Information distribution apparatus, information distribution method, and computer readable recording medium on which information distribution program is recorded

• US 6,633,911 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2000
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Matsuzaki, Yuji, Nishide, Atsushi, Osawa, Mitsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit, Bunjob
• Application Number:
  US09/519,694
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200, 348/586, 709/224, 709/203, 709/200, 709/214, 709/223, 709/226, 709/202, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

An information distribution apparatus generates streaming packets, that contain information which can be reproduced in real time, to be distributed to a plurality of receiving apparatuses. A distribution control unit inquires the receiving apparatuses, before starting the distribution, to decide whether they would like to accept the streaming packets. An accumulation control unit receives the replies from the receiving apparatuses and accumulates the number of replies. The distribution control unit starts or stops the distribution of the information on the basis of the number of replies accumulated in the accumulation control unit.

Claims

1. An information distribution apparatus that distributes information to an externally provided plurality of receiving apparatuses which are capable of reproducing the information in real time, the information distribution apparatus comprising:

an inquiry unit that inquires each of the plurality of receiving apparatuses as to whether the receiving apparatus accepts the information or not;

an accumulation unit that receives a reply from each of the receiving apparatuses regarding the inquiry and accumulates all replies;

an informing unit that displays the number of replies accumulated in the accumulation unit;

a selection unit capable of selecting start or stop of the distribution of the information, a distribution control unit that starts or stops the distribution of information on the basis of the number of replies accumulated in the accumulation unit, wherein the start of the distribution is decided based on the number of affirmative replies within the accumulated replies and wherein the distribution control unit starts or stops the distribution of the information based on the selection by said selection unit.

2. The information distributing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising;

a comparison unit that compares the number of affirmative replies from the corresponding receiving apparatuses with a predetermined threshold,

wherein the distribution control unit starts the distribution of the information when the comparison by the comparison unit shows that the number of the affirmative replies exceeds the predetermined threshold.

3. The information distributing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising;

a comparison unit which compares the number of negative replies from the corresponding receiving apparatuses with a predetermined threshold,

wherein the distribution control unit stops the distribution of the information when the comparison by the comparison unit shows that the number of the negative replies exceeds the predetermined threshold.

4. The information distributing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising;

a timer that counts a waiting time which is the elapsed time from when the inquiry is made to the receiving apparatuses;

a first comparison unit that compares the waiting time counted by the timer with a predetermined waiting time; and

a second comparison unit that compares the number of affirmative replies from the corresponding receiving apparatuses with a predetermined threshold,

wherein the distribution control unit stops distribution of the information when the comparison by the first comparison unit shows that the waiting time exceeds the predetermined waiting time and the comparison by the second comparison unit shows that the number of the affirmative replies from the corresponding receiving apparatuses is less than the predetermined threshold.

5. The information distributing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising;

a comparison unit that compares the number of affirmative replies from the corresponding receiving apparatuses with a predetermined threshold,

wherein the distribution control unit starts distribution of the information when the comparison by said comparison unit shows that the number of the affirmative replies from the corresponding receiving apparatuses exceeds the predetermined threshold.

6. The information distributing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising;

a comparison unit that compares the number of negative replies from the corresponding receiving apparatuses with a predetermined threshold,

wherein the distribution control unit stops the distribution of the information when the comparison by the comparison unit shows that the number of the negative replies from the corresponding receiving apparatuses exceeds the predetermined threshold.

7. The information distributing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising;

a timer that counts a waiting time which is the elapsed time from when the inquiry is made to the receiving apparatuses;

a first comparison unit that compares the waiting time counted by the timer with a predetermined waiting time; and

a second comparison unit that compares the number of affirmative replies from the corresponding receiving apparatuses with a predetermined threshold,

wherein the distribution control unit stops distribution of the information when the comparison by the first comparison unit shows that the waiting time exceeds the predetermined waiting time and the comparison by the second comparison unit shows that the number of the affirmative replies from the corresponding receiving apparatuses is less than the predetermined threshold.

8. An information distribution apparatus that distributes information to an externally provided plurality of receiving apparatuses which are capable of reproducing the information in real time, the information distribution apparatus comprising:

an inquiry unit that inquires each of the plurality of receiving apparatuses as to whether the receiving apparatus is in a position to accept the information or not;

an accumulation unit that receives a reply from each of the receiving apparatuses regarding the inquiry and accumulates all replies; and

a distribution control unit that starts or stops the distribution of information on the basis of the number of replies accumulated in the accumulation unit wherein the distribution unit refrains from the distribution when the number of affirmative replies is less than a predetermined threshold.

9. An information distribution method of distributing an information to externally provided plurality of receiving apparatuses which is capable of reproducing the information in real time, the information distribution method comprising the steps of:

inquiring each of the receiving apparatuses as to whether the receiving apparatus accepts the information or not;

receiving a reply from each of the receiving apparatuses regarding the inquiry made in the inquiring step and accumulating all the replies;

judging whether the number of affirmative answers in the replies exceeds a predetermined threshold or not;

refraining from the distribution of the information when the number of the affirmative answers does not exceed the predetermined threshold; and

starting the distribution of the information when the number of the affirmative answers exceeds the predetermined threshold.

10. A computer readable recording medium that contains a computer program to perform an information distribution to externally provided plurality of receiving apparatuses, wherein the information is capable of being reproduced in real time at the receiving apparatuses, and the computer program includes the steps of:

inquiring to each of the receiving apparatuses as to whether the receiving apparatus accepts the information or not;

receiving a reply from each of the receiving apparatuses regarding the inquiry made in the inquiring step and accumulating all the replies;

judging whether the number of affirmative answers in the replies exceeds a predetermined threshold or not;

refraining form the distribution of the information when the number of the affirmative answers does not exceed the predetermined threshold; and

starting the distribution of the information when the number of the affirmative answers exceeds the predetermined threshold.

11. A computer readable recording medium that contains a computer program to perform an information distribution to externally provided plurality of receiving apparatuses, wherein the information is capable of being reproduced in real time at the receiving apparatuses and the computer program includes the steps of:

inquiring to each of the receiving apparatuses as to whether the receiving apparatus accepts the information or not;

receiving a reply from each of the receiving apparatuses regarding the inquiry made in the inquiring step and accumulating all the replies;

visually displaying the number of replies accumulated in the accumulation step;

judging whether the number of affirmative answers in the replies exceeds a predetermined threshold or not;

selecting start or stop of the distribution of the information using a signal from a switch on the basis of the information in the displaying step;

refraining from the distribution of the information when the stop is selected in the selecting step; and

starting the distribution of the information when the start is selected in the selecting step.