Comment distribution system

Abstract

To provide a new comment distribution system without infringing on the patents of existing comment distribution systems.SOLUTION: When a comment has 41 or more comments, a comment distribution system decides whether to display it as a primary comment, secondary comment, or both, on a terminal side. Then, when a comment is made, the system gives a command indicating whether it is a primary comment or secondary comment, on the terminal side, and when the comment is received and displayed, the system classifies the comment as either a primary comment or secondary comment according to the command.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a comment distribution system. [Background technology]

[0002] In Japan, there is a famous website that displays comments overlaid on videos. The company that runs the website is famous for holding a patent related to comments. Patent Document 1 proposes building a new comment delivery system without infringing on the patents of conventional comment delivery systems. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7595826 Public Relations [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6850927 Public Relations [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] none Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In popular videos and popular seek bars, many comments are displayed at once, and if there are too many comments to read, they become unreadable. Therefore, Patent Document 2 shows a method of thinning out the comments. The present invention helps to build a new comment delivery system without infringing the patents of conventional comment delivery systems.

[0006] When building a new comment distribution system using Patent Document 1, if comments are divided into two areas, for example, if the number of comments exceeds 40 and the excess comments are not depicted in one of the areas, there is a possibility of infringing Patent Document 2. There is no infringement if all comments are depicted or not separated, but it is easier to see if they are separated into two or more areas because it is more familiar to users. Also, the processing on the terminal side is lighter if the displayed comments disappear when there are more than 40 comments. And by dividing it into two areas, there is a possibility that functions such as liking comments can be implemented, making it more user-friendly, as it allows users to go back and view comments they like. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a comment delivery system according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a comment distribution server. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a viewer terminal. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] One embodiment of the comment distribution system of the present invention is a comment distribution system comprising a video distribution server that distributes videos, a comment distribution server that distributes comments inputted to the videos, and a terminal that displays the videos and transmits the comments inputted to the videos, wherein the comment server comprises a receiving unit that receives the comments and a distribution unit that distributes the comments, and the terminal comprises a video display unit that receives and displays the videos, a transmitting unit that transmits the comments, and a classification unit that classifies the comments into first comments that are displayed both within the display area of ​​the video and in a comment section outside the display area of ​​the video, and second comments that are displayed only in the comment section.

[0009] The reason why the present invention is divided into claims 1 and 2 is that a comment distribution system can be created by combining a distributor terminal that satisfies only claim 1 with a terminal that satisfies claim 2.

[0010] According to the present invention, the comment display area can be divided into multiple areas without infringing on Patent Document 2, and comments can be erased from the screen when there are more than 40 comments. EXAMPLES

[0011] To summarize the difference between the present invention and Patent Document 2, Patent Document 2 separates comments at the server, whereas the present invention separates comments at the terminal. The terminal can easily determine whether the number of comments to be displayed on the screen exceeds 40. Also, by classifying the comments on the terminal and adding the information to the comments in advance, it is possible to classify which display area they should be displayed in on another terminal without having to classify which display area they should be displayed in on the server.

[0012] [System configuration] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a comment delivery system according to this embodiment. The comment delivery system shown in the figure is composed of a comment delivery server 1, a video delivery server 2, a viewer terminal 3, and a distributor terminal 4. Each device is communicatively connected via a network. In FIG. 1, only two viewer terminals 3 are shown, but this is not limited to this. There are many viewers, and many viewer terminals 3 are connected. Also, only one distributor terminal 4 is shown, but in reality there are many distributors, and many distributor terminals 4 are connected. Viewers can select and watch the programs of the distributors they want to watch.

[0014] The distributor terminal 4 is a terminal used by a distributor who distributes a program, and uploads captured videos in real time to the video distribution server 2. For example, the distributor terminal 4 uploads videos captured by a camera connected to the distributor terminal 4 in real time to the video distribution server 2. The distributor terminal 4 may also upload videos input from an external device such as a game console to the video distribution server 2.

[0015] The video distribution server 2 distributes the video received from the distributor terminal 4 to the viewer terminal 3 in real time. In other words, the distributor distributes a live broadcast program. The distribution of a live broadcast program is also called streaming distribution. Here, a live broadcast program will be described as an example, but the present invention is also applicable to time-shift distribution in which the video distribution server 2 records a live broadcast program and distributes the video at a later time.

