JP2014112911A - Moving image distribution system and moving image distribution method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a moving image sharing service cooperative with a user terminal apparatus seamlessly, and to reduce the processing load on a server side in the moving image sharing service.SOLUTION: In an information processing system, the user terminal apparatus is connected with a service providing server via a network. The user terminal apparatus comprises: means for locally encoding a moving image, which has been selected by a user, and converting the encoded moving image to a moving image of another form; and means for uploading the moving image, which has been encoded by the encoding means, to the service providing server. Furthermore, the service providing server comprises: means for disclosing the moving image received from the user terminal apparatus to specified or unspecified users; and means for playing back, when one moving image from another user terminal apparatus is selected and playback is instructed, the relevant selected moving image.

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing technology that provides an online service in cooperation with a local server.

  Conventionally, a specific or unspecified user can upload video content (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as “video”) on the Internet, and a specific or unspecified user views the uploaded video. A website that provides a video sharing service that can be used is known (for example, Non-Patent Document 1).

“Youtube”, [online], [Search April 9, 2007], Internet <URL: http://www.youtube.com/>

  By the way, the conventional video sharing service (online service) is not designed to be provided in cooperation with a user terminal device (such as a PC) used by the user in a seamless manner. Therefore, it is desired to provide a video sharing service that seamlessly cooperates with the user terminal device to improve the quality and variation of the service.

  In addition, since the conventional video sharing service plays the video in the streaming format, when the user uploads a video shot by the user to the video sharing service server, the video received on the server side is converted to the streaming format. The encoding process to convert is performed. This encoding process has a high load, so as the number of uploaded videos increases, the processing load required for the encoding process increases, and the possibility of problems such as unstable server operation increases. There is.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a video sharing service that seamlessly cooperates with a user terminal device. Another object of the video sharing service is to reduce the processing load on the server side. Furthermore, when a general user enjoys a video sharing service that seamlessly cooperates with a user terminal device, it is not necessary to perform special settings on the user terminal device, and is intended to be realized by a simple operation.

This is a moving image sharing system in which a user terminal device and a service providing server are connected via a network. Here, the user terminal device locally encodes the video selected by the user and converts it into a video of another format, an upload unit that uploads the video encoded by the encoding unit to the service providing server, Is provided. In addition, the service providing server, when the video received from the user terminal device is disclosed to a specific or unspecified user and when one video is selected from another user terminal device and playback is instructed, Playback means for playing back the selected moving image. According to this invention, encoding processing with a high processing load is performed on the user terminal device side, and the service providing server can distribute the video without being processed after receiving the locally encoded video on the user terminal device side. In addition to providing a video sharing service that seamlessly cooperates with the user terminal device, it is possible to reduce the processing load on the service providing server.
At this time, the user terminal device stores the moving image having the same content as the moving image uploaded to the service providing server by the uploading unit, and distributes and reproduces the moving image stored in the moving image storage unit to the other user terminal devices. And a service providing server, when instructed to reproduce one moving image from another user terminal device, the other user terminal with respect to the user terminal device that is the upload source of the moving image. Module cooperation means for instructing the apparatus to reproduce the moving image, and the user terminal device receiving the instruction reproduces the moving image instructed to another user terminal device using the moving image distribution means. Is preferable. According to this invention, since it becomes possible for the user terminal devices to perform distributed processing of moving images, the processing load on the service providing server can be further reduced.
In addition, the service providing server includes an active user management unit capable of determining whether or not the moving image distribution unit is activated in the user terminal device, and the reproduction of one moving image is instructed from another user terminal device. When the video distribution means is not activated in the user terminal device that is the upload source of the video, the video is generated by the playback means, and when playback of one video is instructed from another user terminal device, When the moving image distribution unit is activated in the user terminal device that is the upload source of the moving image, it is preferable that the moving image distribution unit of the user terminal device that is the upload source reproduces the moving image via the module cooperation unit. According to this invention, it is possible to share the moving image distribution process depending on whether or not a predetermined program is activated on the user terminal device.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the moving image storage unit stores a moving image having a higher image quality than the moving image uploaded to the service providing server by the uploading unit. According to this invention, it becomes possible to provide a moving image distribution service with higher image quality than before. Moreover, it is preferable that an encoding means converts the moving image which the user selected into the moving image of a streaming format.
The user terminal device according to the present invention is connected to a service providing server via a network. The user terminal device includes an encoding unit for locally encoding a video selected by the user to convert the video to another format, and an uploading unit for uploading the video encoded by the encoding unit to a service providing server. . The service providing server publishes the moving image received from the user terminal device to a specific or unspecified user and reproduces the moving image according to the user's instruction.
Further, the program according to the present invention includes a computer as a user terminal device, a service providing server that publishes a moving image received from the user terminal device to a specific or unspecified user, and reproduces the moving image according to a user instruction, In the information processing system connected via the computer, the computer encodes the moving image selected by the user locally and converts it into a moving image of a different format, and the moving image encoded by the encoding device is sent to the service providing server. It functions as an uploading means for uploading. According to such an invention, a general user can enjoy an online service that seamlessly cooperates with the computer by a simple operation of installing the program according to the present invention on the computer.

