JP2011146879A - Content reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To set a resume point by utilizing a stop position of other content which is the same in content, in when resuming reproduction of a certain content. <P>SOLUTION: When an instruction to stop content playback is issued, etc., related information such as a title of the content, length, the stop position of the content is stored in a past-viewing list as past-viewing history. When resume point of the certain content A is set, the past-viewing list is retrieved on the basis of the title of the content A and the length of the content, etc., and when there is a corresponding past-viewing history, the stop position written in the past-viewing history is set as the resume point of the content A. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for resuming and playing back content.

  In recent years, appliances such as televisions and recorders have increased the number of devices having a network connection function. Many of such devices can acquire and enjoy video content via a network.

  In Patent Document 1, as a means for solving the problem of “resuming reproduction of content data from a previous stop position at an arbitrary time using an arbitrary reproduction device”, “the content reproduction device is connected via the Internet 5. When the content data streamed from the service server 6 is reproduced and the reproduction is stopped in response to a user instruction, user information, which is information for resuming the reproduction of the content data thereafter, is transmitted via the Internet 5. Is transmitted to the service server 6. The service server 6 records user information transmitted from the content reproduction apparatus in the user information database 7. The service server 6 requests distribution of content data via the Internet 5. A tag included in the stored user information for the content playback device. To stream content data after the reproduction stop position corresponding to the arm points "that have been described.

JP 2003-174636 A

  However, in Patent Document 1, only a streaming method (VOD) is considered as a method for acquiring content that is stopped and restarted by an arbitrary playback device via a network.

  In other words, there is another download method (DL) as a method for acquiring content via the network. However, Patent Document 1 does not consider acquiring the same content by using both VOD and DL. .

  For this reason, for example, in the case of acquiring / reproducing with VOD halfway, temporarily stopping and then acquiring / reproducing with DL from the middle, it is not considered to resume reproduction with DL from the stop position in VOD.

  In general, the content is the same as the content A ′, but the content A having a different acquisition method and acquisition quality is identified as a different content, so even if playback of the content A ′ has been stopped in the past From the stop position, it is difficult to resume the content A.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a content playback apparatus that acquires and plays back content provided by communication or broadcasting, and determines the content of the content when playback of the acquired content is stopped. In order to register a history consisting of metadata for stopping and a stop position, and to manage a plurality of histories for each of a plurality of contents whose playback has been stopped, and when a newly acquired content is played back, A control unit is provided that identifies a history having the same metadata as the content from a plurality of managed histories, and starts reproduction of the newly acquired content from the identified history stop position.

  Note that, when there are a plurality of specified histories, the control unit starts the reproduction of the newly acquired content from the stop position of the latest history.

  Alternatively, when there are a plurality of specified histories, the control unit presents the plurality of histories to be selected by the user, and starts playback of the newly acquired content from the stop position of the history selected by the user. .

  Another aspect of the present invention is a content playback apparatus that acquires and plays back content provided by communication or broadcast, and when the playback of the acquired content is stopped, a meta for determining the content of the content. When registering a history consisting of data and partial contents extracted from the content around the stop position, managing a plurality of histories for each of the plurality of stopped contents, and playing newly acquired contents The history having the same metadata as the content is identified from a plurality of history managed by the management unit, and the newly acquired content is reproduced from the end position of the portion that matches the partial content of the identified history. A control unit for starting is provided.

  Note that, when there are a plurality of specified histories, the control unit starts reproduction from the end position of the part that matches the partial content of the latest history among the newly acquired contents.

  Alternatively, when there are a plurality of identified histories, the control unit presents the plurality of histories to be selected by the user, and matches the partial content of the history selected by the user among the newly acquired contents. Playback starts from the end position of the part.

  According to the above solution, even if the playback of the content A ′ that has the same content as the content A but is different in acquisition method and acquisition quality has been stopped in the past, the resume playback of the content A from the stop position. Can be executed.

