JP2012039401A - Information processing device, content data determination method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to output content data more stably.
When content data stored in a content storage device is received based on metadata including location information of each of a plurality of content data having different data amounts for each content that can be output by an output device, the content data A throughput value is calculated using the amount of data and the time required to receive the content data, and the amount of data that can be received until the next output using the output time information related to the output of the content data and the calculated throughput value And determining the content data having a data amount smaller than the calculated data amount as the content data to be used for the next output among the plurality of content data of the content to be output next by using the metadata To solve.
[Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a content data determination method, and a program for determining content data.

In recent years, a standard communication standard such as UPnP (Universal Plug And Play) that connects a plurality of devices via a home network and shares and uses content data such as an image, a moving image, and audio has been attracting attention. . In addition, DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) based on UPnP attracts attention. In DLNA, a content playback device called a digital media player (DMP) is defined. The DMP can acquire content data and information (metadata) about the content data from a digital media server (DMS: Digital Media Server) on a home network.
Here, in the DLNA, a wired LAN or a wireless LAN is used as a transmission path, but in particular, in the transmission path by the wireless LAN, there is a problem that the throughput is not constant due to radio wave interference or the like. In addition, there is an increasing need for users who want to browse content data with a very high bit rate, such as high-definition video. However, depending on the change in throughput and the type of content, there may occur a situation where playback cannot be performed. Therefore, it is required to solve such a problem. For example, a technique is disclosed that measures the throughput when content metadata is acquired from a content providing server, compares the reproduction bit rate of the content data with the throughput, and determines whether or not the content data can be reproduced. (See Patent Document 1).

JP 2008-028837 A

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, in order to cope with a change in throughput, it is necessary to frequently acquire content metadata, which increases the processing load of the content reproduction device and the transmission load of the network. In some cases, the content providing server manages only metadata of content, and the content data is managed by another communication device. In this case, with the technique described in Patent Document 1, the content reproduction device acquires content data from the communication device, and the throughput between the content providing servers at the time of acquiring metadata does not make sense.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to output content data more stably.

  Therefore, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention stores content data stored in a content storage device based on metadata including location information of each of a plurality of content data having different data amounts for each content that can be output by an output device. A throughput calculating means for calculating a throughput value using a data amount of the content data and a time required to receive the content data, and output time information relating to the output of the content data and the throughput calculating means, Using the calculated throughput value, a data amount calculating means for calculating the amount of data that can be received until the next output, and using the metadata, among a plurality of content data of the content to be output next, Content data having a data amount smaller than the data amount calculated by the data amount calculating means. The characterized in that it has a decision means for deciding as content data to be used for the next output, the.

  In addition, the information processing apparatus according to the present invention is a content content stored in a content storage device based on metadata including location information of each of a plurality of content data having different data amounts for each content that can be output by the output device. A throughput calculating means for calculating a throughput value using a data amount of the partial data and a time required to receive the partial data when the partial data is received; and output of the content data Data amount calculating means for calculating the amount of data that can be received until the next output using the output time information according to the above and the throughput value calculated by the throughput calculating means, and the data calculated by the data amount calculating means If the amount is smaller than the remaining data amount of the content data, among the plurality of content data of the content And having a determining means for determining content data of smaller data amount than the data amount calculated by the data amount calculating means as content data used for output.

  According to the present invention, content data can be output more stably.

It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of a content reproduction system. It is a figure which shows an example of a function structure of a content reproduction apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the sequence in a content reproduction system. It is a figure which shows an example of the sequence in a content reproduction system. It is a figure which shows an example of the list of metadata. It is a figure which shows an example of the flowchart which concerns on a content determination process. It is a figure which shows an example of the sequence in a content reproduction system.

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

<Overview>
First, an outline of the content reproduction system according to the present embodiment will be described. The content reproduction system includes a content reproduction device 20, a display 30, a content providing server 40, a metadata management server 50, a content management server 60, and the like.
The content reproduction device 20 is a device that reproduces a plurality of still images (an example of content data) held by the content providing server 40 or the content management server 60 via the network 10 in a slide show format. In addition, the content reproduction device 20 realizes reproduction in the form of a slide show by acquiring content data to be displayed next while content data is being displayed on the display 30. In addition, the content reproduction apparatus 20 measures data throughput (calculates a throughput value) when acquiring content data from the content providing server 40 or the content management server 60. Then, the content reproduction apparatus 20 determines the content data to be reproduced next from the calculated throughput value and the time until the next content data is displayed (the time obtained from the reproduction interval which is an example of the output time information).