The “module” in the present invention is a replaceable computer software part, and has a standardized and standardized interface to the system, and has a group of functions that can be easily added or deleted. Represents a unit.
The program of the present invention can be installed or loaded on a computer through various recording media such as an optical disk such as a CD-ROM, a magnetic disk, and a semiconductor memory, or via a communication network. .
In this specification and the like, the means does not simply mean a physical means, but includes a case where the functions of the means are realized by software. Further, the function of one means may be realized by two or more physical means, or the functions of two or more means may be realized by one physical means.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a video sharing service that seamlessly cooperates with a user terminal device. In the video sharing service, the processing load on the server side can be distributed to the user terminal device side to reduce the processing load on the service providing server. Furthermore, even a general user can enjoy a video sharing service that seamlessly cooperates with the user terminal device by a simple operation, and the functions and usability of the video sharing service are improved.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an information processing system 100. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a user terminal device 10. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a function structure of the user terminal device 10 and the service provision server 20. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of a function structure of the service provision server 20 in the case of providing a moving image sharing service. It is a block diagram which shows the structure with which the video encoding module 15a in Example 1 is provided. In Example 1, it is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process when uploading a moving image to the service provision server 20 from the user terminal device 10x. It is an example of the moving image list page displayed on the user terminal device 10x which accessed the service provision server 20. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure with which the video encoding module 15a in Example 2 is provided. In Example 2, it is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process when uploading a moving image to the service provision server 20 from the user terminal device 10x. In Example 2, it is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process in which a user browses the moving image currently disclosed by the moving image sharing service. It is a figure which shows the flow of information when the upload origin user terminal device 10x of the moving image reproduced is not active. It is a figure which shows the flow of information when the upload origin user terminal device 10x of the moving image reproduced is not active. It is a figure which shows an example of the human relationship of the member registered into the SNS server. It is a figure which shows an example of the moving image which user AE uploaded to the SNS server 25. FIG. It is a figure (an example) which shows the list of the animation which user A can reproduce.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same element and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an information processing system 100 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing system 100 is configured by connecting one or more user terminal devices 10 and a service providing server 20 to each other via a network N. One or more other web servers 30 may be connected to the network N.

  The user terminal device 10 is a device having a function of accessing the service providing server 20 and receiving information, and includes a web browser 11 for browsing web pages. Typically, a personal computer (PC) can be applied, but a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), other computers, and the like may be applied.

  In the present embodiment, the user needs to install predetermined software (hereinafter referred to as “personal server software”) distributed on the service providing server 20 in the user terminal device 10 in advance. That is, the user downloads personal server software from the service providing server 20 to the user terminal device 10 in advance and completes installation of the personal server software. This installation work is performed by, for example, performing the work according to the description of the installer that is started by double-clicking the setup icon displayed on the desktop screen of the user terminal device 10 after downloading the personal server software. It is recommended to execute.

  The service providing server 20 is a server computer having a function as a web server. That is, information such as an HTML document and an image is stored, and the information is transmitted through a network N such as the Internet in response to a request from client software such as the web browser 11. In the present embodiment, the service providing server 20 may include a so-called web application server or database server.

  In the present embodiment, the service providing server 20 can automatically transmit the personal server software to the public. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the service providing server 20 is preferably configured to provide a service to a specific user registered as a member.

  The other service providing server 30 is one or more web servers existing on the network N in addition to the service providing server 20, and each server 30 provides a predetermined web service to the user. For example, it may be a web server that publishes and distributes news articles, or a web server that provides a free mail client (free mail). Some other service providing servers 30 require prior member registration, and some users are required to perform login processing when using the web services of other service providing servers 30. To do.

  The network N is a communication line for transmitting / receiving information to / from one or more user terminal devices 10, the service providing server 20, and one or more other service providing servers 30. For example, it may be any of the Internet, a LAN, a dedicated line, a packet communication network, a telephone line, a corporate network, other communication lines, combinations thereof, and the like, regardless of whether they are wired or wireless.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the user terminal device 10 in the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the user terminal device 10 includes a CPU 41 for controlling the operation and processing of each unit, a ROM 42 for storing data necessary for processing, a memory 42 such as a RAM functioning as a work area, and various types of information. A general-purpose computer including a storage device 43 such as a hard disk to be stored, an input / output interface 44, a communication interface 45, and a bus 46 connecting them can be applied.

  Although not shown, a general-purpose computer having the same configuration as that shown in FIG. 2 can be applied to the service providing server 20 and other service providing servers 30 in the present embodiment. At this time, the service providing server 20 or another service providing server 30 may be configured by a single computer or may be configured by a plurality of computers distributed on a network. A single computer may have a plurality of server functions.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of functional configurations of the user terminal device 10 and the service providing server 20 in the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the user terminal device 10 includes a web browser 11 and a personal server unit 12. The service providing server 20 includes active user management means 21 and module cooperation means 22.

