JP2002358262A - Content distribution system and content distribution method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To permit the acquisition of content data of specifications aimed at a user that match user's terms desired only by registering the user's terms desired for the arbitrary designation of the output contents of the content in advance, even if a specific function is not provided for the user side for the processing and adjustment of the content, and even if the user does not perform the same operation every time he/she makes a request for the content distribution. SOLUTION: A content distribution intermediary center 1 stores the user's terms desired in a content management table 12 by users to manage the terms desired, before distributing the content data selected as a distribution object from a user terminal 6, retrieves the user's terms desired corresponding to the user from the user-specific content management table 12, executes the processing matching the user's terms desired to acquire the content data of specifications aimed at the user that are assumed to have the output contents suitable for the user, and then distributes the data to the user terminal 6 of a request source.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a content distribution system for distributing content data to user terminals, a program therefor, a content distribution method, and a content distribution mediation device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the advancement of the Internet technology and the lowering of computer terminals and communication fees, a home computer terminal or a mobile terminal calls a site on a trader's side so that anyone using the Internet can use the Internet. However, a content distribution system that can easily purchase various contents such as music and movies and can make payment through the Internet has begun to spread. In this case, since the content delivered to the user terminal has a standard specification, the sound quality,
The image quality and the like are changed and adjusted according to the user's preference.

[0003]

However, for example, when changing and adjusting the sound quality of music content, the sound quality is adjusted by a graphic equalizer function, but the user must be provided with a graphic equalizer function. I had no choice but to listen to the sound as it was delivered. This is the same even when the body sonic function is not provided on the user side. Further, for example, when subtitles are desired when receiving distribution of movie content, it is necessary to make subtitle requests each time separately from a distribution request of desired movie content. This is the same, for example, when requesting the distribution of document content. When requesting the distribution of document content in a desired language from the document content for each language, the distribution request is not included in the distribution request of the desired document content. Each time I had to choose the language I wanted. As described above, the user has to perform the same operation every time the content distribution is requested.

An object of the present invention is to simply register in advance a user desired condition for arbitrarily specifying the output content of a content, and to provide a content processing adjustment even if the user does not have a special function. It is another object of the present invention to obtain user-specific content data that meets user-desired conditions without requiring the user to perform the same operation each time content distribution is requested.

[0005] The means of the present invention are as follows. According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a content distribution system for distributing content data to a user terminal, a user desired condition set in advance to arbitrarily specify an output content of content data output by a user is set for each user. A setting condition storing means for storing and managing the user data, and a user desired condition corresponding to the user is searched from the setting condition storing means before distributing the content data to the user terminal, and a process corresponding to the user desired condition is executed. By doing so, a pre-processing unit that obtains user-specific content data having output contents suitable for the user, and a distribution unit that distributes the user-specific content data obtained by the pre-processing unit to the user terminal It is provided. Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, only the user's desired condition for arbitrarily specifying the output content of the content is registered in advance, and no special function is provided on the user side for content processing adjustment. Even when the user requests the distribution of the content, the user can obtain the content data of the specification for the user that meets the user's desired condition without performing the same operation every time.

The present invention may be as follows. The user desired condition is a desired processing condition for arbitrarily specifying the content of processing of the content data, and the pre-processing means converts the content data to be distributed to the user before distributing the content data to the user terminal. And executing the content processing for processing according to the desired processing condition corresponding to (i), and distributing the processed content data processed by the content processing as content data for a user. Invention).

[0007] The user desired condition is an additional desired condition for arbitrarily designating additional data to be additionally output together with the content data, and the preprocessing means sets the pre-processing means before distributing the content data to the user terminal. In order to obtain user-specific content data that is output content suitable for the user, a data acquisition process for acquiring additional data that matches an addition desired condition corresponding to the user is executed. The content data is distributed as user-specific content data together with the additional data acquired by the data acquisition process (the invention according to claim 3).

