JP5158587B2 - CONTENT ACCESS SYSTEM, GATEWAY DEVICE, ACCESS METHOD, AND PROGRAM - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a content access system, an access method, and a program, and more particularly, to a content access system, an access method, and a program for accessing content stored in a media server using a user terminal.

DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) is a standard for mutual use of content (digital content) such as photographs, music, and moving images within a LAN (home network) such as a home. DLNA defines specifications that guarantee interoperability for sharing digital contents between devices of different manufacturers with respect to sharing of digital contents. In recent years, AV devices and the like corresponding to DLNA have been commercialized one after another. As a technique using DLNA, for example, there is a technique described in Patent Document 1.
JP 2007-158854 A

  There is a need for a system that can browse the contents of a DLNA-compatible device in a home network from devices outside the home network that do not support DLNA. In this regard, a system has been proposed in which contents of a media server such as an HDD installed on a home network at home can be browsed from the outside via the Internet. However, in these cases, it is necessary to separately provide a device in which DLNA is uniquely expanded both in the home network and outside. For this reason, it is impossible to access the contents of the DLNA compatible device in the home network from a non-DLNA compatible device such as an existing PC.

  The present invention provides a content access system, method, and program capable of accessing content stored in a media server corresponding to a specific standard without using a user terminal having a function corresponding to the specific standard. With the goal.

In order to achieve the above object, a content access system according to the present invention includes a media server that supports DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) on a home network, a terminal device that does not support DLNA on an external network, a content providing server, and a gateway. A content access system for accessing through a device,
The gateway device acquires a content list or content included in the content list by DLNA from the media server storing digital content,
The content providing server provides a content list or content acquired by the gateway device to a terminal device that does not support DLNA regardless of DLNA .

A gateway device of the present invention is a gateway device that relays communication between a DLNA-compatible media server on a home network and a DLNA-incompatible terminal device on an external network together with a content providing server,
A content list acquisition unit for acquiring a content list by DLNA from the media server storing digital content;
Transmission for transmitting to the content providing server such that at least one of the content list acquired by the content list acquisition unit and the content included in the content list can be accessed from the DLNA-incompatible terminal device without using DLNA. And a section.

The content access method of the present invention is a content access method in a gateway device that relays communication between a DLNA-compatible media server on a home network and a DLNA-incompatible terminal device on an external network together with the content providing server,
Obtaining a content list by DLNA from the media server storing digital content;
Transmitting at least one of the acquired content list and the content included in the content list to the content providing server so that the DLNA-incompatible terminal device can be accessed without using DLNA. It is characterized by that.

The program of the present invention is a program for causing an electronic device that relays communication between a DLNA-compatible media server on a home network and a DLNA-incompatible terminal device on an external network together with a content providing server to execute a predetermined process. There,
A process of acquiring a content list by DLNA from the media server storing digital content;
A process of transmitting at least one of the acquired content list and the content included in the content list to the content providing server so that the DLNA-incompatible terminal device can be accessed without using DLNA. It is characterized by making it.

  In the content access system, method, and program of the present invention, the content stored in the media server corresponding to the specific standard is accessed from the user terminal without using the user terminal having a function corresponding to the specific standard. be able to.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a content access system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The access system includes a gateway (HGW) device 109 and a Web server 105. The HGW device 109 includes a DLNA-compatible virtual DMP (Digital Media Player) 111, a port mapping unit 114, a Web page creation unit 115, and a Web page transmission unit 116. A DLNA compatible DMS (Digital Media Server) 113 is connected to the HGW device 109. The HGW device 109 and the DLNA compatible DMS 113 form a home network 107. A User PC (user terminal) 101 is a user terminal device that does not support DLNA, and is connected to the Internet 103. A Web server (providing server) 105 is also located on the Internet 103.

  The HGW device 109 is connected to the Internet 103. The HGW device 109 has an address (private address) on the home network 107 side and an address (global address) on the Internet 103 side. The HGW apparatus 109 has a port mapping function. The port mapping function is a function for transferring a connection request transmitted to a specific port of a global address to a specific port of a private address. Port mapping is performed by the port mapping unit 114.

