JP2013074392A - Content reproduction system, content reproduction apparatus, and program of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

After a controller starts controlling a media renderer, the media renderer automatically shifts to a state in which it can be controlled by another controller.
After receiving a control command from a controller, the content reproduction apparatus manages the media renderer device and information on the controller that controls the media renderer device in association with each other. When it is determined that control is not performed from the same controller as the controller that has started control for a predetermined time or longer, the controller automatically shifts to a controllable state from a controller other than the controller that has started control.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a content reproduction device that reproduces content in a home network and a controller that controls the content reproduction device.

  In recent years, music, still images, and moving image contents (hereinafter referred to as contents) stored in a digital media server (hereinafter referred to as DMS) that have been constructed in a home network are transferred to a digital media controller (hereinafter referred to as DMC). In accordance with instructions, a form of reproduction by a digital media renderer (hereinafter referred to as DMR) has become widespread. In the DLNA (registered trademark, hereinafter referred to as DLNA) standard, the functions of the DMS, DMR, and DMC are defined, and specifications for mutual communication and operation are determined. In the following description, the content is assumed to be music content.

When content stored in the DMS is played back by a device having a DMR function, the user selects one DMS from a plurality of DMSs displayed on a display device connected to the DMC. Further, the user designates one DMR from among a plurality of DMRs as a playback device in the DMC. Then, the user designates the content to be reproduced from the DMS content displayed on the DMC. As a result, a content reproduction instruction is transmitted from the DMC to the DMR, and the DMR connects to the DMS designated by the DMC, and acquires and reproduces the content data of the DMS.

  When an AV amplifier that supports multi-zone output has a DMR function, the AV amplifier can notify the DMC of the presence of a plurality of DMR devices. The DMR device is a virtual device having a function of controlling the audio output unit of the AV amplifier. An AV amplifier that supports multi-zone output includes a plurality of audio output units. The speakers connected to each audio output unit are installed in different rooms. The AV amplifier transmits device information for the DMC to control individual audio output units to the DMC. The DMC recognizes a plurality of DMR devices based on device information transmitted from the AV amplifier. For example, when the AV amplifier includes three audio output units, the AV amplifier notifies the DMC of three DMR devices of the DMR device 1, the DMR device 2, and the DMR device 3.

By the way, if the user does not release the connection between the DMC and the DMR device after the DMR device of the AV amplifier has finished reproducing the content specified by the DMC, the DMR device can be controlled from another DMC (for example, DMC2). Disappear.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-210563 describes that when a server with a flag indicating that it cannot be used becomes available again, it can be used immediately.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-134246 describes that a call state is canceled when a state in which a two-way call can be performed exceeds a specified time.

JP-A-5-210563 JP 2003-134246 A

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described conventional problems. The purpose of the present invention is to control a media renderer to another controller when the media renderer is not used by the controller after the controller starts controlling the media renderer. Is automatically shifted to a controllable state.

A content reproduction system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is a content reproduction system including a controller and a content reproduction apparatus that acquires and reproduces server content based on a control command transmitted from the controller based on a user operation. The content reproduction device outputs a content to a plurality of content receiving devices arranged in a plurality of rooms, and outputs the content from the output unit to the content receiving device arranged in each room. Control means for controlling the output section to output, device notification means for transmitting device information, which is information for controlling each output section as a media renderer device, to the controller, and the controller transmitted from the controller Control reception to receive control commands And a control object specifying means for specifying the media renderer device to be controlled by the control command, a management means for managing the media renderer device and the controller information in association with each other, and the controller The media renderer device that cannot be controlled from the other controller, and the controller receives the device information from the content playback device, and the media renderer according to a user operation. Means for selecting a device, and means for transmitting the control command for controlling the media renderer device to the content playback device, wherein the content playback device is from the controller associated with the media renderer device. Control command A determination means for determining whether or not a time during which no data is received continues for a predetermined time or more, and when it is determined that the time has not been received for a predetermined time or longer, the management means associates with the media renderer device. Transition means for releasing the association of the existing controller and shifting the media renderer device to a controllable state from the other controller other than the controller.

  When the content reproduction apparatus receives a control command from the controller, the content reproduction apparatus manages the media renderer device and information on the controller that controls the media renderer device in association with each other. When the content playback apparatus determines that the media renderer device is not controlled from the same controller for a predetermined time or longer, the content playback apparatus automatically shifts to a state in which the media renderer device can be controlled from a controller other than the controller that started the control. As a result, when the user forgets to disconnect the connection between the controller and the content reproduction device, the problem that the content reproduction device cannot be controlled from another controller can be solved.

