JP2001067372A - Method and device for supporting input/output of composite contents - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To omit manual work from upload and download by changing a material life, which requires the change of a path, to a path corresponding to the kind of a file when the material file, which requires the change of the path, exists as the result of retrieving a scenario defining file. SOLUTION: At the time of designating a file to upload and receiving data, information analysis of a contents kind is executed and a contents identification part 37 identifies whether the contents are composite or single body. In the case of composite contents, a scenario defining file description reading part 31 reds the extension code of each material file defined to a file. A contents information analyzing part 33 retrieves a file requiring the change of a path from the read extension code. In the case of a file requiring path change, a scenario defining file description changing part 35 changes the description of path information from a local path to a server path. A file transmission/ reception part 39 uploads the respective material files and the scenario defining file to respective servers 5a to 5c based on path change information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to uploading material files constituting a composite content to a corresponding server or updating the composite contents being distributed on a network. The present invention relates to a composite content input / output support method and apparatus for supporting a process of downloading from a server.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, contents distributed on networks including the Internet and intranets are enormous in number, and management of these contents requires enormous effort. Furthermore, in recent years, composite contents composed of a plurality of material files (data such as images, texts, sounds, etc.) are appearing, and the content management operation is further increasing.

[0003] A composite content is a content composed of various media such as a moving image, a still image, and a text, and it is also possible to synchronize a text or the like along a time axis of the moving image. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the composite content is matched to each scene of the moving image by controlling various material files such as a moving image file, a text file, and an HTML file in a scenario definition file. It is possible to synchronize the displayed text and display it, and it is a content that can be expressed in various ways. In contrast to the composite content, the simple content is an individual content such as a moving image file and a text file.

[0004] The above-described composite content is created by a content creator and distributed to a user via a network such as the Internet. A conventional example of such processing will be described with reference to FIG.

[0005] In FIG.
An administrator (hereinafter, referred to as a content creator) creates a composite content using an authoring tool in a content creation terminal. Each material file and scenario definition file constituting the composite content created in this way are stored in the content management terminal (local) (step S501). Then, the content creator manually opens the scenario definition file using a text editor or the like, and changes the description of the local path name of each material file to the server side path name (step S50).
2).

Next, the content creator transfers the material files constituting the composite content created as described above to the respective servers, that is, the HTML file server, the moving image file server, the still image file server, and the like.
That is, uploading is performed (steps S503a to S5).
03n). That is, the files to be uploaded in this case are all the material files and the scenario definition file constituting the composite content, and the content creator manually sets the type of each material file, that is, the HTML file, the moving image file, the still image file, A type such as a text file is identified, an appropriate server is selected, an appropriate server corresponding to the identified type is selected, and each material file is stored in the selected server (steps S503a to S503a). S503n). As a result, the preparation for distributing the composite content to the network is completed (step S504).

The composite content created as described above is updated as needed. A conventional process for updating such composite content will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 13, the content creator
Download all material files and scenario definition files constituting the composite content distributed on the network to the content management terminal (local) (Step S)
601a to S601n). That is, the content creator identifies the type of the material file constituting the composite content, selects a server corresponding to the identified type,
Each material file is manually downloaded from each of the selected servers (steps S601a to S601n).

Next, the scenario definition file is manually opened with a text editor or the like, and the description of the path name is changed to a local description.

[0010] Then, the content creator reads each material file thus downloaded using the authoring tool in the content management terminal, and updates the composite content. Then, each material file and the scenario definition file constituting the updated composite content are stored in the content management terminal (local) (step S602).

Next, the content creator manually opens the scenario definition file with a text editor or the like, and changes the description of the path name to the path name of the server (step S60).
3). The content creator uploads the updated composite content to the server (steps S604a to S6).
04n). The files to be uploaded are all material files and scenario definition files that make up the composite content, and the content creator manually identifies the type of each material file, selects the appropriate server, and uploads to this selected server (Steps S604a-S
604n).

