JP2009027473A - Download terminal, content server, content download method and content distribution method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that, in the case that a user views and then deletes contents of a first story in a series program, if the series program is additionally purchased, download processing may be forcibly performed on the contents of the first story, contents that the user does not intend may become a download target and downloading or viewing of contents of second and following stories may be delayed. <P>SOLUTION: In a download terminal 300, a download determination section judges downloading of a series program and confirms a download history of contents 411 (S114). Since the download history of the contents 411 is registered in a download history, it is confirmed to a user whether to perform downloading (S115). Next, a download history of contents 412 is confirmed (S117). In the case that there is no matched content reference ID in the download history, downloading of the contents 412 is performed (S119, S120). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a download terminal, a content server, a content download method, a content distribution method, and the like that can download and reproduce content such as video and audio via a network.

  In recent years, with the development of the Internet, techniques for downloading and playing back movies, music, and the like are becoming common. There are many services for downloading content from a server that distributes content such as movies and music to a PC, AV device, portable terminal, or portable device via a network.

  By applying the DRM technology to such a content distribution service, it was possible to realize a content rental system that permits viewing with a limited viewing time limit. As this type of rental system, for example, there is a system described in Patent Document 1.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional rental system. In FIG. 10, a provider web server 99, a download content server 101, and a DRM server 102 can be accessed from a download terminal 104 in the home via the Internet network 103. The company web server 99 is a web server in which a rental company presents rental content to a user. The download content server 101 is a download content server that provides encrypted AV content in response to a request from the download terminal 104. The DRM server 102 is a server that provides a decryption key for decrypting the encrypted content downloaded by the download terminal 104. In addition, a TV 105 is connected to the download terminal 104, and the viewer views the downloaded content on the TV 105.

  The operation of such a rental system will be described with reference to FIG. 11, FIG. 12, and FIG.

  FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the inside of the download terminal 104. The purchase content selection unit 107, the download execution unit 112, and the DRM client 114 are connected to the Internet network 103 via the network I / F 106. When there is an instruction (not shown) from the user, the purchase content selection unit 107 obtains the content list page 109 by issuing a purchase content list request 108 to the business operator web server 99, and the contents thereof. To the user. The user browses the purchase content list page 109 and determines the content to be purchased. When the user decides the content to be purchased, a content purchase request 110 is transmitted from the purchase content selection unit 107 to the business entity web server 99, and the business entity web server 99 receiving the request requests the purchase content selection unit 107 to make a request. A content viewing license 111 is issued for the obtained content.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a data structure of the content viewing license 111 issued by the business operator web server 99. The content viewing license 111 includes data of a content title 119, a license ID 120, a content reference ID (CRID) 121, a license type 122, a viewing period 123, a content URI 124, and a DRM server URI 125.

  The purchased content selection unit 107 stores the acquired content viewing license 111 in the HDD 180 and issues a download command 130 to the download execution unit 112. The download instruction 130 includes the license ID 120 included in the content viewing license 111 acquired earlier.

  Upon receiving the download command 130, the download execution unit 112 reads the content viewing license stored on the HDD 180, finds the content viewing license 111 having the license ID 120 specified from the purchased content selection unit 107, and is included in this. The access destination information of the download content server 101 is acquired from the stored content URI 124. The download execution unit 112 issues a content acquisition request 131 for the content specified by the content URI 124 to the download content server 101, downloads the encrypted content 132 from the download content server 101, and acquires the acquired encrypted content 132. Is stored in the HDD 180. At this time, the acquired encrypted content 132 is stored in association with the license ID 120 in the content viewing license 111.

  The viewing content selection unit 113 is a block for selecting the content to be viewed by the user. When there is an instruction (not shown) from the user, the content viewing license stored in the HDD 180 can be read and viewed. Present a list of content to the user. The viewing content selection unit 113 reads the content viewing license 111 corresponding to the content selected by the user from the HDD 180, and issues a decryption key request 133 corresponding to the content to the DRM client 114. At this time, the decryption key request 133 includes a license ID 120, a content reference ID (CRID) 121, and a DRM server URI 125 read from the content viewing license 111.

  Upon receiving the decryption key request 133, the DRM client 114 identifies the access destination of the DRM server 102 based on the DRM server URI 125, and executes an authentication key exchange process 116 with the DRM server 102. The DRM client 114 issues a decryption key request 117 to the DRM server 102 on the encrypted communication path established in the authentication key exchange process 116. The decryption key request 117 includes the license ID 120 acquired from the viewing content selection unit 113 and the content reference ID (CRID) 121.

  The DRM server 102 that has received the decryption key request 117 from the DRM client 114 returns the decryption key 118 of the designated content to the DRM client 114.

  The decryption key 118 acquired by the DRM client 114 is returned to the viewing content selection unit 113, and the viewing content selection unit 113 sets the decryption key 118 in the decryption device 140 and stores it on the HDD 180.

  The viewing content selection unit 113 issues a decryption instruction 141 to the decryptor 140. This decryption instruction 141 includes a license ID 120. Receiving the decryption instruction 141, the decryptor 140 reads the corresponding encrypted download content from the HDD 180 based on the received license ID 120, decrypts it using the set decryption key 118, and decrypts the decrypted content 142. Is output. The decrypted content 142 is input to the AV decoder 143, decoded into a signal format suitable for TV viewing, and output as a TV output 144.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating data generation in the provider web server 99, the download content server 101, and the DRM server 102. On the download content server 101, a content source 172 corresponding to a list of contents that can be purchased, which is presented to the user by the provider web server 99, is stored. These content sources 172 are individually assigned content reference IDs (CRID) 121. The encryption device 173 is an encryption device that encrypts the content source 172, encrypts each content source 172 using the encryption key 181 extracted from the list of encryption keys 181, and stores it as the encrypted content 132. At this time, the download content server 101 creates an encryption key list 151 that is a correspondence table between the content reference ID (CRID) 121 and the encryption key 181, and transmits the encryption key list 151 to the DRM server 102 as a secure communication means. Share by (not shown).

