JP2012004740A - Control apparatus, content processing system, remote control method, control program and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve a variety of content processing by cooperation between plural devices.SOLUTION: A control apparatus for instructing a controlled device to perform a content processing according to the present invention comprises a data association part 24 associating the content with the controlled device capable of performing the content processing and the processing the controlled device can perform for the content based on function information indicating the processing the controlled device can perform for each data type of the content, and a remote instruction part 25 instructing the controlled device associated with the relevant content to perform the associated processing when the predetermined event occurs with respect to the content for which the data association part 24 of the control device has performed association.

Description

  The present invention relates to a content processing system that processes content, and more particularly, to a control device that controls a controlled device that processes content in the content processing system.

  A so-called home network in which a plurality of devices in a home are connected to a network and communication between the devices has become popular.

  An example of a technology for realizing the home network is DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance). If each device corresponding to this DLNA guideline is connected to the home network, it is possible to cooperate between various types of devices.

  The cooperation between devices is, for example, the following usage mode. A user operates a device (DMC: Digital Media Controller) on his / her hand to store content composed of media data such as moving images, music, and images stored in another server device (DMS: Digital Media Server), or a combination of these. It is possible to display content index information on a handheld device and select desired content to be reproduced. Further, the user can select another device (DMR: Digital Media Renderer) that plays back the selected content on the device (DMC) on hand, and play the selected content on the selected device.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for realizing cooperation between devices by controlling a content reproduction operation in a DMR device or a DMS device based on a control signal from the DMC device as described above. .

JP 2005-020180 A (published January 20, 2005)

  Recently, not only mobile phones and personal computers, but also a wide variety of electronic devices such as home appliances are equipped with a communication function, and a home network can be constructed. That is, the devices that process the content are diversified and the processing contents are also various.

  Therefore, it is not a uniform linkage in which content composed of a single data format stored in a device is reproduced on another device as described in Patent Document 1, but in various data formats. There is a need to create a mechanism for flexible cooperation between devices that enables various devices to process managed content in various ways.

  Such a problem does not occur specifically for a processing system using DLNA-compatible devices, but is common to all processing systems that realize cooperation between devices by the communication function of each device.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a control device, a content processing system, a remote control method, and a control program that execute various types of content processing in cooperation with a plurality of devices. And to realize a recording medium.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the control device of the present invention is a control device that instructs the controlled device to execute content processing, and the content of the processing that can be executed by the controlled device is determined for each content data format. In the self-device, association means for associating the controlled device that can execute the content with the content based on the functional information shown in FIG. Remote instruction means for instructing the controlled apparatus associated with the content to execute the process associated with the content when a predetermined event occurs with respect to the content associated with the association means; It is characterized by having.

  According to the above configuration, the associating means of the control device grasps what controlled device can execute what processing on the content of which data format based on the function information of the controlled device. The association unit associates, for the content handled by the own device, a controlled device that can execute the content and a process that the controlled device can execute on the content. This association is performed for each content.

  Then, when a certain event occurs with respect to the content for which this association has been performed in the own device, the remote instruction means, based on the controlled device and the process associated with the content for which the event has occurred, Remotely instruct the controlled device to execute the process.

  As described above, according to the association processing of the association means, no matter how many or how many controlled devices exist, no matter how many functions each controlled device has to process content, the control device of the present invention Can manage the content, the controlled device that processes the content, and the processing content in association with each other. Accordingly, when any remote instruction trigger (predetermined event) occurs for the content being handled, the remote instruction means can select an appropriate controlled device and appropriately perform the remote instruction.

  As a result, it is possible to realize flexible cooperation between apparatuses for realizing various kinds of content processing, instead of uniform cooperation in which content in a certain data format is reproduced on a certain device.

  The associating means further associates related content related to the content with the content, and the remote instruction means executes processing for related content related to the content in which the predetermined event has occurred. May be indicated.

  According to the above configuration, the same content handled by the control device is not processed uniformly by the controlled device, but the content managed in various forms is variously processed by various devices. It is possible to realize more flexible cooperation between devices.

  The associating means associates an executable process of the controlled apparatus to be associated with content for each operation event that occurs when the own apparatus accepts a user operation. When the operation event occurs with respect to the content associated by the associating means, it is preferable to instruct execution of processing related to the content and the generated operation event.

  According to the above configuration, the controlled device associated with the content and the processing content thereof are further managed separately for each operation event that occurs. Thus, the user can intentionally select which controlled device is to execute which content processing by changing the operation content on the control device. Therefore, convenience for the user is improved in realizing flexible cooperation.

  The content includes one or more media data, and the function information indicates details of processing that can be executed by the controlled device for each data format of the media data. Preferably, the association is performed for each piece of media data of the content.

  When the content includes media data in any one or more data formats, it is preferable that the association is performed for each format of the media data.

  Therefore, the association means associates and manages, for each media data, a controlled device that can process the media data in the data format and a process that can be executed by the controlled device.

  As a result, when a self-event occurs in the self-media data included in the content in the device, the remote instruction means is also associated with the controlled device associated with the media data. It is possible to remotely instruct execution of the processing being performed.

  As described above, even when the content includes media data of any one or a plurality of data formats, flexible cooperation can be realized.

  The control device of the present invention further includes function information acquisition means for acquiring each function information from one or more controlled devices capable of communication, and function information for storing the function information for each of the controlled devices capable of communication. And a storage unit.

  According to the above configuration, the function information of the controlled device that can communicate can be managed in the function information storage unit. If the associating means associates based on such function information, the remote instruction is executed to the controlled apparatus that cannot communicate, that is, to the inappropriate controlled apparatus that cannot perform the remote instruction. It is possible to avoid waste of operation of the remote instruction means.

  The function information acquisition unit periodically checks controlled devices capable of communication and updates the function information stored in the function information storage unit. The association unit updates the function information. In such a case, it is preferable to update the contents of the association based on the updated function information.

  According to the said structure, the function information memorize | stored in the function information storage part can always maintain the newest state. Therefore, if the latest function information is used, the contents of association performed by the association unit are also maintained in the latest state.

  Therefore, even if the communication availability status between the control device and the controlled device changes, the remote instruction is not given to the controlled device that can communicate, or the remote command is given to the controlled device that cannot communicate. It is possible to avoid waste of operation of the remote instruction means.

  Such a configuration is particularly effective in an environment where the control device or the controlled device has portability and portability, and the communication availability status between the control device and the controlled device is frequently changed. Is big.

  In order to solve the above problems, a content processing system according to the present invention provides a control device according to the present invention described above, a controlled device that processes content in accordance with instructions from the control device, the control device, and the controlled device. And a content supply device for supplying content to the network.

  In order to solve the above problems, the remote control method of the present invention is a remote control method for instructing a controlled device to execute content processing, and the content of processing that can be executed by the controlled device is stored as content data. A data association step for associating a controlled device capable of executing the content, and a process executable by the controlled device with respect to the content, based on the function information indicated for each format; A detection step for detecting the occurrence of a predetermined event for the content associated in the association step, and when the event is detected in the detection step, for the controlled device associated with the content And a remote instruction step for instructing execution of processing associated with the content.

  The control device may be realized by a computer. In this case, a control program for the control device for causing the control device to be realized by the computer by operating the computer as each of the means, and the program are recorded. Computer-readable recording media are also within the scope of the present invention.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the control device of the present invention is a control device that instructs the controlled device to execute content processing, and the content of the processing that can be executed by the controlled device is determined for each content data format. In the self-device, association means for associating the controlled device that can execute the content with the content based on the functional information shown in FIG. Remote instruction means for instructing the controlled apparatus associated with the content to execute the process associated with the content when a predetermined event occurs with respect to the content associated with the association means; It is characterized by having.

  In order to solve the above problems, a content processing system according to the present invention provides a control device according to the present invention described above, a controlled device that processes content in accordance with instructions from the control device, the control device, and the controlled device. And a content supply device for supplying content to the network.

  In order to solve the above problems, the remote control method of the present invention is a remote control method for instructing a controlled device to execute content processing, and the content of processing that can be executed by the controlled device is stored as content data. A data association step for associating a controlled device capable of executing the content, and a process executable by the controlled device with respect to the content, based on the function information indicated for each format; A detection step for detecting the occurrence of a predetermined event for the content associated in the association step, and when the event is detected in the detection step, for the controlled device associated with the content And a remote instruction step for instructing execution of processing associated with the content.

  Therefore, there is an effect that various types of content processing can be realized not by uniform cooperation but by flexible cooperation between a plurality of apparatuses.

