JP2002010232A - Video information distribution system, information distribution system, information request device, and information providing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] To obtain a video information distribution system and an information distribution system using a satellite system, and an information requesting device and an information providing device constituting the same, which can be used by a user at a remote place. . A high-speed information transmission system configured using a broadcast satellite (or a communication satellite) and a communication satellite
2 and a low-speed side information transmission system 14 configured by using Large-capacity information such as video information distributed from the service provider P to the user U is transmitted by the high-speed information transmission system 12 and transmitted as small information such as request information of video information transmitted and received between the service provider P and the user U. The capacity information is transmitted by the low-speed information transmission system 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video information distribution system, an information distribution system, an information requesting device, and an information providing device for distributing video information or the like in response to a user request.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A VOD (Video On Demand) service for distributing video information in response to a user request has appeared. This VOD service is provided on a VOD system for transmitting video information from an information provider to a user.

[0003]

In the above-described VOD system, the user side is configured to receive video information and the like via a wired information network. Therefore, there is a problem that the service cannot be used when the user is at a remote place.

The present invention has been made to solve such inconvenience, and a video information distribution system, an information distribution system, an information request device, and an information providing device that can be used by a user at a remote place. The purpose is to provide.

[0005]

A video information distribution system according to the present invention is a system for distributing video information from an information providing unit to the information requesting unit in response to a request from an information requesting unit. There is provided at least two information transmission systems configured using transmission artificial satellites and having different transmission speeds (the invention according to claim 1).

[0006] The information transmission system includes a high-speed information transmission system having a high transmission speed configured using a broadcasting satellite or a communication satellite, and a low-speed information transmission system configured using a communication satellite. Low-speed information transmission system, wherein the information providing unit sends the video information to the information request unit via the high-speed information transmission system, and the information request unit transmits the low-speed information transmission Information for transmitting the request for the video information is sent to the information providing unit via a system (the invention according to claim 2).

[0007] Therefore, a video information distribution service can be provided at a low cost to a remote user.

In this case, the low-speed side information transmission system is a bidirectional communication system capable of one-to-one communication, so that the information providing unit specifies the information requesting unit that has requested the video information distribution. (Claim 3
Described invention).

Further, the information providing unit, after performing the encryption process on the video information, sends the video information to the unspecified information requesting unit via the high-speed information transmission system, and The encryption key information for canceling the encryption is transmitted to the specific information request unit via the low-speed information transmission system (the invention according to claim 4). For this reason, the video information can be distributed only to the specific information request unit that has requested the distribution of the video information.

[0010] In this case, the information providing unit may send a list of the video information that can be distributed to the unspecified information requesting unit via the high-speed information transmission system. invention).

Further, the information requesting unit sends information for transmitting a result of distribution of the video information to the information providing unit via the low-speed information transmission system (the invention according to claim 6). . For this reason, the certainty of distribution can be ensured.

Further, the low-speed side information transmission system includes:
As a switching system, a store-and-forward system is adopted (the invention according to claim 7). Therefore, when information is not transmitted, the communication line can be disconnected, and as a result,
Communication costs can be reduced.

An information distribution system according to the present invention is provided for distributing desired information including voice and / or image from an information providing unit to the information requesting unit in response to a request from an information requesting unit. And has at least two information transmission systems which are configured using information transmission artificial satellites and have different transmission speeds. The information transmission system includes a high-speed information transmission system with a high transmission speed configured using a broadcasting satellite or a communication satellite, and a low-speed information transmission system with a low transmission speed configured using a communication satellite. Information transmission system, the information providing unit, via the high-speed information transmission system, sends the desired information to the information request unit, the information request unit,
Information for transmitting the request for the desired information is sent to the information providing unit via the low-speed information transmission system (the invention according to claim 8).

[0014] Therefore, it is possible to provide an information distribution service at a low cost to a remote user.

