JP2009044528A - Content switching apparatus, content switching method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a content switching apparatus, content switching method and program capable of switching contents in timing which is preset but corresponds to a view situation. <P>SOLUTION: When a buffer capacity of a buffer section 101 is decreased less than or equally to a predetermined value, a content switching apparatus 1 of the present invention refers to switching position information to judge an optimal data position to stop playback from buffered remaining content data and can switch to playback of commercial data after reading and playing back content data corresponding to the data position. After the buffer capacity of the content data is increased equally to or more than a predetermined value while playing back the commercial data, the content switching apparatus 1 can switch to playback of the content data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for switching and reproducing a plurality of content data.

  By acquiring and reproducing content data in a streaming format via a network for various contents such as movies, the user can enjoy various contents while at home. Such content distribution was often enjoyed by paying a price to the content distributor, but like a normal TV broadcast, the content distributor can obtain advertising revenue by providing commercials at the same time. It has been possible to reduce the financial burden on users.

When the content is a movie, a commercial video is inserted in the middle of the content, and an advertisement effect is obtained by switching between the movie and the commercial. However, in order to provide a commercial that matches the user's preference in order to obtain an advertising effect that is more efficient than that of television broadcasting, it is necessary to prepare content data according to the user of the content distribution destination. Data management was difficult. In order to perform this easily, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, commercial video content data is provided from another device, and movie content data and commercial video content data are switched according to a predetermined schedule and played back. Techniques to do this are disclosed.
JP 2004-364001 A

  However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the movie content data and the commercial video content data are switched according to a predetermined schedule, the viewing schedule is in accordance with the predetermined schedule. The content data is switched.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and provides a content switching device, a content switching method, and a program capable of switching content at a timing according to a viewing situation while being a preset timing. For the purpose.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention relates to receiving means for receiving first content data to be distributed in streaming, and specific data among the first content data corresponding to the first content data. Position information acquisition means for acquiring a position information sequence including a plurality of position information indicating positions, storage means for buffering first content data received by the reception means, and data acquisition means for acquiring second content data Output means for outputting a switching signal at a predetermined timing; and the storage means among position information included in the position information sequence obtained by the position information obtaining means after the timing at which the switching signal is outputted from the output means. Specifying means for specifying position information corresponding to the first content data buffered in the memory, and the storage means The first content data is read and reproduced, and when the reproduction position reaches a position corresponding to the position information specified by the specifying means, the reproduction is stopped and the second data acquired by the data acquisition means The content switching device is provided with a reproducing means for reproducing the content data.

  In another preferable aspect, the position information sequence is provided with a priority corresponding to each position information, and the specifying means acquires the position information after the timing when the switching signal is output from the output means. Among the position information included in the position information sequence acquired by the means, the position information corresponding to the first content data buffered in the storage means and having the highest priority may be specified. .

  Further, in another preferred aspect, the apparatus further comprises detection means for detecting a buffer amount of the storage means, and the output means is during the reproduction of the first content data by the reproduction means. The switching signal may be output at a timing when the buffer amount detected by the means decreases to a predetermined value or less.

  Further, in another preferred aspect, the reproduction means sets the reproduction position to the position when the buffer amount detected by the detection means increases to a predetermined amount or more before stopping the reproduction of the first content data. Even when the position corresponds to the position information specified by the specifying means, the reproduction of the first content data may be continued.

  In another preferred aspect, the second storage means for buffering the second content data, the second detection means for detecting the buffer amount of the second storage means, and the acquisition signal for outputting the acquisition signal at a predetermined timing Signal output means, wherein the data acquisition means acquires the second content data to be streamed after the timing when the acquisition signal is output from the acquisition signal output means, and the output means The switching signal may be output at a timing when the buffer amount detected by the second detection means increases to a predetermined value or more.

  In another preferred embodiment, the reproducing means is during the reproduction of the second content data, and after the timing when the buffer amount of the storage means detected by the detecting means is increased to a predetermined value or more. The reproduction of the second content data may be stopped, and the first content data may be read from the first storage unit and reproduced.

