JP2007228129A - Distribution apparatus, client terminal, and contents distribution system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a contents distribution system for converting a format of contents data into a format with which a client terminal can reproduce the contents data by utilizing a transcode function of a distribution apparatus connected to the same network as the client terminal and for distributing the resulting contents data to the client terminal. <P>SOLUTION: The distribution apparatus includes: a management means for managing contents information associated with the contents data distributed by a distribution means; a transcode means for converting the format of the contents data distributed by the distribution means or the format of the contents data received by a reception means; and a control means for controlling the contents data whose format is converted by the transcode means according to an instruction from the client terminal to be transferred to the client terminal or other distribution apparatus via the network. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a distribution device that converts content data distributed to a client terminal via a network into a format suitable for the client terminal, a client terminal that receives content data distributed via the network from the distribution device, and a content distribution system. .

  In Patent Document 1, when a client terminal, a content server, and a transcoding server are connected to the Internet and content that cannot be played back by the client terminal is downloaded from the content server, the transcoding server converts the content into a format that can be played back by the client terminal. A technique for transmitting the converted content to the client terminal is disclosed.

  In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the client terminal transmits URL information of content to be downloaded to the transcode server in order to cause the transcode server to convert the content format. The transcode server downloads the content from the content server based on the received URL information, and converts (transcodes) the format of the downloaded content into a format that can be played back by the client terminal. Then, the transcode server transmits the transcoded content to the client terminal.

JP 2004-102339 A

  In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is necessary for the user to recognize that a transcoding server is installed, and when transcoding content to be downloaded, the URL information of the content is notified to the transcoding server. There is a need to.

  Further, there are various types of formatting methods for content. In the transcode server, it is necessary to perform an operation for extending the transcode function in order to support all these format systems. However, there are cases where the transcoding server has restrictions on expansion of the transcoding function or the like, and in this case, the format system of transcodeable content is limited.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problem, and uses a transcoding function of a distribution device connected to the same network as the client terminal so that it can be played back on the client terminal. It is an object to provide a distribution device, a client terminal, and a content distribution system for conversion.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application is a distribution device that distributes content data to a client terminal via a network, a transmission unit that transmits the content data via the network, Receiving means for receiving content data from a distribution device via a network, transcoding means for converting the format of content data received by the receiving means, and the format being converted by the transcoding means in accordance with an instruction from a client terminal And control means for controlling the transmission means so as to transfer the obtained content data to a client terminal or another distribution apparatus via a network.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in a distribution device that distributes content data to a client terminal via a network, content information relating to content data distributed by the distribution unit and content data distributed by the distribution unit is provided. Management means for managing, transmission means for transmitting content information managed by the management means and content data distributed by the distribution means via a network, and receiving content data from other distribution apparatuses via the network Receiving means, transcoding means for converting the format of the content data distributed by the distributing means or the content data received by the receiving means, and formatting by the transcoding means in accordance with an instruction from the client terminal. There characterized in that it comprises a control means for controlling the transmission means so as to transfer the converted content data via the network to the client terminal or other delivery device.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the client terminal that receives content data distributed from a plurality of distribution devices connected to a network, content information relating to the content data stored in the distribution device and a format of the content data Acquisition means for acquiring transcode information indicating the types of formats that can be converted from the distribution apparatus, reception means for receiving content data transmitted from the distribution apparatus via the network, and content data received by the reception means Decoding means for decoding the data, selection means for selecting content data to be distributed from the distribution device based on the content information acquired by the acquisition means, and selection means based on the transcode information acquired by the acquisition means Selected A setting unit that sets a distribution device that converts the content data into a format that can be decoded by the decoding unit; and an instruction unit that instructs to transfer the content data to the distribution device set by the setting unit. Features.

  The invention according to claim 4 of the present application is a content distribution system that distributes content data from a distribution device to a client terminal via a network, and a plurality of distribution devices according to claim 1 or claim 2. The client terminal described in Item 2 is provided in the same network.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a distribution device, a client terminal, and a content distribution system for converting into a format that can be played back on a client terminal using a transcoding function of a distribution device connected to the same network as the client terminal. Can be provided.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a distribution apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 10 is a distribution apparatus of the present embodiment, 11 is a distribution unit, 12 is a storage unit, 13 is a reproduction unit, 14 is a management unit, 15 is a network interface (network I / F) unit, and 16 is a transcoding unit. , 17 is a control unit, 20 is a client terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, and 30 is a network. In this embodiment, it is assumed that a plurality of distribution apparatuses 10 are connected in the network 30 to which the client terminal 20 is connected. The network 30 is a LAN (Local Area Network).

