JP5464662B2 - Content playback control system and proxy server thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a streaming service using HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) generally provided on a video distribution site on the Internet, and the like. The present invention relates to a content reproduction control system and a proxy server for the content reproduction control system that enables continuous reproduction on a user terminal or reproduction of content on another user terminal according to the control of one user terminal.

  In Patent Document 1, in a VOD (Video On Demand) service, playback control such as designation, playback, and stop of content is performed using RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol), and content is transmitted using RTP (Realtime Transport Protocol). A technique for transmitting is disclosed.

  Non-Patent Document 1 includes YouTube (http://www.youtube.com), a video sharing service on the Internet that controls the embedded video player using Java (registered trademark) Script, playback, pause, and the specified video position. Java (registered trademark) Script API for enabling various operations such as movement to, volume adjustment, and mute by calling functions is disclosed.

  According to the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 7, a session between RTOS and RTP between a VOD server and a plurality of VOD clients by a session control server using SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). By switching the, it becomes possible to reproduce the content by another VOD client (remote reproduction control of the reproduction terminal) according to the reproduction control of a certain VOD client. According to Patent Document 1, for example, content playback control is performed using a mobile terminal from the state where content playback and playback control are performed on the mobile terminal, and the playback is performed on a TV with higher resolution. It becomes possible to switch.

JP 2009-171082 A

YouTube Java ™ Script Player API Reference, http://code.google.com/intl/en/apis/youtube/js_api_reference.html

  When the technique of Patent Document 1 is applied to a streaming service on the Internet such as YouTube, the following problems may occur.

  (1) In the streaming service, content playback control and transmission are both performed in the same HTTP session, and therefore cannot be separated. Therefore, it is difficult to reproduce the content with another VOD client according to the reproduction control with one VOD client.

  (2) Generally, since a web browser used for a VOD client and a content server on the Internet do not support SIP, Patent Document 1 is based on call control by SIP for playback control and content playback by a VOD client. It is difficult to apply this technology.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and in a content streaming service using HTTP, control of video playback and terminal switching in one user terminal (playback terminal) can be performed by another user terminal ( It is an object of the present invention to provide a content reproduction control system that can be remotely operated from an operation terminal and its proxy server.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention acquires a content WEB page including a content playback player from a WEB server and displays it on a WEB browser of each user terminal for playback and operation, The content playback control system that distributes content from a WEB server in response to a user operation on the page and performs streaming playback on the playback player and its proxy server are characterized by the following measures.

  (1) A proxy that relays HTTP communication between the WEB server and each user terminal is provided, and in this proxy, a means for relaying a content WEB page request transmitted from the user terminal to the WEB server, and a content transmitted from the WEB server A means for embedding a predetermined script in a WEB page and relaying it to the user terminal, and a means for providing a control WEB page for accepting a user operation for controlling the reproduction of content and notifying the proxy to the operation terminal are provided. In addition, as the predetermined script, the first script for enabling the content reproduction control in the user terminal to be executed based on the instruction from the proxy, and the content reproduction state (including the reproduction position) in the user terminal to the proxy. A second script for notification is prepared, and the first and second scripts are embedded in the content web page relayed to the playback terminal.

  (2) A third script for notifying the proxy of the content selected at the user terminal is further prepared as the predetermined script, and the third script is relayed to at least the operation terminal among the reproduction terminal and the operation terminal. The content was embedded in the web page.

  (3) The control WEB page receives a user operation related to a playback terminal switching request and notifies the proxy.

  (4) The proxy further includes an authentication function unit, and the authentication function unit performs authentication based on whether or not each authentication ID of the reproduction terminal and the operation terminal has a predetermined relationship.

  According to the present invention, the following effects are achieved.

  (1) A first script for instructing the content web page provided from the web server to each user terminal to execute content playback control at the user terminal from the proxy, and content playback at the user terminal Since the second script for notifying the proxy of the state and the playback position is embedded, in the content streaming service using HTTP, the video playback control in one user terminal (playback terminal) is controlled in the other user terminal. Remote operation from the (operation terminal).