An information requesting apparatus according to the present invention is for outputting at least two information transmission systems having different transmission speeds, each of which includes an artificial satellite for information transmission, and information including voice and / or image. An information requesting device that constitutes an information distribution system including an information providing device according to claim 1, wherein the information providing device has a desired transmission speed via a low-speed information transmission system having a lower transmission speed among the two information transmission systems. Receiving the desired information sent from the information providing device via a means for sending information that conveys the information request, and a high-speed information transmission system having a higher transmission speed among the two information transmission systems. Means (the invention according to claim 9).

Therefore, an information distribution service can be provided at a low cost to a remote user.

An information providing apparatus according to the present invention comprises at least two information transmission systems having different transmission speeds, each of which is constituted by using an artificial satellite for transmitting information, and an information request for receiving information including voice and / or image. An information providing device that constitutes an information distribution system including a device, among the two information transmission systems, via a low-speed information transmission system having a lower transmission speed, sent from the information requesting device, Means for receiving information that conveys a request for desired information, and means for sending the desired information to the information requesting device via a high-speed information transmission system having a higher transmission speed among the two information transmission systems. (The invention according to claim 10).

Therefore, it is possible to provide an information distribution service to a remote user at a low cost.

[0019]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a VOD (Video On Demand) system (video information distribution system) 10 to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

The VOD system 10 provides a service provider P to a user U in response to a request from a user U located in a remote place (for example, in a ship S).
This is a system configured to distribute video information such as music videos. The VOD system 10 is configured to be able to provide services to a large number of users U (that is, so that one service provider P can handle a large number of users U).

The high-speed information transmission system 12 and the low-speed information transmission system 1 having different bit rates (transmission speeds) between the service provider P and the user U.
The transmission of information takes place via 4.

The high-speed information transmission system 12 includes, for example,
This is a one-way communication system configured using a broadcasting satellite (BS) 20 which is a geostationary satellite for information transmission. In the high-speed information transmission system 12, data can be transmitted at a high bit rate, and large-capacity video information of several megabytes to several gigabytes can be transmitted at high speed. Note that instead of the broadcasting satellite 20, a communication satellite (CS)
May be used.

On the other hand, the low-speed information transmission system 14 is configured using, for example, a communication satellite 22 which is an orbiting satellite for information transmission, and has a lower bit rate than the high-speed information transmission system 12. ing. That is,
The low-speed information transmission system 14 is suitable for transmitting information having a smaller capacity than video information (for example, information of several tens to several kilobytes).

The low-speed information transmission system 14 is configured as, for example, a two-way communication system capable of one-to-one communication. Further, in the low-speed side information transmission system 14, it is preferable to adopt a storage and exchange system as an exchange system. Actually, the low-speed information transmission system 1
As 4, the INMARSAT-C system, the ORBCOMM system, or the like can be used.

The high-speed information transmission system 12 and the low-speed information transmission system 14 may be configured using the same artificial satellite, and different bit rates may be assigned to these. The broadcast satellite 20 and the communication satellite 22
May be either a geostationary satellite or an orbiting satellite, and each can be arbitrarily selected.

FIG. 2 shows a device configuration on the service provider P side and a device configuration on the user U side, respectively.

An information providing unit (information providing device) 30 provided on the service provider P side includes a computer 32,
And a database 34 connected to the computer 32. The database 34 stores various types of video information.

The computer 32 is connected to a high-speed communication device 38 and a low-speed communication device 40 via a communication network 36 such as a public line network, a dedicated line network, or the Internet.
And are connected respectively. And the high-speed side communication device 3
The antennas 42 and 44 are provided in the communication device 8 and the low-speed side communication device 40, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 1, the antennas 42, 44
Are each composed of a parabolic antenna. The antenna 42 on the high-speed communication device 38 is installed so as to point in the direction of the broadcasting satellite 20, while the antenna 44 on the low-speed communication device 40 is installed so as to point in the direction of the communication satellite 22. Have been.

When the communication satellite 22 is an orbiting satellite, a rod antenna having no directivity may be used as the antenna 44. Also, the antenna 44
Alternatively, a device having a function of tracking the communication satellite 22 may be adopted.

