JPH10233805A - Data repeating installation, network system including the installation and data transmission method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To instantaneously start the reproduction of all data before they are downloaded by packeting the sound data received from a data storage server by a data repeating installation at every fixed time interval and in a fixed size to transmit the packeted data to a client terminal and reproducing in sequence these packets in the order of earlier reception of them. SOLUTION: A data repeating installation 3 packets the sound data received from a data storage server 1 via a network 2 by the request of a client terminal 4 and transmits these packeted data to the terminal 4. In this case, the packeting time is set and the sound data more than a reference quantity equivalent to the data which are reproduced within a time equivalent to the packeting time are contained in a single packet. When the elapsed time covering the timer reference value through the timer current value exceeds the packeting time, the sound data equivalent to a single set packet are packeted and transmitted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a converter for converting the size and the like of input data and outputting the converted data.
Displays data when input data is sound data.
The present invention relates to a data relay device that outputs data in a format that enables data to be reproduced without receiving all data in a terminal that reproduces the data, a network system including the data relay device, and a data transmission method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a network system equipped with a conventional data relay device, when data stored in a data storage server is displayed and reproduced by a client terminal, the sequence shown in FIG. 31 is performed.

When a user requests display / reproduction of data in a data storage server at a terminal, first, a communication line connection 40 is established between a browser program of a client terminal and a data relay program of a data relay device. When the communication line is connected, the browser program sends a data request 41 to the data relay device. The data relay program that has received the data request 41 from the browser program issues a data request 42 to the proxy server program. After receiving the data request 42 from the data relay program, the proxy server program connects the communication line 43 with the stored data transmission program of the data storage server, and transmits the data request 44. Data request 44
The stored data transmission program receives the request and checks whether or not data transmission is possible, and returns the result as a data request response 45 to the proxy server program. Further, when data transmission is possible as shown in FIG. 29, the stored data transmission program continuously performs data transmission 50. Data request response 45
Is issued, the proxy server program issues a data request response 46 to the data relay program. Similarly, the data relay program that receives the data request response 46
A data request response 47 is transmitted to the browser program.

[0004] The proxy server program which has received all the data from the stored data transmission program passes the received data to the data relay program 52 and disconnects 51 the communication line with the stored data transmission program. The data passed to the data relay program is then transmitted 290 to the browser program, and upon completion of the data transmission, the communication line between the data relay program and the browser program is disconnected 295.

In such a sequence, especially when sound data is handled, data reproduction on the client terminal side is performed after data transmission 290 is completed and all data has arrived at the client terminal side.

[0006] Further, there is a system in which reproduction can be started without downloading all data to a client terminal by newly providing a dedicated server or converting the format of sound data on the server side into a unique format. This is introduced on pages 203 to 209 of “Internet Magazine January 1996 (issued by SoftBank Corp.)”.

[0007]

When sound data existing in a data storage device server or the like on a network is to be reproduced by the own terminal, in the conventional method, all data must be downloaded to the own terminal. Could not start playback if.

In order to realize sequential reproduction so that reproduction can be performed before all data has been downloaded, in the conventional method, it is necessary to convert the format of sound data on the server side into a unique format. there were.

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a server in which data is stored and all data stored in the server when reproducing sound data stored in the server without modifying the server data. It is an object of the present invention to realize sequential reproduction so that reproduction can be started immediately without having to wait until downloading is completed.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a data storage server for storing various data, a client terminal for presenting the data, and data sent from the data storage server. If the data is predetermined conversion target data, the data conversion processing is performed, and the converted data is replaced with the data before the conversion processing and transmitted to the client terminal, or the client terminal side In a network system provided with a data relay device, the data storage device is connected to a data relay device that allows a user to select whether to display data before the conversion process or to display data after the conversion process by a network. If the data sent from the server is sound data, or the sound data playback request from the user is played back sequentially When had the formula, when transmitting the sound data transmitted from the data storage server to the client terminal, in the data relay device,
A data transmitting means for packetizing the sound data at a constant size at regular time intervals and transmitting the packet, and the client terminal receives a packet transmitted from the data relay device and is included in the received packet. Data receiving means for sequentially reproducing the sound data.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network system provided with the data relay device of the present invention. The network system of the present invention includes a data storage server 1 storing various data, a client terminal 4 for displaying and reproducing data, and a data relay for relaying transmission and reception of data and commands between the data storage server 1 and the client terminal 4. The data storage server 1 and the data relay device 3, and the data relay device 3 and the client terminal 4 are connected by a network 2. The network used here may be a telephone line, a LAN such as Ethernet (registered trademark) or FDDI,
DN or ATM may be used.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the data storage server 1 and the data relay device 3. The data storage server 1 and the data storage device 3 include a mouse 10 and a keyboard 1
1, a display 12, a storage device 15 for storing various programs and various data, a memory 14 loaded when the programs are executed, a CPU 13 for executing the programs, and a communication control unit 1 connected to the network 2.
7 are connected via an internal bus 16.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the client terminal 4. The client terminal 4 includes a mouse 20 and a keyboard 21 as input means for inputting commands and the like from the user.
A display 22 for displaying graphics such as the execution state of the program, a storage device 25 storing various programs, a memory 24 loaded when the program is executed, a CPU 23 for executing the program,
An audio decoding device 28 to which an audio output device 29 (for example, a speaker) is connected and a communication control unit 27 connected to the network 2 are connected via an internal bus 26. However, instead of the audio decoding device 28, C
A speech decoding program operating on the PU 23 may be used. As a means for inputting a command or the like from the user, a tablet, a pen input device, or the like may be used instead of the mouse 20 or the keyboard 21.

