Comment distribution system, terminal device, comment distribution method, and program

Abstract

This device provides a terminal that allows users to share the same video and communicate using comments. [Solution] In the comment distribution system, a video distribution server and a terminal device connected to the comment distribution server via a network receive comment information from the comment distribution server, display the video to be played, and read comments from the comment information that have a comment assignment time associated with the video playback time of the video to be played, and display the read comments together with the video. In addition, the system plays the video from the video playback time corresponding to the comment selected from the list of comments, and displays the comment that corresponds to the video playback time from among the comments received and stored during the video playback and the comments received and stored before the comments received and stored during the current playback.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a comment distribution system, a terminal device, a comment distribution method, and a program that can communicate between users while playing video content and using the content being played.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, for example, there is a system that displays comments made by users on a video such as a broadcast TV program together with the video. For example, in a bulletin board regarding TV programs with different broadcast times for each region, the writing for one scene of a TV program is stored corresponding to the net time from the start of broadcasting. Even if the time for viewing the bulletin board is different, the previously written content is displayed in accordance with the scene of the TV program (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to this system, users can view comments while watching a TV program without feeling the time lag of the broadcast time and enjoy it.

Prior Art Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the system of the conventional technology described above, comments are simply registered in association with the time of the video (the playback time of the video) and Users cannot exchange comments in real time, and the community It wasn't very interesting as a communication experience.

[0005] This invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and its purpose is to facilitate communication between users. Comments allow you to communicate with others by opening the same video and using the comments section. The objective is to provide a distribution system, terminal device, comment distribution method, and program. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a video distribution server that distributes video data, A comment distribution server that distributes comments on a video, multiple terminal devices, and a network A comment distribution system connected via a network, wherein the comment distribution server is The movement is based on the beginning of the video at the time the comment was added by the terminal device. The comment time, which is the video playback time representing the elapsed time of the video, and the comment including the comment The terminal information is received and stored each time it is transmitted from any of the multiple terminal devices. A first comment information storage unit, and the comments stored in the first comment information storage unit It has a comment information distribution unit that reads out information and distributes it to the terminal device, and the terminal device The system includes a video playback unit that receives and plays video data distributed from the aforementioned video distribution server, The comment information entered for the video to be played is received from the comment distribution server. A comment information receiving unit and a unit that stores the comment information received by the comment information receiving unit. The comment information storage unit (2) and the video playback unit display the video being played back. The comment with a comment duration corresponding to the video playback time of the video being played is the second comment. A display unit reads comments from a comment information storage unit and displays the read comments along with a video. It is characterized by having [this feature].

[0007] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned comment distribution system, the comment display unit A check to determine whether the display position of a comment overlaps with the display position of other comments. When the unit and the determination unit determine that the display positions of the comments overlap, the comments overlap It is characterized by having a display position control unit that causes the display to be shown in a position that is not appropriate.

[0008] Furthermore, the present invention includes a video distribution server that distributes video data and a server that distributes comments on the video. A comment distribution server and multiple terminal devices are connected via a network. A terminal device in a video distribution system, which receives video distributed from the video distribution server. A video playback unit that receives and plays back data, and when a comment is added by the terminal device. The comment is the video playback time, which represents the elapsed time of the video relative to the beginning of the video at a given point. The comment information, including the comment assignment time and the comment, is sent to any of the multiple terminal devices. Each time a comment is sent from the terminal device to the comment distribution server, the comment information is sent to the comment distribution server. A comment information receiving unit that receives comments from the comment distribution server, and the comments received by the comment information receiving unit A comment information storage unit that stores comment information, and a video playback unit that plays the video. In addition to displaying the comment information stored in the comment storage unit, the video will be played back. The comment corresponding to the video playback time of the image is collected from the comment information storage unit. A display unit that reads and displays the read comments together with the video, characterized by having the same. (The above is the description of the first aspect of the present invention.)

[0009] Further, the present invention is a comment distribution method in a comment distribution system in which a video distribution server that distributes video data, a comment distribution server that distributes comments on the video, and a plurality of terminal devices are connected via a network. The comment distribution server receives and stores comment information including the comment addition time, which is the video playback time representing the elapsed time of the video based on the beginning of the video at the time when the comment is given by the terminal device, and the comment, every time the comment information is transmitted from any one of the plurality of terminal devices to the first comment information storage unit, reads the comment information when the comment information is stored, and distributes it to each of the plurality of terminal devices. The terminal device receives and plays the video data distributed from the video distribution server by the video playback unit, the comment information receiving unit receives the comment information input to the played video from the comment distribution server, the second comment information storage unit stores the comment information received by the comment information receiving unit during the playback of the video, and the display unit displays the video played by the video playback unit and reads the comment corresponding to the comment addition time corresponding to the video playback time of the played video from the second comment information storage unit, and displays the read comment together with the video. (The above is the description of the second aspect of the present invention.) (The above is the description of the second aspect of the present invention.) (The above is the description of the second aspect of the present invention.) (The above is the description of the second aspect of the present invention.) (The above is the description of the second aspect of the present invention.) (The above is the description of the second aspect of the present invention.) (The above is the description of the second aspect of the present invention.) (The above is the description of the second aspect of the present invention.) (The above is the description of the second aspect of the present invention.) (The above is the description of the second aspect of the present invention.) (The above is the description of the second aspect of the present invention.) (The above is the description of the second aspect of the present invention.) (The above is the description of the second aspect of the present invention.) (The above is the description of the second aspect of the present invention.)