  Further, the present invention relates to a reception process for receiving first content data to be distributed in streaming, and position information indicating a specific data position in the first content data corresponding to the first content data. A position information acquisition process for acquiring a plurality of position information sequences, a storage process for buffering the first content data received in the reception process in a storage means, a data acquisition process for acquiring second content data, and a predetermined process The output process of outputting the switching signal at the timing and the position information included in the position information sequence acquired by the position information acquisition process after the timing at which the switching signal is output by the output process are buffered in the storage means. A specifying step of specifying position information corresponding to the first content data, and the storage means The first content data is read and reproduced, and when the reproduction position reaches a position corresponding to the position information identified by the identification process, the reproduction is stopped and the second content data acquired in the data acquisition process is obtained. A content switching method comprising: a playback process for playing back the content data.

  The present invention also relates to a reception function for receiving first content data that is stream-distributed to a computer having storage means, and to the first content data. A position information acquisition function for acquiring a position information sequence including a plurality of position information indicating the data position, a storage function for buffering the first content data received by the reception function in a storage means, and acquiring second content data Among the position information included in the position information sequence acquired by the position information acquisition function after the timing at which the data acquisition function, the output function for outputting the switching signal at a predetermined timing, and the timing at which the switching signal is output by the output function , Position information corresponding to the first content data buffered in the storage means A specific function to be determined and the first content data is read from the storage means and played back, and when the playback position reaches a position corresponding to the position information specified by the specific function, the playback is stopped. A program for realizing a playback function for playing back the second content data acquired in the data acquisition function is provided.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a content switching device, a content switching method, and a program capable of switching content at a timing according to a viewing situation while being a preset timing.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

<Embodiment>
A content switching device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected to content distribution servers 2 and 3 via a network 100 as shown in FIG. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the connection between the content switching device 1 and the content distribution servers 2 and 3.

  The content distribution server 2 distributes data necessary for viewing various contents (movies in the present embodiment), for example, content data (first content data) that is video data and audio data in a streaming format, This is a server that distributes switching position information (position information string) (details will be described later) corresponding to content data to be distributed. The content distribution server 3 is a server that distributes data necessary for viewing various commercials, for example, commercial data (second content data) that is video data and audio data. The content switching device 1 has a function of receiving content data, switching position information, and commercial data, switching and reproducing these data at appropriate timing, and allowing the user to view various contents and various commercials. .

  Hereinafter, the hardware configuration of the content switching device 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the content switching device 1 according to this embodiment of the present invention.

  A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11 reads out a program stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, loads it into a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, and executes it, so that each part of the data reproducing apparatus 1 is Control is performed via the bus 10. The RAM 13 functions as a work area when the CPU 11 processes each data stored.

  The storage unit 14 is a large-capacity storage unit such as a hard disk, for example, and stores switching position information and commercial data received by the communication unit 18 described later.

  The operation unit 15 is, for example, a keyboard or a mouse. When the user operates the operation unit 15, data representing the operation content is output to the CPU 11.

  The display unit 16 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display that displays video on a screen, and performs display based on input video data. Further, various screens such as a menu screen for operating the content switching device 1 are displayed.

  The audio output unit 17 has sound emission means such as a speaker, and emits sound based on input audio data.

  The communication unit 18 is a communication unit that transmits / receives various data to / from the content distribution servers 2 and 3 via the network 100 by wire, wireless, or the like. In addition to receiving information, commercial data is received from the content distribution server 3. The switching position information is received before the content data is received and stored in the storage unit 14. Further, the commercial data is received before the content data is received or in parallel with the reception of the content data, and is stored in the storage unit 14.

  As described above, the content data is data for viewing a movie as content. Each data part of the content data is given a time code indicating the reproduction timing of the data. This time code is described in a format such as 01: 23: 45: 10, and the data to which this time code is attached is at the timing of 1 hour 23 minutes 45 seconds 10 frames after the content data is reproduced. It means to be played.

  The switching position information corresponds to the received content data, and indicates an appropriate location for interrupting viewing of the movie, such as switching of a scene in the movie, when the content related to the content data is reproduced and the movie is viewed. Information and information indicating the priority indicating how appropriate the interruption is for each location. Specifically, the information indicating an appropriate location as the location where the movie viewing is interrupted is information (location information) indicating a specific data position in the corresponding content data, and the time attached to the content data. Identified by code. The information indicating the priority is set so that the priority is set from “1” to “3” corresponding to each data position, “1” indicates the highest priority, and “3” indicates the lowest priority. Indicates. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a part of the switching position information received in the present embodiment. Here, for example, at the data position 00: 31: 30: 24, the priority is “1”, and even if the viewing of the movie is interrupted at this data position, the scene changes greatly. It shows that it becomes an interruption at an appropriate position.

