System, method and program for providing content distribution service

Abstract

To provide a system for providing a content distribution service, for supporting many users to enjoy rankings.SOLUTION: A service provision server 10 is communicably connected to a user terminal 30 via a communication network 20, and provides a content distribution service for distributing content to a user via the user terminal 30. The server 10 sets rankings of distributors in a group based on a distribution performance of the content of each of the plurality of distributors belonging to the group identified on the basis of a value of an attribute, and excludes distributors satisfying a prescribed condition when setting the rankings, so that rankings of distributors who are not excluded tend to be ranked higher.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system, a method, and a program for providing a content distribution service. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, various services have been provided for distributing content consisting of images and / or sounds. In such services, a mechanism for promoting content distribution may be introduced. For example, the following Patent Document 1 discloses that viewing content including at least a distributor's gameplay is distributed in real time, and by distributing such viewing content, users can earn distribution points, and a ranking based on the distribution points is displayed. Such rankings of distributors can encourage users to distribute content. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-110686 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the above-mentioned conventional system, the users who can enjoy the rankings are sometimes limited to some users who are ranked high in the rankings. Therefore, it is desirable to realize a system that allows more users to enjoy the rankings.

[0005] One of the objects of the embodiment of the present invention is to encourage many users to enjoy rankings. Other objects of the embodiment of the present invention will become apparent by referring to the entire specification. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A system according to one embodiment of the present invention is a system for providing a content distribution service, comprising one or more computer processors, wherein the one or more computer processors execute the steps of: setting attribute values ​​for each of a plurality of distributors who distribute content; and setting a ranking of distributors in the first group based on the distribution performance of the content of each of a plurality of first group distributors belonging to a first group identified from among the plurality of distributors based on the attribute values. The step of setting the ranking of distributors in the first group includes setting the ranking of distributors in the first group by excluding first group distributors that satisfy predetermined conditions from among the plurality of first group distributors.

[0007] A method according to one embodiment of the present invention is executed by one or more computers and is a method for providing a content distribution service, comprising the steps of: setting attribute values ​​for each of a plurality of distributors who distribute content; and setting a ranking of distributors in the first group based on the distribution performance of the content of each of a plurality of first group distributors belonging to a first group identified from the plurality of distributors based on the value of the attribute. The step of setting the ranking of distributors in the first group excludes first group distributors that satisfy a predetermined condition from among the plurality of first group distributors and sets the ranking of distributors in the first group.

[0008] A program according to one embodiment of the present invention is a program for providing a content distribution service, which causes one or more computers to execute the steps of setting attribute values ​​for each of a plurality of distributors who distribute content, and setting a ranking of distributors in the first group based on the distribution track record of the content of each of a plurality of first group distributors belonging to a first group identified from the plurality of distributors based on the attribute values, and the step of setting the ranking of distributors in the first group includes setting the ranking of distributors in the first group by excluding first group distributors that satisfy predetermined conditions from among the plurality of first group distributors. Effect of the Invention

[0009] Various embodiments of the present invention help many users enjoy rankings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a network including a service providing server 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of information managed in a user information table 1511. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the rank of a distributor. [Figure 4] FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of information managed in a distribution management table 1512. [Diagram 5] 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of information managed in a monthly delivery result management table 1513. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a top screen 50. [Figure 7] 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating examples of display contents in an individual display area 541. [Figure 8] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a distribution preparation screen 60. [Figure 9] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a distribution screen 70. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a viewing screen 80. [Figure 11]6 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the server 10 when updating the rank of each user. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of an update rule for a rank meter value. [Figure 13] 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the server 10 when granting diamonds to each user. [Figure 14] 11 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by the server 10 when setting a ranking of distributors by residential area. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of the correspondence between ranks and titles in a ranking by residential area. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a residential area ranking screen 90. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user profile screen 200. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same reference numerals may be used to denote the same or similar components.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a network including a service providing server 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the server 10 is communicatively connected to a user terminal 30 via a communication network 20 such as the Internet. Although only one user terminal 30 is shown in Fig. 1, the server 10 is communicatively connected to a plurality of user terminals 30. The server 10 provides a content distribution service for distributing content to a user via the user terminal 30. The service providing server 10 is an example of a device that implements a part or all of the system of the present invention.

[0013] First, a description will be given of the hardware configuration of the service providing server 10. The service providing server 10 is configured as a general computer, and as shown in Fig. 1, includes a computer processor 11, a main memory 12, an input / output I / F 13, a communication I / F 14, and a storage (storage device) 15, and these components are electrically connected via a bus or the like (not shown).

[0014] The computer processor 11 is configured as a CPU, a GPU, or the like, and loads various programs stored in a storage 15 or the like into a main memory 12, and executes various instructions included in the programs. The main memory 12 is configured, for example, by a DRAM or the like.

[0015] The input / output I / F 13 includes various input / output devices for exchanging information with an operator, etc. The input / output I / F 13 includes, for example, an information input device such as a keyboard, a pointing device (e.g., a mouse, a touch panel, etc.), an audio input device such as a microphone, and an image input device such as a camera. The input / output I / F 13 also includes an image output device such as a display, and an audio output device such as a speaker.

[0016] The communication I / F 14 is implemented as hardware such as a network adapter, various communication software, or a combination of these, and is configured to realize wired or wireless communication via a communication network 20 or the like.

[0017] The storage 15 is composed of, for example, a magnetic disk, a flash memory, etc. The storage 15 stores various programs including an operating system, various data, etc. For example, the storage 15 has various tables 151 that store various information for providing a content distribution service. Also, for example, the storage 15 stores a server-side program 40 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The program 40 is a program for causing the server 10 to function as all or part of a system for providing a content distribution service. At least a part of the server-side program 40 can be configured to be executed on the user terminal 30 side via a terminal-side program 42 described later.

[0018] In this embodiment, the service providing server 10 may be configured using a plurality of computers each having the above-mentioned hardware configuration. For example, the service providing server 10 may be configured by one or a plurality of server devices.

[0019] The service providing server 10 configured in this manner can be configured to have the functions of a web server and an application server, in which case it executes various processes in response to requests from a terminal-side program 42 installed in the user terminal 30, and transmits screen data (e.g., HTML data) and control data corresponding to the results of the processes to the user terminal 30. In the user terminal 30, a web page or other screen based on the received data can be output.

[0020] Next, a description will be given of the hardware configuration of the user terminal 30. The user terminal 30 is configured as a general computer, and as shown in Fig. 1, includes a computer processor 31, a main memory 32, an input / output I / F 33, a communication I / F 34, and a storage (storage device) 35, and these components are electrically connected via a bus or the like (not shown).

