JP2002169720A - Distribution center and visual and audio device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a distribution center and a visual and audio device which can lighten the operation burden on a user. SOLUTION: On receiving a member registration request from the visual and audio device 1, a distribution management center 5 registers the user as a member and secure a center management area of prescribed capacity at a storage part 12 of the visual and audio device 1 as the request source. Further, the distribution management center 5 manages storage information showing the use state of the center management area in the storage device 12 of each visual and audio device 1, refers to relevant stored information at a request from the visual and audio device 1 which has received distributed contents to grasp the storage state of the center management area of the visual and audio device 1, and supplies an instruction to store the contents, etc. In response, the visual and audio device 1 stores the distributed contents in the center management area of the storage part 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a distribution center and a viewing device for supplying content to a viewing device of a user.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A distribution system for distributing contents such as video data and audio data to a viewing device having a hard disk device or the like has been realized. In such a distribution system, a user selects desired contents from a large number of contents and accumulates the contents in his / her own viewing device.

[0003]

However, in the above-described distribution system, it is necessary for the user to manage the used capacity and the stored contents of the storage area of each viewing device. For example, when receiving a desired content, the user has to consider the size of the content, the available capacity in the storage area of his / her own viewing device, and the like. Also,
The user needs to secure an area for storing new content by selecting the content stored in the storage area. In addition, the operation of searching for a desired content from a large number of contents is complicated for the user.

[0004] In addition, there has been a demand on the side of distributing content to supply content suitable for each user.

Further, there has been a demand from the industry for a mechanism capable of collecting data such as the usage status of each user's content and performing analysis based on the collected data.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a distribution center and a viewing apparatus capable of reducing the work load of a user. It is another object of the present invention to provide a distribution center and a viewing device capable of realizing distribution of content suitable for each user. It is another object of the present invention to provide a distribution center and a viewing device that can grasp the usage status of content of each user and analyze the distribution effect of the content.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a distribution center according to a first aspect of the present invention is a distribution center for a distribution system that distributes contents to each of the viewing devices. And a control management means for controlling the storage of the content in the storage area secured in the viewing device by the securing means.

According to such a configuration, the distribution center allows each viewing device to secure a predetermined storage area, controls the storage of the content in that area, and manages the storage status, thereby storing the viewing device. It is possible to reduce the additional work of the user in the area management.

[0009] The control management means is means for storing, for each viewing device, storage information indicating the use status of the storage area of the viewing device, and instructing storage of the content in the storage region with reference to the storage information. And a means for supplying the audiovisual device to the viewing device.

[0010] A distribution destination of each content may be determined based on attribute information indicating an attribute of each user, and each content may be distributed according to the determined content. As a result, the content suitable for each user can be selected and distributed, so that the additional work of the user in selecting the content can be reduced. Further, the content distribution side can provide content suitable for the user.

[0011] Further, content use history information may be collected from each viewing device, and an analysis process for grasping the content use status may be performed using the use history information. Thus, it is possible to realize a system that collects the usage history of the content from each viewing device and performs an analysis based on the collected data.

A viewing device according to a second aspect of the present invention is a viewing device for receiving contents, which secures a storage area of a predetermined capacity that can be accessed only by a predetermined center. According to an instruction, content is stored and stored in the storage area.

According to such a configuration, in each viewing device, a predetermined storage area is secured and the center (distribution center)
By accumulating the content in the storage area in response to the instruction from the user, it is possible to reduce the user's additional work in managing the storage area of the viewing device.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a content distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the content distribution system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a viewing device 1, a content holder server 3, a distribution management center 5, and a key management center 7.
And a sending device 9.

The viewing device 1 is a device for allowing a user to view the content distributed from the distribution management center 5, and includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a decoding unit 13,
An input unit 14 and a display unit 15 are provided.

The control unit 11 transmits a predetermined member registration request together with the user's personal information to the distribution management center 5 in accordance with the user's input operation, and registers the member. At this time, the member ID is received from the distribution management center 5. The personal information includes items such as name, gender, age, occupation, and hobby. The user may input the personal information on a predetermined input screen, or may read out previously input data from a storage unit (not shown) or the like and use it.

