JP2002014978A - Content retrieval / acquisition system, terminal device, center device, and program recording medium thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] A copy of an original of a content or a content related to the content from a part of a copy of the desired content can be easily made from a content ID management center 10 without directly specifying a content ID. So that they can be ordered. A terminal device (20) reads a content ID from a copy or a part of a content in which a content ID is embedded, and transmits the content ID and search assistance information to a content ID management center (10). Upon receiving the content ID and the search assistance information, the content ID management center 10 returns the original of the content corresponding to the content ID or the content related thereto to the terminal device 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for managing attribute information such as digital content and its copyright by a content identifier uniquely assigned to each content. The present invention relates to a content search / acquisition system capable of ordering original digital content and related content from a user.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, distribution of various digital contents such as still images, moving images, music, and text data has been rapidly progressing. The problem in the distribution of such digital contents is how to build a mechanism for protecting and managing copyrights and promoting the use of contents.

[0003] In order to solve such a problem, a content I, which is a unique identifier for each digital content, is used.
It has been proposed to construct a system that assigns D and manages digital contents and attribute information of the contents, such as information for searching the contents and information on copyright, in a unified manner by a contents ID.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an outline of the content management system. Content ID management center 100
Is a unique content ID for each digital content
And a function of managing the assigned content ID and the original of the content. The content management database 120 stores the issued content ID 200
And the original content 210. It should be noted that the content ID 200 and the content original 210 need not necessarily be managed by one content management database 120, and the management of the content original 210 is sufficient if the content ID management center 100 can be accessed by some means. is there.

[0005] The content registration device 110 and the content use terminal 130 are information devices such as personal computers that can be connected to the content ID management center 100 via a network.

[0006] A person who has a copyright on digital contents, such as a content creator or a content seller, distributes the content when distributing the content.
0, a registration request including the original digital content and attribute information necessary for the registration of the content in advance is sent to the content I.
Send to D management center 100. Upon receiving the content registration request, the content ID management center 100 issues a unique content ID for the content, and registers the content ID and the content original in the content management database 120. Thereafter, the issued content ID or the digital content to which the content ID is added is returned to the content registration device 110.

[0007] The general user uses the content using terminal 130.
From the content ID management center 1 via the network
00, a content search request can be sent. Upon receiving the search request, the content ID management center 100 searches for the requested content based on the attribute information attached to the content ID, and if the use of the content is permitted, the content ID is added to the original content. The ID-attached content embedded with a watermark or the like is transmitted to the content use terminal 130. In response to a content purchase request from the content use terminal 130, the necessary charging process is performed by the content ID management center 100.
And transmits the ID-added content to the content use terminal 130 that made the request.

FIG. 14 shows an example of a data structure of a content ID in the content management system. Content I
D200 is uniquely assigned to each digital content, and includes an ID center management number including a center number and a center number, a copyrighted attribute such as a genre, a title, and a media type of the content; The information group includes information on distribution attributes such as a license condition attribute, a distribution history attribute, and royalty distribution information, and system control attributes for digital signature and digital watermark information.

The content ID 200 is managed in the content ID management center 100 by the content management database 120 and the like.
D200 or a part thereof is added to the content copied from the original content 210 in the form of a digital header, or is embedded in the content by an electronic watermark or the like.

[0010] Of the content ID 200 shown in FIG. 14, a portion having an actually unique value for each content is an ID center management number, and the original content 210 can be specified by the ID center management number. In the following, only this ID center management number is
It is simply called a content ID. In this case, the entire content ID 200 shown in FIG. 14 is referred to as content attribute information.

In particular, an ID is assigned to the original content 210.
Is embedded by a digital watermark or the like, only the part of the ID center management number (content ID in this specification) is embedded in order to reduce the amount of embedded information. When the content is added to the content in the form of a digital header (or may be inserted in a tail or in the middle), for example, XML (Exte
(nsible Markup Language) Adds content attribute information in document format.

In such a system, when a user obtains a copy of a specific original digital content using a terminal device, it is assumed that the user obtains a copy using the content ID as a key. However, the content ID itself is an identification number for the content ID management center 100 to internally manage the original content 210, and it is not desirable to make general users directly aware of the content ID.

[0013] Even if the general user can be aware of the content ID, if the user wants to obtain the original content from, for example, a fragment of a certain photograph, the user can know the content ID. Therefore, a search request for the original content cannot be issued.

In a conventional general analog image duplication system, there is no function for specifying and obtaining an original.
Even if an image printed on paper or the like can be copied by a copying machine, there is a problem that the image quality is deteriorated each time the copy is repeated.

Further, the conventional analog image copying system has no function of copying in accordance with the conditions specified by the copyright holder, and can obtain only deteriorated images.

[0016]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems. For digital contents registered and managed at a center, a part of a copy of a desired content can be obtained without directly specifying a content ID. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a means for easily obtaining a copy of the original of the content or related content. It is another object of the present invention to enable a registrant of a content to change an output result to a terminal device according to information registered in advance. It is another object of the present invention to obtain a content that does not deteriorate even if the copies are repeated.