  The provider web server 99 stores all the content viewing licenses 111 issued in response to the content purchase request 110 from the download terminal 104 as an issued license list 150, and this issued license list 150 is stored with the DRM server 102. Shared via a secure communication path (not shown).

  The DRM server 102 generates and returns a decryption key 118 in response to the decryption key request 117 from the download terminal 104. In this decryption key 118, the validity period of the decryption key, that is, the period during which use of this decryption key is permitted for viewing is described in absolute date and time. When determining the viewing period, the DRM server searches the issued license list 150 based on the license ID 120 included in the decryption key request 117 to obtain the viewing period of the content (for example, valid for 7 days). The validity period of the decryption key 118 is determined together with the current time when the decryption key request 117 is received. As a specific example, when the date and time when the decryption key request 117 is received is 10:00 on July 5, 2007, the viewing valid period of the decryption key 118 is set to 10:00 on July 5, 2007. Minutes to July 12, 2007 10:00 are set and returned to the download terminal 104 as the decryption key 118 together with the encryption key.

  FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram schematically representing the above operation in time series. Each symbol in the figure corresponds to each symbol used in the above description. The time when the reproduction request 161 from the user is generated at the download terminal 104 is t1, and the time when the decoded content starts to be output as the TV output 144 is t2.

  As described above, the download terminal 104 acquires the encrypted content 132 from the download content server 101 based on the content viewing license 111 acquired from the provider web server 99, and at the time of viewing the DRM server 102. The decryption key request 117 is issued to obtain the decryption key 118, and the content is decrypted to realize viewing. In addition, when the decryption key 118 is generated, in the DRM server 102, the content viewing validity period is determined by the time when the decryption key request 117 is received from the download terminal 104. The decryption key 118 is stored on the HDD 180 of the download terminal 104, and the content can be viewed without accessing the DRM server 102 again within the viewing validity period.

  On the other hand, as a distribution / sales method from a content distribution service provider to a user, Patent Document 2 discloses a method for distributing / selling as an album as well as distributing and selling a single content and a plurality of contents. .

  Such an album distribution / sales method will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16. The content handled here is not a single content, but a plurality of content is grouped into one distribution / sales unit, album-specific information is added to the content, and the content is packaged as an album (hereinafter referred to as album content) It is. Here, the album-specific information added to the content includes album identification information such as an album name or album ID that can identify the album to which the content belongs, the number of all contents included in the album, and what the content is in the album. This is information such as a track number indicating whether it is the second one. This information is necessary for the terminal 500 to grasp the download status of the content included in the album. Moreover, even if some accident occurs and communication is interrupted, download can be resumed quickly by using this information. The license corresponding to the content is added with content identification information such as a content ID that can identify the content corresponding to the content, or the album-specific information added to the content is also included in the license. It may be added.

  1. The user 100 performs an album content purchase operation in order to view the album content. The album content purchase operation means an operation for the user 100 to use the terminal 500 to select album content to be purchased or to input personal information of the user 100 necessary for purchase.

  2. Upon receiving the purchase operation of the user 100, the terminal 500 first downloads the first content of the album content selected by the user 100 from the content server 600.

  3. The terminal 500 that has downloaded the content downloads the license of the first content from the license server 700. At this time, immediately after the license is distributed to the terminal 500, the license server 700 performs processing necessary for charging / settlement of the usage fee of the album content to the charging / settlement server 800, and receives the processing. The billing / settlement server 800 executes billing / settlement processing. Note that the billing target at this time is not only the first content but also all the content packaged in the album content. In other words, at the timing of charging / settlement for the license of the first content, billing / settlement of all the contents packaged as an album is collectively performed (hereinafter referred to as album unit billing / settlement).

  4. The terminal 500 that has downloaded the first content and its license performs a process of associating the first content with the license, and stores the first content and the license in the terminal 500.

  5. When downloading of the first content and its license is completed, the terminal 500 downloads the second and subsequent content and its license. Note that content and license are downloaded in the same manner as in Process 2 and Process 3, but in the case of album content download, charging / settlement processing immediately after the licenses for the second and subsequent contents are downloaded is not performed. This is because, when the first content and its license are downloaded, charging / settlement for each album has already been performed, so it is not necessary to perform billing / settlement processing for the licenses of the second and subsequent contents. is there. Also, not everyone can download the second and subsequent content and its license, but only the user 100 who has been charged / settled at the time of downloading the license of the first content It also provides a mechanism for downloading the license.

  6. The terminal 500 that has downloaded the second and subsequent contents and the license thereof associates the second and subsequent contents with the license, and stores the second and subsequent contents and the license in the terminal 500.

  7. Thereafter, if there is still content to be downloaded, processing 5 and processing 6 are repeated thereafter.

  8). When the download of all the contents in the album is completed, the terminal 500 that has received the viewing request / operation of the user 100 performs the content and license matching process, and then plays back the selected content.

