JP4866076B2 - Multimedia viewing system and multimedia viewing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a multimedia viewing system and a multimedia viewing method for viewing content such as streaming distributed through a communication network such as the Internet on a user terminal such as a personal computer.

  In recent years, in addition to television broadcasting such as terrestrial and satellite broadcasting, content viewing systems that distribute content such as video streams via a communication network such as the Internet are becoming widespread.

  Examples of a content viewing system through a communication network include VOD (Video On Demand) and pot casting. According to these, a user terminal having a communication function such as a personal computer is connected to a distribution server on a communication network, and a video stream of a program distributed in response to a distribution request to the distribution server is reproduced and viewed. be able to.

  By the way, in the above-described VOD, pot casting, and the like, it is difficult for the user to select contents that the user wants to view one by one, and “while viewing” by continuous reproduction is difficult. Therefore, in order to receive and continuously reproduce a plurality of contents, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a predetermined order based on a reproduction scenario describing a schedule for rearranging contents in order of display time A technique for performing playback on the Internet has been proposed.

In the system disclosed in Patent Document 1, a content server that manages a playback scenario is provided via a network such as the Internet. When a playback scenario is requested from a playback device through the network, the playback scenario stored in the content server is The content is downloaded according to a schedule based on the reproduction information (reproduction time, reproduction order, etc.) downloaded via the network and described in the reproduction scenario. In the system disclosed in Patent Document 1, the playback scenario may be stored in advance on the server side, or may be generated sequentially when a distribution request is made.
JP 2004-140536 A (Page 4 to Page 5: FIG. 1)

  However, the playback scenario in the system disclosed in Patent Document 1 also simply displays the playback time and playback order determined by the server, does not reflect the user's hobbies / preferences, There is no sufficient interface for operability.

  In particular, in recent years, the amount of content has increased, and even when content that reflects user preferences is selected, when selecting desired content from among a number of content, a program guide Is required to be easy to see and to operate.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above points. When viewing multimedia content, the content according to the user's customer base is distributed, the content related to the distribution is easy to see, and the selection operation is easy. It is an object of the present invention to provide a multimedia viewing system and a multimedia viewing method.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and is a multimedia viewing system and method for viewing multimedia content distributed from a content distribution server through a communication network on a user terminal.

Specifically, the multimedia viewing system of the present invention includes a user trend database that acquires and accumulates user trend data that is a user operation history in a user terminal, and keywords related to the user trend based on the user trend data. And selecting a multimedia content based on the keyword, creating a playlist in which the playback order of the selected multimedia content and the location address of the multimedia content related to playback are described in association with each other, and a user terminal And a media viewing application that is executed on the user terminal device and receives multimedia content from the content distribution server according to the playlist and reproduces it. The multimedia content is given an association keyword that is a keyword related to the multimedia content, and the playlist creation server uses the multimedia association keyword searched according to the keyword as a keyword. And a function of searching for a plurality of multimedia contents by performing a search for the next multimedia and repeating this, and the media viewing application is played with each of the plurality of playlists as virtual channels. Multimedia content reproduction information is classified according to the keyword or the associative keyword, and displayed as a program table to be presented in time series.

In the multimedia viewing method of the present invention,
(1) Acquire user trend data, which is user operation history, and store it in the user trend database.
(2) The playlist creation server on the communication network selects a keyword related to the user trend based on the user trend data, selects multimedia content based on the keyword, and selects the selected multimedia content. Create a playlist that describes the playback order and the location address of the multimedia content related to playback, and send it to the user terminal.
(3) The multimedia viewing application executed on the user terminal device receives the multimedia content from the content distribution server according to the playlist and plays it. At this time, in the step (2), the playlist creation server assigns the keyword for multimedia associating with the multimedia content and is searched according to the keyword keyword for association that is a keyword related to the multimedia content. The next multimedia search is performed, and this is repeated to search a plurality of multimedia contents.In step (3), the media viewing application sets each of the plurality of playlists as virtual channels, The reproduction information of the multimedia content to be reproduced is displayed as a program guide that is classified according to the keyword or associative keyword and presented in time series.

According to the present invention, information input by an operation device such as a mouse or a keyboard operated by a user (for example, character information input by a keyboard (search keyword, chat, etc.) or information corresponding to the position of a mouse pointer ( Based on user behavior such as the attributes of the Web page being browsed by the browser), the attributes of books and CDs purchased on the Web page, the type of music and video content being viewed by the playback software, etc. The selected multimedia content can be selected, and a playlist that matches the user's hobbies and preferences can be provided. And according to such a playlist, since it is possible to view the playback information as a program guide presented in time series, it is possible to continuously play back multimedia content reflecting the user's hobbies and preferences. In addition, content can be easily selected / switched when viewing. In addition, starting with a keyword entered by the user, content associated with the keyword is selected and played back in sequence, and content selection that is surprising to the user within a range that reflects the user's hobbies and preferences Can be realized.

