Receiving apparatus and receiving method

• US 20040078472A1
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Mizutome, Atsushi, Kutsuna, Masaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,810,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Provided is a receiving apparatus for receiving streaming contents which is capable of receiving contents at a higher speed. The receiving apparatus receives and accumulates the streaming contents periodically during a power off state or while other contents are being audiovisually enjoyed.

Claims

1. A receiving apparatus, comprising:

receiving means for receiving streaming contents through a network;

power detecting means for detecting an instruction of a power off from operation instructing means;

controlling means for, in response to an output from the power detecting means indicating detection of the power off, controlling the receiving means to periodically receive during the power off the streaming contents that are received by the receiving means immediately before the power off; and

accumulating means for accumulating data of the streaming contents that are periodically received during the power off.

2. A receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means includes metainformation detecting means for detecting metainformation of the streaming contents that are received by the receiving means, and controls the receiving means using the metainformation of the streaming contents that are received by the receiving means immediately before the power off.

3. A receiving apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the metainformation includes address information indicating a location on the network of a server that distributes the streaming contents.

4. A receiving apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the metainformation detecting means obtains the metainformation from predetermined guide information related to the streaming contents.

5. A receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means includes a timer that generates a timing signal at a predetermined period, and controls the receiving means in response to the timing signal generated by the timer during the power off.

6. A receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means controls the receiving means to periodically receive predetermined amount of data of the streaming contents.

7. A receiving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the power detecting means further detects an instruction of a power on; and

in response to an output indicating detection of the power on, the controlling means reads the data of the streaming contents which is accumulated in the accumulating means.

8. A receiving apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising data processing means for processing the data of the streaming contents read from the accumulating means, and outputting the data to a monitor device.

9. A receiving apparatus, comprising:

receiving means for receiving streaming contents through a network;

outputting means for outputting the streaming contents to a monitor device;

detecting means for detecting an instruction of a monitor stop for the streaming contents;

controlling means for, in response to an output from the detecting means indicating detection of a monitor stop, controlling the receiving means to periodically receive during the monitor stop the streaming contents that are received by the receiving means immediately before the monitor stop; and

accumulating means for accumulating data of the streaming contents that are periodically received during the monitor stop.

10. A receiving apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the controlling means includes metainformation detecting means for detecting metainformation of the streaming contents that are received by the receiving means, and controls the receiving means using the metainformation of the streaming contents that are received by the receiving means immediately before the monitor stop.

11. A receiving apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the metainformation includes address information indicating a location on the network of a server that distributes the streaming contents.

12. A receiving apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the metainformation detecting means obtains the metainformation from predetermined guide information related to the streaming contents.

13. A receiving apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the controlling means includes a timer that generates a timing signal at a predetermined period, and controls the receiving means in response to the timing signal generated by the timer during the monitor stop.

14. A receiving apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the controlling means controls the receiving means to periodically receive predetermined amount of data of the streaming contents.

15. A receiving apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the detecting means further detects an instruction of a monitor start; and

in response to an output indicating detection of the monitor start, the controlling means reads the data of the streaming contents which is accumulated in the accumulating means.

16. A receiving apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the instruction of the monitor stop is outputted when contents outputted to the monitor device is switched from the streaming contents into other contents than the streaming contents.

17. A receiving apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a tuner for receiving a television broadcast,

wherein the other contents include a television broadcast program received by the tuner.

18. A receiving apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the detecting means further detects an instruction of a monitor start for the streaming contents; and

in response to the instruction of the monitor start, the controlling means reads the data of the streaming contents which is accumulated in the accumulating means, and outputs the data to the monitor device.

19. A receiving apparatus, comprising:

receiving means for receiving streaming contents through a network;

controlling means for, based on predetermined guide information related to plural sets of the streaming contents, controlling the receiving means to periodically receive the plural sets of the streaming contents in parallel; and

accumulating means for accumulating data of the plural sets of the streaming contents that are periodically received.

20. A receiving apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the controlling means includes metainformation detecting means for detecting metainformation of the streaming contents that are received by the receiving means, and controls the receiving means using the metainformation of the streaming contents that are received by the receiving means immediately before a power off.

21. A receiving apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the metainformation includes address information indicating a location on the network of a server that distributes the streaming contents.

22. A receiving apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the metainformation detecting means obtains the metainformation from the predetermined guide information.

23. A receiving apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the controlling means includes a timer that generates a timing signal at a predetermined period, and controls the receiving means in response to the timing signal generated by the timer.

24. A receiving apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the controlling means controls the receiving means to periodically receive predetermined amount of data of the plural sets of the streaming contents in parallel.

25. A receiving apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the controlling means starts to receive the plural sets of the streaming contents at a power on.