In the member registration process, the control unit 11 secures a storage area (center management area) of a predetermined capacity in the storage unit 12 in accordance with an instruction from the distribution management center 5, and As for the area, restriction is made so that contents for which no storage instruction is given from the distribution management center 5 cannot be stored. Specifically, for example, distribution of the supply of the area securing file is received from the distribution management center 5 and stored in the storage unit 12, or the file for area securing is automatically created in the storage unit 12. For the access right relating to the area securing file, a permission that cannot be used without an accumulation instruction from the distribution management center 5 may be set.

Further, upon receiving the distribution of the encrypted content from the transmission device 9, the control unit 11 transmits the member ID and the information for specifying the content (content ID, etc.) together with a predetermined storage confirmation request together with the distribution management center 5. To determine whether the content is to be stored in the center management area of the storage unit 12. If a storage instruction is supplied from the distribution management center 5, the content is stored in the storage unit 1.
Stored in 2.

The control unit 11 reads the designated content from the storage unit 12 and supplies the designated content to the decoding unit 13 to decode and reproduce the designated content in response to a content reproduction instruction input by the user.

The control section 11 creates a use history for each content and supplies it to the distribution management center 5 at a predetermined timing. Usage history includes, for example,
This includes whether there is a request for detailed information, and if the content is for sale of a product or the like, whether or not there is a request for purchase.

The storage unit 12 is composed of a hard disk device or the like, and stores and stores contents in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 11. The decryption unit 13 decrypts and reproduces the encrypted content using the content decryption key according to the instruction from the control unit 11. Input unit 14
Accepts input from the user. The display unit 15 displays each processing screen, reproduced content, and the like.

The content holder server 3 is a content holder (content holder) from which the content is provided.
Of the content holder, and requests the distribution management center 5 to deliver the content.
The content holder server 3 includes a control unit 31 and a storage unit 33.
Is provided.

The control unit 31 reads out the contents to be registered and the attached information related to the contents from the storage unit 33, and transmits them to the distribution management center 5 together with a predetermined delivery request. The storage unit 33 stores contents and attached information related to the contents. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the attached information includes a file name, a file attribute (content file, system file, EPG (electronic program
uide), status (erasability, viewability, etc.), billing information, CA information (authentication information), expiration date, content information (summary, genre, etc.), and file size information.

The control unit 31 obtains, from the distribution management center 5, an analysis result on the use status of the content requested to be distributed.

The distribution management center 5 performs member registration, management of contents to be distributed, management of a center management area in each viewing device 1, analysis of the use state of contents, and the like. The distribution management center 5 includes a content registration management unit 50, a content database 51, and an attached information database 52.
, Member registration management unit 53, member information database 54
, The accumulated information database 55, the distribution destination determination unit 56
, Storage management unit 57, analysis unit 58, scheduler 5
9 is provided.

The content registration management unit 50 receives a distribution request from the content holder server 3, performs a predetermined check on the content received along with the distribution request, and attached information related to the content. If the check result is correct, the received content is checked. Content I
Issue D. Then, it supplies the content holder server 3 with the issued content ID and notifies that the registration request has been normally received. If any error occurs during the check, the content holder server 3 is notified of the registration error.

The content registration management section 50 assigns a content ID to the received content and the attached information, and registers them in the content database 51 and the attached information database 52, respectively.

The content database 51 stores the content received from each content holder. The attached information database 52 stores the attached information received from each content holder.

When the member registration management unit 53 receives a member registration request from the viewing device 1, the member registration management unit 53 generates a member ID for the requesting user and supplies the member ID to the viewing device 1, and adds the member ID to the received personal information. And stored in the member information database 54 as member information. Then, the member registration management unit 53 instructs the viewing device 1 as the transmission source of the member registration request to secure a center management area having a predetermined capacity. Then, storage information for managing the center management area secured in the viewing device 1 is generated and stored in the storage information database 55. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the accumulated information includes the member ID, the total capacity of the secured center management area,
The information includes information such as the used amount of the total capacity, the remaining available capacity (total capacity−used amount), and information (content ID, file name, size, etc.) of each content stored in the center management area.