It is a functional lineblock diagram of the whole system concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a production | generation preservation | save flowchart of the already viewed list which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is an example of a viewing history of a viewing list according to the first embodiment. It is a whole flowchart of the resume point calculation which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a search flowchart of the viewing history for resume setting according to the first embodiment. It is a determination flowchart of the resume point which concerns on 1st Embodiment. 6 is a flowchart of resume reproduction according to the first embodiment. It is a production | generation preservation | save flowchart of the already-viewed list | wrist which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a determination flowchart of the resume point which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is an example of the range of the partial content which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a determination flowchart of the resume point which concerns on 3rd Embodiment.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described in which a resume point of a certain content is set based on a reproduction stop position of another content.

  FIG. 1 shows a functional configuration diagram of the present invention.

  In the content playback apparatus 10, when the playback of content is stopped, the watched list management unit 210 adds metadata such as the title, length, and stop position of the stopped playback to the watched list as a watched history. To go.

  When resume playback of a certain content A is instructed by the user, the resume setting information search unit 220 searches the watch list with metadata such as the title and length of the content A. When there is a viewing history that matches the search, the resume point calculation unit 230 selects the stop position described in the viewing history as the resume point of the content A, and based on this, the playback / recording control unit 240 Starts resume playback of content A.

  Therefore, even when the content A instructed to be resumed is provided in a format and quality different from the content A ′ viewed in the past, the content of the content A is determined from the metadata such as the title and length of the content A. It is determined that the content is the same as the content A ′, and the resume playback of the content A can be resumed from the playback stop position of the content A ′.

  In FIG. 1, the entire system includes a content playback device 10, a router 20, a public network 30, a content server 40, and a broadcast station 50. However, the router 20 may be omitted. Further, the content server 40 may be directly connected to a local network at home without being connected to the public network 30.

  1 includes a communication unit 100 that communicates with a network device such as a content server 40 connected on a public network 30, a control unit 200 that performs various calculations and controls, a remote controller, a keyboard, a mouse, and the like. An input unit 300 that accepts user operations via the device, an output unit 400 for outputting content such as video, audio, image, and text data, a tuner unit 500 that receives broadcast waves transmitted from the broadcast station 50, content and The recording unit 600 stores related information.

  The tuner unit 500 may receive content from the communication unit 100 when the broadcasting station 50 is connected to the public network 30.

  The content reproduction apparatus 10 has a function of storing transmission content from the content server 40 received by the communication unit 100 in the recording unit 600 under the control of the control unit 200 and a function of presenting to the user from the output unit 400.

  The content playback device 10 has a function of receiving content transmitted from the broadcasting station 50 by the tuner unit 500 and storing it in the recording unit 600 under the control of the control unit 200, and a function of presenting it to the user from the output unit 400. May be.

  The content playback apparatus 10 may have a function of presenting content stored in the recording unit 600 to the user from the output unit 400 or a function of sending the content from the communication unit 100 to an external device under the control of the control unit 200. .

  Here, the content is typically video content or music content. For example, content such as Flash (registered trademark) content or an electronic book with an automatic playback function can be used depending on the presentation time. The content may change.

  The content playback device 10 has a resume playback function that allows playback to be started from a resume point set in the middle of content when the content is presented from the output unit 400 under the control of the control unit 200.

  In terms of hardware, the recording unit 600 is a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk, an optical disk, or a flash memory, and stores and reads content, content metadata, control information, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 200 of the content playback apparatus 10 includes a watch list management unit 210, a resume setting information search unit 220, a resume point calculation unit 230, and a playback / record control unit 240 as functional modules. Have.

  The watched list management unit 210 generates a watched list for recording as a watched history for the content that has been stopped by the content playback device 10, and when the content playback is stopped, Metadata such as length and stop position is recorded as a viewing history, and when a viewing list is requested from another function module, the viewing list is provided to the function module.

  When a certain content A is designated, the resume setting information search unit 220 acquires the already-viewed list from the already-viewed list management unit 210, and uses each viewing history of the already-listed list using the metadata of the content A. The resume point calculation unit 230 is notified as the resume setting history list B of the content A by searching and viewing history that matches the information.