[0017]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a terminal device in a system in which a center for managing the original of each content in association with a content ID and a terminal using the content are connected via a network. Means for reading the content ID from the analog information copy of the content in which the content ID is embedded or a part thereof, and the read content ID and the search assistance information including the user information or the terminal information to the center. A transmitting means, a means for generating data to be output from the content received from the center or its attribute information or output control information, and a means for outputting the generated data; Means for receiving search assistance information including user information or terminal information; Based on the received information, means for retrieving an original or content associated therewith or attribute information or the output control information on their contents, the contents corresponding to the received content ID, a
Means for transmitting search result contents or attribute information or output control information to the terminal device.

Thus, even if the content ID is not directly specified from the user's terminal device, if there is a copy of a part of the content, the content ID is read from the copy and the original content or the related content can be easily read from the center. Can be ordered.

In addition, a means for assigning a content ID to a portion obtained by cutting out a part of the content (this is called a thumbnail) at the center in response to a request from the terminal device, and a content in which the content ID is embedded in the thumbnail And a means for transmitting the request to the request source. The terminal device can use the thumbnail to which the content ID is assigned to obtain the entire content original and transmit the content information to another terminal device.

[0020] The search auxiliary information transmitted from the terminal device to the center together with the content ID includes information about the location, and the center sends the content corresponding to the location specified by the search auxiliary information as the related content to the requesting terminal. Send it to the device. This makes it possible to replace the content suitable for each location of the terminal device.

Further, the center searches for the advertisement content from the content classification and the search auxiliary information indicated by the content ID received from the terminal device, and adds the searched advertisement content to the content of the search result requested by the terminal device. To the terminal device. As a result, it is possible to distribute advertisement-attached content that is highly interested in the user.

Further, the center collects and records access log information for each content, selects a content as related content based on the search auxiliary information and the access log information, and sends the selected content to the requesting terminal device. You can also send it. This makes it possible to deliver related content according to the popularity of the content.

Further, the terminal transmits the content ID and the search auxiliary information including the model of the terminal or the type of the connection line to the center, and the center receives the content ID based on the information received from the terminal. The content related to the content ID is searched, the optimum content according to the output capability of the terminal device or the transmission capability of the connection line is selected, and the selected optimal content or its attribute information or output control information is transmitted to the terminal device. As a result, the content is changed according to the terminal attribute and communication speed of the receiving terminal device, and the PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) has the content suitable for the PDA, the mobile terminal has the content suitable for the mobile terminal, and the flat-rate IP network. It is possible to exchange the contents such as the contents suitable for it, and transmit the optimum contents to each.

[0024] Further, information relating to time is included in the search auxiliary information transmitted together with the content ID from the terminal device to the center, and the center requests the content corresponding to the time specified by the search auxiliary information as the related content. To the terminal device. As a result, it is possible to transmit time-related contents such as the latest information on incidents, professional baseball bulletins, and movie information about the current event to the terminal device.

The embedding of the content ID into the original of the content is performed by, for example, a digital watermark.

In the terminal device or the content ID management center, a program for realizing the above processing means by a computer must be stored in an appropriate recording medium such as a computer-readable portable medium memory, a semiconductor memory, or a hard disk. Can be.

[0027]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a system configuration according to the present invention. The content ID management center 10, the content registration device 30, the thumbnail registration terminal device 31, and the terminal device 20 are connected via a network. The content registration device 30, the thumbnail registration terminal device 31, and the terminal device 20 are configured by information devices such as a personal computer having a communication function. Terminal device 20
May be in the form of a copy machine installed in a convenience store, for example.

The content ID management center 10 includes a transmission / reception unit 11 for communication via a network, a content management unit 12 for performing processing and control relating to management of digital content, a content original and a thumbnail (a part of the content is cut out). Content ID for
, A content registration unit 14 for registering a content original, a content original search unit 15 for searching and retrieving a content original, a content ID embedding unit 16 for embedding a content ID in a content original by a digital watermark or the like, a content ID Has a content ID management table 17 for managing the content, and a content original storage section 18 for storing and storing the original content.

The content ID management center 10 only needs to be able to access the registered content originals, and does not necessarily need to directly hold the content originals. Therefore, the content original storage 18 can be provided in an external device. .

The terminal device 20 includes a content input section 22 for reading an ID-added content 21 in which a content ID is embedded by a scanner or the like, a content ID detection section 23 for detecting a content ID from a read image, a user ID, a terminal ID, and a location. , A search auxiliary information acquisition unit 24 that acquires search auxiliary information such as time, a transmission / reception unit 25 that communicates with the content ID management center 10, and a content transmitted from the content ID management center 10 based on the received output control information. Output or content input unit 22
An output selection unit 26 for selecting whether to output the content read from the content as it is, an output data generation unit 27 for generating output data from information received from the content ID management center 10, and a content output unit 28 for printing out the generated output data. have.

The content input unit 22 may input the ID-attached content 21 printed out on paper by a scanner, or may input the ID-attached content that is digitized and stored in an external storage device or the like. You may. The output content 29 is a content with an ID of the search result. As the search result, instead of outputting the content itself, attribute information and the like can be output.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the content registration device 30 and the content ID management center 10 when registering the original content.

The content registration device 30 stores the original of the digital content to be registered and its attributes (eg, user ID, organization name of the registrant, registration device ID, registration date, registered content quality, etc.) It is sent to the management center 10 (step S1) and waits for a reply of the registration result from the content ID management center 10 (step S1).
2).