FIG. 4 shows the CPU 13 of the data storage server 1.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a stored data transmission program 30 that operates in the computer. 13, 15, and 17 are the same as those in FIG. The stored data transmission program 30 that has received the data request via the communication control unit 17 sends out the corresponding data in the storage device 15 via the communication control unit 17.

FIG. 5 shows the CPU 13 of the data relay server 3.
1 is a configuration example of a program that operates in the computer. 13, 17
Are the same as in FIG. The command sent from the client terminal 4 via the communication control unit 17 is passed to the data relay program 32, the command is analyzed by the data relay program 32, and then passed to the proxy server program 31. The data is transmitted to the data storage server 1 via the communication control unit 17 by the server program 31. On the other hand, the data sent from the data storage server 1 via the communication control unit 17 is a proxy server program 31.
Is received and then passed to the data relay program 32. The data relay program 32 transmits data to the client terminal 4 via the communication control unit 17 after performing processing such as reduction of the data amount as necessary based on the analysis result of the command performed earlier. In particular, when the target data is sound data, the data relay program 34 performs a process of dividing the data equally and packetizing the data and transmitting the data at regular time intervals.

Conventionally, the proxy server program 31 is used independently by the data relay device, and relays a command transmission from the client terminal 4 to the data storage server 1 and a data transmission from the data storage server 1 to the client terminal 4. It was working as. In the data relay device of the present invention, by interposing the data relay program 32 between the client terminal 4 and the proxy server program 31, it is possible to reduce the amount of data at the time of data relay and to reduce the amount of data when the target data is sound data. The conversion of the data reproduction method is realized.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the configuration of a program operating in the CPU 23 of the client terminal 4. 20-23,
27 and 28 are the same as in FIG. Mouse 20 from user
And data requests and commands performed via the keyboard 21 are sent to the browser program 33. The browser program 33 transmits the data request and the command to the corresponding server via the communication control unit 27. When the data requested by the user is sound data, particularly when the sequential reproduction method is selected as the reproduction method, the sound data reception / reproduction program 34 is started by the browser program 33 and transmitted via the communication control unit 27. The received sound data is subjected to reception processing by the sound data reception / playback program 34, and is played back via the sound decoding device 28.

FIG. 7 shows the browser program 3 of the hypertext sent via the data relay device of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a display example in FIG. With this method, the function is realized in such a manner that, when there is a request for sound data from the user, the reproduction is always performed sequentially. Apparently, the address of the place where the sound data is located is embedded in the anchor tag 36, as in the conventional hypertext display. However, in the data relay device 3, when the request sent from the browser program is sound data,
When the user clicks on an anchor tag or the like associated with the sound data as indicated by 36, the processing is performed assuming that these are always reproduced sequentially.

FIG. 8 shows the browser program 3 of the hypertext sent via the data relay device of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing another display example in FIG. 4. In this manner, a button 38 for successive reproduction is newly provided in addition to the anchor tag 37 in which the location (address) of the normal sound data is embedded. It is the data relay device 3 that provides the sequential playback button 38, and when the information indicating the location of the sound data is embedded in the hypertext sent to the data relay device, a new sequential playback is performed. A button 38 is added. When the user selects (clicks) the anchor tag 37, the whole sound data is transmitted to the client terminal 4
After that, when the user selects (clicks) the button 38 for sequential reproduction, the sequential reproduction is performed.

FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a processing flow when sound data in the data storage server 1 is reproduced by the client terminal 4 in a network system provided with the data relay device of the present invention.

