Patent Publication Number: US-2005120390-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for digital video distributing

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-372453, filed Oct. 31, 2003, the entire content of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates generally to a system for realizing a digital video distributing service, particularly to a digital video distributing system comprising a service function of providing a summarized video.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      In recent years, practical use of digital video distributing systems has been promoted which realize services of distributions of digital video content (hereinafter referred to simply as video content) required by audiences utilizing digital networks of broadband.  
      As the digital video distributing services, realizations of not only a basic service of distributing the video content (including sound data) but also various other services have been proposed. Especially, for example, an information providing service has been proposed in which video content metadata (hereinafter referred to as the video metadata) is prepared utilizing a metadata preparing method by MPEG-7 standards and in which the video metadata is used.  
      Concretely, for example, a service has been proposed in which digest information (associated information) summarizing program content up to an interrupted place is prepared and distributed to audiences in the case of interruption of viewing of a program in a video content distributing service by digital broadcasting (see, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-163918).  
      As a digital video distributing service, besides the basic service of distributing the video content, a service has been proposed in which the digest information (associated information) of the video content is prepared and distributed to the audiences.  
      However, if there are services capable of not only distributing the digest information of the video content but also providing summarized video content prepared by summarizing (editing) the video content supposed to be especially useful for the audiences, useful and various digital video distributing services can be realized.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a system for realizing a digital video distributing service to distribute summarized video content considered to be useful for audiences.  
      The digital video distributing system which distributes digital video content to a terminal device comprises: a unit which acquires viewing information concerning viewing of video content for the terminal device; a unit which acquires the video content of a distribution object and video metadata corresponding to the video content; and a unit which prepares the summarized video content of the video content of the distribution object based on the viewing information and the video metadata. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
      The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing a constitution of a system which realizes a broadcasting type distributing service according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart showing a procedure of the broadcasting type distributing service according to the present embodiment;  
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing a constitution of a system which realizes a reserved type distributing service according to the present embodiment;  
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing a constitution of a system which realizes a searching type distributing service according to the present embodiment;  
       FIG. 5  is an explanatory view of linking between content elements in a service linking function according to the present embodiment;  
       FIG. 6  is a diagram showing a concept model of a content group of the service linking function;  
       FIG. 7  is an explanatory view of the linking between the content groups in the service linking function;  
       FIG. 8  is a block diagram showing a concrete constitution of a digital video distributing system according to the present embodiment;  
       FIG. 9  is a block diagram showing a main part of a summarized video distributing system according to the present embodiment;  
       FIG. 10  is a flowchart showing a procedure of a summarized video distribution process in an EPG program according to the present embodiment;  
      FIGS.  11  to  13  are explanatory views of a judgment method by a viewing situation in a case where a summarized video is provided according to the present embodiment;  
      FIGS.  14  to  16  are explanatory views of a selecting and providing method in a case where the summarized video is provided;  
       FIG. 17  is a diagram showing one example of a service selection initial screen of a client according to the present embodiment;  
       FIGS. 18 and 19  are diagrams showing one example of a content selection screen of the client;  
       FIG. 20  is an explanatory view of an operation key of a remote controller of the client;  
       FIG. 21  is an explanatory view of a software constitution of the client;  
      FIGS.  22  to  25  are diagrams showing one example of viewing history information according to the present embodiment;  
       FIG. 26  is a flowchart showing a procedure of a preparation process of the summarized video content according to the present embodiment; and  
       FIG. 27  is a flowchart showing a process procedure of a log program of the client according to the present embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      An embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the drawings.  
      (Basic System of Digital Video Distributing Service)  
       FIGS. 1, 3 ,  4  are block diagrams showing a constitution of a system which realizes a digital video distributing service according to the present embodiment.  
       FIG. 1  shows a constitution of a digital video distributing system which realizes a broadcasting type distributing service. This service is characterized by content distribution organization set on a broadcasting company  14  side, and selecting of content to be viewed from distribution timetable information  23  by an audience  13 .  
      The present system  10  has an edition server  100  described later, a content server  110 , a video-on-demand (VoD) server  120 , and an electronic program guide (EPG) server  130 .  
      Companies which provide-video content also include a content circulation company  15  and a content production company  16  in addition to the broadcasting company  14 . On the other hand, the audience  13  operates a digital video reception client (hereinafter referred to simply as the client)  11  to view video content by an image display unit  12  such as a television receiver. The client  11  is a terminal device called a set top box or a home server connected to a video distributing system  10  via broadband transmission media such as optical cable and ADSL.  
      A procedure for realizing the distributing service of the present system will be described with reference to a flowchart of  FIG. 2 .  
      The present system  10  receives video content data  20  and video metadata  21  transmitted from the broadcasting company  14  in real time (step S 1 ). The content server  110  accumulates the video content data  20  in a content database  150 , accumulates the video metadata  21  in a content metadata base (metadata database)  160 , and temporarily or permanently stores the data (step S 2 ).  
      On acquiring video content data  22  which is a distribution object via the content server  110 , the edition server  100  transfers the data to the VoD server  120  (step S 3 ). In contrast, the EPG server  130  has a content searching database (hereinafter sometimes the content searching DATABASE)  140 , and exchanges EPG information  25  with respect to the client  11  (step S 4 ). The EPG server  130  acquires the distribution timetable information  23  prepared using the video metadata from the content server  110 .  
      The VoD server  120  distributes video content data  24  transmitted from the broadcasting company  14  in real time in response to a request from the audience  13  via the client  11  (step S 5 ).  
