JPH0846718A - Multi-media system access system, access method and connection controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To monitor the number of access devices connected simultaneously without registering an address of a servicing device by connecting a service management node having a monitor means and the access device via a communication network and connecting a corresponding servicing device and the access device. CONSTITUTION:When the service from a servicing device 300 is started and finished, an access device 100 uses a 1st built-in connection means 132 to be connected to a service management node 200 via a communication network 500. Then a 2nd connection means 210 of a node 200 connects or disconnects the access request source device 100 to/from the corresponding service serving device 300 via a communication network based on an address of the servicing device 300. In this case, a count means 221 of a monitor means 220 of the node 200 counts up or counts down and an address of the service serving device is not registered in advance and the number of access devices 100 connected simultaneously is monitored.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multimedia system access method, an access method and a connection control device, and a multimedia system for monitoring a connection status of an access device connected to a service providing device via a communication network. The present invention relates to an access method, an access method, and a connection control device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a method for connecting a service providing apparatus connected to a communication network to provide a multimedia service and an access apparatus using the multimedia service, and an access to the service providing apparatus in the connection method As a method of monitoring the connection status of the device, there is the following method.

The conventional connection method is a connection method which enables one access device to use services of a plurality of service providing devices. The conventional connection method will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 12 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a conventional connection method. The system shown in the figure includes an access device 100 and a service management node 20 to which a monitor device 180 and a menu selection instruction device 190 are connected.
0, a plurality of service providing devices 300 and a communication network 500.

The communication network 500 is a communication network having a switching function for connecting the access device 100, the service management node 200, and the service providing device 300 to each other.

The access device 100 includes a service providing device menu selection software storage unit 120, a communication control unit 130,
It is composed of a compressed moving image information expansion unit 140, a digital moving image-NTSC code conversion unit 150, a menu selection control unit 160, and a service management node menu selection software storage unit 170.

[0006] The communication control unit 130 includes a service management node 200 and a service providing device 300 via the communication network 500.
In addition to exchanging information with each other, information is also exchanged with the compressed moving image information expansion section 140, the menu selection control section 160, the service providing device menu selection software storage section 120, and the service management node menu selection software storage section 170.

[0007] When the compressed moving picture information is input from the service management node 200 and the service providing apparatus 300 via the communication control section 130, the compressed moving picture information expanding section 140 expands the moving picture information to obtain a digital moving picture. The image information is converted and output to the digital moving image-NTSC code conversion unit 150.

Digital moving image-NTSC code conversion unit 15
0 is a monitor device by converting the digital movie information input from the compressed movie information expansion unit 140 and the screen of the menu selection software selected by the menu selection control unit 160 into NTSC system information that can be displayed on the monitor device 180. 1
Output to 80.

The service management node menu selection software storage unit 170 selects a service menu desired by the user from the service menu screen input from the service management node 200, and sends the selected service menu to the service management node 200. The software resident in the access device 100 that creates the service request is stored.

The service providing device menu selection software storage unit 120 includes a service providing device 300 and an access device 1.
00 is connected, the dedicated operation software used when using the service of the service providing apparatus 300 is stored. The software is the service providing device 3
00 via the communication control unit 130 or stored in the access device 100 in advance.

The menu selection control unit 160 appropriately reads out and activates the software stored in the service management node menu selection software storage unit 170 and the service providing apparatus menu selection software storage unit 120, and executes the activated software execution screen or communication. The information input from the control unit 130 should be output to the digital moving image-NTSC code conversion unit 150, the instruction selection information by the menu selection instruction device 190 should be interpreted and executed, and the information should be sent to the service management node 200 or the service providing device 300. Create information such as service requests.

The monitor device 180 is the access device 100.
This is a device for displaying information output from the digital moving image-NTSC code conversion unit 150.

The menu selection instructing device 190 is a mouse or remote controller for selecting information displayed on the screen of the monitor device 180 and giving an instruction.

Upon receiving the connection request from the access device 100, the service management node 200 transmits the service menu of the service providing device 300 managed by the service management device 200 to the access device 100, so that the access device 100 can access the service menu. When the user receives the service request resulting from the selection input based on the service menu, the service providing apparatus 300 based on the service request is identified, and the service providing apparatus 300 and the communication network 500 resulting from identifying the access apparatus 100 are identified. Connect with.

The service providing device 300 is connected to the access device 100 by the service management node 200,
A multimedia service is provided to the access device 100.

