JP2003284039A - Method and device of recording proxy service - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of recording proxy service by a device of a service provider which can be accessed from a user device through the Internet, by which a TV program can be recorded without using a video deck and can be reproduced at an arbitrary time. <P>SOLUTION: A device of a service provider transmits a screen to which conditions for receiving services are inputted in response to a registration request for receiving services from a user device, registers contents inputted by the user as user information when the contents are received, exhibits information indicating a license for receiving the services on the user device, and checks the qualification in response to a request of a recording reservation from the user device. When the user is qualified and when a condition for availability is satisfied, the reservation for recording is accepted. When the recording time starts, the recording is executed. If the user device requests a reproduction, the qualification is checked. When the user is qualified, the recorded data of moving images reserved by the user are transmitted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording agent service method and apparatus using the Internet.

Normally, recording of television (TV) broadcasting is done by making a reservation by using a VCR or the like, but if the user forgets to make a reservation and is in a different place, a reservation should be made. Therefore, some kind of method is desired to be developed.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 11 shows a flow of recording / playback of a conventional TV. A. of FIG. Is a conventional TV recording flow. When recording a TV broadcast (wireless or wired) program, a videotape is set in the VCR (S1 in FIG. 11) and a recording reservation is made in the VCR (S2). . Also, as shown in FIG. Is a conventional TV recording reproduction, and the recorded video tape is inserted into the VCR (S3 in FIG. 11) and the video is reproduced (S4).

[0004]

Conventionally, there are the following problems (1) to (3) when performing TV recording.

(1) It is necessary to directly or indirectly (using a communication device such as a mobile phone) make a recording reservation or give a recording instruction to a VCR.

(2) When recording, it is necessary to record on a "specific video tape" to be recorded. That is, it is necessary to set a specific video tape on the VCR in advance and make a recording reservation, or to give an instruction to a person to record on the specific video tape.

(3) Only the TV stations which can be received by the VCR for recording are recorded, and for example, the programs of TV stations in different regions (regions where it cannot be viewed at home) cannot be recorded.

In the case of reproducing after recording, the following
There are problems like (1) and (2).

(1) It is necessary to reproduce using a specific video tape that has already been recorded, and it is necessary to search for a storage place.

(2) A VCR and a TV receiver or monitor are required.

The present invention solves the above problems and utilizes the Internet to perform TV recording without using a VCR and to receive and play back a recorded program without using a VCR. It is an object of the present invention to provide a TV recording proxy service method and apparatus.

[0012]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle configuration of the present invention. In the figure, numeral 1 accesses the device of a service provider who acts as a TV recording agent from the Internet,
A user device such as a personal computer that operates as a client having functions of requesting user registration, reservation of TV recording, receiving and displaying a reproduction signal of a recorded program, 2 is the Internet, 3 is provided on the Internet TV
It is a device of a service provider that acts as a recording agent.
It is composed of 33 parts. 30 is a web (WEB) server that accepts access from the user device for user registration, recording reservation, playback, etc. 31 is user information, reservation information,
A process status / customer information management server that manages recording management information and controls the recording server 32, and 32 is a recording server that processes recording and playback of reserved TV programs,
Reference numeral 33 is a TV signal receiving device in which a TV signal sent by wire or a TV signal sent by radio (electric wave) is input, and the signal of the receiving channel is selectively controlled by the recording server 32.

In FIG. 1, when the user accesses the web (WEB) server 30 of the service provider 3 connected to the Internet 2 from the user device 1 and logs in to the service, a menu screen is displayed on the user device. Will be sent. First, perform the operation to register the user to receive the service. At this time, the user ID and password for receiving the service are sent to the user (directly, by e-mail, by mail). In addition, the reservation conditions such as the name of the TV station and the total recording time to receive the service when the user receives the recording agency service are declared in advance by the user, and the information is the process status / customer information management server 31. Will be sent to and registered.

