JP2014099766A - Communication apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To use viewer's evaluation of a content, for reproduction control of images and sounds included in the content.SOLUTION: A transmission apparatus 10 comprises: a communication interface unit 120 for transmission and reception of data via a communication network; and a control unit 110 which, when transmitting content data of a content including both images and sounds via the communication interface unit 120, applies to the content data a process of adjusting the display size of the images included in the content in accordance with the number of times of viewing the content, and transmits the content.

Description

  The present invention relates to a video and audio distribution service.

  A communication service is widely provided in which content data of content such as still images and moving images such as video and audio is distributed via a telecommunication line such as the Internet so that the content can be viewed in real time. In this type of communication service, content viewing times (content data download counts), viewer vote results on content quality, or comments received from viewers on content are viewed on content. Some information is presented as evaluation information representing the evaluation of the person.

  These pieces of evaluation information are often used to let the user understand the popularity and quality of content. For example, if information indicating the number of times of viewing or voting results is posted in association with the identifier of each content on a menu screen or thumbnail screen for allowing the user to select the content to be viewed, the user can select the content based on the number of times of viewing. The popularity of the content can be grasped, and the quality of the content can be grasped by referring to the vote result. In addition, the user can grasp the details of the content or understand the quality of the content in more detail by referring to the comment sent to the content. Also, in the above communication service, it is as if comments received from viewers are displayed superimposed on the video so that it flows from the right to the left of the screen in synchronization with the playback of the video included in the content. Some of them use comments to improve the fun like the hands of the audience in Kabuki (for example, the hands of the audience such as “Yoyo!”) (For example, see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 4926684

  As described above, it has hitherto been proposed to use evaluation information about content as an indicator that indicates the popularity and quality of the content and an effect element that improves the interest of the content. However, it has not been proposed in the past to reflect the viewer's evaluation of the content in the playback control of video and audio included in the content.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique that enables a viewer's evaluation of the content to be reflected in playback control of video and audio that constitute the content.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a communication interface unit for data communication via a communication network, and a reproduction mode of content represented by the content data when the content data is transmitted via the communication interface unit. And a control unit that performs editing to reflect the viewer's evaluation of the content and transmits the content. As another aspect of the present invention, when transmitting content data, content data transmission processing is performed in which editing is performed to reflect the viewer's evaluation of the content in the reproduction mode of the content represented by the content data. An aspect of providing a program to be executed by a computer is also conceivable. As a specific method for providing such a program, the program is written and distributed on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory), or downloaded via a telecommunication line such as the Internet. A distribution mode is conceivable.

  As a specific example of the communication device, in addition to the communication interface unit and the control unit, the communication device includes a storage unit that stores content data and evaluation data that represents a viewer's evaluation of the content represented by the content data. There is a transmission device that performs editing to reflect the evaluation indicated by the evaluation data in the reproduction mode of the content represented by the content data when transmitting the data. Another specific example of the communication device is a relay device that forwards content data and evaluation data transmitted from another communication device to the destination, and the content reproduction mode represented by the content data is related to the evaluation mode. An example is a relay device that performs editing to reflect the evaluation indicated by the data and transmits it.

  According to the present invention, the viewer's evaluation of the content is reflected in the playback mode of video and audio included in the content. Here, various modes can be considered as to how the viewer's evaluation of the content is reflected in the playback mode of the video and audio included in the content. For example, a mode in which the evaluation of the content is reflected on at least one of the display size and the image quality of the video included in the content, or at least one of the volume and the sound quality of the audio included in the content can be considered. Specifically, numerical information such as the number of times the content is viewed and the number of comments received for the content is used as information indicating the evaluation of the content. Edit the content data so that the video contained in the video is displayed in a large display size (or high image quality), and output the audio contained in the content with a higher volume (or higher sound quality) as the content is viewed more frequently. Thus, a mode of editing the content data can be considered. Similarly, a mode of editing content data so that a lower-rated content (for example, a content with a smaller number of viewing times) displays a video included in the content with a smaller display size (or with a lower image quality) It is of course possible to edit the content data so that the smaller the content, the lower the sound volume (or lower sound quality) the audio contained in the content is output.

  In addition to video or audio included in the content, whether to allow playback of additional video or additional audio is determined according to the viewer's evaluation of the content, and editing according to the determination result is added to the content data. A mode is also conceivable in which the control unit executes the processing to be performed and transmitted. Specifically, numerical information such as the number of times the content is viewed and the number of comments received for the content is used as information indicating the evaluation of the content, and is added when the evaluation for the content is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. A mode in which playback of video and additional audio is permitted is conceivable. For example, when the aspect is applied to a transmission device that transmits content data and evaluation data, additional video data representing additional video and additional audio data representing additional audio are stored in association with the content data, and the content is stored. In the case where the evaluation with respect to is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the transmission apparatus may execute processing for adding additional video data or additional audio data to content data and transmitting the content data. Further, when the aspect is applied to the relay device, the transmission device that is the transmission source of the content data and the evaluation data is caused to transmit the additional video data and the additional audio data together with the content data and the evaluation data to evaluate the content (that is, the evaluation). If the evaluation indicated by the data is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the relay device may be caused to execute a process of adding additional video data or additional audio data to the content data and transferring it.

