JP2001282258A - Audition reproduction control method for content distribution system and player as well as program memory medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To deal with audition permission conditions on a copyright holder side with a content distribution system. SOLUTION: The system is so constituted that a player 10 is informed of audition reproduction control information indicating whether the audition reproduction of the contents is permitted or prohibited from an edition system/server 1 of a content holder or the copyright holder and the audition reproduction is permitted or prohibited. In case of the permission, the player is informed of an audition permission time, number of audition permission times, an audition possible date and audition possible period and the audition reproduction is permitted within this range. When the player is informed of the combinations of audition reproduction conditions of >=2 of any among the audition permission time, the number of audition permission times, the audition possible date and the audition possible period and the priority, the audition reproduction of the audition reproduction conditions of low priority after the end of the audition reproduction under the audition reproduction conditions of the high priority is prohibitted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a preview playback control method for a content distribution system for transferring (downloading) content data such as music from a host to a player on a user side via a network such as the Internet or a public telephone line. And a player and a program storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as a system for selling content data (software) such as music to users, instead of using tangible or paid recording media such as CDs (compact discs) and DVDs (digital versatile discs). Attention has been paid to a network distribution system that transfers the data to a recording medium such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory in a user's player through a network such as a store-installed terminal or the Internet on condition that payment is made, and reproduces the data. .

As an example of a network distribution system, a system via the Internet in which content data is transferred from an Internet server (host) to a player via the Internet and an Internet client (user personal computer) is considered. Another example is
A method is conceivable in which content data is transferred to a store-installed terminal via a satellite communication line or a public telephone line, and further transferred from the store-installed terminal to a player via a store-installed terminal. In the latter system, a system via a public telephone line that directly transfers to a player via a public telephone line without passing through a store-installed terminal can be considered.

[0004]

Incidentally, in such a network distribution system, there is a demand that the user wants to listen to the content before purchasing (paying) the content. However, there is a request that the copyright holder does not permit (prohibit) or permits such a preview request at all, and there is a request that various permission conditions are set even if it is permitted. There is a problem in that the system must be configured to satisfy these various requirements. Here, "preview" means that the content can be applied not only to music but also to other software such as a movie, and so "play or copy part or all of the content under certain restrictions". And

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling playback of a preview of a network distribution system, a player, and a program storage medium that can respond to a preview permission condition of a copyright holder.

[0006]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a transfer source terminal notifies a player of trial playback control information indicating whether preview playback of content is permitted or prohibited. In addition, the trial playback is permitted or prohibited. In addition, when permission is granted, a trial permitted time, a permitted trial count, a trial possible date, and a trial possible period are notified to permit trial playback within this range. Furthermore, when a combination of any two or more of the trial playback conditions of the trial permission time, the number of trials permitted, the trial possible date, and the trial possible period is notified and the priority is given, the trial playback of the higher priority preview playback condition is terminated. After that, the preview playback under the preview playback condition with a low priority is prohibited.

That is, according to the present invention, there is provided a preview playback control method for a content distribution system for transferring content from a transfer source terminal to a player on the user side, wherein the content is transferred from the transfer source terminal to the player. Notifying preview playback control information indicating whether preview playback of the content is permitted or prohibited, and allowing or prohibiting preview playback of all or part of the content by the player based on the preview playback control information. The present invention provides a method for controlling a preview playback of a content distribution system, a player for performing a process of permitting and prohibiting the preview playback, and a program storage medium storing a program therefor.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS <First Embodiment> An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a network distribution system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the player of FIG. 1 in detail, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the editing system of FIG. 1 in detail, 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of the header, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the trial listening condition data of FIG. 4 in detail, FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the trial listening condition data of FIG. 5, and FIGS. It is a flowchart which shows a control process.

FIG. 1 shows a system for distributing music contents to a player 10 on the user side as an example.
The music content is downloaded from the content holder or the copyright holder's editing system / server 1 to the information medium 13. The information medium 13 is built-in or detachable according to the form of the player 10. The download forms include (1) a method via a terminal (hereinafter, a kiosk terminal) 2 installed at a JR station, (2) a method via a computer network 3, a mobile phone / PHS4, (3) a computer network 3, a personal computer. A method via a computer (PC) 5 and (4) a method via digital satellite broadcasting (satellite 6 and satellite broadcasting receiver 7) are conceivable. The downloaded music content is compressed and encrypted. In addition, when the user requests a trial listening, the contents of FIG.
The header is downloaded as shown in FIG.

The player 10 will be described with reference to FIG. In this example, the above-mentioned information medium 13 is a built-in memory 13, and the memory 13 has an area for storing music content downloaded from the editing system / server 1, a header and a country identification code described later, and the like. Data transfer interface (I / F) 19 and input / output terminal 20
Is a kiosk terminal 2 and a mobile phone / P as shown in FIG.
It is connected to the HS 4, PC 5, and satellite broadcast receiver 7 to perform download, and is connected between players 10 to perform copy (re-transfer).