[0010] Further, the present invention is a comment distribution method in a comment distribution system in which a video distribution server that distributes video data, a comment distribution server that distributes comments on the video, and a plurality of terminal devices are connected via a network. The comment distribution server receives and stores comment information including the comment addition time, which is the video playback time representing the elapsed time of the video based on the beginning of the video at the time when the comment is given by the terminal device, and the comment, every time the comment information is transmitted from any one of the plurality of terminal devices to the first comment information storage unit, reads the comment information when the comment information is stored, and distributes it to each of the plurality of terminal devices. The terminal device receives and plays the video data distributed from the video distribution server by the video playback unit, the comment information receiving unit receives the comment information input to the played video from the comment distribution server, the second comment information storage unit stores the comment information received by the comment information receiving unit during the playback of the video, and the display unit displays the video played by the video playback unit and reads the comment corresponding to the comment addition time corresponding to the video playback time of the played video from the second comment information storage unit, and displays the read comment together with the video. (The above is the description of the third aspect of the present invention.) The computer of the terminal device in the comment distribution system receives the video distributed from the video distribution server. A video playback means that receives and plays video data, and comments are added by the terminal device. The video playback time, which represents the elapsed time of the video, is calculated based on the beginning of the video at the time of the calculation. A comment assignment time and comment information including the comment are among the multiple terminal devices Each time a comment is sent from any terminal device to the comment distribution server, the comment information is sent to the aforementioned comment distribution server. A comment information storage means that receives and stores comment information from the comment distribution server, and the video playback means Therefore, the video to be played is displayed, and the comments stored in the comment storage means are also displayed. Of the information, the comment that corresponds to the video playback time of the video being played is the comment that was added earlier. The system reads the comment information from the storage device and displays the read comment along with the video. It is a program designed to function as a means to an end. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, among the input comment information, the video playback time of the video to be played corresponds to The comment information is read for the comment that has been assigned a comment time. The comments entered for the video are now displayed along with the video. When a comment deletion request is entered, indicating the comment information to be deleted from the comment information, Therefore, I have made it so that the comment is not appropriate for the video. Whether or not it is a comment can be displayed in a way that takes the user's intentions into consideration, and comments can be made. This makes it possible to improve the entertainment value of communication using this method. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a comment distribution system according to one embodiment of this invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of comment distribution server 2. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of data stored in the comment information storage unit 21. [Figure 4] This is a schematic block diagram illustrating the configuration of terminal device 3. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of the information displayed on the display device 34. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the information displayed on the display device 34. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart to explain the operation of comment distribution server 2. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart to explain the operation of terminal device 3. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of the information displayed on the display device 34. [Figure 10] This diagram illustrates how comments are written between users. [Figure 11] This is a schematic block diagram showing the functionality of the comment distribution system in the second embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a diagram showing an example of a permission table. [Figure 13] This diagram shows an example of the information stored in the display database 234. [Figure 14] This is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of the comment distribution system in the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The following describes a comment distribution system according to one embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a comment distribution system according to one embodiment of this invention. In this diagram, the video distribution server 1 responds to a distribution request from the terminal device 3 to the video data The data will be distributed. This distribution will be done, for example, by streaming. Comments Distribution server 2 receives comments from terminal device 3 regarding the video distributed by video distribution server 1. The video is transmitted and distributed to each terminal device 3 that views the video via the network 4. Then connect to video streaming server 1 and comment streaming server 3, and stream from video streaming server 1 The system receives and displays the video, and also receives comments distributed from the comment distribution server 3. Believe and display on the video.

[0014] Next, we will further explain the comment distribution server 2 and terminal device 3 in Figure 1 using the diagram. To clarify, Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of comment distribution server 2. The comment information storage unit 21 stores the content of the comment and the time when this comment content was assigned. At each point, the video playback time, based on the start time of video playback, is used as the comment assignment time. The comment content is associated with the information and stored as comment data. An example of the data stored in this comment information storage unit 21 is shown in Figure 3. In section 21, comments on videos distributed by video distribution server 1 are organized by thread. Multiple sets of compiled comment information are stored. Each set of comment information identifies the video (video I). D includes information about the thread ID that identifies the thread, and which thread it is for which video. It is possible to identify whether or not it is. And the comment information includes the time the comment was given. In addition to the comment content, comment information is also displayed, showing the actual time the comment was posted. This includes the actual time the article was written (corresponding to the real-time information mentioned above) and information identifying the user who added the comment. The username and the information that specifies how the comments will be displayed on the video are the comment fields. The comment data contains multiple entries with corresponding display methods, and when the video with the corresponding video ID is played... Furthermore, comments are being viewed from terminal device 3 that is viewing the comments of the thread with the relevant thread ID. When data is received, the received comment data is added and saved. Here, the thread ID is stored in association with the video ID, Even if the videos are the same, and even if multiple different threads are created, they can be identified. The comment information storage unit 21 corresponds to the first comment information storage unit described above.

[0015] Next, the comment information distribution unit 22 receives the comment information stored in the comment information storage unit 21. The data is read and distributed to terminal device 3. The comment information update management unit 23 communicates via the communication unit 24. The additional comment information received from terminal device 3 is then processed according to the video ID and thread ID. Then, it is added to the comment information storage unit 21 and stored. The communication unit 24 communicates with the terminal device 3 and comments on the information transmitted from the terminal device 3. Output an instruction to the information update management unit 23 to add and store comment information. It also outputs a comment information distribution instruction to the comment information distribution unit 22.

[0016] Next, terminal device 3 will be explained using diagrams. Figure 4 illustrates the configuration of terminal device 3. This is a schematic block diagram. In this diagram, the video playback unit 31 plays videos specified by the user of the terminal device 3. Send a request to video distribution server 1, receive the video distributed from video distribution server 1 and re-release it. The comment information receiving unit 32 generates the comment information entered for the video to be played. The comment information storage unit 33 receives from the comment distribution server 2. It stores the comment information it has received. This comment information storage unit 33 stores the second comment mentioned above. This corresponds to the information storage unit.

