JP2003132232A - Digital contents delivery system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a contents delivery system for reducing the load of communication required for the delivery of contents and providing the contents to a user while managing the contents so as to allow the user to share the delivered contents with a friend. SOLUTION: This contents delivery system 100 accepts a system use registration by a group unit formed of two or more users, and manages the use by regeneration of the delivered contents by the group unit. When the other user requests the regeneration permission of the contents delivered to one of the members of a group, this system determines whether the other user belongs to the same group as the member concerned of the group to which the contents are delivered or not, and delivers regeneration permission information for regenerating the contents to the user concerned when it is determined that the user belongs the same group.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a content distribution apparatus for distributing digital contents composed of audio data and image data of music, movies, games, etc., a content receiving apparatus for receiving the distributed digital contents, and The present invention relates to a content distribution system including a content distribution device and a content reception device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a distribution service of digital contents (hereinafter referred to as "contents") such as music, movies and games via a network has been rapidly spread. With these services, content encryption or Various measures have been taken to prevent illegal activities such as collating users with IC cards.

As a result, the service provider can provide the service only to the user who pays the legitimate consideration, and the user can provide the service with peace of mind in an environment where there is no illegal activity and the order is maintained. Can enjoy.

[0004]

However, due to various measures taken to prevent such illegal activities as described above, the use of the distributed contents is restricted to the purchaser only, so that the user cannot use the distributed contents. , Frustration arises that I cannot view or share the viewed content with close friends.

[0005] Further, even when each person in the group views the same content, each person in the group must separately receive the content from the service provider, which is inconvenient for the user, and the service is provided. For the person, even if the same content is required, each user who has requested the purchase of the content delivery service must separately deliver the content having a large data capacity.

In view of the above problems, the present invention reduces the communication load for content distribution and manages the content so that the user can share the distributed content with friends. An object is to provide a content distribution device, a content reception device, and a content distribution system for providing content to a user.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is a content distribution device for distributing contents to a user's content reception device in response to a purchase request from the user. A first storage unit that stores a group of a plurality of users, to which the user belongs, in association with each other, a distributed content, a first user who purchased the content, and a group to which the first user belongs A second storage unit that stores the same in association with each other, a request reception unit that receives a purchase request for the reproduction permission information for reproducing the content from the second user, and a user stored in the first storage unit. By referring to the correspondence relationship with the group, the group to which the second user who has made the purchase request for the reproduction permission information belongs is specified, By referring to the correspondence relationship between the distributed content, the first user, and the group to which the first user belongs, which is stored in the second storage unit, the first user belonging to the same group as the specified group is A determination unit that determines whether or not the content related to the purchase request of the reproduction permission information is purchased, and the reproduction permission information for reproducing the content when the purchase is requested, the purchase request of the reproduction permission information. And a permission information distribution unit that distributes the content to the second user's content receiving device.

Further, the present invention is a content receiving device for receiving the content transferred from the content receiving device of the first user who has received the distribution of the content from the content distributing device, and stores the transferred content. Storage means, request receiving means for receiving a request from the second user, request determining means for determining whether the request is a content reproduction request, and if the request is the reproduction request, the content is reproduced as a second content Reproduction permission information determining means for determining whether or not reproduction permission information for reproduction by the user is stored in the storage means, and purchase request information for requesting the purchase of the reproduction permission information when the reproduction permission information is not stored Purchase request information creating means, a sending means for sending the created purchase request information to the content distribution device, and the sent purchase request information On the basis of the above, the receiving means for receiving the reproduction permission information distributed from the content distribution device, and the reproduction means for reproducing the content based on the received reproduction permission information may be provided.

The present invention also provides a content distribution device that distributes content to a content receiving device in response to a purchase request from a user, a first content receiving device that receives the distributed content, and a first content receiving device. A content distribution system configured to receive the content transferred from the second content receiving apparatus, wherein the content distribution apparatus stores a user and a group to which the user belongs in association with each other.
A storage unit, a second storage unit that stores the distributed content, the first user who purchased the content and the group to which the first user belongs in association with each other, and reproduction permission information for reproducing the content. Second purchase request
By referring to the request accepting means accepted from the user and the correspondence between the user and the group stored in the first storage means, the group to which the second user who has made the purchase request for the reproduction permission information belongs is specified By referring to the correspondence relationship between the distributed content, the first user, and the group to which the first user belongs, which is stored in the second storage unit, the first user belonging to the same group as the specified group is A determination unit that determines whether or not the content related to the purchase request for the reproduction permission information is purchased, and the reproduction permission information for reproducing the content when the purchase is requested, the purchase request for the reproduction permission information. And a permission information distribution unit that distributes the content to the second user's content receiving device. Storage means for storing the content transferred from the content receiving device, request receiving means for receiving a request from the second user, request determining means for determining whether or not the request is a content reproduction request, In the case of the reproduction request, a reproduction permission information determining unit that determines whether or not the reproduction permission information is stored in the storage unit, and a request for purchasing the reproduction permission information when the reproduction permission information is not stored. Purchase request information creating means for creating purchase request information, transmitting means for sending the created purchase request information to a content distribution device, receiving means for receiving the reproduction permission information distributed by the permission information distributing means, A reproduction unit that reproduces the content based on the received reproduction permission information may be included.

Further, the present invention is a content distribution device that distributes contents to a content reception device of the user in response to a purchase request from the user, and is composed of the user and a plurality of users to which the user belongs. A first storage means that stores the groups associated with each other, the distributed content, and the first content that purchased the content.
A second storage unit that stores one user and a group to which the user belongs in association with each other; a request receiving unit that receives a purchase request of reproduction permission information for reproducing the content from the second user; By referring to the correspondence relationship between the user and the group stored in the storage means, the group to which the second user who made the purchase request for the reproduction permission information belongs is specified and stored in the second storage means. By referring to the correspondence between the distributed content, the first user, and the group to which the user belongs, the first group belonging to the same group as the specified group
Determination means for determining whether or not the user has purchased the content relating to the purchase request of the reproduction permission information, and, in the case of purchase, for making reproduction permission information for reproducing the content. The program distribution means may distribute the program to the content receiving device of the second user who has requested the purchase of the reproduction permission information.

Further, the present invention is a content receiving device for receiving the content transferred from the content receiving device of the first user who has received the distribution of the content from the content distributing device, and stores the transferred content. Storage means, request receiving means for receiving a request from the second user, request determining means for determining whether the request is a content reproduction request, and if the request is the reproduction request, the content is reproduced as a second content Reproduction permission information determining means for determining whether or not reproduction permission information for reproduction by the user is stored in the storage means, and purchase request information for requesting the purchase of the reproduction permission information when the reproduction permission information is not stored Purchase request information creating means, a sending means for sending the created purchase request information to the content distribution device, and the sent purchase request information Receiving means for receiving the program for creating the reproduction permission information, which is distributed from the content distribution device based on the above, and reproduction permission information creating means for creating the reproduction permission information, based on the received program. And a reproducing means for reproducing the content according to the generated reproduction permission information.

Further, according to the present invention, in response to a purchase request from a user, a content distribution apparatus for distributing the content to the content receiving apparatus, a first content receiving apparatus for receiving the distributed content, and a transfer from the first content receiving apparatus. And a content distribution system configured to include a second content receiving device that receives the content.
The content distribution device includes a first storage unit that stores a user and a group including a plurality of users to which the user belongs in association with each other, a distributed content, a first user who purchased the content, and Second storage means that stores the group to which the first user belongs in association with each other, request reception means that receives a purchase request for reproduction permission information for reproducing the content from the second user, and the first storage means. By referring to the correspondence between the user and the group stored in, the group to which the second user who made the purchase request for the reproduction permission information belongs is specified, and the group stored in the second storage means is distributed. By referring to the correspondence between the content, the first user, and the group to which the first user belongs, it is possible to identify the same as the identified group. Determination means for determining whether or not the first user belonging to one group has purchased the content relating to the purchase request of the reproduction permission information, and reproduction permission for reproducing the content when the content is purchased Program distribution means for distributing a program for creating information to the content receiving device of the second user who has made a purchase request for the reproduction permission information, wherein the first content receiving device receives the second content. The device is the first
Storage means for storing the content transferred from the content receiving device, request receiving means for receiving a request from the second user, request determining means for determining whether or not the request is a content reproduction request, In the case of the reproduction request, a reproduction permission information determining unit that determines whether or not the reproduction permission information is stored in the storage unit, and a request for purchasing the reproduction permission information when the reproduction permission information is not stored. Purchase request information creating means for creating purchase request information, transmitting means for sending the created purchase request information to a content distribution device, receiving means for receiving the program distributed by the program distributing means, and the received Reproduction permission information creating means for creating the reproduction permission information on the basis of a program, and the contents by the reproduction permission information created. Tsu may have a reproducing means for reproducing.

