JP2003345726A - Method and system for sharing contents and server device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a user belonging to one contents server to quickly obtain contents held by another contents server. <P>SOLUTION: When a server B having a function for managing e-mail to the user B receives a message to the user B, the server B extracts a contents ID for specifying contents C1 described in the message, and immediately receives the contents C1 from a server A holding the contents C1 if the contents C1 shown by the contents ID are not stored in the server B. Then, when the user B tries to read the contents C1 in response to a request from a user A, the contents C1 can be prepared in the server B to which the user B belongs with a relatively high probability so that the user B can quickly read the contents C1. <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 content sharing method, a content sharing system, and a content sharing method capable of efficiently sharing content among a plurality of content servers which hold content such as video and provide the content to a terminal device or the like. The present invention relates to a server device for implementing a content sharing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A plurality of terminal devices existing in a home are LA
A home LAN system for communicatively connecting with N is being realized. Further, a system has been devised in which a home server is installed in a home LAN system, and the home server provides various services to each terminal device via the LAN. In such a system, the home server is connected not only to the home LAN but also to a wide area network such as the Internet.

[0003] As a service provided by a home server,
For example, there is a content supply service in which content requested by a terminal device is downloaded from another server device via the Internet and supplied to the terminal device. Also,
There is a content providing service that downloads content from another server device via the Internet, stores the content in a built-in storage device, and supplies the content in the storage device to the terminal device in response to a request from the terminal device. That is, the home server can also serve as a content server that holds content such as video and provides the content to a terminal device or the like. Hereinafter, a terminal device connected to a server such as a home server via a LAN or a user of the terminal device may be a user belonging to the server or a user under the management of the server.

[0004] There are cases where a user belonging to a certain server A wants a user belonging to another server B to browse contents such as images and videos stored in the server A. In addition, there are cases where the user wants to browse the contents to hear their impressions or to discuss the contents.

[0005] In such a case, for example, a user belonging to the server A requests the user belonging to the server B to browse contents by e-mail. In response to the request, the user belonging to the server B accesses the server A and downloads the content to the server B or a terminal device operated by the user B. Then, the user browses the downloaded content and transmits the impression to the user belonging to the server A by e-mail or the like.

[0006]

As described above, when the user belonging to the server B refers to the content held by the server A in response to the request of the user belonging to the server A, the content is transmitted from the server A. Must download. If the content has a large capacity such as a video, the transfer time becomes long. as a result,
It takes a long time for the user belonging to the server B to actually browse the content after receiving the content browsing request from the user belonging to the server A.

In general, when a user belonging to the server A makes a request for browsing content to a user belonging to the server B, the user belonging to the server B wants an impression or starts a discussion immediately after recognizing the request. Have intent. However, a user belonging to server A cannot achieve such an intention. The reason is that, unless the user belonging to the server B recognizes a request from the user belonging to the server A unless the content desired to be browsed by the user belonging to the server B exists in the server B, the server A is accessed first. This is because a process of downloading the content from the server A is necessary. It is rare that the content belonging to the server B that the user wants to browse exists on the server B.

Therefore, the present invention enables content to be efficiently shared between a plurality of content servers, and allows a user belonging to another content server to quickly obtain content held by one content server. It is an object of the present invention to provide a content sharing method, a content sharing system, and a server device that can be used.

[0009]

In a content sharing method according to the present invention, a server device that stores content and outputs the content to a user and relays a message addressed to the user transmits the content from the message addressed to the user. Extracting the content specifying information for specifying, and, when the content indicated by the extracted content specifying information is not stored, receiving the content from a server device holding the content. And

[0010] The content sharing method may be configured to extract a content ID as content identification information embedded in a mail body of an electronic mail as a message.

[0011] In the content sharing method, messages may be transmitted and received by a WWW electronic bulletin board.

In the content sharing method, if the content indicated by the content ID is stored,
The content ID in the message may be different from other parts.

[0013] The content sharing method may be configured such that, when the content including the content indicated by the content specifying information is stored, it is determined that the content indicated by the content specifying information is stored.

[0014] The content sharing system according to the present invention comprises:
A content sharing system that stores content and outputs the content to a user, receives a message addressed to the user, and supplies the content to the user, wherein the content sharing system shares the content with another server device. Content storing means for storing content, content name extracting means for extracting content specifying information for specifying content from a message addressed to a user, and content storing means for storing the content indicated by the content specifying information when the content is not stored in the content storing means. And a content receiving unit for receiving the content from the server device holding the content.

