JP2002056129A - Archive system and its retrieving method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an archive system and its retrieving method which allows a mediator to adjust the copyright of contents between the contents provider and a user, provides the consent contents for the user, and charges the user for the use of the contents and collects its value. SOLUTION: This archive system is equipped with an archive having a digital contents storage DB 11 stored with digital contents to be provided for users, a retrieval DB 12 which divides digital contents into partial contents to generate partial contents, an attached data storage part 13 which stores various partial contents that users request from the retrieval DB 12, a storage data retrieval part 14 which retrieves partial contents from the attached data storage part 13, a display part 15 which displays respective data of copyright, retrieval and contents introduction data as retrieval results, a digital duplication part 16 which duplicates partial contents form the digital contents storage DB 11, and a digital editing part 17 which edits partial contents.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital content distribution system (archiving system).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a method for providing digital content information, for example, a technique for segmenting digital content into scenes, a tagging technique for analyzing the meaning of a sentence to give a title, a database searching technique for digital content information, Regarding individual technologies such as digital content playback technology, digital content communication / transfer technology,
Each has been realized.

[0003] Regarding copyright management, the use condition of the copyright information is set arbitrarily by using the key information for extracting the copyright information, and the usage conditions are arbitrarily set. There is a copyright management system (JP-A-10-294726) for more sufficiently protecting. In addition, regarding the usage fee for using the copyrighted work,
A software billing system in which a user processing device acquires a missing function from a billing center, transfers the function to an IC card, and encrypts and retains the function to ensure that usage fees are collected (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-20958). No.). In addition, as for registration, there is an image communication system (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-149366) that can mutually use image information via a communication NW (network) between those having image databases of different structures. is there.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, when trying to receive a service via an NW (network) such as a communication line or a computer network, the copyright of the digital content information is not always guaranteed. There is a problem that the handling is not clear. Further, the conventional example has a disadvantage that it takes a long time to search for necessary digital content information from a huge amount of digital content information in order to search for digital content information that the user wants to acquire on the system. Furthermore, the conventional example has a drawback in that after processing and editing the obtained digital content information, the user cannot register the secondary information (secondary work) in the archive server.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and makes it easy to search for digital contents to be obtained, to easily search the contents of copyright of the contents, and to easily store secondary digital contents in an archive server. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an archive system that can be registered in the Internet and a search method therefor. In other words, the service provider or the content provider acts as an intermediary for the digital content used or desired by the user, and the provision conditions of the copyright content provider,
Implement the clearance of the license of the copyrighted work with the user's use conditions, provide the user (user or user) with the agreed digital content information, and use or use the digital content information from the user Charge and collect for. Here, the copyrighted content provider is a content provider, and is a movie company, a creator, a production, a publisher, a maker,
It refers to those who create digital contents, such as integrators, animation production companies, and CG (computer graphic) production companies.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a user terminal connected to a digital content information via a communication line, and a digital content stored in the user terminal. In an archiving system having an archive provided in response to a user's request, the archive comprises: a digital content storage database for storing various digital contents that the user wants to obtain in advance; A search database including means for attaching copyright data to the partial digital content, means for attaching search data, and means for attaching content introduction data, and Various partial data generated according to the user's request from the application database An attached data storage unit for temporarily storing the combination; a stored data search unit for searching for the stored data that the user wants to obtain from the partial attached data; and Display means for displaying, as search result information, each of partial digital contents, copyright data, search data, and content introduction data corresponding to the data input by the user, and display means for receiving the data from the digital content storage database. It is characterized by comprising digital content copying means for copying digital content corresponding to editing information, and digital content editing means for editing digital content as required.

[0007] The present invention relates to an archive system,
The data input by the user is performed from the user side terminal via the communication line.
The present invention is characterized in that in the archive system, the user side terminal has a display means for displaying the search result information. The present invention is characterized in that, in the archive system, the means for dividing the digital content based on a predetermined rule is performed by electronic means without manual intervention.

[0008] The present invention relates to an archive system,
The user terminal has means for displaying and copying the digital content information retrieved according to the input data of the user. The present invention is characterized in that in the archive system, the user side terminal has a secondary digital processing / editing means for editing the retrieved plurality of digital information.

The present invention relates to an archive system,
The archive has an archive registration unit for registering digital content information edited by the secondary digital processing editing unit and copyright data of the digital content in response to a registration request of the user side terminal. . According to the present invention, in the archive system, a fee is charged to the communication line in accordance with the service of the search processing and the processing / editing content based on the input data of the user, and the user is charged for the service content. It is characterized in that charging processing means is provided.

According to the present invention, in a search method of an archive system, various digital contents desired by a user are stored in a digital content storage database in advance, and the digital contents are subjected to partial processing based on a predetermined rule. Storing in the search database, attaching the copyrighted data to the partial digital content and storing in the search database, and attaching the search data and storing in the search database; Means for attaching and accumulating content introduction data in the search database; and means for temporarily storing a combination of various partial data generated in response to a user request from the search database. And storing the information by the user Searching for stored data that the user wants to obtain from stored data by using stored data search means; and obtaining partial digital content, copyright data, and search data corresponding to data input by a user from the stored data. And displaying each data of the content introduction data as search result information; and copying digital content corresponding to the editing information received from the digital content storage database by digital content copying means. And editing digital content by digital content editing means.

