Content distribution system
First Claim
1. A content distribution system including a server apparatus and a playback apparatus that are connected with each other via a network, wherein (i) the server apparatus comprises:
- a receiving unit operable to receive a playback request for requesting that a content be played back by one of the server apparatus and the playback apparatus;
a judging unit operable to judge which of the server apparatus and the playback apparatus is to play back the content;
an obtaining unit operable to, (a) when the judging unit has judged that the server apparatus is to play back the content, obtain high quality data which is generated by encoding the content so as to render high quality and (b) when the judging unit has judged that the playback apparatus is to play back the content, obtain standard quality data which is generated by encoding the content so as to render standard quality;
a first playback unit operable to, when the judging unit has judged that the server apparatus is to play back the content, play back the obtained high quality data; and
a transmitting unit operable to, when the judging unit has judged that the playback apparatus is to play back the content, transmit the obtained standard quality data via the network, and (ii) the playback apparatus comprises;
a reception unit operable to receive the standard quality data; and
a second playback unit operable to decode and play back the received standard quality data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a server apparatus that is able to, when a content stored in a server apparatus is to be received with the use of a streaming technique and played back, have the content played back without delay in a network with a low bandwidth. The content stored in the server apparatus is formed with contents data with a high bit rate to be directly played back and contents data with a low bit rate to be played back with the use of the streaming technique. When the content is to be played back directly, the content data with a high bit rate is played back. When the content is to be played back with the use of the streaming technique, the content data with a low bit rate is transmitted.
50 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A content distribution system including a server apparatus and a playback apparatus that are connected with each other via a network, wherein
(i) the server apparatus comprises: -
a receiving unit operable to receive a playback request for requesting that a content be played back by one of the server apparatus and the playback apparatus;
a judging unit operable to judge which of the server apparatus and the playback apparatus is to play back the content;
an obtaining unit operable to, (a) when the judging unit has judged that the server apparatus is to play back the content, obtain high quality data which is generated by encoding the content so as to render high quality and (b) when the judging unit has judged that the playback apparatus is to play back the content, obtain standard quality data which is generated by encoding the content so as to render standard quality;
a first playback unit operable to, when the judging unit has judged that the server apparatus is to play back the content, play back the obtained high quality data; and
a transmitting unit operable to, when the judging unit has judged that the playback apparatus is to play back the content, transmit the obtained standard quality data via the network, and (ii) the playback apparatus comprises;
a reception unit operable to receive the standard quality data; and
a second playback unit operable to decode and play back the received standard quality data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A server apparatus connected to a playback apparatus via a network, comprising:
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a receiving unit operable to receive a playback request for requesting that a content be played back by one of the server apparatus and the playback apparatus;
a judging unit operable to judge which of the server apparatus and the playback apparatus is to play back the content;
an obtaining unit operable to, (i) when the judging unit has judged that the server apparatus is to playback the content, obtain high quality data which is generated by encoding the content so as to render high quality and (ii) when the judging unit has judged that the playback apparatus is to play back the content, obtain standard quality data which is generated by encoding the content so as to render standard quality;
a playback unit operable to, when the judging unit has judged that the server apparatus is to play back the content, play back the obtained high quality data; and
a transmitting unit operable to, when the judging unit has judged that the playback apparatus is to play back the content, transmit the obtained standard quality data via the network. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A content distribution method to be used by a server apparatus connected to a playback apparatus via a network, the content distribution method comprising:
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a receiving step of receiving a playback request for requesting that a content be played back by one of the server apparatus and the playback apparatus;
a judging step of judging which of the server apparatus and the playback apparatus is to play back the content;
an obtaining step of, (i) when the judging step has judged that the server apparatus is to play back the content, obtaining high quality data which is generated by encoding the content so as to render high quality and (ii) when the judging step has judged that the playback apparatus is to playback the content, obtaining standard quality data which is generated by encoding the content so as to render standard quality;
a playback step of, when the judging step has judged that the server apparatus is to play back the content, playing back the obtained high quality data; and
a transmitting step of, when the judging step has judged that the playback apparatus is to play back the content, transmitting the obtained standard quality data via the network.
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16. A content distribution program to be used by a server apparatus connected to a playback apparatus via a network, the content distribution program comprising:
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a receiving step of receiving a playback request for requesting that a content be played back by one of the server apparatus and the playback apparatus;
a judging step of judging which of the server apparatus and the playback apparatus is to play back the content;
an obtaining step of, (i) when the judging step has judged that the server apparatus is to play back the content, obtaining high quality data which is generated by encoding the content so as to render high quality and (ii) when the judging step has judged that the playback apparatus is to playback the content, obtaining standard quality data which is generated by encoding the content so as to render standard quality;
a playback step of, when the judging step has judged that the server apparatus is to play back the content, playing back the obtained high quality data; and
a transmitting step of, when the judging step has judged that the playback apparatus is to play back the content, transmitting the obtained standard quality data via the network. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification