JP2008021297A - Content distribution system and portable terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a gateway device enabling a user to view the content accumulated in a server, at home by a reproducing terminal inside another home. <P>SOLUTION: Since a gateway device of the present invention, implemented as a foreign gateway 305 acquires an address (external gateway specification information) of a home gateway 304 via a portable terminal, according to the acquired address, a communication channel with the home gateway 304 is established via the communication channel, it is possible to reproduce the content which is under the control of the home gateway 304 in a renderer 306 that is under the control of own device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gateway device for distributing content under the control of an external gateway to a renderer under the control of its own device. The present invention relates to a portable terminal for reproducing content under the management of an external gateway previously associated with the own device with a renderer under the management of a gateway device capable of communicating with the own device. The present invention also relates to a content reproduction device that acquires and reproduces content stored in the content storage device. The present invention also relates to a content distribution system for distributing content.

  It is fundamental to home network technology to make it possible to watch programs taken with an HDD recorder at home or digital camera photos stored on a PC (Personal Computer) from any TV in the home. This is an achievement goal, and is often described with the keyword “Location Free”. In addition, standards such as DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) are being prepared, and DLNA compatible terminals are also being sold by various companies.

  In DLNA, a desired content is specified by a controller called DMC (Digital Media Controller) from contents consisting of moving images, still images, and audio stored in a media server called DMS (Digital Media Server), and further, By designating a renderer called DMR (Digital Media Renderer), it is possible to play the designated content with the designated renderer. As the DMC, a DLNA dedicated remote controller or a mobile phone is used. As the DMR, a television, a PC, an audio device, etc. are usually selected. Some devices include a plurality of elements among DMS, DMR, and DMC. For example, a device having both a DMR function and a DMC function is called a player, DMP (Digital Media Player).

  FIG. 32 is a network configuration diagram of a home network using DLNA.

  As shown in FIG. 32, a home network (hereinafter abbreviated as HNW) 301 includes a media server (hereinafter abbreviated as DMS) 303, a renderer (hereinafter abbreviated as DMR) 306, and a controller (hereinafter referred to as DMS). 308) (abbreviated as DMC). In FIG. 32, only one DMC 308, DMR 306, and DMS 303 are depicted, but there may be a plurality of them.

  FIG. 33 is a sequence diagram showing a conventional content reproduction procedure based on DLNA.

  The DMC 308, DMR 306, and DMS 303 are connected to each other via a home network, and discover each other according to the UPnP protocol (S301). On the display on the DMC 308, the discovered DMR 306 and DMS 303 can be confirmed. When the user selects a DMS 303 to be used (S302), the DMC 308 requests the specified DMS 303 for a content list managed by the DMS 303 (S303). When the content list is supplied from the DMS 303 (S304), the content list in the DMS is displayed on the display on the DMC 308. In the content list, the content is usually displayed by being classified into folders for each type of media. The user selects the content to be viewed on the DMC 308 and the DMR 306 to be used (S305, 306), and notifies the selected DMR 306 of the content to be reproduced (S307). Receiving the reproduction request, the DMR 306 requests the DMS 303 to distribute the designated content (S308), receives the content distribution from the DMS 303 (S309), and reproduces the content. When the content is a large size such as a moving image, streaming playback is usually performed while receiving the content from the DMS 303.

  By using DLNA, content stored in any DMS in the home can be viewed on any DMR in the home.

  However, DLNA is just a standard for home networks configured in the home, and for example, content stored in a DMS at home cannot be viewed on a DMR at another home. If you set up a home network that includes your home and another home, you can use DLNA as it is, but it is not practical to always have such a network enabled, and if necessary, such a network Even when setting is performed, a means for selecting and securely connecting two networks is required.

  As technologies that can be used to view content that can be viewed at home outside the home, technologies described in Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 are known.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a content distribution system that allows a user to view content stored in a home server at home on a mobile terminal outside the home.

  FIG. 34 is a system configuration diagram showing the configuration of the content distribution system 1001 described in Patent Document 1. In the content distribution system 1001 shown in FIG. 34, the user receives the broadcast content with the home server 1009 and stores it in the storage unit 1007. When the user desires to distribute the accumulated content to the mobile terminal 1010, the mobile terminal 1010 transmits authentication data to the home server 1009, and confirms that the mobile terminal 1010 is registered by the user. The home server 1009 confirms. When this confirmation is performed, the home server 1009 delivers the target content designated by the user from the content stored in the storage unit 1007 to the mobile terminal 1010.

On the other hand, Patent Document 2 discloses a content distribution system that can construct the same environment as a program viewing environment at home even in an accommodation facility such as a hotel at a destination. The technique described in Patent Document 2 is a distribution system in which scramble is released by collating key information so that content can be viewed, and the key information is acquired by the portable terminal and transmitted from the portable terminal to the hotel television. is there. As a result, as long as you have a terminal device, you can scramble and view content while staying at your own house as well as at a hotel or other accommodation facility.
JP 2003-37802 (release date: February 7, 2003) JP 2001-345766 (release date: December 14, 2001)

  However, with the above-described conventional configuration, it is impossible to view content stored in a server at home on a playback terminal such as a television set in another home.

  The above problem will be described in more detail as follows.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, content at home can only be viewed on a mobile terminal, and cannot be viewed on a television in another home. In other words, even if a large-screen TV is in a different house, it cannot be used to play content, and the user can only view the content on a small screen of the mobile phone.

  According to the technique described in Patent Literature 2, if a television is available in an accommodation facility such as a hotel, the content can be viewed using the television. However, the content targeted by the technology is limited to content delivered directly from a specific content provider, and is not intended for delivery of content once stored in a home server in the home. Even if a user wants to watch a TV program recorded at home on a remote TV, the user cannot view the program unless the program to be viewed is distributed from a specific content provider.

  According to the technique described in Patent Literature 2, if a television is available in an accommodation facility such as a hotel, the content can be viewed using the television. However, the content targeted by the technology is limited to content broadcast from a specific content provider, and is not intended for distribution of content once stored in a home server in the home. For this reason, even if a user wants to watch a TV program recorded at home on a remote TV, the user cannot view the program unless the program to be watched is broadcast from a specific content provider.

  In order to view the content stored on the server in the home on a playback terminal such as a television in another home, it is necessary to connect at least the home and the home by some means. Moreover, it is necessary to change the connection destination to which the playback terminal is connected for each user, such as the home of A for visitor A and the home of B for visitor B.

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 2, a television that is a playback terminal accesses a predetermined specific server. That is, it is not possible to reproduce the content stored in the server in the user's home that changes according to the user.

  In addition, viewing content stored in a server at home on a playback terminal such as a television set in another home means that when the user visits another home C from the home server side, In addition, when visiting another home D, it means that access from another home D is received. That is, there arises a problem of how authentication is given to access from a playback terminal not specified in advance.

  On the other hand, in the system of Patent Document 1, a content distribution system is accessed from a mobile terminal, and content is viewed on the mobile terminal that is an access terminal. The mobile terminal knows the location of the content distribution system, and the content distribution system only needs to authenticate the mobile terminal that is the access terminal.

  Similarly, in the system of Patent Document 2, a content distribution system can be accessed from a playback terminal such as a television and the content can be viewed on the television as an access terminal. The television knows the location of the content distribution system specified in advance, and the content distribution system only needs to authenticate the television that is also an access terminal.

  In the system of Patent Document 2, a playback terminal such as a television can view content broadcast from a content distribution system. The television knows the location of the content distribution system specified in advance, and the content distribution system only needs to authenticate the television that is also an access terminal.

  For home servers, there is no problem if the access partner is always the user's mobile terminal as in Patent Document 1, but if the access partner is a separate home TV, it is necessary to determine whether the content can really be delivered to that partner. Occurs.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and it is an object of the present invention to realize a gateway device that enables content stored in a home server to be viewed on a playback terminal in another home.

  In the present invention, when content under the control of a first gateway device such as a server is distributed to a second gateway device such as a playback terminal, the content to be distributed can be selected by a terminal device such as a portable terminal It is to realize a distribution system.

In order to solve the above problems, the gateway device according to the present invention provides
A gateway device for delivering content under the control of an external gateway to a renderer under the control of its own device,
External gateway designation information acquisition means for acquiring external gateway designation information for designating the external gateway via a portable terminal capable of communicating with the gateway device;
A communication path establishing means for establishing a communication path with the external gateway designated by the external gateway designation information;
Content acquisition means for acquiring content under the management of the external gateway from the external gateway via the communication path established by the communication path establishment means;
Content distribution means for distributing the content acquired by the content acquisition means to a renderer under the control of the gateway device;
It is characterized by having.

  According to said structure, the said gateway apparatus establishes a communication path | route between the external gateways designated with the external gateway designation | designated information acquired via the portable terminal. Then, the content under the management of the external gateway device is acquired via the communication path, and the acquired content is distributed to the renderer under the management of the gateway device.

  Therefore, according to the portable terminal that transmits the external gateway designation information for designating the first external gateway to the gateway device, the gateway device establishes a communication path with the first external gateway, and the second According to the portable terminal that transmits the external gateway designation information that designates the external gateway, the gateway device establishes a communication path with the second external gateway.

  That is, if a portable terminal that transmits external gateway designation information for designating a home gateway at home is brought into another home where the gateway device is installed, the gateway device at the other home establishes a communication path with the home gateway at home. Establish. Accordingly, the content under the management of the home gateway at home can be distributed to the renderer under the management of the gateway device at another home via the communication path.

The gateway device according to the present invention is:
Further comprising authentication information acquisition means for acquiring the authentication information issued by the external gateway via the portable terminal;
The connection establishment means establishes an authenticated communication path with the external gateway using the acquired authentication information.
It is preferable.

  According to the said structure, the said gateway apparatus acquires authentication information from the said portable terminal, and establishes a connection with the said external gateway using the authentication information. Therefore, the external gateway has the further effect that it is possible to deny access from other than the gateway device that has given the authentication information via the portable terminal.

  It is preferable that the portable terminal carried by the user and the external gateway that manages the media server storing the content to be viewed are associated in advance. For example, the mobile terminal may hold the authentication information given in advance from the external gateway, or may acquire the authentication information from the external gateway. The authentication information may be permanent, but preferably has a predetermined expiration date. This expiration date may be defined by the time when the authentication information is valid, or may be defined by the number of accesses such as the upper limit of the number of times access by the authentication information is possible. Alternatively, the expiration date may expire when the physical or virtual connection between the mobile terminal and the gateway device becomes invalid. If security is required, the connection between the mobile terminal that grants access authority and the gateway device involves physical contact with a cable, cradle, etc., and is physically given to the gateway device when they are separated from each other. It is intuitive and desirable that the access authority that has been removed is removed.

The gateway device is
Content specifying information acquisition means for acquiring, from the portable terminal, content specifying information for specifying the content to be reproduced among the contents under the management of the external gateway,
The content acquisition means acquires content specified by the content specification information from the external gateway.
It is preferable.

  According to the said structure, the said gateway apparatus acquires the content designated by the content designation | designated information acquired from the portable terminal from the said external gateway apparatus, and distributes the acquired content to a renderer. Therefore, according to the said structure, there exists the further effect that it becomes possible to designate the content delivered to a renderer with a portable terminal.

The gateway device according to the present invention is:
Renderer designation information acquisition means for acquiring, from the portable terminal, renderer designation information for designating a renderer for reproducing the content among the renderers under the management of the gateway device,
The content distribution means distributes the content acquired by the content acquisition means to the renderer specified by the renderer specification information.
It is preferable.

  According to said structure, the said gateway apparatus delivers the content acquired from the external gateway to the renderer designated by the renderer designation | designated information acquired from the portable terminal. Therefore, according to the said structure, there exists the further effect that it becomes possible to designate the renderer used as the delivery destination of a content with a portable terminal.

The gateway device according to the present invention is:
A content list request accepting means for accepting a content list request for obtaining a content list, which is a list of contents under the management of the external gateway, from the mobile terminal;
A content list request transfer means for transferring the content content list request received by the content list request reception means to the external gateway via the communication path established by the communication path establishment means;
Is preferably further provided.

  According to the above configuration, the content list request issued by the mobile terminal can be transferred to the external gateway.

  The gateway device may further include content list transfer means for receiving a content list transmitted by the external gateway as a response to the content list request and transferring the received content list to the mobile terminal. The content under the control of the external gateway can be selected and specified on the mobile terminal.

The gateway device of the present invention
DLNA content list request accepting means for accepting a DLNA content list request, which is a content list request according to the DLNA protocol, from the controller;
Content list acquisition means for acquiring a content list, which is a list of contents under the management of the external gateway, from the external gateway via a communication path established by the communication path establishment means;
Content list transmission means for transmitting the content list acquired by the content list acquisition means to the controller according to the DLNA protocol in response to the DLNA content list request;
A content delivery request including content designation information for designating a content to be reproduced among the contents belonging to the content list, and a DLNA content delivery request according to the DLNA protocol is sent to any of the renderers under the management of the gateway device DLNA content distribution request accepting means for accepting from one of them,
The content acquisition means acquires the content specified by the content specification information included in the DLNA content distribution request from the external gateway,
The content distribution unit distributes the content acquired by the content acquisition unit to a renderer that is a transmission source of the DLNA content distribution request according to a DLNA protocol.
It is preferable.

  If there is a content list request according to the DLNA protocol from the controller, the gateway device acquires a content list of content under the control of the external gateway from the external gateway and returns it to the controller according to the DLNA protocol.

  Also, when the gateway device receives a content distribution request according to the DLNA protocol from the renderer, the gateway device acquires the requested content from the external gateway and returns it to the renderer according to the DLNA protocol.

  Therefore, the gateway device has an effect that the controller and the renderer can behave as a media server (DMS) compliant with DLNA.

  DLNA is a standardized standard, and TVs and HDD recorders corresponding to DLNA are marketed by home appliance companies. If these devices can be used as they are, the options for the renderer will expand. When viewing a movie, it is possible to select an optimal playback terminal according to the type of content, such as viewing on a large-screen TV instead of a small display on a mobile terminal, according to the TPO. .

  In the gateway device of the present invention, it is preferable that the controller and the renderer are integrated.

  When a list of contents in the media server is obtained and a controller for selecting the contents and a renderer for reproducing the contents are integrated, the contents are reproduced on a terminal (controller) operated by the user. As a result, it is possible to realize a content reproduction environment that is intuitive and easy to understand for the user.

  In the gateway device of the present invention, it is preferable that the controller and the portable terminal are integrated.

  If the portable terminal carried by the user becomes a controller, the content list in the media server can be obtained using the portable terminal, and a renderer and content can be selected.

  In the gateway device of the present invention, the mobile terminal is preferably a mobile phone.

  A mobile phone is a terminal that a user carries without leaving his / her skin and is a terminal occupied by an individual. Since the number of users who use a specific mobile phone is usually limited to one, device authentication can be replaced with user authentication. By using a mobile phone that is always carried around as a mobile terminal, it is possible to access content in the home network even outside the home.

The portable terminal is a portable terminal for playing back content under the management of an external gateway associated with the own device in a renderer under the management of a gateway device capable of communicating with the own device,
External gateway designation information transmitting means for transmitting external gateway designation information for designating the external gateway to the gateway device;
Content list acquisition means for acquiring a content list, which is a list of contents under the management of the external gateway, directly from the external gateway or from the external gateway via the gateway device;
Content specifying information transmitting means for transmitting content specifying information for specifying the content selected by the user in the content list acquired by the content list acquiring means to the gateway device;
Renderer designation information transmitting means for transmitting, to the gateway apparatus, renderer designation information for designating a renderer for reproducing the content designated by the content designation information among the renderers under the management of the gateway apparatus;
May be configured.

In addition, the mobile terminal determines in which network the network is currently under the management of the gateway device or the network under the management of the external gateway. A network determination unit;
The mobile terminal functions as a controller compliant with DLNA when the mobile device is present in a network under the control of the external gateway.
Can be configured as follows.

The content reproduction apparatus according to the present invention is:
A content playback device that acquires and plays back content stored in a content storage device,
A content ID storage type content acquisition means for acquiring a content ID storage type content storing a content ID uniquely identifying the content storage device from the content storage device;
Content ID transmission means for transmitting the content ID included in the content ID storage type content to another content reproduction device;
It has.

  According to said structure, content ID contained in the content ID storage type content which the said content reproduction apparatus acquired is transmitted to another content reproduction apparatus. Since the content ID can uniquely identify the content in the content storage device, the other content playback device that has received the content ID receives the content ID acquired from the content storage device by the content playback device that is the transmission source. It is possible to uniquely specify stored content. In other words, according to the above configuration, the content reproduction apparatus can acquire or reproduce the same content ID storage type content as the content ID storage type content that the content reproduction device acquires from the content storage device and reproduces. There is an effect that it is possible to make it.

The content reproduction apparatus of the present invention includes authentication information acquisition means for acquiring authentication information issued by an external gateway managing the content storage apparatus from the external gateway;
An authentication information transmission unit that transmits the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquisition unit to a gateway device that manages the other content reproduction device may be further provided.

  In the content reproduction apparatus of the present invention, the content ID storage type content includes authentication information issued by an external gateway device that manages the content storage device, and the content reproduction device includes: An authentication information transmitting unit that transmits the authentication information included in the content ID storage type content to a gateway device that manages the other content reproduction device may be provided.

The content reproduction apparatus according to the present invention further includes content ID storage type content holding means for holding the content ID storage type content acquired by the content ID storage type content acquisition means.
It is preferable.

  According to the above configuration, the content reproduction apparatus can hold content ID storage type content. Therefore, the content ID storage type content can be played back at a different time and at a different place from when the content ID storage type content is acquired from the content storage device.

  For example, when the content storage device is at home and the other content playback means is at another home, the content acquired from the content storage device at home can be held in the content playback device and visited at another home. Here, if another content playback device in another home is configured to be able to acquire content from the content storage device at home, the same content can be played back by the content playback device and the content playback device at another home. become.

  The content reproduction device is a content reproduction device that reproduces a content ID storage type content that stores a content ID that uniquely identifies the content reproduction device, and at least a content ID included in the content ID storage type content. Any content ID transmission means for transmitting to other content reproduction devices may be provided.

In order to solve the above problems, the content distribution system according to the present invention provides:
A content distribution system including a first gateway device, a second gateway device, and a terminal device,
The first gateway device includes content list transmission means for transmitting a content list, which is a list of content under the control of the first gateway device, to the terminal device,
The terminal device sends a content list acquisition means for acquiring the content list transmitted from the first gateway device, and a content distribution request for requesting distribution of content selected from the content list to the first gateway. Content distribution request transmitting means for transmitting to the device,
The first gateway device further includes content transmission means for distributing the requested content to the second gateway device in response to the content distribution request transmitted from the terminal device,
The second gateway device includes content acquisition means for acquiring content distributed from the first gateway device.
It is characterized by that.

  According to the above configuration, the content selected in the terminal device among the content managed by the first gateway device can be distributed from the first gateway device to the second gateway device. There is an effect.

  The terminal device may be a mobile terminal, for example, a mobile phone.

In the content distribution system according to the present invention,
The terminal device further includes authentication information transmitting means for transmitting authentication information to the first gateway device,
The first gateway device includes: a user specifying unit that specifies a user of the terminal device based on authentication information transmitted from the terminal device; and a second gateway device that is a distribution destination of the content. Storage means for storing in association with the user,
The content transmission means of the first gateway device distributes the content to a second gateway device specified based on the authentication information and associated with the user of the terminal device;
It is preferable.

  According to the above configuration, the first gateway device identifies the user of the terminal device based on the authentication information transmitted from the terminal device, and the second gateway device associated with the user of the terminal device. Content can be distributed. That is, even when content distribution is requested from a plurality of terminal devices, the first gateway device can distribute content to the second gateway device associated with the user of each terminal device. It has the further effect of becoming.

In the content distribution system according to the present invention,
The terminal device further includes gateway designation information transmitting means for transmitting gateway designation information for designating the second gateway device to the first gateway device,
The storage means of the first gateway device sends the second gateway device specified by the gateway specification information transmitted from the terminal device to the user of the terminal device specified based on the authentication information. Associate and remember,
It is preferable.

  According to the above configuration, the first gateway device specifies the second gateway device to be associated with the user of the terminal device based on the gateway designation information transmitted from the terminal device, and stores the association. There is a further effect that it is possible to keep.

In the content distribution system according to the present invention,
The second gateway device further includes gateway designation information transmitting means for transmitting gateway designation information for designating the second gateway device to the terminal device,
The terminal device further includes storage means for storing the gateway designation information transmitted from the second gateway device.
It is preferable.

  According to the above configuration, the terminal device can acquire and store gateway designation information for designating the second gateway device to be associated with the user of the terminal device from the second gateway device. The gateway designation information transmitting means of the terminal device has the further effect that the gateway designation information stored in the storage means can be transmitted to the first gateway apparatus.

In order to solve the above problems, the gateway device according to the present invention provides
Content list transmitting means for transmitting a content list, which is a list of contents under the control of the own device, to the terminal device;
A content transmission request transmitted from the terminal device, the content transmitting means for distributing the requested content to another gateway device in response to the content distribution request for requesting the distribution of the content selected from the content list; Has
It is characterized by that.

  According to the said structure, there exists an effect that the content selected in the said terminal device among the contents under the management of the said gateway apparatus can be delivered from the said gateway apparatus to another gateway apparatus.

The gateway device according to the present invention is:
Authentication information receiving means for receiving authentication information transmitted from the terminal device;
User specifying means for specifying a user of the terminal device based on the received authentication information;
Storage means for storing the other gateway device as a delivery destination of the content in association with the user of the terminal device;
The content transmission means distributes the content to another gateway device associated with the user of the terminal device specified based on the authentication information.
It is preferable.

  According to the above configuration, the gateway device identifies the user of the terminal device based on the authentication information transmitted from the terminal device, and distributes the content to other gateway devices associated with the user of the terminal device. can do. That is, even when content distribution is requested from a plurality of terminal devices, the gateway device can distribute content to other gateway devices associated with the user of each terminal device. The effect which becomes.

The gateway device according to the present invention is:
Password transmitting means for transmitting the password to the terminal device;
A connection request transmitted from the other gateway device, a connection request receiving means for receiving a connection request including the password;
Authentication means for confirming whether the password is valid;
Connection establishment means for establishing a communication path for distributing the content with the other gateway device when the password is valid,
It is preferable.

  According to the said structure, the said gateway apparatus receives the connection request containing the password transmitted with respect to the said terminal device from said other gateway apparatus. When it is confirmed that the password included in the connection request is a valid password, a communication path is established with the other gateway device. Therefore, it is possible to prevent inappropriate distribution of content to a device that cannot obtain a password from the terminal device.

  The gateway device further includes a password generation unit that generates a password according to the authentication information transmitted from the terminal device, and a password request reception unit that receives a password request transmitted from the terminal device. The password transmission unit may transmit the password generated by the password generation unit to the terminal device in response to the password request.

In the gateway device according to the present invention, the terminal device is a mobile terminal.
It is preferable.

  According to the said structure, there exists the further effect that a user can select the content delivered from the said gateway apparatus using a portable terminal.

In order to solve the above problems, the content distribution system according to the present invention provides:
A content distribution system including a first gateway device, a second gateway device, and a terminal device,
The first gateway device includes content list transmission means for transmitting a content list, which is a list of content under the control of the first gateway device, to the terminal device,
The terminal device sends content list acquisition means for acquiring the content list transmitted from the first gateway device, and content specification information for specifying content selected from the content list to the second gateway device. Content specifying information transmitting means for transmitting,
The second gateway device receives content designation information receiving means for receiving content designation information transmitted from the terminal device, and a content distribution request for requesting distribution of the content designated by the content designation information. Content distribution request transmitting means for transmitting to the gateway device, wherein the first gateway device transmits the requested content in response to the content distribution request transmitted from the second gateway device. It further comprises content transmission means for delivering to the gateway device,
The second gateway device further includes content acquisition means for acquiring content distributed from the first gateway device.
It is characterized by that.

  According to the above configuration as well, content selected in the terminal device among the content under the control of the first gateway device can be distributed from the first gateway device to the second gateway device. There is an effect.

The content distribution system
The terminal device further includes address transmission means for transmitting an address designating the first gateway device to the second gateway device,
The second gateway device further includes address acquisition means for acquiring the address transmitted from the terminal device,
The content delivery request transmitting means of the second gateway device transmits the content delivery request to the first gateway device designated by the address;
It may be configured as follows.

In the content distribution system according to the present invention,
The first gateway device further includes password transmission means for transmitting a password to the terminal device,
The terminal device transmits password acquisition means for acquiring the password transmitted from the first gateway device, an address for designating the first gateway device, and the acquired password to the second gateway device. An access authority transmitting means for
The second gateway device sends an access authority acquisition means for acquiring the address and the password transmitted from the terminal device, and a connection request including the password to the first gateway device specified by the address. A connection request transmitting means for transmitting,
The first gateway device includes a connection request accepting unit that accepts the connection request transmitted from the second gateway device, an authentication unit that confirms whether the password is valid, and the password is valid. Connection establishment means for establishing a communication path for distributing the content to the second gateway device when there is
It is preferable.

  According to the said structure, the said 1st gateway apparatus receives the connection request containing the password transmitted with respect to the said terminal device from the said 2nd gateway apparatus. Then, when it is confirmed that the password included in the connection request is a valid password, a communication path is established with the second gateway device. Therefore, it is possible to prevent inappropriate distribution of content to a device that cannot obtain a password from the terminal device.

  The terminal device further comprises authentication information transmitting means for transmitting authentication information to the first gateway device, and password request transmitting means for transmitting a password request to the first gateway device, The first gateway device includes an authentication information receiving unit that receives the authentication information transmitted from the terminal device, a password request receiving unit that receives a password request transmitted from the terminal device, and a password corresponding to the authentication information. And password transmission means for transmitting the generated password to the terminal device.

In order to solve the above problems, the gateway device according to the present invention provides
Content list transmitting means for transmitting a content list, which is a list of contents under the control of the own device, to the terminal device;
In response to a content distribution request transmitted from another gateway device and requesting distribution of the content selected from the content list in the terminal device, the requested content is sent to the other gateway device. Content transmission means for distribution,
It is characterized by that.

  Even with the above configuration, the content selected in the terminal device among the content managed by the gateway device can be delivered from the gateway device to the other gateway device.

The gateway device according to the present invention is:
Password transmitting means for transmitting the password to the terminal device;
A connection request accepting means for accepting a connection request including the password from the other gateway device;
Authentication means for confirming whether the password is valid;
Connection establishment means for establishing a communication path for distributing the content with the other gateway device when the password is valid;
It is preferable.

  According to the said structure, the said gateway apparatus receives the connection request containing the password transmitted with respect to the said terminal device from said other gateway apparatus. When it is confirmed that the password included in the connection request is a valid password, a communication path is established with the other gateway device. Therefore, it is possible to prevent inappropriate distribution of content to a device that cannot obtain a password from the terminal device.

  The gateway device further includes an authentication information receiving unit that receives the authentication information transmitted from the terminal device, and a password request receiving unit that receives a password request transmitted from the terminal device. The means may transmit the password generated based on the authentication information to the terminal device in response to the password request.

  Note that the second gateway device included in the content reproduction system is also included in the scope of the present invention.

That is, the gateway device according to the present invention is
Access authority acquisition means for acquiring an address and authentication information from the outside;
A communication path establishing means for establishing a communication path with the other gateway device by transmitting the authentication information to the other gateway device specified by the address;
Content specification information acquisition means for acquiring content specification information for specifying content from outside,
Content acquisition means for performing a content distribution request for requesting distribution of the content specified by the content specifying information to the other gateway device, and acquiring the content distributed via the communication path. .

  The gateway device may further include a display unit that displays the content acquired by the content acquisition unit.

The gateway device according to the present invention is as described above.
A gateway device for delivering content under the control of an external gateway to a renderer under the control of its own device,
External gateway designation information acquisition means for acquiring external gateway designation information for designating the external gateway via a portable terminal capable of communicating with the gateway device;
A communication path establishing means for establishing a communication path with the external gateway designated by the external gateway designation information;
Content acquisition means for acquiring content under the management of the external gateway from the external gateway via the communication path established by the communication path establishment means;
Content distribution means for distributing the content acquired by the content acquisition means to a renderer under the control of the gateway device;
It has.

