JP2015142205A - Content reproduction system, server device, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a content reproduction system capable of improving convenience, a server device, and a program.SOLUTION: The server device based on a DLNA standard lists up per content a plurality of kinds of distributable resources associated with the content, and generates an array that is an array of resource listed for each of the content and is formed by arranging in a predetermined position resource information representing predetermined kinds of resources.

Description

  The present invention relates to a content reproduction system, a server device, and a program.

  In recent years, electronic devices that perform network communication have been used in homes, and it is required to enable communication between electronic devices regardless of the manufacturer. Based on these requests, standards such as DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) have been established.

  Here, the DLNA standards include UPnP, Viiv, Plays For Sure, etc., in addition to DLNA itself. A server device (Digital Media Server; called DMS) that complies with the DLNA standard and a client (Digital Media Player; called DMP) operate as follows.

  In DLNA, a client acquires a list of contents that can be provided by a server device, and requests the server device for content selected by the user from the content list. In response to this request, the server device sends content data (resources), and the client receives the resources and executes playback processing.

  Here, the server apparatus may be able to provide a plurality of types of resources for one content. In this case, the server apparatus may enumerate and send out these plural types of resources as a list of contents (so-called multi-resource).

  Patent Document 1 discloses an example in which music data in a plurality of data formats is provided and data in a data format suitable for reproduction is selected on the client side. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses an example in which only data that satisfies a condition among multi-resource data is cached on the client side.

JP 2007-240973 A JP 2009-3639 A

  However, even if the server device side lists and sends out a plurality of types of resources for a certain content, the client side may not support so-called multi-resources. This is because, according to the standard, it is stipulated that the client side may handle information on a list of contents related to multi-resources.

  In such a case, the client side has a resource at a predetermined position (for example, a position such as the top or the end in the listed order) in the listed order among the resources listed for a certain content. Is selected without a user's instruction, requests the selected resource from the server device, and attempts to reproduce the resource received from the server device.

  Under this current situation, if the resource selected by the client is not of a type that can be played back on the client side, there is a resource that can be played back on the client side among the other listed resources (other than the selected one). However, the information indicating that the content cannot be reproduced is displayed to the user, and the convenience is low.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a content reproduction system, a server device, and a program that can improve convenience.

  One aspect of the present invention for solving the problems of the above-described conventional example is a content reproduction system including a server device and a player compliant with a DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) standard, wherein the server device A resource enumeration means for enumerating a plurality of types of distributable resources related to the content, and an array of resources enumerated for each content, wherein resource information representing a predetermined type of resource is predetermined. An array generating means for generating an array arranged at the position; a list of contents, a list generating means for generating a list of contents including an array of resources for each of the contents; and Providing means to be provided to the player, and specifying any of the resources included in the provided list from the player Receiving means for accepting information to be delivered, and delivery means for delivering the resource specified by the accepted information, wherein the player accepts provision of the list of contents from the server device, and is to be reproduced from the list Resource information related to the content designated as the resource information, the information specifying the resource represented by the resource information arranged at the predetermined position is sent to the server device, and the resource received from the server device is reproduced as the content. It is assumed that the player is subjected to a predetermined process related to.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to place resource information reproducible by the player at a position referred to by the player, thereby improving the reproducibility and the convenience.

It is a block diagram showing the example of a structure of the content reproduction system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a functional block diagram showing the example of the server apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the example of the list of the content which the server apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention provides. It is a flowchart showing the operation example of the content reproduction system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing showing another example of a part of list of contents which the server apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention provides. It is a functional block diagram showing another example of the server apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the content reproduction system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a server device 10 and a player 20 that is a client. Here, the server device 10 and the player 20 are communicably connected to each other via a network.

  The server device 10 is a DMS conforming to the DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) standard capable of delivering a resource selected from a plurality of types of resources, and includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a communication unit 13. Consists of including. The player 20 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, an operation unit 23, a display unit 24, and a communication unit 25. Here, the control unit 11 of the server device 10 is a program control device such as a CPU, and operates according to a program stored in the storage unit 12.