The member information database 54 stores member information (personal information, content use history, etc.) for each member.
Is stored. The accumulated information database 55 stores accumulated information (see FIG. 3) regarding the center management area secured in the viewing device 1 of each member.

The distribution destination judging section 56 is registered in the content database 51 by using the member information of each member registered in the member information database 54, the auxiliary information registered in the auxiliary information database 52, and the like. The distribution destination of each content is determined, and distribution destination information indicating the distribution destination of each content is supplied to the key management center 7.

The method of determining the delivery destination by the delivery destination determination unit 56 is arbitrary. For example, the delivery destination of each content is determined with reference to information on user attributes set in advance for each content genre. May be. Further, the delivery destination of each content may be determined based on the analysis result by the analysis unit 58 described later (what genre of content is frequently used by members of what attribute).

When receiving the storage confirmation request from the viewing device 1, the storage management unit 57 checks the storage status of the center management area of the viewing device 1 by referring to the storage information in the storage information database 55, and If there is no problem with the contents, etc., the storage instruction for instructing the storage of the content is supplied to the viewing device 1. Then, for the corresponding storage information in the storage information database 55, the information of the newly stored content is added, and the used amount, the remaining capacity, and the like are updated.

In the storage status check, if a shortage of the remaining capacity in the center management area is detected, for example, the content is stored in the center management area based on the usage status, distribution date, expiration date, etc. of each content. The content to be deleted is determined from the respective contents, and an instruction to delete the content is supplied to the viewing device 1 to secure an area for storing new content in the center management area of the viewing device 1 and then store the content. Supply instructions.

The analysis unit 58 collects the usage history of the content from each viewing device 1 and stores it as member information in the member information database 54, and also summarizes the distribution status of the content and the actual usage status for each distribution destination. Analyze the usage status of the system. The content of the analysis is arbitrary. For example, the tendency of the content used by each member may be analyzed. Further, for each content, a totaling result or the like for each attribute (gender, age, occupation, hobby, etc.) may be obtained for the user, or the totaling result may be applied to various analysis models. The analysis result by the analysis unit 58 is supplied to the content holder server 3 in response to a request from the content holder, for example.

The scheduler 59 supplies a distribution request for each content registered in the content database 51 to the transmission device 9 according to, for example, a preset distribution schedule.

The distribution management center 5 collects the registration fee of the content, the provision fee of the analysis result, and the like from the content holder, and also uses the content holder of the content according to the usage status of the content. Pay the fee. In addition, a predetermined fee may be collected from the content holder. The means for collecting each fee and the means for paying the usage fee for the content are arbitrary, and may be, for example, transfer of funds between accounts in a financial institution, settlement by electronic money or debit, account transfer using cash, and the like.

The key management center 7 includes a key information storage unit 71,
And a key supply unit 73. The key information storage unit 71 stores a content encryption key for encrypting distributed content. When receiving the information on the delivery destination of each content from the distribution management center 5, the key supply unit 73 supplies the content encryption key to the transmission device 9 together with the information on the delivery destination.

The transmitting device 9 is a device for supplying contents to the viewing device 1 of the user, and includes an encrypting unit 91 and a transmitting unit 93. The encryption unit 91 encrypts the content acquired together with the distribution request from the distribution management center 5 using the content encryption key acquired from the key management center 7. The transmitting unit 93 distributes the encrypted content to each viewing device 1 together with, for example, information on the delivery destination of the content.

Next, the system operation of the content distribution system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, a case where a user registers as a member will be described. The viewing device 1 transmits the personal information of the user and a predetermined member registration request to the distribution management center 5 in response to the input operation by the user (S1). At the time of performing the member registration process, each member satisfies the conditions for using the present system presented by the distribution management center 5 (such as the provision of personal information and the distribution management center 5 Use, etc.)

The distribution management center 5 generates and supplies a member ID to the viewing device 1 in response to a member registration request from the viewing device 1, and adds the member ID to the personal information received from the viewing device 1, It is registered in the member information database 54 as member information (S2).