  Whether or not at least a part of the video included in the content is replaced with another video or whether at least a part of the audio included in the content is replaced with another audio is determined according to the viewer's evaluation of the content. It is also conceivable that the control unit can execute a process of making a determination and performing editing according to the determination result on the content data and transmitting the content data. When the aspect is applied to a content data transmission apparatus, video data representing a replacement candidate video and audio data representing a replacement candidate sound are stored in the transmission apparatus in association with the content data, If the evaluation for the content is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold, the transmission device executes processing for overwriting the video data and audio data included in the content data with the replacement candidate video data and audio data. Just do it. In addition, when the aspect is applied to the relay device, the replacement candidate video data is sent to the transmission device that is the transmission source of the content data and the evaluation data together with the content data and the evaluation data, as in the case of adding the video and audio described above. Or audio data is transmitted and the evaluation of the content (that is, the evaluation indicated by the evaluation data) is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the video data and audio data included in the content data are replaced with the replacement candidate video data or What is necessary is just to make the said relay apparatus perform the process which overwrites with audio | voice data and transfers.

  In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides a communication interface unit for data communication via a communication network, and evaluation data indicating content data and viewer evaluation of content represented by the content data. There is provided a communication device comprising: a control unit that performs editing on received content data that is received by an interface unit and reflects an evaluation indicated by the evaluation data in a content reproduction mode. As a specific example of such a communication device, editing that reflects the evaluation indicated by the evaluation data received together with the content data on the content reproduction mode represented by the content data for the content data received via the communication interface unit And a receiving device that reproduces the data. As another specific example of the communication device, the content data received via the communication interface unit reflects the evaluation indicated by the evaluation data received together with the content data in the content reproduction mode represented by the content data. And a relay device that performs editing to be transferred to the destination of the data.

  Here, the specific mode in which the viewer's evaluation of the content is reflected in the playback mode of the video and audio included in the content is the same as that in the transmission apparatus described above. However, when an additional video or additional audio is added in the receiving device, it is necessary for the receiving device to receive data representing the additional video or additional audio together with the content data and the evaluation data. Similarly, in the case where a video or audio is partially replaced in the receiving device, it is necessary for the receiving device to receive data representing the replacement candidate video or audio together with the content data and the evaluation data.

  Further, as another aspect of the present invention, when content data of content including at least one of video and audio is received from a transmission device and played back, evaluation data indicating viewer's evaluation of the content is displayed as content data. Also, an aspect of providing a program that is received from the transmission device and that causes the computer to execute a process of performing editing that reflects the evaluation indicated by the evaluation data on the reproduction mode of the video or audio included in the content and reproducing the content data is also considered. It is done.

  In a further preferred aspect, the control unit of each of the communication devices determines whether or not to reflect the evaluation of the content on the reproduction mode of the content represented by the content data for the divided data obtained by dividing the content data into a plurality of pieces. And the editing is performed on the divided data after the determination result to reflect is obtained. According to such an aspect, before the transmission of the entire content data is completed, the evaluation of the content represented by the content data is changed by viewing by another viewer (or posting of a comment from another viewer). When it occurs, it becomes possible to reflect the evaluation after the change on the reproduction mode of the content in the receiving apparatus that is reproducing the content without delay.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the communication system 1 containing the transmitter 10 of 1st Embodiment of this invention. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a transmission device 10. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of content data transmission processing executed by the control unit 110 of the transmission apparatus 10. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the content data transmission process which the transmitter of 2nd Embodiment of this invention performs. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the content data transmission process which the transmitter of 3rd Embodiment of this invention performs.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(A: 1st Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a communication system 1 including a transmission device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the communication system 1 includes a transmission device 10, a reception device 20, and a communication network 30. The communication network 30 is a telecommunication line such as the Internet. The transmission device 10 and the reception device 20 are connected to a communication network 30 and perform data communication according to a predetermined communication protocol via the communication network 30. Although only one transmission device 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1, it is needless to say that a plurality of transmission devices 10 may be included in the communication system 1. Similarly, with respect to the receiving device 20, a plurality of receiving devices 20 may be included in the communication system 1.

  Various communication protocols can be used for each protocol layer. For example, it is conceivable to use IP as the network layer communication protocol, TCP or UDP as the transport layer communication protocol, and HTTP as the application layer communication protocol. For the communication protocol of the physical layer and the data link layer, a suitable protocol may be selected according to the connection method of the transmission device 10 and the reception device 20 to the communication network 30. The connection method of the transmission device 10 and the reception device 20 to the communication network 30 may be a wired method or a wireless method.

  The transmission device 10 is a computer device that allows a user of the reception device 20 to select and view a desired content from a plurality of contents each composed of video and audio. The transmitter 10 stores content data of each content. Each content data is a video data track in which video data of video constituting the content is written, and a data track sharing a time axis with the video data track, and an audio data track in which audio data constituting the content is written And are included. When the transmission device 10 receives a request message (for example, a GET request compliant with HTTP) requesting viewing of any of the plurality of contents from the reception device 20, the content data of the content specified in the request message is received. Transmit to the receiver 20. The receiving device 20 reproduces video and audio according to the content data transmitted from the transmitting device 10. For this reason, in the communication system 1 of the present embodiment, the user of the receiving device 20 operates the operation unit (not shown) of the receiving device 20 to specify the content desired to be viewed, and causes the receiving device 20 to transmit a request message. Thus, the desired content can be viewed.

  In addition, the transmission device 10 stores evaluation data indicating the evaluation of viewers who viewed each content for each content. Specific examples of the evaluation data include viewing frequency data obtained by counting the number of times the content has been downloaded as the number of times the content has been viewed, comment data that is character string data representing comments such as impressions on the content, and viewers regarding the quality of the content. Voting result data indicating the voting result of the voting. As described above, these evaluation data are used to make the user of the receiving device 20 grasp the popularity and quality of each content and to improve the interest of the content.