  As described above, the commercial data is data for viewing various commercials. The commercial is inserted during the playback of the movie, and the user views the commercial at some time during the movie viewing. The commercial data is stored in the storage unit 14 as commercial data CM1, commercial data CM2,... In the order received by the communication unit 18.

  Next, a content data switching function realized by the CPU 11 executing a program stored in the ROM 12 will be described. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a software configuration showing the functions realized by the CPU 11.

  The buffer unit (storage unit) 101 is, for example, a ring buffer, and has a function of buffering content data received by the communication unit 18 until the content data is read by the reproduction unit 105.

  The buffer amount detection unit (detection unit) 102 has a function of detecting the buffer amount of content data buffered in the buffer unit 101.

  The switching signal output unit (output unit) 103 monitors the buffer amount detected by the buffer amount detection unit 102 and outputs various signals based on the change in the buffer amount. Specifically, the switching signal output unit 103 determines whether or not a playback unit 105 (to be described later) is playing back content data, and when the content data is played back, the buffer amount is a predetermined value (hereinafter referred to as L1). A switching signal is output to the switching position specifying unit 104 at the timing reduced below. In the present embodiment, when data corresponding to the buffer amount L1 is reproduced, the buffer amount is set so that data can be reproduced for one minute.

  Further, the switching signal output unit 103 determines whether or not the reproduction unit 105 described later reproduces the content data. When the content data is not reproduced, that is, when the commercial data is reproduced, the buffer amount Is output to the reproduction unit 105 at a timing when the value increases to a predetermined value equal to or greater than L1 (hereinafter referred to as L2). As for the switching signal and the return signal, it is only necessary to be able to specify the output timing. Therefore, a pulse signal may be output at the timing, or a signal indicating that the step is switched at the timing as a signal indicating a step function. It may be any signal.

  When the switching signal is output from the switching signal output unit 103, the switching position specifying unit (specifying unit) 104 stores the time code attached to the content data buffered in the buffer unit 101 and the storage unit 14. The data position indicated by the switching position information is compared. And the data position corresponding to the data position which switching position information shows among the content data buffered by the buffer part 101 is specified. Information indicating the data position having the highest priority among the specified data positions is output to the reproducing unit 105 as specific position information.

  The playback unit (playback unit) 105 has a function of switching between content data and commercial data for playback. Specifically, the switching is performed as follows. The reproduction unit 105 generates a read clock that defines the read timing of the content data, refers to the time code attached to the content data, and reads the content data buffered in the buffer unit 101 based on the read clock. When the specific position information output from the switching position specifying unit 104 is input, the reproduction unit 105 reads the content data corresponding to the data position indicated by the specific position information from the read content data. The reproduction of the content data is stopped by stopping the read clock, and the commercial data stored in the storage unit 14 is read and reproduced. At this time, when a plurality of commercial data is stored in the storage unit 14, for example, when commercial data CM 1, CM 2, and CM 3 are stored, any one of them is randomly selected. And play. Until the return signal output from the switching signal output unit 103 is input to the playback unit 105, even if the playback of the selected commercial data is completed, another commercial data is played back.

  Next, when the restoration signal output from the switching signal output unit 103 is input, the reproduction unit 105 resumes the read clock at the timing when the commercial data reproduced at that timing is reproduced to the end. The content data is read out from the data position where the reproduction is stopped and reproduced. In this way, the playback unit 105 plays back by switching between content data and commercial data. Then, when reproducing the content data and the commercial data, the reproducing unit 105 generates video data indicating these videos and audio data indicating the audio, and outputs them to the display unit 16 and the audio output unit 17, respectively. As a result, the user views the commercial while viewing the movie.