The distribution management center 5 instructs the viewing device 1 of the user registered as a member to secure a storage area (center management area) of a predetermined capacity (S3). As a result, a center management area having a predetermined capacity is created in the storage unit 12 of the member's viewing device 1. The viewing device 1
Sets a permission for this center management area so that content can be stored only when a storage instruction is received from the distribution management center 5. The viewing device 1
When the center management area is reserved, the free space of the storage unit 12 is checked. If the space is insufficient, a message urging deletion of unnecessary files is displayed, and the user is notified of the free space. May be made to be made.

Next, a case where the distribution management center 5 receives and registers contents to be distributed from the contents holder server 3 will be described. Content holder server 3
Transmits the contents to be distributed and the accompanying information of the contents to the distribution management center 5 together with a predetermined distribution request (S4).

In response to a distribution request from the content holder server 3, the distribution management center 5 performs a predetermined check on the received content and the attached information related to the content, for example, to see if data necessary for registration is available, and performs a check. If the result is normal, a content ID is issued for the received content, and the content I
D is supplied to the content holder server 3 (S5). If the check result indicates an error, the content holder server 3 is notified of the registration error.

When the content distribution request is correctly received, the content holder server 3 performs processing for paying the content registration fee to the distribution management center 5 (S6).

The distribution management center 5 stores the contents in the content database 51 and the attached information in the attached information database 52 for the contents and the like that have been checked (S7). Thereby, the content from the content holder server 3 is registered in the distribution management center 5.

Next, a case where the content registered in the distribution management center 5 is distributed to the member's viewing apparatus 1 and stored in the center management area will be described. Distribution management center 5
Determines the distribution destination of each content registered in the content database 51 based on the member information registered in the member information database 54 and the attached information registered in the attached information database 52 (S
8). The method of determining the distribution destination is arbitrary,
For example, a member having an attribute that is likely to use the content may be selected for each content from the past usage status of each content genre. Also,
When the distribution destination of each content is determined, the distribution management center 5 supplies distribution destination information indicating the distribution destination of the content to the key management center 7. In response, the key management center 7 supplies, for example, the content encryption key to the transmission device 9 together with the distribution destination information.

Further, the distribution management center 5 adjusts the distribution of each content registered in the content database 51 according to the distribution date and time, and supplies the content to the transmission device 9 together with the distribution request (S9).

The transmitting device 9 encrypts the content received from the distribution management center 5 with the content encryption key obtained from the key management center 7 and transmits the content together with, for example, information on the distribution destination (S10, S11).

Upon receiving the content distributed from the transmission device 9, the viewing device 1 transmits information (content ID and the like) for specifying the content and its own member ID and the like to the distribution management center 5 together with a predetermined accumulation confirmation request. Yes (S1
2). In response, the distribution management center 5 refers to the storage information in the storage information database 55 to check the storage status of the center management area of the viewing device 1 (S
13). For example, the file size of the content to be checked is acquired from the attached information database 52, and it is checked whether the remaining capacity of the center management area is sufficient to store the content. If there is no problem, the instruction to store the content is supplied to the viewing device 1 (S14). Further, the distribution management center 5 updates the content of the stored information in the stored information database 55.

The viewing device 1 stores the content to be confirmed in the center management area in response to the storage instruction from the distribution management center 5 (S15).

Next, a case will be described in which the viewing device 1 uses the content stored in the center management area. The viewing device 1 receives a content reproduction instruction from the user, and decrypts and reproduces the specified content (S16). Further, the viewing device 1 generates a use history of the content and supplies it to the distribution management center 5 at a predetermined timing (S17).

The distribution management center 5 stores the use history collected from the viewing device 1 in the member information database 54, and performs various analyzes based on the collected data.
The analysis result is supplied to the content holder (S18, S1
9). Further, the distribution management center 5 pays the usage fee of the content according to the usage status of each content to the content holder (S20), and collects the analysis result from the content holder (S21).

In this way, the distribution management center 5 secures a predetermined storage area (center management area) in the storage storage unit 12 of each of the viewing devices 1 and controls the storage of the content in that area. , The viewing device 1
In this case, it is possible to reduce the user's additional work in managing the storage area. Further, since the distribution management center 5 selects and distributes the content suitable for the user from the attributes of each user (member), it is possible to reduce the user's work addition in the selection of the content. In addition, each viewing device 1
A system that collects the usage history of the content from the Internet and performs analysis based on the collected data can be realized.