  In addition, the present embodiment is characterized in that the number-of-views data in the evaluation data is used for playback control of a video included in the content. Specifically, when transmitting content data to the receiving device 20, the transmission device 10 according to the present embodiment edits to reflect the number of times the content is viewed in the display size of the video included in the content (more specifically, The editing is performed on the content data of the content so that the video included in the content with a large number of viewing times is displayed with a larger display size. Hereinafter, description will be made centering on the transmission apparatus 10 that significantly shows the features of the present embodiment.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the transmission device 10. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the transmission device 10 includes a control unit 110, a communication interface unit (abbreviated as “communication I / F unit” in FIG. 2, hereinafter the same also in this specification) 120, a storage unit 130, and A bus 140 is included to mediate data exchange between these components.

  The control unit 110 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 110 functions as a control center of the transmission device 10 by operating according to a communication control program stored in advance in the storage unit 130. Details of processing executed by the control unit 110 in accordance with the communication control program will be clarified later. The communication I / F unit 120 is a NIC (Network Interface Card) such as an Ethernet (registered trademark) interface, for example, and is connected to the communication network 30 via a relay device such as a router. The communication I / F unit 120 receives data transmitted from the communication network 30 and transfers the data to the control unit 110, while transmitting data transferred from the control unit 110 to the communication network 30.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the storage unit 130 includes a nonvolatile storage unit 132 and a volatile storage unit 134. The volatile storage unit 134 is configured by a volatile memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory). The volatile storage unit 134 is used by the control unit 110 as a work area when executing the communication control program. The nonvolatile storage unit 132 is configured by a nonvolatile memory such as a hard disk, a flash memory, or a ROM (Read Only Memory).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the nonvolatile storage unit 132 stores content data and evaluation data, and also stores a communication control program. The communication control program is a program for causing the control unit 110 to execute selection support processing, content data transmission processing, and evaluation tabulation processing. The selection support process and the content data transmission process are processes that are executed when the request message transmitted from the receiving device 20 is received. More specifically, the selection support process is executed in response to reception of a request message for requesting transmission of screen data of a menu screen or a thumbnail screen for selecting content to be viewed. In this selection support process, the control unit 110 generates image data representing the menu screen or the thumbnail screen, and sends it back to the transmission source of the request message requesting transmission of the image data. The content data transmission process is a process that is executed in response to reception of a request message that requests transmission of any content data stored in the nonvolatile storage unit 132. Details of this content data transmission processing will be made clear later. The evaluation aggregation process is executed every time content data is downloaded or comment data is received. In this evaluation aggregation process, evaluation data is updated such as updating the number of views and updating the number of comments. .

  Of the three processes executed by the control unit 110 in accordance with the communication control program, the content data transmission process is characterized by this embodiment. More specifically, in the content data transmission process according to the present embodiment, when the content data is transmitted to the receiving device 20, the control unit 110 reflects the number of times the content is viewed on the display size of the video included in the content. Edit and send. Specifically, editing that increases the display size of the video included in the content as the content is viewed more frequently (for example, editing that expands the video by interpolating pixels) is recorded in the video data track of the content data. The video data that is being sent is sent.

  Here, various modes are conceivable as specific processing contents of the content data transmission processing. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of specific processing contents of the content data transmission processing of the present embodiment. In the content data transmission process illustrated in FIG. 3, the control unit 110 has the number of times of viewing the content represented by the content data requested to be downloaded by the request message received via the communication I / F unit 120 equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold th. It is determined whether or not there is (step SA100). When the determination result in step SA100 is “No”, the control unit 110 reads the content data requested to be downloaded by the request message from the nonvolatile storage unit 132, and transmits the request message transmission source (this embodiment). In the form, it is transmitted to the receiving device 20) (step SA110). Conversely, when the determination result in step SA100 is “Yes”, the control unit 110 edits the display size of the video included in the content (for example, the display sizes in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction are (Edit which interpolates pixels uniformly so as to be α (α> 1) times before editing) is applied to the content data of the content and returned (step SA120).

  The receiving device 20 reproduces the video according to the data recorded in the video data track of the content data received via the communication network 30, and the audio according to the data recorded in the audio data track of the content data. Is played. For this reason, if the number of times of viewing the content indicated by the content data is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the video included in the content is reproduced with a display size larger than the original size.

  As another preferred mode, if the number of viewing times is equal to or greater than the first threshold th1 and less than the second threshold th2 (second threshold th2> first threshold th1), the display size is increased by α1 (α1> 1) times. If the number of times of viewing is greater than or equal to the second threshold th2 and less than the third threshold th3 (third threshold th3> first threshold th2), the display size is expanded to α2 (α2> α1) times for viewing If the number of times is greater than or equal to the third threshold th3 and less than the fourth threshold th4 (fourth threshold th4> third threshold th3), the display size is enlarged by α3 (α3> α2) times, etc. A mode in which the display size is changed in multiple stages is conceivable. When the number of viewing times is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold th, the video display size may be a variable value corresponding to the number of viewing times (a larger value as the number of viewing times increases). In short, it is only necessary that the display size of the video included in the content increases as the number of viewing times increases.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, as the content is viewed more frequently, the video included in the content is displayed on the display unit (not shown) of the receiving device 20 in a larger display size. In the present embodiment, the case where the display size of the video included in the content is enlarged when the number of times the content is viewed is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold has been described. Conversely, the number of times the content is viewed is predetermined. If it is less than the threshold, the display size of the video included in the content is reduced (the editing is performed by thinning out the pixels evenly). It is also possible to send content data after editing. In short, any mode that reflects the number of times the content is viewed on the display size of the video included in the content may be used.

