JPH10285577A - Information supply system with moving image - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow each client to acquire moving image information as required and to display and output the information in real time by integrating moving image information and general information to each server so as to allow each client to access individually each server. SOLUTION: A management server 14 sends a contents list, page configuration and page information to a client 18 being a request source. The client 18 being the request source selects sequentially required information from the received contents list, page configuration and page information, and the client 18 sends a transmission request to a data server 13 when the required information is general information such as a still image or a text, and sends a transmission request to a moving image server when the required information is a moving image. Thus, a wait time for the user from the transmission of a transmission request of the contents by the client 18 till the contents including moving image information required by the user are actually displayed is reduced to a time about which the user is not almost anxious.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for providing information with moving images, which supplies information with moving images from a server to each client via a communication network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, multimedia systems that handle moving images and audio as data have been put to practical use. The information supplier supplies various information to users (consumers) through distribution and sales of CD-ROMs, and through telephone lines and networks as represented by personal computer communication. The user obtains content including general information other than the supplied moving image information, moving image information such as still images and text, and displays and uses the content on a display screen of a computer of the user as a client.

FIG. 16 is a schematic configuration diagram of an information providing system with a moving image which supplies such content including moving picture information and general information from a server to each client via a communication network.

A server 2 and a plurality of clients 3 are connected to a communication network 1 such as a WAN (Wide Area Network). In the server 2, a moving image file 4 for storing moving image information including moving images and audio of the moving image, a data file 5 for storing general information other than moving image information such as still images and texts, and a management unit 6 are provided. I have. Further, each client 3 is connected to a display 7 composed of a CRT or the like for displaying contents composed of moving image information and general information supplied from the server 2.

[0005] For example, a content such as a single program that indicates a series of pieces of information may include a plurality of pieces of moving image information over a long period of time, a plurality of still images, a long text, and the like.

Further, in order to improve the operability when using the contents of the user in the client 3,
Provide multiple pages linked to the tree state, provide items and areas that can be selected by the user with a click operation on each page, and when the user selects an item or area with a click operation, it is assigned to the relevant item or area. The next page, moving image information, and general information are displayed and output on the display 7.

[0007] The page information including the page structure of each content and the display image of each page is stored in the management unit 6 of the server 2. And each client 3
Sends a transmission request for information by designating the content to the server 2, the management unit 6 of the server 2 collectively collects the page configuration, page information, video information, and general information related to the content via the communication network 1. And sends it to the requesting client 3.

[0008] The client 3 that has received the above-mentioned various information on the relevant content from the server 2 collectively stores the received page configuration, page information, moving image information, and general information in its own memory. Then, using the information stored in its own memory, general information such as a necessary page, a necessary moving image, and a necessary still image or text is read out to a display screen of the display 7 in response to a user's click operation.

[0009]

However, FIG.
The information providing system with a moving image described in (1) also has the following problems to be improved. After the server 2 downloads all information related to the content to the client 3 in response to the transmission request designating the content of each client 3 to the requesting client 3, the display of the content is started at the client 3. .

Generally, moving picture information has an enormous amount of information compared to general information such as still images and texts.
A great deal of processing time is required for the transmission processing of the moving image information and the writing processing to the memory, and the relevant content is actually displayed on the display screen of the client 3 from the time when the user performs the display request operation for the content to the client 3. The time until the display is dependent on the content of the content to be displayed (moving image time), and is so large that it becomes practically problematic.

Further, when each page is sequentially displayed on the display screen of the client 3 in accordance with a click operation, and necessary moving image information is read out on the display screen by a click operation while each page is displayed. Since the user does not always select all the moving image information, some of the moving image information transmitted from the server 2 may not be used at all.

It is useless to download such unused moving image information from the server 2 to the memory of the client 3 over a long period of time, and waits until a moving image is actually displayed after a display request is generated in the client 3. The time becomes longer, and the service to the user deteriorates.

Further, the server 2 transmits an enormous amount of moving picture information to the requesting client 3 every time a transmission request is issued from each client 3. , Even if the sending process stops responding to the sending request and sends the sending request,
The probability of occurrence of the client 3 that cannot receive the content including the moving image information increases.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and by incorporating moving image information and general information into individual servers and enabling each client to individually access each server, each client To provide an information supply system with a moving image that can acquire moving image information when needed and display and output it in real time, eliminate a download process from a server to a memory of a client, and greatly improve a response performance to a content display request in the client. Aim.

Further, even if a large number of clients simultaneously make a moving image acquisition request to the server and the corresponding server fails to respond to the acquisition request, at least a minimum number of clients are required to understand the contents. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information supply system with a moving image which can supply the information of the content and improve the service for the user of the content.

