JP2003259328A - Contents distribution apparatus and contents receiving apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a contents distribution apparatus capable of suppressing a load on a network from being increased even when the number of terminals is increased for receiving contents. <P>SOLUTION: The contents distribution apparatus for distributing the contents to the contents receiving apparatus multicasts the same contents to the contents receiving apparatus in timings of different start of distribution by utilizing a plurality of channels. The contents receiving apparatus has: a channel selection section for selecting a channel through which the contents are received from the contents distribution apparatus; a contents reception section for receiving the contents of the channel instructed by the channel selection section among the same contents transmitted in the different distribution start timings through a plurality of the channels from the contents distribution apparatus; and an output section for outputting the contents received by the contents reception section. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

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 that reduces the load on the network and transmits live video content.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a live on demand that provides a live image after a certain time has passed, like a video on demand. This live
The onmandand performs live distribution and temporarily accumulates it in the storage of the server, and stores the accumulated contents in v
It is to be delivered to the user's terminal as an “on demand”. As a distribution method, since it is necessary to reproduce and distribute the content from the beginning when a distribution request is made by the user, the content is distributed by unicast. At the time of distribution, the terminal and the server communicate with each other on a one-to-one basis.
A bandwidth of 5 Gbps was required for distribution to all user terminals.

[0003]

However, according to the above-mentioned distribution method, the most popular works (live images, etc.)
Then, there is a problem in that the number of user terminals to which the content is to be distributed is increased, which requires a very large amount of network bandwidth. Therefore, when the contents are distributed by multicast, the program is distributed from the server to the terminal at a predetermined time, so that there is a problem that the user cannot watch the program at a desired time. On the other hand, for the server, when the terminal requests fast forward and rewind of the program,
There is a problem in that it is necessary to reproduce the program according to the request, which increases the load on the server.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to prevent the load on the network from increasing even if the number of terminals receiving the content increases. It is to provide a content distribution device that can perform distribution of. Another object of the present invention is to provide a content distribution device and a content reception device that can reflect the user's wishes and distribute the content of the scene that the user wants to see. Another object of the present invention is to provide a content receiving device capable of delivering a program by reducing the load on the content delivering device.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a content distribution apparatus for distributing content from a content distribution apparatus to a content receiving apparatus, wherein the same content is used in a plurality of channels. It is characterized in that it has a distribution unit that distributes to each content receiving device by multicast to each channel at different timings when the distribution starts.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned content distribution apparatus, the content is distributed to each channel at a predetermined time interval determined in advance. Further, the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-described content distribution device, the content is a live video.

Further, the present invention is a content receiving apparatus connected to a content distribution apparatus via a network, wherein a channel selecting section for selecting a channel of content received from the content distribution apparatus, and the content distribution apparatus. Among the contents in which the same contents are transmitted via different channels at different start timings, a contents receiver that receives contents of a channel designated by the channel selector, and contents received by the contents receiver. And an output unit for outputting.

Further, according to the present invention, in the above-mentioned content receiving apparatus, when the channel selecting section needs to fast-forward or rewind the content, the fast-forwarding of the content is performed by switching the channel according to an instruction from the outside. Alternatively, the rewinding is performed.

Further, the present invention is a content distribution method for distributing content from a content distribution apparatus to a content receiving apparatus, wherein the same content is used in a plurality of channels, and distribution is started by multicasting to each channel at different timings. The content is delivered to the content receiving device.

Further, the present invention is a content receiving method used in a content receiving device connected to a content distribution device via a network, wherein a channel of content received from the content distribution device is selected and the content distribution is performed. Among the contents in which the same content is transmitted from the device via a plurality of channels at different distribution start timings, the content of the selected channel is received and the received content is output.

Further, the present invention is a content distribution program for distributing content from a content distribution apparatus to a content receiving apparatus, wherein the same content is used in a plurality of channels and is multicast to each channel at different start timings. A computer is made to perform the step of delivering to the content receiving device.