  Next, the operation when the content switching device 1 switches and plays back from content data to commercial data and from commercial data to content data will be specifically described with reference to FIG. 5A shows the contents of the data reproduced and output by the reproduction unit 105, FIG. 5B shows the buffer amount detected by the buffer amount detection unit 102, and FIG. 5C shows the content data read status. It is explanatory drawing which shows. In each figure, the horizontal axis direction indicates the progress of time. The vertical axis in FIG. 5B indicates the buffer amount detected by the buffer amount detector 102. The vertical axis in FIG. 5C indicates the time code corresponding to the content data read at a certain time.

  First, the reproduction unit 105 reproduces content data, and a user is watching a movie. When the communication speed between the communication unit 18 and the content distribution server 2 decreases, the amount of data received by the communication unit 18 via the network becomes smaller than the amount of data read from the buffer unit 101. The buffer amount decreases. The switching signal output unit 103 outputs a switching signal to the switching position specifying unit 104 at a timing when the buffer amount detected by the buffer amount detecting unit 102 decreases to L1 or less. It is assumed that the time code of the content data read to the reproduction unit 105 at this time is 00: 30: 40: 10.

  When the switching signal is inputted, the switching position specifying unit 104 checks the time code attached to the content data buffered in the buffer unit 101. At this time, the buffer amount remaining in the buffer unit 101 is the buffer amount L1, but since this is data corresponding to one minute of reproduction of the content data, the switching position specifying unit 104 has a time code of 00:30. It can be confirmed that data from: 40: 11 to 00: 31: 40: 10 is buffered. Then, the switching position specifying unit 104 refers to the switching position information shown in FIG. 3 stored in the storage unit 14 and corresponds to the time code from 00: 30: 40: 11 to 00: 31: 40: 10. Identify the data to be used. In this case, 00: 30: 45: 02 (priority 2), 00: 31: 15: 13 (priority 3), and 00: 31: 30: 24 (priority 1) are specified. Then, 00: 31: 30: 24 with the highest priority 1 is output to the playback unit 105 as the specific position information.

  The playback unit 105 stops the playback of the content data by stopping the read clock at time t1 when the time code referred to when reading the content data is 00: 31: 30: 24, and the commercial data from the storage unit 14 Data CM1 is read and reproduced. As a result, the user views the commercial CM1. Here, since the reproducing unit 105 stops reading the content data from the buffer unit 101, the buffer amount increases. Since the return signal is not output from the switching signal output unit 103, the reproducing unit 105 continues to reproduce the commercial data CM2 after the reproduction of the commercial data CM1. As a result, the user continues to view the commercial CM2.

  Then, the switching signal output unit 103 outputs a return signal to the reproduction unit 105 at a timing when the buffer amount further increases and increases to L2 or more. Since the return signal is input, the playback unit 105 resumes the read clock from time t2 when the playback of the commercial data CM2 ends, and reads and plays the content data. The content data read at this time is read from data whose time code is 00: 31: 30: 25. Thus, the user views the continuation of the movie before viewing the commercial CM1. The above is the description of the operation.

  In this way, when the buffer amount of the buffer unit 101 decreases to a predetermined value or less, the content switching device 1 refers to the switching position information and optimal data to be reproduced from the remaining buffered content data. After determining the position and reading out and reproducing the content data corresponding to the data position, it is possible to switch to the reproduction of the commercial data. Then, while the commercial data is being reproduced, it is possible to switch to the reproduction of the content data after the buffer amount of the content data has increased to a predetermined value or more. As a result, when the buffer amount is reduced depending on the communication status and the reproduction quality of the content data is likely to deteriorate, the timing based on the switching position information indicating the appropriate data position for interrupting the reproduction of the content data. Since the contents can be switched, the contents can be switched according to the viewing situation such as the communication situation.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention can be implemented in various aspects as follows.

<Modification 1>
In the embodiment described above, the playback unit 105 stops the playback of the content data at the data position specified by the switching position specifying unit 104 based on the timing when the buffer amount detected by the buffer amount detection unit 102 decreases to L1 or less. Was. In this modification, when the buffer amount is recovered to L1 or more before the reproduction of the content data by the reproduction unit 105, the reproduction is canceled and the content data is continuously reproduced.