  The control unit 11 according to the present embodiment lists, for each content, a plurality of types of distributable resources related to the content, and is an array of the resources listed for each content, and has a predetermined type. An array in which resource information representing resources is arranged at predetermined positions is generated. Further, the control unit 11 generates a list of contents including an array of resources corresponding to each generated content, and provides the list to the player 20.

  The control unit 11 further receives information specifying any of the resources included in the previously provided list from the player 20, and distributes the resource specified by the received information. Detailed processing of the control unit 11 will be described later.

  The storage unit 12 includes a memory device, a disk device, and the like. The storage unit 12 stores a program executed by the control unit 11. The program may be provided by being stored in a computer-readable storage medium such as a DVD-ROM and storing information continuously and stored in the storage unit 12. The program may be provided via a communication line such as the Internet and stored in the storage unit 12.

  In one example of the present embodiment, content data (resources) is held in the storage unit 12. Specifically, it is assumed here that at least one resource is held for each content. Further, the storage unit 12 also operates as a work memory for the control unit 11.

  The communication unit 13 is a network interface or the like, and exchanges information with the player 20 via the network. The communication unit 13 outputs information received from the player 20 via the network to the control unit 11. Further, the communication unit 13 transmits various data to the player 20 in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 11.

  The control unit 21 of the player 20 is a program control device such as a CPU, and operates according to a program stored in the storage unit 22. When accepting the provision of a list of contents from the server device 10, the control unit 21 specifies resource information designated as a reproduction target in the list and represented by the resource information arranged at a predetermined position. Information is sent to the server device 10. Then, the resource distributed by the server device 10 is received, and the received resource is subjected to a predetermined process related to content reproduction. The detailed operation of the control unit 21 will also be described later.

  The storage unit 22 includes a memory device, a disk device, and the like. The storage unit 22 stores a program executed by the control unit 21. This program may be provided by being stored in a computer-readable storage medium such as a DVD-ROM and storing information continuously and stored in the storage unit 22. The program may be provided via a communication line such as the Internet and stored in the storage unit 22. The storage unit 22 also operates as a work memory for the control unit 21.

  The operation unit 23 includes buttons and the like, and outputs the contents of the instruction operation performed by the user to the control unit 21. In this case, the operation unit 23 may include, for example, a remote controller and a receiver that receives a signal from the remote controller. In this case, the content of the instruction operation performed by the user operating the remote controller is output to the control unit 21.

  The output unit 24 is a signal output circuit that outputs a signal to a television receiver, for example, and generates and outputs a signal to be output to the television receiver in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 21. The output unit 24 may be a display or a speaker, for example. In this case, the output unit 24 displays information on a display as the output unit 24 in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 21.

  The communication unit 25 is a network interface or the like, and exchanges information with the server device 10 via the network. The communication unit 25 outputs information received from the server device 10 via the network to the control unit 21. Further, the communication unit 25 transmits various data to the server device 10 in accordance with an instruction input from the control unit 21.

  Here, the specific processing contents of the control unit 11 will be described. In an example of the present embodiment, the control unit 11 functionally includes a resource enumeration unit 31, an array generation unit 32, a list generation unit 33, and a list provision unit 34, as illustrated in FIG. The receiving unit 35 and the distribution processing unit 36 are included.

  In accordance with a list request (Browse request) received from the player 20, the resource enumeration unit 31 enumerates resource information representing a plurality of types of distributable resources related to the content for each distributable content. In the server device 10 according to the present embodiment, at least one type of resource is stored in the storage unit 12 for each content, and the control unit 11 transcodes (resources) the resource stored in the storage unit 12. By performing the (type conversion) process, a resource to be actually distributed is generated.

  In an example of the transcoding process, the type of resource generated by the control unit 11 is determined by the type of resource that is stored in the storage unit 12 and is the source of transcoding. Specifically, when WAV and 1411 kbps are stored in the storage unit 12 as audio content resources, the control unit 11 generates MP3, 320 kbps, MP3, and 128 kbps resources. When resources are stored in the storage unit 12, it is assumed that the control unit 11 generates MP3, 128 kbps resources.