In the content sharing system, the server device is provided with mail management means having an e-mail transmission / reception function, and the content name extracting means is used for identifying the content embedded in the mail text of the e-mail received by the mail management means. It may be configured to extract a content ID as information.

The content sharing system may include a content reference means for recognizing a content browsing request from another person by referring to a content ID embedded in the mail body of the electronic mail.

[0017] The content reference means may be provided in a terminal device connected to the server device via a network.

If the content reference means is in a state in which the content indicated by the content ID is stored in the content storage means, the content ID in the message may be displayed in a manner different from other places. Good.

[0019] The server device includes content identity determination means for determining whether or not substantially the same content as the content indicated by the content identification information is stored in the content storage means. When content including the content indicated by the information is stored, the content specified by the content specifying information may be determined to be stored.

The content is a recording of a television broadcast program, and the content sharing system uses the same program database storing information indicating the correspondence between television programs broadcast in a plurality of regions, and a request from a server device. The information processing apparatus may further include an identical program determination / search unit that searches the same program database and determines whether the content indicated by the content specifying information is stored in the content storage unit of the server device.

A server device according to the present invention is a server device having a function of relaying a message addressed to a user,
Content storage means for storing the content, content name extraction means for extracting content identification information for identifying the content from a message addressed to the user, and if the content indicated by the content identification information is not stored in the content storage means And a content receiving unit that receives the content from the server device that holds the content.

The server device has mail management means having an e-mail transmission / reception function handled by a terminal device accessible to the server device, and the content name extracting means transmits the e-mail addressed to the terminal device received by the mail management means to the terminal device. It may be configured to extract a content ID as content identification information embedded in the mail text.

[0023] The server device includes content identity determination means for determining whether or not substantially the same content as the content indicated by the content identification information is stored in the content storage means. When content including the content indicated by the information is stored, the content specified by the content specifying information may be determined to be stored.

[0024]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a content sharing system according to the present invention. In the system illustrated in FIG. 1, a home server 100 that also functions as a content server exists at the user home A. The home server 100 is connected to terminal devices 160 and 170 such as personal computers via a LAN 180 which is an example of a communication network.
Is a terminal that behaves as a server with respect to and can be connected to the Internet 300. User home B
Home server 2 which also functions as a content server
00 exists. Home server 200 is LAN280
Are connected to the terminal devices 260 and 270,
A terminal that behaves as a server with respect to 270 and is connectable to the Internet 300. The home servers 100 and 200 can be connected to the Internet 300 via, for example, an Internet service provider (ISP).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a home server (hereinafter, referred to as server A) 100. The server A100 has a content storage unit 102 for storing content. The content storage unit 102 stores, for example, content obtained from another server via a communication path such as the Internet, and terminal devices 160 and 17.
0 stores the content uploaded to the server A100 via the LAN 180. The contents include, for example, images and television program videos encoded by the MPEG2 system or the like.

The server A 100 has a LAN interface 140 including a physical interface for connecting the LAN 180 and a function for controlling communication. The content management unit 121 determines that the terminal devices 160 and 170
0 and the content in the content storage unit 102 in response to a request transmitted to the content management unit 121 via the LAN interface 140. Further, the server A100 has a network interface 130 for connecting to the Internet 300. Server A
If 100 is connected to an ADSL line, network interface 130 includes an ADSL modem and a broadband router. Content management unit 12
1 stores the content received from another server via the Internet 300, the network interface 130, and the content receiving unit 123 in the content storage unit 10
2 is stored.

The server A 100 has a content storage unit 10
2 for generating a name (content name) assigned to the content read from the content 2
Having. In addition, the server A100 has the mail spool 1
13, a content name extracting unit 122 for extracting a content name from a received electronic mail, and a content name interpreting unit 1 for interpreting a content name attached to the content received by the content receiving unit 123.
24. Note that the content name generation unit 11
0, the content management unit 121, the content name extraction unit 122, and the content name interpretation unit 124 are realized by software.

The content name generated by the content name generation unit 110 is not actually transferred from the content name generation unit 110 to the mail server unit 112, but is transmitted to the user A via the content management unit 121. Transferred to the operating terminal device. The information is embedded in the body of the e-mail and transferred from the terminal device to the mail server unit 112.

