JP2005165963A - Content reproduction control method and mobile communication terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a content reproduction control method and a mobile communication terminal which appropriately judges whether or not time is the one when content reproduction is permitted even when reception of exact time from a standard clock device is impossible. <P>SOLUTION: The content reproduction control method is provided with a clock 25 in a reproducing device, checks that the clock 25 is not manually calibrated by a manual calibration completion flag 27 and appropriately decides whether or not the time is the one when the content reproduction is permitted by calculating the maximum error of the clock 25 using elapsed time from time indicated by the final automatic calibration time 28 when the clock 25 is calibrated by exact time at last. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a content reproduction control method and a mobile communication terminal device, and more particularly to a reproduction control process in which content reproduction is permitted only at a predetermined time.

  When the mobile communication terminal device receives the encoded digital movie information, a process for reproducing the information is performed. When receiving the information, for example, in order to protect the copyright of the person who created the information, there may be a restriction that the information can be reproduced only during the permitted time period.

  The above restriction is not limited to the time when movie information is played back, and any information that can be felt by the user's five senses is encoded and converted into information that can be felt by the user's five senses. There are cases where restrictions are imposed according to the time of day.

  Henceforth, any information that can be felt by the user's five senses is encoded information, and the information that is not felt or difficult to be felt by the user's five senses will be referred to as content. The process of converting to information that can be felt by the five senses is called reproduction. In addition to movie information, the content includes music information, audio information, and still image information, and further includes information that is played back interactively, such as electronic game information.

  The content is not limited to encoded digital information, and may be digital information that is not encoded. Furthermore, part or all of the content may be analog information. It does not matter whether the content is received via a wireless line, a wired line, or a removable storage medium.

  When the playback device of the mobile communication terminal device is restricted to play the content only at a predetermined permission time, it confirms that the restriction is satisfied when the time when the user instructs the playback is received. Then, the content is played back. Here, when the time received by the playback device is the time received from a clock that can be manually calibrated by the user, it goes without saying that it is necessary to check whether the time is accurate.

  As a means of receiving accurate time, it receives radio waves transmitted by the standard frequency station (calling code JJY) operated by the Communications Research Laboratory, and GPS (Global Positioning System). The reception of radio waves transmitted by satellites is known. In addition, reception of radio waves transmitted from a base station of a mobile communication system is known.

  On the other hand, as a means of using the fixed telephone network, the data transmission from the “standard time supply system by telephone line” operated by the Communications Research Laboratory and the “time signal” operated by the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation group can be used. It is known to receive voices sent from a "service" system (phone number 117).

  Furthermore, means for using the WWW system, for example, reception of information provided by the WWW server (address http://www2.crl.go.jp/cgi-bin/JST.cgi) operated by the Communications Research Laboratory. Are known.

  In view of this, when playing back content, the playback device uses one of the above devices other than the playback device (hereinafter referred to as a standard clock device) or a time indicated by a plurality of devices (hereinafter referred to as a standard time). A process for receiving and determining whether the received standard time is a time at which the content is permitted to be reproduced is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Also, a clock that is calibrated at the standard time received from the standard clock device and that cannot be calibrated by the user is provided exclusively for the playback device, and the time received from the clock is the time at which playback of the content is permitted. A process for determining whether or not there is known is known (for example, see Patent Document 2).
JP-A-11-85500 (second page, FIG. 1) JP 2002-91923 A (page 2-3, FIG. 6)

  However, in the method disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, there is a problem that the content cannot be reproduced even at a time when the content is permitted to be reproduced at a place where communication with the standard clock device is impossible. there were. Examples of places where the above communication is impossible include an underground mall where radio waves do not reach and no fixed telephone line is installed, and a subway car.