[0008] The user desired condition is a selection desired condition for arbitrarily selecting and specifying content data of a desired type, and the preprocessing means transmits the content data to the user terminal before distributing the content data to the user terminal. A content selection process for selecting content data that meets a corresponding desired selection condition is performed, and the distribution unit distributes the content data selected by the content selection process as content data for a user. Invention).

The setting condition storage means stores and manages a user desired condition corresponding to a content type for each user, and the preprocessing means stores a user desired condition corresponding to a user from the setting condition storing means. Then, a user desired condition associated with the type of the content to be distributed is searched (the invention according to claim 5).

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program for causing a computer to realize the main functions described in the first aspect of the present invention (the sixth aspect of the present invention). A content distribution method for performing processing according to the main procedure described in the first aspect of the present invention is provided (the seventh aspect of the present invention), and furthermore, the content distribution method is provided with the main functions described in the first aspect of the present invention. A content distribution mediation device is provided (the invention according to claim 8).

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the content distribution system according to this embodiment. This content distribution system provides a distribution service for distributing the content (document, music, movie) requested from a user terminal to the requesting user terminal via the Internet. Such a content distribution service is provided on a nationwide scale. By developing the system, a wide-area communication system that can be used by anyone using the Internet is constructed. In particular, the content distribution system in this embodiment includes a content distribution mediation center 1 for mediating content distribution between each type of content supply center that supplies content data and a user terminal. And

That is, a document content supply center 3, a music content supply center 4, and a movie content supply center 5 are connected to the content distribution mediation center 1 via a network (Internet) 2, respectively. Connected to each user terminal 6 via the Internet, a mobile communication network) 2.
Upon receiving a content distribution request from the user terminal 6, the content distribution mediation center 1 selectively accesses the corresponding content supply centers 3 to 5 based on the type of the requested content, and acquires from the content supply center. The content data obtained is relayed to the requesting user terminal 6.

Here, the document content supply center 3
Various types of document content data are stored and managed for each language such as Japanese, English, German, and French. The music content supply center 4 stores and manages various music content data for each genre. Reference numeral 5 denotes a content supply site that stores and manages various types of movie content data in association with subtitle data by genre and supplies corresponding types of content data. The user terminal 6 is a desktop computer, a mobile information processing device, a mobile phone, or the like.

In this embodiment, for example,
Digitized (packetized) data is transmitted and received between the content distribution mediation center 1 and the user terminal 6 by an HTTP protocol or the like using a TCP / IP communication protocol. Data processing is performed in cooperation with each other while recognizing mutually necessary processing contents based on data including control information. The content distribution mediation center 1 has various server functions such as a database server function and a Web server function, and each user terminal 6 has a Web browser function.

FIG. 2A shows a user registration database (DB) provided on the content distribution mediation center 1 side.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing data contents for one user in FIG. The user registration database 11 stores and manages the user information as information for one record for each member user who uses the content distribution service.
Each user record includes a “user ID” for each member user,
It consists of items such as “user name”, “mail address”, and “credit number”. "User ID" is user identification information assigned in advance at the time of member registration, "Email address" is an e-mail address addressed to the user, and "Credit number" is used to settle the distribution service usage fee. This is the user number of the credit company used.

FIG. 2B is a diagram showing the data content of one user in the user-specific content management table 12 provided on the content distribution mediation center 1 side. The user-specific content management table 12 stores and manages user-desired conditions for arbitrarily specifying output contents corresponding to content types for each user. For each user ID, "content type", "processing setting" , “Additional setting”, and “selection setting”. For example, in the case of music content, “sound quality change” or “vibration change”, and in the case of movie content, “subtitle presence / absence” is set as a user desired condition in advance in the content management table 1 for each user.
2, the content distribution mediation center 1 executes a pre-process of obtaining content data for a user that meets the user's desired condition when the content data is distributed.

