JP5235178B2 - Content providing system and content providing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a content providing system and a content providing method.

  Standardized organizations for fixed networks such as TISPAN are discussing the provision of video distribution services through managed networks of next-generation networks (NGN). Non-Patent Document 1 describes an IPTV service based on IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem), and in this service, content data is distributed to user terminals by MDF (Media Delivery Function). IMS is based on SIP (session initiation protocol), which is a protocol for controlling incoming and outgoing calls on an IP network.

  In addition, mobile network standardization organizations such as 3GPP are discussing procedures for realizing video distribution services through managed networks. Non-Patent Document 2 describes an IMS-based PSS (Packet Switch Streaming) and MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast / Multicast Service) system. For example, media distribution to a user terminal is performed by a PSS server function.

ETSI TS 183 063 V2.1.0 (2008-06) Telecommunications and Internet converged Services and Protocols for Advanced Networking (TISPAN); IMS-based IPTV stage 3 specification 3GPP TS 26.237 V8.2.0 (2009-06) IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) based Packet Switch Streaming (PSS) and Multimedia Broadcast / Multicast Service (MBMS) User Service; Protocols

  However, the technologies described in Non-Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 2 are targeted at providing services for a single fixed terminal. Non-Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 2 do not describe a technique for linking a plurality of terminals or seamlessly linking a fixed terminal and a mobile terminal.

  Therefore, in the techniques described in Non-Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 2, a single user uses a plurality of terminals (for example, a TV in a different room at home, or a TV at home and a mobile phone at a go-out location). Therefore, it is impossible to view or control single or plural contents.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a content providing system and a content providing method capable of viewing and operating content in cooperation with a plurality of terminals.

The content providing system according to the present invention is configured as follows.
(1) A content providing system that provides content stored in a content server to a terminal device, the receiving means receiving a provision request from a first terminal, information on the first terminal, and the first Information management means for managing information of a second terminal having a predetermined relationship with the terminal of the first terminal, the first terminal, the second terminal in response to the provision request received by the receiving means A session by SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) is established with the same session ID between the terminal and the content server, and communication between the first terminal, the second terminal, and the content server is enabled. A mode is provided with session establishment means and content delivery means for delivering content in response to the provision request from the content server to the second terminal.
According to this aspect, it becomes possible to distribute the content according to the provision request from the first terminal to the second terminal.

(2) The configuration of (1) further includes a network to which the first, second and third forwarding nodes are connected, and the session establishing means is located between the first terminal and the first forwarding node. A first communication path, a second communication path between the second terminal and the second forwarding node, and a third communication path between the content server and the third node, A distribution path including the first, second and third nodes and the network is formed, and an instruction from the first terminal is transmitted via the first communication path, the network, and the third communication path. The content is transmitted to the content server, and the content is provided to the second terminal according to the instruction via the third communication path, the network, and the second communication path.
According to this aspect, the first terminal, the second terminal, and the content server are connected to the network via the first, second, and third nodes, and the instruction from the first terminal and the content from the content server Can be exchanged over a network.

(3) In the configuration of (2), a content control instruction from the first terminal is transmitted to the content server, and the content server controls reproduction and distribution of the content according to the content control instruction And
According to this aspect, it is possible to control the reproduction of the content distributed to the second terminal according to the content control instruction from the first terminal.

(4) In the configuration of (2), the first, second, and third forwarding nodes are configured to use NAPT (Network Address Port Transition) for the IP addresses and port numbers of the first terminal, the second terminal, and the content server. ) A mode in which the data is converted and transmitted to the session establishing means.
According to this aspect, since the IP addresses and port numbers of the first and second terminals and the content server are not directly disclosed to the network, safety is maintained.