  The DLNA compatible virtual DMP 111 has a list acquisition unit 117. The list acquisition unit 117 detects the DLNA compatible DMS 113 and acquires the content list of the digital content held by the DLNA compatible DMS 113 from the detected DLNA compatible DMS 113. When the list acquisition unit 117 acquires the content list, the port mapping unit 114 performs port mapping for each content included in the content list. The web page creation unit 115 creates a web page including an address converted into a global address by port mapping. The web page transmission unit 116 transmits the created web page to the web server 105. The Web server 105 has a function of storing a Web page received from the HGW device 109 in a storage device (not shown) and providing the Web page in response to a Web page acquisition request from the User PC 101.

  FIG. 2 shows the flow of data exchanged between the devices. FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing data exchange. The list acquisition unit 117 of the DLNA compatible virtual DMP 111 detects the DLNA compatible DMS 113 when the DLNA compatible DMS 113 is connected to the home network 107. The detection of the DLNA compatible DMS 113 is performed by, for example, a UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) function. When the list acquisition unit 117 detects the DLNA-compatible DMS 113, the list acquisition unit 117 issues a CDS.browse 201 formulated in DLNA to the DLNA-compatible DMS 113, and requests acquisition of a content list. The DLNA compatible DMS 113 returns a response browse response 203 to the CDS.browse 201 to the DLNA compatible virtual DMP 111 and sends its own content list.

  When the list acquisition unit 117 of the DLNA virtual DMP 111 acquires the content list, the port mapping unit 114 extracts the address / port number of each content from the content list and performs port mapping. With this port mapping, it is possible to access content held by the DLNA-compatible DMS 113 from outside the home network 107. When the port mapping unit 114 performs port mapping, the web page creation unit 115 creates a web page including a link to each content in the content list based on the acquired content list. Since the created web page is basically described in XML, the web page creating unit 115 can create the web page without taking any special effort. After creating the web page, the HGW apparatus 109 PUTs the created web page to the web server 105 (HTTP PUT 205).

  FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a Web page that is created. Consider six contents 611 to 616 as contents included in the content list. The web page 621 includes links 601 to 606 to the contents 611 to 616. The link destination of the links 601 to 606 is a global address / port number pair mapped by port mapping. For example, when the content 611 is mapped to aaa.aaa.aa.aa: aaaa (address: port number) by port mapping by the HGW device 109, the Web page 621 includes a link 601 to the content 611. "Aaa.aaa.aa.aa: aaaa" is embedded.

  The User PC 101 issues an access request to the Web page 621 to the Web server 105 and displays the Web page 621. User authentication (login) or the like is completed before acquiring a Web page. The user operates the User PC 101 and selects a link to content to be accessed from the links displayed on the Web page 621. When the user selects a link, the User PC 101 transmits a content acquisition request (HTTP GET 207) to the HGW device 109.

  When receiving the content acquisition request, the HGW device 109 converts the address / port based on the port mapping table created by the port mapping, and transfers the content acquisition request to the corresponding content on the DLNA-compatible DMS 113. When receiving the content acquisition request, the DLNA compatible DMS 113 transmits a response (HTTP response) to the request to the User PC 101 via the HGW device 109. With the above operation, it becomes possible to access the contents of the DLNA-compatible DMS 113 arranged in the home network 107 from the User PC 101 that is not compatible with DLNA.

  In the present embodiment, the HGW device 109 acquires a content list from the DLNA-compatible DMS 113 and transmits the acquired content list to the Web server 105. When the Web server 105 presents the received content list to the UserPC 101, the user can browse the content list held by the DLNA-compliant DMS 113 in the remote home network 107 from the UserPC 101 outside the home network. it can. In this embodiment, port mapping is performed, and the content acquisition request generated by the User PC 101 is transferred to the DLNA-compatible DMS 113 according to the mapping table. As a result, the User PC 101 on the Internet 103 side can access the DLNA compatible DMS 113 inside the home network 107.

  In the present embodiment, the web page creation unit 115 creates a web page including a link to the content included in the content list, and the content list is presented on the web page. Therefore, the User PC 101 only needs to have a browsing function such as a general PC, and can browse the contents of the DLNA-compatible DMS 113 without adding a function. In addition, the HGW apparatus 109 only implements a general HTTP function except that a part of the functions of a normal DLNA-compatible DMP is implemented, and can suppress development costs. Furthermore, since the HGW device 109 only has to transfer the content acquisition request to the DLNA-compatible DMS 113 according to the mapping table, it is not necessary to store the content in the HGW device 109, and memory can be saved.

  FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the content access system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the HGW device 109 includes a content acquisition unit 118 and a content transmission unit 119 instead of the port mapping unit 114, the web page creation unit 115, and the web page transmission unit 116. The content acquisition unit 118 is implemented as a part of the function of the DLNA compatible virtual DMP 111. When the list acquisition unit 117 acquires the content list, the content acquisition unit 118 acquires the content included in the content list from the DLNA-compatible DMS 113. The content transmission unit 119 transmits the content acquired by the content acquisition unit 118 to the Web server 105.

  FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing data exchange. The list acquisition unit 117 of the DLNA compatible virtual DMP 111 issues a CDS.browse 201 to the DLNA compatible DMS 113 and requests acquisition of a content list. The DLNA compatible DMS 113 returns a response browse response 203 to the CDS.browse 201 to the DLNA compatible virtual DMP 111 and sends its own content list. The procedure for acquiring this content list is the same as the procedure shown in FIG.

  When the list acquisition unit 117 acquires the content list, the content acquisition unit 118 issues a content acquisition request to the DLNA-compatible DMS 113 based on the content list (GET Contents 401). When receiving the content acquisition request, the DLNA compatible DMS 113 sends the corresponding content to the DLNA compatible virtual DMP 111 (Contents 403). The content transmission unit 119 uploads the content acquired by the content acquisition unit 118 to the Web server 105 (Contents UPLOAD 405).

  The User PC 101 requests the Web server 105 to acquire a Web page that displays a content list. In response to the request, the Web server 105 transmits the requested Web page to the User PC 101. At this time, the Web page transmitted to the User PC 101 is the same as the Web page 621 shown in FIG. However, in the present embodiment, the link to each content is a link to a content storage location on the Web server 105. When the user selects a link to content included in the Web page, the User PC 101 issues a content acquisition request to the Web server 105 (HTTP GET 207). Upon receiving the content acquisition request, the Web server 105 transmits a response (GET response) to the request to the User PC 101.

  In this embodiment, the content acquisition unit 118 acquires a content list from the DLNA compatible DMS 113, and the content transmission unit 119 uploads the acquired content to the Web server 105. In this embodiment, the content of the DLNA compatible DMS 113 is uploaded to the Web server 105, and the User PC 101 acquires the content from the Web server 105. Therefore, port mapping is unnecessary in the HGW apparatus 109. In addition, since it is not necessary to hold the content in the HGW device 109, the memory of the HGW device 109 is not compressed.

  Subsequently, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, when acquiring content, HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Security) is used instead of HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). FIG. 7 shows a sequence diagram at the time of content acquisition request. In the first and second embodiments, content acquisition is requested by HTTP GET 207 (FIGS. 3 and 6). In the present embodiment, security is improved by performing client authentication using an HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Security) GET 501.

  FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram showing the client authentication mechanism. A client 701 in FIG. 8 corresponds to the user PC 101, and a server 702 corresponds to the web server 105. The client 701 has acquired the client certificate 703 in advance, and the server 702 has acquired the certificate authority certificate 705 in advance.

  The server 701 requests the client 701 for a client certificate in a certificate request 711. The client 701 sends the client certificate 703 to the server 702 using the certificate 713. The server 702 checks the validity of the client certificate 703 added to the certificate 713 by the certificate authority certificate 705.

  The client 701 then adds the digital signature 707 to the CertificateVerify 715 and sends it to the server 702. The server 702 performs identity verification using the added digital signature 707. As described above, security can be improved, for example, by setting the access right to the DLNA-compatible DMS 113 and contents for each user. Other configurations and effects are the same as those of the first or second embodiment.

  In each of the above embodiments, the HGW device 109 includes the DLNA-compatible virtual DMP 111. However, the DLNA-compatible virtual DMP 111 may be configured outside the HGW device 109. In addition, the Web page creation unit 115, the web page transmission unit 116 (FIG. 1) that creates and transmits a content list, the content acquisition unit 118 that acquires and transmits content, and the content transmission unit 119 (FIG. 5) also include an HGW. A configuration arranged outside the device 109 is also possible. That is, these functions can be realized not only as functions in the HGW apparatus 109 connected to the Internet 103 and the home network 107 but also as functions of an electronic apparatus independent of the HGW apparatus 109.

  Although the present invention has been described based on the preferred embodiments, the content access system, method, and program of the present invention are not limited to the above embodiments, and various configurations are possible from the configuration of the above embodiments. Those modified and changed as described above are also included in the scope of the present invention.