[0012]

As described above, conventionally, when a composite content is created and distributed to a network, or when updating a composite content being distributed to the network, the content creator is assigned (1). ) Manually change the local path name of each material file to the server side path name, or (2) judge the type of each material file, select an appropriate storage server, and save the material file to the selected server. For uploading, and (3) when downloading for updating, identifying the type of each material file and manually downloading the material file from an appropriate server, or (4) manually describing the server path name You must change to a local path name or (5) repeat (1) and (2) to upload the updated composite content again Et al manual of operations that it is not a necessary many times, is cumbersome, inefficient, there is a problem that error-prone.

The present invention has been made in view of the above,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a composite content input / output support method and apparatus capable of efficiently uploading and downloading composite content without manual intervention.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, each material file constituting a composite content is uploaded to a corresponding server, or a composite content being distributed over a network is uploaded. This is a composite content input / output support method for supporting a process of downloading each material file constituting the composite content from a corresponding server to be updated, and searching for a scenario definition file of the composite content and changing a path. Determining whether there is a file, and if there is a material file whose path needs to be changed, a scenario definition file changing step of changing the path of the material file to a path corresponding to the type of the material file; And uploading or downloading according to the set path.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a scenario definition file of a composite content is searched to determine whether there is a material file requiring a path change, and a material requiring a path change is determined. If there is a file, the source file is changed to a path corresponding to the type of the source file. In order to change the path of the source file, the process of identifying the type of each source file, which has been manually performed by the content creator in the past, the server path and the local path Can automatically perform processing such as conversion processing, and can treat composite content as one content, making content management simple and efficient without the content creator being aware of path information. can do.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to determine whether a content is a composite content or a single content based on an extension set in content information of the content to be uploaded or downloaded. A content determining step is provided.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is determined whether the content is a composite content or a single content based on the extension set in the content information.

Further, according to a third aspect of the present invention, each material file constituting a composite content is uploaded to a corresponding server to upload the material file constituting the composite content or to update the composite content being distributed on a network. And a means for searching for a scenario definition file of the composite content and determining whether there is a material file whose path needs to be changed. ,
When there is a material file whose path needs to be changed, a scenario definition file changing means for changing the path of the material file to a path corresponding to the type of the material file, and a step of uploading or downloading according to the changed path. The gist is to have prepared.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a scenario definition file of a composite content is searched to determine whether there is a material file requiring a path change, and a material requiring a path change is determined. If there is a file, the source file is changed to a path corresponding to the type of the source file. In order to change the path of the source file, the process of identifying the type of each source file, which has been manually performed by the content creator in the past, the server path and the local path Can automatically perform processing such as conversion processing, and can treat composite content as one content, making content management simple and efficient without the content creator being aware of path information. can do.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a composite content judging device for judging whether a content is a composite content or a single content based on an extension set in content information of the content to be uploaded or downloaded. The gist is to have means.

According to the present invention, it is determined whether the content is a composite content or a single content based on an extension set in the content information.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a system to which a composite content input / output support device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the system according to the present embodiment includes a content management terminal 1 into which material files such as educational materials and the like, video images, photographs, and the like are input by a composite content creation / administrator operation. A composite content is created from a material file input from the content management terminal 1 using an authoring tool. A composite content is created in the composite content input / output support apparatus 3, and the composite content is automatically distributed from the composite content input / output support apparatus 3 to a plurality of servers 5a, 5b, 5c, that is, each material file constituting the composite content is Corresponding video server 5a, still image server 5b, WW
The content is automatically uploaded to the W server 5c or the like, whereby the composite content can be distributed via the network 9 to each user such as a general home (U1, U2), a company (U3), and an educational institution (U4).

In order to distribute the composite content to each user as described above, it is necessary to distribute and arrange each material file constituting the composite content to an appropriate server according to the type of the content. For example, in order to distribute a composite content composed of a moving image and an HTML file (text), it is necessary to distribute and arrange a moving image material file to a moving image server and distribute an HTML file to a WWW server. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, when uploading each material file constituting the composite content to the server, a scenario definition file, a video file, and a text file that define the composite content are stored in the video server 5a.
And the HTML file is uploaded to the WWW server 5c.