When the music content stored in the memory 13 is reproduced, when a user operates a reproduction key of the operation unit 14, a reproduction command is transmitted from the operation unit 14 to the control unit 1.
When the control unit 12 receives the playback command, the control unit 12 reads the music content from the memory 13 and encrypts /
This is sent to the decoding unit 15. The encryption / decryption unit 15 decrypts the music content, and the compression / decompression unit 16 decompresses the decrypted data into a PCM signal. Next, the reproducing unit 17 converts the PCM signal into an analog signal, and sends the analog signal to an earphone (not shown) via the audio output terminal 18.

The display unit 11 is an LCD display or the like, and displays the title and time of music content under the control of the control unit 12. The player 10 also includes a date management unit 21, a remaining number-of-listenings counting unit 22, and a remaining-listening-time calculating unit 23 having a function of counting the number of trial listening times. FIG. 2 shows the function, and the control unit 12 and
The date management section 21, the remaining number-of-listenings counting section 22, and the remaining-listening-time calculating section 23 are constituted by a CPU and its programs. Further, the player 10 has various forms, and does not necessarily have all of these functions.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the editing system 1a. The editing system 1a includes a CPU 1-1, a hard disk 1-2, and the like. When music content and its trial reproduction control information (hereinafter simply referred to as trial control information) are separately input, the music content including the trial control information is input. And downloads it to the player 10. The preview control information is arranged in the header shown in FIG.

The header includes, for example, header information, a content ID, a content title, a country identification code indicating a country for which trial listening is permitted, a production company name, and a trial condition for each song (preview). Due date, audition period, audition count,
(E.g., listening time, compound conditions, etc.), ・ Song title for each song, ・ Performance time (hours, minutes, seconds, number of frames) for each song, ・ Content decryption key storage area . The content decryption key storage area data is stored in the encryption / decryption unit 15 shown in FIG.
Is used to decrypt the encrypted content.

As shown in detail in FIG. 5, the listening condition data for each song includes: 4 bit listening conditions; 11 bit (year) +5 bit (month) +5 bit (day)
= 21-bit audition date, 5-bit audition period (days), 4-bit audition count (remaining audition count), and 16-bit audition time (remaining audition time (seconds)) It is configured.

The 4-bit sample condition data represents 0000: Sample cannot be sampled. Also, when one or more bit data of the 4-bit listening condition data is “1”, “listening is possible” is indicated. Further, for example, 1000: only the listening date is specified 0100: only the listening period is specified 0010: the number of listening times is specified Only 0001: Indicates only the designation of the listening time.

Also, two or more permission conditions can be represented. For example, when the 4-bit preview condition data is "0011", it represents a composite designation of "the number of trials" and "trial time". FIG. 6 shows, as an example, a composite designation of the number of times of listening and the cumulative listening time, and the number of times of listening = 5 and the cumulative listening time = 6.
This shows a case where 00 seconds is specified.

7 to 9 show the player 10 (or PC 5).
Shows the sample playback process. In FIG. 7, first, it is determined whether or not the country identification code in the header and the country identification code in the memory 13 match. If they match, it is determined whether or not the listening condition data = 0000 in the header. Judgment of “listening is possible” or “listening is impossible” is determined (step S
1). If the country identification codes do not match, or if "listening is not possible", the song is not previewed and the listening playback is not performed (step S2).
In the case of, it is determined whether or not it has a date management function (date management unit 21), a time accumulation function (remaining trial listening time calculation unit 23), and a frequency counting function (remaining trial listening frequency counting unit 22) (step S3).

If none of the functions are provided, the trial playback is permitted only once, and after the trial playback is completed, the preview condition data is set to 0000 to prohibit the second and subsequent trial playbacks ( Step S4). On the other hand, if it has the date management function, it proceeds to step S5, if it has the time accumulation function, it proceeds to step S6, and if it has the number counting function, it proceeds to step S7. If there is a compound designation of time and number of times, step S8 (S6, S6
Proceed to 7). In step S5, "there is a designated listening date"
Alternatively, the process proceeds to steps S9 and S10, respectively, depending on whether there is a designated listening period.

FIG. 8 shows a process for calculating the “remaining time for trial listening”. In the case of "specifying the listening date" in step S9, in step S11, the remaining listening time = 24H * the number of days remaining until the listening date is calculated, and then the process proceeds to step S18. On the other hand, if it is not “the designation of the trial listening date” in step S9, the process ends without calculating the remaining trial listening time (step S12). Further, in the case of "the designation of the trial listening period" in step S10, in step S13, the remaining time for trial listening = 24H * the number of days remaining in the trial listening period is calculated, and then the process proceeds to step S18. On the other hand, if it is not "specified listening period" in step S10, the process ends without calculating the remaining listening time (step S14).