When the user requests sound data, that is, when the anchor tag 36 is clicked in the form shown in FIG. 7 or the sequential playback button 38 is selected in the form shown in FIG. A communication line is connected 40 with the relay program 32, and a data request 41
Send The data relay program 32 that has received the data request 41 from the browser program 33 issues a data request 42 to the proxy server program 31.
In the proxy server program, after receiving the data request 42 from the data relay program, a communication line is connected 43 with the stored data transmission program 30 and the data request 4
4 is transmitted. The stored data transmission program 30 that has received the data request 44 checks whether or not data transmission is possible, and returns the result to the proxy server program 31 as a data request response 45. Further, when data transmission is possible as shown in FIG. 9, the stored data transmission program 30 continuously transmits data 50. Upon receiving the data request response 45, the proxy server program 31
Issues a data request response 46 to the data relay program 32.
A data request response 47 is transmitted to the browser program 33. In the browser program 33, if the result of the data request response 47 sent from the data relay program 32 is acceptable, the sound data reception / reproduction program 34
Issue a start request 48 to start the sound data reception / reproduction program 34.

The proxy server program 31 which has received all the data from the stored data transmission program 30 transfers the received data to the data relay program 32, 52,
The communication line 51 with the stored data transmission program 30 is disconnected.

In the data relay program 32, after transmitting a data request response 47 to the browser program 33, the communication line between the browser programs is disconnected 49, and a communication line is newly connected with the sound data reception / reproduction program 34. I do. After the data is transferred from the proxy server program 31, the data format is checked, and the sound data receiving / reproducing program 34 is notified 54 of the checked data format. The sound data reception / reproduction program 34 checks whether or not the client terminal 4 has an environment capable of reproducing the notified data format, and notifies the data relay program 33 of the result as a reproducibility notification 55. When the result of the reproduction permission / inhibition notification 55 is acceptable, the data relay program 33 packetizes the data into packets of a predetermined size at predetermined time intervals, transmits the data to the sound data reception / reproduction program 34, and transmits all data. At the end, a data transmission completion notice 57 is sent. Sound data reception / reproduction program 34
Then, the sound data transmitted in this way is sequentially reproduced after receiving the packet, thereby realizing the sequential reproduction. Finally, when the reproduction processing of all data is completed, the data relay program 32 and the sound data reception / reproduction program 3
The communication line between 4 is disconnected 58.

In this example, data transfer 52 from the proxy server program 31 to the data relay program 32
Is performed after the proxy server program 31 has received all the data from the stored data transmission program 30. However, the process is gradually performed from the stage when the proxy server program 31 receives data of a certain size. 32 may be started.
Accordingly, the notification of the data format 54 and the data transmission 56 in the data relay program 32 may be started from the stage when the data relay program 32 receives data of a certain size.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing one processing procedure of the browser program 33 when reproducing sound data. When the user clicks an anchor tag such as 36 or a button such as 38 to select acquisition and reproduction of a sound or a sound file (step 6).
0), a communication line is connected to the data relay program 32 (step 61), and a data request command is transmitted (step 62). When a data request response is returned from the data relay program 32 (step 63), the result is checked (step 64). If the result is no or no error, the sound data reception / reproduction program is started (step 6).
5). If the result of the data request response is no or an error, and if the sound data reproduction program has been started, the communication line with the data relay program 32 is disconnected (step 66). On the other hand, in step 60, if the command selected by the user is not a request for acquisition or reproduction of a sound or sound file, and if the user's selected command instructs termination of the browser program, the program is terminated ( Step 67) If other command, such as a request to display another page, other processing is performed (step 68).

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing one processing procedure of the data relay program 32 when reproducing sound data. When a data request command is received from the browser program 33 (step 70), a data request command is issued to the proxy server program 31 (step 71). Thereafter, when a data request response is sent from the proxy server program 31 (step 72), the data request response is transferred to the browser program 33 (step 73). If the content of the received data request response is acceptable (step 74), communication processing such as data transmission is performed with the sound data reception / reproduction program (step 75). On the other hand, if the content of the received data request response is no or an error, nothing is performed.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the detailed processing contents of the communication processing (step 75) between the sound data receiving and reproducing programs. First, a communication line between the sound data receiving / reproducing programs 34 is connected (step 80), there is no data reception error notification from the proxy server program 31 (step 81), and when the requested sound data is received safely (step 81). 82), states such as compressed or uncompressed, sample size, sampling frequency,
The data format, such as monaural or stereo, is checked, and the data format is notified to the sound data receiving / reproducing program (step 83). If the content of the reproduction permission / inhibition notification from the sound data reception / reproduction program 34 indicates that reproduction is permitted (step 84), data conversion (compression) processing is performed (step 85). Perform data transmission processing (step 8
6). When the transmission of all data is completed, a data transmission completion notification is sent to the sound data reception / reproduction program 34 (step 88), and the communication line is disconnected (step 8).
9). In step 81, the proxy server program 3
If the data reception error notification has been received from step 1, the error notification is sent to the sound data reception / reproduction program 34 (step 87) and the communication line is disconnected (step 8).
9). Here, the data conversion (compression) processing in step 85 is performed when data format conversion is not performed as a function of the data relay device 3 or when the network bandwidth between the data relay device 3 and the client terminal 4 can be sufficiently secured. It can be omitted because it is not necessary for such cases.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the detailed processing contents of the data conversion (compression) processing in step 85. First, the data format and bit rate of the received data are checked (step 90), and the necessity of compression or data format conversion is checked (step 92). The determination factors include the settings of the data relay device 3 and the bandwidth of the network between the data relay device 3 and the client terminal 4. In the former case, if the format of the sound data sent from the data relay device 3 is fixed, and data of any other format is received, compression or data format conversion is performed. For example, if the compression format of the sound data sent from the data relay device is GSM, the MPEG-1
When audio data compressed in the format of / Audio is received, conversion of the compression format is performed. On the other hand, in the latter case, for example, if the network between the data relay device 3 and the client terminal 4 is a dial-up connection of 22.8 Kbps by a modem, the bit rate of the sound data transmitted from the data relay device 3 is also 22.8 kbps or less. Change the data format as follows. If the result of determination in step 92 is that compression or data format conversion is required, data format conversion is performed (step 94).