       FIG. 3  shows a constitution of the system  10  which realizes a reserved type distributing service.  
      In this service, the audience  13  sets viewing content request information  30  constituted of a keyword, content information (category, performers, etc.) and the like to the EPG server  130  via the client  11 . The companies  15 ,  16  sides select video content data  26  and video metadata  27  based on the setting to supply the data to the system  10 .  
      It is to be noted that in the present system  10 , the EPG server  130  searches and acquires video metadata  29  of the distribution object from the metadata database  160 . The content server  110  transfers video content data  28  of the distribution object to the VoD server  120 .  
       FIG. 4  shows a constitution of the system  10  which realizes a searching type distributing service.  
      In this service, the audience  13  operates the client  11  to set information  31  for searching content to be viewed to the EPG server  130  as occasion demands. The EPG server  130  accumulates the video metadata  29  provided from the companies  15 ,  16  sides in the metadata database  160 . Accordingly, the audience  13  realizes a service capable of searching the content to be viewed from the database on the companies  15 ,  16  sides as occasion demands via the EPG server  130 , and selecting the content to be viewed from the database.  
      The following added value service can be provided with respect to the above-described basic video distributing service.  
      Concretely, a content providing service is provided in accordance with audience&#39;s tastes to propose optimum content to the audience by audience&#39;s content taste information. The service provides a customizing function of setting the basic service, setting a priority level of utilization, or simultaneously utilizing a plurality of basic services. Furthermore, a searching service is provided having an agent function of searching not only a content database in the company but also a content database published by another company or on internet as objects, or monitoring the content until the searching object appears. Additionally, there is a video-on-demand service providing a function of realizing various viewings such as interrupting or resuming of the viewing, multiple/double speed reproducing, and index searching in all content except some real-time content (broadcasting content-directly re-transmitted from a broadcasting station).  
      Next, in addition to the video content distributing service (basic and added value), the following service can be provided.  
      Concretely, peer to peer (P2P) communication services are provided such as IP telephony services including VoIP, video chatting, and messenger. An area information exchange service is provided to exchange living information such as public service information, area information including event information, and bargain information of shopping centers and supermarkets, and various information such as community information among area groups or individuals. Furthermore, an electronic settlement service directly linked with the respective services is provided. Additionally, there are provided: a distributing service of advertisement exclusive content; advertisement linked or associated with the respective services; and an introducing service of advertisements or goods, which is a service to search the goods from the information linked or associated with the respective services.  
      (Linking Function between Services)  
       FIGS. 5, 6 ,  7  show a linking function realized between the above-described services.  
      In the linking among the services, a synchronous process or data exchange between the above-described services, link between information and the like are realized. For example, a charging process concerning content viewing is linked between the content distributing system and a charging system. Advertisement content is inserted into distribution content between the distribution content and the advertisement content, or a synchronous process of advertisement content distribution is linked.  
      Models which realize the linking between the respective services will be described with reference to  FIGS. 5, 6 ,  7 .  
       FIG. 5  shows a model of the linking between content elements in a service linking function.  
      Here, the client  11  is provided with each software of a user graphical user interface (GUI)  200  to accept a request  50  of the audience  13  via an operation remote controller  17 , and a player program (player/application)  210  which reproduces video content.  
      The video content (A, B, C) is structured by video metadata, and defined to be constituted of elements of the video metadata and content data (e.g., video/sound data, etc.).  
      Here, the video metadata is data associated with the video content, in which a description method is defined standards such as MPEG-7. That is, the video metadata is data prepared from “data” constituting multimedia content extracted as “characteristic data” beforehand from multimedia content and utilized in order to use “characteristics” which are keys in searching the multimedia content as searching data. For example, concerning the characteristics of human recognition levels, tool sets for describing structures of content or meanings of the content are defined including description tool sets such as titles of multimedia/content, production associated information of producers, use modes, and media modes.  
      On the other hand, concerning characteristics of signal processing levels, tool sets for describing colors, shapes, patterns, movements and the like of visual objects captured by video content is defined. Concerning sound content, tools are defined by which it becomes possible to describe low-level characteristics such as power and spectrum to high-level characteristics such as melody, and information concerning occurrence probability of phoneme for use in sound recognition or the like. In this manner, description methods are consistently provided including the description of the high-level characteristics of human recognition to the description of the low-level characteristics automatically obtained by signal processing.  
      A link with the content or a link between the elements is realized by the elements of the video metadata. The link is a physical or logical index (pointer) with respect to the elements which are data, and all the content, and is mounted, for example, in URL, URI specifications such as HTML, XML languages.  
      As shown in  FIG. 5 , in the linking between the content elements, content elements  53  are illustrated on a screen of the television receiver  12  with respect to the audience, and among the element, content of a link destination based on a link structure  56 , or elements in the content are provided concerning elements  51  selected by the audience&#39;s request  50 .  
      The player program  210  makes a start-up request  54  of link destination content in response to a request  52  for the content of the link destination. The player program  210  accepts a start-up  55  of the content in response to the request  54 .  
      In an example of the linking-between the content elements, in a case where the audience designates an article (e.g., a car) used in certain content via the user GUI  200  of the client  11 , a series of process is performed in which the system guides the audience to advertisement content of the car, associated with the element (distributing and viewing of the advertisement content). In another example, when the audience designates a star appearing against certain content via the user GUI  200  of the client  11 , the searching service is-started, and it is possible to search other content against which the designated star appears. This is realized, when content metadata elements (performers) are linked with the searching service (the service is also one mode of the content) constituting the other content.  