  Therefore, the gateway device establishes a communication path with the external gateway designated by the external gateway designation information acquired via the mobile terminal. Then, the content under the management of the external gateway device is acquired via the communication path, and the acquired content is distributed to the renderer under the management of the gateway device.

  For example, if a portable terminal that transmits external gateway designation information that designates a home gateway is brought into another home where the gateway device is installed, the gateway device at the other home establishes a communication path with the home gateway at home. Establish. Accordingly, the content under the management of the home gateway at home can be distributed to the renderer under the management of the gateway device at another home via the communication path.

A content playback apparatus according to the present invention is a content playback apparatus that acquires and plays back content stored in a content storage device as described above,
A content ID storage type content acquisition means for acquiring a content ID storage type content storing a content ID uniquely identifying the content storage device from the content storage device;
Content ID storage type content transmission means for transmitting the content ID included in the content ID storage type content to another content reproduction device;
It has.

  Therefore, it is possible to cause other content playback devices to acquire or play back the same content ID storage content as the content ID storage content that the content playback device acquires from the content storage device and plays back. become.

The content distribution system according to the present invention is as described above.
A content distribution system including a first gateway device, a second gateway device, and a terminal device,
The first gateway device includes content list transmission means for transmitting a content list, which is a list of content under the control of the first gateway device, to the terminal device,
The terminal device sends a content list acquisition means for acquiring the content list transmitted from the first gateway device, and a content distribution request for requesting distribution of content selected from the content list to the first gateway. Content distribution request transmitting means for transmitting to the device,
The first gateway device further includes content transmission means for distributing the requested content to the second gateway device in response to the content distribution request transmitted from the terminal device,
The second gateway device includes content acquisition means for acquiring content distributed from the first gateway device.

The content distribution system according to the present invention is as described above.
A content distribution system including a first gateway device, a second gateway device, and a terminal device,
The first gateway device includes content list transmission means for transmitting a content list, which is a list of content under the control of the first gateway device, to the terminal device,
The terminal device sends content list acquisition means for acquiring the content list transmitted from the first gateway device, and content specification information for specifying content selected from the content list to the second gateway device. Content specifying information transmitting means for transmitting,
The second gateway device receives content designation information receiving means for receiving content designation information transmitted from the terminal device, and a content distribution request for requesting distribution of the content designated by the content designation information. Content distribution request transmitting means for transmitting to the gateway device, wherein the first gateway device transmits the requested content in response to the content distribution request transmitted from the second gateway device. It further comprises content transmission means for delivering to the gateway device,
The second gateway device further includes content acquisition means for acquiring content distributed from the first gateway device.
It is characterized by that.

  Therefore, the content selected by the terminal device among the content managed by the first gateway device can be distributed from the first gateway device to the second gateway device.

Embodiment 1
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  First, the configuration of a content distribution system including a gateway device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a content distribution system. The content distribution system includes a home network (hereinafter abbreviated as HNW) 301 configured in a user's home and a foreign network (hereinafter abbreviated as FNW) 302 configured in a separate home visited by the user. Contains. A home gateway (hereinafter abbreviated as HGW) 304 for managing devices in the HNW 301 is disposed in the HNW 301, and a foreign gateway (hereinafter abbreviated as FGW) 305 for managing the devices in the FNW 302 is disposed in the HNW 301. Yes.

  Here, the HNW 301 configured in the user's home and the FNW 301 configured in a separate home are described for convenience, but these are relative names. In other words, since the relationship between the home network and the foreign network and between the home gateway and the foreign gateway may be interchanged, it is desirable that both networks and gateways have both functions in implementation.

  A media server 303 is arranged in the HNW 301. The media server 303 is configured by a device having a storage such as an HDD recorder or a PC, for example, and accumulates various contents such as moving images, still images, sounds, and office documents. A device that distributes real-time media such as a camera is also a kind of media server 303. Although only one is shown in FIG. 1 for the sake of simplicity, usually, there are many media servers 303 in the HNW 301. On the other hand, at least one HGW 304 is installed in the HNW 301, but a plurality of HGWs 304 may be provided.

  A renderer 306 is arranged in the FNW 302. The renderer 306 is configured by a content playback device such as a television or an audio device, and performs playback of moving images, still images, sounds, and presentation of office documents. The type of media that can be handled depends on the type of renderer, and for example, it is not possible to play a moving image on an audio device. Although only one renderer 306 is shown in FIG. 1 for simplicity, there are many renderers 306 in the FNW 302 in many cases. On the other hand, at least one FGW 305 is installed in the FNW 302, but a plurality of FGWs 305 may be provided.

  Normally, the home gateway function and the foreign gateway function are realized by a single device, and therefore it is not necessary to install the home gateway and the foreign gateway separately (in combination) in each home.

  As described above, the distinction between the home gateway and the foreign gateway is relative, and is omitted here for the sake of simplicity. Usually, however, there are renderers in the HNW 301, and in the FNW 302. There is also a media server. The devices in the HNW 301 are connected to each other via a wired or wireless home LAN, and recognize the presence of each other. The same applies to each device in the FNW 302.

(1. Establishing connection between HGW and FGW)
Here, the owner of the HNW 301 who lives in the house where the HNW 301 is configured moves to the house where the FNW 302 is configured with the portable terminal 307, and is stored in the media server 303 belonging to the HNW 301 by the renderer 306 belonging to the FNW 302. Consider the situation of viewing content.

  FIG. 2 shows a procedure until the FGW 305 and the HGW 304 are connected when the portable terminal 307 plays back the content stored in the media server 303 in the home by the renderer 306 via the FGW 305 and the HGW 304. FIG.

  The connection procedure between the FGW 305 and the HGW 304 will be described below with reference to FIG.

  First, the mobile terminal 307 applies to the FGW 305 for permission to use resources belonging to the FNW 302 (S001). The FGW 305 grants resource usage permission to the mobile terminal 307 in accordance with a usage permission policy predetermined in the FNW 302 (S002) (S003). As a usage permission policy, there are policies that accept all requests, and policies that sequentially ask for confirmation by the owner of the FNW 302. It is also conceivable to perform billing settlement using a credit card or the like. Here, as an example, a policy is adopted in which the use permission is granted to all resources belonging to the FNW 302 only to the mobile terminal 307 that is physically close to the FGW 305. Whether or not the mobile terminal 307 is physically located close to the FGW 305 can be verified by various methods. For example, there are the following methods.

  (1) Use permission is given only when physical contact is confirmed, such as when the portable terminal 307 and the FGW 305 are connected with a sufficiently short cable.

(2) Communication between the portable terminal 307 and the FGW 305 is performed by near field communication such as infrared communication or Bluetooth, and only a use application through it is permitted. (Grant usage permission only when a usage application is made by proximity communication.)
(3) After the specific physical operation is directly applied to the FGW 305, the use permission is given only when the use application is received within a predetermined specific time. Specifically, for example, a physical button or the like is arranged on the FGW 305, and only usage applications received within a sufficiently short predetermined time after the button is pressed are allowed.

  (4) A pass code is displayed on the display panel of the FGW 305, and use permission is given only when the pass code (need to be confirmed from a physically close position) is input. It is also possible to send a passcode to the surroundings of the FGW 305 by proximity communication (for example, proximity wireless communication).

  In this embodiment, the mobile terminal 307 and the FGW 305 perform infrared communication. The FGW 305 verifies that the mobile terminal 307 exists in the physical vicinity of the FGW 305 by receiving infrared communication from the mobile terminal 307. The FGW 305 permits use of resources belonging to the FNW 305 to the mobile terminal 307 in which the mobile terminal 307 is physically located in this sense. In this way, by configuring the FGW 305 to accept only proximity communication, when limiting the mobile terminals that can communicate with the FGW 305, the steps from S001 to S003 surrounded by the dotted line in FIG. 2 can be omitted. . This is because the notification of the address of the HGW 304, the ID for connection, and the password transmitted from the portable terminal 307 in S010 is accepted only by infrared communication, so that the portable terminal 307 that has transmitted them is sent. Is automatically present in the physical vicinity of the FGW 305.

  Authentication information for logging in to the HGW 304 via the network in the portable terminal 307 owned by the owner of the HNW 301 (a client certificate that proves that it is a client of the HGW 304 and a password for logging in to the HGW 304) Is stored in advance. The portable terminal 307 attempts to log in to the HGW 304 via the network using these authentication information (S004). For security reasons, it is desirable that the communication path between the portable terminal 307 and the HGW 304 is appropriately encrypted to prevent eavesdropping or tampering by a third party.

  The HGW 304 confirms the client certificate of the mobile terminal 307, authenticates the mobile terminal 307 using password authentication or the like (S005), and permits login (S006). Next, the portable terminal 307 requests the HGW 304 to generate a password for the FGW 305 to connect to the HGW 304 (S007). The HGW 304 generates a password (S008), and transmits the generated password to the portable terminal 307. This password has an expiration date, and is preferably a one-time password (One Time Password (OTP)) that cannot be used after the expiration date.

  The mobile terminal 307 notifies the FGW 305 of the connection destination ID and password via the short-range infrared communication (S010). The connection ID is set in advance between the mobile terminal 307 and the HGW 304 (or dynamically generated based on a rule agreed in advance by both parties), for example, the mobile terminal in S009 Even if the password is leaked to the outside in the password notification to 307, it cannot be used unless this ID is known, so the risk can be reduced.

  The FGW 305 makes a connection request to the HGW 304 using the address, ID, and password given from the portable terminal 307 in S010 (S011). The HGW 304 confirms the validity of the ID and password, and establishes a connection with the FGW 305 if there is no problem. At this time, the FGW 305 and the HGW 304 perform SIP connection via the SIP server provided by the service provider 309. The service provider 309 can perform authentication of each gateway, safety evaluation, etc. as needed, and can present the obtained information to each gateway. Each gateway refers to the information provided by the service provider 309 to allow connection only to gateways registered in advance in the service, or to refuse connection to a gateway with a low evaluation. Measures can be adopted. Note that the communication path between the HGW 304 and the FGW 305 is a path through which the content list and contents of the media server 303 managed by the HGW 304 are subsequently distributed, so it is desirable that the communication path be appropriately encrypted.

  In order to establish communication between the HGW and the FGW more securely, the portable terminal 307 may be configured to check the network address of the FGW 304 in S001 to S003 and notify the HGW 305 of the network address of the FGW 304 in S007. . At this time, by configuring the HGW 305 to accept access only from the address corresponding to the notified address, communication between the HGW and the FGW can be made more secure.

(2. Acquisition of content list by mobile terminal)
In order to reproduce the content in the media server 303 belonging to the HNW 301, it is necessary to specify which content is to be reproduced. For this purpose, it is necessary to obtain a list of some or all of the contents stored in the media server 303 and select from the list.

  FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram illustrating a procedure for the portable terminal 307 to acquire the content list. There are various content list acquisition procedures depending on the network environment that can be used. Here, three patterns are shown. Here, it is assumed that there is one media server 303 managed by the HGW 304. However, when there are a plurality of media servers 303, it is necessary to select a media server after acquiring a media server list belonging to the HNW 301 before acquiring a content list. There is. Acquisition of the media server list and selection thereof are performed in the same procedure as in the acquisition of content list and selection thereof.

  FIG. 3A shows an acquisition procedure when a bidirectional communication path such as WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) can be used between the mobile terminal 307 and the FGW 305. The portable terminal 307 relays the FGW 305 and requests a content list from the HGW 304 (S101, 102). The HGW confirms the content stored in the media server (S103), and also relays the FGW 305 and returns the content list to the portable terminal 307 (S104, 105). If a flat-rate broadband is used between the portable terminal and the FGW and the home WiFi and the FGW and the HGW, the communication cost can be reduced and the list can be acquired with little delay.

  FIG. 3B shows an acquisition procedure when there is only a one-way communication path from the portable terminal 307 to the FGW 305 such as infrared communication between the portable terminal 307 and the FGW 305. The portable terminal 307 relays the FGW 305 and requests a content list from the HGW 304 (S101, 102). The HGW 304 confirms the content stored in the media server (S103), and returns the content list directly to the mobile terminal 307 via an external communication path such as the Internet or a mobile network (S106). In this case, since the mobile terminal needs to use an external communication path, there is a possibility that problems of billing and transmission delay will increase. On the other hand, the portable terminal has an advantage that an inexpensive infrared communication port can be used for communication with the FGW.

  FIG. 3C shows an acquisition procedure when communication between the portable terminal 307 and the FGW 305 is not used. The portable terminal 307 requests the content list directly to the HGW 304 via an external communication path such as the Internet or a portable network (S107). The HGW 304 confirms the content stored in the media server (S103), and returns the content list directly to the portable terminal 307 (S106). In the case of FIG. 3C, the content list can be acquired in the mobile terminal before the communication between the HGW and the FGW is established. Considering the convenience of the user, it is desirable to always keep a necessary content list in the portable terminal 307 carried by the user and keep it in a state where it can be called immediately. According to the acquisition procedure shown in FIG. 3C, this state can be easily realized.

  In this embodiment, the HGW 304 sequentially distributes (feeds) a content list managed by the media server to the mobile terminal 307 in the form of RSS (Rich Site Summary), and the mobile terminal 307 always holds the necessary content list. So that In the portable terminal 307, the distributed RSS is classified and managed under various conditions such as every media server, every media, and every registration date.

The RSS distributed from the HGW 304 to the mobile terminal 307 includes some or all of the following information.
-Content name-Content type-Content size-DRM (Digital Rights Management) information-Recording channel, recording date and time-URI
・ Overview ・ Genre ・ Thumbnail ・ Playback control information (starting point, digest, etc.)
-RSS delivery date and time-Expiration date Content name is the name of the content. The content type indicates the media type of the content. The content size indicates the data size of the content. The renderer that can be used is determined by the content type and the content size. In the DRM information, information on the copyright of the content, the name of the copyright holder, contact information, source URI, authority acquisition destination URI, electronic signature, and the like are described. The recording channel and the recording date and time are used when the content is broadcast content, and indicate the channel on which the recorded content was broadcast and the date and time when the recording was performed. Based on the information described here, the HGW 304 can check whether the same copy is recorded on a local HDD recorder or the like, and if it is recorded, can respond to it. (The same is possible with the above-mentioned source URI). The outline is a general description of the content. For example, EPG (Electronic Program Guide) information can be used for broadcast content. A thumbnail is a piece of content cut out spatially or temporally, and is usually composed of a small still image or the like. The genre indicates a content category and is composed of one or a plurality of keywords. Based on the genre information, the RSS distributed on the terminal side is classified.

  The URI (Universal Resource Identifier) indicates the position of the content globally. The URI for the content stored in the media server managed by the HGW 304 includes an IP address of the HGW 304, a UDN (Unique Device Name) of the media server managed by the HGW 304, and a file path in the media server. On the other hand, the URI of content distributed over the Internet is defined as a general Internet URL.

  The playback control information is information for controlling a content playback method. For example, a resume point for resume playback, a set of highlight time intervals for performing digest playback, and a playback method for each time interval (normal playback, 3x fast forward playback, slow playback, etc.). By using the reproduction control information, special viewing such as resume viewing and digest viewing becomes possible.

  The RSS distribution date / time indicates the date / time when the RSS is distributed, and the expiration date indicates the effective date / time of the distributed index. Based on these pieces of information, the client executed on the portable terminal 307 automatically deletes the distributed index information. The erasure policy is the same as that used in a general RSS aggregator, and the erasure policy is preferentially erased from the oldest transfer date / time to the terminal or the one not recently reproduced. The erasure policy may be set individually for each category such as genre. If the content is a moving image, it can be erased once viewed.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display screen displayed on the mobile terminal 307 as a UI (User Interface) in the mobile terminal 307.

  The display screen 1301 presents the content list acquired by any of the above-mentioned methods in a hierarchy for each category. For example, when the user selects the folder 1305, a program group recorded by the HDD recorder is listed as shown as a display screen 1302. When the folder 1306 is selected, a group of pictures taken with a digital camera is listed, and when a folder 1307 is selected, a group of movies taken with a video is listed. When the folder 1308 is selected, music ripped from the CD and music purchased from the online shop are listed. These folders are virtual, and the same file may be classified into a plurality of folders.

  Here, it is an interface that can handle the information distribution on the Internet by RSS in the same way, and the recommended program 1304 is a recommended TV program list provided by a service provider on the Internet, and the program in the list is stored in the home media server. If it is accumulated, it can be viewed. Otherwise, it cannot be viewed or jumps to the purchase site of the program. This recommended program is prepared by a method such as selecting a program with a large number of reservations from recording reservation information of many other users having the same tendency as the TV viewing history of the user of the portable terminal 307. Accumulating personal viewing history in a personal terminal, which is a portable terminal, enables highly accurate customized information transmission for each individual. It is also possible to customize the online service based on information such as TV viewing information, HDD recorder recording information and viewing information, stored music artist, and genre information. For example, in an online shop for books, users who view and make reservations for similar programs are encouraged to purchase books that are commonly purchased, or conversely, users who purchase similar books are common. It is possible to recommend watching TV programs reserved for recording.

  When the user selects the Internet folder 1309, the podcasting distributed on the Web page, the update information of the Web page, and the like are sorted and presented in the same manner as a normal RSS aggregator. When an index stored in the Internet folder is selected, the URL indicated by RSS is accessed by a Web browser or the like, and the content is acquired. Although the content acquisition destination is not the media server 303 and the acquisition procedure is different from the above method, the user does not need to recognize the difference, and the user performs the operation for accessing the content from the list. Just select

  In the interrupted folder 1311, an index for resuming playback from that time later when a certain content is viewed halfway is accumulated. When playback is interrupted by any of the renderers, the gateway senses the interruption, generates a resume index, and transmits it to the mobile terminal. The user can resume viewing interrupted content by using the resume index, but there is no problem if the renderer changes from the previous viewing time.

  Mailbox 1310 stores content index information transmitted from other users. If the content is broadcast content such as a TV program and is stored in the media server at home, the same program can be viewed. On the other hand, in the case of a private photograph or the like, connection information composed of a connection address, ID, and password given to the FGW in S010 of FIG. 2 at the time of index transmission to other users is sent together. Using this information, the user can remotely access the content owner's HGW and browse the content.

  In order to prevent access from users other than the forwarding destination user, when an external user accesses the HGW using an ID and password, another ID and password are sent again to the original forwarding destination address to request access again. You may do it. Alternatively, a friend's ID and password may be registered in advance in the HGW (not sent during index transmission), and access may be made with a default ID and password. If transmission / reception of an index is performed on a network such as a mobile network that is fully protected by copyright protection, a DRM that becomes FL (Forward Lock / Forbidden) at the time of transmitting the index may be added to prohibit the transfer. In the format of Separate Delivery, it is also possible to obligate the acquisition of authority necessary for viewing at the time of access.

  FIG. 5 shows a state in which index information existing in another user is transferred by the portable terminal 307. A desired content is selected from the index list screen 1302 of a certain content, and transmission is selected from a menu (1316). Further, when a transfer destination address, a subject, a message body, etc. are added and transferred to a desired user, the index is classified into the above-mentioned mailbox at the transfer destination user's terminal. When the mailbox is viewed, a message body 1317 is displayed together with a program thumbnail 1312 and a summary 1313, and the transferred program can also be viewed by selecting an index.

  The classification folder mentioned here is only an example, and various other classification methods such as registration date, new content, genre classification, and media server classification are possible.

(3. Renderer selection and content playback by mobile terminal)
In order to reproduce the content in the media server 303 in the FNW 302, it is necessary to determine which renderer in the FNW 302 is to reproduce the content. Unless the renderer is automatically determined because there is only one renderer available in the FNW 302, the user needs to select a desired renderer from a plurality of options (FGW305 or mobile terminal) 307 can also automatically select a renderer according to a predetermined priority).

  In FIG. 6, the portable terminal 307 acquires an available renderer list, selects desired content from the previously acquired content list, specifies a renderer to play back the content, and specifies the content specified by the specified renderer. The procedure for reproduction is shown. Although various procedures can be considered depending on the available network environment, three patterns are shown here.

  FIG. 6A shows a selection of a renderer and a content reproduction procedure when a bidirectional communication path such as WiFi is available between the mobile terminal 307 and the FGW 305.

  The portable terminal 307 requests the FGW 305 for a list of available renderers (S201). The FGW confirms a renderer that can be used in the FNW (S202), and returns it to the portable terminal 307 (S203). The portable terminal 307 selects a renderer to be used from the acquired list (S204), further selects content to be played back by the renderer from the previously acquired content list (S206), and notifies them to the FGW 305 ( S205, 207). The FGW 305 requests the HGW 304 to distribute the requested content (S208). The HGW 304 acquires the content requested from the media server in the HNW 301 (S209) and distributes it to the FGW 305 (S210). Upon receiving the content distribution, the FGW 305 transfers the content to the designated renderer 306 (S211) and requests the reproduction of the content. (The FGW 305 may instruct the renderer 306 to reproduce the content, and the renderer 306 may pull the instructed content from the HGW 304 via the FGW 305.) The renderer 306 reproduces the content sent from the FGW 305 (S212). ). Communication between the FGW 305 and the renderer 306 is treated as a normal DLNA protocol, and the FGW 305 appears to the renderer 306 as a DMC and a DMS.

  Here, the mobile terminal 307 selects the content after selecting the renderer, but the order may be reversed (the same applies to the following examples). If the renderer is determined, the content that can be played back by that renderer is narrowed down. If the content is determined, the renderer that can play back the content is also narrowed down. If the renderer is uniquely determined, it is possible to omit the renderer selection.

  FIG. 6B shows a renderer selection and content reproduction procedure when there is only a one-way communication path from the portable terminal 307 to the FGW 305 such as infrared communication between the portable terminal 307 and the FGW 305. When the portable terminal 307 requests a renderer list (S201), the FGW 305 confirms available renderers (S202), and then returns the renderer list to the portable terminal 307 via the HGW 304 (S213, 214). The subsequent procedure is the same as in FIG.

  FIG. 6C shows a renderer selection and content reproduction procedure when the communication path between the portable terminal 307 and the FGW 305 is not used. The portable terminal 307 requests a renderer list from the FGW 305 via the HGW 304 (S215, 216). After confirming the available renderers (S202), the FGW 305 returns the renderer list to the portable terminal 307 via the HGW 304 (S213, 214). ). The portable terminal selects a renderer and content (S204, 206), and notifies them to the HGW 304 (S217, 219). The HGW 304 notifies the designated renderer 306 to the FGW 305 (S218), acquires the requested content from the media server 303 in the HNW 301 (S209), and distributes it to the FGW 305 (S210). Upon receiving the content distribution, the FGW 305 transfers the content to the designated renderer 306 (S211) and requests the reproduction of the content. (The FGW 305 may instruct the renderer 306 to reproduce the content, and the renderer 306 may pull the instructed content from the HGW 304 via the FGW 305.) The renderer 306 reproduces the content sent from the FGW 305 (S212). ).

  The UI used in the portable terminal 307 in each procedure shown in FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 again.

  A display screen 1302 illustrated in FIG. 4 is a configuration example of a display screen that displays a content list on the mobile terminal 307. On the display screen 1320, a thumbnail 1312 and a brief description 1313 of the content are displayed for each content. When the user selects any content, as shown as a display screen 1303, a list of renderers that can be used to play the selected content is displayed. In order to allow the user to specify a renderer intuitively, each element displayed as a list of renderers can be set to an easy-to-understand name such as a graphic image 1314 that shows an overview of the renderer or “TV in the living room” Is desirable. Furthermore, instead of such a list selection type UI, by exchanging the renderer ID and the like using near-field wireless communication means such as infrared rays and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), the device in front of the user is referred to as “this”. It is more desirable to be able to specify.

  When the user selects a renderer, the content specified by the specified renderer 306 is played. Since the reproducible format, bit rate, screen size, and the like differ depending on the renderer that is finally played back, it is desirable to perform content conversion that requires the HGW 304 or FGW 305 that transfers the content. Further, on the path from the media server to the final renderer, QoS (Quality of Service) control is performed, and it is necessary to appropriately manage the bandwidth so as to ensure the quality required for the service.

  After the start of playback, an interface for performing playback control of content such as fast forward and rewind may be displayed on the mobile terminal 307. Since the types of playback control that can be used differ depending on the renderer and content type, it is desirable that the renderer 306 provides an interface corresponding to the content type to the portable terminal 307. Alternatively, playback control can be performed using an interface provided in the renderer 306.

(4. Configuration of each device)
Next, the configuration of each device that implements the processing illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3A, and 5A will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram showing a main configuration of the FGW 305. As shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the FGW 305 is configured to include the elements listed below.

  Communication units 401, 414, and 415, which are communication interfaces with various external devices.

  An authentication unit 402 that manages communication involving authentication.

  A connection request reception unit 403 that receives a connection request (use application) S001 from the mobile terminal 307.

  A portable terminal that has an address (external gateway designation information) for uniquely designating a connection destination HGW 304 and a connection ID and password (authentication information) for establishing an authenticated communication path with the HGW 304 The access authority acquisition unit 404 acquires from 307 (S010).

  The connection ID and password acquired by the access authority acquisition unit 404 are transmitted to the HGW 304 designated by the address acquired by the access authority acquisition unit 404 (S011), and an authenticated communication path is established (S013). ), A connection establishment unit (communication path establishment means) 410.

  A content list request for requesting a content list is acquired from the portable terminal 307 (S101), and the acquired content list request is transferred to the HGW 304 via the communication path established by the connection establishment unit 410 (S102). A content list acquired from the HGW 304 as a response to the list request (S104) is transferred to the portable terminal 307 (S105), and a content management unit (content list request receiving means, content list request transferring means) 406 is obtained.

  A renderer list request for requesting a renderer list is acquired from the portable terminal 307 (S201), a list of available renderers under the management of the FGW 305 is created (S202), and the created list is sent to the portable terminal 307 as a renderer list. The renderer management unit 407 transmits (S203).

  Renderer designation information for designating a renderer to play back content from among the renderers included in the renderer list is obtained from the portable terminal 307 (S205), and a renderer designation receiving unit (renderer designation information obtaining means) 408 is obtained.

  The content designation information for designating the content to be reproduced among the contents included in the content list is acquired from the portable terminal 307 (S207), and the content designation receiving unit (content designation information obtaining unit) 405.

  Of the contents under the management of the HGW 304, the HGW 304 is requested to distribute the content specified by the content specifying information (S208), and distributed from the HGW 304 via the communication path established by the connection establishment unit A content acquisition unit (content acquisition unit) 411 acquires content (S210).

  A content conversion unit 412 that performs content conversion on the content acquired by the content acquisition unit 411 according to the renderer function specified by the renderer specification information.

  The content acquired by the content acquisition unit 411 and subjected to the content conversion by the content conversion unit 412 is transmitted to the renderer 306 designated by the renderer designation information among the renderers managed by the FGW 305. (S211), a content transmission unit (content distribution means) 413.

  A content operation accepting unit 409 that accepts a user operation instructing to start, fast-forward, rewind, or stop the content and controls the content transmitting unit 413 and the content acquiring unit 411 based on the accepted user operation.

  The FGW 305 is connected to a network via communication units 401, 414, and 415. When the FGW 305 communicates with the outside of the FNW 302 such as the portable terminal 307 or the HGW 304, the authentication unit 402 is used. When the connection request reception unit 403 receives a connection request from the mobile terminal 307, the access authority acquisition unit 404 receives information such as an address, ID, and password necessary for connection to the HGW 304 from the mobile terminal 307, and connects based on the information. The establishing unit 410 establishes a connection with the HGW 304.

  The content management unit 406 acquires a content list from the HGW 304 and supplies the content list to the mobile terminal 307 based on a request from the mobile terminal 307. The renderer management unit 407 supplies the renderer list to the mobile terminal 307 based on the request from the mobile terminal 307. When the content designation receiving unit 405 receives a request for content from the portable terminal 307, the content acquisition unit 411 acquires the requested content based on the connection with the HGW 304 established by the connection establishment unit 410. On the other hand, the renderer designation receiving unit 408 obtains information on the renderer that reproduces the content from the portable terminal 307. If content conversion is necessary due to the ability of the renderer, the content conversion unit 412 converts the content, and then the content transmission unit 413 transmits the content to the designated renderer via the communication unit 415. If a content playback operation is received from the portable terminal 307 during the playback of the content, the content transmission unit 413 or the content acquisition unit 411 is acted on to handle playback operations such as fast forward and rewind of the content.

  FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram showing the main configuration of the HGW 304.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the HGW 304 includes the elements listed below.

  Communication units 501, 512, and 513 that are communication interfaces with various external devices.

  An access authority request accepting unit 503 that accepts an access authority request for requesting acquisition of a password used by the FGW 305 to establish an authenticated communication path with the HGW 304 from the portable terminal 305 (S007).

  In response to the access authority request, a password (for example, a one-time password) generated by a password generation unit (not shown) is transmitted to the mobile terminal 307 (S009). The access authority transmission unit 504.

  A connection request receiving unit 505 receives a connection request including an ID and a password from the FGW 305 (S011).

  The authentication unit 502 confirms whether or not the password received by the connection request reception unit 505 is a valid password generated by the password generation unit (S012).

  The connection establishment unit 506 establishes a communication path with the FGW 305 when the validity of the password received by the connection request reception unit 505 is confirmed by the authentication unit 502 (S013).

  A content list request is received from the FGW 305 via the communication path established by the connection establishment unit 506 (S102), a list of contents under the management of the HGW 304 is generated (S103), and the generated list of contents is connected. The content management unit 508 transmits to the FGW 305 via the communication path established by the unit 506 (S104).

  A content distribution request including content designation information for designating content selected by the user from content belonging to the content list in the mobile terminal 307 is received from the FGW 305 via the communication path established by the connection establishment unit 506. (S208) Content designation receiving unit 507.

  The content acquisition unit 509 acquires the content specified by the content specification information included in the content distribution request from the media server 303 (S209).

  A content conversion unit 510 that performs content conversion necessary for transmitting the content acquired from the media server 303 to the FGW 305.

  The content transmission unit 510 transmits the content subjected to content conversion as necessary to the FGW 305 via the communication path established by the connection establishment unit 506 (S210), and the content transmission unit 511.

  The HGW 304 is connected to the network via the communication unit 501. When the HGW 304 communicates with the outside of the HNW 301 such as the portable terminal 307 or the FGW 305, the authentication unit 502 is used. When the access authority request receiving unit 503 receives an access authority request from the mobile terminal 307, the access authority request receiving unit 503 generates a password, and the access authority transmitting unit 504 sends the password to the mobile terminal 307.

  When the connection request reception unit 505 receives a connection request from the FGW 305, the connection establishment unit 506 establishes a connection with the FGW 305 (the authentication unit 502 checks whether the password is a valid password transmitted by the access authority transmission unit 504). ). The content management unit 508 transmits a content list based on a request from the FGW 305. When the content designation receiving unit 507 receives a content distribution request, the content acquisition unit 509 communicates with the media server 303 via the communication unit 512 to acquire the requested content. After the content conversion unit 510 performs conversion necessary for transmission, the content transmission unit 511 transmits the content via the communication unit 513.

  FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of the renderer 306.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the renderer 306 receives from the FGW 305 the distribution of content under the management of the communication unit 601 that is a communication interface for communicating with other devices in the FNW 302 and the HGW 304 (S211). An acquisition unit 602 and a content reproduction unit 603 that reproduces the content acquired by the content acquisition unit 602 (S212) are configured.

  FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing the main configuration of the media server 303.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the media server 303 transmits to the HGW 304 a communication unit 701 that is a communication interface for communicating with other devices in the HNW 301 and a list of contents managed by the media server 303. A content management unit 703 that transmits content to the HGW 304, and a content transmission unit 702 that transmits content to the HGW 304.

  FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of the mobile terminal 307.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the portable terminal 307 includes the following elements.

  A communication unit 801 that is a communication interface with various external devices.

  A resource discovery unit 802 for discovering a gateway device in the FNW 302.

  The connection request unit 803 sends a use request to the FGW 305 discovered by the resource discovery unit 802 and makes a connection request (S001).

  An authentication information management unit 812 that manages authentication information necessary for connecting to the FGW 305 and authentication information necessary for logging in to the HGW 304 (S004).

  Authentication information necessary for connection with the FGW 305 is acquired from the authentication information management unit 812 and transmitted to the FGW 305 (S001), and authentication information required for logging in to the HGW 304 is received from the authentication information management unit 812. The authentication information transmitting unit 804 acquires and transmits the acquired information to the HGW 304 (S004).

  The FGW 305 requests the HGW 304 for a password (authentication information) necessary for establishing an authenticated communication path with the HGW 304 (S007), and acquires the password generated by the HGW 304 (S009). Access authority acquisition unit 805.

  A password (authentication information) acquired by the access authority acquisition unit 805 and a connection ID (authentication information) and an address (external gateway specification information) that specify the HGW 304, which are stored in advance in a storage unit (not shown), The access authority transmitting unit 806 transmits to the FGW 305 (S010).

  A content management unit 807 transmits a content list request for requesting a content list to the FGW 305 (S101), and receives a content list acquired by the FGW 305 from the HGW 304 (S105).

  Based on the user operation detected by the UI unit 813, the content to be reproduced is specified from the content list, and content designation information for designating the content to be reproduced is transmitted to the FGW 305 (S207). Part 808.

  A renderer list request for a renderer list is transmitted to the FGW 305 (S201), and a list of available renderers under the management of the FGW 305 is received from the FGW 305 as a renderer list (S203), and a renderer management unit 810.

  Based on the user operation detected by the UI unit 813, a renderer for reproducing the content is specified from the renderer list, and renderer designation information for designating the renderer for reproducing the content is transmitted to the FGW 305 (S205). A renderer selection unit 811.

  A content operation unit 809 that controls reproduction of content based on a user operation detected by the UI unit 813.

  The portable terminal 307 communicates with other devices via the communication unit 801. The communication unit 307 is often composed of a plurality of networks such as the Internet and a mobile network. The mobile terminal 307 that has entered the FNW uses the resource discovery unit 802 to find the FGW 305 in the network, and the connection request unit 803 makes a connection request to the FGW. At this time, necessary authentication information is transmitted from the authentication information management unit 812 via the authentication information transmission unit 804.

  On the other hand, the portable terminal 307 also connects to the HGW via the communication unit 801 (same as for authentication). The access authority acquisition unit 805 acquires the access authority necessary for the FGW 305 to access the HGW 304 from the HGW 304, and the access authority transmission unit transmits it to the FGW 305. The content management unit 807 acquires a content list from the HGW 304 via the network, and the renderer management unit 810 acquires an available renderer list from the FGW 305. The content selection unit 807 and the renderer selection unit 811 connected to the UI unit 813 select the content and the renderer, transmit them to the FGW 305, and playback is performed by the renderer. The content operation unit 809 performs various playback operations via the UI unit 813.

  FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram showing the main configuration of the SIP server provided by the service provider 309.

  The SIP server 901 is a conventional SIP server, and includes a communication unit 901, a registration reception unit 902, a registered device management unit 903, a connection request reception unit 904, a terminal authentication unit 905, a connection establishment unit 906, and an authentication information management unit 907. It is comprised including.

  Here, since SIP is used to establish a session between two points between HGW and FGW, a SIP server is required. However, the communication path between HGW and FGW may be realized by other means such as direct connection. Yes, in this case no SIP server is required.

(5. Modification 1)
Even when the portable terminal 307 is in the HNW 301 and the content stored in the media server 303 is played back by the renderer under the management of the HGW 304, the content in the HNW 301 is displayed by the user using the same UI as shown in FIG. It is desirable to configure the content reproduction system so that the user can select the renderer.

  In order to realize this, for example, the mobile terminal 307 may be configured to function as a controller (DMC) compliant with DLNA in the HNW 301. Accordingly, the portable terminal 307, the media server 303, and the renderer in the HNW 301 function as DMC, DMS, and DMR, respectively (see FIG. 32), so that a conventional playback processing procedure using DLNA (see FIG. 33). The content reproduction process can be performed.

  As another method for realizing this, the HGW 304 may be configured to function as a controller (DMC) compliant with DLNA. In this case, in addition to the configuration shown in FIG. 8, the HGW 304 includes a DMC unit having a DMC function and a protocol conversion unit that converts a request from the portable terminal 307 into a DLNA protocol and passes the request to the DMC unit. The

  FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram showing a processing flow when the HGW 304 is caused to function as a DMC. In FIG. 13, the portion surrounded by the dotted line on the right side corresponds to the conventional reproduction processing procedure in the DLNA shown in FIG. Through the processing shown as S401 to S408, the mobile terminal 307 acquires the content list and the renderer list from the HGW 304, and notifies the HGW 304 of the desired content and the renderer used for reproduction. Since each process of S401-408 is equivalent to the process which attached | subjected and showed the name corresponding to FIG.2, FIG.3 and FIG.5, the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the portable terminal 307 used together with the HGW 304 as described above, it is preferable to change the processing procedure depending on whether it exists in the HNW 301 or the FGW 302.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a processing flow executed by the portable terminal 307 in order to change the processing procedure depending on whether it exists in the HNW 301 or in the FGW 302.

  When the mobile terminal 307 is connected to the network (S501), the connection request unit 803 determines whether the connection destination GW is a gateway device in the HNW 301 registered in advance or other gateway device (S502). If the gateway device of the connection destination is the HGW 304, content reproduction processing is performed according to the processing procedure shown in FIG. 33 or FIG. 13 (S503). On the other hand, when the gateway device of the connection destination is the FGW 305, content reproduction processing is performed according to the processing procedures shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5 (S504, S505, S506). In either case, the process ends when the network is disconnected (S507).

  In order to realize the switching of processing according to the connection destination gateway as described above, the portable terminal 307 shown in FIG. 11 is configured to function as a DLNA-compliant controller (DMC) in the HNW 301 as well. A network determination unit may be added to determine in which network the HNW 301 or the FNW 302 currently exists.

(6. Modification 2)
By partially changing the content playback method described above, the media server 303 in the HNW 301 can function as a virtual media server in the FNW 302.

  FIG. 15 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a state in which the media server 303 functions as a virtual media server 310 in the FNW 302 in the content distribution system shown in FIG. In the content distribution system shown in FIG. 15, after establishing a connection between the HGW and the FGW (after the end of the process in FIG. 2), the FGW 305 so that the media server 303 can be seen as a virtual media server 310 in the FNW 302. Controls communication with other resources in the FNW 302, the controller 308 and the renderer 306. By doing so, the controller 308 and the renderer 306 can communicate with the virtual media server 310 using the normal DLNA protocol. The controller 308 is a DMC in DLNA, the renderer 306 is a DMR in DLNA, and the virtual media server 310 is a DMS in DLNA. When the controller 308 and the renderer 306 are a single device, it is called DMP.

  After the connection between the FGW 305 and the HGW 304 is established by the processing shown in FIG. 2, the content can be reproduced by designating the content and the renderer according to the conventional DLNA protocol. That is, the DMC and DMS in the home network and the content list (Contents List) stored in each DMS can be requested from the DMC and displayed on the display on the controller. The user can operate the DMC, select one from the contents in the DMS, and request playback by the DMR. Upon receiving the request, the DMR receives the corresponding content from the DMS and plays it. In addition to DMR, DMC also has the advantage of being able to use existing DLNA compatible devices.

  FIG. 16 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method in which the controller 308 obtains a content list that is a list of content stored in the media server 303 from the HGW 304.

  The difference from FIG. 3A is that the entity that acquires the content list is changed from the portable terminal 307 to the controller 308.

  In order to perform the processing shown in FIG. 16, the content management unit 406 of the FGW 305 shown in FIG. 7 accepts a content list request according to the DLNA protocol from the controller 308, and sends the content list acquired from the HGW 304 to the controller 308 according to the DLNA protocol. What is necessary is just to deform | transform so that it may transmit. As a result, the virtual media server 310 can be seen by the controller 308 before the FGW 305.

  FIG. 17 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method in which the FGW 305 distributes content to the renderer 306.

  The biggest difference from the method shown in FIG. 6A is that the main body that requests content reproduction is changed from the portable terminal 307 to the controller 308. In this case, since the available DMS and DMR are found according to the conventional DLNA procedure, the controller 308 does not need to receive the renderer list from the FGW 305. After selecting the renderer to be used (S204), the controller 308 makes a content reproduction request to the selected renderer 306 (S213). The renderer 306 requests the virtual media server 310 to distribute the specified content.

  In order to perform the processing shown in FIG. 17, content delivery request accepting means for accepting a content delivery request in accordance with the DLNA protocol including content designation information for designating content to be reproduced is added to the FGW 305 shown in FIG. Further, the content transmission unit 413 may be modified to transmit the content acquired by the content acquisition unit 411 to the renderer 306 that is the transmission source of the content distribution request according to the DLNA protocol.

  However, in the case of adopting this configuration, if the entire media server 303 is made to participate in the FNW 302 as the virtual media server 310, all the contents stored in the media server can access all the resources in the FNW 302. End up. Content to be published can be placed in a public folder in advance so that only specific content in the media server can be seen in the virtual media server, or the content to be published can be set when establishing a connection between the FGW 305 and the HGW 304 It is desirable to make it. In addition, since the virtual media server 310 can be accessed from all DMCs and DMRs in the FNW 305, it is desirable that the user of the portable terminal can limit the available DMCs and DMRs.

(7. Modification 3)
In the above, the embodiment has been described in which the content under the management of the home HGW 304 is distributed to the renderer 306 in another home via the FGW 305, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, according to the present invention, in general, content under the control of the first gateway device can be distributed to the content reproduction device via the second gateway device. For example, it is possible to distribute content under the control of a first gateway device installed in a business site of a content distribution company to a television set in the user's home via the second gateway device. . Here, the second gateway device may be a gateway device configured separately from the television, or may be a gateway device built in the television.

  By using the HGW 304 as a first gateway device, the FGW 305 as a second gateway device, and the portable terminal 307 as a terminal device, the following content distribution system can be configured.

  That is, a content distribution system including a first gateway device (HGW301), a second gateway device (FGW305), and a terminal device (portable terminal 307), wherein the first gateway device is the first gateway. Content list transmission means (content management unit 508) for transmitting a content list, which is a list of contents under the management of the device, to the terminal device is provided, and the terminal device is transmitted from the first gateway device. Content list acquisition means (content management unit 807) for acquiring the content list, and content distribution request transmission means for transmitting a content distribution request for requesting distribution of the content included in the content list to the first gateway device. (Content selection unit 808), The first gateway device includes a content transmission unit (content transmission unit 511) for distributing the requested content to the second gateway device in response to the content distribution request transmitted from the terminal device. And the second gateway device constitutes a content distribution system including content acquisition means (content acquisition unit 411) for acquiring the content distributed from the first gateway device. it can.

  Further, the first gateway device generates a password request accepting means (access authority request accepting unit 503) for accepting a password request transmitted from the terminal device, and generates a password corresponding to the authentication information. A password transmitting means for transmitting (access authority transmitting unit 504), a connection request transmitted from the second gateway device, and a connection request receiving means for receiving a connection request including the password (connection request receiving unit 505); Communication for distributing the content between the authentication means (authentication unit 502) for confirming whether the password is valid and the second gateway device when the password is valid Connection establishment means (connection establishment unit 506) for establishing a route may be further provided.

  In the content distribution system, the terminal device further includes authentication information transmitting means for transmitting authentication information to the first gateway device, and the first gateway device is transmitted from the terminal device. A user specifying means for specifying the user of the terminal device based on the authentication information, and a storage means for storing the second gateway device as a delivery destination of the content in association with the user of the terminal device. The content transmission means of the first gateway device is configured to distribute the content to the second gateway device associated with the user of the terminal device specified based on the authentication information. May be.

  Here, when the terminal device is, for example, a mobile phone device, the phone number of the mobile phone device can be used as the authentication information. At this time, for example, the storage means provides an association between the user (ID) of the mobile phone device specified by the telephone number and the IP address of the gateway device to which the content is distributed to the user. A table can be configured to be stored.

  The content distribution system further includes gateway designation information transmitting means for transmitting the gateway designation information for designating the second gateway device to the first gateway device. The storage means of one gateway device associates the second gateway device designated by the gateway designation information transmitted from the terminal device with the user of the terminal device identified based on the authentication information. May be configured to be stored.

  The content distribution system further includes gateway designation information transmitting means for the gateway device to transmit gateway designation information for designating the second gateway device to the terminal device. The storage device may further comprise storage means for storing the gateway designation information transmitted from the second gateway device.

  Further, by using the HGW 304 as the first gateway device, the FGW 305 as the second gateway device, and the portable terminal 307 as the terminal device, the following content distribution system can be configured.

  That is, a content distribution system including a first gateway device (HGW301), a second gateway device (FGW305), and a terminal device (portable terminal 307), wherein the first gateway device is the first gateway. Content list transmission means (content management unit 508) for transmitting a content list, which is a list of contents under the management of the device, to the terminal device is provided, and the terminal device is transmitted from the first gateway device. Content list acquisition means (content management unit 807) for acquiring the content list, and content specification information transmission means for transmitting content specification information for specifying content selected from the content list to the second gateway device ( Content selection unit 808), The second gateway device includes a content designation information receiving means (content designation receiving unit 405) for receiving the content designation information transmitted from the terminal device, and the content designated by the content designation information (that is, Content distribution request transmitting means (content acquisition unit 411) for transmitting a content distribution request for requesting distribution of the content selected in the terminal device to the first gateway device, and the first gateway device Further includes content transmitting means (content transmitting unit 511) for distributing the requested content to the second gateway device in response to the content distribution request transmitted from the second gateway device. The gateway device 2 is the first gateway. Device further includes a distributed content acquisition means for acquiring the content (content acquisition unit 411) than, it is also possible to configure the content distribution system.

  In the content distribution system, the terminal device further includes address transmission means (access authority transmission unit 806) for transmitting an address designating the first gateway device to the second gateway device. The second gateway device includes address acquisition means (access authority acquisition unit 404) for acquiring the address transmitted from the terminal device, and the content distribution request transmission means (content acquisition) of the second gateway device. The unit 411) may be configured to transmit the content distribution request to the first gateway device designated by the address.

  In the content distribution system, the terminal device transmits authentication information to the first gateway device (authentication information transmission unit 804) and a password request to the first gateway device. Password request transmission means (access authority acquisition unit 805), wherein the first gateway device receives authentication information transmitted from the terminal device, and receives authentication information from the terminal device. A password request receiving unit (access authority request receiving unit 503) that receives the transmitted password request, and a password transmission unit (access authority transmitting unit) that generates a password according to the authentication information and transmits the generated password to the terminal device. 504), and the terminal device includes the first gateway device. Password acquisition means (access authority acquisition unit 805) for acquiring the transmitted password, an address for designating the first gateway device, and access authority transmission for transmitting the acquired password to the second gateway device Means (access authority transmission unit 806), and the second gateway device acquires an access authority acquisition unit (access authority acquisition unit 404) that acquires the address and the password transmitted from the terminal device; Connection request transmission means (connection establishment unit 410) for transmitting a connection request including the password to the first gateway device designated by the address, wherein the first gateway device is Connection required to accept the connection request sent from the second gateway device A receiving unit (connection request receiving unit 505), an authentication unit (authentication unit 502) for confirming whether or not the password is valid, and the second gateway device when the password is valid. A connection establishment means (connection establishment unit 506) for establishing a communication path for distributing the content in between may be further provided.

[Embodiment 2]
In the present embodiment, among the mobile terminals 307 shown in the first embodiment, in particular, the content acquired from the media server 303 in the HNW 301 is held, and the same content as the held content can be displayed by the renderer belonging to the HNW 301. A portable terminal 307 that can be reproduced by a renderer belonging to the FNW 302 will be described. In the following, UI content including information defining a screen layout and information defining a process executed in response to a user operation will be described in addition to media data. By using these, the user can browse the content by the same operation on the renderer belonging to the HNW 301, the renderer belonging to the FNW 302, or even the mobile terminal itself.

  First, album display UI content that is a common reproduction target in the following description will be described from the viewpoint of a user viewing the content.

  FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a state in which the portable terminal 307 is reproducing the album display UI content. In the following description, it is assumed that the mobile terminal 307 is configured as a DMP having both DMC and DMR functions (the mobile terminal 307 is stored in the media server 303 as the DMR, that is, It also functions as a content playback device for playing back content). The mobile terminal 307 is located in the HNW 301 and is configured to communicate with a media server 303 as a DMS and a television receiver (hereinafter abbreviated as TV) 316 as a DMR according to the DLNA protocol. And

  The portable terminal 307 can acquire a content list from the media server 303. The portable terminal 307 acquires the content list from the media server 303 and causes the user to select desired content from the acquired content list. In the example shown in FIG. 18, a method of selecting a desired genre from “browsing a picture”, “watching a movie”, “listening to music”, etc., and then listing contents belonging to the selected genre. A method is adopted in which candidates are selected from candidates such as “photo list”, “album list”, and “keyword input”, and finally, specific contents are selected. In FIG. 18, a process in which the user selects items displayed in the order of “view photos”, “list of albums”, and “Okinawa”, and as a result, the content with the title “Okinawa” is selected. It shows conceptually.

  The content “Okinawa” is an album display UI content that displays a plurality of photo contents as needed in a slide show. Buttons “Previous” and “Next” are displayed on the display screen for displaying each photo content. The user can switch the display to the previous photo content or the next photo content by selecting these during the slide show display.

  When reproduction of predetermined photo content as a slide show ends, a selection screen for selecting a renderer for reproducing the content is displayed. In the example shown in FIG. 18, two renderers “TV 316” and “TV 317” are listed as candidates. Here, when the user selects the TV 316, the content “Okinawa” is reproduced on the television 316.

  FIG. 19 is a data structure diagram showing the data structure of the UI content 1400 typified by the album display UI content described above.

  As shown in FIG. 19, the UI content 1400 is data including a screen transition / function call description file 1401, a screen layout / event processing description file 1402,... And a playback media data file 1404. The above-described album display UI content is a kind of UI content.

  The UI content includes a screen transition / function call description file 1401 and a screen layout / event processing description file 1402 in addition to a reproduction media data file 1404 which is normal content data such as a still image data file and a moving image data file. . By using these, processing such as screen transition according to an event such as a user operation can be defined in the UI content. For this reason, it is called “UI” content in order to distinguish it from normal content not including these. The UI content refers to general data including each element as shown in FIG. 19, and is not limited to the album display UI content described above. That is, quiz UI content that gives a quiz to the user is an example of UI content.

  The screen transition / function call description file 1401 includes screen transition information and function call information. The screen transition information is information that specifies a relationship between screens such as which screen is displayed next to a certain screen. The function call information defines a function to be called from the playback device (portable terminal 307) and a timing to call the function.

  The screen layout / event process description file 1402 includes screen layout information and event description information. The screen layout information specifies media data to be displayed on each screen, the layout of the media data on the screen, and the timing for reproducing the media data. In addition, the event description information associates an event (such as a key input or a timer event) that can occur while the screen is displayed with a process to be executed when each event occurs. Is.

  The reproduction media data file 1404 is media data to be reproduced, and corresponds to still image data, moving image data, audio data, text data, and the like. Image data such as still image data and moving image data is laid out and displayed based on the above-described screen layout information.

  A UI content ID is described as one element of the screen transition / function call description file 1401, which will be described later. The UI content ID only needs to be included in the UI content 1400, and is not limited to that described in the screen transition / function call description file 401.

  FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a content management table 1410 used when the media server 303 manages content.

  The content management table 1410 is managed by the content management unit 703 (see FIG. 10) of the media server 303. The content data stored in the media server 303 is identified by the content ID. The content management table 1410 is a table that provides an association between the content ID and the content data. In the content management table 1401, content having content IDs 00000005 to 0000000A corresponds to the UI content described above. That is, yoshino.zip, kekkon.zip, wine.zip, nyuugaku.zip, and quiz1.zip are archived in the zip format and are UI contents. The data of the content IDs 00000001 to 00000004 are media files such as still image data and moving image data. A content ID is used to uniquely identify a content in the media server 303. In particular, a content ID whose corresponding content is a UI content is referred to as a UI content ID here.

  In the content management table 1410, an attribute value is associated with each content. This attribute value is used to facilitate content search. The attribute value can be omitted in the content management table 1410. When the attribute value is omitted, the content may be searched by interpreting the content data itself when searching for the content. In the content management table 1410, the content having the content IDs 00000005 to 00000009 has the attribute value “album”. This indicates that the content corresponding to the content IDs 00000005 to 00000009 is the above-described album display UI content. That is, the album display UI content is content having the attribute value “album” among UI content.

  FIG. 22 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the configuration of the home network (HNW) 301 when the mobile terminal 307 is in the HNW 301.

  As shown in FIG. 22, the HNW 301 includes a mobile terminal 307, a media server 303, and a television 316 that is a renderer. As described above, the portable terminal 307 has both functions of DMC and DMR. Therefore, by using the function of the DMC, the content of the media server 303, which is the DMS, can be reproduced by another renderer (DMR) in the HNW 301.

  When the user selects “album list” on the portable terminal 307 (see FIG. 18), the portable terminal 307 requests the album list from the media server 303. The media server 303 transmits album list information to the portable terminal 307 in response to the album list request. Here, the album list information is a type of content list, and is a list of content having the attribute value “album” among the content stored in the media server 303, that is, a list of album display UI content.

  The portable terminal 307 displays a list of album display UI content titles stored in the media server 303 based on the album list information. When the user selects a desired album display UI content from the list-displayed titles, the portable terminal 307 sends a content distribution request for requesting distribution of the selected album display UI content to the media server 303. This content distribution request includes the content ID (content designation information) of the content selected on the portable terminal 307. That is, the mobile terminal 307 sends the content ID of the content selected by the user to the media server 303 as a content playback request. Here, in particular, since the album display UI content which is the UI content is selected by the user, the UI content ID is sent to the media server 303. The media server 303 distributes UI content corresponding to the received UI content ID to the mobile terminal 307. Then, the portable terminal 307 uses the DMR function to reproduce the UI content distributed from the media server.

  When the user selects the television 316 on the “browse with different device” screen (see FIG. 18), the portable terminal 307 functions as a DMC and transmits a content reproduction request to the television 316 that is one of the DMRs. To do. This content reproduction request also includes the UI content ID. That is, the mobile terminal 307 transmits the UI content ID of the UI content selected by the user to the television 316 as a content playback request. Receiving this, the television 316 transmits the UI content ID acquired from the portable terminal 307 to the media server 303 as a content distribution request for requesting distribution of the album display UI content. The media server 303 distributes UI content corresponding to the received UI content ID to the mobile terminal 307. Then, the television 316 reproduces the UI content distributed from the media server 303.

  As described in the first embodiment, the procedure for reproducing content by DMR is that the content ID and DMR are designated from the DMC to the DMS, and the corresponding content is designated by the DMS to the designated DMR. On the other hand, it may be configured to transmit and reproduce.

  Next, processing executed by the mobile terminal 307 in order to realize the above operation will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating processing executed by the mobile terminal 307 before the UI content is played back by the mobile terminal 307.

  In order to allow the user to select content, the portable terminal 307 first selects a desired genre, and then selects a method for listing content belonging to the selected genre (function selection reception process S330). When the album list is selected by the user (S331: YES), the portable terminal 307 transmits a request for acquiring album list information to the media server 303 (S332), and the album list information is received from the media server 303. (S333). If it is confirmed that the album list information has been received (S333: YES), the album list is displayed based on the received album list information (S334). The album list information includes the UI content ID of the album display UI content stored in the media server 303 in a pair with information that can be used by the user to specify an album, such as an album title. When the user selects an album (S335: YES), the mobile terminal 307 transmits a UI content ID corresponding to the selected album to the media server 303 as a content distribution request (S336). When UI content (album display UI content) is distributed from the media server 303 (S337: YES), the received UI content is played back (S336).

  Next, the above-described UI content reproduction process S336 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing the flow of content reproduction processing S336 executed by the mobile terminal device 307.

