Patent ID: 7529541
Filing Date: 2009-05-05
Classification: A63F,H04L,H04N,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A content distribution method, comprising: accepting registration requests to register a set of clients with a server, where the set of clients includes two or more clients; receiving a request from at least one of the registered set of clients; distributing a set of contents-pieces to the registered set of clients upon receiving the request, determining an order of the registered set of clients; selecting the respective contents-pieces in accordance with the determined order; measuring delay times of transmission between the server and each set of clients; and controlling timings of transmitting the contents-pieces to each set of clients based on the delay times for a simultaneous contents reproduction at the clients; generating arrangement-guide contents corresponding to the order of the registered set of clients; transmitting the arrangement-guide contents to the registered set of clients in addition to the contents-pieces for guiding how to arrange the clients; and transmitting timing information representing timings of reproducing the contents-pieces to the registered set of clients, wherein each client receives respective contents-pieces corresponding to each client, the set of contents-pieces being a meaningful content, wherein the meaningful content is jointly formed by the set of contents-pieces when the set of clients reproduce the set of contents-pieces in a reproduction session, wherein the timings are aligned to that of one client having the longest delay time from the server, wherein the set of clients include cellular phone terminals, and wherein the contents-pieces are transmitted thereto through a data communication other than a telephone communication.