In such uploading to each server, the path information of each material file described in the scenario definition file defining the composite content is changed from the local path to the server path based on the content information of each material file. Need to be changed to Note that the scenario definition file is a text file defining control information of each material file constituting the composite content, and the content information indicates content information such as a storage location of each material file at the time of upload. Things.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of such content information. As shown in FIG.
VR) content information includes a plurality of extensions corresponding to each material file constituting the composite content, the presence or absence of a path description, a storage server, and the like. In addition, the single content has the same configuration. Note that the composite content is composed of a plurality of extensions each corresponding to a material file, that is, the composite content has a plurality of extensions.
Each extension corresponds to each single content.

Each extension ivr, wr of composite content
1, lpg, gif, fpx, etc., correspond to the respective material files constituting the composite content. Among them, the extension ivr at the top is a representative extension of these, and It indicates that there is. That is, the content information is searched, and if the extension ivr is present, the content having the extension ivr can be determined to be a composite content.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the composite content input / output support device 3 shown in FIG. In the figure, the moving image server 5a... WWW server 5c and the content management database (DB) 7 are shown for the composite content input / output support device 3, and the composite content management unit 11 and the composite content Although the distribution unit 13 is shown, the composite content management unit 1
1 is a database (D
B) A content management database (D
B) manages the composite content as a whole together with 7, and the composite content distribution unit 13
a to each server 5a, 5b, 5c such as WWW server 5c
The composite content distributed and stored as each material file is distributed to the network 9 under the control of the composite content management unit 11. In FIG. 5, the content management terminal 1 is omitted for simplification of the drawing.

As shown in FIG. 5, the composite content input / output support device 3 includes a scenario definition file description reading unit 3
1, a content information analysis unit 33, a scenario definition file description change unit 35, a content identification unit 37, and a file transmission / reception unit 39. The composite content input / output support device 3 configures middleware that collectively manages composite contents composed of a plurality of digital materials such as moving images, still images, and texts, and automatically distributes and arranges the composite contents to the servers 5a, 5b, and 5c. However, the composite content input / output support device 3 transmits the composite content to each server 5.
a, 5b, 5c, or upload to each server 5a,
When downloading from 5b or 5c, the content identification unit 37 determines whether the content is a composite content or a single content based on each content attribute, that is, the extension ivr of the content information shown in FIG. In this case, if the extension is ivr, the content identification unit 37 determines that the content is a composite content.

If it is determined that the content is a composite content, the scenario definition file description reading unit 31 opens the scenario definition file and reads and recognizes the attribute of each defined material file, that is, the description of the extension. The content information analysis unit 33 analyzes the recognized extension and recognizes the location (local path information or the like) of each material file. The local path information of each material file recognized in this manner is referred to in the scenario definition file description changing unit 35 with reference to the content information of each material file as shown in FIG. Is automatically converted to the placement location. Then, the file transmission / reception unit 39 recognizes the storage arrangement server based on the path information changed for each material file, and automatically distributes and arranges each material file and scenario definition file to each of the servers 5a, 5b, 5c.

Next, the operation of the composite content input / output support apparatus of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

First, a process for uploading a content to a server will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. In FIG. 6, when a file to be uploaded is designated and data is received (step S6)
1) Perform information analysis of the content type (step S6)
3). That is, the file extension of the content information as shown in FIG. 4 is analyzed. Then, based on the analyzed extension, the content identifying unit 37 identifies whether the content is a composite content or a single content (step S65). Specifically, if the extension of the content information is “ivr” as described above, the content information is identified as a composite content; otherwise, the content information is identified as a single content.

If it is determined in step S65 that the content is a composite content, the scenario definition file description reading unit 31 opens the scenario definition file of the composite content, and reads out each material file defined in the scenario definition file. The extension as an attribute is read (step S67). Then, the content information analysis unit 33
Searches for a file whose path needs to be changed based on the extension read by the scenario definition file description reading unit 31 (step S69). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, it is searched whether or not there is a file having an extension “fpx” or the like. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the description contents of the scenario definition file before the path is changed. As shown in FIG. 7, this scenario definition file includes “Two _- Kidds.f”.
Since the local path “px” is described, the extension is searched to change the local path with the extension “fpx” to the server path.

