JP2011239134A - Content reproduction system, content reproduction method and content reproduction program - Google Patents

Abstract

Content that exists on a network that can be played back by a specific user is searched.
[MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A player (3A, 3B) inputs a user ID and password, and sends a received storage folder detection message including the ID, password, and playback capability information of the player (3A, 3B) to the receiver (1A, 1B). The devices 1A and 1B send back a content list corresponding to the playback capability information as a content list from the content storage location where the content for the user corresponding to the ID included in the received storage folder detection message is stored, and playback The machines 3A and 3B present the content list to the user, accept the selection of the content, and reproduce the selected content. This makes it possible to search for content for a specific user from the receivers 1A and 1B arranged on the home network 200.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a technology for acquiring and reproducing content from a content storage device arranged on a network.

  In recent years, it has become widespread to distribute contents such as moving images, still images, and music files via a network. The distributed content is stored in a device that has received the content. By performing user authentication when browsing the stored content, it is possible to allow only a specific user to browse the content.

  For example, Patent Document 1 describes a facsimile apparatus that can specify a location for storing a received document for each destination and can output the stored document by inputting a password. A facsimile machine compatible with the G3 standard can receive and store contents such as documents and images.

JP-A-8-154178

“UPnP Device Architecture version 1.1”, [online], 2008, UPnP Forum, [April 15, 2010 search], Internet <URL: http://www.upnp.org/specs/arch/UPnP -arch-DeviceArchitecture-v1.1.pdf>

  Conventionally, it has not been considered that there are a plurality of content storage locations on a network. Therefore, when there are a plurality of storage locations, the user himself / herself needs to know the storage location of the content. As a method for automatically discovering devices existing on the network, UPnP shown in Non-Patent Document 1 is known. However, it is necessary to individually perform user authentication for each of a plurality of storage locations.

  On the other hand, conventionally, content transmitted and received via a network is limited to image data in a facsimile apparatus, for example. In recent years, various types of content have been transmitted and received. In addition to playing the content at the receiver that received the content, another player may acquire the content from the receiver via the home network and play the content. However, depending on the capabilities of the playback device, there is a problem that the content may not be played back.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to search for content existing on a network that can be played back by a playback device used by the user.

  A content playback system according to a first aspect of the present invention is a content playback system including a content storage device that stores content and a content playback device that acquires and plays back the content from the content storage device via a network. The content playback device includes an input unit for inputting an identifier for identifying a user and a password, a capability holding unit for storing the playback capability information of the content of the content playback device, the identifier, the password, and the playback capability information, Transmitting means for transmitting a request message for requesting a list of contents accessible by the user; receiving means for receiving the list of contents; and selecting means for presenting the list of contents and receiving a selection of the content from the user And the selected content Is reproduced from the storage location indicated by the content list, and the content storage device uses the reception means for receiving the request message, and the identifier and password included in the request message. Authentication means for authenticating the user, and if the user authentication is successful, a list of contents corresponding to the reproduction capability information included in the request message is generated from the content storage location where the content for the user corresponding to the identifier is stored Generating means for transmitting, and transmitting means for transmitting the list of contents.

  A content playback method according to a second aspect of the present invention is a content playback method by a content storage device that stores content and a content playback device that acquires and plays back the content from the content storage device via a network. The step of inputting an identifier and a password for identifying a user by the playback device, and reading the playback capability information from the capability holding means for storing the playback capability information of the content of the content playback device, the identifier, the password and the playback capability Transmitting a request message requesting a list of contents accessible to the user, including information, receiving the list of contents, presenting the list of contents, and accepting a selection of the content from the user Steps, Obtaining the selected content from the storage location indicated by the list of content and playing it back, receiving the request message by the content storage device, and an identifier included in the request message; A step of performing user authentication using a password, and a list of contents corresponding to the playback capability information included in the request message from a content storage location where the content for the user corresponding to the identifier is stored when the user authentication is successful And a step of transmitting a list of the contents.

  A content reproduction program according to a third aspect of the present invention causes a computer to execute the content reproduction method.