Further, as a method of monitoring the connection status of each service providing apparatus connected to the access apparatus by the above-mentioned conventional connection method, the in-network address of the service providing apparatus to be monitored is used to There is a method of monitoring the number of access devices connected to or disconnected from the service providing device 300. In general, the intra-network address of the service providing device to be monitored is registered in advance in a switch or the like in the communication network, and the access device 10 for accessing the intra-network address is registered.
Traffic monitoring is realized by monitoring the status of connection and disconnection of 0.

[0017]

However, in the traffic monitoring method in the above-mentioned conventional connection method, in order to monitor the number of access devices connected to each service providing device, the service providing device to be monitored in advance. However, there is a problem in that it is impossible to monitor the connection status of the access device to the service providing device which is not registered, because the in-network address must be registered in the exchange or the like.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and can monitor the number of access devices connected to a service providing device without registering the in-network address of the service providing device in a switch or the like. It is an object to provide a possible multimedia system access method, access method, and connection control device.

Further, there is provided a multimedia system access method, an access method, and a connection control device capable of limiting the connection between the access device and the service providing device based on the number of simultaneous connection of the access device for each service providing device. The purpose is to

[0020]

FIG. 1 shows a principle block diagram (1) of the present invention.

In the multimedia system access method of the present invention, at least one access device 100 that requests a service, at least one service providing device 300 that provides a multimedia service to the access device 100, and the access device 100 are serviced. A method of providing a multimedia service from the service providing apparatus 300 to the access apparatus 100 by connecting the service management node 200 connected to the service providing apparatus 300 based on the request with the communication network 500 has the following means.

First connection means for connecting from the access device 100 to the service management node 200 via the communication network 500 when the service of the service providing device 300 is used and when the use of the service of the service providing device 300 is finished. 132 and the address of the service providing apparatus 300 based on the service request of the access apparatus 100 connected to the service management node 200 by the first connecting unit 132, and identifies the service providing apparatus 300 and the access apparatus 100 having the identified address. Connected to the service providing device 300 according to the connection state of the service providing device 300 and the access device 100 by the second connecting device 210 connecting via the communication network 500, the first connecting device 132 and the second connecting device 210. 2 for monitoring the number of access devices 100 0 and a.

Further, the monitoring means 220 has a counting means 221 for counting the number of connected access devices 100 and the number of disconnected access devices 100 for each service providing device 300.

FIG. 2 shows the principle of the present invention.

In the multimedia system access method of the present invention, when a service request is issued from the access device 100, the service management node 200 connects to the service providing device 300 via the communication network 500 to connect to the service providing device 300. The multimedia system access method for performing bidirectional communication with the access device 100 has the following methods.

The access device 100 issues a connection request to the service management node 200 (step 1), and is connected to the service management node 200 via the communication network 500 (step 2).

When connected to the service management node 200, the access device 100 is connected to the service management node 200.
Then, the identification information for identifying the access device 100 from other access devices 100 is transmitted (step 3).

The service management node 200 judges whether the identification information received from the access device 100 is already stored in the own device 200 as the access device 100 connected to any of the service providing devices 300, and is stored. If it is determined that the condition is not satisfied, the process proceeds to step 7 (step 4).

If the service management node 200 determines in step 4 that the service management node 200 stores the service, the service providing device 3 stored in the own device 200 as being connected.
The number of connections of the access device 100 to 00 is reduced by 1 (step 5), and the storage of the identification information stored in the own device 200 as the access device 100 connected to the service providing device 300 is deleted (step 6). .

When it is determined that the service is not stored in step 4, and following step 6, the service management node 200 accesses the service menu provided by the service providing device 300, which is stored in advance in the device 200 itself. It is sent to the device 100 (step 7).

The access device 100 selects and inputs a desired service by the user of the access device 100 based on the service menu received from the service management node 200 (step 8), and manages the service request resulting from the selection and input. It is sent to the node 200 (step 9).

The service management node 200 identifies the in-network address of the service providing device 300 based on the service request received from the access device 100 (step 1
0), the access device 100 that made the service request,
The service providing apparatus 300 identified in step 10 is connected (step 11).

The service management node 200 determines the access device 100 and the service providing device 3 in step 11 above.
00, the identification information of the access device 100 connected to the service providing device 300 in step 11 is stored as the access device 100 connected to the service providing device 300 identified in step 10 (step 12). ), The number of connections of the access device 100 to the service providing device 300 identified in step 10 is increased by 1 (step 13).

FIG. 3 shows a principle block diagram (2) of the present invention.

The multimedia system connection control device 400 of the present invention uses the above-mentioned multimedia system access method, and the number of access devices 100 connected to each service providing device 300 of the monitoring result of the monitoring means 220 is predetermined. Connection control means 41 for restricting the connection between the service providing device 300 and the access device 100 larger than the value of
Has zero.

