Contents distribution system contents server contents receiving apparatus contents distribution method, program and storage media

• US 20070083663A1
• Filed: 11/11/2004
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanabe, Takumi, Sawabe, Kazuhide
• Granted Patent: US 7,539,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/654 Transmission by server directed to the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

In a network system for transmitting and receiving contents with one or more pieces of additional information corresponding to an internal attribute of the contents, a contents server can decide the data to be transmitted without regard to a division transfer method supposed for a contents receiving apparatus. The contents server includes storage unit holding one or more contents, contents data acquisition unit receiving a data request including request range information of the contents out of consideration for the additional information and extracting the data of the contents in a requested range out of the storage unit, and transmitting unit transmitting the extracted data of the contents with the additional information. The contents receiving apparatus includes receiving unit receiving the data of the contents with the additional information that are transmitted from the transmitting unit, received data decision unit deciding a receiving request range of the contents out of consideration for the additional information, and data request transmitting unit transmitting the data request including request range information.

Claims

1. A contents distribution system for transmitting and receiving contents and additional information in accordance with a communication protocol in which one or more pieces of the additional information corresponding to an internal attribute of said contents are appended to said contents and said contents and said additional information are packetized as a data part without distinction, said system comprising:

a contents server having storage unit holding one or more contents, contents data acquisition unit receiving a data request including request range information of contents out of consideration for the additional information, specifying a requested range, and extracting data of contents in said requested range from said storage unit, and transmitting unit transmitting the extracted data of said contents with said additional information appended; and

a contents receiving apparatus having receiving unit receiving the data of said contents and said additional information that are transmitted from said transmitting unit, received data decision unit deciding a receiving request range of said contents out of consideration for said additional information, and data request transmitting unit transmitting said data request including decided receiving request range as said request range information;

wherein said contents data acquisition unit specifies said requested range according to said data request transmitted by said data request transmitting unit.

14. A storage media usable on a computer, wherein the storage media is storing a program for the contents distribution system according to claim 1, wherein said program enables a computer to implement, for said contents server, storage unit holding one or more contents, contents data acquisition unit receiving said data request including said request range information of said contents out of consideration for said additional information, specifying a requested range, and extracting said data of contents in said requested range from said storage unit, and transmitting unit transmitting the extracted data of said contents with said additional information appended, and to implement, for said contents receiving apparatus, receiving unit receiving the data of said contents and said additional information that are transmitted from said transmitting unit, received data decision unit deciding a receiving request range of said contents out of consideration for said additional information, and data request transmitting unit transmitting said data request including said decided receiving request range as said request range information.

2. A contents server for a contents distribution system for transmitting and receiving contents and additional information in accordance with a communication protocol in which one or more pieces of the additional information corresponding to an internal attribute of said contents are appended to said contents and said contents and said additional information are packetized as a data part without distinction, said contents server comprising:

storage means unit holding one or more contents, contents data acquisition unit receiving a data request including request range information of contents out of consideration for the additional information, specifying a requested range, and extracting the data of contents in said requested range from said storage unit, and transmitting unit transmitting the extracted data of said contents with said additional information appended.

3. The contents server according to claim 2, wherein said communication protocol is an HTTP, and said data request is provided with an extension header for writing said request range information of said contents out of consideration for said additional information.

4. The contents server according to claim 2, wherein said contents are AV contents including any one of or any combination of video, image and audio.

5. The contents server according to claim 2, wherein said additional information includes information concerning a state of copyright protection of said contents.

6. The contents server according to claim 2, wherein in the case that said contents are encrypted, said additional information includes information for decoding said encrypted contents.

15. A storage media usable on a computer, wherein the storage media is storing a program for the contents server according to claim 2, wherein said program enables a computer to implement, for said contents server, storage unit holding one or more contents, contents data acquisition unit receiving said data request including said request range information of said contents out of consideration for said additional information, specifying a requested range, and extracting said data of contents in said requested range from said storage unit, and transmitting unit transmitting the extracted data of said contents with said additional information appended.

7. A contents receiving apparatus in a contents distribution system for transmitting and receiving contents and additional information in accordance with a communication protocol in which one or more pieces of the additional information corresponding to an internal attribute of said contents are appended to said contents and said contents and said additional information are packetized as a data part without distinction, said apparatus comprising:

received data decision unit deciding a receiving request range of contents out of consideration for the additional information, data request transmitting unit transmitting a data request including request range information indicating said decided receiving request range, and receiving means unit receiving the data of said contents and said additional information.

8. The contents receiving apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said receiving unit stores only the data of said contents in a reception buffer according to the received data of said contents and said additional information.

9. The contents receiving apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said communication protocol is an HTTP, and said data request is provided with an extension header for writing said request range information of said contents out of consideration for said additional information.

10. The contents receiving apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said contents are AV contents including any one of or any combination of video, image and audio.

11. The contents receiving apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said additional information includes information concerning a state of copyright protection of said contents.

12. The contents receiving apparatus according to claim 7, wherein in the case that said contents are encrypted, said additional information includes information for decoding said encrypted contents.

16. A storage media usable on a computer, wherein the storage media is storing a program for the contents receiving apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said program enables a computer to implement, for said contents receiving apparatus, received data decision unit deciding said receiving request range of contents out of consideration for said additional information, data request transmitting unit transmitting said data request including said request range information indicating said decided receiving request range, and receiving means unit receiving data of said contents and said additional information.

13. A contents distribution method of transmitting and receiving contents, employing a contents server in which one or more pieces of contents are stored, and a contents receiving apparatus receiving said contents from said contents server via a network;

making said contents server perform a step of receiving a data request including request range information of contents out of consideration for additional information, specifying a requested range, and extracting data of contents in said requested range, and a step of transmitting the extracted data of said contents with said additional information appended; and

making said contents receiving apparatus perform a step of deciding a receiving request range of said contents out of consideration for said additional information, a step of transmitting said data request including said decided receiving request range as said request range information, and a step of receiving the data of said data of contents and said additional information that are transmitted by said step of transmitting.