Information processing apparatus and method, and program storage medium

• US 20050165898A1
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hatanaka, Mitsuyuki, Shiroma, Shin, Kojima, Kiyonobu, Morita, Toshihiro, Tambata, Ippei
• Granted Patent: US 8,463,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/211
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/435 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/60 of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/63 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1062 Editing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00797 wherein the usage restriction limits the number of times a content can be reproduced, e.g. using playback counters
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00869 wherein the remote server can deliver the content to a receiving device
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets

Abstract

In an information processor or personal computer (1) to which a terminal is connected and which checks out or in a content to or from the terminal, a device driver (116) detects that a portable device (6) is connected to the personal computer (1), and when the device driver (116) detects that the portable device (6) is connected to the personal computer (1), a start-up program (117) reads contents-related data from the portable device (6) and starts up a display/operation instruction program (112) to provide a display corresponding to the read data.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

detecting that a portable device is connected to a port of an information processor;

acquiring a device ID for the portable device connected to the port when the connection of the portable device to the port is detected;

judging whether the portable device connected to the port is a predetermined portable device based on the device ID;

automatically copying content stored in the information processor to the portable device, when it is determined that the predetermined portable device is connected to the information processor; and

displaying data corresponding to the content stored in the portable device.

18. The information processing method according to claim 17, wherein said data is a name corresponding to particular content.

19. The information processing method according to claim 17, wherein a portion of the content belongs to a filtering package selected by history data.

20. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

detecting that a portable device is connected to a port of an information processor;

acquiring a device ID for the portable device connected to the port when the connection of the portable device to the port is detected;

judging whether the portable device connected to the port is a predetermined portable device based on the device ID; and

automatically copying content belonging to a filtering package stored in the information processor to the portable device, when it is determined that the predetermined portable device is connected to the information processor.

21. The information processing method according to claim 20,

wherein the filtering package is selected based on history data.

22. A program for use in an information processor, said program comprising the steps of:

detecting that a portable device is connected to a port of an information processor;

acquiring a device ID for the portable device connected to the port when the connection of the portable device to the port is detected;

judging whether the portable device connected to the port is a predetermined portable device based on the device ID;

automatically copying content stored in the information processor to the portable device, when it is determined that the predetermined portable device is connected to the information processor; and

displaying data corresponding to the content stored in the portable device.

23. A program for use in an information processor, said program comprising the steps of:

detecting that a portable device is connected to a port of an information processor;

acquiring a device ID for the portable device connected to the port when the connection of the portable device to the port is detected;

judging whether the portable device connected to the port is a predetermined portable device based on the device ID; and

automatically copying content belonging to a filtering package stored in the information processor to the portable device, when it is determined that the predetermined portable device is connected to the information processor.

24. An information processor having contents stored therein comprising:

a connecting port for connecting a portable device;

a storing unit for storing a program;

a processing unit for executing said program stored by the storing unit;

wherein said program includes the steps of;

detecting that a portable device is connected to the port of the information processor;

acquiring a device ID for the portable device connected to the port when the connection of the portable device to the port is detected;

judging whether the portable device connected to the port is a predetermined portable device based on the device ID;

automatically copying content stored in the information processor to the portable device, when it is determined the predetermined portable device is connected to the port; and

displaying data corresponding to the content stored in the portable device.

25. An information processor having contents stored therein comprising:

a connecting port for connecting a portable device;

a storing unit for storing a program;

a processing unit for executing said program stored by the storing unit;

wherein said program includes the steps of;

detecting that a portable device is connected to the port of the information processor;

acquiring a device ID for the portable device connected to the port when the connection of the portable device to the port is detected;

judging whether the portable device connected to the port is a predetermined portable device based on the device ID; and

automatically copying content belonging to a filtering package stored in the information processor to the portable device, when it is determined the predetermined portable device is connected to the port.

26. An information processor having contents stored therein comprising:

a connecting port for connecting a portable device;

detecting means for detecting that a portable device is connected to a connecting port of the information processor;

acquiring means for acquiring a device ID for the portable device connected to the connecting port when the connection of the portable device to the port is detected;

judging means for judging whether the portable device connected to the port is a predetermined portable device based on the device ID;

copying means for automatically copying content stored in the information processor to the portable device, when it is determined that the predetermined portable device is connected to the port; and

displaying means for displaying data corresponding to the content stored in the portable device.

27. An information processor having contents stored therein comprising:

a connecting port for connecting a portable device;

detecting means for detecting that a portable device is connected to a connecting port of the information processor;

acquiring means for acquiring a device ID for the portable device connected to the connecting port when the connection of the portable device to the port is detected;

judging means for judging whether the portable device connected to the port is a predetermined portable device based on the device ID; and

copying means for automatically copying content belonging to a filtering package stored in the information processor to the portable device, when it is determined that the predetermined portable device is connected to the port.

28. A portable device comprising:

a connector that connects to an information processor;

a first transferring unit to transfer ID of the portable device to the information processor when a connection to the portable device is detected;

a storing unit to store content and data related to the content transmitted from the information processor;

a second transferring unit to transfer the data corresponding to the content stored in the portable device; and

a reproducer to reproduce the stored content;

wherein said content is automatically copied to the portable device when it is determined that a predetermined portable device is connected to the information processor, and said data is displayed by the information processor.

29. A method of storing to a portable device, said method comprising the steps of:

connecting to an information processor;

first transferring ID of the portable device to the information processor when a connection to the portable device is detected;

storing content and data related to the content transmitted from the information processor;

second transferring the data corresponding to the content stored in the portable device; and

reproducing the stored content;

wherein said content is automatically transferred to the portable device when it is determined that the predetermined portable device is connected to the information processor, and

said data is displayed by the information processor.

30. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

detecting that a portable device is connected to a port of an information processor;

acquiring a device ID for the portable device connected to the port when a connection of the portable device to the port is detected;

judging whether a predetermined portable device is connected based on the device ID; and

automatically copying content stored in the information processor to the portable device, when it is determined that the predetermined portable device is connected to the information processor.