       FIG. 6  shows a concept model of content groups ( 1 ,  2 ) in the linking among services (A, B, C)  60  to  62 .  
      The service presented to the audience is defined as content set including several content. The linking between the content groups realizes the linking with respect to the content set in a certain service, or a linking service of the content set among a plurality of services.  
      The linking of the content group realizes, for example, a relation such as “brand” constituted to unify a commercial product image, and realizes uniform association among a plurality of content or services, or a group relation. The linking between the content groups does not adopt a mode in which the content are directly connected to each other as in the above-described linking between the content elements, and is realized by allowing the content to share metadata among common groups. The metadata between groups is used to perform presentation of an additional service or advertisement on the company side with respect to the content service selected by the audience.  
      In the metadata between the groups, association between the services or the content set on the company side, and the linking service to perform are described. When the inter-group metadata registered in certain content is searched and called, service start requests are issued with respect to the respective content of the groups registered in the metadata.  
      Concretely, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the linking between the content groups is realized by a linking server  170  mounted on the system  10 . The linking server  170  refers to inter-group metadata  70 , and issues a request  71  for the start-up of the group content. The linking server  170  receives the start-up of the content in response to the request  71  to execute presentation  73  of the linking service.  
      (Main Part of Digital Video Distributing System)  
       FIG. 8  is an explanatory view of a concrete constitution (hardware and software) of the digital video distributing system  10  according to the present embodiment.  FIG. 9  is a diagram showing a main part of a summarized video distributing system included in the system.  
      As shown in  FIG. 8 , the present system  10  has an edition server  100 , content server  110 , EPG server  130 , log server  180 , and charging server  181  in addition to the VoD server  120  which distributes the video content in response to the request of the client  11 .  
      (Client)  
      The client  11  is a terminal which displays the video content distributed from the system  10  in the image display device (television receiver, etc.)  12  to present the content to the audience. The client  11  mounts and executes an EPG program  220 , a player program  210 , and a log program  230 .  
      The image display device  12  includes a liquid crystal display device contained in the client  11 , a CRT monitor and the like in addition to the television receiver corresponding to the image display device of broadcasting signals (NTSC, PAL, SECAM, etc.).  
      The EPG program  220  provides GUI ( 200 ) for the audience to select the program, acquires video metadata  83  of video content from the EPG server  130  by the audience&#39;s operation, and presents the data to the audience. Concretely, the metadata is presented on the screen of the image display device  12 . Furthermore, the EPG program  220  notifies a viewing request  92  of the video content selected by the audience together with the video metadata to the player program  210 .  
      The player program  210  accesses a local content cache disk  240 , and receives the video content distributed from the VoD server  120  ( 86 ). The player program  210  acquires the video metadata designated by the audience from the EPG program  220 , and transmits a distribution request  86  of the video content to the VoD server  120 . The player program  210  cooperates with the VoD server  120  to execute special reproduction of the video content by the audience&#39;s operation.  
      The log program  230  acquires log (history information) of a video distribution process from operation histories of the player program  210  and the EPG program  220 . Concretely, the log program  230  collects the audience (subscriber, family, etc.) which is audience information, purchase information (contract, credit information), video metadata of the distributed video content, viewing history (start time, interruption start time, interruption end time, end time, viewing times, etc.), advertisement viewing history, summarized video viewing history and the like, and stores these information.  
      On the other hand, the EPG server  130  of the distributing system  10  provides the metadata of the video content distributable to the client  11 . The EPG server  130  provides services to search the distributable video content, the video metadata of the video content and the like by the request of the EPG program  220  of the client  11 .  
      The EPG server  130  requires and acquires the video metadata of the video content with respect to the content server  110  ( 82 ). The EPG server  130  stores the acquired video metadata in a cache disk  194 . The EPG server  130  stores and manages audience information (EPG setting information, EPG operation history, video content viewing information, summarized video content viewing information) for each audience in an audience information database  195 .  
      The log server  180  is a server which collects reception information of the content distributed from the client  11 , information of charged content purchased by the audience and the like for checking audience&#39;s viewing tendencies or for a charging process. The log server  180  collects distribution situations of the video content from the VoD server  120  to the client  11  for each audience, and stores the situations in a viewing information database  191 .  
      Moreover, the log server  180  acquires viewing information or viewing history information of the video content viewed by the audience from the log program  230  of the client  11 , and stores the information in the viewing information database  191 . Furthermore, the log server  180  acquires audience customer information from a customer management database  192 , and stores the viewing information for each customer in the viewing information database  191 . The log server  180  prepares taste information with respect to the video content for each audience from the viewing information of each audience to store the information in a taste information database  190 .  
      The charging server  181  acquires viewing information  89  for each customer from the log server  180 , prepares charging information, and stores the information in a charging information database  193 . The charging server  181  acquires contract information  87  such as content prices as the video metadata of the video content from the content server  110  for calculation of charged prices.  
      The VoD server  120  distributes video content  85  acquired from the content server  110  in response to a video content distribution request of the player program  210  of the client  11  ( 86 ). The VoD server  120  executes special reproduction such as temporary stop, stop, reproduction, fast forwarding, and rewinding in response to a special reproduction request from the player program  210  of the client  11 .  
      The content server  110  manages the content DATABASE  150  to store the video content, the metadata DATABASE  160 , and an advertisement content database to store advertisement content. The content server  110  acquires the video content from the content DATABASE  150  to transmit the content to the VoD server  120  in response to the request of the VoD server  120 .  
