JPH0923416A - Video data output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve convenience for a user by notifying a terminal equipment whose request of video data is refused of waiting time. SOLUTION: A video data output device 11 is provided with a data management means 22 managing data which is stored in a data storage means 21. A data extraction means 23 sequentially takes out video data which is requested with equipment 41, and a communication means 25 outputs the video data to a network 31 in accordance with the instruction of a communication control means 26 and supplies it to the terminal equipment 41. A terminal equipment management means 27 manages the number of the terminal equipments 41 supplying video data, and a the calculation means 28 calculates the remaining time of the service of the respective terminal equipments in the middle of video data supply. When the request of video data is given from the other terminal equipment 41 while service is supplied to the maximum number of the terminal equipments, to which service can be supplied, a time notifying means 29 notifies the terminal equipment 41 requesting video data of time when the supply of video data terminates at first as waiting time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for supplying video data to a plurality of terminal devices, and when video data is requested from more than the number of terminal devices capable of supplying the video data. The present invention relates to a video data output device capable of improving services for the terminal device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional video data output device is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-269995. Hereinafter, a conventional example will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a system including a conventional video data output device. In FIG. 4, 131 is a video data output device for supplying video data, 141 is a data storage means for storing video data, 142 is a data management means for managing the data of the data storage means 141, and 143 is a data management means 1.
The data extracting means 145 retrieves the data from the data storing means 141 in accordance with the instruction of 42 at a suitable time.
Communication means for receiving data from 43 and transmitting data to the network 151, 146 for communication control means for controlling communication of the network 151, 161 for a plurality of terminal devices, 1
Reference numeral 45 is a terminal device control means for judging a request for each terminal device 161.

With such a configuration, the video data output device 131 supplies the video data to the plurality of terminal devices 161 via the network 151.

[0004]

However, in the above configuration, the number of terminal devices that can supply the video data is limited in one data output device, and when a certain terminal device 161 requests the video data. If the service to the maximum number of terminal devices capable of supplying the video data has already been executed, the terminal device 161 only rejects the request for the video data, and the service to the terminal device 161 is considered. It had the problem of not having it.

The present invention solves the above problem, and when a request for video data is made from another terminal device while the service is already being executed to the maximum number of terminal devices to which the video data can be supplied, the video data is supplied. It is intended to provide a video data output device that notifies the waiting time until the service is enabled or supplies the same or other video data from another video data output device connected to the network. .

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a terminal device management means for managing the number of terminal devices supplying video data and a terminal device supplying video data. It is provided with a calculating means for calculating the remaining time of the service and a time notifying means for notifying the terminal device of the remaining time.

Alternatively, during execution of a video data supply service to the maximum number of terminal devices capable of supplying video data, a time loss occurs from the terminal device which is currently supplying video data. It is provided with a terminal device control monitoring means for giving a limitation to stop the special function including the return reproduction. Alternatively, a plurality of video data output devices are connected to the network, and a message notification means for notifying other video data output devices of a request for supply of video data is provided.

[0008]

According to the present invention, the terminal device management means manages the number of terminal devices that are executing a service, and the video data output device supplies video data to the maximum number of terminal devices that can supply the video data. When a request for data is received from another terminal device during this period, the time calculating means calculates the time when the service to the terminal device which is supplying the video data ends, and the time notifying means for the terminal device whose service ends first. Notify the time.

In addition, while the video data output device is executing the video data supply service to the maximum number of terminal devices capable of supplying the video data, the time for pause, rewind reproduction, etc. from those terminal devices in service can be reduced. When there is a control request that causes a loss, the terminal device control monitoring means discards those requests. Also, when a video data output device receives a data request from another terminal device while supplying the video data to the maximum number of terminal devices that can supply the video data, it connects to the network using the message notification means. The other video data output device is notified that the video data cannot be supplied. Upon receiving the notification, the video data output device supplies the video data such as the digest version of the program to the terminal device that has requested the video data.

[0010]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a system including a video data output device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the video data output device 11 supplies video data to a plurality of terminal devices 41 via a network 31.

