control screen 75 as shown in FIG.

On the on-demand type personal cast control screen 75, the word "on demand" indicating that the on-demand mode is currently set is displayed in the mode display field 76, and the ISP name The company name is automatically displayed, and the characters "My Channel" automatically set in the on-demand mode are displayed in the ASP channel display field 78.

The on-demand type personal cast control screen 75 is provided with an option button 81. When the option button 81 is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 executes the operation based on the automatic upload software. A pull-down menu 85 as shown in FIG. 14 is displayed on the on-demand type personal cast control screen 75.

The pull-down menu 85 includes a genre setting button 85A for designating the video genre of the content created by the content creator, and a codec for selecting a codec for providing the content to the client PC 4 that has made the request. A selection button 85B, a schedule reservation button 85C for freely determining a content provision schedule by a content creator,
A CM provision request button 85D for adding a CM video to the beginning of the content and providing the same to the client PC 4 at the request of the content creator, a CM for linking the CM video to, for example, a homepage of a CM provider.
A link setting button 85E and a content ID setting button 85F for setting a content ID corresponding to the content are provided.

When the genre setting button 85A in the pull-down menu 85 is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays the My Channel genre table screen 90 as shown in FIG. 15 based on the automatic upload software. It is displayed on the unit 17.

On the My Channel Genre Table screen 90,
In order for the content creator to specify the video genre of the content, category icons 91 to 99 classified for each video category are displayed, and one of them (for example, the “car” category icon 92) is clicked by the content creator. Then, the CP of the user PC 2
U10 recognizes that the video genre of the content is “car” and uses the recognized result as category data in the HDD.
12 temporarily.

When the codec selection button 85B in the pull-down menu 85 is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays a codec selection screen 100 as shown in FIG. indicate.

On the codec selection screen 100, for example, MPEG (Moving Picture Experts) is used as a codec for providing contents to the client PC 4.
Group) 4, MPEG2, RealG2, etc., and when a check mark is added to, for example, MPEG4 by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 sets the codec type to M4.
PEG4 is recognized, and the recognized result is temporarily stored in the HDD 12 as codec type data.

Further, when the schedule creator button 85C in the pull-down menu 85 is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays the on-demand type provision schedule management screen 105 as shown in FIG. It is displayed on the display unit 17.

The on-demand type provision schedule management screen 105 includes a calendar display area 106, a video list display area 107, and a schedule content display area 10.
8. Enter button 109, schedule content confirmation button 1
10 and a schedule content update button 111 are provided.

In the calendar display area 106 of the on-demand provision schedule management screen 105, when a desired provision date (for example, February 19) for providing the content is selected by a click operation of the content creator, the user PC 2 The CPU 10 recognizes that the provision date desired by the content creator is February 19, and as a result,
Month 19 is temporarily stored in HDD 12 as provision date data, and the provision date (February 19) is automatically written and displayed in the title of schedule display area 108.

When the time zone designation bar 112 is designated by the content creator by clicking on the desired start time and end time in the schedule content display area 108 of the on-demand type provision schedule management screen 105, the user The CPU 10 of the PC 2 recognizes the time zone from the start time to the end time, and displays the time zone designation bar 112 divided for each time zone specified by the content creator.

That is, the schedule content display area 10
8 time zone designation bar 112 is from 6:00 to 6:59:59
A second time slot from 7:00 to 7:59:59, a third time slot from 8:00 to 8:59:59, and 9 A fourth time slot from hour to 10:59:59, a fifth time slot from 21:00 to 21:59:59, and a time slot from 22:00 to 23:59
The display is divided into a sixth time frame up to 59 minutes.

Subsequently, when the content creator clicks, a desired time zone in the time zone designation bar 112 is selected, and a desired video type (for example, 4WD, sports car, electric car) is selected from the video list display area 107. ) Is clicked, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 selects the selected first type.
The video type of the content to be provided in each of the sixth to sixth time slots is recognized by the type symbol (MA, MB, or MC), and the recognized type symbol is displayed in the time slot of the time slot designation bar 112.

When the OK button 109 is clicked on the on-demand type provision schedule management screen 105,
The CPU 10 of the user PC 2 generates a provision schedule program reserved so as to provide the content with the video type determined for each of the first to sixth time zones in the time zone designation bar 112, and temporarily stores the program in the HDD 12. .

That is, the provision schedule program is:
When a request is received from the client PC 4 at the time of the first time zone in the time zone designation bar 112, the content of “4WD” corresponding to the type symbol MA is provided, and the request is issued from the client PC 4 at the time of the second time zone. Upon receiving the request, the content of the “sports car” corresponding to the type symbol MB is provided, and upon receiving a request from the client PC 4 at the time of the third time frame, the content of “4WD” corresponding to the type symbol MA is provided, When a request is received from the client PC 4 at the time of the fourth time frame, the content of “sedan” corresponding to the type code MC is provided, and when a request is received from the client PC 4 at the time of the fifth time frame, the type code M is provided.
Providing the contents of "Sports car" corresponding to B,
When a request is received from the client PC 4 at the time of the sixth time zone, the content is programmed to provide “4WD” content corresponding to the type symbol MA.

Further, a pull-down menu 85 (FIG. 1)
When the CM creator request button 85D in 4) is clicked by the content creator, the C
The PU 10 displays a CM provision request screen 115 as shown in FIG. 18 on the display unit 17 based on the automatic upload software.

On the CM offer request screen 115,
CM request button 115 for asking the content creator whether he wants to add a CM video to the top of his own content and provide it to client PC 4.
A and CM undesired buttons 115B are provided.
Only when the M creator button 115A is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 generates CM request data indicating that the user wants to add a CM image to the content, and temporarily stores this in the HDD 12. I do.

Further, in the pull-down menu 85, C
When the M link setting button 85E is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays a CM link setting screen 116 as shown in FIG.

On the CM link setting screen 116, a CM link existence button 116A for setting, for example, an anchor for linking to a homepage of a CM provider from the CM video added at the beginning of the content, and a link from the CM video are set. And a CM link no button 116B to prevent the user PC from being clicked only when the content creator button 116A is clicked by the content creator.
The second CPU 10 generates CM link data indicating that it is desired to set an anchor for linking to a predetermined homepage from the CM video, and temporarily stores this in the HDD 12.

Further, when the content ID setting button 85F in the pull-down menu 85 is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays the content ID setting screen 117 as shown in FIG. 17 is displayed.

On the content ID setting screen 117,
A content ID input field 117A is provided, and when an arbitrary content ID corresponding to the content is input by the content creator and the execution key is pressed, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 recognizes the content ID and stores it in the HDD 12. Once memorize.

As described above, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2
Option button 8 on personal cast control screen 75
1 to set various conditions for providing contents in accordance with the pull-down menu 85 displayed, and to store various conditions data (category data, codec type data, provision schedule program, CM 21 based on the data, CM link data and content ID) and the contents of the user information file 25 when the user registration procedure was performed.
A new on-demand provision schedule control file 120 as shown in FIG.
Is stored once.

That is, the on-demand type provision schedule control file 12 once stored in the HDD 12
0 is the ISP name (****) when connecting to the Internet 5 as the "ISP connection destination", the channel type (My Channel) when the ASP 32 provides the content as the "ASP channel", and the "content ID". "
As the content ID (*
**), CODEC (M
PEG4), the video category (car) as the "video genre", the content of the provision schedule data as the "provision schedule" (conditions to be provided from 6:00 on February 19), and the presence or absence of a CM provision request as the "CM request" (With CM), presence or absence of CM link as “CM link” (no CM link), user ID (kimkim) at the time of user registration as “user ID”, password at the time of user registration as “password” (****) ) Is stored.

Therefore, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 executes the on-demand type provision schedule control file 12.
0, the character "car" representing the video category of the content is displayed in the video genre display field 79 of the on-demand type personal cast control screen 75 (FIG. 13), and the content is scheduled to be provided in the provided schedule reservation display field 80. Is displayed in the form of "to be provided from 6:00 on February 19".

Note that CM link setting and content ID
The setting has been described to be set by the user PC 2 using the pull-down menu 85.
6 may be set automatically.

For example, the CM link setting
When link designation is previously performed by the CM client 7 for a CM determined to be provided by C4, a CM link is automatically performed.

For example, when an image is uploaded, a content ID is automatically set on the management server 36 side of the ASP 32, and the content ID can be managed on the management server 36 of the ASP 32 by this ID.

(5-3) ASP in on-demand type
Next, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 checks the contents of the on-demand type personal cast control screen 75 (FIG. 13) by the content creator and, when the connect button 82 is clicked by the content creator, automatically uploads the content. According to the software, the process enters from the start step of the routine RT2 shown in FIG. 22 and proceeds to step SP11.

At step SP11, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 sends the AS 10 from the network interface 16 (FIG. 3) via the Internet 5 and the ISP 31.
After logging in to P32 and accessing the user information database 37 of the ASP 32 to obtain authentication based on the user ID, password, and the like, the process proceeds to the next step SP12.