The user who has acquired the user ID and password for receiving the service accesses the web (WEB) server 30 of the service provider 3 from the user device 1,
When you log in to the service, the menu screen will be sent and displayed on the user device 1. Enter the user ID and password, select the function for recording reservation, and start recording.
If you make reservations by entering reservation information consisting of information such as V station name, recording date, recording start / end time, etc. or code information representing these (for example, G code), the above reservation conditions will be met. The reservation information is registered in the process status / customer information management server 31. After this, the reservation information is checked by the recording server 32, and when the current time is in the reserved time zone, the program of the reserved station name is taken out from the receiving device 33 and recorded. In that case, the TV image signal is recorded by digitizing and compressing the moving image.

After the recording is completed, the user who made the reservation starts from the user device 1 to the service provider 3 of the service provider.
When accessing the web (WEB) server 30 and logging in to the service, a menu screen is sent and displayed on the user device 1. On the other hand, when the user ID and password are input, the recording / playback function is selected, and the station name or time zone to be played back is designated, the recording server 32 plays back the designated recorded image to the web (WEB). Server 30,
It is transmitted to the user device 1 via the Internet 2.

The contents recorded in the recording server 32 are transferred to the web (WEB) server 30 and the contents of the web (W
EB) The recording is stored in the server 30, and the user device 1
In response to a reproduction request from the web (WEB) server 3
If the recorded contents stored in 0 are reproduced, the load on the recording server 32 can be reduced.

FIG. 2 shows an operation flow of recording reservation and recording / reproduction according to the present invention. 2A. Is the flow of TV recording reservation, connecting to the Internet as explained above,
Log in to the service and schedule the recording to finish. B. of FIG. Is the flow of TV recording and playback, connecting to the Internet, logging in to the service, and requesting T
Play V recording.

In the present invention, there is provided a system for accepting a TV recording reservation from the user device such as a personal computer of each user through the Internet and making a TV reservation on behalf of the user (requester). As a result, it is not necessary to make a reservation directly for the VCR, and it is possible to make a TV reservation at any time from any personal computer or the like at home or work where the Internet can be used.

Further, the recorded TV image can be managed as an electronic medium and provided to the user by using the Internet technology. As a result, it is possible to play a recorded TV from a personal computer that can use the Internet without a TV or VCR.

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 3 shows a processing procedure at the time of user registration, and FIG. 4 shows a screen at the time of user registration.

In order for the user of the user device (1 in FIG. 1) such as a personal computer to receive the service of the service provider of the recording agent, it is necessary to register in advance to obtain the qualification. When the home page of the service provider's web (WEB) server (30 in FIG. 1) is accessed via the Internet (2 in FIG. 1) by the WEB browser in the user device (S1 in FIG. 3), A. The initial screen shown in is displayed on the display device of the user device. On this screen, an initial screen including buttons for "user registration", "recording reservation" and "playback" is displayed. From this, "user registration" is displayed.
If the user selects, the user registration is requested (S2 in FIG. 3), and B.B in FIG. The user registration screen shown in is displayed on the display device of the user device. On this screen, the user
Enter each address, phone number, credit card number, and email address (if you have one).
Next, check the recording TV station (TV station to be recorded), enter the recording time (total recording time desired by this user), holding period (storage period after recording), payment method ( Check the credit settlement or bill payment) and press the "OK" button to register (S3 in FIG. 3).

At this time, if the credit settlement is selected, a screen prompting the user to enter the credit card company and the credit card number is displayed on the display device of the user device. Check with the credit card company to see if it is a valid card. if,
If the card is found to be invalid, an error message is displayed and the initial screen is displayed. In the case of a valid card, the entered user information is saved in the user information file (see A. of FIG. 8 described later).

When it is confirmed that the data is valid and the registration is completed, the C.C. The user registration screen (confirmation message display) shown in is displayed, and when the "confirm" button is pressed, registration is completed (S4 in FIG. 3). If credit settlement is selected and an e-mail address is set, the user ID and password will be sent to the user device by e-mail and then mailed to the set address. Mail the user ID, password, and bill to the address.