The content providing method according to the present invention is configured as follows.
(5) A content providing method for providing content stored in a content server to a terminal device, wherein information on a first terminal and information on a second terminal having a predetermined relationship with the first terminal are: The content providing method includes: a receiving step of receiving a provision request from the first terminal; and the first terminal, the second terminal in response to the received provision request A session by SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) is established with the same session ID between the terminal and the content server, and communication between the first terminal, the second terminal, and the content server is enabled. A state comprising a session establishing step and a content distribution step of distributing content corresponding to the provision request from the content server to the second terminal To.
According to this aspect, it becomes possible to distribute the content according to the provision request from the first terminal to the second terminal.

(6) In the configuration of (5), the first, second, and third forwarding nodes are connected to a network, and the session establishing step includes a step between the first terminal and the first forwarding node. A first communication path, a second communication path between the second terminal and the second forwarding node, and a third communication path between the content server and the third node, 1, 2 nd and 3 rd nodes and a delivery path including the network are formed, and the instruction from the first terminal receives the content via the first communication path, the network and the third communication path The content is transmitted to a server, and the content is provided to the second terminal according to the instruction via the third communication path, the network, and the second communication path.
According to this aspect, the first terminal, the second terminal, and the content server are connected to the network via the first, second, and third nodes, and the instruction from the first terminal and the content from the content server Can be exchanged over a network.

(7) In the configuration of (6), a content control instruction from the first terminal is transmitted to the content server, and the content server controls reproduction and distribution of the content according to the content control instruction And
According to this aspect, it is possible to control the reproduction of the content distributed to the second terminal according to the content control instruction from the first terminal.

(8) In the configuration of (6), the first, second, and third forwarding nodes specify the IP address and port number of the first terminal, the second terminal, and the content server as NAPT (Network Address Port Transition). ) A mode to convert.
According to this aspect, since the IP addresses and port numbers of the first and second terminals and the content server are not directly disclosed to the network, safety is maintained.

  According to the present invention, a session by SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) is established with the same session ID between the first terminal, the second terminal, and the content server in response to a provision request from the first terminal. Communication between the first terminal, the second terminal, and the content server becomes possible. For this reason, it becomes possible to link the first terminal and the second terminal, and to distribute the content corresponding to the provision request from the first terminal to the second terminal.

1 is a diagram showing an outline of a content providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The block diagram which shows the detail of a structure of a service control server. The figure which shows the procedure of the establishment process of a communication path with a terminal. The figure which shows the procedure of the establishment process of a communication path with a content server, and a content delivery. The figure which shows the example of the trigger of service end. The figure which shows the outline of session release.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a content providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this system, a single user has two terminals, a terminal TA and a terminal TB, and receives a content distribution service in which the two terminals are linked.

  The terminal TA is a terminal device such as a portable or fixed IP telephone, and is operated by the user U1. The terminal TA performs communication based on SIP, and can make a voice call via the IP network by VoIP technology. SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) is a protocol for generating, changing, and disconnecting a session that is necessary for exchanging voice, video, and text messages to two or more counterparts in an application layer. The terminal TA can also perform communication using data or video via the network NW. A unique identification ID (for example, telephone number or SIP-URL) is assigned to the terminal TA. The terminal TA is not limited to an IP telephone, but may be a telephone connected to an IP network via an IP telephone adapter or a PC in which software for IP telephone is installed.

  The terminal TB is a television (TV) device, a personal computer (PC), a portable player, a mobile phone, or the like that can receive content distribution via the network NW, and is operated by the user U1 like the terminal TA. The The terminal TB includes a receiving unit that receives the distributed content, and includes a display device that displays the content, or can be connected to an external display device. The terminal TB has an IP telephone function, performs communication based on SIP, and can make a voice call via the IP network by using the VoIP technology. The terminal TB can also perform communication using data and video via a network. A unique identification ID (for example, a telephone number or a SIP-URL) is assigned to the terminal TB.

  The service control server 100 includes information on a subscriber (for example, the user U1) who subscribes to a service provided by the service server 100, and a terminal unique ID (terminal TA and terminal) of terminals (terminals TA and TB) used by the subscriber. And the IP address of the TB). In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the service control server 100 provides a service for distributing content data held by the content server 300 to service subscribers. The service control server 100 causes the network control server 200 to establish a communication path between the subscriber's terminal and the video content server 300 in response to a request from the service subscriber.