  As described above, the UI content has a data structure shown in FIG. The portable terminal 307 interprets the internal structure of the UI content and takes out data of each element constituting the UI content (S340). Subsequently, the mobile terminal 307 identifies a screen to be displayed based on the description content of the screen transition / function call description file 1401, the description content of the screen layout / event processing description file 1402, and the screen layout / event processing description. A screen is generated and displayed based on the media file referenced from the file 1402 (S341). Thereafter, the portable terminal 307 checks the occurrence of an event such as a user input operation based on the description content of the screen layout / event processing description file 1402 (S342). When the generated event is an event that a user operation for instructing the end of UI content reproduction is accepted, or an event that the reproduction of UI content is completed (S343: YES), the mobile terminal 307 The UI content playback process is terminated. When the user has received an instruction for calling the selection function of the display device (renderer) or when the display device selection function is called based on the description content of the UI content (S344: YES), the portable terminal 307 is processing A renderer (DMR) group in the HNW 301 capable of reproducing the UI content is displayed as a renderer list (S345). Since the portable terminal 307 has a DMC function, it is possible to determine a renderer that can reproduce the UI content for the UI content being processed. When the user selects a renderer from the renderer list, the mobile terminal 307 transmits a UI content ID as a content playback request to the selected renderer (for example, the television 316) (S346).

  In the above description, as a desirable implementation example, a case has been described in which processing for calling a display device (renderer) selection function (such as screen transition and display) is executed based on the description content of the UI content. These processes may be executed based on a program stored in advance in the portable terminal 307. That is, for example, the mobile terminal 307 may be configured to call a display device (renderer) selection function when a predetermined specific operation by the user is received.

  In the process illustrated in FIG. 24, the process for causing the user to select a renderer may be omitted. For example, if there is only one renderer option that can display the UI content being processed in addition to the portable terminal 307, the user is told to play the content with that one renderer. It may be configured to display a message such as “Masu” and automatically start playback of the UI content being processed by the one renderer.

  When the mobile terminal 307 and the television 316 are connected using NFC (Near Field Communication) or wired communication, the UI content ID may be directly transmitted from the mobile terminal 307 to the television 316. For example, the television 316 may be configured to be used as a renderer for playing back UI content simply by sending a UI content ID from the portable terminal 307 to the television 316 using proximity communication such as an infrared remote controller. .

  Further, when there are a plurality of media servers in the HNW 301, a DMS address for specifying a media server storing the UI content ID may be added to the UI content ID. As shown in FIG. 25, the screen transition / function call description file 1401 includes a UI content ID to which a DMS address is added. In other words, the mobile terminal 307 transmits a UI content ID for uniquely specifying the UI content in the media server and a DMS address for uniquely specifying the media server in the HNW 301 to the renderer. It may be configured.

  Next, processing executed in the media server 303 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed in the media server 303.

  When receiving the album list information request from the portable terminal 307 (S350: YES), the media server 303 searches the album display UI content stored in the own device to create album list information, and the created album list information. Is transmitted to the portable terminal 307 (S352).

  When creating the album list information, the media server 303 uses the content management table 1410. Upon receiving the album list information request, the media server 303 lists UI contents having the album attribute from the content management table 1410. Further, the media server 303 creates album list information in which, for example, the UI content title is associated with the listed UI content. Here, the title of the UI content may be a title extracted from the UI content, or may be a title extracted from the content management table. Alternatively, the content ID may be handled as a title.

  When the UI content ID is received from the renderer (S351: YES), the media server 303 reads the content specified by the received UI content ID from the content storage unit in which the content is stored, and renders the read UI content as the renderer. Deliver to.

  For example, when the media server 303 receives the UI content ID, it simultaneously receives renderer designation information for designating a renderer for reproducing the UI content, and the renderer processing capability (for example, display capability) designated by the renderer designation information. ), The UI content may be processed (content conversion), and then the processed UI content may be distributed to the renderer. Such a configuration is effective when UI content needs to be distributed to different renderers having different display capabilities. Examples of the UI content processing include a process of replacing the screen layout description unit 403 of the UI content 1400, or rewriting a part of the screen layout description unit 1403 in accordance with a renderer of a distribution destination. Furthermore, when UI content is distributed exclusively to a specific renderer (for example, the television 316), there is no need to give the user an opportunity to select a display device (renderer). In such a case, it is also effective to perform processing such as deleting a part designating the display device selection function or replacing it with designation of other processing on the UI content data.

  Next, processing executed by the television 316 serving as a renderer will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing executed by the television 316 serving as a renderer.

  When receiving the UI content ID from the portable terminal 307 (S360: YES), the television 361 serving as the renderer transmits the received UI content ID to the media server 303 in order to request delivery of the UI content (S361). At this time, as described above, a configuration may be employed in which renderer designation information for designating a renderer for reproducing UI content and information indicating the processing performance of the renderer are transmitted together. As described above, when there are a plurality of media servers (DMS) in the HNW 301, the DMS address is transmitted from the portable terminal 307 together with the UI content ID. In this case, it is preferable that the renderer TV 316 is configured to transfer the received UI content ID to the media server specified by the DMS address.

  When receiving the UI content (S362: YES), the television 316 serving as a renderer executes a UI content reproduction process (S363). The content of the UI content reproduction processing 361 is basically the same as that shown in FIG. 24, but the realized operation depends on the content of the received UI content. With these processes, the screen transition as shown in FIG. 18 is realized, and the album can be browsed in the same manner on the portable terminal 307 and the television 316.

  The portable terminal 307 can reproduce the same content as the content held by a renderer belonging to the FNW 302. Thereby, the user who has the portable terminal 307 can view the content stored in the media server 303 belonging to the HNW 301 in the FNW 302 as well as in the above-described HNW301. Hereinafter, this process will be described.

  FIG. 28 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a configuration of a content distribution system including the HNW 301, the FNW 302, and the mobile terminal 307. In particular, FIG. 28 illustrates a state where the mobile terminal 307 holding UI content is brought into the FNW 302. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 28, the portable terminal 307 is brought into the FNW 302 in a state where the album display UI content acquired from the media server 303 is held in the HNW 301 (FIG. 23: state after YES is determined in S337). . The mobile terminal 307 may start the UI content reproduction process (FIG. 23: S338) after being brought into the FNW 302, or may be brought into the FNW 302 during the UI content reproduction process (FIG. 23: S338). May be. When the mobile terminal 307 enters the FNW 302, a communication path between the FGW 305 and the HGW 304 is established by the processing described in the first embodiment.

  In the FGW 305, the process of causing the renderer 306 to play the UI content held in the mobile terminal 307 by the mobile phone 307 corresponds to the process shown in FIG. However, since the renderer that reproduces the UI content needs to be a renderer in the FGW 305, the process S345 in FIG. 24 is changed to a process in which the mobile terminal 307 acquires a renderer list of renderers in the management of the FGW 305 from the FGW 305. Is done. When the user selects the renderer 306 from the renderer list on the portable terminal 307, the portable terminal 307 transmits a UI content ID as a content reproduction request to the selected renderer 306.

  Here, the UI content ID transmitted from the mobile terminal 307 to the renderer 306 is a UI content ID extracted from the UI content held by the mobile terminal 307 (specifically, the album display UI content). That is, the mobile terminal 307 according to the present embodiment extracts the UI content ID of the UI content from the album display UI content that is held, and specifies the content to be played back using the extracted UI content ID. This is transmitted to the renderer 306 as content designation information.

  The renderer 306 transmits the UI content ID acquired from the portable terminal 307 to the media server 303 via the FGW 305 and the HGW 306, and requests distribution of the content. In response to this, the media server 303 reads the UI content specified by the UI content ID received from the renderer 306 from the own apparatus, and distributes the read UI content to the renderer 306 via the HGW 304 and the FGW 305. The processing in the renderer 306 at this time is the same as that in FIG. 27 except that the UI content ID transmission destination and the UI content distribution source are the FGW 305.

  Similar to the main content acquisition method in the first embodiment, the mobile terminal 307 receives the UI content ID for specifying the content to be played back and the address for specifying the renderer 306 for playing back the content via the FGW 305 and the HGW 304. The media server may be configured to distribute the content corresponding to the UI content ID to the renderer 306 based on the received UI content ID and the address of the renderer.

  Further, the address and authentication information (connection ID and password) of the HGW 304 necessary for the FGW 305 to establish a communication path with the HGW 304 can be stored in advance in the UI content. In this case, the mobile terminal 307 may be configured to extract the address and authentication information of the HGW 304 from the UI content, and establish communication with the HGW 304 based on the extracted address and authentication information. In the screen transition / function call description file 1401 shown in FIG. 23 included in the UI content, the address of the HGW 304 and the authentication information are written together with the DMS address and the UI content ID. The portable terminal 307 can extract the address and the authentication information from the UI content and give them to the FGW 305. Of course, the address, connection ID, and password of the HGW 304 do not have to be described in the screen transition / function call description file like the UI content ID, but are included in the UI content data. That's fine.

  Through the above processing, the mobile terminal 307 can also play back the same content as the UI content held by the renderer 306 in the FNW 302. Here, the operation that the user has to perform is the same whether the portable terminal is in the HNW 301 or the FNW 302.

  As described above, it has been described that the mobile terminal 307 can reproduce the same content as the content held by the renderer belonging to the FNW 302. In the above description, it is assumed that the mobile terminal 307 acquires UI content directly from the media server 303 in the HNW 301.

  However, it goes without saying that the above processing can be realized even if the UI content held in the mobile terminal 307 is not directly acquired from the media server 303 in the HNW 301. That is, even if the UI content is transferred to the mobile terminal 307 from another communication device using a communication means such as e-mail, the mobile terminal 307 can be used as long as the UI content includes the UI content ID. Can be realized. Further, the above processing can be realized even if the UI content held in the mobile terminal 307 is acquired via an arbitrary storage medium.

  FIG. 30 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a configuration of a content distribution system including an HNW 301, an FNW 302, a mobile terminal 307, and a mobile terminal 307 ′. In particular, the mobile terminal 307 ′ is connected to the UI content from the mobile terminal 307. Indicates the state of being transferred. Note that the mobile terminal 307 'has the same configuration as the mobile terminal 307 described so far.

  Since the mobile terminal 307 and the mobile terminal 307 ′ have the same configuration, the mobile terminal 307 ′ naturally executes UI content playback processing similar to that of the mobile terminal 307 in the FGW 302. The renderer 306 also executes the processing shown in FIG. Thereby, the user can browse the album display UI content with the renderer 306 by the same operation as in the HNW 301. Also, in this case, a third party who is far away can receive the album display UI content through, for example, a mobile terminal network, and browse the album on the television (renderer) at hand, for example, by the same operation as in the HNW. Is possible.

  However, in this example, since it is necessary to connect and log in the FGW 305 to the HGW 304 that is the UI content transfer source using a third-party portable terminal 307 ′, the address specifying the HGW 304 in the UI content and the HGW 304 It is necessary to include a connection ID and password for logging in. In this case as well, the HGW address, connection ID, and password do not necessarily have to be described in the screen transition / function call description file 401. If the information exists somewhere in the UI content data, Good. Alternatively, even if it is not described in the UI content data itself, the portable terminal 307 ′ may obtain it by transferring these information together by another means when transferring the UI content data. The portable terminal 307 ′ can access and log in to the HGW 304 using this information, and can display the UI content on the designated renderer as in FIG. 28.

  In the above description, the portable terminal 307 and the television 316 (or the renderer 306) play the same album display UI content, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, since the television 316 (or the renderer 306) does not receive UI content directly from the portable terminal 307, it is not always limited to use for browsing the same album.

  FIG. 31 is an explanatory diagram showing another UI content that the mobile terminal 307 causes the television 316 (or renderer 306) to play.

  For example, after selecting “album list” in FIG. 19, the portable terminal 307 may receive UI content for album designation as shown in FIG. That is, in FIG. 23, S333, S334, S335, and S336 after the transmission of the album list information request (S332) are omitted, and it is further assumed that UI content for album designation is received in S337. Can do. The subsequent operations of the portable terminal 307, the television 316 (or the renderer 306), and the media server 303 are the same as those described above. The album designating UI content includes screen display information for album selection, album display UI content ID corresponding to each selectable album, function activation of display device designation, and selected album display UI content ID. Describes operations and function activation for transmission. For this reason, after the user selects an album and a display device (renderer), the album display UI content ID corresponding to the selected album is transmitted to the media server 303 via the television 316, and the album selected on the television 316 is selected. Can be browsed.

  In the present embodiment, UI content is stored in advance in the media server 303, but UI content creation means and storage means are not particularly limited. However, the UI content needs to include content designation information that can uniquely determine the UI content in at least the content group managed by the HGW 304. That is, if there is one media server under the management of the HGW 304, a UI content ID that uniquely specifies the UI content in the media server is sufficient as the content designation information. Conversely, when there are a plurality of media servers, among the media servers under the management of the HGW 304, the DMS address that identifies the media server storing the UI content, and the content stored in the media server In particular, content designation information combined with a UI content ID for specifying the UI content is required.

  Further, the UI content ID can be added by the content management unit 703 of the media server 303, for example. Note that the content management unit 703 may add a UI content ID of the UI content to the UI content at the time of transmitting the UI content to the television 316, or a UI supplied from the outside. When the content is stored in the media server 303, the UI content ID of the UI content may be added to the UI content. Alternatively, what is created in a state already included in the UI content may be registered in the content management table on the assumption that it is guaranteed in advance that it is uniquely determined in the media server 303.

  Further, for example, instead of selecting an album with the portable terminal 307 and notifying the media server 303 of the selected album, the media server 303 stores the keyword in the own server by giving a keyword to the media server 303, for example. The content corresponding to the given keyword is selected from the content that has been created, and the album display UI content is created by combining the content, and a UI content ID that is uniquely determined in the media server 303 is added thereto. The album display UI content may be transferred to the portable terminal 307 after being stored in the own device.

  In addition to the UI content ID, information such as a DMS address, an HGW address, a connection ID, and a password may be included in the UI content. There are no particular limitations on the means for inclusion.

  Finally, a description example of UI content will be described with reference to FIGS. 21 and 29. FIG.

  FIG. 21 shows a screen transition / function call description file 1401 in the UI content.

  FIG. 29 is a data structure diagram conceptually showing the structure of the screen transition / function call description file 1401.

  As shown in FIG. 29, the screen transition / function call description file 1401 includes an HGW address, a connection ID, a password, a DMS address, a UI divided by a predetermined symbol (here, “&”). Contains a description of the content ID.

  The screen transition / function call description file 1401 shown in FIG. 21 will be briefly described below.

  The portable terminal 307 sequentially executes step tags surrounded by wizard tags. The step tag activates the function specified by the app attribute, and the activated function generates the file specified by the target-name attribute as a file of the file type specified by the target-type attribute. Also, the information specified by the param attribute is passed to the function specified by the app attribute.

  That is, in the first step, it is specified that the SVG file of s1.svg is displayed by svg-viewer. The next step is specified to display the SVG file of s2.svg, and the next step is to display the SVG file of s3.svg.

  In the fourth step, a function called dmr_connector is called. This is connected using the DMC's DMR designation and connection function, and the HGW address, connection ID, password, DMS address, and UI content ID described in param are connected to the home network via the DMR and FGW. The designated UI content can be displayed on the designated DMR.

  In this example, the HGW address, connection ID, password, DMS address, and UI content ID are all passed to the DMR and the HGW is accessed via the DMR. First, the HGW address, connection ID, A function for connecting to the HGW using a password may be called and logged in, and then the DMS address and UI content ID may be passed to the DMR, or when a predetermined operation is received from the user, A function for logging in or selecting a DMR may be called.

  The switch tag looks at the contents of the file specified by the target-name attribute, and changes the transition destination to the step specified by the nextstep tag. That is, the first switch tag indicates that when the content of key.txt is b, transition is made to the step specified by the id attribute of 1.

  Reference numeral 1402 shown in FIG. 21 is a description example of a screen layout / event process description file (SVG file s2.svg) displayed in the second step of the screen transition / function call description file 401.

  For example, processing contents other than display are described in the script tag in the svg tag. In particular, the event tag describes processing contents for various events. For example, when the key corresponding to the key attribute is pressed, the character string specified by the string attribute is written to the text file specified by file, and the svg-viewer process ends.

  Similarly, after the millisecond specified in the timer attribute has elapsed, the character string specified in the string attribute is similarly written to the text file specified in file. An image file to be displayed is specified in the img tag. Thus, for example, when the left soft key (soft_left_key) is pressed while s2.svg is displayed, key.txt containing the character string b is generated, and the screen transition / function call description file 401 returns to the operation. Sometimes, the switch statement returns to the step specified by id = 1.

(Additional notes)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope shown in the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. Is also included in the technical scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention can be configured as follows.

The gateway device according to the present invention is:
Controller communication means for communicating with a controller existing in the home network;
Player communication means for communicating with a player present in the home network;
A mobile terminal communication means for receiving external gateway information and access authority from the mobile terminal;
Based on the external gateway information and access authority received by the mobile terminal communication means, external gateway communication means for establishing communication with the external gateway;
Content list acquisition means for acquiring a content list from the external gateway by the external gateway communication means;
By the controller communication means,
Content list transmitting means for transmitting the acquired content list to the controller;
Content confirmation means for confirming the content to be transferred based on the operation command received by the controller communication means;
Content acquisition means for acquiring designated content from the external gateway by the external gateway communication means;
Content transmitting means for transmitting the acquired content to the renderer by the renderer communication means;
It may be comprised including.

  In the gateway device according to the present invention, the controller and the renderer may be configured as a single terminal.

  Moreover, in the gateway apparatus which concerns on this invention, the said controller and the said portable terminal may be comprised so that it may be a single terminal.

The gateway device according to the present invention is
Renderer communication means for communicating with a renderer existing in the home network;
Mobile terminal communication means for receiving external gateway information, access authority, and operation commands from the mobile terminal;
Based on the external gateway information and access authority received by the mobile terminal communication means, external gateway communication means for establishing communication with the external gateway;
Content / renderer determining means for determining the content to be transferred and the renderer based on the operation command received by the mobile terminal communication means;
Content acquisition means for acquiring designated content from the external gateway by the external gateway communication means;
Content reproduction means for transmitting the acquired content to the designated renderer by the renderer communication means and reproducing the content;
It may be comprised including.

  In the gateway device according to the present invention, the renderer may be a DMR compatible with DLNA, and the renderer communication unit may be configured to comply with DLNA.

  In the gateway device according to the present invention, the mobile terminal may be a mobile phone.

The portable terminal according to the present invention is
UI content acquisition means for acquiring UI content including a UI content ID uniquely determined by the UI content itself in the media server in the home network;
UI content playback means for playing back the acquired UI content;
UI content transmission means for transmitting the UI content ID in the acquired UI content to a renderer in the home network;
It may be comprised including.

  Further, the mobile terminal according to the present invention may be configured to have UI content holding means for holding the acquired UI content.

  The mobile terminal according to the present invention may be configured to have UI content transfer means for transferring the acquired UI content.

  Finally, each block included in the foreign gateway (FGW) 305 may be configured by hardware logic, or may be realized by software using a CPU as follows.

  That is, the foreign gateway 305 includes a CPU (central processing unit) that executes instructions of an image display program that realizes each function, a ROM (read only memory) that stores the program, and a RAM (random access memory) that expands the program. And a storage device (recording medium) such as a memory for storing the program and various data. An object of the present invention is a recording medium on which a program code (an execution format program, an intermediate code program, a source program) of an image display program of a foreign gateway 305 that is software that realizes the above-described functions is recorded so as to be readable by a computer. This can also be achieved by supplying to the foreign gateway 305 and reading and executing the program code recorded on the recording medium by the computer (or CPU or MPU).

  Examples of the recording medium include tapes such as magnetic tapes and cassette tapes, magnetic disks such as floppy (registered trademark) disks / hard disks, and disks including optical disks such as CD-ROM / MO / MD / DVD / CD-R. Card system such as IC card, IC card (including memory card) / optical card, or semiconductor memory system such as mask ROM / EPROM / EEPROM / flash ROM.

  Further, the slide show display device 100 may be configured to be connectable to a communication network, and the program code may be supplied via the communication network. The communication network is not particularly limited. For example, the Internet, intranet, extranet, LAN, ISDN, VAN, CATV communication network, virtual private network, telephone line network, mobile communication network, satellite communication. A net or the like is available. Also, the transmission medium constituting the communication network is not particularly limited. For example, even in the case of wired such as IEEE 1394, USB, power line carrier, cable TV line, telephone line, ADSL line, etc., infrared rays such as IrDA and remote control, Bluetooth ( (Registered trademark), 802.11 wireless, HDR, mobile phone network, satellite line, terrestrial digital network, and the like can also be used. The present invention can also be realized in the form of a computer data signal embedded in a carrier wave in which the program code is embodied by electronic transmission.

  Each block included in the mobile terminal 307 may also be configured by hardware logic, or may be realized by software using a CPU as described above for the foreign gateway 305. Each block included in the home gateway (HGW) 304 may be configured by hardware logic, or may be realized by software using a CPU, as described above for the foreign gateway 305.

  The present invention can be used as a gateway device for distributing content under the control of an external gateway to a renderer under the control of its own device, and particularly as a gateway device that can be used with a device compliant with the DLNA standard. Can be used.

1, showing an embodiment of the present invention, is a schematic configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of a content distribution system. FIG. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram illustrating a connection method between a foreign gateway and a home gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method for a mobile terminal to acquire a content list according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 3A shows an acquisition method when a bidirectional communication path can be used between the mobile terminal and the FGW. FIG. 3B shows an acquisition method when there is only a one-way communication path from the portable terminal to the FGW between the portable terminal and the FGW. FIG. 3C shows an acquisition method in the case of using an external communication path between the mobile terminal and the HGW without using the FGW. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, and is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display screen displayed on a mobile terminal as a UI in the mobile terminal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, and is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display screen displayed on a mobile terminal as a UI in the mobile terminal. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method for selecting content, a method for selecting a renderer, and a method for playing back selected content with the selected renderer according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 6A shows a method when a bidirectional communication path can be used between the mobile terminal and the foreign gateway. FIG. 6B shows a method when there is only a one-way communication path from the mobile terminal to the foreign gateway between the mobile terminal and the foreign gateway. FIG. 3C shows a method in the case of using an external communication path between the mobile terminal and the home gateway without using the falling gateway. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a foreign gateway (FGW) according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a home gateway (HGW) according to an embodiment of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a renderer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a media server according to an embodiment of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a SIP server provided by a service provider according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the sequence diagram which showed the method of making a home gateway function as DMC. 1 is a sequence showing an embodiment of the present invention, showing a method of changing processing depending on whether a mobile terminal is at a home gateway or a foreign gateway. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram illustrating a state in which the media server 303 functions as a virtual media server in the foreign gateway in the content distribution system illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method for a controller to acquire a content list that is a list of content stored in a media server from a home gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method of delivering content to a renderer by a foreign gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention and schematically illustrating a state in which an album display UI content is being reproduced by a mobile terminal. FIG. 3 is a data structure diagram illustrating a data structure of UI content according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a content management table used when a media server manages content according to an embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a screen transition / function call description file in UI content according to an embodiment of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, and is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a configuration of a home network when a mobile terminal is in the home network. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the mobile terminal before reproducing the UI content according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a content reproduction process executed by a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a data structure diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention and showing a data structure of a screen transition / function call description file. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing executed in the media server according to the embodiment of this invention. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing executed in a television as a renderer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a configuration of a home network and a foreign network when a mobile terminal holding UI content is brought into the foreign network according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a data structure diagram conceptually showing the structure of a screen transition / function call description file according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a configuration of a home network and a foreign network in which a mobile terminal holding UI content is in the home network, and another mobile terminal that receives UI content transfer from the mobile terminal It is a schematic block diagram which shows the case where is in a foreign network. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention and illustrating another UI content. It is a network block diagram which shows the prior art and shows the conventional home network using DLNA. It is a sequence diagram which shows a prior art and shows the conventional content reproduction | regeneration procedure based on DLNA. It is a system block diagram which shows a prior art and shows the structure of the content delivery system which can reproduce | regenerate the content accumulate | stored in the home server.

Explanation of symbols

301 Foreign Network 302 Home Network 303 Media Server 304 Home Gateway (External Gateway)
305 Foreign gateway (gateway device)
306 Renderer 307 Mobile terminal 309 Service provider 401/414/415 Communication unit 402 Authentication unit 403 Connection request reception unit 404 Access authority acquisition unit (external gateway designation information acquisition means,
Authentication information acquisition means)
410 Connection establishment unit (communication path establishment means)
406 Content management unit (content list request accepting means,
Content list request transfer means)
407 renderer management unit 408 renderer designation reception unit (renderer designation information acquisition means)
405 Content designation reception unit (content designation information acquisition means)
411 Content acquisition unit (content acquisition means)
412 Content conversion unit 413 Content transmission unit (content distribution unit)
409 Content operation acceptance unit

The present invention relates to a gateway device for distributing content under the control of an external gateway to a renderer under the control of its own device. The present invention relates to a portable terminal for reproducing content under the management of an external gateway previously associated with the own device with a renderer under the management of a gateway device capable of communicating with the own device. The present invention also relates to a content reproduction device that acquires and reproduces content stored in the content storage device .

  It is fundamental to home network technology to make it possible to watch programs taken with an HDD recorder at home or digital camera photos stored on a PC (Personal Computer) from any TV in the home. This is an achievement goal, and is often described with the keyword “Location Free”. In addition, standards such as DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) are being prepared, and DLNA compatible terminals are also being sold by various companies.

  In DLNA, a desired content is specified by a controller called DMC (Digital Media Controller) from contents consisting of moving images, still images, and audio stored in a media server called DMS (Digital Media Server), and further, By designating a renderer called DMR (Digital Media Renderer), it is possible to play the designated content with the designated renderer. As the DMC, a DLNA dedicated remote controller or a mobile phone is used. As the DMR, a television, a PC, an audio device, etc. are usually selected. Some devices include a plurality of elements among DMS, DMR, and DMC. For example, a device having both a DMR function and a DMC function is called a player, DMP (Digital Media Player).

  FIG. 32 is a network configuration diagram of a home network using DLNA.

  As shown in FIG. 32, a home network (hereinafter abbreviated as HNW) 301 includes a media server (hereinafter abbreviated as DMS) 303, a renderer (hereinafter abbreviated as DMR) 306, and a controller (hereinafter referred to as DMS). 308) (abbreviated as DMC). In FIG. 32, only one DMC 308, DMR 306, and DMS 303 are depicted, but there may be a plurality of them.

  FIG. 33 is a sequence diagram showing a conventional content reproduction procedure based on DLNA.

  The DMC 308, DMR 306, and DMS 303 are connected to each other via a home network, and discover each other according to the UPnP protocol (S301). On the display on the DMC 308, the discovered DMR 306 and DMS 303 can be confirmed. When the user selects a DMS 303 to be used (S302), the DMC 308 requests the specified DMS 303 for a content list managed by the DMS 303 (S303). When the content list is supplied from the DMS 303 (S304), the content list in the DMS is displayed on the display on the DMC 308. In the content list, the content is usually displayed by being classified into folders for each type of media. The user selects the content to be viewed on the DMC 308 and the DMR 306 to be used (S305, 306), and notifies the selected DMR 306 of the content to be reproduced (S307). Receiving the reproduction request, the DMR 306 requests the DMS 303 to distribute the designated content (S308), receives the content distribution from the DMS 303 (S309), and reproduces the content. When the content is a large size such as a moving image, streaming playback is usually performed while receiving the content from the DMS 303.

  By using DLNA, content stored in any DMS in the home can be viewed on any DMR in the home.

  However, DLNA is just a standard for home networks configured in the home, and for example, content stored in a DMS at home cannot be viewed on a DMR at another home. If you set up a home network that includes your home and another home, you can use DLNA as it is, but it is not practical to always have such a network enabled, and if necessary, such a network Even when setting is performed, a means for selecting and securely connecting two networks is required.

  As technologies that can be used to view content that can be viewed at home outside the home, technologies described in Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 are known.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a content distribution system that allows a user to view content stored in a home server at home on a mobile terminal outside the home.

  FIG. 34 is a system configuration diagram showing the configuration of the content distribution system 1001 described in Patent Document 1. In the content distribution system 1001 shown in FIG. 34, the user receives the broadcast content with the home server 1009 and stores it in the storage unit 1007. When the user desires to distribute the accumulated content to the mobile terminal 1010, the mobile terminal 1010 transmits authentication data to the home server 1009, and confirms that the mobile terminal 1010 is registered by the user. The home server 1009 confirms. When this confirmation is performed, the home server 1009 delivers the target content designated by the user from the content stored in the storage unit 1007 to the mobile terminal 1010.

