JP2013148939A - Content information sharing system, content information sharing method and content information sharing program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To share content information among a plurality of home networks and consolidate it.SOLUTION: An HGW device 220 includes: content list acquisition request means 223 for transmitting a content list acquisition request to a home network 201; and content list transfer means 224 for combining a content list received from the home network 201 with a content list acquired from reproduction equipment 222 into one content list, and transferring the combined content list to the reproduction equipment 222. An HGW device 210 includes: list acquisition means 212 for acquiring a list of content information held by a DMS 211; change means 213 for setting a port mapping on the basis of the list of content information acquired by the list acquisition means 212, and changing a URL portion of the content list on the basis of setting information; and content list reply means 214 for returning the content list in which the URL portion has been changed to the HGW device 220.

Description

  The present invention relates to a content information sharing system, a content information sharing method, and a content information sharing program, and more particularly to a content information sharing system, a content information sharing method, and a content information sharing program that allow external access to content in a home network.

  DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) is an industry organization formed for the purpose of facilitating the interoperability between devices of different manufacturers in home appliances, mobile terminals, personal computers, and the like. Among devices that follow the guidelines created by DLNA, even if manufacturers and models are different, they can recognize each other via the home network (home local area network (LAN)), and other devices You can view content such as videos, still images, and music stored on your device from devices connected to your home network.

  In recent years, beyond the DLNA guidelines, content held by DLNA-compatible devices, hard disk drives (HDD: Hard Disk Drive), digital media servers (DMS), etc. installed in home networks has been An example of a content access system that can be browsed from the outside via the Internet is described in Patent Document 1.

  The content access system described in Patent Document 1 is configured to include a gateway (HGW) device on a home network and a content providing server, and operates as follows.

  The HGW apparatus acquires a content list from the DMS that stores the digital content, creates a Web page including link information to the digital content based on the content list, and transmits the Web page to a content providing server on the Internet. When a web page is accessed from a user terminal that is a DLNA non-compliant terminal device connected to the Internet, the content providing server provides the content included in the web page to the user terminal. Thereby, the user terminal can reproduce content such as DMS installed on the home network from outside the home network.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a communication control apparatus that allows a device installed in a home network to acquire and use information related to services provided by a device installed outside the home network. In the communication control device described in Patent Document 2, a configuration in which an HGW device connected to a device such as an HDD, a WebTV, or a personal computer on a home network is connected to a content list providing server and a content server via the network. And operates as follows.

  When the HGW apparatus on the home network receives a request for requesting a content list from WebTV on the home network, the HGW apparatus acquires a content list provided to WebTV via the network from the content list providing server. Then, the HGW apparatus transmits the acquired content list to the WebTV as a request response. Thereafter, when the HGW device is notified that the content has been selected from the content list and is acquired from the WebTV, the HGW device connects the WebTV to the content server that provides the selected content. To do. Thereby, WebTV on the home network can view content from a content server outside the home network.

  Patent Document 3 describes a media information sharing system that shares media information in a plurality of home networks. In the media information sharing system described in Patent Document 3, a first HGW device is connected to a first home network, a second HGW device is connected to a second home network, and the first home network and the second home network are IP (Internet). Protocol) is connected through a network and operates as follows.

  The IP address information of the first HGW device connected to the first home network is set as transfer destination information in the second HGW device connected to the second home network. Thus, by accessing the DMS connected to the first home network from the digital media player connected to the second home network, the content information stored in the DMS can be viewed.

JP 2009-118112 A JP 2009-230256 A JP 2011-128957 A

  In both the systems described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 3, content stored in a device such as a DMS in the home network is played (viewed) by a user terminal or a digital media player outside the home network. Can do. Moreover, in the communication control apparatus described in Patent Document 2, a device in the home network can acquire and reproduce (view) content from a content server outside the home network.

  However, in the above-described system and communication control device, when browsing content, it is necessary to designate a device that holds the content to be browsed in advance, and when browsing content held by a plurality of home network devices. Requires a re-designation of the device or server that holds the content, and the operation is complicated.