  The control unit 11 refers to each resource of each content stored in the storage unit 12, resource information representing the referenced resource itself, and resources generated by transcoding (if there are a plurality of resources, each of the plurality of resources) Enumerate resource information that represents. Here, the resource information is information indicating the type of resource. Specifically, the content type (such as “video / mpeg” may be expressed in a format defined by the mime (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension) standard). Information, information indicating resolution, codec, and the like, and URL (Uniform Resource Locator) information for acquiring the resource. The information of this URL is such that the control unit 11 can specify the content and the resource (including the case where it is generated by transcoding) from the information. As an example, the URL information itself may include a part for specifying content and a part for specifying the type of resource.

  The array generation unit 32 generates information in which the resource information listed by the resource listing unit 31 is arranged for each content. In the present embodiment, the array generation unit 32 generates an array in which resource information (priority resource information) representing a resource of a type previously determined as a priority resource is arranged at a predetermined position.

  That is, the array generation unit 32 accepts a list of resources that can be provided, which is listed by the resource enumeration unit 31 for each content. And the arrangement | sequence production | generation part 32 changes the enumeration order of resource information so that predetermined priority resource information is distribute | arranged as a predetermined position, for example to the head. Here, the predetermined types of resources are determined for each type of content such as video and music.

  As an example, when the resource information representing the MP3, 128 kbps type resource for music is the priority resource information, the resource enumeration unit 31 uses the WAV, 1411 kbps resource R1 and the MP3, 320 kbps resource for a certain content A. Assume that resource information RI1, RI2, and RI3 representing R2 and MP3, 128 kbps resource R3 are listed.

  In this case, the array generation unit 32 places the resource information RI3 representing the MP3, 128 kpbs resource R3 corresponding to the priority resource information among the enumerated resource information at a predetermined position (for example, the head), and then The other resource information is arranged in an arbitrary order.

  The list generation unit 33 accepts a list of resource information arranged by the array generation unit 32 for each content. Then, the list generation unit 33 generates a list of contents including at least one part (C) describing information about each content, as shown in FIG. Here, the list generation unit 33 includes a list of resource information generated by the array generation unit 32 in a part describing information of each content.

  In this embodiment, the order of enumeration of the resource information is controlled by the array generation unit 32. That is, the enumeration order of the resource information is changed so that predetermined priority resource information is arranged at a predetermined position, for example, at the head. That is, the list generation unit 33 includes an array in which the resource information RI3, the resource information RI1, and the resource information RI2 are described in this order as part of the content A information in the above example (FIG. 3 (P)).

  The list providing unit 34 sends out and provides the list of contents generated by the list generating unit 33 to the player 20 that is the request source. That is, in the present embodiment, the resource enumeration unit 31, the array generation unit 32, the list generation unit 33, and the list provision unit 34 are respectively used as resource enumeration means, array generation means, list generation means, and provision means. Correspondingly, a function as a so-called CDS (Content Directory Service) server is realized.

  The accepting unit 35 receives information (specifically, URL information included in the resource information) that identifies any of the resources included in the list provided by the list providing unit 34.

  The distribution processing unit 36 distributes the resource specified by the information received by the receiving unit 35 to the player 20 that is the resource request source. Specifically, the distribution processing unit 36 determines whether or not the storage unit 12 stores the type of resource specified by the URL information related to the content specified by the URL information received by the receiving unit 35. If it is stored, the resource is read from the storage unit 12 and distributed. In addition, if the resource of the type specified by the URL information is not stored in the storage unit 12, the distribution processing unit 36 is a resource related to the content specified by the URL information received by the receiving unit 35 ( Read out from the storage unit 12), transcodes, generates a resource of a type specified by the URL information, The generated resource is distributed to the requesting player 20.

  Next, the operation of the control unit 21 of the player 20 will be described. In an example of the present embodiment, the control unit 21 requests the server apparatus 10 to provide a list of contents via the network in response to a user operation on the operation unit 23 (Browse request).