The block diagram which shows the content access system of 1st Embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows the flow of the data in a content access system. The sequence diagram which shows the flow of the data in a content access system. The figure which illustrates a web page. The block diagram which shows the content access system of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The sequence diagram which shows the flow of the data in 2nd Embodiment. The sequence diagram which shows the flow of the data at the time of the content acquisition in the content access system of 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The sequence diagram which shows the flow of the data at the time of the authentication in the content access system of 3rd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

101: UserPC (user terminal)
103: Internet 105: Web server 107: Home network 109: HGW (home gateway) device 111: Virtual DMP corresponding to DLNA
113: DLNA compatible DMS
114: Port mapping unit 115: Web page creation unit 116: Web page transmission unit 117: List acquisition unit 118: Content acquisition unit 119: Content transmission unit

Claims (15)

A content access system for accessing a DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) compliant media server on a home network from a DLNA non-compliant terminal device on an external network via a content providing server and a gateway device,
The gateway device acquires a content list or content included in the content list by DLNA from the media server storing digital content,
The content access system, wherein the content providing server provides a content list or content acquired by the gateway device to a terminal device that does not support DLNA regardless of DLNA .   The gateway device includes a content list acquisition unit that detects the DLNA-compatible media server on the home network, and acquires a content list or content included in the content list by DLNA from the detected media server. The content access system according to claim 1. The gateway device further includes a link creation unit that extracts location information of the digital content from the content list acquired by the content list acquisition unit, and generates link information to the digital content from the extracted location information,
The content access system according to claim 2, wherein the content providing server provides a content list including the link information to the terminal device not supporting DLNA . The gateway device further includes a port mapping unit that performs port mapping between the home network and the external network,
The content access system according to claim 3, wherein the link creation unit creates the location information converted from an address in the home network into an address in the external network by the port mapping as link information.   The content access system according to claim 4, wherein the link creating unit creates a web page including the link information and uploads the created web page to the content providing server.   When the content list acquisition unit acquires the content list, the gateway device acquires a content included in the content list from the media server by DLNA, and transmits a content transmission unit that transmits the acquired content to the content providing server. The content access system according to claim 2, further comprising: A gateway device that relays communication between a DLNA-compliant media server on a home network and a DLNA-noncompliant terminal device on an external network together with a content providing server,
A content list acquisition unit for acquiring a content list by DLNA from the media server storing digital content;
Transmission for transmitting to the content providing server such that at least one of the content list acquired by the content list acquisition unit and the content included in the content list can be accessed from the DLNA -incompatible terminal device without using DLNA. A gateway device. A link creating unit that extracts location information of the digital content from the content list acquired by the content list acquisition unit, and generates link information to the digital content from the extracted location information;
The gateway device according to claim 7, wherein the transmission unit transmits a content list including the link information to the content providing server. A port mapping unit that performs port mapping between the home network and the external network;
The gateway device according to claim 8, wherein the link creating unit creates the location information converted from an address in the home network to an address in the external network as link information by the port mapping.   The transmission unit, when the content list acquisition unit acquires the content list, acquires content included in the content list from the media server by DLNA, and transmits the acquired content to the content providing server. The gateway device described in 1. A content access method in a gateway device that relays communication between a DLNA-compliant media server on a home network and a DLNA-noncompliant terminal device on an external network together with a content providing server,
Obtaining a content list by DLNA from the media server storing digital content;
Transmitting at least one of the acquired content list and the content included in the content list to the content providing server so that the DLNA-incompatible terminal device can be accessed without using DLNA. A content access method characterized by the above. Subsequent to the step of acquiring the content list, the digital content location information is further extracted from the acquired content list, and link information to the digital content is generated from the extracted location information. ,
The content access method according to claim 11, wherein in the transmitting step, a content list including the link information is transmitted to the content providing server.   The content access according to claim 12, wherein in the step of generating the link information, the location information converted from an address in a home network to which the media server is connected by port mapping into an address in an external network is generated as link information. Method. When the DLNA non-compliant terminal device issues a content acquisition request according to the link information, the terminal device further includes a step of transferring the content acquisition request to the media server according to the port mapping table created by the port mapping. Item 14. The content access method according to Item 13. A program for causing an electronic device that relays communication between a DLNA-compliant media server on a home network and a DLNA-noncompliant terminal device on an external network together with a content providing server to execute predetermined processing,
A process of acquiring a content list by DLNA from the media server storing digital content;
A process of transmitting at least one of the acquired content list and the content included in the content list to the content providing server so that the DLNA-incompatible terminal device can be accessed without using DLNA. A program characterized by letting

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