The content ID management center 10 waits for a request from the content registration device 30 (step S3), and upon receiving the registration request, proceeds to step S4.
Proceed to. In step S4, the raw data of the content original sent from the content registration device 30 is stored in the content original storage unit 18 in the content ID management center 10.
(Or an external database management device). Next, the content ID that has not been issued so far
Is generated, and the content ID is embedded in the raw data of the original content with an electronic watermark (step S5). The content ID is additionally described in the content ID management table 17 together with the content attribute information (step S6).
The ID-attached content in which the content ID is embedded with the electronic watermark is sent back to the content registration device 30 that has issued the registration request (step S7), and the registration process ends.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the terminal device 20 and the content ID management center 10 when a content is obtained by the content ID.

The terminal device 20 inputs the ID-added content (source content) 21 through the content input unit 22 and acquires content data (step S1).
0). The type of source content is content I
In addition to digital contents with D, contents converted into analog information by printout, and the like, there are thumbnails obtained by cutting out a part of contents such as moving images, still images, audio, and text. Input methods include input from devices with a scanning function such as copiers and scanners,
There is an input from an external storage device having a data storage function such as a hard disk.

Next, from the read source content,
A content ID embedded with a digital watermark is detected by the content ID detection unit 23 (step S11).
The technology for detecting a digital watermark from digital content and the technology for reading digital watermark information from an analog image on which digital watermark-containing content is printed are generally known technologies, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Next, the retrieval auxiliary information acquisition unit 24
The search auxiliary data for content search is acquired (step S12). The search auxiliary data includes a command that defines the execution content and its parameters. As the execution content command, for example, commands such as “acquire whole image” and “acquire related moving image” are prepared in advance. The parameters are the user profile, the current time, the location of the terminal device 20, and the like.
Various input devices can be used as a method for inputting search auxiliary data, such as input from a keyboard, command button, input device such as a touch panel, and input from a device having a data storage function such as a memory. An input method based on an interactive conversation with the user may be used. As a method of acquiring location information, GP
The use of S (Global Positionig System) is also conceivable.

The content ID obtained in step S11 and
The search auxiliary data obtained in step S12 is transmitted to the content ID management center 10 (step S13). When the result data is sent from the content ID management center 10, it is received (step S14). The transmitted result data depends on the transmitted execution content command, but includes a content ID embedded in the raw data (original data) of the corresponding content or the related content original, and metadata (such as permission conditions, distribution conditions, and charging conditions). Output control information).

It is determined from the output control information such as the permission conditions, the distribution conditions, and the charging conditions whether or not the output is permitted (step S1).
5) If not permitted, the content data acquired in step S10 is output as it is or a message indicating that output is impossible is output. If the output is permitted, output data is generated from the original data and metadata of the content (step S16), and printed out to a printer and displayed on a display (step S17). For example, if the content is a moving image, the content is reproduced and output to a display. After that, the process ends.

When the content ID management center 10 receives the content ID and the request data for the search auxiliary data from the terminal device 20 (step S20), the content ID management table 17 is searched by the received content ID. The content ID management table 17 includes a content ID,
Information such as content attribute information and a storage location of the original content is stored. If there is content corresponding to the content specified by the search auxiliary data, raw data of the original content is acquired from the original content storage unit 18.
Further, content attribute information such as permission conditions, distribution conditions, and charging conditions is acquired from the content ID management table 17 (step S22). This content attribute information is information that can be changed by a registrant who is the copyright holder of the content. Content ID with digital watermark on the acquired original data
Is generated, and the result is transmitted to the requesting terminal device 20 together with the content attribute information and the output control information as necessary (step S23).

The basic operation of the system shown in FIG. 1 is as described above. Next, various embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[Thumbnail Usage] Specifically, a thumbnail is, for example, a characteristic scene of a moving image content represented by a still image, or a still image content represented by a still image having a smaller amount of information. . Both of them make it possible to index original contents having a large amount of information with still images having a small amount of information. In general, a still image as a thumbnail is a JPEG or GIF format image. For the original content, ・ Take out a part, ・ Decrease the gradation, ・ Reduce the number of colors, ・ Change the size, ・ Deform The amount of information is reduced by such processing.

When indexing a moving image content by a thumbnail, there is a method of using a part of the original content including a characteristic scene instead of a still image.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of moving image reproduction from a thumbnail. For example, a terminal device 20 of a friend at a remote location
Suppose that the user wants to reproduce from one scene (one shot) of the moving image content already registered in the content ID management center 10. The user designates one shot 40 of the moving image from the thumbnail registration terminal device 31 and transmits a thumbnail registration request to the content ID management center 10. At this time, the content ID assigned to the entire video content from the thumbnail registration terminal device 31
And the position information (time counter) of one shot 40 of the moving image is sent to the content ID management center 10.

In the content ID management center 10, the thumbnail (one shot 40 of the moving image) in the original content of the moving image corresponding to the received content ID is
A new content ID is assigned and registered in the content ID management table 17 together with attribute information indicating the relationship with the original.
Also, the attached content ID is embedded in the thumbnail data by a digital watermark, and is returned to the thumbnail registration terminal device 31.