That is, the user-specific content management table 12 stores “processing settings”, “additional settings”, and “selection settings” as user-desired conditions for each “content type” indicating the type of content (music, movie, document). The “processing setting” is storage information for each user, and “processing setting” is setting information set in advance by the user to arbitrarily specify the processing content of the content data. For example, in the case of music content, information indicating a change in sound quality (Graphic equalizer information), for movie content, information indicating image quality and volume change, and for document content, image necessity information indicating whether to paste an image on a document. In this case, before distributing the content data to the requesting user terminal 6, the content distribution mediation center 1 reads out “processing settings” corresponding to the user and the content from the user-specific content management table 12, and A content processing process of processing content data to be distributed is executed, and the processed processed content data is distributed as content data for a user.

The "additional setting" is setting information set in advance by the user to arbitrarily designate additional data to be additionally output together with the content data. For example, in the case of music content, information indicating a vibration change (Body sonic information), if it is movie content, it is information indicating the presence or absence of subtitles. In this case, the content distribution mediation center 1
Before distributing the content data to the requesting user terminal 6, an “additional setting” corresponding to the user and the content is read from the user-specific content management table 12, and the necessary additional data is acquired in accordance with the setting. Is executed, and the content data to be distributed is distributed together with the acquired additional data as the content data for the user.

The "selection setting" is setting information set in advance by a user to arbitrarily select and specify a desired type of content.
This is information indicating a selected language arbitrarily specified from among the language-specific contents. In this case, the content distribution mediation center 1
Reads the "selection setting" corresponding to the user and the content from the user-specific content management table 12 before distributing the content data to the requesting user terminal 6, and selects a content that matches the setting content. The processing is executed, and the selected content data is distributed as user-specific content data.

Note that "processing settings" for music content,
A music information database 13 is linked to the “additional setting”, and the music information database 13 stores a level value for each frequency associated with a change in sound quality and a vibration pattern associated with a change in vibration. . The movie processing information database 14 is linked to the “processing setting” for the movie content. The movie processing information database 14 stores image quality patterns and volume changes (small to soft) corresponding to image quality changes (sharp to soft). To large) are stored.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the content distribution mediation center 1. The CPU 101 is a central processing unit that controls the overall operation of the content distribution mediation center 1 according to an operating system and various application software in the storage device 102. The storage device 102 includes an operating system and various application software, the above-described user registration database 11, a content management table for each user 12, a music information database 13, and a movie processing information database 1.
4 and the like, and has a recording medium 103 constituted by a magnetic, optical, semiconductor memory or the like, and a drive system therefor. The recording medium 103 is a fixed medium such as a hard disk or a CD-ROM that can be detachably mounted,
It is a portable medium such as a floppy desk, a RAM card, and a magnetic card. The programs and data in the recording medium 103 are loaded into a RAM (for example, a static RAM) 104 under the control of the CPU 101 as necessary, or the data in the RAM 104 is stored in the recording medium 103.
Saved to. Further, the recording medium may be a medium provided on an external device side such as a server.
Can directly access and use the program / data in the recording medium via the transmission control unit 105.

The CPU 101 can also take in some or all of the data stored in the recording medium 103 from another device via the transmission control unit 105 and newly register or additionally register the data in the recording medium 103. Further, the program / data may be stored and managed by an external device such as a server.
The program / data on the external device side can be directly accessed and used via the external device 05. On the other hand, the CPU 101
The transmission control unit 105 which is the input / output peripheral device,
An input unit 106 and a display unit 107 are connected via a bus line.
1 controls their operation.

Next, the operation algorithm of the content distribution mediation center 1 in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. Here, the functions described in these flowcharts are stored in the form of readable program codes in the recording medium 103, and the CPU 101 sequentially executes operations according to the program codes. Further, the CPU 101 can also sequentially execute the operation according to the above-described program code transmitted via the transmission medium. That is, an operation specific to this embodiment can be executed using a program / data externally supplied via a transmission medium in addition to a recording medium.