  The control unit 21 accepts provision of a list of contents from the server apparatus 10 that responds to this request. As a result of the operation of the server device 10 already described, as illustrated in FIG. 3, this list includes at least one resource information representing a resource that can be provided for each content, and the resource. Among the information, the resource information of the type set in the server device 10 as the priority resource information is arranged at a predetermined position, for example, at the head of the resource information group included in the information describing the content.

  The control unit 21 presents information representing the content included in the list to the user by the operation of the output unit 24. When the user performs an operation of selecting one content from the presented information, the control unit 21 is resource information related to the selected content (resource information designated as a reproduction target in the list). Then, information specifying the resource represented by the resource information arranged at the predetermined position (for example, the head) is sent to the server device 10.

  That is, the player 20 according to the present embodiment does not necessarily correspond to a list of contents including a plurality of resource information. When a plurality of resource information is included in information representing contents, the player 20 always What is necessary is just to request | require the resource which the resource information in predetermined positions, such as a head, represents with respect to the server apparatus 10. FIG.

  The control unit 21 receives the resource specified by the information from the server device 10. Then, the content is reproduced using the received resource. Since this reproduction process is a general process such as decoding and outputting a resource, detailed description thereof is omitted here.

[Operation]
The content reproduction system according to the present embodiment has the above configuration and operates as follows. In the following example, it is assumed that the server device 10 and the player 20 have acquired each other's network addresses in advance (specifically, device detection (Search) in DLNA has been completed). ).

  As illustrated in FIG. 4, when the player 20 requests a list of contents (S1: CDS Browse), the server device 10 reads information related to the setting of priority resources described later (S2), and stores a plurality of resource information. Among them, an array of resource information in which resource information predetermined as priority resource information is arranged at a predetermined position (for example, the head) is generated (S3).

  The server device 10 generates information including an array of resource information generated for each content in the process S3 as a content list and provides the information to the requesting player 20 (S4: CDS Browse Response).

  The player 20 presents a list of contents to the user, and accepts the user's selection from the list (S5: content specification acceptance). The player 20 retrieves resource information related to the selected content and specifies information (URL information) that identifies the resource represented by the resource information at the predetermined position, and accesses the URL (S6: HTTP). GET).

  The server device 10 accepts the access, specifies the content and resource type based on the URL information as the access destination, reads the resource related to the content and resource type, or generates the resource. The read or generated resource is distributed to the player 20 (S7). The player 20 performs a content reproduction process based on the distributed resource (S8).

  According to the present embodiment, even when a server device that supports so-called multi-resources and a player that is a client that does not support multi-resources are connected, the player is located at a position that can be processed by the player. Information on recyclable resources is arranged. In the conventional example, since resource information is not arranged at a position that can be processed by the player, the resource may not be appropriately reproduced. However, by adopting the present embodiment, it is possible to improve the reproducibility of the content and convenience. Can be improved.

[Predetermined position setting and other examples]
In the examples so far, the position where the priority resource information is arranged has been exemplified by the head of the resource information listed for each content. However, the position where the priority resource information is arranged is not limited to the top of the array of the plurality of resource information. For example, it may be arranged at the end of the resource information array depending on the type of player. In preparation for such a case, the server device 10 may change the position (predetermined position) where the priority resource information is arranged by a setting operation or the like by the user.

  Further, when performing the operation as the array generation unit 32, the control unit 11 of the server device 10 may distribute the priority resource information in a plurality of positions (such as the top and the end) in the array.

[Priority resource settings]
In addition, as to which type of resource is the priority resource, a resource that is assumed to be playable by any player may be determined in advance for each type of content. Alternatively, the priority resource may be set by the user as follows.

  That is, in an example of the present embodiment, content is stored in the server device 10 in advance, for example, at the time of product shipment, and a plurality of types of resources can be provided for each type of content. When the server apparatus 10 receives a request for providing a list of contents, the control unit 11 processes the contents stored in advance as follows.

  That is, the resource enumeration unit 31 enumerates resource information representing a plurality of types of distributable resources related to the content (including those about resources obtained by transcoding). .

