Video-on-demand system

Abstract

The invention relates to a video-on-demand system which can increase users simultaneously utilized, realize income increase of service operators, and prevent image quality from being reduced, wherein the reduction of the image quality is caused because the number of the users simultaneously utilized is beyond the maximum capacity of the system. In the video-on-demand system, a plurality of program televising time zones of an identical program is presented to a user beforehand, so that the user registers view desiring time zone beforehand. Moreover, a price which is altered in accordance with the number of simultaneous viewers, and the number of view desiring users are presented to the user. For example, for the pursuit of the profit of an enterpriser, as the number of the viewers becomes larger, the price is lowered more so as to increase the number of the viewers still further. On the other hand, the presented prince is altered according to predetermined rules in order to prevent theprogram televising quality from being reduced, wherein the reduction of the program televising quality is caused because the viewers increase excessively to be in excess of the capability of the system. The number of the users in the program televising time zone is controlled according to an economy principle, so that the load of the system is averaged.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a video-on-demand system, in particular to a co-purchase-type video-on-demand system, which utilizes a visual display device connected to the network to realize video-on-demand, quasi-video-on-demand (near Video On Demand). Background technique [0002] In the conventional video-on-demand system, for example, when the number of simultaneous users exceeds the maximum capacity of the system, image quality degradation such as frame skipping and frame freezing of audiovisual images will occur. [0003] In the technique of Patent Document 1, for example, when viewing a video-on-demand program, the number and time of special playback (rewind, fast-forward, etc.) that the user can perform are limited and the degree of user confusion is displayed for each utilization time zone. Or it does not depend on the utilization reservation etc. of viewing and listening programs, and solves the above-mentioned problems. [0004] The tec...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

When multiple users have access requests to the video server at the same time, if the number of users utilized at the same time exceeds the maximum capacity of the system, there will be problems such as frame skipping and frame freezing of audio-visual images, which will cause image quality degradation

[0009] Moreover, in the conventional video-on-demand method, the same content is provided at the same price irrespective of the number of simultaneous viewers and viewing time periods, so the concentration of simultaneous use users mentioned above will sometimes fail to meet the requirements of the desired viewers. This is a lost revenue opportunity for service operators

[0010] In addition, in order to increase the profit of the service provider, although it is possible to consider adding users, on the other hand, the number of users may exceed the capacity of the system

[0011] In the technique of Patent Document 1, the limitation of the number and time of special playback (rewind, fast-forward, etc.) leads to a decrease in user convenience

Moreover, the display of the degree of user promiscuity in each time period does not have a specific means to actively control user promiscuity

[0012] In addition, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, etc. disclose that viewers can reserve a desired viewing time slot by using a reservation, but no specific means of dispersing the user's load are provided.

[0013] According to Patent Document 3, although the information provider can realize appropriate line selection and price setting based on the information, the uncertainty is relatively high due to the audio-visual prediction of the distribution target person's exclusive file, etc.

In addition, there is no means of maximizing the income of information providers, such as an increase in the number of distribution targets due to price reduction based on the number of subscribers, etc.

Images