With the above configuration, the user can share the content distributed to other users belonging to the same group under the control of the content distribution service provider, and the content distribution service provider can use the data distribution service. Since it is not necessary to deliver a large capacity content to a plurality of users in the same group each time, it is possible to reduce the communication load involved in content delivery.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a content distribution system 100 for distributing digital content (hereinafter referred to as "content") according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The content distribution system 100 is a system for distributing contents constituting video, audio information, etc. in response to a purchase request from a user, and is a system use registration in a group unit composed of a plurality of users. If the user receives permission to manage the usage of the distributed content for playback by group, and another user requests permission to play the distributed content to another member of the group, the content will be distributed to the other user. It is determined whether or not the member belongs to the same group as the member of the group, and when it is determined that the member belongs to the same group, the reproduction permission information for reproducing the content is distributed to the user. System, specifically, a content distribution device 110 that distributes content and a distribution system. Receiving the content, and a content receiving device 130 to be reproduced.

Here, the "reproduction permission information" refers to the information to be referred to when the content receiving device 130 determines whether to permit the reproduction of the distributed content, specifically, the information. , The user ID that purchased the content,
It is information indicating each correspondence relationship with the ID of the purchased content, the ID of the group to which the user belongs, and the ID of the member of the group permitted to play the content. Figure 2
An example of the reproduction permission information is shown in (1) and (2).

Next, the configuration of the content distribution device 110 will be described. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the content distribution device 110. The content distribution device 110 is a server, and includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a hard disk unit, a CD drive, a removable medium such as a flexible disk and a memory card, a modem, and the like. The user information table storage unit 114, the information determination unit 115, the request processing unit 116, and the content storage unit 117 are included.

A computer program is stored in the ROM or the hard disk unit, and the CPU is
However, the content distribution device 110 achieves its function by operating according to the computer program. The transmission / reception unit 111 receives various request signals such as user registration, content purchase, and reproduction permission information purchase transmitted from the content receiving apparatus 130, and demodulates the received analog request signal into digital request data, It is output to the request determination unit 112. Further, the transmission / reception unit 111 uses the content output from the request processing unit 116, reproduction permission information,
The notification data, which will be described later, and the like are delivered to the content receiving device 130.

The request discriminating unit 112 discriminates the request data output from the transmitting / receiving unit 111 by a data identifier included in the request data, and the request data is data indicating user registration (hereinafter referred to as "registration data"). In some cases, the request data is output to the registration unit 113, and when the request data is data indicating a purchase request for the reproduction permission information (hereinafter referred to as “permission request data”), the data determination unit outputs the data. If the request data is data indicating a content purchase request (hereinafter referred to as “content request data”), the request processing unit 11 outputs the data.
Output to 6.

The registration unit 113 extracts registration information indicating a user name to be registered, a registration date, etc. from the registration data output from the request determination unit 112, and the registration data includes group registration identification information indicating that it is a group registration. Is included, and if it is included, a user ID, a group ID, and a group member ID are given to each user name, and the extracted registration information is output to the user information storage unit 115. ..

When the group registration identification information is not included in the registration information, the group ID and the group member ID are not given. User I granted by registration unit 113
The registered user is notified of the D, the group ID, and the group member ID by sending them to the user's content receiving device, or by mail.

The user information table storage section 114 stores a user information table, a billing information table, a billing amount comparison table, a reproduction permission information generating program, and the like. Here, the "user information table" refers to a table showing a correspondence relationship such as a user ID, a user name, a group ID to which the user belongs, a group member ID for identifying each member of the group, and a registration date. . FIG. 4 shows an example of the user information table.

Here, the "billing information table" means the ID of the content for which the user purchased the content or the reproduction permission information of the content, the title name of the content, the ID of the user who purchased the ID, the group ID to which the user belongs, This is a table showing the correspondence between purchase types and purchase prices. FIG. 5 shows an example of the billing information table.
Here, the “billing amount comparison table” is for reducing the billing amount for the purchase of the content by the users belonging to the group according to the number of purchases of the content or the reproduction permission information of the content by the user of the same group. It is a table to be used, and specifically, a table showing, for each content, the correspondence relationship between the total number of the content purchased by each member of the same group and the reproduction permission information of the content and the charge amount for each person. Say. The total number is calculated as the total number of the same group ID corresponding to each content ID in the billing information table. The billing amount is set to be reduced as the total number increases. FIG. 6 shows an example of the charge amount comparison table.

The information determining unit 115 determines, based on the permission request data output from the request determining unit 112, the content ID of the user requesting the purchase of the reproduction permission information and the corresponding user ID.
The ID is extracted, the user information table and the billing information stored in the user information table storage unit 114 are referred to,
It is determined whether the group ID corresponding to the user ID is registered in the user information table, and another user of the same group member who has the same group ID as the group ID corresponding to the user ID, The content
Determine whether you have purchased the content of ID. The specific contents of the above determination process will be described later with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The request processing unit 116 performs a content extraction process, a reproduction permission information generation process, and an accounting information update process. First, the content extraction process will be described. The request processing unit 116 extracts the content ID requested by the user and the ID of the user from the content request data output from the request determination unit 112, and determines whether the user ID is recorded in the user information table. Is judged,
When the content is recorded, the content corresponding to the content ID is extracted from the content storage unit 117, and the extracted content is output to the transmission / reception unit 111.

If not recorded, create notification data for notifying that "user is not registered",
The created notification data is output to the transmission / reception unit 111. Next, the reproduction permission information generation process will be described. Request processing unit 1
16 is a user information table when it is determined that the user ID is recorded, or when the information determining unit 115 determines that another user of the same group member is purchasing the content. The reproduction permission information generation program is read from the storage unit 114, the reproduction permission information is generated by executing the program, and the generated reproduction permission information is output to the transmission / reception unit 111.

In the case of the former determination, the request processing unit 116
The group ID and group member ID corresponding to the extracted user ID are specified by referring to the user information table, and playback permission is made based on the extracted content ID and user ID, and the specified group ID and group member ID. Generate information. 2A shows an example of the reproduction permission information generated in the case of the former determination.

In the latter case, the request form processing unit 116 refers to the user information table to determine the information determining unit 11
Group ID corresponding to the user ID extracted by 5
And the group member ID are specified, and the reproduction permission information is generated based on the content ID and the user ID extracted by the information determination unit 115 and the specified group ID and group member ID. (2) of FIG. 2 shows an example of the reproduction permission information generated in the case of the latter determination.

Next, the charging information update process will be described. The request processing unit 116, when the former determination is made or the latter determination is made, the user information table storage unit 1
The billing information stored in 14 is read, and the record of the billing information is updated. Specifically, in the case of the former determination,
The content information table is read from the content storage unit 117, the title name and charge amount of the content corresponding to the extracted content ID are specified, and the content ID, the title name and charge amount of the specified content, the user ID, The group ID of the user and purchase type information indicating purchase of content are added to the billing information.

Here, the "contents information table" means a table showing the correspondence between the content ID, the title of the content, and the charge amount. If the latter determination is made, the user ID and group ID of the user who requested the purchase of the playback permission information of the content ID is added to the user ID column and the group ID column of the content ID of the billing information, respectively. , Information indicating the purchase of the reproduction permission information is added to the purchase type column corresponding to the added user ID and group ID. In addition, the number of group IDs that are the same as the added group ID recorded in the group ID column corresponding to the content ID is counted, and the charge amount corresponding to the total number of the counted group IDs is specified from the charge amount comparison table. Then, each charge amount corresponding to the group ID is updated or newly recorded as the specified charge amount.

The content storage unit 117 stores the content ID.
The content and the content information table associated with are stored. Next, the configuration of the content receiving device 130 will be described. FIG. 7 shows the content receiving device 130.
It is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of. The content receiving device 130 is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone or a PC (Personal Computer), and includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a hard disk unit, and a CD.
It consists of drives, removable media such as flexible disks and memory cards, monitors, modems, etc.
An input unit 131, a request determination unit 132, a transfer instruction unit 133,
Purchase instruction section 134, registration section 135, reproduction instruction section 136,
Storage unit 137, determination unit 138, reproduction permission information purchase request unit 139, transmission / reception unit 140, reproduction unit 141, monitor unit 14
It consists of two.