  In addition, the array generation unit 32 does not arrange the contents stored in advance. The list generation unit 33 accepts the resource information enumerated by the resource enumeration unit 31 for each content stored in advance. Then, the list generation unit 33 generates information about the previously stored content including the listed resource information one by one and includes the information in the content list.

  In the present embodiment, when it is enumerated that the resource information RIa, RIb,... Can be provided for the content P stored in advance by the processing of the control unit 11, FIG. , An item (CPa) describing information about the content P including only the resource information RIa, an item (CPb) describing information about the content P including only the resource information RIb, and the like are included. That is, for the content stored in advance, a content list is provided to the player 20 as if there is a different content for each different type of resource. At this time, the control unit 11 includes information related to resource information corresponding to the name of the content (information such as codec, bit rate, and resolution) included in the content list and stored in advance. May be included. For example, the name of the content is “content P; MP3, 128 kpbs” or the like, and this name is displayed on the player 20.

  When the user of the player 20 selects one of previously stored contents (related to any resource information) from the content list, the player 20 includes the selected content in the information related to the selected content. Information for identifying the resource is extracted from the resource information to be sent, and the information is sent to the player 20.

  The server device 10 distributes the resource of the content specified by this information to the player 20, and stores the resource of the distributed resource type as the priority resource. At this time, the server device 10 stores priority resource settings for each type of distributed content.

  Note that if the priority resource setting is already stored for the information indicating the type of the distributed content, the stored content is overwritten.

  In this manner, so-called sample content (content stored in advance) corresponding to each of the priority resource candidates is provided, and when the user reproduces any one of them, the server device 10 reproduces the reproduced sample. The resource type related to the content is stored as the priority resource type.

[Management of priority resources for each player]
In the content reproduction system of the present embodiment, there may be a plurality of players 20. The server device 10 detects the device and acquires in advance the identification information of the player 20 that can communicate via the network. The identification information acquired here includes a device name as type specifying information, a network address as device specifying information, and the like.

  The server device 10 may set a priority resource for each identification information of the player 20 (for example, device identification information may be a part thereof). Specifically, as described above, when the priority resource is set by playing the content prepared in advance as a sample, the identification information of the player 20 that played the content prepared as the sample, and the playback The stored content type and the reproduced resource type (this is the priority resource type) are stored in association with each other.

  In the case of this example, the control unit 11 executes the following process as the process as the array generation unit 32. That is, in this example, the array generation unit 32 acquires identification information (for example, a network address as device identification information) of the player 20 that has requested a list of contents. Then, the priority resource type for each content type stored in association with the acquired identification information is read.

  Then, the array generation unit 32 rearranges the list of resource information enumerated by the resource enumeration unit 31 for each content, and puts information (priority resource information) indicating the priority resource corresponding to the type of the content at a predetermined position. The arranged array will be generated.

[Change priority resource settings]
The type of priority resource may be changed as follows. That is, the control unit 11 of the server apparatus 10 according to an example of the present embodiment operates as follows.

  The control unit 11 in this example functionally includes a resource enumeration unit 31, an array generation unit 32, a list generation unit 33, a list provision unit 34, a reception unit 35, as illustrated in FIG. A distribution processing unit 36, a detection unit 37, and a priority resource change unit 38 are included. In addition, about the thing which becomes the structure similar to what was already demonstrated, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is not repeated.

  The detection unit 37 detects whether or not an instruction to stop distribution is given from the player 20 within a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) after the distribution processing unit 36 starts distributing resources to the player 20. Here, if there is no distribution stop instruction from the player 20 within a predetermined time, the detection unit 37 does not perform any special processing.

  On the other hand, when the detection unit 37 detects that a distribution stop instruction is given from the player 20 within a predetermined time after the distribution processing unit 36 starts distributing the resource to the player 20, information indicating that fact is displayed. And output to the priority resource changing unit 38.

  The priority resource changing unit 38 changes the type of resource (priority resource type) that the array generation unit 32 places at a predetermined position. Specifically, the priority resource changing unit 38 acquires the type of content related to the resource distributed by the distribution processing unit 36 until the detection unit 37 detects a distribution stop instruction.

