JP5103092B2 - Content management server, content presentation device, content management program, and content presentation program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a content management server, a content presentation device, a content management program, and a content presentation program, and more particularly to efficiently control one or a plurality of terminals that provide content from the management side. The present invention relates to a content management server, a content presentation device, a content management program, and a content presentation program.

  Conventionally, in the production of content such as programs, the technology in each field such as planning, production, storage of the created content, release, distribution, etc., has used individual methods for each field. A content providing system that integrates each field and distributes from production is proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  For content provision, markup languages such as HTML (HyperText Markup Language) and XML (Extensible Markup Language), images, video, audio, text information, etc., mainly via communication networks such as the Internet. Since the material data and the like are published on the Web, the user can download and obtain desired information.

  As an example of a tool for providing the above-described content, there is an automatic program production system (TV4U) using TVML (TV program Marking Language) as an example of a script used for program production and presentation. TVML is an object-based description language for producing TV programs. Video, audio, etc. of TV programs can be described separately in material data and scripts (production contents, etc.). For example, software running on a personal computer or the like can read this, acquire material data described in a script, and immediately reproduce and view it as a TV program.

  Further, when a program is reproduced, for example, by using a TVML player, it can be converted into a desired video / audio using a script or the like and reproduced. Here, for example, the TVML player can generate a studio shot or the like in real time CG, or a CG character appearing in the CG studio set can output a speech described in the TVML script as a synthesized voice. It has the function of making it appear as if it is present and displaying where it is performing. In addition, the TVML player can also output video playback, BGM playback, title display with images, and the like. The TVML player is used as an application by installing software on a personal computer.

  The TV 4U describes a script of a program using a word processor (editor) type user interface, applies a program production engine (APE: Automatic Production Engine) to the script, produces the program, A program is released by uploading material data and a program production engine to a server or the like.

  The program production engine is a CG character appearing in a program or an event such as “title display”, “zoom-in”, “CG character motion”, etc., defined in advance for each motion in the program. For example, when text data from a script representing the contents of a program is input, a TVML script necessary for automatic program generation is output based on the text data. Thus, program production can be efficiently realized by using the program production engine.

On the other hand, the viewer (client) side downloads data corresponding to the program that the user wants to watch from the script, material data, and program production engine uploaded to the server, database, etc. from the Web, and CG (Computer Graphics) ) And voice synthesis, etc., each program is played and viewed by a dedicated browser.
JP 2005-318254 A

  By the way, basically, the TVML player operates independently for each terminal in which software is installed, and is designed and developed as a so-called stand-alone application. Therefore, in the conventional TVML player and TV4U system, such as when going through a network, TVML video content and TV4U content exist from the client side on which the TVML player is operated or the TVML player is operating. The content is acquired and processed by request processing to the server side.

  However, in the case of the conventional technology as described above, since the content is transmitted to the client side via the network by making a request from the client side to the server side, each TVML player connected to the network and The function of distributing the same content to a TV browser as in the conventional broadcasting system, and the distributed content cannot be reproduced simultaneously.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and a content management server, a content presentation device, and a content management program for efficiently controlling one or more terminals on the content providing side from the management side And a content presentation program.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs means for solving the problems having the following characteristics.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the content management server that manages the content to be provided to one or a plurality of content presentation devices for the viewer to view the content, the script data in which the production details set in advance are described. Content generating means for generating content by a production engine that generates content including a predetermined effect using the material data described in the script data, and group information for grouping the content presentation device Control for performing simultaneous control on each content presentation device belonging to a predetermined group among the group information generation unit to be generated and the content presentation devices grouped based on the group information obtained by the group information generation unit have a control information generation means for generating information, the Conte The content generation means generates interrupt content for interrupting the content individually played by each content presentation device belonging to the predetermined group by simultaneous control, and the control information generation means assigns the predetermined group to the predetermined group. The control information including information for distinguishing whether or not to allow the presentation of the content individually played by each content presentation device to belong to when the content for interruption is played back is generated .

According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently control one or a plurality of terminals on the content providing side from the management side. In addition, it is possible to efficiently and simultaneously deliver the content for interruption in one or a plurality of content presentation devices using the generated interrupt content.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disclosure unit that makes the group information generated by the group information generation unit public on a communication network that can be browsed from the content presentation device.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, group information can be easily registered from each content presentation device. Thereby, optimal information can be provided to a predetermined group member by simultaneous control.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the content presentation apparatus that presents the content provided from the content management server and allows the viewer to view the script, the script that describes the pre-set production details acquired from the content management server is described. Content generating means for generating content by a production engine that generates content including predetermined effects using data and material data described in the script data, and playback for reproducing the content generated by the content generating means And control information from the content management server, and when the control information is interrupt control, the content being played back by the playback means is interrupted, and the interrupted content is continuously played after the interrupt control ends. have a control information managing means, the content generating means, said When the content being played back by the playback means is interrupted by the information management means, a predetermined effect is produced using the script data in which the contents of the effect for interruption are described and the material data described in the script data. A content for interrupt is generated by a production engine that produces content including the content, and the content generation means determines whether to use the production engine used for the interrupted content when generating the content for interrupt. Judging by the control information, the content for interruption is generated using the corresponding production engine .