  In addition, the method disclosed in Patent Document 2 described above has a problem that two clocks are necessary, that is, a clock that can be calibrated by the user and a reproduction device dedicated clock that cannot be calibrated by the user. Furthermore, since there is no means for guaranteeing the accuracy of the playback device dedicated clock whose user cannot calibrate the time, there is a problem that it is not possible to guarantee that the judgment as to whether or not the playback of the content is appropriate is appropriate.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and appropriately determines whether or not the time is a time at which content reproduction is permitted even when communication with a standard clock device is impossible. It is an object of the present invention to provide a content reproduction control method and a mobile communication terminal device that can be determined.

  In order to achieve the above object, a content playback control method according to the present invention is a content playback control method for playing back content from a content storage means in which the content and the playback permission time of the content are stored, which is transmitted from outside The standard time is received, the time of the time measuring means is calibrated according to the received standard time, the time is measured, the fact that the time of the time measuring means is calibrated according to the standard time is stored in the calibration method storage means, and input When the time of the time measuring means is calibrated according to the time set by the means, the fact that the time of the time measuring means has been calibrated according to the input means is stored in the calibration method storage means, and when the content is reproduced, the standard time That the time measuring means has been calibrated according to the information stored in the calibration method storage means and the time measuring means indicates The content is reproduced when the time is included in the reproduction permission time, and the content is not reproduced when the calibrating method storage unit stores that the time measuring unit is calibrated according to the input unit. And

  According to the present invention, even in a place where communication with a standard clock device is impossible, it is possible to appropriately determine whether or not the time is a time at which content reproduction is permitted.

  Embodiments of a content reproduction control method and a mobile communication terminal device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a mobile communication terminal apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  This apparatus includes a control unit 11 that controls the entire apparatus, an antenna 12a that transmits and receives radio waves to and from a base station (not shown), a communication unit 12b, a transmission / reception unit 13, a speaker 14a, and a microphone. 14b, a call unit 14c, an output device 15, an input device 16, a content storage unit 21, a content reproduction unit 22, and a time management unit 23.

  The content storage unit 21 stores a content file 21a. FIG. 2 shows the file format of the content file 21 a stored in the content storage unit 21. In the content file 21a, a playback permission start time 21c that is the earliest time at which playback of the content 21b is permitted and a playback permission end time 21d that is the latest time at which playback of the content 21b is allowed are added to the content 21b. File. The content file 21a may be encrypted.

  Note that the reproduction permission start time 21c and the reproduction permission end time 21d may be stored in the content storage unit 21 as files different from the content file 21a. Moreover, these time information may be encrypted.

  The content file 21a is received by an e-mail transmission / reception unit (not shown) and stored in the content storage unit 21, but is not limited thereto. For example, it may be received by a web reception unit (not shown) and stored in the content storage unit 21. Further, it may be received via a removable storage medium (not shown) and stored in the content storage unit 21.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the time management unit 23. The time management unit 23 includes a control unit 11, a time management control unit 24 connected to the content reproduction unit 22, a clock 25, a time calibration mode 26, a manually calibrated flag 27, and a final automatic calibration time 28. Consists of.

  In the time calibration mode 26, “automatic” data is stored when the clock 25 is calibrated by the standard time. Further, in the mode in which the clock 25 is calibrated by the user setting, data “manual” is stored.

  The manually calibrated flag 27 stores data “ON” when the latest calibration of the clock 25 is based on the time set by the user. If the latest calibration of the clock 25 is based on the standard time, data “OFF” is stored. Further, the last automatic calibration time 28 stores the time when the clock 25 was recently calibrated based on the standard time.

  The operation of each part of the mobile communication terminal apparatus configured as described above according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, the communication unit 12b outputs the high-frequency signal received by the antenna 12a to the transmission / reception unit 13, and transmits the high-frequency signal output from the transmission / reception unit 13 from the antenna 12a.

  The transceiver 13 amplifies, converts and demodulates the high frequency signal from the communication unit 12b, and controls the control signal including the standard time from the communication unit 12b and the digital voice signal obtained thereby to the call unit 14c. Send to part 11. Furthermore, the digital audio signal output from the communication unit 14c and the control signal output from the control unit 11 are modulated, frequency-converted and amplified to obtain a high-frequency signal, which is sent to the communication unit 12b.