It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the portable terminal device in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the content processing system in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the data structure of a content typically. It is a figure which shows the database structure of an apparatus list (function information). It is a figure which shows the specific example of an apparatus list (function information). It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the function information acquisition process which the function information acquisition part of a portable terminal device performs. It is a figure which shows the database structure of the content memorize | stored in the content memory | storage part. It is a figure which shows the specific example of the database of the content memorize | stored in a content memory | storage part. It is a figure which shows the specific example of the database of the content memorize | stored in a content memory | storage part, and is a figure which shows the specific example of correlation information especially. It is a figure which shows typically the specific example of the remote instruction | indication information which the remote instruction | indication part of a portable terminal device produces | generates. It is a figure which shows the specific example of the screen displayed on a display part, when the content process part of a portable terminal device reproduced | regenerated the content. It is a figure which shows the example of a description when the content before the analysis which the content acquisition part of the portable terminal device acquired is described by HTML. FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically illustrating a state in which the content 90 illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12 is stored in the content storage unit in accordance with the database structure illustrated in FIG. 7. It is a figure which shows typically the state to which the correlation information 81 was provided about the media data 91a of the content 90 shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the correlation process which the data correlation part of a portable terminal device performs, and the remote instruction | indication information transmission process which a remote instruction | indication part performs. It is a figure which shows the specific example of the screen displayed on a display part, and GUI, when the content process part of a portable terminal device reproduced | regenerated the content. It is a sequence diagram explaining transmission / reception of information between a portable terminal device and a content processing apparatus.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts and components are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

Embodiment 1
An example of a content processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an overview of the content processing system 100 in the present embodiment.

  The content processing system 100 of the present invention includes a control entity (control device) that remotely controls content processing, a processing entity (controlled device) that processes content, and a supply entity (content supply) that supplies content to be processed. Device). One apparatus may also serve as the plurality of entities described above.

  2, the content processing system 100 includes a mobile terminal device 1, a home router 4, a television 2a, a Blu-ray disc (BD) recorder 2b, a car navigation device 2c, and content distribution servers 3a to 3c. Has been.

  In the present embodiment, the mobile terminal device 1 functions as a control entity and a processing entity. The television 2a, the Blu-ray disc (BD) recorder 2b, and the car navigation device 2c function as processing entities. Hereinafter, these processing entities are collectively referred to as a content processing device 2 when it is not necessary to distinguish them. The content distribution servers 3a to 3c function as supply entities. These supply entities are collectively referred to as a content supply device 3 when it is not necessary to distinguish them.

  In addition, each apparatus is not limited to said example, You may function as another entity. The specific example of the device shown in FIG. 2 is an example of a device that realizes each entity, and is not intended to limit the configuration of each device in the present invention.

  In the present embodiment, the mobile terminal device 1, the television 2a, and the Blu-ray disc (BD) recorder 2b participate in the home LAN 5a under the home router 4 to construct a home network, and the devices in the home network interact with each other. Can communicate with. Further, each device in the home network can connect to the Internet 5b via the home router 4 and communicate with the content distribution servers 3a to 3c. Further, the mobile terminal device 1 has a short-range wireless communication function such as infrared communication and Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication, and the car navigation device 2c having the same function and a short-range wireless communication means 5c such as infrared rays are used. Can communicate.

  The content supply device 3 manages the content to be processed and supplies the content to the mobile terminal device 1 or the content processing device 2. In the present embodiment, the content supply device 3 is realized as content distribution servers 3a to 3c existing on the Internet 5b.

  The mobile terminal device 1 instructs the content processing device 2 to process content handled in the content processing system 100 as a control entity. In the present embodiment, the mobile terminal device 1 also functions as a processing entity and executes the content processing by itself.

  As shown in FIG. 2, it is assumed that the control entity in the present embodiment is a portable terminal device 1 such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance), a mobile phone, a portable game machine, an electronic dictionary, and an electronic book terminal. Yes. Since the control entity is used like a remote controller, it is preferable that the control entity is a device having excellent portability. However, the control entity is not limited to the mobile terminal device 1 and may be realized by a stationary device.

  The mobile terminal device 1 can communicate with each content processing device 2 in the home network by connecting to the home router 4 via a wireless LAN in the home. Further, outside the home, it is possible to communicate with the content processing apparatus 2 via the short-range wireless communication means. Furthermore, it is possible to connect to the content distribution servers 3a to 3c via 5d such as a mobile phone network or a public wireless LAN.

  The mobile terminal device 1 acquires content including one or more media data to be processed from the content distribution servers 3a to 3c. In the present embodiment, the mobile terminal device 1 can execute a process of playing back the acquired content as a processing entity, and display the content on the display unit thereof. As media data included in the content, data in any data format such as text data, document data, electronic book data, dictionary data, image data, moving image data, audio data, and music data is assumed.

  If the mobile terminal device 1 is processing the acquired content (for example, during playback) and is participating in the home LAN 5a under the home router 4, the content processing existing in the LAN is processed. Discover device 2. In addition, if the content processing apparatus 2 exists within a range where short-range wireless communication is possible, this is discovered. The mobile terminal device 1 acquires functional information indicating the processing details that can be executed by the content processing device 2 from each of the found content processing devices 2.

  The mobile terminal device 1 has a function of associating the acquired content with the processing details that can be executed in the content processing device 2 for each content or for each media data included in the content, and storing this. ing.

  As a result, when content is processed in the mobile terminal device 1, when media data is selected or a predetermined operation is performed on the selected media data triggered by a user operation or the like, The mobile terminal device 1 transmits remote instruction information to instruct one or more communicable content processing devices 2 to process the media data. The remote instruction information is a command for instructing processing execution of the selected content (media data). At this time, in addition to the command statement, various information necessary for executing the processing of the media data is transmitted to the remote instruction information.

  The content processing device 2 executes processing of content (one or a plurality of media data) in accordance with an instruction from the mobile terminal device 1 as a control entity. The content processed by the content processing device 2 may be acquired from the content distribution servers 3a to 3c by the content processing device 2 via the home router 4 and the Internet 5b, or the mobile terminal device 1 It may be included in the remote instruction information transmitted from.

  In the content processing system 100 of the present invention, the content processed by the content processing device 2 in response to an instruction from the mobile terminal device 1 may be exactly the same as the content processed by the mobile terminal device 1. It may be part or completely different content.

  In the present embodiment, content handled in the content processing system 100 is managed in association with other content / media data related to each other in units of content or media data. That is, on the content processing device 2 side, related content (second data) associated with the original content (first data) processed in the mobile terminal device 1 may be processed.

  As described above, since the content processing system 100 according to the present invention can handle content that is not single, various output results can be obtained for the content in response to an instruction from the mobile terminal device 1.

  For example, in the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the mobile terminal device 1 acquires the original content including the program information from the content supply device 3, reproduces the original content, and shows a description regarding the program and a thumbnail indicating one scene of the program Display an image. On the other hand, the television 2a instructed to process the content from the mobile terminal device 1 acquires the related content of the original content from the content supply device 3, and processes the related content, for example, reproduces the video of the program. Can be displayed.

  Furthermore, the content processing system 100 includes various content processing apparatuses 2 having various functions. Therefore, even if exactly the same content is processed, various processes can be realized for the content.

  For example, the mobile terminal device 1 processes text data and still image data (first data) among media data included in the acquired content, while processing the content according to an instruction from the mobile terminal device 1. 2a executes a process of reproducing moving image data (second data) included in the content or externally referenced. Further, the BD recorder 2b executes processing for recording the moving image data (second data).

  As described above, according to the content processing system 100 of the present invention, various types of content processing can be flexibly realized by the cooperation between the mobile terminal device 1 and the content processing device 2.

  In order to realize the above, the mobile terminal device 1 uses, as a control entity, a function information acquisition process for acquiring function information of the content processing device 2, a process for associating content / media data with the processing content, and the content processing device 2 On the other hand, remote instruction information transmission processing for instructing content processing is executed. The configuration of the mobile terminal device 1 that executes these processes will be described in detail later. First, a specific example of an apparatus for realizing each entity described above and a definition of content media data will be described.

[Specific examples of equipment]
In the present embodiment, the mobile terminal device 1 and the content processing device 2 can be realized by an information communication device, a video / audio device, a home appliance, an amusement device, or the like. Examples of the information communication device include information devices such as personal computers and home servers, and communication devices such as telephones. As the communication device, portable information communication devices such as a mobile phone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance), a notebook computer, and a wearable computer are particularly assumed.

  As the video / audio equipment, a digital still camera as an image recording device, a digital video camera as a video recording device, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) recorder, a BD (Blu-ray disk) recorder, and a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) recorder BD player and DVD player as video playback equipment, silicon audio recorder or player as music recording / playback equipment, CD (Compact Disk) recorder or player, and television receiver as broadcast data receiving / playback equipment And radio.

  Examples of the home appliances include refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, and microwave ovens.

  The amusement device corresponds to a home or portable game device.

  The mobile terminal device 1 and the content processing device 2 may be devices having a plurality of functions such as the above-described information processing, communication, image recording / playback, video recording / playback, audio recording / playback, and broadcast data reception / playback. Other than the above, any form may be used as long as the apparatus can process content / media data.