FIGS. 4 to 9 are flowcharts showing the operation of the content distribution mediation center 1. First, the content distribution mediation center 1 transmits a menu page for guiding various processing menu items to the requesting user terminal 6 in response to the access request from the user terminal 6 (step S1 in FIG. 4). In this case, on the user terminal 6 side,
A desired menu item is selected and returned from among various menu items "user registration", "user setting", "content distribution", and "end" listed in the menu page screen. Content distribution mediation center 1
Receives the selection (step S2), determines the type of the selected menu item (step S3), and thereafter executes a process according to the selected menu.

Now, assuming that "user registration" has been selected and designated for user registration as a new member, the content distribution mediation center 1 transmits a page for user registration (step S4). Here, on the user terminal 6 side, when the user enters a "user name", "mail address", and "credit number" as necessary items on this registration page and replies, the content distribution mediation center 1 receives the registration contents. At the same time (step S5), a new user ID is generated and transmitted to the requesting user terminal 6 (steps S6 and S7), and a user record is created based on the received registration contents and the generated user ID. New registration in the user registration database 11 (step S
8).

When the menu item "user setting" is selected from the newly registered member user (step S3), the content distribution mediation center 1 requests transmission of the user ID (step S9). Upon receiving the user ID transmitted from the user terminal 6 in response thereto (step S10), a user setting page is transmitted to the requesting user terminal 6 on condition that the user is a legitimate member user (step S10). S11). On the user setting page screen, “processing setting”, “additional setting”,
Each item of "selection setting" is provided, and when the user fills in and returns a desired setting from the desired item, the content distribution mediation center 1 receives the setting and receives the setting (step S12). ), The user ID
Then, the user-specific content management table 12 is accessed based on the user ID, and the setting contents are registered in the table corresponding to the user ID (step S13).

[0027] In addition, "content distribution"
Is selected (step S3),
The content distribution mediation center 1 requests transmission of the user ID (step S21 in FIG. 5), and receives the user ID transmitted from the user terminal 6 in response (step S22). On condition that there is, the content menu page is transmitted to the user terminal 6 that has made the request (step S23). The content menu page screen guides the contents that can be distributed. When the user selects and designates the desired content from the menu page screen, the content distribution mediation center 1 receives the selected content (step S24). ), Search the user-specific content management table 12 based on the user ID (step S25), and determine whether there is a corresponding setting (step S26).

Here, if a content distribution request is made from an unset user who has not made settings in the user-specific content management table 12 (step S26), the type of content selected and designated as a distribution target is determined (step S26).
27, S28), and thereafter, the processing shifts to music distribution processing, movie distribution processing, and document distribution processing according to the determination result. In addition,
The music distribution processing, movie distribution processing, and document distribution processing in this case will be described in detail later.
The distribution process is a process of acquiring the music content data selected as the distribution target from the music content supply center 4 and directly streaming-distributing the music content data to the requesting user terminal 6. The movie distribution process is performed on the movie (video and video) selected as the distribution target. This is a distribution process in which (audio) content data is acquired from the movie content supply center 5 and stream-distributed as it is to the requesting user terminal 6. In the document distribution process, of the language-specific document content selected as the distribution target, the document content data corresponding to Japanese (default language) is acquired from the document content supply center 3 and distributed to the requesting user terminal 6. Processing.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S26 in FIG. 5 that the content distribution request is from a user who has already set the content management table 12 for each user, the process proceeds to step S30 in FIG. The content type selected and designated is determined, and if the content type is music content (step S31), the music content data selected as the distribution target is acquired from the music content supply center 4 (step S32), and the user ID is set to the user ID. Based on the result, the user-specific content management table 12 is searched to determine the presence / absence of "processing setting" corresponding to the music content (step S33). Here, if there is a processing setting, the music information database 13 is set based on the setting contents.
From the corresponding processing setting information (step S3).
4). Further, the user-specific content management table 12 is searched based on the user ID to determine the presence or absence of “additional setting” corresponding to the music content (step S35). The corresponding additional setting information is read from the information database 13 (step S36).

