Transmission apparatus, content reproduction apparatus, and content and license distribution system

A transmission apparatus, comprising:

• a computer-readable storage medium storing a program that when executed causes the transmission apparatus to perform as:
• a license obtainment unit configured to obtain second license data and third license data respectively for a second content and a third content that are linked from a first content, the first content being a content to be distributed through streaming, the second license data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of the second content or showing permission for reproducing the second content;
• a multiplexed data generation unit configured to generate the multiplexed data by multiplexing the obtained second license data on a part of the first content and by multiplexing the obtained third license data on an other part of the first content, the third license data including data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of the third content or showing permission for reproducing the third content;
• and
• a transmission unit configured to transmit the generated multiplexed data to a content reproduction apparatus by streaming.

A content reproduction apparatus that is capable of switching reproduction of a content from a streaming content which is currently being reproduced to a storage content linked from the streaming content, said content reproduction apparatus comprising:

• a computer-readable storage medium storing a program that when executed causes the content reproduction apparatus to perform as:
• a receiving unit configured to receive multiplexed data through streaming, the multiplexed data being generated by multiplexing second license data on a part of a first content, the first content being a content to be distributed through streaming, the second license data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of a second content or showing permission for reproducing the second content, the first content being a streaming content, and the second content being a storage content;
• an extracting unit configured to extract a part of the second license data and the part of the first content from the received multiplexed data and to extract the second license data from the received part of the multiplexed data;
• a content obtainment unit configured to obtain the second content from a server via a communication network in the case where the second content is not stored in a content storage unit;
• and
• a reproduction unit configured to (i) perform streaming reproduction of the first content using the extracted part of the first content, and (ii) switch reproduction from the first content to the second content, when the second license data has been extracted from the received part of the multiplexed data and the reproduction of the second content is permitted according to the extracted second license data.

A content reproduction apparatus that is capable of switching reproduction of a content from a streaming content which is currently being reproduced to a storage content linked from the streaming content, said content reproduction apparatus comprising:

• a computer-readable storage medium storing a program that when executed causes the content reproduction apparatus to perform as:
• a receiving unit configured to receive multiplexed data (i) which is generated by multiplexing second license data on a part of a first content and by multiplexing third license data on an other part of the first content, and (ii) which includes a flag indicating prohibition of storing two or more license data multiplexed on one content, the first content being a streaming content, the second license data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of a second content or showing permission for reproducing the second content, the second content being a storage content, the third license data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of a third content or showing permission for reproducing the third content, and the third content being a storage content;
• an extracting unit configured to extract a part of the second license data, a part of the third license data, the parts of the first content, and the flag from the received multiplexed data;
• a license storage unit configured to store, according to the flag, only one license data extracted by said extracting unit;
• and
• a switching instruction acceptance unit configured to accept an input of an instruction to switch reproduction from the first content to one of the second content and the third content;
• and
• a reproduction unit configured to (i) switch reproduction from the first content to the second content, when the second license data is stored in said license storage unit at a timing of the instruction being accepted and the reproduction of the second content is permitted according to the stored second license data, and (ii) switch reproduction from the first content to the third content, when the third license data is stored in said license storage unit at a timing of the instruction being accepted and the reproduction of the third content is permitted according to the stored third license data.

A content reproduction apparatus that is capable of switching reproduction of a content from a streaming content which is currently being reproduced to a storage content linked from the streaming content, said content reproduction apparatus comprising;

• a computer-readable storage medium storing a program that when executed causes the content reproduction apparatus to perform as:
• a receiving unit configured to receive multiplexed data which is generated by multiplexing second license data on a part of a first content and by multiplexing third license data on another part of the first content;
• an extracting unit configured to extract a part of the second license data, a part of the third license data, and the parts of the first content from the received multiplexed data;
• a switching instruction acceptance unit configured to accept an input of an instruction to switch reproduction from the first content to one of the second content and the third content;
• and
• a reproduction unit configured to (i) switch reproduction from the first content to the second content, when the second license data is stored in said license storage unit at a timing of the instruction being accepted and the reproduction of the second content is permitted according to the stored second license data, and (ii) switch reproduction from the first content to the third content, when the third license data is stored in said license storage unit at a timing of the instruction being accepted and the reproduction of the third content is permitted according to the stored third license data.