If "the number of times of trial listening is specified" in step S7, the remaining time for trial listening = the number of remaining trial listening times * the music playing time (3
(Fixed in minutes), and then proceeds to step S18. On the other hand, if it is not "the number of times of trial listening is specified" in step S7, the process ends without calculating the remaining time for trial listening (step S16). If "accumulated time is specified" in step S6, the process proceeds to step S18.
On the other hand, if it is not "there is designation of the accumulated time", the process is terminated as it is (step S17). In step S18 and the subsequent step S19, the longest time is selected from the "remaining time for trial listening" calculated as described above to determine "remaining time for trial listening". Instead of the “longest time”, “the shortest time” or “the time (not shown) separately designated in the header” may be selected to determine the “remaining time for trial listening”.

FIG. 9 shows a process for calculating a remaining listening time (remaining listening time) after completion of the listening playback. In FIG. 9, the “remaining listening time” is calculated by “specifying a listening date” and “specifying a listening period”.
Is not performed in the case of (steps S21 and S22). On the other hand, in the case of "the number of trials is specified", if the trial is performed for a specified time (for example, 5 seconds) or more, the number of trials in the header is reduced by one (step S23 → S2).
4) On the other hand, if the trial listening is not performed for the specified time or more, the trial listening count data in the header is left as it is (step S23 → S25). If the "listening time is designated", the remaining listening time = the remaining listening time-the current listening time is calculated and set as the listening time data in the header (step S26).

In the above embodiment, when the trial reproduction is permitted, the reproduction may be performed with the sound quality degraded (step S31 in FIG. 7). In this case, for example, the listening condition data of 4 bits is changed to 5 bits, and when the added 1 bit is “1”, “there is sound quality deterioration”;
In the case of “0”, “no sound quality degradation” is indicated.
On the player 10 side, when "the sound quality is degraded", for example, it can be realized by converting the lower several bits of the PCM data of the music content to all zeros, converting it into an analog signal, and reproducing the analog signal.

<Second Embodiment> By the way, the first embodiment
In the embodiment, when the preview reproduction is permitted by “combination designation” such as designating both the trial listening date and the trial listening period, for example, the player 10 side uniquely determines the “longest time”.
Is determined, the copyright holder may not be able to respond to the request. For example, instead of allowing unlimited listening for a specified number of seconds or seconds within the specified listening date or period, if the number of listening times and listening time are further specified, and if the specified number of listening times and listening time are exceeded, It is conceivable that it is desired to prohibit the audition even before the audition date or before the audition period. Therefore, in the second embodiment, when the preview playback is permitted by “composite designation”,
A trial playback is permitted by designating a priority order so as to be able to respond to requests from various copyright holders.

FIG. 10 shows sample condition data for each song in the second embodiment. The sample condition data includes: a 4-bit (bit) sample condition, a 4-bit priority, and an 11-bit (year) : Yyyy) +
5 bits (month: mm) +5 bits (day: dd) = listening date data including 21 bits of listening date; 4 bits of priority, and 5 bits of listening period data including a listening period (number of days); -A trial count data including a 4-bit priority and a 4-bit preview count (remaining trial count);-A preview duration including a 4-bit priority and a 16-bit preview time (remaining trial time (seconds)) The data other than the priority is constituted by data, and is the same as that of the first embodiment (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

The priorities provided for each of the above-mentioned listening date, listening period (number of days), listening times (remaining listening times), and remaining listening time (seconds) are the priorities when the listening is permitted by the composite designation. Is shown. FIG. 11 shows a trial playback process of the player 10 based on the designated data, compares the priorities of the designated trial playback methods (step S41), and determines the remaining time based on the priorities (step S4).
2).

FIG. 11 shows, by way of example, sample condition data = 0.
011, that is, a composite designation of “the number of times of listening” and “time of listening”, where the number of times of listening = 5 and the listening time = 600 seconds are specified, and the priority of the number of listenings = 1 and the priority of the listening time = 2 Is specified. In this case, the number of previews of priority = 1 is 5 times, and the priority = 2
Since the trial listening time is 600 seconds, if the number of trial listening times exceeds 5, even if the duration of the trial playback is less than 600 seconds, the trial listening condition data is set to 0000 and the subsequent trial playback is prohibited.

