Program distribution system

A program distribution apparatus that receives a distribution program made up of one or more image scenes, produces a program for reproduction from the received distribution program, and distributes the produced program for reproduction, comprising:

• a reception unit that receives the distribution program, the distribution program including, for each scene, flag information showing whether the scene is permitted to be reproduced;
• a production unit that produces the program for reproduction by selecting, in accordance with the flag information, image scenes from the distribution program;
• and
• a transmission unit that transmits the produced program for reproduction to a reproduction apparatus.

A program reproduction apparatus that receives, from a program distribution apparatus, a distribution program that is made up of a plurality of image scenes, and reproduces the received distribution program,

• the distribution program including a) a plurality of pieces of raw image data, each piece of raw image data including a plurality of segments of image data, and each of one or more segments corresponding to one image scene within the distribution program and b) a distribution program structure that includes a plurality of sets of scene data, each set of scene data including i) a plurality of image data segment identifiers that each identify one of the segments of image data, and ii) flag information indicating whether the identified segment of image data is permitted to be reproduced, and
• the program reproduction apparatus comprising:
• a reception unit that receives the distribution program from the program distribution apparatus;
• a determining unit that uses the flag information to determine whether the segments of image data identified by the image data segment identifiers are permitted to be reproduced;
• and
• a reproduction unit that reproduces the segments of image data determined to be permitted to be reproduced.

A program distribution system including a program production apparatus, a program distribution apparatus, and a program reproduction apparatus that are connected via a network, the program production apparatus comprising:

• a storage unit that stores, in advance, an original program, the original program including a plurality of image scenes and a set of usage information for each of the image scenes, each of the plurality of image scenes including usage information indicating one of a) whether the corresponding image scene is permitted to be distributed to specified distribution routes, and b) whether the corresponding image scene is permitted to be distributed to specified distribution destinations;
• a first production unit that produces a distribution program by selecting, in accordance with the set of usage information, one or more image scenes from the original program;
• and a first transmission unit that transmits the distribution program to the program distribution apparatus,
• the program distribution apparatus comprising:
• a first reception unit that receives the distribution program from the first transmission unit, the distribution program including, for each image scene, flag information indicating whether the image scene is permitted to be reproduced;
• a second production unit that produces a program for reproduction by, in accordance with the flag information, selecting image scenes from the distribution program;
• and
• a second transmission unit that transmits the produced program for reproduction to the program reproduction apparatus,
• wherein the program reproduction apparatus receives the program for reproduction and reproduces the received program for reproduction.

A program production distribution apparatus, comprising:

• a storage unit that stores, in advance, an original program, the original program including a plurality of image scenes and a set of usage information for each of the image scenes showing whether the image scene is permitted to be distributed to a specified distribution destination;
• a production unit that produces a distribution program by selecting, in accordance with the set of usage information, one or more image scenes from the original program;
• and
• a distribution unit that distributes the distribution program via the specified distribution route,
• wherein the set of usage information includes one of a) whether the corresponding image scene is permitted to be distributed to specified distribution routes and b) whether the corresponding image scene is permitted to be distributed to specified distribution destinations.

A program distribution method used by a program distribution apparatus that receives a distribution program made up of one or more image scenes, produces a program for reproduction from the received distribution program, and distributes the produced program for reproduction, comprising:

• a reception step for receiving the distribution program, the distribution program including, for each scene, flag information showing whether the scene is permitted to be reproduced;
• a production step for producing the program for reproduction by selecting, in accordance with the flag information, image scenes from the distribution program;
• and
• a transmission step for transmitting the produced program for reproduction to a reproduction apparatus.

A program distribution computer program used by a program distribution apparatus that receives a distribution program made up of one or more image scenes, produces a program for reproduction from the received distribution program, and distributes the produced program for reproduction, comprising:

• a reception step for receiving the distribution program, the distribution program including, for each scene, flag information showing whether the scene is permitted to be reproduced;
• a production step for producing the program for reproduction by selecting, in accordance with the flag information, image scenes from the distribution program;
• and
• a transmission step for transmitting the produced program for reproduction to a reproduction apparatus.

A computer-readable recording medium on which is stored a program distribution computer program used by a program distribution apparatus that receives a distribution program made up of one or more image scenes, produces a program for reproduction from the received distribution program, and distributes the produced program for reproduction, the program distribution computer program comprising:

• a reception step for receiving the distribution program, the distribution program including, for each scene, flag information showing whether the scene is permitted to be reproduced;
• a production step for producing the program for reproduction by selecting, in accordance with the flag information, image scenes from the distribution program;
• and
• a transmission step for transmitting the produced program for reproduction to a reproduction apparatus.

A program reproduction method used by a program reproduction apparatus that receives, from a program distribution apparatus, a distribution program that is made up of a plurality of image scenes, and reproduces the received distribution program, the distribution program including a) a plurality of pieces of raw image data, each piece of raw image data including a plurality of segments of image data, and each of one or more segments corresponding to one image scene within the distribution program and b) a distribution program structure that includes a plurality of sets of scene data, each set of scene data including i) a plurality of image data segment identifiers, each image data segment identifier identifying one of the segments of image data, and ii) flag information indicating whether the identified segment of image data is permitted to be reproduced, the program reproduction method comprising:

• a reception step for receiving the distribution program from the program distribution apparatus;
• a determining step for using the flag information to determine whether the segments of image data identified by the image data segment identifiers are permitted to be reproduced;
• and
• a reproduction step for reproducing the segments of image data determined to be permitted to be reproduced.

A program reproduction computer program used by a program reproduction apparatus that receives, from a program distribution apparatus, a distribution program that is made up of a plurality of image scenes, and reproduces the received distribution program, the distribution program including a) a plurality of pieces of raw image data, each piece of raw image data including a plurality of segments of image data, and each of one or more segments corresponding to one image scene within the distribution program and b) a distribution program structure that includes a plurality of sets of scene data, each set of scene data including i) a plurality of image data segment identifiers, each image data segment identifier identifying one of the segments of image data, and ii) flag information indicating whether the identified segment of image data is permitted to be reproduced, the program reproduction method comprising:

• a reception step for receiving the distribution program from the program distribution apparatus;
• a determining step for using the flag information to determine whether the segments of image data identified by the image data segment identifiers are permitted to be reproduced;
• and
• a reproduction step for reproducing the segments of image data determined to be permitted to be reproduced.

A computer-readable recording medium on which is stored a program reproduction computer program used by a program reproduction apparatus that receives, from a program distribution apparatus, a distribution program that is made up of a plurality of image scenes, and reproduces the received distribution program, the distribution program including a) a plurality of pieces of raw image data, each piece of raw image data including a plurality of segments of image data, and each of one or more segments corresponding to one image scene within the distribution program and b) a distribution program structure that includes a plurality of sets of scene data, each set of scene data including i) a plurality of image data segment identifiers, each image data segment identifier identifying one of the segments of image data, and ii) flag information indicating whether the identified segment of image data is permitted to be reproduced, the program reproduction method comprising:

• a reception step for receiving the distribution program from the program distribution apparatus;
• a determining step for using the flag information to determine whether the segments of image data identified by the image data segment identifiers are permitted to be reproduced;
• and
• a reproduction step for reproducing the segments of image data determined to be permitted to be reproduced.