[Definition of content and media data]
In the present embodiment, media data refers to single data such as still image data, moving image data, audio data, music data, document data, text data, or data obtained by integrating them as described above.

  The content refers to the above-described media data itself or data including one or more of the above-described media data, and is used for handling a collection of media data exchanged between devices as a single piece of data. It is also a data unit.

  The data format of the content may be described in a human-readable text format such as XML, or may be a binary format that cannot be read directly by humans.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the data structure of content.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the content includes meta information and control information in addition to the media data. The meta information includes content information such as content ID, content URL (Uniform Resource Locator), and content description application version information.

  The control information includes layout information on the screen for each media data, playback start / end timing on the time axis, playback speed information, volume information, external application startup command statement, information exchange command statement inside and outside the device, other information Includes link transition information to content.

  In the present embodiment, these meta information and control information are described as a script in a human-readable text format such as HTML (HyperText Markup Language).

  That is, the content is composed of the script and one or more media data referenced by the script. However, the data structure and data format of the content are not limited to this, and may be anything as long as the functions and processing described in the present embodiment can be realized. For example, the content may be in a binary format.

[Definition of first data and second data]
In the content processing system 100 of the present invention, content (media data) processed by the mobile terminal device 1 of the control entity + processing entity is referred to as first data, and content processing of the processing entity remotely controlled by the mobile terminal device 1 Content (media data) processed by the device 2 is referred to as second data. The first data and the second data may be exactly the same data or different data.

  For example, it is assumed that the first data is a low-resolution photographic image, and the second data is the same content and a higher-resolution photographic image. Further, it is assumed that the first data is a still image + text content introducing a moving image, and the second data is a content including the moving image. In addition, it is assumed that the first data is content in which the layout is considered for the mobile terminal device, and the second data is the same content and the content is considered in the layout for the large-screen TV. The In addition, it is assumed that the first data is a moving image with a low frame rate for a device with low processing capability, and the second data is a moving image with a high frame rate for a device with high processing capability.

  Note that the first data and the second data may be managed in association with one of the devices in the content processing system 100. For example, in the content supply apparatus 3 that distributes content, it is conceivable to perform association from the beginning using an ID, a group identifier, or the like. Thereby, the portable terminal device 1 (data correlation part 24) can recognize that another related content exists with respect to the content processed in an own apparatus.

  Alternatively, the mobile terminal device 1 (data association unit 24) determines whether there is a version for the other content processing device 2 (for example, a television) for the second data related to the first data processed by the device itself. It may be possible to make an inquiry to the supply device 3 in advance. In this case, if the first data is associated with the television 2a when the first data is operated, the television 2a is processed so as to process the second data inquired in advance for the television. Can be instructed remotely. Alternatively, it is conceivable that the content processing apparatus 2 instructed to process the first data from the mobile terminal apparatus 1 notifies the content supply apparatus 3 by notifying that the first data has been designated. In this case, the content supply device 3 is suitable for the content processing device 2 linked to the first data in consideration of the first data that has received the inquiry and the capability of the content processing device 2 that is the inquiry source. Return the second data to the television.

  According to the above configuration, the mobile terminal device 1 can remotely instruct the content processing device 2 to process another content related to the content being processed by the mobile device. As a result, various contents can be processed and flexible cooperation can be realized.

[Configuration of Mobile Terminal Device 1]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a mobile terminal device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the mobile terminal device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a control unit 10, a storage unit 11, an operation unit 12, a display unit 13, a communication unit 14, and a short-range wireless communication unit 15.

  The operation unit 12 is for a user to input an instruction signal to the mobile terminal device 1. The operation unit 12 includes an appropriate input device such as a button (a cross key, a determination key, a character / number input key, etc.), a touch panel, a touch sensor and a touch pen, or a voice input unit and a voice recognition unit.

  The display unit 13 displays content processed by the mobile terminal device 1 (for example, an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) document, a still image, and a moving image), or an operation screen for the user to operate the mobile terminal device 1. Is displayed as a GUI (Graphical User Interface) screen. The display unit 13 is configured by a display device such as an LCD (liquid crystal display).

  The communication unit 14 communicates with an external device via a communication network (for example, the home LAN 5a, mobile phone network, public wireless LAN 5d, etc. in FIG. 2), and transmits and receives data. For example, the communication unit 14 communicates with each content processing device 2 in the home via the home LAN 5a to exchange data. Further, the communication unit 14 has a function as a public line communication unit, and communicates with the content supply device 3 that manages the content handled by the content processing system 100 via the cellular phone network, the public wireless LAN, etc. 5d and the Internet 5b. Exchange data. Specifically, a call is made with another mobile phone or a general fixed phone via a mobile phone network such as 3G or 3.5G, or desired content is downloaded from the content distribution servers 3a to 3c. be able to.

  The short-range wireless communication unit 15 performs wireless communication with an external device using the short-range wireless communication means 5c. As the short-range wireless communication means, it is possible to use appropriate means such as infrared communication such as IrDA and IrSS, short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth communication and WiFi communication, or non-contact type IC card such as Felica. . In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the short-range wireless communication unit 15 includes an infrared light emitting unit that transmits an image using an infrared communication protocol (IrSS protocol). The short-range wireless communication unit 15 transmits an infrared carrier wave carrying an image from the infrared light emitting unit to a light receiving unit of an IrSS-compatible device (for example, the car navigation device 2c in FIG. 2). Thereby, the portable terminal device 1 can transmit remote instruction information to the car navigation device 2c and instruct the car navigation device 2c to process the content.

  The storage unit 11 stores a control program and an OS program executed by the control unit 10 and various data read when the control unit 10 executes various functions of the mobile terminal device 1. In particular, the storage unit 11 stores various programs and data that are read when the mobile terminal device 1 executes function information acquisition processing, association processing, and remote instruction information transmission processing. Specifically, the storage unit 11 includes a content storage unit 30 and a device list storage unit 31.

  The control unit 10 performs overall control of each unit included in the mobile terminal device 1 and includes, as functional blocks, a content acquisition unit 21, a content analysis unit 22, a content processing unit 23, a data association unit 24, a remote instruction unit 25, and The function information acquisition unit 26 is provided. Furthermore, the control unit 10 may include an event processing unit 20 as a functional block.

  In each functional block of the control unit 10 described above, a CPU (central processing unit) stores a program stored in a storage device (storage unit 11) realized by a ROM (read only memory) or the like. This can be realized by reading and executing the access memory).

  The event processing unit 20 detects any event that occurs in the mobile terminal device 1 and transmits it to each unit of the control unit 10 of the mobile terminal device 1. For example, the event processing unit 20 detects an operation event that occurs when the user operates the operation unit 12 to input some instruction to the mobile terminal device 1. Alternatively, when the elapsed time is measured by a timing unit (not shown), it is periodically detected that a certain time has elapsed.

  The content acquisition unit 21 acquires content or media data included therein from the content supply device 3 that is a supply entity via the communication unit 14. For example, when the event processing unit 20 detects that a content acquisition instruction has been input, the content acquisition unit 21 acquires the content specified by the instruction.

  The content analysis unit 22 analyzes the content acquired by the content acquisition unit 21 and stores the content in the content storage unit 30 with a data structure that can be processed by the mobile terminal device 1.

  The content processing unit 23 processes the content stored in the content storage unit 30. The content processing includes all processing that the mobile terminal device 1 can execute on the content, such as playing back the content, recording the content, duplicating the content, and the like. Here, it is assumed that the content processing unit 23 functions as a reproduction control unit that reproduces content.

  The data association unit 24 executes association processing of the mobile terminal device 1. The association processing associates the content stored in the content storage unit 30 or the media data included in the content with the content processing apparatus 2 capable of processing the content (media data) and the processing content (function). It is processing. In order to associate the media data with the content processing device 2 and the processing content (function), the data association unit 24 generates association information and assigns it to each media data of the stored content. The operation of the association processing, the data structure of the association information, and a specific example will be described later.

  Furthermore, when the content (media data) processed by the mobile terminal device 1 and the content (media data) processed by the content processing device 2 are not exactly the same, the content (media data) processed by the mobile terminal device 1 is changed. As the first data, the content (media data) to be processed by the content processing device 2 may be the second data, and the data association unit 24 may execute the association between the first data and the second data. The procedure for associating the first data with the second data is as already described in [Definition of the first data and the second data].

  The remote instruction unit 25 executes a remote instruction information transmission process of the mobile terminal device 1. The remote instruction information transmission process is a process in which the mobile terminal device 1 generates and transmits remote instruction information for remotely instructing another content processing device 2 to process the content. The operation of the remote instruction information transmission process, the data structure of the remote instruction information, and a specific example will be described later.