The content read from the content storage unit 102 and transmitted to another server or the like is transmitted to the content transmission unit 111 and the network interface 13.
0 to the Internet 300.

Further, the server A100 has an e-mail management function. That is, the transmission e-mail is transmitted to the Internet 30 via the network interface 130.
0, and has a mail server unit 112 as mail management means for storing received e-mail in a mail spool 113.

The home server (hereinafter, referred to as server B) 200 also includes the same components as those of the server A 100.

Next, a user belonging to the server A 100
An operation when a user belonging to the home server (hereinafter, referred to as server B) 200 requests content browsing will be described.

FIG. 3 shows a user 1 belonging to server A100.
01 (user A) is a user 20 belonging to server B200
FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram showing a data flow when requesting a user 1 (user B) to browse content C1 held by a server A100. First, the user A (user 101) sends a message stating that a request to browse the content C1 is sent to the electronic mail 401 via the Internet 300.
To notify the user B. Further, the content C1 (content 104) stored in the content storage unit 102 of the server A100 is transmitted to the server B via the Internet.
The content is transmitted to the server 200 and stored in the content storage unit 202 of the server B 200 as the content C1 (content 204).

The contents of the contents 104 and 204 are the same. That is, the server A10
The content C1 stored in the content storage unit 102 of the server B200 is copied to the content storage unit 202 of the server B200. Therefore, the user B can browse the content C1 without accessing the server A in response to a request to browse the content C1 from the user A.

When the content C1 stored in the server A is, for example, a television program video, the user A
The terminal device 160 can reproduce and view a television program video downloaded from the server A to the terminal device 160 via the LAN 180, for example.
Then, if the user A desires to have the user B view the television program video as a result of viewing, the user A uses the data flow as shown in FIG. The content can be copied to the content storage unit 202 of the server B200, and the user B can view the television program video stored in the server B200.

Next, the processing when the user A requests the user B to browse the content C1 held by the server A100 will be described in more detail with reference to the block diagram of FIG. FIG. 4 shows only the components related to content transmission among the components shown in FIG.
The server B200 has the same components as those shown in FIG. 2, but FIG. 4 shows only the components related to content reception.
Note that the content storage unit 20 in the server B200
2. Mail server unit 212, mail spool 213, content management unit 221, content name extraction unit 22
2, the content receiving unit 223 and the content name interpreting unit 224 are respectively the content storage unit 102, the mail server unit 112, and the mail spool 1 shown in FIG.
13, a content management unit 121, a content name extraction unit 122, a content reception unit 123, and a content name interpretation unit 124.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, the user B browses the content C1 using the terminal device 260. The terminal device 260 includes at least a mail viewer 261 as content reference means for recognizing a content browsing request from another person and browsing the content stored in the server B.

It is assumed that the user A operates the terminal device 160. The terminal device 160 incorporates mailer software and a content browser that is a dedicated application program. Content browser is LA
Content management unit 1 of server A100 via N180
It has a function of communicating with the C.21. Further, it has a function of receiving a list of each content stored in the content storage unit 102 via the content management unit 121. Also,
It has a function of notifying the content management unit 121 of information indicating the content selected by the user from the list.

When the user A wants the user B to browse the content C1 (the content 104) stored in the content storage unit 102 of the server A100, first, the mailer software is activated, and the mail address of the user B is entered. Enter and compose the mail text.
Next, the user A starts a content browser on the terminal device 160. When started, the content browser requests the content management unit 121 for a list of each content stored in the content storage unit 102. The content management unit 121 transmits a list of contents to the terminal device 160 in response to the request. The content browser displays the received content list in the terminal device 160.
Is displayed on the display section.

The user A selects the content C1 from the list.
Select Then, the content browser notifies the content management unit 121 of information indicating the content C1. The content management unit 121 requests the content name generation unit 110 to generate a content name of the content C1. The content name generation unit 110 generates, for example, the following URN (Unified Resource Name) -like content name. cnnm: “server name / content ID”

The server name is a name for uniquely identifying the server A, and a name using a domain name on the Internet may be used as the server name. Like the URN, the content ID is not an identification name of the content closed in a certain server but a name that can be uniquely identified across all servers. Therefore, if the content ID in the server A is C1, the content ID in the server B is also C1.

The name of the server A is ServerA, the content C
Assuming that the content ID of C1 is C1, the content name of the content C1 is as follows. cnnm: “ServerA / C1”

The content management unit 121 transmits the content name generated by the content name generation unit 110 to the terminal device 160. In the terminal device 160, the content browser inserts the received content name into, for example, a cursor position on the screen of the mailer software. In this embodiment, the content name is in text format, but need not be in text format.