In a preferred embodiment, when the content reproduction apparatus receives the control command, controller information acquisition means for acquiring information on the controller associated with the media renderer device specified by the control target specifying means; , Further comprising: a coincidence determining unit that determines whether or not the information of the controller that transmitted the control command matches the information of the controller acquired by the controller information acquiring unit. When it is determined, the control command from the controller is executed, and when it is determined that they do not match, the control command from the controller is not executed.

  When the content reproduction apparatus receives a control command from the controller, the content reproduction apparatus identifies the media renderer device designated as the control target, and identifies the controller that is controlling the identified media renderer device. Only when it is determined that the identified controller matches the controller that transmitted the control command, the content reproduction apparatus executes the control command. As a result, the content reproduction apparatus can prevent erroneous execution of a control command transmitted from a controller other than the controller that started controlling the media renderer device.

The content playback system according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention further comprises stop determination means for the content playback device to determine whether or not the media renderer device is stopping playback, If it is determined that the media renderer device is not stopped, the transition means does not shift the media renderer device to a state that can be used by another controller.

  Even when the content playback device does not receive a control command from the controller, the content playback device does not shift the media renderer device to a state that can be controlled by another controller unless the media renderer device is stopped. As a result, when the media renderer device is used, the content playback apparatus can prevent the media renderer device from shifting to a state where it can be controlled by another controller.

In a content reproduction system according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller further includes search means for searching for the media renderer device, and the content playback apparatus receives a search command transmitted from the controller. A command receiving unit; a search source controller acquiring unit that acquires information of the controller that transmitted the search command; and determining whether the acquired controller is managed in association with the media renderer device. Association determining means, and search response means for notifying the controller that the media renderer device corresponding to the controller determined to be associated is available when it is determined that the association management is performed. Further comprising the controller La is, when the media renderer device is notified that it is available, further comprising an informing means for informing the user that the media renderer device is usable state.

  Since the content reproduction apparatus notifies whether or not the controller can use each media renderer device based on the information of the controller that transmitted the search command, the controller can use each media renderer device in an available or unavailable state. It can be detected accurately. As a result, the user can accurately grasp whether each media renderer device is available or unavailable.

In a content reproduction system according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller searches for the media renderer device, and information indicating whether the media renderer device can be used or not transmitted from the content reproduction apparatus. Display means for displaying on a display device, wherein the content reproduction device acquires a content list stored in the server, and acquires content data of the content selected from the content list by a user operation And a media player function for determining whether or not the media player function is operating in the content playback apparatus, and the output from which the media player function is outputting the content. To identify the part When the search command is received from the controller, a media renderer device specifying unit for specifying the media renderer device associated with the output unit specified by the output unit specifying unit, and the search response Means notifies that the media renderer device identified by the media renderer device identifying means is in an unusable state;
The display means displays the media renderer device including unusable information on a display device in an unusable state.

  When the media player function is using the audio output unit, the content playback apparatus having the media player function specifies a media renderer device that uses the audio output unit being used by the media player function. Then, the content reproduction apparatus notifies the controller that the specified media renderer device cannot be used. The controller displays the availability status of each media renderer device. As a result, the user can accurately recognize the unavailable state of the media renderer device.

  If the media renderer is not in use after the controller has started controlling the media renderer, the media renderer automatically transitions to a state where another controller is available, so the user can use the other controller. To control the media renderer.

1 is a schematic diagram of a network according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus connected to a network according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is a zone device table. This is a DDD transmitted from the DMR to the DMC. It is a sequence chart of DMR and DMC. It is a figure which shows the display screen of DMC. It is a controller address table of DMR. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the control part of DMR. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the control part of DMR. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the control part of DMR. It is a controller address table of DMR. It is a figure which shows the display screen of DMC. It is a controller address table of DMR. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the control part of DMR. It is a figure which shows the display screen of DMC.

  Hereinafter, a content reproduction system according to preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a network according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

  An AV amplifier 100 having a DMR function, a DMC 200, and a DMS 300 are connected to the home network. The AV amplifier 100 is connected with a speaker 101, a speaker 102, and a speaker 103. Since the AV amplifier 100 includes a plurality of audio output units, audio can be output simultaneously to the speakers 101, 102, and 103. The AV amplifier 100 acquires content data from the DMS 300 based on control from the DMC 200 and outputs audio from the speakers 101, 102, or 103. The speaker 101, the speaker 102, and the speaker 103 are installed in different rooms.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the AV amplifier 100, DMC 200, and DMS 300 connected to the network. The AV amplifier 100 includes a control unit 100A, a storage unit 100B, a communication unit 100C, and audio output units 100D1, 100D2, and 100D3. Hereinafter, when it is not necessary to distinguish the audio output units 100D1 to 100D3, they are simply described as the audio output unit 100D.

