Tree-type broadcast system, method of participating and withdrawing tree-type broadcast system, node device, and node process program

• US 7,920,581 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yanagihara, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Moe; Aung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELLIOTT IV, BENJAMIN H
• Application Number:
  US12/078,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20080279206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/230.1, 370/236, 370/255, 370/256, 370/386, 370/408
• US Class Current: 370/408
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1854 with non-centralised forwarding system, e.g. chaincast

Abstract

A node device having a plural hierarchy levels in a tree-like shape while placing a broadcast device at a top of the levels and connecting the node devices through a communication means, wherein content data is sequentially transferred from the node device at an upper hierarchy level to that at a lower hierarchy level, including:

• • a control means for displaying a predetermined screen for a user; and
  • a means for carrying out a process of participating in the system when a broadcast information screen related to broadcast of the content data is displayed and for carrying out a process of withdrawing from the system when display is finished,
  • wherein when transiting to display in another screen, the participation and withdrawal control means carries out the withdrawal process on a condition that the broadcast information screen is not displayed again within a waiting time previously set up.

Claims

1. A node device in a tree-type broadcast system which is formed by participation of a plurality of node devices and comprises a plurality of hierarchy levels in a tree-like shape formed by the plurality of node devices while placing a broadcast device at a top of the hierarchy levels and connecting the plurality of node devices through a communication unit, wherein content data broadcasted by the broadcast device is sequentially transferred from a node device at an upper hierarchy level to a node device at a lower hierarchy level, wherein the content data is broadcasted through the plurality of node devices participating in the tree-type broadcast system, wherein the tree-type broadcast system is an overlay network formed by participation of all or part of the plurality of node devices which are connected to each other via the communication unit, the node device comprising:

a display control unit configured to control display to display a predetermined screen; and

a participation and withdrawal control unit configured to carry out a participation process of participating in the tree-type broadcast system when a broadcast information screen related to broadcast of the content data is displayed with the display control unit and to carry out a withdrawal process of withdrawing from the tree-type broadcast system when display of the broadcast information screen is finished with the display control unit, or when a transition of display to another screen occurs with the display control unit,

wherein in a case where the display of the broadcast information screen is finished with the display control unit or the transition of display to another screen occurs with the display control unit, the participation and withdrawal control unit continues the participation process of participating in the tree-type broadcast system when the display of the broadcast information screen is finished within a waiting time previously set up or the transition of display to another screen occurs within the waiting time previously set up, and carries out the withdrawal process on a condition that the broadcast information screen is not displayed again with the display control unit within the waiting time previously set up.

2. The node device according to claim 1,

wherein the waiting time is set up in response to content of information, provided by the another screen thus transited.

3. The node device according to claim 1,

wherein the waiting time is set up based on a past display time of the another screen thus transited.

4. The node device according to claim 1,

wherein the waiting time is set up in response to hierarchy levels of an own node device in the tree-type broadcast system.

5. The node device according to claim 1,

wherein the waiting time is set up in response to a number of node devices in the lower hierarchy level, the node devices being connected to an own node device in the tree-type broadcast system.

6. The node device according to claim 1,

wherein the display control unit acquires a web page from a predetermined server connected to a network based on URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the web page constituting the screen and displays the screen.

7. The node device according to claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a determining unit that determines the waiting time in accordance with content in the broadcast information screen to which the transition of display occurs with the display control unit.

8. The node device according to claim 7, wherein in case where content in the broadcast information screen to which the transition of display occurs with the display control unit relates to shopping, the determining unit determines that the waiting time is longer than that in case where the content are different from shopping.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a computer-executable program for a node device in a tree-type broadcast system which is formed by participation of a plurality of node devices and comprises a plurality of hierarchy levels in a tree-like shape formed by the plurality of node devices while placing a broadcast device at a top of the hierarchy levels and connecting the plurality of node devices through a communication unit, wherein content data broadcasted by the broadcast device is sequentially transferred from a node device at an upper hierarchy level to a node device at a lower hierarchy level, wherein the content data is broadcasted through the plurality of node devices participating in the tree-type broadcast system, wherein the tree-type broadcast system is an overlay network formed by participation of all or part of the plurality of node devices which are connected to each other via the communication unit,

