JP2008244968A - Proxy communication terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a means capable of normally ending communication between a video distribution server and a video receiving terminal by any means even when the video receiving terminal performing communication processing with the video distribution server is powered off. <P>SOLUTION: A video receiving terminal is connected to a proxy communication terminal and a video distribution server, and the proxy communication terminal is connected to the video distribution server in addition to the video receiving terminal. The video receiving terminal and the video distribution server are connected and the proxy communication terminal and the video distribution server are connected, respectively via a communication terminal. The video receiving terminal and the proxy communication terminal are connected by HDMI. When communicating with the video distribution server, the video receiving terminal transmits communication information to the proxy communication terminal via the HDMI. The proxy communication terminal monitors a power supply status of the video receiving terminal. When it is confirmed that the video receiving terminal is powered off during connection processing with the video distribution server, the proxy communication terminal ends the communication with the video distribution server on behalf of the video receiving terminal. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication technique using a terminal having a communication function, such as a television, a set top box, or a personal computer.

  A terminal having a communication function has a problem that communication with an external device cannot be terminated normally if the power of the terminal is cut off during communication with the external device. In particular, in a video receiving terminal having a video receiving function in addition to a communication function, if the communication with the video distribution server as an external device cannot be terminated normally, the video distribution server continues to transmit video to the video receiving terminal. Become. If this state continues, the video distribution server continues to play the video, giving a great load to the video distribution server and the communication network.

  For this reason, there has been a technical development of a communication function that allows the communication processing with the video distribution server to be normally terminated even when the video receiving terminal is turned off.

  Conventionally, there exists patent document 1 as a prior art in such a technique. The video receiving terminal holds communication software for performing communication with the video distribution server and a power-off switching control circuit inside the terminal, and the power-off switching control circuit waits for power-off until the processing of the communication software is completed.

  FIG. 2 shows a configuration diagram of a video receiving terminal that realizes the above-described technique. In FIG. 2, the video receiving terminal 500 has a function of normally terminating the communication process with the video distribution server even when the power is turned off. The input unit 501 receives input from the user. The communication unit 502 performs communication processing with the video distribution server 600. The abnormality detection unit 503 monitors the state of the communication unit 502. The power supply unit 504 turns off the power of the video receiving terminal 500. The power-off switching circuit 505 notifies the power-source unit 504 of power-off according to the input status of the input unit 501, the communication unit 502, and the abnormality detection unit 503. The situation in which the power is turned off is when the communication unit 502 normally ends the communication with the video distribution server 600 or when the power-off is notified from the input unit 501 and the abnormality detection unit 503.

  In this video receiving terminal, when the video receiving terminal is performing communication processing with the video distribution server and the user inputs a power-off, the procedure for the video receiving terminal to normally terminate communication with the video distribution server explain.

  First, the input unit 501, the communication unit 502, and the abnormality detection unit 503 are set to a state in which nothing is transmitted to the power-off switching circuit 505.

  Next, the user inputs power off to the input unit 501. The input unit 501 notifies the communication unit 502 and the power-off switching circuit 505 of power-off. However, the power-off switching circuit 505 does not notify the power supply unit 504 of power-off because there is no input from the abnormality detection unit 503.

  Next, the communication unit 502 performs communication end processing with the video distribution server 600. After the processing ends normally, the communication unit 502 notifies the power-off switching control circuit 505 of power-off. At this time, the power-off switching control circuit 505 notifies the power supply unit 504 of power-off. Receiving the notification, the power supply unit 504 turns off the terminal.

In addition, when the communication unit 502 fails to end the communication with the video distribution server 600, the communication unit 502 notifies the abnormality detection unit 503 of an abnormality. The abnormality detection unit 503 notifies the power-off switching control circuit 505 of power-off. At this time, the power-off switching control circuit 505 notifies the power supply unit 504 of power-off. Receiving the notification, the power supply unit 504 turns off the terminal.
JP 11-353059 A

  However, the conventional communication termination technique has the following problems. Although the conventional technology can cope with a user power-off input, it cannot cope with a physical power-off. For example, if an operation such as unplugging the power plug is performed, the video receiving terminal cannot normally terminate the communication process with the video distribution server.

  The present invention aims to solve the above-described problems, and aims to terminate communication with the video distribution server normally even when the video receiving terminal is physically powered off.

  In order to solve the conventional problems described above, the proxy communication terminal according to the first invention of the present application acquires means for detecting power-off of the video receiving terminal, and communication information between the video receiving terminal and the video distribution server. Means and proxy communication means. As a result, the proxy communication terminal can perform the termination process on behalf of the proxy using the communication information acquired in advance after detecting the power-off of the video receiving terminal.