Through the processing as described above, it is possible to distribute and sell album contents. In addition, services that could not be achieved by distributing and selling single contents or multiple contents can be developed. For example, if the user has previously purchased content with the same content as album content prepared separately by a single content or multiple content distribution / sales system, the album content prepared separately is better When the total price is low, when the user purchases the album content, the difference can be returned to the user.
JP 2001-309332 A Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-092387

  However, when considering a form of content in which content that can be purchased as a single product is sold and distributed in a collective form, the conventional album distribution / sales method described above requires additional content in the series. In addition, there was a problem that the download and viewing of the series were delayed.

  This problem will be specifically described below.

  Here, a content form in which contents that can be purchased as a single item are sold and distributed in a collective form is hereinafter referred to as a series. As an example of the series, a content form that can be purchased separately as the first drama episode and the second drama episode and can be purchased as all 24 episodes of the drama series is typical. In a system capable of handling such a series, consider the case where the first episode of the series is purchased as a single content, downloaded to a download terminal in the home, viewed, and then additionally purchased.

  In this case, when a series is additionally purchased, each content included in the series is downloaded.

  At that time, there is no need to re-download the content stored in the download terminal. Therefore, when performing the download process, the content reference ID, which is a unique ID in the system for specifying the download content, is used. It can be considered that downloading is not performed when content is present in the download terminal, and downloading is performed when content is not present in the download terminal.

  However, there are the following problems in this case.

  That is, after the user views the first episode content of the series, if the user has already viewed the first episode content and deletes the first episode content, the user determines that the first episode content is unnecessary when the series is additionally purchased. Nevertheless, the first-story content download process is forcibly performed. In this way, when additional content in the series is acquired, it takes time before the content from the second episode can be viewed because the content is not intended to be downloaded by the user. And watching is delayed.

  As an easily conceivable solution, it is conceivable to manage the content storage status of the download terminal on the provider web server side. Specifically, when the user deletes content on the download terminal, the content reference ID of the deleted content is sequentially notified from the download terminal to the provider web server. When additional content is acquired, content is not distributed if it is deleted. However, in such a method, when the user desires to acquire again the content deleted by the user, not only the re-acquisition is not possible but also the server load is notified every time the content is deleted. Also, it is not realistic in terms of terminal load.

  In view of the above-described conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a download terminal, a content server, a content download method, a content distribution method, and the like that can efficiently download and view a series.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the first aspect of the present invention provides:
A download terminal capable of downloading and storing individual content and each content in the series included in the series from the content server,
The series is a form in which a plurality of contents are combined into one,
Whether to download the individual content and each content in the series from the content server as a download history, and to download each content in the download waiting series scheduled to be downloaded based on the download history It is a download terminal that performs the determination.

The second aspect of the present invention
If there is a history related to the content in the download history and each content in the download waiting series is not the same as the content, the download is performed without inquiring the user as to whether or not each content in the download waiting series is desired. The download terminal according to the first aspect of the present invention performs

The third aspect of the present invention
If there is a history related to the content in the download history and each content in the download waiting series is the same as the content, the user is asked whether or not he / she wants to download the same content in the download waiting series. The download terminal of the first aspect of the present invention inquires.

The fourth aspect of the present invention is
As a result of the inquiry to the user, if the user desires to download the same content in the download waiting series, the user downloads the same content in the download waiting series. If not, the download terminal of the third aspect of the present invention does not download the same content.

The fifth aspect of the present invention provides
The download terminal according to the third aspect of the present invention determines whether or not to download the same content in the download waiting series without inquiring the user based on a preset by the user.

The sixth aspect of the present invention provides
If the content scheduled to be downloaded is not each content in the series but the individual content, it is not determined whether to download the individual content based on the download history. It is a download terminal of the present invention.

The seventh aspect of the present invention
A content server capable of distributing individual content and each content in a series included in a series of a plurality of content to one download terminal,
Distribution of each individual content and each content in the series to the download terminal is held as a distribution history, and distribution of each content in the distribution waiting series scheduled to be distributed to the download terminal based on the distribution history It is a content server that requests the download terminal to make an inquiry to the user as to whether or not to execute the process.

In addition, the eighth aspect of the present invention
If there is a history related to the content in the distribution history and each content in the distribution waiting series is not the same as the content, an inquiry to the user as to whether or not distribution of each content in the distribution waiting series is desired, The content server according to a seventh aspect of the present invention, which distributes each content in the distribution waiting series without requesting the download terminal.

The ninth aspect of the present invention provides
If there is a history related to the content in the distribution history and each content in the distribution waiting series is the same as the content, to the user whether or not distribution of the same content in the distribution waiting series is desired The content server according to the seventh aspect of the present invention requests the download terminal to make an inquiry.

The tenth aspect of the present invention is
When the content scheduled to be distributed is not each content in the series but the individual content, it is not determined whether to distribute the individual content based on the distribution history. It is a content server of the present invention.

The eleventh aspect of the present invention is
Individual content and a series of a plurality of content can be purchased individually, and the individual content and each content in the series included in the series can be downloaded and accumulated from a content server A download device,
When receiving an inquiry request to the user about whether or not to download content from the content server, the download terminal makes an inquiry to the user as to whether or not to download the content according to the inquiry request to the user.

The twelfth aspect of the present invention is
As a result of inquiring to the user, if the user desires to download each content in the download waiting series, download is performed, and if the user does not want to download each content in the download waiting series, the download waiting The download terminal according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention does not download content.

The thirteenth aspect of the present invention is
The download terminal according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention determines whether or not to download each content in the download waiting series without making an inquiry to the user based on a preset by the user.

The fourteenth aspect of the present invention is
Individual content and a series of a plurality of content can be purchased individually, and the individual content and each content in the series included in the series can be downloaded and accumulated from a content server A content download method on a download terminal,
The download terminal stores, as a download history, that the individual content and the content in the series have been downloaded from the content server, and downloads each content in the download waiting series scheduled to be downloaded based on the download history. This is a content download method for determining whether or not to perform.