  That is, in the systems and communication control apparatuses described in Patent Documents 1 to 3, a plurality of devices and servers that hold the content that the user wants to browse are easily provided. For this reason, when browsing other content held by a device or server different from the device or server holding the content that the user is currently browsing, it is necessary to reselect the device or server. There is.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and a content information sharing system, a content information sharing method, and a content information sharing program that solve the above-mentioned problems by sharing and centrally managing content information between a plurality of home networks. The purpose is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, a content information sharing system according to the present invention includes at least a first home network including at least a first gateway device and a first digital media server, a second gateway device, and a second gateway device. And a second home network composed of a playback device having a function of playing back content information at least, and a digital media server of
Based on the content information acquisition request held in the first home network from the playback device, the second gateway device sends the content to the first home network holding the requested content information via the network. Content list acquisition request means for transmitting a list acquisition request, and content list transfer for receiving a content list transmitted as a response from the first home network that has received the content list acquisition request and transferring at least the received content list to a playback device Means and
When the first gateway device receives the content list acquisition request transmitted from the second gateway device, the first gateway device acquires a list of content information held by the first digital media server, and a list A port mapping is set based on the list of content information acquired by the acquiring unit, a changing unit for changing the URL part of the content list based on the setting information, and a first home network in which the URL part is changed by the changing unit Content list replying means for returning the content list to the second gateway device via the network.

  In order to achieve the above object, the content information sharing method of the present invention is a network capable of bidirectional communication with at least one first home network including at least a first gateway device and a first digital media server. A second gateway device of a second home network, which is connected via the second gateway device, which is composed of a second gateway device, a second digital media server, and a playback device having a function of playing back at least content information, A content list acquisition request step of transmitting a content list acquisition request via the network to the first home network holding the content information requested for acquisition based on the content information acquisition request held in the first home network And the first gateway device is the second A list acquisition step of acquiring a list of content information held by the first digital media server when the content list acquisition request transmitted from the gateway device is received, and the first gateway device performs the list acquisition step A change step of setting port mapping based on the acquired content information list and changing the URL portion of the content list based on the setting information, and a first gateway device changing the URL portion by the change step A content list reply step of returning a content list of one home network to the second gateway device via the network, and the second gateway device having received a response from the first home network that has received the content list acquisition request Content list Receiving, characterized in that it comprises a content list transfer step of transferring at least the received content list to the playback device, a.

In order to achieve the above object, the content information sharing program of the present invention is a network capable of bidirectional communication with at least one first home network including at least a first gateway device and a first digital media server. The second gateway device of the second home network comprising the second gateway device, the second digital media server, and the playback device having the function of playing back at least the content information connected via the second gateway device from the playback device. A content list acquisition request function for transmitting a content list acquisition request via a network to a first home network that holds the requested content information based on a content information acquisition request held in one home network; , Content list acquisition request Receiving a first content list transmitted in response from the home network has received, is realized by a computer and at least the content list transfer function of transferring the received content list to the playback device,
A list acquisition function for acquiring a list of content information held by the first digital media server when the first gateway device receives a content list acquisition request transmitted from the second gateway device; and list acquisition The port mapping is set based on the list of content information acquired by the function, the change function for changing the URL portion of the content list based on the setting information, and the first home network that has changed the URL portion by the change function A content list reply function for returning a content list to a second gateway device via a network is realized by a computer.

  According to the present invention, content information among a plurality of home networks can be shared and centrally managed, so that a playback device can be easily operated without reselecting a device or network holding the content. Content information of different home networks can be reproduced.

It is a block diagram of one embodiment of a content information sharing system of the present invention. It is a block diagram of an example of the HGW apparatuses 110 and 120 in FIG. It is a sequence diagram for content list acquisition operation | movement description by the HGW apparatus in the home network in FIG. It is an operation | movement sequence diagram in case the HGW apparatus in the home network in FIG. 1 acquires the content information of a different home network. It is a figure which shows an example of URL conversion of a content list. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram for explaining an operation when a DLNA (DMP) compatible device reproduces content of a DLNA (DMS) compatible device installed in a different home network. It is a block diagram of the minimum structural example of the content information sharing system of this invention.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a content information sharing system according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the content information sharing system 100 of this embodiment has a configuration in which two home networks 101 and 102 are connected via the Internet 103, which is a network capable of bidirectional communication.