  Next, the call unit 14c converts the digital audio signal output from the transmission / reception unit 13 or the content reproduction unit 22 into an analog audio signal, amplifies it, and sends it to the speaker 14a. The analog audio signal output from the microphone 14 b is amplified, converted into a digital audio signal, and transmitted to the transmission / reception unit 13.

  The output device 15 is, for example, an LCD display device, and starts a display operation when activated by the control unit 11 or the content reproduction unit 22. The same information is displayed on the output device 15 until it is activated by the control unit 11 in response to an input operation from the input device 16 or until it is activated by the content reproduction unit 22 to display a new image. Is done.

  The input device 16 includes a plurality of keys including numeric keys for designating the telephone number of the other party. The input device 16 starts to operate when the control unit 11 is activated, and the key is input according to the key input input by the user. The identifier for identifying is notified to the control unit 11 and the operation is terminated.

  Next, the operation of the content reproduction unit 22 will be described with reference to FIGS. The content playback unit 22 is a device that plays back the content 21b of the content file 21a. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the content reproduction unit 22. When the user operates a predetermined key of the input device 16 and designates the content file 21a, the content reproduction unit 22 is activated by the control unit 11 using the name of the content file 21a as an argument to start the operation ( Step 22a).

  The content playback unit 22 immediately reads the playback permission start time 21c and the playback permission end time 21d of the content file 21a from the content storage unit 21 (step 22b). Subsequently, time information is received from the time management unit 23 (step 22c). The time information received from the time management unit 23 includes the time indicated by the clock 25 (this is expressed as T), the value stored in the manually calibrated flag 27, and the maximum error of the time indicated by the clock 25 ( This is expressed as E.).

  Subsequently, the content reproduction unit 22 receives the time information received in step 22c, the reproduction permission start time 21c read in step 22b (this is expressed as X), and the reproduction permission end time 21d (this is represented as Y). The current time is determined as a time when reproduction is permitted (step 22d).

  That is, if the value stored in the manually calibrated flag 27 received in step 22c is “OFF”, the clock 25 is calibrated based on the standard time, and therefore the time indicated by the clock 25 received in step 22c ( T) is generally accurate. However, the error up to the maximum error (E) received in step 22c may be included in the direction in which the time is delayed or in the direction in which the time is earlier.

  Therefore, the content reproduction unit 22 determines that “the current time is between T−E and T + E”, and the current time is the earliest, and the current time is the reproduction permission start time 21c and the reproduction permission end time 21d. (X <T−E <Y), or the current time is the latest and the current time is between the playback permission start time 21c and the playback permission end time 21d (X <T + E). <Y) At this time, it is determined that the time (T) indicated by the clock 25 is the reproduction permission time. When neither of these two conditions is satisfied, the content reproduction unit 22 determines that the time (T) indicated by the clock 25 is not the reproduction permission time.

  On the other hand, if the value stored in the manually calibrated flag 27 received in step 22c is “ON”, the clock 25 is calibrated based on the setting of the user, so the clock 25 received in step 22c indicates The accuracy of time (T) is unknown. Therefore, the content reproduction unit 22 determines that the time (T) indicated by the clock 25 is not the reproduction permission time.

  When it is determined that the time (T) indicated by the clock 25 is the reproduction permission time (“YES” in step 22d), the content reproduction unit 22 reads the content 21b from the content storage unit 21, and the image information and character information thereof. Is sent to the output device 15 for display, and music information or voice information is sent to the call section 14c and is pronounced from the speaker 14a, thereby reproducing the content 21b (step 22e) and ending (step 22f).

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the time (T) indicated by the clock 25 is not the reproduction permission time (“NO” in step 22d), the content reproduction unit 22 sends a message to the output device 15 that “currently it is not the reproduction permission time”. The message is sent and displayed (step 22g), and the process ends (step 22f).

