JP2003152781A - Method, device and program for setting contents distribution route and recording medium with the program recorded thereon - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a new contents distribution route setting technique for setting an optimum contents distribution route for provided contents. SOLUTION: A gateway device is constituted, by being provided with a routing table in which contents distribution routes are described, to thereby perform selection of the contents distribution route. In such a case, the gateway device is provided with a storing means for storing information as to which contents distribution network is connected to each network interface and as to the attribute information of the network interface (1), a retrieving means for retrieving a network interface that fits service information about provided contents acquired from a contents distribution server by referring to the storing means (2), and a correcting means for correcting a contents distribution route to be described in the routing table according to the network interface retrieved by the retrieving means (3).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a content distribution route setting method and apparatus for setting an optimum content distribution route for a provided content,
The present invention relates to a content distribution route setting program used to realize the content distribution route setting method and a recording medium recording the program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the advent of the broadband network era and the increasing number of companies entering the Internet connection service business from various industries, future ISPs (Internet connection service providers) will have various characteristics to acquire customers. Is considered to bring. For example, there is a wide band with the access network, and there is support for multicast.

By the way, conventionally, a gateway device having a plurality of physical network interfaces, controlling routing, and switching a physical network interface to be used according to a packet type or a service type has been sold.

Recently, although there is only one physical network interface, Point to Point Protocol
ER Ethernet (registered trademark) or IEEE802.1Q vLAN (hereinafter simply referred to as vLAN) is used, and a gateway device capable of switching and selecting a logical network interface is also sold.

[0005]

However, these gateway devices use the network interface to be used in accordance with the information set in advance in the gateway device except that the route is automatically changed to a normal line when a certain line failure occurs. Is fixedly determined.

[0006] Further, for each terminal connected to the gateway device, a logical network interface,
In other words, there is also a gateway device in which the ISP is fixedly associated and the ISP to be used by the terminal can be determined in advance, but there is no difference from the terminal in which the logical network interface is fixedly determined. There is no.

Therefore, according to the conventional technique, as shown in FIG. 11, when a service for providing two contents such as a content such as a video and an electronic program guide of the content is received, the two contents have the same I.
It will have to be provided through the SP (ISP1 in this example).

As described above, according to the conventional technique, it is impossible to switch the physical network interface or logical network interface to be used according to the content.

In order to select the network or ISP that matches the service to be received, the user must have the authority to manage the gateway device and change the route information each time.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a new content delivery route setting technique that enables an optimal content delivery route to be set for the provided content.

[0011]

In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a routing table that describes which network interface the gateway device uses to connect to the content distribution network. A storage unit that stores the information about which content distribution network each network interface is connected to and the attribute information of the network interface when the configuration of executing the distribution route selection is adopted,
By referring to the storage means, a search means for searching a network interface that matches the service information about the provided content acquired from the content distribution server, and the content described in the routing table according to the network interface searched by the search means. And a correction unit that corrects the distribution route.

According to the present invention having such a configuration, when the content requesting terminal acquires service information about the content from the content distribution server (not necessarily the content distribution destination), the retrieving means stores it in the storage means. By referring to, a network interface that matches the service information is searched for.

At this time, if the search means cannot find a network interface that matches the service information, it presents the network interface that is the closest to the terminal to the terminal, and on the condition that the agreement is obtained, The network interface closest to the match is processed as the network interface of the search result.

When the search means searches for a network interface that matches the service information about the provided content, the correction means adds a new content distribution route to the routing table according to the searched network interface. The content distribution route described in the routing table is corrected by deleting the added content distribution route from the routing table or changing the content distribution route described in the routing table in some cases.

For example, as a default, the terminal ID
For the terminal of "1", when there is a content distribution route described in the routing table to connect to the content distribution network pointed to by all network addresses using the network interface called PPP1, it is called "192.168.1.0". When PPP2 is searched as the optimum network interface for connecting to the network address, use the network interface named PPP2 for the routing table to connect to the content distribution network pointed to by the network address “192.168.1.0”. That is, the content distribution route is added.

At this time, when the start date and time and the end date and time of the content distribution are specified by the service information, the correction means, when the start date and time is reached, the content distribution searched for in the routing table. A route is added, and when the end date / time is reached, the route is modified so that the added content delivery route is deleted from the routing table.

Then, when the plurality of content distribution routes using different network interfaces are searched for the same content distribution network in the same time zone, the modifying means determines which network interface the gateway device selects. In response to the fact that it is not possible to determine whether or not to use the content distribution, it becomes impossible to select the content distribution path, and the content distribution path using any one of the network interfaces is set during that time period. Modify the content distribution route described in the routing table.