In the above invention, a banner data distribution server that distributes banner data including moving image information that is inserted and displayed in the program guide, and a pointer that moves on the program guide in accordance with an operation signal input by the user in the user terminal device. And a pointer control unit for displaying, and a billing unit for measuring the attention frequency of the banner data through the Internet and performing a billing process according to the attention frequency, and the playlist creation server includes a multimedia content attribute in the playlist. Link data for inserting and displaying corresponding banner data in the program guide, and the media viewing application adds banner data corresponding to the attributes of the multimedia content based on the link data associated with the multimedia content. and received from the banner data distribution server, Displays inserted into the set table, the media viewing application detects that the pointer is positioned on a predetermined region in the program table as the event occurs, change the output format of the video information contained in the banner data in a predetermined area The billing unit preferably detects the change in the output form of the moving image and measures the attention frequency.

  In this case, banner data according to the attribute of the main stream to be distributed can be inserted into the program guide, so that the program guide can be easily viewed and the pointer movement by the user operation can be monitored and the banner can be monitored. By detecting the output form of data, it is possible to grasp which banner the user has focused on on the service provider side.

  Examples of the change in the output format of the moving image information include, for example, expanding and reducing the display area of the banner data and changing the volume. In this case, even if multiple banner data are arranged and displayed, only the noticed banner is enlarged and the sound is output, so the display screen configuration is arranged by arranging unnecessarily large banner data Can be prevented from becoming complicated, and a plurality of sounds can be simultaneously output and noisy.

In the above invention, in the program guide, the broadcasting time is determined independently for each channel of each playlist, and while the media viewing application is viewing a certain channel, the time is also virtually transmitted to other channels. It is preferable to proceed .

  As described above, according to the present invention, when viewing multimedia content such as streaming delivered through a communication network such as the Internet on a user terminal such as a personal computer, the content is distributed according to the user's customer base. In addition, it is possible to make it easy to see the content related to the distribution and to make the selection operation easy.

(Configuration of multimedia viewing system)
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a multimedia viewing system according to the present embodiment. The multimedia viewing system according to the present embodiment will be described by taking as an example a case where multimedia contents such as moving images distributed via the Internet 2 are viewed on the user terminal device 1 (1a to 1c, etc.) from the server groups 31 to 36. . The “module” used in the description refers to a functional unit that is configured by hardware such as an apparatus or a device, software having the function, or a combination thereof, and achieves a predetermined operation. .

  The Internet 2 is a distributed type constructed by connecting various communication lines (public lines such as telephone lines, ISDN lines, ADSL lines, private lines, wireless communication networks) using the communication protocol TCP / IP, for example. This IP network includes an intranet (intra-company network) such as 10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX, and a LAN such as a home network.

  Specifically, the server groups 31 to 36 include a Web server 31, a playlist creation server 32, a video distribution server 33, a DRM (Digital Rights Management) license server 34, a billing aggregation server 35, and a banner distribution. And server 36.

  The web server 31 is a server that delivers a web page that serves as a service window for users. Through this web page described in HTML (HyperText Markup Language), etc., program search, support services, various user settings, etc. Provide an interface. In this Web page, by incorporating a media viewing application that can be executed by the user terminal device 1 together with characters and images, a moving image file and an audio file can be viewed on the browser. Further, the Web server 31 is connected to a playlist creation server 32, and can cooperate with this server to create a playlist that matches the accessor's preference.

  Specifically, the Web server 31 transmits a user identifier (user ID) included in the display request D1 transmitted from the user terminal device 1 to the playlist creation server 32 as a playlist creation request D4. The playlist creation server 32 executes creation of a playlist according to the user identifier included in the playlist creation request D4, and returns the created playlist D5 to the user terminal device 1 that transmitted the display request D1.

  Note that the Web server 31 according to the present embodiment has a function of presenting a playlist created for a specific user ID so that it can be distributed to other users based on the approval operation of the user. . In detail, a user can perform a procedural operation to approve the release of his / her playlist through the Web server 31, and the playlist permitted to be released by this can be made public to other users through the Web server 31. And can be used for viewing by other users.

  The playlist creation server 32 is a server that creates a multimedia content playlist D5 that matches user trends and transmits it to the user terminal device 1. In the present embodiment, the playlist D5 includes the playback order of multimedia content (main stream D2 and banner data D3) and the location address (URL, content storage unit 33a, banner data storage unit 36a) of the multimedia content related to playback. Table data that is described in association with the directory, file name, etc.), as shown in FIG. 6, using the media viewing application 101b (or browser software 101a) on the user side, the title and content of the multimedia content And reproduction information such as reproduction time can be classified according to a keyword or a search method and displayed as a program table T1 presented in time series.