[0017] The display device 34 is a liquid crystal display device or a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), etc. , and displays various information. The first display unit 35 displays the video played by the video playback unit 31. In addition to displaying it, the comment information stored in the comment information storage unit 33 is played back. Comments with corresponding comment durations are linked to the video playback time. The data is read from the report, and the read comments are displayed along with the video on the display device 34. Furthermore, the first display unit 35 has a function to overlay the comment content onto the video. The second display unit 36 ​​displays based on the comment data stored in the comment information storage unit 33. The list of comments is displayed on the display device 34 as a comment list. Here, the comments The data is displayed in order of the actual time the comments were posted.

[0018] The information displayed on this display device 34 will be explained further. Figure 5 shows the information displayed on the display device 34. This is a diagram showing an example of the information that will be displayed. Display field 101 shows that this comment distribution server has The URL (uniform resource locator) obtained upon access is displayed. Display field 102 contains: The video ID of the video being played is displayed. Display field 103 shows the currently displayed video. The total number of times a view request has been made is displayed as the view count. This view count is based on the actions of other users. When a video is played (viewing request is made), the count of users currently viewing the same video is displayed. The number is increased, and the count is updated and displayed. Display area 104 is displayed by the first display unit. A video is displayed that says. Display area 105 is the second display unit that displays This is the area where comments are displayed, and here, comments appear on the video displayed by display area 104. The comment is displayed. Also, here, display field 105 is larger than display field 104. It is set to trim, and overlaid comments etc. are trimmed outside the video screen. It is set up so that the comments themselves are not included in the video, but rather the video It is possible to determine that the content was written by a user.

[0019] The control panel 106 has a play button, stop button, rewind button, fast forward button, and volume control. Adjustment buttons, a playback status indicator showing where in the video you are currently playing, etc. It is shown, and when you move the cursor over any of the buttons with the mouse and click it... This allows the system to accept input for the operation corresponding to that button. Display area 107 shows the entire video. The body's regeneration time and the video playback time of the video currently displayed in display area 105 are displayed. The name of the user who will comment on the video is entered in input field 108 via input section 37. Here, a checkbox is placed near input field 108, and this checkbox... Depending on whether the checkbox is checked or not, you will be asked to choose whether or not to enter your email address. If the checkbox is checked, input field 108 will be divided into two, and the user's name and the user's name will be entered. You may also allow the user to enter their email address. Input field 109 should contain the comment. Information specifying how comments should be displayed is entered. For example, For example, the position, font, font size, and movement of comments displayed on the video. Specify the start and end positions and the direction of movement for the overlay display. This information can be set. Note that the method for displaying comments should be specified in advance. It's also possible to pre-determine the information so that users don't have to input it.

[0020] Comments are entered by the user in the comment field 110 via the input unit 37. When you click on Tan111, the comments entered in comment section 110 and The user's name entered in input field 108 and the comment entered in input field 109 will be displayed. Information on how to do this is sent to the comment distribution server 2. Display field 112 is the list of comments. This is the area where the list of comments is displayed. This comment list contains the comments that have been attached to them. The number indicating the order in which the comments were made (code 112a), the name of the user who entered the comment (code 11 2b) The time the comment was posted (code 112c), the comment that was made A portion of the entries (code 112d) are displayed in the order of the real-time information posted. This table Display field 112 contains a checkbox or similar to specify whether or not to display display field 112 on the screen. An input field is provided, and the display is made according to the instructions entered in this input field regarding whether or not to display. It is also possible to hide the display. Furthermore, the comments displayed in this display area 112... The number of some elements may be changed according to the user's instructions. Display field 113 is Among the list of comments displayed in display area 112, the one that the user has the cursor over is... The details of the comment will be displayed. The comment details include the full text of the comment and the comments The name and email address of the user who made the comment will be displayed.

[0021] Checkbox 114, when checked, will add a comment to the comment section. This specifies that the comment entered in 110 should be on a single line. For example, checkbox Check box S114, and once you have finished entering your comment, for example, press Enter. When you press a key such as - to complete the input, the "Write" button will appear when you press the Enter key. Assuming the button was clicked, the comment is sent to comment distribution server 2. This makes it possible to enter comments quickly and easily.

[0022] Next, returning to Figure 4, the input unit 37 is an input device such as a mouse or keyboard, and the user The selection unit 38 accepts input of various types of information. The selection unit 38 is displayed by the second display unit 36. The input field 37 accepts the selection of a comment from the list of comments. The playback control unit 39 processes the comment data of the comment selected by the selection unit 38. The comment information is read from the comment information storage unit 33, and the comment assignment time of the read comment data is determined accordingly. Based on the corresponding video playback time, the video is played by the first display unit and displayed on the display device 34. At the same time, the comment content of the read comment data is displayed by the first display unit 35. Display it on device 34.

[0023] The transmission unit 40 receives data on the comment content for the video displayed by the first display unit 35. The system accepts input and also displays the video playback time at the time the comment was entered. The time allocation is sent to the comment distribution server along with the comment content. Also, the transmission unit 40 The system then sends various information to the comment distribution server 2 and video distribution server 2 according to the instructions received from the input unit 37. It has the function of sending to server 1.

[0024] Next, we will explain how the comment distribution system described above works. Here, first, we will explain the operation of the comment distribution system. This section provides an overview of how the message distribution system works. First, terminal device 3 accesses comment distribution server 2 and checks the time it takes to write a comment. The system receives data of a list of recent videos and displays it on the display device 34. The display device 34 then displays a list of recent videos, as shown in Figure 6, including the video name and thread name. The following will be displayed. Here, the user can select the thread they want to view, and then the thread When the name is clicked by the mouse, terminal device 3 will respond to the clicked thread. The video ID set for the corresponding video is sent to the video distribution server 1, and a video distribution request is made. In addition, the thread ID and video ID set for the clicked thread will be included in the comments. A message is sent to server 2 requesting the transmission of comment information. In response, video streaming server 1 The system streams the video specified by the video ID to the terminal device 3 that made the distribution request. I believe. Meanwhile, comment distribution server 2 receives comment information corresponding to the thread ID and video ID. The report is read from the comment information storage unit 21 and distributed to the terminal device 3 that requested the distribution.