A transmission method performed by a transmission apparatus, the transmission apparatus including a computer-readable storage medium storing a program that when executed performs the transmission method, the transmission method comprising:

• obtaining, using a second license obtainment unit, second license data for a second content that is a content linked from a first content and a content to be stored in a content reproduction apparatus, the first content being a content to be distributed through streaming, the second license data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of the second content or showing permission for reproducing the second content;
• generating, using a multiplexed data generation unit, multiplexed data by multiplexing the obtained second license data on a part of the first content;
• and
• transmitting, using a transmission unit, the generated multiplexed data to the content reproduction apparatus by streaming, the generated multiplexed data permitting longer reproduction of the second content as an elapsed time from a start of the transmission of the first content becomes longer.

A program stored on a computer-readable storage medium that is used in a transmission apparatus for performing data transmission, said program causing the transmission apparatus to perform steps comprising:

• obtaining second license data for a second content that is a content linked from a first content and a content to be stored in a content reproduction apparatus, the first content being a content to be distributed through streaming, the second license data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of the second content or showing permission for reproducing the second content;
• generating multiplexed data by multiplexing the obtained second license data on a part of the first content;
• and
• transmitting the generated multiplexed data to the content reproduction apparatus by streaming, the generated multiplexed data permitting longer reproduction of the second content as an elapsed time from a staff of the transmission of the first content becomes longer.

A transmission method performed by a transmission apparatus, the transmission apparatus including a computer-readable storage medium storing a program that when executed performs the transmission method, the transmission method comprising:

• obtaining, using a license obtainment unit, second license data and third license data respectively for a second content and a third content that are linked from a first content, the first content being a content to be distributed through streaming, the second license data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of the second content or showing permission for reproducing the second content;
• generating, using a multiplexed data generation unit, the multiplexed data by multiplexing the obtained second license data on a part of the first content and by multiplexing the obtained third license data on an other part of the first content, the third license data including data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of the third content or showing permission for reproducing the third content;
• and
• transmitting, using a transmission unit, the generated multiplexed data to a content reproduction apparatus by streaming.

A program stored on a computer-readable storage medium that is used in a transmission apparatus for performing data transmission, said program causing the transmission apparatus to perform steps comprising:

• obtaining second license data and third license data respectively for a second content and a third content that are linked from a first content, the first content being a content to be distributed through streaming, the second license data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of the second content or showing permission for reproducing the second content;
• generating the multiplexed data by multiplexing the obtained second license data on a part of the first content and by multiplexing the obtained third license data on an other part of the first content, the third license data including data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of the third content or showing permission for reproducing the third content;
• and
• transmitting the generated multiplexed data to a content reproduction apparatus by streaming.

A content reproduction method for switching reproduction of a content from a streaming content which is currently being reproduced to a storage content linked from the streaming content, said content reproduction method comprising:

• receiving, using a receiving unit, multiplexed data through streaming, the multiplexed data being generated by multiplexing second license data on a part of a first content, the first content being a content to be distributed through streaming, the second license data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of a second content or showing permission for reproducing the second content, the first content being a streaming content, and the second content being a storage content;
• extracting, using an extracting unit, a part of the second license data and the part of the first content from the received multiplexed data and extract the second license data from the received part of the multiplexed data;
• obtaining, using a content obtainment unit, the second content from a server via a communication network in the case where the second content is not stored in a content storage unit;
• and
• using a reproduction unit (i) performing streaming reproduction of the first content using the extracted part of the first content, and (ii) switching reproduction from the first content to the second content, when the second license data has been extracted from the received part of the multiplexed data and the reproduction of the second content is permitted according to the extracted second license data.

A program stored on a computer-readable storage medium that is used in a content reproduction apparatus for performing a content reproduction method of switching reproduction of a content from a streaming content which is currently being reproduced to a storage content linked from the streaming content, said program causing the content reproduction apparatus to perform steps comprising:

• receiving multiplexed data through streaming, the multiplexed data being generated by multiplexing second license data on a part of a first content, the first content being a content to be distributed through streaming, the second license data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of a second content or showing permission for reproducing the second content, the first content being a streaming content, and the second content being a storage content;
• extracting a part of the second license data and the part of the first content from the received multiplexed data and to extract the second license data from the received part of the multiplexed data;
• obtaining the second content from a server via a communication network in the case where the second content is not stored in a content storage unit;
• performing streaming reproduction of the first content using the extracted part of the first content;
• switching reproduction from the first content to the second content, when the second license data has been extracted from the received part of the multiplexed data and the reproduction of the second content is permitted according to the extracted second license data.