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the detailed processing contents of the data transmission processing (step 86) to the sound data reception / reproduction program. First, setting of the packetization time Tp and setting of the voice or sound data amount Lp to be included in one packet (step 100)
A timer value is set as an initial value of a transmission sequence number attached to each packet (step 101) and a timer reference value Ts (step 102). Here, the magnitude of Lp is
The data size is set to be equal to or larger than the data amount to be reproduced in the same time as the packetization time Tp.

Steps 100 to 102
May be executed in a different order.

Next, the value obtained by subtracting the timer reference value Ts from the current value Tn of the timer is compared with the value of the packetization time Tp (step 104), and if the value obtained by subtracting Ts from Tn becomes larger than Tp. , Lp are packetized and transmitted to the sound data receiving and reproducing program 34 (step 105). After the packet transmission, the remaining data amount is checked (step 106). If untransmitted sound data remains, the transmission sequence number is updated (step 1).
07), reset the timer reference value Ts (step 10).
8) Return to step 104. After repeating the processing from step 104 to step 108, step 106
When it is confirmed that the transmission of all data has been completed, the process ends.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing another example of the detailed processing contents of the communication processing (step 75) between the sound data receiving / reproducing programs, and the data transmission from the data relay program 32 to the sound data receiving / reproducing program 34. It is a flowchart at the time of starting a process before the data transfer 52 from the proxy server program 31 is completed. 80, 81, 83-85, 87-89 are shown in FIG.
Is the same as In step 282, unlike step 82, even if all data is not received, the sound data receiving / reproducing program 34 sends the data format to the sound data receiving / reproducing program 34 at the stage when the head data including the information on the data format is received (step 282). Notification (step 83) is performed. If the content of the reproduction permission / inhibition notification from the sound data reception / reproduction program 34 indicates reproduction permission (step 84),
After receiving a part of the remaining sound data from the proxy server program 31 (step 284), a data conversion (compression) process of the newly received sound data is performed in step 85.
When step 85 is completed, data transmission processing to the sound data reception / reproduction program 34 (step 286), which will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 16, is performed, and transmission of all sound data to the sound data reception / reproduction processing program 34 is completed (step 2).
In step 88), the processing after step 86 is performed. On the other hand, if there is untransmitted sound data, the process returns to step 284 and continues.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing an example of the detailed processing contents of the data transmission processing in step 286. Reference numerals 100 to 105, 107, and 108 are the same as those in FIG. Here, first, it is checked whether or not it is the transmission processing of the first packet (step 109). 100-10
The process 2 is performed only at the time of the transmission process of the first packet, and only the process after step 104 is performed after the second packet. Further, the difference from the processing in FIG. 14 is that step 106 is eliminated, and the processing is terminated when the value obtained by subtracting Ts from Tn in step 104 is smaller than Tp and when step 108 is completed.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing one processing procedure of the proxy server program 31 when reproducing sound data. When a data request command is received from the data relay program 32 (step 110), a communication line is connected with the stored data transmission program 30 (step 111), and the data request command is transferred (step 112). Then, the stored data transmission program 30
If a data request response is sent (step 11
3), the content of the data request response is notified to the data relay program 32 (step 114). If the content of the data request response is acceptable, that is, it indicates that data transmission is possible (step 115), the sound data transmitted from the stored data transmission program 30 is received. When all data has been received normally (step 11
6) The received sound data is transferred to the data relay program 32 (step 117), and the communication line with the stored data transmission program 30 is disconnected (step 11).
8). On the other hand, if the result of the data request response is negative or an error in step 115, the communication line between the stored data transmission programs 30 is disconnected (step 118), and the process is completed. If all data cannot be received normally in step 116, an error notification is sent to the data relay program 32 (step 119), and then the communication line between the stored data transmission programs 30 is disconnected (step 118).