  The function information acquisition unit 26 executes function information acquisition processing of the mobile terminal device 1. The function information acquisition process is a process of acquiring function information from the (active) content processing device 2 that can communicate within a range in which the mobile terminal device 1 can be instructed remotely. From the function information acquired by the function information acquiring unit 26, the mobile terminal device 1 can grasp which device can process which media data being reproduced.

  The function information acquisition unit 26 collects function information from the active content processing device 2, creates a device list, and stores it in the device list storage unit 31.

  The data structure of the device list and a specific example will be described later.

[About function information and device list]
The mobile terminal device 1 manages the function information of the content processing device 2 that can communicate at the present time with the device list stored in the device list storage unit 31. The device list is created based on the function information of each content processing device 2 acquired by the function information acquisition unit 26. The function information of each device registered in the device list is information necessary for the data association unit 24 of the mobile terminal device 1 to associate the content (media data) with each content processing device 2 (and its processing details). It becomes.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a database structure of the device list stored in the device list storage unit 31. As shown in FIG. The database structure shown in FIG. 4 is only an example and does not limit the present invention.

  In the example illustrated in FIG. 4, the function information of each content processing device 2 is managed for each device in the device list storage unit 31 in a device list named device_list. device_id is associated with device_id (device ID). device_id is identification information for uniquely identifying the content processing device 2. Here, device_id is associated with device_list as an entry. The entered state means that the content processing device 2 indicated by the device_id is in a state where it can communicate with the mobile terminal device 1 and the mobile terminal device 1 has detected this. The number of entries of device_id is 0 or more with respect to device_list. In addition to device_id, as information unique to the content processing device 2, the content processing device 2's ip_addredd (IP address), uuid (UUID; Universally Unique Identifier (identifier for uniquely identifying the computer)), friendly_name ( Information such as (friendly name) may also be associated.

  Furthermore, function information is associated with each device_id. That is, the function information is information in which processing information (action) that can be executed by the device is associated with media data in that format for each type (format) of media data that can be processed by the device.

  In FIG. 4, mime_type indicates the type of media data, and action_id indicates an ID for identifying the processing content. Action_method, action_url, and action_body associated with action_id indicate specific processing contents.

  Since one device can process 0 or more types of media data, the relationship between device_id and mime_type is 1 to 0 or more (0 ...).

  In the present embodiment, the content processing device 2 has zero or more types of processing functions (actions) for one format of media data. Therefore, the relationship between the media data type (mime_type) and the action (action_id) is 1 to 0 or more (0 ... *).

  The device list shown in FIG. 4 is updated periodically or whenever the function information acquisition unit 26 acquires function information from the content processing device 2 when there is an offer for entry or entry deletion from the content processing device 2. It is desirable that

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of the device list stored in the device list storage unit 31. The device list shown in FIG. 5 is described in a simplified manner using a specific example for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the device list shown in FIG. Show.

  For example, the function information acquisition unit 26 has found the television 2a, the BD recorder 2b, and the car navigation device 2c as a result of searching for a nearby content processing device 2 via the communication unit 14 and the short-range wireless communication unit 15. And

  The function information acquisition unit 26 requests function information from the television 2a. The television 2a can process still image data, moving image data, and music data, obtains an image from a specified URL for the still image data, and displays the image. It is assumed that the music data has a function of acquiring moving image / music data from a specified URL and reproducing the moving image / music.

  In response to the request, the television 2a returns function information that associates processing contents (functions) that can be executed for the media data for each format of media data that the television 2a can handle.

  The function information acquisition unit 26 acquires the function information and associates the function information with each device ID and device IP address as shown in FIG.

  The function information acquisition unit 26 also makes an inquiry similar to that of the television 2a to the BD recorder 2b and the car navigation device 2c, acquires the function information from each, and registers it in the device list.

  By referring to such a device list, the data associating unit 24 can associate the content with the content processing device 2 and the processing content executed by the device.

[Function information acquisition processing flow]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of the function information acquisition process executed by the function information acquisition unit 26 of the mobile terminal device 1.

  The event processing unit 20 may be set to perform a periodic update timing or another predetermined update timing (a function information acquisition process is always executed when the mobile terminal device 1 is started up). When the function information acquisition process is detected according to the user operation (YES in S101), the function information acquisition unit 26 searches for the content processing apparatus 2 via the communication unit 14 (S102). ). Specifically, this processing can be realized by, for example, UPnP discovery processing. When a multicast packet for finding the content processing device 2 is transmitted to the home LAN 5a, the active content processing device 2 transmits a response message to the packet to the mobile terminal device 1. In the mobile terminal device 1, the function information acquisition unit 26 receives this response message, thereby discovering the presence of the content processing device 2 and knowing address information (IP address) on the home home LAN 5 a. be able to. When the short-range wireless communication unit 15 is realized by infrared communication means, the device search operation in S102 is executed as follows. That is, for example, when the mobile terminal device 1 and the car navigation device 2c perform infrared communication, the user physically brings the mobile terminal device 1 close to the car navigation device 2c, and sets both devices in the “infrared communication mode”. Operate both devices in the same state. Thereby, the portable terminal device 1 can discover the car navigation apparatus 2c which can communicate.

  When the infrared communication means is a one-way communication profile such as IrSS, information can only be sent unilaterally from the transmission device side to the reception device side. In such a case, the device search operation in S102 may be omitted. Instead, an operation menu such as “send to the car navigation system (car navigation device 2c)” is incorporated in the mobile terminal device 1 in advance so that the car navigation device 2c can actually communicate with the mobile terminal device 1. Regardless of whether or not it exists, the portable terminal device 1 is configured to create and transmit remote instruction information for the car navigation device 2c on the assumption that it exists. According to the configuration of the mobile terminal device 1, the present invention can be applied to an embodiment that realizes cooperation between devices using a one-way communication profile. The remote instruction information transmitted from the mobile terminal device 1 is configured to be received only when the car navigation device 2c that is actually in a receivable state exists in the infrared communication area.

  When one or more content processing devices 2 are found by transmission of the multicast packet in the device search operation of S102 (YES in S103), the function information acquisition unit 26 is the communication unit 14 (or the short-range wireless communication unit 15). The function information is requested to each of the found content processing apparatuses 2 via the URL and acquired (S104). The function information is information indicating processing contents (functions) that can be executed for each data format of the media data. The exchange of function information is performed by unicast communication instead of multicast.

  The function information acquisition unit 26 stores the acquired function information in the device list storage unit 31 (S105). If the content processing device 2 has not been entered, a new record is registered. If the content processing device 2 has already been entered, the existing record is updated.

  The mobile terminal device 1 not only acquires function information spontaneously at the update timing, but also updates the device list triggered by receiving an entry offer and entry stop notification from the content processing device 2. Good.

  When the function information acquisition unit 26 receives a message regarding the function information from the content processing apparatus 2 via the communication unit 14 or the short-range wireless communication unit 15 (NO in S101, YES in S106), the function information acquisition unit 26 analyzes the received message.

  As a result of the analysis, if the message is an offer for entry (A in S107), the function information acquisition unit 26 requests the function information from the requested content processing apparatus 2 as described above. (S104) and the device list is updated (S105). The entry offer message includes information indicating the existence of the content processing device 2 and the IP address of the content processing device 2.

  On the other hand, if the received message indicates that the content processing device 2 has stopped functioning, the record of the requesting content processing device 2 is deleted from the device list storage unit 31 and the entry of the content processing device 2 is deleted. Is deleted (S108).

  In addition, in the device search operation of S102 of this time, when the content processing device 2 that has been discovered up to the previous time (has been communicable) is no longer discovered (NO in S103, and in S109) YES), the function information acquisition unit 26 deletes the record of the content processing device 2 that is no longer found from the device list storage unit 31, and deletes the entry of the content processing device 2 (S108).

  As described above, the device list stored in the device list storage unit 31 is devised so as to maintain the latest information periodically or in response to changes in surrounding conditions.

[About content and association information]
When a predetermined operation is performed on content being processed by the mobile terminal device 1, the mobile terminal device 1 remotely instructs the content processing device 2 associated with the content to process the content. be able to. In order to achieve the above, the mobile terminal device 1 associates the content with the content processing device 2 based on the relationship between the acquired content and the content processing device 2 in the entry. The association information generated at this time is information necessary for the mobile terminal device 1 to make an appropriate remote instruction to the content processing device 2. Below, the content memorize | stored in the portable terminal device 1 and the correlation information provided to this content are demonstrated.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a database structure of content stored in the content storage unit 30. The database structure shown in FIG. 7 is only an example and does not limit the present invention.

  In the example illustrated in FIG. 7, each content acquired from the content supply device 3 is managed using content_id (content ID) as a primary key. The content_id can uniquely identify or search the content, and can also refer to other attributes of the content. Examples of other attributes of content include original_url and local_cache. original_url (content source URL) indicates the URL character string of the content management / storage source. local_cache (save destination) indicates an address when the content is acquired and temporarily stored in a storage area such as a memory or a disk by the mobile terminal device 1.

