DISTRIBUTION DEVICE, DISTRIBUTION METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM

• US 20090287770A1
• Filed: 11/28/2007
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Yasuhiro, Kamoto, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 8,533,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1886 with traffic restrictions for efficiency improvement, e.g. involving subnets or subdomains
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

The present invention includes: a step of creating at least a play list including reproduction start times of the display terminal devices (1) and acquisition destination data indicating acquisition destinations of the creative data; and a step of transmitting the play list and the creative data to the display terminal devices (1) via the normal relay server devices (30) and the super relay server devices (20). The play list creating step creates the play list by determining the acquisition destination data in such a manner that the creative data is distributed preferentially to the super relay server devices (20) rather than to the normal relay server devices (30) and that the normal relay server devices (30) acquire the creative data from the super relay server devices (20). Because of this, the load on distribution devices for distributing creative data is reduced.

Claims

1. A distribution device for distributing creative data to display terminal devices via relay server devices so that said display terminal devices may reproduce said creative data, characterized in that;

said relay server devices are made up of normal relay server devices and super relay server devices, said normal relay server devices being capable of distributing said creative data to said display terminal devices and incapable of relaying said creative data to the other relay server devices, said super relay server devices being capable of distributing said creative data to said display terminal devices and to the other relay server devices;

said distribution device comprising;

storage means for storing a plurality of said creative data;

schedule means for creating at least a play list including reproduction start times of said display terminal devices and acquisition destination data indicating acquisition destinations of said creative data; and

communication means for transmitting said play list and said creative data to said display terminal devices via said normal relay server devices and said super relay server devices;

wherein said schedule means creates said play list by determining said acquisition destination data in such a manner that said creative data is distributed preferentially to said super relay server devices rather than to said normal relay server devices and that said normal relay server devices acquire said creative data from said super relay server devices.

2. The distribution device according to claim 1, characterized in that, when said reproduction start times of said creative data fall below a predetermined time, said schedule means sets said acquisition destination data of said creative data for an own device and schedules said creative data to be distributed directly.

3. The distribution device according to claim 1, characterized in that, upon transmission of said play list, said schedule means performs a search to determine whether each of said creative data in said play list is cached in said super relay server devices and, if said creative data is found cached in said super relay server devices, selects said super relay service devices as relay-capable service devices, said schedule means further selecting some of said relay-capable service devices as relay-determined server devices for actually relaying said creative data while setting said acquisition destination data for said relay-determined server devices.

4. The distribution device according to claim 3, characterized in that said schedule means randomly selects said relay-determined server devices from said relay-capable server devices in which said creative data is cached and sets said acquisition destination data for said relay-determined service devices.

5. The distribution device according to claim 4, characterized in that, if the selected relay-capable server devices are found to have been selected already as relay-determined server devices for other creative data, then said schedule means selects the relay-capable server devices as relay-determined server devices for said creative data and sets said acquisition destination data for the same relay-determined service devices.

6. The distribution device according to claim 4, characterized in that, if the selected relay-capable server devices are found to have been designated already as relay-determined server devices by said display terminal devices subordinate to the selected relay-capable server device using said acquisition destination data, then said schedule means selects the relay-capable server devices as the relay-determined server devices and sets said acquisition destination data for the same relay-determined server devices.

7. The distribution device according to claim 1, characterized in that said schedule means checks said super relay server devices for load levels upon start of distribution of said creative data and, if the load of said super relay server devices is found to have been equal to or exceeded a predetermined level, then sets said acquisition destination data of said creative data for an own device and schedules said creative data to be distributed directly.

8. The distribution device according to claim 1, characterized in that, if said normal relay server devices are incapable of acquiring said creative data from said super relay server devices, then said schedule means sets said acquisition destination data of said creative data for an own device and schedules said creative data to be distributed directly.

9. A distribution method for distributing creative data to display terminal devices via relay server devices so that said display terminal devices may reproduce said creative data, characterized in that;

said relay server devices are made up of normal relay server devices and super relay server devices, said normal relay server devices being capable of distributing said creative data to said display terminal devices and incapable of relaying said creative data to the other relay server devices, said super relay server devices being capable of distributing said creative data to said display terminal devices and to the other relay server devices;

said distribution method comprising;

a step of creating at least a play list including reproduction start times of said display terminal devices and acquisition destination data indicating acquisition destinations of said creative data; and

a step of transmitting said play list and said creative data to said display terminal devices via said normal relay server devices and said super relay server devices;

wherein said play list creating step creates said play list by determining said acquisition destination data in such a manner that said creative data is distributed preferentially to said super relay server devices rather than to said normal relay server devices and that said normal relay server devices acquire said creative data from said super relay server devices.

10. The distribution method according to claim 9, characterized in that, when said reproduction start times of said creative data fall below a predetermined time, said play list creating step sets said acquisition destination data of said creative data for an own device and schedules said creative data to be distributed directly.

11. The distribution method according to claim 9, characterized in that, upon transmission of said play list, said play list creating step performs a search to determine whether each of said creative data in said play list is cached in said super relay server devices and, if said creative data is found cached, selects said cached super relay service devices as relay-capable service devices, said play list creating step further selecting some of said relay-capable service devices as relay-determined server devices for actually relaying said creative data while setting said acquisition destination data for said relay-determined server devices.

12. The distribution method according to claim 11, characterized in that said play list creating step randomly selects said relay-determined server devices from said relay-capable server devices and sets said acquisition destination data for said relay-determined service devices.

13. The distribution method according to claim 12, characterized in that, if the selected relay-capable server devices are found to have been selected already as relay-determined server devices for other creative data, then said play list creating step selects the relay-capable server devices as relay-determined server devices for said creative data and sets said acquisition destination data for the same relay-determined service devices.

14. The distribution method according to claim 12, characterized in that, if the selected relay-capable server devices are found to have been designated already as relay-determined server devices by said display terminal devices subordinate to the selected relay-capable server device using said acquisition destination data, then said play list creating step selects the relay-capable server devices as the relay-determined server devices and sets said acquisition destination data for the same relay-determined server devices.

15. The distribution method according to claim 9, characterized in that said play list creating step checks said super relay server devices for load levels upon start of distribution of said creative data and, if the load of said super relay server devices is found to have been equal to or exceeded a predetermined level, then sets said acquisition destination data of said creative data for an own device and schedules said creative data to be distributed directly.

16. The distribution device according to claim 9, characterized in that, if said normal relay server devices are incapable of acquiring said creative data from said super relay server devices, then said play list creating step sets said acquisition destination data of said creative data for an own device and schedules said creative data to be distributed directly.

17. A computer program for causing a distribution server device to perform a distribution method for distributing creative data to display terminal devices via relay server devices so that said display terminal devices may reproduce said creative data, characterized in that;

said relay server devices are made up of normal relay server devices and super relay server devices, said normal relay server devices being capable of distributing said creative data to said display terminal devices and incapable of relaying said creative data to the other relay server devices, said super relay server devices being capable of distributing said creative data to said display terminal devices and to the other relay server devices;

said distribution method comprising;

a step of creating at least a play list including reproduction start times of said display terminal devices and acquisition destination data indicating acquisition destinations of said creative data; and

a step of transmitting said play list and said creative data to said display terminal devices via said normal relay server devices and said super relay server devices;

wherein said play list creating step creates said play list by determining said acquisition destination data in such a manner that said creative data is distributed preferentially to said super relay server devices rather than to said normal relay server devices and that said normal relay server devices acquire said creative data from said super relay server devices.