Information processing system, information processing method, and recording medium

• US 20020026639A1
• Filed: 08/21/2001
• Published: 02/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Haneda, Naoya
• Application Number:
  US09/934,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20020026639A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234336 by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures or audio is converted into text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/60 Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client , e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6379 directed to encoder , e.g. for requesting a lower encoding rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A requesting unit receives application information which is transmitted by an information terminal device, and transmits a content ID to an information storing device based on the application information. A converting unit converts the content received by the information storing device into data in a predetermined format and with a predetermined data rate based on a format ID included in the application information which is received by the information storing device, and distributes the data to the information terminal device via a communication unit.

Claims

1. An information processing system for distributing a content to another device via a network, comprising:

first receiving means for receiving application information of said content from said other device via said network;

reading means for reading said content based on content identifying information included in said application information when said application information of said content is received by said first receiving means;

format converting means for converting said content read by said reading means into data in a predetermined format based on format identifying information included in said application information; and

distributing means for distributing said content which is converted into the data in the predetermined format by said format converting means, to said device via said network.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

second receiving means for receiving transaction information of said content; and

authenticating means for authenticating said transaction information when the transaction information of said content is received by said second receiving means,

wherein said reading means reads out said content based on a result authenticated by said authenticating means.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said transaction information includes a credit card number or an account number.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said format identifying information includes information which designates an encoding system and/or encoding rate of said content.

5. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

calculating means for calculating a use charge for said content based on said application information which is received by said first receiving means; and

accounting means for accounting said use charge which is calculated by said calculating means, corresponding to said other device.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting means for detecting a busy status on said network,

wherein said format converting means converts said content into data in a predetermined format based on said busy status which is detected by said detecting means.

7. An information processing method for distributing a content to another device via a network comprising:

a receiving step of receiving application information of said content from said other device via said network;

a reading control step of controlling an operation for reading said content based on content identifying information included in said application information when the application information of said content is received in said receiving step;

a format converting step of converting said content read in said reading control step into data in a predetermined format based on format identifying information included in said application information; and

a distributing step of distributing said content which is converted into the data in the predetermined format in said format converting step, to said device via said network.

8. A recording medium for recording a computer-readable program in an information processing system for distributing a content to another device via a network,

wherein said program comprises:

a receiving step of receiving application information of said content from said other device via said network;

a reading control step of controlling an operation for reading said content based on content identifying information included in said application information when the application information of said content is received in said receiving step;

a format converting step of converting said content read in said reading control step into data in a predetermined format based on format identifying information included in said application information; and

a distributing step of distributing said content which is converted into the data in the predetermined format in said format converting step, to said device via said network.