the program comprising the instructions for:

controlling display to display a predetermined screen with the node device in the tree-type broadcast system; and

carrying out a participation process of participating in the tree-type broadcast system when a broadcast information screen related to broadcast of the content data is displayed with a display control unit and carrying out a withdrawal process of withdrawing from the tree-type broadcast system when display of the broadcast information screen is finished with the display control unit, or when a transition of display to another screen occurs with the display control unit,

wherein in a case where the display of the broadcast information screen is finished with the display control unit or the transition of display to another screen occurs with the display control unit, the participation and withdrawal control unit continues the participation process of participating in the tree-type broadcast system when the display of the broadcast information screen is finished within a waiting time previously set up or the transition of display to another screen occurs within the waiting time previously set up, and carries out the withdrawal process on a condition that the broadcast information screen is not displayed again with the display control unit within the waiting time previously set up.

10. A tree-type broadcast system which is formed by participation of a plurality of node devices and comprises a plurality of hierarchy levels in a tree-like shape formed by the plurality of node devices while placing a broadcast device at a top of the hierarchy levels and connecting the plurality of node devices through a communication unit, wherein content data broadcasted by the broadcast device is sequentially transferred from a node device at an upper hierarchy level to a node device at a lower hierarchy level,

wherein the content data is broadcasted through the plurality of node devices participating in the tree-type broadcast system, wherein the tree-type broadcast system is an overlay network formed by participation of all or part of the plurality of node devices which are connected to each other via the communication unit, the node device comprising:

a display control unit configured to control display to display a predetermined screen; and

a participation and withdrawal control unit configured to carry out a participation process of participating in the tree-type broadcast system when a broadcast information screen related to broadcast of the content data is displayed with the display control unit and to carry out a withdrawal process of withdrawing from the tree-type broadcast system when display of the broadcast information screen is finished with the display control unit, or when a transition of display to another screen occurs with the display control unit,

wherein in a case where the display of the broadcast information screen is finished with the display control unit or the transition of display to another screen occurs with the display control unit, the participation and withdrawal control unit continues the participation process of participating in the tree-type broadcast system when the display of the broadcast information screen is finished within a waiting time previously set up or the transition of display to another screen occurs within the waiting time previously set up, and carries out the withdrawal process on a condition that the broadcast information screen is not displayed again with the display control unit within the waiting time previously set up.

11. A method of participating in and withdrawing from a tree-type broadcast system which is formed by participation of a plurality of node devices and comprises a plurality of hierarchy levels in a tree-like shape formed by the plurality of node devices while placing a broadcast device at a top of the hierarchy levels and connecting the plurality of node devices through a communication unit, wherein content data broadcasted by the broadcast device is sequentially transferred from a node device at an upper hierarchy level to a node device at a lower hierarchy level, wherein the content data is broadcasted through the plurality of node devices participating in the tree-type broadcast system, wherein the tree-type broadcast system is an overlay network formed by participation of all or part of the plurality of node devices which are connected to each other via the communication unit,

the method comprising the steps of:

controlling display to display a predetermined screen, with the node device in the tree type broadcast system; and

carrying out a participation process of participating in the tree-type broadcast system when a broadcast information screen related to broadcast of the content data is displayed with a display control unit and carrying out a withdrawal process of withdrawing from the tree-type broadcast system when display of the broadcast information screen is finished with the display control unit, or when a transition of display to another screen occurs with the display control unit,

wherein in a case where the display of the broadcast information screen is finished with the display control unit or the transition of display to another screen occurs with the display control unit, continuing the participation process of participating in the tree-type broadcast system when the display of the broadcast information screen is finished within a waiting time previously set up or the transition of display to another screen occurs within the waiting time previously set up, and

carrying out the withdrawal process on a condition that the broadcast information screen is not displayed again with the display control unit within the waiting time previously set up.