Information distributing method, information receiving method, information distribution system, information distribution apparatus, reception terminal and storage medium

An information reception method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a broadcast content that is at least a part of an original content transmitted from a content distribution station to a plurality of users by broadcast;
• receiving a download request for the original content from the users, the download request of the original content is performed by transmitting an ID of the broadcast content received and a serial number corresponding to the packet of original content to the content distribution station by peer to peer communication;
• receiving by peer to peer communication a differential content corresponding to the original content, the differential content transmitted in response to the download request;
• and
• merging the packets of original content being received as the broadcast contents and the packet of the differential contents to reproduce the original content.

An information distribution system comprising an information distribution apparatus for distributing a content and a reception terminal for receiving the content, wherein

• said information distribution apparatus includes:
• a broadcast transmitting unit for transmitting a broadcast content which is at least a part of an original content to a plurality of users by broadcast, and
• a data communicating unit for transmitting a differential content which is at least a part of the original content to the reception terminal by peer to peer communication in response to a request for transmission of the broadcast content data from said reception terminal, and
• said reception terminal includes:
• a broadcast receiving unit for receiving the broadcast content transmitted from the information distribution apparatus by the broadcast,
• a lacking portion identifier for detecting a missing/altered portion that is missing or altered due to editing in the broadcast content thus received;
• a differential packet requesting unit for requesting retransmission of the missing/altered portion to said information distribution apparatus,
• a data communicating unit for transmitting the request to said information distribution apparatus by peer to peer communication and receiving the differential content corresponding to the missing/altered portion, which is at least a part of the original content, transmitted in response to the request;
• and
• a content merging unit for merging the broadcast content with the differential content to reproduce the original content.

An information distribution apparatus comprising:

• a packetizer, the packetizer dividing an original content into packets of original content, and allocating a sequential serial number to each of the packets, the packetizer adding the sequential serial number to a non-edited packet in the content while adding an information indicating an edited packet for the packet of the edited content instead of adding the sequential serial number;
• a database, the database storing the sequential serial number for a first packet and the sequential serial number for a last packet;
• a broadcast unit, the broadcast unit broadcasting a broadcast content which is at least a part of the original content to a plurality of users;
• and
• a data communications unit, the data communications unit transmitting the packet of original content excluding the packet corresponding to the sequential serial number received along with a download request as a differential content to reproduce the requested original content, when the download request of the broadcast content data is received from a reception terminal by a peer to peer communication.

A reception terminal comprising:

• a broadcast receiver for receiving a broadcast content which is at least part of an original content transmitted from an information distribution apparatus to a plurality of users by broadcast;
• a data communications unit, the data communications unit receiving a download request for the original content from the users, the download request of the original content is performed by transmitting an ID of the broadcast content received and a serial number corresponding to the packet of original content to the information distribution apparatus by peer to peer communication, the data communications unit receiving by peer to peer communication a differential content corresponding to the original content, the differential content transmitted in response to the download request;
• and
• a content merging unit, the content merging unit merging the packets of original content being received as the broadcast contents and the packet of the differential contents to reproduce the original content.

An information distribution method comprising:

• dividing an original contents into packets;
• allocating a serial number indicating the original contents to each of the divided packets;
• storing a first packet number and a last packet number;
• adding a packet corresponding to portions subjected to editing with information that indicates editing instead of sequential serial number of the original content, at the time of contents distribution;
• and
• distributing via peer to peer communication the original packet corresponding to the sequential serial number not specified with respect to the information indicating editing provided in the request, when the download request is received after the contents distribution.

An information distributing method comprising:

• transmitting a broadcast content, which is at least a part of an original content to a plurality of users by broadcast;
• and
• when the missing portion of the broadcast content thus transmitted is detected in a reception terminal, transmitting by peer to peer communication a differential content which is at least a part of the original content in response to a request for transmission of a missing portion transmitted from the reception terminal by peer to peer communication, wherein
• the differential content is differential data for reproducing the original content by being merged with the broadcast content, and
• wherein each of the broadcast content and the differential content contains at least some of packets which are obtained by dividing the original content into some pieces of data, the packets being added with serial codes corresponding to time sequence, and
• wherein no serial code is added to a packet containing data different from the original content, in the packets of the broadcast content, and
• wherein the differential content includes packets containing at least a part of data of the original content, the part of data corresponding to a missing part or an altered portion due to editing, in the broadcast content received by said reception terminal.