Patent ID: 8839330

Claim:
A moving-picture image data-distribution method comprising: transmitting/receiving moving-picture image data constituted by a plurality of image frames among a plurality of information terminals interconnected via a network, wherein in a distribution operation of the moving-picture image data from a transmission-side information terminal to a reception-side information terminal as a mode of bidirectional data communication among the plurality of information terminals, the transmission-side information terminal to be a transmission source notifies transmission-limit information thereof to the reception-side information terminal, before transmitting the moving-picture image data to the reception-side information terminal, the transmission-limit information indicating an upper limit of the number of transmission/reception units regarding image frames which can be transmitted per unit of time, the reception-side information terminal issues a plurality of transmission requirements for moving-picture image data to the transmission-side information terminal in response to the notified transmission-limit information, until next transmission-limit information is notified, and when the reception-side information terminal repetitively issues the transmission requirement to the transmission-side information terminal, with reception of the moving-picture image data from the transmission-side information terminal, the reception-side information terminal calculates, in advance, at least one data amount of a receivable amount of image frames attributable to a band limitation of the network at the moment where the transmission requirement is issued and an own permissible load amount of image frame display processing, and notifies the transmission-side information terminal of an upper limit of at least any one of the data amount and a data structural element that is used as a basis for calculation of the data amount, as reception-limit information, wherein the data structural element includes at least any of the number of transmission/reception units per unit time regarding image frames, an image resolution, and the number of bits per pixel, wherein the moving-picture image data is constituted by a plurality of frame groups each of which includes at least one image frame and can be reproduced independently from a previously-positioned frame group in a time axis direction, and wherein the transmission/reception units regarding image frames correspond to the respective frame groups constituting the moving-picture image data.