  The proxy communication terminal according to the second invention of the present application is characterized in that the communication information of the video receiving terminal and the video distribution server and the power-off of the video receiving terminal are acquired from HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface). Accordingly, it is possible to reliably perform communication between the video receiving terminal and the proxy communication terminal, and it is possible to turn off the power of the video receiving terminal, acquire communication information, and perform termination processing on behalf of the proxy.

  The proxy communication terminal according to the third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the communication information of the video receiving terminal and the video distribution server and the power-off of the video receiving terminal are acquired from an IP (Internet Protocol) network. As a result, even when the video receiving terminal and the proxy communication terminal are physically separated from each other, it is possible to turn off the power of the video receiving terminal, obtain communication information, and perform the end processing on behalf of the proxy.

Even if the power of the video receiving terminal is cut off, the proxy terminal can normally terminate the communication with the video distribution server.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(Embodiment 1)
In this embodiment, since the proxy communication terminal ends the communication session between the video receiving terminal and the video distribution server as a proxy for the video receiving terminal, the video receiving terminal transmits the communication information between the video receiving terminal and the video distribution server to the HDMI communication. A case where the proxy communication terminal performs communication processing with the video distribution server as a proxy for the video receiving terminal will be described as a model case.

  FIG. 1 illustrating a connection configuration diagram of a video receiving terminal, a proxy communication terminal, and a video distribution server in the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  In FIG. 1, a video receiving terminal 100 can communicate with a video distribution server 300 through a communication network 400. The video receiving terminal 100 is connected to the proxy communication terminal 200 via HDMI. The video receiving terminal 100 can be a home appliance that supports video distribution over a communication network such as a digital television, a set-top box, or a personal computer and has an HDMI input terminal, but is not limited thereto.

  The proxy communication terminal 200 is connected to the video receiving terminal 100 via HDMI and can communicate with the video distribution server 300 through the communication network 400. The proxy communication terminal 200 may be a home appliance having a communication function such as a digital television, a set-top box, a personal computer, and the like and an HDMI input terminal, but is not limited thereto.

  The video distribution server 300 is connected to the communication network 400 and distributes the video to the video receiving terminal 100.

  The communication network 400 is a communication network. Here, the communication network may be a telephone line (dial-up), ADSL, or an optical fiber network, but is not limited thereto.

  Next, the internal configuration of the video receiving terminal 100 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The input unit 101 receives an operation from the user. The user's operation may be an operation from a remote control or an operation from an input panel, but is not limited to this.

  The communication software unit 102 connects to the video distribution server 300 and transmits a video request.

  The communication unit 103 is connected to the proxy communication terminal 200 and the video distribution server 300 via the communication line 400.

  The HDMI unit 104 is connected to the proxy communication terminal 200 via HDMI.

  The power supply unit 105 controls the power supply.

  Next, the internal configuration of the proxy communication terminal 200 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The communication unit 201 is connected to the communication line 400 and transmits a proxy end response to the video distribution server 300.

  The HDMI unit 202 is connected to the video receiving terminal 100 via HDMI.

  The proxy communication unit 203 terminates the communication between the video distribution server 300 and the video receiving terminal 100 as a proxy for the video receiving terminal 100 when the video receiving terminal 100 is turned off without ending the communication with the video distribution server 300. A proxy end response as an instruction is transmitted to the video distribution server 300.

  The power cut detection unit 204 detects the power state of the video receiving terminal 100.

  In the following, in order for the proxy communication terminal 200 to end communication between the video receiving terminal 100 and the video distribution server 300 as a proxy for the video receiving terminal 100, the video receiving terminal 100 transmits communication information using HDMI, and the proxy communication terminal 200 A detailed procedure for performing termination processing by proxy will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 5 and the above-described FIGS.

  The user operates the remote controller to transmit a moving image viewing request to the video receiving terminal 100. The input unit 101 that has received the request transmits a request to view a moving image to the communication software unit 102 (S101).

  The communication software unit 102 transmits a video reception request to the video distribution server 300 via the communication unit 103, and the video distribution server 300 responds to the video reception terminal 100 including communication session information (S102).

  The communication software unit 102 that has acquired the communication session information transmits the communication information to the proxy communication terminal 200 via the HDMI unit 104. The communication information transmitted here is the communication session ID between the video receiving terminal 100 and the video distribution server 300 and the URL of the video distribution server 300. Since an area for transmitting and receiving vendor-specific commands and data is reserved for HDMI, this area is used for transmitting communication information. (S103).