The computer 32 shown in FIG. 2 sends large-capacity information (such as video information) to the high-speed communication device 38 and transmits it to the user U via the high-speed information transmission system 12. On the other hand, information having a small capacity (such as confirmation information) is sent to the low-speed communication device 40 and transmitted to the user U via the low-speed information transmission system 14.
Further, the computer 32 captures information transmitted from the user U to the low-speed communication device 40 via the low-speed information transmission system 14.

On the other hand, an information requesting unit (information requesting device) 50 is provided on each user U side. Information request unit 50
Includes a controller 52, a picture / recording device 54, a high-speed receiving device 56, and a low-speed transmitting / receiving device 58.

Receiving / recording device 54, high-speed receiving device 56
The low-speed transmitting / receiving device 58 is electrically connected to the controller 52. The image receiving / recording device 54 is electrically connected to the high-speed receiving device 56.

Antennas 62 and 64 are connected to the high-speed receiving device 56 and the low-speed transmitting / receiving device 58, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 1, the antenna 62 is, for example, a parabolic antenna. In this case, it is preferable that the antenna 62 is provided with a tracking function so that the directivity direction of the antenna 62 always faces the direction of the broadcast satellite 20. On the other hand, when the communication satellite 22 is an orbiting satellite, the antenna 64 is configured by, for example, a rod antenna having no directivity. The antenna 64 may have a function of tracking the communication satellite 22 with high accuracy.

As shown in FIG. 2, the high-speed receiving device 56
Captures a large amount of information sent from the information providing unit 30 via the high-speed information transmission system 12. On the other hand, the low-speed side transmission / reception device 58 transmits / receives a small amount of information to / from the information providing unit 30 via the low-speed side information transmission system 14. In this case, since the low-speed information transmission system 14 is a two-way communication system, the information providing unit 30 can confirm the ID information of the information requesting unit 50 that is performing communication.

The receiving / recording device 54 stores the video information and the like fetched by the high-speed receiving device 56 in a storage device (not shown) and displays the video information and the like on the screen of a display (not shown). .

Next, the processing performed by the VOD system 10, particularly by the information providing unit 30 and the information requesting unit 50, will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The left side of FIG. 3 shows the processing (steps S11 to S21) of the information providing unit 30, and the right side shows an arbitrary one.
Processing of Two Information Requesting Units 50 (Steps S31 to S40)
Is shown. The flow of information through the high-speed information transmission system 12 is indicated by a thick white line, and the flow of information through the low-speed information transmission system 14 is indicated by a broken line.

First, the computer 32 of the information providing unit 30 creates a list Da of distributable video information in step S11, and sends the list Da to the high-speed communication device 38. The high-speed communication device 38 uses the list Da
Is distributed to the unspecified information request unit 50 via the high-speed information transmission system 12.

The high-speed receiving device 56 of the information requesting unit 50
In step S31, when receiving the list Da from the information providing unit 30, the list Da is sent to the image receiving / recording device 54.
Then, in the subsequent step S32, the image receiving / recording device 54 stores the list Da in a storage device (not shown) and displays the contents of the list Da on a screen of a display device (not shown).

The list Da may be transmitted from the information providing unit 30 every predetermined period. In this case, the receiving / recording device 54 updates the list Da each time the new list Da is received.

Next, in step S33, the user U
Selects the desired video information while referring to the contents of the list Da, and inputs the reference number of the video information to the controller 52. In the subsequent step S34, the controller 52 transmits the information for transmitting the request for the video information of the reference number. (Request information) da is sent to the low-speed side transmitting / receiving device 58. Then, the low-speed side transmission / reception device 58 sends the request information da to the information providing unit 30 via the low-speed side information transmission system 14.

The low-speed side communication device 40 of the information providing unit 30
In step S12, when the request information da from the information request unit 50 is received, the request information da is sent to the computer 32.
At this time, the computer 32 checks the ID information of the information request unit 50 to which the request information da has been sent.