[0016] The viewer terminal 3 is a terminal used by a viewer to watch a program, and receives and displays video from the video distribution server 2. When a viewer operates the viewer terminal 3 to select a program that he or she wants to watch, the viewer terminal 3 transmits a video distribution request to the video distribution server 2. Upon receiving the distribution request, the video distribution server 2 starts transmitting the requested video to the viewer terminal 3.

[0017] The comment distribution server 1 receives comments entered by viewers on videos from the viewer terminal 3, and distributes the received comments in real time to viewer terminals 3 receiving the same video distribution and to the distributor terminal 4 distributing that video. The comment distribution server 1 manages the comments received from the viewer terminal 3 for each video. When the video distribution server 2 receives a distribution request from the viewer terminal 3, it notifies the comment distribution server 1 of information identifying the viewer terminal 3 and information identifying the requested video. The comment distribution server 1 starts transmitting comments corresponding to the video to the viewer terminal 3 and receiving comments from the viewer terminal 3. The technology described in Patent Document 1 can be used for distributing the comments.

[0018] The comment distribution server 1 does not classify the received comments into comments to be displayed within the display area of ​​the video (hereinafter referred to as first comments) and comments not to be displayed within the display area of ​​the video (hereinafter referred to as second comments), but distributes the first comments and the second comments together to the viewer terminal 3 and the distributor terminal 4.

[0019] When the number of comments displayed on the screen is below a certain number (e.g. 40), the viewer terminal 3 displays the comments both within the display area of ​​the video and in a comment section outside the display area of ​​the video. Also, when the number of comments displayed on the screen is above a certain number (e.g. 40), the viewer terminal 3 displays the comments only in the comment section, starting with the oldest comment, as second comments. When the viewer terminal 3 receives a second comment whose command includes a command indicating that the comment is a "distributor," it displays the comment only in the comment section. In other words, the viewer terminal 3 displays all comments (first and second comments) in the comment section, but displays only the first comment within the display area of ​​the video. Similarly, the distributor terminal 4 displays the first comment both within the display area of ​​the video and in the comment section, and displays the second comment only in the comment section.

[0020] The viewer terminal 3 hides any comments that overlap with the video and exceed 40 comments (any number is acceptable, and each terminal may freely adjust the number above 40 comments) through processing by each terminal. Furthermore, if the received comment command contains information indicating a first comment, the comment is displayed both within the display area of ​​the video and in a comment section outside the display area of ​​the video. If the received comment command contains information indicating a second comment, the viewer terminal 3 displays the comment only in the comment section. In other words, the viewer terminal 3 displays all comments (the first and second comments) in the comment section, but displays only the first comment within the display area of ​​the video. Similarly, the distributor terminal 4 displays the first comment both within the display area of ​​the video and in the comment section, and displays the second comment only in the comment section.

[0021] [Server configuration and terminal configuration] Next, examples of the configuration of the comment distribution server 1 and the viewer terminal 3 will be described.

[0022] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the comment distribution server 1. The comment distribution server 1 shown in the figure includes a comment receiving unit 11, a comment distribution unit 13, and a comment storage unit 14, and the comments at the distributor terminal are classified by a classification unit 12A, and the viewer terminal (which may be a distributor terminal) is classified by a classification unit 12B.

[0023] The classification unit 12A of the distributor terminal adds information about where the first comment and the second comment are to be displayed to the command column of the comment to be transmitted to the comment receiving unit 11.

[0024] The comment receiving unit 11 receives comments from the viewer terminal 3, and stores the received comments in the comment storage unit 14.

[0025] The comment storage unit 14 stores, for each video, the content of the comment, information about the comment poster, and the comment posting time, and information about where the first comment and second comment are to be displayed. The content of the comment is basically a character string, but may also be an image such as a stamp. The information about the comment poster is, for example, the poster's name or the poster's identifier. The comment poster is also the viewer. The comment posting time is, for example, the playback time (timestamp) of the video when the viewer sent the comment. These pieces of information are included in the received comments. The received comment includes an identifier indicating which video the comment is for. In addition to the above information, a comment number indicating the order in which the comments were received, and a comment display method specifying the display mode of the comment may be stored.

[0026] The comment distribution unit 13 reads out the comments from the comment storage unit 14 and distributes the comments, including the type of the comment (first comment or second comment), to the viewer terminal 3 and the distributor terminal 4. In the case of a live broadcast program, comments are accumulated one after another as the program progresses, so the comment distribution unit 13 reads out and distributes the newly accumulated comments.