[0025] Terminal device 3 receives video distributed from video distribution server 1 and displays it on display device 34. In addition, the comment content is based on the comment information distributed from comment distribution server 2. Display this on the video. Here, it is set according to the video playback time from when the video started playing. Comments with a set comment duration that matches the video playback time will appear sequentially on the video. It will be displayed.

[0026] Next, we will explain the operation of the comment distribution server 2 and terminal device 3 in order. First, the operation of comment distribution server 2 will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 7. The communication unit 24 of the comment distribution server 2 receives a request for comment information distribution from the terminal device 3. It is detected whether or not (step S101). If a request for comment information distribution is received, The communications unit 24 then instructs the comment information distribution unit 22 to distribute the comment information. Here, The video ID and thread ID of the comment information included in the distribution request are in the comment information distribution unit 2 Output to 2. The comment information distribution unit 22 receives the video ID and S from the communication unit 24. Read the comment information corresponding to the Red ID from the comment information storage unit 21 (step S 102) Distribute the read comment information to the terminal device 3 that requested the distribution (Step S 103). Here, each comment information is associated with the video ID and thread ID. Send all at once.

[0027] On the other hand, instead of a request for the distribution of comment information, the comment data sent from terminal device 3 If received (step S104), the communication unit 24 updates the comment information using the comment data. Output to Management Unit 23. Comment Information Update Management Unit 23 refers to Comment Information Storage Unit 21. Based on the video ID and thread ID included in the comment data output from the communication unit 24 Then, the comment information is identified, and the received comment data is applied to the identified comment information. Save the additional data (step S105). Once saved, the comment information distribution unit 22 will... Terminal device 3 that is playing the video of the video ID, along with the video of the video ID Identify terminal device 3 that is viewing the comments with the thread ID, and then... The additional saved comment data is distributed to each (step S106). On the other hand, This is not a request for the distribution of comment information, but also a request for the reception of comment data sent from terminal device 3. If not, proceed to step S101. Here, if you are playing a video with the same video ID and a method for identifying the terminal device 3 that is viewing the comments of the thread with the said thread ID. For example, a session is established with terminal device 3 that has accessed comment distribution server 2. Establish this, and identify terminal device 3, which is currently playing a video, etc. There is.

[0028] Next, the operation of terminal device 3 will be explained using diagrams. Figure 8 shows the operation of terminal device 3. This is a flowchart for explanation. When a user inputs a command to play a video, the input unit 37 of the terminal device 3 (step S2 01) The video ID of the instructed video is sent to the video distribution server 1 by the transmission unit 40, and The system sends a request for image distribution and a request for comment information distribution to comment distribution server 2. The comment information receiving unit 32 receives comments distributed from the comment distribution server 2. If information is received (step S202), it is stored in the comment information storage unit 33.

[0029] When comment information is received and stored in the comment information storage unit 33, the video playback unit 31 will: The first display unit 3 receives the video streamed from the video streaming server 1 and plays the received video. 5 is displayed on the display device 34 (step S203). When video playback starts, The first display unit 35 displays comments that match the current video playback time, based on the current video playback time. The comment information storage unit 33 checks whether or not there is comment data with a set time allocation. , determine (step S204). The comment assignment time is set to match the video playback time. If there is comment data (step S205-YES), the first display unit 35 will display the relevant comment data. The display position of the comment data is calculated (step S206). Accordingly, the display of comments on the video is controlled (step S206). Meanwhile, the video playback unit 31 determines whether playback has finished or not, and if playback has finished, it processes... If playback has not finished, proceed to step S204.

[0030] On the other hand, if there are no comments to display in step S205, the distribution unit 40 will enter The power unit 37 detects whether or not a comment has been entered (step S209). If input is received, the comment will be recorded at the time it was entered (for example, by clicking the "Write" button (code) 111) The software playing the video at the time it was clicked The playback time (video playback time) indicated by the ear is read, and that video playback time is used when a comment is added. The video ID of the video currently playing, the thread ID of the comment being viewed, and the current real time are used. The information includes the current time, the username of the user on terminal device 3, and the entered comment content. The comment information is then associated with the comment display method and stored in the comment information storage unit 33 as comment information. The item is added to the list of entries and saved (step S210). Then, the transmitting unit 40 adds the saved item. Send the comment information to the comment distribution server 2 (step S211), step S208 It will transition to [this].

[0031] In step S209, if it is not a comment input, terminal device 3 will send comment information The receiving unit 32 detects whether or not comment data has been received (step S212). When comment data is received, the comment information receiving unit 32 receives the comment data The comment information is added and saved in the comment information storage unit 33, and the process proceeds to step S208.

[0032] On the other hand, in step S212, if it is not a comment data reception, terminal device 3 The selection unit 38 detects from the input unit 37 whether or not a comment selection operation has been input ( Step S214). If a comment selection operation is entered, the selection unit 38 will select the comment. The comment content of the comment data is output to the playback control unit 39. The playback control unit 39 outputs this output In response, the comment assignment time, which is stored in association with the selected comment data, is commented on. The information is read by referring to the information storage unit 33, and the video playback time corresponds to the time the comment was read out. By rewinding or fast-forwarding the video playback position according to the interval, the comment will appear. Playback starts from the video playback time that matches the comment assignment time stored in association with the data. (Step S215) Display the content of the comment at the time the comment was added, Step S2 We will move to version 08.