[0036]

According to the present invention, the access device has a function of connecting to the service management node when starting the use of the service of the service providing device and after ending the use of the service, thereby connecting the access device and the service providing device,
It becomes possible to monitor the disconnection status.

Further, since it becomes possible to monitor the connection / disconnection status between the access device and the service providing device, the service can be provided without registering the in-network address of the monitored service providing device in the exchange or the like. It is possible to monitor the number of access devices connected to each device.

Further, since it becomes possible to monitor the number of access devices connected to each service providing device, the connection between the access device and the service providing device based on the simultaneous connection number of access devices for each service providing device. Can be restricted.

[0039]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 shows a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. In the multimedia system access method shown in the figure, a plurality of access devices 100, a service management node 200, and a plurality of service providing devices 300 are used as a communication network 5.
It is configured by connecting with 00.

The communication network 500 is a high-speed communication network having an exchange function capable of transferring multimedia information such as moving images.

The access device 100 is connected to the service management node 200 via the communication network 500, is connected to the desired service providing device 300 by sending a service request to the service management node 200, and receives a service. It is a device.

The service management node 200 connects to the access device 100 via the communication network 500 according to the connection request issued by the access device 100, and based on the service request issued by the access device 100, the service management node 200 and the service. This is a device that connects with the providing device 300 and monitors the number of simultaneous connections of the access devices 100 connected to each service providing device 300 at the time of connection.

The configuration of the access device 100 will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an access device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Access device 10 shown in FIG.
0 is a device number storage unit 110, an address storage unit 115,
The service providing device menu selection software storage unit 120, the communication control unit 130, the compressed video information expansion unit 140, the digital video-NTSC code conversion unit 150, the menu selection control unit 160, the service management node menu selection software storage unit 170, It has a monitor device 180 capable of displaying video information of an NTSC signal externally, and a menu selection instruction device 190 for selecting and instructing menu information and the like displayed on the monitor device 180.

The device number storage unit 110 stores an access device number such as "1111" as identification information for identifying the access device 100 from other access devices 100.

The address storage unit 115 stores a number such as "81333500000" as an in-network address in the communication network 500 of the service management node 200.

The communication control unit 130 has the service management node 200 and the service providing apparatus 10 via the communication network 500.
Exchange information with 0. Below, the communication control unit 1
The configuration of 30 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the communication control unit of the access device according to the embodiment of the present invention. The communication control unit 130 shown in the figure includes a communication unit 131 and a first connection unit 132.

Based on the instruction from the first connection unit 132, the communication unit 131 connects the service management node via the communication network 500 when the access device 100 is powered on and after the connection with the service providing device 300 is cut off. 200, and exchanges information with the service management node 200 and the service providing apparatus 300 via the communication network 500. In addition, the communication unit 131 uses the information input via the communication network 500 based on the information, the service providing device menu selection software storage unit 120, the compressed moving image information expansion unit 140, the menu selection control unit 160, the service management node menu. The information is output to the selection software storage unit 170 and the information input from the menu selection control unit 160 is sent to the service management node 200 and the service providing apparatus 300 via the communication network 500. Further, after connecting to the service management node 200, the access device number of the own device 100 is extracted from the device number storage unit 110 and sent to the service management node 200.

The first connection unit 132 is connected to the access device 10.
0 when the power is turned on and after the connection with the service providing apparatus 300 is cut off, the in-network address of the service management node 200 stored in the address storage unit 115 is taken out,
The communication unit 131 is instructed to connect to the service management node 200 having the fetched in-network address.

The compressed moving image information expansion unit 140 expands the compressed moving image information input from the service management node 200 and the service providing apparatus 300 via the communication control unit 130 to expand the digital moving image-NTSC code conversion unit 15.
Output to 0.

Digital moving image-NTSC code conversion unit 15
0 converts the digital moving image information input from the compressed moving image information expansion unit 140 and the screen of the menu selection software selected and activated by the menu selection control unit 160 into NTSC system information that can be displayed on the monitor device 180. Output to the monitor device 180.

The service management node menu selection software storage unit 170 stores a desired service by the user using the menu selection instruction device 190 based on the service menu screen as shown in FIG. 7 input from the service management node 200. It is software resident in the access device 100 that selects a menu and creates a service request to be sent to the service management node 200 based on the selection result.

