JP4232445B2 - File delivery apparatus, file delivery method and program - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  The present invention is suitable for use in multimedia file distribution and data management.File delivery apparatus and file delivery methodAnd program.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In mobile phones and other portable terminals, multimedia contents mixed with moving image data, audio data, text data, and the like are exchanged. At that time, there are some mobile phones and the like that cannot reproduce the multimedia content. In such a case, the transmission source user needs to convert multimedia content into content such as a still image that can be handled on the receiving side.
[0003]
In addition, information such as still images (hereinafter referred to as “representative images”) and their appearance times in typical scenes in the content can be easily grasped in a search system for moving images or multimedia content. Patent Documents 1, 2, etc. disclose a technique for extracting the information and recording it in a search system or the like.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-232186
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-23322
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
  However, since the types of content that can be supported by the receiving device model are different, it is extremely complicated for the user on the multimedia content transmitting side to convert the content in accordance with the receiving device model. The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and can easily manage information such as representative images.File delivery apparatus and file delivery methodAnd aims to provide a program.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized by having the following configuration. The parentheses are examples.
  Claim 1File distribution deviceIn that,A file distribution device (10) that communicates with a plurality of external devices (2, 4, 6), and designates multimedia content and representative content representing the multimedia content from one external device (2) Upload request receiving means (SP2) for receiving an upload request including a multimedia content file composed of content designation information and destination external device information indicating a destination external device of the multimedia content, and the destination external Upload notification means (SP4) for notifying the external device (4, 6) corresponding to the device information that the multimedia content file has been uploaded, and the external device receiving the notification that the upload has been made Download request receiver who receives the download request from (4, 6) (SP22), storage means (22) for storing the multimedia content file uploaded from the one external device, and whether or not the external device that has transmitted the download request can reproduce the multimedia content. Determination means (SP24) for determining whether or not, conversion means (26) for converting the multimedia content into a representative content file reproducible on the external device based on the representative content designation information, and the destination external device information And a file transmission means (SP28) for transmitting the file constituting the multimedia content or the representative content file to the external device (4, 6) corresponding to the above.
  Furthermore, in the configuration according to claim 2,The file distribution apparatus according to claim 1.InThe multimedia content is composed of a plurality of objects each having a reproduction start timing designated, and the representative content designation information designates an arbitrary object among the plurality of objects as an object representing the multimedia content. One representative content designation information or second representative content designation information that designates one or a plurality of timings as timings at which display contents representing the multimedia content appear.
  Furthermore, in the configuration according to claim 3,The file delivery apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.InThe file transmission means (SP28) is configured to convert the multimedia content by the conversion means (26) based on the representative content designation information on the condition that the determination result in the determination means (SP24) is negative. The multimedia content is transmitted under the condition that the representative content file is transmitted after being converted into the representative content file, and the determination result in the determination means (SP24) is affirmative. To do.
  Further, according to claim 4File delivery methodIn that,A file delivery method applied to a file delivery device (10) having a processing device (CPU 14) and communicating with a plurality of external devices (2, 4, 6). An upload request including a multimedia content file composed of media content and representative content designation information designating representative content representing the multimedia content, and destination external device information indicating an external device to which the multimedia content is to be sent And an upload notification receiving process (SP4) for notifying the external devices (4, 6) corresponding to the destination external device information that the multimedia content file has been uploaded. ) And the external device (4, 4) that has received the notification that the upload has been made The download request receiving process (SP22) for receiving the download request, the storage process (SP2) for storing the multimedia content file uploaded from the one external apparatus, and the external apparatus transmitting the download request A determination step (SP24) for determining whether or not the multimedia content is reproducible, and conversion for converting the multimedia content into a representative content file reproducible on the external device based on the representative content designation information Step (26) and an external corresponding to the destination external device information The processing device (14) executes a file transmission process (SP28) for transmitting a file constituting the multimedia content or the representative content file to the division device (4, 6).