  Then, the priority resource changing unit 38 changes the priority resource information (information indicating the priority resource type) associated with the content type to information of another resource type related to the content type. In this example, a permutation of the types of resources that can be provided is set in advance for each type of content. Then, the priority resource changing unit 38 reads information on the resource type next to the resource type corresponding to the current priority resource information on the permutation related to the acquired content type, and gives priority to the resource of the read type. As a resource, priority resource information representing the priority resource is stored in association with the acquired content type.

  In the case where priority resource information is set for each player 20, the priority resource change unit 38 sets the content related to the resource distributed by the distribution processing unit 36 until the detection unit 37 detects a distribution stop instruction. The type and information for identifying the distribution destination player 20 are acquired.

  The priority resource changing unit 38 in this example relates the priority resource information (information indicating the priority resource type) associated with the acquired identification information of the player 20 and the content type to the content of the type. Change to other resource type information. In this example, a permutation of the types of resources that can be provided is set in advance for each type of content. Then, the priority resource changing unit 38 sets the resource type corresponding to the priority resource information currently associated with the acquired identification information of the player 20 and the content type on the permutation related to the acquired content type. The next resource type information is read, and the read resource type is used as a priority resource, and the priority resource information representing the priority resource is stored in association with the acquired identification information of the player 20 and the content type.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Content reproduction system, 10 server apparatus, 11, 21 Control part, 12, 22 Storage part, 13, 25 Communication part, 20 Player, 23 Operation part, 24 Output part, 31 Resource enumeration part, 32 Array production | generation part, 33 List Generating unit, 34 list providing unit, 35 receiving unit, 36 delivery processing unit, 37 detecting unit, 38 priority resource changing unit.

Claims (5)

A content playback system including a server device and a player compliant with the DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) standard,
The server device
For each content, resource enumeration means for enumerating multiple types of distributable resources related to the content,
An array generation means for generating an array of resources enumerated for each content, wherein resource information representing a predetermined type of resource is arranged at a predetermined position;
A list generation means for generating a list of contents including an array of resources for each of the contents;
Providing means for providing the player with a list of the generated contents;
Receiving means for accepting information identifying any of the resources included in the provided list from the player;
A distribution means for distributing the resource specified by the received information;
With
The player accepts provision of the list of contents from the server device, and includes resource information related to contents designated as a reproduction target in the list, the resource information represented by the resource information arranged at the predetermined position. A content reproduction system, which is a player that sends information to be specified to the server device and provides a resource received from the server device to a predetermined process related to content reproduction. A server device compliant with the DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) standard,
For each content, resource enumeration means for enumerating multiple types of distributable resources related to the content,
An array generating means for generating an array of resources enumerated for each content, wherein resource information representing a predetermined type of resource is arranged at a predetermined position;
A list generation means for generating a list of contents including an array of resources for each of the contents;
Providing means for providing the player with a list of the generated contents;
Receiving means for receiving information identifying any of the resources included in the provided list from the player;
A distribution means for distributing the resource specified by the received information;
Server device including The server device according to claim 2,
The position where the resource information representing the predetermined type of resource is arranged is a server device at the head of the array of resource information. The server device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein
Further comprising a detecting means for detecting whether or not the player has instructed to stop the distribution of the resource within a predetermined time after starting the distribution of the resource;
A server device that changes the type of a resource to be arranged at the predetermined position when a stop of resource distribution is instructed by a player within a predetermined time after starting the distribution of the resource. A computer that performs processing compliant with DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) standards
For each content, resource enumeration means for enumerating multiple types of distributable resources related to the content,
An array generation means for generating an array of resources enumerated for each content, wherein resource information representing a predetermined type of resource is arranged at a predetermined position;
A list generation means for generating a list of contents including an array of resources for each of the contents;
Providing means for providing the player with a list of the generated contents;
Receiving means for accepting information identifying any of the resources included in the provided list from the player;
A distribution means for distributing the resource specified by the received information;
Program to function as.

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