In the video data output device 11, the data storage means 21 stores a plurality of video data. The data management means 22 manages the video data in the data storage means 21. The data extracting unit 23 extracts the video data from the data storage unit 21 and transfers the video data to the communication unit 25. The communication unit 25 is controlled by the communication control unit 26, outputs the video data on the network 31, and communicates with the terminal device 41. The terminal device control means 24 determines the request from the terminal device 41. The terminal device management means 27 manages the number of terminal devices in service of the video data. The time calculation means 28 calculates the time until the service of the video data for the terminal device managed by the terminal device management means 27 is completed. The time notification means notifies the terminal device of the minimum time calculated by the time calculation means 28.

The operation of the video data output device of the present embodiment having the above-described structure will be described below. When the terminal device 41 requests the video data to the video data output device 11 via the network 31, the communication means 25 receives the communication data, and the communication control means 26 passes the data to the terminal device control means 24. Terminal device control means 24
Then, the request is judged for each terminal and the video data is requested to the data management means 22. The data management unit 22 manages information such as the file name of the program, the data capacity, and the read speed of the program stored in the data storage unit, as shown in (Table 1), and the data extraction unit 23 extracts the requested data. Instruct.

[0013]

[Table 1]

The data extracting means 23 is the data managing means 2
The data instructed by 2 is taken out at a proper time and the data is passed to the communication means 25. The communication unit 25 outputs the video data on the network 31 according to the instruction of the communication control unit 26.
However, the number of terminal devices 41 that can provide video data with one video data output device 11 is limited. The terminal device management means 27 manages the number of terminal devices capable of supplying the video data, the files read by the terminal device, and the capacity of the remaining data. When receiving a request for video data from the terminal devices 41 exceeding the number of terminal devices capable of supplying the video data, the time calculating means 28, for example, as shown in (Table 2), ends the service of the terminal device supplying the video data. The time notification means 29 calculates the remaining time of the service to the terminal device 41 at which the video data supply service ends at the earliest, and notifies the terminal device 41 of the remaining time data.

[0015]

[Table 2]

In the case of the present embodiment, as shown in (Table 2), since the terminal device 2 finishes first, the waiting time is 46
The second is notified to the requesting terminal device 41. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the terminal device management means 27 manages the number of terminals that are executing the service, and while supplying video data to the maximum number of serviceable terminal devices, another terminal device 41 When the data request is received, the time calculating means 28 calculates the shortest time when the service to the terminal device which is supplying the video data is finished, and the time notifying means 29 notifies the requesting terminal device 41 of the waiting time. Therefore, the service can be improved.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system including a video data output device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, a video data output device 51 supplies video data to a plurality of terminal devices 81 via a network 71. In the video data output device 51, the data storage means 61 stores a plurality of video data. The data management means 62 manages the video data in the data storage means 61. The data extraction unit 63 extracts the video data from the data storage unit 61 and passes the video data to the communication unit 65. The communication unit 65 is controlled by the communication control unit 66, outputs the video data on the network 71, and communicates with the terminal device 81. The terminal device control means 64 judges the request from the terminal device 81, and the terminal device control monitoring means 6a
Monitor the execution of the request. The terminal device management means 67
It manages the number of terminal devices in service of video data. The time calculation means 68 calculates the time until the service of the video data for the terminal device managed by the terminal device management means 67 is completed. The time notification means notifies the terminal device of the minimum time calculated by the time calculation means 68.