As described above, according to the present invention, it becomes possible to automatically set the optimum content distribution route for the provided content, whereby the user can
The content can be acquired in the most preferable form.

For example, when an electronic program guide is acquired, and contents are selected from the electronic program guide to be provided, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, the electronic program guide has a small communication capacity but a low cost ISP1. IS that has a large communication capacity although the cost is high for contents
It becomes possible to use a method such as using P2.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2, even when a route for accessing contents existing in the closed network is set, it becomes possible to simultaneously access the Internet.

[0021]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail according to embodiments.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the gateway device 1 having the present invention.

The gateway device 1 having the present invention is
In response to the request for providing the content issued by the terminal 2, a logical network interface (corresponding to the ISP) that is most suitable for the content of the providing request is selected, and the content is transmitted via the selected logical network interface. By connecting the terminal 2 which is the issuer of the provision request and a content distribution server (not shown), the process of passing the content of the offer request to the terminal 2 which is the issuer of the content offer request is shown. As described above, the routing table 10, the authentication unit 11, the interface information management unit 12, the routing information operation unit 13, and the control unit 14 are provided.

As shown in this figure, the routing table 10 includes, for each terminal 2, the address of the network to which the terminal 2 can be connected and the I of the logical network interface used when connecting to the network.
It manages the correspondence relationship with D (information of content distribution route).

For example, when the terminal 1 connects to the network address "192.168.1.0/24"("/24" indicates the boundary with the terminal address), it is said that the connection should be made using the logical network interface "PPP2". It manages the information about the content distribution route that describes the matter.

Here, the logical network interface (PPP1 in the figure) managed as a default is
It is managed by the routing table 10 regardless of the present invention. When the present invention is not applied, the logical network interface managed as the default is used to connect to the content distribution network indicated by all network addresses. Will be. Then, the above-mentioned correspondence information is to be registered according to the present invention, and when this correspondence information is registered in the routing table 10, the logical network interface is selected with priority. Will be done.

The authenticating unit 11 has a configuration including an authentication information management database 110 for managing authentication information, and uses the information managed by the authentication information management database 110 for the terminal 2 which has issued the content providing request. Performs authentication processing for it.

The interface information management unit 12, for each terminal 2, information on which logical network interface the terminal 2 can use, and information on which ISP the available logical network interface connects to. An interface information management database 120 as shown in FIG. 4 for managing the communication quality information of the ISP is adopted, and the information managed by the interface information management database 120 is used to optimize the content requested to be provided. The logical network interface (ISP) is selected.

The routing information operating unit 13 associates with the ID of the terminal 2 the address of the network to which the terminal 2 is connected, the ID of the logical network interface used when connecting to the network, and the start of the connection. Information managed by the route setting reservation database 130 is configured by including a route setting reservation database 130 as shown in FIG. 5 that manages the route setting information defined by the paired data of the date and time and the end date and time of the connection. Is used to execute the process of correcting the content distribution route described in the routing table 10.

The control unit 14 executes processing for controlling the authentication unit 11, the interface information management unit 12, and the routing information operation unit 13.

Here, the processing functions executed by the authentication unit 11, the interface information management unit 12, and the routing information operation unit 13 can be realized by a computer program, and this computer program is recorded in a recording medium such as a semiconductor memory. Can be provided.

The authentication unit 11, the interface information management unit 12, and the routing information operation unit 13 do not necessarily have to be provided in the gateway device 1, and can be constructed on a network as shown in FIG. .

Next, with reference to the time chart shown in FIG. 7, the processing of the present invention configured as described above will be described in detail. In this time chart, the interface information management unit 12 is described as an ISP information management unit.

When a user browses an electronic program guide or the like to obtain contents such as a live broadcast, the content for providing the electronic program guide or the like is provided through the terminal 2 as shown in the figure. Distributor (content distribution server)
Send a content acquisition request packet to.

At this time, the route information from the terminal 2 to the network in which the content distribution server exists, which is set in the routing table 10, is the route information passing through the ISP 1 according to the default, and therefore, as shown in the figure. In addition, a content distributor (content distribution server) that provides electronic program guides and the like via ISP1
Packet will be sent to.

In response to the transmission of this content acquisition request packet, the contents described in the electronic program guide, etc., from the content distributor (content distribution server) that provides the electronic program guide, etc. Then, information (service information) for selecting the quality of the content to be reproduced is returned to the terminal 2 which issued the content acquisition request.