According to the present invention, in the method for searching an archive system, the step of dividing the digital content based on a predetermined rule is performed by electronic means without human intervention. The present invention is characterized in that in the search method of the archive system, the step of displaying and copying the digital content information searched according to the input data of the user is performed at the user side terminal.

According to the present invention, in the search method of the archive system, the secondary digital content processing / editing step of editing the plurality of searched digital content information is performed at the user terminal. . The present invention relates to a search method for an archive system, wherein an archive registration step of registering digital content information edited by the secondary digital content processing / editing step and copyright data relating to use based on a registration request from the user terminal. It is characterized by having.

According to the present invention, in a search method of an archive system, a fee is charged in accordance with a service of search processing and processing / editing processing based on the input data of the user, and the user is charged for a charge in accordance with the service content. It is characterized by having a charging process step.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an archive system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, the lines of users U1 to U4 are connected to an archive 5 of the content provider 1 via a communication line, a network I such as the Internet or a computer network. The archive 5 stores information that each user (users U1 to U4) wants to obtain, for example, digital contents, via a network I represented by the Internet, for example, the user U.
2 to provide.

The archive 5 is a copyright management device, and is a copyright content provider (content provider 1).
And digital contents obtained by digitizing multimedia information each of which has a copyright, such as CG for moving images and still images, moving images such as movies and animations, photographs, paintings, posters, and the like. It stores (accumulates) digital image data of still images such as animation cell images, digital audio data, and digital data of text data.

Next, the archive 5 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the archive 5. The digital content storage database 11
In advance, each copyright content provider has a copyright,
Various digital contents described above are stored as digital data. The digital content stored in the digital content storage database 11 is not processed or arranged in a form necessary for a user's search, and exists as raw data. It is stored as basic data.

The digital content storage database 11 stores undivided digital data (for example, a single movie) and digital data divided and decomposed for each predetermined category based on the management and use of the content provider. Data (eg, movie scene units)
And are stored. Here, division and decomposition according to a predetermined category include, for example, a time length for a moving image, a chapter and a scene for each scenario, and a still image for a background image and each character (CG and animation). Characteristic drawing units; eg, people, animals, cars, flowers, ...),
In the case of digital audio data, the time length and words are separated, and in the case of text data, the number of paragraphs and chapters are used.

The search database 12 is a search database for searching for digital contents required by the user. That is, the search database 12 processes the digital content into a search partial content so that the user can easily search, and attaches the copyright data to the processed partial content. this,
The search database 12 has a digital content partialization unit 120, a copyright data attachment unit 121, a search data attachment unit 122, and a content introduction data attachment unit 123.

The digital content segmenting section 120 divides and decomposes the digital content stored in the digital content storage data 11 into digital contents that need to be divided for search based on a predetermined rule. Generates partial content (form used for search). Digital content partialization unit 12
0 indicates that the digital content stored in the digital content storage database 11 is treated as a partial content without dividing even the digital content that has already been divided and the digital content that does not need to be divided. The following processing is performed in the same manner as the segmented content.

The predetermined rule is that when the digital content is a moving image, the scenario is divided on the time axis for each scene corresponding to each chapter from the scenario, and when the digital content is a still image, the background image of the digital content and each character When the digital content is digital audio data, it is divided on the time axis according to the meaning of the sound, and when the digital content is text data, it is decomposed based on the meaning of the sentence. Things. Here, the division is used when the digital content is divided on the time axis, and the decomposition is used when the digital content is spatially divided.

That is, the digital content partialization unit 1
20 divides or decomposes each digital content into units corresponding to the predetermined rule, and creates a partial content that is easy for the user to use, use, and search. For example, when a war movie, which is a moving image, is divided on the time axis, the content is divided into scenes such as a "battle scene", a "march scene", a "meal scene", and a "training scene" based on the contents of the scenario. Spatial decomposition also includes partialization of image data and audio data in a war movie.

Here, the digital content parting unit 12
0 performs the division or disassembly of digital content into partial content by using electronic means, i.e., digital processing without human intervention, for example image recognition and speech recognition. That is, when the digital content is a moving image, the digital content
(Motion Picture Expert Group), etc., to judge the change of each image compression data in image compression, recognize the break of each scene, divide the digital content into partial contents corresponding to the above rules, and sound data of each scene It is also possible to determine the semantic content of the scene by voice recognition, extract the data name and keyword data, and configure the digital data of the partial content.

The data name is a name that characteristically represents a scene of each partial content. For example, if a war movie is divided for each scene described above, the data name of each partial content is “landing”, “tank battle”, “white soldier”, “landing”, “meal scenery”, “march” , “Bombardment”, etc.

Also, the digital content segmentation unit 120
When digital content is a still image, the background image of the digital content and the outline of the character are extracted, decomposed (spatially divided) into the background image and the character, and the decomposed background image and the character are image-recognized. By determining the type of the digital image of the partial content by (pattern recognition), the partialization by decomposition corresponding to the above rule is performed. At this time, the digital content partialization unit 1
20 extracts and attaches a data name and keyword data corresponding to the partial content of each digital image in the partialization process. This data name is a name (for example, what kind of place it is in the case of a background image, which character indicates the decomposed image data) according to a predetermined rule, (If any, the name of this character), and corresponds to keyword data from the user.

