JP2014048719A - Distribution management system, distribution management method, distribution system, and distribution management program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a distribution management system and the like that are capable of managing a period in which a content is distributed.SOLUTION: A distribution management system 1 comprises a redirect processing unit 2 that, in response to access to a first server 5 represented by a redirect URL, performs first processing for selecting a streaming URL for distributing a content associated with the redirect URL when the current time is within a period indicated by an effective period of the content associated with the redirect URL, and not selecting the streaming URL for distributing the content when it is not within the period.

Description

  The present invention relates to a distribution management system and the like related to streaming distribution.

  In a streaming service (hereinafter also referred to as “distribution”) provided via a communication network such as the Internet, the amount of data of content distributed by the server (hereinafter simply referred to as “content” or “distribution target content”) is large. . Therefore, in order to perform processing for distributing content, a large amount of server resources and a wide network bandwidth are required. In a content delivery network (Contents Delivery Network, hereinafter referred to as “CDN”), a plurality of servers are distributed in a plurality of locations (hereinafter also referred to as “sites”) in order to reduce such a load. To do. However, since the servers are distributed, it is difficult to manage the content distribution period when distributing the content via the CDN.

  The distribution destination control system disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes a center apparatus that performs distribution, a distributor's terminal, a user's terminal, and a communication network that connects them. When a user makes an access request to the content, the distribution destination control system refers to the user list that associates the content with the user who can use the content, so that only the associated user can access the content. To deliver. A distributor who distributes content limits the users who can use the content by updating the user list.

  A distribution condition generation control server disclosed in Patent Literature 2 includes an apparatus that generates a condition for multicast distribution of content based on a condition input from the outside, and an apparatus that generates a session condition for a user to receive the content And an output device that distributes content data that satisfies these conditions. The system associates a time when a distributor performs distribution, a user who performs distribution, and content.

  The distribution control device disclosed in Patent Document 3 includes a means for storing content, a means for associating the content with a user who can view the content, and using the content in response to a request from the user. Means for changing a link name associated with a user, and means for sending control information related to the distribution server to the user in accordance with the link name or the like. The distribution control device disclosed in Patent Literature 3 changes the link name so that only content based on viewing restriction information is distributed when a user requests distribution. Therefore, the distribution control device disclosed in Patent Document 3 distributes the content based on the changed restriction information even if the content is stored when the viewing restriction information is changed by deletion or the like.

JP 2007-264798 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-043998 JP 2004-032530 A

  The service user performs operations such as uploading the content to be distributed (hereinafter abbreviated as “distribution target content”) via the CDN and deleting the content via the CDN. For example, in the systems described in Patent Literature 1 to Patent Literature 3, a plurality of servers are distributed, and each server performs processing for ensuring consistency with each other. Accordingly, there is a difference between the time when the server starts processing to be distributed and the time when it is determined that the content to be distributed is actually distributed to the end user.

  Accordingly, a main object of the present invention is to provide a distribution management system for managing a period for distributing contents.

  In order to achieve the above object, a distribution management system according to the present invention is characterized by having the following configuration.

That is, the distribution management system according to the present invention is:
In response to access to the first server represented by the redirect URL, if the current time is within the period indicated by the validity period of the content associated with the redirect URL, the content associated with the redirect URL is A redirect processing unit is provided that performs a first process of selecting a streaming URL to be distributed and not selecting a streaming URL for distributing the content when the streaming URL is not within the period.

As another aspect of the present invention, a distribution management method according to the present invention includes:
In response to access to the first server represented by the redirect URL, if the current time is within the period indicated by the validity period of the content associated with the redirect URL, the content associated with the redirect URL is A streaming URL to be distributed is selected, and if it is not within the period, a streaming URL to distribute the content is not selected.

  According to the distribution management system and the like according to the present invention, it is possible to manage a period during which content is distributed.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment>
The configuration of the distribution management system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention and the processing in the distribution management system 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a distribution management system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in the distribution management system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 1, the distribution management system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a redirect processing unit 2. The user accesses the redirect server 5 from the user terminal 6 via the communication network 3 in order to receive the content streaming service. At that time, the user designates the redirect server 5 with a uniform resource location specifier (uniform resource locator, Uniform Resource Locator, hereinafter referred to as “URL”). Hereinafter, the URL indicating the redirect server 5 is represented as “redirect URL”. The redirect server 5 sends information that informs the distribution management system 1 of the access performed by the user.

  Next, in response to receiving the information, the redirect processing unit 2 determines whether the time is within the validity period of the content associated with the redirect URL (step S1). .