[0016]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an information supply system with a moving image according to the present invention stores a moving image server for storing a plurality of moving image information and general information other than a moving image including still images and texts. A data server, a plurality of clients that display the supplied moving image information and general information, and a management server that manages the content composed of at least one moving image information and general information supplied to each client via a communication network. Things.

According to the first aspect, a page configuration file for storing a page configuration of each content, a page information file for storing page information configuring each page, and a content from each client are transmitted to the management server. And a page transmission means for transmitting the page configuration and each page information to the requesting client in response to the transmission request designating the.

For each client, in response to a click operation performed while each page is displayed, link page display means for displaying a page next to the link specified by the click operation, and the click operation is specified. An acquisition unit for acquiring moving image information and general information from the moving image server and the data server, and a content display unit for displaying the acquired moving image information and general information are added.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a management server is provided with a page configuration file for storing a page configuration of a content, a page information file for storing page information for each page, and a content from each client. A page transmission means for transmitting the page configuration and each page information to the requesting client in response to the designated transmission request is added.

For each client, when each page is displayed, general information that can be designated by a click operation on the page is acquired from a data server and stored and held, and a line is displayed while each page is displayed. In response to the click operation, a link page display unit that displays the next page linked by the click operation, an acquisition unit that obtains video information specified by the click operation from the video server, and the click operation specifies An extraction unit for extracting general information in which general information is stored and retained, and a content display unit for displaying acquired moving image information and extracted general information are added.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the information supply system with a moving image according to the first or second aspect, the moving image information is obtained by requesting each client to obtain moving image information from the moving image server by more than an allowable number of clients. An operation guidance moving image display means for displaying an operation guidance moving image stored in advance when moving image information cannot be obtained from the server is added.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the information supply system with a moving image according to the first or second aspect, the data server stores a substitute text for each moving image information stored in the moving image server. Acquiring means for acquiring a substitute text corresponding to the moving image information from the data server when the moving image information cannot be obtained from the moving image server due to a request for obtaining moving image information from the moving image server by an allowable number or more clients; And a substitute text display means for displaying the acquired substitute text.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the information supply system with a moving image according to the first or second aspect, the data server stores a substitute text for each moving image information stored in the moving image server, Means for selecting whether or not to use the substitute text instead of the moving picture information, and when the click operation specifies the moving picture information, and when the selecting means selects the use of the substitute text, the corresponding moving picture information is sent from the data server. And a substitute text display unit for displaying the acquired substitute text.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the information supply system with a moving image according to the first or second aspect, the simplified moving image information stored in the moving image server is stored at a reduced bit rate for each of the stored moving image information. Video files, a client priority table that stores supply priority for each client, and each client whose priority is set to low in the client priority table when a video information acquisition request is input from more than the allowed number of clients For
A simple moving picture information supply unit for supplying the simple moving picture information stored in the simple moving picture file is added.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the information supply system with a moving image according to the first or second aspect, when a moving image information acquisition request is input to the moving image server from an allowable number or more clients, the request is issued to the requesting client. A sound supply means for supplying only the sound in the moving image information is added.

According to an eighth aspect, in the information supply system with a moving image according to the first or second aspect, an auxiliary moving image server storing the same moving image information as the moving image server is connected to the communication network.

[0027] When it is impossible to obtain moving image information from the moving image server due to a request for obtaining moving image information from the moving image server, the auxiliary moving image server sends the corresponding moving image information to each client. Acquisition means for acquiring is added.

In the information supply system with a moving image configured as described above, a moving image server, a data server, a management server, and a plurality of clients are individually connected to the communication network. Therefore, each client can independently access the moving image server, the data server, and the management server.

In claim 1, when the user inputs a content display request to the client, a transmission request designating the content is transmitted from the client to the management server via the communication network. The management server that has received the transmission request transmits the page configuration and each page information related to the content stored therein to the client that has requested transmission.

The client that has received the page structure and each page information first displays and outputs the first page (home page) specified in the page structure. Then, when the user specifies an item or area of the screen by a click operation on the displayed page, when the click specification is a page, the next page information linked by the page configuration is displayed.

When the click designation is moving image information or general information, the moving image information or general information is acquired from a moving image server or a data server via a communication network, and is displayed and output.

As described above, all the moving picture information and general information constituting each content are not required to be downloaded to the memory of the requesting client at the time of the content transmission request, but are actually required for display on the client. At this point, the moving image information and general information necessary for this display are transmitted from each server to the corresponding client, and are displayed in real time.

Therefore, the moving image information and general information not specified by the click operation are not transmitted at all from each server to the client, so that the transmission processing load on the moving image server and the data server is reduced.

According to the second aspect, each time each page is displayed, the client obtains, from each server, page information and general information of a page which can be designated by a click operation on the corresponding page, and stores and acquires the page information.

