Content distribution method and content supply system

• US 20020038359A1
• Filed: 08/27/2001
• Published: 03/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nishimura, Takanori, Ihara, Keigo, Fukuda, Junko, Sueyoshi, Takahiko, Yoshimine, Takao
• Granted Patent: US 6,970,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

To secure a communication path between a distribution server that distributes content to clients and a terminal apparatus of a content distributor more reliably while content is distributed by live distribution. In a content supply system 100, in order to use a streaming server 102 to perform a live distribution, a user PC 106 to be used makes a reservation for a time zone, etc. to a server reservation control center 101 over the Internet 103. When the reservation is accepted and the content is sent from the user PC 106 to the streaming server 102, data is sent via a dedicated server connection network 108.

Claims

1. A content distribution method for making a reservation to a reservation control apparatus for the use of a distribution server that receives content sent from a distributor terminal apparatus and distributes the content by streaming to a client terminal apparatus, sending the content from said distributor terminal apparatus to said distribution server based on the reservation and thereby distributing the content, said content distribution method comprising:

a reservation requesting step of sending reservation request information including a desired service time to distribute content using said distribution server from said distributor terminal apparatus to said reservation control apparatus via a first network;

a content transmitting step of transmitting, when the reservation for the use of said distribution server during said desired service time included in said reservation request information is accepted, the content from said distributor terminal apparatus to said distribution server via a second network, which is different from the first network, to distribute the content based on the accepted reservation; and

a distributing step of distributing the content from said distributor terminal apparatus, by streaming from said distribution server to said client terminal apparatus.

2. The content distribution method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a reservation setting information transmitting step of transmitting, when the reservation for the use of said distribution server during said desired service time included in said reservation request information is accepted, the reservation setting information including communication/connection information necessary for said distributor terminal apparatus to establish a communication/connection with said distribution server via said second network, from said reservation control apparatus to said distributor terminal apparatus via said first network;

a storing step of writing and storing said communication/connection information included in said reservation setting information sent from said reservation control apparatus, in a predetermined storage area of said distributor terminal apparatus; and

a communication establishing step of carrying out, when said distributor terminal apparatus accesses said distribution server based on the reservation to distribute content, processing of reading said communication/connection information stored in said predetermined storage area and establishing a communication/connection with said distribution server based on the read communication/connection information via said second network, and wherein

after the communication/connection is established in said communication establishing step, content is sent to said distribution server via said second network in said content transmitting step.

3. The content distribution method according to claim 2, wherein:

said reservation setting information included in said reservation request information includes said communication/connection information for each of a plurality of carriers, and

said communication establishing step reads said communication/connection information corresponding to a carrier preset by the user of said distributor terminal apparatus out of said communication/connection information to carry out processing of establishing a communication/connection with said distribution server based on the read communication/connection information via said second network.

4. The content distribution method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first network is the Internet; and

said second network is a dedicated network to transmit content to said distribution server.

5. A content supply system composed of a distribution server that receives content sent from a distributor terminal apparatus and distributes the content by streaming to a client terminal apparatus and a reservation control apparatus that controls reservations of live distribution of content using said distribution server, said content supply system comprising:

a first network that connects said distributor terminal apparatus and said reservation control apparatus and is used to send/receive data about the reservation between said distributor terminal apparatus and said reservation control apparatus; and

a second network that connects said distributor terminal apparatus and said distribution server and is used to send content from said distributor terminal apparatus to said distribution server.

6. The content supply system according to claim 5, wherein:

said first network is the Internet; and

said second network is a dedicated network to send content to said distribution server.