[0033] Next, we will explain the case where comments are displayed on the screen using diagrams. Here, In Figure 5, the "List of Recent Comments" is linked to the video "Omelet Rice by a Famous Chef". This explains what happens when the thread "Let's share our thoughts on the food!" is selected. When the thread is selected, the video of "Omelet Rice by a Famous Chef" will appear, for example, in the display area of ​​Figure 5. The video will play within 104 areas. Comments will then appear sequentially on the video according to the video playback time. This is shown. Figure 5 shows the screen when the video playback time is 9 seconds, and here, comments User F's comment, "Looks delicious!", which was displayed for 9 seconds, is moving from the right side of the screen to the left. It is displayed on the side (symbol 115). Then the video playback progresses, and the video playback time reaches 13 seconds. When this happens, a screen like the one shown in Figure 9 will appear. Here, the comment assignment time is 9 seconds. The comment "Looks delicious!" has moved to the left side of the screen, outside of display area 104. The text is cropped to fit within the 109-space display area, showing only the "Yes~!" part. (code 200). Also, the comment from user Z with a comment duration of 10 seconds is "famous The comment "The chef's work is great." is displayed below User B's comment. Along with (symbol 201), there is a comment from user E with a comment assignment time of 12 seconds, "do "Are you using this egg?" is displayed at the bottom of the screen (symbol 202). Then, the comments are displayed in order.

[0034] The above explanation focused on the operation of only one terminal device 3, but in reality, the same video... And, among users viewing the same thread, comments are exchanged in the following manner: This can be done. Here, we will explain using Figure 10. For example, when a video is played by a user E, and the video playback time reaches 12 seconds, the user says "What When the comment "Are you using these eggs?" is added as a statement (symbol a), The comment information of the additionally entered comments is sent via comment distribution server 2 to the same video. It is then distributed to terminal device 3 that is viewing the same thread.

[0035] If, after the initial broadcast, the same video is played by another user C (symbol b), then user C The comment information, including the added comments, is distributed to terminal device 3. Then, the video At 12 seconds into the video, user E commented, "What kind of eggs are you using?" The comment is displayed. Then, user C, who has viewed this comment, responds as: At the point when video playback time for user C is 15 seconds (for example, at the point when video playback time for user E is 100 seconds) Enter the comment "Apparently it's from XX prefecture." and send it to comment distribution server 2. (Symbol c) The transmitted comment is then delivered to user E's terminal device 3. For example, at the point when the video playback time is 100 seconds, in the list of comments from user E Some of user C's comments are displayed in real-time order (symbol d). For example, the latest This comment will appear at the very bottom (or top) of the comment list. When user E, who viewed the list of comments, clicked on a part of the comment, the playback started The video will start playing again from 15 seconds into the video playback time, and user E's terminal device 3 The comment "Apparently it's from XX prefecture." appears on the screen (symbol e). User E can enjoy the experience as if they had received a reply to their comment. And by repeating this kind of exchange of comments, at different times Even among users watching the video, communication can be facilitated through comments. This makes it possible to manage comments in the order they are entered in real time. Since it is now displayed as a list, users whose video playback timing does not match will see the same thing. Even as a professional, you can exchange comments in real time and communicate It becomes possible to measure the n.

[0036] Also, the posting of such comments and the video from the time the comments were posted. As playback is repeated, the difference in video playback timing among users approaches zero. It is possible to exchange comments while watching the same video at almost the same time. Cut.

[0037] Here, we explained the case where multiple users are viewing the same video, but if there is a certain video Regarding this, if a user plays a video when no other users are watching, The comment information that had been stored up to that point was distributed from the comment distribution server 2 to the terminal device 3. The videos are trusted and played sequentially according to the timing of the video playback. This ensures that no one else can view them. Even if there are no users currently using the video, comments previously made can be replayed on that video. You can view them in chronological order. You can also leave comments here. It's also possible.

[0038] In the above embodiment, a comment is added to the comment list, and it is added. When a comment is clicked by a user, the comment set in the comment This explains when the video playback starts from the time that matches the allocated time, and when comments are displayed. However, if the added comment is not clicked, the video playback time will be affected by the added comment. When the comment granting time set for the comment reaches its limit, the comment will be displayed on the video. It will be done. Also, if the video playback time of the video you are watching is commented on by other users... Even if a comment is written, it will be displayed in the comment list in real time order, so the addition By clicking on a comment, you can rewind to the point in time when that comment was posted. Alternatively, you can fast-forward and view the comments. Also, here, when playing the video... By rewinding the timeline, newly added comments are also included. Comments posted will be displayed sequentially according to the time the comment was added and the video playback time. It will be displayed.

[0039] Also, here, move the slider bar in the playback status display area of ​​the control panel 106. This allows you to rewind and fast-forward the playback time, but with this operation, The video rewinds or fast-forwards, and the comments I want to see disappear from the screen immediately. It may be difficult to find, but you can select from the comment list to view the scene you want to see. It is also possible. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the comment data distributed from the comment distribution server 2 We have explained the case in which terminal device 3 receives data and reflects and displays it on the screen, but In terminal device 3, comments entered by the user are processed as follows: At that point (sent to comment distribution server 2 and before it is received by comment distribution server 2) ) It may be made to display on the screen. Specifically, in step S209 of Figure 8 When a comment is entered, the entered comment is displayed on the terminal device 3. Proceed to step S210, add and save the entered comment to the comment list, and then, You may also configure it to send comments to comment distribution server 2.

[0040] Next, I will explain how to display comments. The entered comments will be displayed in a specific position on the screen, such as the top, middle, or bottom section, and the comments themselves will also be displayed. The display time for moving the display can be set by entering the time in input field 109. Yes. Also, if you want to set the display time, for example, you can display the comment at the top of the screen for a certain period of time (e.g. For example, it can be displayed for 4 seconds and then made to disappear. Also, it can appear within the display area of ​​the screen. Specify the time it takes for the object to move out of the area and disappear (for example, 4 seconds), and adjust the movement speed. It is also possible to adjust the formatting. Furthermore, if a large number of comments are entered at a given time during video playback... In cases such as when they are displayed, if they overlap at the same height line, the image It is possible to change the height of the display on the surface or to move the display. Also, the display time If the setting causes the movement speed to differ depending on the length of the comment string, Sometimes, the next comment catches up before the previous one has finished moving, so... In such cases, the next comment should be displayed on a line at a different height or moved to a different location. That's fine.