[0021] The computer processor 31 is configured as a CPU, a GPU, or the like, and loads various programs stored in a storage 35 or the like into a main memory 32 and executes various instructions included in the programs. The main memory 32 is configured, for example, by a DRAM or the like.

[0022] The input / output I / F 33 includes various input / output devices for exchanging information with an operator, etc. The input / output I / F 33 includes, for example, an information input device such as a keyboard or a pointing device (e.g., a mouse, a touch panel, etc.), an audio input device such as a microphone, and an image input device such as a camera. The input / output I / F 33 also includes an image output device such as a display, and an audio output device such as a speaker.

[0023] The communication I / F 34 is implemented as hardware such as a network adapter, various communication software, or a combination of these, and is configured to realize wired or wireless communication via the communication network 20 or the like.

[0024] The storage 35 is configured, for example, by a magnetic disk or a flash memory. The storage 35 stores various programs including an operating system, various data, and the like. The programs stored in the storage 35 can be downloaded from an application market or the like and installed. The storage 35 also stores a terminal-side program 42. The program 42 is configured as a web browser or other application (for example, a terminal-side application for a content distribution service, etc.) and can be configured to execute at least a part of the server-side program 40 as described above.

[0025] In this embodiment, the user terminal 30 may be configured as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, a wearable device, or the like.

[0026] A user operating a user terminal 30 configured in this manner can use the content distribution service provided by the service providing server 10 by communicating with the server 10 via a terminal side program 42 installed in storage 35 or the like.

[0027] Next, a description will be given of the functions of the service providing server 10 configured as above. The computer processor 11 of the server 10 is configured to function as a management function control unit 111 and a service providing control unit 112 by executing instructions included in a program (e.g., at least a part of the server-side program 40) loaded into the main memory 12, as shown in FIG.

[0028] The management function control unit 111 is configured to execute various processes related to the control of the management function of the content distribution service. For example, the management function control unit 111 transmits screen data and control data of various screens related to the management function to the user terminal 30, executes various processes in response to an operation input by a user via the screen output on the user terminal 30, and transmits screen data and control data according to the results of the processes to the user terminal 30. The management functions controlled by the management function control unit 111 include, for example, login processing (user authentication), billing control, and management of user accounts.

[0029] The service provision control unit 112 is configured to execute various processes related to the control of the provision of the content delivery service. For example, the service provision control unit 112 executes various processes for delivering content, and specifically, is configured to deliver the content to each user terminal 30 (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the viewing terminal 30) of a plurality of viewers who watch the content. For example, the service provision control unit 112 presents a viewing screen for watching the content to each of the plurality of viewers, and transmits, for example, screen data and control data of the viewing screen to each viewing terminal 30.

[0030] In this embodiment, the service provision control unit 112 is configured to set attribute values ​​for each of a plurality of distributors who distribute content. For example, the service provision control unit 112 sets a value input by a distributor who distributes content via a screen displayed on the user terminal 30 (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as distribution terminal 30) as the attribute value of the distributor. The attribute values ​​set for each distributor are managed in, for example, various tables 151.

[0031] The service provision control unit 112 is also configured to set a ranking of the distributors in the first group based on the distribution performance of each of the multiple first group distributors that belong to the first group identified from among the multiple distributors based on the attribute value (e.g., calculate the rank of each of the multiple first group distributors). For example, the service provision control unit 112 identifies multiple distributors whose set attribute value corresponds to the first group as the first group distributors.

[0032] In addition, the service provision control unit 112 is configured to, when setting the ranking of the broadcasters in the first group, exclude the first group broadcasters who satisfy a predetermined condition from among the multiple first group broadcasters, and set the ranking of the broadcasters in the first group. The predetermined condition is set as a condition that is easier to satisfy for a broadcaster who is more likely to be ranked higher.

[0033] In this way, the service providing server 10 in this embodiment sets rankings of distributors in a group specified based on attribute values, based on the distribution records of each of the multiple distributors in the group, and excludes distributors who satisfy a predetermined condition when setting the rankings, so that distributors who are not excluded tend to be ranked higher. In other words, the service providing server 10 encourages many users to enjoy the rankings.

[0034] The content distributed in this embodiment includes various kinds of digital content. For example, the content is composed of images (moving images or still images) and audio, or composed of either one of them. In addition, the content is, for example, transmitted in real time from the distribution terminal 30 (live distribution), or provided in advance from the distribution terminal 30 and stored in a storage device such as the storage 15. The live distribution of content may involve a certain delay (time lag) depending on the settings of the distributor or the network conditions. The live distribution of content is performed by a streaming method using a protocol such as HTTP Live Streaming (HLS).

[0035] Furthermore, the content transmitted from the broadcasting terminal 30 is composed of, for example, video and audio of the broadcaster input (filmed) via a camera and microphone of the broadcasting terminal 30. Furthermore, such content is composed of, for example, video corresponding to a screen output by an application (e.g., a game) running on the broadcasting terminal 30, audio output by the application, and / or audio of the broadcaster input via a microphone of the broadcasting terminal 30.

[0036] In addition, in the present embodiment, the content to be distributed may be such that a portion of the data constituting the content is transmitted in real time from the distribution terminal 30, while a portion of the data constituting the content is stored in advance in the server 10 or the viewing terminal 30. For example, audio constituting the content is transmitted in real time from the distribution terminal 30, while images constituting the content are stored in advance in the server 10 or the viewing terminal 30, and the content is generated in the server 10 or the viewing terminal 30 based on these data.

[0037] Also, for example, in addition to the voice constituting the content, motion data (motion data) for moving an object such as a character is transmitted in real time from the distribution terminal 30, while an image constituting the content is stored in advance in the server 10 or the viewing terminal 30, and the image includes model data of the object. In this case, the motion data is generated based on, for example, the motion of the distributor recognized via the camera of the distribution terminal 30 (including changes in facial expressions, etc.). The content generated in the server 10 or the viewing terminal 30 includes an object such as a character that moves based on the model data and the motion data.

[0038] In this embodiment, the ranking of distributors in the group may be set based on the content distribution performance in a predetermined period. For example, the service provision control unit 112 may be configured to set the ranking of distributors in the first group in a predetermined period based on the content distribution performance of each of the multiple first group distributors in the predetermined period. The predetermined period is set as, for example, one day, one week, one month, or any other arbitrary period. This configuration makes it possible to set a ranking for a predetermined period.

