JP2010258926A - Data processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a data processing method of selecting an Internet radio station to prevent a user from being tired. <P>SOLUTION: In the data processing method for selecting an Internet radio station, the time required for reproducing a radio station is measured, it is determined whether the radio station is reproduced for a predetermined time or more within a predetermined period, the result is stored as station information on the radio station, and a radio station is selected at random from radio stations other than the radio station which is reproduced for the predetermined time or more within the predetermined period. Alternatively, metadata of a radio station reproduced in the past is stored, and the radio station corresponding to the stored metadata is selected. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a data processing method in selecting an Internet radio station.

  2. Description of the Related Art Internet radio is known in which a listener can stream data content from a server through the Internet. Unlike a general broadcast signal broadcasting station that transmits a broadcast signal, a radio station that distributes Internet radio is actually a content source distribution server. The frequency band for the broadcast station is the IP (Internet Protocol) address of the Internet radio station server, and corresponds to a “channel”.

  A client (personal computer or the like) connected to the server is equipped with, for example, a music / video playback application, and accesses a radio station (server) corresponding to “channel matching” and receives streaming data. A general music / video playback application stores a plurality of Internet radio station channels in advance, and a user can select and play back a favorite station. Furthermore, what can learn from the analysis of a user's past and present action, and can create a user's favorite virtual radio station is considered.

JP 2006-217611 A

However, in the virtual radio station, since stations are selected by learning from analysis of user behavior, selection is biased and only similar stations are selected. In a general radio station, content data is distributed according to the same playlist for a certain period (for example, several weeks). Therefore, if only the same station is selected, the user gets bored.
In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a data processing method capable of selecting an Internet radio station so that a user does not get bored.

In order to solve the above problems, a data processing method according to the present invention includes:
A data processing method for selecting an Internet radio station,
The time for reproducing the radio station is measured, and it is determined whether or not the radio station has been reproduced for a predetermined time or more within a predetermined period, and stored as station information relating to the radio station.

In the above method, the radio stations may be selected at random from radio stations other than radio stations that have been played for a predetermined time or more within a predetermined period.
Further, metadata of radio stations reproduced so far may be stored, and radio stations corresponding to the stored metadata may be selected at random.

  According to the present invention, a data processing method capable of selecting an Internet radio station so that a user does not get bored is provided.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a data processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of station information stored in the station information storage unit.

  Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. The data processing method according to the present embodiment constitutes one function of an application installed in a client such as a personal computer. In addition, embodiment shown below is an example and is not limited to this.

  FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a data processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. The data processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes a transmission / reception unit 12, a station information storage unit 14, a user interface unit 16, and a control unit 18.

  The transmission / reception unit 12 accesses a server 30 that provides an Internet radio service via a network 20 such as the Internet or an intranet. The transmission / reception unit 12 receives content data from the server 30 and transmits a control signal for controlling the stream to the server 30. In the following, the server 30 that provides the Internet service is used synonymously with “radio station”.

  The server 30 has a plurality of contents collected in a playlist format. The content is, for example, an audio file or a video file. The server 30 periodically changes the content to be supplied at that time. Each content is composed of main data sent in the form of a data stream and metadata that characterizes the main data corresponding to the main data. The main data is, for example, audio data, and the metadata is information about the audio data (genre, artist name, title, etc.).

  The station information storage unit 14 stores the IP addresses of a plurality of servers (radio stations) 30 that provide Internet radio services together with their attribute information (name, genre, etc.). The transmission / reception unit 12 establishes access with the radio station based on the IP address of the radio station stored in the station information storage unit 14, and acquires main data and metadata. The radio station stored in the station information storage unit 14 may be determined in advance in the music / video application, or may be downloaded automatically or manually from a predetermined server.

  The radio station attribute information stored in the station information includes a flag indicating whether or not the radio station has been played for a certain period of time within a certain period. A radio station that has been played for a time exceeding a predetermined threshold (for example, 5 minutes per week) is flagged. This flag may be initialized at regular intervals.

