JP2002259267A - Method and device for distributing moving picture and its program recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that moving picture data sometimes breaks off because a lot of network bands are used in individually transmitting the moving picture data to a plurality of terminals at almost the same time in response to a distribution request for the same moving picture data from the respective terminals. SOLUTION: A communication server 12 waits for a fixed period without immediately sending a distribution request to a moving picture server 11 when a terminal 13a requests the moving picture server 11 to distribute a file 'A'. When a terminal 13b makes a distribution request for the same file 'A' within a fixed period, the communication server 12 transmits a distribution request as a distribution request for the file 'A' from one terminal having a virtual IP address to the moving picture server 11 without respectively sending the distribution requests of the terminals 13a and 13b to the moving picture server 11, and distributes the file 'A' sent to the terminal having the virtual IP address from the moving picture server 11 to the terminals 13a and 13b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a moving image server having a data storage unit for storing a file including video and / or audio data, a network control unit, a communication server having a plurality of network control units, and a moving image server. The present invention relates to a moving image distribution apparatus including a plurality of terminals that acquire and play back from a plurality of terminals, a moving image server, a communication server, and a network connecting the plurality of terminals, and a program recording medium that records a program for the operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A moving image server stores and sends out a file including video and / or audio data constituting a content such as a movie or a television program, and transmits a distribution request command from a terminal for reproducing a moving image to a network ( Normally, the video data is received through TCP / IP, and the video data is distributed to the terminal through the network according to the distribution request command.

Usually, the network is shared between the moving image server and the terminals. When a plurality of terminals send a distribution request command to the moving image server at the same time, the moving image server distributes the moving image to the terminals in accordance with the distribution request command. Is shared, there is a problem that when a moving image exceeding the allowable bandwidth of the network is distributed, the moving image is not normally reproduced on the terminal. If multiple devices play the same video at the same time, distributing one video data to multiple devices at the same time will reduce the bandwidth of video flowing through the network, but until now each device has It distributes video data and could not be said to be using network bandwidth effectively.

[0004]

However, distributing moving image data regardless of the contents of moving images requested from the moving image server for each terminal as in the prior art leads to a high load on the network, and causes interruptions of moving images and the like. Due to the server's capacity limitations, it was impossible to distribute video servers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and has as its object to reduce the load on a network and prevent a video server from being unable to be delivered due to a break in a video or a limitation in server capacity. And

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a moving picture distribution apparatus according to the present invention provides a moving picture distribution apparatus for transmitting a file which is duplicated among files requested by each terminal from a moving picture server to a terminal in the same network packet. To send.