  The network control server 200 establishes a distribution path between the plurality of terminals and the content server 300 under the control of the service control server 100. The network control server 200 establishes a SIP level session with the same session ID between each terminal and the content server 300, and secures a content distribution path between each terminal and the content server 300. The content distribution path includes a communication path between the terminal TA and the transfer node NA, a communication path between the terminal TB and the transfer node NB, and a communication path between the content server 300 and the transfer node NC. Each of these communication paths is connected to the network NW from the transfer nodes NA, NB, and NC, and constitutes a content distribution path. The network NW is a public network such as the Internet or NGN (Next Generation Network).

  The content server 300 is a server that holds music content, video content, program content, and the like. The content server 300 includes a transmission unit for transmitting content via the transfer node NC and the network NW. In response to an instruction from the service control server 100, the content server 300 distributes content data corresponding to the request from the service subscriber to the terminal of the service subscriber.

Content data exchange between the plurality of terminals and the content server 300 may be performed using NAT (Network Address Translation) or NAPT (Network Address Port Translation). NAT and NAPT are mechanisms for assigning public network IP addresses (global addresses) to terminals that use unique IP addresses (private addresses) targeted only inside the LAN as needed.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing details of the configuration of the service control server 100.

The service control server 100 includes a SOAP / HTTP transmission unit 101, a SOAP / HTTP reception unit 102, a SIP reception unit 103, a SIP transmission unit 104, and a service control unit 120.
The SOAP / HTTP transmission unit 101 and the SOAP / HTTP reception 102 are interfaces for performing communication based on SOAP or HTTP. The SOAP / HTTP transmission unit 101 is used for data transmission to, for example, a web server connected to the Internet. The SOAP / HTTP receiving unit 102 receives data sent from a web server connected to the Internet, for example. A service activation request sent from the terminal TA or the terminal TB is also received by the SOAP / HTTP receiving unit 102 via the Internet or the like. However, the communication protocol used by the service control server 100 is not limited to SOAP or HTTP, and other communication protocols may be used.

  The SIP receiving unit 103 and the SIP transmitting unit 104 are interfaces for communicating with the network control server 200 based on SIP. The SIP receiving unit 103 receives data from the network control server 200. Further, the SIP transmission unit 104 transmits data to the network control server 200.

  The service control unit 120 has a CPU (not shown) and controls the operation of each block of the SIP application server 50. The service control unit 120 includes a ROM in which a control program and the like are written, a RAM for providing a work area necessary for executing the program, and the like. The service control unit 120 includes a service request management unit 121, a session establishment control unit 122, and a user information management unit 123 that execute control functions according to the present invention. These functions are realized by causing the CPU to execute the control program.

The service request management unit 121 receives the service activation request received by the SOAP / HTTP reception unit 102 sent from the terminal TA or the terminal TB, and instructs the session establishment control unit 122 to establish a session.
The session establishment control unit 122 creates a session establishment request in response to an instruction from the service request management unit 121. In addition, the session establishment control unit 122 inquires of the user information management unit 123 about the service subscription status of the user of the terminal TA or terminal TB.

  The user information management unit 123 holds subscriber information regarding the subscribers of the content distribution service provided by the service control server 100. The subscriber information includes information such as the name of the subscriber and the identification ID of the terminal used by the subscriber. The user information management unit 123 detects whether the user of the terminal subscribes to the service based on the identification ID of the transmission source terminal of the service activation request included in the service activation request.

Only when the user subscribes to the service, the session establishment request created by the session establishment control unit 122 is transmitted to the network control server 200.
The user information management unit 123 includes a predetermined area of a storage device such as a flash memory or a hard disk drive (HDD), and stores service subscriber information. This service subscriber information storage device may be provided as an independent database outside the service control server 100.