  The distribution unit 11 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a storage unit 12 and a reproduction unit 13, and distributes content data stored in the storage unit 12 to the client terminal 20 via the network 30. The storage unit 12 stores distribution content data (for example, an audio signal or a video signal) input from the playback unit 13 in a recording medium such as a hard disk. The reproduction unit 13 reproduces content data recorded on a disc such as a CD (Compact Disc) or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), and performs compression processing on the reproduced content data using a predetermined format method. Content data compressed by a predetermined format method is input to the storage unit 12 and stored. Further, the distribution unit 11 includes an input unit (not shown) for inputting content data from an external device such as a CD player. The content data input from the input unit is stored in the storage unit 12 in the same manner as the content data reproduced by the reproduction unit 13.

  The management unit 14 manages content information such as the title, playback time, and format method of the content data stored in the storage unit 12. When content information is newly stored in the storage unit 12, the management unit 14 creates content information regarding the content data. The network I / F unit 15 is an interface that connects the distribution device 10 of this embodiment to another distribution device or the client terminal 20 via the network 30. The network I / F unit 15 transmits content data distributed from the distribution unit 11 and content information managed by the management unit 14. Further, the network I / F unit 15 receives content data distribution request information output from the client terminal 20 via the network 30.

  The transcoding unit 16 performs a transcoding process for converting the content data of the first format method into content data of the second format method. The control unit 17 comprehensively controls the distribution apparatus 10 of the present embodiment. In addition, the control unit 17 has transcode information indicating the types of format methods that can be converted in the transcode unit 16, and is stored in the transcode information or the storage unit 12 according to an instruction from the client terminal 20. Control to transmit content data to the client terminal 20 is performed.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a client terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, 21 is an acquisition unit, 22 is a content selection unit, 23 is a transcode setting unit, 24 is a transfer instruction unit, 25 is a network I / F unit, 26 is a decoding unit, 27 is an output unit, and 28 is a control unit. Indicates.

  The acquisition unit 21 illustrated in FIG. 2 inquires of the distribution apparatus 10 connected to the network 30 about content information such as the title, reproduction time, and format method of the stored content data, and acquires the content information. In addition, the acquisition unit 21 inquires of the distribution apparatus 10 connected to the network 30 about transcode information indicating the type of format method capable of converting the format of the content data, and acquires the transcode information. The content selection unit 22 includes an operation button for selecting content data to be viewed from content data stored in the distribution apparatus 10.

  Based on the transcode information acquired by the acquisition unit 21, the transcode setting unit 23 converts the content data selected by the content selection unit 22 into a format that can be decoded by the decoding unit 26. Set. The transfer instruction unit 24 instructs the content data selected in the order of the distribution apparatus 10 set by the transcode setting unit 23 to be transferred via the network 30.

  The network I / F unit 25 is an interface that connects the client terminal 20 of the present embodiment to the distribution apparatus 10 via the network 30. The network I / F unit 25 transmits information such as an inquiry about content information and transcode information from the acquisition unit 21, a content data distribution request from the content selection unit 23, and an instruction from the transfer instruction unit 24. The network I / F unit 25 receives content data, content information, transcode information, and the like distributed from the distribution device 10. The decoding unit 26 decodes the content data received from the network I / F unit 25. The output unit 27 outputs the decoded content data to a monitor or a speaker (not shown).

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a content distribution system including a distribution device and a client terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. The content distribution system illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a distribution device 10a, a distribution device 10b, and a distribution device 10c that are the distribution devices of the present embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 and the client terminal 20 illustrated in FIG. It is a configuration.

  Hereinafter, in the content distribution system shown in FIG. 3, the distribution device 10a and the distribution device 10b are content servers, and the distribution device 10c is an AV (Audio Visual) amplifier. The distribution apparatus 10a will be described as including a transcoding unit that converts A format content data into B format content data different from the A format.