The center management area secured in each viewing device 1 may be set in the entire storage section of the viewing device 1 or may be set in a part. If it is partially set, the user can freely use other areas.

The means for distributing the contents to the members is arbitrary, and may be transmitted using broadcast waves, for example.
Further, a communication line such as a public line or a dedicated line may be used.

As the content encryption key, a different key may be used for each content, or a key common to a plurality of contents may be used. Alternatively, an encryption key may be distributed to each user (member), and the content decryption key may be encrypted with the user's encryption key and supplied to each user. The method of distributing the encryption key to each user is arbitrary, and a medium such as an IC card storing the encryption key may be distributed to each user, or may be distributed to each viewing device 1 via a communication line. You may make it supply.

The distribution management center 5 and the key management center 7
A center having at least two functions of the transmission device 9 and the transmission device 9 may be provided.

The system of the present invention can be realized by using a general computer system without using a dedicated system. For example, by installing the program from a medium (floppy (registered trademark) disk, CD-ROM, or the like) storing a program for executing the above-described operation in a computer, the viewing device 1 that executes the above-described processing, the content The holder server 3, the distribution management center 5, the key management center 7, the sending device 9, and the like can be configured. Note that the above functions are shared by the OS or the OS
In the case of realizing by joint application with
Only the part other than the OS may be stored in the medium.

It is also possible to superimpose a program on a carrier wave and distribute the program via a communication network. For example, the program may be posted on a bulletin board (BBS) of a communication network and distributed via the network. Then, by starting this program and executing it in the same manner as other application programs under the control of the OS, the above-described processing can be executed.

[0061]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The distribution center allows each viewing device to secure a predetermined storage area,
By controlling the storage of the content in the area and managing the storage status, it is possible to reduce the user's additional work in managing the storage area of the viewing device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a content distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining attached information.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating accumulated information.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a system operation of the content distribution system of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 viewing device 11 control unit 12 storage storage unit 13 decoding unit 14 input unit 15 display unit 3 content holder server 31 control unit 33 storage unit 5 distribution management center 50 content registration management unit 51 content database 52 attached information database 53 member registration management unit 54 Member information database 55 Accumulated information database 56 Distribution destination judgment unit 57 Accumulation management unit 58 Analysis unit 59 Scheduler 7 Key management center 71 Key information storage unit 73 Key supply unit 9 Transmission device 91 Encryption unit 93 Transmission unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G10K 15/02 G10K 15/02 // H04N 7/173 640 H04N 7/173 640A (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Abe 3-3-3 Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo NTT Data Corporation (72) Inventor Satoshi Masamoto 3-3-3, Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo NTT Within data (72) Inventor Akira Saito 3-3-1, Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo F-term in NTT Data Corporation (reference) 5B075 PQ05 PR03 5B082 CA01 CA08 FA11 HA05 5C064 BA07 BB10 BC06 BC22 BC25 BD02 BD08 BD09 CA14 CB01 CC02 CC04

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A distribution center for a distribution system for distributing content to each viewing device, wherein the securing device is configured to secure a storage area of a predetermined capacity in the viewing device, and is secured in the viewing device by the securing device. And a control management means for controlling the storage of the content in the storage area. 2. The control management means: means for storing, for each viewing device, storage information indicating the use status of the storage area of the viewing device; and referring to the storage information, The distribution center according to claim 1, further comprising: means for supplying a storage instruction to the viewing device. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a distribution destination of each content is determined based on attribute information indicating an attribute of each user, and each content is distributed in accordance with the determined content. Distribution center. 4. A content collecting history information is collected from each viewing device, and an analysis process for grasping a content use status is performed using the usage history information. The distribution center according to any one of the above. 5. A viewing apparatus for receiving content distribution, wherein a storage area of a predetermined capacity accessible only by a predetermined center is secured, and the content is stored in said storage area in accordance with an instruction from said center. An audio-visual device characterized by: