Image transmission system with billing based on the kind of MPEG frame transmitted

• US 5,909,238 A
• Filed: 07/22/1996
• Issued: 06/01/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Iwamura, Keiichi, Nagashima, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): FLYNN, NATHAN J
• Application Number:
  US08/685,966
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 348/6, 348/7, 348/8, 348/9, 348/10, 348/11, 348/12, 348/13, 348/1, 348/2, 348/3, 455/31.2, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.2
• US Class Current: 725/8
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/236 Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream multiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

There is disclosed an image transmission system for transmitting MPEG data through a transmission path, capable of setting frames for the MPEG data to be transmitted, according to the traffic in the transmission path, and effecting an accounting process with a charge system corresponding to thus set frames.

Claims

1. An image transmission system for transmitting MPEG data through a transmission path, comprising:

a) means for selectively setting kinds of frames for the MPEG data to be transmitted; and

b) accounting means for effecting an accounting process with a charge system according to thus set frames.

2. An image transmission system according to claim 1, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the transmitting side.

3. An image transmission system according to claim 1, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the receiving side.

4. An image transmission system according to claim 1, wherein said accounting process means is provided both in the transmitting side and in the receiving side.

5. An image transmission system according to claim 1, further comprising charge payment means for paying the charge at a predetermined interval.

6. An image transmission system according to claim 5, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the transmitting side.

7. An image transmission system according to claim 5, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the receiving side.

8. An image transmission system according to claim 5, wherein said accounting process means is provided both in the transmitting side and in the receiving side.

9. An image transmission system according to claim 5, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

10. An image transmission system according to claim 1, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

11. An image transmission system for transmitting MPEG data through a transmission path, between a transmitting terminal and a receiving terminal, comprising:

a) a receiving terminal provided with frame setting means for selectively setting kinds of frames for the MPEG data to be transmitted; and

b) a transmitting terminal provided with accounting process means for effecting an accounting process with a predetermined charge system, and image charge information storage means for storing charge information for the image, to be used in said accounting process.

12. An image transmission system according to claim 11, wherein said accounting process means is provided both in the transmitting side and in the receiving side.

13. An image transmission system according to claim 11, further comprising charge payment means for paying the charge at a predetermined interval.

14. An image transmission system according to claim 13, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the transmitting side.

15. An image transmission system according to claim 13, wherein said accounting process means is provided both in the transmitting side and in the receiving side.

16. An image transmission system according to claim 13, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

17. An image transmission system according to claim 11, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

18. An image transmission system for transmitting MPEG data through a transmission path, comprising:

a) frame setting means for selectively setting the kinds of frames for MPEG data to be transmitted, according to the traffic in said transmission path; and

b) accounting processing means for effecting an accounting process with a charge system according to the kinds of frames and the amount of information of said MPEG data.

19. An image transmission system according to claim 18, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the transmitting side.

20. An image transmission system according to claim 18, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the receiving side.

21. An image transmission system according to claim 18, wherein said accounting process means is provided both in the transmitting side and in the receiving side.

22. An image transmission system according to claim 18, further comprising charge payment means for paying the charge at a predetermined interval.

23. An image transmission system according to claim 22, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the transmitting side.

24. An image transmission system according to claim 22, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the receiving side.

25. An image transmission system according to claim 22, wherein said accounting process means is provided both in the transmitting side and in the receiving side.

26. An image transmission system according to claim 22, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

27. An image transmission system according to claim 18, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

28. An image transmission system for transmitting MPEG data through a transmission path, comprising:

a) traffic check means for checking the traffic in said transmission path;

b) frame setting means for selectively setting the kinds of frames for MPEG data to be transmitted, according to the traffic in said transmission path;

c) accounting processing means for effecting an accounting process with a charge predetermined system;

d) information measuring means for measuring the kind of frames and the amount of information for the image transmitted through the transmission path;

e) image charge information storage means for storing the charge information for the image, to be used in said accounting process.

29. An image transmission system according to claim 28, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the transmitting side.

30. An image transmission system according to claim 28, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the receiving side.

31. An image transmission system according to claim 28, wherein said accounting process means is provided both in the transmitting side and in the receiving side.

32. An image transmission system according to claim 28, further comprising charge payment means for paying the charge at a predetermined interval.

33. An image transmission system according to claim 32, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the transmitting side.

34. An image transmission system according to claim 32, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the receiving side.

35. An image transmission system according to claim 32, wherein said accounting process means is provided both in the transmitting side and in the receiving side.

36. An image transmission system according to claim 32, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

37. An image transmission system according to claim 28, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

38. An image transmission system for transmitting MPEG data through a transmission path, comprising:

a) traffic check means for checking the traffic in said transmission path;

b) frame setting means for selectively setting the kinds of frames for MPEG data to be transmitted, according to the traffic in said transmission path;

c) accounting processing means for effecting an accounting process with a charge system according to the kinds of frames and the amount of information of said transmitted MPEG data;

d) image charge information storage means for storing the charge information for the image, to be used in said accounting process.

39. An image transmission system according to claim 38, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the transmitting side.

40. An image transmission system according to claim 38, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the receiving side.

41. An image transmission system according to claim 38, wherein said accounting process means is provided both in the transmitting side and in the receiving side.