  The control unit 100A controls the AV amplifier 100 and is, for example, a microcomputer or a CPU. The control unit 100A further includes a DMR program 100A1. The DMR program 100A1 is a program executed by the control unit 100A when the AV amplifier 100 operates as a DMR. Hereinafter, the DMR program 100A1 is simply referred to as the DMR 100A1. The zone device notification unit 100A2 notifies that the AV amplifier 100 can operate as a plurality of DMR devices. The DMR device is a virtual media renderer device for the DMC 200 to control each audio output unit 100D via the network.

  Storage unit 100B is, for example, a ROM or a RAM. The storage unit 100B includes timer values 100B1, 100B2, and 100B3, a controller address table 100B4, a zone device table 100B5, and a DDD (device description document) 100B6. Timer values 100 </ b> B <b> 1 to 100 </ b> B <b> 3 are counters indicating elapsed time since each DMR device started control from the DMC 200. Hereinafter, when it is not necessary to distinguish the timer values 100B1 to 100B3, they are referred to as a timer value 100B. There are as many timer values 100B as there are DMR devices. The controller address table 100B4 is a table that manages the correspondence between the DMR device and the DMC 200 that is controlling the DMR device. The DDD 100B6 is a document file that the AV amplifier 100 transmits to the DMC 200. When the AV amplifier 100 describes information on a plurality of DMR devices in the DDD 100B6 and transmits the information to the DMC 200, the DMC 200 recognizes the presence of the plurality of DMR devices.

  The communication unit 100C has a function of transmitting / receiving data to / from the DMC 200 or DMS 300 via a network.

  The audio output units 100D1, 100D2, and 100D3 are connected to the speakers 101, 102, and 103 in FIG. 1, respectively. The audio output unit 100D includes a decoder, a DAC, and an audio signal amplification unit. The AV amplifier 100 manages the DMR device and each audio output unit 100D in association with each other. Hereinafter, in the AV amplifier 100, the DMR device 1 corresponds to the audio output unit 100D1, the DMR device 2 corresponds to the audio output unit 100D2, and the DMR device 3 corresponds to the audio output unit 100D3. Thereby, for example, when the user selects the DMR device 2 in the DMC 200, the DMR 100A1 controls the audio output unit 100D2, and thus the audio is output from the audio output unit 100D2.

The DMC 200 includes a control unit 200A, a storage unit 200B, a communication unit 200C, an operation unit 200D, and a display unit 200E.

The control unit 200A controls the DMC 200, and is, for example, a microcomputer or a CPU. The DDD recognition unit 201A analyzes the DDD 100B6 transmitted from the DMR 100A1 and recognizes the DMR device. Storage unit 200B is, for example, a ROM or a RAM. The communication unit 200C communicates with the AV amplifier 100 and the DMS 300 via a network. The operation unit 200D is a part that receives an operation on the DMC 200, and is a part that receives an input from a button arranged on the DMC 200 and a remote control code transmitted from a remote controller attached to the DMC 200. The display unit 200E displays a content list acquired by the DMC 200 from the DMS 300, a content reproduction status received from the DMR 100A1, or a list of devices having a DMR function on the network.

The DMS 300 includes a control unit 300A, a storage unit 300B, a communication unit 300C, and an HDD 300D.

  The controller 300A controls the DMS 300 and is, for example, a microcomputer or a CPU. In response to the content list acquisition request from the DMC 200 or the content data acquisition request from the DMR 100A1, the control unit 300A executes processing for transmitting the content list and content data. Storage unit 300B is, for example, a ROM or a RAM. The communication unit 300C communicates with the AV amplifier 100 and the DMC 200 via a network. The HDD 300D is a storage medium that stores music content and the like.

  The control unit 100A of the DMR 100A1 in this embodiment transmits the DDD 100B6 to the DMC 200, and the DMC 200 recognizes a plurality of DMR devices. When the control unit 100A receives a control command from the DMC 200, the control unit 100A specifies the DMR device designated as the control target. Then, the control unit 100A registers the information of the DMC 200 in the controller address table 100B4. When the DMC 200 that has started controlling the DMR device is not controlled for a predetermined time or longer, the control unit 100A shifts the DMR device to a controllable state from the DMC 200 that is different from the DMC 200 that has started control.

