JP2010074709A - Broadcast program distribution system, broadcast program distribution server, and user terminal device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently distribute the content of broadcast programs, regardless of their popularity ratings, and to improve the efficiency on the side of service providers. <P>SOLUTION: When the content of a broadcast program requested for viewing and listening is distributed from a server 11 to a user terminal device 17i via a network 16, the user terminal device 17i is instructed to share the content; and when there is a request for viewing and listening of the same content from another user terminal device; the user terminal device in the shared state is made to distribute the content to the user terminal device that has made the request, and thereby the concentration of accesses is suppressed; and it is possible to reduce the storage capacity of the content of both the server and the user terminal device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a broadcast program distribution system that stores contents of broadcast programs for a certain period and provides them through a network, and a broadcast program distribution server and user terminal device used in this system.

  As a video distribution service using a network, retransmission of IP (Internet Protocol) broadcast and digital terrestrial broadcast, which are stream distribution according to a program guide, has been started. Viewers are required not only to watch in real time according to the program guide, but also to provide a service that allows them to re-view past programs (missing viewing). This responds to the need to watch past programs that you forgot to watch at any time without waiting for rebroadcasting.

  As a method of realizing this service, there is a method (VOD distribution) in which all programs in a past fixed period (for example, one week) are recorded and stored on the service provider side and distributed to members on demand. However, in VOD distribution, it is necessary to record and store unpopular content that cannot be satisfactorily distributed when the access to popular content is concentrated and is extremely unlikely to be viewed again for a certain period of time. Thus, it is not always an efficient service for the service provider.

  On the other hand, there is also a method in which an individual viewer records all past programs on a recording device unconditionally. However, this method is not realistic because it is necessary to prepare a large-capacity recording medium in order to record a program that cannot be viewed, and this is costly.

  In addition, as a prior art of this type, for example, in Patent Document 1, the video data stored in the data storage unit of the home server is identified so that the program can be auditioned even if the recording reservation of the desired program is forgotten. A system is disclosed in which information is registered in a list server so that another home server can search and obtain video data stored in a data storage unit of the home server. However, the system shown in this document only shares what is individually registered by each home server with the list server, and the quality, storage period, etc. of each video data are not managed.

In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses a system that complements and shares data stored in a server via a network, or distributes server data over a network. In Patent Document 3, a network server system composed of one or a plurality of devices is arranged between a broadcasting station and a recording / reproducing device so that a broadcast program is automatically received and digitally recorded. On the playback device side, as a network client, a system is disclosed in which a past broadcast program can be viewed by connecting to a server system and downloading data of an arbitrary broadcast program.
JP 2003-046958 A JP 2003-284034 A JP 2005-328443 A

  As described above, in the construction of a distribution system that enables re-viewing of broadcast programs, there has been proposed a method for recording and storing all programs for a certain period in the past and distributing them on demand. It is not always efficient for the service provider, as it is necessary to record and store unpopular content that is not very likely to be re-viewed for a certain period of time. Not a service.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. A broadcast program distribution system and a broadcast that can efficiently distribute broadcast program contents regardless of the degree of popularity and can improve the efficiency of the service provider. An object is to provide a program distribution server and a user terminal device.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is configured as follows.

  (1) In a broadcast program distribution system comprising: a server that provides broadcast program content; and a user terminal device that accesses the server through a network and acquires any broadcast program content from the server, the server includes the content A content storage unit for storing the content, a content management unit for managing the location of the content together with its program information, a list transmission means for sending a list presenting broadcast programs to be provided within the predetermined period to the user terminal device, In response to a request from the user terminal device, the corresponding content is read from the storage unit and distributed to the request source, and a distribution processing unit that instructs to store the content for a certain period of time, and a user terminal that instructs the storage when the content is distributed Storage location registration means for registering and managing the device in the content management unit; A delivery instruction means for delivering the content from the user terminal device to the requesting user terminal device via the network when the content requested to be delivered from the user terminal device is stored in any user terminal device; The user terminal device includes a list presentation unit that presents a list sent from the server to a user, and a request unit that receives a designation input of content indicated in the list and outputs a request for viewing the content to the server. And content sharing means for storing the content acquired from the server to be in a shared state, and when there is an instruction to transmit the stored content from the server, reading the content in the shared state and requesting the user terminal device And a shared processing means for transmitting to the network.