As another example of processing, priority is given to either of the trial date and the trial period and the number of trials and the trial time in combination to specify the priority of the trial date (or the trial period) =
1. If the priority of the number of times of listening (or the listening time) is specified as 2, and the designated listening date (or listening period) expires, the listening and playback of the specified number of listening times (or listening time) are performed. Even if the processing has not been completed, the sample listening condition data is set to 0000, and the subsequent sample playback is prohibited.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, the transfer source terminal notifies the player of the preview playback control information indicating whether the preview playback of the content is permitted or prohibited, and the preview playback is performed. Was permitted or prohibited.Also, when allowing preview playback, the user was notified of the duration of the preview, the number of trials permitted, the date of the trial, and the duration of the trial, and the trial playback was permitted within this range. It is possible to cope with the conditions for permitting trial listening by the copyright holder. Furthermore, when a combination of any two or more of the trial playback conditions of the trial permission time, the number of trials permitted, the trial possible date, and the trial possible period and the priority order are notified, the trial playback of the higher priority preview playback condition is completed. Later, since the preview playback of the preview playback condition having a lower priority is prohibited, it is possible to cope with the preview permission condition of the copyright holder.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an embodiment of a network distribution system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the player shown in FIG. 1 in detail.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the editing system of FIG. 1 in detail.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a header.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the trial listening condition data of FIG. 4 in detail.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of trial listening condition data of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a preview playback control process.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a preview playback control process.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a preview playback control process.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing in detail trial listening condition data according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a preview playback control process according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the listening condition data of FIG. 10;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Editing system / server (transfer source terminal) 10 Player

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yasuo Sato 3-12-12 Moriyacho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Japan F-term (reference) 5B017 AA07 BB03 BB10 CA16 5D044 AB02 AB05 DE22 EF05 FG18 GK12 HL08

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. A preview playback control method for a content distribution system for transferring content from a transfer source terminal to a player on the user side, wherein the transfer of the content from the transfer source terminal to the player and the preview of the content are performed. A content distribution system for notifying preview playback control information indicating whether playback is permitted or prohibited, and permitting or prohibiting preview playback of all or a part of the content by the player based on the preview playback control information. Audition playback control method. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transfer source terminal notifies the player of a preview permission time together with preview playback control information for permitting preview playback, and permits the preview playback within the range of the preview permission time. A method for controlling a trial playback of the content distribution system according to claim 1. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein when the player has a function for measuring the time for trial listening and reproduction, the trial playback is permitted within the range of the time for allowing trial listening, and when the player does not have the timing function, one trial playback is permitted. 3. The method for controlling trial playback of a content distribution system according to claim 2. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transfer source terminal notifies the player of the number of permitted previews together with preview playback control information for permitting preview playback, and permits preview playback within the range of the permitted number of previews. 4. The method for controlling a trial playback of a content distribution system according to claim 1. 5. When the player has a function of counting the number of times of trial playback, trial playback is permitted within the range of the number of times of trial listening permitted, and when the player does not have the counting function, one trial playback is permitted. 5. The method for controlling trial playback of a content distribution system according to claim 4. 6. The transfer source terminal notifies the player of a trial listening date together with preview playback control information for permitting preview playback, and permits preview playback within the range of the trial listening date. 6. A preview playback control method for the content distribution system according to claim 1. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the player has a calendar function, a trial playback is permitted within the range of the trial possible date, and when the player does not have the calendar function, one trial playback is permitted. 7. The method for controlling the trial playback of the content distribution system according to item 6. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transfer source terminal notifies the player of a trial listening period together with preview playback control information for permitting preview playback, and permits preview playback within the range of the preview listening period. A method for controlling a trial listening / playback of a content distribution system according to any one of claims 1 to 7. 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the player has a calendar function, preview reproduction is permitted within the range of the preview period, and when the player does not have the calendar function, one trial reproduction is permitted. 9. A method for controlling a preview playback of the content distribution system according to item 8. 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the preview reproduction is permitted, the reproduction is performed with the sound quality being degraded. 11. When the transfer source terminal notifies the player of any combination of two or more of the permissible listening time, the permitted number of listening times, the available listening date, and the available listening period, 11. The method according to claim 2, wherein preview reproduction is permitted for a longest time or a separately specified range. 12. The transfer source terminal provides the player with preview playback control information for permitting preview playback, along with at least two of the trial permission time, the trial permission count, the trial duration, and the trial duration. 3. The system according to claim 2, wherein when the combination of the conditions and the priority order are notified, after the preview reproduction of the preview reproduction condition of the higher priority is completed, the preview reproduction of the preview reproduction condition of the lower priority is prohibited.
11. The method for controlling a trial listening / playback of the content distribution system according to any one of items 1 to 10. 13. The transfer source terminal notifies the player of a country identification code for permitting preview playback together with sample playback control information for permitting preview playback, and a country identification code preset for the player. 13. The preview playback control method for a content distribution system according to claim 1, wherein preview playback is permitted when the notified country identification codes match. 14. A player for performing permission and prohibition processing of preview reproduction according to any one of claims 1 to 13. 15. A program storage medium storing the program for permitting and prohibiting preview reproduction according to any one of claims 1 to 13.