[Means for Notifying DMC of Multiple DMR Devices]
FIG. 3 shows the zone device table 100B5. The zone device table 100B5 has parameters of UDN, service URL, and control URL for each DMR device. The UDN is an ID that uniquely identifies the DMR device in the network, and is configured by a numerical value, a character string, or a combination thereof. The service URL is path information to an xml file that describes services that the DMR device can provide to the DMC 200. The xml file is stored in the storage unit 100B of the AV amplifier 100. The DMC 200 analyzes the service xml described in the service URL and transmits a control command executable by the DMR device to the AV amplifier 100. The control URL is a URL added to communication data when the DMC 200 controls the DMR device. The control unit 100A refers to the control URL added to the control command from the DMC 200 and identifies the DMR device to be controlled. For example, when the DMC 200 controls the DMR device 2, the DMC 200 inserts “upnp / control / Zone-2” into the control command transmitted to the AV amplifier 100. The control unit 100A recognizes that the control target is the DMR device 2, and controls the audio output unit 100D2. As a result, sound is output from the speaker 102.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of the DDD 100B6 generated from the zone device table 100B5 of FIG. In the DDD 100B6, (1) is information for causing the DMC device 1 to recognize the DMR device 1, (2) for the DMR device 2, and (3) for the DMR device 3 to be recognized. For example, the “UDN” tag of (1) of the DDD 100B6 describes the UDN of the DMR device 1 of the zone device table 100B5 of FIG. 3, and the “SCPDURL” tag contains the service xml of the DMR device 1 of the zone device table 100B5. In the “control URL” tag, the control URL of the DMR device 1 of the zone device table 100B5 is described.

  FIG. 5 shows a sequence chart of the DMR 100A1 and the DMC 200 when the DMC 200 recognizes the DMR device. The DMR 100A1 acquires the number of DMR devices from the number of audio output units 100D included in the AV amplifier 100 (S101). In the example of FIG. 2, since there are three voice output units 100D1 to 100D3, the number of DMR devices determined by the process of S101 is three.

  The DMR 100A1 generates the DDD 100B6 shown in FIG. 4 from the zone device table 100B5 of FIG. 3 (S102). The DMC 200 broadcasts a command for searching for a device having a DMR function in the network (S103).

  The DMR 100A1 transmits the DDD 100B6 in response to the search command in S103 (S104). The DMC 200 receives the DDD 100B6 (S105), and displays the DMR device on the display device (S106).

  FIG. 6 shows a screen displayed on the display device of the DMC 200 by the process of S106. The DMC 200 acquires and displays the content list from the DMS 300, and the content is selected from the content list by a user operation. In response to a user operation, the DMC 200 activates a remote playback device designation menu for designating a DMR device that plays the selected content. FIG. 6 shows a state where three DMR devices are displayed in the remote playback device designation menu. The user uses the remote playback device designation menu of the DMC 200 to select a DMR device that plays Track 2.

  Returning to FIG. 5, the DMR device is selected in the DMC 200 (S107). The DMC 200 transmits a control command to the DMR 100A1 (S108). The control command transmitted here is, for example, a playback command for playing back Track 2 selected in the playlist of FIG. The control URL is added to the control command.

The DMR 100A1 specifies the voice output unit 100D to be controlled from the control URL added to the control command (S109), and executes the contents of the control command (S110).

Through the above processing, the DMC 200 can recognize a plurality of DMR devices included in the AV amplifier 100. Then, the AV amplifier 100 receives a control command including information on the DMR device selected by the DMC 200, and outputs audio from the audio output unit 100D specified by the DMR device information.

[First Embodiment of DMR]
FIG. 7A shows an initial state of the controller address table 100B4. The controller address table 100B4 manages the DMR device and the address of the DMC 200 that is controlling the DMR device in association with each other. The address of the DMC 200 is the IP address of the DMC 200 or the like. The initial value of the DMC address is empty. The initial values of the timer values 100B1 to 100B3 are 0, and each timer value 100B is associated with the DMR device in the controller address table 100B4. In the controller address table 100B4, when the DMC 200 is associated with the DMR device, only the associated DMC 200 can control the DMR device. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a first embodiment of processing executed by the DMR 100A1 when the DMR 100A1 is controlled from the DMC 200. According to the present embodiment, after receiving the control command from the DMC 200, the DMR 100A1 automatically shifts the DMR device to a usable state from the DMC 200 other than the DMC 200 that started the control when the control is not executed for a certain period of time. The flowchart in FIG. 8 shows an example in which the DMR device 2 is started to be controlled by the DMC 200 having the IP address of the DMC Addr2.