  (2) Since the third script for notifying the proxy of the content selected at each user terminal is embedded in the content WEB page provided from the WEB server to each user terminal, at one user terminal (playback terminal) A moving image to be reproduced can be selected on another user terminal (operation terminal).

  (3) Since the control WEB page accepts a user operation related to the playback terminal switching request and notifies the proxy, the playback terminal can be switched remotely.

  (4) Since the proxy has an authentication function unit that performs authentication based on whether or not each authentication ID of the playback terminal and the operation terminal has a predetermined relationship, remote control and remote switching by the third party for the playback terminal Can be prevented.

It is a block diagram of a content reproduction control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the figure which showed an example of the content WEB page. It is the figure which showed an example of the control WEB page. It is the figure which showed the example by which a content WEB page and a control WEB page are displayed in parallel. It is the sequence flow which showed the operation | movement (reproduction | regeneration control) of this embodiment. It is the sequence flow which showed the operation | movement (terminal switching) of this embodiment. It is a block diagram of a prior art.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main part of a content playback control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. One user terminal (hereinafter referred to as playback terminal) 1 for content playback is controlled by a later-described controlled terminal. Another user terminal (hereinafter referred to as “operation terminal”) 2 for operation, which includes a WEB browser for displaying a UI (User Interface) and controls content reproduction on the reproduction terminal 1 by remote operation, has a control UI described later. A web browser is displayed. The WEB server 3 manages content WEB pages including a reproduction player for reproducing the content together with the content for distribution, and provides them to the reproduction terminal 1 and the operation terminal 2 via the proxy server.

The content WEB page provided by the WEB server 3 is created in HTML, Flash, or the like, provided to the playback terminal 1 as a controlled UI, and further provided to the operation terminal 2 as a control UI as necessary. . FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the content web page, which includes a content list 61 and a media player 62 for video playback implemented in Flash or the like. The media player 62 includes a “play” button 64, A “stop” button 65 and an indicator 63 indicating the playback position of the content are provided.

  In the present embodiment, the content selected on the content list 61 in the content WEB page displayed on each WEB browser of the playback terminal 1 and the operation terminal 2 is played back by the media player 62 of the playback terminal 1. An API for performing playback control such as content specification, playback, and stop from the control UI to the media player 62 of the controlled UI is provided in Java (registered trademark) Script. Such an API is disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1, for example.

  In the proxy 4, the proxy function unit 41 relays the script storage unit 41 a storing a plurality of scripts (scr 1, scr 2, scr 3) and the content web page acquired from the web server 3 to the playback terminal 1 and the operation terminal. A script embedding unit 41b for embedding each of the scripts.

  The first script (scr1) enables the proxy 4 to instruct playback control using the API to the controlled UI of the playback terminal 1, and the controlled UI plays back the content according to the playback control instruction. This is a script for registering a callback used in Reverse AJAX (Asynchronous Java (registered trademark) Script + XML) or the like in advance from the controlled UI to the proxy 4 so that control can be performed.

  The second script (scr2) is a script for notifying the proxy 4 of the content reproduction state and reproduction position in the controlled UI of the reproduction terminal 1 from the controlled UI.

  The third script (scr3) is a script for notifying the proxy 4 of the content selected on the content list of the content WEB page of each of the terminals 1 and 2.

  In the present embodiment, the first and second scripts scr1 and scr2 are embedded in the content WEB page relayed from the WEB server 3 to the playback terminal 1, and a third script scr3 is embedded as necessary. The third script scr3 is embedded in the content WEB page relayed from the WEB server 3 to the operation terminal 2.

  The proxy 4 also includes a control web page 40 for receiving a remote operation for controlling the playback of moving images in the controlled UI from the control UI and a switching operation for switching the controlled UI (playback terminal) from the control UI. Provide to the control UI.

