Content provisioning system and method

Abstract

To implement more appropriate QoS control by compressing contents data distributed via a network taking into consideration meaning of contents and preferences of users. A network system comprises a content provider that provides content and client that acquires the content. The content provider attaches information on communication priorities to the content based on the content's importance which is determined from the meaning of the content's and sends the content to the client using a protocol which controls quality of service based on the priority and the client receives the content transmitted by the content provider.

1 ) A network system comprising a contents provider that provides contents and a client that acquires the contents, wherein:
 said contents provider attaches information on communication priorities to the contents based on the contents' importance which is determined from the meaning of the contents and sends the contents to said client using a transmission protocol which dynamically controls quality of service based on the priorities; and   said client receives said contents transmitted by said contents provider using said protocol.   
   
   
       2 ) The network system according to  claim 1 , wherein the importance of said contents is calculated by said contents provider or said client based on metadata which describes information on said contents and profiles which describe values relating to the importance of the contents corresponding to the metadata. 
   
   
       3 ) The network system according to  claim 2 , wherein said profiles include a contents profile in which values are specified according to meaning of said contents and a user profile in which values are specified individually according to user preferences and wherein importance is calculated using the formula:
   Importance=α×contents profile+(1−α)×user profile,   where α is a predetermined weighting value.   
   
   
       4 ) The network system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said contents provider supplies said client with metadata which describes information on said contents and a contents profile which describes values relating to the importance of the contents corresponding to the metadata; and   said client calculates the importance of the contents based on said metadata and said contents profile received from said contents provider as well as on a user profile in which values relating to the importance of said contents are described according to user preferences using the formula:
   Importance=α×contents profile+(1−α)×user profile, 
   
     where α is a predetermined weighting value, and transmits the calculated importance to said contents provider. 
   
   
       5 ) A contents providing system which provides contents to a client via a network, comprising:
 an information attaching unit for generating information on communication priorities based on the contents' importance which is determined from meaning of the contents and attaching it to the contents; and   a transmission control unit for sending said contents to said client, with said information on priorities attached, using a protocol which dynamically controls quality of service in priority order established by dividing communications into classes.   
   
   
       6 ) The contents providing system according to  claim 5 , wherein said information attaching unit generates said information on priorities based on said importance received from the client to which said contents are transmitted, wherein importance is calculated using the formula:
   Importance=α×contents profile+(1−α)×user profile,   
     where α is a predetermined weighting value. 
   
   
       7 ) The contents providing system according to  claim 5 , further comprising an importance calculating unit for calculating said importance based on metadata which describes information on said contents and a contents profile which describes values relating to the importance of the contents corresponding to the metadata, wherein said information attaching unit generates said information on priorities based on said importance calculated by said importance calculating unit using the formula:
   Importance=α×contents profile+(1−α)×user profile,   
     where α is a predetermined weighting value. 
   
   
       8 - 9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 ) A terminal device which acquires contents via a network, comprising:
 a calculating unit for calculating importance used for controlling quality of service (QoS) when acquiring the contents, based on metadata which describes information comprising a contents profile for contents to acquire and a user profile profiles which describe values relating to the importance of the contents corresponding to the metadata using the formula:
   Importance=α×contents profile+(1−α)×user profile, 
   
     where α is a predetermined weighting value; and
 a data transmission unit for transmitting said importance calculated and a request for said contents to a contents provider which provides said contents. 
 
   
   
       11 ) (canceled) 
   
   
       12 ) A contents transmission method for controlling a computer connected to a network to transmit contents, comprising the steps of:
 generating information on communication priorities based on the contents' importance which is determined by meaning of the contents and attaching it to the contents; and   transmitting said contents, with said information on priorities attached, by using a transmission protocol which dynamically controls quality of service in such a way as to avoid performance degradation in communication of high priority content by dividing communications into classes and establishing an order of priorities.   
   
   
       13 ) (canceled) 
   
   
       14 ) A contents transmission method for providing video contents to a client via a network, comprising:
 an information attaching unit for generating information on priority for each frame in the video contents according to scenes in the video contents and attaching the generated information on priority to the video contents; and   a transmission control unit for transmitting said contents, with said information on priorities attached, by using a protocol which dynamically controls quality of service in such a way as to avoid performance degradation in communication of high priority content by dividing communications into classes and establishing an order of priorities.   
   
   
       15 ) A recording medium on which a program for transmitting contents by controlling a computer connected to a network is stored in a form readable by said computer, wherein said program causes said computer to execute:
 a first process for generating information on communication priorities based on the contents' importance which is determined by meaning of the contents and attaching it to the contents; and   a second process for transmitting said contents, with said information on priorities attached, by using a protocol which dynamically controls quality of service in such a way as to avoid performance degradation in communication of high priority content by dividing communications into classes and establishing an order of priorities.   
   
   
       16 -  17 . (canceled)