[0007] With this configuration, the moving image distribution apparatus of the present invention can reduce the network load at the time of moving image data distribution, and can prevent interruption of moving image data.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first invention of the present invention is a moving picture server having a data storage unit for storing a file containing video and / or audio data and a network control unit for controlling transmission and reception of commands and data in a network. A plurality of terminals for acquiring and reproducing a moving image from the moving image server; a communication server having a plurality of network control units for controlling transmission and reception of commands and data between the moving image server and the plurality of terminals; And a network that connects the communication server and a plurality of terminals, wherein the communication server has two or more terminals within a predetermined period, and the same file stored in the data storage unit. Is transmitted to the video server via the network, the request from the two or more terminals A moving image distribution apparatus for transmitting a reproduction request to the moving image server as one reproduction request and distributing the file data received from the moving image server to the two or more terminals; By making the request a single file reproduction request, video data flowing on the network can be reduced.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a moving image server having a data storage unit for storing a file including video and / or audio data and a network control unit for controlling transmission and reception of commands and data in a network. Multiple terminals that acquire and play videos from the server,
A moving image configured to control transmission and reception of commands and data between the moving image server and the plurality of terminals, and a communication server having a plurality of network control units, and a network connecting the moving image server, the communication server, and the plurality of terminals. In the distribution device, the communication server may be configured such that two or more terminals transmit a reproduction request of the same file stored in the data storage unit to the video server via the network within a predetermined period. In this case, the reproduction request from the two or more terminals is requested to the video server as one reproduction request, and the data of the file received from the video server is transmitted as a multicast to the two or more terminals. A moving image distribution device,
The same file playback request is regarded as one file playback request,
By sending the requested file by multicast,
Video data flowing through the network can be reduced.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a moving image server having a data storage unit for storing a file including video and / or audio data and a network control unit for controlling transmission and reception of commands and data in a network. Multiple terminals that acquire and play videos from the server,
A moving image configured to control transmission and reception of commands and data between the moving image server and the plurality of terminals, and a communication server having a plurality of network control units, and a network connecting the moving image server, the communication server, and the plurality of terminals. The distribution device, wherein the communication server is configured to, when a predetermined number of terminals issue a reproduction request for the same file stored in the data storage unit to the video server via a network, perform the reproduction from the terminal. A moving image distribution apparatus characterized in that a request is transmitted to the moving image server as one reproduction request, and an increase in moving image data flowing through a network can be restricted by limiting the number of terminals requesting reproduction.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a moving image server having a data storage unit for storing a file including video and / or audio data, and a network control unit for controlling transmission and reception of commands and data in a network. Multiple terminals that acquire and play videos from the server,
A moving image configured to control transmission and reception of commands and data between the moving image server and the plurality of terminals, and a communication server having a plurality of network control units, and a network connecting the moving image server, the communication server, and the plurality of terminals. A distribution device, wherein the communication server, when the terminal transmits a reproduction request of a file stored in the data storage unit to the video server via the network, registers the reproduction request, When another terminal sends a request to play the same file as the terminal, the registered playback request and the playback request of the other terminal are requested to the video server as one playback request and received from the video server. A moving image distribution apparatus for transmitting data of the file to the terminal, wherein a file playback request is registered and the same The reproduction request Airu With one playback request, it is possible to reduce the moving image data flowing on the network.

An embodiment of the moving picture distribution apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of a moving image distribution apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a moving image server that distributes moving images, 12 denotes a communication server that manages communication between the moving image server 11 and a plurality of terminals 13, and 13 denotes a terminal that transmits a command such as a reproduction request to the moving image server 11. , 14 are networks. Here, the terminals 13 are individually numbered 13a, 13
.., 13n are allocated. The network 14 is divided into a network 14a connecting the moving image server 11 and the communication server 12, and a network 14b connecting the communication server 12 and each terminal.

A plurality of terminals 13a, 13b,..., 13n can transmit a reproduction request command to the moving image server 11 via the communication server 12 via the network 14. The moving image server 11 transmits the data of the file designated when receiving the reproduction request command through the network 14,
The data is distributed to the terminal 13 via the communication server 12.

Next, the internal structure of the moving image server shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 20 denotes a main control unit for controlling all operations in the moving image server 11, reference numeral 21 denotes a file system for managing moving image data stored in a data storage unit 23 as a file, and reference numeral 22 denotes a data storage unit. A data access control unit for reading and writing moving image data from and to 23, a data storage unit for storing moving image data, and a network control unit for transmitting and receiving data including a reproduction request command to the network 14a.

Next, the operation of the moving picture server in the configuration of FIG. 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the file distribution operation of the moving image server.

The command received by the network control unit 24 via the network 14a is interpreted by the main control unit 20 and a corresponding process is executed (step 30 in FIG. 3).
1 to step 306). For example, in the case of a file distribution request (step 301, step 30)
2), the main control unit 20 obtains the storage location of the data of the file from the file system 21 (step 30).
3) controlling the data access control unit 22 to acquire the moving image data in the data storage unit 23 (Step 30)
4) The network control unit 24 sends out the network packet with a necessary network header (step 305).

Next, the operation of the communication server 12 will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 30 denotes a main control unit for controlling all operations in the communication server, and reference numerals 34a and 34b denote network control units which are connected to the networks 14a and 14b and control transmission and reception of data.

The network control section 34a and the network control section 34b have different network address sections.
IP (Internet Protocol) is set. The communication server 12 functions as a router that transmits network packets between them. For example, when the terminal 13 transmits a distribution request command for moving image data to the moving image server 11, the distribution request command is temporarily received by the communication server 12 and the transmission address of a packet including the command is analyzed. Send to

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the flow of commands and moving image data in the moving image distribution apparatus of the present embodiment. In FIG. 5, the flow of commands is indicated by thick lines, and the flow of moving image data is indicated by wavy lines. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the moving image distribution device of the present embodiment for a distribution request, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the data transmission operation of the moving image distribution device of the present embodiment. Hereinafter, the operation of the moving image distribution apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7.