      The content server  110  acquires the video metadata from the metadata DATABASE  160  to transmit the data to the EPG server  130  in response to the request of the EPG server  130  ( 82 ). Furthermore, the content server  110  acquires the video metadata from the metadata DATABASE  160  to transmit the data to the charging server  181  in response to the request of the charging server  181 .  
      (Edition Server and Summarized Video Distributing System)  
      The edition server  100  prepares summarized video content data (hereinafter referred to as the summarized video content), and summarized video content metadata (referred to as the summarized video metadata) in response to a request  80  from the EPG server  130 . The edition server  100  acquires the video content and video metadata from the content server  110 .  
      The edition server  100  executes a summarized video editing process based on the audience information and the video metadata of the video content acquired from the EPG server  130  ( 81 ). Furthermore, the edition server  100  registers the summarized video content and the summarized video metadata in the content server  110  after the editing process.  
       FIG. 9  shows a constitution (hardware and software) of a summarized video distributing system on the digital video distributing system  10 .  
      The summarized video distributing system is realized by the edition server  100 , content server  110 , VoD server  120 , and EPG server  130 , and has a function of executing the following process.  
      (Process of Searching Condition of Video Content)  
      The EPG program  220  of the client  11  includes a summarized video content selecting process unit  220 C, in addition to a viewing video content searching process unit  220 A and a charged video content process unit  220 B. The viewing video content searching process unit  220 A executes a searching request  830  of the video content by audience operation. At this time, the searching process unit  220 A requires the video metadata of searching object content with respect to the EPG server  130 .  
      The EPG server  130  has a metadata searching process unit  130 A, an audience information searching process unit  130 B, a charged video content charging process unit  130 C, and a summarized video content searching process unit  130 D. The audience information searching process unit  130 B searches audience information of the audience who requests the searching of the metadata from the audience information database  195  ( 822 ), and acquires the audience information ( 823 ).  
      The EPG server  130  prepares searching conditions (including a taste tendency or the like inherent in the audience) to search the metadata from the acquired audience information. Furthermore, the metadata searching process unit  130 A adds the searching condition, and requests the searching process of the metadata with respect to the content server  110  ( 820 ).  
      On receiving the request, a metadata searching process unit  110 A of the content server  110  searches the corresponding video metadata from the metadata database  160 , and responds to the EPG server  130  ( 821 ).  
      (Acquiring of Video Content Arrangement Information)  
      The EPG server  130  adds arrangement information of the video content from the audience information of the audience information database  195  with respect to the video metadata from the content server  110 . The video content are disposed in one of the video content database  150  of the content server  110 , a content cache  196  of the VoD server  120 , and a local content cache  240  of the client  11  in an optimum manner. The arrangement information of the video content is stored as one of the audience information in the audience information database  195 .  
      (Response of Searching Result)  
      The EPG server  130  returns the video metadata to the EPG program  220  of the client  11  ( 833 ). The EPG program  220  presents a list of search results to the audience.  
      (Presentation of Detailed Information of Video Content)  
      The audience selects the content from the list of searching results of the EPG program  220 . The EPG program  220  acquires detailed information of the video content metadata held in the client  11 , or detailed information of the video metadata held by the EPG server  130 , and presents the information to the audience.  
      (Searching of Summarized Video Content)  
      Next, a process procedure concerning the summarized video content of the present embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart of  FIG. 26  together with  FIG. 9 .  
      The edition server  100  provides the summarized video content and the summarized video metadata in response to a search request  800  of the summarized video content from the EPG server  130  ( 801 ,  802 ). The edition server  100  has an existing summarized video content search process unit  100 A, a summarized video content preparing process unit  100 B, and a summarized video content registering process unit  100 C.  
      The EPG server  130  executes the search request  800  for the summarized video content with respect to the edition server  100  in accordance with a viewing request notice  836  from the summarized video content selecting process unit  220 C of the client  11  (step S 21 ). Additionally, when the charged video content process unit  220 B of the client  11  purchases charged video content, the EPG server  130  performs a search process of the summarized video metadata from the video metadata presented to the audience.  
      The EPG server  130  notifies the edition server  100  of the video metadata and the audience information as the search information. The edition server  100  executes a search process ( 810 ) of the summarized video metadata in accordance with the video metadata of the video content (step S 22 ).  
      A metadata searching process unit  110 C of the content server  110  searches the corresponding summarized video metadata from the metadata DATABASE  160 . The content server  110  returns the search results of the summarized video metadata to the edition server  100  ( 811 ).  
      The edition server  100  returns search results  802  of the summarized video metadata to the EPG server  130  in a case where the existing summarized video metadata exists (YES in step S 23 ).  
      (Preparing Process of Summarized Video Content)  
      The edition server acquires the metadata of the video content from the side of the content server  110  in a case where the existing summarized video metadata does not exist ( 812 ,  813 , NO in S 23 , S 24 ).  
      The edition server  100  prepares preparable summarized video metadata from the video metadata (hierarchical structure (chapter, marker, edition information, etc) of the video content defined, for example, by MPEG-7 standards, or signal information (hierarchical object of an image, behaviors of object over scenes, etc.)) of the video content acquired from the content server  110  (step S 25 ).  
      Furthermore, the edition server  100  acquires the video content corresponding to the video metadata of the video content from the content server  110  ( 814 ,  815 ).  
      The edition server  100  determines styles of the summarized video content in accordance with the audience taste tendency based on the audience information, and adds the information to the preparable summarized video metadata. The edition server  100  notifies the EPG server  130  of the summarized video metadata ( 802 ).  