According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently control one or a plurality of terminals on the content providing side from the management side. In addition, the interruption content can be quickly generated and provided to the viewer. In addition, it is possible to provide the interrupting content with the content while maintaining the state in accordance with the user's preference without departing from the content of the currently played content.

The invention described in claim 4 is characterized in that the control information management means generates a script for controlling an operation of a TVML player for reproducing the content in correspondence with a TVIF command obtained as the control information. . Note that TVIF (TeleVision Interface) is an API (Application Program Interface) for controlling the TVML player, and the TVIF command is a command for operating the TVML player in various ways using the API.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the operation of the TVML player can be controlled easily and with high accuracy.

The invention described in claim 5 is a content management program for causing a computer to function as each unit included in the content management server according to claim 1 or 2 .

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently control one or a plurality of terminals on the content providing side from the management side. In addition, it is possible to efficiently and simultaneously deliver the content for interruption in one or a plurality of content presentation devices using the generated interrupt content. Moreover, content management can be easily realized by installing an execution program in a computer.

The invention described in claim 6 is a content presentation program for causing a computer to function as each unit included in the content presentation apparatus according to claim 3 or 4 .

According to the invention described in claim 6 , it is possible to efficiently control one or a plurality of terminals on the content providing side from the management side. In addition, the interruption content can be quickly generated and provided to the viewer. In addition, it is possible to provide the interrupting content with the content while maintaining the state in accordance with the user's preference without departing from the content of the currently played content. Moreover, content can be easily presented by installing an execution program in a computer.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently control one or a plurality of terminals on the content providing side from the management side.

<Outline of the present invention>
The present invention relates to the field of content production / distribution / playback for content such as TV programs, for example, and a TV browser operating as a viewing system of a TV4U system and a TVML player as a program playback application thereof. It is about.

  Specifically, for example, a control command and an interrupt content are transmitted via a network to a TVML player that is operating stand-alone on each PC (Personal Computer), and the same content can be reproduced simultaneously. In other words, by broadcasting the content, script, and program production engine for playing content to the TVML player playing independent content on each PC via the network, and performing interrupt processing control, The same content is reproduced by one or a plurality of TVML players at the same time.

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a content management server, a content presentation device, a content management program, and a content presentation program according to the present invention having the above-described features will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a program is used as an example of content.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, TVML is used as an example of a script used for program generation or presentation. A content presentation apparatus used as an embodiment of the present invention described below has a function of an automatic program production system (TV 4U).

<System configuration>
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a content providing system. A content providing system 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a content management server 11 and at least one content presentation device (client terminal) 12-1, 12-2,..., 12-n. Yes. Further, the content management server 11 and the content presentation device 12 are connected in a state where data can be transmitted and received via a communication network 13 such as the Internet.

  Here, the content management server 11 is a production-side device that produces a program as an example of content provided to a viewer based on various data such as images, video, audio, and text data stored in advance. .

  In the case of the above-mentioned TVML, the program produced by the content management server 11 includes a script in which the contents of the entire produced program and the contents of the program are described, and program production used for producing the program. It has an engine and material data consisting of images, videos and the like.

  Further, the content management server 11 manages group information and the like in which the entire content presentation devices 12-1 to 12-n are grouped into at least one group based on a predetermined condition. Further, the content management server 11 manages an inquiry (request) for viewing a program from each content presentation device 12, information on content such as a program sent from the content presentation device 12, and the like.

  Therefore, for example, when there is a program request from a certain content presentation device 12, a program production engine, material data, and script data corresponding to the program are extracted from the accumulated data groups, and various extracted The data is output to the requested content presentation device 12. Thereby, a desired program can be individually provided for each viewer.

  That is, the content management server 11 accumulates the above-described various data in a storage unit and the like, extracts a corresponding program or the like by a request from the content presentation device 12, and provides it via the communication network 13. Further, the content management server 11 may provide the content presentation apparatus 12 with programs and the like stored in the storage means and the like at an arbitrary timing.

  Further, the content management server 11 controls the content presentation devices 12-1 to 12-n simultaneously with respect to the target content presentation device 12 based on selection information such as group information, It is possible to control operations such as program playback / stop.

  On the other hand, the content presentation devices 12-1, 12-2,..., 12-n are installed on the client side (viewer side) and various types of programs related to programs transmitted from the content management server 11 through the communication network 13. Data etc. are received, a program is reproduced based on the reception result, and presented to the viewer.

  In addition, the content presentation device 12 maintains the production of the program being viewed or changes the production when there is predetermined control information from the content management server 11 while viewing a different program on each TV browser. Common information can be viewed as a program.