The fifteenth aspect of the present invention provides
If there is a history related to the content in the download history and each content in the download waiting series is not the same as the content, the download is performed without inquiring the user as to whether or not each content in the download waiting series is desired. 14 is a content download method according to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention.

The 16th aspect of the present invention is
If there is a history related to the content in the download history and each content in the download waiting series is the same as the content, the user is asked whether or not he / she wants to download the same content in the download waiting series. The content download method according to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention is inquired.

The seventeenth aspect of the present invention
As a result of the inquiry to the user, if the user desires to download the same content in the download waiting series, the user downloads the content, and the user desires to download the same content in the download waiting series. If not, the content download method according to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention is such that the same content is not downloaded.

The 18th aspect of the present invention is
The content download method according to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention is a method for determining whether or not to download the same content in the download waiting series without inquiring of the user based on a preset by the user.

The nineteenth aspect of the present invention provides
If the content scheduled to be downloaded is not each content in the series but the individual content, it is not determined whether to download the individual content based on the download history. This is a content download method of the present invention.

The twentieth aspect of the present invention is
A content distribution method in a content server capable of distributing individual content and content in a series included in a series in which a plurality of contents are combined into a download terminal,
In the content server, the distribution history that the individual content and each content in the series are distributed to the download terminal is held as a distribution history, and the distribution waiting series scheduled to be distributed to the download terminal based on the distribution history Content download method for requesting the download terminal from the content server to inquire of the user whether or not to distribute each content.

The 21st aspect of the present invention
In the content server, if there is a history regarding the content in the distribution history and each content in the distribution waiting series is not the same as the content, a user as to whether or not distribution of each content in the distribution waiting series is desired A content distribution method according to the twentieth aspect of the present invention, wherein each content in the distribution waiting series is distributed without requesting the download terminal to make an inquiry.

The twenty-second aspect of the present invention provides
In the content server, if there is a history related to the content in the distribution history and each content in the distribution waiting series is the same as the content, distribution of the same content in the distribution waiting series is desired. A content distribution method according to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, in which the download terminal is requested to make an inquiry to the user about whether or not.

The twenty-third aspect of the present invention provides
When the content scheduled to be distributed is not each content in the series but the individual content, it is not determined whether to distribute the individual content based on the distribution history. This is a content distribution method of the present invention.

The twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention provides
Downloads that can purchase individual content and a series of a plurality of contents combined into one, and download and store the individual content and in-series content included in the series from a content server A content download method on a terminal,
When the download terminal receives an inquiry request to the user about whether or not to download the content from the content server, the content download inquires the user as to whether or not to download the content according to the inquiry request to the user. Is the method.

The twenty-fifth aspect of the present invention provides
A program for causing a computer to execute each operation step of the content download method according to any one of the fourteenth to nineteenth and twenty-fourth aspects of the present invention.

The twenty-sixth aspect of the present invention provides
A program for causing a computer to execute each operation step of the content distribution method of any one of the 20th to 23rd aspects of the present invention.

The twenty-seventh aspect of the present invention provides
A recording medium on which the program of the twenty-fifth or twenty-sixth aspect of the present invention is recorded, which can be used by a computer.

  According to the present invention, when content not intended by the user is to be downloaded when downloading in-series content, it is possible to check whether each content has been downloaded before. . Therefore, it is possible to confirm with the user whether or not to download again the content that the user has previously downloaded. As a result, the user can decide whether or not to download the unintended content according to the user's convenience, so that a significant effect that the series can be efficiently downloaded and viewed can be obtained. .

  Further, according to the present invention, when downloading a single content, unlike in the case of downloading content within a series, the user is not inquired. The remarkable effect that it becomes possible to save the effort which confirms is acquired.

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

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing functional blocks of the download terminal 300 in the first embodiment.

  Here, the description of the same configuration as that shown in FIG. 11 of the conventional example is omitted.

  In addition to the processing of the download execution unit 112, the download execution unit 301 performs download history registration 303 that registers the download history 400 for the downloaded content in the download history holding unit 302 when the download of the content is completed.

  An example of the download history 400 is shown in FIG. The download history 400 includes, for each downloaded content, a content reference ID 401 for specifying the content, a download date / time 402 indicating the download date / time, and a content title 403.

  As a result, the download terminal 300 can hold a download history that can identify the downloaded content.

  The purchase content selection unit 304 issues a download determination command 306 to the download determination unit 305. Similar to the download command 130, the download determination command 306 includes the license ID 120 included in the acquired content viewing license 111.

  When the download determination unit 305 receives the download determination command 306 including the license ID 120 included in the content viewing license 111 from the purchase content selection unit 304, the download determination unit 305 determines that there is one content viewing license included in the download determination command 306. , The download instruction 308 including the license ID 120 is sent to the download execution unit 301.

  If there are two or more license IDs included in the download determination command 306, a download history check process is performed. The following processing is performed in order for the included license IDs.

  First, the download determination unit 305 acquires a content viewing license with reference to the license ID. Next, a content reference is acquired from the contents. On the other hand, download history acquisition 307 is performed from the download history holding unit 302.

  The download determination unit 305 compares the content reference ID 121 acquired from the download determination command 306 with the content reference ID 401 included in the download history 400 acquired from the download history acquisition 307 and confirms whether there is a matching value. To do.