The configuration and processing relating to recording reservation and recording will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a configuration for recording reservation and recording, FIG. 6 is a processing flow of recording reservation and recording,
FIG. 7 is a screen configuration at the time of recording reservation / reproduction, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are configuration examples (1) and (2) of each data used in the present invention.
Is.

In FIG. 5, reference numerals 1, 2 and 30 to 32 correspond to the same reference numerals in FIG. 1, 1 is a user device, 2 is the Internet, 30 is a web (WEB) server, and 31.
Is a process status / customer information management server, and 32 is a recording server. 30a in the web (WEB) server 30
Is a screen display process, and 30b is a moving image data file for transferring moving image data (TV image data) recorded by the recording server 32 and accumulating it for reproduction. In the process status / customer information management server 31, 31a is a user information file that stores information registered by the user (see FIG. 8).
A. 31b is a TV station code conversion file (see B. in FIG. 8), 31c is a status / information management process, and 31d is a recording management file (see D. in FIG. 8). In the recording server 32, 32a is a recording process (32b) according to the information of the process management file (32c).
A recording management process for controlling the recording, a recording process for recording / reproducing 32b, a process management file including reservation information (see C. in FIG. 8) 32c, and recorded video data (TV data) 32d. This is a moving picture data file.

The recording reservation operation will be described with reference to FIGS.

When the user device 1 accesses the web (WEB) server 30 via the Internet 2, the screen display process 30a of the web (WEB) server 30 causes the A. The initial screen shown in is sent and displayed on the user device 1. On this initial screen, the user can make a "recording reservation"
When the button of is pressed, the screen display process 30a causes the screen shown in FIG.
B. The login screen shown in is displayed on the user device 1. Enter the user ID and password on this screen and press the "OK" button. Web (WEB) server 3
0, the process status / customer information management server 31 checks with the user information (A. in FIG. 8) registered in the user information file 31a, and if correct, D in FIG. ． The recording reservation screen shown in is on the web (WEB)
From the screen display process 30a of the server 30 to the user device 1
7 and is not correct (mismatch), the C.I. A login screen including the error message display shown in is sent.

When the user inputs the recording start date, the start time, the end time and the TV station name on the recording reservation screen (D. in FIG. 7) and presses the "OK" button, the web (WEB) is displayed.
It is sent to the state / information management process 31c in the process state / customer information management server 31 via the server 30. In this embodiment, the user inputs the recording start date, the start time, the end time, and the TV station name on the recording reservation screen, but code information (for example, G code) that can identify these pieces of information ) May be entered,
You may input it by selecting it from the program menu.

The state / information management process 31c records the input recording reservation information to the recording time (difference from the start time to the end time) of the user registered in the recording management file (D. in FIG. 8). Add the total recorded time of
Recording time limit (total recording time registered at user registration)
Check if it fits in, and if it does not fit, transition to the recording reservation screen, and if it fits, enter the TV station name entered
The V station code conversion table (B in FIG. 8) is converted to a TV station code, the “retention period” is extracted from the user information (A in FIG. 8), and the retention period date is calculated from the recording start date. . These TV station name, holding period date, input data,
The user ID and the holding period are added to the recording management file (D. in FIG. 8), and the status flag of the recording management file is set to "0". Further, the recorded data file name is given according to the naming rule and set as shown in FIG. When the reservation is made in this way, a recording reservation screen (confirmation message display) is sent to the user device 1 and the E.D. The content shown in is displayed, and the user presses the "Confirm" button to complete the reservation.

At this time, the device of the service provider,
The process state / customer information management server 31 and the recording server 32 execute the processing flow shown in FIG. Note that in FIG. Is the process flow for creating a process for recording,
B is a processing flow of the recording process.

