Contents distribution method, contents information processing device, and computer product

• US 7,281,054 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.), Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Takayuki, Minakuchi, Yu, Moride, Shigeki, Matsuzaki, Yuji, Ishioka, Taisuke, Nishide, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit; Bunjob
• Assistant Examiner(s): LESNIEWSKI, VICTOR D
• Application Number:
  US10/095,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20030023757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,037 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-203, 709217-219, 709/231, 709/232
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• 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 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26603 for automatically generating descriptors from content, e.g. when it is not made available by its provider, using content analysis techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A system of the present invention is structured based on a connection between an information distributing unit that processes distributed contents information and a client unit of a user via a network such that they can communicate with each other. The contents information selected based on profile information of the user is transmitted from the information distributing unit to the client unit. The system makes the user input evaluation information relating to the evaluation of the transmitted contents information. The contents information to be distributed to the user is changed based on the input evaluation information.

Claims

1. A contents distribution method that is executed by using a contents information management system that is structured based on a connection between a contents information processing device that processes distributed contents information and an information terminal unit of a user via a network such that they can communicate with each other, the contents distribution method comprising:

transmitting the contents information selected based on profile information of the user, from the contents information processing device to the information terminal unit;

making the user input evaluation information relating to the evaluation of the contents information that has been transmitted, in the information terminal unit;

changing the contents information to be distributed to the information terminal unit of the user, based on the evaluation information that has been inputted;

storing category information relating to the category of the video block;

storing weight information of the category information of the video block where the weight information is a range of at least three weight points; and

whether the video block is to be transmitted to the information terminal unit of the user or not, based on the weight information that has been stored; and

wherein the storing category information further comprises;

determining the category information based on at least one of scenario data relating to the scenario of the contents information, video data, and sound data; and

wherein the category information is weighted automatically in proportion to the prominence of an actor or actress in the scenario, the prominence of the actor comprising the area of ratio of an actor on screen, the actor'"'"'s position on the screen and the actor'"'"'s sound volume.

2. The contents distribution method according to claim 1, further comprising:

changing step of changing the profile information of the user based on the evaluation information.

3. The contents distribution method according to claim 1, wherein the category information is classified into a hierarchy of two or more layers, and when the weight information of the category information of a lower order has been changed, the weight information of the category information of a higher order is also changed.

4. The contents distribution method according to claim 1, wherein

the contents information includes at least one object,

the category information and the weight information are set for each object, and

the making the user input evaluation information makes the user input the evaluation information relating to the evaluation of the object of the contents information that has been transmitted.

5. A contents information processing device that is connected to an information terminal unit of a user via a network, and that processes contents information that is distributed to the information terminal unit, the contents information processing device comprising:

a contents information transmitting unit that transmits the contents information selected based on profile information of the user, to the information terminal unit;

an evaluation information receiving unit that receives from the information terminal unit, evaluation information relating to the user evaluation of the contents information that has been transmitted by the contents information transmitting unit;

a contents information changing unit that changes the contents information to be distributed to the information terminal unit of the user, based on the evaluation information that has been received by the evaluation information receiving unit;

a category information storing unit that stores category information relating to the category of the video block;

a weight information storing unit that stores weight information of the category information of the video block where the weight information is a range of at least three weight points; and

a transmission decision unit that decides whether the video block is to be transmitted to the information terminal unit of the user or not, based on the weight information that has been stored by the weight information storing unit;

wherein the category information storing unit comprises;

a category information determination unit that determines the category information based on at least one of scenario data relating to the scenario of the contents information, video data, and sound data; and

wherein the category information is weighted automatically in proportion to the prominence of an actor or actress in the scenario, the prominence of the actor comprising the area of ratio of an actor on screen, the actor'"'"'s position on the screen and the actor'"'"'s sound volume.

6. The contents information processing device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a user profile information changing unit that changes the profile information of the user based on the evaluation information.

7. The contents information processing device according to claim 5, wherein the category information is classified into a hierarchy of two or more layers, and when the weight information of the category information of a lower order has been changed, the weight information of the category information of a higher order is also changed.

8. The contents information processing device according to claim 5, wherein

the contents information includes at least one object,

the category information and the weight information are set for each object, and

the evaluation information input unit makes the user input the evaluation information relating to the evaluation of the object of the contents information that has been transmitted by the contents information transmission unit.