The service providing device menu selection software storage unit 120 includes the service providing device 300 and the access device 1.
00 is connected, software for selecting information transmitted from the service providing apparatus 300 using the menu selection instructing apparatus 190 and creating information to be sent to the service providing apparatus 300 from the selected result. Further, a plurality of pieces of software are stored according to the service providing apparatus 300, and the software is appropriately selected and activated according to the connected service providing apparatus 300. Further, the software may be input from the service providing apparatus 300 connected via the communication control unit 130.

When connected to the service management node 200, the menu selection control unit 160 reads out and activates the software stored in the service management node menu selection software storage unit 170. When the service providing apparatus 300 is connected, the connected service providing apparatus 3
00, the software stored in the service providing device menu selection software storage unit 120 is read as appropriate,
to start. In addition, information input from the execution screen of the activated software or the communication control unit 130 is displayed on the digital moving image-N.
The information such as a service request to be output to the TSC code conversion unit 150, the menu selection instruction device 190 interprets and executes the instruction selection information based on the activated software, and sends the information to the service management node 200 or the service providing device 300. It is created and output to the communication control unit 130.

Next, the configuration of the service management node 200 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 8 shows a configuration diagram of a service management node according to an embodiment of the present invention. The service management node 200 shown in the figure includes a second connection unit 210 and a monitoring unit 220.
It consists of.

The second connection unit 210 comprises a service providing device service menu storage unit 211, a service providing device address storage unit 212, a communication control unit 213, and a designated service providing device identifying unit 214.

The service providing device service menu storage unit 211 stores a service menu provided by at least one service providing device 300 managed by the service management node 200. It is possible to store not only text and still images, but also service menus such as voice and moving images.

Service providing device address storage unit 212
Stores the address in the communication network 500 of the service providing apparatus 300 managed by the service management node 200.

The communication control unit 213 exchanges information with the access device 100 via the communication network 500 and, after connecting to the access device 100, services stored in the service providing device service menu storage unit 211. The menu is taken out and transmitted to the access device 100. When the access device number is received from the access device 100, the received access device number is monitored by the monitoring unit 220.
Output to. When a service request based on the service menu transmitted to the access device 100 is received from the access device 100, the received service request is designated in order to identify the service providing device 300 corresponding to the service request. Output to the section 214. Further, when the in-network address of the service providing apparatus 300 is input from the designated service providing apparatus identifying unit 214,
An instruction for connecting the access device 100 connected to the own device 200 to the service providing device 300 having the in-network address is transmitted to the communication network 500, and the monitoring unit 220 connects the access device 100 to the service providing device 300. Notify the service providing device number.

When the service request transmitted by the access device 100 is input from the communication control unit 213, the designated service providing device identifying unit 214 identifies the service providing device 300 that provides the service corresponding to the service request,
The identified address of the service providing apparatus 300 in the communication network 500 is retrieved from the service providing apparatus address storage unit 212 and output to the communication control unit 213.

The monitoring unit 220 comprises a counting processing unit 221, an access device number storage unit 222, and a counting unit 223.

The access device number storage unit 222 stores all the access devices 10 connected to each service providing device 300.
The storage unit stores 0 as the access device number of the access device 100. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the access device number storage unit of the service management node according to the embodiment of the present invention. The access device number storage unit 222 shown in FIG.
For each service providing device 300, the service providing device 300
And the access device number of the access device 100 that is currently connected to the service providing device 300 having the service providing device number. In the example of the figure, the service providing apparatus number is "7000.
The access device 100 connected to the service providing device 300 of “1” indicates that the access device numbers are “1111”, “2222”, ...

The counting unit 223 is used by the service providing device 300.
It is a storage unit that stores the number of access devices 100 that are simultaneously connected for each. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the counting unit of the service management node according to the embodiment of this invention. The counting unit 223 shown in the figure stores, for each service providing apparatus 300, a service providing apparatus number and the number of access apparatuses 100 connected to the service providing apparatus 300 having the service providing apparatus number. In the example of the figure, the service providing device number,
The number of access devices 100 connected to the service providing device 300 of “70001” is “418”, and the number of access devices 100 connected to the service providing device 300 of “70002” is “1950”. ".

When the access device number sent by the access device 100 is input from the communication control unit 213, the counting processing unit 221 determines whether or not the access device number is stored in the access device number storage unit 222. To do. The access device number is the access device number storage unit 222.
Stored in the access device number storage unit 2
The service providing apparatus 300 being connected at 22 is identified, and the identified service providing apparatus 3 of the counting unit 223 is identified.
The number of simultaneous connections of 00 is reduced by 1, and the access device number is deleted from the access device number storage unit 222. Also,
When the service providing apparatus number of the service providing apparatus 300 to which the access apparatus 100 is connected is input from the communication control unit 213, the access apparatus 100 connected to the service providing apparatus number of the access apparatus number storage unit 222 is
The access device number of the access device 100 is stored, and the number of simultaneous connections of the service providing device number of the counting unit 223 is increased by one.

