Information processing system, information processing device and method, recording medium and program

• US 20050060743A1
• Filed: 08/20/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kimura, Hitoshi, Ohnuma, Kensuke
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,654 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/09 Arrangements for receiving desired information automatically according to timetables
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• 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 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums

Abstract

The present invention relates to an information processing system, information processing apparatus and method, recording medium and program, adapted to swiftly recording a program matched to preference information. A user apparatus 3-2 registers generated preference information, together with the information representative of its destination of provision, to a server 2-1 through a network 1. The server 2-1, when registered with the preference information, notifies a user apparatus 3-1 as its destination of provision. The video recording/reproducing unit 11 of the user apparatus 3-1 accesses the server 2-1 through the network 1 and designates preference information desired for scheduling of recording. The server 2-1 sends the designated preference information to the video recording/reproducing unit 11 through the network 1. The video recording/reproducing unit 11 receives this and carries out scheduling for recording on the basis of the preference information. The invention is applicable to a hard-disk video recorder.

Claims

1. An information processing system configured by a first information processing apparatus, a second information processing apparatus for exchanging information with said first information processing apparatus and a third information processing apparatus for taking control of information exchange between said first information processing apparatus and said second information processing apparatus, that are connected to a network, said information processing system characterized in that:

said first information processing apparatus comprises

acquiring means for acquiring preference information about a to-be-aired program based on a preference of a user on said first information processing apparatus; and

first transmitting means for sending, together with said preference information, a destination-of-provision said preference information is to be provided to said third information processing apparatus through said network;

said second information processing apparatus comprises

receiving means for receiving said preference information said first information processing apparatus causes said third information processing apparatus to register, from said third information processing apparatus through said network;

Said third information processing apparatus comprises

registering means for registering said preference information sent from said first information processing apparatus through said network; and

second transmitting means for sending said preference information registered to said second information processing apparatus through said network in the case said second information processing apparatus is said destination-of-provision.

2. An information processing method for an information processing system configured by a first information processing apparatus, a second information processing apparatus for exchanging information with said first information processing apparatus and a third information processing apparatus for taking control of information exchange between said first information processing apparatus and said second information processing apparatus, that are connected to a network, said information processing method for an information processing system characterized in that:

said information processing method in said first information processing apparatus includes

an acquiring step of acquiring preference information about a to-be-aired program based on a preference of a user on said first information processing apparatus; and

a first transmitting step of sending, together with said preference information, a destination-of-provision said preference information is to be provided to said third information processing apparatus through said network;

said information processing method in said second information processing apparatus includes

a receiving step of receiving said preference information said first information processing apparatus causes said third information processing apparatus to register, from said third information processing apparatus through said network;

said information processing method in said third information processing apparatus includes

a registering step of registering said preference information sent from said first information processing apparatus through said network; and

a second transmitting step of sending said preference information registered to said second information processing apparatus through said network in the case said second information processing apparatus is said destination-of-provision.

3. An information processing apparatus characterized by comprising:

first acquiring means for acquiring preference information about a to-be-aired program based on a preference of a user;

second acquiring means for acquiring destination-of-provision information specifying a destination-of-provision said preference information is to be provided; and

providing means for providing said preference information acquired by said first acquiring means and said destination-of-provision information acquired by said second acquiring means, to another information processing apparatus.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said providing means sends and registers said preference information and destination-of-provision information to first another information processing apparatus of said other information processing apparatuses through said network, and causes said first other information processing apparatus to provide through said network said preference information to said second other information processing apparatus of said other information processing apparatuses defined:

by said destination-of-provision information.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said first acquiring means start to acquire preference information about a to-be-aired program depending upon a user'"'"'s operation representing a preference of a predetermined program.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said user'"'"'s operation representing a preference of a predetermined program is an operation of scheduling for recording or protection.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first acquiring means acquires information of a preference keyword, genre, airing time zone and broadcast station extracted from detail information of said program depending upon said user'"'"'s operation representing a preference of a predetermined program, as preference information from broadcast program information.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising receiving means for receiving said broadcast program information from a broadcast station through a broadcast radio wave or from said server through said network.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said second acquiring means acquires said destination-of-provision information in plurality.

10. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus, said information processing method characterized by comprising:

a first acquiring step of acquiring preference information about a to-be-aired program based on a user'"'"'s preference;

a second acquiring step of acquiring destination-of-provision information specifying a destination-of-provision the preference information is to be provided; and

a providing step of providing said preference information acquired by a process of said first acquiring step and said destination-of-provision information acquired by a process of said second acquiring step, to another information processing apparatus.

11. A recording medium recording a computer-readable program that the program is for an information processing apparatus, characterized by comprising:

a first acquiring step of acquiring preference information about a to-be-aired program based on a user'"'"'s preference;

a second acquiring step of acquiring destination-of-provision information specifying a destination-of-provision said preference information is to be provided; and

a providing step of providing said preference information acquired by a process of said first acquiring step and said destination-of-provision information acquired by a process of said second acquiring step, to another information processing apparatus.

12. A program causing a computer for control of an information processing apparatus to execute:

a first acquiring step of acquiring preference information about a to-be-aired program based on a user'"'"'s preference;

a second acquiring step of acquiring destination-of-provision information specifying a destination-of-provision said preference information is to be provided; and

a providing step of providing said preference information acquired by a process of said first acquiring step and said destination-of-provision information acquired by a process of said second acquiring step, to another information processing apparatus.

13. An information processing apparatus characterized by comprising:

access means for accessing another information processing apparatus through a network;

receiving means for receiving preference information about a to-be-aired program from said other information processing apparatus accessed through said network;

storage means for storing said preference information received from said other information processing apparatus; and

scheduled recording means for recording said program by scheduling, on the basis of said preference information stored by said storage means.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising

first acquiring means for acquiring designation information for designating a predetermined piece of preference information from a plurality of pieces of said preference information received from said other information processing apparatus;

and

transmitting means for sending said designation information acquired by said first acquiring means to said other information processing apparatus through said network;

whereby said receiving means receives said preference information sent from said other information processing apparatus through said network and corresponding to said designation information sent by said transmitting means, and

said storage means stores said preference information corresponding to said designation information sent by said transmitting means.

15. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus characterized by comprising:

an access step of accessing another information processing apparatus through a network;

a receiving step of receiving preference information about a to-be-aired program from said other information processing apparatus accessed through said network;

a storage step of storing said preference information received from said other information processing apparatus; and

a scheduled recording step of recording said program by scheduling, on the basis of said preference information stored by a process of the storage step.

16. A recording medium recording a computer-readable program that said program is for an information processing apparatus, characterized by comprising:

an access step of accessing another information processing apparatus through a network;

a receiving step of receiving preference information about a to-be-aired program, from said other information processing apparatus accessed through said network;

a storage step of storing said preference information received from said other information processing apparatus; and

a scheduled recording step of recording said program by scheduling, on the basis of said preference information stored by a process of said storage step.

17. A program causing a computer for taking control of an information processing apparatus to execute:

an access step of accessing another information processing apparatus through a network;

a receiving step of receiving preference information about a to-be-aired program, from said other information processing apparatus accessed through said network;

a storage step of storing the preference information received from said other information processing apparatus; and

a scheduled recording step of recording said program by scheduling, on the basis of said preference information stored by a process of said storage step.

18. An information processing apparatus connected to a network together with first another information processing apparatus and second another information processing apparatus for exchanging information with said first other information processing apparatus, and for taking control of information exchange between said first other information processing apparatus and said second other information processing apparatus, said information processing apparatus characterized by comprising:

first accepting means for accepting an access by said first other information processing apparatus through said network;

receiving means for receiving preference information about a to-be-aired program sent from said first other information processing apparatus whose access has been accepted by said first accepting means and destination-of-provision information specifying a destination-of-provision the preference information is to be provided;

registering means for registering said preference information and destination-of-provision information received by said receiving means;

second accepting means for accepting an access by said second other information processing apparatus through said network;

determining means for determining whether or not said second information processing apparatus whose access has been accepted by said second accepting means is said destination of provision said preference information is to be provided; and

first transmitting means for sending said preference information registered in said registering means to said second information processing apparatus through said network in a case said determining means has determined that said second other information processing apparatus whose access has been accepted by said second accepting means is said destination-of-provision said preference information is to be provided.