[0041] Furthermore, comments can be made not only by typing text, but also by arranging characters and symbols to create ASCII art. It is also possible to enter text (also known as text art) as a comment. In this case, Uncheck the "1 line" option in checkbox 114, and then enter text and symbols across multiple lines. This makes it possible to depict landscapes and realistic paintings. Here, all of ASCII art The font size will be enlarged or reduced as needed so that the lines fit within the screen. You can do that.

[0042] Furthermore, the system determines the age of comments based on real time, and the oldest comment entered at the time in real time is selected. It would be good to display the comment semi-transparently after a certain period of time, and then make it disappear. Also, you can set importance levels for comments and change the font size of comments according to their importance. You can do that. For example, for comments with a large number of response comments, the importance level is high. It can be determined that it is not necessary, and the font size of the root comments can be increased. Additionally, the display position of comments vertically (in the vertical direction of the screen) will be changed according to their importance. You could also do this. For example, you could display high-priority comments on the top line of the screen. You can also display comments of lower importance on a line at the bottom of the screen.

[0043] In the embodiment described above, the video distribution server 1 and the comment distribution server 2 are separate. We have explained the case where it is a server, but on the same server, video distribution server 1 and comment distribution server 1 are also discussed. It may also be possible to implement functionality with server 2. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, comments and videos in this service are viewed. In that case, access comment distribution server 2 to receive data on the list of recent comments, When selecting a video and thread from the list of recent comments displayed on the display device 34, As explained above, by specifying this video as a thread, you can create a URL where comments and the video can be viewed. You may then publish it on the internet. Specifically, the video ID and thread. The ID is included, and clicking it will play the video and receive comment information for that thread. You can post a URL that allows you to do this on a blog or a message board on an internet site and others You can also have users click on it. Additionally, you can use such URLs as thumbnail images. You can set it up like this and have the user click it.

[0044] Also, regarding this list of recent comments, the screen where you view the video and comments (For example, in Figure 5), a thumbnail image is displayed on the right or bottom of the screen, or Threads with a high number of accesses are displayed in a ranking, and users are encouraged to click on them. You could also configure it to display the thread associated with the clicked thumbnail image.

[0045] Furthermore, in the embodiments described above, when specifying the video ID and thread ID, As explained above, the representative thread ID is pre-registered with that video ID, and only the video ID is specified. If this occurs, you may want to display the representative thread. Also, you can specify which thread to write to. If a comment is simply entered on a video without specifying whether it should be posted, the representative will be... You may also allow posts to be made in red. Additionally, if a certain number of comments are made within a thread... (For example, if 100 comments are made) a new thread will be created on comment distribution server 2. It may be acceptable to allow the user to generate it.

[0046] Also, the comment list will only include comments that have been displayed on the video, or... For comments that a user clicks on to view from the comment list, the comment list will be displayed. You could also make it possible to identify that something has been viewed. For example, by changing the text color. You could also display a mark indicating that the content has been viewed.

[0047] Additionally, each user is assigned a unique user identifier, and for example, this user identifier is associated with comments. You can also add it to the comment data. This will make it clear who made the comment. It is possible to identify this. Furthermore, depending on the user identifier, the comment will be written in different characters. The message could be displayed using different colors. This would allow for the identification of the user who made the statement. It becomes Noh. Additionally, a user ID is assigned to each user who has previously accessed the system. By including and storing the ID in the comment data, the comments made by each user can be recorded as follows: Alternatively, a list display may be made available via a pop-up window or similar. Note that this user ID is: It may be assigned to each user through prior user registration, or information that identifies the terminal device may be used. It may be made to appear as if it is present. When using information that identifies this terminal device, for example, that terminal device A hash function is used to perform a calculation based on the information that identifies the location, and the result of that calculation is used as the user ID. That's good too.

[0048] Next, a second embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the posted comments This section explains how to delete comments. Deleting comments here means, for example, terminal device 3 In response to a comment deletion instruction from a user with the authority to delete comments, which is entered via the system. This allows you to prevent the comment to be deleted from being displayed on the screen. Even users who do not directly have the authority to delete entries can do so from users who do not have that authority. Depending on the number of requests to delete comments, comments will be made semi-transparent or displayed. It is possible to prevent this from happening.

[0049] The comment distribution system in the second embodiment will be described below. Figure 11 is a schematic block diagram showing the functions of the comment distribution system in the second embodiment. In this figure, the parts corresponding to the parts in Figure 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their explanations are omitted. (Omitted.) In this embodiment, a comment ID is assigned to each comment in the comment information. I will explain it assuming that it is already established. In addition to the functions of the communication unit 24 in Figure 2, the communication unit 241 also transmits from the terminal device 3. The system receives comment deletion request information. The comment deletion request information here refers to the comment to be deleted. The comment ID and the thread in which the comment to be deleted is registered are identified. The red ID, the video ID that identifies the video corresponding to that thread, and the user who made the deletion request. This includes the user ID for the deletion request to identify the user.

[0050] The comment information update management unit 23 includes an authorization determination unit 231, a deletion request count unit 232, and a display unit. It has a selection section 233. The authorization determination unit 231 determines the comment deletion request information received by the communication unit 242 from the terminal device 3. In response, the video ID, thread ID, and user requesting deletion that are included in this comment deletion request information will be processed. Based on the ID, it is determined whether or not the user has the authority to delete the comment. Section 231 contains an internal memo containing an authority table to determine whether or not this authority exists. It is stored in the respace, and this table is referenced to determine whether or not the user has the necessary permissions. An example of a table is shown in Figure 12. As shown in Figure 12, the permission table contains the video ID. and the thread ID and the user who has the authority to delete the comments registered to that thread ID. The user ID of the user who has deletion authority is associated with and stored to identify the file. Here, the video ID and For each combination of thread IDs, only one user ID with deletion privileges is stored. Alternatively, the system may be configured to remember multiple user IDs that possess deletion privileges. (Permission determination) Section 231 refers to this authorization table and the video ID and included in the comment deletion request information. Determine whether the comment ID combination exists in the permissions table, and then check the video ID and comment. If an ID exists, then the delete permission associated with the comment ID in that permission table is also available. Determine whether the owning user ID matches the user ID included in the comment deletion request information. Furthermore, the user ID of the user with deletion authority matches the user ID included in the comment deletion request information. In such cases, the user will be deemed to have the authority to delete the comment.