In the status / information management process 31c (FIG. 5), when reservation information such as recording date and recording time is input (S1 in A. of FIG. 6), "user" and "TV station" in the reservation information. "
Etc. are written in the recording management file 31d (FIG. 5) (S2 in A. of FIG. 6). Next, the user information, recording date, recording time (start / end), and TV station information are recorded by the recording server 3
2 to the recording management process 32a (S in FIG.
3). The recording management process 32a is the C.I. The information already stored in the process management file 32c having the structure shown in FIG. 6 is read (S4 in FIG. 6A), the user of the reservation information received from the status / information management process 31c, the recording date,
It is determined whether or not the recording time and the same information as the TV station have been previously registered (S5 in A. of FIG. 6). If there is the same one, the process is terminated assuming that the recording has been reserved.
Write to c (S6 of A in FIG. 6).

In the recording server 32, the B. The processing of the recording process shown in is performed. That is, the recording start date and time of the process management file 32c is checked, and when the start date and time arrives, the process is started as the recording process 32b, and the status flag of the corresponding data of the recording management file (D. in FIG. 8) is set to "1". Update to (Recording status), start recording, and record the recorded data in the video data file 3
2d (S1 of B. of FIG. 6). Recorded data is compressed as a digital signal by an existing compression technique (mpeg, etc.) and stored as a file in a storage medium such as a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a DVD.

FIG. 9 shows the file structure of moving image data.
The moving image data is stored in a recording medium such as a hard disk as a file as shown in the figure. In this example, as shown in FIG. 9, the file name is composed of date, recording start time, recording end time, TV station code, and mpeg data.

After recording, the process management file 32c
(C. of FIG. 8) data of its own process is deleted, and the moving image data of the moving image data file 32d (FIG. 5) is changed to the moving image data file 30 of the web (WEB) server 30.
Copying (transferring) to b (S2 of B. of FIG. 6). Then, the status flag (see D. in FIG. 8) corresponding to the recording information in the recording management file is updated, and the processing is ended. In this case, the state flag is changed from "1" (recording) to "2" (recording completed state).

Next, the processing when the user who has made the recording reservation views the recorded contents after the recording date and time will be described. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the reproduction of recorded data. Is a configuration example, and B is a reproduction processing flow. A. of FIG. In the configuration of
1, 2, 30, 30a, 30b, 31, 31a to 31d
The reference numerals of are the same as those of the same reference numerals shown in FIG. Note that 30c in the web (WEB) server 30 is a data transmission process for performing processing for transmitting moving image data at high speed.

When the user apparatus 1 accesses the web (WEB) server 30 via the Internet 2, the A. The same service provider provision screen is displayed. On the other hand, when the "Play" button is pressed, B. When a login screen similar to the above is displayed, the user ID and password are input, and the "OK" button is pressed, the information is input from the web (WEB) server 30 to the process status / customer information management server 31 (Fig. 10 B. S1),
The status / information management process 31c uses the user information file 3
1a (A in FIG. 8), if it is correct, the screen display process 30a is instructed to transmit the reproduction screen. As a result, the F.S. The playback screen as shown in is displayed. On the other hand, the status / information management process 31c displays the recording completion status (status flag is “2”) of the user in the recording management file 31d (D. in FIG. 8) from the user ID.
The recorded data of F. of FIG. 7 is searched (S1 of B. of FIG. 10) and the list of reproducible data is supplied to the screen display process 30. Is displayed (S3 in B. of FIG. 10). Click the video data you want to play from the displayed playable data (S in B. of FIG. 10).
4) In the web (WEB) server 30, the data transmission process 30c extracts the specified moving image data from the moving image data file 30b, and the client (user device 1)
The reproduced image data is transmitted to (S5 of B. of FIG. 10),
finish. The user device 1 performs a process of decompressing the data compressed by mpeg.

The recording management file 31d (FIG. 10)
Is accessed after midnight and deletes the file retention period past the actual date. Similarly, the moving picture data file 30b shown in FIG. 10 is deleted from the past from the actual date for each directory.