19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising

acquiring means for acquiring, from said second other information processing apparatus through said network, designation information designating a predetermined preference information from a plurality of pieces of said preference information sent by said first transmitting means;

and

second transmitting means for sending said preference information corresponding to said designation information acquired by said acquiring means, to said second information processing apparatus through said network.

20. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus connected to a network together with first another information processing apparatus and second another information processing apparatus for exchanging information with said first other information processing apparatus, and for taking control of information exchange between said first other information processing apparatus and said second other information processing apparatus, said information processing method characterized by comprising:

a first accepting step of accepting an access by said first other information processing apparatus through said network;

a receiving step of receiving preference information about a to-be-aired program sent from said first other information processing apparatus whose access has been accepted by a process of said first accepting step and destination-of-provision information specifying a destination-of-provision said preference information is to be provided;

a registering step of registering said preference information and destination-of-provision information received by a process of said receiving step;

a second accepting step of accepting an access by said second other information processing apparatus through said network;

a determining step of determining whether or not said second information processing apparatus whose access has been accepted by a process of said second accepting step is the destination of provision said preference information is to be provided; and

a transmitting step of sending the preference information registered in a process of said registering step to said second other information processing apparatus through said network in a case a process of said determining step has determined that said second other information processing apparatus whose access has been accepted by a process of said second accepting step is said destination of provision said preference information is to be provided.

21. A recording medium recording a computer-readable program that said program is for an information processing apparatus connected to a network together with first another information processing apparatus and second another information processing apparatus for exchanging information with said first other information processing apparatus, and for taking control of information exchange between said first other information processing apparatus and said second other information processing apparatus, characterized by including:

a first accepting step of accepting an access by said first other information processing apparatus through said network;

a receiving step of receiving preference information about a to-be-aired program sent from said first other information processing apparatus whose access has been accepted by a process of said first accepting step and destination-of-provision information specifying a destination-of-provision said preference information is to be provided;

a registering step of registering said preference information and destination-of-provision information received by a process of said receiving step;

a second accepting step of accepting an access by said second other information processing apparatus through said network;

a determining step of determining whether or not said second information processing apparatus whose access has been accepted by a process of said second accepting step is the destination of provision said preference information is to be provided; and

a transmitting step of sending said preference information registered in a process of said registering step to said second other information processing apparatus through said network in a case a process of said determining step has determined that said second other information processing apparatus whose access has been accepted by a process of said second accepting step is said destination of provision said preference information is to be provided.

22. A program causing a computer, connected to a network together with first another information processing apparatus and second another information processing apparatus for exchanging information with said first other information processing apparatus and for taking control of information exchange between said first other information processing apparatus and said second other information processing apparatus, to execute:

a first accepting step of accepting an access by said first other information processing apparatus through said network;

a receiving step of receiving preference information about a to-be-aired program sent from said first other information processing apparatus whose access has been accepted by a process of said first accepting step and destination-of-provision information specifying a destination-of-provision said preference information is to be provided;

a registering step of registering said preference information and destination-of-provision information received by a process of said receiving step;

a second accepting step of accepting an access by said second other information processing apparatus through said network;

a determining step of determining whether or not said second information processing apparatus whose access has been accepted by a process of said second accepting step is the destination of provision said preference information is to be provided; and

a transmitting step of sending said preference information registered in a process of said registering step to said second other information processing apparatus through said network in a case a process of said determining step has determined that said second other information processing apparatus whose access has been accepted by a process of said second accepting step is said destination-of-provision said preference information is to be provided.