FIG. 18 shows the stored data transmission program 30
6 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of FIG. In the stored data transmission program 30, a stage where a data request command is received from the proxy server program 31 (step 120)
It checks whether or not the requested data can be transmitted, and transmits the result to the proxy server program 31 as a data request response (step 122). If data transmission is possible (step 124), the requested data is transmitted to the proxy server program (step 126).

FIG. 19 shows the sound data reception / reproduction program 3
4 is a flowchart showing one processing procedure. In the sound data reception / reproduction program 34, the data relay program 3
2, at the stage when the data format of the sound data to be transmitted is received (step 130), it is determined whether or not reproduction of the data format is possible (step 13).
1) If the reproduction is possible, the data relay program 32 is notified that the reproduction is possible (step 13).
2). Until the data transmission completion notification is sent (step 134), the received data packet is received and reproduced (step 135). On the other hand, if it is determined in step 131 that the reproduction of the data format to be sent is not possible, a reproduction disable notification is transmitted to the data relay program 32 (step 133), and the process ends. .

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing an example of the detailed processing contents of the packet reception / reproduction processing (step 135). First, the current time Tn is set as a timer reference value (step 140). Next, it is checked whether the first packet of the data packet sent from the data relay program 32 has already been received (step 14).
1) If it has not been received yet, the processing after step 146 is performed, and if it has already been received, the state of the reproduction flag and the relationship between the current time Tn and the reproduction start time are checked (step 142). Here, if the reproduction flag is OFF and the value of the current time Tn is larger than the value of the reproduction start time, the reproduction start flag is changed to the ON state, and the reproduction start instruction is issued to the audio decoding device 28. (Step 1
43).

Next, the data packet sent from the data relay program 32 is received (step 14).
6). If the received packet is the first packet (step 147), the reproduction start time, the next packet reproduction start limit time Te, and the initial value of the reception sequence number are set (step 148). Here, the reproduction start time is a value obtained by adding the transmission delay dispersion absorption time Td to the current time Tn, and the next packet reproduction start limit time Te is a value obtained by adding the packetization time Tp to the reproduction start time. If the received packet is not the first packet in step 147, and if step 148 is completed, transmission delay dispersion observation processing is performed (step 149).

Next, the sequence number assigned to the received packet is compared with the stored received sequence number to check whether there is any packet loss (step 15).
0). If a packet loss is detected here, the current time Tn is compared with the value of the reproduction start limit time Te (step 151), and the value of the current time Tn is compared with the reproduction start limit time Te.
If the value is smaller than the value, the silent data obtained by subtracting the value of Tn from the value of Te is written to the audio decoding device 28 (step 152). Then, in step 153, the reproduction start limit time Te is reset and the reception sequence number is updated. In the resetting of the reproduction start limit time Te, the packetization time T
The value obtained by adding p is set as a new reproduction start time limit.

Next, when no packet loss is detected in step 150, and when the processing in step 153 is completed, the sequence number assigned to the received packet is compared again with the stored received sequence number. It is checked whether or not the sound data contained in the packet should be reproduced (step 154). For example,
If the sequence number assigned to the received packet is smaller than the number expected to be received, the packet arrives with a delay and the reception and reproduction processing of the next packet has already been completed. The reproduction process of the sound data included in this packet is not performed, and
The processing after 6 is repeated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 154 that the reproduction process should be performed, the amount of sound data remaining in the audio decoding device 28 is checked (step 155), and the amount of sound data is reduced by the transmission delay dispersion absorption time Td. If the data amount is larger than the amount obtained by adding 1 Lp to the data amount, the reception sequence number is updated (step 157), and the process returns to step 146 again.
If the amount is equal to or less than the sum, the audio data included in the received packet is written to the audio decoding device 28 in step 156, the reproduction start limit time Te is reset, and then the reception sequence number is updated (step 156). 157), and returns to step 146 again. In the resetting of the reproduction start limit time Te in step 156, a time obtained by adding the packetization time Tp to the time when the sound data included in the received packet is written in the audio decoding device 28 is set as a new reproduction start limit time. .

When a speech decoding program is used instead of the speech decoding device 28, 143, 152, 15
In steps 5 and 156, processing is performed on the audio decoding program. If it is determined in 154 that the sound data in the packet should be reproduced, 155 may be omitted, 156 may be performed, and then 157 may be performed.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing an example of the detailed processing contents of the transmission delay dispersion observation processing (step 149). First, observation data of the transmission delay time is acquired in step 160 (the acquisition method will be described with reference to FIG. 20). If the transmission delay time observation counter is smaller than 100 in step 161, the transmission delay observation counter is updated (step 162), and this processing ends.