  If there is no matching content reference ID, the download determination unit 305 sends a download command 308 including the license ID to the download execution unit 301. On the other hand, if there is a matching content reference ID, a confirmation screen 480 shown in FIG. 3 is displayed to the user using a display unit (not shown) to confirm whether or not to download to the user. If the user desires to download, the download instruction 308 including the license ID is sent to the download execution unit 301. If the user does not desire download, the download ID is not sent to the download instruction 308. Do not do it.

  Thereby, when downloading the content waiting for download, the download terminal 300 can inquire of the user whether to download the content if the download has been performed before.

  Upon receiving the download instruction 308, the download execution unit 301 reads the content viewing license stored on the HDD 180, finds the content viewing license 111 having the specified license ID 120, and from the content URI 124 included therein. The access destination information of the download content server 101 is acquired. The download execution unit 301 issues a content acquisition request 131 for the content specified by the content URI 124 to the download content server 101, downloads the encrypted content 132 from the download content server 101, and acquires the acquired encrypted content 132. Is stored in the HDD 180. At this time, the acquired encrypted content 132 is stored in association with the license ID 120 in the content viewing license 111.

  Next, the above operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, which are sequence diagrams schematically showing the operation in time series. Each code | symbol in a figure respond | corresponds to each code | symbol used by the prior art example and the said description.

  4 and 5, after the user purchases and plays the content 411 from the provider web server 99 at the download terminal 300, the content 411 is deleted from the download terminal 300, and then the content 411 is included. The operation until the purchase of the series 450 is avoided and the download of the content 411 is avoided is shown.

  The content 411 corresponds to an example of individual content according to the present invention.

  FIG. 6 illustrates contents 411 and series 450 purchased by the user. The series 450 includes content 411, content 412, and content 413. Here, the content 411 is the content indicated by the content viewing license 421, the content 412 is the content indicated by the content viewing license 422, and the content 413 is the content indicated by the content viewing license 423. The content viewing license 421, the content viewing license 422, and the content viewing license 423 are shown in FIG.

  First, FIG. 4 will be described. FIG. 4 is a sequence from when the user purchases the content 411 from the provider web server 99 on the download terminal 300 and reproduces it, and then deletes the content 411 from the download terminal 300.

  Note that at the start of FIG. 4, it is assumed that the download terminal 300 has not downloaded content before and nothing is registered in the download history 400.

  The purchase content selection unit 304 obtains the content list page 310 by issuing a purchase content list request 309 to the business operator web server 99 in accordance with an instruction (not shown) from the user, and the content is displayed by the user. (S101). The user browses the purchase content list page 310 and purchases the content 411. The content purchase request 311 is transmitted from the purchase content selection unit 304 to the business entity web server 99 (S102). Receiving this, the business entity web server 99 issues a content viewing license 421 for the content 411 to the purchased content selection unit 304 (S103). Then, the acquired content viewing license 421 is stored in the HDD 180 and a download determination instruction 312 is issued to the download determination unit 305. This download determination instruction 312 includes the license ID 424 included in the acquired content viewing license 421.

  The download determination unit 305 determines whether or not to confirm the download history for the content 411 corresponding to the content viewing license 421. Since the download determination command 312 includes only one content viewing license, it is determined that the download is not a series download, the download history check is not performed, and the download command 313 including the license ID 120 is included in the download execution unit 301. (S104).

  Upon receiving the download command 313, the download execution unit 301 reads the content viewing license 421 stored on the HDD 180, finds the content viewing license 421 having the designated license ID 424, and includes the content URI 426 included therein. From this, the access destination information of the download content server 101 is acquired. The download execution unit 301 issues a content acquisition request 314 for the content specified by the content URI 426 to the download content server 101 (S105). The download execution unit 301 downloads the encrypted content 411 from the download content server 101 (S106), and stores the acquired encrypted content 411 in the HDD 180. At this time, the acquired encrypted content 411 is stored in association with the license ID 424 in the content viewing license 421. Further, the download execution unit 301 performs download history registration 303 in which the download history for the downloaded content 411 is registered in the download history holding unit 302 (S107).

  Next, the user views the content 411 (S108). Since the operation at the time of viewing is the same as that of the conventional example, it is omitted.

  Then, the user determines that it is useless even if the viewed content is held, and deletes the content 411 from the download terminal 300 (S109). As a result, the encrypted content 411 and content viewing license 421 stored in the download terminal 300 are deleted.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, when the download terminal 300 acquires the encrypted content 411 from the download content server 101 based on the content viewing license 421 acquired from the provider web server 99, The download history for the acquired content can be registered.

  Also, when downloading content, unlike downloading content in the series, the download history is not checked, so it is possible to save the user from having to check every content. .

  Next, FIG. 5 will be described. FIG. 5 shows an operation after the user purchases the series 450 including the content 411 at the download terminal 300 and avoids the download of the content 411 after FIG. 4.

  The purchase content selection unit 304 obtains the content list page 310 by issuing a purchase content list request 309 to the business operator web server 99 in accordance with an instruction (not shown) from the user, and the content is displayed by the user. (S111). The user browses the content list page 310 and purchases the series 450. A content purchase request 311 is transmitted from the purchase content selection unit 304 to the business entity web server 99 (S112). Receiving this, the company web server 99 issues a content viewing license 421, a content viewing license 422, and a content viewing license 423 for the content 411, the content 412 and the content 413 included in the series 450 to the purchased content selection unit 304. (S113). Then, the content viewing license 421, the content viewing license 422, and the content viewing license 423 are stored in the HDD 180, and a download determination instruction 312 is issued to the download determination unit 305. The download determination command 312 includes the acquired content viewing license 421, content viewing license 422, and license ID 424, license ID 427, and license ID 428 included in the content viewing license 423.