  Further, the content presentation device 12 can generate, for example, a program production engine, material data, script data, and the like necessary for program generation and reproduction, and the generated various data is transmitted to the content management server via the communication network 13. 11 can be transmitted (uploaded).

  According to the system configuration described above, the content management server 11 and the content presentation device 12 have a 1: n relationship, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, n: n It may be. Next, functional configuration examples of the content management server 11 and the content presentation device 12 will be described.

<Content management server 11: Functional configuration>
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the content management server. The content management server 11 shown in FIG. 2 includes an input unit 21, an output unit 22, a storage unit 23, a program generation unit 24, a program management unit 25, a group information generation unit 26, and a terminal control information generation unit 27. And a disclosure means 28, a transmission / reception means 29, and a control means 30.

  The input means 21 receives each input in content management such as a content generation instruction, a group information generation instruction, and a content simultaneous control information generation instruction from an administrator, a program producer, or the like. Note that the input unit 21 includes, for example, a keyboard, a pointing device such as a mouse, a voice input device such as a microphone, and the like.

  The output unit 22 includes the instruction content input by the input unit 21, the program generated based on each instruction content, the management content of the program viewed on each content presentation device 12-1 to 12-n, and group information. The terminal (contents presentation device) control information or the like is displayed or a sound is output. Note that the output means 22 includes a display, a speaker, and the like.

  The storage means 23 includes a program production engine (APE) 31 including a preset studio set and lighting necessary for producing a predetermined program, an image for generating a program described in the script, A plurality of material data 32 composed of various data such as video, audio and text data, program production engine 31 necessary for composing a program content and contents of program production, script data 33 describing material data 32, program production engine 31, the program 34 generated using the material data 32 and the script data 33, the group information 35 generated by the group information generating means 26, the terminal control information 36 generated by the terminal control information generating means 27, etc. . Further, the storage unit 23 can store various data such as a program production engine, material data, script data, and programs generated by the content presentation device 12 received via the transmission / reception unit 29.

  The storage unit 23 can also acquire the various data described above from an external device connected to the communication network 13 or the like. The storage unit 23 is a collection of character information, image information, and other information such as a database, and is systematically configured so that the information can be searched.

  The program generation unit 24 generates a script of a desired program based on the program production engine 31 and the material data 32 stored in advance in the storage unit 23. The program generation unit 24 generates, for example, an interrupt program when one or a plurality of content presentation devices 12 are simultaneously controlled. Various programs generated by the program generation unit 24 are stored as the program 34 of the storage unit 23.

  The program management means 25 manages information indicating whether each of the content presentation devices 12-1 to 12-n is viewing a program, the content of the program being viewed, and the like. Specifically, each channel of the content presentation devices 12-1 to 12-n is determined by viewing information or the like sent from the content presentation device 12 to manage the program information of the channel. .

  Also, the program management means 25 extracts the corresponding program 34, the program production engine 31, the material data 32, the script data 33, etc. from the storage means 23 in response to a program acquisition request (inquiry) from the content presentation device 12. Then, the extracted program information is output to the requested content presentation device 12 by the transmission / reception means 29. The program management means 25 also manages each request information in each of the content presentation devices 12-1 to 12-n described above.

  The group information generation unit 26 registers and sets group information for grouping based on a predetermined condition with respect to the content presentation devices 12-1 to 12-n that can deliver content from the content management server 11. The grouping conditions include, for example, program information being viewed, preference information for each viewer (content presentation device 12) (favorite genres (music, images, video, sports, news), hobbies, special skills, etc. ), Regional information, viewer information (age, gender), etc. Details of the processing in the group information generating unit 26 will be described later.

  The terminal control information generating means 27 interrupts the content presentation device 12 that is currently viewing the program and presents other programs to the content presentation devices 12-1 to 12-n from the start of control to the end of control. Various control commands up to are generated.

  Note that the terminal control information generation unit 27 uses, for example, TVIF as a command for controlling the target content presentation device 12. Here, the TVIF can transmit one or more lines of TVML script to the TVML player installed in the content presentation device 12 and perform external control such as playback, stop, pause, and script reading. The TVIF can start and end a TVML player operating on an interpreter, arrange windows on the screen, and the like.

  The terminal control information generation unit 27 can cause the generated content presentation apparatus 12 to transmit the generated control information via the transmission / reception unit 29 based on the control information from the control unit 30. Further, the terminal control information generating unit 27 can store the generated control information in the storage unit 23 as terminal control information.

  Further, the publishing means 28 converts the metadata relating to the program stored in the storage means 23 into, for example, an HTML (HyperText Markup Language) format. Also, the publishing means 28 makes the converted HTML file viewable from other terminals on the Web and publishes the contents of the metadata.

  As a result, each of the content presentation devices 12-1 to 12-n refers to the metadata published via the communication network 13, selects a desired program from the metadata, and displays program information (programs related to the selected program). By downloading the production engine, material data, script data), the content presentation device 12 can reproduce the program and provide it to the viewer.

  Further, the publishing means 28 can convert the group information generated by the group information generating means 26 and stored in the storage means 23 into the HTML format or the like and publish it. Thereby, the group can be registered from the content presentation device 12 side.

  In the present invention, the file format of each published metadata and group information is not limited to HTML, and may be other file formats.

  In addition, the disclosure means 28 stores address information such as a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) that can store data such as video and audio in another storage device connected to the communication network 13 and access the information. Only the address information may be disclosed on the Web, or directly transmitted to the content presentation apparatus 12 via the transmission / reception means 29.

  The transmission / reception means 29 transmits various data such as a program 34 (program production engine 31, material data 32, script data 33), group information 35, terminal control information 36, etc. to the content presentation apparatus 12 via the communication network 13. It is a communication interface. The transmission / reception means 29 receives the viewing information of the program and the request information of the program transmitted from the content presentation device 12, and in response to the received request, the content presentation device 12 that requested the corresponding program. Send to.

  The control unit 30 controls the entire functional configuration in the content management server 11. Specifically, the control unit 30 generates a program based on input information from the user input by the input unit 21, or responds to a request from the content presentation device 12 and stored in the storage unit 23. When various types of data are extracted and transmitted to the content presentation device 12 via the transmission / reception means 29, or when control is performed so that an interrupt program is simultaneously presented to the content presentation device belonging to a predetermined group, the target of simultaneous control Is selected based on the group information 35, the terminal control information generating means 27 generates a control command including the start and end of control, and the generated control command is sent to the transmitting / receiving means 29 to present the target content. Control such as transmitting to the device 12 is performed.

<About script data and material data>
Here, the configuration of the above-described script data and material data will be described. For example, in the script described in the TVML format, there are three material data of an image (subimage), a sound (bgm), and a moving image (mainmovie). The data is described in an XML (extensible Markup Language) format or the like.

  The elements included in the material metadata include, for example, a material file name (path to a file entity) (material file), a material type (type), a material format (format), and a material quality (quality). ), The number of pixels (size), the content of the material (content), the material length (such as the length of time that the material is displayed in the program) (duration), the atmosphere of the material (tone), and the like. .

  The element of the material metadata is not limited to this in the present invention, and may include date / time information such as a creation date, material related information other than the above, and the like.

<Content Presentation Device 12: Functional Configuration>
Next, the functional configuration of the content presentation device 12 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the content presentation device according to the present embodiment. The content presentation apparatus 12 shown in FIG. 3 includes an input unit 41, an output unit 42, a storage unit 43, a program generation unit 44, a control information management unit 45, a reproduction unit 46, a transmission / reception unit 47, and a control unit. 48.

  The input means 41 is a request for program acquisition from a user (viewer or the like), access to program metadata or group information disclosed to the content management server 11, reproduction of the acquired program, registration or change of a group. Various input instructions such as settings are accepted. Note that the input unit 41 includes, for example, a keyboard, a pointing device such as a mouse, a microphone for inputting instructions by voice, and the like.

  The output means 42 displays the instruction content input by the input means 41, the program reproduced by the reproducing means 46, and the like. The output means 42 includes a display, a speaker, and the like. Further, the output means 42 may have a function of a printer or the like. In that case, printable data such as program contents is printed on a print medium such as paper and provided to viewers and the like. You can also.

  The storage means 43 stores the program production engine 51, the material data 52, the script data 53, the program 54, etc. acquired from the content management server 11. The storage unit 43 can also acquire the various data described above from an external device connected to the communication network 13 or the like. The storage means 43 is a collection of character information, image information, and other information such as a database, and is systematically configured so that such information can be searched.

  The program generation unit 44 generates a desired program based on the program production engine 51, the material data 52, and the script data 53 stored in advance in the storage unit 43. Further, the program generation unit 44 generates, for example, an interrupt program in accordance with the input control command based on the control information from the content management server 11. Various programs generated by the program generation unit 44 may be stored as the program 54 of the storage unit 43.

  Furthermore, the program generation means 44 can generate a script using a predetermined program production engine and material data, and can generate a new program. In this case, the program generation unit 44 causes the transmission / reception unit 29 to transmit (upload) the generated program to the content management server 11 via the communication network 13.

  The control information management unit 45 manages the presence / absence of transmission / reception of control information from the content management server 11. The content presentation device 12 acquires a control command for simultaneous control from the content management server 11, and interrupts another program (interrupt program) into the program being played by the playback means 46 based on the content of the content control command. Process.

  The control information management unit 45 specifically uses, for example, a TVIF wrapper or an external application. Here, the TVIF wrapper transmits a TVIF command and a command for notifying each content presentation device 12 of the start and end of control in XML format in order to exchange TVIF commands via the communication network 13. Has the function to manage. The TVIF is an API for controlling the TVML player, and the TVIF command is a command for operating the TVML player using the API. Details of the processing in the control information management means 45 will be described later.