  According to the present invention, a specific user can search for content existing on a network that can be played back by a playback device used by the user.

1 is an overall configuration diagram including a content reproduction system in the present embodiment. It is a functional block diagram which shows the structure of the receiver with which the content reproduction system in this Embodiment is equipped, and a reproducing | regenerating apparatus. It is a figure which shows a user's setting information. It is a figure which shows the example of the user setting screen which a receiver outputs. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a content reproduction process. It is a figure which shows the example of the screen which displayed the content list.

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

  FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram including a content reproduction system according to the present embodiment.

  The content playback system in the present embodiment includes receivers 1A and 1B and playback devices 3A and 3B connected to a home network 200. The receivers 1A and 1B receive user IDs and passwords from the players 3A and 3B, and a list of contents that can be accessed by the authenticated user and that can be played by the players 3A and 3B is displayed on the players 3A and 3B. Send to 3B. The reproducing machines 3A and 3B receive the contents list and present them to the user, and reproduce the contents selected by the user. Note that as the players 3A and 3B, a media player capable of reproducing moving images, still images, music files, or the like may be used, or a personal computer (PC) may be used.

  The transmitter 5 establishes a session with the receivers 1A and 1B using the SIP server 6, and transmits content to the receivers 1A and 1B via the network 100. The receivers 1A and 1B receive the content from the transmitter 5 and store it. The contents may be stored in the storage means inside the receivers 1A and 1B, or may be stored in the external storage device 2B.

  Next, the configuration of the receiver and the playback device provided in the content playback system in the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a receiver and a playback device provided in the content playback system in the present embodiment. On the home network 200, a plurality of receivers 1A and 1B and a plurality of regenerators 3A and 3B can be arranged, but FIG. 2 shows one each of the receiver 1A and the regenerator 3A.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the receiver 1A includes a setting storage unit 11, a setting input unit 12, a setting screen unit 13, a personal authentication unit 14, a content information generation unit 15, a content transfer unit 16, a control unit 17, a network (NW ) Section 18 and storage folders 20A and 20B for each user.

  The setting storage unit 11 stores setting information for each user who uses the receiver 1A. As shown in FIG. 3, the setting information for each user includes a user name, ID, password, storage folder, and content type. The user name indicates the name of the user who uses the receiver 1A. The ID is an identifier for uniquely identifying the user. The password is a character string for authenticating the user. The save folder indicates a location where the content is saved when the content addressed to the user is received from the transmitter 5. It is possible to designate a plurality of storage folders for one user. The content type designates the type of content stored in the storage folder for each storage folder. Examples of content types include moving images, still images, and music files.

  In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, all content addressed to the user name “Taro” is stored in the storage folder (receiver \ userA) in the receiver regardless of the content type. When the user name “Taro” accesses the content, it is necessary to input the ID (userA) and the password (********) for authentication. On the other hand, if the content type is “still image”, the content addressed to the user name “Hanako” is stored in the storage folder (receiver \ userB) in the receiver. Content other than still images is stored in a storage folder (storage device \ userB) in a storage device outside the receiver. When the user name “Hanako” accesses the content, it is necessary to enter the ID (userB) and password (********) and authenticate.

  The setting input unit 12 receives setting information from the user and stores it in the setting storage unit 11.

  The setting screen unit 13 creates and outputs a setting screen that prompts the user to input setting information. Note that the user interfaces of the playback devices 3A and 3B may be used for user interface such as setting information input and setting screen display. In this case, the input setting information and the displayed setting screen are transmitted / received via the NW unit 18. Of course, the playback device 3A may include an input device and a display device to input setting information and display a setting screen.

  The personal authentication unit 14 compares the ID and password received from the playback devices 3A and 3B with the ID and password stored in the setting storage unit 11, and determines whether there is a set having the same ID and password. Authenticate.