Further, the digital content parting unit 12
If the digital content is digital audio data, the value 0 is divided by processing such as interpreting the meaning of the audio by voice recognition and dividing the content by a corresponding portion. At this time, the digital content segmentation unit 120 extracts and attaches a data name and keyword data corresponding to the segmented content of each digital audio data in the segmentation process. This data name is stored in the digital content
0 is a name that characteristically represents the digital audio data obtained by decomposing the digital content according to a predetermined rule (for example, what kind of person's voice, gender, animal, and what kind of content the voice means) ), Etc., corresponding to keyword data from the user.

Also, the digital content parting unit 120
In the case where the digital content is text data, a process of analyzing the contents of a sentence, interpreting the semantic contents and dividing the sentence into corresponding parts, or dividing the sentence into a plurality of paragraphs including a specific word is performed. At this time, the digital content segmentation unit 120 extracts and attaches a data name and keyword data corresponding to the segmented content of each text data in the segmentation process. The data name is a name (for example, what kind of historical background, sentence genre) that characterizes the text data obtained by the digital content partialization unit 120 decomposing the digital content according to a predetermined rule, and the like. Corresponds to keyword data from the user.

The data name corresponds to the keyword data input by the user, and is a word representing the feature of the partial content most. Further, if there are a plurality of other characteristic portions in the partial content, these characteristic portions are attached to the partial content as keyword data by the digital content partialization section 120.

This keyword data may be singular or plural (OR search or AND search)
In some cases, the user inputs from a user user terminal. In addition, the user can input the keyword data from the user terminal using a keyboard, or can select one or more of the keyword data from a plurality of words displayed on the display unit 32 by clicking with the mouse. is there.

The copyright data attaching unit 121 converts the copyright data in which the conditions for handling the copyright when the user uses or uses the partial content are clearly described, into the partial content and the content introduction data. Attach to Also, the copyright data storage database 10 includes a copyright data attachment unit 121 and a digital content partialization unit 12.
The copyright data attached to the partial content and the content introduction data, which are the partial content of 0, is stored.

For example, the copyright data includes conditions for secondary use of the partial content and the content introduction data by copying (copying), processing, editing, and the like.
Whether this partial content may be used and used freely, or whether it is necessary to pay a considerable price for its use, and if necessary, the copyright data shall include: Information such as the amount of the consideration is described. The copyright described in the copyright data for the partial content and the content introduction data here includes the range of use and use in copying, public transmission, distribution, lending, translation and adaptation, respectively.
Further, the scope includes secondary use and use of the processed and edited result of the partial content with respect to the secondary digital content.

Further, the copyright data attaching section 121 is provided in FIG.
As shown in the figure, a copyright holder inquiry unit 1211a and a copyright data additional registration unit 1211b are provided. When the copyrighted data is not permitted to use the partial content and the content introduction data searched by the user, the copyright holder inquiry unit 1211a determines whether or not the partial content and the content introduction data are used by determining whether or not the content is used. Is attached, and inquiry is made to the copyright content provider. At this time, the copyright holder inquiry unit 1211a determines the copyright of the partial content based on which range of usage, such as duplication, public transmission, screening, distribution, lending, translation and adaptation, is performed by the user. Contact content provider.

That is, the copyright holder inquiry unit 1211a
If the range of use and use of the user is not indicated in the copyright data for the partial content and the content introduction data, it is determined based on the confirmation data whether or not the use and use of the range are permitted. Refer to the right content provider. The copyright data additional registration unit 1211b stores the copyright data in the copyright data storage database 10 when the use and the range of use are approved by the copyright content provider.
Then, for the partial content for which consent has been obtained, the newly approved use and use range of the partial content and the content introduction data are additionally registered in the corresponding copyright data.

Returning to FIG. 2, the search data attaching unit 122
To make it easier for users to search for partial content,
The search data for search is added to each of the partial contents. This search data is, specifically, when a certain digital content is divided, data for identifying the divided partial content,
That is, the file ID, the segment number, the keyword data, and the like. Here, the keyword data is attached singly or plurally to each of the partial contents.

Here, the file ID is a file name of each digital content stored in the digital content storage database 11. The segment number is data at a position indicating the position of the partial content in the original digital content, for example, in the case of moving image or audio data, the number of the partial content on the time axis, In the case of a picture, it indicates at which position of the coordinates on the digital content the partial content exists, or in what number segment when the still image is divided into multiple segments, and in text If the content is decomposed for each chapter, a number specifying the chapter corresponding to the partial content is shown.

The keyword data is an item corresponding to a rule when dividing digital contents into partial contents. For example, if the partial content is a moving image, the keyword data includes the type of each scene, the name of a building and a landscape, etc., that is, the data name of the partial content, and features of the image data of the partial content (for example, Actors, city names, weather, etc.) For example, if the partial content is a still image, the keyword data includes a word that characteristically represents the decomposed image data, that is, a data name of the partial content, and the keyword of the digital data of the partial content ( For example, it indicates what kind of landscape the background image is, or the name of the character if it is a character.