  The reproduction means 46 reproduces a program from each piece of program information (program production engine, material data, script data) acquired from the content management server 11 and outputs the program by the output means 42 to provide to the viewer. Further, the reproducing means 46 generates the contents of the currently reproduced program as viewing information, and transmits it to the content management server 11 via the communication network 13 by the transmission / reception means 29.

  The playback means 46 can be a TVML player or the like. The TVML player is software that reads a program script described in TVML and outputs program video and audio in real time. The TVML player can generate a studio shot by real-time CG, and can display a place where a CG character appearing in the CG studio set speaks the speech described in the TVML script with synthesized speech and acts.

  The transmission / reception unit 47 transmits information such as a program acquisition request, program information generated by the program generation unit 44, viewing information generated by the reproduction unit 46 to the content management server 11. Further, the transmission / reception means 47 receives information such as program information and interrupt control information from the content providing server 11.

  The control means 48 controls the entire configuration of the content presentation device 12. Specifically, the control unit 48 generates a program by the program generation unit 44, manages various control information from the content management server 11 by the control information management unit 45, reproduces the program by the reproduction unit 46, and the like. Control the processing.

  With the configuration described above, it is possible to efficiently control one or a plurality of terminals (content presentation apparatuses 12-1 to 12-n) on the content providing side from the management side (content management server 11). In addition, the content presentation apparatus 12 mentioned above may provide the function of the content management server 11 according to a user's authority etc.

<Registration and selection of group information>
Next, the group registration setting in the group information generating unit 26 of the content management server 11 and the group selection setting in the content presentation device 12 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example for explaining group information registration and selection setting. 4A shows the registration setting content using the group registration screen in the content management server 11, and FIG. 4B shows the selection using the selection setting screen for causing each content presentation device 12 to select. Shows the settings.

  The group registration screen 61 shown in FIG. 4A is displayed on the content management server 11 or the content presentation apparatus 12 having group registration authority. For example, the group name setting area 62, the group detail setting area 63, and the participation are displayed. The possible number setting area 64 and various button areas 65 are provided.

  In the group registration screen 61, first, the group name is set in the group name setting area 62 (group A in FIG. 4), and the group details (description of the group) describing what kind of group the group name is are displayed. The detailed setting area 63 is set.

  Further, when the possible participation number is necessary, the number is set in the possible participation number setting area 64. If there is no limit on the number of participants, leave it blank. Further, after the above setting is completed, by selecting a registration button in various button areas 65, a group is registered and stored as group information 35 in the storage unit 23 of the content management server 11. The group information includes a group type for identifying a group, identification information such as an IP address for identifying each content presentation device 12 belonging to the group, and transmitting programs and control information.

  Also, by selecting a cancel button in the various button areas 65, the contents described in each item of the registration setting are cleared. Note that the above group setting is arbitrarily set according to preference information, regional information, viewer information, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, the group selection screen 71 is a screen for performing group setting on the content presentation device 12 (client side), but can be displayed on the content management server 11 for setting. it can.

  The group selection screen 71 is configured to include a group selection area 72, a group information display area 73, a member information display area 74, and various button areas 75. In addition, the group selection screen 71 is displayed on the web in the publishing means 28 of the content management server 11, and each content presentation device 12-1 to 12 -n browses from the web and inputs each item, thereby allowing various types of items to be displayed. Selection settings can be made.

  In FIG. 4B, the viewer side uses the group selection area 72 to select which group he belongs to. Note that the contents (detailed explanation and number of participants) of the group information can be viewed on the group information display area 73. In addition, the member information (PC1 and PC2 in FIG. 4B) currently participating can be displayed in the member information display area 74.

  Further, after the above-described group selection is completed, by selecting a listener participation button from the various button areas 75, it is connected to the content management server 11 as an application on the non-control side and can participate as a terminal on the side to be controlled simultaneously. it can. Further, by selecting a sender participation button from various button areas 75, a terminal on the side connected to the content management server 11 as an application on the control side and simultaneously controlling other terminals (content presentation device 12) of the group Can participate as. Further, by selecting a cancel button in various button areas 75, the screen is terminated.

  Using the above-described screen, each of the content presentation devices 12-1 to 12-n can join (register) a predetermined group.

  Further, for example, information that “PC1, PC2, PC3” is subscribed to group A and “PC4, PC5, PC6” is subscribed to group B is registered in the group information of storage means 23. Is done. By performing such grouping, for example, it is possible to perform control such that information transmitted from the PC 4 is transmitted to the PC 5 and PC 6 that are the same group of the PC 4 via the content management server 11.

  By performing such control, for example, the transmission client terminal and the reception client terminal are set from among the content providing devices 12-1 to 12-n, and control start / end commands and various TVIF commands are transmitted from the transmission client terminal. You can send.

  In the present embodiment, one terminal may belong to a plurality of groups. Moreover, when it belongs to nowhere, you may group as no affiliation. Furthermore, grouping of each terminal may be performed depending on the type of program being played back by each terminal at a certain time. Thus, when performing interrupt control, it is possible to perform interrupt control only for a terminal that is playing a certain program.

