Device for reproducing content such as video information and device for receiving content

• US 20040013398A1
• Filed: 06/19/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miura, Masatoshi Kimura, Shibata, Yoshiaki, Takahashi, Yasushi, Kimura, Hitoshi, Kamada, Mikio
• Granted Patent: US 7,853,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/46
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

The present invention is relative with a reproducing apparatus and a receiving apparatus for affording the impression or evaluation in line with the intention of a content supplier to the audience. The reproducing apparatus reproduces an optical disc (1) in which the contents and the estimated evaluation values are recorded at the outset. The estimated evaluation values recorded on the optical disc (1) have been set by the content supplier based on estimated impression or evaluation by the audience on the content. As the reproducing apparatus reproduces the content, the apparatus measures the reaction of the audience by a reaction value inputting unit (61), calculates the impression or evaluation by the audience for the content by a recognition evaluation value calculating unit (63) and compares the recognized evaluation values to the estimated evaluation values read out from the optical disc (1) in a control evaluation value calculating unit (53). Based on the results of comparison, a system controller (7) changes the picture brightness or the sound level in subsequent scenes or shots to vary the site or sequence of reproduction of the optical disc (1) to change the ensuing story development. The estimated evaluation values and/or the content can be received by a receiving apparatus over a communication network.

Claims

1. A content reproducing apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reproducing a content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, and evaluation values estimated for said content, from a recording medium, having recorded thereon said content and the estimated evaluation values;

reaction value inputting means to which a reaction of a viewer to the reproduced content is input as reaction values;

recognized evaluation value computing means for computing, from the input reaction values, the evaluation by the viewer for the content reproduced by said reproducing means, as recognized evaluation values;

control evaluation value calculating means for comparing the so calculated recognized evaluation values and the estimated evaluation values, reproduced by said reproducing means, to calculate control evaluation values; and

controlling means for controlling the reproduction of the content from said recording medium by said reproducing means, based on the so calculated control evaluation values.

2. A content reproducing apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reproducing a content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, and evaluation values estimated for said content, from a recording medium, having recorded thereon said content and the estimated evaluation values;

recognized estimation value inputting means to which the evaluation by the viewer for the reproduced content is input as recognized evaluation values;

control estimation value computing means for computing control evaluation values by comparing the input recognized evaluation values to the estimated evaluation values reproduced by said reproducing means; and

controlling means for controlling the reproduction of the content from said recording medium by said reproducing means based on the so computed control evaluation values.

3. A content reproducing apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reproducing a content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, from a recording medium, having recorded thereon said content;

receiving means for receiving evaluation values estimated for said content;

reaction value inputting means to which the reaction of the viewer for the content reproduced by said reproducing means is input as reaction values;

recognized estimation value computing means for computing, from the input reaction values, the evaluation by the viewer on the content reproduced by said reproducing means, as recognized evaluation value;

control evaluation value computing means for computing control evaluation values by comparing the recognized evaluation value computed and the estimated evaluation values received by said receiving means; and

controlling means for controlling the reproduction of said content from said rem by said reproducing means based on the computed control evaluation values.

4. A content reproducing apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reproducing a content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, from a recording medium, having recorded thereon said content;

receiving means for receiving evaluation values estimated for said content;

recognized estimation value inputting means to which the evaluation by the viewer on the content reproduced by said reproducing means is input as recognized evaluation values;

control evaluation value computing means for computing the control evaluation values by comparing the recognized evaluation values input and the estimated evaluation values received by said receiving means; and

controlling means for controlling the reproduction of said content from said recording medium by said reproducing means based on the computed control evaluation values.

5. A content receiving apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving a content which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information and evaluation values estimated for said content;

storage means for storing the received content and the estimated evaluation values;

reproducing means for reproducing the content and the estimated evaluation values from said storage means;

reaction value inputting means to which the viewer'"'"'s evaluation on the reproduced content is input as reaction values;

recognized estimation value computing means for computing, from the input reaction values, the viewer'"'"'s evaluation to the content reproduced by said reproducing means, as recognized evaluation values;

control evaluation value computing means for computing control evaluation values by comparing the computed recognized evaluation value and the estimated evaluation values reproduced by said reproducing means; and

controlling means for controlling the reproduction of the content from said storage means by said reproducing means, based on the computed control evaluation values.

6. A content receiving apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving a content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, and evaluation values estimated for said content;

storage means for storing the content received and estimated evaluation values;

reproducing means for reproducing the content and the estimated evaluation values from said storage means;

recognized estimation value inputting means to which the evacuation of the viewer to the reproduced content is input as recognized evaluation values;

control evaluation value computing means for computing control evaluation values by comparing the recognized evaluation value, as input, to the estimated evaluation values, as reproduced by said reproducing means; and

controlling means for controlling the reproduction of the content from said storage means by said reproducing means, based on the computed control evaluation values.