For example, if there is a cursor position between "set" and "ha" of "This program is a recommended program. Please see by all means" in the mail text, as shown in FIG. The mail body 411 in which is inserted is completed. Thereafter, the user A, for example,
Click the "Send" button on the mailer software screen with the mouse. Then, the mailer software sends the e-mail including the mail address of the user B and the mail text to the mail spool 113 of the server A100.
(Not shown in FIG. 4).

The mail server unit 112 converts the electronic mail sent to the mail spool 113 into the Internet 3
00 and transmitted to user B. The mail addresses of the users belonging to the server B are managed by the server B200, and the server B200 collectively receives the mail addresses. Then, the mail server unit 212 of the server B200 stores the received electronic mail in the mail spool 213.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the pre-access processing executed by server B. The pre-access process is a process in which the content that the user A wants the user B to view is automatically acquired in advance.

In the pre-access processing, when a newly received e-mail is stored in the mail spool 213 from the mail server unit 212, the content name extraction unit 222 inputs the received e-mail at that time (step S1). . Then, a process of extracting the content name from the mail body of the received electronic mail is performed (step S).
2). If there is no content name, the pre-access processing ends.

When a content name exists, the content name extracting unit 222 transfers the content name to the content management unit 221 and notifies the content management unit 221 of an access notice. The access notice is to notify that the content corresponding to the content name will be accessed by a user belonging to the server B200.

Content management unit 2 receiving access notice
21 requests the content name interpretation unit 224 to interpret the content name. Content name interpreter 224
Performs, in response to the request, an interpretation process of separating the content name into a server name portion and a content ID portion (step S4). The content management unit 221 stores the content ID obtained by the content name interpretation unit 224 separately.
It is determined whether or not the content specified in step (1) exists in the content storage unit 202 (step S5). If the content exists, the pre-access processing ends.

If the content does not exist in the content storage unit 202, the content management unit 221
Requests the content receiving unit 223 to acquire the content. The content receiving unit 223 requests the server A100 to transmit the content C1 in response to the request. The content sending unit 111 of the server A100
In response to a transmission request from server B200, content C1 stored in content storage unit 102 is input via content management unit 121 (not shown in FIG. 4) and transmitted to server B200.

In server B 200, content receiving section 223 receives content C 1 and transfers it to content managing section 221. The content management unit 221 stores the content C1 in the content storage unit 202. As described above, the server B200 can acquire the content from the server A100 (step S6). Then, if there is still another content name in the mail body of the received electronic mail, the processes of steps S4 to S6 are executed for that content name.

Note that the content sending unit 111 and the content receiving unit 223 use FTP (File Transfer Protocol).
And the content C1 can be transmitted and received by HTTP or Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

User B activates mail viewer 261 on terminal device 260 and can use the mail viewer 261 to view the received electronic mail. That is, the mail viewer 261 downloads the received electronic mail addressed to the user B from the mail spool 213 of the server B 200 and displays it on the display unit of the terminal device 260. When downloading the received electronic mail, the mail viewer 261 requests the content name extraction unit 222 of the server B 200 to extract the content name from the mail text. The content name extracting unit 222 supplies the terminal device 260 with information that can specify the location of the content name in the mail text in response to the request.

In the terminal device 260, when the mail viewer 261 receives the information for specifying the content name description portion, the mail viewer 261 displays the mail text 411 with the content name 412 underlined as shown in FIG. I do. Note that, when receiving a request for extracting a content name from the terminal device 260, the content name extraction unit 222 inquires of the content management unit 221 whether or not the content exists in the content storage unit 202. Information indicating whether or not the communication is performed may be supplied to the terminal device 260.

In that case, the mail viewer 261
The content name 412 may be underlined only when the content exists in the content storage unit 202. If the content does not yet exist in the content storage unit 202, a message to that effect may be displayed. For example, the display color of the content name 412 is different depending on whether the content exists or not. In other words, the content ID in the mail text is different from the other parts depending on whether the content exists or not.