The service information returned at this time is
There are various names such as the corresponding ISP name, the communication quality required for content reproduction, and the logical network interface name (vLANID etc.).

In response to the reply of the service information, the user selects the desired option from the presented options and, as shown in the figure, indicates to the gateway device 1 via the terminal 2. Send.

At this time, the terminal 2 has the user name / password / terminal ID / terminal address, the server address and network address of the content distributor as the content acquisition destination, and the quality information (communication quality) specified by the service information. And information about service providing ISPs) and information about the start date and time and end date and time of content acquisition (which may be designated by the service information or may be designated by the user).

Upon receiving these pieces of information, the gateway device 1 verifies whether the terminal 2 or the user who issued the content acquisition request is valid or not, as shown by in the figure. When an authentication result is issued to the terminal 2 in response to the authentication request to the terminal 11 in response to the authentication request, the fact is transmitted to the terminal 2, End the sequence.

On the other hand, when the gateway device 1 obtains the authentication result that it has the proper authority, the gateway device 1 sends the user name / terminal ID to the interface information management unit 12 as shown in FIG. / Terminal address / server address and network address of content distributor /
The quality information designated by the service information (information such as communication quality and service providing ISP) / information on the start date and time and the end date and time of content acquisition are transmitted.

Upon receiving these pieces of information, the interface information management section 12 searches the interface information management database 120 as shown by in the figure,
A logical network interface (ISP) that matches the quality information specified by the service information is searched and returned to the gateway device 1. If there is no match, the one closest to the match is searched.

That is, the interface information management unit 12
First, from the user name / terminal ID / terminal address, the available logical network interface (IS
P) is extracted. According to the information managed by the interface information management database 120 configured as shown in FIG. 4, the logical network interface (ISP) that can be used by the terminal 2 that issued the content acquisition request is extracted.

Although it is assumed in FIG. 4 that the logical network interface (ISP) that can be used for each user does not change, if the available one changes for each user, the corresponding A logical network interface (ISP) will be extracted.

Subsequently, the interface information management unit 12
8 in cooperation with the gateway device 1 and the terminal 2.
In accordance with the processing flow of step 1, the extracted logical network interface (ISP) is searched for a logical network interface (ISP) that matches the quality information designated by the service information.

That is, when the communication quality is specified by the gateway device 1, the communication quality of the extracted logical network interface (ISP) is retrieved to satisfy the request.
SP) and returns it to the gateway device 1.

If there is no logical network interface (ISP) that satisfies the communication quality requirement,
Logical network interface (IS
The communication quality of P) is returned to the gateway device 1. In response to this reply, the gateway device 1 fails to satisfy the request to the terminal 2 which is the content acquisition request issuing source, and indicates that the alternative logical network interface (ISP) After notifying the communication quality, waiting for a reply from the user as to whether or not to accept the alternative, if a reply not to accept is received, end this sequence, and if a reply to accept is received, Alternative Logical Network Interface (I
SP) is received as a search result.

On the other hand, the interface information management section 12
When the ISP or the logical network interface name is directly specified from the gateway device 1 instead of the communication quality, the specified logical network interface (ISP) is included in the extracted usable logical network interfaces (ISP). Whether or not it exists is searched, and if it does not exist, this sequence ends.

If the designated logical network interface (ISP) exists, is there a logical network interface (ISP) having a band wider than the content capacity in the designated logical network interface (ISP) list? If there is a logical network interface (IS
P) is returned to the gateway device 1, and when it does not exist, the same process as the above-mentioned alternative process is performed. When the user accepts the alternative plan, the gateway device 1
An alternative logical network interface (IS
P) is received as a search result.

In this way, the interface information management unit 12 searches the interface information management database 120 as indicated by in FIG. 7 to find a logical network interface (conforming to the quality information designated by the service information). The ISP) is searched and returned to the gateway device 1.

Although not described above, the interface information management unit 12 searches the logical network interface (ISP) in consideration of the start date and time and the end date and time notified from the gateway device 1. become. This is to cope with a network whose communication quality varies depending on the time of day.

When the gateway device 1 receives the notification of the logical network interface (ISP) to be used from the interface information management unit 12, it sends the user name / terminal ID to the routing information operation unit 13 as indicated by in the figure. / Terminal address / Server address and network address of content distributor / ID information of logical network interface (ISP) used / Content acquisition start date and time and end date and time information (route setting time information).