The computer 32 proceeds to the next step S13
, The contents of the request information da are confirmed. At this time,
In the computer 32, the user U is also authenticated. Then, the computer 32 transmits information (request confirmation information) db for transmitting the content of the confirmed request information da.
From the low-speed side communication device 40 to the low-speed side information transmission system 1
4 to the information request unit 50.

The low-speed transmission / reception device 58 of the information request unit 50
Upon receiving the request confirmation information db from the information providing unit 30 in step S35,
Send to

Further, the computer 3 of the information providing unit 30
2 determines an encryption key for encrypting the video information to be delivered to the information requesting unit 50 in step S14. Then, the computer 32 proceeds to the next step S
15, the information (encryption information) dc of this encryption key
From the low-speed side communication device 40 to the low-speed side information transmission system 1
4 through a specific information requesting unit 50 (step S1).
To the information requesting unit 50) specified by the ID information obtained in step 2.

The controller 52 of the information requesting unit 50 receives the encrypted information dc from the information providing unit 30 via the low-speed transmitting / receiving device 58 in step S36.

Further, the computer 3 of the information providing unit 30
In step S16, the video information specified by the request information da from the information requesting unit 50 is stored in the database 3
Read from # 4. In this case, it is assumed that the video information stored in the database 34 has been subjected to compression processing.

Next, the computer 32 proceeds to step S
In step 17, the video information is stored in the step S14.
Encryption processing based on the encryption key determined in step (1). In this case, DES (Data Encryption Standa
The secret key cryptosystem such as the rd) system is used.

For the encryption processing, a public key encryption method such as Diffie-Hellman method or a hybrid (public key + private key) encryption method can be used.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, the controller 52 of the information request unit 50 determines an encryption key (public key) in step S61 performed prior to step S36, and further, in step S62, A process of transmitting the information (encryption information) de of the public key to the information providing unit 30 is performed.

The computer 32 of the information providing unit 30
Then, step S14 (or step S15)
Prior to the process, the process of receiving the encryption information de from the information requesting unit 50 is performed in step S51.

When the public key cryptosystem is adopted, the processes of steps S14, S15 and S36 are not performed. Then, in step S38 described later, using the public key determined in step S61,
A decryption process is performed.

When the hybrid encryption method is adopted, the secret key (encryption information dc) sent from the information providing unit 30 to the information requesting unit 50 in step S15 is determined in step S61. An encryption process is performed using the public key. Then, step S38, which will be described later,
In, a decryption process is performed using a secret key obtained by decrypting a secret key using a public key.

In step S 18, the computer 32 sends the encrypted video information Db from the high-speed communication device 38 to the unspecified information requesting unit 50 via the high-speed information transmission system 12.

The high-speed receiving device 56 of the information requesting unit 50
In step S37, upon receiving the encrypted video information Db from the information providing unit 30, the encrypted video information Db is transmitted to the image receiving / recording device 54, and the controller 52 is notified that the video information Db has been received. It should be noted that the high-speed receiving device 56 may not capture the video information Db when not requesting the video information.

Subsequently, in step S38, the controller 52 supplies the encryption / decryption key obtained as the encryption information dc in step S36 to the image receiving / recording device 54.
Then, in the image receiving / recording device 54, a process of decrypting the encryption applied to the video information Db is performed by using the encryption key. That is, the decryption process is performed only in the specific information request unit 50 to which the encryption key has been supplied.

When the decryption processing is completed, the image receiving / recording device 54 stores the obtained video information in an internal storage device (not shown). Then, the video information is displayed on a screen of a display device (not shown) automatically or based on an operation of the user U.

In a succeeding step S 39, the image receiving / recording device 54 sends the reference number of the obtained video information to the controller 52. At this time, the controller 52 may be notified of whether or not the obtained video information is complete (having no damage or the like).

The controller 52 includes a receiving / recording device 54
Is compared with the reference number of the video information selected in step S33, and the content of the notification from the image receiving / recording device 54 that indicates whether the video information is complete is confirmed. This determines whether the requested video information has been correctly distributed. Then, information (delivery result confirmation information) dd for transmitting the determination result (OK / NG) is transmitted from the low-speed transmitting / receiving device 58 to the information providing unit 30 via the low-speed information transmission system 14.