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a content reproduction system. The network 10 transfers data between connected devices. The network 10 is a wired LAN or a wireless LAN. In addition, the content reproduction apparatus 20, the content providing server 40, the metadata management server 50, and the content management server 60 are connected to the network 10 so as to communicate with each other.
The content reproduction apparatus 20 is an information processing apparatus (computer) such as a personal computer, a mobile phone, a multifunction peripheral, or a digital camera. In addition, the content reproduction apparatus 20 acquires content metadata from a server conforming to DLNA DMP and conforming to DLNA DMS, and also acquires content data. The display 30 is an example of an output device, and is connected to the content reproduction device 20 and outputs data (content data or the like) sent from the content reproduction device 20. The content providing server 40 is an example of a content storage device. The content providing server 40 complies with the DLNA DMS, holds content data, and publishes the metadata and content data of the held content to the DLNA DMP. The metadata management server 50 is based on the DLNA DMS and publishes the metadata of the content managed by the content management server 60 to the DLNA DMP. The content management server 60 is an example of a content storage device, holds content data, and provides content data in response to a DLNA DMP request. The content management server 60 may be compliant with DLNA DMS, or may be a Web server connected to the Internet.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the content reproduction apparatus 20. In the present embodiment, the function of the content reproduction apparatus 20 and the processing according to the flowchart described later are realized by the CPU of the content reproduction apparatus 20 performing the process according to the procedure of the program stored in the storage device.
The communication unit 100 transmits and receives messages, content data, content metadata, and the like via the network 10. The content metadata analysis unit 101 makes a request (metadata acquisition request) to acquire content metadata by a Browse request of the SOAP request to the content providing server 40 or the metadata management server 50. Then, the content metadata analysis unit 101 acquires and analyzes content metadata included in the response to the Browse request. The content metadata includes at least location information (for example, URL) of the content data.

The content acquisition unit 102 acquires content data from the content providing server 40 or the content management server 60 based on the location information of the content data acquired by the content metadata analysis unit 101. The acquired content determination unit 103 uses the throughput value calculated by the throughput calculation unit 106 and the reproduction interval managed by the reproduction interval storage unit 105 to determine content data to be acquired (displayed) next. The content playback unit 104 causes the display 30 to display the content data acquired by the content acquisition unit 102.
The reproduction interval storage unit 105 holds at least one reproduction interval (reproduction time) for displaying the content data acquired by the content acquisition unit 102 on the display 30 in the storage device. Note that the playback interval storage unit 105 changes the playback interval in response to an operation of the input device by the user. Also, one playback interval may be set, or one or a plurality of playback intervals may be set according to the type of content. The throughput calculation unit 106 calculates a throughput value when the content acquisition unit 102 acquires content data.

Next, processing in which the content reproduction apparatus 20 reproduces content data held by the content providing server 40 on the display 30 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a sequence in the content reproduction system.
In SQ201, the content reproduction apparatus 20 receives a Browse request for content data stored in the content providing server 40 in response to an operation (user operation) of the input device by the user. In SQ 202, the content reproduction device 20 transmits a SOAP request Browse request as a metadata acquisition request to the content providing server 40. In SQ203, the content reproduction apparatus 20 receives a response to the metadata acquisition request including the metadata of the content held by the content providing server 40 from the content providing server 40. The content metadata included in the received response includes at least location information of the content data. In addition, content data size and title information may be included. In addition, content metadata (for example, content name) included in the received response may be notified to the user via the display 30. Details of the metadata of the content included in the received response will be described with reference to FIG.

In SQ204, the content reproduction apparatus 20 receives selection (reproduction request) of content corresponding to the content list through a user operation. In SQ205, the content playback apparatus 20 receives the start (playback request) of content corresponding to the content list received in SQ204 via a user operation. In SQ206, the content reproduction apparatus 20 makes a request (content acquisition request) to the content providing server 40 for content corresponding to the content list received in SQ204 (HTTP GET).
In SQ 207, the content reproduction device 20 receives a response corresponding to the content acquisition request including the content data (HTTP Body portion) from the content providing server 40. Further, the content reproduction apparatus 20 calculates a throughput value from the size (data amount) of the content data and the time required for receiving the content data. Details will be described with reference to FIG. In SQ208, the content reproduction apparatus 20 displays the content data acquired in SQ207 on the display 30.