  The DMR 100A1 receives the control command from the DMC 200, determines whether the control is started (S201), and if it is determined that the control command is received (YES in S201), the DMR 100A1 receives the control received in S201. The control target DMR device is specified from the control URL added to the command (S202). When it is determined that the DMR 100A1 has not received a control command (NO in S201), the DMR 100A1 waits for transmission of a control command from the DMC 200.

  The DMR 100A1 sets the IP address of the DMC 200 in the controller address table 100B4 (S203). For example, when the DMR device 2 is determined by the process of S202, the IP address of the DMC 200 is registered in the DMC address corresponding to the DMR device 2 in the controller address table 100B4. FIG. 7B shows the controller address table 100B4 updated by the process of S203. In the case of FIG. 7B, the DMC 200 that can control the DMR device 2 is only the DMC 200 having the address of the DMC Addr2, and the DMR device 2 cannot be controlled from the other DMC 200.

  The DMR 100A1 starts counting the timer (S204). The period of the timer is 1 second. With this timer, the DMR 100A1 executes the processing from S205 onwards every second.

  The DMR 100A1 determines whether or not a control command has been received from the DMC 200 (S205). If it is determined that the control command has been received (YES in S205), the DMR device to be controlled is identified from the control URL of the control command received in S205. (S206).

  The DMR 100A1 acquires the IP address of the DMC 200 corresponding to the DMR device specified in S206 by referring to the controller address table 100B4, and whether the IP address is the same as the IP address of the DMC 200 that transmitted the control command in S205. It is determined whether or not (S207).

  When it is determined that the DMC 200 is the same (YES in S207), the DMR 100A1 resets the timer value 100B2, which is the timer value 100B corresponding to the DMR device 2, to 0 (S211), and sets the control command received in S205. Based on this, processing is executed (S212).

When it is determined that the IP addresses of the DMC 200 are not the same (NO in S207), it is determined whether the timer value 100B2 is greater than a predetermined value (S208), and when it is determined that the IP address is less than the predetermined value (NO in S208) The DMR 100A1 transmits an error to the DMC 200 (S213), and increments the timer value 100B2 (S214). The predetermined value of the timer is, for example, 5 minutes. For example, in the state of FIG. 7B, when a command for controlling the DMR device 2 is received in S205 from the DMC 200 having the IP address of DMC Addr3 in S205, NO is determined by the process in S207. The DMC 200 that has received the error in the process of S213 displays the occurrence of the error on the display device.

If the DMR 100A1 determines that the timer value 100B2 exceeds the predetermined value by the process of S208 (YES in S208), the DMR 100A1 deletes the address (DMC Addr2) of the DMC 200 from the controller address table 100B4 (S209). The IP address of the DMC 200 that has transmitted the control command is registered in the controller address table 100B4 (S210). And DMR100A1 performs the process after S211. FIG. 7C shows the controller address table 100B4 when the address of the source DMC 200 of the control command received by the DMR 100A1 in S205 is DMC Addr3. In this case, the timer value 100B incremented by the timer in the subsequent processing is the timer value 100B3.

  When it is determined that the DMR 100A1 has not received a control command from the DMC 200 (NO in S205), the DMR 100A1 determines whether or not the timer value 100B2 is greater than a predetermined value (S215), and is determined to be less than or equal to the predetermined value. If so (NO in S215), the DMR 100A1 increments the timer value 100B2 (S217), and executes the process of S205 again.

If it is determined that the timer value 100B2 is greater than the predetermined value (YES in S215), the DMR 100A1 deletes the address of the DMC 200 corresponding to the DMR device specified in S202 from the controller address table 100B4. FIG. 7D shows a state where DMC Addr2 has been erased by the process of S216. In FIG. 7D, since no DMC address is registered in the DMR device 2, the other DMC 200 can control the DMR device 2. In addition, the address of the DMC 200 is deleted from the controller address table 100B4 by the process of S216, and the timer value 100B2 is reset to 0.

  According to the first embodiment described above, when the DMR device is not controlled by the DMC 200 for a predetermined time or longer, the DMR device returns to a state that can be controlled by the other DMC 200, so that the user disconnects the DMC 200 and the DMR 100A1. Even if it is forgotten, the DMR 100A1 can prevent the problem that it cannot accept control from another DMC 200 for a long time.

[Embodiment 2 of DMR]
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the DMR 100A1 according to the second embodiment. According to the present embodiment, even if the DMR 100A1 has not received control from the DMC 200 for a predetermined time or more, if the DMR 100A1 is in a state other than being stopped, the DMR device shifts to a state in which the DMR device can be controlled from another DMC 200. I won't let you. In FIG. 9, the same processes as those in FIG.