By storing and storing in the client page information and general information having a low transmission processing load and a high probability of being specified by the click operation, the client can perform the click operation without substantially increasing the transmission processing time. Response time can be reduced.

In the information supply system with a moving image according to the third, fourth, sixth, seventh, and eighth aspects, the moving image information is transmitted from the moving image server due to a request for obtaining moving image information from the moving image server by more than an allowable number of clients. Each measure is taken when it cannot be obtained.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the moving picture information of the operation guide when the moving picture information cannot be obtained by each client is stored in advance, and when the moving picture information cannot be obtained from the moving picture server, the stored moving picture information is stored. Display video information for operation guidance. Therefore, the user can know the reason why the moving image is not displayed and can understand the next operation.

According to a fourth aspect, a substitute text is stored in the data server in place of each moving image information stored in the moving image server. When moving image information cannot be obtained from the moving image server, the substitute text is obtained from the data server and displayed. Therefore, the user can secure the necessary minimum information in the content by seeing the substitute text instead of the moving image.

According to the sixth aspect, the moving picture server stores simplified moving picture information with a reduced transmission bit rate. In addition, the supply priority is stored for each client. Then, when moving image information acquisition requests from clients that are equal to or more than the allowable number are input to the moving image server, the simplified moving image information is transmitted to the low priority clients.

Therefore, it is possible to always supply moving picture information of the best picture quality to important clients. Even for a user of a client with a low priority, necessary minimum information in the content can be secured.

In the present invention, when a moving image information acquisition request from a client more than the allowable number is input to the moving image server, only the audio in the moving image information is supplied to the corresponding client. Therefore, the user can secure the minimum necessary information in the content by listening to only this sound instead of the moving image.

In the present invention, an auxiliary moving image server storing the same moving image information as the moving image server is connected to the communication network. Then, when moving image information cannot be obtained from the moving image server, the same moving image information is obtained from the auxiliary moving image server.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a means for selecting whether or not to employ a substitute text instead of each client moving image information. Therefore, the user can arbitrarily select whether or not to use the substitute text. For example, for a client without a moving image display function, the use of a substitute text may be selected and set from the beginning.

[0044]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an information supply system with a moving image according to a first embodiment. One moving image server 12, one data server 13, one management server 14, and a plurality of clients 18 are connected to a communication network 11 such as a WAN (wide area network).

The moving picture server 12, the data server 13 and the management server 14 are connected to an information creating unit 15 via a transmission line 16. The information creating unit 15 sets each moving picture information constituting each content in the moving picture server 12, sets general information such as still images and texts constituting each content in the data server 13, and sets each moving picture information of each content, It has a page configuration for the user to easily display each piece of general information on the display screen by a click operation, and a function of setting each page information of each page to the management server 14.

Each client 18 includes each server 12,
A display 17 is connected to a content including moving image information and general information supplied from 13 and 14 and a CRT or the like for displaying each page.

The moving image server 12 stores a plurality of moving image information, for example, including a moving image and a sound, which constitute a part of each content. Further, the data server 13 stores general information other than moving image information including still images, texts, and the like that constitute a part of each content.

When the moving image server 12 and the data server 13 receive a transmission request for moving image information and general information from each client 18, they transmit the specified moving image information and general information to the requesting client 18.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the management server 14 includes a storage unit 19 for storing various information and a distribution processing unit 20 for exchanging information with each client 18 via the communication network 11. It is configured.

The storage unit 19 stores the communication network 11
Table 18 storing attributes such as a terminal ID for specifying each client 18 connected to the server, a distribution information table 22 storing distribution information such as the transmission address of each client 18, and each content supplied to each client 18. The content list table 23 stores the names and numbers of the content in a list format, for example, as shown in FIG.
A page configuration file 2 that stores a tree-like page configuration 24a for allowing the user to easily display each video information and each general information of each content on a display screen by a click operation.
4, the top (home) page 25 of the page configuration shown in FIG.
page information file 25 that stores page information such as image, character information, layout, etc. of each page 25a including the b.
Is provided.

In response to a transmission request from each client 18, the management server 14 stores a table 23, each file 2
List of contents stored in pages 4 and 25, page structure 24
a, The page information is transmitted to the requesting client 18.

Each of the clients 18 executes a display process for displaying the content obtained from each of the servers 12, 13, and 14 on the display 17 in accordance with the flowchart shown in FIG. First, when a user inputs a start command, a transmission request for a content list is transmitted to the management server 14 via the communication network 11 (step S1). When the content list is received from the management server 14 via the communication network 11, the received content list is displayed on the display 17 (S2).