  The resume point calculation unit 230 obtains the resume setting history list B of a certain content A from the resume setting information search unit 220, and determines the stop position described in the latest viewing history C of the history list B as the content. The playback / recording control unit 240 is notified of the resume point of A.

  The reproduction / recording control unit 240 acquires the content through the communication unit 100, the tuner unit 500, and the recording unit 600 when the user gives an instruction to reproduce the content through the communication unit 100, the input unit 400, or the like. Or from the communication unit 100 to the user.

  Furthermore, the playback / recording control unit 240 has a resume playback function in which the playback start point of the content is not the beginning of the content but a resume point set in the middle of the content. Here, the user can select whether or not to perform resume reproduction.

  Further, the playback / recording control unit 240 has a function of setting a resume point notified from the resume point calculation unit 230 as a resume point and performing resume playback.

  Next, an operation example will be described.

  First, the case where the watch list management unit 210 creates and updates the watch list will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, the watch list management unit 210 creates an empty watch list (FA01).

  Thereafter, the watch list management unit 210 receives metadata from the playback / recording control unit 240 to detect metadata such as the title, stop position, and viewing date / time of the stopped playback whenever it detects that the playback of the content has stopped (FA02). Acquired and added to the already-listed list as already-viewed history (FA03).

  Here, FIG. 3 shows an already viewed list managed by the already viewed list management unit 210. The storage location of the information described in the watched list is the recording unit 600 of the content reproduction device 10. A part or all of the already viewed list may be stored in the content server 40 or another device on the network via the communication unit 100. Furthermore, the already-viewed list may be shared with other devices on the network.

  In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the metadata items described in the already-viewed history on the already-listed list need the content playback stop position metadata and the content content determination metadata. Yes, a plurality of content determination metadata may be described.

  Here, content content determination metadata is metadata that can uniquely determine whether or not the content content is the same by comparing the metadata. As a simple example, FIG. There is a title illustrated in. In addition to the title, various types of information such as content outlines and thumbnail images that are not illustrated in FIG. 3 can be adopted as content content determination metadata.

  Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3, as metadata items described in the already-viewed history on the already-listed list, it is determined whether the contents are the same by comparing only the metadata. It may be difficult to include metadata that can improve the accuracy of determination by combining with other content determination metadata such as a title. Such metadata is hereinafter referred to as auxiliary content determination metadata. The auxiliary content determination metadata includes the content length illustrated in FIG. However, in addition to the content length, various types of information such as a genre and a creator, which are not illustrated in FIG. 3, can be employed as content auxiliary content determination metadata.

  Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the metadata items described in the already-viewed history on the already-listed list are IDs provided as part of the content metadata, and include VOD and DL In this way, even if the content provision forms are different, IDs having the same or all of the values may be included as content determination metadata as long as they have the same content.

  Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3, metadata items described in the already-viewed history on the already-listed list include information on the user who played the content, a provision method of content such as VOD and DL, and content May include the quality provided, such as the bit rate and resolution, and the viewing date and time.

  Next, the operation when calculating the resume point of a certain content A based on the created viewing history will be described with reference to FIG.

  When the resume point calculation unit 230 is requested by the reproduction / recording control unit 240 to calculate the resume point of the content A (FB01), the resume point calculation unit 230 acquires the resume setting history list B from the resume setting information search unit 220 (FB02). .

  Next, when the history list B is not empty (FB03), the resume point calculation unit 230 calculates the resume point of the content A from the already-viewed history in the history list B (FB04), and notifies the playback / recording control unit 240 Do (FB05). However, if the list B is empty, a notification indicating that the resume point of the content A cannot be calculated is sent (FB06).

  In step FB02, the resume setting history list B is the content of the playback stop content indicated by the already-viewed history by matching the search using the content determination metadata of the content A in the already-viewed history of the already-viewed list. It is a list including one or more already-viewed histories whose contents can be determined to be the same as the contents A.

  In step FB06, the resume setting information search unit 220 may directly notify the resume point calculation unit 230 that there is no viewing history for resume setting.

