JP2009253889A - Network system, content server, and content playback synchronization control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To synchronize playback operations of contents for a plurality of devices in a state where the same contents can be simultaneously distributed to the plurality of devices on a network. <P>SOLUTION: In a state where the same contents can be simultaneously distributed from a content server 100 to a plurality of content playback devices 200, when a user operates one content playback device 200, the content playback device 200 operated by the user issues a notice of an event relating to a state change in content playback to the content server 100. When the notice of the event is received, the content server 100 controls the content playback devices 200 other than the content playback device 200 operated by the user, and makes a playback state for the contents coincident with a playback state of the content playback device 200 operated by the user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a network system including a content server and a plurality of content playback apparatuses, and more particularly to a content playback synchronization control method thereof.

DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), a standard that allows users to configure home networks by combining various devices (including digital home appliances) and enjoy audio and video content easily at various locations in the home Has been proposed. According to this specification, the user can freely call up digital contents such as photos, videos, music, etc. stored in the server and reproduce them on a desired device without performing complicated settings (Non-Patent Document 1). reference).
“What is DLNA?” [Search on January 11, 2008] Internet <URL: http: www.alpha.co.jp/biz/product/dlna/about/>

  In a conventional network, when the same content is being distributed to multiple devices at the same time, when an operation is performed on one device, the content playback status is as if the same operation was performed on another device Could not meet the request to synchronize.

  The present invention has been made in such a background, and makes it possible to synchronize the reproduction state of content for a plurality of devices in a state where the same content can be simultaneously distributed to a plurality of devices on the network. Is.

  The network system according to the present invention is a network system including a content server and a plurality of content reproduction devices, and the content server manages content that can be distributed to the plurality of content reproduction devices. Means for simultaneously distributing the same content to a plurality of content playback devices, and when receiving a notification of an event relating to a state change of content playback from one of the plurality of content playback devices, another content playback device Means for outputting an instruction to generate the same event as the event, and each of the plurality of content playback devices controls the content playback device in accordance with a user operation and an instruction from the content server. Means and the content when a playback operation is received Characterized by comprising a means for issuing an event notification about the status change to the over server.

  In this configuration, the content server can simultaneously distribute the same content to a plurality of content playback devices, and when a user operation is performed on any of the content playback devices, the content server In response to the notification of the event relating to the playback state change, an instruction is issued to cause the other content playback device to generate the same event. That is, the same reproduction operation is performed on the same content. As a result, the reproduction operations of the plurality of content reproduction apparatuses are synchronized.

  A content server according to the present invention is a content server connected to a plurality of content reproduction devices via a network, and means for managing content that can be distributed to the plurality of content reproduction devices; Means for simultaneously delivering the same content to the plurality of content playback devices in response to an operation of the device, means for receiving notification of an event relating to a state change in content playback from the content playback device that has been operated by the user, and the user And a means for controlling a content playback device other than the content playback device that has received the above operation, and the playback state of the content playback device matches the playback state of the content playback device that has been operated by the user.

  A content playback synchronization control method according to the present invention is a content playback synchronization control method in a network system including a content server and a plurality of content playback devices, and there is one content playback device according to a user operation. A step of controlling the reproduction of content, a step of issuing a notification of an event related to a change in the state of content reproduction to the content server by a content reproduction device that has received a reproduction operation, and the content server when receiving the notification of the event And a step of controlling a content playback device other than the one content playback device to match the playback state of the same content as the certain content with the playback state of the one content playback device. .

  Other configurations and operational effects of the present invention will be described below.

  According to the present invention, in a state where the same content can be simultaneously distributed to a plurality of devices on the network, it is possible to synchronize the playback state of the content for the plurality of devices.

  Hereinafter, a network system and a content reproduction synchronization control method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a home network system in the present embodiment. This system will be described as conforming to the DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance). The functions of various DLNA devices include DMS (Digital Media Server), DMC (Digital Media Controller), DMR (Digital Media Renderer), and DMP (Digital Media Player).