  Note that the mobile communication terminal apparatus is provided with a second speaker for content reproduction (not shown) in addition to the speaker 14a, and the content reproduction unit 22 includes a second speaker for content reproduction by the call unit 14c. The content 21b may be reproduced by generating music information or audio information using the.

  Next, the operation of the time management unit 23 will be described with reference to FIGS. The clock 25 of the time management unit 23 is a device that measures time. Next, the operation of the time management control unit 24 of the time management unit 23 will be described.

  The time management control unit 24 is activated (1) when the user operates a predetermined key of the input device 16 and (2) when the control unit 11 receives the standard time from the base station. , (3) The operation is started by three types of activation, in which the content reproduction unit 22 is activated to receive time information.

  FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the operation of the time management control unit 24 activated by the control unit 11 when the user operates a predetermined key of the input device 16.

  When a predetermined key of the input device 16 is operated to instruct the operation of the time management unit 23, the control unit 11 starts the operation by starting the time management control unit 24 with the instruction as an argument (step 24a).

  Subsequently, the operation of the time management control unit 24 branches according to the next instruction from the user (step 24b). For example, when the instruction is the setting of the time calibration mode 26 (“setting of the time calibration mode” in Step 24b), the time calibration mode 26 is set to either “manual” or “automatic” based on the instruction. The data is stored (step 24c), and the process ends (step 24d).

  When the instruction is calibration of the clock 25 (“manual calibration” in step 24b), the time management control unit 24 branches the operation according to the data stored in the time calibration mode 26 (step 24e). That is, if the data stored in the time calibration mode 26 is “automatic” (“automatic” in step 24e), the operation is immediately terminated (step 24d).

  If the data stored in the time calibration mode 26 is “manual” (“manual” in step 24e), the time management control unit 24 calibrates the clock 25 to indicate the value instructed by the user (step). 24f). Then, in order to store the fact that the time indicated by the clock 25 has been calibrated according to the user's instruction, data “ON” is stored in the manually calibrated flag 27 (step 24g), and the process is terminated (step 24d).

  Next, FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of the operation of the time management control unit 24 activated by the control unit 11 when the control unit 11 receives the standard time from the base station.

  When the control unit 11 receives the standard time transmitted from the base station from the antenna 12a, the control unit 11 activates the time management control unit 24 using the received standard time as an argument and starts its operation (step 24i).

  Subsequently, the operation of the time management control unit 24 branches according to the data stored in the time calibration mode 26 (step 24j). That is, if “manual” is stored in the time calibration mode 26 (“manual” in step 24j), the process is immediately terminated (step 24k).

  On the other hand, if “automatic” is stored in the time calibration mode 26 (“automatic” in step 24j), the time management control unit 24 calibrates the clock 25 to indicate the received standard time (step 24m). Then, in order to store that the time indicated by the clock 25 is calibrated by the standard time, data “OFF” is stored in the manually calibrated flag 27 (step 24n). Further, the time calibrated by the standard time is stored in the final automatic calibration time 28 (step 24o), and the process is terminated (step 24k).

  Next, FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of the operation of the time management control unit 24 activated for the content reproduction unit 22 to receive time information.

  In this case, the time management control unit 24 is activated by the content reproduction unit 22 and starts operating (step 24q). Subsequently, the time management control unit 24 reads the time (T) indicated by the clock 25 and notifies the content reproduction unit 22 (step 24r), and the content reproduction unit 22 uses the data stored in the manually calibrated flag 27. (Step 24s).

  Here, if the data stored in the manually calibrated flag 27 is “ON”, the time (T) notified in step 24r is read from the clock 25 calibrated based on the user's instruction. Indicates. Further, if the data is “OFF”, it indicates that the time (T) notified in step 24r is read from the clock 25 calibrated based on the standard time.