  The control WEB page 40 includes a controlled state notification function 42 that notifies the control UI of the playback state and playback position of the content notified from the controlled UI of the playback terminal 1, and content for the media player of the controlled UI. This is realized by a control reception function 43 that receives operations such as “play” and “stop”. The controlled state notification function 42 is notified from the proxy 4 asynchronously using Reverse AJAX or the like.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the control WEB page 40 displayed as a control UI on the WEB browser of the operation terminal 2, and a playback terminal list that displays a list of playback terminals and their states together with a terminal selection toggle switch. 66, a title 67 of the content being reproduced and an indicator 68 indicating the reproduction position, buttons 69 and 70 for requesting “reproduction” and “stop” of the content, and the reproduction terminal 1 selected in the reproduction terminal list 66 A “switch” button 71 for requesting switching to is provided. In the control UI of the operation terminal 2, the content web page and the control web page may be displayed in parallel as shown in FIG.

  The proxy 4 further receives a controlled state reception function 44 for receiving the content playback state and playback position on the media player notified from the controlled UI and notifying the control WEB page 40, and the control WEB page 40. A control notification function 45 that receives operations such as “play” and “stop” of content from the media player and notifies the media player of the controlled UI.

  The authentication function unit 46 authenticates the connected controlled UI and control UI, and performs remote reproduction control and reproduction terminal of the reproduction terminal only for user terminals in a preset range such as the same user or the same group. Allow switching.

[Example 1]
FIG. 5 is a sequence flow showing the operation of the present embodiment. In this example, the content reproduction on one user terminal (reproduction terminal 1) is remotely operated from another user terminal (operation terminal 2). Will be described as an example.

  Procedure 1: The controlled UI of the playback terminal logs into the proxy 4.

  Procedure 2: The control UI of the operation terminal logs into the proxy 4. At this time, the controlled UI and the control UI log in with the same user or group ID.

  Procedure 3: The controlled UI requests the content web page to the web server 3 via the proxy.

  Procedure 4: The proxy 4 relays the request for the content WEB page to the WEB server 3.

  Procedure 5: The WEB server 3 provides the content WEB page to the controlled UI via the proxy in response to the request.

  Procedure 6: The proxy 4 inserts the first and second scripts scr1, scr2 and, if necessary, the third script scr3 into the content web page received from the web server 3.

  Procedure 7: The controlled UI receives the content WEB page from the proxy 4.

  Procedure 8: The controlled UI displays the content web page (FIG. 2).

  Procedure 9: The controlled UI registers a callback in the proxy 4 according to the first script scr1 inserted in the content web page.

  Procedure 10: The controlled UI notifies the proxy 4 of the current playback state (= idle) according to the second script scr2 inserted in the content web page.

  Step 11: The control UI requests the proxy 4 for a control WEB page for operation input.

  Step 12: The proxy 4 provides a control WEB page to the control UI in response to the request.

  Step 13: The control UI displays the provided control WEB page on the WEB browser (FIG. 3). At this time, the fact that the controlled UI is idle is displayed in the terminal list on the controlled WEB page.

  Step 14: The control UI requests the content web page to the web server 3 via the proxy.

  Step 15: The proxy 4 relays the request for the content WEB page to the WEB server 3.

  Procedure 16: The WEB server 3 provides the content WEB page to the control UI via the proxy.

  Step 17: The proxy 4 inserts the third script scr3 into the content WEB page received from the WEB server 3.

  Step 18: The control UI receives the content web page from the proxy 4.

  Step 19: The control UI displays the content WEB page (FIG. 4).

  Step 20: The user designates content to be reproduced on the content WEB page on the control UI.

  Procedure 21: The control UI notifies the proxy 4 of the designated content according to the third script scr3.

  Procedure 22: The proxy 4 notifies the control UI of a control web page update request including the specified content name in order to display the content name on the control web page of the control UI.

  Procedure 23: The user designates a terminal for reproducing content on the control WEB page on the control UI.

  Step 24: The control UI notifies the proxy 4 of the designated playback terminal.

  Procedure 25: The proxy 4 transmits a control request to the designated reproduction terminal (= controlled UI) to reproduce the content designated in the procedure 22. This control request can be transmitted by the callback registration executed in the procedure 9 according to the first script scr1.

  Step 26: The controlled UI calls the API of the media player in response to the control request, and requests the specified content to the WEB server 3 via the proxy.

  Step 27: The proxy 4 relays the content request to the WEB server 3.

  Step 28: The WEB server 3 transmits the requested content to the controlled UI via a proxy.

