Abstract: A distribution route construction method includes: transmitting, in a data distribution system, at least one check packet to a plurality of terminals within a network from a check packet transmission terminal; checking a reply packet from the plurality of terminals; grouping the plurality of terminals into a first terminal group including a first terminal whose reply packet reaches the check packet transmission terminal and a second terminal group including a second terminal whose reply packet does not reach the check packet transmission terminal; changing a designation terminal for data communication to reduce communication data traffic between the first terminal group and the second terminal group; and reconstructing distribution routes based on the checking and the changing.

Abstract: A mobile terminal device receives CM-related-information stored information from a receiving device that has received, from a sending device, the CM-related-information stored information together with a main program and a program containing a CM. Then, The mobile terminal device receives CM related information that is related to a CM from the sending device on the basis of the CM-related-information stored information. Then, the mobile terminal device displays the CM related information using text, a still image, or a moving image on the display screen in areas below a Web browser display, which is a normal display.

Abstract: A data transmitting device transmits section information, a data broadcasting content, and a broadcasting content in a multiplexed manner. The data transmitting device includes a specified-information embedding unit that embeds information related to a specified image into the section information; a multiplexing unit that multiplexes the section information embedded with the specified information by the specified-information embedding unit, the data broadcasting content, and the broadcasting content; and a transmitting unit that transmits data multiplexed by the multiplexing unit to a data receiving device.

Abstract: A digital broadcast method includes receiving audio and video data that form a predetermined content for digital broadcasting; receiving related data indicating a content related to the predetermined content; performing a control that transmits the received related data to a data receiving device prior to transmitting the received audio data and video data; receiving the audio and video data that form the predetermined content and the related data of the predetermined content that have been subject to the control; changing a viewing channel in response to a changing instruction of the viewing channel from a viewer; and outputting, when the viewing channel is changed from a first channel number to a second channel number at the changing and then changed to the first channel number again, the received related data with audio and video data corresponding to the first channel number to an output unit.

Abstract: A coding apparatus includes a window information acquiring unit acquiring window information indicating an arrangement of windows on a screen that includes a plurality of windows, an identifying unit identifying macroblocks that include a border between overlapping windows from the window information and macroblock information indicating an arrangement of macroblocks into which the screen is partitioned, a classifying unit partitioning the identified macroblocks into sub-blocks so as to conform to the border and classifying the sub-blocks into which the macroblocks are partitioned into groups, and a coding unit coding the sub-blocks classified into the groups by applying the result of the motion vector prediction to the other sub-blocks classified in the same group.

Abstract: A mobile terminal device receives CM-related-information stored information from a receiving device that has received, from a sending device, the CM-related-information stored information together with a main program and a program containing a CM. Then, The mobile terminal device receives CM related information that is related to a CM from the sending device on the basis of the CM-related-information stored information. Then, the mobile terminal device displays the CM related information using text, a still image, or a moving image on the display screen in areas below a Web browser display, which is a normal display.

Abstract: A distribution route construction method includes: transmitting, in a data distribution system, at least one check packet to a plurality of terminals within a network from a check packet transmission terminal; checking a reply packet from the plurality of terminals; grouping the plurality of terminals into a first terminal group including a first terminal whose reply packet reaches the check packet transmission terminal and a second terminal group including a second terminal whose reply packet does not reach the check packet transmission terminal; changing a designation terminal for data communication to reduce communication data traffic between the first terminal group and the second terminal group; and reconstructing distribution routes based on the checking and the changing.

Abstract: A transfer apparatus includes: a receiver to receive one of an error correction packet and a data packet, the error correction packet for recovering the data packet through error correction, and the data packet having protective coverage information written thereon, the protective coverage information identifying a protective coverage on the data packet recoverable through an error correction of the error correction packet; an updater to update the protective coverage information in accordance with an order of reception of the data packets received by the receiver unit; a generator to generate an error correction packet of the data packet identified by new protective coverage information updated by the updater unit; and a transmitter to transmit the data packet having the protective coverage information updated by the updater unit, and the error correction packet generated by the generator unit.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of encoders calculates a first time by adding an encoding delay time commonly determined between the encoders to a value of an STC counter, and transmits a system stream generated by including the calculated first time to a decoder associated with the encoder in one-to-one correspondence, of a plurality of decoders constituting a decoding system. Each of the decoders calculates a second time by adding the first time to an estimated maximum value commonly determined between the decoders by adding a decoding delay time to a value of stream fluctuation of an output time occurring between the encoders, and outputs the divided image data decoded from the system stream to a synthesizer that synthesizes the image data at the calculated second time.

Abstract: A digital broadcast method includes receiving audio and video data that form a predetermined content for digital broadcasting; receiving related data indicating a content related to the predetermined content; performing a control that transmits the received related data to a data receiving device prior to transmitting the received audio data and video data; receiving the audio and video data that form the predetermined content and the related data of the predetermined content that have been subject to the control; changing a viewing channel in response to a changing instruction of the viewing channel from a viewer; and outputting, when the viewing channel is changed from a first channel number to a second channel number at the changing and then changed to the first channel number again, the received related data with audio and video data corresponding to the first channel number to an output unit.