If a file requiring a path change is found from the extension, the scenario definition file description change unit 35 changes the description of the path information of the scenario definition file from the local path to the server path (step S7).
1). FIG. 8 shows a configuration in which the local path described in the scenario definition file shown in FIG. 7 is changed to a server path so that the local path can be distributed and arranged to the still image server 5b.

Then, the file transmission / reception section 39 recognizes the storage arrangement server based on the path information changed for each material file, and stores each material file and the scenario definition file constituting the composite content in each server 5a, 5b,
5c (step S73). If a file requiring a path change is not found in the determination in step S69, the file is directly uploaded from the file transmitting / receiving unit 39 to each of the servers 5a, 5b, and 5c (steps S69 and S73). Further, step S65
In the determination of the above, even when it is determined that the content is a single content, the corresponding server 5a, 5
b and 5c (step S75).

Next, with reference to FIG. 9, a process for downloading content from a server will be described.
First, when a file to be downloaded is specified and data is received (step S91), information analysis of the content type is performed (step S93). That is, the file extension of the content information as shown in FIG. 4 is analyzed.
Then, based on the analyzed extension, the content identifying unit 37 identifies whether the content is a composite content or a single content (step S95).
Specifically, if the extension of the content information is “ivr” as described above, the content information is identified as a composite content; otherwise, the content information is identified as a single content.

If it is determined in step S95 that the content is a composite content, the scenario definition file description reading unit 31 opens the scenario definition file and sets the attribute of each material file defined in the scenario definition file. The extension is read (step S97). Then, the content information analysis unit 33 searches for a file whose path needs to be changed based on the extension read by the scenario definition file description reading unit 31 (step S9).
9). Specifically, as shown in FIG.
"px" and so on.

If a file requiring a path change is found from the extension, the scenario definition file description change unit 35 changes the description of the path information of the scenario definition file from the server path to the local path (step S1).
01).

Then, each material file and scenario definition file are downloaded to the local terminal based on the path information changed for each material file (step S).
103). If it is determined in step S99 that a file requiring a path change is not found, the file is downloaded as it is (steps S99 and S103).
Furthermore, even if it is determined in step S95 that the content is a single content, the content is downloaded as it is (step S105).

Next, with reference to the sequence diagrams shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the processes from the creation of the composite content to the distribution to the network and the updating process of the composite content being distributed on the network will be described.

First, with reference to FIG. 10, a process from creation of a composite content to distribution to a network will be described. The content creator uses the authoring tool from the content management terminal 1 to create a composite content. Each material file and scenario definition file constituting the created composite content are stored in the content management terminal 1 (local) (step S70).
1).

Then, the composite content input / output support device 3 changes the path name of the scenario definition file as described above (step S702), and transfers each material file constituting the composite content according to the changed path name to each server. Upload to 5a, 5b, 5c (step S
703a to S703n). As a result, the preparation for distributing the composite content to the network is completed (step S704). Specifically, as described above, the local path name of each scenario described in the scenario definition file is changed to a server path name according to the type of each file, and an appropriate server is selected. Upload each material file to the appropriate server.

Next, with reference to FIG. 11, a description will be given of a process of updating a composite content being distributed on a network.
The composite content input / output support device 3 downloads all material files and scenario definition files constituting the composite content being distributed on the network to the content management terminal 1 (steps S801a to S801n).

More specifically, as described above, each server 5
Recognize the scenario definition files stored in a, 5b, 5c, change the server path name of each material file to a local path name, and automatically select the server stored according to the type of each material file Then, each material file is automatically downloaded to the content management terminal 1 (local) (steps S801a to S801n).

Then, the content creator uses the authoring tool to read the material file downloaded from the content management terminal 1 and updates the composite content (step S802). Then, each material file and the scenario definition file constituting the updated composite content are stored in the content management terminal 1 (local).

Next, the composite content input / output support device 3
Recognizes the scenario definition file as described above,
Change the local path name of each material file described in the scenario definition file to a server path name according to the file type, select an appropriate server, and upload each material file to the selected server (step S
804a to S804n).

