Information Distribution Device and Information Distribution Method
OwnerYuko Tsusaka, Kazuo Kajimoto +1inventors
InventorsYuko Tsusaka, Kazuo Kajimoto, Soichiro Fujioka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In order to protect a content holder, a server device (20) holds a content and distribution control information specifying a number of terminals to which the same part of the content can be streamed at the same time. When a playback request pertaining to the content is received from a plurality of terminals, distribution of the content to the terminals is controlled such that the number of terminals specified in the distribution control information is not exceeded.
Claims18
An information-distribution device that is connected to a plurality of terminal devices and controls streaming of a content to the plurality of terminal devices, the information distribution device comprising:
- a hold unit operable to hold the content and distribution control information that indicates a maximum number of the terminal devices to which a same portion of the content can be streamed;
- and
- a distribution control unit operable to prohibit simultaneous streaming of the same portion of the content to a greater number of the terminal devices than the maximum number indicated by the distribution control information.
A transmission device comprising:
- a hold unit operable to hold a content;
- a distribution control information generation unit operable to generate distribution control information that indicates a maximum number of devices to which a same portion of the content can be streamed;
- and
- a transmission unit operable to transmit the content and the distribution control information to a transmission-destination device.
An information distribution system including a transmission device, a server device, and a plurality of terminal devices,
- the transmission device comprising:
- a hold unit operable to hold a content;
- a distribution control information generation unit operable to generate distribution control information that indicates a maximum number of the terminal devices to which a same portion of the content can be streamed;
- and
- a transmission unit operable to transmit the content and the distribution control information to the server device, and
- the server device being connected to the plurality of terminal devices and comprising:
- a reception unit operable to receive the content and the distribution control information from the transmission device;
- and
- a distribution control unit operable to prohibit simultaneous distribution of the same portion of the content to a greater number of the terminal devices than the maximum number indicated by the distribution control information, permit simultaneous streaming of the same portion of the content to a same or smaller number of the terminal devices than the maximum number indicated by the distribution control information, and permit simultaneous distribution of differing portions of the content to an unlimited number of the terminal devices.
An information distribution method used in an information distribution device that is connected to a plurality of terminal devices and controls streaming of a content to the plurality of terminal devices, wherein
- the information distribution device holds the content and distribution control information indicating a maximum number of the terminal devices to which a same portion of the content can be streamed, and
- the information distribution method prohibits simultaneous streaming of the same portion of the content to a greater number of the terminal devices than the maximum number indicated by the distribution control information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.