On the other hand, if the transmission delay time observation counter is equal to or more than 100 in step 161, the transmission delay observation counter is initialized to 0 (step 163), and the new transmission delay observation data is stored based on the stored transmission delay time observation data. The dispersion absorption time Tdn is calculated (step 164). As a calculation method, a method of obtaining a variance distribution of the transmission delay time and obtaining a transmission delay time that includes 95% or more of the received packet is adopted. However, with the same calculation, 90% of the received packets
The above may be included, or another calculation method may be used. Next, the current transmission delay dispersion absorption time Td is compared with the new transmission delay dispersion absorption time Tdn (step 16).
5) If the value of Td is smaller than the value of Tdn,
The silent data for the time obtained by subtracting Td from n is written in the audio decoding device 28 (step 166), and step 169 is executed.
Updates the transmission delay dispersion absorption time to the value of the new transmission delay dispersion absorption time, and terminates this processing.

On the other hand, at step 165, the value of Td becomes Tdn.
Is not smaller than the value of Td, and the value of Td is
If it is determined that the value is greater than dn, the sound data corresponding to the time obtained by subtracting the value of Tdn from the value of Td is deleted from the audio decoding device 28 (step 168), and the transmission delay dispersion absorption time is changed to the new transmission dispersion absorption time in step 169. The processing is updated after updating to the time value. Here, instead of deleting the audio data in the audio decoding device 28 in step 168, data corresponding to the difference between Td and Tdn may be deleted from the audio data to be written to the audio decoding device 28 next. Step 1
If the value of Td is not larger than the value of Tdn at 67, the transmission delay dispersion absorption time is updated to the new transmission delay dispersion absorption time (step 169), and this processing ends.

In step 161, the upper limit of the transmission delay observation counter used for determining whether to recalculate the transmission delay dispersion absorption time may be set to a value other than 100. Also, to avoid deleting data as much as possible,
Steps 167 and 168 may be omitted. Further, when a speech decoding program is used in place of the speech decoding device 28, in 166 and 168, processing is performed on the speech decoding program.

FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a method for acquiring observation data of the transmission delay time in step 160. Reference numeral 170 denotes a side for transmitting sound data. In the present system, a data relay program corresponds to this. Reference numeral 171 indicates the transmission timing of a data packet containing sound data. The transmitting side 170 determines the packetization time T
Data packets containing sound data are transmitted at intervals of p.
Reference numeral 173 denotes a side for receiving sound data. In the present system, a sound data reception / reproduction program corresponds to this. Since the receiving side does not know when the transmitting side 170 transmitted the data packet, a receiving observation point represented by △ is provided at 175 at the same interval Tp as at the transmitting side as shown at 174, and the reception observation point is Is obtained from the received time 176. Since the difference distribution has the property of being equal to the actual transmission delay time distribution, the transmission delay dispersion absorption time is calculated from the observed data.

FIG. 23 shows a communication terminal (in the case of the present system, a data relay server and a sound data receiving / reproducing program).
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a sequence example in the case of transmitting and receiving a data packet including sound data. Reference numeral 180 denotes a side that transmits a data packet including sound data, 181 denotes a side that receives a data packet including sound data, and 182 denotes a network that connects a transmitting side and a terminal on the receiving side. In this system, the data relay program corresponds to the transmitting side, and the sound data receiving and reproducing program corresponds to the receiving side. Sending side 180
Packetizes 184 sound data at intervals of a packetization time Tp183, and each packet has a sequence number 1
Send it with 85. The receiving side 181 receives the first
The reproduction of the sound data included in the packet 186 is started after the transmission delay dispersion absorption time Td187 has elapsed after the reception. Thereafter, when the data packet is received, the reproduction is performed by sequentially passing the sound data to the audio decoding device 28. As in 188, if the next data packet has not arrived even if the packetization time Tp has elapsed 189 since the reproduction of the sound data included in the previously received data packet has started, the next data packet arrives. Do 190
Until then, there is no sound. If a data packet is lost during transmission as in 191, the receiving side considers that a packet loss has occurred at the stage of receiving the next data packet 192, and the reception timing is changed to the data received earlier. If Tp has not elapsed since the start of the reproduction of the sound data included in the packet 193, the silent data of the lost packet is passed to the sound decoding device 28 and then newly received. The audio data included in the data packet 194 is passed to the audio decoding device 28. On the other hand, when the reception timing starts reproduction of the sound data included in the data packet 193 received earlier, Tp
Is passed, the audio data included in the newly received data packet 194 is immediately passed to the audio decoding device 28 for reproduction.

FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram of a sequence example in the case where the processes indicated by 155 and 156 in FIG. 20 are performed.
Reference numerals 180 to 183 are the same as those in FIG. The above processing is performed by the same packetization time T due to a clock difference between communication terminals.
There is a difference between p183 and p200, so that the receiving side 181
This is executed when sound data is stored in the. At the time when the data packet is received at 202, if sound data for two or more data packets is stored in the receiving side 181 2
04. The sound data included in the next received data packet 206 is reproduced without reproducing the sound data included in the received data packet.

FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram of the data request command. 210 is a communication header, 212 is an identifier indicating a data request, and 214 is the content of the request. In 234, information such as the file name and location of the data selected by the browser program 34 is described and transmitted.

FIG. 26 is an explanatory diagram of the data request command. 220 is a communication header, 222 is an identifier indicating a data request response, and 223 is a result for the data request. This data request response command is used as a response to the data request command, and the result is described in 223 and returned.

FIG. 27 is an explanatory diagram of the packet structure of a data format notification command used when the data relay program 32 notifies the sound data reception / reproduction program 34 of the data format of the sound data to be transmitted. 230
Is a communication header used by the communication control unit, 231 is an identifier indicating a data format notification command, and 232 to 2
Up to 35, the details of the data format, 232 is the encoding format,
233 is the number of channels, 234 is the sampling rate, 2
35 is the sample size.

FIG. 28 shows a sound data reception / reproduction program 3.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a packet configuration of a reproduction permission / inhibition notification command used when the data relay program 32 notifies the data relay program 32 of the permission / prohibition of sound data reproduction. 230 is the same as FIG. Reference numeral 242 denotes an identifier indicating a reproduction permission / prohibition notification command, and reference numeral 244 denotes a result indicating reproduction permission / prohibition. When receiving the data format notification from the data relay program 34, the sound data reception / reproduction program 34 determines whether or not the sound data of the notified data format can be reproduced.
44 and transmitted to the data relay program 32.

FIG. 29 is an explanatory diagram of a packet structure of a data packet when transmitting sound data from the data relay program 32 to the sound data receiving / reproducing program 34.
250 is a communication header used by the communication control unit, 252 is an identifier indicating a data packet, 254 is a sequence number, 256 is a data size indicating the amount of sound data included in the data packet, and 258 is a sound data body. is there.

FIG. 30 is an explanatory diagram of the packet structure of a data transmission completion notification command sent from the data relay program 32 to the sound data reception / playback program 34 at the end of sound data playback. 230 is the same as FIG. Reference numeral 262 denotes an identifier indicating a data transmission completion notification command. This packet is transmitted when all the sound data has been transmitted from the data relay program 32 to the sound data reception / reproduction program 34.

[0057]

According to the present invention, when the data sent from the data storage server is sound data, or when the sound data reproduction request from the user is of a sequential reproduction type, the data relay device is used. The sound data sent from the data storage server by the data transmitting means provided in the data transmission means is packetized at a fixed size at regular time intervals and transmitted, and the data is received by the data receiving means provided in the client terminal for reproducing the data. Since the packet sent from the device is received and the sound data included in the packet is sequentially reproduced, the packet is stored in the server without changing any server such as a data storage server and the data stored in the server. When playing back the sound data that is being played, do not wait until all the data has been downloaded to the client terminal. It can be started.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network system including a data relay device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a data storage server and a data relay device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a client terminal.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a stored data transmission program that operates in the CPU of the data storage server.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a program that operates in the CPU of the data relay server.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a program that operates in the CPU of the client terminal.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of a hypertext transmitted via the data relay device in a browser program.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing another display example of the hypertext transmitted via the data relay device in the browser program.

FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a processing flow when sound data in a data storage server is reproduced by a client terminal in the system of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a browser program when sound data is reproduced.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a data relay program when sound data is reproduced.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing detailed processing contents of communication processing between sound data reception and reproduction programs.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing details of data conversion (compression) processing.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the detailed processing contents of data transmission processing to a sound data reception / reproduction program.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing another example of the detailed processing contents of the communication processing between the sound data receiving and reproducing programs.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing another example of the detailed processing content of the data transmission processing to the sound data reception / reproduction program.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a proxy server program when reproducing sound data.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a stored data transmission program.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a sound data reception / reproduction program.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing the detailed processing contents of the packet reception / reproduction processing.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing detailed processing contents of transmission delay dispersion observation processing.

FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram showing a transmission delay time observation method.

FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram showing a sequence example when transmitting and receiving a data packet including sound data between communication terminals.

FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram showing a sequence example when sound data is accumulated in the data packet receiving terminal during sound data transmission / reception.

FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram of a data request command.

FIG. 26 is an explanatory diagram of a data request response command.

FIG. 27 is an explanatory diagram of a data format notification command.

FIG. 28 is an explanatory diagram of a reproduction permission / prohibition notification command.

FIG. 29 is an explanatory diagram of a packet of a data packet.

FIG. 30 is an explanatory diagram of a data transmission completion notification command.