A computer program is stored in the ROM or the hard disk unit, and the CPU is
However, the device achieves its function by operating according to the computer program. Input unit 13
1 is user registration from users, purchase of contents,
Input of various requests such as reproduction and transfer is accepted, a data identifier for identifying each request is added to the received request, and the request is output to the request determination unit 132 as request data. In the case of the user registration request, the user inputs the registration information indicating the name, the registration date, etc. and the group registration identification information from the input unit 131.

In the case of a content purchase request, the user has to request the content ID and the content distribution device 1
From the input unit 131, the user ID notified via transmission from 10 or via email is input. In the case of a content reproduction request, the user inputs the content ID to be reproduced and the user ID from the input unit 131.

In the case of a content transfer request, the user inputs the content ID of the transfer request and the transfer destination address from the input unit 131. The request discriminating unit 132 discriminates the request data by the data identifier included in the request data output from the input unit 131, and when the request data is registration data, outputs the request data to the registration unit 132, and If the request data is content reproduction request data (hereinafter referred to as “reproduction request data”),
The request data is output to the reproduction instruction unit 136, and when the request data is content request data, the data is output to the purchase instruction unit 134, and the request data is the content transfer request data (hereinafter, “transfer request”). Data ”), the requested data is transferred to the transfer instruction unit 1
To 33.

The transfer instructing unit 133 extracts the content ID of the transfer request from the transfer request data output from the request determining unit 132, reads the content and the reproduction permission information corresponding to the extracted content ID from the storage unit 137, and reads the content. The contents, the reproduction permission information, and the transfer destination address are output to the transmitting / receiving unit 140. The purchase instruction unit 134
When the content request data is output from the request determination unit 132, the content request data is output to the transmission / reception unit 140.

When the registration data is output from the request determination unit 132, the registration unit 135 sends the registration data to the transmission / reception unit 1.
Output to 40. The reproduction instructing unit 136 includes the request determining unit 13
The user ID and the content ID are extracted from the reproduction request data output from No. 2, and the determination unit 138 is notified of the user ID and the content ID.

The storage unit 137 stores the content output from the transmitting / receiving unit 140 in association with the content ID. The storage unit 137 also stores the reproduction permission information output from the transmission / reception unit 140. The determination unit 138 determines the user ID and the content notified by the reproduction instruction unit 137.
It is determined whether or not the reproduction permission information corresponding to the ID is stored in the storage unit 137, and if it is stored, the reproduction unit 1
The content ID is notified to 41, and playback of the corresponding content is instructed. On the other hand, if not stored, the reproduction permission information purchase request unit 139 outputs the notified user ID and content ID to instruct the generation of the purchase request data of the reproduction permission information.

The reproduction permission information purchase request unit 139 creates request data of reproduction permission information based on the user ID and the content ID output from the determination unit 138, and the transmission / reception unit 14
Output to 0. The transmission / reception unit 140 performs the following transmission processing. The content output from the transfer instruction unit 133 is transmitted to the transfer destination address.

The content request data output from the purchase instruction unit 134, the registration data output from the registration unit 135, and the purchase request data of the reproduction permission information output from the reproduction permission information purchase request unit 139 are converted into analog data corresponding to the corresponding analog data. The request signal is converted and transmitted to the content distribution device 110. Further, the transmission / reception unit 140 uses the content distribution device 1
The contents distributed from 10 and the reproduction permission information are received and stored in the storage unit 137. Further, the content transferred from another content receiving device and the reproduction permission information are stored in the storage unit 137. The reproducing unit 141 is the discriminating unit 1
In response to the reproduction instruction from the storage unit 38, the storage unit 137 stores the content corresponding to the content ID notified from the determination unit 138.
Read from the content, reproduce the content, and monitor section 14
Display on 2.

Next, a process performed by the content receiving device 130 for transmitting a purchase request for the reproduction permission information to the content distribution device 110 will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a process performed by the content receiving device 130 to send a purchase request for reproduction permission information to the content distribution device 110. The processing performed by the content receiving device 130 will be described below with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

Upon receiving a request from the user (step S1001), the input unit 131 adds a data identifier to the received request and stores the request data as request data.
2, and the request determination unit 132 determines whether the request data output from the input unit 131 is reproduction request data (step S1002). If the data is reproduction request data (step S1002: Y), the data is reproduced instructing unit 136.
The reproduction instructing unit 136 outputs the user ID and the content from the reproduction request data output from the request determining unit 132.
An ID is extracted, and the user ID and the content ID are discriminated from each other.
38 (step S1003), and the determination unit 138 determines that the user ID and the content notified from the reproduction instruction unit 137.
It is determined whether or not the reproduction permission information corresponding to the ID is stored in the storage unit 137 (step S1004).

If stored (step S1004:
Y), notifies the reproduction unit 141 of the content ID, and instructs the reproduction unit 141 to reproduce the corresponding content (step S1005).
If not stored (step S1004: N), the user ID and the content ID notified to the reproduction permission information purchase request unit 139 are output, and an instruction to create purchase request data of the reproduction permission information is issued (step S1006). The permission information purchase request unit 139 creates purchase request data of reproduction permission information based on the user ID and the content ID output from the determination unit 138 (step S1007), and outputs the purchase request data to the transmission / reception unit 140.
The transmission / reception unit 140 transmits the output purchase request data of the reproduction permission information to the content distribution device 110 (step S1008).

Next, the processing performed by the content distribution device 110 when the purchase request signal of the reproduction permission information is received will be described. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing processing performed when the content distribution device 110 receives a purchase request signal of reproduction permission information. When the transmission / reception unit 111 receives the request signal (step S1101), the transmission / reception unit 111 demodulates the received request signal into request data and outputs the request data to the request determination unit 112. In the request determination unit 112, the output request data is permission request data. It is determined whether or not there is (step S1102). If the request data is permission request data (step S1102: Y), the request data is output to the information determination unit 115 (step S1103),
The information determination unit 115 extracts the content ID requested by the user to purchase and the user ID from the permission request data output from the request determination unit 112, and stores the user information stored in the user information table storage unit 114. The table and the billing information table are read, and the group ID corresponding to the user ID (hereinafter, "authorization request user group ID")
Say. ) Is stored in the user information table, it is determined whether the user is registered (step S1104).

If registered (step S1104:
Y), the information determination unit 115 indicates in the read billing information table that the permission requesting user group ID and the purchase type indicating that the content is purchased are the relevant content ID.
It is determined whether or not another user in the same group as the group indicated by the permission requesting user group ID has purchased the content of the content ID (step S1105).

If purchased (step S1105: Y),
The request processing unit 116 reads the charging information table (step S1106), and displays the content in the user ID column corresponding to the content ID of the read charging information table.
User who added the user ID of the user who requested the playback permission information of the ID and the permission requesting user group ID, and added the user
Information indicating the purchase of the playback permission information is added to the purchase type column corresponding to the ID and the permission requesting user group ID, and the added permission requesting user group ID recorded in the group ID column corresponding to the content ID is added. Count the number of identical group IDs, read the billing amount corresponding to the number of group IDs counted from the billing amount comparison table, and update or newly record each billing amount corresponding to the group ID to the read billing amount. Thus, the billing information table is updated (step S1107).

The request processing unit 116 reads the reproduction permission information generation program from the user information table storage unit 114 and executes the program to generate reproduction permission information (step S1108). It is output to the transmitting / receiving unit 111. If the user is not registered in step S1104 (step S1104:
N), the request processing unit 116 creates notification data indicating that “playback permission information cannot be purchased because the group is not registered”, and outputs the notification data to the transmission / reception unit 111 (step S111).
0), the transmission / reception unit 111 converts the message data into a message signal and transmits the message signal.

In step S1105, the content I
If the contents of D have not been purchased (step S110)
5: N), the request processing unit 116 creates notification data indicating that “there are no members who purchased the requested content in the same group”, and outputs the notification data to the transmitting / receiving unit 111 (step S1109). Converts the message data into a message signal and transmits the message signal.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a content distribution system 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The content distribution system 200 is a system that distributes content that constitutes video and audio information in response to a purchase request from a user, and accepts system use registration in group units made up of a plurality of users. Manage the usage of the distributed content by playing it in groups, and give permission to play the distributed content to one of the members of the group.
When another user makes a request, it is determined whether or not the user belongs to the same group as a member of the group that requested distribution, and if it is determined that the user belongs to the same group, the content is played. Is a system for distributing a program for generating reproduction permission information to the user, and specifically, a content distribution device 210 for distributing the content and a content reception for receiving and reproducing the distributed content. It is composed of the device 230.

