JP2003153237A - Image distribution system and terminal used for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a moving picture distribution system built up by IP networks, in which a client terminal uses only one IP port to receive a plurality of moving pictures. SOLUTION: A selection section 4-2 of a client terminal 4 selects in time division IP ports of a connected image distribution server 2 with an instruction from a schedule control section 4-1. Thus, simultaneous distribution of a plurality of moving pictures can be attained. Then a moving picture reproducing section 4-3 shares received image data with each connection destination port according to an instruction of the schedule control section 4-1 top to obtain a plurality of consecutive moving picture data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image distribution system and a terminal used therefor, and more particularly to an IP (Internet Protocol).
The present invention relates to an image distribution system including an image distribution server interconnected by a network and a client terminal that receives image distribution from this server, and to an improvement of a terminal used for the image distribution system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a system in which a moving image is distributed from an image distribution server to a certain client terminal, an IP port is required for each moving image to be distributed, and a plurality of moving images are distributed in order to distribute a plurality of moving images. Needed an IP port. Therefore, there is a drawback that one client terminal cannot receive a plurality of moving images when the number of IP ports that can be used simultaneously by the client terminal is limited.

Usually, the image distribution server distributes a moving image to a client terminal using an IP port for each image to be distributed. When the client terminal receives this, it connects to the image distribution server using an arbitrary IP port and receives the distributed moving image. In this case, when the client terminal receives a plurality of moving images, the client terminal needs to connect to the image distribution server using a plurality of IP ports according to the number of moving images received.

When a client receiving a moving image cannot use a plurality of IP ports, even if a plurality of IP ports are designated, the IP port cannot be opened and only one moving image is displayed. Will end up. The operation of the above-mentioned conventional technique will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a logical model diagram showing an example of the prior art. Referring to FIG. 4, the client terminal 4 is connected to the image distribution server 2 via the IP network 3, and the image distribution server 2 has moving images A, B, C, D, ... From a plurality of image sources S5. And each of these videos A,
B, C, D, ... Corresponding distribution ports A, B, C,
From D, ... Can be distributed to the client terminal 4 via the IP network 3.

In this example, an example is shown in which the client terminal 4 requests distribution of moving images A to D.
When the client terminal 4 tries to connect from the moving image A to the moving image D in order, first, the distribution of the moving image A establishes the connection with the IP port A of the image distribution server 2. Next, an attempt is made to connect to the moving image B, but since the client terminal 4 cannot use a plurality of IP ports, the image distribution server 2
The connection with cannot be established. Similarly, video C,
The connection cannot be established for the moving image D, and only the moving image A can be received.

[0007]

As described above, in the prior art shown in FIG. 4, when the client terminal 4 receives the distribution of the moving image, the number of IP ports for receiving the distribution is limited. Therefore, if the IP port is a single port, for example, it is impossible to simultaneously receive a plurality of moving images. In order to enable simultaneous distribution of a plurality of moving images, there is a problem that IP ports are required for the number of moving images to be simultaneously distributed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an image distribution system capable of simultaneously distributing a plurality of moving images and a terminal used for the same, even if the terminal side receives a single receiving port.

Another object of the present invention is to use an image distribution system capable of receiving simultaneous distribution of a plurality of moving images without changing the moving image distribution server side by simply changing the configuration on the terminal side and using it. It is to provide a terminal.

[0010]

According to the present invention, an image having a plurality of distribution image data, and each image data can be distributed through a network from a distribution port corresponding to these image data. An image distribution system including a distribution server and a terminal having a reception port for receiving the distribution image data from the server via the network, wherein the terminal is the plurality of distribution images from the server. When receiving data distribution, an image distribution system is provided which has control means for controlling the plurality of distribution ports of the server to connect the reception ports in a time division manner.

Further, according to the present invention, the terminal receives image data distribution via a network from an image distribution server having a plurality of distribution image data and distribution ports corresponding to the respective image data. A single port for receiving the distribution of the distribution image data, and a control unit for controlling the plurality of distribution ports of the server to connect the reception port in a time division manner. A featured terminal is obtained.

The operation of the present invention will be described. On the client terminal side, a plurality of distribution ports of the image distribution server are selected in a time division manner, and control is performed so as to connect to the reception port for reception. By doing this, it becomes possible to connect multiple delivery ports in the image delivery server to the receiving port of the terminal, and even if there is only a single receiving port in the terminal, simultaneous delivery of multiple images can be changed on the server side. It will be easy to implement.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a system configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and the same portions as those in FIG. 4 are designated by the same reference numerals. Image source unit 11 which is an image encoding device
The moving image signal (image source) S5 from 1n is supplied to the moving image distribution server 2. This image distribution server 3 is I
A plurality of client terminals 41 by the P network 3
Is connected to each of these client terminals 4
In response to the image distribution request from 1 to 4 m, the moving image distribution server 2 distributes the moving image signal S5 via the IP network 3.