  The DMS is a server that manages and publishes digital content shared on a communication network. In general, a PC, a video recording / reproducing apparatus, a digital camera, or the like can be a DMS. DMP is a player for playing back digital content published by DMS. In general, a television set, a digital music player, a stereo set, or the like can be a DMP. The DMC is a controller that performs control such as start, stop, and fast-forward of content. The DMR is a device that exclusively plays back content under the control of the DMC. The DMR does not have a user interface for content selection or playback operation. Video monitors, speakers, etc. can be DMRs. It can be said that DMP has the functions of DMC and DMR. Each DLNA-compatible device can have one or more of these functions. For example, one device can double as DMS and DMC, double as DMS and DMP, or double as DMS and DMR.

  FIG. 1 shows an example in which a DMS / DMC device 100 and a plurality (at least two) of DMR / DMC devices 200-1 to 200 -n are connected by a local area network (LAN) 150. Hereinafter, when any one of the DMR / DMC apparatuses 200-1 to 200-n is referred to without distinguishing them, it is referred to as a DMR / DMC apparatus 200. There may be a plurality of DMS / DMC apparatuses 100, but only one is shown for the sake of simplicity. The interface of the LAN 150 may be wired or wireless.

  FIG. 2 shows a basic hardware configuration of the DMS / DMC apparatus 100 and the DMR / DMC apparatus 200. Each device includes a central processing unit (CPU) 10, a storage unit 11 for storing programs and data, a communication unit 13 for communicating with other devices via the LAN 150, and operations for a user to input instructions and data. A display unit 17 for displaying information, and a unique function unit 19 for realizing a function unique to each device. The unique functions include, for example, a television broadcast reception / playback function in the case of a television device, a recording / playback function in the case of a video recording / playback device, and the like. The display unit 17 may be a monitor having a relatively large display screen for DMR, or may be a small display area.

  The operation of the system of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The DMS / DMC apparatus 100 includes a DMC unit 110 and a DMS unit 120, and the DMS unit 120 includes a CDS (Content Directory Service) unit 125. The CDS unit 125 is a part that performs updating such as provision and acquisition of content information that is metadata of content existing on the network, addition and deletion of content, and change of content information. The DMR / DMC apparatus 200 includes a DMC unit 210, a DMR unit 220, and a monitor 230.

(1) The DMS / DMC device 100 uses the CDS unit 125 to publish the content to other DLNA-compatible devices, here a plurality of DMR / DMC devices 200. Now, it is assumed that each DMR / DMC device 200 requests the DMS / DMC device 100 to acquire content list information and reproduces content selected from the list information.
(2) Each DMR / DMC device 200 performs a content operation such as SEEK / PLAY / PAUSE on the DMR of its own device by the DMC function in DLNA. Now, it is assumed that a certain DMR / DMC apparatus 200 reproduces the content acquired from the DMS / DMC apparatus 100 on the monitor 230 in response to a reproduction operation such as PLAY / PAUSE by the user.
(3) Such a reproduction operation in one DMR / DMC apparatus 200 is notified to the DMC unit 110 of the DMS / DMC apparatus 100 as a GENA (General Event Notification Architecture) event indicating a state change.
(4) Along with the notification of (3), the DMS / DMC apparatus 100 acquires the reproduction position information associated with the operation from the DMC 110 as necessary.
(5) In response to the notification of the GENA event, the DMS / DMC device 100 reproduces similar SEEK / PLAY / PAUSE etc. for the same content to other DMR / DMC devices 200 other than the notification. Instruct to perform the operation.

  In this way, when content in each DMS / DMC device in the home is played back simultaneously by a plurality of DMR / DMC devices, the operation of playback, pause, etc. in any DMR / DMC device is performed by other DMR / DMC devices. Can be executed synchronously. That is, the same operation as the user operation in one DMR / DMC apparatus 200 is automatically performed in the other DMR / DMC apparatus 200. As a result, the playback state of another DMR / DMC device 200 matches the playback state of one DMR / DMC device 200 that has been operated by the user.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the DMS / DMC apparatus 100.