  In SQ209, the content reproduction apparatus 20 determines the size of receivable content data (receivable size) from the throughput value calculated in SQ207 and the reproduction interval of the content data being reproduced until the next content data is reproduced. calculate. Details will be described with reference to FIG. In SQ210, the content reproduction apparatus 20 determines content data smaller than the receivable size calculated in SQ209 based on the content data size information included in the content metadata acquired in SQ203. In SQ211, the content reproduction device 20 makes a content acquisition request to the content providing server 40 in order to acquire the content data determined in SQ210. Note that the processing from SQ212 to SQ215 is the same as the processing from SQ207 to SQ210, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

Next, processing in which the content reproduction apparatus 20 reproduces content data held by the content management server 60 on the display 30 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a sequence in the content reproduction system. In this example, the content providing server 40 is not used, that is, the destination from which the content metadata is acquired is the metadata management server 50, and the destination from which the content data is acquired is the content management server 60, as illustrated in FIG. It is different from what I did. In the following, different contents will be mainly described.
In SQ 302, the content reproduction device 20 transmits a SOAP request Browse request as a metadata acquisition request to the metadata management server 50. In SQ 303, the content reproduction device 20 receives a response to the metadata acquisition request including the metadata of the content held by the content management server 60 from the metadata management server 50. In this example, the server that requests the content data based on the location information of the content data included in the response from the metadata management server 50 is not the metadata management server 50 but the content management server 60. In SQ306 and SQ311, the content reproduction apparatus 20 acquires the content data from the content management server 60 according to the location information of the requested content data. Note that the processing from SQ307 to SQ310 and the processing from SQ312 to SQ315 are the same as the processing from SQ207 to SQ210 and the processing from SQ212 to SQ215, and thus description thereof is omitted.

Next, a list of content metadata included in a response (SQ203 or SQ303) corresponding to a metadata acquisition request from the content providing server 40 or the metadata management server 50 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a metadata list (metadata list 600).
In DLNA, content metadata is described according to the DIDL-Lite standard. In the metadata list 600, metadata 610, 620, 630,... Of a plurality of contents are described. The metadata for each content includes information related to the content data, and the content metadata 610 includes, for example, a title 611, location information 612, 613, and 614 of the content data. There may be one or more pieces of content data location information included in content metadata when the content content is the same, but the combination of size, resolution, providing method, and the like are different. FIG. 5 shows an example of information related to three types of content data having different sizes, and the location information 612, 613, and 614 includes information such as the size and resolution of the content data and location information of the content data. It is. When the content data is not a still image but a moving image, information such as a reproduction bit rate is also included.

Next, a method by which the content reproduction apparatus 20 determines content data to be acquired (an example of a content data determination method) will be described with reference to FIG. Here, a case where content data held by the content providing server 40 is reproduced will be described as an example. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart relating to content determination processing.
In S501, the content reproduction device 20 makes a content acquisition request (HTTP GET) including location information of content data to the content providing server 40. In S502, the content reproduction apparatus 20 receives a response to the request in S501 from the content providing server 40. This response includes an HTTP Header part and an HTTP Body part. The HTTP Header part includes a response code for the request. The HTTP Body part contains the requested (specified) content data. In S502, the content playback apparatus 20 does not receive the HTTP Body part, but performs the reception up to the HTTP Header part.

In S503, the content reproduction device 20 starts a content reception timer. In S504, the content reproduction device 20 receives all the requested content data. In S505, the content reproduction device 20 ends the content reception timer. In S506, the content reproduction apparatus 20 calculates a throughput value when content data is received. More specifically, the content reproduction device 20 calculates the receivable data amount per time by dividing the data amount of the received content data by the time required from the start of reception until completion.
In S507, the content reproduction apparatus 20 calculates the receivable size (receivable data amount) from the content providing server 40 within the time until the next content data is reproduced. More specifically, the receivable size is calculated by multiplying the throughput value calculated in S506 and the time until the next content data is reproduced (data amount calculation process). In S508, the content reproduction apparatus 20 confirms whether the size of the content data is included in the metadata of the content to be acquired next. At this time, if the content reproduction apparatus 20 determines that it is included, it performs the process of S509, and if it determines that it is not included, performs the process of S510.

