JP2003150483A - Content distribution system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To enable stream distribution of content such as video that the user desires. SOLUTION: A content request mechanism 1 designates an ID indicating a type of content, a desired time zone of distribution and a desired condition including a desired quality, and transmits the content. The content request receiving mechanism 2 determines an optimum distribution condition according to the requested content. The resource securing mechanism 3 is based on the desired conditions and distribution conditions,
Secure resources required for distribution. The content transmission mechanism 4 transmits the content according to the distribution conditions in the desired distribution time zone. The stream delivery mechanism 5 stream-distributes the content sent from the content sending mechanism to the content requesting mechanism using the resources reserved by the resource securing mechanism.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system in which a program guide such as live information is distributed to users in advance and streamed according to the user's request.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In this type of system, a network service in which a fixed bandwidth line is shared by a plurality of users to reduce costs (best effort type) is becoming popular.

Under these circumstances, there are a line control method for controlling processing such as transfer in a network while giving priority to each application, and a network management method for centrally managing and operating such settings.

[0004] On the other hand, there is a method of managing information representing characteristics of contents and information for management / processing as attribute information (metadata) of contents in a unified manner.

[0005]

Recently, services for delivering contents live are emerging. In order to receive the provision of such a stream distribution service, it is necessary to secure in advance the resources required for distribution (network line bandwidth, server capacity, etc.).

With respect to the band for distributing the content, the influence on the display quality evaluation of the content depends on the characteristic of the content (for example, an ornamental image such as a landscape is required to have higher quality than a news image). ).

[0007] However, in an actual service, since it is not possible to secure a sufficient bandwidth of the line for displaying contents of which high quality is desired to be displayed with a certain quality or higher, it is possible to view contents of a quality suitable for the contents. There was a problem such as not being able to perform (thinning of images occurs).

An object of the present invention is to provide a stream distribution system capable of distributing contents having a quality desired by a user.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention pre-registers a line band suitable for the distribution of the content as attribute information of the content so that it can be stored in advance such as live information. When a content whose delivery time zone is known is requested, the bandwidth of the line necessary for the content is reserved in advance and the required bandwidth is secured, thereby guaranteeing the quality suitable for the content. By applying the so-called “metadata” (= data representing content attribute) concept to resource reservation, a mechanism for securing resources (setting priority control) at the same time as content reservation is realized. Also, at the time of content distribution, a mechanism for embedding the metadata information of the content in the transmission packet and prioritizing control of the packet based on this is realized. Also, the reservation ID
Guarantee that the resources required for delivery have been secured through.

From the above, the present invention is characterized by the following content distribution system.

(1) A system for streaming content such as music and video to a user, in which a content request can be transmitted by designating an ID representing the type of content, a desired time zone of distribution, and desired conditions including desired quality. Mechanism,
A content request receiving mechanism that determines an optimum distribution condition according to the content requested by the content requesting mechanism, a resource that secures resources necessary for distribution based on the specified desired condition and the determined distribution condition A resource reserved by the resource securing mechanism, a securing mechanism, a content sending mechanism that sends content according to a delivery condition from the content request receiving mechanism in a desired distribution time period, and a content sent from the content sending mechanism. And a stream distribution mechanism that distributes to the content requesting mechanism by using.

(2) The content request receiving mechanism includes a database in which optimum distribution conditions for distribution are recorded for each content ID based on the characteristics of the content, and the content request mechanism requests the content and its desired conditions. Is received, the delivery condition is searched from the user's desired condition and the information in the database.

(3) The resource securing mechanism is provided with resource management information, and based on this information, it is judged whether or not the resources required for distribution can be secured. If the resources can be secured, the reservation ID is reserved. Is issued, the reservation ID is notified to the content sending mechanism, and the reservation ID and its reservation condition are registered in the database of each router of the content transfer route of the stream distribution mechanism.

(4) The content sending mechanism embeds a reservation ID notified in advance from the resource securing mechanism in a transmission packet for transmitting content, and the stream distribution mechanism embeds it in a packet to be transferred. It is characterized in that the reservation ID present in the DB and the reservation ID registered in the DB are collated to judge the legitimacy of the transfer.

[0015]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the content requesting mechanism 1 on the user side includes a reservation ID indicating the type of content such as music and video, a desired distribution time zone (a time zone that the user wants to hear / see), a desired quality, a desired charge, A desired condition is designated and a request is made by communication with the content request reception mechanism 2. The transmission at this time is performed via the network provider.

The content request acceptance mechanism 2 determines the optimum distribution condition according to the content requested for distribution.

The resource securing mechanism 3 reserves the resources required for distribution to the stream distribution mechanism 5 based on the desired condition transferred from the content request receiving mechanism 2 and the distribution condition determined by the content request receiving mechanism 2. To do.

The content transmission mechanism 4 transmits the content according to the distribution condition from the content request reception mechanism 2 in the desired distribution time zone.

The stream distribution mechanism 5 uses the resource reserved by the resource securing mechanism 3 for the content transmitted from the content transmitting mechanism 4 to request the content.
To deliver to.

Among the above-mentioned mechanisms, the content request receiving mechanism 2 is owned and managed by the service provider side, the resource securing mechanism 3 is owned by the service provider or the network provider, and the content sending mechanism 4 is owned by the content holder side. to manage. The stream distribution mechanism 5 becomes a network such as the Internet.