[0039] Furthermore, the service provision control unit 112 may be configured to set rankings of distributors in the second group based on the distribution records of the content of each of the multiple second group distributors belonging to the second group identified from among the multiple distributors based on the attributes, and the multiple second group distributors may be configured to overlap at least in part with the above-mentioned first group distributors. In this case, the above-mentioned predetermined condition may be satisfied based on the ranking (in the ranking) of the first group distributor in the second group. That is, in this case, among the multiple first group distributors, a first group distributor whose ranking in the second group satisfies the predetermined condition is excluded from the setting of the ranking of distributors in the first group. For example, such a predetermined condition is configured as a condition that is satisfied when the ranking in the second group is within a predetermined range (for example, within a predetermined range of the top). This configuration makes it possible to set the ranking of distributors in the first group by excluding distributors who satisfy the condition based on the ranking in the second group.

[0040] In this case, the first and second groups may be set to have various relationships. For example, the second group may be configured to include the first group (the first group is a subset of the second group). In this case, for example, the first group is a first geographic area (e.g., prefecture), and the second group is a second geographic area (e.g., regional division) that includes the first geographic area. This configuration makes it possible to set a ranking of the distributors in the first group that are included in the second group, excluding distributors that satisfy a condition based on the ranking in the second group.

[0041] Also, for example, the first group may be configured to be a group based on the value of a first attribute (e.g., prefecture), and the second group may be configured to be a group based on the value of a second attribute (e.g., region division) that is hierarchically higher than the first attribute. Also, for example, the first group may be configured to be a group based on the values ​​of a first attribute (e.g., gender) and a second attribute (e.g., age), and the second group may be configured to be a group based on the value of the second attribute. In this case, the service provision control unit 112 may be configured to calculate an expected ranking in the first group when a value of the first attribute for identifying a distributor belonging to the first group is not set, when the value of the first attribute is set. For example, expected rankings in a plurality of first groups corresponding to a plurality of predetermined values ​​that can be set as the value of the first attribute are calculated. Such a configuration may encourage a distributor to set the first attribute after learning the expected ranking in the first group when the value of the first attribute is set (which will be higher than the ranking in the second group including the first group).

[0042] The service provision control unit 112 can be configured to present a broadcaster information screen that displays information about a specific broadcaster (for example, to transmit screen data and control data of the screen to the user terminal 30). In this case, the broadcaster information screen can be configured to display information based on the rank of the specific broadcaster in the first group (which may be the rank itself or a title or title corresponding to the rank) when the rank of the specific broadcaster in the first group is within a predetermined range of the top ranks, and to display information based on the attribute value instead of the information based on the rank of the specific broadcaster in the first group when the rank of the specific broadcaster in the first group is outside the predetermined range. This configuration prevents information based on the rank from being displayed for a broadcaster whose rank in the group is outside the top range.

[0043] The service provision control unit 112 may also be configured to provide a reward to a distributor based on a combination of the group to which the distributor belongs and the rank in the group. The reward may include, for example, various rewards available in the content distribution service, such as virtual and electronic items, coins, points, titles, and images. For example, the higher the rank in the group, the higher the value of the reward provided. In addition to the combination of the type of group and the rank, a reward may also be provided based on the number of distributors belonging to the group. This configuration provides the distributor with the fun of earning a reward based on the rank in the ranking.

[0044] Next, a specific example of one aspect of the service providing server 10 of this embodiment having such functions will be described. In this example, the content distribution service provided by the server 10 is configured as a service for live distribution (live streaming) of content composed of video and audio of a distributor input (filmed) via a camera and microphone of the distribution terminal 30. First, in this example, information managed by each table included in the various tables 151 will be described.

[0045] 2 illustrates information managed by the user information table 1511 in this example. The user information table 1511 manages information about users of the content distribution service, and as illustrated, in association with a "user account" that identifies an individual user, manages information such as an account name, "basic information" including a date of birth, a "residential area (prefecture)" indicating the prefecture in which the user lives, a "residential area (city, ward, town, village)" indicating the city in which the user lives, "distribution history information" that is information about a distribution history as a distributor, "viewing history information" that is information about a viewing history as a viewer, "following user information" that is information about other users that the user follows, "family information" that is information about a family to which the user belongs as a family member, a "rank" that indicates a rank as a distributor, a "rank meter value" that is a parameter for determining rank up / down, a "coin holding number" that indicates the number of virtual coins that can be used in the content distribution service, a "diamond holding number" that indicates the number of virtual diamonds, and a "classification text" that is a classification as a distributor set by the user. The residential area (prefecture) and residential area (city, ward, town, village) are input by the user via a screen displayed on the user terminal 30.

[0046] In this example, a family is a community of fans who support a broadcaster, and a user can join in response to an invitation from the broadcaster or a family manager, or in response to approval by the broadcaster or the family manager of a user's application to join. In this example, an upper limit (e.g., 100 people) is set for the number of family members. In addition, a user's level as a fan of a broadcaster may be set and managed based on the viewing history of the corresponding broadcaster's content, etc.

[0047] In this example, coins are given to users for free or for a fee at various times. For example, users can obtain coins for free as a reward such as a login bonus. Also, for example, users can purchase coins for a fee (with real currency). Diamonds are given as one of the rewards to distributors, as will be described in detail later.

[0048] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the ranks of distributors in this example. As shown in the figure, in this example, there are six rank bands, "S", "A", "B", "C", "D", and "E", and the rank band "S" is made up of six ranks, "S1" to "S6", and each of the four rank bands, "A", "B", "C", and "D", is made up of three ranks (for example, "A1" to "A3"). In addition, the rank band "E" is made up of one rank, "E1". In other words, in this example, there are 19 ranks (6+3×4+1=19).

[0049] Furthermore, the "S" side of the rank band is the highest and the "E" side is the lowest. Furthermore, within the same rank band, the larger the number attached to the rank band, the higher the rank, and the smaller the number attached, the lower the rank. In this example, the user's rank is set to "D1" as the initial value. Although details will be described later, in this example, the rank is updated based on the daily content delivery performance.

[0050] 4 illustrates information managed by the delivery management table 1512 in this example. The delivery management table 1512 manages information about individual deliveries, and as shown in the figure, in association with a "delivery ID" that identifies an individual delivery (content), manages information such as a "delivery user account" that identifies the deliverer, a "delivery start date and time" that is the date and time when the delivery started, a "delivery duration" that is the duration (elapsed time) since the delivery started, the "number of viewers (current value and maximum value)", a "number of comments" that is the number of comments entered by viewers during the delivery of the content, a "number of likes" that is the number of "likes" entered by viewers during the delivery of the content, a "number of item points" that is the total value of item points granted in response to input of items by viewers during the delivery of the content, a "number of delivery points" that is the total value of delivery points granted for this delivery, and "delivery tag information" that is information about delivery tags granted for this delivery.