In S510, the content reproduction apparatus 20 inquires the content providing server 40 about the size of the content data (transmits an HTTP HEAD request). Subsequently, in S511, the content reproduction device 20 receives a response including the size of the content data from the content providing server 40. Subsequently, in S512, the content reproduction device 20 calculates the receivable size in the same manner as in S507, using the time until the next reproduction of content data at the time when the processing in S511 is completed, and then in S509. Process.
In S509, the content reproduction apparatus 20 acquires content data information (location information, etc.) having a size smaller than the receivable size (less than or any of the following) in the content data metadata or S511. Select based on response. That is, the content reproduction device 20 compares the data amount of the plurality of content data of the content to be output next with the receivable size, and the content used for the next output from the content data having a data amount smaller than the receivable size. Determine the data. When the content data metadata or the response acquired in step S511 includes a plurality of pieces of content data having different sizes, the content data having the largest size is determined from content data having a size less than the receivable size. Is desirable.

  Note that in S510, the content reproduction device 20 may make an inquiry collectively as described above or may make an inquiry one by one when the metadata includes content data information of different sizes. Good. When the content reproduction apparatus 20 makes an inquiry one by one, for example, instead of the processing of S509, when it is determined that the size of the inquired content data is smaller than the receivable size, It may be determined as content data to be acquired. In other words, when the content reproducing apparatus 20 determines that the size of the inquired content data is equal to or larger than the receivable size, the content reproducing apparatus 20 inquires again about any remaining content data.

Next, processing when the content reproduction apparatus 20 partially acquires content data (part of data of content data) from the content management server 60 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a sequence in the content reproduction system. Since SQ401-405 are the same as SQ301-305, description is abbreviate | omitted. In SQ 406, the content reproduction device 20 makes a content acquisition request to the content management server 60. At this time, the content reproduction apparatus 20 uses a content acquisition request (HTTP GET) including location information of content data and information on a range of content data to be acquired (RANGE header).
In SQ407, the content reproduction device 20 acquires the content data specified in SQ406. At this time, the content reproduction apparatus 20 calculates the throughput value in the same manner as SQ307 (SQ207). Since SQ409 is similar to SQ309 (SQ209), description thereof is omitted.

In SQ410, the content reproduction device 20 determines whether or not the remaining content data can be received at the time until the next content data is reproduced. If it is determined that reception is possible, the process of SQ411 is subsequently performed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the content cannot be received, the content reproduction device 20 determines content data having a size smaller than the receivable size. In SQ411, the content reproduction apparatus 20 makes a content acquisition request for the remaining data of the partially acquired content data or the determined content data. Note that the content reproduction apparatus 20 may perform partial acquisition continuously (for example, Range: 0-2000 / 3000) or may acquire all remaining data. In SQ412, the content playback apparatus 20 acquires content data, and when all content data has been acquired, in SQ413, when the playback time comes, the content data is played back on the display 30.
According to the above-described configuration, even when the throughput value changes during playback in the slide show format, by changing the size of the content data, the content data to be played next can be viewed without discomfort in the environment at that time. Is possible.

Also, the content data to be reproduced next can be viewed without discomfort by changing the reproduction interval described below.
Setting for changing playback interval by user For example, the content playback apparatus 20 changes the playback interval in response to a user operation.
-Settings for changing the playback interval depending on the type of content metadata For example, when the content playback apparatus 20 analyzes content metadata and determines that the content metadata includes content title information, The playback interval is changed to be longer than when the content title information is not included.
A setting for changing the playback interval based on the result of image analysis of the acquired content data. For example, the content playback device 20 analyzes images and continuously captures images with similar composition and background. When it is determined that the image is to be reproduced, the reproduction interval is changed to be shorter than that in the case of an image that has not been shot continuously.

  The configurations described above can be combined as appropriate. Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which content data is reproduced on the display 30 has been described, but a fixed delay such as a time required for reproduction on the display 30 or a time required for reproduction on a different display device is provided. It is obvious to consider. This also applies to the time required for content data analysis and content metadata analysis. In the above-described embodiment, the reproduction of the still image slide show format has been described as an example. However, the reproduction can be similarly performed for the reproduction of the moving image.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed.

  According to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, the content data corresponding to the change in the throughput value is determined, so that the content data can be output more stably.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.・ Change is possible.