FIG. 2 shows a processing procedure for reservation / resource reservation in the content distribution system having the above configuration, and FIG. 3 shows a processing sequence thereof.

2 and 3, the content requesting mechanism 1 makes a content reservation with respect to the content request receiving mechanism 2 (S1). At the time of reservation, desired contents (OO soccer "match A" etc.) and desired conditions ("high quality version" etc.) are designated.

The content request receiving mechanism 2 specifies the distribution condition in which the content reservation content is expanded into metadata to the resource securing mechanism 3 (S2). For distribution conditions (distribution time zone, required network bandwidth, etc.), refer to the content attribute (metadata) DB,
Determined from desired conditions.

The resource securing mechanism 3 makes a resource reservation to the stream distribution mechanism 5 (S3A), and makes a content transmission reservation to the content transmitting mechanism 4 (S).
3B). Specifically, it is realized by performing the following processing.

Based on the resource management DB, it is judged whether or not resources can be secured (such as securing a band of a network line for performing distribution with desired quality during a distribution time), and if possible, issue a reservation ID. . Further, the reservation ID is notified to the stream distribution mechanism 4 and the content transmission mechanism 5.

On the basis of the reservation ID, the stream distribution mechanism 4 registers the emitted reservation ID and its reservation condition (reservation time zone, reserved band, etc.) in the database of the transfer mechanism (router) on the distribution route.

The content transmission mechanism 5 accepts a transmission reservation based on the reservation ID.

After the resource reservation and the content transmission reservation are obtained, the resource reservation mechanism 3 informs the content request reception mechanism 2 that the resource has been reserved (resource reservation notice).
(S4).

The content request receiving mechanism 2 uses the service I
The service ID is registered in the D registration DB, this service ID is issued, and the completion of the reservation (reservation completion notification) is notified to the content requesting mechanism 1 (S5). At this time, the issued service ID is also notified.

Next, FIG. 4 shows a processing procedure of content distribution, and FIG. 5 shows a processing sequence thereof.

In FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the content requesting mechanism 1 makes a content delivery request specifying the service ID to the content request receiving mechanism 2 (S11).

The content request receiving mechanism 2 uses the service I
Authenticate the service ID by collating the D registration DB, and OK
If so, a content transmission request is issued to the content transmission mechanism 4 (S12).

The content transmission mechanism 4 instructs the stream distribution mechanism 5 to distribute the stream (S13). A reservation ID (indicating that there is a right to use the resource of the stream distribution mechanism) is embedded in the packet transmitted by the content transmission mechanism 4.

The stream distribution mechanism 5 distributes the stream to the terminal that has requested the content (destination) (S1).
4). In this distribution, each transfer mechanism (router) judges the legitimacy of the reservation ID (whether the current time is the reservation time zone permitted by the reservation ID, the bandwidth is the bandwidth permitted by the reservation ID, etc.), and if it is legitimate, Executes the transfer under the reservation conditions.

Incidentally, FIG. 6 shows an example of a business model in a service example to which the present invention is applied.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, at the same time as the reservation of the content, the resource conforming to the distribution condition desired by the user is secured, so that the stream distribution is performed with the quality according to the user's request. be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a content distribution system showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a processing procedure diagram of reservation / resource reservation in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a processing sequence of reservation / resource reservation in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a processing procedure diagram of content distribution in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a processing sequence of content distribution in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a business model in a service example to which the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Content request mechanism 2 ... Content request acceptance mechanism 3 ... Resource securing mechanism 4 ... Content transmission mechanism 5: Stream distribution mechanism

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A system for streaming content such as music or video to a user, wherein a content request mechanism capable of designating and transmitting an ID indicating the type of content, a desired time zone of distribution, and desired conditions including desired quality. And a content request receiving mechanism that determines the optimum distribution condition according to the content requested by the content requesting mechanism, and secure resources necessary for distribution based on the specified desired condition and the determined distribution condition. A resource securing mechanism, a content sending mechanism that sends content according to the distribution condition from the content request receiving mechanism in a desired distribution time zone, and a content sent from the content sending mechanism,
A content distribution system comprising: a stream distribution mechanism that distributes to the content requesting mechanism by using the resource reserved by the resource securing mechanism. 2. The content request receiving mechanism includes a database in which optimum distribution conditions for distribution are recorded based on the characteristics of the content for each content ID, and the content request mechanism requests the content and its desired conditions. The content distribution system according to claim 1, wherein when received, the distribution condition is searched from the user's desired condition and the information in the database. 3. The resource securing mechanism is provided with resource management information, and based on this information, determines whether or not a resource required for distribution can be secured, and if so, a reservation ID is assigned. Issuing and notifying this reservation ID to the content sending mechanism, and making a reservation I in the database of each router of the content transfer route of the stream distribution mechanism.
2. D and its reservation condition are registered.
Alternatively, the content distribution system described in 2. 4. The content transmission mechanism embeds a reservation ID notified in advance from the resource securing mechanism in a transmission packet when transmitting content, and the stream distribution mechanism is embedded in a packet to be transferred. 4. The reservation ID is collated with the reservation ID registered in the DB to judge the legitimacy of the transfer, and if the legitimacy is satisfied, the transfer is executed under the reservation condition. The content distribution system according to item 1.