[0027] In time-shift delivery, the comment delivery unit 13 sends out the comments stored in the comment storage unit 14 according to the playback time stamp of the video.

[0028] 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of viewer terminal 3. Viewer terminal 3 shown in the figure includes video display unit 31, comment receiving unit 32, operation input unit 33, comment sending unit 34, classification unit 12A, and classification unit 12B. Note that distributor terminal 4 also includes a similar configuration to viewer terminal 3, and displays the distributed video and comments.

[0029] The video display unit 31 transmits a request for distribution of a video designated by a viewer to the video distribution server 2, and receives and displays the video distributed from the video distribution server 2.

[0030] The comment receiving unit 32 receives comments input for the video being viewed from the comment distribution server 1, and causes the video display unit 31 to display the comments.

[0031] The video display unit 31 displays the comment in a comment field, and if the comment is a first comment, displays the comment by superimposing it on the video.

[0032] The operation input unit 33 inputs operations from a viewer. For example, the operation input unit 33 inputs an operation to select a video, an operation on the video, and a comment on the video.

[0033] If the comment corresponds to the first comment, the comment classification unit 12A writes in the command of the comment that it is the first comment.

[0034] If a command indicating that the comment corresponds to a primary comment is added, the comment classification unit 12B classifies the comment as a primary comment.

[0035] The comment sending unit 34 sends the comment inputted by the operation input unit 33 to the comment distribution server 1. The comment to be sent includes the content of the comment, information identifying the video being viewed, information identifying the viewer, and a timestamp when the comment was entered. The comment may also include additional information such as a display mode. If the comment corresponds to a first comment here, a statement indicating that it is a first comment may be written in the comment command.

[0036] The distributor terminal 4 may read out the first comment superimposed on the video. For example, when a program is broadcast that shows a live commentary of a game played by the distributor, the distributor cannot take his / her eyes off the game screen, so the comments are read out by a reading-out software installed in the distributor terminal 4. The audio of the comments being read out is distributed together with the video. When the number of comments becomes large, the comments superimposed on the video are thinned out, so that the reading-out software can read out the comments in real time without a significant delay.

[0037] Each unit of the comment distribution server 1 and the viewer terminal 3 may be configured by a computer equipped with an arithmetic processing unit, a storage device, etc., and the processing of each unit may be executed by a program. This program is stored in a storage device equipped in the comment distribution server 1 and the viewer terminal 3, and can be recorded on a recording medium such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, or can be provided via a network.

[0038] 0034 of Patent Document 2 states, "Note that the viewer terminal 3 may be provided with part of the functions of the comment distribution server 1. For example, the viewer terminal 3 may be provided with the comment classification unit 12, and the received comments may be classified according to criteria." Later, the classification criteria are mentioned. Looking at the classification criteria, they remain within the scope of the claims of Patent Document 2. Therefore, it would not have been easy to imagine the present invention not infringing the claims of Patent Document 2. If they had thought so, they would have filed an application for something similar to the present invention in parallel with Patent Document 2. In the present invention, "a part of the functions of the comment distribution server 1 is provided in the viewer terminal 3, the viewer terminal 3 is provided with a comment classification unit 12A, and the viewer terminal 3 classifies the comments to be sent according to a criterion, and the viewer terminal 3 is provided with a comment classification unit 12B, and the received classified comments are classified according to a criterion." Thoughts on the invention

[0039] I think the key point of contention will be whether it can be easily thought of from 0034 in Patent Document 2. As always, I would like to know the cause of 9 / 25 and how to prevent it from happening again. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1 None

Claims

1. A comment distribution system including a video distribution server that distributes videos, a comment distribution server that distributes comments inputted to the videos, and a terminal that displays the videos and transmits the comments inputted to the videos, The comment server includes: A receiving unit that receives the comments and a distribution unit that distributes the comments, The terminal includes: a video display unit that receives and displays the video; The video display device includes a transmission unit that transmits the comment, and a classification unit that classifies the comment into a first comment that is displayed in both a display area of ​​the video and a comment section outside the display area of ​​the video, and a second comment that is displayed only in the comment section. Comment distribution system.

2. A comment display unit displays a first comment among the received comments in both a display area of ​​the video and a comment section outside the display area of ​​the video, and displays the second comment only in the comment section. The terminal according to claim 1.

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