When the user clicks one content in the displayed content list with, for example, a mouse (S3), a transmission request for a page configuration of the specified content is transmitted to the management server 14 (S4). When the corresponding page configuration is received from the management server 14, the page configuration 24a is stored and held, and the page configuration 24a is stored.
A request to transmit page information of the top (home) page 25a is transmitted to the management server 14 (S5).

When the page information of the top (home) page 25a is received from the management server 14, this page is displayed on the display 17 (S6). When the user performs a click operation while the page is displayed (S7), it is checked what is specified by the click operation.

If the click operation is to specify a lower page (S8), the page information of the corresponding page is specified from the page configuration 24a that has already been received, and a transmission request is sent to the management server 14, and the corresponding page information is sent. Is acquired and displayed on the display 17 (S9). Thereafter, the process returns to S7 and waits for the next click operation.

In S10, if the click operation is display designation of general information such as a still image or text, the data server 1
2 transmits a request for transmission of the corresponding general information (S11), and upon receiving the corresponding general information from the data server 12, displays the received general information such as a still image or text on the display 17 (S12). Then, the process returns to S7 and waits for the next click operation.

In S13, if the click operation is to specify a moving image, a transmission request for the corresponding moving image information is sent to the moving image server 11 (S14). Are displayed on the display 17 and sound is output from the speaker (S1).
5). Then, the process returns to S7 and waits for the next click operation.

Further, if the click operation is an end operation in S16, the display processing for the current content is ended. In the thus configured information supply system with a moving image of the first embodiment, when the user selects, for example, the content of “how to cook” on the client 18, the display screen 17 of the display 17 of the client 18 is selected.
In a, a home page 25b shown in FIG. 5 is displayed.

The home page 25b has a moving image area 26 for displaying a moving image 29 and a general information area 27 for displaying general information such as a still image and text. Further, a plurality of selection areas 28 for the user to point by a click operation are formed.

Then, the user uses the mouse to select each of the selection areas 28.
Is designated, the respective moving images 29 indicating the detailed operations of “preparing”, “heating”, and “laying up” allocated to the corresponding selection area 28 are started to be displayed in the moving image area 26. In FIG. 5, a moving image 29 of the detailed operation of “Preparing for preparation” is displayed.

In the information supply system with a moving image having such a configuration, the page configuration 24a and each page 2
Client 1 that has received each page information of 5a and 25b
8 first displays the first page (homepage) 25b specified in the page configuration 24a. When the user designates an item on the screen or the selection area 28 by a click operation, when the designation is the page 25a, the next page information linked by the page configuration 24a is displayed.

When the click designation is moving image information or general information, the moving image server 12 via the communication network 11
And the corresponding moving image information and general information from the data server 13 and display and output them.

As described above, all the moving picture information and general information constituting each content are not collectively downloaded to the memory of the requesting client 18 at the time of the content transmission request, but are actually required by the client 18. At this point, the moving image information and general information necessary for display are transmitted to the corresponding client 18 and displayed in real time.

Therefore, the moving image information and general information not specified by the user by the click operation are not transmitted to the client 18 at all, so that the moving image server 12 and the data server 13 are not transmitted.
Transmission processing load is reduced.

Further, each server 1 is provided to the client 18.
There is no need for a large-capacity memory for storing and holding a large amount of moving image information and general information which are collectively downloaded from the terminals 2 and 13. As described above, since only the minimum necessary information is transmitted from each of the servers 12 and 13 to each of the clients 18, after the user inputs a content display request to the client 18, it includes moving image information required by the user. The waiting time until the content is actually displayed can be reduced to a time that is hardly noticed by the user.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of each client 18 in the information supply system with a moving image according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

The configurations of the moving picture server 12, the data server 13, and the management server 14 other than the clients 18 are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 shows the operations from transmitting the content list transmission request from the client 18 to the management server 14 (P1) to displaying the received first page (porm) 25b (P6). Since the processing operation is the same as that of S1 to S6 in the flowchart of the first embodiment, the description is omitted.

In FIG. 6, when the first page (porm) 25b received at P6 is displayed, the corresponding page 25a is displayed.
At (25b), the page information of each page 25a that can be specified (linked) by a click operation is acquired from the management server 14 and stored and held. In addition, general information other than a moving image that can be designated (linked) by a click operation is acquired from the data server 13 and stored (P7).

When the user performs a click operation while the page 25a (25b) is displayed (P8), it is checked what is specified by the click operation. If the click operation is to specify a lower page (P9), the page information of the corresponding page 25a received and stored first is displayed on the display 17 (P10). Thereafter, the process returns to P7, and acquires page information and general information of each clickable page in the corresponding page.

In P11, if the click operation is a display designation of general information such as a still image or text, the general information such as a still image or text previously received and stored is displayed on the display unit 17 ( P12). Then, the process returns to P8 and waits for the next click operation.