The user who has registered the thumbnail is the ID of the thumbnail received from the content ID management center 10.
The attached content 41 is transmitted to a friend of the terminal device 20, for example, as an attached file of a mail. Thumbnail ID
The attached content 41 is a still image in which a content ID is embedded by a digital watermark.

The user of the terminal device 20 that has received the mail opens the mail and double-clicks. As a result, the terminal device 20 displays the still image of the thumbnail, detects the content ID embedded by the digital watermark, and displays a menu for reproducing the moving image.
In the video playback menu, playback from the thumbnail or playback from the beginning of the video can be selected. When this is selected, the content ID of the thumbnail and the playback start position information as search auxiliary data are displayed in the content ID management center. 10 and the moving image content including the thumbnail from the content ID management center 10 is downloaded. The terminal device 20 reproduces and displays the downloaded moving image content.

As described above, the content ID is added to the thumbnail.
By providing a means for giving the content and a means for associating the entire content with the thumbnail in the content ID management center 10, a sender who wants to transmit the content to another terminal device can transmit the entire content only by transmitting the thumbnail with the content ID. The transmission need not be performed, and the receiver can download the entire content from the content ID management center 10 based on the thumbnail. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the amount of data transfer between user terminals. In addition, when the content is a moving image or the like, the reproduction start point can be specified by the thumbnail, and the reproduction start point can be easily specified.

The thumbnail registration terminal device 31 and the terminal device 20 shown in FIG. 4 may be the same device, and the thumbnail may be used as a bookmarker for the entire content. Just by owning the content with the thumbnail ID, the entire content can be easily obtained at any time.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the thumbnail registration terminal device 31 and the content ID management center 10 at the time of thumbnail registration.

The thumbnail registration terminal device 31 sends the information of the thumbnail to be registered or its content to the content ID management center 10 (step S30). The content information includes the content ID of the entire content including the thumbnail and the position information (time counter) of the thumbnail. The thumbnail itself may be sent. After that, a reply of the registration result from the content ID management center 10 is waited (step S31), and the thumbnail I
If the D-attached content is sent, save it.

The content ID management center 10 waits for a thumbnail registration request from the thumbnail registration terminal device 31 (step S32), and upon receiving a registration request, proceeds to step S33. In step S33,
Based on the content ID sent from the thumbnail registration terminal device 31, the content original is searched for by referring to the content ID management table 17. When the thumbnail itself is sent, the content ID from the thumbnail
Is extracted, and a related content original is searched by the content ID.

If the original content is found, a content ID that has not been issued so far is generated for the thumbnail, and the content ID is embedded in the raw data of the thumbnail portion of the original content with an electronic watermark (step S34). . The content ID is additionally described in the content ID management table 17 together with thumbnail attribute information indicating the relationship with the original content original (step S3).
5). The content with the ID of the thumbnail in which the content ID is embedded by the electronic watermark is sent back to the thumbnail registration terminal device 31 that has issued the registration request (step S36), and the registration process ends.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for obtaining a content using a thumbnail. The processing on the terminal device 20 side is basically the same as the processing described in FIG. The description will be given according to an example in which the content is a moving image, but the same applies to the case where the content is a content composed of a plurality of pages such as a book, and the thumbnail is one of the pages.

The terminal device 20 inputs the content (source content) with the ID of the thumbnail and acquires the content data (step S40). From the read source content, the content ID of the thumbnail embedded with the digital watermark is detected by the content ID detection unit 23 (step S41). Further, an execution content command such as "play from the beginning" and "play from the position of the thumbnail" of the original data is obtained (step S42).

The content ID obtained in step S41 and
The search assistance data obtained in step S42 is transmitted to the content ID management center 10 (step S43). When the result data is sent from the content ID management center 10, it is received (step S44). The transmitted result data depends on the transmitted execution content command, but includes a content ID embedded in the raw data (original data) of the corresponding content or the related content original, and metadata (such as permission conditions, distribution conditions, and charging conditions). Output control information).

The presence or absence of output permission is determined from output control information such as permission conditions, distribution conditions, and charging conditions (step S4).
5) If not permitted, output only the thumbnail as it is or output a message indicating that output is not possible. If output is permitted, output data is generated from the original data and metadata of the content (step S46), and printed out to a printer or displayed on a display (step S47). For example, if the content is a moving image, the content is reproduced and output to a display. After that, the process ends.

When the content ID management center 10 receives the content ID and the request data for the search auxiliary data from the terminal device 20 (step S50), the content ID management table 17 is searched by the received content ID. Registered in the content ID management table 17 are thumbnail attribute information indicating the relationship between the content ID and the original content. Next, the execution content command of the search auxiliary data is determined (step S52), and if it is a command instructing "play from the beginning", the process proceeds to step S54. If the execution content command is "reproduction from the position of the thumbnail", a time counter indicating the position of the thumbnail in the original content is read (step S53), and the process proceeds to step S54.

In step S54, the associated original content is searched from the search result of the content ID management table 17, and the data portion from the head position or the time counter position of the thumbnail is transmitted to the terminal device 20 (step S55). ), End the process.

[Replacement of Content by User or Requested Content Classification] In the embodiment described below, when a content is obtained from the content ID management center 10, the content is classified according to the classification (genre, category) of the user or the requested content. In the example shown in FIG. A typical example is distribution of contents with advertisement.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of distribution of the content with advertisement. In the present embodiment, the ID-added content 50 is set in the terminal device 20 such as a copy machine, for example.
When the copy is instructed, the terminal device 20 scans the ID-added content 50, detects the content ID embedded with the digital watermark, and transmits the content ID and search auxiliary data such as the terminal ID to the content ID management center 10. I do.