  Further, according to claim 5programIn that,A program applied to a file distribution device (10) having a processing device (CPU 14) and communicating with a plurality of external devices (2, 4, 6), from one external device (2) to multimedia contents And an upload request including a multimedia content file including representative content designation information designating representative content representing the multimedia content, and destination external device information indicating an external device to which the multimedia content is to be transmitted An upload request receiving process (SP2), and an upload notification process (SP4) for notifying the external device (4, 6) corresponding to the destination external device information that the multimedia content file has been uploaded. The external device (4, 6) that received the notification that the upload has occurred A download request reception process (SP22) for receiving a download request, a storage process (SP2) for storing the multimedia content file uploaded from the one external apparatus, and an external apparatus that has transmitted the download request, A determination process (SP24) for determining whether or not multimedia content can be played back, and a conversion process (converting the multimedia content into a representative content file that can be played back on the external device based on the representative content designation information) 26) and a file transmission process (SP28) for transmitting the file constituting the multimedia content or the representative content file to the external device (4, 6) corresponding to the destination external device information. Characterized by having the apparatus (14) execute To.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1． Configuration of the embodiment
Next, the overall configuration of the content conversion system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the figure, reference numerals 2, 4 and 6 denote mobile phones, which can communicate with each other and send and receive files via the communication network 8. Here, it is assumed that the mobile phones 2 and 4 are models that can play back multimedia files described later, but the mobile phone 6 is a model that does not support the multimedia files. Reference numeral 10 denotes a server. When a file is transmitted / received between the cellular phones 2, 4, and 6, the file is temporarily stored, and processing such as conversion of the file format is performed as necessary.
[0008]
Inside the server 10, reference numeral 12 denotes a transmission / reception unit that transmits / receives various files and other information to / from the communication network 8. Reference numeral 14 denotes a CPU which controls other components via the bus 20 based on a program described later. Reference numeral 18 denotes a ROM that stores an initial program loader and the like. Reference numeral 16 denotes a RAM, which is used as a work memory for the CPU 14. Reference numeral 22 denotes a hard disk, a terminal information database 24 for storing information relating to each mobile phone, a conversion engine 26 which is a program for converting the file format of a file to be transmitted to each mobile phone as required, various other programs, Data is stored. Here, in the terminal information database 24, identification numbers of the respective mobile phones 2, 4, 6 and the like and file formats that can be supported by these mobile phones are stored in association with each other.
[0009]
2． Data structure of the embodiment
Next, the data format of the multimedia file employed in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). This data format is based on the SMAF (trademark) system proposed by the present applicant. Also, in this specification, “multimedia content” refers to content composed of a plurality of types of content such as image data, audio data, text data, performance data, and the like. It does not matter whether it is stored or not. On the other hand, “multimedia file” refers to a file formed by storing multimedia contents in one file.
[0010]
First, FIG. 3A shows the overall structure of a multimedia file. In the figure, 210 is an info chunk, which stores the type of content (incoming melody, karaoke system, CM system), language / character code system of character information, and the like. Reference numeral 220 denotes an optional data chunk, which stores a character string (text data object) to be displayed on a display or the like and information (typical content designation information, details will be described later) for specifying a representative image or the like. 230,..., 230 are one or a plurality of score track chunks, each of which stores musical performance information (MIDI). 240,..., 240 are one or more PCM audio track chunks. One PCM audio track chunk 240 is composed of a plurality of waveform data (audio data objects) and sequence information that defines the timing for reproducing these waveform data.
[0011]
250,..., 250 are one or a plurality of graphic track chunks, which store a drawing sequence for the display device. Here, the “drawing sequence” is, for example, “draws a designated image data object (bitmap image) at a designated position on the screen”, “deletes a designated image data object from the screen”, or the like. It consists of a series of commands. Therefore, it is also possible to express a moving image by repeating “drawing” and “erasing” of an object while changing the drawing position. Reference numeral 260 denotes a master track chunk that stores information such as tonality, time signature, and tempo of the entire music, and events (for example, pauses and jumps) that control the multimedia file playback system itself. These chunks 210 to 260 constitute a file chunk 200. Note that “file chunk” is equivalent to “multimedia file itself”.
[0012]
Next, the data structure of each of the chunks 200 to 260 described above will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, a chunk header 310 having a fixed length (8 bytes) is provided at the beginning of the chunk 300 (the chunk 300 is one of the chunks 200 to 260). In the chunk header 310, a unique chunk ID and the data size of the chunk are recorded.
