Tree-type broadcast system, method of participating and withdrawing tree-type broadcast system, node device, and node process program

• US 20080279206A1
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yanagihara, Yasushi
• Granted Patent: US 7,920,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/408
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1854 with non-centralised forwarding system, e.g. chaincast

Abstract

A node device having a plural hierarchy levels in a tree-like shape while placing a broadcast device at a top of the levels and connecting the node devices through a communication means, wherein content data is sequentially transferred from the node device at an upper hierarchy level to that at a lower hierarchy level, including:

• • a control means for displaying a predetermined screen for a user; and
  • a means for carrying out a process of participating in the system when a broadcast information screen related to broadcast of the content data is displayed and for carrying out a process of withdrawing from the system when display is finished,
  • wherein when transiting to display in another screen, the participation and withdrawal control means carries out the withdrawal process on a condition that the broadcast information screen is not displayed again within a waiting time previously set up.

Claims

1. A node device in a tree-type broadcast system which is formed by participation of a plurality of node devices and has a plurality of hierarchy levels in a tree-like shape formed by the plurality of node devices while placing a broadcast device at a top of the hierarchy levels and connecting the plurality of node devices through a communication means, wherein content data broadcasted by the broadcast device being sequentially transferred from the node device at an upper hierarchy level to the node device at a lower hierarchy level, the node device comprising:

a display control means for displaying a predetermined screen in response to instruction from a user; and

a participation and withdrawal control means for carrying out a participation process of participating in the tree-type broadcast system when a broadcast information screen related to broadcast of the content data is displayed and for carrying out a withdrawal process of withdrawing from the tree-type broadcast system when display of the broadcast information screen is finished,

wherein in a case where it is finished to display in the broadcast information screen and transited to display in another screen with the display control means, the participation and withdrawal control means carries out the withdrawal process on a condition that the broadcast information screen is not displayed again within a waiting time previously set up.

2. The node device according to claim 1,

wherein the waiting time is set up in response to content of information, provided by the another screen thus transited.

3. The node device according to claim 1,

wherein the waiting time is set up based on a past display time of the another screen thus transited.

4. The node device according to claim 1,

wherein the waiting time is set up in response to hierarchy levels of an own node device in the tree-type broadcast system.

5. The node device according to claim 1,

wherein the waiting time is set up in response to a number of node devices in the lower hierarchy level, the node devices being connected to the own node device in the tree-type broadcast system.

6. The node device according to claim 1,

wherein the display control means acquires a web page from a predetermined server connected to a network based on URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the web page constituting the screen and displays the screen.

7. A node process program embodied in a computer-readable medium and representing a sequence of instructions, which when executed by a computer included in the node device, the instructions cause the computer to function as:

the display control means; and

the participation and withdrawal control means in the node device according to claim 1.

8. A tree-type broadcast system which is formed by participation of a plurality of node devices and has a plurality of hierarchy levels in a tree-like shape formed by the plurality of node devices while placing a broadcast device at a top of the hierarchy levels and connecting the plurality of node devices through a communication means, wherein content data broadcasted by the broadcast device being sequentially transferred from the node device at an upper hierarchy level to the node device at a lower hierarchy level,

wherein the node device comprising:

a display control means for displaying a predetermined screen in response to instruction from a user; and

a participation and withdrawal control means for carrying out a participation process of participating in the tree-type broadcast system when a broadcast information screen related to broadcast of the content data is displayed and for carrying out a withdrawal process of withdrawing from the tree-type broadcast system when display of the broadcast information screen is finished,

wherein in a case where it is finished to display in the broadcast information screen and transited to display in another screen with the display control means, the participation and withdrawal control means carries out the withdrawal process on a condition that the broadcast information screen is not displayed again within a waiting time previously set up.

9. A method of participating in and withdrawing from a tree-type broadcast system which is formed by participation of a plurality of node devices and has a plurality of hierarchy levels in a tree-like shape formed by the plurality of node devices while placing a broadcast device at a top of the hierarchy levels and connecting the plurality of node devices through a communication means, wherein content data broadcasted by the broadcast device being sequentially transferred from the node device at an upper hierarchy level to the node device at a lower hierarchy level, the method comprising:

a display control step of displaying a predetermined screen in response to instruction from a user, with the node device in the tree-type broadcast system; and

a participating and withdrawing step of carrying out a participation process of participating in the tree-type broadcast system when a broadcast information screen related to broadcast of the content data is displayed and for carrying out a withdrawal process of withdrawing from the tree-type broadcast system when display of the broadcast information screen is finished, with the node device in the tree-type broadcast system,

wherein in a case where it is finished to display in the broadcast information screen and transited to display in another screen with the display control means, the participation and withdrawal control means carries out the withdrawal process on a condition that the broadcast information screen is not displayed again within a waiting time previously set up.