  The home network 101 includes a gateway (HGW) device 110 and a DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111. The DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 is a digital media server (DMC: Digital Media Server) that complies with the DLNA standard, and has a function for storing and distributing content, such as an information home appliance such as a DVD recorder. (The same applies to a DLNA (DMS) compatible device 121 described later). This DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 performs its own “advertisement” and “transmission of specification information (Description)” by the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) function, and is held by itself. It has a function of notifying a list of contents being processed. The UPnP function is a compatible automatic recognition function that enables devices connected to a network to recognize and function with each other without depending on a physical connection method, and the function itself is publicly known. Further, since the function itself is not directly related to the present invention, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The HGW device 110 transmits a UPnP M-Search message to the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 installed in the home network 101, and the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 holds the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111. The content list of the content being stored (that is, the content list of the home network 101) is acquired.

  On the other hand, the home network 102 includes a gateway (HGW) device 120, a DLNA (DMS) compatible device 121, and a DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122. The DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122 is a digital media player (DMP) compliant with the DLNA standard, and is a device having a function for reproducing content, such as an information home appliance such as a television receiver. is there. The DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122 performs “Search”, “Acquisition of description information (Description)”, “Control of functions of information home appliances (Control)” by the UPnP function, and It refers to a device that performs a function of acquiring and playing back digital content stored in an information home appliance such as the aforementioned DVD recorder.

  Here, an operation when the DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122 transmits a content list acquisition request of the home network 101 to the HGW apparatus 120 will be described.

  Upon receiving the content acquisition request, the HGW device 120 on the home network 102 transmits a content list acquisition request for the home network 101 to the HGW device 110 of the home network 101 via the Internet 103.

  The HGW device 110 that has received the content list acquisition request from the HGW device 120 sets port mapping based on the acquired content list information of the home network 101, and based on the setting information, the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the content list is set. ) Change the part.

  Here, the above-mentioned “port mapping” is one of the functions of the router device such as the HGW device 110, and is a specific port of the global IP address assigned to the wide area network (WAN) side of the router device. Is a function of automatically transferring access to a specific port of a local IP address of a device connected to the LAN side of the router device. “Port mapping setting” refers to setting a set of a specific port on the WAN side, an IP address on the LAN side, and a port number as table information.

  Therefore, the change of the URL portion of the content list described above is that the HGW device 110 that has received the content list acquisition request from the HGW device 120 homes a packet addressed to a specific port of the global IP address assigned to its WAN side. It means setting to transfer to the IP address described in the URL of the content list of the network 101.

  Subsequently, the HGW apparatus 110 returns the content list of the home network 101 whose URL portion has been changed to the HGW apparatus 120 of the home network 102 via the Internet 103.

  Upon receiving the content list response from the HGW device 110, the HGW device 120 of the home network 102 transmits a UPnP M-Search message to the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 121, and the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 121 transmits the DLNA (DMS). The content list of the content held by the DMS) compatible device 121 is acquired. Subsequently, the HGW device 120 performs a content list request after editing the content list acquired from the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 121 and the content list of the home network 101 received from the HGW device 110 into one content list. Reply to the original DLNA (DMP) device 122.

  When the DLNA (DMP) device 122 reproduces the content, the DLNA (DMP) device 122 can reproduce the content of the home network 101 by acquiring the content from the URL described in the content list returned from the HGW device 120.

  In this way, according to the content information sharing system 100 of the present embodiment, the content list information of the home network 101 can be shared in the home network 102, and the content of the home network 101 is unified as if it is in the home network 102. Can be managed. Therefore, even when the DLNA (DMP) device 122 in the home network 102 reproduces the content of the home network 101, it can be easily reproduced without reselecting the device or server.

  The above is the outline of the operation of the content information sharing system 100 of the present embodiment. Next, the configuration and operation of the content information sharing system 100 of the present embodiment will be described in more detail.

  FIG. 2A shows a configuration diagram of an example of the HGW apparatus 110 installed in the home network 101, and FIG. 2B shows a configuration diagram of an example of the HGW apparatus 120 installed in the home network 102.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the HGW device 110 has a UPnP control point function 112, a content list processing function 113, and a port mapping setting function 114. The UPnP control point function 112 performs a response to a content list acquisition request and acquires UPnP device information by a UPnP M-Search message. The content list processing function 113 performs conversion of a content list. The port mapping setting function 114 sets port mapping.

  On the other hand, the HGW apparatus 120 has a UPnP control point function 123 and a content list processing function 124 as shown in FIG. The UPnP control point function 123 acquires and temporarily stores a content list. The content list processing function 124 performs a process of returning a plurality of content lists as a single content list.