[0013]
Reference numeral 320 denotes a body part that stores a data body related to the chunk 300. Reference numeral 330 denotes a CRC part, which stores a calculation result obtained by applying a predetermined CRC generation polynomial to the data strings in the chunk header 310 and the body part 320. The CRC unit 330 is provided only for the file chunk 200, and is provided for checking whether or not the file chunk 200 is destroyed.
[0014]
3． Operation of the embodiment
3.1. Upload process
  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. Here, as an example, an operation when the multimedia file 30 (see FIG. 1) is uploaded from the mobile phone 2 with the mobile phones 4 and 6 as a transmission destination will be described. In such a case, an upload request is transmitted from the mobile phone 2 to the server 10 via the communication network 8. When this upload request is received, the upload request reception routine shown in FIG. In the figure, when the process proceeds to step SP2,In server 10The multimedia file is received from the mobile phone 2 via the communication network 8 and the file is stored in the hard disk 22. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP4, the mobile telephones 4 and 6 as the transmission destination are notified that the file has been uploaded. Thereby, the process for the upload request is completed.
[0015]
3.2. Download process
After the multimedia file is uploaded, the users of the mobile phones 4 and 6 can request the server 10 to download the file at any time. Here, when a download request is received from any one of the mobile phones 4 and 6, the server 10 starts a download request reception routine shown in FIG. In the figure, when the process proceeds to step SP22, terminal information related to the mobile phone of the download request source is acquired via the communication network 8. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP24, the terminal information database 24 is referred to, and it is determined whether or not the mobile phone related to the acquired terminal information can play the uploaded multimedia file.
[0016]
For example, if the terminal that has made the download request is the mobile phone 4, “YES” is determined here, and the process proceeds to step SP 28. Here, the multimedia file is transmitted as it is to the mobile phone 4 that is the download request source. On the other hand, if the terminal that made the download request is a terminal that does not support multimedia files, such as the mobile phone 6, it is determined as “NO” in step SP24, and the process proceeds to step SP26. In step SP26, the conversion engine 26 is activated, and the multimedia file is converted into one or a plurality of representative content files 32.
[0017]
Here, “representative content” means a still image that is one scene of a moving image included in a multimedia file, text data superimposed on the moving image, and audio data that is reproduced in synchronization with the moving image. The content that can be reproduced on the request source terminal and can be generated based on the multimedia content. A representative content file generation method will be described later. Next, when the process proceeds to step SP28, the generated representative content is transmitted to the requesting mobile phone. Thus, the processing of the download request reception routine ends.
[0018]
3.3. Multimedia file playback processing
Here, an outline of an operation of reproducing a multimedia file in the mobile phone 4 or the like will be described with reference to FIG.
In the figure, the horizontal axis indicates the elapsed time after the reproduction of the content is started, and the rectangle in the figure indicates the period during which each object is reproduced. For example, the reproduction of the audio data object 110 is started at time t1, and the reproduction of the audio data is continued until time t10. Further, the reproduction of the image data object (still image) 102 is started at time t2, and the reproduction of the text data object 108 is started at time t3. Therefore, when such multimedia content is displayed on a display such as the cellular phone 4, an image formed by superimposing the text data object 108 on the image data object 102 is displayed at time t101 immediately after time t3. .
[0019]
After time t101, reproduction of the image data object 106 is started at time t4, reproduction of the image data object 102 is ended at time t5, and reproduction of the image data object 104 is started at time t6. Therefore, at time t102 immediately after time t6, an image formed by superimposing the text data object 108 on the image data objects 104 and 106 is displayed on a display or the like. In addition to the objects described above, performance information objects (for example, MIDI (SMF) method) recorded in the score / track / chunk may be included in the objects constituting the multimedia content.
