Content processing apparatus, content processing method, and storage medium

• US 20020083459A1
• Filed: 11/16/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kondo, Tetsujiro, Watanabe, Yoshinori, Kobayashi, Naoki, Tange, Akira, Nakamura, Yukihiro, Ichikawa, Tsutomu
• Granted Patent: US 7,127,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/88
• 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 2220/2525 Magneto-optical [MO] discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• 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 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/266 Channel or content management, e.g. generation and management of keys and entitlement messages in a conditional access system, merging a VOD unicast channel into a multicast channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Value-added information is created based on favorite information of a content user. The content is processed according to the generated value-added information. Favorite data indicating operations, such as fast-forward, pause, and rewind operations, performed while the content is being played back, and personal user information, such as the age group, the gender, and the life-style, of the content user are transferred to a server via a network. The server performs statistical processing on the user favorite data to generate value-added information according to the attributes of the user, such as the age group, the gender, and the life-style. Accordingly, the user is able to search for popular titles, play back only popular scenes, and skip uninteresting scenes by using a content playback apparatus.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving operation data obtained by each user for dynamic data played back by a playback apparatus;

storage means for storing the operation data received by said receiving means;

digest-information generating means for generating digest information of the dynamic data according to the operation data stored in said storage means; and

transmission means for transmitting the digest information generated by said digest-information generating means to at least one of the playback apparatuses.

2. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means receives the operation data indicating at least one of instructions to fast-forward, rewind, and pause the dynamic data played back by the playback apparatus.

3. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said receiving means receives playback-portion identification information indicating a playback portion of the dynamic data played back by the playback apparatus; and

said digest-information generating means comprises statistical processing means for accumulating playback times of the playback portion based on the playback-portion identification information received by said receiving means, and generates the digest information based on an accumulation result obtained by said statistical processing means.

4. A communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said digest-information generating means generates the digest information from the playback portion whose accumulated playback times indicate a predetermined threshold or greater.

5. A communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said digest-information generating means generates the digest information from the portions other than the playback portion whose accumulated playback times indicate a predetermined threshold or smaller.

6. A communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said receiving means receives, together with the operation data, at least one of title information, playback time information, and user attribute information of the dynamic data played back by the playback apparatus.

7. A communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

said storage means stores the operation data of a plurality of users corresponding to the title information;

said statistical processing means accumulates the playback times of the playback portion according to the title information based on the operation data of the plurality of users;

said digest-information generating means generates the digest information based on the accumulation result; and

said transmission means transmits the digest information to the playback apparatus for playing back the title information.

8. A communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the user attribute information includes at least one type of the age, the gender, and the life-style, and said digest-information generating means generates the digest information according to the type of the user attribute information.

9. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means receives as the operation data time-space position data designating a time-space position of the dynamic data played back by the playback apparatus.

10. A communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

said storage means stores a plurality of the dynamic data; and

said transmission means encodes the dynamic data and transmits the encoded dynamic data to the playback apparatus in response to a request from the user, in which said transmission means encodes a target area designated by the time-space position data at a first resolution level, and encodes areas other than the target area at a second resolution level which is lower than the first resolution level.

11. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said transmission means transmits predetermined dynamic data to the playback apparatus in response to a request from the user;

said receiving means receives the operation data obtained by each user for the dynamic data transmitted by said transmission means;

said digest-information generating means generates the digest information of the dynamic data according to the operation data; and

said transmission means transmits the generated digest information to the corresponding playback apparatus in response to a request from the user.

12. A communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said transmission means comprises broadcast means for broadcasting the dynamic data to the playback apparatuses of unspecified users.

13. A communication apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said receiving means receives as the operation data time-space position data designating a time-space position of the dynamic data transmitted by said transmission means and played back by the playback apparatus.

14. A communication apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said transmission means encodes the dynamic data and transmits the encoded dynamic data to the playback apparatus in response to a request from the user, in which said transmission means encodes a target area designated by the time-space position data at a first resolution level, and encodes areas other than the target area at a second resolution level which is lower than the first resolution level, and transmits the encoded dynamic data.

15. A communication apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said digest-information generating means comprises statistical processing means for accumulating designation times of each of the time-space positions based on the time-space position data of the identical dynamic data received from a plurality of users by said receiving means, and generates the digest information based on an accumulation result obtained by said statistical processing means.