  Next, the content list acquisition operation by the HGW apparatus 110 in the home network 101 in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the sequence diagram of FIG. First, when the HGW apparatus 110 receives an advertisement message transmitted from the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 (step S1), it makes a specification information (Description) request (step S2), and the DLNA (DMS) compatible device. Specification information (Description) is acquired from 111 (step S3).

  Subsequently, the HGW apparatus 110 uses an action called CDS (Content Directory Service) Browse defined by DLNA for the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 (step S4). Thereby, the HGW apparatus 110 acquires the list of contents held by the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 from the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 (step S5).

  Next, an operation sequence when the HGW apparatus 120 acquires content information of the home network 101 will be described with reference to FIG. The HGW device 120 in the home network 102 transmits a content list acquisition request message to the HGW device 110 in the home network 101 (step S11).

  The HGW apparatus 110 that has received the content list acquisition request message sets the port mapping described above by the port mapping setting function 114 based on the content information of the home network 101 acquired by the procedure described in the sequence diagram of FIG. (Step S12), and based on the setting information, the content list processing function 113 converts the URL information (IP address / port number information) of the content list (Step S13).

  FIG. 5 shows an example of URL conversion of the content list. The local IP address and the port number of the content list shown in FIG. 5A held by the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 are displayed on the WAN side of the HGW apparatus 110 by the content list processing function 113 as shown in FIG. To the global IP address and port number.

  Returning to FIG. When converting the URL information of the content list, the HGW device 110 transmits the content list obtained by converting the URL information to the HGW device 120 (step S14). Then, the HGW apparatus 120 temporarily stores the received content list by the content list processing function 124 (step S15).

  The DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122 installed in the home network 102 can acquire information on the content of the home network 101 by temporarily storing the content list received from the HGW device 120. Then, the HGW apparatus 120 collects the content list of the home network 101 held by itself and the acquired content list of the home network 101 as a single content list by the content list processing function 124, and compiles it as a content list request source. It returns to the DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122. As a result, the DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122 installed in the home network 102 can acquire content information of both the home network 101 and the home network 102 at a time, and can manage them centrally.

  Next, an operation sequence in the case where the DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122 installed in the home network 102 reproduces the content of the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 installed in the different home network 101 is shown in FIG. This will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122 first multicasts an M-Search message to search for a DLNA (DMS) compatible device in the same home network 102. At that time, normally, when the HGW device 120 receives the M-Search message multicasted by the DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122 (step S21), the HGW device 120 transfers the message to the same home network 102.

  Accordingly, when the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 121 receives the M-Search message (step S22), it returns an M-Search Response to the HGW device 120 (step S23). When the HGW apparatus 120 receives the M-Search Response, it does not transfer it as it is, acquires the device information of the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 121 from the received M-Search Response, and based on the device information, the HGW apparatus 120 An M-Search Response that makes it appear as if it is a (DMS) compatible device 121 is created (step S24), and is transmitted to the DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122 (step S25). The DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122 acquires device information of the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 121 in the same home network 102 by the received M-Search Response.

  Subsequently, the DLNA (DMP) -compatible device 122 multicasts a specification information (Description) acquisition request (step S26), and the HGW device 120 that has received the request transmits it to the DLNA (DMS) -compatible device 121 (step S27). As a result, when the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 121 transmits the specification information (Description) as a response (step S28), the HGW device 120 receives it and as if it is the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 121. Fake specification information (Description) is created (step S29), and is transmitted to the DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122 (step S30).

  Subsequently, the DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122 having acquired the specification information (Description) transmits a CDS.Browse message to the HGW device 120 (step S31), and the HGW device 120 that has received the message transmits the DLNA ( The data is transferred to the DMS compatible device 121 (step S32). As a result, the DLNA (DMS) -compatible device 121 transmits a content list describing the content information held by itself to the HGW device 120 as a response (step S33). The HGW apparatus 120 receives the content list, acquires the content list of the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 121, and browses the information and the content list information of the home network 101 held by the HGW device 120 as a single content list. A response (Browse Response) message is created (step S34) and transmitted to the DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122 (step S35).

  The DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122 selects content to be reproduced from the received Browse Response message (step S36), and HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) communication via the Internet 103 to the URL of the selected content. A protocol GET access (hereinafter referred to as HTTP GET) is transmitted (step S37). This HTTP GET corresponds to a content distribution request.