The same components as those of the content distribution system 100 according to the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the differences will be mainly described below. Differences between the components of the content distribution apparatus 210 will be described. The request processing unit 216 performs content extraction processing, reproduction permission information generation program generation processing, and charging information update processing. The contents of the content extraction process and the charging information update process are the same as those of the content distribution device 110 according to the first embodiment.
Since it is the same as the processing content of the request processing unit 116,
The description is omitted. The generation process of the reproduction permission information generation program will be described below.

The request processing unit 216 determines, from the content request data output from the request determination unit 112, the data indicating the content ID requested by the user and the content request data of the user.
Each piece of data showing the ID, the group ID, and the group member ID is extracted, and it is determined whether or not the user ID is recorded in the user information table. When it is determined that the content is purchased, a reproduction permission information generation program is created, the created program and the extracted content ID, group ID, and group member ID are used as generation program data, and the generation program data is stored. A data identifier for identification is added and output to the transmission / reception unit 111.

If it is not recorded, create notification data for notifying that "user is not registered",
The created notification data is output to the transmission / reception unit 111. The transmission / reception unit 111 transmits the generation program data or the notification data output from the request processing unit 216 to the content reception device 2
Deliver to 30. Next, differences between the components of the content receiving device 230 will be described. FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram showing components of the content receiving device 230. When the received data discriminating unit 250 discriminates that the output data is the generation program data by the data identifier included in the data output from the transmitting / receiving unit 140, it outputs the data to the reproduction permission information rewriting unit 251.

When the reception program discriminating section 250 outputs the generation program data, the reproduction permission information rewriting section 251 extracts the reproduction permission information generation program, the content ID, the group ID, and the group member ID from the output generation program data. And extracts the reproduction permission information having the extracted content ID and group ID from the storage unit 137,
The extracted reproduction permission information generation program is activated, the extracted group member ID is written in the group member ID column of the read reproduction permission information, and the reproduction permission information is stored in the storage unit 137.

The process performed by the content receiving device 230 to transmit the purchase request for the reproduction permission information to the content distribution device 210 is the same as the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. Omit it. Also, regarding the processing performed by the content distribution apparatus 210 when the purchase request signal of the reproduction permission information is received, the steps of the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG.
Except that the generation processing of the reproduction permission information in S1108 is changed to the generation processing of the reproduction permission information generation program,
Since the processing is the same as the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9, description thereof will be omitted.

Next, the reproduction permission information rewriting process performed by the content receiving device 230 after receiving the generation program data will be described. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the reproduction permission information rewriting process performed by the content receiving device 230 after receiving the generated program data. Transmitter / receiver 140
Receives the data (step S1201: Y), outputs the received data to the reception data discriminating unit 250, and the reception data discriminating unit 250 uses the data identifier included in the output data to generate the generated program data. It is determined whether or not (step S1202).

If it is the generation program data (step S1202: Y), the reproduction permission information generation program, the content ID, the group ID, and the group member ID are extracted from the data.
And the reproduction permission information having the extracted content ID and group ID by executing the extracted reproduction permission information generation program (step S1203).
7 (step S1204), the extracted group member ID is written in the group member ID column of the read reproduction permission information (step S1205), and the reproduction permission information is stored in the storage unit 137 (step S1206).

(Third Embodiment) FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a content distribution system 300 in the embodiment of the present invention. The content distribution system 300 is a system that distributes content that constitutes video and audio information in response to a purchase request from a user, and accepts system use registration in group units composed of a plurality of users. The usage of the distributed content is managed on a group-by-group basis, and playback permission information for granting playback permission to the distributed content to all members of the group is generated. It is a system characterized by determining whether or not it is a reproduction instruction from a member of the group, and reproducing the content in the case of a reproduction instruction from the member of the group. It is composed of a distribution device 310 and a content reception device 330 that receives and reproduces the distributed content. That.

The first embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 7
The same components as those of the content distribution system 100 in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the differences will be mainly described below. Differences in the components of the content distribution apparatus 310 will be described. FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the content distribution device 310. The content distribution apparatus 310 has the same configuration as the content distribution apparatus 110 according to the first embodiment, except that the information determination unit 115 is not included.

In addition to the function of the request discriminating unit 112, the request discriminating unit 312 includes an identifier included in the request data output from the transmitting / receiving unit 111 for purchasing content in group units (hereinafter referred to as "group purchase request"). .) (Hereinafter, referred to as “group purchase request data”), the data is output to the request processing unit 316.

The user information table storage unit 314 stores a user information table, a billing information table, a group billing amount comparison table, a reproduction permission information generation program, and the like. Here, the "group charge amount comparison table" is a group member who makes a group purchase of contents.
It is a table used to reduce the purchase price of the content or playback permission information of the content by the group member according to the number of IDs, and specifically, the total number of group member IDs to be purchased by the group and the charge amount. A table that indicates the correspondence relationship for each content. The billing amount is set to be reduced as the total number increases. FIG. 15 shows an example of a group charge amount comparison table.

The request processing unit 316 performs a content extraction process, a reproduction permission information generation process, and an accounting information update process.
Since the content of the content extraction processing is the same as the content of the processing performed by the request processing unit 116 of the content distribution apparatus 110 according to the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted. Hereinafter, the generation processing of the reproduction permission information generation program and the charging information update processing will be described.

First, the reproduction permission information generation process will be described. The request processing unit 316 extracts the content ID of the content requested by the user, the user ID, the group ID, and the group member ID from the group purchase request data output from the request determination unit 112, and the extracted user ID is used. If it is determined that the content is recorded in the user information table, the reproduction permission information generation program is read from the user information table storage unit 114, and the program is executed, so that all group members can access the content.
Group reproduction permission information for permitting reproduction of the ID is generated based on each of the extracted IDs, and the generated reproduction permission information is output to the transmission / reception unit 111. FIG. 2 (3) shows an example of the group reproduction permission information.

Next, the charging information update process will be described. The request processing unit 316 uses the user information table storage unit 1
The billing information stored in 14 is read, and the record of the billing information is updated. Specifically, the group charge amount comparison table is read from the user information table storage unit 114, the charge amount corresponding to the total number of the extracted group member IDs is specified, and the content information table is read from the content storage unit 117. The title name of the content corresponding to the extracted content ID is specified, and the title name and billing amount of the content specified as the content ID, the extracted user ID, the group ID of the user, and the purchase of the content are confirmed. The purchase type information shown is added to the billing information.

Next, differences between the components of the content receiving apparatus 330 will be described. FIG. 16 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the content reception device 330. The input unit 331 receives input of various requests such as user registration, content purchase or group purchase, reproduction, and transfer from a user, adds an identifier for identifying each request to the received request, and, as request data, It is output to the request determination unit 332.

In the case of a group purchase request, the user inputs the content ID, the user ID, the group ID, and the group member ID for which the purchase is requested from the input unit 331. The request determination unit 332 determines the request data output from the input unit 331 by the identifier included in the request data, and when the request data is the group purchase request data, outputs the data to the purchase instruction unit 334. If the request data is other request data, the same process as in the case of the request discriminating unit 132 is performed.

When the request determination unit 332 outputs the content request data or the group purchase request data, the purchase instruction unit 334 outputs the request data to the transmission / reception unit 140. Next, a process performed by the content reception device 330 when the group purchase request data is input from the input unit 331 will be described. FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing the above processing. The above processing will be described below with reference to FIG.

When the input unit 331 receives a request from the user (step S2001: Y), the input unit 331 outputs the request as request data to the request determination unit 332, and the request determination unit 332 outputs the output request. Based on the identifier included in the data, it is determined whether the request data is group purchase request data (step S2002). When it is determined that it is the group purchase request data (step S2002:
Y), the request data is output to the purchase instructing unit 334 (step S2003), the purchase instructing unit 334 outputs the output group purchase request data to the transmitting / receiving unit 140 (step S2004), and the transmitting / receiving unit 140 outputs the output. The generated group purchase request data is transmitted to the content distribution device 310 (step S2005).

Next, the processing performed by the content distribution device 310 when receiving the group purchase request data will be described. FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing the above processing. The above processing will be described below with reference to FIG. When the transmission / reception unit 111 receives the request signal (step S2101), the transmission / reception unit 111 demodulates the received request signal into request data and outputs the request data to the request determination unit 312.
When it is determined that the request data is the group purchase request data by the identifier included in the output request data (step S2102), the group purchase request data is output to the request processing unit 316, and the request processing unit 316 outputs the output. The user who has extracted the content ID of the content requested by the user, the user ID, the group ID, and the group member ID from the group purchase request data
It is determined that the ID is recorded in the user information table (step S2103).

When the user ID is recorded (step S2103: Y), the request processing unit 316 reads the reproduction permission information generation program from the user information table storage unit 114 (step S2104), and executes the program. By this, group reproduction permission information for permitting all group members to reproduce the content ID is generated based on each of the extracted IDs (step S2105), and the generated reproduction permission information is output to the transmission / reception unit 111 (step S2105). S2
106) Further, the billing information stored in the user information table storage unit 114 is read (step S2107), and the record of the billing information is updated (step S2108).

When the user ID is not recorded (step S2103: N), notification data for notifying that is created and the data is output to the transmitting / receiving unit 111 (step S2109). Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

For example, in the first embodiment, the charge amounts are the same group in the charge amount reference table shown in FIG.
It was decided to be reduced by a fixed amount according to the total number of IDs,
The rule of reduction is not limited to a fixed amount, and other rules may be followed. For example, the reduction rate is changed according to the total number (3% charge amount is reduced when the total number is 3 and 5 is set when the total number is 3 to 5).
% Charge amount may be reduced, and if the total number exceeds 5, 10% charge amount may be reduced).

Further, in the first embodiment, the transmitting / receiving section 11
1 is that when the content output from the request processing unit 116 is distributed to the content receiving device 130, the content is purchased by a group member belonging to the same group as the user who purchased the content by the group member of the same group. A message to that effect may be delivered. For example, when the request processing unit 117 extracts content from the content storage unit 117 and outputs the content to the transmission / reception unit 111, a message as shown in FIG. 19 is read from the storage unit in which the message is stored and distributed. May be In this case, the message may be stored in the user information table storage unit 114 in advance, or may be stored in the content storage unit 117.

[0072]

The present invention has the following configuration (1). (1) A content distribution device that distributes content to a content reception device of the user in response to a purchase request from the user, and associates the user with a group made up of a plurality of users to which the user belongs. The first storage means that stores the content, the distributed content, the first user who purchased the content, and the first content
A second storage unit that stores the group to which the user belongs in association with each other, a request reception unit that receives a purchase request of the reproduction permission information for reproducing the content from the second user, and a storage unit in the first storage unit. By referring to the corresponding relationship between the user and the group, the group to which the second user who made the purchase request for the reproduction permission information belongs is specified, and the distributed content stored in the second storage unit is identified. By referring to the correspondence relationship between the first user and the group to which the first user belongs, the first user belonging to the same group as the specified group is
Determining means for determining whether or not the content related to the purchase request of the reproduction permission information is purchased, and reproduction permission information for reproducing the content when the purchase is made. And a permission information distribution unit that distributes the content to the content receiving device of the second user who made the request.

Further, the present invention may have the configuration (2) shown below. (2) A content receiving device that receives the content transferred from the content receiving device of the first user who has received the distribution of the content from the content distribution device, the storage device storing the transferred content; Request receiving means for receiving a request from a user, request determining means for determining whether the request is a content reproduction request, and if the reproduction request is for the second user to reproduce the content. Reproduction permission information determining means for determining whether or not the reproduction permission information is stored in the storage means, and purchase request information for creating purchase request information for requesting the purchase of the reproduction permission information when not stored Based on the creating means, the sending means for sending the created purchase request information to the content distribution device, and the content based on the sent purchase request information. Delivered from the delivery apparatus includes a receiving unit that receives the reproduction permission information, on the basis of the received reproduction permission information, and reproducing means for reproducing the content.

Further, the present invention may have the configuration of (3) shown below. (3) A content delivery device that delivers the content to the content receiving device in response to a purchase request from the user, a first content receiving device that receives the delivered content, and the content transferred from the first content receiving device. And a second storage device that receives a message, wherein the content distribution device distributes the user and a first storage unit that stores the user in association with the group to which the user belongs. A second storage unit that stores the content, the first user who purchased the content and the group to which the first user belongs in association with each other, and a purchase request of the reproduction permission information for reproducing the content to the second user. Request reception means for receiving from the user and the groups stored in the first storage means By referring to the correspondence, the group to which the second user who made the purchase request for the reproduction permission information belongs is specified, and the distributed content, the first user, and the first user stored in the second storage unit are identified.
By referring to the correspondence with the group to which the user belongs, the first group belonging to the same group as the specified group
The determination means for determining whether or not the user has purchased the content related to the purchase request of the reproduction permission information, and the reproduction permission information for reproducing the content when the purchase is made, the reproduction permission information Second request to purchase information
A second content receiving device for storing the content transferred from the first content receiving device, and a request from the second user. Request receiving means for receiving the content, request determining means for determining whether the request is a content reproduction request, and if the reproduction request, the reproduction permission information is stored in the storage means. Reproduction permission information determining means for determining whether the purchase permission information is not stored, purchase request information generating means for generating purchase request information for requesting purchase of the reproduction permission information, and the generated purchase request information to the content distribution device. Based on the transmission means for transmitting, the reception means for receiving the reproduction permission information distributed by the permission information distribution means, and the reception means for receiving the reproduction permission information based on the received reproduction permission information. And a reproducing means for reproducing the content.

Further, the present invention may have the constitution (4) shown below. (4) A content distribution device that distributes content to a content reception device of the user in response to a purchase request from the user, and associates the user with a group made up of a plurality of users to which the user belongs. A first storage unit that stores the content, a second content that stores the distributed content, the first user who purchased the content, and the group to which the user belongs in association with each other.
By referring to the storage means, the request reception means for receiving the purchase request of the reproduction permission information for reproducing the content from the second user, and the correspondence relationship between the user and the group stored in the first storage means. Specifying the group to which the second user who has requested the purchase of the reproduction permission information belongs, and referring to the correspondence relationship between the distributed content, the first user and the group to which the user belongs, stored in the second storage means. By doing so, the first user who belongs to the same group as the specified group determines whether or not the first user who belongs to the same group has purchased the content related to the purchase request of the reproduction permission information, and the content when the content is purchased. The program for creating the reproduction permission information for reproducing the reproduction permission of the second user who has requested the purchase of the reproduction permission information. And a program distributing unit for distributing the content receiving apparatus.

Further, the present invention may have the configuration of (5) shown below. (5) A content receiving device that receives the content transferred from the content receiving device of the first user who has received the distribution of the content from the content distribution device, the storage device storing the transferred content; A request receiving means for receiving a request from a user, a request determining means for determining whether the request is a content reproduction request, and a second user for reproducing the content when the request is the reproduction request. Reproduction permission information determining means for determining whether or not the reproduction permission information is stored in the storage means, and purchase request information for creating purchase request information for requesting the purchase of the reproduction permission information when the reproduction permission information is not stored Based on the creating means, the sending means for sending the created purchase request information to the content distribution device, and the content based on the sent purchase request information. A receiving unit that receives a program for creating the reproduction permission information distributed from a distribution device; a reproduction permission information creating unit that creates the reproduction permission information based on the received program; A reproduction unit that reproduces the content according to the reproduction permission information.

Further, the present invention may have the configuration (6) shown below. (6) In response to a purchase request from a user, a content distribution device that distributes the content to the content reception device, a first content reception device that receives the distributed content, and the content that is transferred from the first content reception device A first content storage system configured to include a user and a group made up of a plurality of users to which the user belongs in association with each other. Means, second storage means for storing the distributed content, the first user who purchased the content and the group to which the first user belongs in association with each other,
Request accepting means for accepting from the second user a purchase request for the reproduction permission information for reproducing the content;
By referring to the correspondence relationship between the user and the group stored in the storage means, the group to which the second user who made the purchase request for the reproduction permission information belongs is specified and stored in the second storage means. By referring to the correspondence between the distributed content, the first user, and the group to which the first user belongs, the first user belonging to the same group as the specified group purchases the content related to the purchase request for the reproduction permission information. A second user who has made a request for purchasing the reproduction permission information, and a determination means for determining whether or not the reproduction permission information is purchased, and a program for creating reproduction permission information for reproducing the content when the purchase is made. And a program distributing means for distributing the content to the content receiving device, wherein the first content receiving device receives the second content. The device determines storage means for storing the content transferred from the first content receiving device, request receiving means for receiving a request from the second user, and whether or not the request is a content reproduction request. Request determination means, reproduction permission information determination means for determining whether the reproduction permission information is stored in the storage means in the case of the reproduction request, and purchase of reproduction permission information when the reproduction permission information is not stored. Purchase request information creating means for creating purchase request information for requesting a request, sending means for sending the created purchase request information to a content distribution device, and receiving means for receiving the program distributed by the program distributing means. , A reproduction permission information creating unit that creates the reproduction permission information based on the received program, and the reproduction permission information created. And a reproducing means for reproducing the content.