  Furthermore, for each content_id, information on media data included in the content is associated. Each media data included in the content is managed using data_id as a primary key. One content may include zero or more (plural) media data. Therefore, the content and the media data have a one-to-many (0 .. *) relationship. Furthermore, media data attributes may be stored in association with each media data. For example, specific examples of media data attributes include original_url, local_cache, media_type, position, start_time, duration, and repeat.

  original_url (media data source URL) indicates the URL character string of the media data management / storage source. local_cache (save destination) indicates an address when the media data is acquired and temporarily stored in a storage area such as a memory or a disk by the mobile terminal device 1. In media_type (data format), a character string representing the data format of media data is stored. In position (layout information), a coordinate value at which the media data is displayed when the content is reproduced is stored. In start_time (reproduction start time information), an offset value of a time at which reproduction of the media data itself is started when the content is reproduced is stored. The playback time of media data is stored in duration (playback time information). In repeat (presence / absence of repetition), a flag value indicating whether or not the media data is reproduced repeatedly is stored.

  Further, for each data_id (media data), an event and a behavior (action) to be performed by the mobile terminal device 1 when the event occurs are associated and stored. The event is generated by some user operation (click, mouse-on, various key operations, touch operation on the touch panel, operation of tilting or shaking the main body of the mobile terminal device 1) with respect to the content being played back. In addition to triggering a user operation, the event is an internal event by an instruction from a program or application, notification from various sensors such as GPS, thermometer, radio wave intensity, battery capacity, etc. mounted on the mobile terminal device 1. Also included is an event that is triggered by. Among these events, the association process executed by the data association unit 24 is a target when the mobile terminal device 1 performs some operation (action) on the media data when the event occurs. It is an event.

  Events are managed using event_id as a primary key. When the event occurs, the behavior (action) to be performed by the mobile terminal device 1 is managed in association with event_id using action_id as a primary key.

  The action when an event occurs for a certain piece of media data is uniquely determined, but the same action may be assigned to a plurality of events. Depending on the media data, an event that requires an action may not occur, and a plurality of types of the event may occur. Therefore, the relationship between media data (data_id) and event (event_id) is one-to-many (0 ... *), and the relationship between event (event_id) and action (action_id) is many (1 ... *). ) One to one.

  Furthermore, the action_id may be associated with an attribute of another action. Specific examples of action attributes include action_method, action_url, and action_body. The action_method stores information for specifying the type of action. Specific information to be stored includes, for example, HTTP GET, HTTP POST, or an internal function call. The action_url stores a URL character string that specifies the location of the implementation target (target data) of the action_method (in particular, HTTP GET, HTTP POST). The action_body stores media data attached when executing the action_method (particularly HTTP POST) and additional information sent separately from the URL character string (such as authentication information for accessing the service).

  The content acquired by the content acquisition unit 21 is analyzed by the content analysis unit 22 and stored in the content storage unit 30 in the data structure shown in FIG. Association information is further added to the stored content by the data association unit 24. Based on this association information, the remote instruction unit 25 can make an appropriate remote instruction to the appropriate content processing device 2 when a predetermined event occurs for the content.

  FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are diagrams showing a specific example of a content database stored in the content storage unit 30. FIG. 8 is a specific example when various attribute information 80 is stored for a certain content (ID; aa001). FIG. 9 shows an example, and specific examples (attributes) of events and actions originally assigned to media data 91a (still image data, ID; video1_1) included in the content. Specific examples of the information 80) and the association information 81 added later are shown. The content database shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 is described in a simplified manner using specific examples for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the content database shown in FIG. 7, and the database shown in each figure is There is no intention to limit the present invention, and the same database as shown in FIG. 7 is shown.

  For example, it is assumed that the content acquisition unit 21 acquires content (ID; aa001) in which three sets of still image data and text data are arranged from the content distribution server 3a. This content introduces a list of three programs that can be viewed, and the three still image data are thumbnail images representing one typical scene of each program. The three text data are character strings representing the titles of the respective programs. In the content, when the character string is clicked (event), a behavior (action) is assigned so as to acquire the commentary content of the program associated with the text. This is an action originally added to the content and is a self-action to be executed by the mobile terminal device 1 itself.

  The content analysis unit 22 analyzes the content script and stores the content in the content storage unit 30 based on the data structure shown in FIG. 8 based on the analysis result. Here, since the content (ID; aa001) includes three still images and three texts as media data, six media data IDs are stored in association with the content. FIG. 8 shows a specific example of the still image (media data 91a) and text of the first program and the media data of the still image of the second program, and the following description is omitted.

  The content analysis unit 22 stores the attribute information 80 (event and self-action) in association with each media data, if any. Details of the attribute information 80 for each media data are shown in FIG. Here, since the event and the self action are associated with the first text data, the content analysis unit 22 analyzes the script and stores the event and the self action as the attribute information 80. Is shown. The attribute information 80 (event and self action) shown in FIG. 9 means that when a click event occurs for the text data, an action of acquiring related commentary content is assigned.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 8, when the acquired content is stored in the content storage unit 30 by the procedure as described above, the data association unit 24 is managed as shown in FIGS. The association information 81 is added for each content and each media data. The data association unit 24 refers to the function information of the device list stored in the device list storage unit 31, grasps which device can process what type of media data, and processes the media data and content. The association information 81 is generated in association with the device 2.

  A specific example of the association information 81 is shown in FIG. The association information 81 is information indicating the association between the content (or media data included in the content) and another content processing apparatus 2 that processes the content. Further, the association information 81 includes information indicating the relevance between the contents when the related contents exist. In the example illustrated in FIG. 9, the data association unit 24 generates association information 81 for each content media data event (attribute information 80) and for each content processing device 2. As shown in FIG. 9, the association information 81 includes at least remote instruction destination information and remote instruction action information. When the related content exists, the association information 81 may further include information related to the related content (second data) related to the original content (first data).

  The remote instruction destination information is information indicating to which device the remote instruction information is transmitted when a certain event occurs with respect to certain media data, and the remote instruction action information is what kind of remote instruction. It is information indicating whether information is transmitted.

  The data association unit 24 first refers to a device list (for example, FIG. 5). Then, it is grasped which device can execute what processing on which media data (that is, the function of the device).

  Here, the content “aa001” currently being processed is an introduction page of a program (moving image), and if the data structure of the content “aa001” is analyzed, each still image (first data) is a moving image (first data). 2 data). Therefore, the data association unit 24 associates the media data (second data) of the moving image with the media data (first data) of the still image included in the content, and further, another content processing device 2 is associated with the first data. , And the function of the content processing apparatus 2 is determined to be associated with each other.

  First, the data association unit 24 acquires information on a moving image (second data) related to the still image (first data). This may be originally recorded in the content storage unit 30 by analysis of the content analysis unit 22, or may be acquired again by the content acquisition unit 21 inquiring of the content supply device 3. Good. For example, when the moving image ID is acquired, the data association unit 24 associates the still image ID (video01_1) and the moving image ID (video01_3). Here, various methods are conceivable for grasping the association between the still image (first data) and the moving image (second data). The method of associating the first data and the second data and the specific example thereof are as described in [Definition of the first data and the second data].

  The data association unit 24 searches the device list for an active content processing device 2 that can acquire the media data of the moving image and process the media data (every process such as reproduction and recording).

  Referring to the device list shown in FIG. 5, the data associating unit 24 acquires the active devices that can acquire and process moving images as the television 2a (ID; DTV 2a) and the BD recorder 2b (ID; BDR 2b). It detects that it is two. Then, it is detected that each of the devices has a function (executable processing content) of “playing a moving image” and “recording a moving image”. Then, the data association unit 24 determines a remote instruction action stored in the device list and necessary for causing the content processing device 2 to execute the function.

  Finally, the data association unit 24 generates association information 81 for each piece of media data, event, and detected active device as the first data. As shown in FIG. 9, the association information 81 includes, for example, a remote instruction destination, a function, a remote instruction action, and a media data ID of second data.

  For example, according to the device list in FIG. 5, it is understood that the TV 2a has a moving image reproduction function for acquiring and reproducing a moving image based on the URL of the moving image. Therefore, for the television 2a, the data associating unit 24 indicates that “the HTTP GET notifies the URL of the related video (second data) linked to the still image and causes the television 2a to acquire the video”. Generate remote indication action information.

  Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the data association unit 24 performs the above association information 81, that is, “about the television 2 a” with respect to the event “click” of the still image data with the media data ID “video01_1” An HTTP GET is given a remote instruction action of “notifying the television 2a of the moving image (video01_3) URL associated with the still image data and acquiring the moving image”.

  By referring to the association information 81 generated and added in this way, the remote instruction unit 25 generates appropriate remote instruction information when an event occurs with respect to certain media data. As a result, it is possible to remotely control various types of content processing.