The operation of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The operation of the embodiment of the present invention is the same as the operation of the sequence chart shown in FIG. 2, and therefore will be described in detail with reference to the figure.

(Step 1) When the power of the access device 100 is turned on, the first connection unit 132 retrieves the address of the service management node 200 from the address storage unit 115, and the service administration node of the address retrieved via the communication unit 131. Issue a connection request to 200.

(Step 2) Service management node 20
The communication control unit 213 of 0 receives the connection request of the access device 100, and the service management node 200 and the access device 100 are connected.

(Step 3) The menu selection control unit 160 of the access device 100 retrieves the menu selection software from the service management node menu selection software storage unit 170 and activates it, while the communication unit 131 of the access device 100 manages the service management. When connected to the node 200, the access device number is fetched from the device number storage unit 110 and sent to the service management node 200.

(Step 4) Service management node 20
The count processing unit 221 of 0 receives the access device number transmitted from the access device 100 via the communication control unit 213, and the access device number is the access device number storage unit 2
It is checked whether or not it is stored in No. 22, and if it is not stored, the process proceeds to Step 7.

(Step 5) Service Management Node 20
The counting processing unit 221 of 0 is the access device number storage unit 22.
The service providing device number corresponding to the access device number stored in 2 is identified, and the number of simultaneous connections of the identified service providing device number in the counting unit 223 is decremented by 1.

(Step 6) Service Management Node 20
The counting processing unit 221 of 0 is the access device number storage unit 22.
The access device number received in step 4 above from 2 is deleted.

(Step 7) If the access device number is not stored in the access device number storage unit 222 in the above Step 4, and following the above Step 6, the communication control unit 213 of the service management node 200 causes the service providing node The service menu is retrieved from the service menu storage unit 211 and sent to the access device 100.

(Step 8) The communication unit 131 of the access device 100 outputs the compressed moving image information expansion unit 140 or the menu selection control unit 160 according to the service menu received from the service management node 200. Then, the software started in step 3 creates a service request based on the service selected from the service menu by the user using the menu selection instructing device 190.

(Step 9) The menu selection control unit 160 of the access device 100 sends the service request created in the above Step 8 to the service management node 200 via the communication unit 131.

(Step 10) Service Management Node 2
The designated service providing apparatus identifying unit 214 of 00 sets the service providing apparatus number and address of the service providing apparatus 300 based on the service request input from the access apparatus 100 via the communication control unit 213, and the service providing apparatus address storage unit 212. Search for and get.

(Step 11) Service Management Node 2
The communication control unit 213 of 00 instructs the communication network 500 to connect the access device 100 and the service providing device 300 of the address based on the address input from the designated service providing device identifying unit 214, and the access device 1
00 and the service providing apparatus 300 are connected.

(Step 12) Service management node 2
The count processing unit 221 of 00 receives the service providing device number of the service providing device 300 from the communication control unit 213, and accesses the access device storage unit 222 during connection with the service providing device having the received service providing device number. The device 100 stores the access device number received in step 4 above.

(Step 13) Service management node 2
The count processing unit 221 of 00 increases the number of simultaneous connections in the counting unit 223 with the service providing apparatus 300 having the service providing apparatus number received in step 12 by 1.

A specific example of the above embodiment will be described below. It is assumed that there is no information stored in the counting unit 223 and the access device number storage unit 222 of the service management node, and the service management node 200 changes the access device 100.
7 is transmitted as a compressed moving image. In the following description, the access device 100 ₁ selects “A company VOD” in the service menu to select the A company service providing device 300 ₁ , and then “B” in the service menu.
Company video service ”to select Company B service providing device 3
00 ₃ is connected. Access device 100 ₁
The state of each storage unit of the service management node 200 is shown in FIG.
As shown in 1.

When the power of the access device 100 ₁ is turned on, the first connection unit 132 stores the address of the service management node 200, “8133350,” from the address storage unit 115.
"0000" is taken out, and a connection request is issued to the service management node 200 of the address taken out through the communication unit 131 (step 1).

Communication control unit 2 of service management node 200
13 receives the connection request of the access device 100 ₁ ,
The service management node 200 and the access device 100 ₁ are connected (step 2).