The content ID management center 10 searches the content ID management table 17 by the content ID,
If the advertisement content is registered as the distribution condition recorded in the content ID management table 17, the relevant advertisement content is searched and the advertisement content is distributed to the terminal device 20. The terminal device 20 synthesizes the data of the received advertising content and the input ID-added content 50 by using a sheet having an advertising area set, and prints out the data as the advertising content 51.

As another embodiment, the content data can be synthesized not by the terminal device 20 but by the content ID management center 10 side. After detecting the content ID by scanning the ID-added content 50 in the terminal device 20, the scanned data is discarded, and the content ID and the search assistance data are transmitted to the content ID management center 10. Content ID
The management center 10 combines the raw data obtained from the original content of the received content ID with the related advertising content, and transmits the resultant content to the terminal device 20. This is output as the content 51 with advertisement in the terminal device 20.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of content replacement according to the user or requested content classification.

The processing on the terminal device 20 side is substantially the same as the processing described with reference to FIG. 3, and thus the description thereof is omitted, and the following description focuses on the processing in the content ID management center 10. The content ID management center 10 receives the request data including the content ID and the search auxiliary data from the terminal device 20 (Step S60). The search auxiliary data is, for example, information such as an execution content command “acquire original content”, parameters such as a user ID or a user profile, and a position of the terminal device 20. In the content ID management center 10, the received content ID
Is searched in the content ID management table 17 (step S61).

The distribution conditions registered in the content ID management table 17 are confirmed (step S62). If, for example, there is an instruction to give “advertisement content” as the related content during the distribution conditions, the process proceeds to step S63. In other cases, processing according to the processing flow for other commands is performed.

In step S63, the category (genre) information indicated by the received content ID is acquired from the content attribute information in the content ID management table 17, and for example, all the information registered as "advertisement" in the content ID management table 17 is obtained. One of the advertising contents having the same category is extracted at random from the contents (step S64).
The advertisement content is transmitted to the terminal device 20 (step S67).

Alternatively, when the user profile is included in the search assistance data, instead of randomly extracting the advertising content of the same category, the search condition of the advertising content is narrowed based on the category of the content ID and the received user profile. Implementation is also possible. In that case, first, search conditions are acquired from the user profile (step S65). The advertisement content is searched based on the search result (step S66). For example, if the category of the content ID is “sports”, a search is made for advertisements that include sports in the copyrighted attribute. The number of corresponding contents is stored. In addition, the content is narrowed down based on the hobby, age, gender, and address of the user profile, and when the content is reduced to a certain number or less, advertisement content is randomly extracted from the content. The extracted advertisement content is transmitted to the terminal device 20 (step S67), and the process ends.

The selection of the advertisement content may be performed only from the advertisement content associated with the content indicated by the received content ID. Further, the method of making a selection using the search condition may be a selection based on a known fixed algorithm. The combination using the user profile as a search condition is the content ID management center 10.
It is even more preferable that the person who constructs the search mechanism can be set arbitrarily.

Although the example of the advertisement distribution has been described, other than the advertisement distribution, the replacement of the contents according to the user profile and the category of the contents can be similarly realized.

[Replacement of Content Suitable for Each Location of Terminal Device] This embodiment is an example in which the content is replaced for each location (user location) of the terminal device 20 in retrieving the content from the content ID management center 10. It is. For example, the contents of the map to the place where the user is currently located and the destination, such as the map of the invitation, are transmitted to the terminal device 20 as related contents.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart in the case where contents suitable for each location of the terminal device 20 are exchanged.

Since the processing on the terminal device 20 side is almost the same as the processing described in FIG. 3, the processing in the content ID management center 10 will be mainly described. The content ID management center 10 receives the request data including the content ID and the search assistance data from the terminal device 20 (Step S70). The search auxiliary data is, for example, information such as the execution content command obtaining “map content” as the related content, and the parameter as the position of the terminal device 20. The content ID management center 10 searches the content ID management table 17 based on the received content ID (step S71).

Next, the received execution content command is determined (step S72), and if the command is to obtain "map contents", the flow advances to step S73. In other cases, processing according to the processing flow for other commands is performed.

In step S73, target position information in the content attribute information in the content ID management table 17 indicated by the received content ID is obtained. Further, current user position information (location of the terminal device 20) is obtained from the received search assistance data (step S74). The distance between the target position and the position of the user is calculated (step S7).
5) Retrieve the content including the map data from the associated content using the information (step S7).
6). Among the related contents including the map data, the one that includes the user position in the map is searched (step S77), and if found, the map content is transmitted to the terminal device 20 (step S78).

As a map search method, an existing map database search method may be used instead of the above method.
The user position information can be obtained from the terminal device 20 if the terminal device 20 has the GPS function. Alternatively, the user of the terminal device 20 may make the input. The related contents of the map need not be those already registered. In this case, the content ID management center 10 accesses the independent map database from the result of calculating the distance between the target and the user, A process of creating map content including two points of the target and the position of the user, assigning a content ID thereto, and dynamically registering the map content may be performed.

