JP2007158854A - Av server device, client apparatus, and file transfer system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an AV server device capable of managing content viewing history in each user even in home network in which a LAN for one's home or the like is used to enjoy AV household electric appliances on the basis of the conventional standard (UPnP-AV/DLNA(Universal Plug and Play Audio/Video)), a client apparatus and a file transfer system. <P>SOLUTION: To acquire a list of user incidental information from an information household electric appliance (AV server device) 12, a user of an information household electric appliance (client apparatus) 13 transmits a "CDS: Browse request" to the information household electric appliance 12 side (S501), and the information household electric appliance 12 transmits a list of user incidental information together with a "CDS: Browse response" (S502). Next, the user selects one piece of the user incidental information, and the selected user incidental information is stored in a memory space of the information household electric appliance 13 (S503). Content reproduction information managed in each user is recorded in the user incidental information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an AV server device, a client device, and a file transfer system that mainly transfer content files via a home network, and in particular, transfer of file information related to multimedia contents according to UPnP-AV CDS. The present invention relates to an AV server device, a client device, and a file transfer system as home appliances that perform the above.

  In recent years, with the establishment of broadband environments such as xDSL and optical fiber, Internet connection is rapidly spreading regardless of companies and general households. In addition, a home network environment in which home PCs and home appliances are connected via Ethernet (registered trademark), wireless LAN, or the like has become common. Under such circumstances, not only personal computers (PCs) but also home appliances such as TVs, DVD recorders, air conditioners, and refrigerators can be connected to each other via an IP (Internet Protocol) network defined by the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force). It has become like this.

  As one of applications on the Internet or home network, there is an application for viewing AV content files such as video and music between home appliances and PCs. For example, a TV program recorded by an HDD recorder installed in the living room can be viewed using a TV in another room as if it was recorded in the HDD recorder as if it were in the living room. .

  A UPnP-AV (Universal Plug and Play Audio / Video) architecture is promising as a protocol for handling AV content files such as video and music in recent home networks. This UPnP-AV does not stipulate the transfer method of the content file itself, but stipulates a service related to information (metadata) attached to the content file, a service related to connection, and the like. Among them, CDS (Content Directory Service), which is a service related to information (metadata) attached to a content file, is the most basic service in the UPnP-AV architecture. It is also possible to create / delete / modify accompanying information (metadata) itself of the content file. On the other hand, HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol), RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol), and the like are generally used as content file transfer methods used in combination with UPnP-AV.

  As mentioned above, when viewing an AV content file using UPnP-AV and HTTP, if the device operated by the user is a client device and the counterpart device connected to the network is an AV server device, the client The device needs to know what content the AV server device holds. When a list of accompanying information (metadata) of content files is acquired from an AV server device using CDS, which is the service described above, a folder structure tree called “Root” is usually used using a function called CDS: Browse. A tree search is performed one by one from the top node. This is generally the same operation as the file operation of the PC, and the user sequentially acquires information on the content file list from the root. In some devices, the folder structure may be distinguished as content types (for example, video, music, still images), or the folder structure may be divided according to the physical structure (HDD, DVD, etc.). There may be. By this method, the client sequentially acquires the content file list held in the AV server device, whereby the accompanying information (metadata) of the desired content file can be specified. Although there is a method of performing keyword search using a function called CDS: Search, this is effective only when the server side supports it.

The accompanying information (metadata) of the identified content file describes a URL (Uniform Resource Locators) when the content file is transferred. By accessing this URL, file transfer by HTTP GET is started. . Once the file transfer is started and the user who has watched the AV content file performs a pause (pause) operation at an arbitrary position, it stops at the accompanying information (metadata) of the content metadata managed by the CDS. There may be a mechanism for recording the position. The recording position in this case may be a file offset value or a reproduction time. By having such a mechanism, even after the user turns off the power, the user can select the same content, and can start playback from the paused scene by starting the file transfer from the previously recorded position. . The UPnP-AV CDS specifications have been standardized (for example, see Non-Patent Document 1).
ContentDirectoryV 1.0 (URL: http://www.upnp.org/standardizeddcps/documents/ContentDirectory1.0.pdf)