  In this case, the following may be performed. The switching signal output unit 103 determines whether or not the reproducing unit 105 is reproducing content data, and after the switching signal is output and before the reproduction of the content data is stopped, the buffer amount has increased to L1 or more. In this case, a recovery signal indicating that the buffer amount has been recovered is output to the reproducing unit 105 at a timing when the buffer amount has increased to L1 or more. Then, when the recovery signal is input before the content data corresponding to the data position indicated by the specific position information is read from the buffer unit 101, the reproducing unit 105 assumes that the specific position information is not input. Even after reading the content data corresponding to the data position, the reproduction of the content data is continued.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the content switching device 1 in the present modification will be specifically described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram similar to FIG. 5, in which the content is changed from the situation of the embodiment to the situation of the first modification. In the description of the embodiment, if the buffer amount increases to L1 or more before the playback unit 105 switches to playback from content data to commercial data, the switching signal output unit 103 outputs a recovery signal. As a result, the playback unit 105 cancels playback stop when the time code referred to when reading the content data becomes 00: 31: 30: 24, and continues to play back the content data.

  When the buffer amount decreases to L1 or less again, the switching signal output unit 103 outputs a switching signal. If the time code of the content data read to the reproduction unit 105 at this time is 00: 31: 45: 20, the switching position specifying unit 104 specifies 00: 32: 42: 18, and specifies the specific position. Output as information. Thus, the playback unit 105 stops the playback of the content data by stopping the read clock at time t3 when the time code referred to when reading the content data is 00: 32: 42: 18, and the storage unit The commercial data CM1 is read from 14 and reproduced. Thereafter, similarly to the embodiment, the reproducing unit 105 switches the reproduction from the commercial data CM1 to the content data at time t4. In this way, when the deterioration of the communication situation is recovered immediately, the timing for switching from the content data to the commercial data can be shifted later.

<Modification 2>
In the above-described embodiment, when the priority of the data position indicated by the output specific position information is not “1”, the switching position specifying unit 104 is buffered in the buffer unit 101 even after the specific position information is output. The time code attached to the content data being stored may be compared with the data position indicated by the switching position information stored in the storage unit 14. In this case, when a data position having a higher priority than the priority of the data position indicated by the specific position information can be specified, the specific position information indicating the data position is output again. When the specific position information is newly input before the reproduction of the content data is stopped at the data position indicated by the specific position information output previously, the reproducing unit 105 outputs the specific position output first. Canceling the reproduction of the content data at the data position indicated by the information is canceled, and the reproduction of the content data is stopped at the data position indicated by the newly input specific position information.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the content switching device 1 in the present modification will be specifically described with reference to FIG. It is assumed that the time code attached to the content data reproduced by the reproducing unit 105 at the timing when the switching signal output unit 103 outputs the switching signal is 00: 32: 45: 13. In this case, the data position indicated by the specific position information output by the switching position specifying unit 104 is 00: 33: 22: 11 having a priority of 3. Even after outputting the specific position information, the switching position specifying unit 104 continues to compare the time code attached to the content data buffered in the buffer unit 101 and the data position indicated by the switching position information. Then, when the switching position specifying unit 104 confirms that 00: 33: 52: 22, which is priority 1, exists in the time code attached to the content data buffered in the buffer unit 101, a new 00 is added. : Specific position information indicating the data position of 33:52:22 is output.

  The reproducing unit 105 receives specific position information indicating the data position of 00: 33: 52: 22 before reproducing the content data corresponding to 00: 33: 22: 11. Since the specific position information is newly input, the reproduction unit 105 continues reproduction even after the time t5 when the content data corresponding to 00: 33: 22: 11 is reproduced, and corresponds to 00: 33: 52: 22. At time t6 when the content data is reproduced, the reproduction of the content data is stopped and the reproduction of the commercial data CM1 is started. Thereafter, similarly to the embodiment, the reproducing unit 105 switches the reproduction from the commercial data CM1 to the content data at time t7. Thus, if the data position is specified at a timing after the timing when the switching signal is output, the deterioration of the communication status is slow, and if the buffer amount is maintained although it is small, the content data is changed to the commercial data. The switching timing can be shifted to a timing corresponding to a data position having a higher priority.

<Modification 3>
In the above-described embodiment, the switching signal output unit 103 corresponds to the buffer amount detected by the buffer amount detection unit 102, that is, the communication state between the content switching device 1 and the content distribution server 2 deteriorates, and the buffer amount is increased. Although the switching signal is output when the number decreases, the timing of outputting the switching signal is not limited to this mode. The timing at which the switching signal is output includes, for example, the timing at which the user operates the operation unit 15, the timing after a predetermined time has elapsed since the commercial data was last reproduced, and an instruction to output the switching signal via the network. There can be various timings such as the timing at which it was performed.