[0051] FIG. 5 illustrates information managed by the monthly distribution performance management table 1513 in this example. The monthly distribution performance management table 1513 manages information on the monthly distribution performance of the distributor, and as shown in the figure, in association with a combination of a "distributor user account" that identifies an individual distributor and a "year and month", manages information such as "number of distributions" indicating the number of distributions in the year and month, "distribution time" which is the total value of the distribution time in the year and month, "number of item points" which is the number of item points acquired in the year and month, "number of distribution points" which is the number of distribution points acquired in the year and month, "participating divisions in ranking by residential area" which indicate the participating divisions in the ranking by residential area in the year and month, "ranking rank by residential area" which indicates the rank in the ranking by residential area, and "ranking title by residential area" which indicates the title acquired in the ranking by residential area. As will be described in detail later, the ranking by residential area is a ranking of distributors by residential area, and distributors can participate in rankings of any of the three hierarchical levels of regional divisions, prefectures, and cities, towns, and villages according to their own residential area. The residential area ranking participation category is set to a value corresponding to a specific regional division (e.g., the Chubu region), prefecture (e.g., Aichi Prefecture), or city / town / village (e.g., Tokoname City) in which the corresponding broadcaster will participate in the ranking.

[0052] The information managed by each table has been described above. Next, the processes executed by the service providing server 10 of this example and the screens output on the user terminal 30 will be described.

[0053] 6 illustrates an example of a top screen 50 of a content distribution service output on the user terminal 30. The screen 50 is a starting point when using the content distribution service, and as shown in the figure, has a selection area 52 displaying the text "Follow," "Popular," "Featured," and "All," a list display area 54 located below the area 52, and a circular distribution button 56 located in the upper right corner of the screen.

[0054] The selection area 52 is an area for selecting the display content in the list display area 54. Specifically, when "Follow" is selected in the selection area 52, broadcasts (contents currently being broadcast) of other users whom the user is following are displayed in a list in the list display area 54. Similarly, when "Popular" is selected in the selection area 52, broadcasts with a large number of viewers are displayed in a list in the list display area 54. Furthermore, when "Featured" is selected in the selection area 52, broadcasts that are gaining popularity (for example, broadcasts with a large number of comments and likes) are displayed in a list in the list display area 54. Furthermore, when "All" is selected in the selection area 52, all broadcasts are subject to list display in the list display area 54.

[0055] As shown in the figure, in the list display area 54, a plurality of individual display areas 541, each of which displays information about an individual distribution, are arranged vertically in two columns. The individual display area 541 is configured so that viewing of the corresponding distribution can be started (playback of the corresponding content is started) in response to a selection by the user. The list display area 54 is configured so that the displayed individual display area 541 can be switched by a flick operation or a slide operation in the vertical direction, or the like.

[0056] 7 illustrates an example of the display contents of the individual display area 541. The individual display area 541 displays an image preset by the content distributor, the distributor's account name, the number of viewers (current value), and the like, and as illustrated, a first tag object 5411 and a second tag object 5412 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction at the bottom end. The first tag object 5411 displays classification text (managed in the user information table 1511) that is the classification of the distributor set by the distributor himself / herself in the form of a hashtag (a format in which "#" is added to the beginning of the character string) (in the example of FIG. 7, "#big-eating distribution" is displayed). The second tag object 5412 also displays the latest distribution tag given by the viewer to the corresponding distribution in the form of a hashtag (in the example of FIG. 7, "#curry" is displayed).

[0057] Returning to the top screen 50 of FIG. 6, the distribution button 56 is an object for a user to distribute content as a distributor. When the distribution button 56 is selected by a user, a distribution preparation screen 60 illustrated in FIG. 8 is output. As illustrated, the distribution preparation screen 60 has a distribution title input area 62 for inputting a distribution title, a secret distribution setting switch 64 for setting a secret distribution mode, a post setting button 66 for setting a post (posting a message to an SNS) that is automatically performed during distribution, and a distribution start button 68 with the text "START!" added. Secret distribution is a distribution mode of content that can be viewed only by new viewers (specifically, viewers whose total viewing time for the corresponding distributor in a certain period is less than a predetermined value).

[0058] When the distribution start button 68 is selected, the distribution of the content is started, specifically, the content data consisting of video and audio input (captured) via the camera and microphone of the distribution terminal 30 is started to be transmitted to the server 10. In addition, in response to the start of the content distribution, a new record is inserted in the distribution management table 1512.

[0059] 9 illustrates a distribution screen 70 that is output on distribution terminal 30 in response to the start of content distribution. As illustrated, screen 70 has a video display area 71 that corresponds to the entire screen, a basic information display area 72 located in the upper left corner of the screen, a comment display area 73 located in the lower left corner of the screen, a tag display area 74 located above area 73, a viewer information display area 75 located in the upper right corner of the screen, and a circular distribution stop button 76 located in the center of the bottom edge of the screen.

[0060] The video display area 71 displays the content to be distributed, that is, the image input via the camera of the distribution terminal 30. Since the distributor usually takes the image of himself / herself as a subject via the in-camera of the distribution terminal 30, the distributed content includes an image of the distributor himself / herself.

[0061] The basic information display area 72 displays basic information about this broadcast, specifically, broadcaster information (profile image, etc.), the number of viewers of this broadcast (current value), and the number of “likes” entered by viewers in response to this broadcast, etc.

[0062] The comment display area 73 is an area for displaying user comments input by each viewer and system comments automatically input by the server 10. Specifically, in this area 73, a plurality of comment objects 731, each corresponding to an individual comment, are arranged vertically. The comment display area 73 is configured such that when a new comment is input, a corresponding comment object 731 is added to the bottom, and existing comment objects 731 move in order upward. In the comment display area 73, the comment objects 731 displayed are switched by a flick operation or a slide operation in the vertical direction, or the like.

[0063] The tag display area 74 displays information regarding the distribution tag that has been assigned to this distribution, and specifically, in this area 74, multiple tag objects 741, each corresponding to an individual tag, are arranged in a horizontal direction.

[0064] The viewer information display area 75 displays information about a plurality of viewers who are viewing the content being distributed, and specifically, a plurality of icon objects 751, each of which corresponds to an individual viewer, are arranged side by side in the left-right direction in the viewer information display area 75. The object 751 has a circular shape, and displays a profile image of the corresponding viewer. The plurality of icon objects 751 are arranged in an order that follows a predetermined rule.