      (Presentation of Summarized Video Metadata)  
      The EPG server  130  notifies the summarized video metadata to the EPG program  220 -of the client  11  ( 835 ). The EPG program  220  presents the summarized video metadata as a list of summarized video content to the audience.  
      (Selection of Summarized Video Content)  
      The summarized video content selecting process unit  220 C of the client  11  notifies the EPG server  130  of the selected summarized video metadata in accordance with an instruction from the audience ( 836 ). The EPG server  130  notifies the edition server  100  of the selected summarized video metadata ( 803 ).  
      (Preparing Process of Summarized Video Content)  
      The edition server  100  prepares the summarized video content from the video content in accordance with the notified summarized video metadata (step S 26 ). The edition server  100  registers the summarized video metadata in the cache disk  196  via a content cache process unit  120 B of the VoD server  120 . Furthermore, the edition server  100  registers the summarized video content and the summarized video metadata in the content server  110  ( 816  to  819 ).  
      (Reproduction Request of Video Content)  
      The EPG program  220  of the client  11  notifies the player program  210  of the metadata of the video content selected by the audience or the summarized video metadata ( 920 ).  
      (Process of Player Program)  
      The player program  210  acquires the arrangement information of the video content from the metadata (or the summarized video metadata) of the video content notified from the EPG program  220 . A video content reproduction control process unit  210 A starts reproduction of the video content from a local cache in a case where the video content exist in the local content cache  240 .  
      In a case where the video content do not exist in the local content cache  240 , the reproduction control process unit  210 A requests the distribution of the video content with respect to the VoD server  120  ( 862 ). The VoD server  120  confirms whether or not the video content of the distribution request exists in the cache disk  196  via the content cache disk process unit  120 B.  
      When the video content exist in the cache disk  196 , a video content distributing process unit  120 A of the VoD server  120  starts the distribution of the video content fetched from the cache disk  196  ( 863 ).  
      On the other hand, when the video content do not exist in the cache disk  196 , the VoD server  120  notifies the content server  110  of the metadata of the video content, and requests the content server  110  to distribute the video content ( 850 ).  
      (Video Content Distributing Process of Content Server)  
      A video content distributing process unit  110 G of the content server  110  acquires the corresponding video content from the content DATABASE  150  to distribute the content to the VoD server  120  in response to the distribution request from the VoD server  120  ( 851 ).  
      (Cache Process of VoD Server  120 )  
      The VoD server  120  stores the video content distributed from the content server  110  in the content cache disk  196 . Furthermore, the VoD server  120  distributes the video content to the player program  210  of the client  11  ( 863 ).  
      (Video Content Reproducing Process of Player Program  210 )  
      The player program  210  starts the reproduction of the video content distributed from the VoD server  120 . The player program  210  switches the reproduction of the summarized video content and that of the video content by an audience operation request.  
      (Summarized Video Distributing Process in EPG Program  220 )  
       FIG. 10  is a flowchart showing a procedure of an operation of a summarized video distribution process in the EPG program  220  in a summarized video distributing system.  
      The audience sets the client  11  to be-operable by an operation of a power button  17 A of the remote controller  17  in order to use the client  11  (step S 11 ). Here, as shown in  FIG. 20 , the remote controller  17  has an input switching key  17 B, item selection keys  17 C, determine/reject/interrupt keys  17 D, and ten keys  17 E, in addition to the power button  17 A.  
      When the client  11  is brought into an operative state, the EPG program  220  is started, and brought into a waiting state to accept a request from the audience. That is, by the audience operation, the EPG program  220  transits to the following operation states.  
      (1) EPG Operation (step S 12 )  
      When the video metadata of the video content is selected in this EPG operation, state transition to summarized video display, video display, and EPG operation is possible.  
      (2) Metadata Display (step S 13 )  
      In the metadata data, the state transition to the summarized video display, video display, and EPG operation is possible.  
      (3) Summarized Video Display (step S 14 )  
      The summarized video content corresponding to the video metadata of the video content selected by the EPG operation are reproduced/displayed.  
      (4) Summarized Video Reproduction Control (step S 15 )  
      When an operation of summarized video display is performed, the state transition to the reproduction control of the summarized video content is possible. In the summarized video reproduction control, reproduction start, stop, temporary stop, fast forwarding, rewinding, movement to a table of content and the like are executed. An instruction for the state transition to the EPG operation and video display can be performed.  
      (5) Video Display (step S 16 )  
      The video content corresponding to the video metadata of the video content selected by the EPG operation are reproduced/displayed. The summarized video display to the reproduction display of the video content are performed.  
      (6) Video Reproduction Control (step S 17 )  
      When the operation of the video display is performed, the state transition to the reproduction control of the video content can be performed.  
      In the video reproduction control, the reproduction start, stop, temporary stop, fast forwarding, rewinding, movement to the table of content of the video metadata and the like are executed. The instructions for the state transition to the EPG operation and video display can be performed.  
      (Distinguishing System of Summarized Video)  
       FIGS. 11, 12 ,  13  are explanatory views of a distinguishing system in a case where the summarized video according to the present embodiment is provided.  
      In the system for distinguishing the summarized video in the present embodiment, the viewing situations of the video content by the audience are used as distinction standards. That is, a degree of the viewing of the video content which is viewing objects by the audience is assumed as one of judgment standards.  
      Here, for example, in the MPEG-7 standards, it is possible to define and set content table (marker) information of the video content as the video metadata of the video content. As shown in FIGS.  11  to  13 , the content table (marker) information includes position information (content table point TP) on the video content, position information (start, end positions) of a video content division indicated by the table of content and the like. It is to be noted that in FIGS.  11  to  13 , SP denotes information indicating a viewing interrupted position.  