When the access device 100 ₁ is connected to the service management node 200, the menu selection control unit 160 retrieves the menu selection software from the service management node menu selection software storage unit 170 and activates it. The access device number “1111” is retrieved from the device number storage unit 110 and sent to the service management node 200 (step 3).

Count processing unit 2 of service management node 200
21 is an access device 100 via the communication control unit 213.
_The access device number "1111" sent by ₁ is received, and the access device number concerned is the access device number storage unit 2
If it is not stored (step 4, NO), the communication control unit 213 of the service management node 200 stores the service menu in the service providing device service menu storage unit 211 (FIG. 7). Is taken out and sent to the access device 100 ₁ (step 7).

The communication section 131 of the access device 100 ₁ is
The received service menu (FIG. 7) is output to the compressed moving image information expansion unit 140 to be expanded and displayed on the monitor device 180 via the digital moving image-NTSC code conversion unit 150. Then, the user creates a service request for "A company VOD" as the information selected by the user from the service menu displayed on the monitor 180 using the menu selection instructing device 190 (step 8).

The menu selection control unit 160 of the access device 100 ₁ sends the service request created in step 8 to the service management node 200 via the communication unit 131 (step 9).

The designated service providing device identification unit 214 of the service management node 200 searches the service providing device address storage unit 212 based on the service request input from the access device 100 ₁ via the communication control unit 213 and provides the service. Service providing device number of device 300 ₁ ,
"70001" and address, "81333317000
1 ”is acquired (step 10).

Communication control unit 2 of service management node 200
13 is based on the address “813333170001” input from the designated service providing device identification unit 214,
Instructing the communication network 500 to connect the access device 100 ₁ and the service providing device 300 _{1 of the} address,
The access device 100 ₁ and the service providing device 300 ₁ are connected (step 11).

Count processing unit 2 of service management node 200
Reference numeral 21 denotes the service providing apparatus 300 from the communication control unit 213.
₁ of the service providing device ID, receives the "70001", in the access device storage section 222, the received service providing device ID, the access device 100 in connection with the service providing apparatus 300 ₁ of "70001", the step The access device number “1111” of the access device 100 ₁ received in step 4 is stored (step 12).

Count processing unit 2 of service management node 200
21 increments the number of simultaneous connections (CNT ₁ = 0) with the service providing apparatus number “70001” received in step 12 to the service providing apparatus 300 ₁ in the counting unit 223 by 1 (CNT ₁ = CNT). ₁ + 1) and "1".

Through the series of processes from step 1 to step 12, the service providing device number "7000" is stored in the access device number storage section 222 of the service management node 200.
As the access device 100 in connection to the service providing apparatus 300 ₁ of 1 ", the access apparatus 100 ₁ of the access device number" 1111 ", also counting unit 223 the service providing apparatus of the service providing apparatus number" 70001 "300
_The number of simultaneous connections (CNT ₁ ) of the access device 100 to 1 is stored as “1”.

Next, the processing after the access device 100 ₁ connected in the above step 11 terminates the use of the service of the service providing device 300 ₁ and disconnects the connection will be described.

First connection unit 13 of access device 100 ₁
2 is disconnected from the service management node 20 from the address storage unit 115 when the connection with the service providing apparatus 300 ₁ is disconnected.
The address of 0, “813350900000” is taken out, and a connection request is issued to the service management node 200 of the address taken out via the communication unit 131 (step 1).

Communication control unit 2 of service management node 200
13 receives the connection request of the access device 100 ₁ ,
The service management node 200 and the access device 100 ₁ are connected (step 2).

When the access device 100 ₁ is connected to the service management node 200, the menu selection control unit 160 causes the service management node menu selection software storage unit 17 to operate.
The menu selection software is extracted from 0 and activated, and at the same time, the communication unit 131 extracts the access device number “1111” from the device number storage unit 110 and sends it to the service management node 200 (step 3).

Count processing unit 2 of service management node 200
21 is an access device 100 via the communication control unit 213.
_The access device number "1111" sent by ₁ is received, and the access device number concerned is the access device number storage unit 2
If it is stored in the access device number storage unit 222, it is stored (step 4, YES).
The service providing device number corresponding to “1111”, “70
"001", and the number of simultaneous connections (CNT ₁ = 1) of the identified service providing device number in the counting unit 223 is decremented by 1 (CNT ₁ = CNT ₁ -1) to become "0" (step 5). ).

Count processing unit 2 of service management node 200
21 deletes the access device number "1111" received in step 4 from the access device number storage unit 222 (step 6).