  Procedure 29: The proxy 4 relays the content to the controlled UI.

  Procedure 30: The media player of the controlled UI reproduces the received content.

  Step 31: The controlled UI notifies the proxy 4 of the information that the current state is being reproduced according to the second script scr2.

  Procedure 32: The proxy 4 notifies the control UI of a control WEB page update request including information indicating that the state of the controlled UI is being reproduced.

  Step 33: The control UI updates the control WEB page in response to the update request. As a result, it is displayed on the control web page of the control UI that the controlled UI is being played back.

  Step 34: The user designates playback stop on the control WEB page on the control UI.

  Step 35: The control UI notifies the proxy 4 of the reproduction stop.

  Step 36: The proxy 4 sends a playback stop control request to the controlled UI that is playing using the callback.

  Step 37: The controlled UI calls the media player API in response to the control request, and requests the WEB server 3 to stop the content transmission via the proxy. Also, the playback position of the content is acquired using the API of the media player.

  Step 38: The WEB server 3 receives the content transmission stop request via the proxy, and stops the content transmission in response to the request.

  Step 39: The controlled UI stops the content reproduction.

  Step 40: The controlled UI notifies the proxy 4 of the current state that the reproduction is stopped and the reproduction position of the content according to the second script scr2.

  Procedure 41: The proxy 4 notifies the control UI of a control WEB page update request including information indicating that the controlled UI is in a playback stopped state and information regarding the playback position of the content.

  Step 42: The control UI updates the control WEB page in response to the update request. As a result, on the control WEB page of the control UI, the reproduction of the controlled UI is stopped and the content reproduction position are displayed.

[Example 2]
Next, a method for switching the playback terminal from one user terminal to another user terminal in response to a request from the operation terminal will be described with reference to the sequence flow of FIG.

  Procedure 1: The controlled UI1 of one playback terminal performs login to the proxy 4, acquisition and display of the content WEB page, and callback registration based on the first script scr1, as in the case of the playback control.

  Procedure 2: The controlled UI2 of the other playback terminal performs login to the proxy 4, acquisition and display of the content WEB page, and callback registration based on the first script scr1, similarly to the controlled UI1.

  Procedure 3: The control UI of the operation terminal performs login to the proxy 4 and acquisition and display of the content WEB page and the control WEB page as in the case of the playback control.

  Procedure 4: The control UI requests the controlled UI1 to reproduce the content, as in the case of the reproduction control. In the present embodiment, it is possible to similarly request content playback from the controlled UI.

  Procedure 5: The controlled UI 1 calls the media player API in response to the control request, and requests the specified content from the WEB server 3 via the proxy.

  Procedure 6: The proxy 4 relays the content request to the WEB server 3.

  Procedure 7: The WEB server 3 transmits the requested content to the controlled UI 1 via a proxy.

  Procedure 8: The proxy relays the content to the controlled UI1.

  Step 9: The media player of the controlled UI1 receives and reproduces the content.

  Procedure 10: The controlled UI1 notifies the proxy 4 that the current state is being reproduced according to the second script scr2.

  Procedure 11: The proxy 4 notifies the control UI of a control WEB page update request including information that the state of the controlled UI1 is being reproduced.

  Step 12: The control UI updates the control WEB page in response to the update request. As a result, it is displayed on the control WEB page of the control UI that the controlled UI 1 is being played back.

  Step 13: The user requests to switch the playback terminal from the controlled UI1 to the controlled UI2 on the control UI.

  Procedure 14: The control UI notifies the proxy 4 of a playback terminal switching request.

  Procedure 15: The proxy 4 transmits a control request for stopping playback to the controlled UI1. This control request can be transmitted by the callback registration executed in the procedure 1 according to the first script scr1.

  Step 16: The controlled UI1 calls the API of the media player in response to the playback stop control request, and requests the WEB server 3 to stop sending the content via the proxy. Also, the playback position of the content is acquired using the API of the media player.

  Step 17: The WEB server 3 stops the content transmission in response to the content transmission stop request.

  Step 18: The controlled UI1 stops the content reproduction.