[0065] The distribution stop button 76 is an object for a distributor to stop distributing content. When the distribution stop button 76 is selected by the distributor, the distribution of the content (transmission of content data from the distribution terminal 30 to the server 10) is stopped.

[0066] 10 illustrates a viewing screen 80 output on the viewing terminal 30. For example, when a viewer selects an arbitrary distribution (content) via the list display area 54 of the top screen 50, a viewing screen 80 for viewing the selected distribution is output on the viewing terminal 30. As illustrated, the screen 80 has a video display area 81, a basic information display area 82, a comment display area 83, a tag display area 84, and a viewer information display area 85, similar to the above-mentioned distribution screen 70. In addition, the viewing screen 80 has, at the bottom of the screen, an input mode switching button 861, a comment input area 862, a "Like" button 863 with a heart mark displayed, and an item input button 864 with a gift design displayed.

[0067] The comment input area 862 is an area for the viewer to input a comment or a tag for distribution. While the input mode switching button 861 is in a non-selected state, the comment input area 862 is in a normal comment input mode. In the comment input mode, when a character string is input in the comment input area 862 and a confirmation operation is performed, the character string is transmitted as a user comment, and in the corresponding distribution terminal 30 (the user terminal 30 of the distributor who distributes the content being viewed) and each viewing terminal 30 (each user terminal 30 of a plurality of viewers who view the same content), a comment object 731, 831 corresponding to the user comment is added in the comment display area 73, 83 of the distribution screen 70 and the viewing screen 80. In the comment object 731, 831 corresponding to the user comment, the content of the comment (character string) is displayed together with the account name of the viewer who inputted the comment. In addition, when a user comment is input, the server 10 updates (adds 1) the number of comments for the corresponding distribution in the distribution management table 1512.

[0068] Furthermore, when the input mode switching button 861 is in a selected state, the comment input area 862 enters a tag input mode. In the tag input mode, when a character string is input in the comment input area 862 and a confirmation operation is performed, the character string is sent as a tag for distribution, and the tag is assigned to the distribution. In this example, viewers who can input tags are limited to family members of the corresponding distributor. Specifically, the input mode switching button 861 on the viewing screen 80 is selectable (enabled) when the viewer is a family member of the distributor, whereas it is not selectable (disabled) when the viewer is not a family member of the distributor. Also, in this example, the number of tags that can be assigned to one distribution in a certain period of time is limited; specifically, the number of tags that can be assigned in a five-minute period is limited to three.

[0069] When a distribution tag is assigned, a corresponding tag object 741, 841 is added in the tag display area 74, 84 of the corresponding distribution screen 70 and viewing screen 80. In the tag display area 74, 84, the tag objects 741, 841 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction so that the left one is newer (added later). Therefore, the tag object 741, 841 corresponding to the newly assigned tag is added to the left end of the tag display area 74, 84. Note that the tag object 741, 841 corresponding to a tag that has been assigned for more than five minutes is deleted (for example, disappears with an animation effect moving to the right).

[0070] In this example, tag objects 741, 841 display the tag content in the form of a hashtag with "#" added to the beginning of the string. For example, if the tag content is "Tokyo sightseeing", then "#Tokyo sightseeing" is displayed in tag objects 741, 841. The horizontal length of tag objects 741, 841 is automatically adjusted according to the length of the string to be displayed.

[0071] Furthermore, when a tag is added, a comment object 731, 831 corresponding to a system comment notifying the addition of the tag is added to the comment display area 73, 83 of the corresponding distribution screen 70 and viewing screen 80. The comment object 731, 831 corresponding to the system comment displays the content of the added tag together with the account name of the viewer who added (input) the tag, for example, a comment saying "xx tagged the distribution with "#TokyoSightseeing"." Furthermore, when a tag is added, distribution tag information for the corresponding distribution is updated in the distribution management table 1512.

[0072] The like button 863 is an object for a viewer to input a "like" to a distributor (or content). When the button 863 is selected by a viewer, a "like" is input, and a comment object 731, 831 corresponding to a system comment notifying the input of the "like" is added in the comment display area 73, 83 of the corresponding distribution screen 70 and viewing screen 80. In the comment object 731, 831 corresponding to the system comment, a text indicating the input of the "like" is displayed together with the account name of the viewer who input the "like". In addition, when a "like" is input, a corresponding visual effect (for example, an animated video effect in which a heart-shaped object is displayed flowing from the bottom to the top of the screen) is added in the video display area 71, 81 of the distribution screen 70 and the viewing screen 80. In addition, when a "like" is input, the server 10 updates (adds 1) the "number of likes" of the corresponding distribution in the distribution management table 1512.

[0073] The item input button 864 is an object for the viewer to input an item. When the viewer selects the button 864, a screen (not shown) for selecting an item to input is output, and the user can input an item selected from a plurality of items that can be input via the screen.

[0074] When an item is input, a comment object 731, 831 corresponding to a system comment notifying the input of the item is added in the comment display area 73, 83 of the corresponding distribution screen 70 and viewing screen 80. The name of the input item is displayed in the comment object 731, 831 corresponding to the system comment together with the account name of the viewer who input the item. When an item is input, a visual effect (corresponding video effect, etc.) corresponding to the input item is added in the video display area 71, 81 of the corresponding distribution screen 70 and viewing screen 80. When an item is input, the server 10 grants a quantity of item points (e.g., the more coins, the more points.) according to the number of coins (price) of the input item to this distribution, and specifically, in the distribution management table 1512, the server 10 adds points according to the number of coins to the number of item points of the corresponding distribution. When an item is input, the server 10 subtracts the number of coins of the input item from the number of coins owned by the corresponding user (the viewer who input the item) in the user information table 1511.

[0075] Here, the process when the distributor ends the distribution of the content will be described. As described above, when the distributor selects the distribution stop button 76 on the distribution screen 70, the distribution of the content ends. When the distribution ends, the server 10 calculates and sets the number of distribution points for the distribution. In this example, the number of distribution points is calculated based on the number of viewers (maximum value), the number of likes, the number of comments, and the number of item points. The number of distribution points increases as the number of viewers (maximum value), the number of likes, the number of comments, and the number of item points increase. The calculated number of distribution points is set for the corresponding distribution in the distribution management table 1512. In addition, when the distribution ends, the server 10 updates (reflects the current distribution results) the distribution results (number of distributions, distribution time, number of item points, and number of distribution points) for the combination of the corresponding distributor and year and month in the monthly distribution results management table 1513.