  If the time is within the valid period (determined as YES in step S1), the redirect processing unit 2 designates a URL (hereinafter referred to as “streaming URL”) indicating the streaming server 4 associated with the redirect URL. Select (step S2).

  If the time is not within the valid period (determined as NO in step S1), the process in step S2 is not performed.

  In a CDN, a large number of servers are distributed and arranged at a large number of bases in order to avoid a reduction in load distribution efficiency due to concentration on a part of networks or specific servers. Therefore, each server manages content individually. A user acquires content by accessing each streaming server. Therefore, a plurality of servers may originally have different information even though they are originally the same information.

  The time is, for example, the current time, the time at the server that manages the time in the system, or the time at the server as described above. The time is not limited to the example described above. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the current time is a time including the example described above.

  However, the distribution management system 1 according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention avoids the same information from being dispersed by having the above-described configuration. The user accesses the redirect server 5 instead of accessing the streaming server. Thereafter, the user accesses the streaming server based on the determination made by the distribution management system 1 in the first embodiment. The distribution system distributes content according to access to the streaming server. Therefore, the user can receive the service with the same effort as when using the streaming service via the CDN.

  That is, according to the distribution management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to manage the period during which content is distributed.

<Second Embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment based on the above-described first embodiment will be described.

  In the following description, the characteristic part according to the present embodiment will be mainly described, and the same components as those in the first embodiment described above will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted. To do.

  The configuration of the distribution management system 7 according to the second embodiment of the present invention and the processing in the distribution management system 7 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the distribution management system 7 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in the distribution management system 7 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 3, the distribution management system 7 includes a redirect processing unit 8 and a database 9. The database 9 stores a streaming URL, a redirect URL, and a content validity period in association with each other as shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram conceptually showing a content table in the distribution management system 7 according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 5, for example, in the content table, the case where the streaming URL is A1, the case where the redirect URL is A2, and the case where the validity period is 10-13 are associated with each other. For example, assume that a user accesses content via a site whose redirect URL is A2.

  In that case, the redirect processing unit 8 reads the fact that the redirect URL is A2 and the valid period is “10-13” by referring to the database 9 (step S3). Next, the redirect processing unit 8 determines whether or not the time is within the valid period, that is, 10 to 13 (step S4).

  For example, when the time is 11, the redirect processing unit 8 determines that the time is within the valid period (determined as YES in step S4), so the redirect processing unit 8 refers to the database 9, The streaming URL associated with the redirect URL, that is, A1 is read (step S5), and the streaming URL is output (step S7).

  When the redirect processing unit 8 determines that the time is not within the valid period (determined as NO in step S4), the redirect processing unit 8 creates an error message that does not include the streaming URL (step S6). Output (step S7).

  In the present embodiment, the processing executed by the redirect processing unit 8 is not limited to the processing according to Step S6 and Step S7 described above. For example, the redirect processing unit 8 according to the present embodiment may output a streaming URL that displays an error instead of creating and outputting an error message that does not include a streaming URL. Alternatively, the redirect processing unit 8 may perform both generation and output of the error message and output of a streaming URL that displays the error.

  Compared to the distribution management system 1 according to the first embodiment, the distribution management system 7 according to the second embodiment of the present invention is a database that stores a streaming URL, a redirect URL, and a content validity period in association with each other. 9 is further included. Therefore, the distribution management system 7 according to the second embodiment reduces the number of times of referring to the outside. Furthermore, the function of the distribution management system 7 according to the second embodiment is not different from the function of the distribution management system 1 according to the first embodiment.

  That is, according to the distribution management system according to the second embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to manage the period during which content is distributed.

<Third Embodiment>
Next, a third embodiment based on the above-described second embodiment will be described.

  In the following description, the characteristic part according to the present embodiment will be mainly described, and the same reference numerals will be given to the same configurations as those of the second embodiment described above, thereby omitting redundant description. To do.

  The configuration of the distribution management system 10 according to the third embodiment of the present invention and the processing in the distribution management system 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the distribution management system 10 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The distribution management system 10 further includes a distribution data generation unit 11 as compared with the distribution management system 7 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing in the distribution data generation unit 11 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

  The distributor inputs the content URL, the location for storing the content, and the expiration date for distributing the content to the distribution management system 10 via the communication network 3. Next, the distribution data generation unit 11 combines the URL of the content and the location where the content is stored, and then collectively refers to the CDN specification (hereinafter, processing for matching the CDN specification “predetermined The streaming URL is created by transforming it in accordance with “Process” (step S8). Next, the delivery data generation unit 11 creates a redirect URL that displays the streaming URL created as described above (step S9). Since there are a plurality of CDN specifications in addition to existing ones, the description regarding the CDN specifications is omitted here.

