Content delivery system, content server, content receiver, content delivery method, storage medium and program

A content server for transmitting a content which is divided into a plurality of content blocks, comprising:

• a memory for storing the content, as said content blocks;
• a specifying unit of retrieving the content blocks associated with the content from the memory and specifying one or more content blocks associated with ranges, and a transmitting unit of transmitting said one or more specified content blocks according to a predetermined communication protocol, wherein each respective content block of the plurality of content blocks has additional attached information, the additional attached information of the respective content indicating an attribute related to the content within the respective content block, the attribute of the respective content block being common to a respective range of content blocks;
• and
• wherein said specifying unit specifies said one or more content blocks associated with ranges by a requesting unit of the content receiver, and said requesting unit comprises:
• a receiving unit of receiving said content from said transmitting unit,
• a request range determining unit of determining a request range of said content based on the additional attached information of each content block by utilizing content block information indicating at least a length for each of said content blocks and the common attribute;
• and
• wherein said requesting unit requests for said content associated with the determined request range from content associated with the ranges.

A content receiver for transmitting a content which is divided into a plurality of content blocks, comprising:

• a receiving unit of receiving said content transmitted from a transmitting unit of a content server having a specifying unit of specifying one or more content blocks associated with ranges and a transmitting unit of transmitting said one or more specified content blocks according to a predetermined communication protocol, wherein each respective content block of the plurality of content blocks has additional attached information indicating an attribute related to the content within the respective content block, the attribute of the respective content block being common to a respective range of content blocks;
• a memory which includes a receiving buffer that receives said content from said receiving unit;
• a request range determining unit receiving the content stored in the receiving buffer and, determining a request range of said content based on the attached additional information of each content block by utilizing content block information indicating at least a length for each of said content blocks and the common attribute;
• and
• a requesting unit of requesting said content associated with the determined one or more request ranges from content associated with the ranges,
• wherein said specifying unit specifies said one or more content blocks of said ranges requested by said requesting unit.

A content delivery method used with a content delivery system including a content server and a content receiver, the content delivery system transmitting a content which is divided into a plurality of content blocks, the method comprising the steps of:

• a specifying step, performed by said content server, for specifying one or more content blocks associated with ranges;
• an attaching step for attaching additional information of the respective content indicating an attribute related to the content within the respective content block, the attribute of the respective content block being common to a respective range of content blocks;
• a transmitting step, performed by said content server, for transmitting said one or more specified content blocks according to a predetermined communication protocol;
• a receiving step, performed by said content receiver, for receiving said content and storing the content in a memory which includes a receiving buffer;
• a request range determining step, performed by said content receiver, for determining a request range of said content based on the additional attached information of each content block by utilizing content block information indicating at least a length for each of said content blocks and the common attribute;
• and
• a requesting step for requesting said content associated with the determined request range from content associated with the ranges.

A content delivery method for transmitting a content which is divided into a plurality of said content blocks, said content delivery method comprising:

• a storing step for storing the content in a memory;
• a specifying step for specifying one or more content blocks associated with ranges;
• an attaching step for attaching additional information of the respective content indicating an attribute related to the content within the respective content block, the attribute of the respective content block being common to a respective range of content blocks;
• and
• a transmitting step for transmitting said one or more specified content blocks according to a predetermined communication protocol,
• wherein said specifying step specifies said one or more content blocks associated with said ranges requested by a requesting unit of the content receiver and includes receiving said content;
• determining a request range of said content based on the additional attached information of each content block by utilizing content block information indicating at least a length for each of said content blocks and the common attribute;
• and requesting said content associated with the determined request range from content associated with the ranges.

A content delivery method for receiving a content which is divided into a plurality of content blocks, said content delivery method comprising:

• a receiving step for receiving said content and holding the content in a memory, the content transmitted from a transmitting unit of a content server having a specifying unit of specifying one or more content blocks associated with ranges and said transmitting unit transmitting said one or more specified content blocks according to a predetermined communication protocol by attaching additional information of the respective content indicating an attribute related to the content within the respective content block, the attribute of the respective content block being common to a respective range of content blocks;
• a transmitting step for transmitting said one or more specified content blocks according to the predetermined communication protocol;
• a request range determining step for determining a request range of said content based on the additional attached information of each content block by utilizing content block information indicating at least a length for each of said content blocks and the common attribute;
• and
• a requesting step for requesting said content of the determined request range from content associated with the ranges,
• wherein said specifying unit specifies said one or more content blocks associated with the ranges requested by said requesting step.

A computer readable medium storing program code for execution by a processor to implement the steps comprising:

• specifying one or more content blocks associated with ranges;
• transmitting said one or more specified content blocks according to a predetermined communication protocol, each respective content block of a plurality of content blocks having additional attached information, the additional attached information of the respective content indicating an attribute related to a content within the respective content block, the attribute of the respective content block being common to a respective range of content blocks;
• receiving said content;
• determining a request range of said content based on the additional attached information of each content block by utilizing content block information indicating at least a length for each of said content blocks and the common attribute;
• and
• requesting for said content associated with the determined request range from content associated with the ranges.

A computer readable medium storing program code for execution by a processor to implement the steps comprising:

• storing, in a memory, content, as content blocks;
• specifying, by a content server, one or more content block associated with ranges;
• and
• transmitting, by a content server, said one or more specified content blocks according to a predetermined communication protocol, each respective content block of the plurality of content blocks having additional attached information, the additional attached information of the respective content indicating an attribute related to the content within the respective content block, the attribute of the respective content block being common to a respective range of content blocks.

A computer readable medium storing program code for execution by a processor to implement the steps comprising:

• receiving, by a receiving buffer, content having one or more content blocks associated with one or more ranges, wherein each respective content block of a plurality of content blocks has additional attached information indicating an attribute related to the content within the respective content block, the attribute of the respective content block being common to a respective range of content blocks;
• determining, by the content receiver, a request range of said content based on the additional attached information of each content block by utilizing content block information indicating at least a length for each of said content blocks and the common attribute;
• and
• requesting said content associated with the determined request range from content associated with the ranges.