  Next, the operation of the content providing system configured as described above will be described. In the present embodiment, in response to a service activation request from the terminal TA or the terminal TB, the service control server 100 creates a plurality of session establishment requests and transmits them to the terminal TA, the terminal TB, and the content server 300 by the network control server 200. Establish a content distribution route. As a result, a service that links a plurality of terminals is realized.

Specific examples of services in which a plurality of terminals TA and TB are linked include the following.
-A program guide is displayed on a mobile phone (terminal TA), and a program is displayed on a large-screen television (terminal TB) at home.
-Display related contents of the program being viewed on the home TV (terminal TB) on the mobile phone (terminal TA).
A mobile phone (terminal TA) is used as a remote control for the home TV, and the stream distributed to the home TV (terminal TB) is controlled using the mobile phone (terminal TA).

  Hereinafter, an example will be described in which a service start is requested by the terminal TA (mobile phone) and content is displayed on the terminal TB (home TV). In addition, for the service, an IP address A is assigned to the terminal TA, and a port having a port number a is used. It is assumed that the IP address B is assigned to the terminal TB and the port with the port number b is used. It is assumed that the IP address C is assigned to the video distribution server 300, the port with the port number c1 is used for the communication path with the terminal TA, and the port with the port number c2 is used for the communication path with the terminal TB. Information such as an IP address assigned to each terminal is associated with an identification ID unique to the terminal and managed by the user information management unit 123.

3 and 4 are sequence diagrams of processing performed in the content providing system. First, referring to FIG. 3, a session establishment process by the terminal TA and the terminal TB will be described.
When the user U1 operates the terminal TA (mobile phone) to display the content distributed from the content server 300 on the terminal TB (home TV), the following processing is performed.

At the start of the service, the terminal TA transmits a service activation request to the service control server 300 (step S1). The service activation request may be sent by HTTP, for example, and may be sent via a relay server such as a portal server.
When the service request management unit 121 receives the service activation request via the SOAP / HTTP reception unit 102, the service control server 100 starts a communication path establishment process SA of the terminal TA. However, if the service request management unit 121 makes an inquiry to the user information management unit 123 and the user U1 of the terminal TA has not subscribed to the service provided by the service control server 100, the communication path establishment process SA is not executed.

  The session establishment control unit 122 transmits a session activation request to the network control server 200 via the SIP transmission unit 104 in order to establish a communication path between the terminal TA and the transfer node NA (step S2). In the session activation request, the IP address C of the content distribution server 300 and the communication channel port number c1 between the terminal TA and the content server 300 are described. In addition, a predetermined session ID is also described in this session activation request.

  The network control server 200 that has received the session activation request transmits a network control reservation request to the forwarding node NA (step S3). Between the terminal TA and the transfer node NA, setting of a communication path such as network resources is reserved in response to a network control reservation request. When the network control reservation is made, a network control reservation response is transmitted from the transfer node NA to the network control server 200 (step S4).

  When the network control reservation is made, the network control server 200 transmits a SIP level session activation request to the terminal TA (step S5). In the session activation request, the IP address C and the port number c1 of the content server 300 are described. When the NAPT process is performed in the forwarding node NA, the network control server 200 describes the IP address C ′ after the NAPT conversion and the port number c1 ′ in the session activation request. The session activation request also describes a session ID corresponding to the session ID described in step S2.

In response to the session activation request, terminal TA transmits a session activation response to network control server 200 (step S6). In this session activation response, the IP address A and port number a of the terminal TA are described.
The network control server 200 transmits a network control confirmation request to the transfer node NA in order to confirm communication channel settings such as reserved network resources (step S7). Communication terminal settings such as reserved network resources are determined between the terminal TA and the transfer node NA, and a network control confirmation response is transmitted from the transfer node NA to the network control server 200 (step S8).

  When the network setting is confirmed, the network control server 200 transmits a session activation response to the service control server 100 (step S9). In the service control server 300, the SIP receiving unit 103 receives the session activation response. In the session activation response, the IP address A and port number a of the terminal TA are described. When the NAPT process is performed in the forwarding node NA, the network control server 200 describes the IP address A ′ and the port number a ′ after the NAPT conversion in the session activation response.

When the communication path between the terminal TA and the transfer node NA is established, the service control server 100 starts the communication path establishment process SB of the terminal TB. At this time, information on other terminals TB used by the user U1 of the terminal TA is held in advance by the user information management unit 123.
The session establishment control unit 122 transmits a session activation request to the network control server 200 via the SIP transmission unit 104 in order to establish a communication path between the terminal TB and the forwarding node NB (step S10). In the session activation request, the IP address C of the content distribution server 300 and the communication channel port number c2 between the terminal TB and the content server 300 are described. In this session activation request, a session ID corresponding to the session ID described in step S2 is also described.

  The network control server 200 that has received the session activation request transmits a network control reservation request to the forwarding node NB (step S11). Between the terminal TB and the forwarding node NB, setting of a communication path such as network resources is reserved in response to a network control reservation request. When the network control reservation is made, a network control reservation response is transmitted from the transfer node NB to the network control server 200 (step S12).

  When the network control reservation is made, the network control server 200 transmits a SIP level session activation request to the terminal TB (step S13). In the session activation request, the IP address C and the port number c2 of the content server 300 are described. When the NAPT process is performed in the forwarding node NB, the network control server 200 describes the IP address C ′ and the port number c2 ′ after the NAPT conversion in the session activation request. Further, in this session activation request, the same session ID as that described in the session activation request in step S5 is described.

In response to the session activation request, the terminal TB transmits a session activation response to the network control server 200 (step S14). In this session activation response, the IP address B and port number b of the terminal TB are described.
The network control server 200 transmits a network control confirmation request to the transfer node NB in order to confirm communication channel settings such as reserved network resources (step S15). Communication terminal settings such as reserved network resources are confirmed between the terminal TB and the forwarding node NB, and a network control confirmation response is transmitted from the forwarding node NB to the network control server 200 (step S16).

  When the network setting is confirmed, the network control server 200 transmits a session activation response to the service control server 300 (step S17). In the service control server 300, the SIP receiving unit 103 receives the session activation response. In the session activation response, the IP address B and port number b of the terminal TB are described. When the NAPT process is performed in the forwarding node NB, the network control server 200 describes the IP address B ′ and the port number b ′ after the NAPT conversion in the session activation response.

When the communication path between the terminal TB and the transfer node NB is established, the service control server 100 starts a communication path establishment process SC between the content server 300 and the transfer node NC.
The session establishment control unit 122 transmits a session activation request to the network control server 200 via the SIP transmission unit 104 in order to establish a communication path between the content server 300 and the transfer node NC (step S18). The session activation request includes the IP address A and port number a (IP address A ′ and port number a ′) of the terminal TA, and the IP address B and port number b (IP address B ′ and port number b ′) of the terminal TB. ) Is described. The session activation request also describes a session ID corresponding to the session ID described in step S2.

  The network control server 200 that has received the session activation request transmits a network control reservation request to the transfer node NC (step S19). Between the content server 300 and the transfer node NC, the setting of a communication path such as a network resource is reserved in response to a network control reservation request. When the network control reservation is made, a network control reservation response is transmitted from the transfer node NC to the network control server 200 (step S20).

  When the network control reservation is made, the network control server 200 transmits a SIP level session activation request to the content server 300 (step S21). In the session activation request, the IP address A and port number a of the terminal TA and the IP address B and port number b of the terminal TB are described. When the NAPT process is performed in the forwarding node NC, the network control server 200 describes the IP addresses A ′ and B ′ after the NAPT conversion and the port numbers a ′ and b ′ in the session activation request. In this session activation request, the same session ID as the ID described in the session activation request in step S5 is described.

