Data processing apparatus, data processing method, data processing system, storage medium, and program

• US 20040199525A1
• Filed: 07/22/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tange, Akira, Matsuda, Masafumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,444,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06F 16/635 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/687 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A data processing apparatus is disclosed which includes a reproducing element for reproducing each of a plurality of content data items a reproduction status detecting element for detecting status of each content data item being reproduced by the reproducing element a selecting element for selecting the content data item being reproduced by the reproducing element depending on the reproduction status of the content data item detected by the reproduction status detecting element a content identification data generating element for generating content identification data for identifying the content data item selected by the selecting element from the plurality of content data items and a transmitting element for transmitting to a second data processing apparatus the content identification data generated by the content identification data generating element.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reproducing each of a plurality of content data items;

reproduction status detecting means for detecting status of each content data item being reproduced by said reproducing means;

selecting means for selecting the content data item being reproduced by said reproducing means depending on the reproduction status of said content data item detected by said reproduction status detecting means;

content identification data generating means for generating content identification data for identifying the content data item selected by said selecting means from said plurality of content data items; and

transmitting means for transmitting to a second data processing apparatus said content identification data generated by said content identification data generating means.

2. A data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting means transmits together with said content identification data the content data item identified by said content identification data.

3. A data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reproduction status detecting means detects the content data item having been reproduced longer than a predetermined time period.

4. A data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reproduction status detecting means detects a specific part of the content data item being reproduced.

5. A data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reproduction status detecting means detects the content data item having been reproduced from beginning to end.

6. A data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reproduction status detecting means detects, during reproduction of the content data item, the number of times said content data item has been reproduced from the beginning thereof.

8. A data processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising data processing apparatus searching means for searching for and detecting a second data processing apparatus;

wherein said transmitting means transmits said content identification data to said second data processing apparatus when said second data processing apparatus has been searched for and detected by said data processing apparatus searching means.

7. A data processing apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reproducing each of a plurality of content data items;

operating means for designating selection of the content data item being reproduced by said reproducing means;

content identification data generating means which, if said operating means is operated for the designation while the content data item is being reproduced by said reproducing means, then generates content identification data for identifying the currently reproduced content data item from among said plurality of content data items; and

transmitting means for transmitting to a second data processing apparatus said content identification data generated by said content identification data generating means.

9. A data processing method for use with a data processing apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

reproducing each of a plurality of content data items;

detecting status of each content data item being reproduced;

selecting the content data item being reproduced depending on the detected reproduction status of said content data item;

generating content identification data for identifying the content data item selected from said plurality of content data items; and

transmitting said content identification data to a second data processing apparatus.

10. A program for use with a data processing apparatus, said program comprising the steps of:

reproducing each of a plurality of content data items;

detecting status of each content data item being reproduced;

selecting the content data item being reproduced depending on the detected reproduction status of said content data item;

generating content identification data for identifying the content data item selected from said plurality of content data items; and

transmitting said content identification data to a second data processing apparatus.

11. A data processing apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving a plurality of content identification data items;

reproducing means for reproducing a content data item identified by each of said content identification data items received by said receiving means;

reproduction status detecting means for detecting status of each content data item being reproduced by said reproducing means; and

selecting means for selecting the content data item identified by any one of said plurality of content identification data items and reproduced by said reproducing means, depending on the reproduction status of said content data item detected by said reproduction status detecting means.

12. A data processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of content identification data items have been selected by a second data processing apparatus.

13. A data processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said receiving means receives each of said plurality of content identification data items depending on the number of times the corresponding content data item has been reproduced by said reproducing means.

14. A data processing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising data processing apparatus searching means for searching for and detecting a second data processing apparatus;

wherein said receiving means receives said plurality of content identification data from said second data processing apparatus when said second data processing apparatus has been searched for and detected by said data processing apparatus searching means.

15. A data processing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising transmitting means for transmitting the content data item selected by said selecting means, to said second data processing apparatus searched for and detected by said data processing apparatus searching means.

16. A data processing method comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of content identification data items;

reproducing a content data item identified by each of said content identification data items received;

detecting status of each content data item being reproduced; and

selecting the content data item being reproduced depending on the detected reproduction status of said content data item.

17. A program comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of content identification data items;

reproducing a content data item identified by each of said content identification data items received;

detecting status of each content data item being reproduced; and

selecting the content data item being reproduced depending on the detected reproduction status of said content data item.

18. A data processing system having a first and a second data processing apparatus;

wherein said first data processing apparatus comprises;

first reproducing means for reproducing each of a plurality of content data items;

first reproduction status detecting means for detecting status of each content data item being reproduced by said first reproducing means;

first selecting means for selecting the content data item being reproduced by said first reproducing means depending on the reproduction status of said content data item detected by said first reproduction status detecting means;

content identification data generating means for generating content identification data for identifying the content data item selected by said first selecting means from said plurality of content data items; and

transmitting means for externally transmitting said content identification data; and

wherein said second data processing apparatus comprises;

receiving means for receiving said content identification data from said first data processing apparatus;

second reproducing means for reproducing the content data item identified by said content identification data received by said receiving means;

second reproduction status detecting means for detecting status of said content data item being reproduced by said second reproducing means; and

second selecting means for selecting said content data item being reproduced by said second reproducing means depending on the reproduction status of said content data item detected by said second reproduction status detecting means.