<Modification 4>
In the embodiment described above, the commercial data is stored in the storage unit 14, and the playback unit 105 reads out the commercial data stored in the storage unit 14 by switching the data to be played back during the playback of the content data. It was played and commercials were watched while watching movies. The content switching device 1 in the present modification receives another content data that is streamed in place of the commercial data, and receives a movie (this modification in the present modification) that is related to the first content data (referred to as content data A in this modification). It has a function of switching from a movie A (referred to as movie data A in this variation) to another content data (referred to as content data B in this variation).

  Hereinafter, the configuration of the content switching device 1 according to this modification will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a software configuration showing functions realized by the CPU 11. The operation unit 15 outputs an operation signal corresponding to a user operation to the communication unit 18 and the switching signal output unit 103. The communication unit 18 switches the reception of the content data A and the content data B according to the operation signal output from the operation unit 15. The buffer unit 101 has a function of buffering the content data A and content data B received by the communication unit 18. The buffer amount detection unit 102 detects the buffer amount of the content data A and the buffer amount of the content data B. After the operation signal is output from the operation unit 15, the content data received by the communication unit 18 is switched, so that the buffer amount corresponding to the content data being reproduced (here, content data A) is reduced, and L1 The switching signal output unit 103 outputs a switching signal at the timing decreased below. The switching signal may be output at the timing when the signal is output from the operation unit 15.

  Similarly to the embodiment, the switching position specifying unit 104 compares the time code attached to the content data A buffered in the buffer unit 101 and the data position indicated by the switching position information, and specifies based on the comparison. Output location information. Then, the reproduction unit 105 switches to reproduction of the content data B after reproducing the content data A at the data position indicated by the specific position information. In this way, it is possible to sequentially switch and reproduce a plurality of content data distributed in a streaming manner.

<Modification 5>
In the content switching device 1 according to Modification 4 described above, the switching signal output unit 103 switches the switching signal when the buffer amount of the content data B buffered in the buffer unit 101 exceeds a predetermined value (hereinafter referred to as L3). May be output. The operation of the content switching device 1 in this case will be specifically described with reference to FIG. 9A shows the content of the data reproduced and output by the reproduction unit 105, FIG. 9B shows the buffer amount of the content data A detected by the buffer amount detection unit 102, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a buffer amount of content data B detected by a buffer amount detection unit 102. FIG. In each figure, the horizontal axis direction indicates the progress of time. The vertical axes in FIGS. 9B and 9C indicate the buffer amount detected by the buffer amount detection unit 102.

  When the operation unit 15 is operated by the user, the communication unit 18 ends the reception of the content data A and starts receiving the content data B. For this reason, the buffer amount of the content data A is reduced by reading by the reproduction unit 105, and the buffer amount of the content data B is increased by reception of the communication unit 18. The switching signal output unit 103 outputs a switching signal at the timing when the buffer amount of the content data B increases to L3 or more. The switching position specifying unit 104 compares the time code attached to the content data A buffered in the buffer unit 101 at the timing when the switching signal is output from the switching signal output unit 103 with the data position indicated by the switching position information. Then, the specific position information is output based on the comparison. Then, the reproduction unit 105 reproduces the content data A at the data position indicated by the specific position information, and switches to reproduction of the content data B at time t8 when the content data A at the data position indicated by the specific position information is reproduced. In this way, it is also possible to sequentially switch and reproduce a plurality of content data to be distributed by streaming, and the content data B to be reproduced next is read by the reproduction unit 105 after securing a certain amount of buffer. Therefore, after the reproduction is switched to the content data B, stable reproduction can be performed.

<Modification 6>
In the embodiment described above, the switching position specifying unit 104 compares the time code attached to the content data buffered in the buffer unit 101 and the data position indicated by the switching position information stored in the storage unit 14. If the data position corresponding to the data position indicated by the switching position information among the content data buffered in the buffer unit 101 cannot be specified, the comparison may be continued until the corresponding data position can be specified. In this way, if the degree of decrease in the buffer amount of the buffer unit 101 is delayed, even if the switching position specifying unit 104 cannot specify an appropriate data position at the timing when the switching signal is output, An appropriate data position can be specified at a timing after the timing. Further, if the corresponding data position cannot be specified even if the comparison is continued and the buffer amount further decreases and the buffer amount becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount or “0”, the data at that time It may be assumed that the position has been specified, and that the playback is forcibly switched to commercial data.