  (2) In a broadcast program distribution server that obtains broadcast program content and provides the requested broadcast program content to a user terminal device accessed via a network, a content storage unit that stores the content, and the content A content management unit for managing the location of the program together with its program information, list transmission means for sending a list presenting broadcast programs to be provided within the predetermined period to the user terminal device, and in response to a request from the user terminal device Register and manage the distribution processing means for reading out the corresponding content from the storage unit and distributing it to the request source and instructing to store it for a certain period, and the user terminal device instructed to store at the time of distribution of the content in the content management unit Storage destination registering means, and content requested for distribution from the user terminal device. When is stored in one of the user terminal, characterized by comprising a delivery instruction means for distributing the content from the user terminal to the requesting user terminal through a network.

  (3) The broadcast program distribution server of (2) further manages registration information of the user terminal device, and registers completion of content distribution to the user terminal device and content distribution between the user terminal devices. Features.

  (4) In the broadcast program distribution server of (2), the distribution processing unit deletes the content distributed a predetermined number of times from the content storage unit.

  (5) In the broadcast program distribution server of (2), the distribution instruction means instructs the user terminal device to store the shared content for a certain period.

  (6) In a user terminal device of a broadcast program distribution system that accesses a server that provides broadcast program content through a network and acquires any broadcast program content from the server, the content is provided within a certain period sent from the server List presenting means for presenting a list of broadcast programs to be presented to the user, request means for receiving a designation input of the content indicated in the list and outputting a viewing request for the content to the server, and content acquired from the server Content sharing means for storing the content in a shared state and share processing means for reading the content in the shared state and transmitting it to the requesting user terminal device when there is an instruction to transmit the stored content from the server. It is characterized by comprising.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a broadcast program distribution system, a broadcast program distribution server, and a user terminal device that can efficiently distribute broadcast program contents regardless of the degree of popularity and can improve the efficiency of the service provider. Can be provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a broadcast program distribution system according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a broadcast program distribution server 11 on the service providing side acquires all broadcast program contents for each channel through a broadcast receiving device 12 such as TV broadcast and IP broadcast (including independent broadcast), and a broadcast program content storage unit 13. And information such as a title related to the acquired program (hereinafter referred to as program information) is registered in the list management unit 14. The user management unit 15 manages information on users (members) registered in advance, and broadcast program content requested to be distributed through the network 16 to the user terminal device 17i (i is 1 to n) in a stream format. To deliver. At this time, for the program being broadcast, the content of the corresponding program obtained by the broadcast receiving device 12 is distributed, and for the past program, the content stored in the broadcast program content storage unit 13 or other user terminal device The content stored in 17i is distributed.

  Each of the user terminal devices 17i includes a user area A1 and a shared area A2 in the content storage unit A, and the distributed content is stored in the shared area A2 and stored for a certain period, and is copied to the user area A1 at the request of the user Is done. As a result, it is possible to save the content desired by the user even after a lapse of a certain period of time, and it is possible to continue to view it thereafter.

  In the above configuration, the processing flow of the broadcast program distribution server 11 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 2, first, when the broadcast program content is acquired from the TV broadcast receiver 12 (step S11), the content is stored in the broadcast program content storage unit 13 (step S12). Here, when there are more than a prescribed number of programs that are distributed in real time in response to a distribution reservation from the user terminal device 17i, the distribution destination is instructed to store the programs for a certain period and is held as a storage destination. The program content is deleted from the broadcast program content storage unit 13 (step S14). Then, the program information of the stored program content and the already distributed destination (storage destination user terminal device) information are registered in the list management unit 14 (step S15). Here, if the distribution service period is one week, each content storage period of the storage unit 13 is one week. The server 11 always manages the program information for one week in a list format by the list management unit 14 and presents it to the user terminal device 17i (step S16).