At step SP12, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 obtains the authentication of the ASP 32.
After reading the on-demand provision schedule control file 120 and the moving image file of the content from the network interface 16, the on-demand provision schedule control file 120 and the moving image file of the content are read from the network interface 16 to the Internet 5 and the network interface of the ISP 31. 35 to the management server 36 via the network interface 41 of the ASP 32 and the next step SP13
To end the process.

In this way, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2
Is capable of uploading the on-demand provision schedule control file 120 and the moving image file of the content to the ASP 32 according to the automatic upload software.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32 receives the on-demand provision schedule control file 120 and the moving image file of the content via the network interface 41, and registers the on-demand provision schedule control file 120 in the provision schedule management database 38. The user PC 2 acquires the moving image file of the content at the time of user registration.
The content is stored in a dedicated storage area of the content server 39 corresponding to the RL.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32 stores the on-demand type provision schedule control file 12.
If the CM provision request is “CM existence” as the content of “0”, the CM video supplied in advance from the CM client 7 and stored in the CM management database 44 is added to the head of the moving image file of the content to thereby add the CM.
Generates an accompanying moving image file and sends it to the content server 3
9 is stored again.

By the way, the control server 33 of the ISP 31
The Internet connection fee generated while the user PC 2 uploads the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120 and the moving image file of the content to the ASP 32 is charged in association with the user ID of the user PC 2, and the charging management database 34 is charged. Update data.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32 allocates the service usage fee of the ASP 32 to the user I of the user PC 2.
D, and the accounting data is transferred to the accounting management database 34 via the network interface 41 and the network interface 35 of the ISP 31.
To update the accounting data in the accounting management database 34.

When the user PC 2 has a fixed-rate service contract called an “all-you-can-use course”, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 determines the connection time from the connection start date and time to the connection end date and time in the user information database 37.
, The service usage fee remains constant and no billing process is performed.

When the contents of the on-demand provision schedule control file 120 and the contents of the on-demand provision schedule control file 120 are to be confirmed after the upload of the on-demand provision schedule control file 120 and the moving image file of the contents to the ASP 32 is completed, the contents creator needs to confirm the contents. What is necessary is just to click the schedule content confirmation button 110 on the provision schedule management screen 105 (FIG. 17).

At this time, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 enters from the start step of the routine RT3 shown in FIG.
Move on to

In step SP15, when the schedule creator button 110 is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 sends the Internet 5 from the network interface 16 (FIG. 3).
And log in to the ASP 32 via the ISP 31 and
The user accesses the user information database 37 of the ASP 32 to obtain authentication of a user ID, a password, and the like, and proceeds to the next step SP16.

In step SP16, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 receives the authentication of the user ID and the password by the management server 36 of the ASP 32, and receives the supply of the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120 from the provision schedule management database 38.
The on-demand provision schedule management screen 105 (FIG. 17) is displayed again on the display unit 17 based on the on-demand provision schedule control file 120.

Thus, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2
Displaying the on-demand provision schedule management screen 105 on the screen of the display unit 17 allows the content creator to confirm the contents of the on-demand provision schedule control file 120 again.

When the content creator subsequently attempts to change the contents of the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120, after the provision schedule is changed on the on-demand type provision schedule management screen 105, the decision button 109 is pressed. When clicked, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 moves to the next step SP17.

At step SP17, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 generates a new provision schedule program based on the contents changed on the on-demand provision schedule management screen 105, and based on this, creates a new on-demand provision schedule control. File 120
Is generated, and the routine goes to the next step SP18.

In step SP18, when the content creator clicks the update button 111 on the on-demand type provision schedule management screen 105, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 transmits a new on-demand type provision schedule control file 120 via the Internet 5. To the ASP 32, and the next step SP19
To end the process.

As a result, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Provision schedule management database 38 with new on-demand provision schedule control file 120
Is updated, and thereafter the content provision schedule is managed based on the new on-demand type provision schedule control file 120.

(5-4) On-Demand Content Providing Process The client PC 4 can also perform user registration with the content providing provider 3 in the same manner as the user PC 2 when receiving the provision of the content. Performs a user registration procedure in accordance with the user registration procedure processing procedure of the routine RT1 (FIG. 8), and the viewer information database 40 by the management server 36 of the ASP 32.
Then, the viewer information file associated with the user ID and password of the client PC 4 is registered.

If the user registration is not performed, the client PC 4 may directly access the personal casting service Web site provided by the ASP 32 as a visitor. It makes it easy to donate to content creators who find content that they find excellent or excellent. This donation will be explained later.

Actually, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
For example, when content is provided on demand to the client PC 4 that has performed user registration, the process starts from the start step of the routine RT4 shown in FIG. 24 and moves to step SP21 according to the content providing program started from the internal hard disk.

In step SP21, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 receives the login process from the client PC 4, refers to the viewer information file of the viewer information database 40 based on the user ID and password sent from the client PC 4, and Move to step SP22.

At step SP22, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 refers to the viewer information file of the viewer information database 40 based on the user ID and the password, and as a result,
Is a registered regular user.

Here, if a negative result is obtained, it means that the user ID and the password do not match those registered in the viewer information database 40. At this time, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Returning to P21, the client PC 4 is prompted to input an accurate user ID and password, and the login process is executed again.

On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step SP22, this indicates that the client PC 4 is a registered regular user.
The management server 36 moves to the next step SP23.

In step SP 23, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads the HTML file of the home page in the personal casting service from the content server 39 in response to the access from the client PC 4, and reads it from the network interface 41.
To the client PC 4 via the Internet 5.

Here, the client PC 4 is a user PC
2 (FIG. 3), and has an HTML file of a home page in the personal casting service sent from the ASP 32, which has a CPU (not shown).
And displays it on the display unit as a home page screen 125 (Netscape Navigator screen of Netscape Communications) as shown in FIG.

On the homepage screen 125, an on-demand type my channel selection button 127 for receiving contents through my channel is provided in an on-demand mode selection display area 126, and a live mode selection display area is provided. A live public channel selection button 12 for receiving live video content via a public channel at 128
9 and a live-type my channel selection button 130 for receiving provision of live video content through my channel.

In this homepage screen 125, when the user clicks the on-demand type my channel selection button 127, the CP of the client PC 4 is clicked.
U transmits a mode selection signal indicating that the on-demand type my channel selection button 127 has been selected to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 via the Internet 5.

At step SP24, the management server 36
Reads an HTML file constituting a genre table screen for my channel from the content server 39 based on the mode selection signal sent from the client PC 4, and transmits the HTML file to the client PC 4 from the network interface 41 via the Internet 5.

As a result, the CPU of the client PC 4
Receives the HTML file of the genre table screen for my channel sent from the ASP 32, and displays it in the genre table screen 1 for my channel as shown in FIG.
35 is displayed on the display unit.

This genre table screen 1 for my channel
Numeral 35 has substantially the same contents as the genre table screen 90 for my channel (FIG. 15) used when the content creator selects the video genre of the content, and category icons 136 to 144 classified for each video category are displayed. Is displayed.

On such genre table screen 135 for my channel, category icons 136 to 144 are displayed.
(For example, the “car” category icon 137) is clicked by the user of the client PC 4, the CPU of the client PC 4 sends a genre selection signal corresponding to the “car” category icon 137 to the ASP 32 via the Internet 5. Send it to server 36.

In step SP25, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 sends the HTML of the channel display screen relating to the video category “car” from the content server 39 based on the genre selection signal sent from the client PC 4.
The file is read, and is read from the client P via the network 5 from the network interface 41.
Send to C4.

As a result, the CPU of the client PC 4
Receives the HTML file of the channel display screen sent from the ASP 32 and, as shown in FIG.
0 is displayed on the display unit.

On this channel display screen 150, channel buttons 151 to 1 with the channel name (Kimura Ch) set in the user information DB table 45 (FIG. 9) when the content creator has performed the user registration process.
59 are displayed, and the user clicks and selects a desired channel button (for example, Kimura Ch) 155 from among them.

In step SP26, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 determines whether or not the user of the client PC 4 looking at the channel display screen 150 has clicked and selected a desired channel button 155.

In this case, the CPU of the client PC 4
Is the channel button 155 selected by the user
Is transmitted to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 via the Internet 5.

Therefore, when the management server 36 of the ASP 32 receives the content ID, it recognizes that the desired channel button 155 has been clicked, and based on the content ID, the provision schedule management database 3
The URL corresponding to the channel button 155 is ascertained by referring to the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120 stored in the file 8.

If a negative result is obtained in step SP26, this means that none of the channel buttons 151 to 159 displayed on the channel display screen 150 has been selected by the user. The management server 36 has the channel button 15
It waits until one of 1 to 159 is selected.

On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step SP26, this means that the channel buttons 151-1
59 indicates that the user-desired channel button 155 has been clicked and selected.
The management server 36 at P32 proceeds to the next step SP27.