7. A content receiving apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving, from a transmission source, the content which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, and evaluation values estimated for said content;

storage means for storing the received content and estimated evaluation values;

reproducing means for reproducing the content and the estimated evaluation values from said storage means;

reaction value inputting means to which the reaction of the viewer to the reproduced content is input as reaction values;

recognized estimation value computing means for computing, from the input reaction values, the viewer'"'"'s evaluation to the content reproduced by said reproducing means, as recognized evaluation values;

control evaluation value computing means for computing control evaluation values by comparing the so computed recognized evaluation values to the estimated evaluation values reproduced by said reproducing means; and

controlling means for requesting said transmission source to send said content and the estimated evaluation values by transmission means and for controlling reproduction of the content from said storage means by said reproducing means based on the control evaluation values computed by said control evaluation value computing means.

8. A content receiving apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving, from a transmission source, a content which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, and evaluation values estimated for said content;

storage means for storing the content received and estimated evaluation values;

reproducing means for reproducing the content and the estimated evaluation values from said storage means;

recognized evaluation value inputting means to which the viewer'"'"'s evaluation to the reproduced content is input as recognized evaluation values;

control evaluation value computing means for computing control evaluation values by comparing the recognized evaluation value, as input, to the estimated evaluation values, as reproduced by said reproducing means; and

controlling means for requesting said transmission source to send said content and the estimated evaluation values by transmission means and for controlling reproduction of the content from said storage means by said reproducing means based on the control evaluation values computed by said control evaluation value computing means.

9. A method for controlling the presentation of a content comprising:

reproducing the content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, and evaluation values estimated for said content, from a recording medium having said content and the estimated evaluation values recorded thereon;

taking in the reaction of the viewer to the reproduced content as reaction values, computing the viewer'"'"'s evaluation to the reproduced content as recognized evaluation values, from the so taken-in reaction values, comparing the computed recognized evaluation values to the reproduced estimated evaluation values and controlling reproduction of said content from said recording medium based on the results of comparison.

10. A method for controlling the presentation of a content comprising:

reproducing the content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, and evaluation values estimated for said content, from a recording medium having said content and the estimated evaluation values recorded thereon;

taking in the viewer'"'"'s evaluation to the reproduced content, as recognized evaluation values, comparing the so taken-in recognized evaluation values to the estimated evaluation values reproduced and controlling the reproduction of said content from said recording medium based on the results of comparison.

11. A method for controlling the presentation of a content comprising:

reproducing a content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, from a recording medium, having said content recorded thereon, and receiving evaluation values, estimated for said content, from a transmission source;

taking in the reaction of the viewer to the reproduced content as reaction values, computing the viewer'"'"'s evaluation to the reproduced content as recognized evaluation values, from the so taken-in reaction values, comparing the computed recognized evaluation values to the received estimated evaluation values and controlling reproduction of said content from said recording medium based on the results of comparison.

12. A method for controlling the presentation of a content comprising:

reproducing the content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, and evaluation value estimated for said content, from a recording medium, having said content and the estimated evaluation values recorded thereon, and receiving evaluation values estimated from said content from a transmission source;

taking in the viewer'"'"'s evaluation to the reproduced content, as recognized evaluation values, comparing the so taken-in recognized evaluation values to the estimated evaluation values received and controlling the reproduction of said content from said recording medium based on the results of comparison.

13. A method for controlling the presentation of a content comprising:

receiving a content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, and evaluation values estimated for said content, storing the content and the estimated evaluation values in storage means and reproducing the content and the estimated evaluation values from said storage means;

taking in the reaction of the viewer to the reproduced content as reaction values, computing the viewer'"'"'s evaluation to the reproduced content, as recognized evaluation values, from the so taken-in reaction values, comparing the computed recognized evaluation values to the reproduced estimated evaluation values and controlling reproduction of said content from said recording medium based on the results of comparison.

14. A method for controlling the presentation of a content comprising:

receiving a content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, and evaluation values estimated for said content, storing the content and the estimated evaluation values in storage means and reproducing the content and the estimated evaluation values from said storage means;

taking in the viewer'"'"'s evaluation to the reproduced content as recognized evaluation values, comparing the so taken-in recognized evaluation values to the estimated evaluation values reproduced and controlling the reproduction of said content from said recording medium based on the results of comparison.