  More specifically, playlists are created for keywords (single keywords, keyword groups) indicating user trends based on operation history, and even with the same keyword, the search method, the order of search results, etc. For example, examples of the search method include simple search and associative search. Examples of the order include detection order, data size order, and evaluation order. In the present embodiment, since the peer-to-peer method is used for content distribution, the playback order in the playlist may be the order in which the number of partner terminals is large.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, the program table T1 is displayed in a plurality of columns with playlists for each keyword as if it were a channel of a broadcasting station, and a plurality of playlists corresponding to different keywords, search methods, and sequences, respectively. Are displayed as virtual broadcast stations (channels). That is, in the present embodiment, the broadcast time is determined independently for each channel of each playlist, and while watching a certain channel, the time virtually advances in other channels as well. It has become. Thereby, a plurality of channels can be viewed simultaneously while zapping. Note that this multi-channel simultaneous progression is only virtual, and by operating operating means such as fast forward, rewind, and pause provided in the content playback unit 103, the program broadcast by the actual TV broadcast station Unlike, program progress can be fast forwarded, rewinded, and stopped.

  Furthermore, the program guide T1 according to the present embodiment displays banner data D3 related to the main stream of each program. That is, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the banner data D3 is inserted into a predetermined area (for example, W5 to W8) of the program table T1. More specifically, when a user operation on the user terminal device 1 is monitored and the mouse pointer 101c is positioned so as to overlap the predetermined area W5 to W8, it is detected as an event occurrence and The output form of the embedded banner data is changed. In the present embodiment, for example, when the banner is a moving image, before the event occurs, as shown in FIG. 6A, a reduced-size still image is displayed, and when an event occurs, As shown in Fig. 4, the banner is enlarged to reproduce the moving image and output the sound (increase the volume).

  This change in the output form of the banner data is notified to the playlist creation server 32 as user trend data D10 and stored in the user database 34a. Specifically, in this user trend data D10, an area ID for specifying the area where the mouse over has occurred, a user ID for specifying a user (or a terminal ID of the user terminal device 1), a banner ID for specifying banner data, It includes the time when the event occurred. The accounting total server 35 performs accounting processing for the advertiser based on these pieces of information.

  Further, the playlist D5 in the present embodiment includes playback information such as the location address, playback position, playback time, and the like of additional information data such as advertisement clip data inserted into the main stream D2. 103 has a function of inserting and reproducing advertisement clip data (additional information data) together with the main stream based on the play list.

  The playlist creation server 32 according to the present embodiment has a function of an indexing database for searching for content, and metadata indicating attributes of multimedia contents stored in the content storage unit 33a and the banner data storage unit 36a. And indexing data for associating the location address of the multimedia content. Then, when creating the indexing data, the playlist creation server 32 extracts the location address of the multimedia content (here, the main stream D2) and the text data indicating the content of the multimedia content and associates them with each other. , Classified according to keyword (metadata) attributes, and stored as indexing data.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the indexing data is configured by accumulating index records IND1,..., And each index record IND1, IND2,... Has an identifier of each content (content ID such as a file name). In addition to metadata K1 to K4 ... indicating content attributes, associated keywords are associated with keywords A1 to A4 ... associated with the multimedia content, and a playlist is created. The server 32 searches the next multimedia using the multimedia association keywords A1 to A4 searched according to the metadata keywords K1 to K4 as a new keyword, and repeats the search to obtain a plurality of multimedia keywords. It has a function to search media contents continuously.

  Further, the playlist creation server 32 includes an evaluation information storage unit 32a that receives evaluation information D9 that is an evaluation of a user who has viewed and listened to multimedia contents from the user terminal device 1, and stores this information for each user.

  Then, when creating the playlist D5, the playlist creation server 32 refers to user trend data such as operation history and viewing history accumulated in the user database 34a, evaluation information accumulated in the evaluation information accumulation unit 32a, and By creating keywords that indicate trends and matching with multimedia metadata, multimedia content that matches the user's hobbies / preferences is selected, and those that match hobbies / preferences are ranked higher in the playback order. You can create a playlist D5 to come.

  Note that this evaluation information D9 can be made public among a plurality of users if the user permits it, and other users can play playlists reflecting the publicly available evaluation information. You can also request the creation of D5.

  The video distribution server 33 is a server device that transmits data such as an HTML file, an image file, and a music file in a document system such as the World Wide Web (WWW). Stream D2) is stored in the content storage unit 33a. Then, the moving image distribution server 33 distributes multimedia content through streaming or the like via the Internet 2 in response to a distribution request D6 based on a playlist by the user terminal device 1.

  The multimedia content stored in the content storage unit 33a is obtained by collecting data distributed on the Internet 2 such as the Internet by a crawler server such as a traveling robot and storing the collected data. May be.

  Similarly to the video distribution server 33, the banner distribution server 36 is a server that distributes additional information such as advertisement data and digest clips to the user terminal device 1 in response to a banner distribution request D6 from the user terminal device 1. is there. The banner data is, for example, a video clip such as a moving image, acoustic data, character data, and the like, and is stored in the banner data storage unit 36a as file data. In the banner data storage unit 36a, the submission information (banner data identifier, advertiser or creator identifier, validity period, etc.) and price information (banner data identifier, price according to the time zone, etc.) Are stored, and these pieces of information are provided to the accounting tabulation server 35. The accounting total server 35 may reduce the accounting for the user according to the viewing frequency of the banner data inserted in the main part.