User B, for example, clicks on the content name 412 with a mouse to read the content C1 after reading the mail text. Then, the mail viewer 261 requests the content management unit 221 of the server B200 to transfer the content C1. The content management unit 221 reads the content C1 from the content storage unit 202 and transmits the content C1 to the terminal device 260 in response to the request. In the terminal device 260,
The mail viewer 261 displays and reproduces the content C1. When detecting that the content C1 has not been stored in the content storage unit 202, the content management unit 221 returns information indicating that fact. The mail viewer 261 displays that the content C1 is not yet prepared according to the information.

As described above, in this embodiment, the server B200 to which the user B200 belongs, if the content specifying information is described in the mail text of the e-mail addressed to the user B, the content is specified in advance. Check whether the content indicated by the specific information is held by itself. If the content is not stored, the content is pre-acquired at that time. Therefore, user B
Can read the received e-mail and browse the content, the content can be prepared in the server B with a relatively high probability. Therefore, the user B can immediately acquire the content from the server B 200 connected to the terminal device 260 via the LAN, send an impression to the user A, and discuss with the user A.

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which an electronic mail is used as a message for requesting user B to view contents from user A.
Not limited to email. For example, WWW (World Wide
A message from an electronic bulletin board of the Web) or a chat system may be used. Furthermore, if the server device has a function of relaying a message addressed to the user, there is a possibility that the time at which the user reads the message is delayed with respect to the message arrival time at the server device, such as a messenger service via a specific server. The invention is applicable to certain systems in general.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention. The configuration shown in FIG. 8 is such that the content identity determination unit 225
Is different from the first embodiment in that Also, the content indicated by the content ID is stored in the server B200.
There is an identity determination server (server C) 500 including an identical program determination / search unit 502 for determining whether or not the content is stored in the content storage unit 202. Note that FIG. 8 also shows, with respect to the server A100, only the components related to the transmission of the content among the components illustrated in FIG. In addition, with respect to server B200, only each component related to content reception is shown.

In the above embodiment, a symbol such as a serial number for uniquely specifying the content is used as the content ID, but various types of content IDs according to the characteristics of the content can be used. In this embodiment, a channel number of a television program, a broadcast start date, and a broadcast end date are used as the content ID. For example, the following character string is defined as the content ID. "Channel number: broadcast start date and time: broadcast end date and time"

Then, No. 2002 with one channel
The content ID indicating the program recorded from 13:00 to 14:00 on March 28 is as follows. "001: 2
0020228281: 200202281400 "

When such a content ID is used, the television program video in the time zone does not necessarily need to exist in the server B200 to which the user B who wants to browse the content P1 (content 106) belongs. . In other words, the television program video broadcast in the above time zone (A time zone) in the area where the server A100 exists is in a different time zone (B time zone) in the area where the server B200 exists. It may be broadcast, and the server B200 only needs to hold the television program video broadcast in the B time zone as the content 206.

In the area where the server A 100 is located, No. In a region where the server B200 exists, the television program broadcasted in the A time zone on one channel (referred to as the A channel) is No. It may be broadcast in the B time zone on three channels (referred to as B channel). In this case, the server B200 only needs to hold the television program video broadcast on the B channel in the B time zone.

That is, the server B 200 is connected to the server A 10
In a region where 0 is present, if a television program video (contents 206) broadcast in the B channel in the B channel having the same contents as a television program broadcast in the A channel in the A channel is held, the server B200 is “0”
01: 200202228300: 200202281
It is not necessary to request the server A to transmit the content 106 when receiving the content ID of 400 ″.

Therefore, in this embodiment, in the pre-access processing, the content management unit 221 outputs the content ID obtained separately by the content name interpretation unit 224 to the content identity determination unit 225, A request is made to confirm whether or not substantially the same content as the content specified by the content ID exists in the content storage unit 202.

The content identity determination unit 225 has, for example, information indicating the channel number, broadcast start date, and broadcast end date of each television program video stored in the content storage unit 202. . When a request is received from the content management unit 221, the content ID
Is transmitted to the server C500, and the server A1 transmits the channel number, the broadcast start date and the broadcast end date
00 and the server name of server B200 are changed to server C500.
Send to

The server C500 is provided with the same program database 501 that stores information indicating the correspondence between television programs broadcast in various regions in Japan. The information received from the content identity determination unit 225 of the server B200 is transmitted to the server C500 by the same program determination /
It is input to the search unit 502. Same program determination / search unit 50
2 is, for example, based on the server names of the server A100 and the server B200,
The area where 200 exists is specified. Then, the same program database 501 is searched based on the information indicating the area, the channel number, the broadcast start date and the broadcast end date in the area where the server A100 exists, and the server B is searched.
The channel number, broadcast start date, and broadcast end date of the same program in the area where 200 is located are read from the same program database 501. The information indicating the area is, for example, information indicating the prefecture where the server is located.