  Next, the creation and provision of the resume setting history list B shown in step FB02 of FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, when the resume setting information search unit 220 receives a request to provide the resume setting watch list B for the content A from the resume point calculation unit 230 (FC01), the resume setting information search unit 220 acquires the metadata of the content A from the recording unit 600. (FC02). However, it may be acquired from the content server 40 via the communication unit 100, or may be acquired from the broadcast station 50 via the tuner unit 500.

  In step FC02, the metadata of content A to be acquired needs to include at least one content determination metadata that exists as an item of the viewing history.

  Next, the resume setting information search unit 220 acquires the already-viewed list from the already-viewed list management unit 210 (FC03), and uses the content-determination metadata of the already-viewed list to determine the content of the content A Search using metadata (FC04). If there is one or more already viewed histories that match the search (FC05), the matched all viewed histories are provided as the resume setting history list B to the resume point calculator 230 (FC06). However, if there is no matching viewing history, an empty list is provided (FC07).

  In step FC04, at least one content determination metadata is set as a search target. In addition to this, a plurality of data can be searched by adding another content determination metadata or auxiliary content determination metadata. The user may be able to select which metadata is to be searched.

  In step FC04, the content providing method such as VOD (streaming method) and DL (downloading method) and the providing quality such as the bit rate and resolution of the content illustrated in FIG. 3 are not included in the search target.

  In step FC05, if all the metadata to be searched in step FC04 match, it may be determined that the search is matched, or if a certain number of search targets match, it is determined that the search is matched. May be. Here, the predetermined number may be a value set in advance or a value set by the user.

  In step FC07, the resume point calculation unit 230 may be notified directly that there is no already-viewed history for resume setting.

  In FIG. 5, the order of step FC02 and step FC03 may be reversed.

  Next, the process shown in step FB04 in FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, the resume point calculation unit 230 acquires a resume setting history list B for a certain content A from the resume setting information search unit 220 (FD01).

  Next, the resume point calculation unit 230 selects the already viewed history history C having the latest viewing date / time from the history list B (FD02), and sets the stop position TCstop of the already viewed history C to the resume point calculation of the content A. As a result (FD03).

  In step FD02, when the already-viewed history is listed in chronological order, the latest viewed history C may be determined according to the chronological order.

  Finally, a process in which the playback / recording control unit 240 resumes playback of the content A will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, when the playback / recording control unit 240 receives a resume playback start instruction for the content A from the user (FE01), the playback / recording control unit 240 requests the resume point calculation unit 230 to calculate the resume point of the content A, acquires the calculation result, The obtained calculation result is set as a resume point of the content A (FE02).

  Finally, the reproduction of the content A is started based on the set resume point (FE03).

  According to the above-described embodiment, when a certain content A is to be reproduced, if the content A ′ that is exactly the same as the content A and has a different acquisition method and acquisition quality has been stopped in the past. Thus, it is possible to resume the content A from the playback stop position of the content A ′.

  For example, in a service form that provides the same content by the download method and the streaming method, it may be possible to view the content that was viewed halfway through the streaming method later by the download method. However, when viewing is resumed with the download method, viewing can be resumed from the stop position in the previous streaming method.

  In the first embodiment, when calculating a resume point of a certain content A, the resume point calculation unit 230 acquires the resume setting history list B from the resume setting information search unit 220, and the latest existing list in the history list B is acquired. The stop position described in the viewing history is determined as the resume point of the content A.

  However, even if the main content is the same, for example, if the content in streaming format is provided free of charge with a CM inserted in the middle, and the content in download format is provided for a fee without inserting a CM, the length of the content In such a case, if the stop position described in the viewing history is set as the resume point, there is a problem that the resume point is set at an incorrect place.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, as the already-viewed history, a partial content obtained by extracting the content around the stop position is added, and when the resume point calculation unit 230 calculates the resume point, the partial content and the resume point are set. A more appropriate resume point can be set by searching for a portion that matches the content.

  The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the watch list management unit 210 and the resume point calculation unit 230.

  The watched list management unit 210 records the partial content created by cutting out the part before the stop position as the watched history of the watched list.