[0076] The above describes the process for ending content distribution. Next, the process for determining the rank of a distributor will be described. In this example, the rank for the day is determined (updated) based on the number of distribution points acquired by the user on the previous day. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the process executed by the server 10 when updating the rank of each user. These processes are executed every night at midnight (e.g., 3:00 a.m.).

[0077] As shown in the figure, the server 10 first calculates the number of distribution points acquired by each user on the previous day (step S100). The number of distribution points acquired by each user on the previous day is calculated by referring to the distributor user account, distribution start date and time, and number of distribution points in the distribution management table 1512. Note that if a user makes multiple distributions in one day, the number of distribution points acquired for each of the multiple distributions is added together.

[0078] After calculating the number of distribution points for each distributor on the previous day in this manner, the server 10 then updates the rank meter value for each user (step S110). Figure 12 illustrates an example of a rule for updating the rank meter value. As shown in the figure, in this example, the rank meter value varies based on the ranking of each user's number of distribution points on the previous day within the rank band to which that user belongs. The initial value of the rank meter value is "0".

[0079] Specifically, the update rule for the rank meter value is as follows: first, when the ranking of the number of distribution points in the rank band is included in the top 10%, the change in the rank meter value is "+2" (an increase of 2 points). Similarly, when the ranking is included in the top 11 to 30% (the remaining 20% ​​after removing the top 10% from the top 30%), the change is "+1", when the ranking is included in the middle 30% (top 31 to 60%), the change is "±0" (no increase or decrease), and when the ranking is included in the bottom 40%, the change is "-1" (a decrease of 1 point). Note that, when no distribution was performed on the previous day, the change in the rank meter value is "-1" regardless of the ranking in the rank band. In step S110, the rank meter value of each user is updated in the user information table 1511 according to the update rule illustrated in FIG. 12.

[0080] Returning to the flowchart of FIG. 11, after updating the rank meter value of each user, the server 10 then updates the rank based on the updated rank meter value (step S120). In this example, the rank meter value required to rank up is +3, and the rank meter value required to rank down is -3. When the rank meter value reaches these values, the user is ranked up / down. The rank meter value of the user whose rank has been updated (the user whose rank has been up / down) is cleared to 0. Note that in another example of this embodiment, in order to suppress a sudden rank up / down in a short period of time, for example, in the case of a rank up / down across rank bands, the absolute value of the required rank meter value may be made larger (for example, +6 / -6) compared to a rank up / down within the same rank band.

[0081] The above describes the process for determining the rank of a distributor. Next, the process for granting diamonds to a distributor will be described. In this example, diamonds, which are one of the rewards for a distributor, are granted based on the distribution time of the previous day and the rank on the previous day. FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the process executed by the server 10 when granting diamonds to each user. These processes are executed late at night every day, for example, at a time (for example, midnight) before the process executed when updating the rank of each user illustrated in FIG. 11.

[0082] As shown in the figure, the server 10 first calculates the delivery time of each user on the previous day (step S200). Specifically, the delivery time of each user on the previous day is calculated by referring to the distributor user account, delivery start date and time, and delivery duration in the delivery management table 1512. If a user makes multiple deliveries in one day, the delivery durations of each of the multiple deliveries are added together.

[0083] Next, the server 10 grants each user a number of diamonds based on the calculated distribution time and the reference number of diamonds (step S210). Specifically, each user is granted a number of diamonds calculated by multiplying the calculated distribution time by the reference number of diamonds. The reference number of diamonds is preset for each rank so that the higher the rank, the greater the number, and the reference number of diamonds corresponding to the rank of each user on the previous day is applied. When diamonds are granted to a user, the number of diamonds owned by the corresponding user is updated in the user information table 1511. In this example, diamonds can be exchanged for coins or real currency.

[0084] The above describes the process of awarding diamonds to broadcasters. Next, the process of setting the ranking of broadcasters by residential area will be described. FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating the process executed by the server 10 when setting the ranking of broadcasters by residential area. These processes are executed at a predetermined time at the beginning of each month (for example, 3:00 a.m. on the first day of each month) to set the ranking for the previous month.

[0085] As shown in the figure, the server 10 first sets a ranking of distributors by regional division (step S300). Specifically, for each of the seven regional divisions (Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kinki, Chugoku / Shikoku, and Kyushu), a ranking is set for multiple distributors (the prefectures included in the regional division are set as residential areas). The ranking is calculated based on the residential area ranking score (the larger the number of item points and the number of distribution points, the higher the score) calculated based on the number of item points and the number of distribution points (managed in the monthly distribution performance management table 1513) in the previous month (the higher the score, the higher the rank). In this example, users who have distributed at least once in the previous month are the target distributors for the residential area ranking.

[0086] Next, the server 10 registers the ranking in the regional division ranking for the users whose ranking in the regional division ranking is included in the top 20% (step S310). Specifically, for example, if there are 100 target broadcasters whose residential area is the Hokkaido region, the ranking in the regional division ranking is registered for the users whose ranking in the ranking is 1st to 20th. Specifically, in the monthly broadcast performance management table 1513, for the combination of the corresponding broadcaster and year and month, a residential area ranking participation category (e.g., Hokkaido region) and a residential area ranking rank (e.g., 12th place) are set. In other words, users whose ranking in the regional division ranking is included in the top 20% automatically participate in the regional division ranking. Note that users whose ranking in the regional division ranking is not included in the top 20% automatically do not participate in the regional division ranking.

[0087] Next, the server 10 sets a ranking of distributors by prefecture (step S320). Specifically, for each prefecture, a ranking is set for multiple distributors corresponding to the prefecture (the prefecture is set as a residential area). When setting the ranking of distributors by prefecture, distributors who have been registered in the ranking by regional division described above (i.e., users whose ranking in the ranking by regional division is included in the top 20%) are excluded. The ranking is calculated based on the value of the ranking score by residential area, as described above.

[0088] Next, the server 10 registers the ranking of the prefectures for the users whose ranking in the prefecture ranking is included in the top 20% (step S330). Specifically, for example, if there are 50 target broadcasters whose residential area is Akita prefecture, the ranking of the prefectures is registered for the users whose ranking in the ranking is 1st to 10th place. Specifically, in the monthly broadcast performance management table 1513, for the combination of the corresponding broadcaster and year and month, a residential area ranking participation category (e.g., Akita prefecture) and a residential area ranking position (e.g., 8th place) are set. In other words, users whose ranking in the prefecture ranking is included in the top 20% automatically participate in the prefecture ranking. Note that users whose ranking in the prefecture ranking is not included in the top 20% automatically do not participate in the prefecture ranking.