26. A receiving apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising outputting means for selectively outputting the streaming contents and other contents to a monitor device,

wherein the controlling means controls the receiving means to periodically receive the plural sets of the streaming contents during a period when the outputting means outputs the other contents to the monitor device.

27. A receiving apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the controlling means controls the receiving means to periodically receive the plural sets of the streaming contents during a power off of the receiving apparatus.

28. A receiving apparatus which receives arbitrarily selected streaming contents through a network by receiving means, and outputs the received streaming contents to a monitor device in an audiovisually enjoyable form, the receiving apparatus comprising:

estimating means for estimating and determining a streaming contents preference to be selected from plural sets of the streaming contents based on a user profile;

controlling means for controlling the receiving means to periodically receive the streaming contents preference determined by the estimating means, during a power off; and

accumulating means for accumulating data of the streaming contents preference that is periodically received.

31. A receiving apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising user profile generating means for generating the user profile based on an audiovisual enjoying history of the streaming contents audiovisually enjoyed on the monitor device.

32. A receiving apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the estimating means performs estimation on the streaming contents again when the user profile is renewed.

33. A receiving apparatus according to claim 28, wherein:

the estimating means determines a plurality of the streaming contents preferences; and

the controlling means controls the receiving means to periodically receive the plurality of the streaming contents preferences in parallel.

34. A receiving apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the accumulating means accumulates data of the plurality of the streaming contents preferences in parallel.

29. A receiving apparatus which receives arbitrarily selected streaming contents through a network by receiving means, and selectively outputs the received streaming contents and other contents to a monitor device in an audiovisually enjoyable form, the receiving apparatus comprising:

estimating means for estimating and determining a streaming contents preference to be selected from plural sets of the streaming contents based on a user profile;

controlling means for controlling the receiving means to periodically receive the streaming contents preference determined by the estimating means during a period when the other contents are outputted to the monitor device; and

accumulating means for accumulating data of the streaming contents preference that is periodically received.

35. A receiving apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising user profile generating means for generating the user profile based on an audiovisual enjoying history of the streaming contents and the other contents audiovisually enjoyed on the monitor device.

30. A receiving apparatus which receives arbitrarily selected streaming contents through a network by receiving means, and outputs the received streaming contents to a monitor device in an audiovisually enjoyable form, the receiving apparatus comprising:

estimating means for estimating and determining a streaming contents preference to be selected from plural sets of the streaming contents based on a user profile;

controlling means for, in response to a power on, controlling the receiving means to periodically receive the streaming contents preference determined by the estimating means; and

accumulating means for accumulating data of the streaming contents preference that is periodically received.

36. A receiving method for receiving streaming contents through a network, the receiving method comprising:

in response to an instruction of a power off, periodically receiving during the power off the streaming contents that are received immediately before the power off; and

accumulating in accumulating means data of the streaming contents that are periodically received during the power off.

37. A receiving method for receiving streaming contents through a network and outputting the streaming contents to a monitor device, the receiving method comprising:

in response to an instruction of a monitor stop for the streaming contents, periodically receiving during the monitor stop the streaming contents that are received immediately before the monitor stop; and

accumulating in accumulating means data of the streaming contents that are periodically received during the monitor stop.

38. A receiving method for receiving streaming contents through a network, the receiving method comprising:

based on predetermined guide information related to plural sets of the streaming contents, periodically receiving the plural sets of the streaming contents in parallel; and

accumulating in accumulating means data of the plural sets of the streaming contents that are periodically received.

39. A receiving method for receiving arbitrarily selected streaming contents through a network by receiving means, and outputting the received streaming contents to a monitor device in an audiovisually enjoyable form, the receiving method comprising:

estimating and determining a streaming contents preference to be selected from plural sets of the streaming contents based on a user profile;

periodically receiving the streaming contents preference determined, during a power off; and

accumulating in accumulating means data of the streaming contents preference that is periodically received.

40. A receiving method for receiving arbitrarily selected streaming contents through a network by receiving means, and selectively outputting the received streaming contents and other contents to a monitor device in an audiovisually enjoyable form, the receiving method comprising:

estimating and determining a streaming contents preference to be selected from plural sets of the streaming contents based on a user profile;

periodically receiving the streaming contents preference determined during a period when the other contents are outputted to the monitor device; and

accumulating in accumulating means data of the streaming contents preference that is periodically received.

41. A receiving method for receiving arbitrarily selected streaming contents through a network by receiving means, and outputting the received streaming contents to a monitor device in an audiovisually enjoyable form, the receiving method comprising:

estimating and determining a streaming contents preference to be selected from plural sets of the streaming contents based on a user profile;

in response to a power on, periodically receiving the streaming contents preference determined; and

accumulating in accumulating means data of the streaming contents preference that is periodically received.