If the click operation is to specify a moving image at P13, a transmission request for the corresponding moving image information is sent to the moving image server 11 (P14), and the corresponding moving image information is received from the moving image server 11. Then, the moving image of the received moving image information is displayed on the display 17 and the sound is output from the speaker (S15). Then, the process returns to P7 and waits for the next click operation.

Further, if the click operation is an end operation in P16, the display processing for the current content is ended. In the information supply system with a moving image according to the second embodiment having the above-described configuration, the moving image information stored in the moving image server 12 and constituting the content is required for display when a transmission request is generated from the client 18. Since the moving image information is transmitted to the corresponding client 18, substantially the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above can be obtained.

Further, in the second embodiment, each time each page 25b, 25a is displayed on the client 18, the page information and general information of the page that can be designated by a click operation on the corresponding page 25b, 25a are displayed. It is obtained from the server 14.13 and stored.

As described above, the page information and general information with a low transmission processing load on each of the servers 14 and 13 and having a high probability of being specified by the click operation are transmitted to the client 18.
, The response time to the click operation on the client 18 performed by the user can be reduced without substantially increasing the transmission processing time.

(Third Embodiment) FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of each client 18 in the information supply system with a moving image according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

Each client 18 is supposed to be unable to acquire moving image information from the moving image server 12 due to a request for acquiring moving image information from the moving image server 12 by more than the allowable number. The moving image information for operation guidance in the case is stored.

The configurations of the moving image server 12, the data server 13, and the management server 14 other than the clients 18 are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

After transmitting a content list transmission request from the client 18 to the management server 14 (Q1), general information such as a still image or text received from the data server 13 is displayed on the display 17 (Q12). The operation up to S1 in the flowchart of the first embodiment shown in FIG.
The processing operation is the same as that of steps S12 to S12, and a description thereof will be omitted.

At Q13 in FIG. 7, when the click operation is a moving image designation, a transmission request of the corresponding moving image information is sent to the moving image server 11 (Q14), and the moving image information is received from the moving image server 11 within, for example, an allowable time. Then (Q15), the moving image of the received moving image information is displayed on the display 17, and the sound is output from the speaker (Q16). Then, the process returns to Q7 and waits for the next click operation.

If the corresponding moving image information cannot be received from the moving image server 11 within the allowable time in Q15, the operation guide moving image information stored and held by the display device 17 is displayed.
(Q17).

When the end operation is designated by the click operation in Q18, the display processing for the current content is ended. In the information supply system with a moving image according to the third embodiment configured as described above, the moving image information is transmitted from the moving image server 12 to the moving image server 12 due to the request for obtaining the moving image information from the moving image server 12 by an allowable number or more. If the content cannot be acquired, as shown in FIG. 8, instead of the regular movie 29 received from the movie server 12 in the movie area 26 of the first page 25b displaying the corresponding content, for example,
The operation guide moving image information 30 stored and held in advance by the client 18 is displayed.

Therefore, the user of the client 18 can know the reason why the moving image 29 of the content is not displayed and can know the next operation.

In this case, the displayed content is not an error message based on simple text data, and the operation guide is displayed as a moving image, so that the user can be provided with the operation guide without feeling uncomfortable.

(Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a main part of the operation of each client 18 in the information supply system with a moving image according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

The data server 13 in the information supply system with a moving image according to the fourth embodiment includes a moving image server 12
Are stored in place of the respective moving image information stored in.

Note that the configurations of the moving picture server 12 and the management server 14 other than the clients 18 and the data server 13 are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

After transmitting a content list transmission request from the client 18 to the management server 14 (R1), the user designates a moving image by a click operation (R13).
The operations up to are the same as the processing operations from S1 to S13 in the flowchart of the first embodiment shown in FIG.
Description is omitted.

In R13 of FIG. 9, when the user designates a moving image by a click operation, a transmission request of the corresponding moving image information is sent to the moving image server 12 (R14).
When the corresponding moving image information is received within the allowable time from (R
15) The moving image of the received moving image information is displayed on the display 17 and the sound is output from the speaker (R16). Then, wait for the next click operation.

If the corresponding moving picture information cannot be received from the moving picture server 12 within the allowable time in R15, a transmission request for a substitute text corresponding to the corresponding moving picture is sent to the data server 13 (R17). . When the relevant substitute text is received from the data server 13, the substitute text 31 is displayed on the moving image area 26 of the first page 25b displayed on the display screen 17a of the display 17 as shown in FIG. 10 (R18). ).