[0089] Next, the server 10 sets rankings of distributors by city, ward, town, or village (step S340). Specifically, for each city, ward, town, or village, a ranking is set for multiple distributors corresponding to the city, ward, town, or village (the city, ward, town, or village is set as the residential area). When setting rankings of distributors by city, ward, town, or village, in addition to distributors who have been registered in the ranking by regional division, distributors who have been registered in the ranking by prefecture (i.e., users whose rankings in the ranking by prefecture are included in the top 20%) are excluded. The rankings are calculated based on the value of the ranking score by residential area, as described above.

[0090] Next, the server 10 registers the ranking rank of the city / ward / town / village for the user who is the target of the city / ward / town / village ranking (step S350). Specifically, in the monthly delivery performance management table 1513, for the combination of the corresponding distributor and year / month, the residential area ranking participation category (e.g., Kawasaki City) and the residential area ranking rank (e.g., 75th place) are set.

[0091] Next, the server 10 sets a title for each broadcaster in the residential area ranking (step S360). The title is set based on the rank in the ranking. FIG. 15 illustrates an example of the correspondence between the rank and the title in the residential area ranking. As illustrated, for example, the title for the first place in the ranking is "King", the title for the second to fourth place is "Four Heavenly Kings", and the title for the 31st to 50th place is "Top 50". These titles are registered in the residential area ranking titles in the monthly broadcast performance management table 1513. Note that in this example, no title is set for broadcasters ranked 201st or lower in the residential area ranking.

[0092] In this example, in addition to the position in the ranking by residential area, the title may be set based on the number of broadcasters participating in the ranking (for example, based on the ratio of the rank to the total number of broadcasters).

[0093] 16 illustrates a residential area ranking screen 90 outputted on the user terminal 30. The screen 90 is a screen for displaying the latest (i.e., previous month's) residential area ranking results (rankings of each broadcaster), and as illustrated, has a region division input area 91 for inputting a region division corresponding to the residential area ranking to be displayed, a prefecture input area 92 for inputting a prefecture, a city / ward / town / village input area 93 for inputting a city / ward / town / village, a display button 95, and a list display area 97 for displaying a list of broadcasters included in the ranking.

[0094] The region division input area 91 is configured to allow one region division to be selected and input from among seven region divisions. The prefecture input area 92 is configured to allow one prefecture to be selected and input from among multiple prefectures included in the region division selected in the region division input area 91. The city, ward, town, and village input area 93 is configured to allow one city, ward, town, and village to be selected and input from among multiple cities, ward, town, and villages included in the prefecture selected in the prefecture input area 92.

[0095] When a display button 95 is selected with a value entered at least in the region division input area 91, a list of multiple broadcasters included in the ranking is displayed in the list display area 97 in order of rank as a result of the corresponding residential area ranking. For example, when a value is entered only in the region division input area 91, the list display area 97 displays the result of the residential area ranking in the corresponding region division (e.g., Kansai region). Also, for example, when values ​​are entered in the region division input area 91 and the prefecture input area 92, but no value is entered in the city / ward / town / village input area 93, the list display area 97 displays the result of the residential area ranking in the corresponding prefecture (e.g., Kyoto Prefecture). Also, for example, when values ​​are entered in all of the region division input area 91, the prefecture input area 92, and the city / ward / town / village input area 93, the list display area 97 displays the result of the residential area ranking in the corresponding city / ward / town / village (e.g., Kobe City). The latest results of such residential area rankings are identified by referring to the distributor account, year and month, residential area ranking participation category, and residential area ranking position in monthly distribution performance management table 1513.

[0096] FIG. 17 illustrates a user profile screen 200 (broadcaster information screen) output on the user terminal 30. The screen 200 is a screen for displaying information about a specific user. As illustrated, the screen 200 has a title display area 202 that displays information such as a profile image and an account name, as well as a title image (reward) for the residential area ranking. The area 202 specifically displays images corresponding to the participating divisions and titles for the residential area ranking, specifically, an image corresponding to "Kanto region - Top 30", an image corresponding to "Kagawa prefecture - Top 10", and an image corresponding to "Tokoname city - Four heavenly kings". Note that for users who do not have a title set for the residential area ranking (for example, a user ranked 201st or lower in the city / town / village ranking), an image corresponding to the participating division for the residential area ranking (for example, an image corresponding to Tokoname city) is displayed in the title display area 202.

[0097] In the above example, the ranking of broadcasters by residential area is set on a monthly basis, but instead of or in addition to this, it may be set on a weekly, daily, or other basis (for example, an event held in a specific period). When setting rankings on multiple units, the title display area 202 of the user profile screen 200 may display a title image in the ranking for the unit with the best ranking (for example, the smallest ratio of ranking to the number of broadcasters in question).

[0098] In the above example, a user who has set a residential area (prefecture) but not a residential area (city, ward, town, village) may be notified of the expected ranking in the city, ward, town, village ranking when the residential area (city, ward, town, village) is set. For example, when the ranking of such a user in the regional division ranking and the prefecture ranking is not included in the top 20%, the expected ranking in the city, ward, town, village ranking for some or all of the multiple cities, wards, towns, villages included in the corresponding prefecture may be calculated, and some or all of the expected rankings (for example, the expected ranking in the city, ward, town, village ranking with the best ranking) may be notified to the user.

[0099] In the above example, the ranking of distributors by residential area is set, but the residential area is an example of an attribute used to group distributors when setting the ranking of distributors, and in another example of this embodiment, the ranking of distributors by other attributes is set. For example, a major category (e.g., music, games, automobiles, and food and drink) and a minor category (e.g., J-POP, K-POP, and jazz) of distribution genre (topic) are set as the attributes of distributors, and a ranking of distributors by major category may be set as a ranking by distribution genre, and a ranking of distributors by minor category may be set for users whose ranking in the major category ranking is not included in the top 20%. Also, for example, a ranking of distributors by age group may be set, and a ranking of distributors by combination of age group and gender may be set for users whose ranking in the age category ranking is not included in the top 20%.

[0100] In the above example, the lower hierarchical ranking (e.g., prefecture-based ranking) is set by excluding users whose ranking in the upper hierarchical ranking (e.g., regional ranking) is included in the top 20%, but the conditions for excluding users are not limited to this. For example, users whose ranking ratio to the number of target broadcasters in the upper hierarchical ranking is within a threshold may be excluded. In addition, users who satisfy conditions based on parameter values ​​such as the number of broadcasts, broadcast time, number of item points, number of broadcast points, average number of viewers, and number of followers may be excluded. For example, the regional ranking may target all broadcasters, while the prefecture ranking may target broadcasters whose number of broadcasts is less than a threshold (e.g., 20 times) (i.e., broadcasters whose number of broadcasts is equal to or greater than the threshold may be excluded).