  After the activation (S10), the DMS / DMC apparatus 100 searches for a DMR existing on the network (S11). Then, a GENA subscription is issued for each DMR found (S12). The GENA subscription is an instruction for requesting the issued counterpart device to appropriately notify a GENA event when an event occurs.

  After that, when receiving a GENA event (S13), the DMS / DMC device 100 issues a PLAY instruction to each DMR other than the DMR that has notified the event if it is “PLAYING” meaning the start of playback. (S14).

  If the event is “STOPPED” which means that playback is stopped, a STOP instruction is issued to each DMR other than the DMR that has notified the event (S15).

  If the event is “PAUSED” meaning pause, a PAUSE instruction for interrupting playback at the same playback position is issued to each DMR other than the DMR that has notified the event (S16), and playback of the DMR is interrupted The playback position at the time is acquired (S17).

  If the event is “content change”, a SetAVT instruction is issued to each DMR other than the DMR that has notified the event (S18). This SetAVT (AV Transport) instruction instructs to set the content to be played back.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the DMR / DMC apparatus 200.

  After activation (S21), the DMR / DMC apparatus 200 searches for a DMS existing on the network (S22). The content list information is acquired from the found DMS, and the content to be reproduced is set according to the user's operation (S23).

  Thereafter, if there is an operation (instruction) from the own DMC or another DMC (in the case of the present embodiment, the DMC unit 110 of the DMS / DMC apparatus 100) (S24, Yes), PLAY (S25 ), STOP (S26), PAUSE (S27), and SetAVT (S28). In the case of PLAY, the designated content is requested and acquired by the HTTP-GET request to the DMS, and the reproduction (for example, streaming reproduction) of the content is started. In the case of STOP, reception of the content by HTTP-GET is cut off, and reproduction of the content is stopped. In the case of PAUSE, reception of the content by HTTP-GET is disconnected, and the reproduction of the content is suspended (paused). The interruption is different from the interruption in that the reproduction position information at the time of interruption is acquired and stored. In the case of SetAVT, the content setting is changed according to the instructed content.

  Thereafter, a GENA event is issued for the generated event, notified to the DMS / DMC apparatus 100 (S29), and the process returns to step S24.

  Next, a specific operation example of the system of FIG. 1 will be described using the sequence diagrams of FIGS. 6 and 7. In this example, a system including three devices, that is, a DMS / DMC device 100, a DMR / DMC device 200-1, and a DMR / DMC device 200-2 will be described. Each device includes three programs, that is, an application (Appli-0, 1, 2), a DMS function program (DMS-0, 1, 2), and a DMC function program (DMC-0, 1, 2).

  First, as an initial operation, DMR search (S110), DMS search (120), and GENAsubscription (S130) are performed. Thereafter, after performing content setting (S140), PLAY (150), PAUSE (S160), PLAY (S170), and STOP (S180) are sequentially executed as various operations.

  First, in the DMR search (S110), the DMC-0 issues an M-Search for searching for a DMR existing on the network (S111), and the DMR-1 and 2 return an M-Search response in response thereto. (S112). The DMC-0 sends a DMR list to Apply-0 based on the return result (S113).

  On the other hand, each DMR / DMC device 200 performs a DMS search on the network (S120). That is, DMS-0 returns M-Search response (S122) to M-Search (S112) from DMC-1 and 2, respectively. Based on the return result, the DMC-1 and 2 send the DMS information to the respective Appli-1 and 2 (S123 and S124).

  Next, GENA subscription is performed (S130). In other words, the DMC-0 requests the DMRs 1 and 2 to notify the GENA event in response to the request from the App-0 (S131) (S132).