[0051] The deletion request counting unit 232 determined that the authorization determination unit 231 does not have the authority to delete data. Based on the comment deletion request information, the number of deletion requests is counted for each comment that has been requested to be deleted. To do. The display database 234 stores the count number and the display method in association. Figure 13 shows an example of the information stored in database 234. Here, erase request counter The relationship between the count (n) obtained by section 232 and the range of the count is as follows: The information to be displayed and the information specifying the display method are stored in association. There are two modes: "Normal," which displays comments, and "Normal," which displays comments as semi-transparent overlays on the video. The settings include "semi-transparent" and "transparent," which is equivalent to deleting comments.

[0052] The display selection unit 233 selects the count result (n) counted by the erase request count unit 232. The corresponding display method is read by referring to the display database 234, and the read display method is This information is assigned to the "Comment Display Method" of the comment information and stored in the comment information storage unit 21.

[0053] Next, the operation of the comment distribution system in the second embodiment described above will be explained. . Figure 14 illustrates the operation of the comment distribution system in the second embodiment. This is a sequence diagram. First, as shown in the first embodiment, comments posted from terminal device 3 are distributed The communication server 1 collects the information and distributes it as comment information to each terminal device 3, displaying the video and comments. Display it on the surface. And, among the comments displayed on the screen of terminal device 3, those deleted by the user When the comment to be deleted is clicked with a mouse or similar device, the deletion request displayed on the screen is made. When the request button is clicked, terminal device 3 retrieves the comment ID of the clicked comment and The video ID and thread ID are read from the comment information storage unit 33, and the read comment I D, video ID, thread ID, and user ID of the user using terminal device 3 The data is associated with the comment and sent to the comment distribution server 1 as a comment deletion request (step S3). 01).

[0054] When comment distribution server 1 receives comment deletion request information from terminal device 3, (step (P401), the user ID included in the received comment deletion request information is the comment The authorization determination unit 231 determines whether or not it has the authority to delete (step S40 2) If the determination results in having the authority to delete, select to display the comment as one to be deleted. The display selection unit 233 will respond to the instructions from the authorization determination unit 231. The video ID, thread ID, and comment ID included in the received comment deletion request information are all... In the "Comment Display Method" of the comment information stored in the comment information storage unit 21, Write information indicating "Do not display".

[0055] Then, when the "Comment Display Method" information in the comment information is updated, the comment information distribution The signal unit 22 transmits the updated comment information to the terminal device 3 (step S404). Terminal device 3 receives comment information sent from comment distribution server 1, and the comment Comments will be displayed according to the comment display method. Here, deleted comments will be... Comments are stored as data but are not displayed on the screen and are not subject to deletion. The message is displayed on the screen.

[0056] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S402 that there is no authorization, the delete request count unit 23 2 detects this as a comment deletion request from a user who does not have the authority to delete it. The deletion request count unit 232 then counts the video ID and thread included in the comment deletion request information. The number of requests to delete the comment ID of the ID is counted up (step S405), and internally The count is temporarily stored in the counter and output to the display selection unit 233. The selection unit 233, based on the count result output from the erase request count unit 232, Display the corresponding display method from database 234 (step S406). The retrieved information is displayed according to the video ID, thread ID, and comment ID. I'll write about "How to display comments" in section 21 of the Okubu (Okubu) blog.

[0057] When the comment display method is written to the comment information storage unit 21, the comment information distribution unit 2 2 sends the comment information after the comment display method has been written to terminal device 3 ( (S404). This allows terminal device 3 to display the transmitted comment information. As shown (step S302).

[0058] According to this embodiment, comments are deleted depending on whether or not the user has the necessary permissions. Furthermore, the administrator of the thread, etc., should determine whether or not a comment is inappropriate for that thread. It is possible to display comments that take into account the wishes of users with special privileges. Even users who do not have the authority to delete comments solely at their own discretion, that user's Depending on the number of comments, delete them or display them differently from other comments, such as by making them semi-transparent. This allows multiple users to write and delete comments. This allows for removal and can improve the entertainment value of the thread.

[0059] In the second embodiment described above, if the authority determination unit 231 does not have the authority to delete, This section explains the case where the deletion request count unit 232 refers to the determined comment deletion request information. However, if only one of the authorization determination unit 231 or the deletion request count unit 232 is commented out It may also be set up in the Report Update Management Unit 23. That is, from a user with deletion authority You may accept deletion requests and delete comments, or delete comments Regardless of whether the user has permission or not, the number of comments that have been requested to be deleted by the user will be displayed. You can either prevent it from being displayed or make it semi-transparent.

[0060] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, the comment display method can be set to "normal", "semi-transparent", I explained the case of "transparent," but the comment to be deleted is different from a normal comment. It would be good if we could display it differently, for example, by having multiple levels of semi-transparency, or comments You can change the color of the text, as well as the font size, font type, and color gradation, and create white backgrounds. You can be careful about it. Furthermore, if a user with the authority to delete comments enters a request to reverse the deletion of a comment... Upon receiving this instruction, you may then display the deleted comments.

