Digital contents editing method and apparatus thereof

• US 6,704,907 B1
• Filed: 03/20/1998
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Inventors: Watanabe, Yasuhiko, Aoki, Masakatsu, Sonehara, Noboru, Tsutsuguchi, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bashore, William L.
• Application Number:
  US09/044,806
• Time in Patent Office: 2,181 Days
• Field of Search: 345/302, 345/328, 345/329, 345/331, 345/330, 345/442, 345/419, 709/205, 709/204, 707/203, 707/530, 386/52, 715/530
• US Class Current: 715/255
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A digital contents editing method performs an editing operation of digital contents with a plurality of computers connected via a network. A digital contents editing apparatus or server accumulates the initial data of the digital contents and the editing operation information which is digitized, and transfers the editing operation information to clients which are involved in the editing operation. Each client then performs an editing operation of the digital contents by creating the editing operation information, in which the editing operation of the digital contents is digitized, and communicates only the editing operation information to other clients via the server and the network.

Claims

1. A digital contents editing method which performs an editing operation of digital contents between a server, the server having a recording portion in addition to a processing portion, and a plurality of clients connected via a network, comprising:

a step of accumulating initial data of the digital contents and the editing operation information, the editing operations on said initial data of the digital contents is digitized at a client from the plurality of clients, in the recording portion of the server, and sending, under control of the processing portion of the server, said data and information to the clients which are involved in the editing operation; and

a step of having each client perform the editing operation of said digital contents by creating said editing operation information in which the editing operation of said digital contents is digitized and by communicating only said editing operation information to each other via the server and said network;

a step of having the server accumulate said editing operation information during each predetermined interval as accumulated information;

a step of having the server orderly select said editing operation information which is accumulated as said accumulated information in accordance with a selection rule, which is determined according to a condition of the network, for eliminating an imbalance generated among each of the clients with respect to the editing operation of the digital contents caused by differences in the quality of the network in between the server and each of the clients, after said predetermined interval elapses; and

a step of having the server orderly accumulate said selected editing operation information as history, and send said editing operation information to all of the clients.

2. A digital contents editing method processed by a server which performs an editing operation of digital contents by shared operation with a plurality of clients which are connected via a network, comprising:

a step of recording at least initial data of the digital contents and the editing operation information in which the editing operations on said initial data of the digital contents are digitized;

a step of sending information which is necessary for the starting of the editing of said digital contents to a client, according to a request from said client;

a step of orderly accumulating the editing operation information in a recording portion of the server by an operation information processing portion of the server, wherein the editing operation of said digital contents is digitally sent from a client as history; and

sending said editing operation information to the clients by the operation information processing portion of the server;

a step of accumulating said editing operation information during each predetermined interval as accumulated information;

a step of orderly selecting said editing operation information which is accumulated as said accumulated information in accordance with a selection rule, which is determined according to a condition of the network, for eliminating an imbalance generated among each of the clients with respect to the editing operation of the digital contents caused by differences in the quality of the network in between the server and each of the clients, after said predetermined interval elapses; and

a step of orderly accumulating said selected editing operation information as history, and sending said editing operation information to all of the clients.

3. A digital contents editing method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising, in the case where said editing operation information sent from said client is to be processed:

a step of obtaining the difference in the transfer speeds among each of the clients within said network;

in the case where said difference is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, a step of accumulating said editing operation information sent from a client during each predetermined interval as accumulated information, and after said predetermined interval elapses, orderly selecting the editing operation information which is accumulated as said accumulated information in accordance with said selection rule, orderly accumulating said selected editing operation information as history, and sending said editing operation information to all of the clients; and

in the case where said difference is less than said predetermined value, a step of orderly accumulating the editing operation information sent from a client as history, and sending said editing operation information to all of the clients.

4. A digital contents editing method processed by a client which performs an editing operation of digital contents by shared operation with a server of claim 2 which is connected via a network, comprising:

a step of obtaining from said server and recording the information which is necessary for the starting of the editing of the digital contents;

a step of digitizing the editing operation of the digital contents as an editing operation information, and sending said editing operation information to said server; and

a step of recording as necessary said editing operation information sent from said server.

5. A digital contents editing apparatus which performs an editing operation of digital contents by shared operation with a plurality of clients which are connected via a network, comprising:

a recording portion which accumulates at least initial data of the digital contents and the editing operation information in which the editing operations on said initial data of the digital contents are digitized;

a request processing portion which sends information which is necessary for the starting of the editing of said digital contents to a client, according to a request from said client;

an operation information processing portion which orderly accumulates the editing operation information in a recording portion and sends said editing operation information to the clients, wherein the editing operation of said digital contents is digitally sent from a client as history;

an operation information accumulating portion which accumulates the editing operation information sent from a client during each predetermined interval in said recording portion as accumulated information;

a selecting portion which orderly selects said editing operation information which is accumulated as said accumulated information in accordance with a selection rule, which is determined according to a condition of the network, for eliminating an imbalance generated among each of the clients with respect to the editing operation of the digital contents caused by differences in the quality of the network in between the server and each of the clients, after said predetermined interval elapses; and

wherein said operation information processing portion performs the processing of the editing operation information selected by said selecting portion.

6. A digital contents editing apparatus in accordance with claim 5, in which said operation information accumulating portion determines said predetermined interval based on the transfer speeds among the clients within said network.

7. A digital contents editing apparatus in accordance with claim 5, in which said operation information accumulating portion determines said predetermined interval based on the number of accessing clients.

8. A digital contents editing apparatus in accordance with claim 5, in which, when said editing operation information having attached the transmitting time information is sent from said client, said selecting portion orderly selects the editing operation information which is accumulated as said accumulated information in accordance with said selection rule based on transmitting times.