Now, "processing settings" for music contents
In the case where there are both the “additional setting” and the “additional setting”, the sound quality change processing (music processing processing) for processing to the sound quality desired by the user based on the processing setting information (graphic equalizer information) read from the music information database 13 While applying to music content data (step S37),
After adding the additional setting information (body sonic information) read from the music information database 13 to the processed music content data, the streaming distribution is performed to the requesting user terminal 6 (step S38). Thereafter, the above-described distribution operation is repeated until the music ends (step S39) (steps S37 to S39). Here, even when the end of music is detected, if a repeat request is received from the user terminal 6 (step S40), the process returns to step S37 again to repeatedly distribute the same music content.

Also, a user-specific content management table 1
As a result of the search for 2, "processing settings" for music content
Is present (step S33), but if there is no “additional setting” (step S35), the music information database 1
After subjecting the music content data to be distributed to sound quality changing processing for processing to the sound quality desired by the user based on the processing setting information (graphic equalizer information) read out from step 3 (step S41), it is transmitted to the user terminal 6 that has requested the processing. Streaming distribution is performed (step S42). Even if the end of music is detected as described above (step S4
3) If a repeat request is received from the user terminal 6 (step S44), the process returns to step S41, and the same music content is repeatedly distributed.

Also, a user-specific content management table 1
As a result of the search for 2, "processing settings" for music content
If there is no (step S33), step S33 in FIG.
The process proceeds to 51, where it is determined whether there is an “additional setting” corresponding thereto. Here, if there is neither “processing setting” nor “additional setting”, the music content data to be distributed is streamed to the requesting user terminal 6 as it is (step S55). Note that the music ends (step S5).
6) and the same music content is repeatedly delivered until no repeat request is detected (step S57), as in the case described above. Note that the music distribution processing (steps S55 to S57) for directly distributing the music content data to the user terminal 6 is also executed when it is determined in step 28 of FIG. 5 that the music content is music content.

Further, a user-specific content management table 1
As a result of the search for 2, "processing settings" for music content
Although there is no (step S33), if there is an “additional setting” (step S51), after adding the additional setting information (body sonic information) read from the music information database 13 to the music content data to be distributed, The streaming distribution is performed to the requesting user terminal 6 (step S52). Note that until the end of music (step S53) and the absence of a repeat request are detected (step S54),
The same music content is repeatedly delivered.

In any case, the end of music (steps S43, S53, S56) and the absence of a repeat request are detected (steps S44, S54, S54).
57), the process proceeds to step S58 in FIG. 7, and it is determined whether or not a change request for changing the setting content of the user-specific content management table 12 has been received from the distribution destination user terminal 6. In other words, the user who has listened to the music content may want to adjust the sound quality or vibration state of the music content. In order to cope with such adjustment, a request for a setting change from the user is accepted, and a change request is made. If there is, the setting change page is transmitted to the requesting user terminal 6 (step S59), and the change setting contents returned in response to the setting change page are received (step S60). A process for changing the corresponding registered content in the content management table 12 is performed (step S61). Here, if a repeat request with the changed content is received (step S
62), the process proceeds to step S33 in FIG. 6, and thereafter, the above operation is repeated. If there is no repeat request, the process returns to the first menu page (step S1 in FIG. 5).

On the other hand, as a result of discriminating the content type selected and designated as the distribution target (step S31 in FIG. 6), if the content type is a movie content, the process proceeds to step S71 in FIG. The content management table 12 is searched to determine the presence or absence of “additional setting” corresponding to the movie content. Here, if there is an additional setting, the movie content data and subtitle data selected as the distribution target are acquired from the movie content supply center 5 (step S72). Further, as a result of searching the user-specific content management table 12, it is determined whether or not “processing setting” corresponding to the movie content is present (step S73). The processing setting information to be read is read (step S74). Then, after performing the image quality / volume changing process of processing the movie content data selected as the distribution target to the set image quality and the set volume (step S75), the processed movie content data together with the subtitle data is sent to the requesting user terminal. 6 is repeated until the end of the movie (steps S75 to S77).