Communication control unit 2 of service management node 200
13 is a service providing device service menu storage unit 21.
The service menu (FIG. 7) is fetched from ₁ and sent to the access device 100 ₁ (step 7).

The communication unit 131 of the access device 100 ₁ is
The received service menu (FIG. 7) is displayed on the monitor device 180 via the compressed moving image information expansion unit and the digital moving image-NTSC code conversion unit 150. Then, the user creates a service request for "B company video game" selected from the service menu displayed on the monitor device 180 by the menu selection instructing device 190 (step 8).

The menu selection control section 160 of the access device 100 ₁ sends the service request created in the above step 8 to the service management node 200 via the communication section 131 (step 9).

The designated service providing device identification unit 214 of the service management node 200 searches the service providing device address storage unit 212 based on the service request input from the access device 100 ₁ via the communication control unit 213 and provides the service. Service providing device number of device 300 ₃ ,
"70003" and address, "81333317000
3 ”is acquired (step 10).

Communication control unit 2 of service management node 200
13 instructs the communication network 500 to connect the access device 100 ₁ to the service providing device 300 ₃ of the address “81333170003” input from the designated service providing device identifying unit 214. (Step 11).

Communication control unit 2 of service management node 200
13 is the access device 100 _{1 according} to the above step 11.
And the service providing apparatus 300 ₃ are connected, the service providing apparatus number of the service providing apparatus 300 ₃ , “70003” is sent to the counting processing unit 221. Count processing unit 22
1 is the service providing device number received from the communication control unit 213, which is the access device 100 connected to the service providing device 300 ₃ of “70003”.
The access device number of 0 ₁ , “1111” is stored in the access device storage unit 222 (step 12).

Count processing unit 2 of service management node 200
21 increments the number of simultaneous connections (CNT ₃ = 0) with the service providing apparatus number “70003” received in step 12 to the service providing apparatus 300 ₃ in the counting unit 223 by 1 (CNT ₃ = CNT). ₃ +1) and "1".

Through the series of processes from step 1 to step 12, the service providing device number "7000" is stored in the access device number storage section 222 of the service management node 200.
As the access device 100 in connection to the service providing apparatus 300 ₃ 3 ', the access device number stores an access device 100 ₁ of "1111", also counting unit 223 the service providing apparatus of the service providing apparatus number "70003" The number of simultaneous connections (CNT ₃ ) of the access device 100 connected to 300 ₃ is stored as “1”.

In the above embodiment, if the access device 100 does not wish to connect to the service providing device 300 after connecting to the service managing node 200, the service menu transmitted from the service managing node 200 in step 7 is selected. Instead of selecting, it is possible to terminate the connection with the service management node 200 by giving a termination instruction to the software started in step 3 above.

According to the above-described embodiment, the service management node 200 can not only monitor the number of access devices 100 connected to each service providing device 300 by the counting unit 223, but can also monitor each service providing device 300. It is also possible to identify all the connected access devices 100 by referring to the access device number storage unit 222.
As a result, the service management node 200 monitors the unauthorized connection status such that a plurality of access device numbers of the same access device 100 are simultaneously registered in the access device number storage unit 222, so that the service providing device of the access device 100 is monitored. It is possible to find an unauthorized connection to the 300.

In the above embodiment, the service providing device number, the access device number, the address of the service providing device 300, and the address of the service management node 200 are treated as numbers, but it is also possible to use letters and symbols. It is not limited.

Also. In the above embodiment, an example in which one access device 100 ₁ connects to the service providing devices 300 ₁ and 300 ₃ to use the service has been described. However, the access device 100 ₁ other than the access device 100 ₁ shown in FIG. It is possible to use various service providing devices 300 at the same time,
The service management node 200 includes a plurality of service providing devices 3
It is possible to count the number of the plurality of connected access devices 100 for each 00.

Next, an example of a multimedia system connection control device will be described as another embodiment of the present invention. The multimedia system connection control device described below applies the multimedia system connection control device to the above embodiment. In the following embodiment, the service management node 200 having the configuration shown in FIG. 4 further has the multimedia system connection control device 400 shown in FIG.

Multimedia system connection control device 40
0 is the access device 100 in step 10 of the above embodiment.
Service providing apparatus 300 that provides the service requested by
When the number of access devices 100 simultaneously connected to the service providing device 300 identified at that time is checked by referring to the counting unit 223 of the monitoring unit 220 when the number is identified, if the number is larger than a preset number, Is the above step 11
Is a device that sends a message indicating that the service providing device 300 is crowded to the access device 100 without making the connection.

