Information processing apparatus and method, and program storing medium

• US 20020072926A1
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sakurai, Mikiko, Morita, Toshihiro, Onda, Tomohiro
• Application Number:
  US09/974,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20020072926A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00746 wherein the usage restriction can be expressed as a specific number
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00884 involving a watermark, i.e. a barely perceptible transformation of the original data which can nevertheless be recognised by an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1251 for continuous data, e.g. digitised analog information signals, pulse code modulated [PCM] data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1262 with more than one format/standard, e.g. conversion from CD-audio format to R-DAT format
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

An information processing apparatus obviates the need for paying attention to the format of a data content, and permits immediate use of the data content in a desired format. The information processing apparatus includes: a record controller for controlling a record in which first data identifying a content, second data identifying a first file for storing the content in a first format, and third data identifying a second file for storing the content in a second format are correlated; a specifier for specifying the content on the basis of the first data; a selector for selecting either the first file or the second file in association with the specified content; and a manipulator for manipulating the first file or the second file on the basis of the second data or the third data in association with either the first file or the second file, whichever has been selected.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

record controlling means for controlling a record in which first data identifying a content, second data identifying a first file for storing the content in a first format, and third data identifying a second file for storing the content in a second format are correlated;

specifying means for specifying the content on the basis of the first data;

selecting means for selecting either the first file or the second file in association with the specified content; and

manipulating means for manipulating the first file or the second file on the basis of the second data or the third data in association with either the first file or the second file, whichever has been selected.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the manipulating means reproduces the content stored either in the first file or the second file.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selecting means further selects the manipulating means according to the format of either the first file or the second file, whichever has been selected.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the manipulating means transfers either the first file or the second file.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the selecting means further selects the manipulating means according to a setting.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising generating means for generating the content of the second format on the basis of the first file.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising converting means for converting either the first file or the second file into a third file for storing the content in the third format.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the manipulating means deletes either the first file or the second file.

9. A information processing method comprising:

a record controlling step for controlling a record in which first data identifying a content, second data identifying a first file for storing the content in a first format, and third data identifying a second file for storing the content in a second format are correlated;

a specifying step for specifying the content on the basis of the first data;

a selecting step for selecting either the first file or the second file in association with the specified content; and

a manipulating step for manipulating the first file or the second file on the basis of the second data or the third data in association with either the first file or the second file, whichever has been selected.

10. The information processing method according to claim 9, wherein the manipulating step reproduces the content stored in either the first file or the second file.

11. The information processing method according to claim 9, wherein the selecting step further selects the manipulating step in accordance with the format of either the first file or the second file, whichever has been selected.

12. The information processing method according to claim 9, wherein the manipulating step transfers either the first file or the second file.

13. The information processing method according to claim 12, wherein the selecting step further selects the manipulating step in accordance with a setting.

14. The information processing method according to claim 9, further comprising a generating step for generating the content in the second format on the basis of the first file.

15. The information processing method according to claim 9, further comprising a converting step for converting either the first file or the second file into a third file for storing the content in the third format.

16. The information processing method according to claim 9, wherein the manipulating step deletes either the first file or the second file.

17. A program storing medium in which a computer-readable program has been stored, the program comprising:

a record controlling step for controlling a record in which first data identifying a content, second data identifying a first file for storing the content in a first format, and third data identifying a second file for storing the content in a second format are correlated;

a specifying step for specifying the content on the basis of the first data;

a selecting step for selecting either the first file or the second file in association with the specified content; and

a manipulating step for manipulating the first file or the second file on the basis of the second data or the third data in association with either the first file or the second file, whichever has been selected.