When the end is designated by a click operation in R19, the display processing for the current content is ended. In the information supply system with a moving image of the fourth embodiment configured as described above, the moving image information is transmitted from the moving image server If the client 18 cannot acquire the content, as shown in FIG.
In the moving image area 26, the substitute text 31 corresponding to the regular moving image information 29 acquired from the data server 13 is displayed instead of the regular moving image information 29 received from the moving image server 11.

Therefore, even if the regular moving image 29 is not displayed in the moving image area 26, the proxy text 31 corresponding to the moving image 29 is displayed. By looking at the substitute text 31, the minimum necessary information in the content can be secured. For example, in “how to cook” shown in FIG. 10, it is a little inconvenient, but it is possible to cook using the substitute text 31.

(Fifth Embodiment) FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a main part of the operation of each client 18 in an information supply system with a moving image according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

The data server 13 in the information supply system with a moving image according to the fifth embodiment includes a moving image server 12
Are stored in place of the respective moving image information stored in.

Note that the configurations of the moving image server 12 and the management server 14 other than the clients 18 and the data server 13 are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

After transmitting a content list transmission request from the client 18 to the management server 14 (T1), the user designates general information such as a still image or text by a click operation (T10), and Is acquired from the data server 13 (T11), and the display 1
The operation up to (T12) displayed in FIG. 7 is the same as the processing operation from S1 to S12 in the flowchart of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

At T13 in FIG. 11, when the user instructs the use of the substitute text by a click operation (T1
3), the substitute text flag stored in the storage unit is set to 1 (T14).

When the user designates a moving image by a click operation (T15), the state of the substitute text flag is checked. In the state where the moving image has been released to 0, the transmission request of the moving image is transmitted to the moving image server 12 (T17), and the received moving image 29 is transmitted.
Is displayed in the moving image area 26 of the display screen (T18).

At T16, if the substitute text flag is set to 1, a request for transmitting a substitute text corresponding to the moving image is sent to the data server 13 (T19), and FIG.
The received substitute text 31 is displayed on the display screen 1 as shown in FIG.
7A is displayed in the moving image area 26 (T20).

When the end is designated by the click operation at T21, the display processing for the current content is ended. When the substitute text flag once set to [1] is canceled to [0], the substitute text flag is canceled by a click operation as in the case of setting.

In the information supply system with a moving image according to the fifth embodiment configured as described above, the user can arbitrarily select whether to view the content with the normal moving image 29 or the substitute text 31.

Therefore, even if the client 18 has the moving image display function or the client does not have the moving image display function, it is possible to provide information to each client with the same contents. That is, there is no need to create a plurality of types of content according to the type of the client 18.

In a communication network having a small transmission capacity, it is possible to transmit only the substitute text to all the clients 18 from the beginning. (6th
Embodiment) FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a moving image server 12a in an information supply system with moving image according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

The moving image server 12a includes a storage unit 32 for storing various information and a distribution processing unit 33 for exchanging information with each client 18 via the communication network 11. The transmission processing unit 33 includes the transmitting memory 3
4 are connected.

In the transmitting memory 34, the number N of moving images being transmitted by the moving image server 12a is stored. In the storage unit 32, a client type table 35, a moving image file 36, and a simplified moving image file 37 are provided.

In the client type table 35, for each client 18 connected to the communication network 11, it is registered in advance whether the client 18 is a client with a high priority or a client with a low priority. I have.

The moving image file 36 stores regular moving image information constituting the contents. In the simplified moving image file 37, each piece of simplified moving image information obtained by lowering the bit rate of each of the regular moving images stored in the moving image file 36 is stored.

Other data server 13, management server 1
4 and each client 18 are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment shown in FIG. Video server 12a
Performs a supply process of a moving image or a simplified moving image to each client 18 according to the flowchart of FIG.

When a moving image transmission request is input from one client 18 via the communication network 11 (U1),
The number N of moving images being transmitted in the transmitting memory 34 is increased by one (U2). If the number N of moving images being transmitted has not reached the predetermined specified number N _S of moving images being transmitted (U3), the moving image file 3
Then, the designated moving image information is read out from the client 6, and transmission to the requesting client 18 is started (U4).

When the transmission processing of one piece of moving image information is completed in U5, only when the corresponding moving image information is not simple moving image information but regular moving image information (U6), the number N of moving images being transmitted in the transmitting memory 34 is determined. Subtract 1 (U7).

Further, if the number N of the moving images being transmitted reaches the predetermined specified number N _S of the moving images being transmitted at U3, the priority of the requesting client 18 is set in the client type table 3.
5 and if the priority is high (U8), U
At step 4, a regular moving picture story is transmitted.

On the other hand, if the priority is low (U8),
The simplified moving image information corresponding to the specified moving image information is read from the simplified moving image file 37, and transmission to the requesting client 18 is started (U9). Then, back to the original by subtracting 1 from the addition was defined transmitted during moving speed N _S.