16. A communication apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said digest-information generating means dynamically sorts the accumulation results of scenes designated by the time-space position data obtained by said statistical processing means in descending numeric order, and extracts a predetermined number of scenes having a greater number of the accumulated designation times according to a sorting result, thereby dynamically generating the digest information.

17. A communication apparatus according to claim 16, wherein:

said transmission means comprises broadcast means for broadcasting the dynamic data to the playback apparatuses of unspecified users;

when said receiving means receives request information to send the digest information from the playback apparatus while the dynamic data is being broadcast, said digest-information generating means generates the digest information during a period from when the dynamic data is started until when the digest information is transmitted; and

said transmission means transmits the digest information to the playback apparatus.

18. A communication apparatus according to claim 16, wherein:

when said receiving means receives request information to send the digest information from a specific playback apparatus, said digest-information generating means compares the digest information generated based on the sorting result with the scenes designated by the time-space position data of the user of the specific playback apparatus, and preferentially selects the scenes unique to the time-space position data of the user, thereby generating new digest information for the user.

19. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmission means transmits the digest information to the playback apparatus of the user, and also transmits accounting information including payment information for billing the user to an external settlement center.

20. A communication apparatus comprising:

playback means for playing back dynamic data;

input means for inputting as input data user favorite data for the dynamic data played back by said playback means;

transmission means for transmitting the input data input by said input means to an external communication apparatus; and

receiving means for receiving digest information of the dynamic data transmitted from said external communication apparatus.

21. A communication apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said input means outputs the input data indicating at least one of instructions to fast-forward, rewind, and pause the dynamic data played back by said playback means.

22. A communication apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said transmission means transmits playback-portion identification information indicating a playback portion of the dynamic data played back by said playback means.

23. A communication apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said transmission means transmits, together with the input data, at least one of title information, playback time information, and user attribute information of the dynamic data played back by said playback means.

24. A communication apparatus according to claim 20, wherein:

said input means outputs as the input data time-space position data designating a time-space position of the dynamic data played back by said playback means; and

said transmission means transmits the time-space position data.

25. A communication apparatus according to claim 20, wherein:

said transmission means transmits request information to send predetermined dynamic data to said external communication apparatus;

said receiving means receives the dynamic data transmitted from said external communication apparatus in response to the request information; and

said playback means plays back the received dynamic data.

26. A communication apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said receiving means comprises broadcast receiving means for receiving the dynamic data to be broadcast to said playback means of unspecified users.

27. A communication apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said transmission means transmits as the input data time-space position data designating a time-space position of the dynamic data received by said receiving means and played back by said playback means.

28. A communication apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said transmission means transmits the request information to send the digest information during a period from the start of the dynamic data until a current time while the dynamic data is being played back by said playback means.

30. A communication apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said input means outputs input data indicating at least one of instructions to fast-forward, rewind, and pause the dynamic data played back by said playback means.

31. A communication apparatus according to claim 29, wherein:

said input means outputs as the input data playback-portion identification information indicating a playback portion of the dynamic data played back by said playback means; and

said digest-information generating means comprises statistical processing means for accumulating playback times of the playback portion based on the playback-portion identification information, and generates the digest information based on an accumulation result obtained by said statistical processing means.

32. A communication apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said digest-information generating means generates the digest information from the playback portion whose accumulated playback times indicate a predetermined threshold or greater.

33. A communication apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said digest-information generating means generates the digest information from portions other than the playback portion whose accumulated playback times indicate a predetermined threshold or smaller.

34. A communication apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said input means outputs as the input data at least one of title information, playback time information, and user attribute information of the dynamic data played back by said playback means.

35. A communication apparatus according to claim 34, further comprising storage means for storing the operation data of a plurality of users corresponding to the title information, wherein:

said statistical processing means accumulates the playback times of each of the playback portions according to the title information based on the operation data of the plurality of users; and

said digest-information generating means generates the digest information based on the accumulation result.

36. A communication apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the user attribute information includes at least one type of the age, the gender, and the life-style, and said digest-information generating means generates the digest information according to the type of the user attribute information.

37. A communication apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said input means outputs as the input data time-space position data designating a time-space position of the dynamic data played back said playback means.