  The resume point calculation unit 230 obtains the resume setting history list B of a certain content A from the resume setting information search unit 220, and plays back the partial content recorded in the latest watched history C of the history list B and the playback A matching part with the partial content of the content A acquired from the recording control unit 240 is searched, a resume point of the content A is calculated from the matching part, and the reproduction / recording control unit 240 is notified.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

  In the present embodiment, compared to the first embodiment, the operation of the watch list management unit 210 creating and updating the watch list is different from the operation of the resume point calculator 230 calculating the resume point of a certain content A. .

  First, the case where the watch list management unit 210 creates and updates the watch list will be described with reference to FIG. Here, operations other than step FA04 in FIG. 8 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  First, the watch list management unit 210 creates an empty watch list (FA01).

  Thereafter, the watch list management unit 210 receives metadata from the playback / recording control unit 240 to detect metadata such as the title, stop position, and viewing date / time of the stopped playback whenever it detects that the playback of the content has stopped (FA02). Acquired and added to the already-listed list as the already-viewed history (FA03), and at the same time, the partial content before the stop position is additionally saved to the already-listed list as the already-viewed history (FA04).

  In step FA04, the already-viewed list management unit 210 acquires the partial content to be added from the reproduction / recording control unit 240.

  In FIG. 8, the order of step FA03 and step FA04 may be reversed.

  Next, processing when the resume point calculation unit 230 calculates a resume point will be described with reference to FIG.

  Step FD01 and step FD02 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  Next, the iteration variable K = 1 and the iteration count Kth are set (FD04).

  Next, the resume point calculation unit 230 determines the values of the start position TAstart and the end position TAend of the partial content Apart in the content A (FD05), and acquires Apart from the playback / recording control unit 240 (FD06).

  In steps FD05 and FD06, TAstart may be a value equal to or less than TCstop and TAend may be equal to or greater than TCstop. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, TAstart = TCstop−ΔTC TAend = TCstop + ΔTC may be set. In FIG. 10, 1st and 2nd represent the first and second repetitions, respectively.

  Next, the resume point calculation unit 230 searches the content Cpart and Apart recorded in the already-viewed viewing history C to determine whether or not there is a matching part (FD07). If there is a matching part (FD08), the playback / recording control unit 240 is notified of the position of the content A corresponding to the end position of the matching part as a resume point (FD09).

  In step FD08, if there is no matching part between partial content Cpart and partial content Apart, and repetition variable K is less than or equal to repetition count Kth (FD10), 1 is added to repetition variable K (FD11), The values of the start position TAstart and end position TAend of the partial content Apart are determined again (FD12).

  In step FD12, the values of TAstart and TAend may be values that include a range not included in the previously acquired partial content Apart. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, TAstart = TCstop. -K × ΔTC, TAend = TCstop + K × ΔTC may be used.

  In step FD10, when the repetition variable K exceeds the number of repetitions Kth, the resume point calculation unit 230 stops the resume point calculation of the content A and notifies the playback / recording control unit 240 of the start point of the content A as the resume point. FD13).

  In step FD04, the number of repetitions Kth can be set to an integer greater than or equal to 1. The possibility that a matching part with the content A is found increases. Taking these into account, set Kth appropriately.

  According to the present embodiment, even if the length of the content is different due to insertion of a CM in the middle or the like, the content around the stop position is recorded in the viewing history and the content details are compared. Thus, the resume point can be set appropriately.

  In Embodiments 1 and 2, when calculating a resume point of a certain content A, the resume point calculation unit 230 acquires the resume setting history list B from the resume setting information search unit 220, and the latest list in the history list B is obtained. The resume point of the content A is calculated using the already viewed history.

  However, when there are a plurality of already-viewed histories in the resume setting history list B, it is more convenient for the user to use an already-viewed history that is not the latest as the already-viewed history C used for the resume point calculation. It may become.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, a plurality of already-viewed histories in the resume setting history list are presented to the user, and the already-viewed history to be used for resume point setting can be selected from among them, thereby improving user convenience. .