  Further, instead of reflecting the number of times of viewing the content in the display size of the video included in the content, the number of times of viewing the content may be reflected in the image quality (for example, resolution) of the video included in the content. Specifically, for the video data included in the content data, the control unit 110 performs a process of performing resolution conversion so that the higher the number of times the content is viewed, the higher the resolution is, and the transmission is performed. You can do it. Further, when the video data included in the content data is moving image data, the number of times the content is viewed may be reflected on the smoothness of the movement of the subject. Specifically, it is only necessary to cause the control unit 110 to execute a process of performing frame interpolation or thinning according to the number of times of viewing the content. In short, any mode that reflects the number of times the content is viewed in the playback mode of the video, such as the display size and image quality of the video included in the content, and the smoothness of the moving image, may be used.

  In the present embodiment, the aspect in which the number of times of viewing the content is reflected in the reproduction mode of the video included in the content has been described. However, the number of comments given to the content or the good content is not the number of times of viewing the content. The number of votes indicating that the content is present may be reflected in the playback mode of the video included in the content, and the rate of increase in the number of votes indicating that the content is viewed or commented or good content (for example, when a request message is received) May be reflected in the playback mode of the video included in the content. In short, the content of the video included in the content is such that the content that is highly evaluated by the viewer is displayed on the display unit (not shown) of the receiving device 20 with a larger display size (or higher image quality). Any mode that reflects the viewer's evaluation of the content in the playback mode may be used.

  Instead of reflecting the viewer's evaluation on the content in the playback mode of the video included in the content, a mode in which the viewer's evaluation on the content is reflected in the playback mode of the audio included in the content is also conceivable. For example, the control unit 110 adjusts the signal level of the audio data included in the content data so that the higher the content is, the higher the volume of the audio included in the content is output from the audio output unit of the receiving device 20. The mode to be executed is conceivable. In addition, an aspect in which the evaluation of the content is reflected in the control of the reproduction sound quality of the sound included in the content is also conceivable. For example, when band limiting is applied to audio data included in content data prior to sending the content data to the communication network 30, the band is limited by increasing the pass band as the evaluation of the content is higher. You can do that. Further, instead of adjusting the sound quality by adjusting the bandwidth, the sound quality may be adjusted by adjusting the intensity of each frequency component (that is, equalizing). In short, any mode that reflects the viewer's evaluation of the content in the playback mode of the audio included in the content may be used.

  Also, the viewer's evaluation of the content is not reflected in either one of the playback mode of the video included in the content and the playback mode of the audio included in the content, but the viewer's evaluation of the content is reflected in both. You may do it. In addition, for each of the video playback mode and the audio playback mode included in the content, the user may select whether to reflect the viewer's evaluation on the content, and the control target (displayed if the video is displayed). The user may also select the volume, sound quality (such as size, image quality, smoothness of moving images, etc.).

  In the present embodiment, the case has been described in which the viewer's evaluation at the start of downloading of content data is reflected in the playback mode of video and audio. However, transmission (downloading) of content data from the transmission device 10 to the reception device 20 is performed by dividing the content data by a predetermined data size, and the reception device 20 side divides the data (predetermined content data). In general, reception of each data obtained by dividing the data by the data size and reproduction of the content corresponding to the divided data are simultaneously performed in parallel. For this reason, when the other users start viewing the content represented by the content data (or posting a comment) between the start and end of downloading the content data, the viewer's evaluation on the content changes There is. Therefore, the control unit 110 of the transmission apparatus 10 may cause the control unit 110 to execute the content data transmission process shown in FIG. According to such an aspect, before the transmission of the entire content data is completed, the evaluation of the content represented by the content data is changed by viewing by another viewer (or posting of a comment from another viewer). When it occurs, the evaluation after the change can be reflected without delay in the reproduction mode of the video or the like in the receiving device 20 that is reproducing the content.

  Note that when the control unit 110 executes the content data transmission process shown in FIG. 3 for each divided data, if the determination result in step SA100 is “No”, playback is completed until the content viewing is completed. The control unit 110 determines whether or not there is a possibility that a change in evaluation that causes a change in the aspect occurs. After it is determined that there is no possibility, the step is performed unconditionally without performing the determination in step SA100. The control unit 110 may execute the process of SA110. For example, when the number of times of viewing is remarkably small with respect to the threshold th used in step SA100 (for example, less than 1% of the threshold), the rate of increase in the number of viewing times (the amount of increase in the number of viewing times per unit time) ) Is extremely small (for example, the increase in the number of views per unit time is less than 10), the evaluation change (ie, viewing) that causes a change in the playback mode before the content viewing is completed. For example, the controller 110 may determine that there is no possibility that the number of times is equal to or greater than the threshold th.

  Further, when the control unit 110 executes the content data transmission process shown in FIG. 3 for each divided data, the determination in step SA100 is sometimes performed in order to reduce the processing amount and stabilize the evaluation of the content. You may do it. Here, when the determination of step SA100 is sometimes performed, for example, every time a predetermined number of pieces of divided data are transmitted, the determination of step SA100 is performed by the control unit 110, and then the determination of step SA100 is performed. Until then, a mode in which the controller 110 executes either of the processes of step SA110 or step SA120 based on the current determination result is conceivable. In addition, the content is divided into a plurality of pieces of divided data and transmitted, and a predetermined event (for example, a user who views the content using the communication system 1 or a content of the user while viewing the content reproduced according to the divided data) When the number of users participating in the evaluation has a change rate greater than a predetermined threshold, or when a predetermined time (for example, 23:00 or 24:00) is reached, the determination in step SA100 If the determination result is “No”, the control unit 110 is caused to execute the process of step SA110 for the subsequent divided data. If the determination result is “Yes”, the subsequent division is performed. The control unit 110 may be caused to execute the process of step SA120 for the data.