  In the above state, when a redistribution program viewing request is received from the user terminal device (step S17), the content storage location is searched (step S18). It is determined whether the requested content is stored in the content storage unit 13 on the server side (step S19). If the requested content is stored in the storage unit 13, the content distribution is instructed and the user terminal device is instructed to share the area A2. Is stored (step S20). Here, for example, when the number of distributions of the distributed content exceeds a certain value, the content is deleted from the content storage unit 13 (step S21).

  On the other hand, when the requested content is stored not in the server-side content storage unit 13 but in the shared area A2 of any user terminal device 17i, the user terminal device is instructed to distribute to the requested user terminal device. The requesting user terminal device is instructed so that the distribution content exists in the shared area A2 (step S22).

  When the content storage destination is changed in steps S21 and S22, the list managed by the list management unit 14 is updated so that the location of the contents can be grasped (step S23), and a series of processes Exit.

  Next, the flow of processing when receiving content distribution from the user terminal device 17i will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. An authentication process is required to manage registered users on the network, but the description thereof is omitted here. Further, since the processing in the case where the real-time program distribution is made when the viewing reservation is made from the user terminal device 17i to the server 11, the description thereof is omitted here.

  First, a program list is received from the broadcast program distribution server 11 (step S31), and when the user instructs program selection based on the list (step S32), a program is designated and a viewing request is transmitted to the server 11 (step S33). . In response to this request, if there is content distribution from the server 11 or from another user terminal device, it is downloaded (step S34). At this time, if a storage instruction for a certain period is added (step S35), the downloaded content is stored for the specified period in the shared area A2 (step S36), and the series of processing ends. If no save instruction has been added, the series of processing ends.

  Next, the flow of processing in the case where content distribution of the user terminal device 17i is performed will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  First, in the user terminal device 17i, when a storage instruction is added at the time of content download, the content is stored in the shared area A2 for a certain period, and the situation is grasped on the server 11 side. In this state, when there is a distribution instruction from the server 11 to another user terminal device (step S41), the content stored in the shared area A2 is read and transmitted to the instructed request destination terminal by the P2P distribution function or the like. (Step S42), and a series of processing is terminated.

  The distribution between the user terminal devices may be 1: 1, but when the same content is stored in a plurality of user terminal devices, distribution efficiency can be improved if each terminal cooperates to distribute the content. Can be improved.

  FIG. 5 shows a program management list managed by the list management unit 14. This list is managed so that all the individual programs are filled with the channel number on the horizontal axis and the time on the vertical axis. A program that has been distributed a certain number of times (including real-time distribution) is deleted from the storage unit 13, processed as a distributed program on the list, and storage destination user terminal information is registered.

  According to the above configuration, even when popular content distribution requests are concentrated, not only the distribution from the server 11 directly, but also the use of the content existing in the shared area A2 of the user terminal device already distributed, Content distribution can be performed between terminal devices, the load on the service provider side can be greatly reduced, and reliable distribution can be realized. In addition, since the content distributed more than a certain number of times is deleted from the server side, the service providing side only needs to store the content that is unlikely to be viewed again, thereby reducing the capacity of the content storage unit 13. It is possible to contribute.

  On the other hand, the user terminal device side only needs to provide a part of the recording unit as a shared area, and management of the shared area is processed on the server 11 side, so that the processing load can be kept relatively low. In addition, the content in the shared area is automatically deleted, but if you want to save it, you only need to copy it to the user area. Note that the shared area and the user area do not necessarily need to be physically separated, and may be managed by a saved data flag or the like.

  Also, since the distribution status is managed on the server side including the distribution processing between the user terminal devices, it is possible to perform processing such as authentication and billing before receiving / downloading the content stream.