For example, if the partial content is digital audio data, the keyword data includes words indicating the audio characteristics of each divided portion, ie, the data name of the partial content, and the digital data of the partial content. (For example, what kind of person's voice, sex, animal, what kind of meaning and content of the voice data, etc.) are shown. Further, for example, if the partial content is text data, the keyword data includes words characteristic of the content of each divided partial sentence, that is, the data name of the partial content, and the characteristic of the digital data of the partial content. (For example, the background of the period of the text, the characters, the genre of the text, etc.). Here, this keyword data is 1
For one partial content, a single feature is set when there is only one feature, or a plurality is set corresponding to each feature when there are several features. Here, when the keyword data is singular, it has the same data name as the partial content. That is, the keyword data includes the data name of the partial content and represents the characteristic of the partial content.

In the digital content, the content introduction data attaching section 123 uses the image of the first scene of the partial content as a BMP (bitmap) as the content introduction data (related data) of the divided partial content in the case of a moving image. ) Format, and is composed of text data, audio data, BGM (background music) data and the like corresponding to (related to) the scenario corresponding to the partial content. The image in the content introduction data is not limited to the BMP format described above, and may be, for example, GIF (Graphic Interchange Format),
Any format such as JPEG (Joint Photographic Xepert Group) may be used. The attached data storage unit 13
A temporary storage database for temporarily storing a combination of the various types of attached data corresponding to a plurality of partial contents extracted from a search database 12 as a result of a search based on keyword data of a user. It is.

That is, the attached data storage unit 13 is configured as shown in FIG.
As shown in the structure of the database of the above, it is composed of a data name storage area, a copyright data storage area, a search data storage area, and a content introduction data (related data) storage area. , Copyright data attached in connection with this partial content,
The search data and the content introduction data are temporarily stored. Here, the data name is a name characteristically representing the partial content obtained by dividing the digital content by the predetermined rule by the digital content partialization unit 120 as described above.

The information shown in FIG. 4 stored in the attached data storage unit 13 is stored as a candidate list indicating a plurality of partial contents searched in correspondence with the keyword data from the user, Provided to In addition, the display unit 15 is stored in the attached data storage unit 13 searched according to the keyword data of the user.
The data name, copyright data, search data, and content introduction data corresponding to each of the partial contents are displayed. Based on the new keyword data input by the user, the stored data search unit 14 searches for the partial content requested by the user again from the partial content in the attached data storage unit 13 with higher search accuracy. .

That is, the stored data search unit 14 narrows down the search for the partial content to be obtained from the plurality of partial contents stored in the attached data storage unit 13 based on the new keyword input by the user. Do. For example, the user uses the stored data search unit 14 to search the n (n is a natural number) candidate data shown in FIG. obtain. Needless to say, the user can specify the partial content of the candidate 1 by itself (single).

The display unit 15 visually displays a plurality of partial contents stored in the attached data storage unit 13 in a display format shown in FIG. 5 as a search result candidate list. Here, the display unit 15 may be any device capable of performing a visible display such as a CRT display or a liquid crystal display.
The digital content duplicating unit 16 converts a single digital content from the original data of the digital content stored in the digital content storage database 11 in response to a user request (the original data may be left as it is or may be edited). Or duplicate the data of multiple partial contents,
This copied partial content is held inside.

The digital content editing unit 17 processes one or more partial contents and content introduction data selected by the user based on processing and editing request data from the user, which will be described later, and copied by the digital content copying unit 16. And edit. Here, the processing and editing of the partial content include addition and deletion of digital data. For example, when the partial content is a moving image, addition of image data, partial deletion of a digital image, and reproduction time of the partial content are performed. Processing on the time axis such as shortening, and spatial processing such as color change for each frame, character change (including enlargement and reduction), background change, and composition with other partial contents Processing, image superimposition processing, and the like.

The editing management unit 18 duplicates, publicly transmits, screens, distributes, and lends the single or plural partial contents and the corresponding content introduction data displayed on the display unit 15 as the search result information shown in FIG. In the copyright of translation, translation, and adaptation, data indicating whether all or a part of the range desired by the user can be processed and edited is attached. Here, as a result of the determination by the edit management control unit 19, if the range of processing and editing desired by the user is within the range described in the copyright data, the edit management unit 18 Data for permitting only the processing and editing permitted by the copyright data for the content and the content introduction data (related data) is attached to the partial content of the search result information. That is, the editing management unit 1
Reference numeral 8 attaches, to the partial content, a specific terminal identification number for identifying a user terminal of a user who edits and edits the partial content, and a processing editor name for identifying a user who edits and edits the partial content.

The edit management control unit 19 sets the user's copyright data stored in the copyright data storage database 10 to the range of use and use permitted for use attached to the partial content selected by the user. It is determined whether or not the range of processing and editing for the desired partial content is included. The edit management unit 18 encrypts the attached specific terminal identification number and the name of the editing editor and attaches the encrypted terminal to the partial content. Here, the encryption method includes, as necessary, embedding a digital watermark in the partial content obtained as a result of the editing process.