  Next, the distribution data generation unit 11 associates the expiration date, streaming URL, and redirect URL with the content, and stores the result in the database 9 (step S10).

  The distribution data generation unit 11 according to the third embodiment of the present invention creates a streaming URL and a redirect URL according to an input performed by the distributor, and associates the created URL with the expiration date for distributing the content. . Also in the distribution management system 10 according to the present embodiment, the redirect processing unit 8 shown in FIG. 6 performs the same operation as the redirect processing unit 8 (FIG. 3) according to the second embodiment described above, thereby performing the database 9. Refer to Thereby, the third embodiment of the present invention can enjoy the same effects as those of the second embodiment of the present invention.

  That is, according to the distribution management system according to the third embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to manage the period during which content is distributed.

<Fourth Embodiment>
Next, a fourth embodiment based on the above-described third embodiment will be described.

  In the following description, characteristic parts according to the present embodiment will be mainly described, and the same components as those in the third embodiment described above will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted. To do.

  The configuration of the distribution management system 12 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention and the processing in the distribution management system 12 will be described with reference to FIG. 8, FIG. 9, and FIG. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the distribution management system 12 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing in the distribution data generation unit 14 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in the upload unit 15 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 8, the distribution management system 12 includes a redirect processing unit 8, a distribution data generation unit 14, and an upload unit 15. The distribution data generation unit 14 extracts a file name from the URL indicating the distribution source content. Next, the distribution data generation unit 14 creates an upload path name by combining the input server directory information and the file name (step S15). Next, the delivery data generation unit 14 creates a streaming URL by performing a process according to a predetermined process for the upload path name (step S8). Next, the delivery data generation unit 14 creates a redirect URL as described above (step S9). Next, as shown in FIG. 11, the distribution data generation unit 14 associates the streaming URL, the redirect URL, the expiration date of the content, the content ID, and the upload path name, and stores them in the database 13. (Step S16). FIG. 11 is a diagram conceptually showing a content table in the distribution management system 12 according to the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 11, the content table associates a streaming URL, a redirect URL, an expiration date of the content, a content ID, and an upload path name. For example, the content with the content ID “A3” is associated with the data with the streaming URL “A1”, the redirect URL “A2”, the expiration date “10-13”, and the upload path name “A4”. Yes.

  The process according to the CDN specification is, for example, the following method. The storage location includes the address of the content storage server 16 and information related to the directory name. The distribution data generation unit 14 extracts the address of the content storage server 16 and information related to the directory name of the server from the storage location input by the distributor. Next, the distribution data generation unit 14 creates a unique directory name from the extracted directory name so as not to overlap with other contents. For example, the unique directory name is created by a hash function having a sufficient size, for example. The method for creating the directory name is not limited to the method described above.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the upload unit 15 reads information related to a login name associated with a content identifier (identifier, hereinafter referred to as “ID”), a password associated with the content ID, and the like (step S11). Using the information related to the login name or the like, the content storage server 16 is logged in (step S12). FIG. 12 is a diagram conceptually showing a table input to the distribution management system 12 according to the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Next, the upload unit 15 uploads the content to the content storage server 16 with the upload destination path name associated with the content ID (step S13).

  According to the delivery management system 12 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the effects of the third embodiment of the present invention, the upload unit 15 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention allows the content server to It becomes possible to upload.

  That is, according to the distribution management system according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the content distribution period can be managed.

(Hardware configuration example)
FIG. 13 is a block diagram schematically showing a hardware configuration of a calculation processing apparatus capable of realizing the distribution management system according to each embodiment of the present invention.

  Next, a configuration example of hardware resources for realizing the distribution management system according to each embodiment of the present invention described above using one calculation processing device (information processing device, computer) will be described. However, the distribution management system may be realized using at least two calculation processing devices physically or functionally. The distribution management system may be realized as a dedicated device.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically showing a hardware configuration of a calculation processing apparatus capable of realizing the calculation search apparatus according to the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention. The calculation processing device 17 includes a central processing unit (Central Processing Unit, hereinafter referred to as “CPU”) 18, a memory 19, a disk 20, a nonvolatile recording medium 21, an input device 22, and an output device 23.

  The non-volatile recording medium 21 is a computer-readable medium such as a compact disc (Compact Disc), a digital versatile disc (Blu-ray Disc), a universal serial bus memory (USB memory), etc. It points to the program and keeps it portable even without power. The nonvolatile recording medium 21 is not limited to the above-described medium. Further, the program may be carried via a communication network instead of the nonvolatile recording medium 21.