  However, when there are a plurality of users who use the same AV server device, for example, when an HDD recorder as an AV server device used by a family is installed in the living room as described above, a person who views the same content file In this case, if a content file transfer method according to the conventional UPnP-AV CDS is used, there is a problem that there is no method for distinguishing who viewed what. That is, in the content file transfer method according to the conventional UPnP-AV CDS, regardless of who the user viewed last time, the user who viewed next updated the information of the previous user, resulting in the AV server. There is a drawback in that content viewing management is not possible for each user who uses the device.

  The present invention is to solve the above-described conventional problems, and a plurality of users share the same AV server apparatus by using a content file transfer method that conforms to UPnP-AV CDS mainly between home appliances. Even in this case, an object is to provide an AV server device, a client device, and a file transfer system that can manage content viewing for each user.

  In order to solve the above problems, an AV server device according to the present invention is a client device that acquires content from an AV server device via a network, and is set for each user who uses the AV server device, and the content Second communication control means for transmitting an acquisition request for the list of user incidental information to the AV server apparatus in order to acquire a list of user incidental information including reproduction information of the user, and the user incidental information acquired from the AV server apparatus A user-accompanying information selection unit that selects user-accompanying information corresponding to the user from the list, and the second communication control unit is a content corresponding to each user based on the selected user-accompanying information. A request for acquiring a list of accompanying information is transmitted to the AV server device.

  With this configuration, in the database of the AV server device that provides the content file, user-accompanying information for identifying the user can be held independently of the content-associated information that is the accompanying information of the content file. It becomes possible to perform management for each user who uses the AV server apparatus using the user associated information.

  The AV server device according to the present invention further comprises database control means for updating the user-accompanying information recorded in the database based on the reproduction information transmitted from the client device. To do.

  With this configuration, the user associated information recorded in the database of the AV server device can be constantly updated and managed by the database control unit based on the reproduction information.

  Further, the communication control means according to the present invention communicates with the client device according to UPnP-AV CDS, and receives a CDS browse request that is a request for obtaining a list of the user-associated information from the client device. A list of the user-accompanying information is returned to the client device as a CDS browse response.

  With this configuration, the communication control unit can use a content file transfer method according to UPnP-AV CDS, and the present invention is also applicable to the case of transferring content between home appliances mainly via a home network. In the AV server apparatus, it is possible to manage content reproduction information for each user based on user-accompanying information.

  The client device according to the present invention is a client device that acquires content from an AV server device via a network, and is set for each user who uses the AV server device and includes the reproduction information of the content. A second communication control means for transmitting an acquisition request for the list of user-accompanying information to the AV server device in order to acquire a list of information; and a list of the user-accompanying information acquired from the AV server device. A user-accompanied information selection means for selecting corresponding user-accompanying information.

  In addition, the second communication control unit of the client device according to the present invention further transmits an acquisition request for a list of content-associated information regarding the content recorded in the AV server device to the AV server device, and the client device Further includes a second database that records the user-accompanying information acquired via the second communication control unit, a content selection unit that selects content to be reproduced from the list of the content-associated information, and the user-associated information And a playback means for controlling the playback of the selected content.

  With these configurations, when the client device selects an AV content file and tries to view it, it first obtains a list of user incidental information from the AV server device via the second communication control means, and selects the user incidental information. It is possible to select user-accompanying information in the means, set a content reproduction position for each user based on the selected user-accompanied information, and perform reproduction from a previously stopped position, for example.

  In addition, the second communication control unit of the client device according to the present invention further transmits reproduction information of the content reproduced by the reproduction unit to the AV server device. Further, the reproduction information includes at least a reproduction stop position of the content.

  With these configurations, when the viewing is interrupted in the middle of the client device, the reproduction information is transmitted to the AV server device via the second communication control means, and the content recorded in the database on the AV server device side By updating the user-accompanying information such as the playback stop position, the client device can resume from the previous state if the same user-accompanying information is selected next time.