[0038] As a TV station name for which a recording is reserved, a TV in a remote place, which cannot be viewed in the area where one lives,
It is also possible to reserve a program of a station by providing a device of a service provider that provides a proxy recording service connected to the Internet in each area.

[0039]

According to the present invention, a user can use a user device such as a personal computer to set up a TV at an arbitrary time without preparing a video deck or a video tape or other recording equipment.
You can make a reservation for recording to make sure recording.
Then, even after the recording date and time, the user can reproduce the recorded data at any time and view it on the user device without using recording equipment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a principle configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation flow of recording reservation and recording / playback according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a processing procedure at the time of user registration.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a screen at the time of user registration.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration for recording reservation and recording.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a processing flow of recording reservation and recording.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a screen configuration at the time of recording reservation / reproduction.

FIG. 8 is a configuration example of each data used in the present invention (No. 1)
FIG.

FIG. 9 is a configuration example (2) of each data used in the present invention.
FIG.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of reproducing recorded data.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a flow of recording / playback of a conventional TV.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 user equipment 2 Internet 3 Service provider equipment 30 Web (WEB) server 31 Process status / customer information management server 32 recording server 33 TV receiver

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 5C052 AA01 AB02 CC06 DD04 DD10                 5C064 BA07 BB07 BC06 BC18 BC23                       BD02 BD08

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A recording proxy service method by a device of a service provider that can be accessed from a user device capable of displaying a moving image via the Internet, wherein the device of the service provider is a device from the user device. Information indicating the qualification to receive the service by sending a screen to enter the conditions for receiving the service in response to the registration request for receiving the TV recording agent service, and registering as the user information when the content entered by the user is received. Is presented to the user device, and a screen for checking the usage qualification is transmitted in response to the recording reservation request from the user device, and it is detected that the user has the usage qualification based on the contents input by the user. Then, the screen for entering the reservation is sent to the user device, and the user device sends the TV.
Input of reservation information consisting of information such as station name, recording date, recording start / end time, or code information representing these is checked using the user information, and recording reservation is made if the use condition is satisfied. A recording process is generated, the recording process executes recording at the recording start time, and when a signal requesting reproduction is received from the user device, the user's usage qualification is checked and if the user is qualified, the user is qualified. The method of recording surrogate servicing, characterized in that the recorded moving picture data reserved by is transmitted. 2. The condition according to claim 1, wherein the service request device receives a service transmitted from the device of the service provider to the user device in response to a registration request for receiving the TV recording proxy service from the user device. , Including the total recording time, when inputting the recording reservation from the user device, it is checked whether the reserved recording time is within the total recording time, and if the total recording time is exceeded, the reservation is accepted. A recording agent service method characterized in that there is no such thing. 3. A recording agent service device for providing a service to a user device capable of displaying a moving image via the Internet, wherein the recording agent service device is a recording agent for a TV from the user device. In response to the registration request for receiving the service, a screen for inputting conditions for receiving the service is transmitted, and a web server that receives the information input by the user and the user information received by the web server are registered, and the user is registered. In response to a recording reservation request from the device, it is checked whether the user is qualified to use, and if the check is normal, a screen for entering reservation information is transmitted to the user device, and the user device sets the TV station name, If you check the input conditions such as recording date, recording start / end time, etc. or reservation information consisting of code information to meet these conditions, In this case, the recording information is stored in the recording management file, a recording process is created for each recording information, and the recording process is stored in the process management file, and the recording reservation is managed by the management server. A recording surrogate service device, comprising: 4. The video server according to claim 3, wherein the web server and the recording server each include a moving image data file for storing recording data, and when recording to the moving image data file included in the recording server by recording reservation is completed. A recording proxy service device, characterized in that the recorded moving image data is transferred to a moving image data file of the web server, and the recording data requested by the web server is transmitted in response to a reproduction request from the user device. .