      The content table (marker) information may be managed by setting hierarchical structures in the table of content. For example, the hierarchical structure includes “chapter”, “section”, “item” and the like for use in books. The content table (marker) information is intentionally prepared from scenario of the video content by a content producer. Therefore, progress of the video content (scenario) defined by the video metadata can be judged in accordance with a viewing time of the video content.  
      As a method of preparing basic summarized video content, the edition server  100  acquires the content table (marker) information from the video metadata in accordance with lengths of original video content, and viewing time of the audience (or viewing position in the video content). The video content from the start position (head) to the viewing position (TP) of the video content are re-edited to prepare the summarized video content.  
      Here, as a reference for preparing the summarized video content, the lengths of the video content are used as one of judgment standards. As references of the lengths of the video content, basic constitution units of the video content are defined by a length from several minutes for which the audience can substantially memorize the whole to around 15 minutes. It is assumed that the basic constitution unit can be defined by a video content unit by the content producer.  
      Moreover, the basic constitution unit of the video content includes at least one or more pieces of the content table (marker) information by the video metadata.  
      FIGS.  11  to  13  show classifications in a case where the basic constitution unit of the video content is set by a unit of 15 minutes.  FIG. 11  shows a length of 15 minutes or less of the video content, for example, as in a cooling program or an information providing program.  FIG. 12  shows a length of 30 minutes or less of the video content, for example, as in a drama and an educational program.  FIG. 13  shows a length of 30 minutes or more of video content, for example, as in a drama, movies, and event relay broadcast program.  
      (Method of Selecting and Providing Summarized Video Content)  
       FIGS. 14, 15 ,  16  are explanatory views of method of selecting and providing the summarized video content in accordance with the audience. Here, TP 1  to TP 6  denote content table points designated by the video metadata.  
      First, the video content constituted of a plurality of basic constitution units are additionally defined as follows.  
      (1) It is assumed that a first basic constitution unit of the video content including two or more basic constitution units is an early-stage section. In the video content comprising a large number of basic constitution units, the early-stage section sometimes comprises a plurality of basic constitution units.  
      (2) It is assumed that a last basic constitution unit of the video content including two or more basic constitution units is an end-stage section. In the video content comprising a large number of basic constitution units, the end-stage section sometimes comprises a plurality of basic constitution units.  
      (3) It is assumed that a portion of the video content including three or more basic constitution units except the early-stage and end-stage sections is a middle-stage section. Even in the video content having three or more basic constitution units, any middle-stage section is not defined by the intension of the content producer in some case.  
      The method of selecting and providing the summarized video content in accordance with the audience will be described hereinafter concretely.  
      In a method of determining the summarized video content, as described above, basic summarized video content is prepared and provided based on the content table (marker) information of the video metadata by the audience viewing time (or the position information of the video content) of the video content. However, it cannot be determined whether or not the prepared summarized video content is summarized video content optimum for the audience.  
      To solve the problem, the edition server  100  prepares audience trend information in preparing the summarized video content, and determines the summarized video content optimum for the audience in accordance with the audience trend information.  
      The edition server  100  prepares the audience trend information using the audience information collected by the log server  180  shown in  FIG. 8 , and the EPG operation history information collected by the audience information database  195  by the EPG server  130  shown in  FIG. 9 .  
      (Audience Trend Information)  
      The audience trend information is concretely constituted of the following items.  
      (1) Viewed Video Content  
      Category, viewing time, viewing time period, interrupted situation of the viewing (interrupted time, the number of repeat viewing times), video content viewing trends (EPG operation frequency, video reproduction control operation frequency)  
      (2) Viewed Summarized Video Content  
      Viewing time, viewing time period, the number of utilizations of summarized video content, details of summarized video content (advertisement, outline, fixed time, table of content), summarized video content viewing trend (EPG operation frequency, summarized video reproduction control operation frequency)  
      To provide the summarized video content, the summarized video content to provide are determined in consideration of the audience trend information including the video content and the level of the summarized video content desired by the audience. For example, it is judged whether or not the audience selects the viewing of the summarized video content after interrupting the viewing of the video content. Audience trends are collected such as a case where the audience interrupts the viewing of the summarized video content and shifts to the viewing of the video content, and are utilized as providing conditions of the summarized video content.  
      As described above, concretely as shown in FIGS.  14  to  16 , in addition to the summarized video content prepared by the content table (marker) information of the video metadata, the advertisement (video content) for the video content individually prepared by the content producer and the like are used as occasion demands, and the providing of the summarized video content in accordance with the audience taste is realized.  
       FIG. 14  shows a case where the viewing situation of the video content is interrupted in the early stage of the video content. As the summarized video content to be presented to the audience, an introducing advertisement video of the whole series in the case of a serial program, a spot video comprising the table of content of the video metadata, and first one-minute video are provided.  
       FIG. 15  shows a case where the viewing situation of the video content is interrupted in the middle stage of the video content. As the summarized video content to be presented to the audience, the introducing advertisement video of the video content, the spot video comprising the table of content of the video metadata, the spot video together with a video from the table of content of the video metadata in the vicinity of the interrupted position to the interrupted position, and a continuously edited video of the video in the vicinity of the table of content of the video metadata by a unit of several minutes are provided.  
       FIG. 16  shows a case where the viewing situation of the video content is interrupted in the end stage of the video content. As the summarized video content to be presented to the audience, the introducing advertisement video of the video content, the spot video comprising the table of content of the video metadata, the spot video together with the video from the table of content of the video metadata in the vicinity of the interrupted position to the interrupted position, and the continuously edited video of the video in the vicinity of the table of content of the video metadata by the unit of several minutes are provided.  