In step S 19, the computer 32 of the information providing unit 30 sends the information via the low-speed side communication device 40
Upon receiving the distribution result confirmation information dd from the information request unit 50, in the following step S20, the distribution result confirmation information d
It is determined whether the determination result transmitted as d is OK (video information was correctly distributed) or NG (video information was not correctly distributed).

If the determination result is OK, the process proceeds to the next step S21. On the other hand, if the determination result is NG, the process returns to the step S18, where the encrypted video information Db is reproduced. Send.

In step S21, the computer 3
2 performs processing at the end of distribution (for example, processing of calculating a distribution fee for video information to be charged to the user U).

After the process of step S21 is completed, the process returns to step S12 and waits for a new distribution request from the user U.

The controller 52 of the information request unit 50
Determines in step S40 whether the determination result obtained in step S39 is OK or NG. If the determination result is OK, the process returns to step S33 and waits for the user U to select new video information. On the other hand, if the determination result is NG, the process returns to step S37 and waits for retransmission of the encrypted video information Db from the information providing unit 30.

As described above, in one embodiment of the present invention, the video information Db having a large capacity is transmitted by the high-speed information transmission system 12 having a high bit rate, and the request information da and the request confirmation information db having a small capacity are transmitted. , Encryption information dc, de, distribution result confirmation information dd, and the like are transmitted by the low-speed information transmission system 14 having a lower bit rate than the high-speed information transmission system 12.

Therefore, compared with the case where all information is transmitted by the high-speed information transmission system 12,
0 and the total amount of power consumed by the communication satellite 22 and the amount of power consumed by the information providing unit 30 and the information requesting unit 50, and as a result, communication costs can be reduced.

Further, since the frequency band of the broadcasting satellite 20 is not wastefully occupied for transmitting a small amount of information, frequency resources can be effectively used.
That is, it is possible to configure the VOD system 10 using a satellite broadcasting system or the like having limited frequency resources, and as a result, a VOD service can be provided to a remote user U at low cost.

In this case, by using a system adopting the store-and-forward method as the low-speed side information transmission system 14, the communication line can be disconnected when information is not transmitted and received, so that the occupation time of the line , That is, the communication cost can be reduced.

Further, by adopting a two-way communication system capable of one-to-one communication as the low-speed information transmission system 14, a service provider P (information providing unit 30) requests distribution of video information. User U
(Information request unit 50) can be specified.

Further, from the information providing unit 30 to the information requesting unit 5
0, by performing encryption processing on the video information to be transmitted to 0 and notifying the encryption key only to the information requesting unit 50 that has requested the distribution of the video information, using the high-speed information transmission system 12 which is a one-way communication system. Even when the video information is transmitted, the distribution of the video information to the unspecified information request unit 50 is prevented.

Further, the information requesting unit 50 having received the distribution of the video information notifies the information providing unit 30 whether or not the distribution has been correctly performed, so that the reliability of the distribution can be ensured. . Also, useless retransmission can be prevented.

That is, fairness and certainty of the service can be ensured by specifying the user U, notifying the encryption key, notifying the distribution result, and the like.

Further, since information is transmitted via a satellite line, it is possible to ensure the immediacy of the information.

As described above, one embodiment of the present invention is as follows.
High-speed information transmission system 12 which is a one-way communication system configured using broadcast satellite 20 (or communication satellite)
And the low-speed information transmission system 14, which is a two-way communication system configured by using the communication satellite 22, makes it possible to use the high-speed information transmission system 12 as a pseudo bidirectional asymmetric digital transmission system. it can. For this reason, this system can be applied to a VOD system, and can be applied to a distribution system of various types of information including audio and images.