With the above configuration, the user can share the content distributed to other users belonging to the same group under the control of the content distribution service provider, and the content distribution service provider can Since it is not necessary to deliver a large capacity content to a plurality of users in the same group each time, it is possible to reduce the communication load involved in content delivery.

Here, in the above configuration (1), the following configuration (7) may be adopted. (7) The content distribution device further provides charging information indicating a correspondence relationship between a user who purchased content or content reproduction permission information, the purchased content, a group to which the user belongs, and a charge amount for the purchase. A third storage unit that stores the information and a charging information updating unit that updates the charging information every time the content or the reproduction permission information of the content is purchased.

In addition, in the above configuration (3), the configuration (8) shown below may be adopted. (8) The content distribution device further provides charging information indicating a correspondence relationship between a user who has purchased the content or content reproduction permission information, the purchased content, a group to which the user belongs, and a charge amount for the purchase. A third storage unit that stores the information and a billing information updating unit that updates the billing information each time the content or the reproduction permission information of the content is purchased.

In addition, in the above configuration (4), the configuration (9) shown below may be adopted. (9) The content distribution device further provides charging information indicating a correspondence relationship between a user who has purchased content or content reproduction permission information, the purchased content, a group to which the user belongs, and a charge amount for the purchase. A third storage unit that stores the information and a charging information updating unit that updates the charging information every time the content or the reproduction permission information of the content is purchased.

With this configuration, the content distribution service provider updates the billing information of the user every time the content is used by the user even if the distributed content is shared by the users in the same group. Therefore, the content usage fee can be reliably collected. Here, in the above configuration (7), the configuration (10) shown below may be adopted.

(10) The charging information updating means further reduces the charging amount for the purchase according to the number of users who have purchased the content or the reproduction permission information of the content and belong to the same group. A billing table storage unit that stores a billing table that associates the number of users with the billing amount for the purchase, and a group to which the user who made the purchase and the user belong every time the content or the reproduction permission information of the content is purchased. Registration means for registering each of the identifiers in the billing information so as to be associated with the purchased content, and the purchaser who is associated with the purchased content in the billing information. By counting the number of group identifiers that are the same as the identifiers of the groups to which they belong, The user number specifying means for specifying the number of users who belong to the same group and the charging amount corresponding to the number of users specified by the user number specifying means are specified based on the charging table, and in the charging information, , And a charge amount updating means for updating the charge amount for each user's use of the content associated with the group identifier to which the user belongs to the specified charge amount.

Further, in the above configuration (8), the following configuration (11) may be adopted. (11) According to the number of users who belong to the same group who have purchased the content or the reproduction permission information of the content, the billing information updating unit further reduces the number of users for the purchase so that the billing amount for the purchase is reduced. And a billing table storage unit that stores a billing table that associates a billing amount for the purchase with each identifier of the user who made the purchase and the group to which the user belongs every time the content or the reproduction permission information of the content is purchased. And a registration unit that registers in the billing information so as to be associated with the purchased content, and a group to which the user who made the purchase belongs, which is associated with the purchased content in the billing information. By counting the number of group identifiers that are the same as the identifier, A user number specifying means for specifying the number of users belonging to one group, and a charge amount corresponding to the number of users specified by the user number specifying means are specified based on the charging table, and in the charging information, the user is And a charge amount updating means for updating the charge amount for each content use of each user associated with the belonging group identifier to the specified charge amount.

Further, in the above configuration (9), the configuration (12) shown below may be adopted. (12) According to the number of users belonging to the same group who have purchased the content or the reproduction permission information of the content, the billing information updating means further reduces the number of the users so that the billing amount for the purchase is reduced. And a billing table storage unit that stores a billing table that associates the billing amount for the purchase with each identifier of the user who made the purchase and the group to which the user belongs every time the content or the reproduction permission information of the content is purchased. And a registration means for registering in the billing information so as to be associated with the purchased content, and a group to which the user who made the purchase belongs, which is associated with the purchased content in the billing information. By counting the number of group identifiers that are the same as the identifier, A user number specifying means for specifying the number of users belonging to one group, and a charge amount corresponding to the number of users specified by the user number specifying means are specified based on the charging table, and in the charging information, the user is And a charge amount updating means for updating the charge amount for each content use of each user associated with the belonging group identifier to the specified charge amount. With this configuration, the user can receive a discount on the content usage fee by sharing the content purchased by the user with other users in the same group, and the content distribution service provider can purchase the content. By actively promoting sharing of purchased content by users who made
It is possible to promote sales of contents.

Here, in the above configuration (10),
The configuration (13) shown below may be adopted. (13) The content distribution device further includes a user stored in the first storage unit and a user to which the user belongs every time the content is distributed to the content reception device in response to a purchase request from the first user. By referring to the correspondence relationship with a group composed of a plurality of users, it is possible to identify the identification means for identifying the users in the same group as the group to which the first user belongs and the fact that the content has been purchased by the first user. And a notification means for notifying the user.

Further, in the above configuration (11), the configuration (14) shown below may be adopted. (14) The content distribution device, in response to a purchase request from the first user, every time the content is distributed to the content reception device, the user stored in the first storage unit and the user to which the user belongs. By referring to the correspondence relationship with a group composed of a plurality of users, it is possible to identify the identification means for identifying the users in the same group as the group to which the first user belongs and the fact that the content has been purchased by the first user. And a notification means for notifying the user.

Further, in the above configuration (12), the configuration (15) shown below may be adopted. (15) Each time the content distribution device further distributes content to the content reception device in response to a purchase request from the first user, the user stored in the first storage means and the user belong to the content storage device. By referring to the correspondence relationship with a group composed of a plurality of users, it is possible to identify the identification means for identifying the users in the same group as the group to which the first user belongs and the fact that the content has been purchased by the first user. And a notification means for notifying the user. With this configuration, the user can know that the user who is in the same group as the user purchased the content, so that the user can easily identify the content to be discounted by sharing the content, and The distribution service provider can promote the purchase of the content by sharing the content among the users of the same group by notifying the users of the same group that the content has been purchased to the users of the same group.

Here, the present invention may have the configuration (16) shown below. (16) A content distribution device that distributes content to a content reception device, the group purchase acceptance means for accepting a content purchase request from a user in units of a group composed of a plurality of users, and in response to the purchase request. Distribution means for distributing, to the user who has made the purchase request, reproduction permission information for allowing the user who belongs to the group to reproduce the content and the content reception device of the user who has made the purchase request, There is provided a charging means for charging the purchase amount so that the purchase amount of the content is reduced according to the number of users constituting the group unit from the purchase amount in the case of single purchase.

Further, the present invention may have the constitution (17) shown below. (17) A content receiving device for receiving the content transferred from the content receiving device of the first user who has received the content distribution from the content distribution device,
Storage means for storing the transferred content, and second
Request receiving means for receiving a request from a user, request determining means for determining whether the request is a content reproduction request, and if the reproduction request is for the second user to reproduce the content. A reproduction permission information determination unit that determines whether or not the reproduction permission information is stored in the storage unit, and a reproduction unit that, if stored, reproduces the content based on the reproduction permission information.