The operation of the video data output device of this embodiment having the above-described structure will be described below. When the terminal device 81 which waits for the supply of the video data occurs, the terminal device control and monitoring means 6a gives priority to the end of the service of the video data supply, and therefore the terminal device 8 which is supplying the video data.
The special reproduction (special function) request that causes a time loss such as pause and rewind reproduction from 1 is prohibited.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in addition to the effect of the first embodiment, the time from the terminal device in service is being executed while the supply service is being executed to the maximum number of terminal devices capable of supplying video data. When there is a control request that causes a loss, the terminal device control monitoring means 6a discards those requests, and therefore the waiting time to the terminal device 81 waiting for the service is not extended, so that the service can be improved.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system including a video data output device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, video data output device 91 and video data output device 9
2. The video data output device 93 is connected to the network 111 and supplies video data to the plurality of terminal devices 121. In the video data output device 91, the data storage means 101 stores a plurality of video data. The data management means 102 manages the video data in the data storage means 101. The data extracting means 103 is the data storing means 1
The video data is extracted from 01 and passed to the communication means 105. The communication unit 105 is controlled by the communication control unit 106, outputs the video data on the network 111, and communicates with the terminal device 121. Terminal device control means 1
04 determines the request from the terminal device 121, and the terminal device control monitoring means 10a monitors the execution of the request. The terminal device management means 107 manages the number of terminal devices in service of video data. The time calculation means 108
The time is calculated until the service of the video data for the terminal device managed by the terminal device management means 107 is completed. The time notification means notifies the terminal device of the minimum time calculated by the time calculation means 108. Message notification means 10
b notifies the other video data output device connected via the network 111 of the message. Temporary supply instruction means 1
0c temporarily instructs the data management means 102 to supply video data.

The configuration of the video data output devices 92 and 93 is the same as that of the video data output device 91. The operation of the video data output device of this embodiment having the above configuration will be described below. Video data output device 91
Receives a request for video data from the terminal devices 121 exceeding the number of terminal devices capable of supplying the video data, the message notifying means 10b is used to send another video data output device 92 or video data output device 93 connected to the network 111. Notify that supply is not possible. The video data output device 92 or the video data output device 9 that received the notification
3, the temporary supply instruction means 10c instructs the data management means 102 to supply the video data, and the data management means 102 causes the video data of the digest version of the program or the video data of the same program as the video data requested by the terminal device 121. If it is provided, the data extracting means 103 is instructed to take out the video data, and the terminal device 121 that has made a request
Provides video data supply service to.

As described above, according to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first and second embodiments, while the video data output device 91 is supplying the video data to the maximum number of terminal devices which can supply the video data, When a data request is received from another terminal device, the network 1 is sent using the message notification means 10b.
The other video data output device connected to 11 is notified that the video data cannot be supplied, and the video data output device that has received the notification supplies the video data such as the digest version of the program to the requested terminal device. Therefore, the service can be improved.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When a user requests video data from the terminal device to the video data output device, if the video data output device cannot supply the video data, the waiting time until the video data can be supplied can be known. . Further, during the waiting time, a service such as a digest version of the program can be received from another video data output device, which has a great practical effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a system including a video data output device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a system including a video data output device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a system including a video data output device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a system including a conventional video data output device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 video data output device 21 data storage means 22 data management means 23 data extraction means 24 terminal device control means 25 communication means 26 communication control means 27 terminal device management means 28 time calculation means 29 time notification means 31 network 41 terminal device

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Toshihiro Imaura 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Soft Research Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A data storage unit for storing video data, a data management unit for managing the data in the data storage unit, a data extraction unit for extracting a plurality of data from the data storage unit at a time, and each terminal device. A video data output for supplying video data to a plurality of terminal devices, comprising a terminal device control means for judging the request of the above, a communication means for communicating via a network, and a communication control means for controlling transmission / reception of the communication means. A device, a terminal device management unit that manages the number of terminal devices that supply video data, a time calculation unit that calculates the remaining time of a service of supplying video data to the terminal device, and a time notification that notifies the waiting time. A video data output device comprising means. 2. A temporary stop or rewind in which a time loss occurs from the terminal device which is currently supplying the video data while the video data supply service is being executed to the maximum number of terminal devices capable of supplying the video data. 2. The video data output device according to claim 1, further comprising terminal device control and monitoring means for giving a restriction for stopping a special function including reproduction. 3. While the video data supply service is being executed to the maximum number of terminal devices capable of supplying video data, other video data output devices connected to the network are notified that the video data cannot be supplied. On the other hand, the video data output device that has the message notification means, and the video data output device that has received the notification is a terminal that waits for the video data including the digest version of the program, the program introduction, or if the same program is provided. 3. The video data output device according to claim 1, further comprising a temporary supply instructing means for instructing to supply to the device.