  The HGW apparatus 110 in the home network 101 receives the above HTTP GET. When receiving the HTTP GET, the HGW apparatus 110 sends a packet addressed to a specific port of the global IP address assigned to the WAN side of the home network 101 as described in step S12 of FIG. Is set to forward to the IP address described in (1), and an HTTP GET is transmitted to the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 based on the setting information (step S38).

  When the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 receives the HTTP GET, the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 transmits the content specified by the HTTP GET to the HGW device 110. As a result, the HGW apparatus 110 converts the URL information (IP address / port number information) of the content from the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 as described in step S13 of FIG. 4 (step S39). Then, the HGW apparatus 110 returns the content list of the home network 101 whose URL information has been changed to the HGW apparatus 120 of the home network 102 via the Internet 103 (step S40).

  Upon receiving the content list response from the HGW device 110, the HGW device 120 of the home network 102 transmits a UPnP M-Search message to the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 121, and the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 121 transmits the DLNA (DMS). The content list of the content held by the DMS) compatible device 121 is acquired. Subsequently, the HGW device 120 combines the content list acquired from the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 121 and the content list of the home network 101 received from the HGW device 110 into one content list, and the DLNA (content list request source) DMP) reply to device 122. The DLNA (DMP) device 122 acquires the content from the URL described in the content list returned from the HGW device 120, and thereby selects the selected content held by the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 of the home network 101. Playback is performed (step S41).

  As described above, according to the content information sharing system 100 of the present embodiment, the HGW device 120 performs centralized management of each piece of content information of the home networks 102 and 101. Therefore, the home network 102 supports DLNA (DMP). The content information of different home networks 101 can be reproduced by a simple operation without reselecting the device or network in which the device 122 holds the content.

  Further, according to the content information sharing system 100 of the present embodiment, since the HGW device 120 of the home network 102 acquires the content information of the home network 101, the content information of the home network 101 is reproduced from the home network 102. Can do.

  Further, according to the content information sharing system 100 of the present embodiment, the HGW device 120 acquires content information of the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 121 and the DLNA (DMS) compatible device 111 of the home network 101, and the devices Instead, since the content list is transmitted to the DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122, the network load when acquiring the content can be suppressed.

  Furthermore, according to the content information sharing system 100 of the present embodiment, the HGW devices 110 and 120 perform processing necessary for sharing content between the home networks 101 and 102, so that the user performs a special operation. Content can be shared.

  Next, the minimum configuration of the content information sharing system according to the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of a minimum configuration example of the content information sharing system according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the content information sharing system 200 includes one or more first home networks 201 including at least a first gateway (HGW) device 210 and a first digital media server (DMS) 211; A network 203 capable of two-way communication with a second home network 202 comprising a gateway (HGW) device 220, a second digital media server (DMS) 221 and a playback device 222 having at least a function of playing back content information. Connected through. Here, the first HGW apparatus 210 and the second HGW apparatus 220 correspond to the HGW apparatuses 110 and 120 of the embodiment. DMS 211 and 221 correspond to the DLNA (DMS) compatible devices 111 and 121 of the embodiment. Also, the playback device 222 corresponds to the DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122 of the embodiment. There may be a plurality of first home networks 201. Further, the first home network may have other devices in addition to the first HGW device 210 and the first DMS 211.

  Here, the second HGW device 220 holds the content information requested for acquisition based on the content information acquisition request held in the first home network 201 from the playback device 222. The content list acquisition request unit 223 that transmits a content list acquisition request to the 201 via the network 203 and the content list transmitted in response from the first home network 201 that has received the content list acquisition request are received, and at least the received content Content list transfer means 224 for transferring the list to the playback device 222.

  The content list acquisition request unit 223 corresponds to a part of the PnP control point function 123 shown in FIG. 2B that implements step S11 of FIG. Further, the content list transfer means 224 corresponds to the PnP control point function 123 and the content list processing function 124 shown in FIG. 2B for realizing step S15 in FIG.

  Further, when the first HGW apparatus 210 receives the content list acquisition request transmitted from the second HGW apparatus 220, the first HGW apparatus 210 acquires a list of content information held by the first DMS 211. The port mapping is set based on the list of content information acquired by the list acquisition unit 212, the change unit 213 changes the URL part of the content list based on the setting information, and the URL unit is changed by the change unit 213. And a content list reply unit 214 that returns the content list of the first home network 201 to the second HGW device 220 via the network 203.