(B: Second embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the number of times of viewing the content is reflected in the display size of the video included in the content. (Omitted). On the other hand, in the content data transmission process of the present embodiment, for content whose number of views exceeds a predetermined threshold th, the original video (hereinafter referred to as original video) included in the content and the original video are included. In addition to the audio that is played in synchronization with the video playback (hereinafter referred to as the original audio), the content data is edited so that the additional video and the additional audio that is played back in sync with the playback of the additional video are played back. This is different from the first embodiment. In addition, in the nonvolatile storage unit 132 of the transmission device 10 of the present embodiment, additional video data representing additional video and additional audio data representing additional audio are stored in advance in association with each content.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of content data transmission processing according to this embodiment. In FIG. 4, the same processes as those in FIG. As apparent from a comparison between FIG. 4 and FIG. 3, the content data transmission process of the present embodiment is different from the process of step SA120 in that the process of step SB120 is provided. And different.

  In step SB120, which is executed when the determination result in step SA100 is “Yes”, the control unit 110 transmits the content data requested to be downloaded by the request message received via the communication I / F unit 120 and the content. The additional video data representing the additional video and the additional audio data for the content represented by the data are read from the nonvolatile storage unit 132, and the additional video data is added after the video data of the original video in the video data track of the content data. At the same time, the additional audio data is added to the audio data track of the content data after the original audio data and transmitted to the transmission source of the request message.

  The receiving device 20 reproduces the video according to the data recorded in the video data track of the content data received via the communication network 30, and the audio according to the data recorded in the audio data track of the content data. Is played. Therefore, if additional video data is recorded subsequent to the original video data in the video data track of the content data received via the communication network 30, the additional video is reproduced subsequent to the reproduction of the original video. Done. Similarly, if additional audio data is recorded subsequent to the original audio data in the audio data track of the content data received via the communication network 30, the additional audio is reproduced subsequent to the reproduction of the original audio. Done.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to control the presence / absence of the reproduction of the additional video and the additional audio according to the number of times of viewing the content. In this embodiment, the presence / absence of playback of additional video and additional audio is controlled according to the number of times of viewing the content. However, the rate of increase or unit of the number of comments, the number of votes indicating that the content is good, or the number of viewing times The additional video and additional audio may be played back when the number of viewers per time (the number of simultaneously connected terminals for each content per unit time) is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. In short, any mode may be used as long as the evaluation for content is used for reproduction control of additional video and additional audio. Further, when the content data transmission process shown in FIG. 4 is executed by the control unit 110 for the divided data described above and a change occurs in the evaluation of the content, the change in the evaluation is received by the receiving device 20 that is reproducing the content. It may be reflected without delay in the additional control of video and the like.

  In addition, the viewer's evaluation of the content may be used for playback control of either the additional video or the additional audio. For example, if the original video is a relay video of a sports game and the original audio is the cheering of the audience, the commentary audio or the live audio of the announcer can be used as additional audio, and only the additional audio can be added. Conceivable. Further, when the voice evaluation is high, a video may be added, and vice versa. Furthermore, both the additional video and the additional audio may be added according to the evaluation for either the video or the audio. Further, whether or not to add additional video or additional audio may be set in advance for each user of the receiving device 20.

  The additional video may be a moving image or a still image. Moreover, the image | video which switches and displays each of several still images for every fixed time may be sufficient. Various modes can be considered as to what kind of video is adopted as the additional video. For example, if the original video is a movie or drama video, a video that captures the production process of the movie or drama (so-called making video), a video of an NG scene, an interview video of a performer or director, a stage greeting video, etc. It can be considered as an additional video. In addition, when the original video is a concert or music live video, it is conceivable to use a rehearsal video, an encore video, or the like as an additional video. The point is that the video has something to do with the original video, and even if you can't watch the additional video, there is no particular problem, but you can enjoy a little value by watching the additional video in addition to the original video. It is sufficient to use a video that makes a person feel as an additional video. The same applies to the additional voice.

  For example, the period during which the evaluation for the content is used for playback control of the additional video or the like is defined as a certain period (for example, one week) from the registration of the content to the transmission device 20, and the additional video or the like is viewed after the period has elapsed. If it is not possible, it is considered that the above-mentioned advantageous feeling is an incentive and the number of viewing times can be earned in a short period of time. And if it becomes possible to earn the number of times of viewing in a short period, it is considered that the value of the content as an advertising medium can be further increased.

  In addition to the video data of the original video and the audio data of the original audio, the additional video data and the additional audio data are included in advance in the content data, and the additional video data and the additional audio data are used while the number of viewing times is less than a predetermined threshold. It is also possible to cause the control unit 110 to execute processing for deleting the content data from the content data and transmitting it. Further, the additional video data and the additional audio data may be added before the original video data and the original audio data, instead of adding the additional video data and the additional audio data after the original video data and the original audio data. In such an aspect, the main body video and the main body sound are reproduced after the additional video and the additional sound are reproduced.