  That is, the CPU 18 copies a software program (computer program: hereinafter simply referred to as “program”) stored in the disk 20 to the memory 19 at the time of execution, and executes arithmetic processing. The CPU 18 reads data necessary for program execution from the memory 19. When display is necessary, the CPU 18 displays the output result on the output device 23. When inputting a program from the outside, the CPU 18 reads the program from the input device 22. The CPU 18 interprets and executes the distribution management program (FIGS. 2, 4, 7, 9, and 10) in the memory 19. The CPU 18 sequentially performs the processes described in the above-described embodiments of the present invention.

  That is, in such a case, it can be understood that the present invention can also be realized by such a distribution management program. Furthermore, it can be understood that the present invention can also be realized by a computer-readable recording medium in which the distribution management program is recorded.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the delivery management system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process in the delivery management system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the delivery management system which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process in the delivery management system which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which represents notionally the content table in the delivery management system which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the delivery management system which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process in the delivery data part which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the delivery management system which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process in the delivery data generation part which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process in the upload part which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which represents notionally the content table in the delivery management system concerning the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which represents notionally the table input into the delivery management system which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows roughly the hardware constitutions of the calculation processing apparatus which can implement | achieve the delivery management system which concerns on each embodiment of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Distribution management system 2 Redirect processing part 3 Communication network 4 Streaming server 5 Redirect server 6 User terminal 7 Distribution management system 8 Redirect processing part 9 Database 10 Distribution management system 11 Distribution data generation part 12 Distribution management system 13 Database 14 Distribution data generation Unit 15 upload unit 16 content storage server 17 calculation processing device 18 CPU
19 Memory 20 Disk 21 Non-volatile Recording Medium 22 Input Device 23 Output Device

Claims (10)

  In response to access to the first server represented by the redirect URL, if the current time is within the period indicated by the validity period of the content associated with the redirect URL, the content associated with the redirect URL is A distribution management system including a redirect processing unit that selects a streaming URL to be distributed and performs a first process that does not select a streaming URL to distribute the content when the streaming URL is not within the period. A database that stores the redirect URL, the streaming URL, and the validity period of the content in association with each other;
2. The valid period associated with the redirect URL and the streaming URL associated with the redirect URL are specified by referring to the database during the first processing in the redirect processing unit. Delivery management system. The specific redirect URL that combines the URL of the specific content and the storage location for storing the specific content, then performs a predetermined process, sets the result as the specific streaming URL, and displays the specific streaming URL The distribution management system according to claim 2, further comprising: a distribution data generation unit that stores the specific streaming URL, the specific redirect URL, and the specific validity period in association with each other in the database. . The distribution data generation unit further creates an upload path representing an area in which the specific content is stored, a content identifier for uniquely identifying the specific content, the upload path, the content identifier, and the specific Associated with the redirect URL, the specific streaming URL, and the specific validity period, and stored in the database.
An upload unit that accesses the second server based on information associated with the first content identifier and stores the first content in an area indicated by the upload path associated with the first content identifier in the database. The delivery management system according to claim 3. The distribution management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The redirect processing unit determines whether to select the streaming URL,
A distribution system for distributing the content in response to access to the streaming URL.   In response to access to the first server represented by the redirect URL, if the current time is within the period indicated by the validity period of the content associated with the redirect URL, the content associated with the redirect URL is A distribution management method that selects a streaming URL to be distributed and does not select a streaming URL to distribute the content if it is not within the period. In response to access to the first server represented by the redirect URL, if the current time is within the period indicated by the validity period of the content associated with the redirect URL, the content associated with the redirect URL is A redirection processing function for selecting a streaming URL to be distributed and performing a first process not selecting a streaming URL for distributing the content if not within the period;
Distribution management program to be realized on a computer. In an information processing apparatus having a database that stores the redirect URL, the streaming URL, and the validity period of the content in association with each other,
8. The valid period associated with the redirect URL and the streaming URL associated with the redirect URL are specified by referring to the database during the first processing in the redirect processing function. Delivery management program.   The specific redirect URL that combines the URL of the specific content and the storage location for storing the specific content, then performs a predetermined process, sets the result as the specific streaming URL, and displays the specific streaming URL The distribution data generation function of creating the distribution data and storing the specific streaming URL, the specific redirect URL, and the specific validity period in association with each other in a database is further realized by the computer. Delivery management program. In the delivery data generation function, an upload path representing an area for storing the specific content is further created, and a content identifier for uniquely identifying the specific content, the upload path, the content identifier, and the specific Associated with the redirect URL, the specific streaming URL, and the specific validity period, and stored in the database.
The computer further has an upload function for accessing the second server based on the information associated with the first content identifier and storing the first content in an area indicated by the upload path associated with the first content identifier in the database. The distribution management program according to claim 9, which is realized by:

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