  The DRM license server 34 is a server device that performs user authentication processing and issues a decryption key D8 based on access information of the user when viewing multimedia content. Specifically, the DRM license server 34 receives the distribution request D6 of the decryption key D8 from the user terminal device 1 of the user, and issues and distributes the decryption key D8 to the authorized user after the authentication process. By distributing the decryption key D8 from the DRM license server 34 to the user terminal device 1 of the user, the content is decrypted on the user terminal device 1 based on the decryption key D8 and can be played back. .

  Further, the DRM license server 34 collects the viewing status of each user based on the authentication process and the distribution history of the decryption key D8, and stores it in the user database 34a. At this time, based on the data stored in the user database 34a, the DRM license server 34 aggregates which multimedia content is being viewed by which user, and the aggregated result is viewed history data D11. Stored in the user database 34a. The accounting total server 35 calculates the accounting for each user based on the viewing history data D11 acquired from the user database 34a, and accumulates it in the accounting database 35a.

  In this embodiment, the multimedia content distributed by the moving image distribution server 33 and the banner distribution server 36 is received and viewed by a so-called peer-to-peer network system. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the user terminal device 1a of the user A transmits a viewing request based on the playlist to the DRM license server 34, and reproduces the main stream D2 related to the viewing request. For receiving the decryption key D8 from the DRM license server 34 and the terminal list D7 of the other user terminals that hold a part or all of the main stream D2 related to the request, the DRM license server 34 or other users Obtained from the terminal device 1b.

  Next, the user terminal device 1a selects an arbitrary user terminal as a partner terminal device from the terminal list D7, makes a distribution request, and selects the selected partner terminal (here, the user terminal device 1b), the video distribution server 33 or A part or all of the main stream D2 and the banner data D3 according to the request are received from the banner distribution server 36, the main stream D2 or the banner data D3 is reconstructed by the user terminal device 1a, and reproduced by the decryption key D8. To watch. The user terminal device 1b selected as the partner terminal receives the main stream D2 or the banner data D3 received from the moving image distribution server 33 or the like and held in its own buffer memory, as a client terminal (user terminal device) related to the distribution request. Broadcast to 1a).

(User terminal configuration)
The user terminal device 1 (1a to 1c) is a communicable arithmetic processing device equipped with a CPU, and can be realized by a general-purpose computer such as a personal computer or a dedicated device specialized in function. Also includes PDAs (Personal Digital Assistance) and mobile phones. FIG. 2 shows an internal configuration of the user terminal device 1.

  As shown in the figure, the user terminal device 1 includes a communication interface 102, a cache unit 106, a content playback unit 103, an output signal generation unit 104, an output interface 105, as a module related to streaming reception / playback. A display unit 101, a content acquisition unit 106a, and a banner data acquisition unit 106b are provided.

  The communication interface 102 is a module that transmits and receives data as packets through the Internet 2. Through this communication interface 102, the main stream D2, the banner data D3, the playlist D5, the terminal list D7, etc. are received and a distribution request is received. D6, evaluation information D9, etc. are transmitted to each server.

  The cache unit 106 is a buffer device that temporarily stores and holds multimedia content (main stream D2 and banner data D3) received from the Internet 2 and played back by the content playback unit 103. In the present embodiment, multimedia content is downloaded and stored in advance prior to content playback by the media viewing application 101b in accordance with the playback order described in the playlist D5. That is, the playlist D5 describes the playback order and playback time of the multimedia content. By referring to this, the multimedia content to be played next (or in another channel at the same time) is referred to. Download in advance. The data stored in the cache unit 106 can be shared with other user terminals by the peer-to-peer network system described above, and if there is a distribution request from another user terminal, the other Sent to other user terminals.

  The content acquisition unit 106a is a module that acquires the main stream D2 through the communication interface 102. The banner data acquisition unit 106b is a module that acquires banner data D3 through the communication interface 102. The banner data acquisition unit 106b transmits a distribution request to the banner distribution server 36 at a predetermined time, receives a plurality of banner data D3 distributed in response to the distribution request, and stores them in the cache unit 106. You may do it.

  Note that the viewing history of the multimedia content acquired and viewed by the content acquisition unit 106a and the banner data acquisition unit 106b is stored in the user trend data storage unit 114a as user trend data. This user trend data is data having a data identifier (file name or the like) that identifies the main stream D2 or the banner data D3, and the number of times viewed and the time as records.

  The content playback unit 103 is a module that plays back Web pages, moving image data, and audio data and outputs them from the media viewing application 101b on the display unit 101, the speaker 105a, and the like. The content playback unit 103 acquires the decryption key D8 corresponding to the multimedia content acquired in response to the distribution request from the DRM license server 34, and the multimedia cached in the cache unit 106 by the acquired decryption key D8. Decrypt and play the content.