  Further, the second communication control means of the client device according to the present invention communicates with the AV server device according to UPnP-AV CDS, and sends a CDS browse request as an acquisition request for the list of user-associated information. It transmits to AV server apparatus, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  With this configuration, the second communication control unit can use a content file transfer method in accordance with UPnP-AV CDS, and is mainly used when transferring multimedia content between home appliances via a home network. However, in the client device of the present invention, content reproduction can be managed for each user based on the user-accompanying information.

  In the present invention, not only can it be realized as an AV server device or a client device, but also a file transfer system between the AV server device and the client device, and a file including steps included in the AV server device and the client device The transfer method and the file transfer method can be realized as a program that can be realized by a computer or the like, or the program can be distributed via a recording medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM or a transmission medium such as a communication network. Needless to say.

  According to the present invention, content viewing management can be performed for each user even in an environment in which a plurality of users access the same AV server apparatus using a file transfer method mainly based on UPnP-AV CDS. It becomes.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment)
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 3 relate to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an overall view for explaining a use in a home LAN which is a main use of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a functional configuration of an information home appliance according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data configuration managed in the database of the information home appliance as the AV server device according to the present invention.

  FIG. 1 shows an overall view when information home appliances 12, 13, and 14 according to the present invention are connected via a home LAN.

  In this figure, an information home appliance (for example, HDD recorder) 12 installed in the living room and an information home appliance installed in the bedroom (for example, HDD recorder) with respect to the home LAN 15 configured to be connected to the broadband router 11 in the house. For example, a television) 13 and an information device (for example, PC) 14 in a study room are connected. For example, when the user tries to view the video recorded in the information home appliance 12 in the living room while staying in the bedroom, the AV server device uses the information home appliance 13 installed in the bedroom as a client device. A scene where a home information appliance 12 is remotely controlled can be assumed.

  It is assumed that both the information home appliance 12 installed in the living room and the information home appliance 13 installed in the bedroom conform to the UPnP-AV architecture defined by the Universal Plug and Play Forum and have a CDS function. It is said.

FIG. 2 shows a functional block diagram of the information home appliance (AV server device) 12 according to the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the information home appliance (AV server device) 12 connected to the network is recorded in a graphical user interface 21 such as a remote control that accepts an input instruction from a user, and a database 23. A DB control unit 22 for editing and controlling content metadata and user metadata, a database 23 for storing user metadata and content metadata as shown in FIG. 4 to be described later, and an information home appliance (client device) 13 And a communication control unit 24 for transmitting and receiving data via the network.

  FIG. 3 shows a functional block diagram of the information home appliance (client device) 13 according to the present invention.

  In the information home appliance 13 on the client device side, a user interface 31 such as a remote control and a keyboard that accepts input processing from the user, user-accompanying information acquired from the information home appliance (AV server device) 12 and content entity information are recorded. File 32 based on the database 32, the DB control unit 33 that controls information recorded in the database 32, the playback unit 34 that plays back content acquired from the home information appliance (AV server device) 12, and the UPnP CDS The communication control part 35 which performs communication of these is provided.

  In addition, the user interface 31 of the information home appliance (client device) 13 according to the present embodiment is configured such that the information home appliance 13 from the user-accompanying information list acquired from the information home appliance (AV server device) 12 via the communication control unit 35. A user-accompanying information selection unit 31a for selecting user-accompanying information corresponding to the user, and a content for requesting reproduction from a content-associated information list acquired from the information home appliance 12 based on the user-accompanied information. A content selection unit 31b is provided.

  In the description of the present embodiment, the information home appliances 12 and 13 are described separately from the AV server device and the client device. However, in actual specifications, one information home appliance is an AV server device. Needless to say, it is possible to have a function as a client device.

  FIG. 4 is a data configuration diagram of metadata stored in the database 23 of the information home appliance 12 installed in the living room that operates as an AV server device.

  Data handled by the UPnP-AV CDS is stored in the database 23, and a folder 42 for each content type (video, music, etc.) is stored under the top folder 41 of a tree called ROOT because of its logical structure. It exists and holds accompanying information (metadata) 43 of the content file under this folder 42. In the content metadata 43, for example, information such as a content title, a broadcasting station, a recording time, and a URL in the server device is recorded.