Upon receipt of these pieces of information, the routing information operating unit 13 determines whether the sent route setting time information overlaps with the route setting time pointed to by the same terminal ID currently managed in the route setting reservation database 130. When it is determined whether or not the route setting times do not overlap each other, as shown in FIG. 9, the information of the content distribution route designated by the sent information is directly registered in the route setting reservation database 130. To do.

For example, according to the above-mentioned processing, the terminal 2 with the terminal ID "1" is stored in the route setting reservation database 130.
Is registered to use the logical network interface (ISP) "PPP2" to connect to the network address "192.168.1.0" for the period from 8:00 to 10:00 on November 15th. Suppose that

At this time, the terminal 2 having the terminal ID "1" newly uses the logical network interface (ISP) "PPP3" for the time zone from 13:00 to 15:00 on November 15. , "192.168.1.0" is instructed to connect to the network address, the route setting times do not overlap, so that the route setting reservation database 130 is directly registered.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the route setting times overlap, the information transmitted while realizing that there are no multiple routes connecting to the same content distribution server in the same time zone The information of the content distribution route specified by is registered in the route setting reservation database 130.

For example, according to the above-described processing, the terminal 2 with the terminal ID "1" is stored in the route setting reservation database 130.
Is registered to use the logical network interface (ISP) "PPP2" to connect to the network address "192.168.1.0" for the period from 8:00 to 10:00 on November 15th. Suppose that

At this time, the terminal 2 with the terminal ID "1" newly uses the logical network interface (ISP) "PPP3" for the time zone from 9:00 to 11:00 on November 15th. , "192.168.1.0", it is instructed to connect to the network address, and the route setup times are overlapped. For example, as shown in FIG.
While rewriting the time zone of the already registered content distribution route, such as using PPP2 from 8:00 to 9:00 and using PPP3 from 9:00 to 11:00, Information on the content distribution route specified by the sent information is stored in the route setting reservation database 130.
To register.

At this time, the PPP2 is used from 8:00 to 10:00 and the time from 10:00 to 11 is used by giving priority to the time zone of the already-registered content distribution route without considering the difference in communication quality. By changing the time zone specified by the sent information, such as by using PPP3 until time, the content distribution path information specified by the sent information is registered in the path setting reservation database 130. You may

In this way, the routing information operating unit 13 processes the content distribution route information sent from the gateway device 1 (FIG. 7) so as to register it in the route setting reservation database 130. Of.

The routing information operation unit 13 uses the route setting reservation database 130 constructed in this way, as shown in FIG.
The processing for correcting the content delivery route set in step 1 to be suitable for the provided content is executed.

That is, the routing information operation unit 13
Determines whether the start date and time (reservation start date and time) registered in the route setting reservation database 130 has been reached, and when determining that the start date and time has been reached, the network associated with the start date and time The correspondence between the address and the logical network interface is added to the routing table 10.

Then, the route setting reservation database 130
When it is determined whether the end date and time (reservation end date and time) registered in is reached, and when it is determined that the end date and time is reached, the addition made to the routing table 10 with the arrival of the start date and time, The correspondence between the network address associated with the end date and time and the logical network interface is deleted from the routing table 10.

Here, rewriting of the routing table 10 of the gateway device 1 can be realized in UNIX (registered trademark) by registering a rewriting command using an at command or a frontab command.

In this way, the rewriting command is executed at the designated time, so that the gateway device 1 is automatically operated.
The content distribution route information can be added to or deleted from the routing table 10 provided in (in some cases, the content distribution route registered in the routing table 10 may be corrected).

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 7, according to the content distribution route correction processing, the content distribution route for connecting to the content distribution network by using ISP1 is registered in the routing table 10 as a default. Therefore, when the content acquisition request is issued, the service information is acquired from the content distribution server that provides the electronic program guide or the like via the ISP 1, but according to the service information,
ISP as the optimum ISP for the content of the acquisition request
When “2” is searched for, the ISP2 is added accordingly to the routing table 10 to connect to the content distribution network where the content distribution server that provides the content of the acquisition request exists. As a result, the content is distributed according to the distribution route that is most suitable for the content of the acquisition request.

Therefore, the electronic program guide can be acquired using ISP1, and the content selected from the electronic program guide can be acquired using ISP2.
Moreover, this acquisition can be performed simultaneously.

According to the present invention, the routing table 1
A plurality of logical network interfaces may be registered in association with the same network address of 0. For example, in such a case, the correspondence between the latest added network address and the logical network interface is given priority. Then, the processing such as the path selection of the content is executed.