<Regarding Simultaneous Control Using Control Information Management Unit 45>
Next, the control information management means of the client-side content presentation apparatus will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example for explaining the mechanism of simultaneous control in the control information management means. Note that the example of FIG. 5 shows a system configuration, and the content presentation device 12 shows a configuration related to simultaneous control. Specifically, a TVIF wrapper 81, an external application 82, a TVIF 83, and a TVML player 84 are configured.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the communication network 13 includes a content management server 11 that manages the above-described group. The content management server 11 has a function of classifying and managing client terminals in which the TVML player is operating based on identification information such as an IP address of the content presentation device 12 which is each client terminal, and a client in the same group. When a command for controlling the TVML player is sent from the terminal, the terminal has a function of transmitting the command to other client terminals belonging to the same group.

  Further, on the client side, in order to exchange a TVIF command as the TVIF wrapper 81 with the content management server 11 or the like via the communication network 13, the TVIF command and the start and end of control for each client PC are sent. It has a function of transmitting and receiving a command for notification in, for example, an XML format.

  Here, the TVIF 83 used as an external control of the TVML player is a software development kit, and has a function of mediating a general external application 82 for operating the TVML and the TVML player 84. That is, the TVIF 82 performs various controls such as activation, playback, termination, interrupt playback of the TVML player 84, transmission of a TVML script to the TVML player 84, acquisition of the cursor position on the TVML player 84, and the like.

<Example of TVIF command created by terminal control information generation means 27>
Next, TVIF commands controlled between the content management server 11 and the content presentation device 12 will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example for explaining contents when transmitting a TVIF command.

  6A shows an example of the transmission format of the control command, FIG. 6B shows an example of the content transmission format when maintaining the pre-interruption effect, and FIG. 6C shows the interruption. The example of the transmission format of the content in the case of changing from the previous effect is shown. In FIG. 6, numbers are given on the left side for the sake of explanation. The TVIF command is generated in an XML format as shown in FIG. 6, for example, but the format format in the present invention is not particularly limited.

  The example shown in FIG. 6A shows a case where the type attribute of the <Command> tag is “action”, and the (01) line shows a declaration of the XML format. A command is described as an element of a <Command-List> tag in command units. The <method> tag element on the (04) line describes a TVIF command and a control start / end command.

  In addition, the <counter> tag element on the (05) line describes a sequence number used inside the system. In the <arg> tag element on the (06) line, parameters necessary for the TVIF command are described.

  Here, the transmission format of the control command is the same as that in the case of simultaneous control of the TVML player. The Command tag has a type attribute, and the type attribute value distinguishes whether the data is a control command or content.

  In the case of transmitting content, as shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C, whether or not the production of the program generated so far on the client side (TV player) is inherited is shown in FIG. It is distinguished by the element of the <presentation_style> tag on the (03) line of b) and (c). Specifically, for example, when the data in the tag is keep as shown in FIG. 6B, the pre-interrupt effect is inherited, and when change is shown as shown in FIG. change.

  In addition, the element of the <content> tag on the (02) line in FIGS. 6B and 6C is the URL to the content script that is transmitted simultaneously. Here, when receiving the script URL, the client terminal downloads the program production engine (APE), material data, and script data from the content management server 11 which is a TV server.

  Further, for example, when the URL of the script data is “http: //aaa.bbb.ccc/program00001/public/content.ass”, the APE from “http: //aaa.bbb.ccc/program00001/public/”, Download material data and script data.

  Here, since the above-mentioned URL stores a script (content.ass), various materials (still images, moving images, etc.) and APE, all information necessary for content production can be acquired from the URL. .

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a transmission command that can be used as the transmission content of the control information. An example of the TVIF command name and argument is shown on the left side of FIG. 7, and the operation content corresponding to the command is shown on the right side.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the TVML player (player) can be initialized by using a TVIF command “int tvifInit” and an argument “InttrhInstance, int script_linemax, int model”; . As described above, by using various control commands as shown in FIG. 7, it is possible to easily and accurately control a TVML player or the like with respect to a predetermined client terminal.

<Execution program>
Here, the content management server 11 and the content presentation device 12 described above include a volatile storage medium such as a CPU and a RAM, a non-volatile storage medium such as a ROM, an input device such as a mouse, a keyboard, and a pointing device, and an image and data. Can be configured by a computer provided with a display unit for displaying and an interface for communicating with the outside.

  Therefore, the input means 21, the output means 22, the storage means 23, the program generation means 24, the program management means 25, the group information generation means 26, the terminal control information generation means 27, the disclosure means 28, and the transmission / reception means 29 that the content management server 11 has. , And the functions in the control means 30 and the input means 41, output means 42, storage means 43, program generation means 44, control information management means 45, reproduction means 46, transmission / reception means 47, and control of the content presentation device 12 Each function in the means 48 can be realized by causing the CPU to execute a program describing these functions. These programs can also be stored and distributed in a recording medium such as a magnetic disk (floppy disk, hard disk, etc.), optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD, etc.), semiconductor memory, or the like.

