Content using apparatus, content using method, distribution server apparatus, information distribution method, and recording medium

• US 20060112411A1
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takai, Motoyuki, Sako, Yoichiro, Terauchi, Toshiro, Miyajima, Yasushi, Sakai, Yuichi, Sasaki, Toru, Yamashita, Kosei
• Granted Patent: US 8,451,832 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/89
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03 Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier

Abstract

A content using apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain delimiter information for content data recorded on a recording medium; an accepting unit configured to accept input of an instruction by a user; and a generating unit configured to generate content data from content data subject to processing to allow playback of content in a new manner, on the basis of the delimiter information obtained by the obtaining unit and the instruction accepted by the accepting unit.

Claims

1. A content using apparatus comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining delimiter information for content data recorded on a recording medium;

accepting means for accepting input of an instruction by a user; and

generating means for generating content data from content data subject to processing to allow playback of content in a new manner, based on the delimiter information obtained by the obtaining means and the instruction accepted by the accepting means.

2. The content using apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the obtaining means sends a request for providing delimiter information including an identifier of target content data to a server apparatus on a network, and obtains the delimiter information sent from the server apparatus in response to the request.

3. The content using apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the obtaining means obtains the delimiter information for target content data from a file that is different from a file in which the content data is recorded.

4. The content using apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the obtaining means obtains delimiter information by analyzing target content data and automatically generating delimiter information for the content data.

5. The content using apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising sending means for sending the delimiter information automatically generated by the obtaining means to a server apparatus connected to a network.

6. The content using apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising recording means for recording on a recording medium the delimiter information automatically generated by the obtaining means.

7. The content using apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the content data is music data, and

wherein the delimiter information for the content data represents a point of change that is characteristic in terms of music or a meaningful music segment.

8. The content using apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the content data is video data, and

wherein the delimiter information for the content data represents a point of change that is characteristic in terms of video or a meaningful video segment.

9. The content using apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the delimiter information is represented using one of subcode time information, a sector address, a cluster address, a time code attached to content data, a number of bytes as counted from a beginning of content data, a number of samples, a group-of-picture video frame, a sound frame, and a unit of compressed block of compressed audio data, these pieces of information being used in the recording medium having recorded the content thereon, and

wherein the delimiter information is represented using an amount relative to a predetermined reference position, a difference relative to immediately previous delimiter information, or a mathematical expression using at least one of the pieces of information.

10. The content using apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein one or more types of delimiter information are associated with content data, and

wherein the content using apparatus further includes selection-input accepting means for accepting input of selection of target delimiter information from a plurality of pieces of delimiter information associated with a single piece of content data.

11. A content using method comprising the steps of:

obtaining delimiter information for content data recorded on a recording medium;

accepting input of an instruction by a user; and

generating content data from content data subject to processing to allow playback of content in a new manner, on the basis of the delimiter information obtained and the instruction accepted.

12. A server apparatus for distributing delimiter information, the server apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing delimiter information for a large number of pieces of content data;

receiving means for receiving a request for providing delimiter information, the request including a content data identifier and being transmitted via a network;

searching means for searching the storage means for delimiter information for target content data, on the basis of the content data identifier included in the providing request received by the receiving means; and

sending means for sending a result of searching by the searching means to a source of the providing request.

13. The server apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the content data is music data, and

wherein the delimiter information for the content data represents a point of change that is characteristic in terms of music or a meaningful music segment.

14. The server apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the content data is video data, and

wherein the delimiter information for the content data represents a point of change that is characteristic in terms of video or a meaningful video segment.

15. The server apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the delimiter information is represented using one of subcode time information, a sector address, a cluster address, a time code attached to content data, a number of bytes as counted from a beginning of content data, a number of samples, a group-of-picture video frame, a sound frame, and a unit of compressed block of compressed audio data, these pieces of information being used in a recording medium having recorded the content thereon, and

wherein the delimiter information is represented using an amount relative to a predetermined reference position, a difference relative to immediately previous delimiter information, or a mathematical expression using at least one of the pieces of information.

16. The server apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein one or more types of delimiter information are associated with content data.

17. An information distribution method that is used with a storage medium storing delimiter information for a large number of pieces of content data, the information distribution method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for providing delimiter information, the request including a content data identifier and being transmitted via a network;

searching the storage medium for delimiter information for target content data, based on the content data identifier included in the providing request received; and

sending a result of the searching to a source of the providing request.

18. A recording medium having recorded thereon a large number of pieces of delimiter information for various content data, wherein it is possible to refer to associated delimiter information on the basis of a content data identifier.

19. A content using apparatus comprising:

an obtaining unit configured to obtain delimiter information for content data recorded on a recording medium;

an accepting unit configured to accept input of an instruction by a user; and

a generating unit configured to generate content data from content data subject to processing to allow playback of content in a new manner, based on the delimiter information obtained by the obtaining unit and the instruction accepted by the accepting unit.

20. A server apparatus for distributing delimiter information, the server apparatus comprising:

a storage unit configured to store delimiter information for a large number of pieces of content data;

a receiving unit configured to receive a request for providing delimiter information, the request including a content data identifier and being transmitted via a network;

a searching unit configured to search the storage unit for delimiter information for target content data, based on the content data identifier included in the providing request received by the receiving unit; and

a sending unit configured to send a result of searching by the searching unit to a source of the providing request.