  The web browser 11 is application software for browsing web pages. It has a function of downloading HTML files, image files, music files, etc. from the network, analyzing the layout, and displaying / reproducing the files. In addition, it is desirable to be able to interpret and operate application software written in JavaScript (registered trademark) or the like.

  The personal server unit 12 has a functional configuration realized by installing and executing personal server software distributed on the service providing server 20 in the user terminal device 10. In other words, the user terminal device 10 downloads from the service providing server 20 and executes personal server software stored in a memory, an external storage device, or the like, thereby executing various functional means included in the personal server unit 12. Make it happen.

  Here, the personal server unit 12 further includes a local web server 13, a core module 14, and one or more modules 15.

  The local web server 13 is a web server that is started locally on the user terminal device 10 by starting personal server software. Similar to a normal web server, the local web server 13 has a function of passing information described in HTML, information obtained from a database, and the like to the web browser 11 in response to a request from client software such as the web browser 11. I have.

  The core module 14 is executed when the personal server software is executed on the user terminal device 10, and preferably when the personal server software is resident on the user terminal device 10 and the local web server 13 is started on the user terminal device 10. And a function for communicating with the service providing server 20. At this time, the core module 14 constructs a continuous communication session with the service providing server 20 while the personal server software is being executed. That is, by using a predetermined communication protocol between the core module 14 and the service providing server 20, whenever the personal server software is executed on the user terminal device 10, the core module 14 and the service providing server 20 A communication session like a pipe connecting the two is established. The core module 14 has a function of using the communication session to inform the service providing server 20 of what module 15 the user terminal device 10 includes, and information on addition / deletion of the module 15. ing.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as a result of the personal server software being executed, the local web server 13 is started and a communication session between the core module 14 and the service providing server 20 is established as “active”. An active user terminal device 10 (or a user who uses the user terminal device 10) is referred to as an “active user”. At this time, whether or not the user terminal device 10 is active depends on whether or not the personal server software is executed (resident). Whether or not the user is accessing or logged in has no direct relation to whether or not the user is active. Note that when the personal server software is not executed, the core module 14 does not exist, so that no communication session is established with the service providing server 20.

  The module 15 is a program component for realizing various web services, and is provided for each service (function) to be provided. The user terminal device 10 may include only one module 15 that realizes a predetermined function, or may include a plurality of modules 15 having different functions as illustrated. Further, the module 15 can add or delete any module 15 as necessary. Specific examples of the module 15 will be described later. For example, a video encoding module 15a that seamlessly cooperates with the video sharing service, a desktop search module for realizing desktop search, and a web that acquires information from other service providing servers 30 It has an acquisition module, a file sharing module for sharing files with other members of the service providing server 20, and the like.

  In FIG. 3, only the module 15 a is connected to the module cooperation means 22 by an arrow, but this is merely an example, and other modules 15 b, 15 c and the like are prevented from being connected to the module cooperation means 22. It is not a thing. Similarly, in FIG. 3, only the module 15 b is connected to the other service providing server 30 with an arrow, but this is also merely an example, and the other modules 15 a, 15 c, etc. are connected to the other service providing server 30. It does not prevent you from being done.

  The active user management means 21 has a function for detecting and managing active users and available modules on the network N. As described above, the personal server unit 12 is formed in the user terminal device 10 in which the personal server software is executed, and a communication session such as a pipe is established between the core module 14 and the service providing server 20. Therefore, the active user management means 21 detects and manages the status of the active user in real time by detecting the user terminal device 10 in which this communication session is established. The active user management unit 21 communicates with the core module 14 to detect and manage what module 15 is present in the user terminal device 10 used by the active user.

  The module cooperation means 22 has a function of using a web service provided in each module 15 in cooperation with the module 15 of the active user and the local web server 13.

  Next, in the information processing system 100 configured as described above, a case where the service providing server 20 provides a video sharing service on a website and the module 15 includes a video encoding module 15a will be described.

  A video sharing service allows a specific or unspecified user to upload (post) video content (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as “video”), and to specify or specify an uploaded video. It is a service on the web that the user can browse. In this embodiment, it is assumed that a moving image released by the moving image sharing service is released by streaming playback in a format such as Adobe Flash (trademark).

  The video encoding module 15a is a module for encoding a moving image locally on the user terminal device 10 and uploading the encoded moving image to the service providing server 20. The details will be described in an embodiment described later. .

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the service providing server 20 when providing a video sharing service. As shown in FIG. 4, the service providing server 20 includes an active user management unit 21, a module cooperation unit 22, a disclosure unit 23, and a reproduction unit 24. Among these, the active user management means 21 and the module cooperation means 22 are as described above.

  The publishing means 23 has a function for uploading the moving image received from the user terminal device 10 to the moving image sharing service and publishing it to a specific or unspecified user. In addition, the playback unit 24 has a function for playing on the user terminal device 10 a video arbitrarily selected by the user from the videos released by the release unit 23.