15. A method for controlling the presentation of a content comprising:

requesting a transmission source to send a content which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, and evaluation values estimated for said content, receiving said content and the estimated evaluation values from said transmission source, storing the content and the estimated evaluation values in storage means and reproducing the so stored content and the estimated evaluation values from said storage means;

taking in the reaction of the viewer to the reproduced content as reaction values, computing the viewer'"'"'s evaluation to the reproduced content, as recognized evaluation values, from the so taken-in reaction values, comparing the computed recognized evaluation values to the reproduced estimated evaluation values and controlling reproduction of said content from said recording medium based on the results of comparison.

16. A method for controlling the presentation of a content comprising:

requesting a transmission source to send a content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, and evaluation values estimated for said content, receiving said content and the estimated evaluation values from said transmission source, storing the content and the estimated evaluation values in storage means and reproducing the so stored content and the estimated evaluation values from said storage means;

taking in the viewer'"'"'s evaluation to the reproduced content as recognized evaluation values, comparing the so taken-in recognized evaluation values to the reproduced estimated evaluation values and controlling the reproduction of said content from said storage means based on the results of the comparison.

17. A content reproducing apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reproducing a content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, from a recording medium having said content recorded thereon;

reaction value inputting means to which the reaction of a viewer to the reproduced content is input as reaction values;

recognized evaluation value computing means for computing, from the input reaction values, recognized evaluation values indicating the viewer'"'"'s evaluation to the reproduced content; and

communication means for transmitting the information of the recognized evaluation values, as computed, the content identification information, as the information specifying the reproduced content, and the transmission source identification information, as the information specifying the reproducing apparatus or the viewer.

19. The content reproducing apparatus according to claim 17 or 18 wherein said communication means sends the audience information, as the information pertinent to the viewer, along with the recognized evaluation value information, content identification information and said transmission source identification information.

18. A content reproducing apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reproducing a content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, from a recording medium having said content recorded thereon;

recognized evaluation value inputting means, to which recognized evaluation values indicating the evaluation by the viewer on the content reproduced are input; and

transmission means for transmitting the information of the recognized evaluation values, as input, the content identification information, as the information specifying the reproduced content, and the transmission source identification information, as the information specifying the reproducing apparatus or the viewer.

20. A content receiving apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving a content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information;

reaction value inputting means to which the reaction from the viewer to the received content is input as reaction values;

recognized evaluation value calculating means for computing recognized evaluation values indicating the evaluation by the viewer for the received content from the input reaction values; and

communication means for transmitting the information on the so computed recognized evaluation values, the content identification information, as the information specifying the received content, and the transmission source identification information as the information specifying the receiving apparatus or the viewer.

22. The content receiving apparatus according to claim 20 or 21 wherein said communication means sends the audience information, as the information pertinent to the viewer, along with the recognized evaluation value information, content identification information and said transmission source identification information.

21. A content receiving apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information;

recognized evaluation value inputting means, to which recognized evaluation values indicating the viewer'"'"'s evaluation for the content received is input; and

communication means for transmitting the information on the input recognized evaluation values, the content identification information, as the information specifying the received content, and the transmission source identification information, as the information specifying the receiving apparatus or the viewer.

23. A method for collecting and analyzing the evaluation on a content which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, comprising:

receiving, from a terminal device reproducing or receiving the content, the information on recognized evaluation values indicating the viewer'"'"'s evaluation on the content, the content identification information, as the information specifying the content and the transmission source identification information, as the information specifying the terminal device or the viewer;

detecting the respective information; and

analyzing the viewer'"'"'s evaluation for the content.

24. The method for collecting and analyzing the evaluation on the content according to claim 23 wherein the audience information as the information pertinent to the viewer is received from said terminal device along with the recognized evaluation value information, content identification information and the transmission source information.

25. The method for collecting and analyzing the evaluation on the content according to claim 23 wherein the recognized evaluation values as received are compared to evaluation values estimated for the contents beforehand to analyze the viewer'"'"'s evaluation for the content.

26. An apparatus for collecting and analyzing the evaluation on a content, which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, comprising:

communication means for receiving the information on the recognized evaluation values, indicating the viewer'"'"'s evaluation on the content, sent from a terminal device reproducing or receiving the content, the content identification information, as the information specifying the content, and the transmission source identification information, as the information specifying the terminal device or the viewer; and

analysis processing means for detecting the respective information received and for analyzing the evaluation of the user for the content.

27. The apparatus for collecting and analyzing the evaluation on the content according to claim 26 wherein said communication means receives the audience information, as the information on the viewer, as sent from said terminal device along with said recognized evaluation value information, content identification information and said transmission source identification information.