Further, the present invention may have the constitution (18) shown below. (18) In response to a purchase request from a user, a content distribution device that distributes the content to the content receiving device, a first content receiving device that receives the distributed content, and a content that is transferred from the first content receiving device And a group purchase accepting means for accepting a user's request to purchase content in units of a group composed of a plurality of users. In response to the purchase request, the first user who has made the purchase request is provided with reproduction permission information for permitting the user who belongs to the group to reproduce the content and the content reception device of the user who has made the purchase request. Distributing means for distributing and configuring the group unit The first content receiving device is configured to charge the purchase price so that the purchase price of the content is reduced from the purchase price in the case of single purchase according to the number of users. The second content receiving device has a transfer unit that transfers the content received from the distribution device to another content receiving device, and the second content receiving device receives a request from the second user and a storage unit that stores the transferred content. Request receiving means,
Request determining means for determining whether or not the request is a content reproduction request, and, in the case of the reproduction request, reproduction permission information for a second user to reproduce the content is stored in the storage means. It has a reproduction permission information determining means for determining whether or not it exists, and a reproduction means for reproducing the content based on the reproduction permission information when stored.

With this configuration, the user purchases the content and the reproduction permission information for permitting the reproduction of the content at the discounted price as compared with the individual purchase, in units of a group composed of a plurality of users, and the content distribution service. You can legally share purchased content under the control of the provider, and the content distribution service provider distributes content with large data volume and playback permission information to multiple users in the same group each time. Since there is no need to do so, the communication cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a distribution system 100.

FIG. 2 shows an example of reproduction permission information.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a content distribution device 110.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a user information table.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a billing information table.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a charge amount comparison table.

7 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of a content receiving device 130. FIG.

8 is a flowchart showing a process performed by the content receiving device 130 for transmitting a purchase request for reproduction permission information to the content distribution device 110. FIG.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing processing performed when the content distribution device 110 receives a purchase request signal of reproduction permission information.

FIG. 10 shows a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a content distribution system 200.

11 is a functional block diagram showing components of the content reception device 230. FIG.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a reproduction permission information rewriting process performed by the content receiving device 230 after receiving the generated program data.

FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the content distribution system 300.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a content distribution device 310.

FIG. 15 shows an example of a group charge amount comparison table.

16 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of a content reception device 330. FIG.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing processing performed by the content reception device 330 when group purchase request data is input from the input unit 331.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing processing performed by the content distribution device 310 when receiving group purchase request data.

FIG. 19 shows an example of a message delivered to a member of the same group as a user who purchased the content at the time of delivering the content, indicating that the content was purchased by a group member of the same group.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 content distribution system 110 Content distribution device 111 Transmitter / receiver 112 Request discrimination unit 113 Registration Department 114 user information table storage unit 115 Information determination unit 116 request processing unit 117 content storage unit 130 Content receiver 131 Input section 132 Request discriminating unit 133 Transfer instruction part 134 Purchase Instruction Department 135 Registration Department 136 Playback instruction section 137 storage 138 Discrimination unit 139 Reproduction permission information purchase request section 140 transmitter / receiver 141 Playback section 142 monitor 200 Content Distribution System 210 Content Distribution Device 230 Content receiver 250 Received data discrimination unit 251 Playback information rewriting section 300 Content distribution system 310 Content distribution device 312 Request determination unit 314 User information table storage unit 316 Request processing unit 330 Content receiver 331 Input section 332 Request discriminating unit 334 Purchase instruction section

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G06F 12/14 320 G06F 12/14 320E 13/00 520 13/00 520C 15/00 310 15/00 310A

Claims (18)