It is also conceivable that the correspondence relationship between a specific network address and a logical network interface is registered in the routing table 10 as a default. At this time, the correspondence relationship and the network registered by the present invention are registered. It is possible that the correspondence between the address and the logical network interface may conflict.

At this time, for example, the correspondence registered in advance in the routing table 10 is temporarily saved, and when the correspondence registered according to the present invention is deleted when the end date and time is reached, the save is performed. Processing such as registration in the routing table 10 in a form of writing back the corresponding relationship is performed.

[0071]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It will be possible to automatically set the optimum content distribution route for the provided content, which allows the user to
The content can be acquired in the most preferable form.

For example, in the case of acquiring an electronic program guide, selecting a content from the electronic program guide and receiving the contents, for example, an Internet connection service provider which has a small communication capacity but a low cost is used for the electronic program guide. For contents, it is possible to use a method such as using an Internet connection service provider having a large communication capacity although the cost is high.

Then, even when a route for accessing contents existing in a closed network or the like is set, it becomes possible to simultaneously access the Internet or the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary embodiment of an interface information management database.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary embodiment of a route setting reservation database.

FIG. 6 is another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a time chart illustrating the processing of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an exemplary embodiment of a processing flow executed by an interface information management unit.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of registration processing in a route setting reservation database.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of registration processing in a route setting reservation database.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Gateway device 2 terminals 10 routing table 11 Authentication Department 12 Interface information management section 13 Routing information operation unit 14 Control unit 110 Authentication Information Management Database 120 Interface information management database 130 Routing database

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Keisei Hayashi             2-3-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo             Inside Telegraph and Telephone Corporation F-term (reference) 5K030 HC01 HD03 KA01 KA05 LB05

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A content delivery route setting method for setting a content delivery route by modifying a routing table that describes which network interface is used to connect to a content delivery network. By referring to a storage unit that stores information about which content distribution network the user connects to and attribute information of the network interface, a network interface that matches the service information about the provided content acquired from the content distribution server can be created. And a step of revising the content delivery route described in the routing table according to the retrieved network interface. How to set up the Tents delivery route. 2. The content distribution route setting method according to claim 1, wherein in the process of searching, if a network interface that matches the service information cannot be searched, the network interface that is closest to the service interface is presented to the terminal, A content distribution route setting method characterized in that the network interface closest to the matching is handled as the network interface of the search result on condition that an agreement is obtained. 3. The content distribution route setting method according to claim 1, wherein in the correcting step, when a start date and time and an end date and time of content distribution are designated, when the start date and time are reached, A content distribution route setting method characterized in that a content distribution route described in a routing table is modified, and when the end date and time is reached, the modified content distribution route is modified to the original one. 4. The content distribution route setting method according to claim 3, wherein in the correcting process, a plurality of content distribution routes using different network interfaces are searched for the same content distribution network in the same time zone. In such a case, the content distribution route described in the routing table is modified so that the content distribution route using any one of the network interfaces is set in that time zone. Content distribution route setting method. 5. A content distribution route setting device for setting a distribution route of content by modifying a routing table that describes which network interface is used to connect to a content distribution network, the network interface comprising: The storage means for storing information about which content distribution network the user connects to and the attribute information of the network interface, and by referring to the storage means, the service information about the provided content acquired from the content distribution server can be obtained. Retrieval means for retrieving a suitable network interface, and a revising means for revising the content delivery route described in the routing table according to the network interface retrieved by the retrieving means. A content distribution route setting device characterized by comprising a step. 6. The content distribution route setting device according to claim 5, wherein when the search means cannot search for a network interface that matches the service information, it presents the closest network interface to the terminal, The content delivery route setting device is characterized in that the network interface closest to the matching is handled as the network interface of the search result on the condition that the consent for is obtained. 7. The content distribution route setting device according to claim 5, wherein the correction means, when the start date and time and the end date and time of the content distribution are designated, when the start date and time is reached, the routing is performed. A content distribution route setting device characterized in that a content distribution route described in a table is modified, and when the end date and time is reached, the modified content distribution route is modified to the original one. 8. The content distribution path setting device according to claim 7, wherein the correction means searches a plurality of content distribution paths using different network interfaces for the same content distribution network in the same time zone. In this case, the content distribution route described in the above routing table is modified so that the content distribution route using any one of the network interfaces is set in that time zone. Delivery route setting device. 9. A content distribution route setting program for causing a computer to execute the process used to implement the content distribution route setting method according to claim 1. Description: 10. A recording medium of a content distribution route setting program, which records a program for causing a computer to execute the process used to realize the content distribution route setting method according to claim 1.