  Similarly, the distribution device 10b includes a transcoding unit that converts B format content data into C format content data different from the A or B format, and the distribution device 10c includes B format content data. A transcoding unit for converting the content data of the D format system different from the A, B and C format systems, and the content data of the E format system different from the A, B, C and D format systems of the A format system content data In the following description, it is assumed to include a transcoding unit for converting to the above. The client terminal 20 will be described as including a decoding unit that decodes C format content data.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an acquisition process in which the client terminal 20 acquires content information and transcode information in the content distribution system of the present embodiment.

  When the client terminal 20 is connected to the network 30 (step S1), the client terminal 20 checks the distribution device connected to the network 30 (step S2). In step S <b> 2, the client terminal 20 confirms a distribution device connected to the network 30 using a TCP / IP broadcast packet. The distribution apparatus that has received the TCP / IP broadcast packet sends a response to the packet to the client terminal 20. When there is a response to this packet, the client terminal 20 can know the IP address of the distribution device connected to the network 30.

  After confirming the connection of the distribution device, the client terminal 20 sends the content information to the distribution device (distribution device 10a, distribution device 10b, and distribution device 10c shown in FIG. 3) connected to the network 30 by the acquisition unit 21. An inquiry is made (step S3), and content information is acquired from each distribution apparatus (step S4). Further, the client terminal 20 inquires of the transcoding information to the distribution device connected to the network 30 by the acquisition unit 21 (step S5), and acquires the transcode information from each distribution device (step S6).

  In the content distribution system shown in FIG. 3, the client terminal 20 transcodes information for converting A format content data into B format content data from the distribution device 10a (this transcode information is represented as “A → B”). .) Similarly, transcoding information (this transcoding information is represented as “B → C”) for converting B format content data into C format content data is acquired from the distribution device 10b, and B is transmitted from the distribution device 10c to B. Transcode information for converting format format content data to D format format content data (this transcode information is expressed as “B → D”), and A format format content data to E format format content data Transcode information (this transcode information is expressed as “A → E”) is acquired.

  As described above, the client terminal 20 can acquire the IP addresses, content information, and transcode information of the distribution device 10a, the distribution device 10b, and the distribution device 10c connected to the network 30. The acquired IP address, content information, and transcode information are stored in a storage unit (not shown in FIG. 2) provided in the client terminal 20. The client terminal 20 can display the acquired content information on a display unit such as a monitor.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of setting the distribution device 10 that transcodes content data to be viewed by the transcode setting unit 23 in the client terminal 20 of the present embodiment.

  The user of the client terminal 20 operates the content selection unit 22 provided in the client terminal 20 from the titles of the content data displayed on the display unit such as a monitor based on the content information acquired by the client terminal 20. The content data to be viewed is selected (step S11). At this time, the transcode setting unit 23 sets the format method of the selected content data to the transfer format. The transfer format set by the transcode setting unit 23 is reset to the format method after the selected content data is transcoded by the distribution device set in step S18 described later.

  When the content data to be viewed is selected, the transcode setting unit 23 initializes a count number n for counting the number of stages of transcode processing to 0 (step S12). Then, the transcode setting unit 23 determines whether or not the transfer format set in step S11 is a format method (C format method in this embodiment) that can be decoded by the decoding unit 26 (step S13). When the transfer format is a format that can be decoded by the decoding unit 26 (Yes in step S13), the transcode setting unit 23 performs the process of step S19 described later.

  If the transfer format is not a format that can be decoded by the decoding unit 26 (No in step S13), the transcode setting unit 23 increments the count number n (step S14). The transcode setting unit 23 includes a transcoding unit that directly converts the content data selected in step S11 from the transcode information acquired by the acquisition unit 21 into a format that can be decoded by the decoding unit 26. Is connected to the network 30 (step S15). The transcode setting unit 23 performs the process of step S18 described later when a distribution device that can be directly converted into a format that can be decoded by the decoding unit 26 is connected to the network 30 (Yes in step S15).

  Here, when the A format content data is selected in step S11, the transcode setting unit 23 can decode the A format content data by the decoding unit 26 from the distribution device connected to the network 30. It is determined whether or not there is a distribution device including a transcoding unit that directly converts into format content data.

  The transcode setting unit 23 performs the process of step S16 when a distribution device that can be directly converted into a format that can be decoded by the decoding unit 26 is not connected to the network 30 (No in step S15). Do. In step S <b> 16, the transcoding setting unit 23 adds to the network 30 a distribution apparatus including a transcoding unit that can transcode the content data selected in step S <b> 11 from the transcode information acquired by the acquisition unit 21. Determine whether it is connected. When the distribution apparatus including the transcoding unit that can transcode the content data selected in step S11 is not connected to the network 30 (No in step S16), the process of step S21 described later is performed.