  Then, when the data is “OFF”, the time management control unit 24 calculates the maximum error (E) included in the time (T) notified in step 24r and notifies the content reproduction unit 22 (step 24t). ) And end (step 24u). Here, the maximum error (E) is calculated by, for example, a linear function expression at time (T) indicated by the next clock 25, but is not limited thereto.

E = a × (T−T0) + b
Here, T0 is the time stored in the final automatic calibration time 28, and the constants a and b are predetermined constants. In the above equation, “a × (T−T0)” in the first term is an error depending on the time elapsed since the clock 25 was calibrated with the standard time, and the constant a was determined by the performance of the clock 25. , (T−T0) is a constant indicating the error of the clock 25.

  Further, “+ b” in the second term in the above equation indicates the maximum error included in the standard time received by the control unit 11 and the time management control unit 24 after the control unit 11 receives the standard time. As shown, it is the sum of the maximum time that elapses until the clock 25 is calibrated and the maximum error of the clock 25 that does not depend on (T−T0) determined according to the performance of the clock 25.

  Here, the maximum error included in the standard time received by the control unit 11 is the maximum error depending on the standard clock device that outputs the standard time, and the control unit 11 after the standard time is output from the standard clock device. Is the sum of the maximum time that elapses before reception.

  When the data stored in the manually calibrated flag 27 is “ON”, the time management control unit 24 indicates that the maximum error (E) included in the time (T) notified in step 24r is the maximum error (E). The maximum value allowed by the expression format of.

  In the present embodiment, the playback permission time of the content 21b is specified from the playback permission start time 21c to the playback permission end time 21d (see FIG. 2), but is not limited thereto. For example, it may be specified that it is a predetermined time from the first reproduction time.

  In this case, the content reproduction unit 22 performs the first reproduction only when the manually calibrated flag 27 received as part of the time information from the time management control unit 24 is “OFF” (see step 22c in FIG. 4). . Further, the time indicated by the clock 25 received as part of the time information from the time management control unit 24 is stored in the reproduction permission start time 21c, and the reproduction time is obtained by adding the predetermined time to the reproduction permission start time 21c. Store at end time 21d.

  As a result, in the second and subsequent reproductions, the content reproduction unit 22 can perform appropriate reproduction control by the operation as described above.

  Furthermore, the reproduction permission time of the content 21b may be specified as a predetermined time from the time when the content 21b is stored in the content storage unit 21. In this case, the content reproduction unit 22 changes the content 21b to the content only when the manually calibrated flag 27 received as part of the time information from the time management control unit 24 is “OFF” (see step 22c in FIG. 4). The time indicated by the clock 25 stored in the storage unit 21 and received as part of the time information from the time management control unit 24 is stored in the reproduction permission start time 21c, and the predetermined time is added to the reproduction permission start time 21c. The total time is stored in the reproduction permission end time 21d.

  In addition, the content reproduction unit 22 displays a warning when the time determined based on the time information received from the time management control unit 24 is not the reproduction permission time of the content 21b (“NO” in step 22d in FIG. 4). (Step 22g in FIG. 4), but is not limited to this. The content 21b may be previewed (only a part of the content 21b is reproduced).

  Alternatively, the e-mail address of the copyright owner of the content 21b or the copyright manager of the content 21b is stored in the content file 21a, and an e-mail is transmitted to the e-mail transmission / reception unit directed to this address. You may notify that reproduction | regeneration was instruct | indicated by the user other than reproduction | regeneration permission time.

  Alternatively, the content file 21a may be deleted or the content 21b may be deleted.

  Alternatively, the most past time as long as the data representation format permits is stored in the reproduction permission start time 21c and the reproduction permission end time 21d, so that the content 21b cannot be reproduced thereafter. .

  Further, the content playback unit 22 stores the number of times that the user has instructed playback of the content 21b other than the playback permission time (the number of times step 22g in FIG. 4 has been operated) in the content file 21a, and the stored number of times. Different operations may be performed depending on whether the number of times does not exceed the predetermined number.