On the other hand, Patent Document 2 discloses a content distribution system that can construct the same environment as a program viewing environment at home even in an accommodation facility such as a hotel at a destination. The technique described in Patent Document 2 transmits key information from a portable terminal in a distribution system in which scramble is released by collating key information and content can be viewed. As a result, as long as you have a portable terminal, you can scramble and view content while staying at your own house as well as at a hotel or other accommodation.
JP 2003-37802 (release date: February 7, 2003) JP 2001-345766 (release date: December 14, 2001)

  However, with the above-described conventional configuration, it is impossible to view content stored in a server at home on a playback terminal such as a television set in another home.

  The above problem will be described in more detail as follows.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, content at home can only be viewed on a mobile terminal, and cannot be viewed on a television in another home. In other words, even if a large-screen TV is in a different house, it cannot be used to play content, and the user can only view the content on a small screen of the mobile phone.

According to the technique described in Patent Literature 2, if a television is available in an accommodation facility such as a hotel, the content can be viewed using the television. However, the content targeted by the technology is limited to content delivered directly from a specific content provider, and is not intended for delivery of content once stored in a home server in the home. For this reason, even if a user wants to watch a TV program recorded in the home on a remote TV, the user cannot view the program unless the program to be viewed is distributed from a specific content provider .

The stored content in the own home server, for viewing by the reproduction terminal such as a television in the second house at least, it is necessary to connect the home and secondary residence by some means. Moreover, it is necessary to change the connection destination to which the playback terminal is connected for each user, such as the home of A for visitor A and the home of B for visitor B.

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 2, a television that is a playback terminal accesses a predetermined specific server. That is, it is not possible to reproduce the content stored in the server in the user's home that changes according to the user.

  In addition, viewing content stored in a server at home on a playback terminal such as a television set in another home means that when the user visits another home C from the home server side, In addition, when visiting another home D, it means that access from another home D is received. That is, there arises a problem of how authentication is given to access from a playback terminal not specified in advance.

  On the other hand, in the system of Patent Document 1, a content distribution system is accessed from a mobile terminal, and content is viewed on the mobile terminal that is an access terminal. The mobile terminal knows the location of the content distribution system, and the content distribution system only needs to authenticate the mobile terminal that is the access terminal.

Similarly, in the system of Patent Document 2, a content distribution system can be accessed from a playback terminal such as a television and the content can be viewed on the television as an access terminal. The television knows the location of the content distribution system specified in advance, and the content distribution system only needs to authenticate the television that is also an access terminal .

For the local premises of the server, but access opponent as in Patent Document 1 is not always a problem if the user of the portable terminal, and access the other party is the TV of the second house, you really need to determine whether it is to deliver content to the opponent Occurs.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and it is an object of the present invention to realize a gateway device that enables content stored in a home server to be viewed on a playback terminal in another home .

In order to solve the above problems, the gateway device according to the present invention provides
A gateway device for delivering content under the control of an external gateway to a renderer under the control of its own device,
External gateway designation information acquisition means for acquiring external gateway designation information for designating the external gateway via a portable terminal capable of communicating with the gateway device;
A communication path establishing means for establishing a communication path with the external gateway designated by the external gateway designation information;
Content acquisition means for acquiring content under the management of the external gateway from the external gateway via the communication path established by the communication path establishment means;
Content distribution means for distributing the content acquired by the content acquisition means to a renderer under the control of the gateway device;
It is characterized by having.

  According to said structure, the said gateway apparatus establishes a communication path | route between the external gateways designated with the external gateway designation | designated information acquired via the portable terminal. Then, the content under the management of the external gateway device is acquired via the communication path, and the acquired content is distributed to the renderer under the management of the gateway device.

  Therefore, according to the portable terminal that transmits the external gateway designation information for designating the first external gateway to the gateway device, the gateway device establishes a communication path with the first external gateway, and the second According to the portable terminal that transmits the external gateway designation information that designates the external gateway, the gateway device establishes a communication path with the second external gateway.

  That is, if a portable terminal that transmits external gateway designation information for designating a home gateway at home is brought into another home where the gateway device is installed, the gateway device at the other home establishes a communication path with the home gateway at home. Establish. Accordingly, the content under the management of the home gateway at home can be distributed to the renderer under the management of the gateway device at another home via the communication path.

The gateway device according to the present invention is:
Further comprising authentication information acquisition means for acquiring the authentication information issued by the external gateway via the portable terminal;
The connection establishment means establishes an authenticated communication path with the external gateway using the acquired authentication information.
It is preferable.

  According to the said structure, the said gateway apparatus acquires authentication information from the said portable terminal, and establishes a connection with the said external gateway using the authentication information. Therefore, the external gateway has the further effect that it is possible to deny access from other than the gateway device that has given the authentication information via the portable terminal.

  It is preferable that the portable terminal carried by the user and the external gateway that manages the media server storing the content to be viewed are associated in advance. For example, the mobile terminal may hold the authentication information given in advance from the external gateway, or may acquire the authentication information from the external gateway. The authentication information may be permanent, but preferably has a predetermined expiration date. This expiration date may be defined by the time when the authentication information is valid, or may be defined by the number of accesses such as the upper limit of the number of times access by the authentication information is possible. Alternatively, the expiration date may expire when the physical or virtual connection between the mobile terminal and the gateway device becomes invalid. If security is required, the connection between the mobile terminal that grants access authority and the gateway device involves physical contact with a cable, cradle, etc., and is physically given to the gateway device when they are separated from each other. It is intuitive and desirable that the access authority that has been removed is removed.

The gateway device is
Content specifying information acquisition means for acquiring, from the portable terminal, content specifying information for specifying the content to be reproduced among the contents under the management of the external gateway,
The content acquisition means acquires content specified by the content specification information from the external gateway.
It is preferable.

  According to the said structure, the said gateway apparatus acquires the content designated by the content designation | designated information acquired from the portable terminal from the said external gateway apparatus, and distributes the acquired content to a renderer. Therefore, according to the said structure, there exists the further effect that it becomes possible to designate the content delivered to a renderer with a portable terminal.

The gateway device according to the present invention is:
Renderer designation information acquisition means for acquiring, from the portable terminal, renderer designation information for designating a renderer for reproducing the content among the renderers under the management of the gateway device,
The content distribution means distributes the content acquired by the content acquisition means to the renderer specified by the renderer specification information.
It is preferable.

  According to said structure, the said gateway apparatus delivers the content acquired from the external gateway to the renderer designated by the renderer designation | designated information acquired from the portable terminal. Therefore, according to the said structure, there exists the further effect that it becomes possible to designate the renderer used as the delivery destination of a content with a portable terminal.

The gateway device according to the present invention is:
A content list request accepting means for accepting a content list request for obtaining a content list, which is a list of contents under the management of the external gateway, from the mobile terminal;
A content list request transfer means for transferring the content content list request received by the content list request reception means to the external gateway via the communication path established by the communication path establishment means;
Is preferably further provided.

  According to the above configuration, the content list request issued by the mobile terminal can be transferred to the external gateway.

  The gateway device may further include content list transfer means for receiving a content list transmitted by the external gateway as a response to the content list request and transferring the received content list to the mobile terminal. The content under the control of the external gateway can be selected and specified on the mobile terminal.

The gateway device of the present invention
DLNA content list request accepting means for accepting a DLNA content list request, which is a content list request according to the DLNA protocol, from the controller;
Content list acquisition means for acquiring a content list, which is a list of contents under the management of the external gateway, from the external gateway via a communication path established by the communication path establishment means;
Content list transmission means for transmitting the content list acquired by the content list acquisition means to the controller according to the DLNA protocol in response to the DLNA content list request;
A content delivery request including content designation information for designating a content to be reproduced among the contents belonging to the content list, and a DLNA content delivery request according to the DLNA protocol is sent to any of the renderers under the management of the gateway device DLNA content distribution request accepting means for accepting from one of them,
The content acquisition means acquires the content specified by the content specification information included in the DLNA content distribution request from the external gateway,
The content distribution unit distributes the content acquired by the content acquisition unit to a renderer that is a transmission source of the DLNA content distribution request according to a DLNA protocol.
It is preferable.

  If there is a content list request according to the DLNA protocol from the controller, the gateway device acquires a content list of content under the control of the external gateway from the external gateway and returns it to the controller according to the DLNA protocol.

  Also, when the gateway device receives a content distribution request according to the DLNA protocol from the renderer, the gateway device acquires the requested content from the external gateway and returns it to the renderer according to the DLNA protocol.

  Therefore, the gateway device has an effect that the controller and the renderer can behave as a media server (DMS) compliant with DLNA.

  DLNA is a standardized standard, and TVs and HDD recorders corresponding to DLNA are marketed by home appliance companies. If these devices can be used as they are, the options for the renderer will expand. When viewing a movie, it is possible to select an optimal playback terminal according to the type of content, such as viewing on a large-screen TV instead of a small display on a mobile terminal, according to the TPO. .

In the gateway apparatus of the present invention, the above-mentioned controller and the renderer, in which are integrated, and this is preferable.

  When a list of contents in the media server is obtained and a controller for selecting the contents and a renderer for reproducing the contents are integrated, the contents are reproduced on a terminal (controller) operated by the user. As a result, it is possible to realize a content reproduction environment that is intuitive and easy to understand for the user.

  In the gateway device of the present invention, it is preferable that the controller and the portable terminal are integrated.

  If the portable terminal carried by the user becomes a controller, the content list in the media server can be obtained using the portable terminal, and a renderer and content can be selected.

  In the gateway device of the present invention, the mobile terminal is preferably a mobile phone.

  A mobile phone is a terminal that a user carries without leaving his / her skin and is a terminal occupied by an individual. Since the number of users who use a specific mobile phone is usually limited to one, device authentication can be replaced with user authentication. By using a mobile phone that is always carried around as a mobile terminal, it is possible to access content in the home network even outside the home.

The portable terminal is a portable terminal for playing back content under the management of an external gateway associated with the own device in a renderer under the management of a gateway device capable of communicating with the own device,
External gateway designation information transmitting means for transmitting external gateway designation information for designating the external gateway to the gateway device;
Content list acquisition means for acquiring a content list, which is a list of contents under the management of the external gateway, directly from the external gateway or from the external gateway via the gateway device;
Content specifying information transmitting means for transmitting content specifying information for specifying the content selected by the user in the content list acquired by the content list acquiring means to the gateway device;
Renderer designation information transmitting means for transmitting, to the gateway apparatus, renderer designation information for designating a renderer for reproducing the content designated by the content designation information among the renderers under the management of the gateway apparatus;
May be configured.

In addition, the mobile terminal determines in which network the network is currently under the management of the gateway device or the network under the management of the external gateway. A network determination unit;
The mobile terminal functions as a controller compliant with DLNA when the mobile device is present in a network under the control of the external gateway.
Can be configured as follows.

The content reproduction apparatus according to the present invention is:
A content playback device that acquires and plays back content stored in a content storage device,
A content ID storage type content acquisition means for acquiring a content ID storage type content storing a content ID uniquely identifying the content storage device from the content storage device;
Content ID transmission means for transmitting the content ID included in the content ID storage type content to another content reproduction device;
It has.

  According to said structure, content ID contained in the content ID storage type content which the said content reproduction apparatus acquired is transmitted to another content reproduction apparatus. Since the content ID can uniquely identify the content in the content storage device, the other content playback device that has received the content ID receives the content ID acquired from the content storage device by the content playback device that is the transmission source. It is possible to uniquely specify stored content. In other words, according to the above configuration, the content reproduction apparatus can acquire or reproduce the same content ID storage type content as the content ID storage type content that the content reproduction device acquires from the content storage device and reproduces. There is an effect that it is possible to make it.

The content reproduction apparatus of the present invention includes authentication information acquisition means for acquiring authentication information issued by an external gateway managing the content storage apparatus from the external gateway;
An authentication information transmission unit that transmits the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquisition unit to a gateway device that manages the other content reproduction device may be further provided.

  In the content reproduction apparatus of the present invention, the content ID storage type content includes authentication information issued by an external gateway device that manages the content storage device, and the content reproduction device includes: An authentication information transmitting unit that transmits the authentication information included in the content ID storage type content to a gateway device that manages the other content reproduction device may be provided.

The content reproduction apparatus according to the present invention further includes content ID storage type content holding means for holding the content ID storage type content acquired by the content ID storage type content acquisition means.
It is preferable.

  According to the above configuration, the content reproduction apparatus can hold content ID storage type content. Therefore, the content ID storage type content can be played back at a different time and at a different place from when the content ID storage type content is acquired from the content storage device.

  For example, when the content storage device is at home and the other content playback means is at another home, the content acquired from the content storage device at home can be held in the content playback device and visited at another home. Here, if another content playback device in another home is configured to be able to acquire content from the content storage device at home, the same content can be played back by the content playback device and the content playback device at another home. become.

The content reproduction device is a content reproduction device that reproduces a content ID storage type content that stores a content ID that uniquely identifies the content reproduction device, and at least a content ID included in the content ID storage type content. Any content ID transmission means for transmitting to other content reproduction devices may be provided .

The gateway device according to the present invention is as described above.
A gateway device for delivering content under the control of an external gateway to a renderer under the control of its own device,
External gateway designation information acquisition means for acquiring external gateway designation information for designating the external gateway via a portable terminal capable of communicating with the gateway device;
A communication path establishing means for establishing a communication path with the external gateway designated by the external gateway designation information;
Content acquisition means for acquiring content under the management of the external gateway from the external gateway via the communication path established by the communication path establishment means;
Content distribution means for distributing the content acquired by the content acquisition means to a renderer under the control of the gateway device;
It has.

  Therefore, the gateway device establishes a communication path with the external gateway designated by the external gateway designation information acquired via the mobile terminal. Then, the content under the management of the external gateway device is acquired via the communication path, and the acquired content is distributed to the renderer under the management of the gateway device.

  For example, if a portable terminal that transmits external gateway designation information that designates a home gateway is brought into another home where the gateway device is installed, the gateway device at the other home establishes a communication path with the home gateway at home. Establish. Accordingly, the content under the management of the home gateway at home can be distributed to the renderer under the management of the gateway device at another home via the communication path.

A content playback apparatus according to the present invention is a content playback apparatus that acquires and plays back content stored in a content storage device as described above,
A content ID storage type content acquisition means for acquiring a content ID storage type content storing a content ID uniquely identifying the content storage device from the content storage device;
Content ID storage type content transmission means for transmitting the content ID included in the content ID storage type content to another content reproduction device;
It has.

Therefore, it is possible to cause other content playback devices to acquire or play back the same content ID storage content as the content ID storage content that the content playback device acquires from the content storage device and plays back. Become .

Embodiment 1
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  First, the configuration of a content distribution system including a gateway device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a content distribution system. The content distribution system includes a home network (hereinafter abbreviated as HNW) 301 configured in a user's home and a foreign network (hereinafter abbreviated as FNW) 302 configured in a separate home visited by the user. Contains. A home gateway (hereinafter abbreviated as HGW) 304 for managing devices in the HNW 301 is disposed in the HNW 301, and a foreign gateway (hereinafter abbreviated as FGW) 305 for managing the devices in the FNW 302 is disposed in the HNW 301. Yes.

  Here, the HNW 301 configured in the user's home and the FNW 301 configured in a separate home are described for convenience, but these are relative names. In other words, since the relationship between the home network and the foreign network and between the home gateway and the foreign gateway may be interchanged, it is desirable that both networks and gateways have both functions in implementation.

  A media server 303 is arranged in the HNW 301. The media server 303 is configured by a device having a storage such as an HDD recorder or a PC, for example, and accumulates various contents such as moving images, still images, sounds, and office documents. A device that distributes real-time media such as a camera is also a kind of media server 303. Although only one is shown in FIG. 1 for the sake of simplicity, usually, there are many media servers 303 in the HNW 301. On the other hand, at least one HGW 304 is installed in the HNW 301, but a plurality of HGWs 304 may be provided.

  A renderer 306 is arranged in the FNW 302. The renderer 306 is configured by a content playback device such as a television or an audio device, and performs playback of moving images, still images, sounds, and presentation of office documents. The type of media that can be handled depends on the type of renderer, and for example, it is not possible to play a moving image on an audio device. Although only one renderer 306 is shown in FIG. 1 for simplicity, there are many renderers 306 in the FNW 302 in many cases. On the other hand, at least one FGW 305 is installed in the FNW 302, but a plurality of FGWs 305 may be provided.

  Normally, the home gateway function and the foreign gateway function are realized by a single device, and therefore it is not necessary to install the home gateway and the foreign gateway separately (in combination) in each home.

  As described above, the distinction between the home gateway and the foreign gateway is relative, and is omitted here for the sake of simplicity. Usually, however, there are renderers in the HNW 301, and in the FNW 302. There is also a media server. The devices in the HNW 301 are connected to each other via a wired or wireless home LAN, and recognize the presence of each other. The same applies to each device in the FNW 302.

(1. Establishing connection between HGW and FGW)
Here, the owner of the HNW 301 who lives in the house where the HNW 301 is configured moves to the house where the FNW 302 is configured with the portable terminal 307, and is stored in the media server 303 belonging to the HNW 301 by the renderer 306 belonging to the FNW 302. Consider the situation of viewing content.

  FIG. 2 shows a procedure until the FGW 305 and the HGW 304 are connected when the portable terminal 307 plays back the content stored in the media server 303 in the home by the renderer 306 via the FGW 305 and the HGW 304. FIG.

  The connection procedure between the FGW 305 and the HGW 304 will be described below with reference to FIG.

  First, the mobile terminal 307 applies to the FGW 305 for permission to use resources belonging to the FNW 302 (S001). The FGW 305 grants resource usage permission to the mobile terminal 307 in accordance with a usage permission policy predetermined in the FNW 302 (S002) (S003). As a usage permission policy, there are policies that accept all requests, and policies that sequentially ask for confirmation by the owner of the FNW 302. It is also conceivable to perform billing settlement using a credit card or the like. Here, as an example, a policy is adopted in which the use permission is granted to all resources belonging to the FNW 302 only to the mobile terminal 307 that is physically close to the FGW 305. Whether or not the mobile terminal 307 is physically located close to the FGW 305 can be verified by various methods. For example, there are the following methods.

  (1) Use permission is given only when physical contact is confirmed, such as when the portable terminal 307 and the FGW 305 are connected with a sufficiently short cable.

(2) Communication between the portable terminal 307 and the FGW 305 is performed by near field communication such as infrared communication or Bluetooth, and only a use application through it is permitted. (Grant usage permission only when a usage application is made by proximity communication.)
(3) After the specific physical operation is directly applied to the FGW 305, the use permission is given only when the use application is received within a predetermined specific time. Specifically, for example, a physical button or the like is arranged on the FGW 305, and only usage applications received within a sufficiently short predetermined time after the button is pressed are allowed.

  (4) A pass code is displayed on the display panel of the FGW 305, and use permission is given only when the pass code (need to be confirmed from a physically close position) is input. It is also possible to send a passcode to the surroundings of the FGW 305 by proximity communication (for example, proximity wireless communication).

  In this embodiment, the mobile terminal 307 and the FGW 305 perform infrared communication. The FGW 305 verifies that the mobile terminal 307 exists in the physical vicinity of the FGW 305 by receiving infrared communication from the mobile terminal 307. The FGW 305 permits use of resources belonging to the FNW 305 to the mobile terminal 307 in which the mobile terminal 307 is physically located in this sense. In this way, by configuring the FGW 305 to accept only proximity communication, when limiting the mobile terminals that can communicate with the FGW 305, the steps from S001 to S003 surrounded by the dotted line in FIG. 2 can be omitted. . This is because the notification of the address of the HGW 304, the ID for connection, and the password transmitted from the portable terminal 307 in S010 is accepted only by infrared communication, so that the portable terminal 307 that has transmitted them is sent. Is automatically present in the physical vicinity of the FGW 305.

  Authentication information for logging in to the HGW 304 via the network in the portable terminal 307 owned by the owner of the HNW 301 (a client certificate that proves that it is a client of the HGW 304 and a password for logging in to the HGW 304) Is stored in advance. The portable terminal 307 attempts to log in to the HGW 304 via the network using these authentication information (S004). For security reasons, it is desirable that the communication path between the portable terminal 307 and the HGW 304 is appropriately encrypted to prevent eavesdropping or tampering by a third party.

  The HGW 304 confirms the client certificate of the mobile terminal 307, authenticates the mobile terminal 307 using password authentication or the like (S005), and permits login (S006). Next, the portable terminal 307 requests the HGW 304 to generate a password for the FGW 305 to connect to the HGW 304 (S007). The HGW 304 generates a password (S008), and transmits the generated password to the portable terminal 307. This password has an expiration date, and is preferably a one-time password (One Time Password (OTP)) that cannot be used after the expiration date.

  The mobile terminal 307 notifies the FGW 305 of the connection destination ID and password via the short-range infrared communication (S010). The connection ID is set in advance between the mobile terminal 307 and the HGW 304 (or dynamically generated based on a rule agreed in advance by both parties), for example, the mobile terminal in S009 Even if the password is leaked to the outside in the password notification to 307, it cannot be used unless this ID is known, so the risk can be reduced.

  The FGW 305 makes a connection request to the HGW 304 using the address, ID, and password given from the portable terminal 307 in S010 (S011). The HGW 304 confirms the validity of the ID and password, and establishes a connection with the FGW 305 if there is no problem. At this time, the FGW 305 and the HGW 304 perform SIP connection via the SIP server provided by the service provider 309. The service provider 309 can perform authentication of each gateway, safety evaluation, etc. as needed, and can present the obtained information to each gateway. Each gateway refers to the information provided by the service provider 309 to allow connection only to gateways registered in advance in the service, or to refuse connection to a gateway with a low evaluation. Measures can be adopted. Note that the communication path between the HGW 304 and the FGW 305 is a path through which the content list and contents of the media server 303 managed by the HGW 304 are subsequently distributed, so it is desirable that the communication path be appropriately encrypted.

  In order to establish communication between the HGW and the FGW more securely, the portable terminal 307 may be configured to check the network address of the FGW 304 in S001 to S003 and notify the HGW 305 of the network address of the FGW 304 in S007. . At this time, by configuring the HGW 305 to accept access only from the address corresponding to the notified address, communication between the HGW and the FGW can be made more secure.

(2. Acquisition of content list by mobile terminal)
In order to reproduce the content in the media server 303 belonging to the HNW 301, it is necessary to specify which content is to be reproduced. For this purpose, it is necessary to obtain a list of some or all of the contents stored in the media server 303 and select from the list.

  FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram illustrating a procedure for the portable terminal 307 to acquire the content list. There are various content list acquisition procedures depending on the network environment that can be used. Here, three patterns are shown. Here, it is assumed that there is one media server 303 managed by the HGW 304. However, when there are a plurality of media servers 303, it is necessary to select a media server after acquiring a media server list belonging to the HNW 301 before acquiring a content list. There is. Acquisition of the media server list and selection thereof are performed in the same procedure as in the acquisition of content list and selection thereof.

  FIG. 3A shows an acquisition procedure when a bidirectional communication path such as WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) can be used between the mobile terminal 307 and the FGW 305. The portable terminal 307 relays the FGW 305 and requests a content list from the HGW 304 (S101, 102). The HGW confirms the content stored in the media server (S103), and also relays the FGW 305 and returns the content list to the portable terminal 307 (S104, 105). If a flat-rate broadband is used between the portable terminal and the FGW and the home WiFi and the FGW and the HGW, the communication cost can be reduced and the list can be acquired with little delay.

  FIG. 3B shows an acquisition procedure when there is only a one-way communication path from the portable terminal 307 to the FGW 305 such as infrared communication between the portable terminal 307 and the FGW 305. The portable terminal 307 relays the FGW 305 and requests a content list from the HGW 304 (S101, 102). The HGW 304 confirms the content stored in the media server (S103), and returns the content list directly to the mobile terminal 307 via an external communication path such as the Internet or a mobile network (S106). In this case, since the mobile terminal needs to use an external communication path, there is a possibility that problems of billing and transmission delay will increase. On the other hand, the portable terminal has an advantage that an inexpensive infrared communication port can be used for communication with the FGW.

  FIG. 3C shows an acquisition procedure when communication between the portable terminal 307 and the FGW 305 is not used. The portable terminal 307 requests the content list directly to the HGW 304 via an external communication path such as the Internet or a portable network (S107). The HGW 304 confirms the content stored in the media server (S103), and returns the content list directly to the portable terminal 307 (S106). In the case of FIG. 3C, the content list can be acquired in the mobile terminal before the communication between the HGW and the FGW is established. Considering the convenience of the user, it is desirable to always keep a necessary content list in the portable terminal 307 carried by the user and keep it in a state where it can be called immediately. According to the acquisition procedure shown in FIG. 3C, this state can be easily realized.

  In this embodiment, the HGW 304 sequentially distributes (feeds) a content list managed by the media server to the mobile terminal 307 in the form of RSS (Rich Site Summary), and the mobile terminal 307 always holds the necessary content list. So that In the portable terminal 307, the distributed RSS is classified and managed under various conditions such as every media server, every media, and every registration date.

The RSS distributed from the HGW 304 to the mobile terminal 307 includes some or all of the following information.
-Content name-Content type-Content size-DRM (Digital Rights Management) information-Recording channel, recording date and time-URI
・ Overview ・ Genre ・ Thumbnail ・ Playback control information (starting point, digest, etc.)
-RSS delivery date and time-Expiration date Content name is the name of the content. The content type indicates the media type of the content. The content size indicates the data size of the content. The renderer that can be used is determined by the content type and the content size. In the DRM information, information on the copyright of the content, the name of the copyright holder, contact information, source URI, authority acquisition destination URI, electronic signature, and the like are described. The recording channel and the recording date and time are used when the content is broadcast content, and indicate the channel on which the recorded content was broadcast and the date and time when the recording was performed. Based on the information described here, the HGW 304 can check whether the same copy is recorded on a local HDD recorder or the like, and if it is recorded, can respond to it. (The same is possible with the above-mentioned source URI). The outline is a general description of the content. For example, EPG (Electronic Program Guide) information can be used for broadcast content. A thumbnail is a piece of content cut out spatially or temporally, and is usually composed of a small still image or the like. The genre indicates a content category and is composed of one or a plurality of keywords. Based on the genre information, the RSS distributed on the terminal side is classified.

  The URI (Universal Resource Identifier) indicates the position of the content globally. The URI for the content stored in the media server managed by the HGW 304 includes an IP address of the HGW 304, a UDN (Unique Device Name) of the media server managed by the HGW 304, and a file path in the media server. On the other hand, the URI of content distributed over the Internet is defined as a general Internet URL.

  The playback control information is information for controlling a content playback method. For example, a resume point for resume playback, a set of highlight time intervals for performing digest playback, and a playback method for each time interval (normal playback, 3x fast forward playback, slow playback, etc.). By using the reproduction control information, special viewing such as resume viewing and digest viewing becomes possible.

  The RSS distribution date / time indicates the date / time when the RSS is distributed, and the expiration date indicates the effective date / time of the distributed index. Based on these pieces of information, the client executed on the portable terminal 307 automatically deletes the distributed index information. The erasure policy is the same as that used in a general RSS aggregator, and the erasure policy is preferentially erased from the oldest transfer date / time to the terminal or the one not recently reproduced. The erasure policy may be set individually for each category such as genre. If the content is a moving image, it can be erased once viewed.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display screen displayed on the mobile terminal 307 as a UI (User Interface) in the mobile terminal 307.

  The display screen 1301 presents the content list acquired by any of the above-mentioned methods in a hierarchy for each category. For example, when the user selects the folder 1305, a program group recorded by the HDD recorder is listed as shown as a display screen 1302. When the folder 1306 is selected, a group of pictures taken with a digital camera is listed, and when a folder 1307 is selected, a group of movies taken with a video is listed. When the folder 1308 is selected, music ripped from the CD and music purchased from the online shop are listed. These folders are virtual, and the same file may be classified into a plurality of folders.