  That is, an execution program for causing a computer to execute the processing in each configuration described above is generated, and the content management processing and content presentation processing are realized by installing the program in, for example, a general-purpose personal computer or server. Can do.

  Next, the content management processing in the content management server 11 and the content presentation processing in the content presentation device 12 will be described with reference to flowcharts for the processing procedure by the execution program in the present invention. In the following description of the processing, a program is used as an example of content, but the type of content in the present invention is not particularly limited.

<Content management processing>
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a content management processing procedure in the present embodiment. In FIG. 8, first, group information for grouping the content presentation devices 12-1 to 12-n to be managed is generated (S01), and the content presentation devices 12-1 to 12-n send the group information to the Web or the like. It is made public so that it can be browsed at (S02). Also, a program to be provided to the content presentation devices 12-1 to 12-n is generated (S03), and the generated program is released (S04). Note that the processes from S01 to S04 described above may be performed in advance.

  In addition, the group information that belongs to which group input by an instruction from a client such as a viewer is registered (S05). Next, a predetermined program is provided according to a request from a client, a predetermined time zone, or the like (S06).

  Here, it is determined whether or not interrupt control for interrupting another program or the like is necessary during program playback (S07). If control is necessary (YES in S07), an interrupt program is generated (S08). ), An interrupt control command is generated (S09). In addition, a group to be transmitted is selected based on the contents of interruption (area-limited contents, national news, preference information, etc.) (S10), and a control command or interruption program is transmitted to the selected group (S11).

  Next, it is determined whether or not the interrupt control is to be ended (S12). If the interrupt control is not to be ended (NO in S12), the process returns to S11 and continues. When interrupt control is terminated in the process of S12 (YES in S12), or when interrupt control is not required in the process of S07 (NO in S07), the program being played back on the client side is terminated. If it is not completed (NO in S13), the process returns to S07 and the subsequent processing is continued. If the program has ended in S13 (YES in S13), the process ends.

  By the content presentation process in the content presentation device 12 described above, an interrupt program can be interrupted efficiently and with high accuracy simultaneously with interrupt control.

<Content presentation processing>
FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a content presentation processing procedure in the present embodiment. In FIG. 9, first, the content management server 11 browses the contents of the group published on the Web, and registers the desired group (S21).

  Next, the program may be automatically sent from the content management server 11, but if necessary, the program is requested to the content management server 11 (S22), and the acquired program is generated (S23). The program is reproduced (S24). Here, it is determined whether or not there is interrupt control from the content management server 11 (S25). If there is interrupt control (YES in S25), the program is interrupted (S26), and an interrupt program is generated (S27). ), The interruption program is reproduced (S28). In the program generation process of S27, parameters such as whether to use the effect set in APE as it is or change it are also transmitted as control information.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the interrupt control is finished (S29). When the interrupt control is finished (YES in S29), the interrupted program is reproduced from the next (S30). If interrupt control has not ended in the process of S29 (NO in S29), the process returns to S27 and the subsequent processes are continued. In addition, after the process of S30 is completed or when there is no interrupt control in the process of S25 (NO in S25), it is then determined whether or not the program has ended (S31), and the program has not ended. In the case (NO in S31), the process returns to S25 and the subsequent processing is continued. If the program ends (YES in S31), the process ends. As a result, it is possible to interrupt the program that is currently being reproduced at the time of interruption in content provision efficiently and with high accuracy, and to reproduce from the portion that was interrupted after the interruption.

<Example of content provision system>
Here, an operation example of the content providing system will be described with reference to a sequence diagram. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example for describing a series of operations of the content providing system.

  In the example shown in FIG. 10, the content management server 11 and the content presentation device 12 are provided, and the content management server 11 provides content including interrupt control to the content presentation device 12 (or a plurality of content presentation devices 12). However, in the present invention, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the content presentation device 12-1 having the authority to provide content provides the content to another content presentation device 12-2 in the same group via the content management server 11. Such a configuration may be adopted.

  First, the content presentation device 12 generates a certain program A and reproduces it (S41). At this time, the content management server 11 generates an interrupt simultaneous control start instruction (S42), and transmits the interrupt control information to the content presentation device 12 belonging to the group to which it wants to transmit (S43). In addition, when the content presentation device 12 receives the control information, the content presentation device 12 transmits a signal indicating that the information has been received to the content management server 11 (S44).

  Here, the content management server 11 generates script data / material data of the program X for interruption (S45), and transmits it to the content presentation device 12 (S46). The content presentation device 12 generates a TVML script by using the APE (program production engine) of the program A currently being reproduced and the transmitted script X script data and material data (S47).

  In addition, the content management server 11 generates control information for instructing interrupt playback (S48), and transmits the generated playback control information to the content presentation device 12 (S49). The content providing apparatus 12 interrupts the program A, generates the program X, which is a simultaneous distribution program, using the generated TVML script, and plays it back (S50).