  When the distribution apparatus including the transcoding unit that can transcode the content data selected in step S11 is connected to the network 30 (Yes in step S16), the transcode setting unit 23 performs the process of step S17. I do. In step S <b> 17, the transcode setting unit 23 transcodes the content data selected in step S <b> 11 from the transcode information acquired by the acquisition unit 21, and further converts the content data subjected to the transcode processing to another distribution device. The presence / absence of a distribution device having a transcoding unit for conversion into a format method that enables transcoding is determined.

  When the content data selected in step S11 is A format format content data, the distribution device 10a and the distribution device 10c can transcode the A format content data from the transcode information acquired by the acquisition unit 21. It becomes a distribution device. Since the transcode information acquired from the distribution apparatus 10a is “A → B”, the format method after the transcode process is the B format method. B-format content data can be further transcoded by the distribution device 10b and the distribution device 10c.

  On the other hand, since the transcode information acquired from the distribution apparatus 10c is “A → E”, the format method after the transcode process is the E format method. However, the distribution device 10a, the distribution device 10b, and the distribution device 10c do not include a transcode unit that transcodes E format content data. Accordingly, in this case, the transcode setting unit 23 performs a transcoding process on the selected content data, and further includes a transcoding unit that converts the content data into a format that can be transcoded by another distribution device. The distribution device 10a is determined as the device.

  If the transcoding setting unit 23 can determine the distribution device in step S17, the transcoding setting unit 23 performs processing in step S18 described later. On the other hand, if the transcode setting unit 23 cannot determine the distribution device in step S17, the process of step S21 described later is performed.

  The transcode setting unit 23 uses the count number n incremented in step S14 to set as the distribution device in the distribution device nth stage determined in step S15 (step S18). At this time, the transcode setting unit 23 resets the transfer format to a format that can be decoded by the decoding unit 26. Similarly, the transcode setting unit 23 sets the distribution device determined in step S17 as the n-th distribution device, and resets the format method after the transcoding process is performed by the distribution device whose transfer format has been determined. In step S17, when there are two or more distribution devices determined by the content order setting unit 23, each distribution device is set as the n-th distribution device.

  When the transfer format set in step S13 described above is a format method that can be decoded by the decoding unit 26, the transcode setting unit 23 selects the content data selected in step S11 in the order of the number of stages set in the distribution device. A pipeline for transferring is constructed (step S19). When the format method of the content data selected in step S11 is the C format method, the transcode setting unit 23 can perform decoding by the client terminal 23, and thus does not construct a pipeline for transcode processing.

  On the other hand, when the content data selected in step S11 is A format format content data, the transcode setting unit 23 repeatedly performs the processing from step S13 to step S18. In this case, in the first processing from step S13 to step S18, the transcode setting unit 23 determines the distribution device 10a in step 17, and sets the distribution device 10a as the first-stage distribution device in step S18. At this time, the transfer format is set to the B format method. In the second processing from step S13 to step S18, the distribution device 10b is determined in step 17, and the distribution device 10b is set as the second-stage distribution device in step S18. At this time, the transfer format is set to the C format method.

  After the second stage distribution apparatus 10b is set in step S18, when the process in step S13 is performed again, the transfer format is a C format method that can be decoded by the decoding unit 26, so the content selected in step S11 Data can be converted into a format that can be decoded by the decoding unit 26. Accordingly, in step S19, a pipeline for transferring the content data selected by the transcode setting unit 23 in the order of the distribution device 10a and the distribution device 10b is constructed. Here, when the processing from step S13 to step S18 is repeated, even if two or more distribution devices are determined in step S17, the transfer format is first set to a format that can be decoded by the decoding unit 26. A pipeline is constructed by the transcode setting unit 23 in the order of the distribution devices.

  When the pipeline is constructed by the transcode setting unit 23, the transfer instruction unit 24 transfers the content data from the distribution device in which the selected content data is stored via the network 30 according to the constructed pipeline. Instructed to transfer to the distribution apparatus (step 20). In addition, when the transcode setting unit 23 has not constructed a pipeline, the transfer instruction unit 24 instructs the distribution device in which the selected content data is stored to transfer the content data to the client terminal 23.