[0061] Furthermore, in the embodiments described above, the comment information distribution unit 22 in Figure 2, A program to realize the functions of the information update management unit 23 and the communication unit 24, or Figure 4 In this, video playback unit 31, comment information receiving unit 32, first display unit 35, second display unit 36, Input unit 37, Selection unit 38, Playback control unit 39, Transmission unit 40, Authority determination in Figure 11 The functions of unit 231, erase request count unit 232, display selection unit 233, and communication unit 241 are realized. A program to do this is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and this recording medium By loading the recorded program into the computer system and executing it, comments You may control the distribution of content and the display of comments. Note that the term "computer system" used here refers to... "Mu" refers to hardware including the operating system and peripheral devices.

[0062] Furthermore, if a "computer system" is using a WWW system, then... This also includes the webpage provisioning environment (or display environment). "Removable recording media" refers to flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs, and CD-Rs. Portable media such as OMs, and storage devices such as hard disks built into computer systems. This refers to... Furthermore, "computer-readable recording media" means... Like a communication line used when sending a program via a network or telephone line. , something that dynamically holds a program for a short period of time, in which case it is a server or client. Like volatile memory inside a computer system, it retains programs for a certain period of time. This includes those that... Furthermore, the above program is intended to implement some of the functions mentioned above. It may be an object, and furthermore, the aforementioned functions may already be recorded in the computer system. It may also be something that can be achieved in combination with other programs.

[0063] The embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, but the specific configuration is as follows: This invention is not limited to these embodiments and also includes designs and the like that do not depart from the spirit of the invention. ru. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0064] 1. Video streaming server 2. Comment streaming server 3 Terminal device 21 Comment information storage unit 22 Comment Information Distribution Department 23 Comment Information Update Management Department 24, 241 Communications Department 31 Video Playback Department 32 Comment information receiving unit 33 Comment information storage unit 34 Display device 35 First display unit 36 Second display unit 37 Input unit 38 Selection unit 39 Playback control unit 40 Transmission unit 231 Authorization determination unit 232 Delete request count unit 233 Display selection unit 234 Display Database

Claims

1. A video distribution server that distributes video data, and a comment distribution server that distributes comments on the videos. A comment distribution system in which a server and multiple terminal devices are connected via a network. It is Mu, The aforementioned comment distribution server, Based on the beginning of the video at the time the comment was added by the terminal device The video playback time, which represents the elapsed time of the video, is the comment time, and the comment includes the comment. Each time comment information is transmitted from one of the multiple terminal devices, it is received. The first comment information storage unit that stores the information, The terminal device reads the comment information stored in the first comment information storage unit and It has a comment information distribution department that distributes information to, The aforementioned terminal device is A video playback unit that receives and plays video data distributed from the aforementioned video distribution server, The comment information entered for the video to be played is received from the comment distribution server. The comment information receiving unit, A second comment information storage unit that stores the comment information received by the aforementioned comment information receiving unit. and, The video playback unit displays the video being played, and the video playback of the video being played The comment corresponding to the time of comment assignment is read from the second comment information storage unit. A display unit that outputs and reads comments along with the video, A comment distribution system characterized by having [a certain feature].

2. The display position of the comment displayed by the aforementioned comment display unit is the same as the display position of other comments. A determination unit that determines whether or not it overlaps with, If the determination unit determines that the display positions of the comments overlap, then if the comments overlap each other A display position control unit that displays in a position where there is no existing display, A comment distribution system characterized by having the following features.

3. A video distribution server that distributes video data, and a comment distribution server that distributes comments on the videos. A comment distribution system in which a server and multiple terminal devices are connected via a network. A terminal device in M, A video playback unit that receives and plays video data distributed from the aforementioned video distribution server, and a comment The video is calculated based on the beginning of the video at the time the signal is given by the terminal device. The comment time is the video playback time which represents the elapsed time, and the comment includes the comment. Information is sent from one of the multiple terminal devices to the comment distribution server. Each time this occurs, the comment information receiving unit receives the comment information from the comment distribution server. and, The comment information receiving unit stores the comment information received by the comment information receiving unit, and The video playback unit displays the video being played, and the comment storage unit stores the comment. Of the collected comment information, the comment assignment time corresponding to the video playback time of the video being played The comments are read from the comment information storage unit and displayed along with the video. The display unit, A terminal device characterized by having [a certain feature].

4. A video distribution server that distributes video data, and a comment distribution server that distributes comments on the videos. A comment distribution system in which a server and multiple terminal devices are connected via a network. A method for distributing comments in the community, The aforementioned comment distribution server, Based on the beginning of the video at the time the comment was added by the terminal device The video playback time, which represents the elapsed time of the video, is the comment time, and the comment includes the comment. Each time comment information is transmitted from one of the multiple terminal devices, it is received. When the comment information is stored in the first comment information storage unit, the comment information The report is read and distributed to each of the aforementioned multiple terminal devices. The aforementioned terminal device is The video playback unit receives and plays video data distributed from the video distribution server, and comments The comment information receiving unit receives the comment information input to the video to be played and distributes it to the comment information receiving unit. Received from the server, The second comment information storage unit receives the comment information from the comment information receiving unit during the playback of the video. Remember the comment information you believed, The display unit displays the video being played by the video playback unit, and also displays the video being played. The second comment information storage stores comments corresponding to the video playback time of the image. Read from the section and display the read comments along with the video. A comment delivery method characterized by the following.

5. A video distribution server that distributes video data, and a comment distribution server that distributes comments on the videos. A comment distribution system in which a server and multiple terminal devices are connected via a network. In the terminal device's computer, A video playback means that receives and plays video data distributed from the aforementioned video distribution server, The video is calculated based on the beginning of the video at the time the signal is given by the terminal device. The comment time is the video playback time which represents the elapsed time, and the comment includes the comment. Information is sent from one of the multiple terminal devices to the comment distribution server. Each time a comment is made, the comment information is received from the comment distribution server and stored. information storage means, The video playback means displays the video played back by the video playback means, and the comment storage means Among the comment information stored, comments corresponding to the video playback time of the video being played are included. The comments for the given time are read from the comment information storage means, and the read comments are used as a video. Display means for displaying together, A program designed to function as such.

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