  In the content setting stage (S140), it is assumed that a user operation is performed in the DMR / DMC apparatus 200-1. That is, in accordance with a user instruction, Appli-1 transmits SetAVT to DMR-1 via DMC-1 (S141, S142). As a result, the content to be played is set. Therefore, the DMR-1 notifies the DMC-0 of the AVTransportURI as information for specifying the content together with the GENA notification (S143). Accordingly, content information for specifying the content is transmitted from DMC-0 to Apply-0 (S144). In response to this, Apply-0 issues SetAVT to DMR-2, which is another DMR, through DMC-0 (S145) (S146). Accordingly, the same content setting as that of the DMR / DMC apparatus 200-1 is performed in the DMR / DMC apparatus 200-2.

  In the PLAY stage (S150), Apply-1 issues a PLAY instruction to DMR-1 via DMC-1 in response to a user operation on DMR / DMC 2001 (S151, S152). In response to this, the DMR-1 outputs an HTTP-GET request to the DMS-0 (S153), receives the content, and starts reproduction. At the same time, the DMR-1 notifies the DMC-0 of the occurrence of a playback start (PLAYING) event by a GENA notification (S154). Receiving this notification, DMC-0 notifies Appli-0 of the occurrence of the GENA event (S155). In response to this notification, Apply-0 issues a PLAY instruction to DMR-2 via DMC-0 (S156, S157). In response to this instruction, the DMR-2 issues an HTTP-GET request to the DMS-0, receives the content, and starts playback (S158).

  In the PAUSE stage (S160), Apply-1 issues a PAUSE instruction to DMR-1 via DMC-1 in accordance with a user operation (S161, S161a). In response to this, DMR-1 disconnects HTTP-GET from DMS-0 (S162). Along with this, the DMR-1 notifies the DMC-0 of the interruption of reproduction through a GENA notification (S163). The DMC-0 notifies the GENA event to Apply-0 (S164). Apply-0 issues a PAUSE instruction to DMR-2 via DMC-0 (S165, S165a). In response to this instruction, the DMR-2 disconnects the HTTP-GET from the DMR-0 (S166). Apply-0 further requests playback position information at the point of interruption from DMR-1 via DMC-0 (S167, S168). Upon receiving the playback position information from DMR-1 via DMC-0, Apply-0 instructs DMC-0 to set the playback position (S169), and DMC-0 issues a SEEK instruction to DMR-2. (S169a). As a result, the DMC-2 determines the playback restart position based on the playback position information.

  The subsequent PLAY stage (S170) assumes that a PLAY operation is performed on the DMR / DMC 200-2. First, Apply-2 issues a PLAY instruction to DMR-2 via DMC-2 (S171, S172). In response to this, the DMR-2 outputs an HTTP-GET request to the DMS-0 (S173), receives the details of the content, and starts reproduction. At the same time, the DMR-2 notifies the DMC-0 of the occurrence of a playback start (PLAYING) event by a GENA notification (S174). Receiving this notification, DMC-0 notifies Appli-0 of the occurrence of the GENA event (S175). In response to this notification, Apply-0 issues a PLAY instruction to DMR-1 via DMC-0 (S176, S177). In response to this instruction, the DMR-1 issues an HTTP-GET request to the DMS-0, receives the content from the playback restart position of the content, and starts playback (S178).

  In the subsequent STOP stage (S180), Apply-2 issues a STOP instruction to DMR-2 via DMC-2 in accordance with a user operation (S181, S182). In response to this, DMR-2 performs HTTP-GET disconnection on DMS-0 (S183). Along with this, the DMR-2 notifies the DMC-0 of the reproduction stop by the GENA notification (S184). The DMC-0 notifies the Apply-0 of this GENA event (S185). Apply-0 issues a STOP instruction to DMR-1 via DMC-0 (S186, S187). In response to this instruction, DMR-1 disconnects HTTP-GET from DMR-0 (S188).