[Remote instruction information]
When a predetermined operation is performed on content (media data) being processed by the device itself, the remote instruction unit 25 of the mobile terminal device 1 is a content processing device associated with the content (media data). 2 can be remotely instructed to process the content or another content related to the content. The remote instruction unit 25 generates remote instruction information for instructing content processing based on the association information 81 described above.

  Operations of the content processing unit 23 and the remote instruction unit 25 will be described using the above example.

  First, the content processing unit 23 reads the content (ID; aa001) to which the association information 81 is assigned from the content storage unit 30, executes the reproduction process, and displays the content on the display unit 13. It is assumed that the user operates the operation unit 12 and clicks a still image of video01_1 among displayed contents. At this time, the event processing unit 20 notifies the content processing unit 23 and the remote instruction unit 25 of the occurrence of a click event. When the event processing unit 20 detects the occurrence of an event, the content processing unit 23 executes the self action (attribute information 80) to be executed by the own device if it is associated with the event. Also good.

  On the other hand, the remote instruction unit 25 refers to the association information 81 at the time of clicking the media data (ID; video01_1) of the content (ID; aa001). In accordance with the association information 81 shown in FIG. 9, the remote instruction unit 25 generates remote instruction information to the effect that “get the URL of the related video with HTTP GET” for each of the television 2a and the BD recorder 2b. To do.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a specific example of the remote instruction information generated by the remote instruction unit 25. The remote instruction information shown in FIG. 10 shows an example of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the remote instruction information includes METOD for specifying the type of action, a URL for specifying the location of the action target (target data), and media data attached as the action target. The data structure includes BODY to be stored. In the specific example shown in FIG. 10, the remote instruction information instructs to acquire the media data specified in the URL.

  For example, when the television 2a receives the remote instruction information shown in FIG. 10 from the mobile terminal device 1, the moving image (related moving image corresponding to the still image of video01_1) is acquired based on the specified URL according to the received remote instruction information. Thus, a process for reproducing this can be executed. Similarly, the BD recorder 2b can execute a process of acquiring the related moving image and recording it according to the remote instruction information.

  The remote instruction unit 25 can directly transmit the media data (image) to be processed to the content processing apparatus 2 by including it in the remote instruction information instead of specifying the URL. In this case, the remote instruction unit 25 stores the media data to be processed instead of NULL in the field BODY.

  In the following, the flow of the association process executed by the data association unit 24 and the flow of the remote instruction information transmission process executed by the remote instruction unit 25 will be described. First, a specific example used at that time will be described with reference to FIGS. I will explain.

[Explanation of specific examples]
Specific Example of Content—HTML Description Example and Screen Display Example A specific example of content will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a screen displayed on the display unit 13 when the content processing unit 23 of the mobile terminal device 1 reproduces the content. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a description example when the content before analysis acquired by the content acquisition unit 21 is described in HTML. The contents shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 show contents for displaying a list of VoD (Video on Demand) movie contents as an example.

  The content 90 is supplied from the content distribution server 3a to the mobile terminal device 1 in the following procedure. In accordance with the user's operation on the mobile terminal device 1, the content acquisition unit 21 of the mobile terminal device 1 accesses the site of the VoD service provider that operates the content distribution server 3a. Since the user inputs user information (account, password, etc.), the content acquisition unit 21 logs in to a service provided by the provider based on the user information. Thereby, the VoD movie content can be browsed or searched by the browser on the display unit 13 of the mobile terminal device 1. In the above service, the user can check the VoD movie content that is anxious from the browser. Further, the service provides a function of displaying a list of checked VoD movie contents later. The contents 90 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 are assumed to be contents for displaying a list of movie contents checked by the user.

  In the example shown in FIG. 11, the list of VoD movie contents is a display form listed in a vertical column. One line corresponds to one movie content, and a still image (thumbnail image representing the contents of the movie) is displayed on the left side of this line, and a title character string is displayed on the right side. In the description example of FIG. 12, the png data referred to by the <img> tag in the 26th, 37th, and 48th lines is a still image displayed on the left side, the 29th, 40th, and 51st lines. Are the title character strings displayed on the right side, and these are the media data 91 included in the content 90. For example, the media data 91a described in the 26th line in FIG. 12 corresponds to the media data 91a that is the still image in the upper left in FIG.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which the content 90 of FIGS. 11 and 12 is stored in the content storage unit 30 in accordance with the database structure shown in FIG. The data structure of the content 90 shown in FIG. 13 is obtained by analyzing the content 90 shown in FIG. 12 by the content analysis unit 22. Each field (content_id, original_url, local_cache) of the content 90 illustrated in FIG. 13 may be updated by the content analysis unit 22 when the content acquisition unit 21 completes the acquisition of the content 90.

  The content analysis unit 22 analyzes the content 90 and confirms the presence of the media data 91 in the content 90. Specifically, they are three still image data including media data 91a and three text data. The content analysis unit 22 creates a data entry for each piece of media data in association with the content 90 as shown in FIG. For example, the data entry of data_id “video01_1” corresponds to the media data 91a shown in FIGS.

  More specifically, the content analysis unit 22 uniquely determines data_id using an id or the like given to the tag of the media data in the HTML sentence of FIG. In addition, the content analysis unit 22 updates local_cache when the media data 91 is actually acquired. In the present embodiment, a hyperlink to another content 90 is set for the text data described in the 29th line of FIG. 12 by an <a> tag. For this reason, when the user clicks the text data “first pilates” that is the media data 91, the content acquisition unit 21 is another content that is a link destination (for example, content that introduces and explains the program “first pilates”). To get to.

  When the content analysis unit 22 stores content in the content storage unit 30, the content analysis unit 22 reflects the operation content to the hyperlink. In the example illustrated in FIG. 13, the content analysis unit 22 associates an onClick event with text media data “video01_2” (a character string of “first Pilates”). The action identified by “action01_2_1” is associated. In this action, action_method is HTTP GET, and action_url indicates a URL that is a link destination. That is, this action is an action of acquiring HTML data stored in the URL, and is executed by the mobile terminal device 1 when an event occurs in which the text data “first Pilates” is clicked. Action.

Specific example of association between content and content processing apparatus-DB storage state, screen display example, HTML description example (when HTML is edited / re-acquired)
Next, when the content 90 shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 is acquired and the neighboring content processing device 2 is entered, the data association unit 24 performs the function information of the content 90 and the content processing device 2. A specific example of the association information generated based on the above will be described.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which the association information 81 is given to the media data 91a of the content 90 shown in FIG.

  In the example shown in FIG. 14, the association information 81 is the remote instruction action to be executed by the remote instruction unit 25 when the png data that is the media data 91a (data_id; video01_1) is clicked on the screen. Is shown. Specifically, the associating information 81 is the moving image associated with the URL of the content distribution server 3a and the ping data for the content processing apparatus 2 having the IP address “192.168.0.3”. The “video ID” is notified and the portable terminal device 1 is instructed to transmit an HTTP GET request.

  The association information 81 will be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 14, in the association information 81, an event whose event_id is “onClick” is associated with the media data “video01_1”, and the event_id is “action01_1_1”. Associated with an action that is In the above action, “HTTP GET” is specified for action_method. For action_url, “information necessary for mobile terminal device 1 to create remote instruction information for content processing device 2 to perform processing” is specified. That is, the IP address information “192.168.0.3” for specifying the content processing device 2, the character string “send_message” indicating that the message is transmitted to the content processing device 2, and the content processing A list of parameters (attributes and value sets) required by the device 2 when processing is combined into a URL format is stored in action_url.

  In the example shown in FIG. 14, the URL of the content distribution server 3a is designated as “serviceUrl”, the identifier of the video content managed by the content distribution server 3a is designated as “videoId”, and the user is designated as “uid”. An identifier is specified. When the action_url including the above information is acquired by the content processing device 2, the content processing device 2 uses the user identifier specified by the “uid” to the content distribution server 3a specified by the “serviceUrl”. The video content (second data) specified by “videoId” can be acquired and played back.

  Next, based on the specific example of FIGS. 11-14, the flow of a process of the portable terminal device 1 is demonstrated.

[Flow of association processing and remote instruction information transmission processing]
FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the association process executed by the data association unit 24 of the mobile terminal device 1 and the remote instruction information transmission process executed by the remote instruction unit 25.

  First, the event processing unit 20 of the mobile terminal device 1 detects that an instruction to acquire a certain content and play it is input via the operation unit 12 (YES in S201). In accordance with this instruction, the content acquisition unit 21 acquires the instructed content from the instructed content distribution server 3a via the communication unit 14 (S202). For example, the content 90 shown in FIG. 12 is acquired.

  Subsequently, the content analysis unit 22 analyzes the content 90 and displays information on each media data 91 included in the content 90 (for example, the URL of the data file, the file name, the data format, the data size, and the screen). Coordinate value information, reproduction timing information, reproduction speed information, volume information, etc.) are stored in the content storage unit 30 in a predetermined data structure (S203). The data structure of the content 90 stored in the content storage unit 30 is, for example, as shown in FIG.