  The list acquisition unit 212 is realized by the UPnP control point function 112 shown in FIG. The changing unit 213 corresponds to the content list processing function 113 and the port mapping setting function 114 that realize steps S12 and S13 in FIG. 4 and steps S38 and S39 in FIG. The content list reply unit 214 corresponds to the UPnP control point function 112 that realizes step S14 in FIG. 4 and step S40 in FIG.

  According to the content information sharing system 200 of this minimum configuration example, the second HGW device 220 receives the content list of the first home network 201 and at the same time the content list of the second home network 202 held in the DMS 221. Therefore, the content information of the home networks 201 and 202 can be centrally managed.

  The present invention is not limited to the content information sharing systems 100 and 200 having the hardware configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, and the present invention will be described with reference to the operation sequence diagrams of FIGS. 3, 4, and 6. The content information sharing program, which is a computer program for causing the computer to execute the operations of the HGW apparatuses 110 and 120, is also included.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes the following modifications. For example, the present invention can also be applied to a case where a plurality of DLNA (DMS) compatible devices and DLNA (DMP) compatible devices are installed in the home networks 101 and 102, respectively.

  Also, instead of a DLNA (DMP) compatible device, a DLNA (DMC) compatible device or a DLNA (DMR) compatible device can be used. Here, the DLNA (DMC) compatible device is a device having a DMC (Digital Media Controller) function corresponding to DLNA. The DMC function refers to a function for operating information home appliances such as a DVD recorder. Specifically, UPnP is used to search for information home appliances using “Search” and “Specification information (Description)”. Acquisition ”and“ control of functions of information home appliances ”, and functions to acquire and play back content stored in DLNA (DMS) compatible devices. The DLNA (DMR) compatible device is a device having a DMR (Digital Media Renderer) function corresponding to DLNA, and is an information home appliance such as a television receiver. Specifically, the DLNA (DMR) function uses “UPnP” to perform “advertisement” and “transmission of specification information”, and is stored in a DLNA (DMS) compatible device. Refers to the function to play content.

  In the above embodiment, the home network 102 acquires only the content information in one home network 101. However, each content information in a plurality of home networks can also be acquired.

  Further, in addition to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, the HGW apparatus 110 can acquire content information of the home network 102 so that the content information can be shared between the home networks 101 and 102.

  In the above embodiment, the content list acquisition request message is used when the HGW device 120 acquires the content list of the home network 101. However, the content list can be acquired by other methods.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the content list described in the content list acquired by the HGW device 120 from the home network 101 is used to create a content list to be notified to the DLNA (DMP) compatible device 122. However, it is also possible to create a content list using only a part of the content information acquired from the home network 101 (step S34 in FIG. 6).

  The present invention relates to a system in which a plurality of home networks are connected to each other via the Internet so that the contents held by other home networks can be stored in DLNA (DMP) devices and DLNA (DMC) compatible devices in other home networks. Alternatively, it can be applied to applications that are played back by DLNA (DMR) compatible devices.

100 Content information sharing system 101, 102 Home network 103 Internet 110, 120 HGW (Home Gateway) device 111, 121 DLNA (DMS) compatible device 112, 123 UPnP control point function 113, 124 Content list processing function 114 Port mapping setting function 122 DLNA (DMP) compatible devices

Claims (10)