  In response to the session activation request, the content server 300 transmits a session activation response to the network control server 200 (step S22). In this session activation response, the IP address C of the content server 300 and the port numbers C1 and C2 are described.

  The network control server 200 transmits a network control confirmation request to the transfer node NC in order to confirm communication channel settings such as reserved network resources (step S23). Communication channel settings such as reserved network resources are confirmed between the content server 300 and the transfer node NC, and a network control confirmation response is transmitted from the transfer node NC to the network control server 200 (step S24).

  When the network setting is confirmed, the network control server 200 transmits a session activation response to the service control server 300 (step S25). In the service control server 300, the SIP receiving unit 103 receives the session activation response. In the session activation response, the IP address C and port numbers c1 and c2 of the content server 300 are described. When the NAPT process is performed in the forwarding node NC, the network control server 200 describes the IP address C ′ after the NAPT conversion and the port numbers c1 ′ and c2 ′ in the session activation response.

The service control server 300 transmits a service activation response from the SOAP / HTTP transmission unit 101 to the terminal TA (step S26), and notifies that the distribution path has been established.
As described above, when a content distribution path between the terminals TA and TB and the content server 300 via the network NW is established, an instruction from the terminal TA is transmitted to the content server 300, and the content sent from the content server 300 is transmitted to the terminal. The content providing process SD received by TB becomes possible.

  A media playback request is transmitted from the terminal TA to the content server 300 via the transfer nodes NA and NC, that is, via the network NW (step S27). From the content server 300, content data according to the request is transmitted to the terminal TB via the transfer node NB (step S28). This media playback request and content data transmission are performed based on, for example, the RTSP protocol. RTSP is a protocol for distributing audio and moving images in real time on a TCP / IP network.

  Further, when the user U1 operates the terminal TA and an operation instruction is transmitted from the terminal TA to the content server 300 via the transfer nodes NA and NC (step S29), the content server 300 sends a terminal TB according to the operation instruction. Operations such as pausing, fast-forwarding, or rewinding the content distribution to are performed (step S30).

As described above, content data can be distributed to the terminal TB in accordance with an operation by the terminal TA, and the content data can be displayed on the terminal TB.
Next, the end of the content providing service will be described. As a trigger for service termination, as shown in FIG. 5, cases such as (A) to (H) are conceivable.

(A) When terminal TA transmits a service stop request to service control server 100
For example, when the end of viewing is instructed by the remote controller (terminal TA), the content providing service ends. This service stop request is HTTP-transmitted from the terminal TA to the service control server 100 and received by the service request management unit 121 via the SOAP / HTTP reception unit 102.

(B) When the terminal TA transmits a session release request to the network control server 200
For example, a session release request may be transmitted from the terminal TA to the network control server 200 when the end of viewing is instructed by the remote controller (terminal TA). In this case, the session release request is transmitted at the SIP level and received by the network control server 200. The network control server 200 sends the request to the service request management unit 121 via the SIP receiving unit 103.

(C) When the terminal TB transmits a session release request to the network control server 200
For example, when the power of the home television (terminal TB) is turned off, a session release request is transmitted from the terminal TB to the network control server 200. In this case, the session release request is transmitted at the SIP level and received by the network control server 200. The network control server 200 sends the request to the service request management unit 121 via the SIP receiving unit 103.

(D) When content server 300 transmits a session release request to network control server 200
For example, when content distribution is completed, a session release request is transmitted from the content server 300 to the network control server 200. In this case, the session release request is transmitted at the SIP level and received by the network control server 200. The network control server 200 sends the request to the service request management unit 121 via the SIP receiving unit 103.

(E) When the forwarding node NA sends a session release request to the network control server 200
For example, when a failure occurs in the forwarding node NA or the network NW near the forwarding node NA, a session release request is transmitted from the forwarding node NA to the network control server 200. A session release request is transmitted from the network control server 200 at the SIP level, and is sent to the service request management unit 121 via the SIP receiving unit 103.