  Further, the content management server 11 generates a simultaneous control end instruction (or an instruction to return to the interrupted original program (program A)) (S51) and transmits it to the content presentation apparatus 12 (S52). As a result, the content presentation device 12 resumes (reproduces) the program A from the point where it was interrupted (S53).

  By the operation procedure described above, simultaneous control can be performed efficiently and with high accuracy from the server side to one or a plurality of content presentation devices. In the above example, since the program X is generated using the APE of the program A, the contents of the program are not changed even when interrupted. In the process of S45, an APE for the program X may be generated and transmitted to the content presentation device 12. Thereby, the program X can be presented by changing the contents of the effect.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently control one or more terminals on the content providing side from the management side. Thus, for example, when an application using a TVML player is constructed, the TVML player can be controlled simultaneously by a plurality of client terminals. It can be applied to the case where a production machine and a spare machine are constructed when it is necessary to ensure reliability, but both are controlled simultaneously.

  In the TV4U system, the program can be viewed by broadcast. Furthermore, in the TV4U system, while viewing different programs on each client terminal, it is possible to view common information as an interruption program while maintaining the effects of the program being viewed.

  Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment, and various modifications, within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims, It can be changed.

It is a figure which shows the example of 1 structure of a content provision system. It is a figure which shows an example of a function structure of a content management server. It is a figure which shows an example of a function structure of the content presentation apparatus in this embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example for demonstrating registration and selection setting of group information. It is a figure which shows an example for demonstrating the mechanism of the simultaneous control in a control information management means. It is a figure which shows an example for demonstrating the content at the time of transmitting a TVIF command. It is a figure which shows an example of the transmission command which can be used as a transmission content of control information. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the content management processing procedure in this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the content presentation process procedure in this embodiment. It is a sequence diagram which shows an example for demonstrating a series of operation | movement of a content provision system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Content provision system 11 Content management server 12 Content presentation apparatus (client terminal)
13 communication network 21, 41 input means 22, 42 output means 23, 43 storage means 24, 44 program generation means 25 program management means 26 group information generation means 27 terminal control information generation means 28 disclosure means 29, 47 transmission / reception means 30, 48 Control means 31, 51 Program production engine (APE)
32, 52 Material data 33, 53 Script data 34, 54 Program 35 Group information 36 Terminal control information 45 Control information management means 46 Playback means 61 Group registration screen 62 Group name setting area 63 Group detailed setting area 64 Possible number setting area 65 , 75 Various button areas 71 Group selection screen 72 Group selection area 73 Group information display area 74 Member information display area 81 TVIF wrapper 82 External application 83 TVIF
84 TVML Player

Claims (6)

In a content management server that manages content provided to one or a plurality of content presentation devices for a viewer to view content,
Content generation means for generating content by a production engine that produces content including a predetermined effect using script data in which the contents of the effect set in advance are described, and material data described in the script data;
Group information generating means for generating group information for grouping the content presentation device;
Control information generation means for generating control information for performing simultaneous control on each content presentation apparatus belonging to a predetermined group among the content presentation apparatuses grouped based on the group information obtained by the group information generation means It has a door,
The content generation means generates interrupt content that causes the content presentation devices belonging to the predetermined group to be interrupted by simultaneous control with respect to the content that is being reproduced individually,
The control information generating unit includes information for distinguishing whether or not to allow the presentation of the content individually played by each content presentation device belonging to the predetermined group to be inherited even when the interrupting content is played back. A content management server characterized by generating information . 2. The content management server according to claim 1 , further comprising: a disclosure unit that releases the group information generated by the group information generation unit on a communication network that can be browsed from the content presentation device. In a content presentation device that presents content provided from a content management server and allows a viewer to view the content,
Content is generated by a production engine that produces content including a predetermined effect using script data in which pre-set effect details acquired from the content management server are described and material data described in the script data. Content generation means;
Playback means for playing back the content generated by the content generation means;
Control information management that monitors the control information from the content management server, interrupts the content being played back by the playback means when the control information is interrupt control, and plays back the interrupted content continuously after interrupt control ends It possesses the means,
When the content being reproduced by the reproduction means is interrupted by the control information management means, the content generation means includes script data in which the contents of the effect for interruption are described, and material data described in the script data Generate content for interruption by the production engine that produces content including the specified production using
Further, when generating the interrupt content, the content generation means determines whether or not to use the production engine used in the interrupted content based on the control information, and interrupts using the corresponding production engine. A content presentation device for generating content for use . The control information management means includes
4. The content presentation apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a script for controlling an operation of a TVML player that reproduces the content in correspondence with a TVIF command obtained as the control information is generated. The content management program for functioning a computer as each means which the content management server of Claim 1 or 2 has . The content presentation program for functioning a computer as each means which the content presentation apparatus of Claim 3 or 4 has .

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