A content reproduction method for switching reproduction of a content from a streaming content which is currently being reproduced to a storage content linked from the streaming content, said content reproduction method comprising:

• receiving, using a receiving unit, multiplexed data (i) which is generated by multiplexing second license data on a part of a first content and by multiplexing third license data on an other part of the first content, and (ii) which includes a flag indicating prohibition of storing two or more license data multiplexed on one content, the first content being a streaming content, the second license data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of a second content or showing permission for reproducing the second content, the second content being a storage content, the third license data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of a third content or showing permission for reproducing the third content, and the third content being a storage content;
• extracting, using an extracting unit, a part of the second license data, a part of the third license data, the parts of the first content, and the flag from the received multiplexed data;
• storing, using a license storage unit and according to the flag, only one license data extracted by said extracting unit;
• and
• accepting, using a switching instruction acceptance unit, an input of an instruction to switch reproduction from the first content to one of the second content and the third content;
• and
• using a reproduction unit (i) switching reproduction from the first content to the second content, when the second license data is stored in said license storage unit at a timing of the instruction being accepted and the reproduction of the second content is permitted according to the stored second license data, and (ii) switching reproduction from the first content to the third content, when the third license data is stored in said license storage unit at a timing of the instruction being accepted and the reproduction of the third content is permitted according to the stored third license data.

A program stored on a computer-readable storage medium that is used in a content reproduction apparatus for performing a content reproduction method of switching reproduction of a content from a streaming content which is currently being reproduced to a storage content linked from the streaming content, said program causing the content reproduction apparatus to perform steps comprising:

• receiving multiplexed data (i) which is generated by multiplexing second license data on a part of a first content and by multiplexing third license data on an other part of the first content, and (ii) which includes a flag indicating prohibition of storing two or more license data multiplexed on one content, the first content being a streaming content, the second license data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of a second content or showing permission for reproducing the second content, the second content being a storage content, the third license data showing a condition for permitting reproduction of a third content or showing permission for reproducing the third content, and the third content being a storage content;
• extracting a part of the second license data, a part of the third license data, the parts of the first content, and the flag from the received multiplexed data;
• storing, according to the flag, only one license data extracted by said extracting unit;
• accepting an input of an instruction to switch reproduction from the first content to one of the second content and the third content;
• switching reproduction from the first content to the second content, when the second license data is stored in said license storage unit at a timing of the instruction being accepted and the reproduction of the second content is permitted according to the stored second license data;
• and
• switching reproduction from the first content to the third content, when the third license data is stored in said license storage unit at a timing of the instruction being accepted and the reproduction of the third content is permitted according to the stored third license data.

A content reproduction method for switching reproduction of a content from a streaming content which is currently being reproduced to a storage content linked from the streaming content, said content reproduction method comprising;

• receiving, using a receiving unit, multiplexed data which is generated by multiplexing second license data on a part of a first content and by multiplexing third license data on another part of the first content;
• extracting, using an extracting unit, a part of the second license data, a part of the third license data, and the parts of the first content from the received multiplexed data;
• accepting, using a switching instruction acceptance unit, an input of an instruction to switch reproduction from the first content to one of the second content and the third content;
• and
• using a reproduction unit (i) switching reproduction from the first content to the second content, when the second license data is stored in said license storage unit at a timing of the instruction being accepted and the reproduction of the second content is permitted according to the stored second license data, and (ii) switching reproduction from the first content to the third content, when the third license data is stored in said license storage unit at a timing of the instruction being accepted and the reproduction of the third content is permitted according to the stored third license data.

A program stored on a computer-readable storage medium that is used in a content reproduction apparatus for performing a content reproduction method of switching reproduction of a content from a streaming content which is currently being reproduced to a storage content linked from the streaming content, said program causing the content reproduction apparatus to perform steps comprising:

• receiving multiplexed data which is generated by multiplexing second license data on a part of a first content and by multiplexing third license data on another part of the first content;
• extracting a part of the second license data, a part of the third license data, and the parts of the first content from the received multiplexed data;
• accepting an input of an instruction to switch reproduction from the first content to one of the second content and the third content;
• switching reproduction from the first content to the second content, when the second license data is stored in said license storage unit at a timing of the instruction being accepted and the reproduction of the second content is permitted according to the stored second license data;
• and
• switching reproduction from the first content to the third content, when the third license data is stored in said license storage unit at a timing of the instruction being accepted and the reproduction of the third content is permitted according to the stored third license data.