Abstract: A data transmitting device transmits section information, a data broadcasting content, and a broadcasting content in a multiplexed manner. The data transmitting device includes a specified-information embedding unit that embeds information related to a specified image into the section information; a multiplexing unit that multiplexes the section information embedded with the specified information by the specified-information embedding unit, the data broadcasting content, and the broadcasting content; and a transmitting unit that transmits data multiplexed by the multiplexing unit to a data receiving device.

Abstract: A video picture information delivering apparatus delivers moving pictures according to a request from a terminal device. The apparatus comprises a determining unit for determining whether or not a predetermined particular picture is included in some of moving pictures to be skipped, upon receipt of a request to skip the some of the moving pictures; and a transmitting unit for transmitting to the terminal device associated information corresponding to the particular picture along with the moving pictures after being skipped, if the particular picture is included in the some of the skipped moving pictures.

Abstract: An image encoding apparatus configured to perform sub-band encoding, the apparatus includes: a plurality of encoding units configured to encode an image signal separated into a plurality of sections; a plurality of storage units configured to hold data encoded by the encoding units; and a control unit configured to determine capacities of encoded data of the section of the separated image signal on the basis of statistical information capacities of the section of the separated image signal and data capacities after encoding by the encoding units.

Abstract: A coding apparatus includes a window information acquiring unit acquiring window information indicating an arrangement of windows on a screen that includes a plurality of windows, an identifying unit identifying macroblocks that include a border between overlapping windows from the window information and macroblock information indicating an arrangement of macroblocks into which the screen is partitioned, a classifying unit partitioning the identified macroblocks into sub-blocks so as to conform to the border and classifying the sub-blocks into which the macroblocks are partitioned into groups, and a coding unit coding the sub-blocks classified into the groups by applying the result of the motion vector prediction to the other sub-blocks classified in the same group.

Abstract: A video picture information delivering apparatus delivers moving pictures according to a request from a terminal device. The apparatus comprises a determining unit for determining whether or not a predetermined particular picture is included in some of moving pictures to be skipped, upon receipt of a request to skip the some of the moving pictures; and a transmitting unit for transmitting to the terminal device associated information corresponding to the particular picture along with the moving pictures after being skipped, if the particular picture is included in the some of the skipped moving pictures.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of encoders calculates a first time by adding an encoding delay time commonly determined between the encoders to a value of an STC counter, and transmits a system stream generated by including the calculated first time to a decoder associated with the encoder in one-to-one correspondence, of a plurality of decoders constituting a decoding system. Each of the decoders calculates a second time by adding the first time to an estimated maximum value commonly determined between the decoders by adding a decoding delay time to a value of stream fluctuation of an output time occurring between the encoders, and outputs the divided image data decoded from the system stream to a synthesizer that synthesizes the image data at the calculated second time.

Abstract: A transmission apparatus includes a communication unit for performing transmission and reception of encoded data packets with other terminals, a redundant code generating unit for generating a redundant code packet for restoring data lost due to the loss of a data packet, a redundant code control unit for controlling the band used by the redundant code packet, a buffer for accumulating retransmission packets that can be retransmitted when corresponding data are lost, a retrieval unit for retrieving a corresponding retransmission packet from the buffer for retransmission upon receiving a retransmission request for the data packet, a retransmission control unit for controlling the band used for retransmission, and a band control unit for controlling the bandwidth of a redundant code based on the band used for retransmission and the band currently used for the redundant code.

Abstract: When error correction data, which is to be inserted into transmission data at specific intervals, is generated by calculating exclusive-OR of the transmission data, cumulative exclusive-OR of the transmission data is continuously calculated independent of the error correction data insertion intervals. Exclusive-OR between a calculation of the exclusive-OR at the time of the previous error correction data insertion and a calculation of the exclusive-OR at the time of the current error correction data insertion is calculated, thereby generating error correction data to be inserted at the present time. This provides efficient error correction data calculation.

Abstract: When error correction data, which is to be inserted into transmission data at specific intervals, is generated by calculating exclusive-OR of the transmission data, cumulative exclusive-OR of the transmission data is continuously calculated independent of the error correction data insertion intervals. Exclusive-OR between a calculation of the exclusive-OR at the time of the previous error correction data insertion and a calculation of the exclusive-OR at the time of the current error correction data insertion is calculated, thereby generating error correction data to be inserted at the present time. This provides efficient error correction data calculation.

Abstract: A transmission apparatus includes: a communication unit performing transmission and reception of an encoded data packet with other terminals; a redundant code generating unit generating a redundant code packet for restoring a loss of the data packet; a redundant code control unit controlling a band used by the redundant code packet; a buffer for retransmission accumulating retransmission packets that are retransmitted to the other terminals at a time of the loss of the data packet; a retrieval unit retrieving a corresponding retransmission packet from the buffer for retransmission upon receiving a retransmission request for the data packet from the other terminals; a retransmission control unit controlling a band used for retransmission that is used at a time of transmission of the retransmission packet; and a band control unit controlling the bandwidth of a redundant code based on the band used for retransmission and a band used for the redundant code.