  An example of the station information stored in the station information storage unit 14 is shown in FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 2, as the station information, for each name, an IP address / URL (Uniform Resource Locator), a genre, and information (flag) indicating whether or not a certain period of time has been played back are stored.

The user interface unit 16 receives an operation instruction input from the user, for example, a channel selection operation, a reproduction operation, and the like, and provides necessary information to the user. The user interface unit 16 includes, for example, a client input / output device (mouse, keyboard, display, speaker, etc.). For example, an instruction input from the user and information to the user via a graphical user interface (GUI). Make a provision.
The main data received by the transmission / reception unit 12 is processed by a video / audio processing circuit (not shown) that performs processing such as decoding and amplification, and is output to a display and a speaker.

For example, the user interface unit 16 displays a list of radio stations stored in the station information storage unit 14 as a GUI image on the display. The user can select a desired radio station from the display on the display using a mouse or the like. In the present embodiment, the displayed radio station display includes information indicating whether or not the radio station has been played for a certain period of time.
Alternatively, a search field may be provided in the GUI image, and the user may input a keyword such as a desired genre and search for a radio station including a word corresponding to attribute information.

  The control unit 18 comprehensively controls the operation of the data processing apparatus 10. In the present embodiment, the control unit 18 includes, for example, a software timer, measures the reproduction time (access time) of the radio station within a certain period, and records it as attribute information of the station information in the station information storage unit 14.

  Hereinafter, the data processing operation when the user selects an Internet radio station in the present embodiment will be described in detail.

  First, the user activates a music / video application installed in the client. After activation, a GUI image of a list of selectable Internet radio stations is displayed on the display connected to the client. Radio stations are displayed by name, for example, and are classified and displayed for each genre.

  At this time, the control unit 18 generates a GUI image based on the station information stored in the station information storage unit 14, but the radio station with a flag indicating that it has been reproduced for a certain period of time within a certain period Is displayed so that it can be understood. For example, a radio station indicating that it has been played for a certain period of time within a certain period is displayed with a symbol such as an asterisk.

  By viewing such a display, the user can know that the radio station has been accessed for a certain period of time within a certain period. That is, the user can select a radio station with such a display as a radio station that is always accessed. On the other hand, for example, when it is desired to access an unusual radio station, a radio station without the above display can be selected.

  As described above, a radio station continuously distributes content data based on the same playlist for a certain period. For this reason, if the same radio station is accessed in a short period of time, the content data of the same playlist will be received. If the user has already listened and watched, the user may get bored. For this reason, the user may want to access a radio station other than a radio station that has been accessed for a certain period of time within a certain period. In the present embodiment, such user demands can be satisfied.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various changes and modifications can be made.
For example, in the above embodiment, for example, a “random play button” is provided as a GUI, and when the button is operated, a radio station that has not been played for a certain period of time within a certain period is automatically randomized. You may make it select one by. As a result, the user can more easily select a radio station, for example, when he / she wants to listen to and listen to a radio station which is different from usual because anything is acceptable.

  Furthermore, the metadata of the content file reproduced so far may be stored, and may be selected at random from radio stations with overlapping related metadata. For example, when listening to a radio station whose genre is jazz so far, the jazz genre is stored as metadata, and the genre of the selection targets may be selected randomly from those corresponding to jazz. good. As a result, a radio station more suitable for the user can be played back at random.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful for applications, devices, and the like that can play Internet radio stations.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Data processor 12 Transmission / reception part 14 Station information storage part 16 User interface part 18 Control part 20 Network 30 Server (broadcasting station)

Claims (3)

A data processing method for selecting an Internet radio station,
A data processing method, comprising: measuring a time during which a radio station is reproduced, determining whether the radio station has been reproduced for a predetermined time or more within a predetermined period, and storing the information as station information regarding the radio station.   2. The data processing method according to claim 1, wherein a random station is selected from radio stations other than the radio stations that have been reproduced for a predetermined time or more within a predetermined period.   3. The data processing method according to claim 2, wherein metadata of radio stations reproduced so far is stored, and radio stations corresponding to the stored metadata are selected at random.

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