  In addition, in the present embodiment, the content playback unit 103 includes a banner data insertion unit 103a that inserts banner data on a Web page and inserts a video clip for advertisement into the main stream D2. .

  More specifically, the banner data insertion unit 103a is a module that inserts and displays banner data D3 in each of the predetermined areas W5 to W8 displayed in the browser software 101a and the media viewing application 101b in the program guide T1, and is displayed in FIG. As shown in (a) and (b), a tag defining a predetermined area of the Web page is analyzed, and banner data D3 is inserted into the predetermined areas W5 to W8. At this time, the application execution unit 112 monitors the position of the mouse pointer 101c on the program guide T1 through the operation device interface 113, and when the mouse is positioned so as to be overlaid on the predetermined areas W5 to W8, It detects and changes the output form of the banner embedded in the predetermined area. In the present embodiment, for example, when the banner is a moving image, before the event occurs, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), a reduced-size still image is displayed, and when an event occurs, As shown in FIG. 4, the still image and the moving image with an enlarged banner size are switched and reproduced and displayed, and the sound is output (the volume is increased).

  The output form change detected by the banner insertion unit 103a is stored as user trend data in the user trend data storage unit 114a, and is transmitted to the playlist creation server 32 as user trend data D10 by the user trend notification unit 114.

  In addition, the banner data insertion unit 103a analyzes the main stream D2, and detects a position where additional information such as CM clip data is inserted, and adds a CM clip to the position detected by this detection process. The insert processing to be inserted is executed, and the multimedia content is reproduced while inserting the CM clip into the main stream D2. When inserting the CM clip data, the banner data insertion unit 103a refers to the user trend data and inserts clip data that matches the user's hobbies and preferences.

  Furthermore, the content playback unit 103 has a function of recording the playback history and playback stop position of the played multimedia content as user trend data, and changing the next playback start position in accordance with this recording. Specifically, the multimedia content (main stream, CM clip) that the user has already watched, the file name of the banner data, and the playback stop position are stored in the user trend data storage unit 114a as the playback history (user trend data). When reproducing, the reproduction history is referred to, and if the content has already been viewed, the content is skipped, or if the viewing is stopped halfway, the reproduction is continued from there.

  The output signal generation unit 104 converts the multimedia content and banner data that can be played back by the content playback unit 103 into a video signal and an audio signal, and also displays browser software 101a displayed on the display unit 101, a media viewing application 101b, etc. Is a module that synthesizes the video signal of the multimedia content with the video signal and generates a signal that can be output by the display unit 101 or the speaker 105a.

  The output interface 105 is a module that outputs video and audio output signals from the display unit 101 and the speaker 105a, respectively. The display unit 101 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display, for example, and synthesizes and displays a plurality of screens such as browser software 101a and a media viewing application 101b.

  Further, the user terminal device 1 includes a distribution request unit 109, a playlist acquisition unit 107, a user trend notification unit 114, and an evaluation information acquisition unit 115 as modules relating to a distribution request.

  The distribution request unit 109 is a module that transmits a distribution request for multimedia contents (main stream D2 and banner data D3) in the order described in the playlist. In the present embodiment, the distribution request includes a decryption key D8 distribution request and a main stream D2 / banner data D3 distribution request, and the decryption key D8 distribution request is transmitted to the DRM license server 34, The distribution request for the stream D2 is transmitted to the moving image distribution server 33 or another user terminal device 1b, and the distribution request for the banner data D3 or the CM clip is transmitted to the banner distribution server 36 or another user terminal device 1b.

  The playlist acquisition unit 107 is a module that downloads the playlist D5 created by the playlist creation server 32 in response to the search request and accumulates it in the playlist storage unit. When transmitting the distribution request D6, the distribution request unit 109 collates the playlist in the playlist storage unit 108, collates the reproduction history in the user trend data storage unit 114a, and next (most recently) in the playlist. ) Download or pre-view the program to be played or the main stream D2 (program broadcast at the same time in a virtual multi-channel) that should be played at the same time as the currently played program The target content and request destination of the distribution request are determined, such as skipping already completed ones.

  The user trend notification unit 114 is a module that acquires user trend data such as user operation operations and viewing history in the user terminal device 1 and transmits it to the Internet 2. Specifically, an operation signal such as a character string input through the operation device 113a, an output form change of banner data, and a viewing history are transmitted to the playlist creation server 32 as user trend data D10.

  The evaluation information acquisition unit 115 is a module that acquires an evaluation of the viewed content through a text box or the like of the browser software 101a. The acquired evaluation information D9 is transmitted to the playlist creation server 32 through the communication interface 102. In addition, the browser software 101a can select whether to apply this evaluation information only to the user or to make it available to other users. The selection result is also included in the evaluation information D9 to store the evaluation information. Accumulated in the part 32a.

  In addition, the user terminal device 1 includes an application execution unit 112, an operation device interface 113, and a program guide display unit 111 as modules related to the user interface.