  In addition, the database 23 of the information home appliance 12 of the present invention has a user information folder 44 as a folder for storing user's accompanying information (metadata), and is managed for each user according to the number of users. It is characterized by holding user metadata 45.

  Then, for example, there are currently three users in the home, each of which is user A, user B, and user C, and user A in the living room uses the information home appliance (AV server device) 12 in the living room. It is assumed that the user A finishes viewing in the living room and then tries to continue viewing using the information home appliance (client device) 13 in the bedroom. In this case, when the user A finishes viewing in the living room, the reproduction is stopped using the graphical user interface 21, and at this time, the reproduction stop position corresponds to the user A of the database 23 via the DB control unit 22. Recorded in the metadata 45. In other words, in the database 23, the content that has been reproduced and the information of the reproduction start position are written in the user-associated information 45 of the user A.

  FIG. 5 is a communication sequence diagram when the content transferred from the information home appliance (AV server device) 12 is reproduced using the information home appliance (client device) 13 in the bedroom.

  As described above, when the information home appliance 13 in the bedroom is the client device and the information home appliance 12 in the living room is the AV server device, the user A in the bedroom uses the user interface 31 such as a remote control to connect the information home appliance 13. Manipulate.

  First, the information home appliance (client device) 13 transmits a “CDS: Browse request” to the information home appliance (AV server device) 12 in order to obtain a list of user metadata (S501). The information home appliance (AV server device) 12 transmits a user metadata list together with “CDS: Browse response” (S502).

  On the information home appliance (client device) 13 side that has acquired the user metadata list, the user A selects one piece of user-accompanying information corresponding to the user A via the graphical user interface 21. The user associated information selection method may be a user name described in the user associated information, a code associated with a button on the remote controller, or the like. The selected user-accompanying information is held in the memory space of the information home appliance (client device) 13 (S503).

  Next, a “CDS: Browse request” is transmitted from the information home appliance (client device) 13 operated by the user to acquire a content metadata list corresponding to the user A (S504), and the information home appliance (AV server) The content metadata list is acquired by “CDS: Browse response” transmitted from the device 12 (S505).

  Then, the user A selects a desired content (in this case, the content that has been reproduced in the living room earlier) from the content metadata list. At this time, the reproduction start position is specified by collating with the user metadata previously stored in the database 32 which is the memory space of the information home appliance (client device) 13 (S506).

  Next, a request using HTTP is made from the specified reproduction start position (S507), for example, data transfer of content as Range 7555-8000 is started (S508). Viewing can be resumed from the scene being played back by the server device 12.

  In addition, the user A of the information home appliance (client device) 13 watching in the bedroom can stop the playback at a desired time. At the same time as stopping the playback (S509), "CDS: UpdateObject request" Thus, the information home appliance (AV server device) 12 is notified of the reproduction stop position (S510), and the information home appliance (AV server device) 12 that has received the notification updates the reproduction stop position of the user metadata corresponding to the user A. (S511). When the update is completed, a “CDS: UpdateObject response” is transmitted to the information home appliance (client device) 13 side (S512), and all sequences are completed.

  In the description of FIG. 5, as illustrated in S <b> 501 to S <b> 503 of FIG. 5, the user of the information home appliance 13 on the client device side first selects user metadata using the user interface. However, the process of acquiring and selecting the user metadata list is automatically performed by inputting a login ID, setting a power button for a remote controller or the like for each user (for example, a red power button corresponds to the user A), etc. It is also possible to do this.

  Note that the data format described in the user-accompanying information recorded in the database 23 of the information home appliance 12 is the XML format. FIG. 6 shows a new “profile” in conformity with the UPnP-AV CDS. An example of user-accompanying information 60 that defines a name space is described.