<Modification 7>
In the embodiment described above, the switching position specifying unit 104 compares the time code attached to the content data buffered in the buffer unit 101 and the data position indicated by the switching position information stored in the storage unit 14. When there are a plurality of data positions corresponding to the data position indicated by the switching position information among the content data buffered in the buffer unit 101 and the priorities corresponding to the plurality of data positions are the same, However, when the data position to be reproduced most recently is specified, the effect can be increased when combined with the configurations of the first and second modifications.

<Modification 8>
In the above-described embodiment, the priority is set for each data position in the switching position information. However, the priority is not set, and may be information that all have the same priority. Further, the data position indicated by the switching position information is represented by the time code. However, any information may be used as long as the information indicates the data position that can specify the reproduction timing of each part of the data of the content data. Also good.

<Modification 9>
In the above-described embodiment, the switching position information created in advance is received and stored in the storage unit 14, but the switching position information may be automatically generated. In this case, when the content data buffered in the buffer unit 101 is analyzed, and the degree of coincidence between the image of the predetermined frame and the image of the immediately preceding frame in the video related to the content data has changed by a predetermined amount or more, If the immediately preceding frame is specified as a data position, priority is determined according to the degree of change, and switching position information generating means for generating this as switching position information and storing it in the storage unit 14 is provided. Good. In this way, the same effects as in the embodiment can be obtained even if the switching position information is not created in advance according to the content data.

<Modification 10>
In the embodiment, when reproducing the commercial data, the reproduction unit 105 randomly selects and reproduces the commercial data stored in the storage unit 14, but reproduces the commercial data in a preset order. It may be. In this case, the playback order information that determines the playback order of the commercial data is received from, for example, the content distribution server 3 and stored in the storage unit 14, and the playback unit 105 refers to the playback order information when playing back the commercial data. And then play it back. Here, when the playback order information is, for example, CM1 → CM2 → CM1 → CM3, the playback unit 105 plays back the commercial data CM1 and CM2 first, and after switching to playback of the content data, When data is reproduced, it is reproduced as commercial data CM1, CM3.

  Further, such reproduction order information may be information according to the user's preference. In this case, the user information related to the user is transmitted to the server to which the reproduction order information is transmitted, and the server generates the reproduction order information according to the user information. Corresponding commercial data may be transmitted to the content switching device 1. In this way, the user can view a commercial that suits his taste and improve the advertising effect of the commercial.

<Modification 11>
In the embodiment described above, the content switching device 1 has received content data and commercial data from the content distribution servers 2 and 3, but the communication unit 18 has a tuner function for receiving general television broadcasts and the like. In this case, the content data and commercial data may be broadcasts received by the tuner.

<Modification 12>
In the embodiment described above, the playback unit 105 may include a decoder that performs playback of content data and playback of commercial data. By having each decoder, playback can be switched smoothly, and when there is real time reception as received by the tuner as in Modification 11, the other video is inserted into a part of one video. Can also be played.

<Modification 13>
In the above-described embodiment, the content switching device 1 uses the video data generated by reproducing the content data and commercial data by the reproducing unit 105 on the display unit 16 and the audio data on the audio output unit 17. However, the video data and audio data may be transmitted from the communication unit 18. Then, the television device having the display unit 16 and the audio output unit 17 may receive the video data and audio data transmitted from the content switching device 1 so that the user of the television device can view. Thus, the content switching device 1 can also be used as a network relay device between the content distribution servers 2 and 3 and the television device.