9. A digital contents editing apparatus in accordance with claim 5, in which, when said editing operation information having attached the client name information is sent from said client, said selecting portion orderly selects the editing operation information which is accumulated as said accumulated information in accordance with said selection rule based on client names.

10. A digital contents editing apparatus in accordance with claim 9, in which said selecting portion changes said selection rule based on client names after each predetermined time interval.

11. A digital contents editing apparatus in accordance with claim 9, in which said selection rule based on client names has the selection order determined by the time when a client opens a connection to the digital contents editing apparatus.

12. A digital contents editing apparatus in accordance with claim 9, in which said selection rule based on client names has the selection order determined by the editing process load of each client.

13. A digital contents editing apparatus in accordance with claim 5, further comprising an accumulation judging portion which has said operation information accumulating portion, said selecting portion, and said operation information processing portion process the editing operation information sent from a client, when the difference in the transfer speeds among the clients within said network is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, and which has said operation information processing portion process the editing operation information sent from a client in the order said information arrives at said operation information processing portion, when the difference in the transfer speeds among the clients within said network is less than said predetermined value.

14. A digital contents editing apparatus in accordance with claim 5, further comprising an accumulation judging portion which has said operation information accumulating portion, said selecting portion, and said operation information processing portion process the editing operation information sent form a client, when the transfer speed of a client within said network is less than or equal to a predetermined value, and which has said operation information processing portion process the editing operation information sent from a client in the order said information arrives at said operation information processing portion, when the transfer speed of a client within said network is greater than said predetermined value.

15. A client apparatus which performs an editing operation of digital contents by shared operation with a digital contents editing apparatus of claim 5 which is connected via a network, comprising:

a recording portion which accumulates the information which is necessary for the starting of the editing of the digital contents and the editing operation information in which the editing operation of said digital contents is digitized;

an initializing portion which obtains the information which is necessary for the starting of the editing of said digital contents from the digital contents editing apparatus, and which has said recording portion record said information;

an operation processing portion which digitizes the editing operation of the digital contents as an editing operation information, and which sends said editing operation information to the digital contents editing apparatus and an operation information obtaining portion which records as necessary said editing operation information sent from the digital contents editing apparatus.

16. A client apparatus in accordance with claim 15, in which said operation processing portion:

performs the process of orderly recording said editing operation information which is sent from said server as history; and

when an editing operation is performed on the history of the editing operation information which is recorded in said recording portion, the editing operation information of said history is sent to the digital contents editing apparatus as an editing operation information.

17. A client apparatus in accordance with claim 16, in which said operation processing portion judges whether or not the editing of said history is appropriate, and only when said editing is appropriate does said operation processing portion send said editing operation of said history to said server as an editing operation information.

18. A computer-readable recording medium which records a digital contents editing program for a client which performs an editing operation of digital contents by shared operation with a digital contents editing apparatus of claim 6 which is connected via a network, and which has a computer perform the processes of:

obtaining from the digital contents editing apparatus and record the information which is necessary for the starting of the editing of the digital contents;

digitizing the editing operation of the digital contents as an editing operation information, and send said editing operation information to the digital contents editing apparatus and

recording as necessary said editing operation information sent from the digital contents editing apparatus.

19. A digital contents editing apparatus in accordance with claim 5, in which said operation information processing portion generates contents data by performing an editing operation based on the editing operation information from said client, and further performs a process for recording said contents data in said recording portion;

and in which said request processing portion performs a comparison between the amount of data of said contents data and the sum of the amount of data of said initial data and said editing operation information, and has the one with the smaller amount of data be the information which is necessary for the starting of the editing of the digital contents.

20. A digital contents editing apparatus in accordance with claim 5, in which when a client sends an editing operation of the history of the editing operation information as an editing operation information, said operation information processing portion judges whether or not the editing operation of said history is appropriate, and if it is not appropriate, said operation information processing portion notifies said client of that fact and does not send said editing operation information to any of the clients.

21. A computer-readable recording medium which records a digital contents editing program for a server which performs an editing operation of digital contents by shared operation with a plurality of clients which are connected via a network, and which has a computer perform the processes of:

recording at least initial data of the digital contents and the editing operation information in which the editing operations on said initial data of the digital contents are digitized;

sending the information which is necessary for the starting of the editing of said digital contents to a client, according to a request from said client;

orderly accumulating the editing operation information, in which the editing operation of the digital contents, sent from a client, and sending said editing operation information to all of the clients;

accumulating said editing operation information during each predetermined interval as accumulated information;

orderly selecting said editing operation information which is accumulated as said accumulated information in accordance with a predetermined selection rule, which is determined according to a condition of the network, for eliminating an imbalance generated among each of the clients with respect to the editing operation of the digital contents caused by differences in the quality of the network in between the server and each of the clients, after said predetermined interval elapses; and

orderly accumulating said selected editing operation information as history, and sending said editing operation information to all of the clients.

22. A recording medium which records a digital contents editing program in accordance with claim 21, which, in the case where said editing operation information sent from said client is to be processed, performs the processes of:

obtaining the difference in the transfer speeds among each of the clients within said network;

in the case where said difference is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, accumulating said editing operation information sent from a client during each predetermined interval as accumulated information, and after said predetermined interval elapses, orderly selecting the editing operation information which is accumulated as said accumulated information in accordance with a selection rule, accumulating said selected editing operation information as history, and sending said editing operation information to all of the clients; and

in the case where said difference is less than said predetermined value, orderly accumulating the editing operation information sent from a client as history, and sending said editing operation information to all of the clients.