  For convenience of explanation, a user terminal device used by a user who uploads a video to the video sharing service is represented by 10x, and a user terminal device used by a user who browses the video uploaded to the video sharing service is represented by 10y. As a premise, personal server software is executed on the user terminal device 10x.

  First, a process in which the video encoding module 15a of the user terminal device 10x performs encoding and uploading of a moving image will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the video encoding module 15a according to the first embodiment. The video encoding module 15 a includes an encoding unit 81 and an uploading unit 82.

  The encoding unit 81 has a function of encoding a moving image to be uploaded to the service providing server 20 into a moving image in a streaming format locally on the user terminal device 10x before uploading. Specifically, the encoding unit 81 uses, for example, a moving image recorded in a file format such as avi, mov, mpg (mpeg), wmv, 3gp, or the like as a streaming movie in a file format such as flv used in the video sharing service. Convert to

  The upload unit 82 has a function of transmitting the video encoded by the encoding unit 81 to the service providing server 20 and uploading the video to the video sharing service.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow when uploading a moving image from the user terminal device 10x to the service providing server 20 in the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is an example of a moving image list page displayed on the user terminal device 10 x that has accessed the service providing server 20.

  First, when uploading a video, the user instructs to upload by clicking on the link portion 85 for instructing video upload displayed in the video list page (S141). After instructing the upload execution, a moving image file to be uploaded is selected from among the files stored locally in the user terminal device 10x (S142).

  When a moving image file is selected, the encoding means 81 of the video encoding module 15a encodes the selected moving image file and converts it into a streaming-format moving image that is published on the moving image sharing service (S143).

  After performing the encoding process locally on the user terminal device 10x, the upload unit 82 transmits the encoded streaming-format video to the service providing server 20 and uploads the video to the video sharing service (S144).

  Thereafter, the moving image uploaded to the moving image sharing service is disclosed to specific or unspecified users. Then, when the user selects an arbitrary moving image and gives an instruction for reproduction, the selected moving image is reproduced on the user terminal device 10y. Specifically, for example, when a specific or unspecified user accesses the service providing server 20 via the user terminal device 10y, any user can view any video that has been uploaded to the video sharing service. Thumbnail images of moving images are displayed in a list on the browser of the user terminal device 10y. The user selects an image to be reproduced from thumbnail images displayed in a list, images searched using the moving image search function, and the like, and reproduces a moving image.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the service providing server 20 cooperates with the user terminal device 10x in which the personal server software is activated to share a part of the processing load related to the video release of the video sharing service with the user terminal device. It can be distributed on the 10x side. Specifically, in a conventional video sharing service, a video posted by a user is encoded in a streaming format or the like on the server 20 side. However, since this encoding is a process that requires a great load, An excessive load is generated on the providing server 20, and the operation of the server tends to become unstable. However, according to the present embodiment, in the video sharing service, the video is encoded on the user terminal device 10x side, and the service providing server 20 receives the encoded video and publishes the received video as it is. For this reason, there exists an effect that the processing load of the service provision server 20 can be reduced.

  Next, a case where the video encoding module 15a of the user terminal device 10x includes a means for distributing a moving image to another user terminal device 10y in addition to the encoding means 81 and the upload means 82 will be described.

  FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the video encoding module 15a according to the second embodiment. The video encoding module 15 a includes a moving image storage unit 83 and a moving image distribution unit 84 in addition to the encoding unit 81 and the upload unit 82.

  The moving image storage unit 83 has a function of storing a moving image having the same content as the moving image uploaded to the service providing server 20 by the upload unit 82 in a format that can be distributed to the other user terminal device 10y. The moving image file to be stored may be a moving image encoded in a streaming format or the original moving image file itself before encoding. In addition, it is preferable that the moving image storage unit 83 stores a moving image having a higher image quality and a lower compression rate than the moving image uploaded to the service providing server 20. In other words, when storing a moving image in the streaming format in the moving image storage unit 83, the encoding unit 81 performs an encoding process by increasing the resolution, the frame rate, etc. than the moving image uploaded to the service providing server 20, and obtains the result. It is preferable to store the streaming image having the high image quality and low compression rate in the moving image storage unit 83. In the following, an example in which a high-quality and low-compression streaming image is stored in the moving image storage unit 83 will be described.

  The moving image distribution unit 84 has a function of distributing the moving image stored in the moving image storage unit 83 to the user terminal device 10y of a specific or unspecified user via the local web server 13. When a moving image in streaming format is stored in the moving image storage means 83, streaming reproduction is performed, and when the moving image is stored in a moving image file format such as avi, the moving image file is transmitted to the user terminal device 10y.

  On the other hand, in the second embodiment, when the user is instructed to play a predetermined video via the user terminal device 10y, the service providing server 20 gives the user terminal device 10x that is the upload source of the predetermined video to the user. An instruction to reproduce the predetermined moving image is transmitted to the terminal device 10 y via the module cooperation unit 22.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a processing flow when uploading a moving image from the user terminal device 10x to the service providing server 20 in the second embodiment. Here, the flow from Step S141 to Step S144, that is, the process from encoding the video selected by the user locally on the user terminal device 10x to uploading it to the video sharing service is the same as in the first embodiment.