It is a block diagram which shows the connection of the content switching apparatus and content delivery server which concern on embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the hardware of the content switching apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the content of the switching position information which concerns on embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the software structure of the content switching apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of the content switching apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of the content switching apparatus which concerns on the modification 1. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of the content switching apparatus which concerns on the modification 2. It is a block diagram which shows the software structure of the content switching apparatus which concerns on the modification 4. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of the content switching apparatus which concerns on the modification 5.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Content switching apparatus, 2, 3 ... Content delivery server, 10 ... Bus, 11 ... CPU, 12 ... ROM, 13 ... RAM, 14 ... Memory | storage part, 15 ... Operation part, 16 ... Display part, 17 ... Audio | voice output part , 18 ... communication unit, 100 ... network, 101 ... buffer unit, 102 ... buffer amount detection unit, 103 ... switching signal output unit, 104 ... switching position specifying unit, 105 ... reproduction unit

Claims (8)

Receiving means for receiving the first content data to be streamed;
Position information acquisition means for acquiring a position information sequence corresponding to the first content data and including a plurality of position information indicating a specific data position among the first content data;
Storage means for buffering the first content data received by the receiving means;
Data acquisition means for acquiring second content data;
Output means for outputting a switching signal at a predetermined timing;
The position corresponding to the first content data buffered in the storage means among the position information included in the position information sequence acquired by the position information acquisition means after the timing when the switching signal is output from the output means. A specific means of identifying information;
The first content data is read from the storage means and played back, and when the playback position reaches a position corresponding to the position information specified by the specifying means, the playback is stopped and the data acquiring means acquires it. A content switching device comprising: playback means for playing back the second content data. The position information sequence is provided with a priority corresponding to each position information,
The specifying unit includes a first content buffered in the storage unit among the position information included in the position information sequence acquired by the position information acquisition unit after the timing when the switching signal is output from the output unit. The content switching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the position information corresponding to the data and having the highest priority is specified. Further comprising detection means for detecting a buffer amount of the storage means;
The output means outputs a switching signal while the reproducing means is reproducing the first content data and at a timing when the buffer amount detected by the detecting means is reduced to a predetermined value or less. The content switching device according to claim 1 or 2. If the reproduction unit increases the buffer amount detected by the detection unit to a predetermined amount or more before stopping the reproduction of the first content data, the reproduction position is specified by the specifying unit. The content switching device according to claim 3, wherein the reproduction of the first content data is continued even at a position corresponding to. Second storage means for buffering the second content data;
Second detection means for detecting a buffer amount of the second storage means;
An acquisition signal output means for outputting an acquisition signal at a predetermined timing;
The data acquisition means acquires the second content data to be streamed after the timing when the acquisition signal is output from the acquisition signal output means,
The content switching according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the output means outputs a switching signal at a timing when the buffer amount detected by the second detection means increases to a predetermined value or more. apparatus. The reproduction means reproduces the second content data while the second content data is being reproduced and after the timing when the buffer amount of the storage means detected by the detection means increases to a predetermined value or more. 6. The content switching device according to claim 1, wherein the content switching apparatus reads the first content data from the first storage unit and reproduces the first content data. A receiving process for receiving the first content data to be streamed;
A position information acquisition process for acquiring a position information sequence corresponding to the first content data and including a plurality of position information indicating a specific data position among the first content data;
A storage process for buffering the first content data received in the reception process in a storage means;
A data acquisition process for acquiring second content data;
An output process for outputting a switching signal at a predetermined timing;
The position corresponding to the first content data buffered in the storage unit among the position information included in the position information sequence acquired by the position information acquisition process after the timing when the switching signal is output by the output process. A specific process of identifying information,
The first content data is read from the storage means and reproduced, and when the reproduction position reaches a position corresponding to the position information identified by the identification process, the reproduction is stopped and acquired in the data acquisition process. A content switching method comprising: a reproduction process of reproducing the second content data. In a computer having storage means,
A receiving function for receiving the first content data to be streamed;
A position information acquisition function that corresponds to the first content data and acquires a position information sequence including a plurality of position information indicating a specific data position among the first content data;
A storage function for buffering the first content data received in the reception function in a storage means;
A data acquisition function for acquiring second content data;
An output function for outputting a switching signal at a predetermined timing;
The position corresponding to the first content data buffered in the storage unit among the position information included in the position information sequence acquired by the position information acquisition function after the timing when the switching signal is output by the output function. A specific function to identify information,
The first content data is read from the storage means and played back, and when the playback position reaches a position corresponding to the position information specified by the specifying function, the playback is stopped and acquired by the data acquisition function For realizing the playback function of playing back the second content data.

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