42. An image transmission system according to claim 38, further comprising charge payment means for paying the charge at a predetermined interval.

43. An image transmission system according to claim 42, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the transmitting side.

44. An image transmission system according to claim 42, wherein said accounting process means is provided in the receiving side.

45. An image transmission system according to claim 42, wherein said accounting process means is provided both in the transmitting side and in the receiving side.

46. An image transmission system according to claim 42, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

47. An image transmission system according to claim 38, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

48. An image transmission system for handling MPEG data, comprising:

a) accounting means for effecting an accounting process according to the kind of frames transmitted among said MPEG data; and

b) charge storage means for storing the charge for the image.

49. An image transmission system for handling MPEG data, comprising:

a) detecting means for detecting the kind of frames transmitted among said MPEG data; and

b) accounting means for effecting an accounting process according to said kind.

50. An image transmission system according to claim 49, further comprising charge payment means for paying the charge at a predetermined interval.

51. An image transmission system according to claim 49, wherein said accounting means is provided in the transmitting side.

52. An image transmission system according to claim 49, wherein said accounting means is provided in the receiving side.

53. An image transmission system according to claim 49, wherein said accounting means is provided both in the transmitting side and in the receiving side.

54. An image transmission system according to claim 49, wherein all the frames of said MPEG data are transmitted, and said accounting means is adapted to effect an accounting process according to the kind of frames decoded among said MPEG data.

55. An image transmission system according to claim 54, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

56. An image transmission system according to claim 49, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

57. An image transmission system according to claim 50, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

66. An image transmission system according to claim 57, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

58. An image transmission system for handling MPEG data, comprising:

a) means for detecting the kind and the amount of information of frames transmitted among said MPEG data; and

b) accounting means for effecting an accounting process according to said kind and the amount of information.

59. An image transmission system according to claim 58, further comprising charge payment means for paying the charge at a predetermined interval.

60. An image transmission system according to claim 58, wherein said accounting means is provided in the transmitting side.

61. An image transmission system according to claim 58, wherein said accounting means is provided in the receiving side.

62. An image transmission system according to claim 58, wherein said accounting means is provided both in the transmitting side and in the receiving side.

63. An image transmission system according to claim 58, wherein all the frames of said MPEG data are transmitted, and said accounting means is adapted to effect an accounting process according to the kind of frames decoded among said MPEG data.

64. An image transmission system according to claim 58, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

65. An image transmission system according to claim 58, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

67. An image transmission system for handling MPEG data, comprising:

a) accounting means for effecting an accounting process according to the kind of frames transmitted among said MPEG data;

b) information amount measuring means for measuring the amount of information of said transmitted frames; and

c) charge storage means for storing the charge for the image.

68. An image transmission system according to claim 67, further comprising charge payment means for paying the charge at a predetermined interval.

69. An image transmission system according to claim 68, wherein said accounting means is provided in the transmitting side.

70. An image transmission system according to claim 68, wherein said accounting means is provided in the receiving side.

71. An image transmission system according to claim 67, wherein said accounting means is provided both in the transmitting side and in the receiving side.

72. An image transmission system according to claim 67, wherein all the frames of said MPEG data are transmitted, and said accounting means is adapted to effect an accounting process according to the kind of frames decoded among said MPEG data.

73. An image transmission system according to claim 72, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

74. An image transmission system according to claim 67, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

75. An image transmission system according to claim 68, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

76. An image transmission system for handling MPEG data, comprising:

a) accounting means for effecting an accounting process according to the kind and the amount of information of the frames transmitted among said MPEG data; and

b) charge storage means for storing the charge for the image.

77. An image transmission system according to claim 76, further comprising charge payment means for paying the charge at a predetermined interval.

78. An image transmission system according to claim 76, wherein said accounting means is provided in the transmitting side.

79. An image transmission system according to claim 76, wherein said accounting means is provided in the receiving side.

80. An image transmission system according to claim 76, wherein said accounting means is provided both in the transmitting side and in the receiving side.

81. An image transmission system according to claim 76, wherein all the frames of said MPEG data are transmitted, and said accounting means is adapted to effect an accounting process according to the kind of frames decoded among said MPEG data.

82. An image transmission system according to claim 81, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

83. An image transmission system according to claim 76, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

84. An image transmission system according to claim 77, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

85. An image transmission system for handling MPEG data, comprising:

a) accounting means for effecting an accounting process according to the kind and the amount of information of the frames transmitted among said MPEG data;

b) information amount measuring means for measuring the amount of information of said transmitted frames; and

c) charge storage means for storing the charge for the image.

86. An image transmission system according to claim 85, further comprising charge payment means for paying the charge at a predetermined interval.

87. An image transmission system according to claim 85, wherein said accounting means is provided in the transmitting side.

88. An image transmission system according to claim 85, wherein said accounting means is provided in the receiving side.

89. An image transmission system according to claim 85, wherein said accounting means is provided both in the transmitting side and in the receiving side.

90. An image transmission system according to claim 85, wherein all the frames of said MPEG data are transmitted, and said accounting means is adapted to effect an accounting process according to the kind of frames decoded among said MPEG data.

91. An image transmission system according to claim 90, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

92. An image transmission system according to claim 85, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.

93. An image transmission system according to claim 86, further comprising cypher means for effecting at least encyphering or digital signature on said transmitted information.