  The application execution unit 112 is a module that executes applications such as a general OS, browser software 101a, and media viewing application 101b, and is usually realized by a CPU or the like. The program guide display unit 111 is a module that displays a playlist as a program guide on the display unit 101. Specifically, the program guide display unit 111 displays the playback information such as the title, content, and playback time of the multimedia content according to the keyword indicating the user trend and the search method (normal search, associative search, search order, etc.). The information is classified and presented in time series, banner data is inserted, and a playlist is displayed on the display unit 101 through the output signal generation unit 104 as a program guide. The operation device interface 113 is a module to which an operation device 113a such as a mouse or a keyboard is connected and an operation signal is input / output. By using the application execution unit 112 and the operation device 113a, the user can input a keyword for searching for content, or can input a character string that is an evaluation of the multimedia content after viewing.

(Multimedia viewing method)
By operating the multimedia viewing system having the above configuration, the multimedia viewing method of the present invention can be implemented. The procedure of this multimedia viewing method will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In the present embodiment, user trend data is collected and analyzed in advance in the playlist creation server 32, and keywords indicating the trends of each user are held as an indexing database, and keywords in the indexing data are stored. It is assumed that banner data can be searched according to each user's preference.

  Then, when the browser software 101a is activated on the user terminal device 1 side and access to the web page of the video distribution service is started, a display request for the web page is transmitted to the web server 31 (S101).

  In response to this display request, the Web server 31 distributes Web page data toward the user terminal device 1 (S102, S103). The browser software 101a acquires and displays Web page data (S104). At the same time, the Web server 31 transmits a playlist creation request D4 to the playlist creation server 32.

  The playlist creation server 32 receives the playlist creation request D4 (S106), searches the user database (S107), and selects keywords based on user trends (S108). Based on the keyword, multimedia content (main part and CM clip) that matches the user's preference is selected, and a playlist using the keyword as a channel is created (S109). Further, the playlist creation server 32 selects banner data based on keywords based on user trends, creates banner insertion data, and adds it to the playlist (S110 to S112). Then, the created playlist is transmitted to the user terminal device 1 (S113).

  In the user terminal device 1, it is received by the playlist acquisition unit 107 and stored in the playlist storage unit 108. When a user requests viewing of multimedia content, first, a playlist is displayed on the display unit 101 as a program guide. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the playback time is displayed for each time zone so that the plurality of playlists accumulated in the playlist storage unit 108 are all on the same time axis (S114).

  When displaying the program guide T1, the content reproduction unit 103 and the program guide display unit 111 request banner data from the corresponding banner distribution server 36 based on the link data included in the playlist (S115). The banner distribution server 36 transmits banner data related to the request (S116 and S117). The browser software 101a receives the transmitted banner data, inserts it into the Web page or multimedia content, and displays it on the display unit 101 (S118). As shown in FIG. 6A, the display of the program guide T1 on the display unit 101 includes reduced-size still images (or short repeated images) in predetermined areas W5 to W8 in the browser software 101a. Embedded as banner data.

  In parallel with the display of the program guide T1, the distribution request unit 109 starts downloading and buffering the multimedia content displayed at the top of the playlist prior to the reproduction of the multimedia content (S116 and S117). ). In the example shown in FIG. 6, programs 1, 5 and 9 are downloaded and stored in the cache unit 106.

  When downloading the multimedia contents, the multimedia contents distributed by the moving image distribution server 33 are received and viewed by the above-described peer-to-peer network system. Here, the user terminal device 1a transmits a viewing request based on the playlist to the DRM license server 34, and receives from the DRM license server 34 the decryption key D8 for reproducing the main stream D2 related to the viewing request. At the same time, the terminal list D7 of other user terminals holding part or all of the main stream D2 related to the request is acquired from the DRM license server 34 or the other user terminal device 1b.

  Then, the user terminal device 1a selects an arbitrary user terminal as a partner terminal device from the terminal list D7, makes a distribution request, and selects from the selected partner terminal (here, the user terminal device 1b) or the video distribution server 33. A part or all of the main stream D2 related to the request is received, and the main stream D2 is reconstructed by the user terminal device 1a, and reproduced and viewed with the decryption key D8. The user terminal device 1b selected as the partner terminal receives the main stream D2 received from the video distribution server 33 or the like and held in the cache unit 106 of the own device to the client terminal (user terminal device 1a) related to the distribution request. On the other hand, it is relayed.

  Thereafter, when multimedia content (channel) on the program guide is selected by a user operation, the selected multimedia content is read from the cache unit 106, and reproduction is started in the content reproduction unit 103 (S119). ). In response to the start of reproduction, the distribution request unit 109 starts downloading the programs 2, 6, and 10 in the next time zone.

  In addition, the distribution request unit 109 requests distribution of a CM clip inserted in the program (or between programs) in parallel with the reproduction of the main stream D2, acquires the CM clip, and caches it in the cache unit 106 . Then, banner data D3 is inserted into the main stream D2 by the banner data insertion unit 103a and reproduced.