  In parallel with or before and after the encoding process (S143) and the upload process (S144), the video encoding module 15a stores the moving image in the moving image storage unit 83 (S145). At this time, the encoding unit 81 first encodes the moving image file with a higher image quality and lower compression rate than the encoding process in step S143, and the moving image storage unit 83 stores the obtained moving image in the streaming format with higher image quality and lower compression rate. To store. Thus, when a moving image is uploaded to the moving image sharing service according to the user's instruction, at the same time, a moving image having the same content as the uploaded moving image and having a higher image quality is prepared so as to be distributed to the user terminal device 10x.

  On the other hand, when the service providing server 20 receives a video to be uploaded from the user terminal device 10x, the service providing server 20 stores the video and information (for example, a terminal ID) for identifying the user terminal device 10x as a transmission source in association with each other. To store. Thereafter, the moving image uploaded to the moving image sharing service is released to specific or unspecified users.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing in which the user browses a moving image published by the moving image sharing service in the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a flow of information when the uploading user terminal device 10x of the moving image to be reproduced is not active. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a flow of information when the uploading user terminal device 10x of the moving image to be reproduced is active.

  A specific or unspecified user accesses the service providing server 20 via the user terminal device 10y, selects an arbitrary video that can be viewed by the user from videos uploaded to the video sharing service, Is instructed to be reproduced (S151).

  At this time, the service providing server 20 searches the storage means, identifies the user terminal device 10x that uploaded the selected video, and determines whether the user terminal device 10x is currently active by the active user management means 21. (S152).

  Then, when the user terminal device 10x that is the upload source of the moving image is not active (S152: NO), the service providing server 20 distributes the selected moving image toward the user terminal device 10y as shown in FIG. That is, when the original user terminal device 10x that uploaded the video to be played is not active (the local web server 13 is not up), the service providing server 20 selects the video selected by the user as in the first embodiment. Then, streaming delivery is performed to the user terminal device 10y (S153).

  On the other hand, when the user terminal device 10x that is the upload source of the moving image is active (S152: YES), as shown in FIG. 12, the selected moving image is distributed from the user terminal device 10x to the user terminal device 10y.

  Specifically, first, the module cooperation unit 22 of the service providing server 20 instructs the video encoding module 15a of the user terminal device 10x to stream the selected video to the user terminal device 10y ( S154). This command includes an ID for identifying the moving image selected by the user as necessary.

  When receiving the above command from the service providing server 20, the user terminal device 10x identifies a moving image to be played based on the ID included in the command, and distributes the moving image to the user terminal device 10y (S155).

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, the service providing server 20 cooperates with the user terminal device 10x in which the personal server software is activated to share part of the processing load related to the video distribution of the video sharing service with the user terminal. It can be distributed to the device 10x side. Specifically, if the original user terminal device 10x that uploaded the video to be played is active, the user terminal device 10x delivers the video, while if the user terminal device 10x is not active, the service providing server 20 Delivers videos. In this way, there is an extraordinary effect that the load of the moving image distribution process is distributed and a higher quality moving image can be reproduced.

  Next, a case where the service providing server 20 provides a social networking service (SNS) and provides a video sharing service via SNS will be described. For convenience of explanation, the service providing server 20 that provides the SNS is represented as an SNS server 25.

The SNS server 25 includes a member information database (hereinafter referred to as “member DB”) 26. In the member DB 26, for each user, human relationship information indicating the degree of connection between the user and other users is recorded. Based on the human relationship information recorded in the member DB 26, the SNS server 25 establishes a friendship such that the user A and the user B are “friends”, and the user A and the user C are “friends of friends”. It can be recognized (extracted / calculated). In this embodiment, the data structure of the member DB 26 and the method for recognizing the friendship are not particularly shown, but any data structure and method for recognition can be adopted as long as the friendship between the users can be recognized. Needless to say.

  On the other hand, the user terminal device 10 includes a video encoding module 15a, and performs the same processing as that described in the first and second embodiments.

  However, in Example 3, when uploading a moving image to the SNS server 25, the user designates a sharing range of the moving image. Then, the SNS server 25 stores the uploaded moving image and the sharing range designated by the user in the storage unit in association with each other. The sharing range indicates the degree of friendship of the SNS member who wants to share a video. For example, only a “friend” shares a video, or a “friend of a friend” shares a video, It is possible to specify that “all members” are allowed to share files.

  Next, the moving image sharing process in the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a human relationship between members registered in the SNS server 25. Each node in FIG. 13 represents a user name, and a side connecting the nodes indicates that users at both end nodes of the side are in direct friendship. Therefore, in the example of FIG. 13, user A is a friend with user B, user B is a friend with users A, C, and E, and user C is a friend with users B and D. Further, the user A and the user C are in a relationship of “friends of friends”.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a moving image uploaded to the SNS server 25 by each of the users A to E illustrated in FIG. For example, the user A uploads three videos A1, A2, and A3 to the video sharing service, and the sharing range is “A1” is shared only with friends, “A2” is shared with friends of friends, and “A3” is a member It is set to share with the whole. Further, the moving images uploaded by the users B to E and the sharing ranges thereof are set as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 15 shows a list of videos that can be played back by user A when user A opens the video sharing page of SNS server 25 in the sharing range shown in FIG. 14 on the assumption of the human relationship shown in FIG. FIG. The SNS server 25 determines a moving image that the user A can reproduce based on the sharing range of the moving image uploaded by each user (user terminal device 10).