In FIG. 5, it is assumed that the terminal 13a issues a distribution request of the file "A" to the moving image server 11 via the network 14. In the communication server 12, the network control unit 24b receives the distribution request, and the main control unit 30 immediately transmits the distribution request command to the moving image server 1.
Wait for a certain period without sending to 1. If the terminal 13b
When the terminal 13a issues a distribution request command for the same file "A" within a certain period of time after the terminal 13a issues a distribution request, the main control unit 30 of the communication server 12 sends the command individually to the video server 11. The network control unit 24 sends a network packet in which one terminal having a virtual IP address requests distribution of the file “A”.
a (steps 601 to 60 in FIG. 6).
4). For example, if the IP addresses of the terminals 13a and 13b are 192.168.10.10 and 192.168.10.11, respectively,
Assuming that 192.168.10.250 is used as the address, the main control unit 30 of the communication server sends the video server an IP address 19
A request is issued that the terminal having 2.168.10.250 has issued a distribution request for file "A". The correspondence table of the virtual IP addresses at this time is shown in (Table 1).

[0025]

[Table 1]

As shown in Table 1, the same virtual IP address is assigned to the terminals 192.168.10.10 and 192.168.10.11 that have made the same request.
You have assigned an address.

The moving image server 11 receives this request through the network control unit 24 and
Obtains the storage location of the file “A” from the file system 21, controls the data access control unit 22 to obtain the file “A” stored in the data storage unit 23, and obtains the IP address 192.168.10.250 Then, a network packet is sent from the network control unit 24 to the network 14a with a necessary network header attached. The main control unit 30 of the communication server 12 receives the data sent to 192.168.10.250 by the network control unit 34a (step 701 in FIG. 7) and sends the data to the terminal of the virtual IP address from the correspondence table in (Table 1). It is detected that the data is sent (step 702), and the IP addresses of the terminals 13a and 13b that have requested distribution from (Table 1)
Acquire 192.168.10.10 and 192.168.10.11 (Step 70
3) The network 1 is controlled by the network control unit 34b.
4b to the terminals 13a and 13b, respectively (step 704). Here, the communication server 12 has a memory (not shown), temporarily records the data sent from the moving image server 11 in the memory, and replaces a header describing a delivery destination to be added to the head of the data. To distribute data to each terminal. Thereby, the moving image data flowing on the network 14a can be reduced.

As described above, according to this embodiment, moving image data flowing through a network is reduced.

(Embodiment 2) The operation of the moving picture distribution apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The basic configuration of the video distribution device, the configuration of the video server, and the configuration of the communication server are the same as those in the first embodiment. The present embodiment and the first embodiment
The difference from the above is that the communication server multicasts the data received from the moving image server to the requesting terminal and transmits the data. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the operation of the communication server will be mainly described.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a distribution request operation of the moving image distribution apparatus of the present embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a data transmission operation of the moving image distribution apparatus of the present embodiment. Hereinafter, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

As in the first embodiment, it is assumed that the terminal 13b issues a distribution request for the same file "A" within a certain period after the terminal 13a issues a distribution request for the file "A" (FIG. 8). Steps 801 and 802). The communication server 12 sends an instruction to integrate the two terminals into one multicast group to the terminals 13a and 13b instead of sending them individually to the moving image server 11 (step 803). Here, multicast is
A technology that sends the same data to many people at the same time,
In order to execute the multicast, an address system called class D is used. In the class D address system, the first 4 bits (1100) identify multicast, and the remaining 28 bits specify a specific multicast group.

Next, one terminal having a virtual IP address transmits a network packet requesting distribution of file "A" (steps 804 and 80).
5). For example, the IP addresses of the terminals 13a and 13b are 192.168.10.10 and 192.168.10.11, respectively. Also, it is assumed that a multicast address that summarizes these uses 225.0.0.10 in class D according to the IP address rules.
(Table 2) shows a multicast address correspondence table in this case.