  In this embodiment, the reproduction start position is given as an example of the user's accompanying information. However, the number of reproduction, the reproduction time, and the like are not specified. In addition, when performing “CDS: Browse” or “CDS: UpdateObject” on the accompanying information of the user from the client device side, the network information (for example, IP address or MAC address) of the client device is previously stored on the AV server device side. By registering, it is possible to restrict access from the client device. Furthermore, it is possible to perform exclusive control or the like when updating user-accompanying information.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to manage the usage status of content for each user by adding a part of the functions of CDS used in UPnP-AV. User operability such as AV viewing between home appliances can be dramatically improved.

  In addition, in the database 23 of the information home appliance (AV server device) 12 according to the present invention, in order to record and manage the user-accompanied information independently of the content-accompanying information, only the user-accompanied information without accompanying the content entity Thus, it is possible to minimize data transmission / reception on the network and to minimize the necessary memory in the information home appliance 12 on the AV server device side.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, the user metadata 45 recorded in the database 23 of the information home appliance (AV server device) 12 can be described according to the UPnP-AV CDS, and therefore managed by the existing CDS. Therefore, user metadata can be managed without improving the content metadata, and this has the effect of high compatibility with the current home network.

  The present invention can be applied, for example, as an AV server device, a client device, and a file transfer system for transferring multimedia contents between home appliances via a home network based on a file transfer method according to the UPnP-AV CDS. .

It is a general view when the information home appliance according to the present invention is connected by a home LAN. It is a functional block diagram of the information household appliances (AV server apparatus) which concerns on this invention. It is a functional block diagram of information household appliances (client device) concerning the present invention. It is a data block diagram of the metadata memorize | stored in the database of the information household appliances installed in the living room which operate | moves as an AV server apparatus. It is a communication sequence diagram in the case of reproducing the content transferred from the information home appliance (AV server device) using the bedroom information home appliance (client device). FIG. 10 is a reference diagram illustrating an XML description example of user-accompanying information.

Explanation of symbols

11 Broadband router 12 Information appliances (AV server device)
13 Information appliances (client devices)
14 Information appliances (client devices)
15 Home LAN
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 21 Graphical user interface 22 DB control part 23 Database 24 Communication control part 31 User interface 31a User incidental information selection part 31b Content selection part 32 Database 33 DB control part 34 Reproduction | regeneration part 35 Communication control part 41 The highest part of a logical tree structure ( ROOT)
42 Logical folder by contents 43 Content metadata 44 Logical folder for directly storing user metadata 45 User metadata 60 User-associated information

Claims (22)