In the information supply system with a moving image according to the sixth embodiment having the above-described configuration, when a transmission request is input to the moving image server 12a in the same time period from the allowable number of clients 18, the priority is low. The simple moving image information having a low transmission bit rate is transmitted to the client 18.

Since the transmission processing load of the simplified moving image information is much smaller than the transmission processing load of the regular moving image information,
It does not significantly affect the transmission of legitimate video information.

Therefore, the client 1 having the higher priority
8 can always supply the moving picture information of the best image quality. Even for the user of the client 18 having a low priority, the minimum necessary information in the content can be secured.

If a high-priority client 18 is set, for example, at a hospital, a police station, a transportation agency, or a local government headquarters, information can be preferentially secured even in the event of a disaster.

(Seventh Embodiment) FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the moving image server 12 in the information supply system with moving image according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.

In the moving picture server 12 in the moving picture information supply system of the seventh embodiment, a distribution processing section 33, a transmitting memory 34, a client type table 35 and a moving picture file 36 shown in FIG. 12 are provided. Note that the simplified moving image table 37 is not provided.

Other data server 13, management server 1
4 and each client 18 are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment shown in FIG. The moving image server 12 executes a supply process of a moving image or a simplified moving image to each client 18 according to the flowchart of FIG.

When a moving image transmission request is input from one client 18 (V1), the number N of moving images being transmitted in the transmitting memory 34 is increased by one (V2). If the number N of videos being transmitted has not reached the predetermined number N _S of videos being transmitted in advance, (V
3) The designated moving image information is read from the moving image file 36, and transmission to the requesting client 18 is started (V4).

When the transmission processing of one piece of moving image information is completed in V5, only when the corresponding moving image information is not only sound but also regular moving image information (V6), the number N of moving images being transmitted in the transmitting memory 34 is increased by one. (V7).

Further, when the number N of the moving images being transmitted reaches the predetermined specified number N _S of the moving images being transmitted at V3, the priority of the requesting client 18 is set in the client type table 3.
5 and if the corresponding priority is high (V8), V
At step 4, a regular moving picture story is transmitted.

On the other hand, when the priority is low (V8),
Only the audio portion of the specified moving image information is read from the moving image file 36 and transmission to the requesting client 18 is started (V9). Then, back to the original by subtracting 1 from the addition was defined transmitted during moving speed N _S.

In the information supply system with a moving image according to the sixth embodiment configured as described above, when a transmission request is input to the moving image server 12 in the same time period from the allowable number of clients 18, the priority is low. Client 1
8, only the audio portion is transmitted without transmitting the moving image.

Even in such a state, the user of the client 18 with a high priority can always view normal contents. On the other hand, the low priority client 18
Although the normal user cannot see the normal moving image 29, the user can secure only the minimum necessary information of the content by listening to only the sound instead of the moving image 29.

(Eighth Embodiment) FIG. 15 is a schematic configuration diagram of an information supply system with a moving image according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those of the information supply system with a moving image according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.
Therefore, the detailed description of the overlapping part is omitted.

In the eighth embodiment, a plurality of auxiliary moving image servers 38 are connected to the communication network 11. In each auxiliary moving image server 38, a regular moving image server 1
2 stores the same moving image information as the moving image information stored in No. 2.

If each of the clients 18 cannot acquire moving image information from the moving image server 12 due to a request for obtaining moving image information from the authorized moving image server 12 by more than the allowable number of clients, The transmission request of the corresponding moving image information is transmitted to one auxiliary moving image server 38. Then, the moving image information received from the auxiliary moving image server 38 is displayed and output to the display 17. in this way,
By adding the auxiliary moving image server 38, the moving image supply capability to each client 18 of the moving image server as a whole can be easily increased.

[0129]

As described above, in the information supply system with moving image according to the present invention, moving image information and general information are incorporated in individual servers, and each server can be individually accessed.

Therefore, each client can acquire moving image information as needed and display and output the information in real time, can eliminate the download processing from the server to the memory of the client, and can greatly improve the response performance to the content display request at the client.