  The content information generation unit 15 inputs a user name or a user ID, and acquires the location of the user's storage folder from the setting storage unit 11. Then, the content information stored in the storage folder for the user is acquired to generate a content list. The content list is a list of contents including information such as a storage folder name, a file name, and a content type for each content. Further, when the content type is input, the content information generation unit 15 generates a content list including only the content type. A plurality of content types may be designated.

  The content transfer unit 16 reads the designated content from the storage location and transfers it to the playback devices 3A and 3B via the NW unit 18.

  The control unit 17 controls each unit described above based on the message received by the NW unit 18.

  The NW unit 18 transmits / receives messages to / from the playback devices 3A and 3B and transmits contents via the home network 200. Further, communication via the network 100 such as call control such as receiving a call from the transmitter 5 and reception of content transmitted by the transmitter 5 is performed.

  The user storage folders 20A and 20B store the content transmitted from the transmitter 5 for each user. A storage device 2B connected to the outside may be used as a storage folder for storing content.

  Next, the playback device 3A will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the playback device 3A includes a user interface (IF) unit 31, a capability holding unit 32, a content playback unit 33, a control unit 34, and an NW unit 35.

  The user IF unit 31 uses an input device such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a remote controller and display means such as a display, and accepts input of an ID and password from the user and selection of content to be played back.

  The capability holding unit 32 holds information on the content playback capability of the playback device 3A, for example, information on content types that can be played back by the playback device 3A.

  The content playback unit 33 accesses the receivers 1A and 1B or the storage device 2B storing the content selected by the user, acquires the content, and plays back the content.

  The control unit 34 controls each of the above units based on instructions from the user or messages received from the receivers 1A and 1B.

  The NW unit 35 transmits / receives messages and receives contents with the receivers 1A and 1B via the home network 200.

  The units included in the receivers 1A and 1B and the regenerators 3A and 3B may be configured by a computer including an arithmetic processing device, a storage device, and the like, and the processing of each unit may be executed by a program. This program is stored in a storage device included in the receivers 1A and 1B and the playback devices 3A and 3B, and can be recorded on a recording medium such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, or provided through a network. .

  Next, presetting of the receivers 1A and 1B will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen output from the setting screen unit 13 of the receivers 1A and 1B.

  First, as shown in FIG. 4A, the setting screen unit 13 outputs a screen that prompts the user to select a setting item. FIG. 4A shows an example of a screen for selecting any one of the user A, the user B, and the user C. You may provide the user new addition button which adds a user newly.

  When the user is selected on the screen shown in FIG. 4A, a screen prompting the user to input the user ID and password is output as shown in FIG. 4B. When the user ID and password are input, the personal authentication unit 14 performs user authentication with the input ID and password.

  When the user is authenticated, the setting screen unit 13 outputs a setting page screen shown in FIG. The user inputs setting information on the setting page screen. The input setting information is stored in the setting storage unit 11. In the example shown in FIG. 4C, items of a method for transmitting content to an individual, a storage folder, and authentication settings are set.

  As a method for transmitting content to an individual, a destination designation by a subaddress (isub) and a destination designation by an additional telephone number are selected. “Isub” is a subaddress that can be specified for a contract telephone number. For example, as in “03-1234-5678 * 1111”, when the transmitter 5 makes a call with the isub information after the contract telephone number, the receiver 1A determines which content is received according to the isub. It can be specified whether it is addressed to the user. On the other hand, destination designation by an additional telephone number is a method of specifying a user of a content destination by using a telephone number issued from a communication carrier separately from a contract telephone number.

  The storage folder is information for specifying a location for storing content transmitted to the user. The storage location of content can be designated for each user. Although not shown in FIG. 4C, it is also possible to provide a field for inputting a content type for each storage folder and to specify a storage folder for each content type. Further, the user storage folders 20A and 20B in the receiver 1A can be specified as the storage folder, or the storage folder of the storage device 2B on the home network 200 can be specified.

  The authentication setting sets whether to perform user authentication when browsing the content specified in the storage folder. When performing user authentication, a user ID and password are set.

  Next, content reception will be described.