At step SP27, when the management server 36 of the ASP 32 receives the content ID corresponding to the clicked channel button (for example, Kimura Ch) 155 from the client PC 4 via the Internet 5, the management server 36 on demand type based on the content ID. Referring to the provision schedule control file 120, the CM-attached moving image file of the video type (MA, MB, or MC) scheduled to be provided at the timing when the channel button 155 is clicked is converted to the U corresponding to the content ID.
Based on the RL, the content is read from the dedicated storage area of the content server 39, transmitted to the client PC 4 via the Internet 5, and proceeds to the next step SP28 to end the processing.

Actually, on the channel display screen 150, for example, at 10:55 am
When the channel button (for example, Kimura Ch) 155 is clicked every minute, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 refers to the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120 and displays the on-demand type provision schedule management screen 10.
Schedule content display area 1 specified in 5 (FIG. 17)
According to the provision schedule of 08, the moving image file with CM of the video type “Sedan (MC)” is
Send to 4.

As a result, the client PC 4 displays the content display screen 165 as shown in FIG. 28 on the display unit based on the received moving image file with CM, and the display area 1 provided at the center of the content display screen 165.
After displaying the CM video for the first time on 66, followed by "Sedan"
The moving image of the car is displayed.

As described above, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Transmits one type of CM-attached moving image file scheduled to be provided to the client PC 4 at the timing when the user of the client PC 4 clicks the channel buttons 151 to 159 in accordance with the contents of the on-demand type providing schedule control file 120. Has been made.

As a result, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Means that even when a request for the same content is received from a plurality of client PCs 4 and transmitted at substantially the same time, the bandwidth of the transmission path is consumed more than when a plurality of types of content must be transmitted simultaneously at a certain timing. Since the content is not required, the content can be transmitted quickly without delay.

At this time, the management server 3 of the ASP 32
6 counts the number of clicks of the client PC 4 as the number of accesses each time the CM-attached moving image file of the content is provided to the client PC 4 in response to the click operation.

In this case, the counted number of accesses is C
The management server 36 of the ASP 32 assigns points according to the number of times of access to the content creator in order to properly return profits to the content creator who has produced the content with a high number of times of access since the number corresponds to the number of people who watched the M video. The user information DB corresponding to the user ID gives the points for the content creator.
The information is registered in the table 45 and stored in the user information database 37.

(6) Live-Type Personal Casting Service Next, a live-type personal casting service of the content providing system 1 will be specifically described.

(6-1) Schedule reservation of live type In the live type, in order to provide live video content in real time, a moving image file of the content is created like an on-demand type, and a moving image of the created content is created. It is not necessary to store the image file in the content server 39 of the ASP 32 in advance.

[0157] However, in the live type, contents are provided through a shared public channel (wedding channel, music live channel, theater live channel or event live channel).
It is necessary to reserve a time slot for using the public channel in advance.

That is, to reserve a time slot for using a public channel means to reserve a time slot for using a dedicated storage area of the content server 39 allocated according to the URL of each public channel. It is.

When the ASP 32 actually provides live video contents, a URL is provided for each public channel.
The moving image file of the live video sent from the user PC 2 is read and output while temporarily writing it into the dedicated storage area of the content server 39 designated by the above.

That is, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 first activates the image capturing software as in the case of the on-demand type, in order to reserve a time slot for using the public channel.
(FIG. 10) is displayed on the display unit 17.

The CPU 10 of the user PC 2 operates the movie mode switching button 5 on the capture screen 50.
After setting the live mode according to the click operation of 3,
At the time of user registration, the automatic upload software which has been downloaded in advance from the ASP 32 is started, and the live type personal cast control screen 170 as shown in FIG. I do.

Live type personal cast control screen 17
The character “live” indicating that the live mode is currently set in the mode display field 171 is displayed at 0, and A
In the SP channel display field 172, the characters "public channel" set as a default in the live mode are displayed, and the schedule reservation button 173 is replaced with the option button 81 on the on-demand type personal cast control screen 75 (FIG. 13). Is provided.

On the live type personal cast control screen 170, four types of wedding channels and music live channels set as public channels are displayed.
The name of the public channel (for example, “music live”) determined when the time slot is reserved by the content creator from the theater live channel and the event live channel is displayed in the video genre display column 79. I have.

Further, on the live type personal cast control screen 170, the provision schedule date and time of the contents of the live video reserved by the content creator are displayed in the provision schedule reservation display field 80 as in the case of the on-demand type. ing.

In the live type personal cast control screen 170, the schedule reservation button 173
Is clicked by the content creator, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 activates the automatic upload software downloaded from the ASP 32, and starts from the start step of the routine RT5 shown in FIG.
Move to 31.

In step SP31, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 sends the AS 10 from the network interface 16 (FIG. 3) via the Internet 5 and the ISP 31.
After logging in to P32 and accessing the user information database 37 of the ASP 32 to obtain authentication based on the user ID, password, and the like, the process proceeds to the next step SP32.

At step SP32, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 transmits the live type provision schedule control file relating to the reservation status of the public channel read from the provision schedule management database 38 by the management server 36 of the ASP 32 to the Internet 5.
And after writing this to the HDD 12,
Move to the next step SP33.

In step SP33, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays the live-type provision schedule management screen 175 for the public channel as shown in FIG. 31 based on the live-type provision schedule control file relating to the public channel reservation status supplied from the ASP 32. Displayed on the display unit 17 and the next step SP3
In step 4, the process ends.

This live type provision schedule management screen 1
Reference numeral 75 denotes a wedding channel corresponding to four types of wedding channels, public music channels, live music channels, live theater channels and live event channels.
h button 176, music live Ch button 177, theater live Ch button 178, and event live Ch button 1
79 are provided.

When the content creator clicks, for example, the music live Ch button 177 among these four types of public channels, the CPU 1 of the user PC 2
0 displays the current reservation status of the “music live channel” in the schedule content display area 180 based on the live type schedule control file.

At this time, the schedule content display area 18
In the schedule time schedule 182 of 0, the reservation status relating to today's current date is displayed as a default, and the content creator clicks the desired reservation date (for example, February 19) in the calendar display area 181. Then, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays the reservation status of the reservation desired date (February 19) for the music live channel on the schedule time schedule 182 based on the live type provision schedule control file.

The content creator checks the reservation status of the desired reservation date (February 19) displayed in the schedule timetable 182, and selects a desired one from the “empty” time zone in the time zone designation bar 183. By specifying a start time (for example, 10:00) and an end time (10:59:59) with a cursor, a time zone frame 18 for providing live video content is provided.
Determine 3A.

As a result, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2
Time zone 183A determined by content creator
Are recognized as the reserved time slot data, and are added to the live-type provision schedule control file, and the time slot 183A is set to “full”.
Is displayed.

When the content creator inputs the name of the content (for example, “xx tour”) provided in the reserved time slot 183A, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 automatically changes the name to a predetermined content. It is configured to be added to the live type provision schedule control file in association with the ID.

Subsequently, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 checks the codec type when, for example, MPEG4 is checked as a codec for providing live video contents to the client PC 4 from the codec selection display area 184. It recognizes that it is MPEG4, and adds the recognized result to the live type schedule control file as codec type data.

The CPU 10 of the user PC 2 adds a CM image to the head of the content and adds
4, a CM request button 185 desired to be provided to
When the content creator clicks the CM non-request button 186 that does not want to provide the CM image to the client PC 4,
It generates CM desired data for which a CM image is to be added to the contents of the live image, and writes it in the live type schedule control file.

Thus, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2
As described above, by performing various settings for providing live video content via a music live channel as a public channel, a live type provision schedule control file 189 as shown in FIG. The information is temporarily stored in the HDD 12.

The live type provision schedule control file 189 includes an ISP name (****) when connecting to the Internet 5 as an “ISP connection destination”,
A channel type (public channel) when the ASP provides live video content as an “ASP channel”, a content title (xx tour) as a “content name”, a CODEC (MPEG4) when provided as a “CODEC”, “ Public Channel "
The type of public channel (music live channel) selected by the content creator according to the content of the live video, the date and time of the provision schedule as the “provided schedule” (conditions such as scheduled to be provided from 10:00 on February 19), The presence / absence of a CM provision request (with CM) is stored as the “CM request”, the user ID (kimkim) at the time of user registration as the “user ID”, and the password at the time of user registration (****) as the “password”. I have.

Then, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 operates the reservation button 18 on the live type provision schedule management screen 175.
When 7 is clicked by the content creator, the process proceeds from the start step of the routine RT6 shown in FIG. 33 according to the automatic upload software, and proceeds to step SP41.

In step SP41, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 sends the AS 10 from the network interface 16 (FIG. 3) via the Internet 5 and the ISP 31.
After logging in to P32 and accessing the user information database 37 of the ASP 32 to obtain authentication based on the user ID, password, and the like, the process proceeds to the next step SP42.