FIG. 31 is an explanatory diagram showing a sequence example in a conventional system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Data storage server, 2 ... Network, 3 ... Data relay device, 4 ... Client terminal, 28 ... Voice decoding device, 29 ... Voice output device, 30 ... Stored data transmission program, 31 ... Proxy server program, 32 ... Data Relay program, 33: browser program, 34: sound data reception / reproduction program

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A data storage server that stores various data and a client terminal that presents the data are connected via a network, and data sent from the data storage server is predetermined conversion target data. In some cases, a data amount conversion process is performed, and the converted data is replaced with the data before the conversion process and transmitted to the client terminal, or the user displays the data before the conversion process on the client terminal side. In the data relay device, which can select whether to display the data after the conversion processing, when the data transmitted from the data storage server is sound data, or when the sound data reproduction request from the user is In the case of the reproduction format, the sound data transmitted from the data storage server is transmitted to the client. Data transmission means for transmitting the sound data by packetizing the sound data in a fixed size at fixed time intervals when transmitting the sound data to the client terminal, wherein the client terminal receives a packet transmitted from the data transmission means. A data relay device for sequentially reproducing sound data by using data receiving means for sequentially reproducing sound data included in a received packet. 2. The data relay device according to claim 1, wherein the data size packetized by said data transmission means is a data amount of a size reproduced in said fixed time. 3. The data relay device according to claim 1, wherein the data amount of the sound data transmitted from the data storage server is reduced, and the reduced sound data is transmitted to the client terminal. 4. A data storage server for storing various data, a client terminal for presenting the data, and data if the data sent from the data storage server is predetermined data to be converted. Perform the amount conversion process, and replace the converted data with the data before the conversion process and send it to the client terminal, or
In a network system having a data relay device, the client terminal side is connected to a data relay device that enables the user to display data before the conversion process or to display the data after the conversion process via a network. If the data sent from the data storage server is sound data, or if the sound data playback request from the user is of a sequential playback format, the sound sent from the data storage server When transmitting data to the client terminal, the data relay device, in the data relay device, data transmission means for packetizing and transmitting the sound data in a fixed size at regular time intervals,
A network system comprising: a data relay device including, at the client terminal, data receiving means for receiving a packet sent from the data relay device and sequentially reproducing sound data included in the received packet. 5. The network system according to claim 4, further comprising a data relay device that sets a data size to be packetized by said data transmitting means to a data amount of a size reproduced in said fixed time. 6. The data relay device according to claim 4, wherein a data amount of the sound data transmitted from the data storage server is reduced, and the reduced data amount is transmitted to the client terminal. Network system. 7. The data relay according to claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein when the order of the packets received by the client terminal is different from the order transmitted by the data relay device, the reproduction process of the packet arriving late is not performed. Network system with devices. 8. A network system according to claim 4, further comprising a data relay device for discarding a newly received packet when the amount of unreproduced sound data exceeds a prescribed amount. 9. The transmission method according to claim 8, wherein the condition for discarding the received packet is determined by determining whether the amount of unreproduced sound data in the data receiving unit is generated when the packet is transmitted from the data transmitting unit to the data receiving unit. A data relay device is provided in which data is accumulated for at least the sum of a transmission delay dispersion absorption time for correcting delay dispersion and a time interval for packetizing sound data in the data transmission means. Network system. 10. The network system according to claim 9, further comprising a data relay device for changing the transmission delay dispersion absorption time by observing a packet reception interval in the data receiving means and recalculating the result from the result. 11. A data storage server that stores various data and a client terminal that presents the data are connected via a network, and the data transmitted from the data storage server is predetermined conversion target data. In some cases, a data amount conversion process is performed, and the converted data is replaced with the data before the conversion process and transmitted to the client terminal, or the user displays the data before the conversion process on the client terminal side. In the data relay device, which can select whether to display the data after the conversion processing, when the data transmitted from the data storage server is sound data, or when the sound data reproduction request from the user is In the case of the reproduction format, the data relay device sends the data from the data storage server. When transmitting serial data to the client terminal, the sound data and transmits the packetized at a constant size every predetermined time interval, the said client terminal,
When a packet containing sound data sent from the data relay device is received, and the arrival order of the received packets arrives out of order, and the amount of unplayed sound data in the client terminal exceeds a specified amount A data transmission method, wherein the received packet is discarded when the packet is transmitted, and the sound data included in the packet is sequentially reproduced otherwise. 12. The data transmission method according to claim 11, wherein the data size of packetization performed by said data relay device is a data amount of a size reproduced in said fixed time. 13. The data transmission apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the terminal transmits a specified amount of unreproduced sound data to be used in determining whether the received packet is reproduced or discarded from the data relay device to the client terminal. Data having a data amount corresponding to a time obtained by adding a transmission delay dispersion absorption time for correcting a dispersion of a transmission delay generated at the time of transmission, and a time interval for packetizing sound data in the data relay device. Transmission method. 14. The data transmission method according to claim 13, wherein the transmission delay dispersion absorption time is changed by observing a packet reception interval at the client terminal and recalculating from the result.