  When it is determined that the DMR 100A1 has not received a control command from the DMC 200 (NO in S205), the DMR 100A1 determines whether or not the DMR device is stopping content reproduction (S301). The states other than the stop state include a content reproduction state, a content fast-forward state, a content fast-rewind state, or a pause state. Note that the DMR device to be determined in S301 is the DMR device whose control is started in S202.

  When it is determined that the DMR device is stopped (YES in S301), the DMR 100A1 executes the processing from S215 onward, and when it is determined that the DMR device is not stopped (NO in S301), the DMR device timer value 100B2 is set. The process is reset to 0 (S302), and the processing from S205 onward is executed.

  According to the second embodiment described above, the DMR 100A1 maintains a state in which the DMR device cannot be controlled from the DMC 200 other than the DMC 200 that started the control except when the DMR device is stopped. Therefore, the DMR device is controlled by the other DMC 200 during playback or the like. Can be prevented.

[First Embodiment of Search Response from DMR to DMC]
The DMC 200 broadcasts a command (hereinafter referred to as a search command) for searching for the DMR 100A1 connected to the network when the DMC 200 is activated or by a user operation or the like. The DMR 100A1 transmits a response to the search command. The DMC 200 receives a response to the search command from the DMR 100A1, and detects the state of the DMR device. According to the present embodiment, when the DMR 100A1 notifies the DMC 200 of the state of the DMR device, the DMR 100A1 notifies whether each DMR device can be used by the DMC 200 that issued the search command. The available state is a state in which a control command transmitted from the DMC 200 can be normally received and executed by the DMR 100A1. The DMC 200 can determine whether each DMR device is usable or unusable, and can display the DMR device that cannot be used in a display form that is not erroneously selected by the user. Examples of the display form that is not selected by mistake include a form in which a DMR device is displayed in gray out, and a form in which a X mark is added to the DMR device display. FIG. 10 shows a flowchart of the DMR 100A1 when a search command is received from the DMC 200. In this flowchart, it is assumed that the DMC 200 having the address of DMC Addr2 executes a search.

  FIG. 11 shows the controller address table 100B4 when the flowchart of FIG. 10 is executed. It is assumed that the DMR device 2 is being controlled by the DMC 200 (DMC Addr 2), and the DMR device 3 is being controlled by the DMC 200 (DMC Addr 3).

The DMR 100A1 receives the search command from the DMC 200 (S401). The DMR 100A1 acquires the IP address of the DMC 200 that is the search source (S402).

  The DMR 100A1 refers to the controller address table 100B4 and identifies the DMR device in which the DMC Addr2, which is the IP address of the DMC 200, is registered (S403). According to the controller address table 100B4 of FIG. 11, since the DMR device 2 is controlled by the DMC 200 having the DMC Addr2, the DMR device 2 is specified in S403.

  The DMR 100A1 notifies the DMC 200 that the DMR device 2 is available (S404). That is, since the search source DMC 200 is under control of the DMR device 2, the DMR 100A1 notifies the DMC 200 that the DMR device 2 can be used. The DMC 200 displays the DMR device 2 in a usable state on the display device of the DMC 200. Note that the DMR 100A1 notifies the DDD 100B6 of information indicating whether the DMR device can be used or not. “CanUse” in FIG. 4 is a tag indicating usable or unusable information. A DMR device having a canUse tag value of TRUE can be used by the DMC 200.

  In the processing after S405, the DMR 100A1 notifies the availability or unusable state of the DMR device other than the DMR device notified to the DMC 200 in S404. In the example of the controller device table 100B4 in FIG. 11, the DMR device 1 and the DMR device 3 are the targets of the following processing.

The DMR 100A1 refers to the controller device table 100B4 in ascending order and determines whether there is a DMC address registration (S405). If it is determined that the DMC device is a registered DMR device (YES in S405), the DMR 100A1 notifies the DMC 200 that the DMR device is unavailable (S406). When it is determined that the DMR device is a DMR device for which no DMC address is registered (NO in S405), the DMR 100A1 notifies the DMC 200 that it is an available DMR device (S407).

  The DMR 100A1 determines whether or not all DMR devices registered in the controller address table 100B4 have been notified to the DMC 200 (S408). If the DMR 100A1 determines that the notification has not been completed (NO in S408), the controller address table 100B4 The process after S405 is executed for the next DMR device, and if it is determined that the notification is completed (YES in S408), the process ends. In the flowchart of FIG. 10, usable / unusable information is transmitted to the DMC 200 for each DMR device. However, the usable / unusable information of the three DMR devices may be notified collectively.