9. A computer-readable physical recording medium that stores therein a computer program that makes a contents information processing device execute a contents information processing method, the contents information processing device being connected to an information terminal unit of a user via a network and processing contents information that is distributed to the information terminal unit, the computer-readable physical recording medium that stores therein the computer program making a computer execute:

transmitting the contents information selected based on profile information of the user, to the information terminal unit;

receiving from the information terminal unit, evaluation information relating to the user evaluation of the contents information that has been transmitted; and

changing the contents information to be distributed to the information terminal unit of the user, based on the evaluation information that has been received;

storing category information relating to the category of the video block;

storing weight information of the category information of the video block where the weight information is a range of at least three weight points; and

deciding whether the video block is to be transmitted to the information terminal unit of the user or not, based on the weight information that has been stored,

wherein the storing category information further comprises;

determining the category information based on at least one of scenario data relating to the scenario of the contents information, video data, and sound data; and

wherein the category information is weighted automatically in proportion to the prominence of an actor or actress in the scenario, the prominence of the actor comprising the area of ratio of an actor on screen, the actor'"'"'s position on the screen and the actor'"'"'s sound volume.

10. The computer-readable physical recording medium according to claim 9, further making the computer execute changing the profile information of the user based on the evaluation information.

11. The computer-readable physical recording medium according to claim 9 wherein the category information is classified into a hierarchy of two or more layers, and when the weight information of the category information of a lower order has been changed, the weight information of the category information of a higher order is also changed.

12. The computer-readable physical recording medium according to claim 9, wherein

the contents information includes at least one object,

the category information and the weight information are set for each object, and

the receiving from the information terminal unit makes the user input the evaluation information relating to the evaluation of the object of the contents information that has been transmitted at the transmitting the contents information.

13. A contents distribution method that is executed by using a contents information management system that is structured based on a connection between a contents information processing device that processes distributed contents information and an information terminal unit of a user via a network such that they can communicate with each other, the contents distribution method comprising:

a contents information transmission of transmitting the contents information selected based on profile information of the user, from the contents information processing device to the information terminal unit;

an evaluation information input step of making the user input evaluation information relating to the evaluation of the contents information that has been transmitted at the contents information transmission step, in the information terminal unit;

a contents information changing step of changing the contents information to be distributed to the information terminal unit of the user, based on the evaluation information that has been input at the evaluation information input step;

a category information storing step of storing category information relating to the category of the video block;

a weight information storing step of storing weight information of the category information of the video block; and

a transmission decision step of deciding whether the video block is to be transmitted to the information terminal unit of the user or not, based on the weight information that has been stored at the weight information storing step; and

wherein the category information storing step comprises a category information determination step that determines the category information based on at least one of scenario data relating to the scenario of the contents information, video data, and sound data;

wherein the category information is weighted automatically in proportion to the prominence of an actor or actress in the scenario; and

wherein said prominence is related to a role of an actor or actress, a classification of a scene, a ratio of an area on a screen, and a sound volume.

14. A contents information processing device that is connected to an information terminal unit of a user via a network, and that processes contents information that is distributed to the information terminal unit, the contents information processing device comprising:

a contents information transmitting unit that transmits the contents information selected based on profile information of the user, to the information terminal unit;

an evaluation information receiving unit that receives from the information terminal unit, evaluation information relating to the user evaluation of the contents information that has been transmitted by the contents information transmitting unit;

a contents information changing unit that changes the contents information to be distributed to the information terminal unit of the user, based on the evaluation information that has been received by the evaluation information receiving unit;

a category information storing unit that stores category information relating to the category of the video block;

a weight information storing unit that stores weight information of the category information of the video block; and

a transmission decision unit that decides whether the video block is to be transmitted to the information terminal unit of the user or not, based on the weight information that has been stored by the weight information storing unit;

wherein the category information storing unit comprises;

a category information determination unit that determines the category information based on at least one of scenario data relating to the scenario of the contents information, video data, and sound data;

wherein the category information is weighted automatically in proportion to the prominence of an actor or actress in the scenario; and

wherein said prominence is related to a role of an actor or actress, a classification of a scene, a ratio of an area on a screen, and a sound volume.

15. A computer-readable physical recording medium that stores therein a computer program that makes a contents information processing device execute a contents information processing method, the contents information processing device being connected to an information terminal unit of a user via a network and processing contents information that is distributed to the information terminal unit, the computer-readable physical recording medium that stores therein the computer program making a computer execute:

a contents information transmission step of transmitting the contents information selected based on profile information of the user, to the information terminal unit;

an evaluation information receiving step of receiving from the information terminal unit, evaluation information relating to the user evaluation of the contents information that has been transmitted at the contents information transmission step; and

a contents information changing step of changing the contents information to be distributed to the information terminal unit of the user, based on the evaluation information that has been received at the evaluation information receiving step;

a category information storing step of storing category information relating to the category of the video block;

a weight information storing step of storing weight information of the category information of the video block; and

a transmission decision step of deciding whether the video block is to be transmitted to the information terminal unit of the user or not, based on the weight information that has been stored at the weight information storing step,

wherein the category information storing step comprises a category information determination step that determines the category information based on at least one of scenario data relating to the scenario of the contents information, video data, and sound data;

wherein the category information is weighted automatically in proportion to the prominence of an actor or actress in the scenario; and

wherein said prominence is related to a role of an actor or actress, a classification of a scene, a ratio of an area on a screen, and a sound volume.