  Procedure 19: The controlled UI1 notifies the proxy 4 of the current state that the reproduction is stopped and the reproduction position of the content according to the second script scr2.

  Procedure 20: The proxy 4 notifies the control UI of a control WEB page update request including information that the state of the controlled UI1 is playback stopped and content playback position information.

  Step 21: The control UI updates the control WEB page in response to the update request. As a result, on the control WEB page of the control UI, playback of the controlled UI 1 is stopped and the playback position of the content are displayed.

  Procedure 22: The proxy 4 sends a control request instructing to play back the content played by the controlled UI1 from the playback position of the content notified from the controlled UI to the controlled UI2. This control request can be transmitted by the callback registration executed in the procedure 2 in accordance with the first script scr1.

  Step 23: The controlled UI 2 calls the API of the media player in response to the control request, and requests the WEB server 3 via the proxy to transmit the designated content from the designated reproduction position.

  Step 24: The proxy 4 relays the content request to the WEB server 3.

  Step 25: The WEB server 3 transmits the requested content from the requested reproduction position to the controlled UI 2 via a proxy.

  Procedure 26: The proxy 4 relays the content transmitted from the WEB server 3 to the controlled UI2.

  Step 27: The media player of the controlled UI2 plays the received content.

  Step 28: The controlled UI2 notifies the proxy 4 of information indicating that the current state is being reproduced according to the second script scr2.

  Procedure 29: The proxy 4 notifies the control UI of a control WEB page update request including information that the state of the controlled UI2 is playback stopped.

  Step 30: The control UI updates the control WEB page in response to the update request. As a result, it is displayed on the control WEB page of the control UI that the controlled UI 2 is being played back.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Playback terminal, 2 ... Operation terminal, 3 ... WEB browser, 4 ... Proxy WEB

Claims (6)

A content WEB page including a content playback player is acquired from the WEB server, displayed on the WEB browser of each user terminal for playback and operation, and from the WEB server in response to a user operation on the content WEB page of the operation terminal In a content playback control system that distributes content and performs streaming playback on the playback player,
A proxy server that relays HTTP communication between the WEB server and each user terminal;
The proxy server is
A means for relaying a content web page request transmitted from a playback terminal to a web server;
Means for embedding a script in the content web page sent from the web server and relaying it to the playback terminal;
Means for accepting a user operation for controlling the reproduction of content and providing a control WEB page for notifying the proxy server to the operation terminal ;
Means for notifying the operation terminal of the reproduction state of the content in the reproduction terminal notified from the reproduction terminal ,
The script is
A first script for enabling playback control of content in the playback terminal based on an instruction from the proxy;
Content reproduction control system according to claim second script and including things to notify the playback state of the content in the reproduction terminal to the proxy server. The script is
A third script for notifying the proxy server of the content selected in the user terminal;
The content reproduction control system according to claim 1, wherein the third script is embedded in a content WEB page relayed to at least one of the reproduction terminal and the operation terminal. Said control WEB pages, content playback control system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that accepting an user operation according to the switching request of the reproduction terminal. The proxy server includes an authentication function unit;
4. The content playback control according to claim 1, wherein the authentication function unit performs authentication based on whether or not each authentication ID of the playback terminal and the operation terminal has a predetermined relationship. system. In the proxy server that relays HTTP communication between the WEB server and the user terminal,
A means for relaying a content web page request transmitted from a playback terminal to a web server;
Means for embedding a script in the content web page sent from the web server and relaying it to the playback terminal;
Means for accepting a user operation for controlling the reproduction of content and providing a control WEB page for notifying the proxy server to the operation terminal ;
Means for notifying the operation terminal of the reproduction state of the content in the reproduction terminal notified from the reproduction terminal ,
The predetermined script is
A first script for instructing reproduction control of content in the reproduction terminal from the proxy server;
Proxy server, wherein the second script and including things to notify the playback state of the content in the reproduction terminal to the proxy server. The script is
A third script for notifying the proxy server of the content selected in the user terminal;
6. The proxy server according to claim 5, wherein the third script is embedded in a content WEB page relayed to at least one of the reproduction terminal and the operation terminal.

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