  Here, it is an interface that can handle the information distribution on the Internet by RSS in the same way, and the recommended program 1304 is a recommended TV program list provided by a service provider on the Internet, and the program in the list is stored in the home media server. If it is accumulated, it can be viewed. Otherwise, it cannot be viewed or jumps to the purchase site of the program. This recommended program is prepared by a method such as selecting a program with a large number of reservations from recording reservation information of many other users having the same tendency as the TV viewing history of the user of the portable terminal 307. Accumulating personal viewing history in a personal terminal, which is a portable terminal, enables highly accurate customized information transmission for each individual. It is also possible to customize the online service based on information such as TV viewing information, HDD recorder recording information and viewing information, stored music artist, and genre information. For example, in an online shop for books, users who view and make reservations for similar programs are encouraged to purchase books that are commonly purchased, or conversely, users who purchase similar books are common. It is possible to recommend watching TV programs reserved for recording.

  When the user selects the Internet folder 1309, the podcasting distributed on the Web page, the update information of the Web page, and the like are sorted and presented in the same manner as a normal RSS aggregator. When an index stored in the Internet folder is selected, the URL indicated by RSS is accessed by a Web browser or the like, and the content is acquired. Although the content acquisition destination is not the media server 303 and the acquisition procedure is different from the above method, the user does not need to recognize the difference, and the user performs the operation for accessing the content from the list. Just select

  In the interrupted folder 1311, an index for resuming playback from that time later when a certain content is viewed halfway is accumulated. When playback is interrupted by any of the renderers, the gateway senses the interruption, generates a resume index, and transmits it to the mobile terminal. The user can resume viewing interrupted content by using the resume index, but there is no problem if the renderer changes from the previous viewing time.

  Mailbox 1310 stores content index information transmitted from other users. If the content is broadcast content such as a TV program and is stored in the media server at home, the same program can be viewed. On the other hand, in the case of a private photograph or the like, connection information composed of a connection address, ID, and password given to the FGW in S010 of FIG. 2 at the time of index transmission to other users is sent together. Using this information, the user can remotely access the content owner's HGW and browse the content.

  In order to prevent access from users other than the forwarding destination user, when an external user accesses the HGW using an ID and password, another ID and password are sent again to the original forwarding destination address to request access again. You may do it. Alternatively, a friend's ID and password may be registered in advance in the HGW (not sent during index transmission), and access may be made with a default ID and password. If transmission / reception of an index is performed on a network such as a mobile network that is fully protected by copyright protection, a DRM that becomes FL (Forward Lock / Forbidden) at the time of transmitting the index may be added to prohibit the transfer. In the format of Separate Delivery, it is also possible to obligate the acquisition of authority necessary for viewing at the time of access.

  FIG. 5 shows a state in which index information existing in another user is transferred by the portable terminal 307. A desired content is selected from the index list screen 1302 of a certain content, and transmission is selected from a menu (1316). Further, when a transfer destination address, a subject, a message body, etc. are added and transferred to a desired user, the index is classified into the above-mentioned mailbox at the transfer destination user's terminal. When the mailbox is viewed, a message body 1317 is displayed together with a program thumbnail 1312 and a summary 1313, and the transferred program can also be viewed by selecting an index.

  The classification folder mentioned here is only an example, and various other classification methods such as registration date, new content, genre classification, and media server classification are possible.

(3. Renderer selection and content playback by mobile terminal)
In order to reproduce the content in the media server 303 in the FNW 302, it is necessary to determine which renderer in the FNW 302 is to reproduce the content. Unless the renderer is automatically determined because there is only one renderer available in the FNW 302, the user needs to select a desired renderer from a plurality of options (FGW305 or mobile terminal) 307 can also automatically select a renderer according to a predetermined priority).

  In FIG. 6, the portable terminal 307 acquires an available renderer list, selects desired content from the previously acquired content list, specifies a renderer to play back the content, and specifies the content specified by the specified renderer. The procedure for reproduction is shown. Although various procedures can be considered depending on the available network environment, three patterns are shown here.

  FIG. 6A shows a selection of a renderer and a content reproduction procedure when a bidirectional communication path such as WiFi is available between the mobile terminal 307 and the FGW 305.

  The portable terminal 307 requests the FGW 305 for a list of available renderers (S201). The FGW confirms a renderer that can be used in the FNW (S202), and returns it to the portable terminal 307 (S203). The portable terminal 307 selects a renderer to be used from the acquired list (S204), further selects content to be played back by the renderer from the previously acquired content list (S206), and notifies them to the FGW 305 ( S205, 207). The FGW 305 requests the HGW 304 to distribute the requested content (S208). The HGW 304 acquires the content requested from the media server in the HNW 301 (S209) and distributes it to the FGW 305 (S210). Upon receiving the content distribution, the FGW 305 transfers the content to the designated renderer 306 (S211) and requests the reproduction of the content. (The FGW 305 may instruct the renderer 306 to reproduce the content, and the renderer 306 may pull the instructed content from the HGW 304 via the FGW 305.) The renderer 306 reproduces the content sent from the FGW 305 (S212). ). Communication between the FGW 305 and the renderer 306 is treated as a normal DLNA protocol, and the FGW 305 appears to the renderer 306 as a DMC and a DMS.

  Here, the mobile terminal 307 selects the content after selecting the renderer, but the order may be reversed (the same applies to the following examples). If the renderer is determined, the content that can be played back by that renderer is narrowed down. If the content is determined, the renderer that can play back the content is also narrowed down. If the renderer is uniquely determined, it is possible to omit the renderer selection.

  FIG. 6B shows a renderer selection and content reproduction procedure when there is only a one-way communication path from the portable terminal 307 to the FGW 305 such as infrared communication between the portable terminal 307 and the FGW 305. When the portable terminal 307 requests a renderer list (S201), the FGW 305 confirms available renderers (S202), and then returns the renderer list to the portable terminal 307 via the HGW 304 (S213, 214). The subsequent procedure is the same as in FIG.

  FIG. 6C shows a renderer selection and content reproduction procedure when the communication path between the portable terminal 307 and the FGW 305 is not used. The portable terminal 307 requests a renderer list from the FGW 305 via the HGW 304 (S215, 216). After confirming the available renderers (S202), the FGW 305 returns the renderer list to the portable terminal 307 via the HGW 304 (S213, 214). ). The portable terminal selects a renderer and content (S204, 206), and notifies them to the HGW 304 (S217, 219). The HGW 304 notifies the designated renderer 306 to the FGW 305 (S218), acquires the requested content from the media server 303 in the HNW 301 (S209), and distributes it to the FGW 305 (S210). Upon receiving the content distribution, the FGW 305 transfers the content to the designated renderer 306 (S211) and requests the reproduction of the content. (The FGW 305 may instruct the renderer 306 to reproduce the content, and the renderer 306 may pull the instructed content from the HGW 304 via the FGW 305.) The renderer 306 reproduces the content sent from the FGW 305 (S212). ).

  The UI used in the portable terminal 307 in each procedure shown in FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 again.

  A display screen 1302 illustrated in FIG. 4 is a configuration example of a display screen that displays a content list on the mobile terminal 307. On the display screen 1320, a thumbnail 1312 and a brief description 1313 of the content are displayed for each content. When the user selects any content, as shown as a display screen 1303, a list of renderers that can be used to play the selected content is displayed. In order to allow the user to specify a renderer intuitively, each element displayed as a list of renderers can be set to an easy-to-understand name such as a graphic image 1314 that shows an overview of the renderer or “TV in the living room” Is desirable. Furthermore, instead of such a list selection type UI, by exchanging the renderer ID and the like using near-field wireless communication means such as infrared rays and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), the device in front of the user is referred to as “this”. It is more desirable to be able to specify.

  When the user selects a renderer, the content specified by the specified renderer 306 is played. Since the reproducible format, bit rate, screen size, and the like differ depending on the renderer that is finally played back, it is desirable to perform content conversion that requires the HGW 304 or FGW 305 that transfers the content. Further, on the path from the media server to the final renderer, QoS (Quality of Service) control is performed, and it is necessary to appropriately manage the bandwidth so as to ensure the quality required for the service.

  After the start of playback, an interface for performing playback control of content such as fast forward and rewind may be displayed on the mobile terminal 307. Since the types of playback control that can be used differ depending on the renderer and content type, it is desirable that the renderer 306 provides an interface corresponding to the content type to the portable terminal 307. Alternatively, playback control can be performed using an interface provided in the renderer 306.

(4. Configuration of each device)
Next, the configuration of each device that implements the processing illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3A, and 5A will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram showing a main configuration of the FGW 305. As shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the FGW 305 is configured to include the elements listed below.

  Communication units 401, 414, and 415, which are communication interfaces with various external devices.

  An authentication unit 402 that manages communication involving authentication.

  A connection request reception unit 403 that receives a connection request (use application) S001 from the mobile terminal 307.

  A portable terminal that has an address (external gateway designation information) for uniquely designating a connection destination HGW 304 and a connection ID and password (authentication information) for establishing an authenticated communication path with the HGW 304 The access authority acquisition unit 404 acquires from 307 (S010).

  The connection ID and password acquired by the access authority acquisition unit 404 are transmitted to the HGW 304 designated by the address acquired by the access authority acquisition unit 404 (S011), and an authenticated communication path is established (S013). ), A connection establishment unit (communication path establishment means) 410.

  A content list request for requesting a content list is acquired from the portable terminal 307 (S101), and the acquired content list request is transferred to the HGW 304 via the communication path established by the connection establishment unit 410 (S102). A content list acquired from the HGW 304 as a response to the list request (S104) is transferred to the portable terminal 307 (S105), and a content management unit (content list request receiving means, content list request transferring means) 406 is obtained.

  A renderer list request for requesting a renderer list is acquired from the portable terminal 307 (S201), a list of available renderers under the management of the FGW 305 is created (S202), and the created list is sent to the portable terminal 307 as a renderer list. The renderer management unit 407 transmits (S203).

  Renderer designation information for designating a renderer to play back content from among the renderers included in the renderer list is obtained from the portable terminal 307 (S205), and a renderer designation receiving unit (renderer designation information obtaining means) 408 is obtained.

  The content designation information for designating the content to be reproduced among the contents included in the content list is acquired from the portable terminal 307 (S207), and the content designation receiving unit (content designation information obtaining unit) 405.

  Of the contents under the management of the HGW 304, the HGW 304 is requested to distribute the content specified by the content specifying information (S208), and distributed from the HGW 304 via the communication path established by the connection establishment unit A content acquisition unit (content acquisition unit) 411 acquires content (S210).

  A content conversion unit 412 that performs content conversion on the content acquired by the content acquisition unit 411 according to the renderer function specified by the renderer specification information.

  The content acquired by the content acquisition unit 411 and subjected to the content conversion by the content conversion unit 412 is transmitted to the renderer 306 designated by the renderer designation information among the renderers managed by the FGW 305. (S211), a content transmission unit (content distribution means) 413.

  A content operation accepting unit 409 that accepts a user operation instructing to start, fast-forward, rewind, or stop the content and controls the content transmitting unit 413 and the content acquiring unit 411 based on the accepted user operation.

  The FGW 305 is connected to a network via communication units 401, 414, and 415. When the FGW 305 communicates with the outside of the FNW 302 such as the portable terminal 307 or the HGW 304, the authentication unit 402 is used. When the connection request reception unit 403 receives a connection request from the mobile terminal 307, the access authority acquisition unit 404 receives information such as an address, ID, and password necessary for connection to the HGW 304 from the mobile terminal 307, and connects based on the information. The establishing unit 410 establishes a connection with the HGW 304.

  The content management unit 406 acquires a content list from the HGW 304 and supplies the content list to the mobile terminal 307 based on a request from the mobile terminal 307. The renderer management unit 407 supplies the renderer list to the mobile terminal 307 based on the request from the mobile terminal 307. When the content designation receiving unit 405 receives a request for content from the portable terminal 307, the content acquisition unit 411 acquires the requested content based on the connection with the HGW 304 established by the connection establishment unit 410. On the other hand, the renderer designation receiving unit 408 obtains information on the renderer that reproduces the content from the portable terminal 307. If content conversion is necessary due to the ability of the renderer, the content conversion unit 412 converts the content, and then the content transmission unit 413 transmits the content to the designated renderer via the communication unit 415. If a content playback operation is received from the portable terminal 307 during the playback of the content, the content transmission unit 413 or the content acquisition unit 411 is acted on to handle playback operations such as fast forward and rewind of the content.

  FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram showing the main configuration of the HGW 304.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the HGW 304 includes the elements listed below.

  Communication units 501, 512, and 513 that are communication interfaces with various external devices.

  An access authority request accepting unit 503 that accepts an access authority request for requesting acquisition of a password used by the FGW 305 to establish an authenticated communication path with the HGW 304 from the portable terminal 305 (S007).

  In response to the access authority request, a password (for example, a one-time password) generated by a password generation unit (not shown) is transmitted to the mobile terminal 307 (S009). The access authority transmission unit 504.

  A connection request receiving unit 505 receives a connection request including an ID and a password from the FGW 305 (S011).

  The authentication unit 502 confirms whether or not the password received by the connection request reception unit 505 is a valid password generated by the password generation unit (S012).

  The connection establishment unit 506 establishes a communication path with the FGW 305 when the validity of the password received by the connection request reception unit 505 is confirmed by the authentication unit 502 (S013).

  A content list request is received from the FGW 305 via the communication path established by the connection establishment unit 506 (S102), a list of contents under the management of the HGW 304 is generated (S103), and the generated list of contents is connected. The content management unit 508 transmits to the FGW 305 via the communication path established by the unit 506 (S104).

  A content distribution request including content designation information for designating content selected by the user from content belonging to the content list in the mobile terminal 307 is received from the FGW 305 via the communication path established by the connection establishment unit 506. (S208) Content designation receiving unit 507.

  The content acquisition unit 509 acquires the content specified by the content specification information included in the content distribution request from the media server 303 (S209).

  A content conversion unit 510 that performs content conversion necessary for transmitting the content acquired from the media server 303 to the FGW 305.

  The content transmission unit 510 transmits the content subjected to content conversion as necessary to the FGW 305 via the communication path established by the connection establishment unit 506 (S210), and the content transmission unit 511.

  The HGW 304 is connected to the network via the communication unit 501. When the HGW 304 communicates with the outside of the HNW 301 such as the portable terminal 307 or the FGW 305, the authentication unit 502 is used. When the access authority request receiving unit 503 receives an access authority request from the mobile terminal 307, the access authority request receiving unit 503 generates a password, and the access authority transmitting unit 504 sends the password to the mobile terminal 307.

  When the connection request reception unit 505 receives a connection request from the FGW 305, the connection establishment unit 506 establishes a connection with the FGW 305 (the authentication unit 502 checks whether the password is a valid password transmitted by the access authority transmission unit 504). ). The content management unit 508 transmits a content list based on a request from the FGW 305. When the content designation receiving unit 507 receives a content distribution request, the content acquisition unit 509 communicates with the media server 303 via the communication unit 512 to acquire the requested content. After the content conversion unit 510 performs conversion necessary for transmission, the content transmission unit 511 transmits the content via the communication unit 513.

  FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of the renderer 306.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the renderer 306 receives from the FGW 305 the distribution of content under the management of the communication unit 601 that is a communication interface for communicating with other devices in the FNW 302 and the HGW 304 (S211). An acquisition unit 602 and a content reproduction unit 603 that reproduces the content acquired by the content acquisition unit 602 (S212) are configured.

  FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing the main configuration of the media server 303.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the media server 303 transmits to the HGW 304 a communication unit 701 that is a communication interface for communicating with other devices in the HNW 301 and a list of contents managed by the media server 303. A content management unit 703 that transmits content to the HGW 304, and a content transmission unit 702 that transmits content to the HGW 304.

  FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of the mobile terminal 307.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the portable terminal 307 includes the following elements.

  A communication unit 801 that is a communication interface with various external devices.

  A resource discovery unit 802 for discovering a gateway device in the FNW 302.

  The connection request unit 803 sends a use request to the FGW 305 discovered by the resource discovery unit 802 and makes a connection request (S001).

  An authentication information management unit 812 that manages authentication information necessary for connecting to the FGW 305 and authentication information necessary for logging in to the HGW 304 (S004).

  Authentication information necessary for connection with the FGW 305 is acquired from the authentication information management unit 812 and transmitted to the FGW 305 (S001), and authentication information required for logging in to the HGW 304 is received from the authentication information management unit 812. The authentication information transmitting unit 804 acquires and transmits the acquired information to the HGW 304 (S004).

  The FGW 305 requests the HGW 304 for a password (authentication information) necessary for establishing an authenticated communication path with the HGW 304 (S007), and acquires the password generated by the HGW 304 (S009). Access authority acquisition unit 805.

  A password (authentication information) acquired by the access authority acquisition unit 805 and a connection ID (authentication information) and an address (external gateway specification information) that specify the HGW 304, which are stored in advance in a storage unit (not shown), The access authority transmitting unit 806 transmits to the FGW 305 (S010).

  A content management unit 807 transmits a content list request for requesting a content list to the FGW 305 (S101), and receives a content list acquired by the FGW 305 from the HGW 304 (S105).

  Based on the user operation detected by the UI unit 813, the content to be reproduced is specified from the content list, and content designation information for designating the content to be reproduced is transmitted to the FGW 305 (S207). Part 808.

  A renderer list request for a renderer list is transmitted to the FGW 305 (S201), and a list of available renderers under the management of the FGW 305 is received from the FGW 305 as a renderer list (S203), and a renderer management unit 810.

  Based on the user operation detected by the UI unit 813, a renderer for reproducing the content is specified from the renderer list, and renderer designation information for designating the renderer for reproducing the content is transmitted to the FGW 305 (S205). A renderer selection unit 811.

  A content operation unit 809 that controls reproduction of content based on a user operation detected by the UI unit 813.

  The portable terminal 307 communicates with other devices via the communication unit 801. The communication unit 307 is often composed of a plurality of networks such as the Internet and a mobile network. The mobile terminal 307 that has entered the FNW uses the resource discovery unit 802 to find the FGW 305 in the network, and the connection request unit 803 makes a connection request to the FGW. At this time, necessary authentication information is transmitted from the authentication information management unit 812 via the authentication information transmission unit 804.

  On the other hand, the portable terminal 307 also connects to the HGW via the communication unit 801 (same as for authentication). The access authority acquisition unit 805 acquires the access authority necessary for the FGW 305 to access the HGW 304 from the HGW 304, and the access authority transmission unit transmits it to the FGW 305. The content management unit 807 acquires a content list from the HGW 304 via the network, and the renderer management unit 810 acquires an available renderer list from the FGW 305. The content selection unit 807 and the renderer selection unit 811 connected to the UI unit 813 select the content and the renderer, transmit them to the FGW 305, and playback is performed by the renderer. The content operation unit 809 performs various playback operations via the UI unit 813.

  FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram showing the main configuration of the SIP server provided by the service provider 309.

  The SIP server 901 is a conventional SIP server, and includes a communication unit 901, a registration reception unit 902, a registered device management unit 903, a connection request reception unit 904, a terminal authentication unit 905, a connection establishment unit 906, and an authentication information management unit 907. It is comprised including.

  Here, since SIP is used to establish a session between two points between HGW and FGW, a SIP server is required. However, the communication path between HGW and FGW may be realized by other means such as direct connection. Yes, in this case no SIP server is required.

(5. Modification 1)
Even when the portable terminal 307 is in the HNW 301 and the content stored in the media server 303 is played back by the renderer under the management of the HGW 304, the content in the HNW 301 is displayed by the user using the same UI as shown in FIG. It is desirable to configure the content reproduction system so that the user can select the renderer.

  In order to realize this, for example, the mobile terminal 307 may be configured to function as a controller (DMC) compliant with DLNA in the HNW 301. Accordingly, the portable terminal 307, the media server 303, and the renderer in the HNW 301 function as DMC, DMS, and DMR, respectively (see FIG. 32), so that a conventional playback processing procedure using DLNA (see FIG. 33). The content reproduction process can be performed.

  As another method for realizing this, the HGW 304 may be configured to function as a controller (DMC) compliant with DLNA. In this case, in addition to the configuration shown in FIG. 8, the HGW 304 includes a DMC unit having a DMC function and a protocol conversion unit that converts a request from the portable terminal 307 into a DLNA protocol and passes the request to the DMC unit. The

  FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram showing a processing flow when the HGW 304 is caused to function as a DMC. In FIG. 13, the portion surrounded by the dotted line on the right side corresponds to the conventional reproduction processing procedure in the DLNA shown in FIG. Through the processing shown as S401 to S408, the mobile terminal 307 acquires the content list and the renderer list from the HGW 304, and notifies the HGW 304 of the desired content and the renderer used for reproduction. Since each process of S401-408 is equivalent to the process which attached | subjected and showed the name corresponding to FIG.2, FIG.3 and FIG.5, the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the portable terminal 307 used together with the HGW 304 as described above, it is preferable to change the processing procedure depending on whether it exists in the HNW 301 or the FGW 302.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a processing flow executed by the portable terminal 307 in order to change the processing procedure depending on whether it exists in the HNW 301 or in the FGW 302.

  When the mobile terminal 307 is connected to the network (S501), the connection request unit 803 determines whether the connection destination GW is a gateway device in the HNW 301 registered in advance or other gateway device (S502). If the gateway device of the connection destination is the HGW 304, content reproduction processing is performed according to the processing procedure shown in FIG. 33 or FIG. 13 (S503). On the other hand, when the gateway device of the connection destination is the FGW 305, content reproduction processing is performed according to the processing procedures shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5 (S504, S505, S506). In either case, the process ends when the network is disconnected (S507).

  In order to realize the switching of processing according to the connection destination gateway as described above, the portable terminal 307 shown in FIG. 11 is configured to function as a DLNA-compliant controller (DMC) in the HNW 301 as well. A network determination unit may be added to determine in which network the HNW 301 or the FNW 302 currently exists.

(6. Modification 2)
By partially changing the content playback method described above, the media server 303 in the HNW 301 can function as a virtual media server in the FNW 302.

  FIG. 15 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a state in which the media server 303 functions as a virtual media server 310 in the FNW 302 in the content distribution system shown in FIG. In the content distribution system shown in FIG. 15, after establishing a connection between the HGW and the FGW (after the end of the process in FIG. 2), the FGW 305 so that the media server 303 can be seen as a virtual media server 310 in the FNW 302. Controls communication with other resources in the FNW 302, the controller 308 and the renderer 306. By doing so, the controller 308 and the renderer 306 can communicate with the virtual media server 310 using the normal DLNA protocol. The controller 308 is a DMC in DLNA, the renderer 306 is a DMR in DLNA, and the virtual media server 310 is a DMS in DLNA. When the controller 308 and the renderer 306 are a single device, it is called DMP.

  After the connection between the FGW 305 and the HGW 304 is established by the processing shown in FIG. 2, the content can be reproduced by designating the content and the renderer according to the conventional DLNA protocol. That is, the DMC and DMS in the home network and the content list (Contents List) stored in each DMS can be requested from the DMC and displayed on the display on the controller. The user can operate the DMC, select one from the contents in the DMS, and request playback by the DMR. Upon receiving the request, the DMR receives the corresponding content from the DMS and plays it. In addition to DMR, DMC also has the advantage of being able to use existing DLNA compatible devices.

  FIG. 16 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method in which the controller 308 obtains a content list that is a list of content stored in the media server 303 from the HGW 304.

  The difference from FIG. 3A is that the entity that acquires the content list is changed from the portable terminal 307 to the controller 308.

  In order to perform the processing shown in FIG. 16, the content management unit 406 of the FGW 305 shown in FIG. 7 accepts a content list request according to the DLNA protocol from the controller 308, and sends the content list acquired from the HGW 304 to the controller 308 according to the DLNA protocol. What is necessary is just to deform | transform so that it may transmit. As a result, the virtual media server 310 can be seen by the controller 308 before the FGW 305.

  FIG. 17 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method in which the FGW 305 distributes content to the renderer 306.

  The biggest difference from the method shown in FIG. 6A is that the main body that requests content reproduction is changed from the portable terminal 307 to the controller 308. In this case, since the available DMS and DMR are found according to the conventional DLNA procedure, the controller 308 does not need to receive the renderer list from the FGW 305. After selecting the renderer to be used (S204), the controller 308 makes a content reproduction request to the selected renderer 306 (S213). The renderer 306 requests the virtual media server 310 to distribute the specified content.

  In order to perform the processing shown in FIG. 17, content delivery request accepting means for accepting a content delivery request in accordance with the DLNA protocol including content designation information for designating content to be reproduced is added to the FGW 305 shown in FIG. Further, the content transmission unit 413 may be modified to transmit the content acquired by the content acquisition unit 411 to the renderer 306 that is the transmission source of the content distribution request according to the DLNA protocol.

  However, in the case of adopting this configuration, if the entire media server 303 is made to participate in the FNW 302 as the virtual media server 310, all the contents stored in the media server can access all the resources in the FNW 302. End up. Content to be published can be placed in a public folder in advance so that only specific content in the media server can be seen in the virtual media server, or the content to be published can be set when establishing a connection between the FGW 305 and the HGW 304 It is desirable to make it. In addition, since the virtual media server 310 can be accessed from all DMCs and DMRs in the FNW 305, it is desirable that the user of the portable terminal can limit the available DMCs and DMRs.

(7. Modification 3)
In the above, the embodiment has been described in which the content under the management of the home HGW 304 is distributed to the renderer 306 in another home via the FGW 305, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, according to the present invention, in general, content under the control of the first gateway device can be distributed to the content reproduction device via the second gateway device. For example, it is possible to distribute content under the control of a first gateway device installed in a business site of a content distribution company to a television set in the user's home via the second gateway device. . Here, the second gateway device may be a gateway device configured separately from the television, or may be a gateway device built in the television.

  By using the HGW 304 as a first gateway device, the FGW 305 as a second gateway device, and the portable terminal 307 as a terminal device, the following content distribution system can be configured.

  That is, a content distribution system including a first gateway device (HGW301), a second gateway device (FGW305), and a terminal device (portable terminal 307), wherein the first gateway device is the first gateway. Content list transmission means (content management unit 508) for transmitting a content list, which is a list of contents under the management of the device, to the terminal device is provided, and the terminal device is transmitted from the first gateway device. Content list acquisition means (content management unit 807) for acquiring the content list, and content distribution request transmission means for transmitting a content distribution request for requesting distribution of the content included in the content list to the first gateway device. (Content selection unit 808), The first gateway device includes a content transmission unit (content transmission unit 511) for distributing the requested content to the second gateway device in response to the content distribution request transmitted from the terminal device. And the second gateway device constitutes a content distribution system including content acquisition means (content acquisition unit 411) for acquiring the content distributed from the first gateway device. it can.

  Further, the first gateway device generates a password request accepting means (access authority request accepting unit 503) for accepting a password request transmitted from the terminal device, and generates a password corresponding to the authentication information. A password transmitting means for transmitting (access authority transmitting unit 504), a connection request transmitted from the second gateway device, and a connection request receiving means for receiving a connection request including the password (connection request receiving unit 505); Communication for distributing the content between the authentication means (authentication unit 502) for confirming whether the password is valid and the second gateway device when the password is valid Connection establishment means (connection establishment unit 506) for establishing a route may be further provided.

  In the content distribution system, the terminal device further includes authentication information transmitting means for transmitting authentication information to the first gateway device, and the first gateway device is transmitted from the terminal device. A user specifying means for specifying the user of the terminal device based on the authentication information, and a storage means for storing the second gateway device as a delivery destination of the content in association with the user of the terminal device. The content transmission means of the first gateway device is configured to distribute the content to the second gateway device associated with the user of the terminal device specified based on the authentication information. May be.

  Here, when the terminal device is, for example, a mobile phone device, the phone number of the mobile phone device can be used as the authentication information. At this time, for example, the storage means provides an association between the user (ID) of the mobile phone device specified by the telephone number and the IP address of the gateway device to which the content is distributed to the user. A table can be configured to be stored.

  The content distribution system further includes gateway designation information transmitting means for transmitting the gateway designation information for designating the second gateway device to the first gateway device. The storage means of one gateway device associates the second gateway device designated by the gateway designation information transmitted from the terminal device with the user of the terminal device identified based on the authentication information. May be configured to be stored.