One or more first home networks comprising at least a first gateway device and a first digital media server;
A second gateway device comprising a second gateway device, a second digital media server, and a playback device having at least a function of playing back content information;
Connected via a network capable of bidirectional communication,
The second gateway device is
Based on the content information acquisition request held in the first home network from the playback device, the content list acquisition request via the network to the first home network holding the content information requested for acquisition Content list acquisition request means for transmitting
Content list transfer means for receiving a content list transmitted from the first home network that has received the content list acquisition request and transferring at least the received content list to the playback device;
The first gateway device is:
List acquisition means for acquiring a list of content information held by the first digital media server when the content list acquisition request transmitted from the second gateway device is received;
Changing means for setting port mapping based on the list of content information acquired by the list acquisition means and changing the URL portion of the content list based on the setting information;
Content list return means for returning the content list of the first home network whose URL portion has been changed by the changing means to the second gateway device via the network;
Content information sharing system characterized by this. The changing means in the first gateway device is:
Based on the content information held by the first digital media server, a packet addressed to a specific port of a global IP address assigned to the network side of the first gateway device itself is sent to the first gateway. Port mapping setting means for setting to transfer to the IP address described in the URL of the content list of the home network;
Based on the setting information by the port mapping setting means, the first home network obtained by converting the URL information including the IP address and the port number information in the content list of the first home network and changing the URL portion. The content information sharing system according to claim 1, further comprising: a content list conversion unit that creates the content list.   The content list transfer means receives the content list transmitted from the first home network that has received the content list acquisition request, and combines the received content list and the content list acquired from the playback device into one content. The content information sharing system according to claim 1, wherein the content information sharing system is transferred to the playback device as a list.   The playback device acquires the requested content information held in the first home network via the second gateway device from the URL described in the content list transmitted from the second gateway device. 3. The content information sharing system according to claim 1, wherein the content information sharing system is played back.   The first and second digital media servers are DMS compatible with DLNA standards, and the playback device is DMP, DMR, or DMC compatible with DLNA standards. The content information sharing system according to claim 1. The first gateway device is:
A response to a content list acquisition request from the second home network using a universal plug and play function, and a first UPnP control point function for acquiring UPnP device information;
A first content list processing function for creating the content list of the first home network with the URL portion changed;
A port mapping setting function for setting the port mapping;
A second UPnP control point function for acquiring and temporarily storing the content list of the first home network in which the URL portion transmitted from the first home network is changed;
A process of collectively creating the content list acquired from the second home server and the content list of the first home network in which the URL portion that has been temporarily saved has been changed, and outputting the content list to the playback device 6. The content information sharing system according to claim 5, further comprising a second content list processing function to be performed. A second gateway device and a second digital media server connected to one or more first home networks comprising at least a first gateway device and a first digital media server via a network capable of bidirectional communication And the second gateway device of the second home network comprising at least a playback device having a function of playing back the content information makes an acquisition request for content information held in the first home network from the playback device. A content list acquisition request step for transmitting a content list acquisition request via the network to the first home network holding the content information requested for acquisition,
List acquisition for acquiring a list of content information held by the first digital media server when the first gateway device receives the content list acquisition request transmitted from the second gateway device Steps,
A change step in which the first gateway device sets port mapping based on the list of content information acquired in the list acquisition step, and changes a URL portion of the content list based on the setting information;
A content list reply step in which the first gateway device returns the content list of the first home network whose URL portion has been changed in the changing step to the second gateway device via the network;
A content list transfer step in which the second gateway device receives the content list transmitted from the first home network that has received the content list acquisition request and transfers at least the received content list to the playback device; ,
A content information sharing method comprising: The changing step includes
Based on the content information held by the first digital media server, a packet addressed to a specific port of a global IP address assigned to the network side of the first gateway device itself is sent to the first gateway. A port mapping setting step for setting to transfer to the IP address described in the URL of the content list of the home network;
The first home network in which the URL portion including the IP address and port number information in the content list of the first home network is converted based on the setting information in the port mapping setting step, and the URL portion is changed. The content information sharing method according to claim 7, further comprising: a content list conversion step of creating a content list. A second gateway device and a second digital media server connected to one or more first home networks comprising at least a first gateway device and a first digital media server via a network capable of bidirectional communication And in the second gateway device of the second home network comprising at least a playback device having a function of playing back content information, based on a request for acquiring content information held in the first home network from the playback device A content list acquisition request function for transmitting a content list acquisition request to the first home network holding the content information requested for acquisition via the network;
Receiving the content list transmitted as a response from the first home network that has received the content list acquisition request, and realizing at least a content list transfer function for transferring the received content list to the playback device by a computer,
A list acquisition function for acquiring a list of content information held by the first digital media server when receiving the content list acquisition request transmitted from the second gateway device in the first gateway device When,
A change function that sets port mapping based on the list of content information acquired by the list acquisition function and changes the URL portion of the content list based on the setting information;
A content realizing a content list reply function for returning the content list of the first home network whose URL portion has been changed by the change function to the second gateway device via the network. Information sharing program. The change function is
Based on the content information held by the first digital media server, a packet addressed to a specific port of a global IP address assigned to the network side of the first gateway device itself is sent to the first gateway. A port mapping setting function for setting to transfer to the IP address described in the URL of the content list of the home network;
Based on the setting information by the port mapping setting function, the first home network obtained by converting the URL information including the IP address and port number information in the content list of the first home network and changing the URL portion The content information sharing program according to claim 9, further comprising: a content list conversion function for creating a content list of

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