  Further, the additional video and the additional audio may be sandwiched between the original video and the additional audio instead of reproducing the additional video and the additional audio following (or preceding) the reproduction of the original video and the original audio. For example, when the original video and original audio are video and audio of a concert or music live, and the additional video and additional audio are video and audio of an MC scene (a talk scene sandwiched between songs in a concert or the like) By inserting the additional video and the additional audio in the middle of the original video and the additional audio, it becomes possible to view the same video and audio as those in the concert venue and the live venue. If the additional video and audio are backstage video and audio, the additional video is displayed as a corner wipe (or opened in a separate window) and the additional audio is mixed with the original audio and played back. You may make it let it. In addition, if the original video and original audio have been edited to reduce the playback time of the concert and music live video and audio (editing such as cutting a song or cutting out only one chorus) The video and audio cut by the editing may be used as additional video and additional audio, and the video and audio before editing may be restored by embedding them in each cut location.

  In addition, when the original video and the original audio are movie and drama video and audio, the video is viewed from a different angle by displaying a corner wipe as an additional video (or opening another window). It is possible to allow the user to view videos and the like. In addition, in an aspect in which an additional video is displayed in parallel with the original video, such as a mode in which a separate window is opened during video playback and an additional video is displayed in a corner wipe display mode, the original video and the additional video are displayed. The user may be allowed to select which of these is displayed in a separate window or the like.

  In addition, if the number of times of viewing is equal to or greater than the first threshold th1 and less than the second threshold th2 (second threshold th2> first threshold th1), data representing the first additional video and the first additional audio is stored. If it is added to the content data and the number of viewing times is equal to or greater than the second threshold th2 and less than the third threshold th3 (third threshold th3> first threshold th2), the second different from the first additional video Different video and audio may be reproduced according to the number of times of viewing, such as adding data representing second additional audio different from the additional video and first additional audio to the content data. Furthermore, if the number of times of viewing is equal to or greater than the first threshold th1 and less than the second threshold th2 (second threshold th2> first threshold th1), data representing the first additional video and the first additional audio is displayed. If it is added to the content data and the number of times of viewing is greater than or equal to the second threshold th2 and less than the third threshold th3 (third threshold th3> first threshold th2), the first additional video and the second additional video In addition, data representing the first additional audio and the second additional audio may be added to the content data. For example, different numbers of additional video and additional audio may be reproduced depending on the number of times of viewing.

(C: Third embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the number of times of viewing the content is used to control the display size of the video included in the content, and in the second embodiment, the number of times of viewing the content is used to control playback of the additional video and additional audio. . On the other hand, in the present embodiment, among the evaluation data indicating the viewer's evaluation on the content, the comment data of the comment received from the viewer is used to make other related video and audio related to the content. It differs from each of the above embodiments in that editing is performed by replacing video and audio. For example, if the video and audio included in the content are the video of the performance scene of the band and the performance sound of the entire band, data representing the zoom video and performance sound of each band member is prepared, and If the number of comments that praise a particular member among comments received (for example, comments such as “Guitar best!”) Exceeds a predetermined threshold, data representing the performance scene video of the entire band and the band For example, the data representing the entire performance sound is replaced with the zoom image data of the member and the performance sound data of the member.

  In order to realize this, the nonvolatile storage unit 132 of the transmission device 10 according to the present embodiment uniquely identifies the replacement candidate data and data representing the replacement candidate video and audio for each content. A set of identifiers is stored in advance. As described above, when the video and audio included in the content are the video of the performance scene of the band and the performance sound of the entire band, the name of the band member is associated with the zoom video of each band member and the data representing the performance sound. Or character string data representing the stage name (or name of the musical instrument in charge) may be stored in the nonvolatile storage unit 132 as the identifier. Furthermore, the non-volatile storage unit 132 of the transmission device 10 of the present embodiment stores a communication control program that causes the control unit 110 to execute the content data transmission process illustrated in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in the content data transmission process of the present embodiment, the control unit 110 first stores the comment data about the content specified by the request message received via the communication I / F unit 120 in a nonvolatile manner. The number of comments read from the storage unit 132 and indicating good evaluation is counted for each identifier (step SC100). For example, if a character string represented by each comment data is subjected to morphological analysis, etc., and whether or not each identifier is included and whether or not an adjective or the like indicating good evaluation is included, the above aggregation is performed. good. Next, the control unit 110 determines whether or not the number of comments is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold for the identifier having the largest number of comments indicating good evaluation (step SC110). When the determination result in step SC100 is “No”, the control unit 110 reads the content data of the content specified in the request message from the nonvolatile storage unit 132 and transmits it directly to the transmission source of the request message. (Step SC120).

  On the other hand, when the determination result in step SC110 is “Yes”, the control unit 110 has the largest number of comments of content data specified in the request message and comments indicating good evaluation. The video data and audio data corresponding to the identifier is read from the nonvolatile storage unit 132, the video data recorded in the video data track of the content data is replaced with the video data corresponding to the identifier, and the audio data track of the content data Is replaced with the audio data corresponding to the same identifier and transmitted to the transmission source of the request message (step SC130).

  The receiving device 20 reproduces the video according to the data recorded in the video data track of the content data received via the communication network 30, and the audio according to the data recorded in the audio data track of the content data. Is played. For this reason, if the above-mentioned replacement is performed for the video data track of the content data received via the communication network 30, the replaced video is reproduced. Similarly, if the above replacement is performed for the audio data track of the content data received via the communication network 30, the audio after the replacement is reproduced. As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to control the presence / absence of replacement of video and audio included in content by using a comment received for the content. Note that when the control unit 110 executes the content data transmission process shown in FIG. 5 for the divided data described above, and the content evaluation changes, the change in the evaluation is received by the receiving device 20 that is reproducing the content. May be reflected without delay in the replacement control of the video and the like.