The network I may be a public line network, a computer network, the Internet, or the like, and has a function of transmitting and receiving information between the user terminal of the user and the content provider 1 provided with the archive 5. I just need. Returning to FIG. 1, the billing processing unit 6 determines the communication fee when the user accesses the archive 5 via the network I, refers to the searched partial content, or obtains the partial content and obtains the partial content. Charge the usage fee. This billing processing unit 6 includes a copyright content provider,
It is provided in a content provider or a service provider that mediates the transfer of the partial content with the user.

The user terminal is a user (client: user U1, user U2, user U3, user U
4) A search input unit 31, a display unit 32, a candidate digital content list display unit 321, a digital content display unit 322, an archive registration unit 33, a secondary digital content processing and editing unit as shown in FIG. 34
Is provided. In FIG. 6, a search input unit 31 allows a user to input data such as keyword data to a user terminal such as a keyboard and a mouse. Display 32
Are various displays such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) and a liquid crystal display device. The display screen has at least an area of a candidate digital content list display section 321 for displaying search result data based on the search data, and a search result display area. It is controlled separately from the area of the digital content display unit 322 for outputting the digital data of the partial content sent from the content provider 1.

The candidate list display section 321 displays a candidate list of search results based on the keyword data requested (requested) by the user for the archive 5 (the format of FIG. 5).
Is an area for displaying. That is, the candidate list display unit 3
As shown in FIG. 5, a data name, copyright data, content introduction data, and the like of a partial content as a candidate input from the content provider 1 are displayed on the display 21.
As a result, the user selects, from among the partial contents in the candidate list displayed on the candidate list display unit 321,
By selecting the desired partial content, the user terminal transmits the file ID and the segment number of the partial content selected by the user, and requests the content provider 1 to distribute the partial content.

The digital content display unit 322 displays the digital data of the partial content requested by the user, which is searched and transmitted by the file ID and the segment number in the digital content stored in the digital content storage database 11, and the digital data. The content introduction data of the coded content is displayed under the control of the display unit 32. The archive registration unit 33 is operated by the user.
A request is made to register the processed and edited digital data of the partial content, that is, the secondary digital content, together with the content introduction data of the secondary digital content in the digital content storage database 11 of the archive 5 as new digital content. I do.

At this time, the archive 5 converts the partial digital content into a digital content storage database 11 as a new digital content with the secondary digital content requested to be registered and the content introduction data of the secondary digital content. To store. In Archive 5, partial content is processed and edited,
The copyright data of the secondary digital content requested to be registered and the content introduction data of the secondary digital content are stored in the copyright data storage database 10 as copyright data of new digital content. The secondary digital content processing / editing unit 34 processes the partial content and the content introduction data acquired from the digital content storage database 11 into the secondary digital content based on the user's processing / editing request (including duplication). Edit. The secondary digital content processing / editing unit 34 processes and edits difference data of digital data between the partial content before processing and editing and the generated secondary digital content (including content introduction data). The data is attached to the requested processing and editing request data and transmitted to the archive 5.

When the obtained digital data of the partial content is encrypted by the editing management unit 18, the decryption unit 35 converts the encrypted digital data into the digital data of the original partial content. To decrypt. Here, as a specific example of the encryption method, when distributing the partial content, a signature signed with a private key is attached, and the partial content received by the user is verified with a public key. In order to prevent duplication (copying), for example, a digital watermark is applied to the partial content supplied to the user.

Next, the operation of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of the archive system according to the embodiment. In step S0, the archive 5 performs user authentication. That is, the user connects his / her user terminal to the content provider 1 via the network I.
And connect to Archive 5.
At this time, the archive 5 stores the user who is accessing from the user terminal by the user himself / herself by using a code input by the user and identifying each user, for example, a user name, a password, etc. (not shown). Is authenticated.

Next, in step S1, when it is confirmed that the user is a registered user, a search data input screen is displayed on the display unit 32, and the user inputs the search data of the user terminal. From the section 31, keyword data for searching for digital data of the partial content to be obtained is input. Thereby, the search input unit 3
1 transmits the keyword data to the archive 5 together with the search request data.

Next, in step S2, the search database 12 stores the digital content storage database 11 based on the keyword data transmitted by the user.
Of the digital content is divided as necessary, and a partial content is generated. Then, the search database 12 divides the various partial contents that the user wants to obtain from the divided partial contents generated from the divided contents.
Based on the keyword data input by the user, a search is performed using the keyword data attached to each of the partial contents. Here, the display unit 15 displays the data name, copyright data, search data, and content introduction data corresponding to each of the partial contents stored in the attached data storage unit 13 searched according to the keyword data. Is displayed.

Next, the search database 12 detects, for example, the keyword data input by the user and the partial content having the keyword data having a high similarity as a candidate, and the individual information of the candidate partial content. In the candidate list shown in FIG. 5 and transmitted to the user terminal of the corresponding user. Here, the individual information includes at least the data name of the partial content, the copyright data assigned by the copyright data attaching unit 121, the file ID and the segment number of the partial content attached by the search data attaching unit 122, It refers to a combination of the content introduction data of the partial content created by the content introduction data attachment unit 123.