  In this way, the same operation as that performed on a certain DMR / DMC apparatus 200 is automatically instructed from the DMS / DMC apparatus 100 to another DMR / DMC apparatus 200, and all the DMR / DMC apparatuses 200-1 are instructed. The operations at ~ 200-n are synchronized.

  In the above sequence, there is a possibility that an operation delay occurs when the operation of another DMR / DMC device is synchronized with the operation of a certain DMR / DMC device. When more precise synchronization is required, if the DMR / DMC device is required to issue a GENA notification, the start of the actual operation according to the operation for itself is set at the expected delay time. You may make it delay only corresponding predetermined time.

  According to this embodiment, a plurality of people can view one content while synchronizing. Thereby, for example, it becomes possible for a plurality of people to messaging a sympathy comment while viewing the same scene of the same content. Also, it is effective in the case where the playback of the content is stopped in another DMR / DMC device when one person stops the playback of the content in a certain DMR / DMC device, such as a quick-press quiz content. .

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but various modifications and changes other than those mentioned above can be made. For example, although the DLNA is taken as an example for the home network, the present invention is not limited to this.

It is the figure which showed schematic structure of the home network system in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the basic hardware constitutions of the DMS / DMC apparatus and DMR / DMC apparatus in FIG. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of the system of FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation example of a DMS / DMC apparatus in the system of FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation example of a DMR / DMC apparatus in the system of FIG. It is a sequence diagram for demonstrating the specific operation example of the system of FIG. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram following FIG. 6.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... CPU, 11 ... Memory | storage part, 13 ... Communication part, 15 ... Operation part, 17 ... Display part, 19 ... Specific function part, 100 ... DMS / DMC apparatus, 110 ... DMC part, 120 ... DMS part, 125 ... CDS 200 ... DMR / DMC device 210 ... DMC unit 220 ... DMR unit 230 ... Monitor

Claims (5)

A network system including a content server and a plurality of content playback devices,
The content server
Means for managing content that can be distributed to the plurality of content playback devices;
Means for simultaneously delivering the same content to a plurality of content playback devices;
Means for outputting an instruction for generating the same event as the event to the other content playback device when receiving notification of an event related to a change in the status of content playback from one of the plurality of content playback devices;
Each of the plurality of content reproduction devices includes:
Means for controlling the content reproduction apparatus in accordance with a user operation and an instruction from the content server;
And a means for issuing a notification of an event relating to a state change to the content server when receiving a user operation. A content server connected to a plurality of content playback devices via a network,
Means for managing content that can be distributed to the plurality of content playback devices;
Means for simultaneously delivering the same content to the plurality of content playback devices in response to a user operation;
Means for receiving notification of an event relating to a state change in content playback from a content playback device that has been operated by a user;
Means for controlling a content playback device other than the one content playback device,
A content server, wherein the reproduction state is made to coincide with the reproduction state of the one content reproduction apparatus.   When one content playback device interrupts the playback in accordance with a user operation, the playback position information at the time of the interruption is acquired from the content playback device, and the one content playback device is based on the playback position information. 3. The content server according to claim 2, wherein an instruction for interrupting playback at the same playback position is issued in a content playback device other than the device. A content playback synchronization control method in a network system including a content server and a plurality of content playback devices,
Controlling the playback of content with a single content playback device in response to a user operation;
A step of issuing a notification of an event related to a change in the state of content reproduction to the content server by a content reproduction device receiving a user operation;
Upon receiving the event notification, the content server controls a content playback device other than the one content playback device, and changes the playback state of the same content as the certain content to the playback state of the one content playback device. A content reproduction synchronization control method comprising: a matching step.   In response to a user operation, when one content playback apparatus interrupts the playback, the content server acquires playback position information at the time of the interruption from the content playback apparatus, and based on the playback position information, the 1 5. The content playback synchronization control method according to claim 4, wherein an instruction for interrupting playback at the same playback position is issued in a content playback device other than one content playback device.

Images