Further, the present invention is a content receiving program used in a content receiving device connected to a content delivering device via a network, comprising the step of selecting a channel of the content received from the content delivering device, Among the contents transmitted from the content distribution device through the plurality of channels at the same timing of different distribution start, the step of receiving the content of the selected channel and the step of outputting the received content are computer. It is characterized by making it execute.

Further, the present invention is a recording medium in which a content distribution program for distributing a content from a content distribution apparatus to a content receiving apparatus is recorded, wherein the same content is used in a plurality of channels and the distribution starts at different timings. A content delivery program for causing a computer to execute the step of delivering to the content receiving device by multicast is recorded in each channel.

Further, the present invention is a recording medium in which a content receiving program used in a content receiving apparatus connected to a content delivering apparatus via a network is recorded, and a channel of content to be received from the content delivering apparatus is selected. And receiving the content of the selected channel among the content transmitted from the content distribution apparatus via the plurality of channels at different distribution start timings, and outputting the received content. And causing the computer to execute the steps.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A content distribution apparatus and a content receiving apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a content distribution system to which a content distribution device and a content reception device according to an embodiment of the present invention are applied. In this figure, the content distribution device 1
Is composed of a distribution unit 11, a content storage unit 12, a distribution interval setting unit 13, and a channel number setting unit 14. The content storage unit 12 stores image data captured by the camera 2 and encoded by the encoder 3. Here, the content stored in the content storage unit 12 is, for example, a live video (live broadcast program) such as a news program, a music program, or a quiz program.

The distribution unit 11 uses a plurality of channels (channel 1 to channel n (n is a natural number of 2 or more)) for the same content stored in the content storage unit 12, and each channel is started at different timings. Then, the content is delivered to the content receiving device 4 by multicast.

As shown in FIG. 2, the distribution unit 11 distributes the contents A from channel 1 to channel n at time intervals of a seconds. When the content A is 120 minutes and the time interval a is 30 seconds, the maximum number of required channels is 240 channels. Further, if the capacity of the content A is 500 kbps and the content is distributed using 240 channels, the bandwidth required for the distribution unit 11 to distribute the content A is 120 Mbps.
s.

Next, returning to FIG. 1, the delivery interval setting unit 13
Sets the distribution interval a in the distribution unit 11 based on an instruction input via an externally provided input device such as a keyboard or a mouse. The channel number setting unit 14 sets the number n of channels to be used in the distribution unit 11 based on the instruction input via the input device.

Next, in the content receiving device 4, the channel selecting unit 42 selects a receiving channel from a plurality of channels of the content A distributed from the content distribution device 1 and instructs the content receiving unit 41. The selection of this channel is made by the user,
The selected channel is set in the content receiving unit 41.

The content receiving section 41 receives from the content distribution apparatus 1 the content of the channel designated by the channel selecting section 42 among the content A transmitted at different start timings via a plurality of channels. The output unit 43 is a CRT (Cathod).
e Ray Tube), a liquid crystal display device, a speaker, and the like, which displays an image of the content received by the content receiving unit 41 and emits sound. Further, the output unit 43 has a browser for outputting the content received by the content receiving unit 41. The content distribution device 1 described above is, for example, a content distribution server, and the content reception device 4 is a terminal such as a computer.

Next, the operation of the content distribution system having the configuration shown in FIG. 1 will be described. Here, 500k
A case will be described where 120 minutes of content is distributed with a bps capacity. First, the content distributor inputs the number of channels 240 for distributing the content via the number-of-channels setting unit 14 and the time interval of 30 seconds between distribution start of each channel via the distribution-interval setting unit 13. . As a result, the distribution unit 11 is set to distribute the content at intervals of 30 seconds using 240 channels.

On the other hand, the camera 2 captures a video image to be distributed as content, generates captured image data, and transmits the generated captured image data to the encoder 3. The image pickup data includes voice data of voice detected by a microphone provided in the camera, if necessary. Encoder 3
Encodes the image pickup data output from the camera 2, and encodes the image pickup data into the content distribution device 1
To the content storage unit 12 of FIG.