For example, the content introduction data is composed of data related to each partial content as described above. If the partial content is a moving image, text data such as a scenario, audio data of content introduction, BMP format This is the first frame of each scene created in step 2. If it is text data, it is a characteristic sentence, text data for content introduction, audio data for content introduction, etc., and if it is a still image, the BMP format with reduced resolution (JIF and JPEG
Format) image data, content introduction audio data, and content introduction text data. For digital audio data, the playback sound of the first phrase, content introduction audio data, content introduction text data, etc. Including.

Here, the search database 12 is generated in accordance with the keyword data of the user, and temporarily stores in the attached data storage unit 13 a combination of the searched various partial contents, that is, the candidate list. Next, the user selects the candidate digital content list display unit 3
In order to obtain the data of the partial content to be obtained from among the partial contents in the candidate list stored in the attached data storage unit 3 displayed in the attached data storage unit 21, new keyword data is input, and the stored data is stored. The search unit 14 performs a narrow search.

At this time, the user outputs, to the archive 5, range data indicating the range of editing and processing of the searched partial content, together with the new keyword data.
Then, the stored data search unit 14 checks the attached data storage unit 1
3 is displayed on the display unit 15 as search result information in the format shown in FIG. 5 as search result information.

At this time, the editing management control unit 19 determines that the editing and processing ranges indicated by the user from the range data are displayed on the display unit 15 as a candidate list of search results. Whether the use and use of the partial content and the content introduction data described in the copyright data, ie, whether it is included in the editing and processing of duplication, public transmission, screening, distribution, lending, translation, adaptation, etc. Make a decision.

Then, based on the above determination result by the edit management control unit 19, the edit management unit 18 determines whether the range of data processing and editing by the user is determined by using the copyrighted data of each partial content and the content introduction data. And if it is included in the range of use, attach data indicating that processing and editing are possible to the enabled partial content. That is, when the digital content copying unit 16 later copies the partial content from the digital content storage database 11, the editing management unit 18 identifies the specific terminal identification that identifies the user terminal of the user who processes and edits the partial content. A number and a processing editor name for identifying a user who performs processing and editing are attached to the partial content.

At this time, the editing management control unit 19 determines that the processing and editing of the user is the range of the processing and editing indicated by the use and use recognized by the copyright data of each of the partial content and the content introduction data to be used. The editing management unit 18 controls the attachment of the data indicating that the processing and the editing are possible to the partial content so that the editing and the editing are possible.

Here, the edit management unit 18 sends the specific terminal identification number and the name of the processing editor (user name) to the user when the partial content of the registration list is used or usable by the edit management control unit 19. Attach to the digital data of the partial content when transferring. At this time, the editing management unit 18 can also encrypt the specific terminal identification number and the processing editor's name and attach it to the digital data of the partial content.

Then, the copyright holder inquiry unit 1211a in the search database 12 searches the copyright data for
If the range of processing and editing of the partial content and the content introduction data searched by the user is not permitted in the copyright data, whether or not the user can use the range of processing and editing of the partial content and the content introduction data is determined. Attaching confirmation data of the use request together with the user range data, and inquires of the copyright content provider.

Next, the copyright owner inquiry unit 1211 determines the use request.
After referring to the copyrighted content provider by a, the answer of the copyrighted content provider is displayed to the user. At this time, if the consent of the copyright content provider is obtained with respect to the user's range data, the copyright data additional registration unit 1211b transmits the corresponding partial content and content introduction data of the copyright data storage database 10. The consent of the copyright content provider is obtained in the copyright data, that is, additional registration of the newly recognized use and range of use is performed.

Then, the search database 12 uses the display unit 15 as the search result information, as the search result information, the individual information of the plurality of partial contents stored in the attached data storage unit 13 or searched by the stored data search unit 14. The information is displayed in the format shown in FIG. 5, and the individual information is transmitted again to the user as a candidate list.

Next, in step S3, the user
From the candidate list transmitted from the archive 5, the digital data to be used is specified. For example, the user selects a desired partial content from the candidate list shown in FIG. 5 sent from the archive 5 to the user terminal. As a result, under the control of the display unit 32, the digital content display unit 322 displays BMP format digital data as content introduction data of the selected partial content.
As shown in FIG. 5, the data name of the partial content, the copyright data, and the like are displayed in FIG. Here, the digital content that the user wants to see is set in the corresponding place in the candidate list,
When clicked with the mouse, the search input unit 31 transmits the file ID and the segment number of the corresponding partial content to the archive 5.

Next, in step S4, the archive 5 searches for a partial content corresponding to the file ID and the segment number of the partial content input from the user terminal, and stores the digital image data of the partial content. The digitalized content is copied (copied) by the digital content duplicating unit 16, and the duplicated partial content is transmitted to the corresponding user terminal of the user and held therein. At this time, the editing management unit 18 copies the specific terminal identification number for identifying the user terminal of the user who performs the processing and editing of the partial content and the name of the processing editor for identifying the user who performs the processing and editing. Attach to partial content. Accordingly, in the user terminal, the digital content display unit 322 displays the digital data of the partial content input to the digital content display unit 322 under the control of the display unit 32, and reproduces the partial content.

