Content supplying device, content supplying method, program, and content supplying system

1. A content supplying device, comprising:

circuitry configured to:

convert streaming data into segment files;

unicast a first portion of the segment files according to a first protocol in response to a request to transmit the streaming data to a receiver by unicasting;

multicast or broadcast one or more segment streams corresponding to a second portion of the segment files according to a second protocol different from the first protocol in response to a request to transmit the streaming data to the receiver by multicasting or broadcasting;

generate a metafile describing a chronological correspondence relation between the second portion of the segment files and the one or more segment streams;

transmit the metafile to the receiver; and

transmit timestamp information according to a control protocol associated with the second protocol.

2. The content supplying device according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

generate a media presentation description (MPD) describing information corresponding to the segment files to be unicasted according to the first protocol; and

generate the metafile by rewriting the MPD.

3. The content supplying device according to claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is configured to:

generate the metafile by adding section information of the one or more segment streams to be multicasted or broadcasted in association with byte information of the second portion of the segment files to be unicasted, the byte information being described in the MPD.

4. The content supplying device according to claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is configured to:

perform protocol conversion to convert the second portion of the segment files for unicasting according to the first protocol into the one or more segment streams for multicasting or broadcasting according to the second protocol.

5. The content supplying device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first protocol is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and

the second protocol is a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP).

6. A content supplying method performed by a content supplying device, the content supplying method comprising:

converting streaming data into segment files;

unicasting a first portion of the segment files according to a first protocol in response to a request to transmit the streaming data to a receiver by unicasting;

multicasting or broadcasting one or more segment streams corresponding to a second portion of the segment files according to a second protocol different from the first protocol in response to a request to transmit the streaming data to the receiver by multicasting or broadcasting;

generating, by circuitry of the content supplying device, a metafile describing a chronological correspondence relation between the second portion of the segment files and the one or more segment streams;

transmitting the metafile to the receiver; and

transmitting timestamp information according to a control protocol associated with the second protocol.

7. The content supplying method according to claim 6 , wherein

the first protocol is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and

the second protocol is a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP).

8. A content supplying system comprising:

a content supplying device that supplies streaming data; and

a client device that receives the stream data,

wherein the content supplying device comprises circuitry configured to:

convert the streaming data into segment files;

unicast a first portion of the segment files according to a first protocol in response to a request to transmit the streaming data to the client device by unicasting;

multicast or broadcast one or more segment streams corresponding to a second portion of the segment files according to a second protocol different from the first protocol in response to a request to transmit the streaming data to the client device by multicasting or broadcasting;

generate a metafile describing a chronological correspondence relation between the second portion of the segment files and the one or more segment streams;

transmit the metafile to client device; and

transmit timestamp information according to a control protocol associated with the second protocol, and

wherein the client device is configured to reproduce the streaming data based on the first portion of the segment files, the one or more segment streams, and the metafile.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions thereon, the computer-readable instructions when executed by a content supplying device cause the content supplying device to perform a method comprising:

converting streaming data into segment files;

unicasting a first portion of the segment files according to a first protocol in response to a request to transmit the streaming data to a receiver by unicasting;

multicasting or broadcasting one or more segment streams corresponding to a second portion of the segment files according to a second protocol different from the first protocol in response to a request to transmit the streaming data to the receiver by multicasting or broadcasting;

generating, by circuitry of the content supplying device, a metafile describing a chronological correspondence relation between the second portion of the segment files and the one or more segment streams;

transmitting the metafile to the receiver; and

transmitting timestamp information according to a control protocol associated with the second protocol.

10. A content receiving device configured to receive stream data that has been converted into segment files, the content receiving device comprising:

circuitry configured to:

receive a first portion of the segment files that is unicasted according to a first protocol;

receive one or more segment streams corresponding to a second portion of the segment files that are multicasted or broadcasted according to a second protocol;

receive a metafile describing a chronological correspondence relation between the second portion of the segment files and the one or more segment streams;

receive timestamp information according to a control protocol associated with the second protocol; and

reproduce the streaming data based on the first portion of the segment files, the one or more segment streams, and the metafile.

11. The content receiving device according to claim 10 ,

wherein the metafile includes section information of the one or more segment streams in association with byte information of the second portion of the segment files.

12. The content receiving device according to claim 10 , wherein

the stream data correspond to a television content, and

the circuitry is configured to receive the first portion of the segment files or the one or more segment streams from a television network.

13. The content receiving device according to claim 10 , wherein

the first protocol is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and

the second protocol is a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP).

14. A content receiving method performed by a content receiving device configured to receive stream data that has been converted into segment files, the content receiving method comprising:

receiving a first portion of the segment files that is unicasted according to a first protocol;

receiving one or more segment streams corresponding to a second portion of the segment files that are multicasted or broadcasted according to a second protocol;

receiving a metafile describing a chronological correspondence relation between the second portion of the segment files and the one or more segment streams;

receiving timestamp information according to a control protocol associated with the second protocol; and

reproducing, by circuitry of the content receiving device, the streaming data based on the first portion of the segment files, the one or more segment streams, and the metafile.

15. The content receiving method according to claim 14 ,

wherein the metafile includes section information of the one or more segment streams in association with byte information of the second portion of the segment files.

16. The content receiving method according to claim 14 , wherein

the first protocol is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and

the second protocol is a Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP).

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions thereon, the computer-readable instructions when executed by a content receiving device cause the content receiving device to perform a method of receiving stream data that has been converted into segment files, the method comprising:

receiving a first portion of the segment files that is unicasted according to a first protocol;

receiving one or more segment streams corresponding to a second portion of the segment files that are multicasted or broadcasted according to a second protocol;

receiving a metafile describing a chronological correspondence relation between the second portion of the segment files and the one or more segment streams;

receiving timestamp information according to a control protocol associated with the second protocol; and

reproducing the streaming data based on the first portion of the segment files, the one or more segment streams, and the metafile.