  In the above embodiment, only broadcast programs have been described as distribution targets. However, in addition to terrestrial / satellite digital broadcasts and IP broadcasts, content such as videos shot by individuals can be registered and distributed in response to requests. It becomes possible.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated as what preserve | saves and provides the broadcast program of all the channels, you may make it provide only a part of channel or according to a genre.

  In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, constituent elements over different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

The block diagram which shows the structure of one Embodiment of the broadcast program delivery system which concerns on this invention. The flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the broadcast program delivery server shown in FIG. The flowchart which shows the flow of a process in the case of receiving the content delivery of the user terminal device shown in FIG. The flowchart which shows the flow of a process in the case of performing content delivery of the user terminal device shown in FIG. The figure which shows the example of the program management list managed by the list management part shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Broadcast program delivery server, 12 ... TV broadcast receiver, 13 ... Broadcast program content storage part, 14 ... List management part, 15 ... User management part, 16 ... Network, 171-17n ... User terminal device, A ... Content storage Part, A1 ... user area, A2 ... shared area.

Claims (6)

In a broadcast program distribution system comprising: a server that provides broadcast program content; and a user terminal device that accesses the server through a network and acquires arbitrary broadcast program content from the server;
The server
A content storage unit for storing the content;
A content management unit for managing the location of the content together with the program information;
List transmitting means for sending a list presenting broadcast programs to be provided within the predetermined period to the user terminal device;
In response to a request from the user terminal device, the corresponding content is read from the storage unit and distributed to the request source, and distribution processing means for instructing to store for a certain period of time;
A storage location registration means for registering and managing the user terminal device instructed to store at the time of distribution of the content in the content management unit;
When the content requested to be distributed from the user terminal device is stored in any of the user terminal devices, a distribution instructing unit that distributes the content from the user terminal device to the requesting user terminal device through the network is provided. ,
The user terminal device
List presenting means for presenting a list sent from the server to the user;
Requesting means for receiving a designation input of content shown in the list and outputting a viewing request for the content to the server;
Content sharing means for storing content acquired from the server and making it in a shared state;
A broadcast program distribution system comprising: a sharing processing unit that reads out the shared content and transmits it to a requesting user terminal device when an instruction to transmit the stored content is received from the server. In a broadcast program distribution server that acquires broadcast program content and provides the requested broadcast program content to a user terminal device accessed through a network,
A content storage unit for storing the content;
A content management unit for managing the location of the content together with the program information;
List transmitting means for sending a list presenting broadcast programs to be provided within the predetermined period to the user terminal device;
In response to a request from the user terminal device, the corresponding content is read from the storage unit and distributed to the request source, and distribution processing means for instructing to store for a certain period of time;
A storage location registration means for registering and managing the user terminal device instructed to store at the time of distribution of the content in the content management unit;
A distribution instructing unit that distributes the content from the user terminal device to the requesting user terminal device via the network when the content requested to be distributed from the user terminal device is stored in any of the user terminal devices; A broadcast program distribution server characterized by the above.   The broadcast program distribution server according to claim 2, further comprising: managing registration information of the user terminal device, and registering completion of content distribution to the user terminal device and content distribution between the user terminal devices.   The broadcast program distribution server according to claim 2, wherein the distribution processing means deletes the content distributed a predetermined number of times from the content storage unit.   3. The broadcast program distribution server according to claim 2, wherein the distribution instruction unit instructs the user terminal device to store the shared content for a certain period. In a user terminal device of a broadcast program distribution system that accesses a server that provides broadcast program content through a network and acquires arbitrary broadcast program content from the server,
List presenting means for presenting a user with a list presenting broadcast programs to be provided within a certain period sent from the server;
Requesting means for receiving a designation input of content shown in the list and outputting a viewing request for the content to the server;
Content sharing means for storing content acquired from the server and making it in a shared state;
A user terminal of a broadcast program distribution system, comprising: a sharing processing unit that reads out the shared content and transmits it to the requesting user terminal device when there is an instruction to transmit the stored content from the server apparatus.

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