  This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in a resume point calculation unit 230.

  The resume point calculation unit 230 acquires the resume setting history list B of a certain content A from the resume setting information search unit 220, and presents the history list B to the user from the output unit 400. Further, the playback / recording control unit 240 is notified of the stop position of the viewing history selected by the user from the history list B as the resume point of the content A.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

  In the present embodiment, the operation of calculating a resume point of a certain content A in the resume point calculation unit 230 is different from that in the first embodiment.

  The process when the resume point calculation unit 230 calculates the resume point of a certain content A is the process shown in step FB03 of FIG. 4, and will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

  First, the resume point calculation unit 230 acquires the resume setting history list B of a certain content A from the resume setting information search unit 220 (FD01), and sends the contents of the history list B to the user via the output unit 400. Present (FD14).

  Next, the resume point calculation unit 230 uses the already-viewed history C selected by the user for resume setting (FD15), and notifies the playback / recording control unit 240 of the stop position of the already-viewed history C as the resume point of the content A. Do (FD03).

  In step FD15, the resume point calculation unit 230 receives a user selection instruction via the input unit 300 or the communication unit 100.

  According to the present embodiment, when there are a plurality of already-viewed histories of content having the same content, the user can select which already-viewed history is used for setting a resume point.

10 Display device
20 routers
30 Public network
40 Content server
50 broadcast stations
100 Communication unit
200 Control unit
210 Watched List Management Department
220 Resume setting information search section
230 Resume point calculator
240 Playback / recording control section
300 input section
400 output section
500 tuner
600 Recording unit

Claims (10)

A content playback device that acquires and plays back content provided by communication or broadcast,
A management unit that, when playback of acquired content is stopped, registers a history including metadata for determining the content of the content and a stop position, and manages a plurality of histories for each of the plurality of stopped contents When,
When reproducing newly acquired content, a history having the same metadata as the content is identified from a plurality of histories managed by the management unit, and the content newly acquired from the stop position of the identified history is identified. A content reproduction apparatus comprising a control unit for starting reproduction.   The content playback apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when there are a plurality of specified histories, the control unit starts playback of the newly acquired content from the stop position of the latest history.   When there are a plurality of specified histories, the control unit presents the plurality of histories to be selected by the user, and starts playing the newly acquired content from the stop position of the history selected by the user. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein   The metadata for determining the content content is a content title, an outline, a thumbnail image, or an ID, and the control unit specifies a history in which any one or more pieces of metadata are the same. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 1. The metadata for determining the content content is the content title, summary, thumbnail image, ID, length, genre or creator,
The content playback apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit specifies a history in which a plurality of metadata including any one of a content title, an outline, a thumbnail image, and an ID are the same. A content playback device that acquires and plays back content provided by communication or broadcast,
When playback of the acquired content is stopped, a history consisting of metadata for determining the content of the content and a partial content extracted from the content around the stop position is registered, and each of the plurality of content whose playback has been stopped is registered. A management unit for managing multiple histories;
When a newly acquired content is played back, a history having the same metadata as the content is identified from a plurality of histories managed by the management unit, and the identified history portion of the newly acquired content A content playback apparatus comprising: a control unit that starts playback from the end position of a portion that matches content.   The said control part starts reproduction | regeneration from the terminal position of the part which corresponds to the partial content of the newest log | history among the newly acquired content, when there exists two or more specified log | history. The content reproduction device described.   When there are a plurality of identified histories, the control unit presents the plurality of histories to be selected by the user, and among the newly acquired contents, a part of the part that matches the partial contents of the history selected by the user 7. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 6, wherein reproduction is started from an end position.   The metadata for determining the content content is a content title, an outline, a thumbnail image, or an ID, and the control unit specifies a history in which any one or more pieces of metadata are the same. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 6. The metadata for determining the content content is the content title, summary, thumbnail image, ID, length, genre or creator,
The content playback apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit specifies a history in which a plurality of metadata including any one of a content title, an outline, a thumbnail image, and an ID are the same.

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