The server C 500 transmits to the server B 200 the information read from the same program judging / retrieving unit 502 and indicating the channel number, the broadcast start date and the broadcast end date in the area where the server B 200 exists. Server B
In 200, the content identity determination unit 225 receives, from the server C500, information indicating a channel number, a broadcast start date and a broadcast end date in the area where the server B200 is located, and displays the television program indicated by the information. It is determined whether or not the content exists in the content storage unit 202.
Then, the determination result is returned to the content management unit 221.

As in the first embodiment, if the content does not exist in the content storage unit 202, the content management unit 221 requests the content reception unit 223 to acquire the content. . If the content exists, the pre-access processing ends.

The other processing is the same as the processing in the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, a case has been described where the content identity determination unit 225 makes an inquiry to the server C500. However, if the area where the server A100 is located is the same as the area where the server B200 is located, the server C500 Is unnecessary. In this case, upon receiving a request from the content management unit 221 to confirm whether the content P1 specified by the content ID exists in the content storage unit 202, the content identity determination unit 225 The information indicating the channel number, the broadcast start date and the broadcast end date of each television program video stored in 202, the channel number indicated by the content ID, the broadcast start date and the broadcast end date The content P indicated by the content ID is compared with the information.
It is determined whether or not 1 is stored in the content storage unit 202.

When the content identity determination unit 225 makes a determination, even if the content identical to the content indicated by the content ID does not exist in the content storage unit 202, the content identity determination unit 225 determines that the content ID indicates. If the content 206 including the content 106 is stored in the content storage unit 202,
It is determined that the content P1 indicated by the content ID exists in the content storage unit 202.

For example, 12:00 on February 28, 2002
No. to 16:00. When a one-channel television program video is stored in the content storage unit 202, the content ID is 18:00 to 12:00 on February 28, 2002.
4:00 ("001: 20020228300: 20"
0202281400 "), strictly speaking, there is no content corresponding to the content ID. Feb. 28, 2002 12:00:00
No. 0 to 16:00. One channel television program image is “001: 2002022281200: 2002”.
This is because it corresponds to 02281600 ″.

However, the content identity determination unit 225
Indicates that the content in the time zone indicated by the content ID is 20
No. of February 28, 2002 from 12:00 to 16:00. Because it is included in one-channel television program video,
It is determined that the content P1 indicated by the content ID is stored in the content storage unit 202.

By the above-described control performed by the content identity determination unit 225, the chance that the server B200 requests the server A100 to transmit the content can be reduced. Therefore, the processing for sharing the content between the server A100 and the server B, and further, the sharing of the content P1 between the user A and the user B can be made more efficient.

It should be noted that the server C500 exists and the server C
When the information indicating the channel number, the broadcast start date and the broadcast end date and time is received from 500, the content identity determination unit 225 also determines the content identity based on the inclusion relation of the time zone of the television program. Is determined.

In this embodiment, the content identity determination unit 225 in the server B 200 determines whether or not the content indicated by the content ID exists in the content storage unit 202 based on the inclusion relation of the time zone related to the content. The server C500 determines that the content ID is based on the area where the server A100 and the server B200 are located.
Is determined in the content storage unit 202 of the server B 200.
It is possible to prevent the server 200 from requesting the server A100 to transmit the content 106 even though the content P1 actually exists in the content storage unit 202.

As described above, in each of the above embodiments, the server B 200 to which the user B belongs
If the content identification information is present in the message addressed to, check in advance whether or not the content indicated by the content identification information is held by itself, and if not, the content To obtain in advance. Therefore, when the user B tries to read the content by reading the message, the content can be prepared with a relatively high probability. Therefore, the user B can immediately acquire the content, send an impression to the user A, and discuss with the user A.

In each of the above embodiments, the case where one user wants another user to view contents such as images and videos is described, but the contents are not limited to being viewed. For example, the present invention can also be applied to a case where one user wants to let another user hear content such as music.

In each of the above embodiments, the home server is exemplified as the content server. However, if the server device obtains and stores the content by any means and provides the stored content to the user, The present invention can be applied to server devices other than the home server.