Also, a content management table 1 for each user
As a result of the search for No. 2, there is an “additional setting” corresponding to the movie content (step S71), but if there is no “processing setting” (step S73), the movie content data is not processed and the subtitle data is processed as it is. The operation of streaming distribution to the requesting user terminal 6 is repeated until the end of the movie (steps S76 and S77). When the end of the movie is detected (step S77), the process returns to the first menu page (step S1 in FIG. 5).

Further, a content management table 1 for each user
As a result of the search for No. 2, if there is no “additional setting” corresponding to the movie content (step S71), a subtitle presence / absence confirmation page is transmitted to the user to confirm the presence / absence of subtitles (step S78), and a response thereto Then, when the information indicating the presence / absence of subtitles transmitted from the user terminal 6 is received (step S79), the presence / absence is determined (step S8).
0). As a result, when subtitles are requested this time, regardless of the setting contents of the content management table 12 for each user, the movie content data and subtitle data are transferred to the 5
(Step S72), but if no subtitle is requested again, only the movie content data is acquired from the movie content supply center 5 (step S81). Then, the process proceeds to the above operation (steps S73 to S73).
S77). It should be noted that the process of confirming the presence or absence of subtitles to the user (steps S78 to S80) is also executed when it is determined that the content is a movie content in step S28 of FIG.

As a result of discriminating the content type selected and designated as the distribution target (step S31 in FIG. 6), if the content type is a document content, the process proceeds to step S91 in FIG. The content management table 12 is searched to determine the presence / absence of “selection setting” corresponding to the document content. If there is a selection setting, the document content of the selected language indicated by the setting content is specified as the call target from the language-specific contents selected and specified as the distribution target (step S92), and the specified selected language is selected. The corresponding document data is obtained from the document content supply center 3 (step S93). Also,
As a result of searching the content management table 12 for each user,
If there is no "selection setting" (step S91), the document data corresponding to Japanese (default language) is acquired from the document content supply center 3 from the language-specific contents selected and designated as the distribution target (steps S97 and S9).
8). The process of acquiring document data corresponding to Japanese (default language) from the language-specific content (steps S97 and S98) is also executed when it is determined that the content is document content in step S28 of FIG. .

Then, the presence / absence of "processing setting" corresponding to the document content, that is, "image necessity" is determined (step S94). If the image necessity is set, the image data is included in the acquired document content. If it is included, after performing the process of deleting the image from the document content (step S95), the document content data after the deletion process is delivered to the user terminal 6 that has requested the deletion (step S9).
6). If it is determined that the image is necessary (step S94), the acquired document content data is directly delivered to the requesting user terminal 6 (step S99).

As described above, the content distribution mediation center 1 in this embodiment stores and manages the user's desired conditions set in advance in order to arbitrarily specify the output content of the content in the content management table 12 for each user. ,
Before distributing the content data selected as a distribution target from the user terminal 6, a user desired condition corresponding to the user is searched from the user-specific content management table 12, and a process matching the user desired condition is executed. Requesting the user terminal 6 after obtaining the user-specific content data having output contents suitable for the user.
Since the content has been distributed to the user, the content that has been delivered to the user already has the output content suitable for that user at the stage of receiving the content data. After receiving the data, there is no need to perform any processing for changing the content to content for the user.

In this case, if “processing setting” is registered in the user-specific content management table 12 as a processing desired condition for arbitrarily specifying the processing content of the content data, the content data to be distributed is stored in the content management table 12. Since the content is processed according to the desired processing conditions for the user and then distributed, even if the music content does not have a graphic equalizer function, it is possible to listen to the music with the sound quality that matches the user's preference. In addition, movie content can be viewed at an image quality and volume that suits the user's preference even if it is not provided with an image quality adjustment function or volume adjustment function. Is
Even if an editing function is not provided, a document in an abbreviated form in which an image is omitted can be obtained.