In step SP42, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 has obtained the authentication of the ASP 32, and transfers the newly generated live type schedule control file 189 to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 via the Internet 5, and then proceeds to step SP43. Move on to

As a result, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Updates the provision schedule management database 38 with the live provision schedule control file 189 transferred from the user PC 2, and then reads the live provision schedule control file 189 again from the provision schedule management database 38 and sends it back to the user PC 2.

At this time, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
A reservation fee for performing a new reservation process for providing live video content to the user PC 2 is charged as a service usage fee in association with the user ID,
The user information DB table 45 of the user information database 37 is updated.

In step SP43, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 makes the provision schedule management database 38
Of the live-type provision schedule control file 189 updated, and the live-type provision schedule management screen 175 is displayed again on the display unit 17 for confirmation based on the live-type provision schedule control file 189, and in the next step SP44 The process ends.

However, the live type provision schedule management screen 175 displayed at this time is displayed in the time zone 18 in which the character “full” is displayed for confirmation with the content creator.
3A is displayed in a specific color, so that the content creator can easily recognize the schedule of the content reserved by himself.

As a result of confirming the reservation status displayed in the schedule content display area 180 on the live type provision schedule management screen 175 (FIG. 31) for the public channel, the time zone designation bar 183 of the schedule time schedule 182 shows If the time slot for which the provision of the live video content is desired cannot be reserved with the display of “full”, the live video content cannot be provided via the public channel.

When the content creator clicks the My Channel button 188 provided at the bottom of the live type provision schedule management screen 175 at this time, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 sends the provision schedule management from the management server 36 of the ASP 32. Upon receiving the supply of the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120 of the database 38, a live type provision schedule management screen 190 for my channel as shown in FIG. 34 is displayed based on the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120.

[0188] The live type provision schedule management screen 190 for My Channel includes a reservation time slot (time slot indicated by MA and MB) in the time slot designation bar 194 in which content is to be provided on demand. The reservation for providing the contents of the live video can be made using the “empty” time zone other than the “empty” time zone. The My Channel schedule content display area 191, the My Channel genre table area 195, the codec selection area 205, CM request button 206, CM non-request button 20
7 and a reservation button 208 are provided.

Also in this case, when the desired date of reservation (for example, February 19) in the calendar display area 192 displayed in the my channel schedule content display area 191 is clicked by the content creator, the CP of the user PC 2 is clicked.
U10 displays the reservation status of the reservation desired date (February 19) for My Channel on the schedule time schedule 193 based on the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120.

Accordingly, the content creator checks the reservation status displayed on the schedule timetable 193, and selects a desired start time (for example, 10:00) and an end time from the “empty” time zone in the time zone designation bar 194. Time (10:59:59
2) with a cursor to provide live video content via My Channel
Determine 94A.

As a result, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2
Time frame 194A determined by content creator
Are recognized as the reserved time frame data, the character “full” is displayed in the time frame 194A, and the reserved time frame data is temporarily stored in the HDD 12.

Next, when a category (music) icon 199 corresponding to the video genre of the live video is clicked from the category icons 196 to 204 displayed in the my channel genre display area 195, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 selects the category. It recognizes that the category of the recognized video genre is “music” and temporarily stores the recognized result as category data in the HDD 12.

At this time, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 simultaneously sets the time zone frame 194 A of the time zone designation bar 194 to “full”.
Is changed to the character of "music" and displayed.

Subsequently, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 checks the codec type, for example, as a codec for providing live video contents to the client PC 4 from the codec selection display area 205, and changes the type of the selected codec. It recognizes that it is MPEG4, and temporarily stores the recognized result in the HDD 12 as codec type data.

The CPU 10 of the user PC 2 adds a CM image to the head of the content and adds
4, a CM request button 206 desired to be provided to
When the content creator clicks the CM desired button 206 of the CM non-desired buttons 207 that do not wish to provide the CM image to the client PC 4,
CM desired data for which a CM video is desired to be added to the content of the live video is generated, and the CM desired data is temporarily stored in the HDD 12.

Thus, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2
After performing various settings for providing live video of music live as content in My Channel as described above, when the reservation button 208 is clicked by the content creator, a new My Channel Is generated, transferred to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 via the Internet 5, and registered in the provision schedule management database 38.

When a plurality of content creators make reservations for providing live video content via My Channel, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 determines the number of live video content that can be provided in the same time slot. (For example, up to 10).

Accordingly, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 detects, based on the provision schedule program started from the internal hard disk, that the number of contents that can be provided in the desired time frame desired by the content creator has reached the upper limit. Then, without receiving the live channel provision schedule control file 210 for My Channel sent from the user PC 2 thereafter, the image data of the reservation impossible message display screen stored in advance in the provision schedule management database 38 is read out. Is transmitted to the user PC 2 via the Internet 5.

The CPU 10 of the user PC 2 displays the reservation impossible message display screen 212 as shown in FIG. 36 on the display unit 17 based on the image data of the reservation impossible message display screen.
To notify the content creator that "the desired time slot for providing live video content in real time is already full of reservations".

As a result, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Since the number of contents that can be provided at the same time does not exceed the upper limit, there is no delay or delay in the provision of contents due to processing performance and line bandwidth issues, and live video contents can be reliably transmitted to the client in real time. It can be provided to the PC 4 and can reliably prevent the quality of live video content from deteriorating.

As described above, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2
Selects a method to provide live video content at the desired reservation date and time in real time through a public channel or a method through my channel when the public channel has already been reserved It is made to be able to do.

Therefore, when the content creator of the user PC 2 provides a live image of the amateur band being performed in real time, the user selects a method of providing the live image through My Channel, and the live image of a famous professional artist is selected. When providing an image in real time, it is possible to select a method of providing the image via a public channel.

As described above, in the content providing service system 1, the content providing mode can be selected from the on-demand type and the live type in consideration of the content and the user who views the content. It has been made like that.

(6-2) Connect Process to ASP in Live Type Next, when the reservation process of the date and time for providing the contents of the live video is completed, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 again executes the live type personal cast control screen 170 (FIG. 29). ) Is displayed on the display unit 17.

At this time, the content creator confirms the reservation content when providing the live video content by checking the live type personal cast control screen 170. Recording starts with the camera 18 (FIG. 3),
A connect button 82 is clicked to provide live video content in real time.

Then, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 enters from the start step of the routine RT7 shown in FIG. 37 according to the automatic upload software, and proceeds to step SP51.

In step SP51, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 logs in to the ASP 32 from the network interface 16 via the Internet 5 and the ISP 31, accesses the user information database 37 of the ASP 32, and obtains authentication based on the user ID, password, and the like. After that, the routine goes to the next Step SP52.

At step SP52, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 checks the contents of the live type provision schedule control file 189 (FIG. 32) stored in the provision schedule management database 38 by the management server 36 of the ASP 32 based on the user ID and the password. Then, the routine goes to the next step SP53.

As a result, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
By confirming the contents of the live-type provision schedule control file 189 of the provision schedule management database 38, the user PC 2 recognizes the reservation status regarding the contents of the live video to be provided.

[0210] In step SP53, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 issues an instruction command to send a live video content at the pre-reserved start time to the ASP.
It is provided from the management server 36 of the P. 32, and it is determined based on the instruction command whether or not a pre-reserved start time has come.

Here, if a negative result is obtained, this means that the instruction command has not been given from the management server 36 yet, and the CPU 10 waits until the instruction command is given from the management server 36 of the ASP 32 at this time. .

On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step SP53, this indicates that the management server 36 of the ASP 32
, The CPU 10 determines that the start time has come, and proceeds to the next step SP54.

[0213] In step SP54, the CPU 10 of the user PC 2 transfers the live video content being recorded to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 in real time via the Internet 5 using the instruction command given from the management server 36 of the ASP 32 as a trigger. The transfer process is started, and the process ends at the next step SP55.

As a result, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Can stream and reproduce the live video content transferred from the user PC 2 while recording it in a dedicated storage area of the content server 39 allocated for the public channel, and provide it in real time to the requested client PC 4. It has been done.

At this time, the control server 3 of the ISP 31
Reference numeral 3 denotes a user ID of the user PC 2 which indicates an Internet connection fee generated while the user PC 2 is transferring live video content to the ASP 32 via the Internet 5.
And the accounting data in the accounting management database 34 is updated.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32 allocates the service usage fee of the ASP 32 to the user I of the user PC 2.
D, and the accounting data is transferred to the accounting management database 34 via the network interface 41 and the network interface 35 of the ISP 31.
To the charging management database 34
Is updated.

Incidentally, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 determines the connection time from the connection start date and time to the connection end date and time of the user information database 37 when the user PC 2 has a fixed-rate service contract called “unlimited course”. Only by recording the information in the information DB table 45, the service usage fee remains constant and the billing process is not performed.

(6-3) Processing for Providing Content in Live Type When the client PC 4 receives the provision of live video content in the live type, user registration is possible in the same manner as in the case where the content is provided in the on-demand type. In this case, the user registration procedure is performed according to the user registration procedure processing procedure of the routine RT1 (FIG. 8), and the management server 36 of the ASP 32 stores the user I of the client PC 4 in the viewer information database 40.
A viewer information file associated with D and the password is registered.

[0219] The client PC 4 may directly access the personal casting service Web site provided by the ASP 32 as a visitor when the user registration is not performed. You can easily donate to the content creator who remembers the content or feels superior.

In practice, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
For example, when providing live video content to the client PC 4 that has performed user registration via My Channel in a live format, the procedure starts from the start step of the routine RT8 shown in FIG. 38 according to a content providing program started from an internal hard disk. Step SP
Move to 61.

At step SP61, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 receives the login processing from the client PC 4, refers to the viewer information file of the viewer information database 40 based on the user ID and password sent from the client PC 4, and Move to step SP62.

At step SP62, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 refers to the client P which has logged in as a result of referring to the viewer information file of the viewer information database 40 based on the user ID and the password.
It is determined whether C4 is a registered regular user.

If a negative result is obtained here, this means that the user ID and password do not match those registered in the viewer information database 40. At this time, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Returning to P61, the client PC 4 is prompted to input an accurate user ID and password, and the login process is executed again.

On the other hand, if an affirmative result is obtained in step SP62, this means that client PC 4 is a registered regular user, and at this time ASP
The management server 36 moves to the next step SP63.

In step SP 63, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads the HTML file of the home page of the personal casting service from the content server 39 in response to the access from the client PC 4, and reads the HTML file from the network interface 41 to the client PC 4 via the Internet 5. Forward.

Here, the client PC 4 is the ASP 32
CPU receives the HTML file of the personal casting service homepage sent from
This is displayed on the display unit as a home page screen 125 (FIG. 25).

On this homepage screen 125, when the user clicks the live my channel selection button 130 in the live mode selection display area 128, the CPU of the client PC 4 informs the user that the live my channel selection button 130 has been selected. The mode selection signal is transmitted to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 via the Internet 5.

At step SP 64, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads out the HTML file constituting the genre table screen for my channel from the content server 39 based on the mode selection signal sent from the client PC 4, and transfers it to the network interface 4.
1 to the client PC 4 via the Internet 5.

As a result, the CPU of the client PC 4
Receives the HTML file of the genre table screen for my channel sent from the ASP 32 and displays the HTML file on the display unit as the genre table screen 135 for my channel (FIG. 26).

Genre table screen 1 for my channel
In 35, when any of the category icons 136 to 144 (for example, the “music” category icon 139) is clicked by the user of the client PC 4, the CPU of the client PC 4 issues a genre selection signal corresponding to the “music” category icon 139. The information is transmitted to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 via the Internet 5.

In step SP65, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads an HTML file constituting a live video schedule display screen relating to the video category “music” from the content server 39 based on the genre selection signal sent from the client PC 4, and reads this HTML file. Internet 5 from network interface 41
To the client PC 4 via.

As a result, the CPU of the client PC 4
Receives the HTML file constituting the live video schedule display screen sent from the ASP 32 and displays it on the display unit as a live video schedule display screen 220 for my channel as shown in FIG.

On the live video schedule display screen 220 for my channel, a calendar display area 221 showing the date, a schedule content display area 222 showing a provision schedule for providing live video content via my channel, A channel type display area 224 indicating the name of the channel being provided by the channel is provided.

In the calendar display area 221, the current date (for example, February 19) is displayed in a hatched frame 221A so that the user of the client PC 4 can easily recognize the current date. I have.

[0235] In the schedule content display area 222, for example, the ASP3 is displayed at the current time (for example, 15:10).
2 time zone 22 of live video content that can be provided
3 (from 15:00 to 16:59:59) is displayed, and a plurality of types (up to 10 Ch) of channel buttons 2 displayed in the channel type display area 224 are displayed.
It shows that the content of the live video can be provided at the present time via the My Channel corresponding to 25 to 229.

In step SP66, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 clicks, for example, a desired channel button (“Kimura” channel) 226 by the user of the client PC 4 looking at the live video schedule display screen 220 for my channel and selects it. Is determined.

In this case, the CPU of the client PC 4
The URL set corresponding to the selected channel button 226 is recognized, and a channel selection signal representing the URL is transmitted to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 via the Internet 5, whereby the A
When receiving the channel selection signal, the management server 36 of the SP 32 can recognize that the desired channel button 226 has been clicked.

If a negative result is obtained in step SP66, this indicates that the live video schedule display screen 22
0 indicates that none of the channel buttons 225 to 229 displayed in the channel type display area 224 has been selected. At this time, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 selects one of the channel buttons 225 to 229. Wait until.

On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step SP66, this means that channel buttons 225-2
29 indicates that the channel button 226 desired by the user has been clicked and selected.
The management server 36 of P32 moves to the next step SP67.

[0240] In step SP67, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 transfers the CM-added moving image data to be provided at the time of clicking from the dedicated storage area (corresponding to the "Kimura" channel) of the content server 39. Stream and play this on the Internet 5
Is transmitted to the client PC 4 via
The process moves to P68 and ends.

Thus, the CPU of the client PC 4
Displays a live video content display screen 240 as shown in FIG. 40 on the display unit based on the CM-added moving image data of the content transmitted from the ASP 32, and displays a moving image provided in the center of the content display screen 240. After the CM image is first displayed in the image display area 241, a moving image representing a live music pattern is displayed.

By the way, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Since the live video content is transmitted to the client PC 4, the content cannot be provided from the beginning as in the case of the on-demand type, and the live video content is streamed from the middle when clicked. It has been made to offer.

However, even in this case, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 is
When the M provision request is set to “CM existence”, the CM video is always transmitted to the client PC 4 before providing the live video content.

Therefore, even if the user clicks a desired channel button 226, the client PC 4 cannot view the contents of the live video immediately after the user clicks the channel button 226. You cannot watch video content.

Thus, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
, Even when the content of the live video is provided to the client PC 4, the CM video is forcibly viewed regardless of the user's intention of the client PC 4.

At this time, the control server 3 of the ISP 31
Reference numeral 3 denotes an Internet connection fee generated while the user PC 2 transmits moving image data of live video content to the ASP 32 via the Internet 5.
The user is charged in association with the second user ID, and the charging data in the charging management database 34 is updated.

At the same time, the ASP management server 36 transfers the moving image data of the live video content supplied from the user PC 2 via the Internet 5 to the content server 3.
9, the service usage fee generated during the streaming reproduction is charged in association with the user ID of the user PC 2, the charging data is registered in the user information DB table 45 of the user information database 37, and the network interface 41 and It is recorded in the charging management database 34 via the network interface 35 of the ISP 31.

Incidentally, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 determines that the connection time from the connection start date and time to the connection end date and time is determined by the user information database 37 when the user PC 2 has a fixed-rate service contract called “unlimited course”.
The service charge is kept constant only by being recorded in the user information DB table 45, and no billing process is performed.

On the other hand, when the management server 36 of the ASP 32 provides, for example, live video content via the public channel to the client PC 4 that has performed user registration, the management server 36 executes a process according to a content providing program started from the internal hard disk. The process enters from the start step of the routine RT9 shown in FIG. 41 and proceeds to step SP71.

Steps SP71 to SP73 are the same as the case of providing live video contents via My Channel as in steps SP61 to SP63 of routine RT8, and the management server 36 of the ASP 32 executes The homepage HTML file is transferred from the network interface 41 to the client PC 4 via the Internet 5.

As a result, the client PC 4 is
32 receives the HTML file of the home page of the personal casting service sent from the PC 32 and displays it as a home page screen 125 (FIG. 25) on the display unit 17.
To be displayed.

When the live public channel selection button 129 in the live mode selection display area 128 is clicked by the user on the homepage screen 125, the CPU of the client PC 4 informs the user that the live public channel selection button 129 has been selected. AS via the Internet 5 to indicate the mode selection signal
It is transmitted to the management server 36 of P32.

In step SP74, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 generates an HT for displaying a channel display screen for a public channel from the content server 39 based on the mode selection signal sent from the client PC 4.
The ML file is read and transmitted from the network interface 41 to the client PC 4 via the Internet 5.

As a result, the CPU of the client PC 4
Receives the HTML file of the channel display screen for the public channel sent from the ASP 32 and displays it on the display unit as the channel display screen 245 for the public channel as shown in FIG.

In the channel table screen 245 for the public channel, when any of the video channel icons 246 to 249 representing the public channel (for example, the “music live” channel icon 247) is clicked by the user of the client PC 4, The CPU of the PC 4 transmits a channel selection signal corresponding to the “music live” channel icon 247 to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 via the Internet 5.

In step SP75, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads the HTML file of the live video schedule display screen for the public channel for the “music live” channel from the content server 39 based on the channel selection signal sent from the client PC 4, This is transmitted from the network interface 41 to the client PC 4 via the Internet 5.
Send to

As a result, the client PC 4 executes the ASP
The HTML file of the live video schedule display screen for the public channel sent from 32 is received and displayed on the display unit as the live video schedule display screen 255 for the public channel as shown in FIG.

On the live video schedule display screen 255 for the public channel, a calendar display area 256 indicating the date and a schedule content display area 257 indicating the provision schedule of the live video content related to the selected “music live” channel are displayed. Is provided.

In the calendar display area 256, the current date (for example, February 19) is displayed in a hatched frame 256A so that the user of the client PC 4 can easily recognize the current date. ing.

[0260] In the schedule content display area 257, the name of the content of the live video to be provided by the ASP 32 on February 19 is displayed. In this case, in the first time slot 257A from 6:00 to 8:59:59, the content of “○ △ × live” is scheduled to be provided.
Second time frame 257 from hour to 10:59:59
B plans to provide the content of “XX Tour”
Third time slot 2 from 21:00 to 23:59:59
57C indicates that the content of “× △ concert” is to be provided.

The live video schedule display screen 255 for the public channel displays, for example, at the current time (for example, 10:09), the first time frame 257A and the third time frame of the schedule content display area 257. The second time zone frame 257B corresponding to the current time is displayed in a color different from the color of the client PC 257C.
4 users can easily recognize that they can view the content of “xx tour” in real time.

[0262] In step SP76, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 checks the client P who is viewing the live video schedule display screen 255 for the public channel.
The current time (for example, 10:09) by the user of C4
Then, it is determined whether or not the second time zone frame 257B that can be viewed is clicked and selected.

In this case, the CPU of the client PC 4
When the second time slot 257B is selected, the URL set for the “music live” channel of the public channel is recognized, and a channel selection signal indicating the URL is transmitted to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 via the Internet 5. To be sent to the AS
When receiving the channel selection signal, the management server 36 of P32 can recognize that the second time slot 257B has been selected.

If a negative result is obtained in step SP76, this means that the second time zone 257B which can be viewed at the present time in the schedule content display area 257 is not selected, and the ASP 32 Management server 36 waits until the second time slot 257B is selected.

On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step SP76, this indicates that the second time frame 257B in the schedule content display area 257 has been selected, and at this time, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Moves to the next step SP77.

[0266] In step SP77, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 stores the C of live video that can be currently provided on the "music live" channel from the time of clicking.
The M-attached moving image data (“xx tour”) is streamed and played back from a dedicated storage area corresponding to the “music live” channel of the content server 39, and transmitted to the client PC 4 via the Internet 5, and The process moves to step SP78 and ends.

As a result, the CPU of the client PC 4
Displays a live video content display screen 260 as shown in FIG. 44 on the display unit based on the live video CM-attached moving image data (“xx tour”) sent from the ASP 32, and displays the content display. A live video (“XX tour”) corresponding to the second time zone frame 257B selected in the “music live” channel is displayed in a moving image display area 261 provided at the center of the screen 260.

Also in this case, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Is provided so that the live video content is streamed and provided from the point in time when the second time slot 257B is clicked, and when the CM provision request for the content is set to “with CM”. , The CM video is first provided to the client PC 4 from the time of clicking, and thereafter, the content of the live video is provided.

Thus, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Is designed to always allow the user of the client PC 4 to view the CM video even when providing live video content to the client PC 4 via a public channel.

At this time, the control server 3 of the ISP 31
Reference numeral 3 denotes an Internet connection fee generated while the user PC 2 transmits moving image data of live video content to the ASP 32 via the Internet 5.
The user is charged in association with the second user ID, and the charging data in the charging management database 34 is updated.

At the same time, the ASP management server 36 transmits the moving image data of the live video content supplied from the user PC 2 via the Internet 5 to the content server 3.
9, the service usage fee generated during the streaming reproduction is charged in association with the user ID of the user PC 2, the charging data is registered in the user information DB table 45 of the user information database 37, and the network interface 41 and It is recorded in the charging management database 34 via the network interface 35 of the ISP 31.

However, in this case as well, when the user PC 2 has a fixed-rate service contract called an “all-you-can-use course”, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 determines the connection time from the connection start date and time to the connection end date and time. Only the service usage fee is recorded in the user information DB table 45 of the database 37, and the charging process is not performed.

(7) Donation Processing by Client PC When the user of the client PC 4 who has registered the user feels impressed or sympathized with the provided content or feels that the content is excellent, the user creates the content. Donations can easily be made to people.

That is, the CPU of the client PC 4
On-demand type content display screen 165 (FIG. 28) displayed on the display unit based on the CM-attached moving image file of the content downloaded from the ASP 32, and displayed on the display unit based on the CM-added moving image data of the live video content Live type content display screen 240 (FIG. 4)
0) and donation buttons 167, 242, and 262 provided on the content display screen 260 (FIG. 44), respectively.
Is clicked by a user who has viewed the content, and in accordance with a donation program launched from an internal hard disk (not shown), donation buttons 167 and 242 are displayed.
And 262, a donation amount selection screen 270 as shown in FIG. 45 is displayed.

The donation amount selection screen 270 is provided with donation selection buttons 271 to 276 corresponding to various donation amounts, and the user of the client PC 4 selects the amount to be donated from the donation selection buttons 271 to 276. Is freely selectable and clickable.

Therefore, when the user clicks on the donation selection button 272 to donate a donation of, for example, 1,000 yen, the CPU of the client PC 4 determines that the donation data of the amount corresponding to the selected donation selection button 272 is received. Is generated, and this is transmitted via the Internet 5 to A
It is transmitted to the management server 36 of SP32.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32 converts the donation data sent from the client PC 4 into points at a predetermined conversion rate, searches the user information DB table 45 corresponding to the content ID from the user information database 37, and The cumulative number of points in the user information DB table 45 is updated with points based on the donation data.

At this time, the CPU of the client PC 4
It generates billing data corresponding to the donation data, and transmits this to the management server 36 of the ASP 32 via the Internet 5. As a result, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 stores the billing data corresponding to the donation amount in the AS of the client PC 4.
It is recorded in the viewer information file of the viewer information database 40 together with the service charge for P32.

At the same time, the ISP 31 also
Charges the Internet connection fee generated while the content is provided from the ASP 31 via the Internet 5, records the charging data in the viewer information file of the viewer information database 40, and records the charging data in the charging management database 34.

By the way, when a visitor other than the registered user makes a donation to the content creator, the donation button 1
When the visitors 67, 242 and 262 are clicked by the visitor, the CPU of the client PC 4 displays the donation amount selection screen 27 next to the donation buttons 167, 242 and 262.
0 (FIG. 45) and an input screen (not shown) for a credit card number or the like for the visitor to make a donation
Is displayed to prompt the visitor to enter a credit card number.

As a result, the CPU of the client PC 4
The credit card number data and the donation data of the amount corresponding to the donation selection button are stored in the management server 36 of the ASP 32.
To the management server 3
6. User information DB at points according to donation data
The cumulative number of points in the table 45 is updated.

The management server 36 of the ASP 32 transmits the donation data of the amount paid by the visitor to the charge management database of the credit card company based on the credit card number data, and charges the credit card company for the visitor's donation. Request processing.

(8) Monthly Point Clearing Process Finally, in the content providing system 1, a month in which profit is returned to the content creator in accordance with the accumulated points in the user information DB table 45 calculated on a monthly basis. Before the next point clearing process, the provision process of the CM video-attached content until the CM video-attached content is provided to the client PC 4 can be summarized before starting from the start step of the routine RT10 shown in FIG. To step SP81.

At step SP81, the client P
The CPU of C4 operates the channel display screen 150 (FIG. 27).
, It is recognized that the desired channel button 155 has been clicked by the user, and the next step SP82
Move on to

At step SP82, the client P
The CPU of C4 sends the content ID corresponding to the selected channel button 155 to A via the Internet 5.
The information is transmitted to the management server 36 of SP32, and the next step SP
Move to 83.

[0286] In step SP83, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 activates the content providing program started from the internal hard disk and, for example, from the provided schedule management database 38 on demand based on the content ID sent from the client PC4. The type providing schedule control file 120 is searched, the user ID and the content of the CM request are confirmed, and the routine goes to the next step SP84.

[0287] In step SP84, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 checks the on-demand type provision schedule control file 120, and determines whether or not the CM request is "with CM".

[0288] If a negative result is obtained here, this means that the CM request is "no CM" and the CM video is not added to the content provided to the client PC 4; The server 36 proceeds to step SP87 to provide the moving image file of the content to which the CM video is not added, and ends the processing in the next step SP88.

On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step SP84, this means that the CM request is “CM present”.
Indicates that the CM video is set to be added to the content provided to the client PC 4. At this time, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 proceeds to the next step SP85.

[0290] In step SP85, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 adds the CM video stored in the CM management database 44 to the head of the moving image file stored in the content server 39 to thereby add the CM.
After generating the content of the attached moving image file and temporarily storing it in the content server 39, the next step SP8
Move to 6.

In step SP86, when the management server 36 of the ASP 32 provides the content of the CM-attached moving image file to the client PC 4,
The cumulative number of points in the table 45 file is updated, and the routine goes to the next step SP87.