[Swapping of Content for Each Terminal Attribute and Communication Speed] In the present embodiment, when a content is obtained from the content ID
This is an example in which contents are replaced for each terminal attribute of 0 and communication speed (type of connection line). For example, PDA (Personal
In the case of Digital Assistants), the display area is smaller than that of a general personal computer. In this case, even if the contents are the same, if the terminal device 20 is a PDA, the image contents are different in resolution and data amount, such as a small image if the terminal device 20 is a personal computer, and a large image if the terminal device 20 is a personal computer. Is desirably transmitted. If the data amount of the content to be transmitted can be changed according to the communication speed of the connection line, the communication waiting time can be maintained at a constant level. For this reason,
In the present embodiment, a function of selecting and transmitting the optimum content for each terminal attribute and communication speed (type of connection line) of the terminal device 20 is realized.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart in the case where contents are exchanged for each terminal attribute or communication speed of the terminal device 20.

The processing on the terminal device 20 side is almost the same as the processing described with reference to FIG. 3, and therefore, the processing in the content ID management center 10 will be mainly described. The content ID management center 10 receives the request data including the content ID and the search auxiliary data from the terminal device 20 (Step S80). The search auxiliary data is, for example, the execution content command obtains “optimal content” as the related content, and the parameters are information such as the terminal model of the terminal device 20 and the line type. The content ID management center 10 searches the content ID management table 17 based on the received content ID (step S81).

Next, the received execution content command is determined (step S82), and if the command is to obtain "optimal content", the flow advances to step S83. In other cases, processing according to the processing flow for other commands is performed.

In step S83, the terminal model and the line type are obtained from the received search auxiliary data. Next, the optimum content is searched and acquired from the registered related content (step S84). For example, as the search auxiliary data, the terminal model is winCE machine, and the line type is PHS.
In the case of, the content corresponding to the registered related content is set as the search result. The optimum content of the search result is transmitted to the terminal device 20 (Step S8)
5).

[Swap of Contents at Each Time] This embodiment is an example in which contents are exchanged according to a designated time in obtaining contents from the content ID management center 10. For example, the content with ID is read by the terminal device 20 by the scanner,
When the user inputs a desired time, based on the content ID read from the ID-added content and the input time, the content ID management center 10 determines the latest content or past content from continuous content. And returns it to the terminal device 20. With this function, it becomes possible for the terminal device 20 to easily obtain time-related content such as the latest information on a case and a professional baseball bulletin.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart in the case where contents are exchanged for each time in conjunction with time.

Since the processing on the terminal device 20 side is almost the same as the processing described in FIG. 3, the processing in the content ID management center 10 will be mainly described. The content ID management center 10 receives the request data including the content ID and the search assistance data from the terminal device 20 (Step S90). The search auxiliary data is, for example, an execution content command for obtaining “time-linked” content as related content, and a parameter indicating a time desired by the user. If the time parameter is omitted, the default value is “latest”.

The content ID management center 10 searches the content ID management table 17 based on the received content ID (step S91). Next, the received execution content command is determined (step S92), and if the command is to obtain “time-linked” content, step S9 is performed.
Proceed to 3. In other cases, processing according to the processing flow for other commands is performed.

In step S93, the desired time is obtained from the received search auxiliary data. Next, content data including the desired time is searched for and acquired from the registered related content (step S94). For example, if the desired time information is the latest and a search is made for registered related content, if there is a content of 5 months ago, yesterday, and today as related content, today's content is selected. The content is transmitted to the terminal device 20 (step S95), and the process ends.

[Swapping of Content by Popularity] This embodiment is an example in which, when a content is obtained from the content ID management center 10, popular content (content with a high number of references) can be replaced. As a result, the user can acquire the popular content related to the ID-added content currently owned from the content ID management center 10 and refer to it.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart in the case where contents are exchanged according to the popularity of the contents. It is assumed that the content ID management center 10 collects an access log indicating which content has been accessed and how many times the content has been accessed each time a user accesses the content.

The processing on the terminal device 20 side is almost the same as the processing described with reference to FIG. 3, and therefore, the processing in the content ID management center 10 will be mainly described. The content ID management center 10 receives request data including a content ID and search assistance data from the terminal device 20 (step S100). The search auxiliary data is, for example, when the execution content command is “popular content” as related content.
And parameters are a user profile, position information of the terminal device 20, and the like.

The content ID management center 10 searches the content ID management table 17 based on the received content ID (step S101). Next, the received execution content command is determined (step S102), and if the command is to obtain “popular content”, step S1 is executed.
Go to 03. In other cases, processing according to the processing flow for other commands is performed.

In step S103, search conditions are acquired from the user profile in the received search auxiliary data. The category information of the source content indicated by the content ID is obtained from the content ID management table 17 (step S104). In addition, an access log for the related content is obtained, and information on how many times each is accessed is obtained (step S105).

Next, from the contents corresponding to the related contents, the user profile is narrowed down according to the search condition of the user profile as necessary, and one of the top contents of the access log is selected (step S106). The content is transmitted to the terminal device 20 (step S107),
The process ends.

The contents that refer to the access log may be only those that are associated in advance with the contents of the input content ID. The method of selecting using the search condition may be a method based on a known fixed algorithm.