  The content distribution system further includes gateway designation information transmitting means for the gateway device to transmit gateway designation information for designating the second gateway device to the terminal device. The storage device may further comprise storage means for storing the gateway designation information transmitted from the second gateway device.

  Further, by using the HGW 304 as the first gateway device, the FGW 305 as the second gateway device, and the portable terminal 307 as the terminal device, the following content distribution system can be configured.

  That is, a content distribution system including a first gateway device (HGW301), a second gateway device (FGW305), and a terminal device (portable terminal 307), wherein the first gateway device is the first gateway. Content list transmission means (content management unit 508) for transmitting a content list, which is a list of contents under the management of the device, to the terminal device is provided, and the terminal device is transmitted from the first gateway device. Content list acquisition means (content management unit 807) for acquiring the content list, and content specification information transmission means for transmitting content specification information for specifying content selected from the content list to the second gateway device ( Content selection unit 808), The second gateway device includes a content designation information receiving means (content designation receiving unit 405) for receiving the content designation information transmitted from the terminal device, and the content designated by the content designation information (that is, Content distribution request transmitting means (content acquisition unit 411) for transmitting a content distribution request for requesting distribution of the content selected in the terminal device to the first gateway device, and the first gateway device Further includes content transmitting means (content transmitting unit 511) for distributing the requested content to the second gateway device in response to the content distribution request transmitted from the second gateway device. The gateway device 2 is the first gateway. Device further includes a distributed content acquisition means for acquiring the content (content acquisition unit 411) than, it is also possible to configure the content distribution system.

  In the content distribution system, the terminal device further includes address transmission means (access authority transmission unit 806) for transmitting an address designating the first gateway device to the second gateway device. The second gateway device includes address acquisition means (access authority acquisition unit 404) for acquiring the address transmitted from the terminal device, and the content distribution request transmission means (content acquisition) of the second gateway device. The unit 411) may be configured to transmit the content distribution request to the first gateway device designated by the address.

  In the content distribution system, the terminal device transmits authentication information to the first gateway device (authentication information transmission unit 804) and a password request to the first gateway device. Password request transmission means (access authority acquisition unit 805), wherein the first gateway device receives authentication information transmitted from the terminal device, and receives authentication information from the terminal device. A password request receiving unit (access authority request receiving unit 503) that receives the transmitted password request, and a password transmission unit (access authority transmitting unit) that generates a password according to the authentication information and transmits the generated password to the terminal device. 504), and the terminal device includes the first gateway device. Password acquisition means (access authority acquisition unit 805) for acquiring the transmitted password, an address for designating the first gateway device, and access authority transmission for transmitting the acquired password to the second gateway device Means (access authority transmission unit 806), and the second gateway device acquires an access authority acquisition unit (access authority acquisition unit 404) that acquires the address and the password transmitted from the terminal device; Connection request transmission means (connection establishment unit 410) for transmitting a connection request including the password to the first gateway device designated by the address, wherein the first gateway device is Connection required to accept the connection request sent from the second gateway device A receiving unit (connection request receiving unit 505), an authentication unit (authentication unit 502) for confirming whether or not the password is valid, and the second gateway device when the password is valid. A connection establishment means (connection establishment unit 506) for establishing a communication path for distributing the content in between may be further provided.

[Embodiment 2]
In the present embodiment, among the mobile terminals 307 shown in the first embodiment, in particular, the content acquired from the media server 303 in the HNW 301 is held, and the same content as the held content can be displayed by the renderer belonging to the HNW 301. A portable terminal 307 that can be reproduced by a renderer belonging to the FNW 302 will be described. In the following, UI content including information defining a screen layout and information defining a process executed in response to a user operation will be described in addition to media data. By using these, the user can browse the content by the same operation on the renderer belonging to the HNW 301, the renderer belonging to the FNW 302, or even the mobile terminal itself.

  First, album display UI content that is a common reproduction target in the following description will be described from the viewpoint of a user viewing the content.

  FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a state in which the portable terminal 307 is reproducing the album display UI content. In the following description, it is assumed that the mobile terminal 307 is configured as a DMP having both DMC and DMR functions (the mobile terminal 307 is stored in the media server 303 as the DMR, that is, It also functions as a content playback device for playing back content). The mobile terminal 307 is located in the HNW 301 and is configured to communicate with a media server 303 as a DMS and a television receiver (hereinafter abbreviated as TV) 316 as a DMR according to the DLNA protocol. And

  The portable terminal 307 can acquire a content list from the media server 303. The portable terminal 307 acquires the content list from the media server 303 and causes the user to select desired content from the acquired content list. In the example shown in FIG. 18, a method of selecting a desired genre from “browsing a picture”, “watching a movie”, “listening to music”, etc., and then listing contents belonging to the selected genre. A method is adopted in which candidates are selected from candidates such as “photo list”, “album list”, and “keyword input”, and finally, specific contents are selected. In FIG. 18, a process in which the user selects items displayed in the order of “view photos”, “list of albums”, and “Okinawa”, and as a result, the content with the title “Okinawa” is selected. It shows conceptually.

  The content “Okinawa” is an album display UI content that displays a plurality of photo contents as needed in a slide show. Buttons “Previous” and “Next” are displayed on the display screen for displaying each photo content. The user can switch the display to the previous photo content or the next photo content by selecting these during the slide show display.

  When reproduction of predetermined photo content as a slide show ends, a selection screen for selecting a renderer for reproducing the content is displayed. In the example shown in FIG. 18, two renderers “TV 316” and “TV 317” are listed as candidates. Here, when the user selects the TV 316, the content “Okinawa” is reproduced on the television 316.

  FIG. 19 is a data structure diagram showing the data structure of the UI content 1400 typified by the album display UI content described above.

  As shown in FIG. 19, the UI content 1400 is data including a screen transition / function call description file 1401, a screen layout / event processing description file 1402,... And a playback media data file 1404. The above-described album display UI content is a kind of UI content.

  The UI content includes a screen transition / function call description file 1401 and a screen layout / event processing description file 1402 in addition to a reproduction media data file 1404 which is normal content data such as a still image data file and a moving image data file. . By using these, processing such as screen transition according to an event such as a user operation can be defined in the UI content. For this reason, it is called “UI” content in order to distinguish it from normal content not including these. The UI content refers to general data including each element as shown in FIG. 19, and is not limited to the album display UI content described above. That is, quiz UI content that gives a quiz to the user is an example of UI content.

  The screen transition / function call description file 1401 includes screen transition information and function call information. The screen transition information is information that specifies a relationship between screens such as which screen is displayed next to a certain screen. The function call information defines a function to be called from the playback device (portable terminal 307) and a timing to call the function.

  The screen layout / event process description file 1402 includes screen layout information and event description information. The screen layout information specifies media data to be displayed on each screen, the layout of the media data on the screen, and the timing for reproducing the media data. In addition, the event description information associates an event (such as a key input or a timer event) that can occur while the screen is displayed with a process to be executed when each event occurs. Is.

  The reproduction media data file 1404 is media data to be reproduced, and corresponds to still image data, moving image data, audio data, text data, and the like. Image data such as still image data and moving image data is laid out and displayed based on the above-described screen layout information.

  A UI content ID is described as one element of the screen transition / function call description file 1401, which will be described later. The UI content ID only needs to be included in the UI content 1400, and is not limited to that described in the screen transition / function call description file 401.

  FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a content management table 1410 used when the media server 303 manages content.

  The content management table 1410 is managed by the content management unit 703 (see FIG. 10) of the media server 303. The content data stored in the media server 303 is identified by the content ID. The content management table 1410 is a table that provides an association between the content ID and the content data. In the content management table 1401, content having content IDs 00000005 to 0000000A corresponds to the UI content described above. That is, yoshino.zip, kekkon.zip, wine.zip, nyuugaku.zip, and quiz1.zip are archived in the zip format and are UI contents. The data of the content IDs 00000001 to 00000004 are media files such as still image data and moving image data. A content ID is used to uniquely identify a content in the media server 303. In particular, a content ID whose corresponding content is a UI content is referred to as a UI content ID here.

  In the content management table 1410, an attribute value is associated with each content. This attribute value is used to facilitate content search. The attribute value can be omitted in the content management table 1410. When the attribute value is omitted, the content may be searched by interpreting the content data itself when searching for the content. In the content management table 1410, the content having the content IDs 00000005 to 00000009 has the attribute value “album”. This indicates that the content corresponding to the content IDs 00000005 to 00000009 is the above-described album display UI content. That is, the album display UI content is content having the attribute value “album” among UI content.

  FIG. 22 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the configuration of the home network (HNW) 301 when the mobile terminal 307 is in the HNW 301.

  As shown in FIG. 22, the HNW 301 includes a mobile terminal 307, a media server 303, and a television 316 that is a renderer. As described above, the portable terminal 307 has both functions of DMC and DMR. Therefore, by using the function of the DMC, the content of the media server 303, which is the DMS, can be reproduced by another renderer (DMR) in the HNW 301.

  When the user selects “album list” on the portable terminal 307 (see FIG. 18), the portable terminal 307 requests the album list from the media server 303. The media server 303 transmits album list information to the portable terminal 307 in response to the album list request. Here, the album list information is a type of content list, and is a list of content having the attribute value “album” among the content stored in the media server 303, that is, a list of album display UI content.

  The portable terminal 307 displays a list of album display UI content titles stored in the media server 303 based on the album list information. When the user selects a desired album display UI content from the list-displayed titles, the portable terminal 307 sends a content distribution request for requesting distribution of the selected album display UI content to the media server 303. This content distribution request includes the content ID (content designation information) of the content selected on the portable terminal 307. That is, the mobile terminal 307 sends the content ID of the content selected by the user to the media server 303 as a content playback request. Here, in particular, since the album display UI content which is the UI content is selected by the user, the UI content ID is sent to the media server 303. The media server 303 distributes UI content corresponding to the received UI content ID to the mobile terminal 307. Then, the portable terminal 307 uses the DMR function to reproduce the UI content distributed from the media server.

  When the user selects the television 316 on the “browse with different device” screen (see FIG. 18), the portable terminal 307 functions as a DMC and transmits a content reproduction request to the television 316 that is one of the DMRs. To do. This content reproduction request also includes the UI content ID. That is, the mobile terminal 307 transmits the UI content ID of the UI content selected by the user to the television 316 as a content playback request. Receiving this, the television 316 transmits the UI content ID acquired from the portable terminal 307 to the media server 303 as a content distribution request for requesting distribution of the album display UI content. The media server 303 distributes UI content corresponding to the received UI content ID to the mobile terminal 307. Then, the television 316 reproduces the UI content distributed from the media server 303.

  As described in the first embodiment, the procedure for reproducing content by DMR is that the content ID and DMR are designated from the DMC to the DMS, and the corresponding content is designated by the DMS to the designated DMR. On the other hand, it may be configured to transmit and reproduce.

  Next, processing executed by the mobile terminal 307 in order to realize the above operation will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating processing executed by the mobile terminal 307 before the UI content is played back by the mobile terminal 307.

  In order to allow the user to select content, the portable terminal 307 first selects a desired genre, and then selects a method for listing content belonging to the selected genre (function selection reception process S330). When the album list is selected by the user (S331: YES), the portable terminal 307 transmits a request for acquiring album list information to the media server 303 (S332), and the album list information is received from the media server 303. (S333). If it is confirmed that the album list information has been received (S333: YES), the album list is displayed based on the received album list information (S334). The album list information includes the UI content ID of the album display UI content stored in the media server 303 in a pair with information that can be used by the user to specify an album, such as an album title. When the user selects an album (S335: YES), the mobile terminal 307 transmits a UI content ID corresponding to the selected album to the media server 303 as a content distribution request (S336). When UI content (album display UI content) is distributed from the media server 303 (S337: YES), the received UI content is played back (S336).

  Next, the above-described UI content reproduction process S336 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing the flow of content reproduction processing S336 executed by the mobile terminal device 307.

  As described above, the UI content has a data structure shown in FIG. The portable terminal 307 interprets the internal structure of the UI content and takes out data of each element constituting the UI content (S340). Subsequently, the mobile terminal 307 identifies a screen to be displayed based on the description content of the screen transition / function call description file 1401, the description content of the screen layout / event processing description file 1402, and the screen layout / event processing description. A screen is generated and displayed based on the media file referenced from the file 1402 (S341). Thereafter, the portable terminal 307 checks the occurrence of an event such as a user input operation based on the description content of the screen layout / event processing description file 1402 (S342). When the generated event is an event that a user operation for instructing the end of UI content reproduction is accepted, or an event that the reproduction of UI content is completed (S343: YES), the mobile terminal 307 The UI content playback process is terminated. When the user has received an instruction for calling the selection function of the display device (renderer) or when the display device selection function is called based on the description content of the UI content (S344: YES), the portable terminal 307 is processing A renderer (DMR) group in the HNW 301 capable of reproducing the UI content is displayed as a renderer list (S345). Since the portable terminal 307 has a DMC function, it is possible to determine a renderer that can reproduce the UI content for the UI content being processed. When the user selects a renderer from the renderer list, the mobile terminal 307 transmits a UI content ID as a content playback request to the selected renderer (for example, the television 316) (S346).

  In the above description, as a desirable implementation example, a case has been described in which processing for calling a display device (renderer) selection function (such as screen transition and display) is executed based on the description content of the UI content. These processes may be executed based on a program stored in advance in the portable terminal 307. That is, for example, the mobile terminal 307 may be configured to call a display device (renderer) selection function when a predetermined specific operation by the user is received.

  In the process illustrated in FIG. 24, the process for causing the user to select a renderer may be omitted. For example, if there is only one renderer option that can display the UI content being processed in addition to the portable terminal 307, the user is told to play the content with that one renderer. It may be configured to display a message such as “Masu” and automatically start playback of the UI content being processed by the one renderer.

  When the mobile terminal 307 and the television 316 are connected using NFC (Near Field Communication) or wired communication, the UI content ID may be directly transmitted from the mobile terminal 307 to the television 316. For example, the television 316 may be configured to be used as a renderer for playing back UI content simply by sending a UI content ID from the portable terminal 307 to the television 316 using proximity communication such as an infrared remote controller. .

  Further, when there are a plurality of media servers in the HNW 301, a DMS address for specifying a media server storing the UI content ID may be added to the UI content ID. As shown in FIG. 25, the screen transition / function call description file 1401 includes a UI content ID to which a DMS address is added. In other words, the mobile terminal 307 transmits a UI content ID for uniquely specifying the UI content in the media server and a DMS address for uniquely specifying the media server in the HNW 301 to the renderer. It may be configured.

  Next, processing executed in the media server 303 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed in the media server 303.

  When receiving the album list information request from the portable terminal 307 (S350: YES), the media server 303 searches the album display UI content stored in the own device to create album list information, and the created album list information. Is transmitted to the portable terminal 307 (S352).

  When creating the album list information, the media server 303 uses the content management table 1410. Upon receiving the album list information request, the media server 303 lists UI contents having the album attribute from the content management table 1410. Further, the media server 303 creates album list information in which, for example, the UI content title is associated with the listed UI content. Here, the title of the UI content may be a title extracted from the UI content, or may be a title extracted from the content management table. Alternatively, the content ID may be handled as a title.

  When the UI content ID is received from the renderer (S351: YES), the media server 303 reads the content specified by the received UI content ID from the content storage unit in which the content is stored, and renders the read UI content as the renderer. Deliver to.

  For example, when the media server 303 receives the UI content ID, it simultaneously receives renderer designation information for designating a renderer for reproducing the UI content, and the renderer processing capability (for example, display capability) designated by the renderer designation information. ), The UI content may be processed (content conversion), and then the processed UI content may be distributed to the renderer. Such a configuration is effective when UI content needs to be distributed to different renderers having different display capabilities. Examples of the UI content processing include a process of replacing the screen layout description unit 403 of the UI content 1400, or rewriting a part of the screen layout description unit 1403 in accordance with a renderer of a distribution destination. Furthermore, when UI content is distributed exclusively to a specific renderer (for example, the television 316), there is no need to give the user an opportunity to select a display device (renderer). In such a case, it is also effective to perform processing such as deleting a part designating the display device selection function or replacing it with designation of other processing on the UI content data.

  Next, processing executed by the television 316 serving as a renderer will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing executed by the television 316 serving as a renderer.

  When receiving the UI content ID from the portable terminal 307 (S360: YES), the television 361 serving as the renderer transmits the received UI content ID to the media server 303 in order to request delivery of the UI content (S361). At this time, as described above, a configuration may be employed in which renderer designation information for designating a renderer for reproducing UI content and information indicating the processing performance of the renderer are transmitted together. As described above, when there are a plurality of media servers (DMS) in the HNW 301, the DMS address is transmitted from the portable terminal 307 together with the UI content ID. In this case, it is preferable that the renderer TV 316 is configured to transfer the received UI content ID to the media server specified by the DMS address.

  When receiving the UI content (S362: YES), the television 316 serving as a renderer executes a UI content reproduction process (S363). The content of the UI content reproduction processing 361 is basically the same as that shown in FIG. 24, but the realized operation depends on the content of the received UI content. With these processes, the screen transition as shown in FIG. 18 is realized, and the album can be browsed in the same manner on the portable terminal 307 and the television 316.

  The portable terminal 307 can reproduce the same content as the content held by a renderer belonging to the FNW 302. Thereby, the user who has the portable terminal 307 can view the content stored in the media server 303 belonging to the HNW 301 in the FNW 302 as well as in the above-described HNW301. Hereinafter, this process will be described.

  FIG. 28 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a configuration of a content distribution system including the HNW 301, the FNW 302, and the mobile terminal 307. In particular, FIG. 28 illustrates a state where the mobile terminal 307 holding UI content is brought into the FNW 302. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 28, the portable terminal 307 is brought into the FNW 302 in a state where the album display UI content acquired from the media server 303 is held in the HNW 301 (FIG. 23: state after YES is determined in S337). . The mobile terminal 307 may start the UI content reproduction process (FIG. 23: S338) after being brought into the FNW 302, or may be brought into the FNW 302 during the UI content reproduction process (FIG. 23: S338). May be. When the mobile terminal 307 enters the FNW 302, a communication path between the FGW 305 and the HGW 304 is established by the processing described in the first embodiment.

  In the FGW 305, the process of causing the renderer 306 to play the UI content held in the mobile terminal 307 by the mobile phone 307 corresponds to the process shown in FIG. However, since the renderer that reproduces the UI content needs to be a renderer in the FGW 305, the process S345 in FIG. 24 is changed to a process in which the mobile terminal 307 acquires a renderer list of renderers in the management of the FGW 305 from the FGW 305. Is done. When the user selects the renderer 306 from the renderer list on the portable terminal 307, the portable terminal 307 transmits a UI content ID as a content reproduction request to the selected renderer 306.

  Here, the UI content ID transmitted from the mobile terminal 307 to the renderer 306 is a UI content ID extracted from the UI content held by the mobile terminal 307 (specifically, the album display UI content). That is, the mobile terminal 307 according to the present embodiment extracts the UI content ID of the UI content from the album display UI content that is held, and specifies the content to be played back using the extracted UI content ID. This is transmitted to the renderer 306 as content designation information.

  The renderer 306 transmits the UI content ID acquired from the portable terminal 307 to the media server 303 via the FGW 305 and the HGW 306, and requests distribution of the content. In response to this, the media server 303 reads the UI content specified by the UI content ID received from the renderer 306 from the own apparatus, and distributes the read UI content to the renderer 306 via the HGW 304 and the FGW 305. The processing in the renderer 306 at this time is the same as that in FIG. 27 except that the UI content ID transmission destination and the UI content distribution source are the FGW 305.

  Similar to the main content acquisition method in the first embodiment, the mobile terminal 307 receives the UI content ID for specifying the content to be played back and the address for specifying the renderer 306 for playing back the content via the FGW 305 and the HGW 304. The media server may be configured to distribute the content corresponding to the UI content ID to the renderer 306 based on the received UI content ID and the address of the renderer.

  Further, the address and authentication information (connection ID and password) of the HGW 304 necessary for the FGW 305 to establish a communication path with the HGW 304 can be stored in advance in the UI content. In this case, the mobile terminal 307 may be configured to extract the address and authentication information of the HGW 304 from the UI content, and establish communication with the HGW 304 based on the extracted address and authentication information. In the screen transition / function call description file 1401 shown in FIG. 23 included in the UI content, the address of the HGW 304 and the authentication information are written together with the DMS address and the UI content ID. The portable terminal 307 can extract the address and the authentication information from the UI content and give them to the FGW 305. Of course, the address, connection ID, and password of the HGW 304 do not have to be described in the screen transition / function call description file like the UI content ID, but are included in the UI content data. That's fine.

  Through the above processing, the mobile terminal 307 can also play back the same content as the UI content held by the renderer 306 in the FNW 302. Here, the operation that the user has to perform is the same whether the portable terminal is in the HNW 301 or the FNW 302.

  As described above, it has been described that the mobile terminal 307 can reproduce the same content as the content held by the renderer belonging to the FNW 302. In the above description, it is assumed that the mobile terminal 307 acquires UI content directly from the media server 303 in the HNW 301.

  However, it goes without saying that the above processing can be realized even if the UI content held in the mobile terminal 307 is not directly acquired from the media server 303 in the HNW 301. That is, even if the UI content is transferred to the mobile terminal 307 from another communication device using a communication means such as e-mail, the mobile terminal 307 can be used as long as the UI content includes the UI content ID. Can be realized. Further, the above processing can be realized even if the UI content held in the mobile terminal 307 is acquired via an arbitrary storage medium.

  FIG. 30 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a configuration of a content distribution system including an HNW 301, an FNW 302, a mobile terminal 307, and a mobile terminal 307 ′. In particular, the mobile terminal 307 ′ is connected to the UI content from the mobile terminal 307. Indicates the state of being transferred. Note that the mobile terminal 307 'has the same configuration as the mobile terminal 307 described so far.

  Since the mobile terminal 307 and the mobile terminal 307 ′ have the same configuration, the mobile terminal 307 ′ naturally executes UI content playback processing similar to that of the mobile terminal 307 in the FGW 302. The renderer 306 also executes the processing shown in FIG. Thereby, the user can browse the album display UI content with the renderer 306 by the same operation as in the HNW 301. Also, in this case, a third party who is far away can receive the album display UI content through, for example, a mobile terminal network, and browse the album on the television (renderer) at hand, for example, by the same operation as in the HNW. Is possible.

  However, in this example, since it is necessary to connect and log in the FGW 305 to the HGW 304 that is the UI content transfer source using a third-party portable terminal 307 ′, the address specifying the HGW 304 in the UI content and the HGW 304 It is necessary to include a connection ID and password for logging in. In this case as well, the HGW address, connection ID, and password do not necessarily have to be described in the screen transition / function call description file 401. If the information exists somewhere in the UI content data, Good. Alternatively, even if it is not described in the UI content data itself, the portable terminal 307 ′ may obtain it by transferring these information together by another means when transferring the UI content data. The portable terminal 307 ′ can access and log in to the HGW 304 using this information, and can display the UI content on the designated renderer as in FIG. 28.

  In the above description, the portable terminal 307 and the television 316 (or the renderer 306) play the same album display UI content, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, since the television 316 (or the renderer 306) does not receive UI content directly from the portable terminal 307, it is not always limited to use for browsing the same album.

  FIG. 31 is an explanatory diagram showing another UI content that the mobile terminal 307 causes the television 316 (or renderer 306) to play.

  For example, after selecting “album list” in FIG. 19, the portable terminal 307 may receive UI content for album designation as shown in FIG. That is, in FIG. 23, S333, S334, S335, and S336 after the transmission of the album list information request (S332) are omitted, and it is further assumed that UI content for album designation is received in S337. Can do. The subsequent operations of the portable terminal 307, the television 316 (or the renderer 306), and the media server 303 are the same as those described above. The album designating UI content includes screen display information for album selection, album display UI content ID corresponding to each selectable album, function activation of display device designation, and selected album display UI content ID. Describes operations and function activation for transmission. For this reason, after the user selects an album and a display device (renderer), the album display UI content ID corresponding to the selected album is transmitted to the media server 303 via the television 316, and the album selected on the television 316 is selected. Can be browsed.

  In the present embodiment, UI content is stored in advance in the media server 303, but UI content creation means and storage means are not particularly limited. However, the UI content needs to include content designation information that can uniquely determine the UI content in at least the content group managed by the HGW 304. That is, if there is one media server under the management of the HGW 304, a UI content ID that uniquely specifies the UI content in the media server is sufficient as the content designation information. Conversely, when there are a plurality of media servers, among the media servers under the management of the HGW 304, the DMS address that identifies the media server storing the UI content, and the content stored in the media server In particular, content designation information combined with a UI content ID for specifying the UI content is required.

  Further, the UI content ID can be added by the content management unit 703 of the media server 303, for example. Note that the content management unit 703 may add a UI content ID of the UI content to the UI content at the time of transmitting the UI content to the television 316, or a UI supplied from the outside. When the content is stored in the media server 303, the UI content ID of the UI content may be added to the UI content. Alternatively, what is created in a state already included in the UI content may be registered in the content management table on the assumption that it is guaranteed in advance that it is uniquely determined in the media server 303.

  Further, for example, instead of selecting an album with the portable terminal 307 and notifying the media server 303 of the selected album, the media server 303 stores the keyword in the own server by giving a keyword to the media server 303, for example. The content corresponding to the given keyword is selected from the content that has been created, and the album display UI content is created by combining the content, and a UI content ID that is uniquely determined in the media server 303 is added thereto. The album display UI content may be transferred to the portable terminal 307 after being stored in the own device.

  In addition to the UI content ID, information such as a DMS address, an HGW address, a connection ID, and a password may be included in the UI content. There are no particular limitations on the means for inclusion.

  Finally, a description example of UI content will be described with reference to FIGS. 21 and 29. FIG.

  FIG. 21 shows a screen transition / function call description file 1401 in the UI content.

  FIG. 29 is a data structure diagram conceptually showing the structure of the screen transition / function call description file 1401.

  As shown in FIG. 29, the screen transition / function call description file 1401 includes an HGW address, a connection ID, a password, a DMS address, a UI divided by a predetermined symbol (here, “&”). Contains a description of the content ID.

  The screen transition / function call description file 1401 shown in FIG. 21 will be briefly described below.

  The portable terminal 307 sequentially executes step tags surrounded by wizard tags. The step tag activates the function specified by the app attribute, and the activated function generates the file specified by the target-name attribute as a file of the file type specified by the target-type attribute. Also, the information specified by the param attribute is passed to the function specified by the app attribute.

  That is, in the first step, it is specified that the SVG file of s1.svg is displayed by svg-viewer. The next step is specified to display the SVG file of s2.svg, and the next step is to display the SVG file of s3.svg.

  In the fourth step, a function called dmr_connector is called. This is connected using the DMC's DMR designation and connection function, and the HGW address, connection ID, password, DMS address, and UI content ID described in param are connected to the home network via the DMR and FGW. The designated UI content can be displayed on the designated DMR.

  In this example, the HGW address, connection ID, password, DMS address, and UI content ID are all passed to the DMR and the HGW is accessed via the DMR. First, the HGW address, connection ID, A function for connecting to the HGW using a password may be called and logged in, and then the DMS address and UI content ID may be passed to the DMR, or when a predetermined operation is received from the user, A function for logging in or selecting a DMR may be called.

  The switch tag looks at the contents of the file specified by the target-name attribute, and changes the transition destination to the step specified by the nextstep tag. That is, the first switch tag indicates that when the content of key.txt is b, transition is made to the step specified by the id attribute of 1.

  Reference numeral 1402 shown in FIG. 21 is a description example of a screen layout / event process description file (SVG file s2.svg) displayed in the second step of the screen transition / function call description file 401.

  For example, processing contents other than display are described in the script tag in the svg tag. In particular, the event tag describes processing contents for various events. For example, when the key corresponding to the key attribute is pressed, the character string specified by the string attribute is written to the text file specified by file, and the svg-viewer process ends.

  Similarly, after the millisecond specified in the timer attribute has elapsed, the character string specified in the string attribute is similarly written to the text file specified in file. An image file to be displayed is specified in the img tag. Thus, for example, when the left soft key (soft_left_key) is pressed while s2.svg is displayed, key.txt containing the character string b is generated, and the screen transition / function call description file 401 returns to the operation. Sometimes, the switch statement returns to the step specified by id = 1.