According to the multimedia system connection control device 400, when the access device 100 connects to the service management node 200 and issues a service request,
Of the service providing apparatus 300 based on the service request,
Since it is possible to recognize the number of simultaneous connections of the access device 100 at that time, it is possible to prevent the access device 100 from further connecting to the service providing device 300 which is congested with many access devices 100. Is possible.

In general, since a large load is applied to the service providing apparatus 300 to which many access apparatuses 100 are connected, the connection with the access apparatus 100 and the responsiveness to the access apparatus 100 after the connection are large. May fall to. When the access apparatus 100 is further connected to the service providing apparatus 300 to which many access apparatuses 100 are already connected, it takes a lot of time to transmit a screen from the service providing apparatus 300 to the access apparatus 100, which is quite difficult. A user of the access device 100 whose screen is not displayed may repeatedly try to connect to the service providing device 300, resulting in an unfavorable state. However, according to the above-described embodiment, if the number of connection restrictions is determined in advance for each service providing apparatus 300, it is possible to prevent the access apparatus 100 from connecting beyond the number.

[0113]

As described above, according to the present invention, the access device connected to each service providing device can be connected without registering the intra-network address of the service providing device which is going to monitor the traffic in the exchange or the like. The number can be monitored in real time, and the connected access device can be uniquely identified for each service providing device.

Further, by monitoring the number of access devices simultaneously connected for each service providing device, it becomes possible to limit the connection between the access device and the service providing device based on the number of simultaneous connections.

Further, with the above effects, it is possible to detect or prevent an unauthorized connection such as an overlapping connection between the service providing device and the access device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle configuration diagram (1) of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a principle configuration diagram (2) of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of an access device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a communication control unit of the access device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a service menu screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a service management node according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of an access device number storage unit of a service management node according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a counting unit of a service management node according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a storage example of a storage unit of an access device and a service management node according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a conventional connection method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 access device 110 device number storage unit 115 address storage unit 120 service providing device menu selection software storage unit 130 communication control unit 131 communication unit 132 first connection means, first connection unit 140 compressed video information expansion unit 150 digital video- NTSC code conversion unit 160 Menu selection control unit 170 Service management node Menu selection software storage unit 180 Monitor device 190 Menu selection instruction device 200 Service management node 210 Second connection means, second connection unit 211 Service provision device menu storage unit 212 Service providing device address storage unit 213 Communication control unit 214 Designated service providing device identifying unit 220 Monitoring unit, monitoring unit 221, counting unit, counting processing unit 222 access device number storage unit 223 counting unit 300 service providing device 400 multimedia system connection control device 410 connection controller 500 communication network

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. At least one access device making a service request, at least one service providing device providing a multimedia service to the access device, and connecting the access device to the service providing device based on the service request. In a multimedia system access method in which a service management node is connected to a communication network to provide a multimedia service from the service providing apparatus to the access apparatus, when using the service of the service providing apparatus and First connection means for connecting from the access device to the service management node via the communication network when the use of the service is terminated, and the access connected to the service management node by the first connection means Address of the service providing device based on the service request of the device Second connection means for identifying and connecting the service providing apparatus having the identified address and the access apparatus via the communication network, and the service providing apparatus by the first connecting means and the second connecting means A multimedia system access method comprising: a monitoring unit that monitors the number of access devices connected to each service providing device according to a connection state between the access device and the access device. 2. The multimedia system access according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit has a counting unit that counts the number of connected access devices and the number of disconnected access devices for each service providing device. method. 3. When a service request is issued from the access device, the service management node connects to the service providing device via a communication network, and bidirectional communication is performed between the service providing device and the access device. In the multimedia system access method, the access device sends a connection request to the service providing device together with identification information of the device itself to the service management node, and the service management node receives the identification information to provide the service. If it is stored as the access device being connected to the device, and if it is stored, the number of connections of the access device to the service providing device stored as being connected is 1 When it is determined that it is not stored as well as when it is stored After deleting the identification information, the service management node sends a service menu provided by the service providing device to the access device, and the service request selectively input from the access device based on the service menu is sent to the service management node. Sending out, the service management node identifies the address of the service providing apparatus based on the service request received from the access apparatus, connects the service providing apparatus and the access apparatus that issued the service request, and A method for accessing a multimedia system, characterized in that the identification information of the access device connected to the service providing device is stored, and the number of connections of the access device to the service providing device at the identified address is increased by one. . 4. The service using the multimedia system access method according to claim 2, wherein the number of access devices connected to each service providing device of the monitoring result of the monitoring means is larger than a predetermined value. A multimedia system connection control device comprising connection control means for restricting connection between a providing device and the access device.