  In the example shown in FIGS. 13 to 15, since user A and user B are direct friends, the uploaded video can be used regardless of whether the sharing range is “friends”, “friends of friends” or “whole”. Can be played and viewed. On the other hand, since the user A and the user C are “friends of friends”, the user A cannot share the video “C1” that the user C can share only with “friends”. Among the videos uploaded by the user C, the user A can play a video whose sharing range is “friends of friends” or “whole”. Further, since the user A and the user D are in a relationship of “friends of friends”, the user A can reproduce only “D3” that the user D permits sharing to all members. In addition, since the user E can share only “friends”, the user A cannot view the video uploaded by the user E.

  In this way, a moving image can be shared between specific members registered in the SNS server 25. In addition, it becomes possible to designate a moving image sharing range (disclosure range) for each moving image based on friendship information between the members. This makes it easy to share a video only between specific friends.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, by operating personal server software, a local web server and one or more modules are configured in the user terminal device, and the local web server and modules provide online services. By performing the processing in cooperation with the web server that performs this, it becomes possible to provide an online service (particularly, a video sharing service) that seamlessly cooperates with the user terminal device.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various other forms without departing from the gist of the present invention. For this reason, the said embodiment is only a mere illustration in all points, and is not interpreted limitedly. For example, the above-described processing steps can be executed in any order or in parallel as long as there is no contradiction in the processing contents.

  For example, in the present embodiment, personal server software is downloaded from the service providing server 20 and installed in the user terminal device 10. However, the personal server software may be downloaded from another web server. Further, it may be stored in a recording medium such as a DVD and distributed to the user.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the video encoding module 15a is illustrated as an example of the module, but it goes without saying that modules for providing other online services can be arbitrarily combined.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 User terminal device 11 Web browser 12 Personal server part 13 Local web server 14 Core module 15 Module 15a Video encoding module 15a
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 Service provision server 21 Active user management means 22 Module cooperation means 23 Publication means 24 Reproduction means 25 SNS server 26 Member database 30 Other service provision server 81 Encoding means 82 Upload means 83 Movie storage means 84 Movie distribution means 100 Information processing system

In addition, the conventional moving image sharing service employs a mechanism in which a server distributes moving images in a streaming format . For example, when the user uploads captured like yourself server video sharing services, video that has been converted to the server side Death streaming format Ru is distributed from the server side. Therefore , as the number of uploaded videos increases, the processing load necessary for encoding processing and distribution processing increases, and there is a problem that the possibility of problems such as unstable operation on the server side increases. .

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, the moving image sharing service, and an object Rukoto improve the quality of service while reducing the server-side processing load.

In order to achieve the above object, a “video distribution system” according to an aspect of the present invention includes a management server and a plurality of distribution user terminals, and the distribution user terminal generates a server distribution video from an original video. In parallel with or before and after the generation, generating means for generating a terminal distribution video having the same content and high quality from the original video for the server distribution video, and posting the server distribution video to the management server In parallel with or before and after the terminal distribution moving image generated by the generation means in the terminal storage means, and the terminal in response to a request from the management server that received a distribution request from the browsing user terminal Terminal-side distribution means for distributing the terminal distribution video stored in the side storage means to the browsing user terminal, and the management server posts the server distribution video according to the distribution request When the distribution user terminal is active, cooperation means for causing the distribution user terminal to distribute the terminal distribution video having the same content as the server distribution video to the browsing user terminal, and the distribution request Means for causing the server-side distribution means to distribute the server distribution moving image to the browsing user terminal only when the distribution user terminal that is the posting source of the server distribution moving image is not active.
In order to achieve the above object, a “video distribution method” according to one aspect of the present invention is a system including a management server and a plurality of user terminals for distribution. Generating the same content and high-quality terminal distribution video from the original video for the server distribution video in parallel with or before and after the generation, and the distribution user terminal for the server distribution Storing the terminal distribution video generated in the generation step in the terminal side storage means in parallel with or before and after posting the video to the management server, and the distribution user terminal from the browsing user terminal Terminal-side distribution that distributes the terminal distribution video stored in the terminal-side storage means to the browsing user terminal in response to a request from the management server that has received the distribution request When the distribution user terminal that is the posting source of the server distribution moving image related to the distribution request is active, the management server uses the distribution user terminal for the server distribution to the browsing user terminal. A server-side distribution unit that distributes the terminal distribution video having the same content as the video, and the management server only when the distribution user terminal that is the posting source of the server distribution video according to the distribution request is not active Delivering the server delivery moving image to the browsing user terminal.
In the present invention, the “server-side distribution means” may be included in the management server, or may be included in another server device that can be connected to the management server and the browsing terminal.
In the present invention, it is assumed that the server including the “server-side distribution unit” cannot directly access the “terminal-side storage unit”.
Additional technical limitations may be added to the “video distribution system” as illustrated below. Further, a technical limitation with the same meaning may be added to the processing step of “moving image distribution method”.
For example, the terminal-side distribution means distributes the terminal distribution video to the browsing user terminal in a form that cannot be redistributed to other browsing user terminals, and the server-side distribution means A technical limitation may be added in which the server distribution moving image is distributed to the user terminal in a form in which redistribution to other browsing user terminals is impossible. In this case, the terminal-side distribution unit performs streaming distribution of the terminal distribution video to the browsing user terminal, and the server-side distribution unit performs streaming distribution of the server distribution video to the browsing user terminal. Technical limitations may be added. These configurations are particularly useful in a situation where at least part of the browsing user terminal also serves as the distribution user terminal.
Further, for example, the cooperation unit may add a technical limitation in which the terminal-side distribution unit distributes the terminal distribution video to the browsing user terminal as a response to the distribution request or instead of the response. Good.
Further, for example, the distribution user terminal further includes means for establishing a communication session with the management server, and the management server uses the distribution user terminal for which the communication session has been established for active distribution. You may add the technical limitation of further providing the management means recognized as a user terminal.
Further, for example, the management server further includes means for storing in the server-side storage means the identification information of the posting source of the server distribution video in association with the server distribution video posted by the distribution user terminal, Technical limitation that the cooperation unit specifies the posting source of the server distribution video based on the identification information stored in the server side storage unit in association with the server distribution video according to the distribution request. May be added.