Next, in step S5, the user
Based on the digital data of the partial content transmitted from the archive 5, the secondary digital content processing / editing unit 34 in the user terminal processes and edits the digital data to create secondary digital content. The user adds, for example, a telop (for example, text) indicating a usable range in copyright protection to the secondary digital content obtained as a result of the processing and editing by the secondary digital content processing / editing unit 34. Keep it.

Next, in step S6, the user
From the secondary digital content processing / editing unit 34 of the user terminal, for example, the difference data between the original partial content and the created secondary digital content is stored in the file ID and segment number of the original partial content, a registration request. The data is output to the archive 5 together with the data and the processing and editing request data. The registration request data is data for requesting registration of the generated secondary digital content in the digital content storage database 11. The archive 5 includes a digital content duplication unit 16
From among the copied partial contents stored therein, the partial content corresponding to the file ID and the segment number requested by the user is extracted (searched) and output to the digital content editing unit 17.

Next, the digital content editing unit 17
Based on the difference data (user's processing and editing data) and the processing and editing request data, the processing and editing of the copied partial content and, if necessary, the content introduction data are performed to generate secondary digital content. Do. At this time, the administrator of the archive 5 determines whether or not the secondary digital content has been generated in the processing and editing of the partial content and the content introduction data within the permitted range of the copyright data in step S2. It determines whether or not. If the administrator determines that the secondary digital content has been generated beyond the permitted range in the copyright data, the administrator requests the user to process and edit (correct) the secondary digital content again. Do.

The archive 5 registers the generated secondary digital content as a new digital content in the digital content storage database 11 together with the content introduction data, and stores the copyright protection data in the copyright data storage database 10. The above-mentioned telop related to the registered secondary digital content and content introduction data is attached and stored as copyright data (contents relating to use and range of use).

Next, in step S7, the archive 5 outputs the secondary digital content registered in the digital content storage database 11 as digital data, and as usable digital content, the user (secondary) of the user terminal. Digital content creator). Then, the user receives the digital content at the user terminal. Further, based on the billing information of the billing unit 6, the content provider 1 searches for the partial content based on the keyword input by the user, and charges a fee corresponding to the service content of the processing and editing.
For example, the billing processing unit 6 searches / references / acquires / uses one or a plurality of partial contents, data size of the partial contents, further processing / editing contents, network connection charges (communication charges), and the like. Is charged for each processing request from the user.

In the archive system of the above-described embodiment, the mediator obtains an agreement between the provision conditions of the copyright content provider and the use conditions with the user for the digital content used or desired by the user. An archive system that provides the agreed digital content to the user (user or user) and charges the user for the content, while paying the copyright content provider and the provider for the price. There is an operational effect that the method can be provided.

That is, in the archive system according to one embodiment, the user transmits digital content information to a network (NW) such as a communication line or a computer network.
In the case of receiving the service via the, the mediator can clarify the handling of the copyright of the digital content information, and in order to search the digital content requested by the user, The provision of the digital content segmentation unit 120 for decomposing and segmenting into segmented content according to the rules can shorten the search time for digital content information required by the user.

Further, the archiving system of one embodiment is provided with a secondary digital content processing / editing section 34 which can process and edit the obtained digital content information and use it as secondary digital content. Since it can be registered in the Archive 5 as the next copyrighted material, the number of options for distribution of digital contents including the use of the copyright of the secondary digital contents created by the user increases, which is convenient for the user. The performance is improved.

Note that the digital content parting unit 120
In the above description, the digital content is logically divided, that is, the file ID is used to specify the digital content in the digital content storage database 11, and the segment is used to specify the position of the partial content in the digital content. Using the numbers, actual division is not performed, and only partial data of the partial content is generated as search data. However, the digital content partialization unit 120 actually stores the digital content storage database 11.
May be divided into parts in accordance with a predetermined rule, and the partial contents may be stored in the digital content storage database 11. At this time, the file ID indicates the file name of the unpartitioned digital content and the partized partial content. The segment number specifies the digital data of the partial content, that is, data indicating a position on the time axis in the partial content in the case of a moving image.

As described above, one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and a design change or the like may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. The present invention is also included in the present invention. For example, the digital content editing unit 17 of the archive 5 may directly search for the partial content, and may be configured to process and edit the secondary digital content. At this time, the process up to obtaining the partial content to be processed and edited is the same as the process described in the embodiment except that the search keyword data is input from the archive 5.

It is also possible to provide a configuration in which the user terminal has the function of the archive 5. For example, by installing a user terminal with the function of this archive 5 in an unmanned studio or the like, anyone can freely perform the necessary billing processing without having to freely check the copyright himself. In addition, digital contents can be easily obtained, processed, and edited. At this time, it is necessary to connect the user terminal to the network I only to confirm the copyright data with the copyright content provider. Conversely, the user can also process and edit digital contents in the archive 5. The above-described archive function can be configured to be distributed to a plurality of computers or workstations.

[0078]

As described above, according to the archiving system of the present invention, the digital content that a user wants to use or want to use can be set between the provision condition of the copyright content provider and the use condition with the user. Mediation of
An archive system and method for providing a requested digital content to a user (user or user) and charging the user for the digital content while paying a copyright content provider for the price. It has the effect of being able to do it.