The content storage unit 12 temporarily stores the image pickup data output from the encoder 3. Distribution unit 11
Uses the channels 1 to 240 for the content stored in the content storage unit 12, and sequentially delivers the content to each channel by multicast via the network 5 at intervals of 30 seconds. Note that the channel 1 starts to be distributed immediately after being stored in the content storage unit 12, and the time difference from the video imaged by the camera 2 is almost zero.

The channel selecting section 42 of the content receiving device 4 instructs the content receiving section 41 on a channel to be received in response to an instruction from the user. The content receiving unit 41 receives the content of the channel designated by the channel selecting unit 42 and outputs it to the output unit 43. The output unit 43 outputs the image or sound of the content received by the content receiving unit 41. Here, assuming that 90 seconds have elapsed since the distribution of the contents of the channel 1 started, the time c is as shown in FIG. ), After 60 seconds (2
After a second), it is possible to browse the video on channel 3 after 30 seconds (a second), and on channel 4 at the time when the distribution of the content starts. That is,
The user can fast-forward and rewind the program at a-second intervals by selecting a channel by the channel selection unit 42 while receiving the content.

In the above embodiment, the maximum is 1.
24 if network bandwidth of 20 Mbps is secured
Content can be distributed even if all 0 channels are used, so that in the past, in the case of popular content and the like, the load on the network 5 increases as the number of content receiving devices 4 that receive the content increases. However, according to the above-described embodiment, the network bandwidth of 120 Mbps is sufficient, and therefore, it is possible to reduce the increase in the load on the network for distribution. Further, it is not necessary for the content distribution apparatus 1 to perform the processing related to fast-forwarding and rewinding, and an effect that the load on the content distribution apparatus 1 can be reduced can be obtained.

In the embodiment described above, the Live
In the case of realizing On Demand, the maximum value of the required band is not determined by the number of content receiving devices 4 of the user to be provided, but is determined by the number of channels. That is, the number of channels used by the content distribution device 1 is reduced, or if there is a channel for which no user is browsing the content, the content of the channel is not distributed to the content receiving device 4. Therefore, since it is not necessary to generate traffic of that channel, even if the load of the network 5 near the content distribution apparatus 1 is about 120 Mbps, the load of the network 5 near the content receiving apparatus 4 is, for example, about 500 kbps. Bandwidth is all that is needed, which further reduces the load on the network 5.

Further, this content is not limited to live distribution, and may be applied in VideoOn Demand.

In the above embodiment, the number of channels is 240. However, the number of channels may be smaller than 240. For example, the content may be distributed using 50 channels at intervals of 60 seconds. Further, when transmitting content using more than 240 channels, the distribution interval may be shorter than 30 seconds depending on the number of channels.

Further, a program for realizing the functions of the distribution unit 11, the distribution interval setting unit 13, the number of channels setting unit 14 and the functions of the content receiving unit 41, the channel selecting unit 42, and the output unit 43 in FIG. The content may be recorded in a readable recording medium, and the program recorded in the recording medium may be read into a computer system and executed to perform content distribution processing and content reception processing. The “computer system” mentioned here includes an OS and hardware such as peripheral devices.