  The download determination unit 305 determines whether or not to confirm the download history for the download determination instruction 312. Since the download determination command 312 includes three content viewing licenses, it is determined that the download is a series and the download history is confirmed. At that time, the download determination unit 305 refers to the content viewing license 421, the content viewing license 422, and the content 411, the content 412, and the content 413 corresponding to the content viewing license 423 in order, and sequentially confirms the download history for the content. .

  First, the download history for the content 411 is confirmed (S114). Detailed operation will be described below.

  First, the download determination unit 305 acquires the content viewing license 421 with reference to the license ID 424. Then, the content reference ID 425 is acquired from the contents. Then, a download history acquisition 307 is performed from the download history holding unit 302, and the values of the content reference ID 401 included in the download history 400 acquired from the download history acquisition 307 are compared, so that there is a matching value. Check whether or not.

  In this case, since the download history of the content 411 is registered in the download history 400 by the content 411 history registration (S107), the content reference IDs match. For this reason, the download execution unit 301 uses a display unit (not shown) to display a confirmation screen to the user, and confirms whether or not to download to the user (S115).

  The user does not want to download. Therefore, the download determination unit 305 avoids the download of the content 411 by removing the license ID 424 from the download determination command 312 to be sent to the download execution unit 301 (S116).

  Next, the download history of the content 412 is confirmed (S117). In this case, although the download history of the content 411 is registered in the download history 400 by the content 411 history registration (S107), there is no matching content reference ID. Therefore, the download determination unit 305 downloads the content 412 by not removing the license ID 427 from the download determination command 312 to be sent to the download execution unit 301.

  Similarly, the download history for the content 413 is confirmed (S118). Similar to the content 412, since there is no matching content reference ID, the download determination unit 305 downloads the content 413 by not removing the license ID 428 from the download determination command 312 sent to the download execution unit 301.

  Upon receiving the download command 313 including the license ID 427 and the license ID 428, the download execution unit 301 downloads the content 412 and the content 413 (S119, S120).

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, when downloading a series, even if content that is not intended by the user is to be downloaded, each content is stored according to the download history. By confirming whether or not the content has been downloaded before, it is possible to confirm whether or not to re-download the previously downloaded content to the user. In addition, when downloading content, it is possible to save the user from having to confirm all content by not confirming whether or not to download again.

  In the download determination unit 305 of the first embodiment, the download determination process is performed in the case of series download, and the download determination process is not performed in the case of individual contents. Also, the download determination process may be performed, and is not necessarily limited to this determination process. However, even in the case of individual content, if the download determination process is performed, the user will check each time the content previously deleted by the user. For this reason, in the case of individual contents, it is considered that the first embodiment has a unique effect that the download determination process is not performed.

  Note that the method of comparing the content reference ID 425 and the content reference ID 401 included in the download history 400 in the download determining unit 305 of the first embodiment is an example, and the content reference ID 425 is inquired from the download history holding unit 302 to confirm it. Any method may be used as long as the same effect can be obtained.

(Embodiment 2)
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  Unlike the first embodiment, the second embodiment uses the distribution history held by the operator web server 502 instead of the download history held by the download terminal 501 to confirm whether or not the content has been downloaded. This is an embodiment in the case of making a determination.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the functional blocks of the server in the second embodiment, and the operations of the provider web server 502 and the content server 503 will be described using this. In addition, description is abbreviate | omitted here about the structure similar to the structure shown in FIG. 11 of the prior art example.

  The distribution history holding unit 510 has the same function as the download history holding unit 302 described in the first embodiment. That is, when content is distributed from the content server 503 to the download terminal 501, the distribution history 400 is registered by the download history registration processing 511.

  As a result, the provider web server 502 can hold the distribution history 400 that can identify the distributed content.

  Upon receiving the content purchase request 110 from the download terminal 501, the distribution determination unit 512 acquires the content reference ID of the content to be downloaded. Then, a distribution history acquisition 513 is performed from the distribution history holding unit 510, and it is confirmed whether or not the content reference ID is included in the distribution history. When the content reference ID is not included in the distribution history, the content viewing license 111 for the requested content is transmitted to the purchased content selection unit 107 of the download terminal 501. When the content reference ID is included in the distribution history, the content viewing license transmission message 550 including the user confirmation request is transmitted together with the content viewing license 111 for the requested content of the download terminal 501.

  As a result, it is possible to cause the download terminal 501 to confirm whether or not to download the content that has a distribution history to the download terminal 501 in the provider web server 502.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, the distribution history is acquired in the content server 503, and the distribution history is held in the provider web server 502, whereby the distributed content can be specified. In addition, the download terminal 501 can be made to confirm whether or not to download.

  Next, functional blocks of the download terminal 501 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The purchase content selection unit 514 issues a download determination command 515 including a license ID to the download determination unit 516. At this time, when the content viewing license transmission message 550 including the user confirmation request is received from the provider web server 502, the download determination instruction 515 further includes the user confirmation request.

  The download determination unit 516 confirms whether a user confirmation request is included for the download determination instruction 515. If the user confirmation request is not included, a download command 517 including the license ID is sent to the download execution unit 301 as it is. On the other hand, if a user confirmation request is included, a confirmation screen 480 is displayed to the user using a display unit (not shown), and it is confirmed whether or not to download to the user. If the user desires download, the download instruction 517 including the license ID is sent to the download execution unit 301. If the user does not desire download, the download instruction 517 is not sent with the license ID. Do not do it.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, confirmation of whether or not to download can be realized by the download terminal 501.