That is, according to the archive system of the present invention, when the user intends to receive a service such as providing digital data of digital contents via a network such as a communication line, a computer network, or the Internet. In addition, when the mediator can clarify the handling of the digital content copyright, and when searching for the digital content requested by the user, the digital content is decomposed based on a predetermined rule and the digital content is divided into parts. Since the conversion means is provided, it is possible to reduce the time for searching for necessary digital contents. Further, according to the archiving system of the present invention, a secondary processing / editing means capable of processing and editing the obtained partial content and using it as secondary digital content is provided, and this can be registered in the archive. Therefore, there is an effect that the service can be provided to the user even more.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an archive system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an archive 5 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration included in a copyright data attachment unit 121 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a configuration of a primary storage database of the attached data storage unit 13 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a display example of a candidate list displayed on a display unit 15 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a user terminal provided on the user side in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of an archive system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2, 3, 4 Content provider 5 Archive 6 Billing unit 10 Copyright data storage database 11 Digital content storage database 12 Search database 13 Attached data storage unit 14 Stored data search unit 15 Display unit 16 Digital content duplication unit 17 Digital Content editing unit 18 Edit management unit (edit management unit) 19 Edit management control unit (edit management control unit) 31 Search input unit 32 Display unit 33 Archive registration unit 34 Secondary digital content processing / editing unit 120 Digital content partialization unit 121 Work Copyright data attachment section 1211a Copyright holder inquiry section 1211b Copyright data additional registration section 122 Search data attachment section 123 Content introduction data attachment section 321 Candidate digital content list display 322 Digital content display section Network U1, U2, U3, U4 user

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06F 17/30 120 G06F 17/30 120A 210 210C 230 230Z G06T 1/00 200 G06T 1/00 200A 7/20 7/20 C (72) Inventor Shuichi Sumita 2-3-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Within Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Takahashi 2-3-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Sun Within the Telegraph and Telephone Co., Ltd. CA08 EA18 FA19 GA08 5B075 NK02 PP02 PP03 PP12 PP22 PQ02 PQ05 PQ32 5L096 AA13 EA35 HA02 JA18 JA22 KA11 LA05

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. An archive system comprising: a user terminal connected via a communication line; and an archive for providing digital contents to the user terminal in response to a request from the user. A digital content storage database for storing various digital contents that the user wants to obtain, a unit for dividing the digital contents based on predetermined rules, and a unit for attaching copyright data to the divided digital contents. A search database comprising means for attaching search data and means for attaching content introduction data, and temporarily combining a combination of various partial data generated in response to a user request from the search database. Attached data storage means for storing;
Stored data search means for searching for the stored data that the user wants to obtain from the partial attached data; and partial digital content corresponding to data input by the user from the stored data; Display means for displaying each data of copyright data, search data, and content introduction data as search result information; and digital content copying means for copying digital content corresponding to the editing information received from the digital content storage database. And an digital content editing means for editing digital content as required. 2. The archive system according to claim 1, wherein the data input by the user is performed from the user side terminal via the communication line. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user terminal includes a display unit for displaying the search result information.
The described archive system. 4. The archive system according to claim 1, wherein the means for segmenting the digital content based on a predetermined rule is performed by electronic means without manual intervention. 5. The archive system according to claim 1, wherein said user terminal has means for displaying and duplicating digital content information retrieved according to the input data of said user. 6. The archiving system according to claim 1, wherein said user side terminal has a secondary digital processing / editing means for editing said plurality of searched digital information. 7. The archive stores digital content information edited by the secondary digital processing and editing means and copyright data of the digital content.
2. The archive system according to claim 1, further comprising archive registration means for registering in response to a registration request from said user terminal. 8. A charging process for charging the communication line in accordance with a service of a search process and a processing / editing process based on input data of the user, and charging the user for a fee in accordance with the service content. The archiving system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising means. 9. A step of storing in advance a digital content storage database of various digital contents that the user wants to obtain, a step of storing the digital contents in a search database by performing a partial processing based on a predetermined rule, Attaching the copyrighted data to the partial digital content and storing it in the search database; and attaching the search data and storing it in the search database. Storing the combination of various partial data generated in response to a user request from the search database by an attached data storage unit that temporarily stores the combination; Stores the data he / she wants to obtain from the partial attached data Data retrieval means for retrieving partial digital content, copyright data, search data, and content introduction data corresponding to data input by a user from the stored data. Displaying the digital content, copying digital content corresponding to the editing information received from the digital content storage database by the digital content copying means, and editing the digital content by the digital content editing means as necessary. A search method for an archive system, comprising: 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of segmenting the digital content based on a predetermined rule is performed by electronic means without human intervention. 11. The step of displaying and copying digital content information retrieved according to the input data of the user,
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the processing is performed at the user terminal.
Search method of the described archive system. 12. The user terminal according to claim 9, wherein the secondary digital content processing / editing step of editing the plurality of searched digital content information is performed at the user side terminal. How to search the archive system. 13. An archive registration step of registering digital content information edited in the secondary digital content processing / editing step and copyright data relating to use based on a registration request from the user side terminal. The search method of the archive system according to claim 9. 14. A billing processing step of charging according to the service of the search processing and the processing / editing processing based on the input data of the user, and charging the user for a fee according to the service content. The search method for an archive system according to any one of claims 9 to 13.