[0292] In step SP87, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads the contents of the moving image file with CM from the contents server 39 when the CM request is "with CM", and provides this to the client PC 4 via the Internet 5. And the next step SP88
To end the process.

As described above, in the content providing system 1, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads the content of the moving image file with CM from the content server 39 when the CM request is “with CM”, and
When providing to the user information DB
The cumulative number of points in the table 45 is updated.

Subsequently, in the content providing system 1, monthly point clearing processing procedures when performing profit return processing to the content creator in accordance with the accumulated points in the user information DB table 45 calculated on a monthly basis will be summarized. Then, it enters from the start step of the routine RT11 shown in FIG. 47 and moves to step SP91.

[0295] In step SP91, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 executes the ISP of the user PC 2 based on the profit returning program started from the internal hard disk.
31 and the service usage fee of the ASP 32 (the service usage fee is fixed when the “unlimited course” is set), and the user information D is added.
When the B table 45 has been updated, the next step SP9
Move to 2.

[0296] In step SP92, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 reads out the cumulative points per month with reference to the user information DB table 45 stored in the user information database 37, and proceeds to the next step SP93.

[0297] In step SP93, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 determines whether or not the accumulated point number is equal to or more than the predetermined point number.

Here, if a negative result is obtained, this means that the accumulated point number does not remain more than the predetermined point number. At this time, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Moves to the next step SP94.

In step SP94, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 does not perform the profit returning process according to the accumulated points since the accumulated points per month does not exceed the predetermined number of points. The processing is performed on the user PC 2 and the next step SP1
The process moves to 01 and ends.

[0300] On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step SP93, this means that the accumulated points per month remain at or above the predetermined points. At this time, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 stores the accumulated points. The process moves to the next step SP95 in order to perform profit return processing according to the number.

In step SP95, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 subtracts the amount corresponding to the accumulated number of points in the user information DB table 45 from the service charge of the ASP 32, and subtracts the number of points corresponding to the subtracted service charge into the user information. Update is performed by subtracting from the accumulated point number in the DB table 45, and the routine goes to the next step SP96.

[0302] As a result, the content creator of the user PC 2 has reduced or offset the service usage fee of the payment request received from the ASP 32 through the credit card company, and has received profit return processing according to the accumulated points.

[0303] In step SP96, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 determines whether or not the accumulated number of points after returning the service usage fee of the ASP 32 to a profit is equal to or more than a predetermined number of points.

Here, if a negative result is obtained, it means that the accumulated point number is not more than the predetermined point number, and at this time, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
The process proceeds to the next step SP94 to perform a billing process for a service usage fee, and ends the process in the next step SP101.

[0305] On the other hand, if a positive result is obtained in step SP96, this means that the accumulated number of points is equal to or more than the predetermined number of points.
The management server 36 moves to the next step SP97.

[0306] In step SP97, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 subtracts the equivalent amount of the accumulated number of points from the Internet connection fee of the user PC 2 to the ISP 31, and uses the subtracted number of points for the Internet connection fee in the user information DB. After subtracting and updating the accumulated number of points in the table 45, the process proceeds to the next step SP98.

As a result, the content creator of the user PC 2 reduces or cancels the Internet connection fee of the payment request received from the ISP 31 through the credit card company, and performs a profit return process according to the accumulated points following the ASP 32 service usage fee. I have received it.

In step SP98, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 determines whether or not the accumulated point number still remains at this stage. Here, the cumulative number of points is 1
If there are more than one million points remaining, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 proceeds to the next step SP99.

[0309] In step SP99, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 instructs the credit card company to execute the settlement processing by subtracting, for example, from the settlement data through the credit card company the excess of the accumulated points by one million points. The number of points in excess of the points is subtracted from the number of accumulated points in the user information DB table 45 to newly update the number of accumulated points, and the process returns to step SP98 again.

[0310] On the other hand, if the accumulated point number is 1,000,000 points or less and 100,000 points or more remain in step SP98, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 proceeds to the next step SP100.

[0311] In step SP100, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 transfers the point data exceeding the accumulated point number of 100,000 points to the online mail order company 6 via the Internet 5, and then stores the accumulated point number in the user information DB table 45. Then, the cumulative number of points is newly updated by subtracting the number of points exceeding 100,000 points from the above, and the process ends in the next step SP101.

[0312] In this case, the online mail-order company 6 uses the user information DB transferred from the ASP 32 at the time of user registration.
Based on the contents of the table 45, personal information such as an address of a content creator and an e-mail address is recognized.
Profit distribution processing is performed by delivering home to the content creator of the user PC 2 a predetermined product corresponding to the number of points exceeding the amount of 10,000 points.

[0313] If it is determined in step SP98 that the accumulated point number is not more than 100,000 points, the ASP3
The second management server 36 proceeds to step SP94 and performs a service usage fee billing process, and then proceeds to step SP101.
Ends the processing.

(9) Operation and Effect in the Present Embodiment In the above configuration, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 transmits the live-type provision schedule control file 210 for my channel transmitted from the user PC 2 via the Internet 5 (FIG. 35). ) Is registered in the provision schedule management database 38.

However, the management server 36 of the ASP 32, when accepting a reservation for providing live video content through My Channel, limits the number of live video content that can be provided from each My Channel in the same time frame. When it is detected that the number of contents has reached the upper limit of the limit, the reservation impossible message display screen is displayed without receiving the live type provision schedule control file 210 (FIG. 35) for My Channel thereafter. Is transmitted to the user PC 2 to display a reservation impossible message display screen 212 (FIG. 36) on the display unit 17 of the user PC 2.

As a result, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Is to confirm the reservation impossible message display screen 212 displayed on the display unit 17 of the user PC 2 to the content creator, so that the desired time zone for providing live video content is already full of reservations. Make content creators aware of this.

As described above, the management server 36 of the ASP 32
Limits the number of live video contents provided simultaneously in response to requests from a plurality of client PCs 4 in consideration of the processing performance of the management server 36 and the bandwidth of the line. The information can be reliably provided to the client PC 4 in real time without delay.

According to the configuration described above, the management server 36 of the ASP 32 limits the number of contents that can be simultaneously provided, so that the contents can be reliably provided in real time with the number of contents within the range. When the number of contents reaches the value, the reservation impossible message display screen 212 is displayed on the display unit 17 of the user PC 2 without accepting subsequent reservations.
The content creator can be made aware that reservation is impossible.

(10) Other Embodiments In the above-described embodiment, the number of live video contents that can be simultaneously provided via My Channel by the content server 39 as content storage means is limited to ten. As mentioned above,
The present invention is not limited to this, and may be limited to other various numbers according to the processing performance of the management server 36 and the bandwidth of the line. In this case, the same effect as in the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

In the above-described embodiment, the reservation impossible message display screen 21 is displayed on the display section 17 of the user PC 2.
AS is a schedule program for displaying 2
Although the case where it is installed in the management server 36 of P32 in advance has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a CD-ROM in which a provision schedule program is stored
(Compact Disc-Read Only Memory), DVD (Digital V
The provided schedule program may be installed by playing a program storage medium such as a package medium (ideo Disc), or a program such as a semiconductor memory or a magneto-optical disk in which the provided schedule program is temporarily or permanently stored. The provision schedule program may be installed by reproducing the storage medium.

As means for storing the provision schedule program in these program storage media, a wired or wireless communication medium such as a local area network or digital satellite broadcast may be used, and various communication interfaces such as a router and a modem may be used. It may be stored.

Further, in the above embodiment, the ASP 32 as the provision schedule setting means and the control means
The management server 36 transmits the image data of the reservation impossible message display screen to the user PC 2, so that the reservation impossible message display screen 2 is displayed on the display unit 17 of the user PC 2.
12 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this.
2 may display another time slot frame that can be reserved together with a message indicating that a reservation cannot be made.

Further, in the above embodiment, the AS
Although the case has been described in which the management server 36 of P32 uses the client PC 4 as an object to provide the content, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is not limited to this.
The content may be provided in response to a request from a portable information terminal or a cellular phone as long as the content is connected via the Internet.

Further, in the above embodiment, the AS
Although a case has been described where live video is used as the content provided by the management server 36 of P32, the present invention is not limited to this, and live audio may be used.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the Internet 5 is used as a network has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various other networks constructed by wire or wireless may be used. Is also good.

[0326]

As described above, according to the present invention, the upper limit of the number of contents that can be provided simultaneously is set, and the number of contents that can be provided simultaneously at the desired scheduled delivery time reaches the predetermined upper limit. When it is detected that the reservation is not possible at the provision time, the information processing apparatus is notified via the network to prevent setting the provision schedule with the number of contents exceeding the upper limit. Therefore, it is possible to always and reliably provide content to a plurality of clients.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the principle of electronic commerce using the Internet.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of a content providing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration of a user PC.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a desktop screen.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a user information registration screen.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a user information file.