  If the media 90 is externally referred to, for example, when the content 90 is described in HTML, which is a markup language, as shown in FIG. 12, the process returns to S202, and the content acquisition unit 21 performs the above external processing. The media data being referred to may be acquired. Alternatively, the media data may be acquired for the first time when the user operates to actually reproduce the media data. For example, if it is still image data, it may be desirable to return to S201 in step S203 and obtain the still image data in advance so that it can be displayed immediately. In the case of data, it is desirable that the content acquisition unit 21 acquire the data at the time when the start of reproduction is instructed later by a user operation.

  Next, the data associating unit 24 executes an associating process for assigning associating information 81 for each piece of media data 91 included in the content 90. Specifically, the data association unit 24 refers to the device list stored in the device list storage unit 31 and grasps the content processing device 2 that is currently active around the mobile terminal device 1 (S204). Then, from the device list, address information on the home LAN 5a and information on processing contents executable on media data for each data format (that is, function information) are obtained for each of the active content processing devices 2. To do.

  Then, the data association unit 24 associates each media data 91 of the content with the content processing device 2 by generating the association information 81 (S205). Based on the function information, the data association unit 24 associates the media processing unit 2 with the content processing apparatus 2 that can execute some processing on the media data closely related to the media data 91. As a result of the execution of this association process, the data structure of the content 90 stored in the content storage unit 30 is updated from, for example, the data structure shown in FIG. 13 to the data structure shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the device list that manages the active content processing device 2 may change over time due to periodic updates or offers from the content processing device 2. For this reason, when the device list is updated (YES in S206), it is desirable that the data association unit 24 executes the association process again based on the updated device list.

  Subsequently, the content processing unit 23 (here, the content processing unit 23 functions as a playback control unit that plays back the content) processes the content 90 shown in FIG. 14 stored in the content storage unit 30, and The content 90 for reproduction display is output to the display unit 13. Thereby, the display unit 13 can reproduce and display the content 90 (S207). An example of the screen when the content 90 is displayed on the display unit 13 is as shown in FIG.

  When the device list is updated while the content 90 is being played and the user operation is not performed on the content being played (NO in S208, YES in S206), the data association unit 24 The association processing (S204, S205) is repeated, and the content processing unit 23 reproduces the updated content 90 and transitions again to the user operation standby state.

  On the other hand, when the user performs some operation on the content while the content 90 is being played back, the event processing unit 20 detects the occurrence of a user operation event via the operation unit 12 (YES in S208). The operation event is notified from the event processing unit 20 to each unit of the control unit 10 such as the content processing unit 23, the content acquisition unit 21, and the remote instruction unit 25. Specifically, the operation event detected by the event processing unit 20 is assumed to be pressing of a specific key provided in the mobile terminal device 1 or a touch screen tap provided in the mobile terminal device 1. Such an event occurrence notification is realized as follows. That is, by registering event handlers to be handled by each unit of the control unit 10 in the event processing unit 20 in advance, operation events such as actual key presses and touch screen taps (these are usually operation units). 12 is notified to the event processing unit 20 via a device driver (not shown).

  The control unit 10 performs case classification based on conditions such as the state at the time of event occurrence (where the focus position is, etc.) and the type of event (such as which key is pressed), and the processing prescribed in each case Is instructed to each unit such as the content acquisition unit 21, the content processing unit 23, and the remote instruction unit 25.

  Here, an action (such as self-action (80) shown in FIG. 9, attribute information 80 shown in FIG. 13) for acquiring predetermined content is assigned to the operated media data and the generated operation event. In the case (YES in S209), the content acquisition unit 21 returns to S201 and acquires the specified content (or media data). In this case, the action includes a descriptive text indicating that another content is acquired, for example, a URL is specified.

  Alternatively, when an action (association information 81 shown in FIGS. 9 and 14) of transmitting remote instruction information to another device is assigned to the media data and the operation event (NO in S209, S210) YES), the remote instruction unit 25 executes a remote instruction information transmission process. That is, the remote instruction unit 25 generates remote instruction information (see FIG. 10) for each of the active content processing devices 2 based on the association information 81, and outputs the remote instruction information to the communication unit 14 or the short-range wireless communication unit. 15 to the respective content processing apparatuses 2 (S211). Thereby, the content processing apparatus 2 can obtain information necessary for processing the content from the remote instruction information, and can execute the processing of the content as instructed.

  Other instructions input by the user operation detected in S208 include, for example, an instruction to display a menu for playback control, an instruction to scroll the screen, and an instruction to send an HTTP request to a predetermined URL An instruction for executing a predetermined function of the mobile terminal device 1 can be considered. When these instructions are input (NO in S210), each unit of the mobile terminal device 1 appropriately executes an action corresponding to these instructions (S212). Note that the processing executed by the mobile terminal device 1 in S212 may be an action programmed in advance as a function of the mobile terminal device 1, or may be an action assigned by a script description of the content 90 or the like. Good.

  When the media data operated in S208 includes both an action to be executed by the own device and an action to be instructed remotely, the mobile terminal device 1 executes the action assigned in the own device. At the same time, the remote instruction information may be transmitted to other content processing apparatuses 2 according to the assigned action. For example, when still image data is clicked, the explanation content of the program related to the still image data is displayed on the own device, and the related moving image is reproduced for other devices. It is possible to achieve both processing of the own device and processing instructions to other devices.

  As long as the instruction to end the reproduction of the content 90 is not input (NO in S213), the content processing unit 23 continues to reproduce the content 90 and waits for an update of the device list or an event of a user operation. Transition. When an instruction to end the reproduction of content 90 is input (YES in S213), a series of processing ends.

[Modification]
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which each remote instruction information is transmitted to each content processing device 2 when the functions of the plurality of content processing devices 2 are associated with one media data has been described. However, the configuration of the present invention is not limited to this configuration.

  For example, in the case where there are a plurality of types of content processing devices 2 or functions associated with media data, when the media data is operated, a GUI using that as an option is further displayed and selected by the user One remote instruction information may be transmitted to one device based on the options.

  FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a specific example of the GUI.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the media data 91a (still image data) shown in FIG. 16 is associated with the television 2a and the BD recorder 2b that can process the related moving image of the media data 91a. Therefore, when the media data 91a is selected by a user operation, the content processing unit 23 displays a GUI 92 for allowing the user to select which device of the television 2a or the BD recorder 2b is to process the related moving image. May be. At this time, the device ID or device name shown in FIG. 9 may be described as it is, or the function name of each device shown in FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 16, the function name of each device is described as an option. Here, when “record video” is selected, the remote instruction unit 25, based on the remote instruction action associated with the remote instruction destination “BDR2b” in the association information 81 shown in FIG. Remote instruction information is generated and transmitted to the BD recorder 2b via the communication unit 14.

  As a result, the mobile terminal device 1 can perform media data (second data) related to the media data 91a when a predetermined operation is performed on the media data 91a (first data) during the reproduction of the content 90. This recording process can be remotely instructed to the BD recorder 2b.

[Information flow between devices in content processing system]
FIG. 17 is a sequence diagram for explaining exchange of information between the mobile terminal device 1 and the content processing device 2.

  When the function information acquisition process is executed in the mobile terminal device 1, first, a search for surrounding devices is performed. This corresponds to S102 in FIG. For the device search, for example, a Device Discovery mechanism defined by UPnP can be used.

  Specifically, the mobile terminal device 1 multicasts a packet for discovering the device (S301). In response to this, the content processing device 2 returns a response message including the IP address to the mobile terminal device 1. (S302).

  Subsequently, the mobile terminal device 1 and the content processing device 2 exchange device information. This corresponds to S104 in FIG. For exchanging device information, for example, a description mechanism defined by UPnP can be used.

  Specifically, the mobile terminal device 1 unicasts a packet for requesting function information (S303), and the content processing device 2 returns the function information of its own device (S304). Thereby, the portable terminal device 1 can grasp what processing the content processing device 2 can execute on each media data for each type of media data format.

  And the portable terminal device 1 receives the user operation which instruct | indicates a remote instruction | indication action at an appropriate timing, and performs a remote instruction | indication information transmission process according to this. In the remote instruction information transmission process, the request transmitted by the mobile terminal device 1 is remote instruction information transmitted to the content processing apparatus 2, and the URL includes the character string “send_message”. When the mobile terminal device 1 transmits remote instruction information including “send_message” (S305), the content processing device 2 executes the instructed content processing. Here, the content processing apparatus 2 responds to the remote instruction information with a control UI reflecting the processing result, a control UI indicating that the remote instruction information has been received without any problem, or a control UI indicating that the process has been completed. Or the like may be returned to the mobile terminal device 1 (S306).