  The reproduction history of the watched main stream D2 and banner data D3 is stored in the user trend data storage unit 114a and also stored in the user database 34a on the service provider side. The accounting totaling server 35 performs accounting for the viewed content based on the information in these databases. At this time, the advertising fee for viewing the advertisement data may be subtracted from the content viewing fee.

  Next, a change in the display format of banner data and a charging process associated therewith will be described according to a user operation on the display unit 101. FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing banner data display change and billing processing in the present embodiment.

  First, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), when the mouse pointer 101c is overlaid on a predetermined area (A6 in this case) by a user operation, a mouse over event is generated even if no click operation is performed. Occurs (S201). Due to the occurrence of this event, the area of the predetermined area 101d is enlarged, and a long-time playback of a moving image and audio output are started (S202).

  The occurrence of this event is detected by the application execution unit 112, and the operation history related to the area where the event has occurred is accumulated in the user trend data accumulation unit 114a (S203), and the user trend notification unit 114 notifies the playlist creation server 32. (S204). In response to reception of the output form change notification, the billing aggregation server 35 identifies a user, a banner, a Web site, etc. included in the notification, accumulates attention history for each banner data (S205 and S206), and accumulates Based on the received data, the attention frequency of the banner data is measured, and the charging unit performs a charging process corresponding to the attention frequency (S207).

(Operations and effects according to this embodiment)
According to the multimedia viewing system and method according to the present embodiment described above, the following operations and effects can be expected.

  First, according to the present embodiment, a plurality of multimedia contents can be continuously reproduced according to a playlist created according to a keyword based on user trends, so that the contents reflecting the user's hobbies and preferences Viewing can be realized. Further, since the play list can be browsed as a program guide in which reproduction information corresponding to the keyword is presented in time series, it is possible to easily select / switch contents.

  In particular, in this embodiment, by monitoring the movement of the mouse pointer 101c by a user operation and detecting a change in the output form of the banner data (event occurrence), the user can select which banner data on the service provider side. It is possible to grasp whether attention has been paid and to perform appropriate billing.

  Further, in the above embodiment, as the change in the output form of the video information due to the occurrence of the event, while the mouse over occurs on the program guide T1, the display size of the banner data is enlarged and the volume is output. Even if the banner data is displayed on the web page, only the noticed banner will be enlarged and the sound will be output, and the display screen configuration will be complicated due to the unnecessarily large banner data being juxtaposed It can be prevented that a plurality of voices are simultaneously output and noisy.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the multimedia content is downloaded and stored in the cache unit 106 in advance prior to playback by the media viewing application, so that it is possible to seamlessly shift to the next multimedia viewing.

  In this embodiment, the distribution of multimedia content is obtained by a so-called peer-to-peer method, in which part or all of the multimedia content related to viewing is acquired from another user terminal, and decrypted with an encryption key for viewing. Since the multimedia content is played back, the burden on the content distribution server can be reduced, communication can be avoided, and the communication load can be reduced.

  Further, the playlist can include reproduction information of advertisement data (additional information data) inserted into the multimedia content, and the media viewing application can add banner data D3 in the main stream D2 based on the playlist. Since this is inserted and reproduced, various advertising effects can be achieved. Since the advertisement data is appropriately selected and distributed by the keyword search, it is possible to carry out advertisement / advertisement suitable for the user's hobbies / preferences, and to further enhance the advertisement effect.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as one of the multimedia content search methods in the playlist creation server 32, associative search using an associative keyword can be performed. Therefore, content associated with this keyword is triggered by the keyword input by the user. Are sequentially selected and reproduced, and content selection that is surprising to the user can be realized within a range that reflects the user's hobbies and preferences.

  In the present embodiment, the playback history and playback stop position of the played multimedia content are recorded, and the next playback start position is changed according to the recording. A variety of playback methods that meet the needs of the user, such as continuing playback from when the viewing is interrupted, are possible.

  Furthermore, the user can collect information on the user's hobbies and preferences because the playlist creation server 32 can change the playback order of the playlist based on the evaluation information indicating the evaluation of the multimedia content related to playback. It is possible to select a content that more closely matches the user's hobbies / preferences in the next and subsequent playlist creation. In addition, since playlists can be disclosed to other users based on user operations, other users can use playlists created based on other users' hobbies and preferences. This enables communication between users.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the multimedia viewing-and-listening system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the user terminal device 1 (1a-1c) which concerns on this embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline | summary of the peer-to-peer network system which concerns on this embodiment. 1 is a block diagram showing an overview of a peer-to-peer network system according to the present embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the data structure of the indexing data in this embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the data structure of the program schedule in this embodiment. It is a flowchart figure which shows operation | movement of the multimedia content viewing-and-listening system concerning this embodiment. It is a flowchart figure which shows the display change and billing process of banner data in this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