  In this embodiment, the replacement candidate video data and audio data are stored in advance in the nonvolatile storage unit 132. However, the replacement video data may be generated by cutting out a part of the video represented by the original video data. Similarly, replacement sound data may be generated by performing sound source separation on the sound represented by the original sound data. In order to make this possible, data indicating the extraction range when the replacement video is extracted from the original video in association with each identifier and a feature amount (for example, a frequency band) for separating the replacement sound as a sound source are provided. The data to be shown may be stored in advance in the non-volatile storage unit 132, and the control unit 110 may be caused to execute processing for video segmentation and sound source separation using these data. In addition, in order to specify the extraction range when extracting the replacement video from the original video, the temporal range (frame number) and spatial range (frame number) of the video to be extracted using the existing face recognition technology or speaker recognition technology X and Y coordinates) may be specified.

  Further, instead of replacing all of the original video and the original audio, only a predetermined part of the original video and the original audio may be replaced. Specifically, if there are the most comments that praise the guitar performance (or guitar performer) such as “Guitar best!” Or “God guitar”, and the number of comments exceeds a predetermined threshold, those guitar performances It is only necessary to edit the video data included in the content data and generate a replacement video so that the guitarist is enlarged and displayed from the time when the number of comments that praise exceeds a predetermined threshold. Further, the enlarged display may be realized by using the existing face recognition technique as a zoom center point at the position of the guitarist's face and zooming around the zoom center point. Also, with regard to audio, for example, audio data is held for each part, such as having audio data for each part, and adjusting the mixing balance of each track (raising the volume of the guitar part while lowering the volume of other parts) Just play the guitar solo.

  In the present embodiment, a case has been described in which video and audio are replaced using comments received on content. However, in some content distribution systems, a search tag (a character string representing a keyword indicating a feature of the content) can be attached to content in order to facilitate content search. There are systems that allow tagging. In such a system, the viewer's evaluation may appear in a tag attached to the content. For example, a tag such as “Guitar best” or “God guitar” may be attached to content consisting of video and audio of a performance scene of a band with excellent guitar performance. As described above, in the case of a system that permits the addition of tags to those other than the content contributors, video and audio may be replaced using the tags attached to the content.

  In addition, when live broadcast such as music live is converted into content, a part of predetermined users (hereinafter referred to as premium users) each video picked up by a plurality of cameras and each sound picked up by each of a plurality of microphones. The video and audio to be included in the content to be viewed by a general user other than the premium user may be determined according to the comment received from the premium user. By doing so, it is possible to reduce the amount of processing required for the tabulation process as compared to the case of tabulating all user evaluations. Here, the premium user may be, for example, a user selected by random lottery, a content producer, or a content distribution right holder. In an aspect in which a person who is experienced in content production and distribution such as a content producer or a content distribution right holder is a premium user, there is an advantage that a stable evaluation backed by such experience can be obtained. In addition, when content producers or content distribution rights holders are premium users, the importance of each premium user (eg, years of experience involved in content production, etc. Alternatively, it may be aggregated by assigning a weight according to the importance according to the number of distributed contents or the importance according to the intellectual property rights held by the premium user. . In addition, a service form that is used free of charge for the real-time content distribution service provided by the communication system 1 and a more comfortable viewing than that of the former service form that is used for a fee are guaranteed (for example, in the former service form). In the case where two types of service modes are used together (for example, a wider communication band is allocated all the time), a mode in which a user who has signed a usage contract according to the latter service mode may be a premium user. In addition, a plurality of types of service forms with different amounts of money are prepared even for paid service forms, and when the evaluation of each premium user is aggregated, a weight corresponding to the charge (a higher weight as the charge is higher) is given. You may make it total.

  In addition, in the case of content consisting of video and Japanese audio, audio data representing translated audio in various languages such as English, French, Chinese, etc. is prepared, and in the comments received for the content The language distribution may be obtained, and the voice data may be replaced so that the voice of the language having the largest number of comments is reproduced. Alternatively, video data represented by a video in which subtitles written in each language are superimposed may be prepared, and the video data may be replaced so that the subtitles in the language with the largest number of comments are displayed. According to such an aspect, the trouble of setting a default audio language or subtitle language for each content can be saved.

(D: deformation)
Although each embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it goes without saying that the following modifications may be added to these embodiments.
(1) In the first embodiment, the transmission apparatus 10 performs a process of adjusting the display size of the video included in the content (or a process of adjusting the volume of the audio included in the content) according to the viewer's evaluation of the content. The control unit 110 is executed. However, the transmitting device 10 is caused to execute processing for transmitting the content data and evaluation data of the content specified in the request message as they are, and the receiving device 20 displays the video included in the content with respect to the received content data. You may make it reproduce | regenerate, after performing the process which adjusts according to the evaluation which the evaluation data which received size and the volume of an audio | voice received. Further, the additional video data and the additional audio data together with the content data and the evaluation data may be transmitted from the transmission device 10 to the reception device 20 so that the reception device 20 executes the reproduction control process of the additional video and additional audio. The same applies to the replacement of video and audio. Also, evaluation data received by the relay device (for example, a router) on the communication path from the transmission device 10 to the reception device 20 with respect to the received content data, the display size of the video and the sound volume included in the content. It is also possible to execute a relay control process that performs a process that is adjusted according to the evaluation shown in FIG.