  In the example of the controller device table 100B4 in FIG. 11, the DMC 200 is notified that the DMR device 1 is available and the DMR device 3 is unavailable.

  FIG. 12 shows a state in which the state of the DMR device notified from the DMR 100A1 is displayed on the display device of the DMC 200 (DMC Addr2). The user can recognize that the DMR device 1 and the DMR device 2 are available and the DMR device 3 is unavailable.

[Second Embodiment of Search Response from DMR to DMC]
Some AV amplifiers 100 have a DMR function and also operate as a DMP (digital media player). DMP is one of the categories defined by DLNA. When the content stored in the DMS is played back on a device having a DMP function, the user browses the content of the DMS displayed on the display device connected to the DMP, selects the content desired to be played back, and plays back the content. Instruct. The DMP requests the DMS for content data instructed to be played back by the user, and starts playback. In the AV amplifier 100, the DMP outputs audio from the speaker 101, the speaker 102, or the speaker 103 using the audio output unit 100D.

By the way, when the DMP is used for the audio output unit 100D, the DMR 100A1 cannot use the same audio output unit 100D as the audio output unit 100D used by the DMP. FIG. 13 shows a controller address table 100B4 in which the DMR device 2 is not being controlled by the DMC 200, but the audio output unit 100B2 is used by the DMP. According to the present embodiment, even when the DMR device is not controlled by the DMC 200, when the audio output unit 100D corresponding to the DMR device is used by the DMP, the DMR 100A1 cannot use the DMR device to the DMC 200. Notify that. FIG. 14 is a flowchart of the DMR 100A1 according to the second embodiment. In FIG. 14, the same processes as those in FIG.

  It is assumed that the DMC 200 that transmits the search command has an address of DMC Addr2. When the DMR 100A1 receives a search command from the DMC 200 (S401), the DMR 100A1 determines whether any of the audio output units 100D is used by the DMP (S501).

  When the DMR 100A1 determines that the DMP is using the audio output unit 100D (YES in S501), the DMR 100A1 specifies the audio output unit 100D that is being used by the DMP (S502). In the case of the controller device table 100B4 in FIG. 13, the audio output unit 100D2 is specified by the process of S502.

  The DMR 100A1 specifies the DMR device corresponding to the audio output unit 100D specified in S502, and notifies the DMC 200 that the DMR device cannot be used. In this flowchart, since the audio output unit 100D2 is being used by DMP, the DMR 200A notifies the DMC 200 that the DMR device 2 cannot be used.

  FIG. 15 shows the state of the DMR device displayed on the display device of the DMC 200. Since DMP uses the audio output unit 100D2, the DMR device 2 is displayed in an unusable state.

  According to the second embodiment, when the DMP is using the audio output unit 100D, the DMR 100A1 notifies the DMC 200 that the DMR device that uses the same audio output unit 100D cannot be used. It is possible to prevent selecting an unusable DMR device by mistake.

As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to these embodiment.
The content data may be video data or still image data. Further, there may be any number of audio output units 100D as long as there are one or more. The DMC 200 may be a portable controller or a stationary controller. Further, the DMC 200, DMS 300, DMR, and DMP functions may be executed in the same casing.

  The present invention can be suitably employed in video / audio output devices such as AV amplifiers and AV receivers.

100 AV amplifier 101 speaker 102 speaker 103 speaker 100A control unit 100B storage unit 100C communication unit 100D1 audio output unit 100D2 audio output unit 100D3 audio output unit 100E operation unit 100A1 DMR program 100A2 zone device notification unit 100A2
100B1 Timer value 100B2 Timer value 100B3 Timer value 100B4 Controller address table 100B5 Zone device table 100B6 DDD
200 DMC
200A Control unit 201A DDD recognition unit 200B Storage unit 200C Communication unit 200D Operation unit 200E Display unit 300 DMS
300A Control unit 300B Storage unit 300C Communication unit 300D HDD

Claims (7)