(Additional notes)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope shown in the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. Is also included in the technical scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention can be configured as follows.

The gateway device according to the present invention is:
Controller communication means for communicating with a controller existing in the home network;
Player communication means for communicating with a player present in the home network;
A mobile terminal communication means for receiving external gateway information and access authority from the mobile terminal;
Based on the external gateway information and access authority received by the mobile terminal communication means, external gateway communication means for establishing communication with the external gateway;
Content list acquisition means for acquiring a content list from the external gateway by the external gateway communication means;
By the controller communication means,
Content list transmitting means for transmitting the acquired content list to the controller;
Content confirmation means for confirming the content to be transferred based on the operation command received by the controller communication means;
Content acquisition means for acquiring designated content from the external gateway by the external gateway communication means;
Content transmitting means for transmitting the acquired content to the renderer by the renderer communication means;
It may be comprised including.

  In the gateway device according to the present invention, the controller and the renderer may be configured as a single terminal.

  Moreover, in the gateway apparatus which concerns on this invention, the said controller and the said portable terminal may be comprised so that it may be a single terminal.

The gateway device according to the present invention is
Renderer communication means for communicating with a renderer existing in the home network;
Mobile terminal communication means for receiving external gateway information, access authority, and operation commands from the mobile terminal;
Based on the external gateway information and access authority received by the mobile terminal communication means, external gateway communication means for establishing communication with the external gateway;
Content / renderer determining means for determining the content to be transferred and the renderer based on the operation command received by the mobile terminal communication means;
Content acquisition means for acquiring designated content from the external gateway by the external gateway communication means;
Content reproduction means for transmitting the acquired content to the designated renderer by the renderer communication means and reproducing the content;
It may be comprised including.

  In the gateway device according to the present invention, the renderer may be a DMR compatible with DLNA, and the renderer communication unit may be configured to comply with DLNA.

  In the gateway device according to the present invention, the mobile terminal may be a mobile phone.

The portable terminal according to the present invention is
UI content acquisition means for acquiring UI content including a UI content ID uniquely determined by the UI content itself in the media server in the home network;
UI content playback means for playing back the acquired UI content;
UI content transmission means for transmitting the UI content ID in the acquired UI content to a renderer in the home network;
It may be comprised including.

  Further, the mobile terminal according to the present invention may be configured to have UI content holding means for holding the acquired UI content.

  The mobile terminal according to the present invention may be configured to have UI content transfer means for transferring the acquired UI content.

  A content distribution system according to the present invention includes:
  A content distribution system including a first gateway device, a second gateway device, and a terminal device,
  The first gateway device includes content list transmission means for transmitting a content list, which is a list of content under the control of the first gateway device, to the terminal device,
  The terminal device sends a content list acquisition means for acquiring the content list transmitted from the first gateway device, and a content distribution request for requesting distribution of content selected from the content list to the first gateway. Content distribution request transmitting means for transmitting to the device,
  The first gateway device further includes content transmission means for distributing the requested content to the second gateway device in response to the content distribution request transmitted from the terminal device,
  The second gateway device includes content acquisition means for acquiring content distributed from the first gateway device.
It may be configured as follows.

  According to the above configuration, the content selected in the terminal device among the content managed by the first gateway device can be distributed from the first gateway device to the second gateway device. There is an effect.

  The terminal device may be a mobile terminal, for example, a mobile phone.

  In the content distribution system according to the present invention,
  The terminal device further includes authentication information transmitting means for transmitting authentication information to the first gateway device,
  The first gateway device includes: a user specifying unit that specifies a user of the terminal device based on authentication information transmitted from the terminal device; and a second gateway device that is a distribution destination of the content. Storage means for storing in association with the user,
  The content transmission means of the first gateway device distributes the content to a second gateway device specified based on the authentication information and associated with the user of the terminal device;
It is preferable.

  According to the above configuration, the first gateway device identifies the user of the terminal device based on the authentication information transmitted from the terminal device, and the second gateway device associated with the user of the terminal device. Content can be distributed. That is, even when content distribution is requested from a plurality of terminal devices, the first gateway device can distribute content to the second gateway device associated with the user of each terminal device. It has the further effect of becoming.

  In the content distribution system according to the present invention,
  The terminal device further includes gateway designation information transmitting means for transmitting gateway designation information for designating the second gateway device to the first gateway device,
  The storage means of the first gateway device sends the second gateway device specified by the gateway specification information transmitted from the terminal device to the user of the terminal device specified based on the authentication information. Associate and remember,
It is preferable.

  According to the above configuration, the first gateway device specifies the second gateway device to be associated with the user of the terminal device based on the gateway designation information transmitted from the terminal device, and stores the association. There is a further effect that it is possible to keep.

  In the content distribution system according to the present invention,
  The second gateway device further includes gateway designation information transmitting means for transmitting gateway designation information for designating the second gateway device to the terminal device,
  The terminal device further includes storage means for storing the gateway designation information transmitted from the second gateway device.
It is preferable.

  According to the above configuration, the terminal device can acquire and store gateway designation information for designating the second gateway device to be associated with the user of the terminal device from the second gateway device. The gateway designation information transmitting means of the terminal device has the further effect that the gateway designation information stored in the storage means can be transmitted to the first gateway apparatus.

  The gateway device according to the present invention is:
  Content list transmitting means for transmitting a content list, which is a list of contents under the control of the own device, to the terminal device;
  A content transmission request transmitted from the terminal device, the content transmitting means for distributing the requested content to another gateway device in response to the content distribution request for requesting the distribution of the content selected from the content list Has
It may be configured as follows.

  According to the said structure, there exists an effect that the content selected in the said terminal device among the contents under the management of the said gateway apparatus can be delivered from the said gateway apparatus to another gateway apparatus.

  The gateway device according to the present invention is:
  Authentication information receiving means for receiving authentication information transmitted from the terminal device;
  User specifying means for specifying a user of the terminal device based on the received authentication information;
  Storage means for storing the other gateway device as a delivery destination of the content in association with the user of the terminal device;
  The content transmission means distributes the content to another gateway device associated with the user of the terminal device specified based on the authentication information.
It is preferable.

  According to the above configuration, the gateway device identifies the user of the terminal device based on the authentication information transmitted from the terminal device, and distributes the content to other gateway devices associated with the user of the terminal device. can do. That is, even when content distribution is requested from a plurality of terminal devices, the gateway device can distribute content to other gateway devices associated with the user of each terminal device. The effect which becomes.

  The gateway device according to the present invention is:
  Password transmitting means for transmitting the password to the terminal device;
  A connection request transmitted from the other gateway device, a connection request receiving means for receiving a connection request including the password;
  Authentication means for confirming whether the password is valid;
  Connection establishment means for establishing a communication path for distributing the content with the other gateway device when the password is valid,
It is preferable.

  According to the said structure, the said gateway apparatus receives the connection request containing the password transmitted with respect to the said terminal device from said other gateway apparatus. When it is confirmed that the password included in the connection request is a valid password, a communication path is established with the other gateway device. Therefore, it is possible to prevent inappropriate distribution of content to a device that cannot obtain a password from the terminal device.

  The gateway device further includes a password generation unit that generates a password according to the authentication information transmitted from the terminal device, and a password request reception unit that receives a password request transmitted from the terminal device. The password transmission unit may transmit the password generated by the password generation unit to the terminal device in response to the password request.

  In the gateway device according to the present invention, the terminal device is a mobile terminal.
It is preferable.

  According to the said structure, there exists the further effect that a user can select the content delivered from the said gateway apparatus using a portable terminal.

  A content distribution system according to the present invention includes:
  A content distribution system including a first gateway device, a second gateway device, and a terminal device,
  The first gateway device includes content list transmission means for transmitting a content list, which is a list of content under the control of the first gateway device, to the terminal device,
  The terminal device sends content list acquisition means for acquiring the content list transmitted from the first gateway device, and content specification information for specifying content selected from the content list to the second gateway device. Content specifying information transmitting means for transmitting,
  The second gateway device receives content designation information receiving means for receiving content designation information transmitted from the terminal device, and a content distribution request for requesting distribution of the content designated by the content designation information. Content distribution request transmitting means for transmitting to the gateway device,
  The first gateway device further includes content transmission means for distributing the requested content to the second gateway device in response to the content distribution request transmitted from the second gateway device,
  The second gateway device further includes content acquisition means for acquiring content distributed from the first gateway device.
It may be configured as follows.

  According to the above configuration as well, content selected in the terminal device among the content under the control of the first gateway device can be distributed from the first gateway device to the second gateway device. There is an effect.

  The content distribution system
  The terminal device further includes address transmission means for transmitting an address designating the first gateway device to the second gateway device,
  The second gateway device further includes address acquisition means for acquiring the address transmitted from the terminal device,
  The content delivery request transmitting means of the second gateway device transmits the content delivery request to the first gateway device designated by the address;
It may be configured as follows.

  In the content distribution system according to the present invention,
  The first gateway device further includes password transmission means for transmitting a password to the terminal device,
  The terminal device transmits password acquisition means for acquiring the password transmitted from the first gateway device, an address for designating the first gateway device, and the acquired password to the second gateway device. An access authority transmitting means for
  The second gateway device sends an access authority acquisition means for acquiring the address and the password transmitted from the terminal device, and a connection request including the password to the first gateway device specified by the address. A connection request transmitting means for transmitting,
  The first gateway device includes a connection request accepting unit that accepts the connection request transmitted from the second gateway device, an authentication unit that confirms whether the password is valid, and the password is valid. Connection establishment means for establishing a communication path for distributing the content to the second gateway device when there is
It is preferable.

  According to the said structure, the said 1st gateway apparatus receives the connection request containing the password transmitted with respect to the said terminal device from the said 2nd gateway apparatus. Then, when it is confirmed that the password included in the connection request is a valid password, a communication path is established with the second gateway device. Therefore, it is possible to prevent inappropriate distribution of content to a device that cannot obtain a password from the terminal device.

  The terminal device further comprises authentication information transmitting means for transmitting authentication information to the first gateway device, and password request transmitting means for transmitting a password request to the first gateway device, The first gateway device includes an authentication information receiving unit that receives the authentication information transmitted from the terminal device, a password request receiving unit that receives a password request transmitted from the terminal device, and a password corresponding to the authentication information. And password transmission means for transmitting the generated password to the terminal device.

  The gateway device according to the present invention is:
  Content list transmitting means for transmitting a content list, which is a list of contents under the control of the own device, to the terminal device;
  In response to a content distribution request transmitted from another gateway device and requesting distribution of the content selected from the content list in the terminal device, the requested content is sent to the other gateway device. Content transmission means for distribution,
It may be configured as follows.

  Even with the above configuration, the content selected in the terminal device among the content managed by the gateway device can be delivered from the gateway device to the other gateway device.

  The gateway device according to the present invention is:
  Password transmitting means for transmitting the password to the terminal device;
  A connection request accepting means for accepting a connection request including the password from the other gateway device;
  Authentication means for confirming whether the password is valid;
  Connection establishment means for establishing a communication path for distributing the content with the other gateway device when the password is valid;
It is preferable.

  According to the said structure, the said gateway apparatus receives the connection request containing the password transmitted with respect to the said terminal device from said other gateway apparatus. When it is confirmed that the password included in the connection request is a valid password, a communication path is established with the other gateway device. Therefore, it is possible to prevent inappropriate distribution of content to a device that cannot obtain a password from the terminal device.

  The gateway device further includes an authentication information receiving unit that receives the authentication information transmitted from the terminal device, and a password request receiving unit that receives a password request transmitted from the terminal device. The means may transmit the password generated based on the authentication information to the terminal device in response to the password request.

  Note that the second gateway device included in the content reproduction system is also included in the scope of the present invention.

  That is, the gateway device according to the present invention is
  Access authority acquisition means for acquiring an address and authentication information from the outside;
  A communication path establishing means for establishing a communication path with the other gateway device by transmitting the authentication information to the other gateway device specified by the address;
  Content specification information acquisition means for acquiring content specification information for specifying content from outside,
  Content acquisition means for performing a content distribution request for requesting distribution of the content specified by the content specifying information to the other gateway device, and acquiring the content distributed via the communication path. .

  The gateway device may further include a display unit that displays the content acquired by the content acquisition unit.

  Finally, each block included in the foreign gateway (FGW) 305 may be configured by hardware logic, or may be realized by software using a CPU as follows.

  That is, the foreign gateway 305 includes a CPU (central processing unit) that executes instructions of an image display program that realizes each function, a ROM (read only memory) that stores the program, and a RAM (random access memory) that expands the program. And a storage device (recording medium) such as a memory for storing the program and various data. An object of the present invention is a recording medium on which a program code (an execution format program, an intermediate code program, a source program) of an image display program of a foreign gateway 305 that is software that realizes the above-described functions is recorded so as to be readable by a computer. This can also be achieved by supplying to the foreign gateway 305 and reading and executing the program code recorded on the recording medium by the computer (or CPU or MPU).

  Examples of the recording medium include tapes such as magnetic tapes and cassette tapes, magnetic disks such as floppy (registered trademark) disks / hard disks, and disks including optical disks such as CD-ROM / MO / MD / DVD / CD-R. Card system such as IC card, IC card (including memory card) / optical card, or semiconductor memory system such as mask ROM / EPROM / EEPROM / flash ROM.

  Further, the slide show display device 100 may be configured to be connectable to a communication network, and the program code may be supplied via the communication network. The communication network is not particularly limited. For example, the Internet, intranet, extranet, LAN, ISDN, VAN, CATV communication network, virtual private network, telephone line network, mobile communication network, satellite communication. A net or the like is available. Also, the transmission medium constituting the communication network is not particularly limited. For example, even in the case of wired such as IEEE 1394, USB, power line carrier, cable TV line, telephone line, ADSL line, etc., infrared rays such as IrDA and remote control, Bluetooth ( (Registered trademark), 802.11 wireless, HDR, mobile phone network, satellite line, terrestrial digital network, and the like can also be used. The present invention can also be realized in the form of a computer data signal embedded in a carrier wave in which the program code is embodied by electronic transmission.

  Each block included in the mobile terminal 307 may also be configured by hardware logic, or may be realized by software using a CPU as described above for the foreign gateway 305. Each block included in the home gateway (HGW) 304 may be configured by hardware logic, or may be realized by software using a CPU, as described above for the foreign gateway 305.

  The present invention can be used as a gateway device for distributing content under the control of an external gateway to a renderer under the control of its own device, and particularly as a gateway device that can be used with a device compliant with the DLNA standard. Can be used.

1, showing an embodiment of the present invention, is a schematic configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of a content distribution system. FIG. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram illustrating a connection method between a foreign gateway and a home gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method for a mobile terminal to acquire a content list according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 3A shows an acquisition method when a bidirectional communication path can be used between the mobile terminal and the FGW. FIG. 3B shows an acquisition method when there is only a one-way communication path from the portable terminal to the FGW between the portable terminal and the FGW. FIG. 3C shows an acquisition method in the case of using an external communication path between the mobile terminal and the HGW without using the FGW. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, and is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display screen displayed on a mobile terminal as a UI in the mobile terminal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, and is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display screen displayed on a mobile terminal as a UI in the mobile terminal. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method for selecting content, a method for selecting a renderer, and a method for playing back selected content with the selected renderer according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 6A shows a method when a bidirectional communication path can be used between the mobile terminal and the foreign gateway. FIG. 6B shows a method when there is only a one-way communication path from the mobile terminal to the foreign gateway between the mobile terminal and the foreign gateway. FIG. 3C shows a method in the case of using an external communication path between the mobile terminal and the home gateway without using the falling gateway. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a foreign gateway (FGW) according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a home gateway (HGW) according to an embodiment of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a renderer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a media server according to an embodiment of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a SIP server provided by a service provider according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the sequence diagram which showed the method of making a home gateway function as DMC. 1 is a sequence showing an embodiment of the present invention, showing a method of changing processing depending on whether a mobile terminal is at a home gateway or a foreign gateway. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram illustrating a state in which the media server 303 functions as a virtual media server in the foreign gateway in the content distribution system illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method for a controller to acquire a content list that is a list of content stored in a media server from a home gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method of delivering content to a renderer by a foreign gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention and schematically illustrating a state in which an album display UI content is being reproduced by a mobile terminal. FIG. 3 is a data structure diagram illustrating a data structure of UI content according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a content management table used when a media server manages content according to an embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a screen transition / function call description file in UI content according to an embodiment of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, and is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a configuration of a home network when a mobile terminal is in the home network. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the mobile terminal before reproducing the UI content according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a content reproduction process executed by a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a data structure diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention and showing a data structure of a screen transition / function call description file. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing executed in the media server according to the embodiment of this invention. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing executed in a television as a renderer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a configuration of a home network and a foreign network when a mobile terminal holding UI content is brought into the foreign network according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a data structure diagram conceptually showing the structure of a screen transition / function call description file according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a configuration of a home network and a foreign network in which a mobile terminal holding UI content is in the home network, and another mobile terminal that receives UI content transfer from the mobile terminal It is a schematic block diagram which shows the case where is in a foreign network. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention and illustrating another UI content. It is a network block diagram which shows the prior art and shows the conventional home network using DLNA. It is a sequence diagram which shows a prior art and shows the conventional content reproduction | regeneration procedure based on DLNA. It is a system block diagram which shows a prior art and shows the structure of the content delivery system which can reproduce | regenerate the content accumulate | stored in the home server.

Explanation of symbols

301 Foreign Network 302 Home Network 303 Media Server 304 Home Gateway (External Gateway)
305 Foreign gateway (gateway device)
306 Renderer 307 Mobile terminal 309 Service provider 401/414/415 Communication unit 402 Authentication unit 403 Connection request reception unit 404 Access authority acquisition unit (external gateway designation information acquisition means,
Authentication information acquisition means)
410 Connection establishment unit (communication path establishment means)
406 Content management unit (content list request accepting means,
Content list request transfer means)
407 renderer management unit 408 renderer designation reception unit (renderer designation information acquisition means)
405 Content designation reception unit (content designation information acquisition means)
411 Content acquisition unit (content acquisition means)
412 Content conversion unit 413 Content transmission unit (content distribution unit)
409 Content operation acceptance unit

Claims (31)

A gateway device for delivering content under the control of an external gateway to a renderer under the control of its own device,
External gateway designation information acquisition means for acquiring external gateway designation information for designating the external gateway via a portable terminal capable of communicating with the gateway device;
A communication path establishing means for establishing a communication path with the external gateway designated by the external gateway designation information;
Content acquisition means for acquiring content under the management of the external gateway from the external gateway via the communication path established by the communication path establishment means;
Content distribution means for distributing the content acquired by the content acquisition means to a renderer under the control of the gateway device;
A gateway device comprising: Further comprising authentication information acquisition means for acquiring the authentication information issued by the external gateway via the portable terminal;
The connection establishment means establishes an authenticated communication path with the external gateway using the acquired authentication information.
The gateway device according to claim 1. Content specifying information acquisition means for acquiring, from the portable terminal, content specifying information for specifying the content to be reproduced among the contents under the management of the external gateway,
The content acquisition means acquires content specified by the content specification information from the external gateway.
The gateway device according to claim 1, wherein the gateway device is characterized in that Renderer designation information acquisition means for acquiring, from the portable terminal, renderer designation information for designating a renderer for reproducing the content among the renderers under the management of the gateway device,
The content distribution means distributes the content acquired by the content acquisition means to the renderer specified by the renderer specification information.
The gateway device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gateway device is characterized in that: A content list request accepting means for accepting a content list request for obtaining a content list, which is a list of contents under the management of the external gateway, from the mobile terminal;
Content list request transfer means for transferring the content list request received by the content list request reception means to the external gateway via the communication path established by the communication path establishment means;
The gateway device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: DLNA content list request accepting means for accepting a DLNA content list request, which is a content list request according to the DLNA protocol, from the controller;
Content list acquisition means for acquiring a content list, which is a list of contents under the management of the external gateway, from the external gateway via a communication path established by the communication path establishment means;
Content list transmission means for transmitting the content list acquired by the content list acquisition means to the controller according to the DLNA protocol in response to the DLNA content list request;
A content delivery request including content designation information for designating a content to be reproduced among the contents belonging to the content list, and a DLNA content delivery request according to the DLNA protocol is sent to any of the renderers under the management of the gateway device DLNA content distribution request accepting means for accepting from one of them,
The content acquisition means acquires the content specified by the content specification information included in the DLNA content distribution request from the external gateway,
The content distribution unit distributes the content acquired by the content acquisition unit to a renderer that is a transmission source of the DLNA content distribution request according to a DLNA protocol.
The gateway device according to claim 1. The controller and the renderer are integrated.
The gateway device according to claim 6. The controller and the portable terminal are integrated.
The gateway device according to claim 6. The mobile terminal is a mobile phone.
The gateway device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: A mobile terminal for playing content under the management of an external gateway associated with the own device in advance by a renderer under the control of a gateway device capable of communicating with the own device,
External gateway designation information transmitting means for transmitting external gateway designation information for designating the external gateway to the gateway device;
Content list acquisition means for acquiring a content list, which is a list of contents under the management of the external gateway, directly from the external gateway or from the external gateway via the gateway device;
Content specifying information transmitting means for transmitting content specifying information for specifying the content selected by the user in the content list acquired by the content list acquiring means to the gateway device;
Renderer designation information transmitting means for transmitting, to the gateway apparatus, renderer designation information for designating a renderer for reproducing the content designated by the content designation information among the renderers under the management of the gateway apparatus;
A portable terminal characterized by comprising: A network determination means for determining whether the own device currently exists in the network under the management of the gateway device or the network under the management of the external gateway;
The mobile terminal functions as a controller compliant with DLNA when the mobile device is present in a network under the control of the external gateway.
The mobile terminal according to claim 10. A content playback apparatus for playing back a content ID storage type content that stores a content ID that uniquely identifies itself,
Content ID transmission means for transmitting the content ID included in the content ID storage type content to another content reproduction device;
A content reproduction apparatus characterized by the above. The content reproduction device reproduces content ID storage type content stored in the content storage device,
A content ID storage type content acquisition means for acquiring the content ID storage type content from the content storage device;
The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 12, wherein Authentication information acquisition means for acquiring authentication information issued by an external gateway managing the content storage device from the external gateway;
Authentication information transmitting means for transmitting the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquiring means to a gateway device that manages the other content reproduction device;
The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising: The content ID storage type content includes authentication information issued by an external gateway device that manages the content storage device,
The content playback device
Authentication information transmitting means for transmitting authentication information included in the content ID storage type content to a gateway device that manages the other content reproduction device;
The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 13. Content ID storage type content holding means for holding the content ID storage type content acquired by the content ID storage type content acquisition means is further provided.
The content reproduction device according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the content reproduction device is characterized in that: A content distribution system including a first gateway device, a second gateway device, and a terminal device,
The first gateway device includes content list transmission means for transmitting a content list, which is a list of content under the control of the first gateway device, to the terminal device,
The terminal device sends a content list acquisition means for acquiring the content list transmitted from the first gateway device, and a content distribution request for requesting distribution of content selected from the content list to the first gateway. Content distribution request transmitting means for transmitting to the device,
The first gateway device further includes content transmission means for distributing the requested content to the second gateway device in response to the content distribution request transmitted from the terminal device,
The second gateway device includes content acquisition means for acquiring content distributed from the first gateway device.
A content distribution system characterized by that. The terminal device further includes authentication information transmitting means for transmitting authentication information to the first gateway device,
The first gateway device includes: a user specifying unit that specifies a user of the terminal device based on authentication information transmitted from the terminal device; and a second gateway device that is a distribution destination of the content. Storage means for storing in association with the user,
The content transmission means of the first gateway device distributes the content to a second gateway device specified based on the authentication information and associated with the user of the terminal device;
The content distribution system according to claim 17, wherein: The terminal device further includes gateway designation information transmitting means for transmitting gateway designation information for designating the second gateway device to the first gateway device,
The storage means of the first gateway device sends the second gateway device specified by the gateway specification information transmitted from the terminal device to the user of the terminal device specified based on the authentication information. Associate and remember,
The content distribution system according to claim 18. The second gateway device further includes gateway designation information transmitting means for transmitting gateway designation information for designating the second gateway device to the terminal device,
The terminal device further includes storage means for storing the gateway designation information transmitted from the second gateway device.
The content delivery system according to claim 19. Content list transmitting means for transmitting a content list, which is a list of contents under the control of the own device, to the terminal device;
A content transmission request transmitted from the terminal device, the content transmitting means for distributing the requested content to another gateway device in response to the content distribution request for requesting the distribution of the content selected from the content list; ,
A gateway device comprising: Authentication information receiving means for receiving authentication information transmitted from the terminal device;
User specifying means for specifying a user of the terminal device based on the received authentication information;
Storage means for storing the other gateway device as a delivery destination of the content in association with the user of the terminal device;
The content transmission means distributes the content to another gateway device associated with the user of the terminal device specified based on the authentication information.
The gateway device according to claim 21, wherein: Password transmitting means for transmitting the password to the terminal device;
A connection request transmitted from the other gateway device, a connection request receiving means for receiving a connection request including the password;
Authentication means for confirming whether the password is valid;
Connection establishment means for establishing a communication path for distributing the content with the other gateway device when the password is valid,
The gateway device according to claim 22.   The gateway device according to any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein the terminal device is a mobile terminal. A content distribution system including a first gateway device, a second gateway device, and a terminal device,
The first gateway device includes content list transmission means for transmitting a content list, which is a list of content under the control of the first gateway device, to the terminal device,
The terminal device sends content list acquisition means for acquiring the content list transmitted from the first gateway device, and content specification information for specifying content selected from the content list to the second gateway device. Content specifying information transmitting means for transmitting,
The second gateway device receives content designation information receiving means for receiving content designation information transmitted from the terminal device, and a content distribution request for requesting distribution of the content designated by the content designation information. Content distribution request transmitting means for transmitting to the gateway device, wherein the first gateway device transmits the requested content in response to the content distribution request transmitted from the second gateway device. It further comprises content transmission means for delivering to the gateway device,
The second gateway device further includes content acquisition means for acquiring content distributed from the first gateway device.
A content distribution system characterized by that. The terminal device further includes address transmission means for transmitting an address designating the first gateway device to the second gateway device,
The second gateway device includes an address acquisition unit that acquires the address transmitted from the terminal device,
The content delivery request transmitting means of the second gateway device transmits the content delivery request to the first gateway device designated by the address;
26. The content distribution system according to claim 25. The first gateway device further includes password transmission means for transmitting a password to the terminal device,
The terminal device transmits password acquisition means for acquiring the password transmitted from the first gateway device, an address for designating the first gateway device, and the acquired password to the second gateway device. And an access authority transmitting means for performing
The second gateway device sends an access authority acquisition means for acquiring the address and the password transmitted from the terminal device, and a connection request including the password to the first gateway device specified by the address. A connection request transmitting means for transmitting,
The first gateway device includes a connection request accepting unit that accepts the connection request transmitted from the second gateway device, an authentication unit that confirms whether the password is valid, and the password is valid. Connection establishment means for establishing a communication path for distributing the content to the second gateway device when there is
26. The content distribution system according to claim 25. Content list transmitting means for transmitting a content list, which is a list of contents under the control of the own device, to the terminal device;
In response to a content distribution request transmitted from another gateway device and requesting distribution of the content selected from the content list in the terminal device, the requested content is sent to the other gateway device. Content transmitting means for distribution;
A gateway device comprising: Password transmitting means for transmitting the password to the terminal device;
A connection request accepting means for accepting a connection request including the password from the other gateway device;
Authentication means for confirming whether the password is valid;
Connection establishment means for establishing a communication path for distributing the content with the other gateway device when the password is valid;
The gateway device according to claim 28, wherein: Access authority acquisition means for acquiring an address and authentication information from the outside;
A communication path establishing means for establishing a communication path with the other gateway device by transmitting the authentication information to the other gateway device specified by the address;
Content specification information acquisition means for acquiring content specification information for specifying content from outside,
Content acquisition means for performing a content distribution request for requesting distribution of the content specified by the content specifying information to the other gateway device, and acquiring the content distributed via the communication path. A gateway device characterized by that. A display unit for displaying the content acquired by the content acquisition unit;
The gateway device according to claim 30, wherein:

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