[0095]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The original content can be easily obtained from the content in which the content ID is embedded or a copy thereof. In particular, by using a part of the content such as a thumbnail, not only the original content but also the related content can be easily obtained from the center.

The output result of the terminal device which has requested the content can be changed according to the permission condition, distribution condition, charging condition, related content information, etc., which are registered in advance by the registrant of the content.

Since the original content data in which the content ID is embedded in the original content of the content with a digital watermark is sent from the center, the user of the terminal device can acquire the content without quality deterioration due to duplication or the like. .

According to one aspect of the present invention, by providing a means for assigning a content ID to a thumbnail obtained by cutting out a part of a content, for example, one shot of a moving image content is registered as a thumbnail, and the content ID of the thumbnail is registered. Can be used to specify the playback position of the moving image content. Also,
When sending and receiving video content between users,
Instead of transmitting and receiving the entire moving image content, the content with the ID of the thumbnail is transmitted and received between the users, and the data transmission amount between the users can be reduced. When necessary, the entire video content can be obtained from the center at any time based on the thumbnail ID-added content, so that if the terminal device stores and manages only the thumbnail ID-added content, the data capacity is reduced. Eliminates the need to store very large video content.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration example of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a content registration device and a content ID management center at the time of registering an original content.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart at the time of obtaining a content by a content ID.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of moving image reproduction from a thumbnail.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart at the time of thumbnail registration.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of content acquisition using thumbnails.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of distribution of content with advertisement.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of content replacement based on a user or requested content classification.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart in the case of replacing content suitable for each location of the terminal device.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart in a case where contents are exchanged for each terminal attribute or communication speed.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart in a case where contents are exchanged for each time in synchronization with time.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart in the case where contents are exchanged according to the popularity of the contents.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an outline of the background art of the present invention.

14 is a content I in the system shown in FIG.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of D.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Content ID management center 11 Transmission / reception part 12 Content management part 13 Content ID issuing part 14 Content registration part 15 Content original search part 16 Content ID embedding part 17 Content ID management table 18 Content original storage part 20 Terminal device 21 Content with ID 22 Content Input unit 23 Content ID detection unit 24 Search auxiliary information acquisition unit 25 Transmission / reception unit 26 Output selection unit 27 Output data generation unit 28 Content output unit 29 Output content 30 Content registration device 31 Thumbnail registration terminal device

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Junichi Kishigami 2-3-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Within Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Hiroshi Fujii 2-3-3, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo No. 1 F-term in Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (reference) 5B049 AA05 EE05 FF01 FF02 GG02 5B057 CE08 5B075 KK07 ND16 NK39 PQ02 PQ03 5C076 AA14 BA05 BA06

Claims (14)