[0020]
3.4. Data conversion process (SP26)
Next, details of the data conversion processing in step SP26 will be described with reference to FIG. First, the optional data chunk 220 described above includes information (representative content designation information) for designating one or more representative contents. The representative content designation information is roughly classified into two types. The first type of information is information that designates any object itself as representative content. For example, in the example of FIG. 4, “image data object 102”, “text data object 108”, “audio data object 110”, and the like can be designated as representative contents. The second type of information is information that designates “display content at a certain time” as representative content. For example, in the example of FIG. 4, “display state at time t101”, “display state at time t102”, and the like can be designated as representative contents. However, the contents that are actually designated as the representative contents differ depending on the correspondence status of the mobile phone 4 that is the download request source, and will be described separately.
[0021]
3.4.1. When dealing with all representative content
When the mobile phone 4 supports all representative contents, all the representative content designation information included in the optional data chunk 220 is read in step SP26. For the first type of information, a file that individually stores an object related to the information is generated as a representative content file. That is, if the image data object is specified by the representative content specification information, the bitmap file, the text file if the text data object is specified, the waveform file if the audio data object is specified, the waveform data file, respectively. It is generated as a content file 32.
[0022]
If the representative content designation information is the second type of information, all the image data objects to be displayed at the designated time are extracted and combined to create a single bitmap file. The In the example of FIG. 4, for example, if “time t102” is designated as the second type of information, the image data objects 104 and 106 to be displayed at that time are retrieved and combined. A bitmap file that is the representative content file 32 is created. When generating the bitmap file, the contents of the text data object 108 displayed at the time t102 may be superimposed on the bitmap file.
[0023]
3.4.2. When there are restrictions on representative content that can be handled
If the representative content that can be handled by the mobile phone 4 is restricted, the representative content file 32 is generated only for the representative content that can be handled in step SP26. For example, when the mobile phone 4 supports only text data, only a text file is generated. Further, the mobile phone 4 may be able to receive only one image even if it is a model that can reproduce the image data file. In such a case, only the image data file based on the first representative content designation information for designating the image data object (or time) is generated for the image data.
[0024]
In addition, even if the mobile phone 4 can reproduce image data, it may support only some file formats. For example, when the original image data object of the representative content is in the JPEG format and the mobile phone 4 supports only the PNG format, the image data file is converted from the JPEG format to the PNG format. Further, there is a case where performance information recorded in the MIDI format is designated as the representative content, and the mobile phone 4 may support only PCM data or MFI format data. In such a case, the tone signal of the PCM data is synthesized based on the original performance information, or the format of the performance information is converted to the MFI format.
[0025]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, representative content that can be handled is automatically generated in accordance with the model of the mobile phone or the like as the download request source. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since one or more representative content designation information is included in the optional data chunk 220 in the multimedia file, the multimedia content and the representative content can be integrated, and the representative image can be integrated. Other representative contents can be managed very easily. In addition, the user of the mobile phone 4 that supports the reproduction of multimedia files can arbitrarily edit the content of the representative content by rewriting the content of the optional data chunk 220 as necessary. Needless to say, the above-described first and second types of representative content designation information may be mixed and stored in the optional data chunk 220.
[0026]
Four. Modified example
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made as follows, for example.
(1) In each of the above embodiments, processing such as conversion of content data is performed by a program operating on the server 10, but only this application program is stored in a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a flexible disk and distributed. Alternatively, it can be distributed through a transmission line.
[0027]
(2) The data format of the multimedia file in the above embodiment can be used not only for file distribution between mobile phones and other devices, but also for example in a multimedia file search system. That is, by specifying representative content designation information such as still images for a large number of multimedia files, it is possible to perform processing such as creating a list of representative contents on a personal computer. Thereby, the user can grasp a summary of a large number of multimedia files at a glance, and can quickly search for necessary multimedia files.
[0028]
(3) In the above embodiment, the representative content designation information is stored in the multimedia file. However, the multimedia content and the representative content designation information do not necessarily have to be collected in the same file. May be stored. Furthermore, the multimedia content itself does not necessarily have to be collected in the same file (multimedia file), and the multimedia content may be configured by individual files for each object.