Further, even if a large number of clients simultaneously issue a moving image acquisition request to the server and the corresponding server cannot respond to all the acquisition requests, the minimum information for the content is transmitted to each client. Can be supplied, and the service for the content user can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information supply system with a moving image according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a book diagram showing a schematic configuration of a management server in the first embodiment system;

FIG. 3 is a view showing a page configuration stored in a management server in the system according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of each client in the system of the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a view showing contents displayed on a display unit of each client in the system according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of each client in the information supply system with a moving image according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of each client in the information supply system with a moving image according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a view showing contents displayed on a display unit of each client in the information supply system with a moving image according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of each client in the information supply system with a moving image according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing contents displayed on a display of each client in the information supply system with a moving image according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of each client in the information supply system with a moving image according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a moving image server in the information supply system with moving image according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of a moving image server in the information supply system with moving image according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of a video server in the information supply system with video according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information supply system with a moving image according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a conventional information supply system with a moving image.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Communication network 12, 12a ... Video server 13 ... Data server 14 ... Management server 17 ... Display 17a ... Display screen 18 ... Client 20, 33 ... Distribution processing unit 21 ... Client table 23 ... Content list table 24 ... Page configuration file 25 ... Page information file 25a, 25b ... Page 26 ... Video area 27 ... General information area 29 ... Video 30 ... Operation guide video 31 ... Substitute text 34 ... Transmission memory 35 ... Client type table 36 ... Video file 37 ... Simplified image File 38: auxiliary video server

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A moving image server for storing a plurality of moving image information, a data server for storing general information other than the moving image including still images and texts, and a plurality of clients for displaying supplied moving image information and general information. An information supply system with a moving image, which is connected to a management server that manages content composed of at least one piece of moving image information and general information to be supplied to each client via a communication network, wherein the management server A page configuration file for storing the page configuration of each of the pages, a page information file for storing page information for each of the pages, and a request source for the page configuration and each page information in response to a transmission request specifying the content from each of the clients. Page transmitting means for transmitting to each of the clients. Link page display means for displaying the next page linked by the click operation in response to a click operation performed while displaying, and the moving image server and data indicating the moving image information and general information specified by the clicking operation. An information supply system with a moving image, comprising: an obtaining unit that obtains from a server; and a content display unit that displays the obtained moving image information and general information. 2. A moving image server for storing a plurality of moving image information, a data server for storing general information other than the moving image including still images and texts, and a plurality of clients for displaying supplied moving image information and general information. An information supply system with a moving image, which is connected to a management server that manages content composed of at least one piece of moving image information and general information to be supplied to each client via a communication network, wherein the management server A page configuration file for storing the page configuration of each of the pages, a page information file for storing page information for each of the pages, and a request source for the page configuration and each page information in response to a transmission request specifying the content from each of the clients. Page transmitting means for transmitting to each of the clients. When displaying a page, storage means for acquiring and storing from the data server each piece of general information that can be designated by a click operation on a corresponding page, and a click operation performed while each page is displayed. Link page display means for displaying the next page linked by the operation, acquisition means for acquiring video information specified by the click operation from the video server, and general information storing and holding general information specified by the click operation An information supply system with a moving picture, comprising: an extracting means for extracting from the information; and a content display means for displaying the obtained moving picture information and the extracted general information. 3. When each of the clients cannot acquire moving image information from the moving image server due to a request for acquiring moving image information from the moving image server, the operation guidance moving image stored in advance is transmitted. The information supply system with a moving image according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an operation guide moving image display means for displaying. 4. The data server stores a substitute text in place of each moving image information stored in the moving image server, and each of the clients requests an allowable number or more of clients to obtain moving image information from the moving image server. When the moving image information cannot be obtained from the moving image server due to the above, obtaining means for obtaining a substitute text corresponding to the moving image information from the data server, and a substitute text displaying means for displaying the obtained substitute text The information supply system with a moving image according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: 5. The data server stores a substitute text in place of each moving image information stored in the moving image server, and each of the clients determines whether to adopt the substitute text in place of the moving image information. Selecting means, and when the click operation specifies moving image information, and when the selecting means selects the use of a substitute text, obtaining means for obtaining a substitute text corresponding to the corresponding moving image information from the data server, The information supply system with a moving image according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a substitute text display unit that displays the acquired substitute text. 6. The moving image server, wherein the moving image server stores a simplified moving image file in which a bit rate is reduced for each of the stored moving image information, and a client priority storing a supply priority for each of the clients. Table, and when a moving image information acquisition request is input from a client that is equal to or more than the allowable number, the simplified moving image stored in the simplified moving image file is provided for each client whose priority is set low in the client priority table. 3. The information providing system with a moving image according to claim 1, further comprising a simplified moving image information supplying means for supplying information. 7. The moving image server has a sound supply unit that supplies only sound in requested moving image information to a requesting client when a moving image information acquisition request is input from an allowable number or more clients. The information supply system with a moving image according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: 8. An auxiliary moving image server storing the same moving image information as that of the moving image server is connected to the communication network, and each of the clients requests an allowable number or more of clients to obtain moving image information from the moving image server. 3. The information providing system with a moving image according to claim 1, further comprising an obtaining unit configured to obtain the moving image information from the auxiliary moving image server when moving image information cannot be obtained from the moving image server due to the operation.