The HDMI unit 202 of the proxy communication terminal 200 that has received the communication information from the video receiving terminal 100 activates the proxy communication unit 203 and transmits the communication information (S104).
The proxy communication unit 203 activates the power-off detection unit 204, and the power-off detection unit 204 detects the power-off of the video receiving terminal 100 from the HDMI unit 202. The detection is performed by the proxy communication terminal 200 transmitting some command to the video receiving terminal 100 via HDMI and confirming that the video receiving terminal 100 does not return a response (S105).

  When the power-off detection unit 204 confirms that the power of the video receiving terminal 100 has been cut off, the power-off detection unit 204 notifies the proxy communication unit 203 that the power of the video receiving terminal 100 has been cut off. The proxy communication unit 203 performs proxy end processing for communication between the video reception server 100 and the video distribution server 300 via the communication unit 201. Specifically, in order to transmit a proxy end response instruction to the video distribution server 300, the communication session ID is transmitted to the URL of the video distribution server acquired from the communication information to instruct to end the communication ( S106).

  Even when the video receiving terminal 100 itself issues an instruction to normally end communication with the video distribution server 300, when the communication software unit 102 ends video reception, the video receiving terminal 100 receives video to the proxy communication terminal 200 via the HDMI unit 104. The end is notified (S107).

  When the communication between the video receiving terminal 100 and the video distribution server 200 ends, the proxy communication terminal 200 ends the function of the proxy communication unit 203 (S108).

According to the present embodiment described above, the video receiving terminal 100 equipped with the HDMI input terminal transmits communication information with the video distribution server 300 to the proxy communication terminal 200 via HDMI, and the video receiving terminal 100 is powered on. Even when the proxy communication terminal 200 is disconnected, the communication between the video distribution server 300 and the video receiving terminal 100 can be ended by proxy. Further, since the video receiving terminal 100 and the proxy communication terminal 200 are transmitted and received by HDMI, it is possible to perform transmission and reception with higher reliability than when communicating via the communication network 400.
Thereby, even when the power of the video receiving terminal 100 is turned off, the user can start normally when starting up next time.

  In the above description, the proxy termination process when the video receiving terminal is turned off has been described in detail. However, the present invention allows the video receiving terminal to normally communicate with the video distribution server due to an abnormality for other reasons. It can also be applied to the case where it disappears.

  Since the video receiving terminal and the proxy communication terminal according to the present invention can transmit the communication information of the video receiving terminal and the video distribution server to the proxy communication terminal by HDMI, the proxy terminal can display the video even if the power of the video receiving terminal is cut off. This is useful as a technique for performing termination processing on behalf of communication with the distribution server.

Configuration diagram of proxy communication system and configuration diagram of proxy communication system in the first embodiment Configuration of conventional video receiving terminal The internal block diagram of the video receiving terminal 100 in 1st Embodiment The internal block diagram of the video delivery server 200 in 1st Embodiment Flowchart of proxy communication by proxy communication terminal

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Video receiving terminal 101 Input part 102 Communication software part 103 Communication part 104 HDMI part 105 Power supply part 200 Proxy communication terminal 201 Communication part 202 HDMI part 203 Proxy communication part 204 Power-off detection part 300 Video distribution server 400 Communication network

Claims (5)

A proxy communication terminal in a video distribution system in which a proxy communication terminal performs proxy processing of a video receiving terminal as a proxy for a communication end process between a video receiving terminal and a video distribution server,
Power-off detection means for detecting power-off of the video receiving terminal;
Communication information acquisition means for acquiring communication information between the video receiving terminal and the video distribution server;
Proxy communication means for communicating with the video communication server as a proxy for the video receiving terminal,
A proxy communication terminal characterized in that after the power-off detection means detects the power-off of the video receiving terminal, the communication information is used to end communication between the video receiving terminal and the video distribution server. 2. The proxy communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein communication information of the video receiving terminal and the video distribution server and detection of power-off of the video receiving terminal are acquired from HDMI. 2. The proxy communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein communication information of the video receiving terminal and the video distribution server and detection of power-off of the video receiving terminal are acquired from an IP network. The proxy communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the communication information includes a URL of a video distribution server, and a communication session ID of the video distribution server and the video receiving terminal. 2. The proxy communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the communication information is transmitted using an area for transmitting and receiving an HDMI vendor-specific command and data.

Images