(2) In the first embodiment, a mode is described in which the viewer's evaluation of the content is reflected in the display size and image quality of the video included in the content, the output volume and sound quality of the audio, and the additional video is described in the second embodiment. The aspect of reflecting the viewer's evaluation for the content in the reproduction control of the additional audio will be described. In the third embodiment, the viewer's evaluation of the content is reflected in the replacement control of the video and audio included in the content. explained. However, it is of course possible to combine any two or all three of these three types. In short, any mode that reflects the viewer's evaluation of the content in the playback mode of the video and audio included in the content may be used.

(3) In each of the above-described embodiments, evaluation of the content is used for playback control of video and audio included in the content. Further, communication when content data and comment data are transmitted from the transmission device 10 to the reception device 20 is used. The content evaluation may be used for resource allocation control in a communication apparatus involved in transmission of content data, such as bandwidth control and CPU usage rate allocation in the transmission apparatus 10. Specifically, the content data and the comment data are transmitted from the transmission device 10 to the reception device 20 by assigning a wider communication band to the content with higher evaluation. In general, there is a problem in that the content to which more comments are sent (that is, the content size of the comment data downloaded together with the content data is larger), the delay until the content playback is started increases. According to the aspect, such a problem can be solved.

  Such an aspect is considered to be particularly effective when combined with the first embodiment or the second embodiment. The reason is as follows. As the data size of the content data transmitted from the transmission device 10 to the reception device 20 increases, the delay until the content reproduction starts increases, and the content reproduction is likely to be interrupted. In the first embodiment or the second embodiment, the higher the content, the larger the data size of the content data transmitted from the transmission device 10 to the reception device 20, and the same bandwidth is allocated to the content with a low evaluation. There is a possibility that the reproduction delay or the reproduction interruption may become remarkable. In the first embodiment or the second embodiment, if a wider communication band is allocated to content data of highly evaluated content and transmitted from the transmission device 10 to the reception device 20, such a problem can be avoided. Can do.

(4) The transmission device 10 of each of the above embodiments requests a download by a download request, a role of a database server that stores content data and evaluation data, a role of a WWW server that receives a download request transmitted from the reception device 20, and It also serves as an application server that reads out the content data and evaluation data of the content that has been read from the nonvolatile storage unit 132 and adjusts the reproduction mode of the video according to the evaluation indicated by the evaluation data to the content data for transmission. It was. However, the respective roles of the database server, the WWW server, and the application server may be assigned to separate computers. In this case, a computer functioning as an application server corresponds to the transmission device of the present invention.

(5) In the first embodiment, the communication control program that significantly shows the features of the present invention is stored in advance in the nonvolatile storage unit 132 of the transmission device 10. However, the communication control program may be distributed by being written on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, or the communication control program may be distributed by downloading via a telecommunication line. By operating a control unit (CPU) of a general computer device such as a personal computer in accordance with the communication control program distributed in this manner, the general computer device functions as the transmission device 10 of the first embodiment. It becomes possible to make it. In addition, in order to make a computer perform each communication control program of 2nd and 3rd Embodiment, or the program for making a computer perform the reproduction | regeneration control process of a modification (1), and the relay control process of the modification (1). Similarly, the program may be distributed by writing in a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, or may be distributed by downloading via a telecommunication line.

(6) In each of the above-described embodiments, the content represented by the content data distributed from the transmission device 10 to the reception device 20 includes both video and audio. However, only one of video and audio is included. Of course it is good. If the content contains only video, playback control of the video may be performed based on the viewer's evaluation of the content. If the content includes only audio, playback control of the audio is performed based on the viewer's evaluation of the content. Just do it. In the case of content including video and audio, the other playback control may be performed in accordance with the evaluation of either video or audio. Further, the evaluation for the content may be used not only for the reproduction control of the content but also for the reproduction control of the content related to the content, and the evaluation for the content group including a plurality of content related to each other (for example, The reproduction control of each content belonging to the content group may be performed based on the sum of evaluations of the content belonging to the content group. For example, an evaluation of a content group composed of content in which a certain singer appears (in other words, an evaluation of the singer) is used for reproduction control of each content.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Transmission apparatus, 20 ... Reception apparatus, 30 ... Communication network, 110 ... Control part, 120 ... Communication I / F part, 130 ... Memory | storage part, 132 ... Nonvolatile memory | storage part, 134 ... Volatile memory part, 140 ... Bus .

Claims (5)

A communication interface unit for data communication via a communication network;
A control unit that, when transmitting content data via the communication interface unit, performs editing that reflects the viewer's evaluation of the content in the reproduction mode of the content represented by the content data;
A communication apparatus comprising: A communication interface unit for data communication via a communication network;
The communication interface unit receives content data and evaluation data indicating the viewer's evaluation of the content represented by the content data, and edits that reflect the evaluation indicated by the evaluation data in the content reproduction mode are performed on the received content data. A control unit to apply,
A communication apparatus comprising:   The content represented by the content data includes a video, and the control unit changes the playback mode of the video included in the content according to the evaluation as an edit that reflects the evaluation of the content in the playback mode of the content. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein editing for adjustment is executed.   The content represented by the content data includes audio, and the control unit changes the reproduction mode of the audio included in the content according to the evaluation as an edit that reflects the evaluation of the content in the reproduction mode of the content. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein editing to be adjusted is executed. The control unit determines whether or not to reflect the evaluation on the content in the reproduction mode of the content represented by the content data for the divided data obtained by dividing the content data into a plurality of determination results 5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the editing is performed on the divided data after the data is obtained.

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