If "additional setting" as an addition desired condition for arbitrarily specifying additional data to be added and output together with content data is registered in the user-specific content management table 12, an output suitable for the user is registered. In order to obtain the content data of the specification for the user as the content, additional data matching the desired addition condition corresponding to the user is acquired, and this additional data is distributed together with the content data to be distributed. , You can listen to music with vibrations that match the user's preference even if it does not have a body sonic function. Even if the user does not perform the same operation each time to instruct the presence or absence of subtitles as in It is possible to watch a movie without a curtain.

If "selection setting" as a selection desired condition for arbitrarily selecting and specifying a desired type of content is registered in the user-specific content management table 12, the selection desired condition corresponding to the user is registered. Since the matching content is selected and then delivered, for the document content, every time the delivery of the document content is requested, the same operation is performed every time the user specifies the desired language as in the past. Even without performing this, it is possible to obtain the document content of the desired language selected from the language-specific document contents.

The user-specific content management table 12
Since the user's desired conditions are stored and managed for each user for each of the content types "music", "movie", and "document", if the user sets the user's desired condition suitable for each content type, the content can be downloaded. It is possible to output contents in an optimal state for each type. In addition, immediately after distributing the music content for the user to the requesting user terminal, if a request for changing the user desired condition is received from the user, the user-specific content management table 12 associated with the user is received. Is changed, and the user-specified music content obtained according to the changed user desired condition is distributed to the user terminal 6 again. It is possible to change the user's desired condition at any time.

In the above-described embodiment, the "processing setting" as the user's desired condition set in the user-specific content management table 12 exemplifies a change in sound quality, a change in image quality, a change in volume, and necessity of an image. As other processing examples, the music content may be processed into slow tempo / high tempo, or a plurality of image contents may be synthesized, and similarly, “additional setting” or “selection setting”
Is also optional. Further, in the above-described embodiment, music content is taken as an example of changing the user desired condition on the way, but the user desired condition of movie content and document content may be changed on the way.

On the other hand, a recording medium (eg, CD-ROM, floppy disk, RAM card, etc.) on which a program code for executing each of the above-described means is recorded is provided to the computer (content distribution mediation center 1). You may make it. That is, a storage medium having a computer-readable program code, and a function of storing and managing, for each user, a user desired condition set in advance to arbitrarily specify an output content of content data output by the user. Before distributing the content data to the user terminal, search for a user desired condition corresponding to the user, and execute a process that matches the user desired condition, so that output contents suitable for the user can be obtained. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for realizing a function of performing pre-processing for obtaining content data of specifications and a function of delivering content data of user specifications obtained by the pre-processing to a user terminal May be provided.

[0047]

According to the present invention, only the user's desired condition for arbitrarily specifying the output content of the content is registered in advance, and the user who has received the distribution of the content data does not need to register the desired condition. At the stage of receiving the content, the output content is already suitable for the user. Even if the user does not have a special function for content processing adjustment as in the past, the user is requested to distribute the content. Each time
Even if the user does not perform the same operation every time, it is possible to easily and reliably obtain content data for the user that meets the user's desired conditions.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a content distribution system.

FIG. 2 shows the contents of a user registration database 11 and a user-specific content management table 12 provided in the content distribution mediation center 1, and FIG. 2 (A) shows data contents of one user in the user registration database 11; Figure,
FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating data contents of one user in the user-specific content management table 12;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the content distribution mediation center 1.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the content distribution mediation center 1.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the content distribution mediation center 1 following FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the content distribution mediation center 1 following FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the content distribution mediation center 1 following FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the content distribution mediation center 1 following FIGS. 5 and 7;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the content distribution mediation center 1 following FIGS. 5 and 8;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 Content distribution mediation center 2 Network network 3 Document content supply center 4 Music content supply center 5 Movie content supply center 6 User terminal 11 User registration database 12 User-specific content management table 13 Music information database 14 Movie processing information database 101 CPU 102 Storage device 103 recording medium 105 transmission control unit

