Data reception/playback method, data reception/playback apparatus, data transmission method, and data transmission apparatus

A data reception/playback apparatus for receiving and playing stream data including at least one of audio and video, said apparatus comprising:

• transmission request sending means for sending a transmission request to a transmission apparatus;
• reception means for receiving data transmitted from the transmission apparatus in response to the transmission request;
• playback start position selection means for selecting a playback start position from a playback start position table where at least one playback start position is stored;
• and
• playback means for playing the stream data;
• wherein the transmission request sending means requests the transmission apparatus to transmit the playback start position table, the reception means receives the playback start position table, the transmission start position selection means selects a playback start position from the playback start position table, the transmission request sending means requests the transmission apparatus to transmit the stream data from the playback start position, the reception means receives the stream data, and the playback means plays the received stream data.

A data reception/playback apparatus for receiving and playing stream data including at least one of audio and video, said apparatus comprising:

• transmission request sending means for requesting a transmission apparatus to transmit plural stream data;
• reception means for receiving the stream data;
• reception buffer for storing the stream data;
• playback means for playing the stream data stored in the reception buffer;
• and
• reception buffer monitor means for monitoring the quantity of data stored in the reception buffer;
• wherein, when the reception buffer monitor means detects that reception of stream data is delayed for a playback time, the playback means halts playback of all the stream data, and the transmission request sending means requests the transmission apparatus to suspend data transmission in connections including stream data other than the stream data which is delayed in reception;
• and
• when the reception buffer monitor means detects that the quantity of the stream data which is delayed in reception exceeds a predetermined value, the playback means restarts playback of all the stream data, and the transmission request sending means requests the transmission apparatus to restart data transmission in the connection which is suspended.

A data transmission method for transmitting stream data including at least one of audio and video, according to a playback speed specified by a receiving end, said method comprising the steps of:

• having a plurality of files containing stream data of different playback speeds;
• receiving a request for transmission of stream data including information of a playback speed, from the receiving end;
• selecting a file containing stream data corresponding to the playback speed information;
• and
• transmitting the data of the selected file.

A data transmission apparatus for transmitting stream data including at least one of audio and video according to a playback speed specified by a receiving end, said apparatus comprising:

• data storage means having, as files, plural stream data having different playback speeds;
• playback speed/file mapping table buffer containing a playback speed/file mapping table which indicates the correspondences between the playback speeds and the files;
• transmission request reception means for receiving and analyzing a request for transmission stream data from the receiving end;
• playback speed information extraction means for extracting information of a playback speed, from the transmission request received by the transmission request reception means;
• file selection means for selecting a file corresponding to the playback speed with reference to the playback speed/file mapping table stored in the playback speed/file mapping table buffer;
• file reading means for reading the file selected by the file selection mans from the data storage means;
• and
• transmission means for transmitting the data of the file read by the file reading means.