A1 ~ A4 ... Keyword for association
D1 ... Display request
D2 ... Main stream
D3… Banner data
D4 ... Playlist creation request
D5 ... Playlist
D6 ... Delivery request
D7… Device list
D8 ... Decryption key
D9… Evaluation information
D10 ... User trend data
D11 ... Viewing history data
K1 ~ K4 ... Metadata (keywords)
T1 ... Program guide
W5-W8 ... predetermined area
1 (1a, 1b): User terminal
2 ... Internet
31 ... Web server
32 ... Playlist creation server
32a… Evaluation information storage
33… Video distribution server
33a… Content storage
34… DRM license server
34a… User database
35 ... Billing summary server
35a… Billing database
36… Banner delivery server
36a… Banner data storage
101 ... Display section
101a… Browser software
101b… Media viewing application
101c ... Mouse pointer
101d ... predetermined area
102 ... Communication interface
103 ... Content playback section
103a: Banner data insertion part
104 ... Output signal generator
105 ... Output interface
105a ... Speaker
106 ... Cache part
106a… Content acquisition unit
106b… Banner data acquisition unit
107 ... Playlist acquisition unit
108 ... Playlist memory
109… Delivery request section
111 ... Program guide display
112… Application execution part
113… Operation device interface
113a… Operation device
114… User Trend Notification Department
114a… User trend data storage
115 ... Evaluation information acquisition unit

Claims (6)

A multimedia viewing system for viewing multimedia content distributed from a content distribution server through a communication network on a user terminal,
A user trend database that acquires and accumulates user trend data, which is user operation history,
Based on the user trend data, a keyword related to the user trend is selected, the multimedia content is selected based on the keyword, the playback order of the selected multimedia content, and the multimedia content related to playback are selected. Creating a playlist that is described in association with a location address, and transmitting the playlist to the user terminal;
A media viewing application that is executed on the user terminal device and receives and plays multimedia content from the content distribution server according to the playlist;
The multimedia content is provided with an association keyword that is a keyword related to the multimedia content,
The playlist creation server searches for the next multimedia content using the associative keyword of the multimedia content searched according to the keyword as a keyword, and searches a plurality of multimedia content by repeating this search With functionality,
The multimedia viewing system, wherein each of the plurality of playlists is a virtual channel, and reproduction information of the multimedia content to be reproduced is displayed as a program guide presented in time series. A banner data distribution server that distributes banner data including moving image information that is inserted and displayed in the program guide;
In the user terminal device, a pointer control unit that displays a pointer that moves on the program guide according to an operation signal input by a user;
A billing unit that measures the attention frequency of the banner data through the Internet and performs a billing process according to the attention frequency;
The playlist creation server adds link data for inserting and displaying the banner data according to the attribute of the multimedia content in the program guide to the playlist,
The media viewing application receives banner data corresponding to the attribute of the multimedia content from the banner data distribution server based on link data associated with the multimedia content, and inserts it into the program guide. Display
The media viewing application detects that the pointer is positioned on a predetermined area in the program guide as an event occurrence, changes the output form of the video information included in the banner data of the predetermined area,
2. The multimedia viewing system according to claim 1, wherein the billing unit measures the attention frequency by detecting a change in an output form of the moving image.   In the program guide, the broadcast time is determined independently for each playlist channel, and the media viewing application virtually advances the time in other channels while viewing a certain channel. The multimedia viewing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein A multimedia viewing method for viewing multimedia content distributed from a content distribution server through a communication network on a user terminal,
Acquiring user trend data, which is user operation history, and storing it in the user trend database (1),
In the playlist creation server on the communication network, based on the user trend data, a keyword related to the user trend is selected, the multimedia content is selected based on the keyword, and the selected multimedia content is selected. Creating a playlist describing the playback order and the location address of the multimedia content related to playback, and transmitting to the user terminal (2);
Receiving and playing multimedia content from the content distribution server according to the playlist by a media viewing application executed on the user terminal device; and (3),
With
In the step (2), the playlist creation server provides an associative keyword for a multimedia content that is assigned to the multimedia content and is searched according to the keyword that is a keyword related to the multimedia content. Search for the next multimedia content using as a keyword and repeat this to search for multiple multimedia content,
In the step (3), the media viewing application displays a plurality of the playlists as virtual channels, and displays the playback information of the multimedia content to be played back as a program guide that is presented in time series. Multimedia viewing method. In the step (2), the playlist creation server adds link data for inserting and displaying the banner data in accordance with the attribute of the multimedia content in the program guide to the playlist,
In the step (3), the media viewing application is
Receiving banner data including moving picture information inserted and displayed in the program guide from the banner data distribution server;
Based on the link data associated with the multimedia content, banner data corresponding to the attribute of the multimedia content is inserted and displayed in the program guide, and the program is input according to an operation signal input by the user. Display a pointer that moves on the table,
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein an event occurrence is detected when the pointer is positioned on a predetermined area in the program guide, and an output form of moving image information included in the banner data in the predetermined area is changed. Multimedia viewing method. In the program guide, the broadcasting time is determined independently for each playlist channel, and the media viewing application in the step (3), while watching a certain channel, time is also used for other channels. 6. The multimedia viewing method according to claim 4 or 5 , wherein the video is virtually advanced.

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