In the present invention, priority is given to the distribution of relatively high-quality “video for terminal distribution” by the “user terminal for distribution”, and distribution of relatively low-quality “video for server distribution” by the “server-side distribution means”. The opportunity is limited to the case where the “user terminal for distribution” that is the posting source of the “server distribution moving image” is not active.
Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible while reducing the server side processing load including a processing load related to movie distribution Ru improve the quality of the video sharing service.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an information processing system 100. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a user terminal device 10. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a function structure of the user terminal device 10 and the service provision server 20. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of a function structure of the service provision server 20 in the case of providing a moving image sharing service. It is a block diagram which shows the structure with which the video encoding module 15a in Example 1 is provided. In Example 1, it is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process when uploading a moving image to the service provision server 20 from the user terminal device 10x. It is an example of the moving image list page displayed on the user terminal device 10x which accessed the service provision server 20. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure with which the video encoding module 15a in Example 2 is provided. In Example 2, it is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process when uploading a moving image to the service provision server 20 from the user terminal device 10x. In Example 2, it is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process in which a user browses the moving image currently disclosed by the moving image sharing service. It is a figure which shows the flow of information when the upload origin user terminal device 10x of the moving image which concerns on a delivery request is not active. It is a figure which shows the flow of information when the upload origin user terminal device 10x of the moving image which concerns on a delivery request is active. It is a figure which shows an example of the human relationship of the member registered into the SNS server. It is a figure which shows an example of the moving image which user AE uploaded to the SNS server 25. FIG. It is a figure (an example) which shows the list of the animation which user A can reproduce.

A video sharing service allows a specific or unspecified user to upload (post) video content (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as “video”), and to specify or specify an uploaded video. It is a service on the web that the user can browse. In this embodiment, it is assumed that a moving image released by the moving image sharing service is released by streaming distribution in a format such as Adobe Flash (trademark).

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the service providing server 20 when providing a video sharing service. As shown in FIG. 4, the service providing server 20 includes an active user management unit 21, a module cooperation unit 22, a disclosure unit 23, and a distribution unit 24. Among these, the active user management means 21 and the module cooperation means 22 are as described above.

The publishing means 23 has a function for uploading the moving image received from the user terminal device 10 to the moving image sharing service and publishing it to a specific or unspecified user. In addition, the distribution unit 24 has a function for distributing to the user terminal device 10 a video arbitrarily selected by the user from the videos released by the disclosure unit 23.

The moving image storage unit 83 has a function of storing a moving image having the same content as the moving image uploaded to the service providing server 20 by the upload unit 82 in a format that can be distributed to the other user terminal device 10y. The moving image file to be stored may be a moving image encoded in a streaming format or the original moving image file itself before encoding. In addition, it is preferable that the moving image storage unit 83 stores a moving image having a higher image quality and a lower compression rate than the moving image uploaded to the service providing server 20. In other words, when storing a moving image in the streaming format in the moving image storage unit 83, the encoding unit 81 performs an encoding process by increasing the resolution, the frame rate, etc. than the moving image uploaded to the service providing server 20, and obtains the result. It is preferable to store the streaming image having the high image quality and low compression rate in the moving image storage unit 83. In the following, an example in which a high-quality / low-compression streaming video is stored in the video storage unit 83 will be described.