[0077]

As described above, according to the present invention, a video information distribution system and an information distribution system using a satellite system which can be used by a user who is at a remote place, and these are constituted. An information requesting device and an information providing device can be provided. In addition, distribution fees can be reduced and distribution fairness can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a VOD system to which an embodiment of the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a device configuration on the service provider side and a device configuration on the user side.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process performed by an information providing unit provided on a service provider side and an information requesting unit provided on a user side;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process performed by an information providing unit provided on a service provider side and an information requesting unit provided on a user side;

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 VOD system 12 high-speed information transmission system 14 low-speed information transmission system 20 broadcast satellite 22 communication satellite 30 information providing unit 32 computer 38 high-speed communication device 40 low-speed communication device 50 information request Unit 52 controller 54 receiving / recording device 56 high-speed receiving device 58 low-speed transmitting and receiving device Da list Db video information da request information db request request information dc, de encryption information dd delivery result confirmation Information P… Service provider U… User

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A video information distribution system for distributing video information from an information providing unit to the information requesting unit in response to a request from the information requesting unit, the system comprising an information transmitting artificial satellite. A video information distribution system comprising at least two information transmission systems having different transmission speeds. 2. The video information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the information transmission system comprises: a high-speed information transmission system having a higher transmission speed, which is configured by using a broadcasting satellite or a communication satellite; And a low-speed information transmission system with a low transmission speed configured using the information transmission unit, the information providing unit sends the video information to the information requesting unit via the high-speed information transmission system, The video information distribution system, wherein the requesting unit sends information for transmitting the video information request to the information providing unit via the low-speed information transmission system. 3. The video information distribution system according to claim 2, wherein said low-speed information transmission system is a two-way communication system capable of one-to-one communication. 4. The video information distribution system according to claim 3, wherein the information providing unit performs an encryption process on the video information, and then specifies the video information via the high-speed information transmission system. A video information distribution system, wherein the information is transmitted to the specific information requesting unit via the low-speed information transmission system. 5. The video information distribution system according to claim 2, wherein the information providing unit does not transmit a list of the distributable video information via the high-speed information transmission system. A video information distribution system, wherein the video information is transmitted to a specific information request unit. 6. The video information distribution system according to claim 2, wherein the information request unit transmits information for transmitting a distribution result of the video information to the low-speed information transmission system. A video information distribution system, wherein the video information is transmitted to the information providing unit via the information providing unit. 7. The video information distribution system according to claim 2, wherein said low-speed information transmission system employs a storage and exchange system as an exchange system. Information distribution system. 8. An information distribution system for distributing desired information including sound and / or image from an information providing unit to the information requesting unit in response to a request from the information requesting unit. It has at least two information transmission systems configured using satellites and having different transmission speeds, wherein the information transmission system is configured using a broadcasting satellite or a communication satellite, and is a high-speed information transmission on a high transmission speed side. A low-speed information transmission system having a low transmission rate configured using a communication satellite, wherein the information providing unit transmits the desired information to the information requesting unit via the high-speed information transmission system. Information delivery, wherein the information requesting unit sends, through the low-speed side information transmission system, information for transmitting a request for the desired information to the information providing unit. Stem. 9. An information transmission system comprising at least two information transmission systems having different transmission speeds, each including an artificial satellite for information transmission, and an information providing device for outputting information including voice and / or image. An information requesting device constituting an information distribution system comprising: transmitting a request for desired information to the information providing device via a low-speed information transmission system having a lower transmission speed among the two information transmission systems. Means for transmitting information; and means for receiving the desired information sent from the information providing apparatus via a high-speed information transmission system having a higher transmission speed among the two information transmission systems. An information requesting device characterized by the above-mentioned. 10. An information delivery system comprising: at least two information transmission systems having different transmission speeds, each of which is constituted by using an artificial satellite for information transmission, and an information requesting device for receiving information including voice and / or image. An information providing apparatus constituting a system, wherein, of the two information transmission systems, a request for desired information transmitted from the information requesting apparatus via a low-speed information transmission system having a lower transmission rate. Means for receiving information to be transmitted, and means for sending the desired information to the information requesting device via a high-speed information transmission system having a higher transmission speed among the two information transmission systems. Information providing device.