FIG. 2 is a logical model diagram of each part shown in FIG. In the logical model of FIG. 2, an image distribution example to one client terminal 4 is shown. The moving image distribution server 2 receives a plurality of moving image signals S5 as input, and distributes moving image data in response to a request from the client terminal 4 while using an IP port for each moving image to be distributed.

The client terminal 4 comprises a schedule control section 4-1, a selection section 4-2, and a moving picture reproduction section 4-3. Since the number of IP ports that can be used is one, the client terminal 4 switches and receives the IP port of the server to be connected when receiving the moving image signal of the moving image A from the moving image A. The selection unit 4-2 selects the IP port of the connection destination and receives the moving image data.

At this time, the selecting unit 4-2 connects the I on the server 2 side to be connected according to the instruction from the schedule control unit 4-1.
Select P port. The schedule control unit 4-2 passes the IP port number to be connected next to the selecting unit 4-2 and the moving image reproducing unit 4-3 by the port number change signal S2 sent from the moving image reproducing unit 4-3. In the present embodiment, each time the port number change signal S2 is input, the connection destination port number is changed in order from port A → port B → port C → port D → port A.

The moving image reproducing section 4-3 outputs the port number change signal S2 when the reception of one frame of moving image data is completed. Further, the moving image signal S1 is distributed to the reproducing unit for each IP port by the output signal S3 of the schedule control unit, and the moving image data S4 is obtained as a continuous stream.

FIG. 3 shows an example of operation timing in the case where four images from the moving image A to the moving image D are distributed. At first,
The schedule control unit 4-1 has selected the port A.
At this time, the selection unit 4-2 connects to the port A and outputs the received data to the moving image reproduction unit 4-3. Video playback unit 4
In -3, the moving image signal S1 output from the selection unit is distributed to the reproduction unit of the moving image A. Furthermore, in the video playback unit 4-3, 1
When the reception of the image data for the frame is completed, the port number change signal S2 is output to the schedule control unit 4-1.

The schedule control section 4-1 updates the output signal S3 to the port B by the port number change signal S2. Then, the selection unit 4-2 disconnects the connection with the port A and connects with the port B. In the video playback section 4-3,
Similar to the case of the moving picture A, the reproduction section of the moving picture B is sorted, and when the reception of the image data for one frame is completed, the port number change signal S2 is sent to the schedule control section 4-1.
Is output. The schedule control unit 4-1 updates the output signal S3 to the port C by the port number change signal S2.

Thereafter, the same changes are made, and when one frame of data of the moving image D is received, the connection to the port A is repeated. In the moving image reproducing unit 4-3, data is distributed to the reproducing unit corresponding to the moving image A to the moving image D, and each moving image data S4 is obtained.

In the above embodiment, each of the moving image data A, B, C, D, ... To be distributed is subjected to data compression processing in the image encoding devices 11 to 1n, which are image source units, and the client. On the terminal side, the decompression processing is assumed to be performed in the reproducing unit. Further, although the image data to be distributed is moving image data, it is needless to say that the image data may be still image data and may naturally include audio data.

[0022]

According to the present invention, in a client terminal that cannot use a plurality of IP ports (only a single receiving port can be used), the connection destination IP port on the server side can be switched in a time-sharing manner. It is possible to display a plurality of moving images, there is no need to change the system on the server side, and it is possible to obtain the effect that existing devices and applications can be used as they are.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a system configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a logical configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a timing diagram showing a specific example of the operation of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a logical configuration of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

11-1n Image Coding Device (Image Source Unit) 2 Image distribution server 3 IP network 41-4m Client terminal 4-1 Schedule control unit 4-2 Selector 4-3 Video playback section

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image distribution server having a plurality of image data for distribution and capable of distributing each of these image data from a distribution port corresponding to these image data via a network, and for distribution from this server. An image distribution system including a terminal having a reception port for receiving image data via the network, wherein the terminal is a server of the server when receiving the distribution of the plurality of distribution image data from the server. An image distribution system comprising a control means for controlling the plurality of distribution ports to connect the reception ports in a time division manner. 2. The control means performs time division connection control of the plurality of distribution ports in a predetermined order, and an image received from the reception port in synchronization with the time division connection control. The image distribution system according to claim 1, further comprising means for controlling distribution of data. 3. A terminal for receiving distribution of image data via a network from an image distribution server having a plurality of distribution image data and distribution ports corresponding to each of these image data, wherein the distribution image A terminal, comprising: a reception port for receiving data distribution; and a control unit for controlling the plurality of distribution ports of the server to connect the reception port in a time division manner. 4. The means for performing time-division connection control of the plurality of distribution ports in a predetermined order, and the image received from the reception port in synchronization with the time-division connection control. 4. The terminal according to claim 3, further comprising means for controlling distribution of data.