[Claims] 1. A content distribution device that distributes content to a content receiving device of the user in response to a purchase request from the user, the user including a user and a group including a plurality of users to which the user belongs. First stored in association
A storage unit, a second storage unit that stores the distributed content, the first user who purchased the content and the group to which the first user belongs in association with each other, and reproduction permission information for reproducing the content. By referring to the request accepting means for accepting the purchase request from the second user and the correspondence relationship between the user and the group stored in the first storage means, the second user who made the purchase request for the reproduction permission information belongs A group belonging to the same group as the identified group is identified by identifying the group and referring to the correspondence relationship between the distributed content, the first user, and the group to which the first user belongs, which is stored in the second storage unit. (1) determining means for determining whether or not one user has purchased the content related to the purchase request of the reproduction permission information, and And a permission information distribution unit that distributes the reproduction permission information for reproducing the content to the content receiving device of the second user who has made a purchase request for the reproduction permission information. Content distribution device. 2. The content distribution device further comprises a charge indicating a correspondence relationship between a user who purchased content or content reproduction permission information, the purchased content, a group to which the user belongs, and a charge amount for the purchase. The content delivery according to claim 1, further comprising: a third storage unit that stores information, and a billing information updating unit that updates the billing information every time the content or the reproduction permission information of the content is purchased. apparatus. 3. The billing information updating means further reduces the billing amount for the purchase according to the number of users who have purchased the content or content reproduction permission information and belong to the same group. Number, and a charge table storage unit that stores a charge table that associates the charge amount for the purchase with the user who made the purchase and the group to which the user belongs every time the content or content reproduction permission information is purchased. A registration unit that registers each identifier in the billing information so as to be associated with the purchased content, and a user who makes the purchase, which is associated with the purchased content in the billing information, Make the purchase by counting the number of group identifiers that are the same as the group identifier. A user number specifying means for specifying the number of users belonging to the same group, and a charge amount corresponding to the number of users specified by the user number specifying means is specified based on the charge table, and the user information is specified in the charge information. 3. A charge amount updating means for updating the charge amount for the use of the content of each user associated with the group identifier to which the user belongs to the specified charge amount.
The described content distribution device. 4. The content distribution device further comprises a first
Each time a content is delivered to a content receiving device in response to a purchase request from a user, the correspondence relationship between the user stored in the first storage means and a group to which the user belongs, the group including a plurality of users. By providing a specifying means for specifying a user in the same group as the group to which the first user belongs, and a notification means for notifying the specified user that the content has been purchased by the first user. The content distribution apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that 5. A content receiving device for receiving the content transferred from the content receiving device of the first user who has received the distribution of the content from the content distribution device, the storage device storing the transferred content, A request receiving unit that receives a request from the second user, a request determination unit that determines whether the request is a content reproduction request, and if the request is a reproduction request, the second user reproduces the content. Reproduction permission information determining means for determining whether or not reproduction permission information for storing the reproduction permission information is stored in the storage means, and purchase request information for requesting the purchase of the reproduction permission information if not stored Based on the request information creating means, a sending means for sending the created purchase request information to the content distribution device, and the sent purchase request information Distributed from the content distribution apparatus, a receiving unit for receiving the reproduction permission information, on the basis of the reproduction permission information received, the content receiving apparatus comprising: a reproduction means for reproducing the content. 6. A content distribution device that distributes content to a content receiving device, a first content receiving device that receives the distributed content, and a content transferred from the first content receiving device in response to a purchase request from a user. A content distribution system configured to include a second content receiving device for receiving the content, wherein the content distribution device stores a user and a group to which the user belongs in association with each other, A second storage unit that stores the distributed content, the first user who purchased the content and the group to which the first user belongs in association with each other, and a purchase request for the reproduction permission information for reproducing the content. 2 request receiving means for receiving from the user, and the user and group stored in the first storage means. Group corresponding to the second user who has requested the purchase of the reproduction permission information, by referring to the correspondence relationship with the group, and the distributed content and the first user stored in the second storage means. By referring to the correspondence relationship with the group to which the first user belongs, it is determined whether or not the first user belonging to the same group as the specified group has purchased the content related to the purchase request of the reproduction permission information. And a permission information distribution means for distributing the reproduction permission information for reproducing the content to the content receiving device of the second user who has made a purchase request for the reproduction permission information when the purchase means has purchased. The second content receiving device has a storage unit for storing the content transferred from the first content receiving device; and a second user. Request receiving means for receiving a request from the device, request determining means for determining whether the request is a content reproduction request, and in the case of the reproduction request, the reproduction permission information is stored in the storage means. Reproduction permission information determining means for determining whether or not the purchase permission information is created, and purchase request information creating means for creating purchase request information for requesting the purchase of the reproduction permission information when not stored, and the created purchase request information as contents. A transmission unit for transmitting to the distribution device, a reception unit for receiving the reproduction permission information distributed by the permission information distribution unit, and a reproduction unit for reproducing the content based on the received reproduction permission information. A content distribution system characterized by having. 7. The content distribution device further comprises a charge indicating a correspondence relationship between a user who has purchased content or content reproduction permission information, the purchased content, a group to which the user belongs, and a charge amount for the purchase. 7. The content distribution according to claim 6, further comprising: third storage means for storing information, and charging information updating means for updating the charging information every time the content or the reproduction permission information of the content is purchased. system. 8. The billing information updating means further reduces the billing amount for the purchase according to the number of users who have purchased the content or the reproduction permission information of the content and belong to the same group. Number, and a charge table storage unit that stores a charge table that associates the charge amount for the purchase with the user who made the purchase and the group to which the user belongs every time the content or content reproduction permission information is purchased. A registration unit that registers each identifier in the billing information so as to be associated with the purchased content, and a user who makes the purchase, which is associated with the purchased content in the billing information, Make the purchase by counting the number of group identifiers that are the same as the group identifier. A user number specifying means for specifying the number of users belonging to the same group, and a charge amount corresponding to the number of users specified by the user number specifying means is specified based on the charge table, and the user information is specified in the charge information. 8. A charging amount updating means for updating the charging amount for each user's use of the content associated with the group identifier to which the user belongs to the specified charging amount.
The delivery provision system described. 9. The content distribution device further comprises a first
Each time a content is delivered to a content receiving device in response to a purchase request from a user, the correspondence relationship between the user stored in the first storage means and a group to which the user belongs, the group including a plurality of users. By providing a specifying means for specifying a user in the same group as the group to which the first user belongs, and a notification means for notifying the specified user that the content has been purchased by the first user. The content distribution system according to claim 8, characterized in that 10. A content distribution device that distributes content to a content reception device of the user in response to a purchase request from the user, the user including a user and a group including a plurality of users to which the user belongs. First stored in association
Storage means, second storage means that stores the distributed content, the first user who purchased the content and the group to which the user belongs in association with each other, and a purchase request for reproduction permission information for reproducing the content By referring to the corresponding relationship between the user and the group stored in the first storage means, the group for the second user who has made the purchase request for the reproduction permission information. The first user belonging to the same group as the identified group is identified by referring to the correspondence between the distributed content, the first user, and the group to which the user belongs, which is stored in the second storage unit. Determination means for determining whether or not the content related to the purchase request of the reproduction permission information is purchased; In this case, the program distribution means for distributing the program for creating the reproduction permission information for reproducing the content to the content receiving device of the second user who has requested the purchase of the reproduction permission information. Characterized content distribution device. 11. The content distribution device further includes a charge indicating a correspondence relationship between a user who purchased content or content reproduction permission information, the purchased content, a group to which the user belongs, and a charge amount for the purchase. 11. The content distribution according to claim 10, further comprising: third storage means for storing information, and charging information updating means for updating the charging information each time the content or the reproduction permission information of the content is purchased. apparatus. 12. The billing information updating means further reduces the billing amount for the purchase in accordance with the number of users who have purchased the content or content reproduction permission information and belong to the same group. Number, and a charge table storage unit that stores a charge table that associates the charge amount for the purchase with the user who made the purchase and the group to which the user belongs every time the content or content reproduction permission information is purchased. A registration unit that registers each identifier in the billing information so as to be associated with the purchased content, and a user who makes the purchase, which is associated with the purchased content in the billing information, belongs. By counting the number of group identifiers that are the same as the group identifier, Further, a user number specifying means for specifying the number of users belonging to the same group, and a charge amount corresponding to the number of users specified by the user number specifying means are specified based on the charging table, and in the charging information, 3. A charge amount updating means for updating the charge amount for each content use of each user associated with the group identifier to which the user belongs to the specified charge amount.
1. The content distribution device described in 1. 13. The content distribution device further comprises:
1 Correspondence between the user stored in the first storage means and the group to which the user belongs, each time the content is distributed to the content receiving device in response to a purchase request from the user A reference means for identifying a user of the same group as the group to which the first user belongs by referring to the relationship, and a notification means for notifying the identified user that the content has been purchased by the first user 13. The content distribution device according to claim 12, wherein: 14. A content receiving device for receiving the content transferred from the content receiving device of the first user who has received the distribution of the content from the content distributing device, the storage device storing the transferred content. A request receiving unit that receives a request from the second user, a request determination unit that determines whether the request is a content reproduction request, and if the request is a reproduction request, the second user reproduces the content. Reproduction permission information determining means for determining whether or not reproduction permission information for storing the reproduction permission information is stored in the storage means, and purchase request information for requesting the purchase of the reproduction permission information if not stored Request information creating means, sending means for sending the created purchase request information to the content distribution device, and based on the sent purchase request information Receiving means for receiving a program for creating the reproduction permission information, which is distributed from the content distribution device, and reproduction permission information creating means for creating the reproduction permission information based on the received program, A content receiving apparatus comprising: a reproduction unit that reproduces the content according to the reproduced reproduction information. 15. A content distribution device that distributes content to a content receiving device, a first content receiving device that receives the distributed content, and the content transferred from the first content receiving device in response to a purchase request from a user. A content distribution system configured to include a second content receiving device that receives a message, wherein the content distribution device stores a user and a group including a plurality of users to which the user belongs in association with each other. 1 storage means, second storage means that stores the distributed content, the first user who purchased the content and the group to which the first user belongs, and reproduction permission information for reproducing the content Request receiving means for receiving a purchase request of the second user from the second user, and the first storing means. By referring to the stored correspondence relationship between the user and the group, the group to which the second user who has made the purchase request for the reproduction permission information belongs is specified, and the distributed content stored in the second storage means. By referring to the correspondence relationship between the first user and the group to which the first user belongs, is the first user belonging to the same group as the specified group purchasing the content related to the purchase request of the reproduction permission information? A determination means for determining whether or not, and a program for creating reproduction permission information for reproducing the content when the content is purchased, the content reception of the second user who has made a purchase request for the reproduction permission information. A program distribution means for distributing to the device, the first content receiving device, the second content receiving device, Storage means for storing the content transferred from the first content receiving device, request receiving means for receiving a request from the second user, and request determining means for determining whether or not the request is a content reproduction request. And, in the case of the reproduction request, a reproduction permission information determining unit that determines whether or not the reproduction permission information is stored in the storage unit; and, if not, requests purchase of the reproduction permission information. Purchase request information creating means for creating purchase request information, a sending means for sending the created purchase request information to a content distribution device, a receiving means for receiving the program distributed by the program distributing means, and a receiving means for receiving the program. The reproduction permission information creating means for creating the reproduction permission information based on the program, and the reproduction permission information created by the reproduction permission information. Content distribution system characterized by having a reproducing means for reproducing the content. 16. A content distribution device for distributing content to a content receiving device, the group purchase acceptance means for accepting a user's request for content purchase in units of a group composed of a plurality of users, and the purchase request. Accordingly, a distribution means for distributing, to the user who has made the purchase request, reproduction permission information for allowing the user who belongs to the group and the content to reproduce the content, to the content reception device of the user who has made the purchase request. And a charging means for charging the purchase amount so that the purchase amount of the content is reduced from the purchase amount in the case of a single purchase according to the number of users configuring the group unit. Content distribution device. 17. A content receiving device for receiving the content transferred from the content receiving device of the first user who has received the distribution of the content from the content distributing device, the storage device storing the transferred content, A request receiving unit that receives a request from the second user, a request determination unit that determines whether the request is a content reproduction request, and if the request is a reproduction request, the second user reproduces the content. Reproduction permission information determining means for determining whether or not reproduction permission information for storing is stored in the storage means, and, if stored, based on the reproduction permission information,
A content receiving device comprising: a reproduction unit that reproduces the content. 18. A content delivery device for delivering content to a content receiving device, a first content receiving device for receiving the delivered content, and the content transferred from the first content receiving device in response to a purchase request from a user. A content distribution system configured to include a second content reception device that receives a request, the content distribution device including a group purchase reception unit that receives a content purchase request from a user in units of a group including a plurality of users. In response to the purchase request, the first user who has made the purchase request receives the content and reproduction permission information for allowing the user belonging to the group to reproduce the content, Distribution means for distributing to the device, and the group unit According to the number of users to configure, the purchase price of the content, so as to be subtracted from the purchase price in the case of independent purchase, has a charging means for charging the purchase price, the first content receiving device, The second content receiving device includes a transfer unit that transfers the content received from the content distribution device to another content receiving device, the second content receiving device stores the transferred content, and a request from a second user. Request receiving means for receiving the content, request determining means for determining whether the request is a content reproduction request, and if the request is the reproduction request, reproduction permission information for the second user to reproduce the content is displayed. Reproduction permission information determining means for determining whether or not it is stored in the storage means, and based on the reproduction permission information when stored,
A content distribution system comprising: a reproduction unit that reproduces the content.