101 content metadata analysis unit, 102 content acquisition unit, 103 acquired content determination unit, 104 content playback unit, 105 playback interval storage unit, 106 throughput calculation unit

Claims (9)

When the content data stored in the content storage device is received based on the metadata including the location information of each of the plurality of content data having different data amounts for each content that can be output by the output device, the data amount of the content data Throughput calculating means for calculating a throughput value using a time required for receiving the content data;
A data amount calculating means for calculating the amount of data that can be received before the next output using the output time information relating to the output of the content data and the throughput value calculated by the throughput calculating means;
Using the metadata, content data having a data amount smaller than the data amount calculated by the data amount calculating means among the plurality of content data items to be output next is determined as content data to be used for the next output. A decision means to
An information processing apparatus comprising: A determination means for determining whether or not the metadata includes a data amount of content data;
When it is determined that the determination unit includes the determination unit, the determination unit calculates each of the data amounts of the plurality of content data of the content to be output next included in the metadata and the data amount calculation unit. The content data to be used for the next output is determined from content data having a data amount smaller than the data amount calculated by the data amount calculating means. Information processing device. Determining means for determining whether or not the amount of content data is included in the metadata;
Obtaining the data amount of the plurality of content data by querying the content storage device for the data amount of the plurality of content data to be used for the next output when the determination unit determines that the content is not included And further comprising means
When it is determined that the data amount calculation means is not included in the determination means, the time when acquired by the acquisition means, the output time information, and the throughput value calculated by the throughput calculation means are used. To calculate the amount of data that can be received by the next output,
When the determination unit determines that the determination unit does not include the data amount, the data amount of the plurality of content data acquired by the acquisition unit and the data amount calculated by the data amount calculation unit are calculated. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the content data to be used for the next output is determined from the content data having a data amount smaller than the data amount calculated by the data amount calculating means. Further comprising changing means for changing the output time information;
The data amount calculating means calculates the amount of data that can be received before the next output using the output time information changed by the changing means and the throughput value calculated by the throughput calculating means. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3. When receiving a part of the content data of the content stored in the content storage device based on the metadata including the location information of each of the plurality of content data having different data amounts for each content that can be output by the output device, A throughput calculation means for calculating a throughput value using a data amount of the partial data and a time required to receive the partial data;
A data amount calculating means for calculating the amount of data that can be received before the next output using the output time information relating to the output of the content data and the throughput value calculated by the throughput calculating means;
When the data amount calculated by the data amount calculating unit is smaller than the remaining data amount of the content data, the data smaller than the data amount calculated by the data amount calculating unit among the plurality of content data of the content Determining means for determining the amount of content data as content data to be used for output;
An information processing apparatus comprising: When the content data stored in the content storage device is received based on the metadata including the location information of each of the plurality of content data having different data amounts for each content that can be output by the output device, the data amount of the content data A throughput calculating step of calculating a throughput value using a time required for receiving the content data;
A data amount calculation step for calculating the amount of data that can be received before the next output using the output time information related to the output of the content data and the throughput value calculated in the throughput calculation step;
Using the metadata, content data having a data amount smaller than the data amount calculated in the data amount calculating step is determined as content data to be used for the next output among a plurality of content data of the content to be output next. A decision process to
The content data determination method characterized by having. When receiving a part of the content data of the content stored in the content storage device based on the metadata including the location information of each of the plurality of content data having different data amounts for each content that can be output by the output device, A throughput calculation step of calculating a throughput value using a data amount of the partial data and a time required to receive the partial data;
A data amount calculation step for calculating the amount of data that can be received before the next output using the output time information related to the output of the content data and the throughput value calculated in the throughput calculation step;
When the data amount calculated in the data amount calculation step is smaller than the remaining data amount of the content data, data smaller than the data amount calculated in the data amount calculation step among the plurality of content data of the content A determination step of determining the amount of content data as content data to be used for output;
The content data determination method characterized by having. Computer
When the content data stored in the content storage device is received based on the metadata including the location information of each of the plurality of content data having different data amounts for each content that can be output by the output device, the data amount of the content data Throughput calculating means for calculating a throughput value using a time required for receiving the content data;
A data amount calculating means for calculating the amount of data that can be received before the next output using the output time information relating to the output of the content data and the throughput value calculated by the throughput calculating means;
Using the metadata, content data having a data amount smaller than the data amount calculated by the data amount calculating means among the plurality of content data items to be output next is determined as content data to be used for the next output. A decision means to
A program characterized by making it function. Computer
When receiving a part of the content data of the content stored in the content storage device based on the metadata including the location information of each of the plurality of content data having different data amounts for each content that can be output by the output device, A throughput calculation means for calculating a throughput value using a data amount of the partial data and a time required to receive the partial data;
A data amount calculating means for calculating the amount of data that can be received before the next output using the output time information relating to the output of the content data and the throughput value calculated by the throughput calculating means;
When the data amount calculated by the data amount calculating unit is smaller than the remaining data amount of the content data, the data smaller than the data amount calculated by the data amount calculating unit among the plurality of content data of the content Determining means for determining the amount of content data as content data to be used for output;
A program characterized by making it function.

Images