  When the time management control unit 24 is requested to notify the time information, the time reproduction control unit 24 notifies the content reproduction unit 22 of the data stored in the manually calibrated flag 27 (step 24s in FIG. 7), and the content reproduction unit 22 However, when the data stored in the notified manually calibrated flag 27 is “ON”, it is determined that the reproduction is not performed (step 22d in FIG. 4). Instead, the time management control unit 24 The data stored in the time calibration mode 26 may be notified, and the content reproduction unit 22 may determine that the reproduction is not performed when the data stored in the notified time calibration mode 26 is “manual”.

  Furthermore, although the control unit 11 receives the standard time transmitted from the base station and the time management control unit 24 calibrates the clock 25 based on the standard time, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the time management control unit 24 may calibrate the clock 25 based on a standard time transmitted by a GPS reception unit (not shown) received from a GPS satellite and transmitted by the radio wave.

  Further, the above description has been made by taking an example in which the present invention is applied to a mobile communication terminal device, but the present invention can naturally be applied to any content reproduction device that can be easily carried. The present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and various modifications are possible.

The block diagram which shows the mobile communication terminal device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the file structure of the content file which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows the time management part which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows operation | movement of the content reproduction part which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows operation | movement of the time management control part which concerns on embodiment of this invention (the 1 and the case of starting by a user's instruction | indication). The flowchart which shows operation | movement of the time management control part which concerns on embodiment of this invention (the case of the start by the 2nd, control part receiving standard time). The flowchart which shows operation | movement of the time management control part which concerns on embodiment of this invention (the 3 and the case of starting by a content reproduction part).

Explanation of symbols

11 Control unit 14a Speaker 15 Output device 16 Input device 21 Content storage unit 21a Content file 21b Content 21c Playback permission start time 21d Playback permission end time 22 Content playback unit 23 Time management unit 24 Time management control unit 25 Clock 26 Time calibration mode 27 Manual calibrated flag 28 Last automatic calibration time

Claims (4)

A content playback control method for playing back the content from a content storage unit that stores the content and the playback permission time of the content,
Receive the standard time transmitted from the outside, calibrate the time of the time measuring means according to the received standard time,
Storing in the calibration method storage means that the time of the time measuring means has been calibrated according to the standard time,
When the time of the time measuring means is calibrated according to the time set by the input means, the fact that the time of the time measuring means is calibrated according to the input means is stored in the calibration method storage means,
When playing back the content, it is stored in the calibration method storage means that the time measuring means has been calibrated according to the standard time, and if the time indicated by the time measuring means is included in the reproduction permission time, Play the content,
A content reproduction control method, wherein the content is not reproduced when the calibrating method storage means stores that the timing means has been calibrated according to the input means. Content storage means for storing the content and the reproduction permission time of the content;
A time measuring means for measuring time;
Input means consisting of a plurality of keys including numeric keys;
Calibration method storage means for storing the calibration method of the time measuring means;
Automatic calibration means for calibrating the time of the time measuring means according to the standard time received from the outside, and storing in the calibration method storage means that the time of the time measuring means is calibrated according to the standard time;
Manual calibration means for calibrating the timekeeping means according to the time set by the input means, and storing in the calibration method storage means that the time of the timekeeping means has been calibrated according to the time from the input means;
When the calibration method storage means stores that the time measuring means has been calibrated according to the standard time, and the time indicated by the time measuring means is included in the reproduction permission time of the content, the content is reproduced, A mobile communication terminal comprising: content reproduction control means for controlling not to reproduce the content when the calibration method storage means stores that the time measurement means has been calibrated according to the time from the input means apparatus.   The mobile communication terminal apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the standard time is a time transmitted by a radio wave transmitted from a base station of a mobile communication system. It further includes a positioning system radio wave receiver,
The mobile communication terminal apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the standard time is a time transmitted by a radio wave transmitted from the positioning system radio station.

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