[0033]

[Table 2]

As shown in Table 2, the terminals 13a and 13b whose IP addresses are 192.168.10.10 and 192.168.10.11 are integrated into a multicast group having a multicast address of 255.0.0.10.
It is a distribution request from 192.168.10.250. Generally, since a multicast address can be used only locally, there is no guarantee that moving image data will be distributed to the communication server 12 even if a moving image distribution request is issued to the moving image server 11 using the multicast address. Therefore, the communication server 12 sends the video server 11
The terminal having the address 192.168.10.250 issues a request for a distribution request for the file “A”.

When receiving the distribution request, the moving image server 11 distributes the data of the file "A" to the IP address 192.168.10.250 through the network 14a. The communication server transmits the data transmitted to 192.168.10.250 to the multicast address 225.0.0.10 including the terminals 13a and 13b with reference to the correspondence table of (Table 2) (steps 901 to 903 in FIG. 9). ). When the distribution of the moving image ends, a command for releasing the multicast address group is transmitted to the terminals 13a and 13b (step 904). Thereby, the moving image data flowing on the network 14a can be reduced. If not multicast, the received data is distributed to the terminal requesting the distribution (step 905).

It should be noted that in the first and second embodiments, 2
Although an example has been described in which distribution requests from three terminals are grouped, it is of course possible to group distribution requests from three or more terminals.

As described above, the present embodiment is characterized in that moving image data flowing through a network is reduced.

(Embodiment 3) In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the timing at which a communication server issues a distribution request to a moving image server is different from those in Embodiments 1 and 2.

The basic configuration of the moving image distribution apparatus, the configuration of the moving image server, and the configuration of the communication server according to the present embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the distribution request of the moving image distribution apparatus of the present embodiment. Hereinafter, FIG.
0, the operation of the distribution request of the moving image distribution apparatus of the present embodiment will be described.

The communication server 12 issues a distribution request to the moving image server 11 when the number of terminals 13 issuing a moving image distribution request for the file "A" has reached a certain value or more (steps 1001 to 1003 in FIG. 10). Communication server 12
Is a method for delivering video data to the terminal 13 according to the first embodiment.
Or, it is the same as the second embodiment. Thereby, the moving image data flowing on the network 14a can be reduced.

As described above, the present embodiment is characterized in that moving image data flowing through a network is reduced.

(Embodiment 4) The basic configuration of a moving image distribution apparatus, the configuration of a moving image server, and the configuration of a communication server according to the present embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 shows the operation of the moving picture distribution apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the distribution request of the moving image distribution apparatus of the present embodiment.
5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of data transmission of the moving image distribution device of the present embodiment.

Hereinafter, the operation of the moving picture distribution apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 11, the flow of commands is indicated by bold lines, and the flow of moving image data is indicated by wavy lines. In FIG.
First, the terminal 13b registers a request to distribute the moving image data when another terminal 13 issues a distribution request (steps 1201, 1202, and 1206 in FIG. 12). (Table 3) shows an example of registration of a distribution request.

[0047]

[Table 3]

Table 3 shows that the terminal having the IP address of 192.168.10.11 makes a transfer request for the file "A". Thereafter, assuming that the terminal 13a issues a distribution request command for the file “A”, the communication server 12 sends the distribution command issued by the terminal 13a to the moving image server 11 as it is (steps 1201 to 1201).
Step 1204). When receiving a request other than the data distribution, the communication server 12 performs a process according to the request (steps 1201 to 1203, 1205).
Upon receiving this request, the moving image server 11 distributes the data of the file “A” to the communication server 12.

The communication server 12 receives the transmitted data of the file “A” (step 130 in FIG. 13).
1) It is checked from (Table 3) whether a data distribution request for file "A" is registered (step 1302). In this case, since the terminal 13b (IP address 192.168.10.11) is registered, the communication server 12 adds 13b to the terminal that distributes the file “A” (step 130).
3) The file “A” is distributed to the terminals 13a and 13b that have requested distribution of the file “A” via the network 14b (step 1304). Thereby, the moving image data flowing on the network 14a can be reduced.