The "computer system" is WW.
If the W system is used, the homepage providing environment (or display environment) is also included. The "computer-readable recording medium" means a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, a CD-
A portable medium such as a ROM or a storage device such as a hard disk built in a computer system. Further, the "computer-readable recording medium" means to hold a program dynamically for a short time like a communication line when transmitting the program through a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line. In this case, a volatile memory inside a computer system that serves as a server or a client in that case holds a program for a certain period of time. Also, the program above
It may be for realizing some of the above-mentioned functions, or may be for realizing the above-mentioned functions in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific structure is not limited to this embodiment, and includes a design etc. within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention. Be done.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of channels are used to distribute contents, and multicast is distributed to each channel at different start timings of distribution. Therefore, a network according to the number of channels can be used. Therefore, even if the number of terminals that receive the content increases, it is possible to deliver the content while reducing the load on the network. In addition, the content distribution device 1 does not need to perform the processing related to fast-forwarding and rewinding,
The effect that the load on the content distribution device 1 can be reduced can be obtained. Moreover, since the contents are distributed at different timings from the start of distribution, by selecting the channel to be received on the user side, it is possible to reflect the user's wish and distribute the content of the scene that the user wants to see. The effect is obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, among the contents transmitted from the content distribution device via the plurality of channels at the same timing of different distribution start, the contents of the channel designated by the channel selection unit are received. Since the contents are output in this manner, the contents of the scene that the user wants to see can be distributed by reflecting the user's wishes, and the contents distribution device needs to perform the process corresponding to the fast-forwarding or rewinding of the contents. Since it does not exist, it is possible to reduce the load on the content distribution device and distribute the content.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of a content distribution system to which a content distribution device and a content reception device according to an embodiment of the present invention are applied.

FIG. 2 is a timing chart for explaining a distribution start timing of content distributed by the distribution unit 11.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Content Distribution Device 4 Content Reception Device 11 Distribution Unit 12 Content Storage Unit 13 Distribution Interval Setting Unit 14 Channel Number Setting Unit 41 Content Reception Unit 42 Channel Selection Unit 43 Output Unit

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A content distribution device that distributes content from a content distribution device to a content receiving device, wherein the same content is used in a plurality of channels, and the content receiving device is multicast to each channel at different timings of distribution start. A content distribution apparatus having a distribution unit for distributing to a content distribution apparatus. 2. The content distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the content is distributed to each channel at a predetermined time interval determined in advance. 3. The content distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the content is a live video. 4. A content receiving apparatus connected to a content distribution apparatus via a network, wherein a channel selection unit for selecting a channel of content received from the content distribution apparatus, and the same content from the content distribution apparatus are provided. Among the contents transmitted at different timings of start of distribution via a plurality of channels, a contents receiving unit that receives contents of a channel designated by the channel selecting unit, and an output that outputs the contents received by the contents receiving unit And a content receiving device. 5. The channel selecting unit, when it is necessary to fast-forward or rewind the content, performs fast-forwarding or rewinding of the content by switching the channel according to an instruction from the outside. The content receiving device according to claim 4. 6. A content distribution method for distributing a content from a content distribution device to a content reception device, wherein the same content is used in a plurality of channels, and the content reception device is multicast to each channel at different start timings. A content delivery method characterized by delivering to a user. 7. A content receiving method used in a content receiving device connected to a content distribution device via a network, wherein a content channel received from the content distribution device is selected, and the same content distribution device is selected from the content distribution device. A content receiving method, which comprises receiving the content of the selected channel and outputting the received content, among the content transmitted at different timings of start of distribution via a plurality of channels. 8. A content distribution program for distributing content from a content distribution apparatus to a content receiving apparatus, wherein the same content is used in a plurality of channels, and the content receiving apparatus is multicast to each channel at different timings of start of distribution. A content distribution program for causing a computer to execute the step of distributing to a computer. 9. A content receiving program used in a content receiving device connected to a content distribution device via a network, the step of selecting a channel of content received from the content distribution device; To cause the computer to execute the step of receiving the content of the selected channel among the content in which the same content is transmitted via different channels at different start timings, and the step of outputting the received content Content receiving program. 10. A recording medium for recording a content distribution program for distributing content from a content distribution device to a content receiving device, wherein the same content is used in a plurality of channels and multicasting is performed to each channel at different timings of distribution start. A computer-readable recording medium recording a content distribution program for causing a computer to execute the step of distributing to the content receiving device. 11. A recording medium having a content receiving program used in a content receiving apparatus connected to the content delivering apparatus via a network, the step of selecting a channel of content to be received from the content delivering apparatus, Among the contents in which the same content is transmitted from the content distribution device via a plurality of channels at different distribution start timings, a step of receiving the content of the selected channel and a step of outputting the received content are included. A computer-readable recording medium recording a content reception program to be executed by a computer.