  The download terminal 300 and the download terminal 501 in the first and second embodiments are typically HDD recorders, but are not limited to this.

  In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the data structure shown in FIG. 2 is only an example for the download history 400, and at least information for specifying the content may be held. It is not limited to. However, by holding the download date and time as shown in each embodiment, the date and time when the content was previously downloaded can be displayed to the user on the confirmation screen 480, so that there is a specific effect.

  Further, in the first and second embodiments, the confirmation screen 480 is merely an example, and may be any screen display that can confirm the user intention, and is limited to this screen example. is not.

  In Embodiments 1 and 2, the forms of series 450, content viewing license 421, content viewing license 422, and content viewing license 423 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are not limited to this. . In particular, it suffices to obtain information related to the content necessary for carrying out the present invention, such as a license ID, content reference ID, and content URI, by any means, and the storage form of the information related to the content is limited to the exemplified content viewing license. Not what you want.

  Further, in the download instruction 308, the download instruction 517, the download determination instruction 306, and the download determination instruction 515 in the first and second embodiments, the license ID is used as information for specifying the content to be downloaded. Any information may be used as long as it can uniquely identify the content, and the present invention is not limited to this.

  Further, the system configuration such as the server in the first embodiment and the second embodiment is an example, and the configuration of the provider server and the DRM server may be different, and is not limited to this configuration.

  The program of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute the operation of each operation step of the content download method described above, and is a program that operates in cooperation with the computer.

  The program of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute the operation of each operation step of the content distribution method described above, and is a program that operates in cooperation with the computer.

  The recording medium of the present invention is a recording medium that records a program for causing a computer to execute the operation of each operation step of the above-described content download method or content distribution method, and is readable and read by the computer. The program is a recording medium used in cooperation with the computer.

  The “step operation” of the present invention means the operation of all or part of the step.

  Further, one usage form of the program of the present invention may be an aspect in which the program is recorded on a recording medium such as a ROM readable by a computer and operates in cooperation with the computer.

  Further, one use form of the program of the present invention may be an aspect in which the program is transmitted through a transmission medium such as the Internet or a transmission medium such as light / radio wave, read by a computer, and operates in cooperation with the computer. .

  The computer of the present invention described above is not limited to pure hardware such as a CPU, DSP, FPGA, and may include firmware, an OS, and peripheral devices.

  As described above, the configuration of the present invention may be realized by software or hardware.

  As described above, the download terminal, content server, content download method, content distribution method, etc. of the present invention avoid unintentional content download according to user convenience when downloading in-series content. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently download and view the contents after the second episode.

  Also, according to the present invention, when downloading a single content, unlike in the case of downloading in-series content, the user is not inquired, so that the user does not have to check each content individually. It has the remarkable effect that it becomes possible.

  The download terminal, content server, content download method, content distribution method, and the like according to the present invention can avoid unintended content download according to user convenience when downloading content in a series. Download terminal and content that have the remarkable effect of enabling efficient downloading and viewing of content after the talk, and that can download and play content such as video and audio via the network It is useful as a server, a content download method, a content distribution method, and the like.

Block diagram of a download terminal in Embodiment 1 of the present invention The figure which shows the data structure of the download history in Embodiment 1 of this invention The figure which shows the example of a display of the download confirmation screen in Embodiment 1 of this invention Sequence diagram showing the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention Sequence diagram showing the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention The figure which shows the data structure of the content and series of Embodiment 1 of this invention The figure which shows the data structure of the content viewing license of Embodiment 1 of this invention. The figure which shows the structure and data sharing of the server group of Embodiment 2 of this invention Block diagram of download terminal according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention Configuration diagram of conventional system Block diagram of a conventional download terminal The figure which shows the data structure of the conventional content viewing license The figure which shows the structure and data sharing of the conventional server group Sequence diagram showing the operation outline of a conventional system Sequence diagram showing the operation outline of a conventional system Sequence diagram showing the operation outline of a conventional system

Explanation of symbols

99 Provider web server 101 Download content server 102 DRM server 103 Internet network 104 Download terminal 105 TV
106 Network I / F
107, 304 Purchased content selection unit 108, 309 Purchased content list request 109, 310 Content list page 110, 311 Content purchase request 111, 421, 422 Content viewing license 112, 301 Download execution unit 113 Viewing content selection unit 114 DRM client 116 Authentication Key exchange processing 117 Decryption key request 118 Decryption key 119 Content title 120, 424, 427, 428 License ID
121,425 Content reference ID
122 License type 123 Viewing period 124, 426 Content URI
125 DRM server URI
130, 308 Download instruction 131 Content acquisition request 132 Encrypted content 133 Decryption key request 140 Decryptor 143 AV decoder 144 TV output 150 Issued license list 151 Encryption key list 172 Content source 173 Encryptor 180 HDD
300 Download Terminal 302 Download History Holding Unit 303 Download History Registration 306 Download Determination Instruction 307 Download History Acquisition 400 Download History, Distribution History 401 Content Reference ID
402 download date and time 403 content title 411, 412, 413 content 450 series 480 confirmation screen 501 download terminal 502 provider web server 503 content server 510 distribution history holding unit 511 distribution history registration processing 512 distribution determination unit 513 distribution history acquisition 514 purchase content selection Section 515 Download determination instruction 516 Download determination section 517 Download instruction 550 Content viewing license transmission message

Claims (27)