[Application example]
An application that can be realized by utilizing the structure of the content processing system 100 of the present invention described so far will be exemplified.

(Application example 1: VoD playback)
In a video-on-demand (VoD) service, first, a list of contents, search, and content information (casting, synopsis, trailer movie, viewer evaluation comments, etc.) are browsed by a control entity such as the mobile terminal device 1. , Purchase viewing rights for the content you want to see. By transmitting information related to the purchased content to a television as a processing entity, the content can be played back and viewed on the television.

  In the content processing system 100 of the present invention, as described above, a plurality of other related content or media data is managed for one content. For example, according to the function of the content processing device, the one group Media data is selectively supplied to each device from the media data.

  Therefore, even when the same type of processing is executed for the content associated with the same group, the case where the mobile terminal device 1 executes and the case where the television 2a executes the case where the output of the processing results is not uniform and are different. There is. For example, the mobile terminal device 1 displays a low-resolution image (first data), and the television 2a displays a higher-resolution image (second data) than the first data even for an image with the same content. And so on.

  The mobile terminal device 1 sends an instruction to another device to process other content associated with the content being processed by the own device, so that the content of the content cannot be processed by the own device. It is possible to instruct execution of processing. Therefore, it is possible to realize a flexible linkage in which content is processed variously by various devices instead of a uniform linkage.

(Application example 2: Recording reservation)
First, the user browses the broadcast program guide on the mobile terminal device 1 and finds a program to be viewed. Then, remote instruction information including information related to the program is transmitted to a recorder such as a BD recorder. Thereby, the program can be recorded by the recorder. For example, in the content processing system 100 of the present invention, the portable terminal device 1 sends an instruction to another device having a function (processing content) that the device itself does not have, thereby instructing execution of the processing. Is possible. Therefore, it is possible to realize a flexible linkage in which content is processed variously by various devices instead of a uniform linkage.

(Application example 3: Car navigation destination setting)
The user searches for information on the destination using the mobile terminal device 1. The destination information acquired by the mobile terminal device 1 is stored in the mobile terminal device 1 in the state of text data while being embedded in the annotation region of the image data in JPEG format.

  A user gets the portable terminal device 1 and gets into a vehicle on which the car navigation device 2c is mounted, and causes the portable terminal device 1 and the car navigation device 2c to perform infrared communication.

  The mobile terminal device 1 can transmit the destination information to the car navigation device 2c in an image data format or a text data format. The car navigation device 2c that has received the destination information can register the destination information as a destination and start route guidance to the destination. In this way, it is possible to realize flexible cooperation not only with the home LAN 5a but also with devices that can communicate via short-range wireless communication means.

  In the embodiment, the modification, and the application example described above, the content provided from the content supply device 3 is converted into the mobile terminal device 1, the television 2a, the BD recorder 2b, and the car navigation device 2c as specific examples shown in FIG. However, the realization of the processing entity or the control entity that processes the content is not necessarily performed by a single device in which a plurality of functions are integrally configured.

  That is, an acquisition device for acquiring content such as a receiver, a media data input device such as a camera for acquiring an image, a content processing device specialized for content processing, a television receiver, and the like A single processing entity or control entity may be realized by combining a plurality of devices such as the media data output device.

  Even in such a case, the devices exchange media data and control signals by performing communication via a dedicated line or wireless communication with each other. Of the devices, the content processing device executes playback and editing processing of the script acquired by the acquisition device. The multimedia content can be edited using the media data input by the media data input device. Furthermore, the acquired content or the edited multimedia data can be played back by the media data output device.

  Furthermore, a script execution method for executing such a script can be provided as a program. Such a program is stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as a flexible disk attached to the computer, a CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a memory card. And can be provided as a program product. Alternatively, the program can be provided by being recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk built in the computer. A program can also be provided by downloading via a network.

  The provided program product is installed in a program storage unit such as a hard disk and executed. The program product includes the program itself and a recording medium on which the program is recorded.

  It should be thought that embodiment disclosed this time is an illustration and restrictive at no points. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  Finally, each block of the mobile terminal device 1, in particular, the content analysis unit 22, the data association unit 24, the remote instruction unit 25, and the function information acquisition unit 26 may be configured by hardware logic, Thus, it may be realized by software using a CPU.

  That is, the mobile terminal device 1 includes a CPU (central processing unit) that executes instructions of a control program that realizes each function, a ROM (read only memory) that stores the program, and a RAM (random access memory) that expands the program. And a storage device (recording medium) such as a memory for storing the program and various data. An object of the present invention is a recording medium in which a program code (execution format program, intermediate code program, source program) of a control program of the mobile terminal device 1 which is software for realizing the above-described functions is recorded so as to be readable by a computer This can also be achieved by supplying the portable terminal device 1 and reading and executing the program code recorded on the recording medium by the computer (or CPU or MPU).

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

  Moreover, the portable terminal device 1 may be configured to be connectable to a communication network, and the program code may be supplied via the communication network. The communication network is not particularly limited. For example, the Internet, intranet, extranet, LAN, ISDN, VAN, CATV communication network, virtual private network, telephone line network, mobile communication network, satellite communication. A net or the like is available. Further, the transmission medium constituting the communication network is not particularly limited. For example, even in the case of wired such as IEEE 1394, USB, power line carrier, cable TV line, telephone line, ADSL line, etc., infrared rays such as IrDA and remote control, Bluetooth ( (Registered trademark), 802.11 wireless, HDR, mobile phone network, satellite line, terrestrial digital network, and the like can also be used. The present invention can also be realized in the form of a computer data signal embedded in a carrier wave in which the program code is embodied by electronic transmission.

  The present invention can be used in a content processing system including a control device for processing content and a controlled device. For example, when the control device and the controlled device of the present invention are configured by DLNA-compatible devices, it becomes possible to cause the controlled device having various functions to process a wide variety of contents with every processing content. Can be flexibly linked.

1 Mobile terminal device (control device)
2 Content processing device (controlled device)
2a Television (controlled device)
2b Blu-ray Disc (BD) recorder (controlled device)
2c Car navigation device (controlled device)
3 Content supply devices 3a to 3c Content distribution server (content supply device)
4 Home router 5a Home LAN
5b Internet 5c Near field communication means 5d Public wireless LAN, etc. 10 Control unit 11 Storage unit 12 Operation unit 13 Display unit 14 Communication unit 15 Near field communication unit 20 Event processing unit 21 Content acquisition unit 22 Content analysis unit 23 Content processing unit 24 Data association part (association means)
25 Remote instruction section (remote instruction means)
26 Function information acquisition unit (Function information acquisition means)
30 Content storage unit 31 Device list storage unit (functional information storage unit)
80 Attribute information 81 Information 90 Content 91 Media data 91a Media data 92 GUI
100 content processing system

Claims (10)

A control device that instructs a controlled device to execute content processing,
Based on the function information indicating the contents of the process that can be executed by the controlled device for each data format of the content, the controlled device that can execute the content for the content, and the controlled device for the content An associating means for associating an executable process;
In the device itself, when a predetermined event occurs with respect to the content associated by the association means, the controlled device associated with the content is instructed to execute the processing associated with the content. And a remote instruction means. The association means is
In addition to the above content, the related content related to the content is further associated,
The remote instruction means is
The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control apparatus instructs execution of processing for related content associated with content in which the predetermined event has occurred. The association means is
The process that can be executed by the controlled device to be associated with the content is associated with each operation event that occurs when the device accepts a user operation.
The remote instruction means is
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the operation event occurs with respect to the content associated by the association unit, execution of processing associated with the content and the generated operation event is instructed. 3. The control device according to 1 or 2. The content includes one or more media data, and the function information indicates details of processing that can be executed by the controlled device for each data format of the media data.
4. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the association unit performs the association for each piece of media data of the content. Functional information acquisition means for acquiring respective functional information from one or more controlled devices capable of communication;
5. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising a function information storage unit that stores the function information for each controlled device capable of communication. The function information acquisition means
Periodically confirming controlled devices capable of communication, and updating the function information stored in the function information storage unit,
The association means is
6. The control device according to claim 5, wherein when the function information is updated, the contents of the association are updated based on the updated function information. A control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A controlled device that processes content according to the instructions of the control device;
A content processing system comprising: the control device; and a content supply device that supplies content to the controlled device. A remote control method for instructing a controlled device to execute content processing,
Based on the function information indicating the content of the process that can be executed by the controlled device for each data format of the content, the controlled device that can execute the content for the content, and the controlled device for the content A data association step for associating an executable process with
A detection step of detecting occurrence of a predetermined event for the content associated in the data association step;
And a remote instruction step for instructing the controlled device associated with the content to execute the process associated with the content when the event is detected in the detection step. Remote control method.   The control program for functioning a computer as each means of the control apparatus of any one of Claim 1-6.   A computer-readable recording medium on which the control program according to claim 9 is recorded.

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