[Claims] A center for managing an original of each content and a content identifier for uniquely identifying each content; and a means for embedding the content identifier in the original of each content, and a center connected to the center via a network. A system comprising a terminal device to be connected, the terminal device comprising: means for reading a content identifier from an analogized copy of the content in which the content identifier is embedded or a part thereof; Means for transmitting search assistance information including user information or terminal information to the center; means for generating data to be output from content received from the center or its attribute information or output control information; Means for outputting
The center is means for receiving a content identifier and search assistance information including user information or terminal information from the terminal device, and, based on the information received from the terminal device, an original of the content corresponding to the received content identifier. Or means for searching for content related thereto, or attribute information or output control information relating to the content, and means for transmitting the content or attribute information or output control information of the search result to the terminal device. Content search and acquisition system. 2. A center comprising: means for managing an original of each content and a content identifier for uniquely identifying each content; means for embedding the content identifier in the original of each content; and a center connected to the center via a network. A system comprising a plurality of terminal devices connected to each other, wherein at least one of the terminal devices requests the center to assign a content identifier to a part of an original of the content; Means for receiving, from the center, a content in which a content identifier is embedded in a part of the original document, wherein at least one of the terminal devices includes the content in which the content identifier is embedded or a copy of the content converted into analog information or From some of them, the entire original content or one Means for reading a content identifier assigned to a portion, means for transmitting the read content identifier and search assistance information including user information or terminal information to the center, content received from the center or attribute information thereof Alternatively, the center includes means for generating data to be output from the output control information, and means for outputting the generated data. The center requests the terminal device to assign a content identifier to a part of an original of a certain content. And a means for assigning a content identifier to a portion of the original of the content in response to a request from the terminal device, and storing the content identifier in association with the content identifier assigned to the entire original of the content. And the content for a part of the original of the requested content Means for transmitting the content in which the identifier is embedded to the requesting terminal device, and receiving from the terminal device a content identifier assigned to a part of the original content and search assistance information including user information or terminal information Means for searching for the original of the content corresponding to the received content identifier or related content, or attribute information or output control information related to the content, based on the information received from the terminal device; Means for transmitting the resulting content or attribute information or output control information to the terminal device. 3. The content search / acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the search auxiliary information includes information on a location, and the center responds to the location specified by the search auxiliary information as the related content. A content search and acquisition system, wherein the content is transmitted to a requesting terminal device. 4. The content search / acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the center searches for advertisement content from the content classification and search auxiliary information indicated by the content identifier received from the terminal device,
A content search / acquisition system, wherein a search result is a content obtained by adding the advertisement content to a searched advertisement content or a content indicated by the content identifier to the terminal device. 5. The content search / acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the center includes means for collecting and recording access log information for each content, and the center includes search auxiliary information and Select content based on access log information,
A content retrieval / acquisition system for transmitting a request to a requesting terminal device. 6. A center comprising means for managing the original of each content and a content identifier for uniquely identifying each content, and means for embedding the content identifier in the original of each content, and a center connected to the center via a network. A system comprising a terminal device connected to the terminal device, wherein the terminal device reads a content identifier from the content in which the content identifier is embedded or a copy of the content converted into analog information, or a part thereof. Means for transmitting a content identifier and search assistance information including terminal device type or connection line type information to the center; and generating data to be output from the content received from the center or its attribute information or output control information. And means for outputting the generated data. Wherein the center comprises: means for receiving a content identifier and search assistance information from the terminal device; and searching for content related to the received content identifier based on the information received from the terminal device; Content comprising: means for selecting the optimum content according to the output capability of the device or the transmission capability of the connection line; and means for transmitting the selected optimum content or its attribute information or output control information to the terminal device. Search acquisition system. 7. A center comprising means for managing an original of each content and a content identifier for uniquely identifying each content, and means for embedding the content identifier in the original of each content, and a center connected to the center via a network. A system comprising a terminal device connected to the terminal device, wherein the terminal device reads a content identifier from the content in which the content identifier is embedded or a copy of the content converted into analog information, or a part thereof. Means for transmitting a content identifier and search assistance information including information on time to the center; means for generating data to be output from the content received from the center or its attribute information or output control information; Means for outputting Means for receiving the content identifier and the search auxiliary information from the terminal device, and a time specified by the search auxiliary information from the content related to the received content identifier based on the information received from the terminal device A content search and acquisition system, comprising: means for searching for content; and means for transmitting the searched related content or its attribute information or output control information to the terminal device. 8. The content search and acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the embedding of the content identifier in the original of the content is performed by a digital watermark. system. 9. A terminal connected via a network to a center provided with means for managing an original of each content and a content identifier for uniquely identifying each content, and means for embedding the content identifier in the original of each content. Means for reading a content identifier from an analogized copy of the content in which the content identifier is embedded or a part thereof;
Means for transmitting the read content identifier and search assistance information including user information or terminal information to the center; means for generating data to be output from the content received from the center or its attribute information or output control information; Terminal means for outputting the generated data. 10. A terminal connected via a network to a center having means for managing originals of each content and content identifiers for uniquely identifying each content, and means for embedding the content identifiers in the originals of each content. An apparatus for requesting the center to assign a content identifier to a part of an original of a content, and receiving from the center a content in which a content identifier is embedded in a part of the requested original of the content. Means for reading a content identifier assigned to the whole or a part of the original of the content from the content in which the content identifier is embedded or a copy of the content converted into analog information, or a part thereof; , User information or terminal Means for transmitting search assistance information including information to the center, means for generating data to be output from the content received from the center or its attribute information or output control information, and means for outputting the generated data. A terminal device comprising: 11. A center apparatus comprising: means for managing an original of each content and a content identifier for uniquely identifying each content; and means for embedding the content identifier in the original of each content, the center apparatus comprising: Means for receiving, from a connected terminal device, a request for assigning a content identifier to a part of an original of a certain content, and assigning a content identifier to a portion of the original of the content by a request from the terminal device; Means for storing the content identifier in association with the content identifier assigned to the entire original of the content, and transmitting the content in which the content identifier is embedded in a part of the original of the requested content to the requesting terminal device A center device. 12. A terminal connected via a network to a center provided with means for managing an original of each content and a content identifier for uniquely identifying each content, and means for embedding the content identifier in the original of each content. A recording medium for recording a program to be executed in the apparatus, wherein the content identifier is read from an analogized copy of the content in which the content identifier is embedded or a part thereof; A process of transmitting information or search assistance information including terminal information to the center; a process of generating data to be output from content received from the center or its attribute information or output control information; and outputting the generated data. Causes a computer to execute Recording medium for a terminal device, wherein a program for recording is recorded. 13. A terminal connected via a network to a center including means for managing originals of each content and content identifiers for uniquely identifying each content, and means for embedding the content identifiers in the originals of each content. A recording medium for recording a program to be executed in the apparatus, the processing requesting the center to assign a content identifier to a part of the original of the content; Receiving from the center the content in which the content is embedded, and a content identifier assigned to the whole or a part of the original of the content from the content in which the content identifier is embedded or its analogized copy or a part thereof. The process of reading A process of transmitting the retrieved content identifier and search assistance information including user information or terminal information to the center; a process of generating data to be output from the content received from the center or its attribute information or output control information; A program recording medium for a terminal device, wherein a program for causing a computer to execute a process of outputting generated data is recorded. 14. A program to be executed in a center device comprising means for managing an original of each content and a content identifier for uniquely identifying each content and means for embedding the content identifier in the original of each content is recorded. A process for receiving a request for assigning a content identifier to a part of an original of a certain content from a terminal device connected via a network, the recording medium comprising: A process of assigning a content identifier to a part and storing the content identifier in association with the content identifier assigned to the entire original of the content, and embedding the content identifier in a part of the original of the requested content Send the content to the requesting terminal device And a program for causing a computer to execute the process.