[0081]

As described above, according to the present invention, the content sharing method, the content sharing system, and the server device extract the content specifying information for specifying the content from the message addressed to the user, and In the case where the content indicated by is not stored, the content is immediately received from the server device holding the content, so that when the user tries to obtain the content in response to a request from another user, The content can be prepared in the server to which the user belongs with a relatively high probability, and the user can quickly obtain the content.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a content sharing system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a home server.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a data flow when a user B is requested to browse contents held by a server A;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a server A and a server B;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a mail body of an electronic mail.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a pre-access process.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of a mail body of an electronic mail.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a server A, a server B, and a server C.

[Explanation of symbols] 100,200 home server 102, 202 Content storage unit 110 Content Name Generator 111 Content sending unit 112,212 mail server 113,213 Mail spool 121, 221 Content Management Unit 122, 222 Content name extraction unit 123, 223 Content receiving unit 124,224 Content interpreter 130 Network Interface 140 LAN interface 160, 170, 260, 270 terminal device 180,280 LAN 225 Content Identity Determination Unit 300 Internet 500 Identity judgment server 501 Same program database 502 Same program judgment / search unit

Claims (15)

[Claims] A server device that stores the content, outputs the content to the user, and relays a message addressed to the user, extracts content identification information for identifying the content from the message addressed to the user, A content sharing method comprising: when content indicated by content identification information is not stored, receiving the content from a server device that holds the content. 2. The content sharing method according to claim 1, wherein a content ID as content identification information embedded in a mail body of the electronic mail as a message is extracted. 3. The content sharing method according to claim 1, wherein the message is transmitted and received by a WWW electronic bulletin board. 4. If the content indicated by the content ID is stored, the content I in the message is
4. The content sharing method according to claim 2, wherein D is different from other portions. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the content including the content indicated by the content specifying information is stored, it is determined that the content indicated by the content specifying information is stored. 2. The content sharing method according to claim 1. 6. A content sharing system in which one server device that stores content and outputs the content to a user and relays a message addressed to the user shares the content with another server device. Content storage means for storing content, content name extraction means for extracting content identification information for identifying content from a received message addressed to the user, and content indicated by the content identification information is stored in the content storage means. A content receiving system that receives the content from a server device that holds the content if the content is not present. 7. The server device includes a mail management unit having an e-mail transmission / reception function, and the content name extraction unit outputs the content identification information embedded in a mail body of the e-mail received by the mail management unit. 7. The content sharing system according to claim 6, wherein the content ID is extracted. 8. The content sharing system according to claim 7, further comprising: content reference means for recognizing a content browsing request from another person by referring to a content ID embedded in the body of the e-mail. 9. The content sharing system according to claim 8, wherein the content reference means is provided in a terminal device connected to the server device via a network. 10. The content reference means includes:
9. The content sharing system according to claim 7, wherein, if the content indicated by D is stored in the content storage means, the content ID in the message is displayed in a manner different from other locations. 11. The server apparatus further comprises: content identity determination means for determining whether or not substantially the same content as the content indicated by the content specifying information is stored in the content storage means, wherein the content identity determination means is 11. The method according to claim 6, wherein when content including the content indicated by the content specifying information is stored, it is determined that the content indicated by the content specifying information is stored. Content sharing system. 12. The content is a recording of a television broadcast program, the same program database storing information indicating the correspondence between television programs broadcast in a plurality of regions, and the content in response to a request from a server device. 7. An identical program determination / search means for searching the same program database and determining whether or not the content indicated by the content specifying information is stored in the content storage means of the server device.
A content sharing system according to any one of claims 1 to 11. 13. A server device having a function of relaying a message addressed to a user, comprising: a content storage unit for storing content; and a content name for extracting content identification information for identifying content from the message addressed to the user. A server comprising: an extracting unit; and a content receiving unit that receives the content from a server device that holds the content when the content indicated by the content specifying information is not stored in the content storage unit. apparatus. 14. A mail management means having an e-mail transmission / reception function handled by a terminal device accessible to a server device, wherein the content name extracting means receives the e-mail addressed to the terminal device and received by the mail management means. 14. The server device according to claim 13, wherein a content ID as content identification information embedded in the mail text is extracted. 15. A content identity determining means for determining whether or not content substantially identical to the content indicated by the content identification information is stored in the content storage means, wherein the content identity determination means comprises: And determining that the content indicated by the content specifying information is stored when the content including the content indicated by is stored.
5. The server device according to 4.