[0046]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the scenario definition file of the composite content is searched, and the material file whose path needs to be changed, the path of the material file is changed to a path corresponding to the type. The process of identifying the type of each material file, the process of converting the server path and local path, etc. can be performed automatically, and the composite content can be treated as one content, and the content creator is aware of the path information. Without doing
Content management processing can be performed simply and efficiently.

Further, according to the present invention, a scenario definition file of a composite content is searched, and for a material file whose path needs to be changed, the local path of the material file is changed to a server path corresponding to the type. The source file is uploaded to the corresponding server according to this server path, so that the type identification process of each source file, the conversion process of the server path and the local path, and the upload process, which were manually performed by the content creator in the past, are automatically performed. The content management process can be performed easily and efficiently, and the composite content can be distributed immediately.

Further, according to the present invention, a composite file is identified based on an extension set in the content information, a scenario definition file of the composite content is searched, and a material file whose path needs to be changed is searched. In response to this, the server path of the material file is changed to a local path corresponding to the type, and each material file is downloaded from the server according to the local path. File type identification processing, server path / local path conversion processing, and download processing can be automatically performed, and content management processing can be simplified and made more efficient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a system to which a composite content input / output support device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a composite content.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an image of uploading each material file constituting a composite content to a server.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of content information.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the composite content input / output support device illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing when uploading content to a server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing description contents of a scenario definition file before a path change.

8 is a diagram showing a case where a local path described in the scenario definition file shown in FIG. 7 is changed to a server path.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a process when downloading content from a server according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing processing from creation of a composite content to distribution to a network according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing a process of updating a composite content being distributed on a network in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram showing a conventional process from creation of a composite content to distribution to a network.

FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram showing a conventional process of updating composite content being distributed on a network.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Content Management Terminal 3 Composite Content Input / Output Support Device 5a Video Server 5b Still Image Server 5c WWW Server 31 Scenario Definition File Description Reading Unit 33 Content Information Analysis Unit 35 Scenario Definition File Description Changing Unit 37 Content Identification Unit 39 File Transmission / Reception Unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (74) One of the above agents 100083806 Patent Attorney Hidekazu Miyoshi (72) Inventor Tohru Manishi 3-15 Babacho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Nishi-Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation ( 72) Inventor Kenji Yamada 3-15 Babacho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Norio Sone 3-15 Babacho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Inside (72) Inventor Seiichi Takagi 3-15 Babacho, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Inside Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Osamu Teraki 3-15, Babacho, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Inside Nishi Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Naoki Fujime 3-15 Babacho, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Inside Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Koji Horii Babacho, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka 3 No. 15 Nishi Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Ryohiko Nakajima 3-19-2 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo East Japan Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Co., Ltd. Shinjuku 3-chome 19-2 Tohoku Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tatsuya Inaba 1-6-1 Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo F-term (NTT Communications, Inc.) Reference) 5B075 KK07 KK33 ND16 UU35 5B082 AA11 AA13 CA01 CA07 GA14 HA08

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A process for uploading each material file constituting a composite content to a corresponding server and downloading each material file constituting the composite content from the corresponding server in order to update the composite content being distributed on the network. A composite content input / output support method to support, in which a composite content scenario definition file is searched to determine whether there is a material file that requires a path change, and there is a material file that requires a path change In this case, there is provided a scenario definition file change step of changing the path of the material file to a path corresponding to the type of the material file, and a step of uploading or downloading according to the changed path. Output support method. 2. A composite content determining step for determining whether the content is a composite content or a single content based on an extension set in content information of the content to be uploaded or downloaded. 2. The composite content input / output support method according to claim 1, wherein 3. A process for uploading each material file constituting the composite content to the corresponding server and downloading each material file constituting the composite content from the corresponding server in order to update the composite content being distributed on the network. A composite content input / output support device for supporting, wherein a means for searching a composite content scenario definition file to determine whether there is a material file requiring a path change, and a material file requiring a path change If there is, a scenario definition file changing means for changing the path of the material file to a path corresponding to the type of the material file; and a step of uploading or downloading according to the changed path. Content input / output support device. 4. A composite content determining means for determining whether the content is a composite content or a single content based on an extension set in content information of the content to be uploaded or downloaded. 4. The composite content input / output support device according to claim 3, wherein