38. A communication apparatus according to claim 29, wherein:

said transmission means transmits request information to send predetermined dynamic data to an external communication apparatus;

said receiving means receives the dynamic data transmitted from said external communication apparatus in response to the request information; and

said digest-information generating means generates the digest information of the dynamic data.

39. A communication apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said receiving means comprises broadcast receiving means for receiving the dynamic data to be broadcast to said playback means of unspecified users.

40. A communication apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said input means outputs as the input data time-space position data designating a time-space position of the dynamic data received by said broadcast receiving means and played back by said playback means.

41. A communication apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said digest-information generating means comprises statistical processing means for accumulating designation times of each of the time-space positions based on the time-space position data of the identical dynamic data input by said input means, and generates the digest information based on an accumulation result obtained by said statistical processing means.

42. A communication apparatus according to claim 41, wherein said digest-information generating means dynamically sorts the accumulation results of scenes designated by the time-space position data obtained by said statistical processing means in descending numeric order, and extracts a predetermined number of scenes having a greater number of the accumulated designation times according to a sorting result, thereby dynamically generating the digest information.

43. A communication apparatus according to claim 42, wherein, when said input means outputs request information to send the digest information from said playback means while the dynamic data is being broadcast, said digest-information generating means generates the digest information during a period from when the dynamic data is started until when the digest information is transmitted.

44. A communication apparatus according to claim 42, wherein, when said input means outputs request information to send the digest information from a specific user, said digest-information generating means compares the digest information generated based on the sorting result with the scenes designated by the time-space position data of the specific user, and preferentially selects the scenes unique to the time-space position data of the specific user, thereby generating new digest information for the specific user.

45. A communication apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said transmission means preferentially transmits the digest information to said portable terminal according to the level of priority or the level of urgency of the digest information.

46. A communication apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said digest-information generating means generates the digest information in a hierarchical structure consisting of layers having different sizes of the digest information, in which a lower layer of the hierarchical structure has a greater size of the digest information, and a higher layer of the hierarchical structure has a smaller size of the digest information.

47. A communication apparatus according to claim 46, wherein said digest-information generating means selectively transmits the digest information of the individual levels of the hierarchical structure according to a traffic of a communication channel between said communication apparatus and said portable terminal.

48. A communication apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said playback means comprises display means for displaying moving picture data, which serves as the dynamic data or the digest information.

29. A communication apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving dynamic data from an external source;

playback means for playing back the dynamic data received by said receiving means;

input means for inputting as input data user favorite data for the dynamic data played back by said playback means;

digest-information generating means for generating digest information based on the input data input by said input means; and

transmission means for transmitting the digest information generated by said digest-information generating means to a portable terminal.

49. A communication method comprising the steps of:

receiving operation data obtained by each user for dynamic data played back by a playback apparatus;

generating digest information of the dynamic data according to the received operation data; and

transmitting the generated digest information to at least one of the playback apparatuses.

50. A communication method comprising the steps of:

playing back dynamic data;

inputting as input data user favorite data for the played back dynamic data;

transmitting the input data to an external communication apparatus; and

receiving digest information of the dynamic data transmitted from said external communication apparatus.

51. A communication method comprising:

receiving dynamic data from an external source;

playing back the received dynamic data;

inputting as input data user favorite data for the played back dynamic data;

generating digest information based on the input data; and

transmitting the generated digest information to a portable terminal.

52. A storage medium for storing a program implementing a communication method, said communication method comprising the steps of:

receiving operation data obtained by each user for dynamic data played back by a playback apparatus;

generating digest information of the dynamic data according to the received operation data; and

transmitting the generated digest information to at least one of the playback apparatuses.

53. A storage medium for storing a program implementing a communication method, said communication method comprising the steps of:

playing back dynamic data;

inputting as input data user favorite data for the played back dynamic data;

transmitting the input data to an external communication apparatus; and

receiving digest information of the dynamic data transmitted from said external communication apparatus.

54. A storage medium for storing a program implementing a communication method, said communication method comprising the steps of:

receiving dynamic data from an external source;

playing back the received dynamic data;

inputting as input data user favorite data for the played back dynamic data;

generating digest information based on the input data; and

transmitting the generated digest information to a portable terminal.