[0029]
(4) In the above embodiment, the multimedia content or the representative content is downloaded by the operation on the mobile phone side that receives the representative content. However, a different transmission method may be applied to each representative content. For example, only the text data object may be transmitted as an e-mail to the receiving side, and the image data object may be displayed on the receiving side screen.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, since the plurality of objects constituting the multimedia content and the representative content designation information are included, it becomes easy to manage the representative content designation information, and quickly as necessary. Representative content can be generated.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a content conversion system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a program executed in the server 10;
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data format of a multimedia file 30. FIG.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a reproduction operation of the multimedia file 30.
[Explanation of symbols]
2, 4, 6: mobile phone, 8: communication network, 10: server, 12: transmission / reception unit, 14: CPU, 16: RAM, 18: ROM, 20: bus, 22: hard disk, 24: terminal information database, 26 : Conversion engine, 30: multimedia file, 102: image data object, 104, 106: image data object, 108: text data object, 110: audio data object, 210: info chunk, 220: optional data chunk, 230, ..., 230: score track chunk, 240, ..., 240: PCM audio track chunk, 250, ..., 250: graphic track chunk.

Claims (5)

A file delivery device that communicates with a plurality of external devices,
A multimedia content file composed of multimedia content and representative content designation information for designating representative content representing the multimedia content from one external device, and a destination external indicating a destination external device of the multimedia content Upload request receiving means for receiving an upload request including device information;
An upload notification means for notifying the external device corresponding to the destination external device information that the multimedia content file has been uploaded;
Download request receiving means for receiving a download request from an external device that has received the notification of the upload,
Storage means for storing the multimedia content file uploaded from the one external device;
Determining means for determining whether or not the external device that has transmitted the download request is capable of reproducing the multimedia content;
Conversion means for converting the multimedia content into a representative content file reproducible on the external device based on the representative content designation information;
File transmission means for transmitting a file constituting the multimedia content or the representative content file to an external device corresponding to the transmission destination external device information;
A file delivery apparatus comprising: The multimedia content is composed of a plurality of objects each having a reproduction start timing designated,
The representative content designation information is first representative content designation information that designates an arbitrary object among the plurality of objects as an object representing the multimedia content, or represents one or more timings of the multimedia content. Any of the second representative content designation information that is designated as the timing at which the display content to appear appears
The file distribution apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The file transmission means includes
On the condition that the determination result in the determination means is negative, based on the representative content designation information, the multimedia content is converted into the representative content file by the conversion means and then the representative content file is transmitted. ,
The multimedia content is transmitted on the condition that the determination result in the determination means is affirmative.
The file delivery apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that A file delivery method applied to a file delivery apparatus having a processing device and communicating with a plurality of external devices,
A multimedia content file composed of multimedia content and representative content designation information for designating representative content representing the multimedia content from one external device, and a destination external indicating a destination external device of the multimedia content An upload request receiving process for receiving an upload request including device information;
An upload notification process for notifying the external device corresponding to the destination external device information that the multimedia content file has been uploaded;
A download request receiving process for receiving a download request from an external device that has received the notification that the upload has occurred;
A storage process for storing the multimedia content file uploaded from the one external device;
A determination process for determining whether or not the external device that has transmitted the download request can play the multimedia content;
A conversion process for converting the multimedia content into a representative content file reproducible on the external device based on the representative content designation information;
A file transmission process for transmitting a file constituting the multimedia content or the representative content file to an external device corresponding to the destination external device information;
The file distribution method is characterized in that the processing device executes. A program that has a processing device and is applied to a file distribution device that communicates with a plurality of external devices,
A multimedia content file composed of multimedia content and representative content designation information for designating representative content representing the multimedia content from one external device, and a destination external indicating a destination external device of the multimedia content An upload request receiving process for receiving an upload request including device information;
An upload notification process for notifying the external device corresponding to the destination external device information that the multimedia content file has been uploaded;
A download request receiving process for receiving a download request from an external device that has received the notification that the upload has occurred;
A storage process for storing the multimedia content file uploaded from the one external device;
A determination process for determining whether or not the external device that has transmitted the download request can play the multimedia content;
A conversion process for converting the multimedia content into a representative content file reproducible on the external device based on the representative content designation information;
A file transmission process for transmitting a file constituting the multimedia content or the representative content file to an external device corresponding to the destination external device information;
That causes the processing apparatus to execute the program.

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