Although an example in which distribution requests from two terminals are combined has been described above, it is of course possible for two or more terminals 13 to register distribution requests in the communication server.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, moving image data flowing through the network is reduced.

The main control unit of the communication server according to the present invention is, as described in each of the above embodiments, a computer / computer.
Since the program can be programmed, the main control unit of the communication server of the present invention can be recorded on a computer-executable recording medium and executed.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described as operating independently of each other, the present invention is not limited to this, and the operations of the embodiments may be combined.

[0054]

According to the moving picture distribution apparatus of the present invention, when distributing moving picture data, moving picture distribution packets on the network can be collected, and the network load can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a device configuration diagram showing a configuration of a moving image distribution device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a moving image server according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the moving image server according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication server according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing flows of commands and data in the first to third embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a distribution request operation of the moving image distribution device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a data distribution operation of the moving image distribution device.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a distribution request operation of the moving image distribution device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a data distribution operation of the moving image distribution device.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a distribution request operation of the moving image distribution device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of commands and data according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a data distribution request operation of the video distribution device.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a data distribution operation of the moving image distribution device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 video server 12 communication server 13 terminal 14 network 20 and 30 main control unit 21 file system 22 data access control unit 23 data storage unit 24 and 34 network control unit

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A moving image server having a data storage unit for storing a file containing video and / or audio data, and a network control unit for controlling transmission and reception of commands and data in a network; A plurality of terminals, controlling transmission and reception of commands and data between the video server and the plurality of terminals, connecting a communication server having a plurality of network control units, and connecting the video server, the communication server, and the plurality of terminals A moving image distribution device configured from a network, wherein the communication server is configured such that two or more terminals request a reproduction request of the same file stored in the data storage unit within a predetermined period via the network. When transmitted to a video server, the reproduction request from the two or more terminals is a single reproduction request And then transmitted to the video server, the data of the file received from the video server,
A moving image distribution apparatus, wherein the distribution is performed to the two or more terminals. 2. A moving image server having a data storage unit for storing a file containing video and / or audio data, and a network control unit for controlling transmission and reception of commands and data in a network; A plurality of terminals, controlling transmission and reception of commands and data between the video server and the plurality of terminals, connecting a communication server having a plurality of network control units, and connecting the video server, the communication server, and the plurality of terminals A moving image distribution device configured from a network, wherein the communication server is configured such that two or more terminals request a reproduction request of the same file stored in the data storage unit within a predetermined period via the network. When transmitted to a video server, the reproduction request from the two or more terminals is a single reproduction request And requests the video server, the data of the file received from the video server,
A moving picture distribution apparatus, wherein the moving picture is transmitted to the two or more terminals as a multicast. 3. A moving image server having a data storage unit for storing a file containing video and / or audio data and a network control unit for controlling transmission and reception of commands and data in a network; A plurality of terminals, controlling transmission and reception of commands and data between the video server and the plurality of terminals, connecting a communication server having a plurality of network control units, and connecting the video server, the communication server, and the plurality of terminals A moving image distribution device configured from a network, wherein the communication server issues a request to reproduce the same file stored in the data storage unit to a predetermined number of terminals to the moving image server via the network, Transmitting the reproduction request from the terminal to the video server as one reproduction request. Video distribution device that. 4. A moving image server having a data storage unit for storing a file containing video and / or audio data, and a network control unit for controlling transmission and reception of commands and data in a network; A plurality of terminals, controlling transmission and reception of commands and data between the video server and the plurality of terminals, connecting a communication server having a plurality of network control units, and connecting the video server, the communication server, and the plurality of terminals A video distribution device configured from a network, wherein the communication server transmits a request to play back a file stored in the data storage unit to the video server via the network. When a playback request is registered and another terminal sends a playback request for the same file as the terminal, Requesting the registered reproduction request and the reproduction request of the other terminal to the moving image server as one reproduction request; and transmitting the file data received from the moving image server to the terminal. apparatus. 5. A program recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to execute all or a part of the function of each means or each part of the moving image distribution apparatus according to claim 1 is recorded. .