  First, the transmitter 5 makes a call using SIP, and the receiver 1A receives the call and establishes the call. Then, the transmitter 5 transmits the content to the receiver 1A via the network 100.

  The receiver 1A that has received the content identifies the storage location of the received content based on the setting information stored in the setting storage unit 11, and stores the content in an appropriate storage location. For example, when a subaddress is given to an incoming call, the user corresponding to the subaddress is searched with reference to the setting information of the setting storage unit 11 to specify a storage folder. Further, when a plurality of telephone numbers are assigned to the user's home and a user is assigned for each telephone number, the user corresponding to the telephone number of the incoming call is referred to with reference to the setting information in the setting storage unit 11. Search and specify the save folder. When a plurality of receivers 1A and 1B are arranged in the home network 200, the contents may be stored by changing the receivers 1A and 1B that are received according to the telephone number.

  Next, content reproduction will be described.

  The reproducing machines 3A and 3B input the user ID and password, acquire contents that can be reproduced by the user from the receivers 1A and 1B, and present a list of contents that can be reproduced to the user. Then, the contents stored in the receivers 1A and 1B are read out and played back by the playback machines 3A and 3B. The user can play back the desired content by only inputting the ID and password without being aware of the storage location of the playable content. Details of content playback processing will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of content reproduction processing. Here, a process in which the user A operates the playback device 3A to play back content will be described.

  First, the user A inputs an ID and a password to the user IF unit 31 of the receiver 1A (step S101). The ID and password input to the user IF unit 31 are sent to the control unit 34.

  The control unit 34 generates a saved folder detection message and transmits the saved folder detection message to all the receivers 1A and 1B on the home network 200 via the NW unit 35 (step S102). The storage folder detection message is a message for detecting a storage folder for a user existing on the home network 200, and includes a user ID, a password, and a content type that can be played back by the playback device 3A. The content type that can be played back by the playback device 3 </ b> A is read from the capability holding unit 32 by the control unit 34. The saved folder detection message can be transmitted to all the receivers 1A and 1B on the home network 200 by using IP multicast.

  From here, the processing is performed by the receiver 1A. When receiving the save folder detection message, the receiver 1A performs user authentication using the ID and password included in the save folder detection message (step S103). Specifically, when the NW unit 18 of the receiver 1A receives the saved folder detection message, the NW unit 18 sends the received saved folder detection message to the control unit 17, and the control unit 17 includes the user A's included in the saved folder detection message. The ID and password are input to the personal authentication unit 14, and the personal authentication unit 14 performs user authentication with reference to the setting information stored in the setting storage unit 11.

  If the user authentication fails, the control unit 17 creates an error response message for the saved folder detection message and transmits it to the player 3A via the NW unit 18. The player 3A that has received the error response message notifies the user A that the authentication has failed by the user IF unit 31 (step S104).

  When the user authentication is successful, the control unit 17 requests the content information generation unit 15 to generate a content list for the user A (step S105). At this time, the content type that can be played back by the playback device 3 </ b> A is also input to the content information generation unit 15.

  The content information generation unit 15 reads the setting information stored in the setting storage unit 11 and acquires the location of the storage folder for the user A (step S106).

  The content information generation unit 15 accesses the storage folder for user A, acquires information on the content stored in the storage folder for user A, and generates a content list (step S107). When the content information generating unit 15 generates the content list, the content information generating unit 15 generates a content list including only content types that can be played back by the playback device 3A.

  The control unit 17 generates a response message including the content list as a response message to the storage folder detection message, and transmits the response message to the playback device 3A via the NW unit 18 (step S108). The process of receiving the storage folder detection message and transmitting the content list from step S103 to step S108 is performed in the same manner in the receiver 1B. When a storage folder for user A is set in the receiver 1B, a content list of the storage folder is generated and transmitted to the playback device 3A.

  From here, it returns to the processing by the playback device 3A. When the NW unit 35 of the playback device 3A receives the response message, the user IF unit 31 presents the content list included in the response message to the user (step S109). FIG. 6 shows an example of a screen displaying a content list. In the example shown in the figure, the content name and type are displayed, and a playback start button is displayed next to the content name and type.