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) G10K 15/02 G10K 15/02 H04N 7/173 640 H04N 7/173 640A // G06F 17/30 110 G06F 17/30 110F 340 340A F term (reference) 5B075 KK38 PQ02 PQ05 5C064 BB07 BC06 BC18 BC23 BC25 BD03 BD08 BD09 BD14

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. In a content distribution system for distributing content data to a user terminal, user desired conditions set in advance to arbitrarily specify output contents of content data output by a user are stored and managed for each user. Before distributing the content data to the user terminal, the setting condition storage unit retrieves a user desired condition corresponding to the user from the setting condition storage unit, and executes a process that meets the user desired condition. Pre-processing means for obtaining user-specific content data having output contents suitable for the user, and distribution means for distributing the user-specific content data obtained by the pre-processing means to the user terminal. A content distribution system characterized by the following. 2. The user-desired condition is a desired condition for arbitrarily designating the contents of processing of content data.
The preprocessing unit executes a content processing process of processing content data to be distributed according to a desired processing condition corresponding to the user before distributing the content data to the user terminal. Deliver the processed content data processed by the processing as user-specific content data,
2. The content distribution system according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The user desired condition is an additional desired condition for arbitrarily specifying additional data to be additionally output together with the content data. Executing a data acquisition process for acquiring additional data that meets the desired addition condition corresponding to the user in order to obtain user-specific content data having output contents suitable for the user; 3. The content distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the target content data is distributed as user-specific content data together with the additional data acquired by the data acquisition process. 4. The user desired condition is a selection desired condition for arbitrarily selecting and specifying a desired type of content data, and the pre-processing means sets the content data before delivering the content data to the user terminal. A content selection process for selecting content data that meets a selection desired condition corresponding to a user is performed, and the distribution unit distributes the content data selected by the content selection process as content data for a user. 2. The content distribution system according to claim 1, wherein 5. The setting condition storage means stores and manages a user desired condition corresponding to a content type for each user, and the preprocessing means searches the setting condition storage means for a user desired condition corresponding to a user. 2. The content distribution system according to claim 1, wherein in the case, a user desired condition associated with the type of the content to be distributed is searched. 6. A function for storing and managing, for each user, preset user desired conditions for arbitrarily specifying output contents of content data output from a user side to a computer; Before distributing, by searching for a user desired condition corresponding to the user and executing a process that meets the user desired condition,
In order to realize a function of performing pre-processing for obtaining user-specific content data having output contents suitable for the user, and a function of distributing the user-specific content data obtained by the pre-processing to the user terminal. Program. 7. A content distribution method for distributing content data to a user terminal, wherein a user desired condition set in advance for arbitrarily designating an output content of content data output on the user side is stored for each user. In a managed state, before distributing the content data to the user terminal, a search for a user desired condition corresponding to the user is performed, and a process suitable for the user desired condition is executed. A content distribution method, comprising: performing pre-processing for obtaining user-specific content data as output contents; and distributing the user-specific content data obtained by the pre-processing to a user terminal. 8. A content distribution mediation device that accesses a content supply site that supplies content data, receives the content data supplied from the content supply site, and mediates and distributes the content data to a user terminal. A setting condition storage means for storing and managing user desired conditions preset for each user in order to arbitrarily specify the output content of the content data output on the user side; and content data requested by the user terminal. Acquiring means for acquiring from the content supply site, and before distributing the content data acquired by the acquiring means to the user terminal, searching for a user desired condition corresponding to the user from the setting condition storage means,
A pre-processing unit that obtains user-specific content data having output contents suitable for the user by executing a process that meets the user desired condition; and a user-specific content data processed by the pre-processing unit. And a distribution means for mediating the content to a user terminal.