      (Client&#39;s Operation)  
       FIGS. 17, 18 ,  19 ,  20  are diagrams concerning the operation of the client  11 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 20 , the audience presses the power button  17 A of the remote controller  17  to thereby turn on a power supply, and starts the operation of the client  11 .  
      The client  11  displays an initial screen for selecting services on the screen of the image display device  12  as shown in  FIG. 17 . The audience first views the initial screen, and confirms information provided on the side of a service provider.  
      The audience operates the item selection key  17 C of the remote controller  17  to select an item, if there is any item that interests the audience in the initial screen, and determines the selected item by the operation of the determine key  17 D. The selected item is linked with an information providing screen shown in  FIG. 18  or  19 . The client  11  switches the initial screen to-the information providing screen. A list of provided services is displayed on the left side of the screen shown in  FIG. 17 . Even when the service is selected, the screen can shift to the information providing screen shown in  FIG. 18  or  19 .  
      By the above-described operation of the remote controller  17 , the audience executes a menu operation to view the content provided on the service provider side, and searches and views desired video content.  
      (Constitution of Client)  
       FIG. 21  is an explanatory view of a software constitution of the client  11 .  
      As described with reference to  FIG. 9 , in the client  11 , the EPG program  220  cooperates with the player program  210  to provide the service to the audience. In addition to these programs, the client  11  is provided with the log program  230  and a usual operating system  250 .  
      The OS  250  has a network driver  250 A, a key input driver  250 B, a screen synthesis driver  250 C, a video output driver  250 D, and an audio output driver  250 E. The network driver  250 A executes a network control process with the EPG server  130  or the log server  180  of the distributing system  10  via a network processing unit  270 .  
      The key input driver  250 B executes an infrared communication control with the remote controller  17  via a light receiving processing unit  271 . The key input driver  250 B executes various button input control processes via a housing button processing unit  272  of the client  11 . The video output driver  250 D and the audio output driver  250 E executes an output control of a video/sound signal with respect to the television receiver  12  via a video/sound signal processing unit  260 .  
      (EPG Program)  
      The EPG program  220  has an EPG control process unit  220 D, an EPG data input processing unit  220 E, an EPG operation input processing unit  220 F, an EPG operation history collection processing unit  220 G, a video metadata processing unit  220 H, and an EPG screen output processing unit  220 I. The EPG operation input processing unit  220 F outputs key input codes from the remote controller  17  or a housing keyboard to the EPG control processing unit  220 D, so that the audience operates the EPG program  220  or the player program  210 . The audience performs an EPG operation input in accordance with the EPG information provided from the EPG program  220 .  
      The video metadata processing unit  220 H analyzes the video metadata collected by the EPG program  220 , and converts the data as EPG information into screen data to be displayed. The EPG screen output processing unit  220 I outputs the screen data by the video metadata processing unit  220 H, or display data indicating the operation by the audience to the television device  12   
      (Player Program)  
      The player program  210  has a content reproduction control unit  210 A, a content information input processing unit  210 C, a player operation input processing unit  210 D, a content data input processing unit  210 E, a video codec  210 F, an audio codec  210 G, and a player operation history collection processing unit  210 H.  
      The content information input processing unit  210 C inputs the video metadata into the content reproduction control unit  210 A, which has been searched and selected to be viewed by the audience by the operation of the EPG program  220 .  
      In the player operation input processing unit  210 D, the audience inputs operations such as start, end, temporary stop of content viewing, interruption of the viewing, resuming of the viewing, fast forwarding, and rewinding with respect to the player program  210 . The operation input with respect to the player program  210  is processed by the content reproduction control unit  210 A.  
      The content data input processing unit  210 E receives the video content transmitted from the VoD server  120  of the system  10  in accordance with the video metadata from the content reproduction control unit  210 A, and outputs the content to the video codec  210 F and the audio codec  210 G. The video codec  210 F and the audio codec  210 G decode the video content, and reproduce the content as video and sound signals, respectively. The video and sound signals are output to the television receiver  12  by the respective output drivers 250° C. to  250 E of the OS  250 .  
      (Log Program)  
      A process procedure of log information (operation history information) by the log program  230  will be described hereinafter with reference to a flowchart of  FIG. 27  together with  FIG. 21 .  
      The log program  230  has a statistic analyzing process unit  230 A, a log collection input process unit  230 B, and a log collection output process unit  230 C.  
      The log collection input processing unit  230 B collects EPG operation history information collected by the EPG operation history collection processing unit  220 G from the EPG control processing unit  220 D as a history of the operation of the EPG program  220  by the audience (step S 31 ).  
      Moreover, the log collection input processing unit  230 B collects player operation history information collected from the content reproduction control unit  210 A by the player operation history collection processing unit  210 H as the history of the operation of the player program  210  by the audience.  
      The statistic analyzing processing unit  230 A executes statistic analysis processes such as factor analysis and histogram analysis with respect to the operation history information collected by the log collection input processing unit  230 B (step S 33 ).  
      The log collection output processing unit  230 C produces statistically analyzed statistic information, and transmits the information to the log server  180  of the system  10  (steps S 34 , S 35 ).  
      (Operation History Information)  
      Operation history information (log information of the client  11 ) collected from the EPG program  220  or the player program  210  concretely comprises the following items.  