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration of a content providing provider.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a user registration procedure processing procedure by an ASP management server.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating contents of a user information DB table registered in the user information DB.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a capture screen.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a confirmation screen.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating an editing screen.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating an on-demand personal casting control screen.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating a pull-down menu.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating a My Channel genre table screen.

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating a codec selection screen.

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating an on-demand type provision schedule management screen.

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating a CM provision request screen.

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram illustrating a CM link setting screen.

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram illustrating a content ID setting screen.

FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram illustrating the contents of an on-demand type provision schedule control file.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating an on-demand type connection process to an ASP.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for checking and changing a provision schedule.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating an on-demand type casting processing procedure.

FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram illustrating a home page screen of a personal casting service.

FIG. 26 is a schematic diagram illustrating a genre table screen for My Channel.

FIG. 27 is a schematic diagram illustrating a channel display screen related to a video genre “car”.

FIG. 28 is a schematic diagram illustrating a content display screen on which content corresponding to a selected channel button is displayed.

FIG. 29 is a schematic diagram illustrating a live personal cast control screen.

FIG. 30 is a flowchart showing a display processing procedure of a live type provision schedule management screen.

FIG. 31 is a schematic diagram illustrating a live-type provision schedule management screen for a public channel.

FIG. 32 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of a live type provision schedule control file.

FIG. 33 is a flowchart showing a reservation processing procedure.

FIG. 34 is a schematic diagram illustrating a live type provision schedule management screen for My Channel.

FIG. 35 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of a live type provision schedule control file for My Channel.

FIG. 36 is a schematic diagram illustrating a reservation impossible message display screen.

FIG. 37 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a live connection process to an ASP.

FIG. 38 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a casting process performed via a live channel in a my channel.

FIG. 39 is a schematic diagram illustrating a live video schedule display screen for My Channel.

FIG. 40 is a schematic diagram illustrating a content display screen on which live video content corresponding to a selected channel button is displayed.

FIG. 41 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a casting process performed via a public channel in a live type.

FIG. 42 is a schematic diagram showing a channel display screen for a public channel.

FIG. 43 is a schematic diagram illustrating a live video schedule display screen for a public channel.

FIG. 44 is a schematic diagram illustrating a content display screen on which the content of a live video selected by a music live channel is displayed.

FIG. 45 is a schematic diagram showing a donation amount selection screen.

FIG. 46 is a flowchart showing a procedure for providing CM video-attached content.

FIG. 47 is a flowchart showing a profit return processing procedure.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. Content providing service system 2. User PC 3. Content provider 4. Client PC 5. Internet 6. Online mail-order company 7. CM client 10. CP
U, 11 ... bus, 12 ... HDD, 14 ... IEEE
1394 interface, 16, 35, 41 Network interface 17, Display unit 31,
ISP, 32 ASP, 33 Control server, 34
... Charge management database, 36 ... Management server, 37 ...
… User information DB, 38 …… Provision schedule management D
B, 39: Content server, 40: Viewer information DB, 44: CM management DB, 45: User information D
B table.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takahiko Sueyoshi 6-7-35 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Inside Sony Corporation (72) Inventor Tomonori Nakamura 6-35-35 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Inside Sony Corporation (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Hanatani 6-7-35 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation (72) Inventor Nobuyuki Uchiyama 6-35, Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation F term (reference) 5B049 BB11 CC06 CC08 CC32 CC36 DD01 DD05 EE01 EE05 EE07 FF03 FF04 FF09 GG04 GG07

Claims (16)

[Claims] A content provided from an information processing apparatus is temporarily stored in a dedicated storage area secured for each individual, and is read out in response to a request from a client, and thereafter provided to the client via a network. Storage provision means; and provision schedule setting means for receiving provision schedule time data indicating the provision schedule time of the content from the information processing device via the network, and setting the provision schedule of the content based on the provision provision time data. And setting an upper limit of the number of pieces of content that can be provided at the same time, and detecting that the number of pieces of content that can be provided at the same time at the predetermined scheduled providing time based on the providing schedule has reached the upper limit. , That the reservation is not possible at the scheduled time Content providing apparatus characterized by comprising a control means for notifying the information processing apparatus through the Ttowaku. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit transmits the reservation impossible data indicating that the reservation is impossible to the information processing apparatus via the network, so that the reservation is not possible on the display unit of the information processing apparatus. 2. The content providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a window screen indicating the effect is displayed. 3. The control means transmits the reservation impossible data indicating that the reservation is impossible to the information processing apparatus via the network, so that the reservation is impossible on the display unit of the information processing apparatus. 2. The content providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a window screen is displayed to indicate the fact and another time zone in which reservation is possible. 4. The content providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said content storage and provision means provides a live video as said content. 5. A content which is temporarily stored in a dedicated storage area secured for each individual and which is provided to the client via a network after reading the content in response to a request from the client. A receiving step of receiving, via the network, scheduled providing time data indicating the scheduled providing time of the content provided by the storage providing means, based on the scheduled providing time data received in the receiving step; A provision schedule setting step of setting the provision schedule of the content, and setting an upper limit value of the number of the content that can be provided at the same time, at a predetermined provision scheduled time based on the provision schedule set by the provision schedule setting means. The above items that can be provided simultaneously A detecting step of detecting that the number of tents has reached the upper limit, and detecting that the upper limit has been reached in the detecting step, the network is informed that the reservation cannot be made at the scheduled provision time. And a notifying step of notifying the information processing device via the information processing apparatus. 6. The notifying step is such that the reservation is impossible on the display unit of the information processing device by transmitting reservation impossible data indicating that the reservation is impossible to the information processing device via the network. 6. The content reservation control method according to claim 5, wherein a window screen to the effect is displayed. 7. The notifying step includes the step of transmitting the reservation impossible data indicating that the reservation is impossible to the information processing apparatus via the network, so that the reservation cannot be made on the display unit of the information processing apparatus. 6. The content reservation control method according to claim 5, further comprising displaying a window screen indicating the effect and another time zone in which reservation is possible. 8. The content reservation control method according to claim 5, wherein said content storage and provision means provides a live video as said content. 9. The content supplied from the information processing apparatus is temporarily stored in a dedicated storage area secured for each individual, and the content is read out in response to a request from the client and then provided to the client via the network. A receiving step of receiving, via the network, scheduled providing time data indicating the scheduled providing time of the content provided by the content accumulation providing unit, based on the scheduled providing time data received in the receiving step A provision schedule setting step of setting a provision schedule of the content by setting an upper limit value of the number of the content that can be simultaneously provided, and a predetermined provision scheduled time based on the provision schedule set by the provision schedule setting means Can be provided at the same time A detecting step of detecting that the number of contents has reached the upper limit, and detecting that the upper limit has been reached in the detecting step, the network is informed that the reservation cannot be made at the scheduled provision time. And a notifying step of notifying the information processing apparatus via the program storage medium that causes the content providing apparatus to execute the program. 10. The notifying step is such that the reservation is impossible on the display unit of the information processing apparatus by transmitting reservation impossible data indicating that the reservation is impossible to the information processing apparatus via the network. 10. The program storage medium according to claim 9, wherein a window screen to the effect is displayed. 11. The notifying step includes transmitting unreservable data indicating that the reservation is impossible to the information processing device via the network, so that the reservation is disabled on the display unit of the information processing device. The program storage medium according to claim 9, wherein a window screen indicating the fact and a reservable time zone is displayed. 12. The program storage medium according to claim 9, wherein said content storage and provision means provides a live video as said content. 13. An information processing apparatus for supplying, via a network, content and scheduled provision time data indicating a provision scheduled time of the content, the content supplied from the information processing apparatus is stored, and the provision scheduled time is provided. A content providing apparatus configured to provide the content to a client via the network at the scheduled providing time according to data, wherein the content providing apparatus includes: the content supplied from the information processing apparatus; Is temporarily stored in a dedicated storage area secured for each individual, reads out the content in response to the client's request, and provides the content via the network; and Based on the scheduled time data Providing schedule setting means for setting the providing schedule of the content, and setting an upper limit of the number of the content that can be provided simultaneously, and setting the upper limit of the number of the content that can be provided at the same time at the predetermined providing scheduled time based on the providing schedule Content providing means for notifying the information processing apparatus via the network that the reservation is impossible at the scheduled time of supply when detecting that the upper limit value is reached. system. 14. The control means transmits the non-reservable data indicating that the reservation is not possible to the information processing apparatus via the network, so that the reservation is not possible on the display unit of the information processing apparatus. 14. The content providing system according to claim 13, wherein a window screen to the effect is displayed. 15. The control means transmits the non-reservable data indicating that the reservation is not possible to the information processing apparatus via the network, so that the reservation is not possible on the display unit of the information processing apparatus. 14. The content providing system according to claim 13, wherein a window screen indicating the fact and a reservable time zone is displayed. 16. The contents providing system according to claim 13, wherein said contents storing and providing means provides a live video as said contents.