A download terminal capable of downloading and storing individual content and each content in the series included in the series from the content server,
The series is a form in which a plurality of contents are combined into one,
Whether to download the individual content and each content in the series from the content server as a download history, and to download each content in the download waiting series scheduled to be downloaded based on the download history A download terminal that makes a decision.   If there is a history regarding the content in the download history and each content in the download waiting series is not the same as the content, the download is performed without inquiring of the user as to whether or not each content in the download waiting series is desired. The download terminal according to claim 1, wherein:   If there is a history regarding the content in the download history and each content in the download waiting series is the same as the content, the user is asked whether or not he / she wants to download the same content in the download waiting series. The download terminal according to claim 1, which makes an inquiry.   As a result of the inquiry to the user, if the user desires to download the same content in the download waiting series, the user downloads the content, and the user desires to download the same content in the download waiting series. The download terminal according to claim 3, wherein if not, the same content is not downloaded.   4. The download terminal according to claim 3, wherein the download terminal determines whether to download without inquiring of the user whether or not the download of the same content in the download waiting series is desired based on a preset by a user.   The content to be downloaded is not each content in the series but the individual content, and it is not determined whether to download the individual content based on the download history. 1. The download terminal according to 1. A content server capable of distributing individual content and each content in a series included in a series of a plurality of content to one download terminal,
Distribution of each individual content and each content in the series to the download terminal is held as a distribution history, and distribution of each content in the distribution waiting series scheduled to be distributed to the download terminal based on the distribution history A content server that requests the download terminal to make an inquiry to the user as to whether or not to execute the operation.   If there is a history related to the content in the distribution history and each content in the distribution waiting series is not the same as the content, an inquiry to the user as to whether or not distribution of each content in the distribution waiting series is desired, The content server according to claim 7, wherein each content in the distribution waiting series is distributed without requesting the download terminal.   If there is a history related to the content in the distribution history and each content in the distribution waiting series is the same as the content, to the user whether or not distribution of the same content in the distribution waiting series is desired The content server according to claim 7, wherein the inquiry is requested to the download terminal.   The content to be distributed is not each content in the series but the individual content, and it is not determined whether to distribute the individual content based on the distribution history. 8. The content server according to 7. Individual content and a series of a plurality of content can be purchased individually, and the individual content and each content in the series included in the series can be downloaded and accumulated from a content server A download device,
A download terminal that, upon receiving an inquiry request to a user about whether or not to download content from the content server, inquires of the user whether to download the content in accordance with the inquiry request to the user.   As a result of inquiring to the user, if the user desires to download each content in the download waiting series, download is performed, and if the user does not want to download each content in the download waiting series, the download waiting The download terminal according to claim 11, wherein the content is not downloaded.   The download terminal according to claim 11, wherein whether or not to download each content in the download waiting series is determined without making an inquiry to the user based on a preset by a user. Individual content and a series of a plurality of content can be purchased individually, and the individual content and each content in the series included in the series can be downloaded and accumulated from a content server A content download method on a download terminal,
The download terminal stores, as a download history, that the individual content and the content in the series have been downloaded from the content server, and downloads each content in the download waiting series scheduled to be downloaded based on the download history. A content download method for determining whether or not to perform.   If there is a history related to the content in the download history and each content in the download waiting series is not the same as the content, the download is performed without inquiring the user as to whether or not each content in the download waiting series is desired. The content download method according to claim 14, wherein:   If there is a history related to the content in the download history and each content in the download waiting series is the same as the content, the user is asked whether or not he / she wants to download the same content in the download waiting series. The content download method according to claim 14, wherein an inquiry is made.   As a result of the inquiry to the user, if the user desires to download the same content in the download waiting series, the user downloads the content, and the user desires to download the same content in the download waiting series. The content download method according to claim 16, wherein the same content is not downloaded when not.   The content download method according to claim 16, wherein it is determined whether or not to download the same content in the download waiting series without inquiring of the user based on a preset by a user.   The content to be downloaded is not each content in the series but the individual content, and it is not determined whether to download the individual content based on the download history. 14. The content download method according to 14. A content distribution method in a content server capable of distributing individual content and in-series content included in a series in which a plurality of contents are combined into a download terminal, respectively,
In the content server, distribution of the individual content and each content in the series to the download terminal is held as a distribution history, and based on the distribution history, a distribution waiting series scheduled to be distributed to the download terminal Content distribution method for requesting the download terminal from the content server to inquire of the user whether or not to distribute each of the contents.   In the content server, if there is a history regarding the content in the distribution history and each content in the distribution waiting series is not the same as the content, a user as to whether or not distribution of each content in the distribution waiting series is desired 21. The content distribution method according to claim 20, wherein each content in the distribution waiting series is distributed without requesting the download terminal to make an inquiry to the download terminal.   In the content server, if there is a history related to the content in the distribution history and each content in the distribution waiting series is the same as the content, distribution of the same content in the distribution waiting series is desired. The content distribution method according to claim 20, wherein the download terminal is requested to make an inquiry to the user about whether or not.   The content to be distributed is not each content in the series but the individual content, and it is not determined whether to distribute the individual content based on the distribution history. 20. The content distribution method according to 20. Downloads that can purchase individual content and a series of a plurality of contents combined into one, and download and store the individual content and in-series content included in the series from a content server A content download method on a terminal,
When the download terminal receives an inquiry request to the user about whether or not to download the content from the content server, the content download inquires the user as to whether or not to download the content according to the inquiry request to the user. Method.   The program for making a computer perform each operation | movement step of the content download method in any one of Claims 14-19, 24.   The program for making a computer perform each operation | movement step of the content delivery method in any one of Claims 20-23.   27. A recording medium on which the program according to claim 25 or 26 is recorded, the recording medium being usable by a computer.

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