28. The apparatus for collecting and analyzing the evaluation on the content according to claim 26 wherein said analysis processing means compares the recognized evaluation values received to evaluation values estimated beforehand on the content to analyze the viewer'"'"'s evaluation on the content.

29. An apparatus for reproducing a content which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, said apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reproducing the content from a recording medium having said content recorded therein;

reaction value inputting means to which the reaction from a viewer to the reproduced content is input as reaction values;

recognized evaluation value computing means for computing recognized evaluation values, indicating the viewer'"'"'s evaluation to the content reproduced by said reproducing means, from the input reaction values;

setting means for setting the transmission source identification information as the information specifying the transmission source;

decision means for specifying the viewer for determining the transmission source identification information; and

communication means for transmitting the so determined transmission source identification information, the content identification information, as the information specifying the content reproduced by the reproducing means, and the recognized evaluation value information calculated by said recognized evaluation value computing means or the results of comparison between said recognized evaluation values and evaluation values pre-estimated for the content reproduced by said reproducing means.

30. An apparatus for reproducing a content which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, said apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reproducing the content from a recording medium having said content recorded thereon;

recognized evaluation value inputting means to which recognized evaluation values indicating the viewer'"'"'s evaluation for the reproduced content are input;

setting means for setting the transmission source identification information as the information determining a transmission source;

decision means for specifying the viewer for determining the transmission source identification information; and

communication means for transmitting the so determined transmission source identification information, the content identification information, as the information specifying the content reproduced by the reproducing means, and the recognized evaluation values input by said recognized evaluation value inputting means or the results of comparison between said recognized evaluation values and evaluation values pre-estimated for the content reproduced by said reproducing means.

31. A content receiving apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information;

reaction value inputting means, to which the reaction indicating the reaction of the viewer to the content received is input as reaction values;

recognized evaluation value computing means for computing, from the input reaction values, the recognized evaluation values indicating the viewer'"'"'s evaluation to the content received by said receiving means;

setting means for setting the transmission source identification information as the information determining a transmission source;

decision means for specifying the viewer for determining the transmission source identification information; and

communication means for transmitting the so determined transmission source identification information, the content identification information, as the information specifying the content received by the receiving means and the recognized evaluation value information calculated by said recognized evaluation value computing means or the results of comparison between said recognized evaluation values and evaluation values pre-estimated for the content reproduced by said receiving means.

32. An apparatus for receiving a content which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, said apparatus comprising:

receiving means for reproducing the content from a recording medium having said content recorded thereon;

recognized evaluation value inputting means to which recognized evaluation values indicating the viewer'"'"'s evaluation for the reproduced content are input;

setting means for setting the transmission source identification information as the information determining a transmission source;

decision means for specifying the viewer for determining the transmission source identification information; and

communication means for transmitting the so determined transmission source identification information, the content identification information, as the information specifying the content received by the receiving means and the recognized evaluation values input by said recognized evaluation value inputting means or the results of comparison between said recognized evaluation values and evaluation values pre-estimated for the content reproduced by said receiving means.

33. A method for collecting and managing the evaluation for a content which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, comprising:

receiving the transmission source identification information, as the information specifying a transmission source, transmitted from a terminal device reproducing or receiving the content, the content identification information, as the information specifying the content, reproduced or received by said terminal device, and the recognized evaluation values indicating the viewer'"'"'s evaluation for the content reproduced or received by said terminal device, or results of comparison between the recognized evaluation values and evaluation values pre-estimated for the content reproduced or received by said terminal device;

detecting the respective information;

analyzing the viewer'"'"'s evaluation for the content;

updating the evaluation hysteresis; and

updating management data on the transmission source specified by said transmission source identification information.

34. An apparatus for collecting and managing the evaluation for a content which is at least one of the picture information and the acoustic information, comprising:

communication means for receiving the transmission source identification information, as the information specifying a transmission source, transmitted from a terminal device reproducing or receiving the content, the content identification information, as the information specifying the content, reproduced or received by said terminal device, and the recognized evaluation values indicating the viewer'"'"'s evaluation for the content reproduced or received by said terminal device, or results of comparison between the recognized evaluation values and evaluation values pre-estimated for the content reproduced or received by said terminal device;

evaluation analysis means for detecting the respective information received by said communication means and for analyzing the viewer'"'"'s evaluation on the content reproduced or received by said terminal device;

an evaluation database in which the evaluation hysteresis of the viewer for the content is recorded and updated; and

a management database in which management data for the transmission source specified by said transmission source identification information is recorded and updated.