(F) When the forwarding node NB sends a session release request to the network control server 200
For example, when a failure occurs in the transfer node NB or the network NW near the transfer node NB, a session release request is transmitted from the transfer node NB to the network control server 200. A session release request is transmitted from the network control server 200 at the SIP level, and is sent to the service request management unit 121 via the SIP receiving unit 103.

(G) When the forwarding node NC transmits a session release request to the network control server 200
For example, when a failure occurs in the transfer node NC or the network NW near the transfer node NC, a session release request is transmitted from the transfer node NC to the network control server 200. A session release request is transmitted from the network control server 200 at the SIP level, and is sent to the service request management unit 121 via the SIP receiving unit 103.

(H) When the service control server 100 itself creates a session release request
For example, if the content providing service is a prepaid service, in the service control server 100, when the usage time that the user U1 contracts in advance is exceeded, the service request management unit 121 detects the time excess and releases the session. Generate a request.

  When the service request management unit 121 detects a session release request, a session release request is transmitted from the SIP transmission unit 104 to the network control server 200 at the SIP level, as shown in FIG. The network control server 200 cancels the setting of the communication path between the terminal TA and the transfer node NA, the communication path between the terminal TB and the transfer node NB, and the communication path between the content server 300 and the transfer node NC. To do. In addition, the network control server 200 releases the session that has been started between the terminal TA, the terminal TB, and the content server 300.

As described above, in the content providing system according to the present embodiment, content can be viewed and operated in cooperation between a plurality of terminals.
In the present embodiment, the user information management unit 123 in the service control server 100 centrally manages terminal IDs (IP addresses) used by one user. Thereby, the user can use a service in which his / her terminal is linked.

  In this embodiment, information with a high security level such as an IP address is transmitted / received at the SIP level, and after the communication path is established, content data is transmitted / received via a network NW such as the Internet. Furthermore, if the IP address and port number are NAPT converted, the IP addresses of the terminals TA and TB are not directly exposed to the public network. For this reason, a safer service can be provided.

  In the present embodiment, the service control server 100 does not transmit a session establishment request to the content server 300 until a response to the session establishment request is received from all terminals. For this reason, the number of session establishment requests / responses transmitted and received between the service control server 100 and the content server 300 is reduced, and the processing load on the network is reduced.

  In the present embodiment, the service control server 100 transmits a session establishment request describing the same session ID to the terminal TA, the terminal TB, and the content server 3003 termination points. Thereby, the delivery route between the terminal TA, the terminal TB, and the content server 300 can be managed as the same session. Accordingly, a service in which a plurality of terminals are linked is possible.

  In the above example, the content delivered to the terminal TB is controlled by operating the terminal TA, but conversely, the content delivered to the terminal TA may be controlled by operating the terminal TB. Further, the number of terminals operated by one user U1 may be two or more. By controlling one terminal, it is also possible to control content distributed to a plurality of other terminals.

  In the above-described embodiment, the terminal TA and the terminal TB are owned by the same user, but the owners of the terminal TA and the terminal TB may be different. For example, when the owner of the terminal TA and the owner of the terminal TB are family members, if the information is managed by the user information management unit 123, other information can be obtained depending on the operation of the terminal TA by one family member (for example, a parent). Content can also be distributed to a terminal TB of a family member (for example, a child).

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the content server 300 that distributes music, video, and program content is used has been described. However, instead of the content server 300, a database that stores file data such as document files and sales information is used. May be used.

  In the present embodiment, the network control server 200 is provided outside the service control server 100, but the network control server 200 may be included in the service control server 100. Alternatively, the session establishment control unit 122 may also function as the network control server 200.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some configurations may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, constituent elements over different example embodiments may be combined as appropriate.