[0101] In the above example, the content distribution service is configured as a service for live streaming of content consisting of video and audio of the distributor input (filmed) via the camera and microphone of the distribution terminal 30, but in other examples of this embodiment, it may be configured as a service for distributing content in various other forms, for example, it may be configured as a service for live streaming of content consisting of audio only.

[0102] The service providing server 10 of the present embodiment described above sets rankings of distributors in a group based on the distribution performance (e.g., number of item points and number of distribution points) of each content of multiple distributors belonging to a group specified based on the value of an attribute (e.g., residential area), and when setting the rankings, excludes distributors who satisfy a predetermined condition (e.g., distributors ranked in the top 20% in the rankings of a higher hierarchy), so that the rankings of distributors who are not excluded tend to be higher. In other words, the service providing server 10 encourages many users to enjoy the rankings.

[0103] In another embodiment of the present invention, some or all of the functions of the service providing server 10 in the above-described embodiment may be realized by cooperation between the server 10 and the user terminal 30, or may be realized by the user terminal 30. In other words, the system of the present invention may be configured by the service providing server 10, as well as the service providing server 10 and the user terminal 30, or may be configured by the user terminal 30.

[0104] In another embodiment of the present invention, the service providing server 10 may be configured to provide various services including games instead of the content distribution service. In this case, for example, the service providing server 10 is configured to set a ranking of users in a group specified based on the attribute values ​​based on the service usage records (e.g., game scores, etc.) of each of the users in the group, and to exclude users who satisfy a predetermined condition when setting the ranking. In this way, the above-mentioned embodiment of the present invention can be applied to the ranking of users in various services.

[0105] The processes and procedures described herein may be realized by software, hardware, or any combination thereof, other than those explicitly described. For example, the processes and procedures described herein may be realized by implementing logic corresponding to the processes and procedures in a medium such as an integrated circuit, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, or a magnetic disk. In addition, the processes and procedures described herein may be implemented as a computer program corresponding to the processes and procedures, and executed by various computers.

[0106] Although processes and procedures described herein are described as being performed by a single device, software, component, or module, such processes or procedures may be performed by multiple devices, software, components, and / or modules. Also, the software and hardware elements described herein may be realized by combining them into fewer components or breaking them down into more components.

[0107] In this specification, even if a component of the invention is described as either singular or plural, or described without limitation to either singular or plural, the component may be either singular or plural unless the context requires otherwise. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 10 Service provider server 11. Computer Processors 111 Management function control section 112 Service provision control section 15 Storage 151 Various Tables 1511 User Information Table 1512 Delivery Management Table 1513 Monthly delivery performance management table 20. Communication Networks 30 User terminals 40 Server-side programs 42 Terminal side program 50 Top screen 60 Distribution preparation screen 70 Streaming Screen 80 Viewing Screen 90 Ranking screen by residential area 200 User profile screen

Claims

1. 1. A system for providing a content distribution service, comprising: one or more computer processors, the one or more computer processors comprising: setting values ​​of attributes of each of a plurality of distributors who distribute content; a step of setting a ranking of distributors in the first group based on the distribution performance of the content of each of a plurality of first group distributors belonging to a first group identified from the plurality of distributors based on the value of the attribute; the step of setting a ranking of distributors in the first group includes setting a ranking of distributors in the first group by excluding a first group distributor that satisfies a predetermined condition from among the plurality of first group distributors; system.

2. the step of setting a ranking of distributors in the first group includes setting a ranking of distributors in the first group for a predetermined period based on a distribution performance of the content of each of the plurality of distributors in the first group for the predetermined period; The system of claim 1.

3. The one or more computer processors further execute a step of setting a ranking of distributors in the second group based on a distribution performance of the content of each of a plurality of second group distributors that belong to a second group identified from the plurality of distributors based on the attribute, the plurality of second group distributors having at least a portion overlapping with the plurality of first group distributors; The predetermined condition is satisfied based on a ranking of the first group distributor in the second group. The system of claim 1.

4. the predetermined condition is satisfied when the ranking in the second group is within a predetermined range. The system of claim 3.

5. The second group includes the first group. The system of claim 3.

6. the first group being a first geographic area; the second group being a second geographic area that includes the first geographic area; The system of claim 5.

7. the first group is a group based on a value of a first attribute; the second group is a group based on a value of a second attribute that is hierarchically higher than the first attribute; The system of claim 5.

8. the first group is a group based on values ​​of a first and a second attribute; The second group is a group based on the value of the second attribute. The system of claim 5.

9. The one or more computer processors further execute a step of calculating, for a distributor for which a value of the first attribute is not set, an expected ranking in the first group in a case in which a value of the first attribute is set.

9. The system of claim 7 or 8.

10. The one or more computer processors further perform the steps of presenting a broadcaster information screen displaying information about a particular broadcaster; the distributor information screen displays information based on the rank of the specific distributor in the first group when the rank of the specific distributor in the first group is within a predetermined range from the top, and displays information based on the value of the attribute instead of the information based on the rank in the first group when the rank of the specific distributor in the first group is outside the predetermined range; The system of claim 1.

11. The one or more computer processors further execute a step of granting a reward to a particular broadcaster based on a combination of a particular group to which the particular broadcaster belongs and a ranking in the particular group. The system of claim 1.

12. The step of awarding the reward further includes awarding the reward based on the number of distributors belonging to the specific group. The system of claim 10.

13. 1. A method, executed by one or more computers, for providing a content distribution service, comprising the steps of: setting values ​​of attributes of each of a plurality of distributors who distribute content; and setting a ranking of distributors in the first group based on the distribution performance of the content of each of a plurality of first group distributors belonging to a first group identified from among the plurality of distributors based on the value of the attribute, the step of setting a ranking of distributors in the first group includes setting a ranking of distributors in the first group by excluding a first group distributor that satisfies a predetermined condition from among the plurality of first group distributors; method.

14. A program for providing a content distribution service, comprising: setting values ​​of attributes of each of a plurality of distributors who distribute content; and setting a ranking of distributors in the first group based on the distribution performance of the content of each of a plurality of first group distributors belonging to a first group identified from the plurality of distributors based on the value of the attribute, the step of setting a ranking of distributors in the first group includes setting a ranking of distributors in the first group by excluding a first group distributor that satisfies a predetermined condition from among the plurality of first group distributors; program.

Images