A content playback system comprising a controller and a content playback device that acquires and plays back content of a server based on a control command transmitted from the controller based on a user operation,
The content reproduction apparatus is
A plurality of output units for outputting content to a plurality of content receiving devices arranged in a plurality of rooms;
Control means for controlling the output unit so as to output the content from the output unit to the content receiving device arranged in each room;
Device notification means for transmitting device information, which is information for controlling each output unit as a media renderer device, to the controller;
Control receiving means for receiving the control command transmitted from the controller;
Control target specifying means for specifying the media renderer device to be controlled by the control command;
Management means for managing the media renderer device and the controller information in association with each other;
An exclusive means for making the media renderer device associated with the controller uncontrollable from the other controller;
The controller is
Means for receiving the device information from the content reproduction apparatus;
Means for selecting the media renderer device in response to a user operation;
Means for transmitting the control command for controlling the media renderer device to the content reproduction device;
The content reproduction apparatus is
Determining means for determining whether a time during which the control command is not received from the controller associated with the media renderer device continues for a predetermined time;
When it is determined that the media renderer device has continued for a predetermined time or more, the management unit can cancel the association of the controller associated with the media renderer device, and the media renderer device can be controlled from the other controller other than the controller The content reproduction system further comprising transition means for shifting to a different state. The content reproduction apparatus is
Controller information acquisition means for acquiring information on the controller associated with the media renderer device specified by the control target specifying means when receiving the control command;
It further includes a match determination unit that determines whether or not the information of the controller that transmitted the control command matches the information of the controller acquired by the controller information acquisition unit,
The content reproduction system according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined that they match, the control command from the controller is executed, and when it is determined that they do not match, the control command from the controller is not executed. The content reproduction apparatus is
A stop determination means for determining whether the media renderer device is stopping playback;
3. The content according to claim 1, wherein, when it is determined that the media renderer device of the content playback apparatus is not stopped, the transition unit does not shift the media renderer device to a state usable by another controller. Playback system. The controller is
Search means for searching for the media renderer device;
The content reproduction apparatus is
Search command receiving means for receiving a search command transmitted from the controller;
Search source controller acquisition means for acquiring information of the controller of the transmission source that transmitted the search command;
Relevance determining means for determining whether or not the acquired controller is managed in association with the media renderer device;
And a search response means for notifying the controller that the media renderer device corresponding to the controller determined to be associated is available when it is determined to be managed in association with the controller.
The controller is
The content according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising notification means for notifying a user that the media renderer device is available when notified that the media renderer device is available. Playback system. The controller is
Search means for searching for the media renderer device;
Display means for displaying on the display device information indicating whether the media renderer device can be used or not transmitted from the content playback device;
The content reproduction apparatus is
A media player function for acquiring a content list stored in the server, acquiring content data of the content selected from the content list by a user operation, and playing it back;
Media player execution determining means for determining whether or not the media player function is operating in the content reproduction apparatus;
Output unit specifying means for specifying the output unit from which the media player function is outputting the content;
Media renderer device specifying means for specifying the media renderer device associated with the output unit specified by the output unit specifying means when receiving the search command from the controller;
The search response means notifies that the media renderer device specified by the media renderer device specifying means is in an unusable state,
The content reproduction system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the display unit displays the media renderer device including unusable information on a display device in an unusable state. A content reproduction apparatus in the content reproduction system according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A plurality of output units for outputting content to a plurality of content receiving devices arranged in a plurality of rooms;
Control means for controlling the output unit so as to output the content from the output unit to the content receiving device arranged in each room;
Device notification means for transmitting device information, which is information for controlling each output unit as a media renderer device, to the controller;
Control receiving means for receiving the control command transmitted from the controller;
Control target specifying means for specifying the media renderer device to be controlled by the control command;
Management means for managing the media renderer device and the controller information in association with each other;
Exclusive means for making the media renderer device associated with the controller uncontrollable from other controllers;
Determining means for determining whether a time during which the control command is not received from the controller associated with the media renderer device continues for a predetermined time;
When it is determined that the media renderer device continues for a predetermined time or longer, the management unit releases the association of the controller associated with the media renderer device, and the media renderer device can be controlled from the controller other than the controller A content reproduction apparatus further comprising a transition means for transitioning to An operation program for the content processing apparatus in the content processing system according to claim 1,
A control step of controlling the output unit to output the content from the output unit to the content receiving device arranged in each room;
A device notification step of transmitting device information, which is information for controlling each output unit as a media renderer device, to the controller;
A control reception step of receiving the control command transmitted from the controller;
A control target specifying step for specifying the media renderer device to be controlled by the control command;
A management step of associating and managing the media renderer device and the controller information;
An exclusive step of making the media renderer device with which the controller is associated uncontrollable from other controllers;
A determination step of determining whether a time during which the control command is not received from the controller associated with the media renderer device continues for a predetermined time;
When it is determined that the media renderer device continues for a predetermined time or longer, the management unit releases the association of the controller associated with the media renderer device, and the media renderer device can be controlled from the controller other than the controller A content reproduction program comprising:

Images