Abstract: A stream communication system has a plurality of nodes and a network to which each node is connected, the node comprises a stream transfer device to which the encoding stream that data attribute information for every data blocks are added, and has a periodicity in the data structure is transferred, at least one node is allocated as a managing node, and the managing node manages at least one monitoring target node and a control target node, the stream transfer device of the control target node comprises stream conversion section for adjusting an amount of the transfer data as the effective transmission rate coincides to the specified transmission rate based on the data priority decided from data attribute information, the stream transfer device of the monitoring target node comprises internal information notification section for notifying the managing node the state of a load of the node, and the stream transfer device of the managing node comprises feedback control section for recalculating the transmission r

Abstract: A data transmission system for transmitting an encoded stream via a network, has a video transmission unit having a stream coding unit for generating an encoded stream which is packetized in units of abandonable data, and in which a header including a packet identifier also serving as packet priority is added to each packet, and a stream shaping processing unit for determining transmission or abandonment of each packet in the encoded stream generated by the stream coding unit using the packet identifier included in the header of each packet in accordance with the designated bit rate.

Abstract: An information distribution system provides information requested from a user for the user through an information communication medium. The information distribution system comprises a billing processor which is individually from a data processor realized by an application program, the billing processor being realized by middle ware (an operating system). The information comprises a content, billing attribute data including a billing method and a settlement method, and correspondence information indicating the correspondence between the content and the billing attribute data. When a request is made from the user, the information distribution system retrieves the content which meets the request and transfers a request to the billing processor to perform the billing process. The billing processor uses the billing attribute data corresponding to the content to perform a predetermined billing process.

Abstract: A system in which a plurality of network nodes are connected through a network, wherein when a computation object of a first network node calls a function (facility) of a computation object of a second network node, the first network node obtains a facility identification codes (numeral) of the object and the function from a remote reference table and outputs the facility identification codes through the network as a message together with the arguments of the function to the second network node. The second network node uses the input facility identification code as a key to obtain the execution address of the facility from a local reference table and executes that facility.

Abstract: An information retrieval apparatus having a meta-data specifying section for specifying at least one attribute of information described in various forms of description, and a pattern learning section for creating rules for extracting information including the specified attribute based on the specified attribute.

Abstract: A data receiving apparatus is formed of a set top unit connected to a network and a security module. Digital video data which is supplied from the network and scrambled according to a first system is scrambled according to a second system in a scramble circuit in the set top unit, and is supplied to the security module. The data is descrambled according to the first system in a descramble circuit in the security module, and is transferred back to the set top unit. The data is descrambled according to the second system in a descramble circuit in the set top unit, and is outputted to an image display terminal via an MPEG decoder.

Abstract: A communication system includes a control communication network for transferring control data, and a data communication network for transferring stream data. A communication node is set on the communication system in response to a request on the stream transfer. The communication node is connected to both of the above networks and transfers data via the data communication network under the control based on the control data. The communication node controls access by an application and transfer of stream data by referring to a transfer control table which holds the relation of connection with another control communication node which transfers the common data and the corresponding relation to a control node (application) associated with data transfer defined by the connecting relation.

Abstract: An information retrieving apparatus comprises a retrieve instruction executing means for executing a retrieve instruction based on a retrieval formula described based on an arbitrary schema, a schema conversion means for converting the retrieval formula into another retrieval formula according to another schema based on pregiven rules, and a schema management means for managing the rules for converting the retrieval formula into the other retrieval formula, wherein the retrieve instruction executing means retrieves desired information based on the other retrieval formula. In this case, preferred embodiments are as follows.

Abstract: A relay node system, which receives a data stream having a series of data elements transmitted from a transmitting node and which re-outputs the data stream to a receiving node, comprises data receiving section for receiving the data stream transmitted from the transmitting node, storing section for temporarily storing data of the received data stream, and data transmitting section for reading the data stored in the storing section to be transmitted to the receiving node, wherein the storing section includes primary buffer section, having a high-speed memory, for temporarily storing data of the data stream, secondary buffer section having a memory capacity slower and larger than the primary buffer section, and data transfer section for executing a save processing and a restore processing, the save processing including processing for detecting danger of an overflow at an input side of the primary buffer section to transfer data from the primary buffer section to the secondary buffer section by a block unit, an

Abstract: A data processing system that has a data processing unit for performing desired processing with respect to a stream of data such as video data and/or audio data, a data providing unit having stream data which becomes the object of that processing and for providing the data in accordance with a request, and a delivering unit for delivering the provided stream data to the data processing unit. The units are constituted on any one or more of the nodes on the network.