Program distribution system
OwnerKazuhiro Nishitani, Katsuyuki Sakaniwa +2inventors
InventorsKazuhiro Nishitani, Katsuyuki Sakaniwa, Kazuo Kajimoto, Hirokazu Tokuda
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Abstract
A program distribution system stores compressed program information created by compressing a plurality of consecutive frame images. Then, after receiving segment information that indicates a specific segment of frame images to be distributed, the system produces a plurality of decompressed frame images by decompressing a section of the compressed information that corresponds to the segment of frame images indicated by the segment information. Next, the system performs inter-frame compression on the plurality of decompressed frame images, thus producing a new stream of compressed information that is then transmitted as distribution program.
Claims12
A program distribution system for distributing, via a distribution network, a distribution program extracted from an original program, the program distribution system comprising:
- an original program storage unit operable to store one original program, the original program including inter-frame compressed original frame images, inter-frame compression being a method whereby each frame image is compressed, with at least one frame image being compressed using as a reference one or more neighboring frame images;
- a reception unit operable to receive segment information indicating a segment of the original frame images;
- a decompression unit operable to decompress sections of the compressed original frame images to generate intermediate frame images that include the frame images indicated by the segment information;
- a re-compression unit operable to a) extract from the intermediate frame images the frame images indicated by the segment information, and b) generate re-compressed frame images by performing inter-frame compression on the extracted frame images;
- and
- a distribution unit operable to distribute, via a distribution network, the re-compressed frame images as the distribution program.
A program distribution system for distributing, via a distribution network, a distribution program extracted from an original program, the program distribution system comprising:
- an original program storage unit operable to store one original program, the original program including inter-frame compressed original frame images, and the inter-frame compressed original frame images including a plurality of compressed frame image groups, each made up of a prescribed number of frame images subjected to inter-frame compression, inter-frame compression being a method whereby each frame image is compressed, with at least one frame image using as a reference one or more neighboring frame images;
- a reception unit operable to receive segment information indicating a segment of the original frame images;
- a retrieval unit operable to retrieve, from the inter-frame compressed original frame images, a compressed frame image group that includes frame images indicated by the segment information;
- a transmission unit operable to transmit, as the distribution program, the retrieved compressed frame image group;
- a receiving unit operable to receive the transmitted compressed frame image group;
- a decompression unit operable to decompress the received compressed frame image group to produce a plurality of temporarily decompressed frame images;
- an extraction unit operable to extract, from the produced temporarily decompressed frame images, the frame images indicated by the segment information;
- and
- a reproduction unit operable to reproduce the extracted frame images.
A program distribution method used in a program distribution system for distributing, via a distribution network, a distribution program extracted from an original program, the program distribution system including an original program storage unit operable to store one original program, the original program including inter-frame compressed original frame images, inter-frame compression being a method whereby each frame image is compressed, with at least one frame image being compressed using as a reference one or more neighboring frame images,
- the program distribution method comprising:
- a reception step for receiving segment information indicating a segment of the original frame images;
- a decompression step for decompressing sections of the compressed original frame images to generate intermediate frame images that include the frame images indicated by the segment information;
- a re-compression step for a) extracting from the intermediate frame images the frame images indicated by the segment information, and b) generating re-compressed frame images by performing inter-frame compression on the extracted frame images;
- and
- a distribution step for distributing, via a distribution network, the re-compressed frame images as the distribution program.
A program distribution computer program used in a program distribution system for distributing, via a distribution network, a distribution program extracted from an original program, the program distribution system including an original program storage unit operable to store one original program, the original program including inter-frame compressed original frame images, inter-frame compression being a method whereby each frame image is compressed, with at least one frame image being compressed using as a reference one or more neighboring frame images,
- the program distribution computer program comprising:
- a reception step for receiving segment information indicating a segment of the original frame images;
- a decompression step for decompressing sections of the compressed original frame images to generate intermediate frame images that include the frame images indicated by the segment information;
- a re-compression step for a) extracting from the intermediate frame images the frame images indicated by the segment information, and b) generating re-compressed frame images by performing inter-frame compression on the extracted frame images;
- and
- a distribution step for distributing, via a distribution network, the re-compressed frame images as the distribution program.
A computer-readable recording medium having stored thereon a program distribution computer program used in a program distribution system for distributing, via a distribution network, a distribution program extracted from an original program, the program distribution system including an original program storage unit operable to store one original program, the original program including inter-frame compressed original frame images, inter-frame compression being a method whereby each frame image is compressed, with at least one frame image being compressed using as a reference one or more neighboring frame images,
- the program distribution computer program comprising:
- a reception step for receiving segment information indicating a segment of the original frame images;
- a decompression step for decompressing sections of the compressed original frame images to generate intermediate frame images that include the frame images indicated by the segment information;
- a re-compression step for a) extracting from the intermediate frame images the frame images indicated by the segment information, and b) generating re-compressed frame images by performing inter-frame compression on the extracted frame images;
- and
- a distribution step for distributing, via a distribution network, the re-compressed frame images as the distribution program.
A program distribution server apparatus that together with a program storage apparatus and a reproduction apparatus composes a program distribution system that extracts a distribution program from an original program and distributes the extracted distribution program via a distribution network, the program storage apparatus and the program distribution server apparatus being connected, and the program distribution server apparatus being connected to the reproduction terminal apparatus via a network,
- the program storage apparatus comprising:
- an original program storage unit operable to store one original program, the original program including inter-frame compressed original frame images, inter-frame compression being a method whereby each frame image is compressed, with at least one frame image being compressed using as a reference one or more neighboring frame images,
- the program server apparatus comprising:
- a reception unit operable to receive segment information indicating a segment of the original frame images;
- a decompression unit operable to decompress sections of the compressed original frame images to generate intermediate frame images that include the frame images indicated by the segment information;
- a re-compression unit operable to a) extract from the intermediate frame images the frame images indicated by the segment information, and b) generate re-compressed frame images by performing inter-frame compression on the extracted frame images;
- and
- a distribution unit operable to distribute, via a distribution network, the re-compressed frame images as the distribution program, and
- the reproduction terminal apparatus comprising:
- a receiving unit operable to receive the distributed re-compressed frame images;
- and
- a reproduction unit operable to reproduce the received re-compressed frame images.
A reproduction terminal apparatus that together with a program storage apparatus and a reproduction apparatus composes a program distribution system that extracts a distribution program from an original program and distributes the extracted distribution program via a distribution network, the program storage apparatus and the program distribution server apparatus being connected, and the program distribution server apparatus being connected to the reproduction terminal. apparatus via a network,
- the program storage apparatus comprising:
- an original program storage unit operable to store one original program, the original program including inter-frame compressed original frame images, inter-frame compression being a method whereby each frame image is compressed, with at least one frame image being compressed using as a reference one or more neighboring frame images,
- the program server apparatus comprising:
- a reception unit operable to receive segment information indicating a segment of the original frame images;
- a decompression unit operable to decompress sections of the compressed original frame images to generate intermediate frame images that include the frame images indicated by the segment information;
- a re-compression unit operable to a) extract from the intermediate frame images the frame images indicated by the segment information, and b) generate re-compressed frame images by performing inter-frame compression on the extracted frame images;
- and
- a distribution unit operable to distribute, via a distribution network, the re-compressed frame images as the distribution program, and
- the reproduction terminal apparatus comprising:
- a receiving unit operable to receive the distributed re-compressed frame images;
- and
- a reproduction unit operable to reproduce the received re-compressed frame images.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.