VIDEO DISTRIBUTION METHOD, VIDEO RECEPTION METHOD, SERVER, TERMINAL APPARATUS, AND VIDEO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

• US 20170026680A1
• Filed: 10/05/2016
• Published: 01/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: SHIBAHARA, YOUJI, MARUYAMA, YUKI, SUGINO, YOICHI, ISOGAI, KUNIAKI, MUTA, RYUJI, ITOH, TOMOAKI, SUGIO, TOSHIYASU, MATSUNOBU, TORU, OUCHI, MIKIHIRO, SASAI, HISAO, HORI, TAKAKO
• Granted Patent: US 10,271,082 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A video distribution method is a video distribution method to be performed by a server that distributes a plurality of videos captured by a plurality of users from different viewpoints to a terminal apparatus. The video distribution method includes distributing, from a server to a terminal apparatus, a first video that is one of a plurality of videos captured by a plurality of users from different viewpoints and that is requested by the terminal apparatus, selecting a second video that is one of the plurality of videos and that is likely to be next requested next time by the terminal apparatus, and starting transmission of the second video to the terminal apparatus during distribution of the first video to the terminal apparatus.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

distributing, from a server to a terminal apparatus, a first video that is one of a plurality of videos captured by a plurality of users from different viewpoints and that is requested by the terminal apparatus,

selecting a second video that is one of the plurality of videos and that is likely to be next requested next time by the terminal apparatus; and

starting transmission of the second video to the terminal apparatus during distribution of the first video to the terminal apparatus.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the selection, the one of the plurality of videos that is selected as the second video that is likely to be requested, is a video with a high degree of relevance to the first video.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein in the selection, the degree of relevance is determined to be high when a position of a capturing scene of the second video is close to a position of a capturing scene of the first video.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein in the selection, the degree of relevance is further determined to be high when a size of the capturing scene of the second video is close to a size of the capturing scene of the first video.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein in the selection, the degree of relevance of one of the videos is determined to be high when a subject identical to a subject in the first video is captured is set high.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the selection, the second video that is likely to be requested is selected based on frame rates, resolution, or bit rates of the plurality of videos.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the selection, the one of the plurality of videos that is selected as likely to be requested, is a video that is selected by another user many times.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the selection, the second video that is likely to be requested is selected based on a viewing history or previously registered taste information of each of the users.

9. A method comprising:

selecting a first video from a plurality of videos captured from a plurality of viewpoints;

requesting a server to transmit the first video;

receiving the first video from the server;

displaying the first video; and

starting reception of a second video, that is one of the plurality of videos, and that is likely to be next selected for viewing, during reception of the first video.

10. The method according to claim 9, comprising:

accumulating the received second video; and

displaying the accumulated second video when the second video is selected during display of the first video.

11. The method according to claim 10, comprising:

receiving, from the server, a third video different from the first video and the second video, when the third video is selected during display of the first video; and

displaying the accumulated second video until reception of the third video.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein in the display, an image that overlooks a place in which the plurality of videos is captured and that includes a plurality of icons which indicate positions of the plurality of viewpoints is further displayed.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein in the display, each of the plurality of icons that indicates the position of the viewpoint of the second video is highlighted.

14. A server comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program causing the processor to execute operations including;

distributing, to a terminal apparatus, a first video that is one of a plurality of videos captured by a plurality of users from different viewpoints and that is specified by the terminal apparatus;

selecting a second video that is one of the plurality of videos and that is likely to be next requested for viewing by the terminal apparatus; and

starting transmission of the second video to the terminal apparatus during distribution of the first video to the terminal apparatus.

15. A terminal apparatus for receiving, from a server, any one of a plurality of videos and for displaying the received video, the terminal apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program causing the processor to execute operations including;

selecting a first video from a plurality of videos, captured from a plurality of viewpoints;

requesting the server to transmit the first video;

receiving the first video from the server;

displaying the first video; and

starting reception of a second video, that is one of the plurality of videos and that is likely to be next selected for viewing, during reception of the first video.

16. A video distribution system comprising:

a server comprising;

a processor; and

a memory having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program causing the processor to execute operations including;

distributing, to a terminal apparatus, a first video that is one of a plurality of videos captured by a plurality of users from different viewpoints and that is specified by the terminal apparatus;

selecting a second video that is one of the plurality of videos and that is likely to be next requested for viewing by the terminal apparatus; and

starting transmission of the second video to the terminal apparatus during distribution of the first video to the terminal apparatus; and

the terminal apparatus according to claim 15.

17. A non-transitory recording medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program causing a processor to execute operations comprising:

selecting a first video from a plurality of videos captured from a plurality of viewpoints;

requesting a server to transmit the first video;

receiving the first video from the server;

displaying the first video; and

starting reception of a second video, that is one of the plurality of videos, and that is-likely to be next selected for viewing, during reception of the first video.