The moving image distribution unit 84 has a function of distributing the moving image stored in the moving image storage unit 83 to the user terminal device 10y of a specific or unspecified user via the local web server 13. When a moving image in streaming format is stored in the moving image storage means 83, streaming distribution (a form of “distribution”) is performed, and when the moving image file is stored in a moving image file format such as avi, the moving image file Is transferred to the user terminal device 10y (a form of “distribution”) .

On the other hand, in the second embodiment, when the service providing server 20 requests distribution of a predetermined video from the user via the user terminal device 10y, the service providing server 20 gives the user terminal device 10x that is the upload source of the predetermined video to the user. An instruction to distribute the predetermined moving image to the terminal device 10 y is transmitted via the module cooperation unit 22.

In parallel with or before and after the encoding process (S143) and the upload process (S144), the video encoding module 15a stores the moving image in the moving image storage unit 83 (S145). At this time, the encoding unit 81 first encodes the moving image file with a higher image quality and lower compression rate than the encoding process in step S143, and the moving image storage unit 83 stores the obtained moving image in the streaming format with higher image quality and lower compression rate. To store. Thus, when moving the video hosting service according to a user's instruction Ru is uploaded, parallel or before or after this, the same contents as the uploaded video and higher quality video, the user terminal 10x Prepared in a form that can be delivered to.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing in which the user browses a moving image published by the moving image sharing service in the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a flow of information when the moving image upload source user terminal device 10x relating to the distribution request is not active. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a flow of information when the moving image upload source user terminal device 10x relating to the distribution request is active.

User terminal 10x receives the instruction from the service providing server 20 identifies the video to be distributed have groups Dzu the ID included in the instruction, delivers the video to the user terminal 10y (S155).

Thus, Oite in Example 2, the service providing server 20, the personal server software in cooperation with the user terminal 10x being activated, the user terminal a portion of the processing relating to video distribution of video hosting service The burden is placed on the device 10x side . Specifically, when the original user terminal device 10x that uploaded the moving image relating to the distribution request is active , the user terminal device 10x distributes the moving image, whereas when the user terminal device 10x is not active, the service providing server 20 delivers a video. Thus, the second embodiment has a special effect that a higher quality moving image can be distributed while reducing a processing load related to the moving image distribution.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 User terminal device 11 Web browser 12 Personal server part 13 Local web server 14 Core module 15 Module 15a Video encoding module 15a
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 Service provision server 21 Active user management means 22 Module cooperation means 23 Publication means 24 Distribution means 25 SNS server 26 Member database 30 Other service provision server 81 Encoding means 82 Upload means 83 Movie storage means 84 Movie distribution means 100 Information processing system

Claims (7)

A video sharing system in which a user terminal device and a service providing server are connected via a network,
The user terminal device
Encoding means to locally encode the user's selected video and convert it to another format,
Upload means for uploading the video encoded by the encoding means to the service providing server;
With
The service providing server includes:
Publishing means for publishing the video received from the user terminal device to a specific or unspecified user;
When one video is selected from another user terminal device and playback is instructed, playback means for playing the selected video,
Comprising
Video sharing system. The user terminal device
Video storage means for storing a video having the same content as the video uploaded to the service providing server by the upload means;
Video distribution means for distributing and reproducing the video stored in the video storage means to other user terminal devices;
With
The service providing server includes:
Module linkage means for instructing the other user terminal device to play the moving image to the user terminal device that is the upload source of the moving image when an instruction to reproduce the moving image is given from another user terminal device; ,
With
The user terminal device that has received the instruction uses the moving image distribution means to reproduce the moving image instructed to the other user terminal device.
The moving image sharing system according to claim 1. The service providing server includes:
In the user terminal device, an active user management means capable of determining whether or not the moving image distribution means is activated;
With
When the playback of one video is instructed from another user terminal device, if the video distribution means is not activated in the user terminal device that is the upload source of the video, the video is generated by the playback means,
When playback of one video is instructed from another user terminal device, if the video distribution means is activated in the user terminal device that is the upload source of the video, the upload via the module cooperation means The video distribution means of the original user terminal device plays the video,
The moving image sharing system according to claim 2. The moving image storage means includes
Storing a video with higher image quality than the video uploaded to the service providing server by the upload means;
The moving image sharing system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein The encoding means converts the video selected by the user into a video in streaming format.
The moving image sharing system according to claim 1, wherein A user terminal device that is connected to a service providing server that publishes a moving image received from a user terminal device to a specific or unspecified user and reproduces the moving image in accordance with a user instruction via a network,
Encoding means to locally encode the user's selected video and convert it to another format,
Upload means for uploading the video encoded by the encoding means to the service providing server;
A user terminal device comprising: Information processing in which a computer as a user terminal device and a service providing server that publishes a moving image received from the user terminal device to a specific or unspecified user and reproduces the moving image according to a user instruction are connected via a network In the system,
The computer,
An encoding means for locally encoding a video selected by the user and converting it into a video of a different format; and an upload means for uploading the video encoded by the encoding means to the service providing server;
Program to function as.

Images