  When the playback device 3A receives a content list from each of the plurality of receivers 1A and 1B within a predetermined time, the user IF unit 31 merges the received plurality of content lists into one and presents it to the user. For the user, the location where the reproducible content is stored is not important. Even when content storage locations are dispersed in the receivers 1A and 1B, it is possible to browse reproducible content in an integrated manner.

  The user A selects content to be reproduced from the content list presented by the user IF unit 31 (step S110). Information on the selected content is sent from the user IF unit 31 to the control unit 34.

  When the control unit 34 inputs information specifying the content to the content reproduction unit 33, the content reproduction unit 33 accesses the content storage folder, acquires the content via the home network 200, and starts reproduction of the content. (Step S111).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the playback devices 3A and 3B input the user ID and password, and the storage folder detection message including the ID, password, and playback capability information of the playback devices 3A and 3B is received. Content that is transmitted to the receivers 1A and 1B and is received by the receivers 1A and 1B from the content storage location where the content for the user corresponding to the ID included in the received storage folder detection message is stored. As a content list, and the players 3A and 3B present the content list to the user, accept the selection of the content, and reproduce the selected content, thereby receiving the receiver arranged on the home network 200. It becomes possible to search content for a specific user from 1A and 1B.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1A, 1B ... Receiver 11 ... Setting storage part 12 ... Setting input part 13 ... Setting screen part 14 ... Personal authentication part 15 ... Content information generation part 16 ... Content transfer part 17 ... Control part 18 ... NW part 20A, 20B ... User Storage folder 3A, 3B ... player 31 ... user IF unit 32 ... capability holding unit 33 ... content playback unit 34 ... control unit 35 ... NW unit 2B ... storage device 5 ... transmitter 6 ... SIP server 100 ... network 200 ... Home network

Claims (5)

A content playback system having a content storage device that stores content and a content playback device that acquires and plays back the content from the content storage device via a network,
The content playback device
An input means for inputting an identifier for identifying the user and a password;
Capability holding means for storing the playback capability information of the content of the content playback device;
Transmitting means for transmitting a request message requesting a list of contents accessible by the user, including the identifier, the password, and the reproduction capability information;
Receiving means for receiving the list of contents;
A selection means for presenting a list of the contents and receiving a selection of the contents from the user;
Playback means for acquiring and playing back the selected content from the storage location indicated by the content list;
The content storage device includes:
Receiving means for receiving the request message;
Authentication means for user authentication using an identifier and a password included in the request message;
Generating means for generating a list of contents corresponding to the reproduction capability information included in the request message from a content storage location where the content for the user corresponding to the identifier is stored when user authentication is successful;
A content reproduction system comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit the content list. There are a plurality of the content storage devices,
2. The content reproduction system according to claim 1, wherein, when the plurality of content lists are received, the selection unit merges a plurality of content lists and presents them to the user. A content playback method by a content storage device for storing content and a content playback device for acquiring and playing back the content from the content storage device via a network,
According to the content playback device,
Entering an identifier and password for identifying the user;
A request for reading the playback capability information from the capability holding means for storing the playback capability information of the content of the content playback device, and requesting a list of contents accessible by the user, including the identifier, the password, and the playback capability information Sending a message;
Receiving the list of contents;
Presenting a list of the content and accepting a selection of content from the user;
Obtaining and playing the selected content from a storage location indicated by the list of content, and
According to the content storage device,
Receiving the request message;
Authenticating a user using an identifier and a password included in the request message;
If user authentication is successful, generating a list of contents according to the playback capability information included in the request message from a content storage location where the content for the user corresponding to the identifier is stored;
And a step of transmitting the list of contents. There are a plurality of the content storage devices,
4. The content reproduction method according to claim 3, wherein, in the step of accepting the selection, when a plurality of lists of contents are received, the plurality of contents lists are merged and presented to the user.   A content reproduction program for causing a computer to execute the content reproduction method according to claim 3 or 4.

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