An AV server device that provides content to a client device via a network,
A database that records at least content-accompanying information about the content and user-accompanying information that is set for each user who uses the AV server device and includes the reproduction information of the content, independently of the content-associated information;
An AV server apparatus comprising: communication control means for transmitting the list of user-accompanying information to the client device based on a request for acquiring the list of user-accompanying information from the client device. The AV server device further includes:
The AV server apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising database control means for updating the user-accompanying information recorded in the database based on the reproduction information transmitted from the client device. The AV server apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the database control unit further edits the user-accompanying information based on a user instruction transmitted from the client device. The AV server apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the database control unit further restricts editing of the user-accompanying information based on network information held by the client device. The AV server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction information included in the user-associated information includes at least a content reproduction stop position on the client device. The communication control means further transmits the list of content-associated information to the client device based on an acquisition request for the list of content-associated information from the client device based on the user-associated information. The AV server device according to claim 1. The communication control means communicates with the client device according to CDS (Content Directory Service) of UPnP-AV (Universal Plug and Play Audio / Video), and requests acquisition of the list of user-accompanying information from the client device. The AV server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the CDS browse request is received, a list of the user-accompanying information is returned to the client device as a CDS browse response. The communication control means communicates with the client device in accordance with UPnP-AV CDS,
When the database control unit further receives a CDS update object request, which is reproduction information after the reproduction of the content is finished, from the client device via the communication control unit, the database control unit is based on the reproduction information. Updating the user associated information recorded in the database;
3. The AV server device according to claim 2, wherein, when the update is performed, the communication control unit returns a CDS update object response indicating the update to the client device. 4. A client device that acquires content from an AV server device via a network,
Second communication that is set for each user who uses the AV server apparatus and transmits a request for acquiring the list of user-accompanying information to the AV server apparatus in order to acquire a list of user-accompanying information including reproduction information of the content Control means;
A client device comprising: user-accompanying information selection means for selecting user-accompanying information corresponding to the user from a list of the user-accompanying information acquired from the AV server device. The second communication control means further transmits an acquisition request for a list of content-associated information related to content recorded in the AV server device to the AV server device,
The client device further includes:
A second database for recording the user-accompanying information acquired via the second communication control means;
Content selection means for selecting content to be reproduced from the list of content-associated information;
The client device according to claim 9, further comprising: a reproducing unit that controls reproduction of the selected content based on the user-accompanying information. The client device according to claim 9, wherein the second communication control unit further transmits reproduction information of the content reproduced by the reproduction unit to the AV server device. The client device according to claim 11, wherein the reproduction information includes at least a reproduction stop position of the content. The client device according to claim 9, wherein the user-accompanying information selection unit further automatically selects the user-accompanying information based on user information input by a user. The client device according to claim 13, wherein the user information includes at least one of a login ID set for each user and button information of a remote control device for operating the client device. The second communication control means further communicates with the AV server device in accordance with UPnP-AV CDS, and transmits a CDS browse request to the AV server device as an acquisition request for the list of user-accompanying information. The client device according to claim 9. The second communication control means further communicates with the AV server device in accordance with UPnP-AV CDS, and transmits a CDS browse request to the AV server device as an acquisition request for the list of content-associated information. The client device according to claim 10. The second communication control means further communicates with the AV server device according to the UPnP-AV CDS, and after the reproduction of the content is completed, a CDS update object request is sent as the reproduction information of the content. The client device according to claim 11, wherein the client device is transmitted to an AV server device. A file transfer system between an AV server device that provides content to a client device via a network and a client device that acquires the content from the AV server device,
The AV server device
A database that records at least content-accompanying information about the content and user-accompanying information that is set for each user who uses the AV server device and includes the reproduction information of the content, independently of the content-associated information;
Communication control means for transmitting the list of user-accompanying information to the client device based on the acquisition request of the list of user-accompanying information from the client device;
The client device is
Second communication control means for transmitting an acquisition request for the list of user-accompanying information to the AV server device in order to acquire a list of the user-accompanying information;
A file transfer system comprising user-accompanying information selection means for selecting user-accompanying information corresponding to the user from a list of the user-accompanying information acquired from the AV server device. A communication method used in an AV server device that provides content to a client device via a network,
The AV server device
A database that records at least content-associated information about the content and user-associated information that is set for each user who uses the AV server device and includes the reproduction information of the content independently of the content-associated information; ,
The communication method is:
A communication method comprising: a communication control step of transmitting the list of user-accompanying information to the client device based on an acquisition request for the list of user-accompanying information from the client device. A communication method used for a client device that acquires content from an AV server device via a network,
Second communication that is set for each user who uses the AV server apparatus and transmits a request for acquiring the list of user-accompanying information to the AV server apparatus in order to acquire a list of user-accompanying information including reproduction information of the content Control steps;
And a user associated information selection step of selecting user associated information corresponding to the user from a list of the user associated information acquired from the AV server device. A program used in an AV server device that provides content to a client device via a network,
The AV server device
A database that records at least content-associated information about the content and user-associated information that is set for each user who uses the AV server device and includes the reproduction information of the content independently of the content-associated information; ,
The program is
A program causing a computer to execute a communication control step of transmitting the list of user-accompanying information to the client device based on an acquisition request for the list of user-accompanying information from the client device. A program used in a client device that acquires content from an AV server device via a network,
Second communication that is set for each user who uses the AV server apparatus and transmits a request for acquiring the list of user-accompanying information to the AV server apparatus in order to acquire a list of user-accompanying information including reproduction information of the content Control steps;
A program causing a computer to execute a user associated information selection step of selecting user associated information corresponding to the user from a list of the user associated information acquired from the AV server device.

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