  The present invention can also be implemented to cause a computer to execute predetermined means, to cause a computer to function as predetermined means, to cause a computer to realize predetermined functions, or as a computer-readable recording medium storing a program. You can also

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Service control server 101 ... SOAP / HTTP transmission part 102 ... SOAP / HTTP reception part 103 ... SIP reception part 104 ... SIP transmission part 120 ... Service control part 121 ... Service request management part 122 ... Session Establishment control unit, 123... User information management unit, 200... Network control server, 300.

Claims (8)

A content providing system for providing content stored in a content server to a terminal device,
Receiving means for receiving a provision request from the first terminal;
Information managing means for managing information on the first terminal and information on a second terminal having a predetermined relationship with the first terminal in association with each other;
In response to the provision request received by the receiving means, a session activation request by SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) is transmitted to the first terminal, and a session activation response to the session activation request is received from the first terminal. In this case, a session is established with the first terminal with a predetermined session ID, and then a session activation request by the SIP is transmitted to the second terminal, and the session is transmitted from the second terminal. When a session activation response to the activation request is received, a session is established with the second terminal with the same session ID as the session ID, and thereafter, the SIP session activation request is issued to the content server. A session activation response to the session activation request from the content server When receiving, establishing a session between the content server in the same session ID and the session ID, the first terminal, and enables communication between the second terminal and the content server Session establishment means;
Content distribution means for distributing content in response to the provision request from the content server to the second terminal;
A content providing system comprising: Further comprising a network to which the first, second and third forwarding nodes connect;
The session establishing means includes a first communication path between the first terminal and the first transfer node, a second communication path between the second terminal and the second transfer node, and the Establishing a third communication path between the content server and the third node, forming a delivery path including the first, second and third nodes and the network;
An instruction from the first terminal is transmitted to the content server via the first communication path, the network, and the third communication path,
The content providing system according to claim 1, wherein the content is provided to the second terminal according to the instruction via the third communication path, the network, and the second communication path. A content control instruction from the first terminal is transmitted to the content server,
The content providing system according to claim 2, wherein the content server controls reproduction and distribution of the content according to the content control instruction.   The first, second, and third forwarding nodes perform NAPT (Network Address Port Transition) conversion on the IP addresses and port numbers of the first terminal, the second terminal, and the content server, and transmit them to the session establishing means. The content providing system according to claim 2. A content providing method for providing content stored in a content server to a terminal device,
The information of the first terminal and the information of the second terminal having a predetermined relationship with the first terminal are managed in association with each other,
The content providing method includes:
A receiving step of receiving a provision request from the first terminal;
In response to the received provision request, a session activation request by SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) is transmitted to the first terminal, and when a session activation response to the session activation request is received from the first terminal, A session is established with the first terminal with a predetermined session ID, then a session start request by the SIP is transmitted to the second terminal, and a session for the session start request is transmitted from the second terminal. When an activation response is received, a session is established with the second terminal with the same session ID as the session ID, and thereafter, a session activation request by the SIP is transmitted to the content server, When a session activation response to the session activation request is received from the content server Establishes a session between the content server in the same session ID and the session ID, the first terminal, a session establishment step of enabling communication between said second terminal and the content server ,
A content distribution step of distributing content according to the provision request from the content server to the second terminal;
A content providing method comprising: The first, second and third forwarding nodes are connected to the network;
The session establishing step includes a first communication path between the first terminal and the first forwarding node, a second communication path between the second terminal and the second forwarding node, and the Establishing a third communication path between the content server and the third node, forming a delivery path including the first, second and third nodes and the network;
An instruction from the first terminal is transmitted to the content server via the first communication path, the network, and the third communication path,
The content providing method according to claim 5, wherein the content is provided to the second terminal according to the instruction via the third communication path, the network, and the second communication path. A content control instruction from the first terminal is transmitted to the content server,
The content providing method according to claim 6, wherein the content server controls reproduction and distribution of the content according to the content control instruction.   The content according to claim 6, wherein the first, second, and third forwarding nodes perform NAPT (Network Address Port Transition) conversion on IP addresses and port numbers of the first terminal, the second terminal, and the content server. How to provide.

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