  In step S16, when a distribution device including a transcoding unit capable of transcoding the selected content data is not connected to the network 30, or in step S17, the transcode setting unit 23 determines the distribution device. If not, the transcode setting unit 23 displays on the display unit such as a monitor that the selected content data cannot be decoded (step S21), and ends the setting process of the order of the transcoding process.

  The distribution apparatus according to the present embodiment performs transcode processing in accordance with a transfer instruction received from the client terminal 20 for content data transferred from another distribution apparatus, and transmits the content data subjected to the transcode processing to another distribution apparatus or client terminal. Forward to 20. The content data transferred according to the pipeline constructed by the transcode setting unit 23 is transferred to the client terminal 23 and decoded by the decoding unit 26. The decoded content data is output from the monitor or speaker via the output unit 27. Therefore, even if the content data to be viewed is not in a format format that can be decoded at the client terminal, the content format content that can be decoded at the client terminal by using the transcoding units of a plurality of distribution devices Can be converted to data.

  In the present embodiment described above, the client terminal of the present embodiment acquires transcode information from a distribution device connected to the network, but does not have a function to store and manage content data (for example, The transcode information may also be obtained from the AV amplifier or the network home appliance described above. Then, the client terminal uses all network compatible devices connected to the network to construct a pipeline for transcoding the content data to be viewed into a format method that can be decoded.

  Therefore, in the content distribution system including the distribution apparatus and the client terminal according to the present embodiment, various types can be used in the client terminal by using the transcoding unit provided in the distribution apparatus and the network compatible device connected to the network. It becomes possible to decode the content data of the format method.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the delivery apparatus which is one Example of this invention. The block diagram which shows the structure of the client terminal which is one Example of this invention. The content distribution system which is one Example of this invention. The flowchart explaining the acquisition process operation | movement of content information and transcode information. The flowchart explaining the operation | movement which the transcode setting part 23 sets the delivery apparatus 10 which transcodes content data.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Distribution apparatus of a present Example, 11 ... Distribution part, 12 ... Accumulation part, 13 ... Playing part, 14 ... Management part, 15 ... Network I / F part, 16 ... Transcoding part, 17 ... Control part, 20 ... Client terminal of the present embodiment, 21 ... acquisition unit, 22 ... content selection unit, 23 ... transcode setting unit, 24 ... transfer instruction unit, 25 ... network I / F unit, 26 ... decoding unit, 27 ... output unit, 28 ... Control unit, 30 ... Network

Claims (4)

In a distribution device that distributes content data to a client terminal via a network,
Transmitting means for transmitting content data via a network;
Receiving means for receiving content data from another distribution device via a network;
Transcoding means for converting the format of the content data received by the receiving means;
Control means for controlling the transmission means so as to transfer the content data whose format has been converted by the transcoding means in accordance with an instruction from the client terminal to the client terminal or another distribution apparatus via the network. A distribution device. In a distribution device that distributes content data to a client terminal via a network,
Distribution means for distributing content data;
Management means for managing content information relating to content data distributed by the distribution means;
Transmitting means for transmitting content information managed by the managing means and content data distributed by the distributing means via a network;
Receiving means for receiving content data from another distribution device via a network;
Transcoding means for converting the format of the content data delivered by the delivery means or the content data received by the receiving means;
Control means for controlling the transmission means so as to transfer the content data whose format has been converted by the transcoding means in accordance with an instruction from the client terminal to the client terminal or another distribution apparatus via the network. A distribution device. In a client terminal that receives content data distributed from a plurality of distribution devices connected to a network,
Acquisition means for acquiring content information relating to content data stored in the distribution device and transcode information indicating a format type capable of format conversion of the content data from the distribution device;
Receiving means for receiving content data transmitted from a distribution device via a network;
Decoding means for decoding the content data received by the receiving means;
Selection means for selecting content data to be distributed from a distribution device based on the content information acquired by the acquisition means;
Setting means for setting a distribution device that converts the content data selected by the selection means into a format that can be decoded by the decoding means based on the transcode information acquired by the acquisition means;
A client terminal comprising: instruction means for instructing content data to be transferred to the distribution device set by the setting means. In a content distribution system for distributing content data from a distribution device to a client terminal via a network,
A content distribution system comprising a plurality of distribution devices according to claim 1 and a client terminal according to claim 3 in the same network.

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