      (Log Information Associated with EPG Program)  
      (1) Audience Information  
      The information include information concerning the audience, including a contract code and a family code, acquired from contract information, viewing time information in which start time/end time of the player program  210  is recorded, and system operation time information in which the start time/end time of the EPG program  220  is recorded.  
      (2) Remote Controller Operation Situation from Selection Start of Video Content to Viewing Start  
      This information includes EPG operation log information obtained by histogram totaling of the operation histories of the EPG program during the selecting/searching of the video content, the searching to the selecting of the video content, and video content selection time information which is history information between operations of a determination time until viewing start.  
      (3) Metadata of Viewed Video Content  
      The information includes identification number information of viewed video content, accumulated viewing times information of the viewed video content, total viewing time information including a time from start until completion of the viewing, and a viewing interruption time and repeat viewing time for each video content and the like.  
      (Log Information Related to Player Program)  
      The information includes log information concerning a reproduction operation from the start until the end of the viewing of the video content, identification number information of the video content, and operation log information obtained by histogram totaling of the operation (reproduction, stop, chapter feeding, fast feeding, rewinding) of the player program during the viewing of the video content.  
      (Viewing History Information)  
      The log server  180  executes a process of producing viewing history information corresponding to content/category taste information shown in  FIGS. 22, 23 ,  24  from the log information of the client  11 , collected by the log program  230 .  
      The log server  180  acquires subscriber or audience (family) information from the charging server  181  using a subscriber code or a family code as a key. The log server  180  totals viewing content by a unit of the subscriber or the audience (family). Viewing Content Information searches video metadata from the content server  110  using a content identifier shown in  FIG. 22  as the key.  
      The totaling of the viewing content is performed by normalization at a ratio of the viewing time of the audience with respect to a providing time of the content. When the providing time of the content is 60 minutes, and the viewing time of the content is 30 minutes, the ratio is set to “0.5”. When the viewing time is 120 minutes, the ratio is set to “2.0”.  
      The log server  180  totals viewed content, and calculates probability of selection possibility among selected content with regard to the selection of the viewing content in a viewing time in one day. As a probability calculation method, a statistic probability method and a statistic analysis method such as Bayes&#39; estimation and factor analysis are used. Concretely, as shown in  FIG. 24 , for example, correlation between a news program and a comedy program is supposed to be strong. An analysis result is stored as content taste information of each audience in the taste information database  190 .  
      Next, the log server  180  produces audience history information corresponding to VoD or player operation taste information shown in  FIG. 25 .  
      Concretely, as to the selection of the viewing content in the viewing time in one day, operation log information of the player program  210  is totaled with respect to the viewed content, and peculiarity of the audience operation with respect to the content is calculated. Category information of the content is acquired from the video metadata of the viewed video content. Furthermore, player operation log information of the player program  210  is searched from content identifiers.  
      The log server  180  searches presence of a peculiar point (interrupting/resuming of the viewing, fast forwarding, etc.) in the operation with respect to the video content from the player operation log information. Furthermore, in the case of the interrupting/resuming of the viewing of the content, the information is added to evaluation of the content. For example, “1.2” is added to the total of the viewing content. In the case of only summary viewing or chapter searching in the viewing of the content, the normalization is performed in accordance with the viewing time. For example, assuming that a summary viewing time of 50-minutes content is only five minutes, “0.08” is added to the evaluation of the content.  
      The log server  180  adds analysis results as update information with respect to each audience content taste information, and stores the information in the taste information database  190 .  
      (Application of Taste Information to Summary Video)  
      When a viewing service of the summary video content concerning the video content which are viewing objects is selected by the audience, the EPG program  220  searches the video metadata from a local storage region or the EPG server  130  by the content identifiers.  
      The EPG program  220  searches the charging server  181  using the subscriber code or the family code as the key with respect to the audience information.  
      The EPG program  220  searches audience&#39;s taste information with respect to the log server  180  by the audience information and the video metadata. The log server  180  searches the following information from taste information stored in the database  190  by an audience unit:  
      (1) taste information of the corresponding video content; and  
      (2) taste information of categories of the corresponding video content.  
      The EPG program  220  transmits the acquired taste information to the edition server  100  via the EPG server  130 .  
      It is assumed that the taste information is parameter N. The edition server  100  selects standard summarized video content in the case of “N=1.0”, prepares a reduced version of the standard summarized video content in the case of “1.0&gt;N&gt;0”, and selects the detailed summarized video content in the case of “N&gt;1.0”.  
      The edition server  100  transmits the prepared summarized video content to the VoD server  120 . The VoD server  120  distributes the summarized video content to the client  11 .  
      As described above, in the video distributing service by the digital video distributing service  10  and the client  11  of the present embodiment, the summarized video content fit for the audience tastes can be provided, for example, immediately before the start of the video viewing. Therefore, a degree of customer&#39;s satisfaction with the video providing service to the audience can be enhanced.  
      Moreover, in the providing service of the video content, the summarized video content suitable for the audience are provided as the service, and accordingly more information can be given to the audience. For example, skip viewing of the news program or the like is possible.  
      Furthermore, the summarized video content are provided with respect to all the content presented to the audience as occasion demands, accordingly a degree of exposure of the video content is raised, and an interest into the viewing of the video content in a broad range can be promoted. Furthermore, to provide the audience with optimum summarized video content, the audience&#39;s viewing trends of the video content are measured, and the presentation of the video content that interest the audience or the presentation of the advertisement can be realized.  
      According to the present embodiment, when the system for realizing the digital video distributing service is constructed, it is possible to provide the summarized video content data supposed to be useful for the audience, and therefore useful and diversified digital video distributing services can be realized.  
      Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general invention concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.