Information Distributing System, Information Processing Terminal Device, Information Center, And Information Distributing Method

• US 20070169163A1
• Filed: 02/14/2007
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tange, Akira, Morio, Minoru
• Granted Patent: US 8,589,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/131
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/365 the accompaniment information being stored on a host computer and transmitted to a reproducing terminal by means of a network, e.g. public telephone lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast

Abstract

The invention relates to an information distributing system for distributing data to at least one information processing terminal device from an information center storing data. The information distributing system of the invention is structured such that character data, audio data, and both the character data and the audio data are selectively downloaded from the information center to the information processing terminal device on the basis of request information from the information processing terminal device, so that a user makes selection according to a congested state of communication, and effective information collection becomes possible.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a detector configured to detect whether a portable apparatus is mounted on the information processing apparatus;

an interface portion configured to receive request information from the portable apparatus and to transmit the request information to a server apparatus in communication with the information processing apparatus when said detector detects that the portable apparatus is mounted; and

a storage controller configured to control storing information retrieved from the server apparatus in a storage unit in response to the request information.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said interface portion is further configured to transmit information from the server apparatus to the portable apparatus.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data includes character data and audio data of the character data being read aloud.

4. The information apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an operation portion;

a display configured to display the character data;

a speaker configured to output the audio data; and

a controller configured to mute the speaker in response to first audio operation information generated by said operation portion such that the character data is displayed by the display and the audio data is not processed.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said controller is configured to cancel the muting in response to second audio operation information.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first audio operation is the same as the second audio operation information.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector is a photo interrupter or a mechanical switch.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector is a part of a power source supply terminal or an information input/output terminal.

9. A portable apparatus comprising:

an operation portion configured to generate operation information in response to user inputs;

a storage controller configured to control storing the operation information in a storage unit; and

a controller configured to control a transmission of the operation information stored in said storage unit to a server apparatus through an information processing apparatus in response to the portable apparatus being connected with the information processing apparatus;

wherein the operation information is request information.

10. The portable apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said controller is configured to control reception of data from the server acquired in response to the transmitted request information.

11. The portable apparatus according the claim 9, wherein the received data includes character data and audio data of the character data being read aloud, and the portable apparatus further comprises:

a display configured to display the character data; and

an audio output configured to output the audio data;

wherein

the controller is configured to mute the audio output in response to first audio operation information generated by said operation portion such that the character data is displayed by the display and the audio data is not processed.

12. The portable apparatus according the claim 11, wherein said controller is configured to cancel the muting in response to second audio operation information.

13. The portable apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first audio operation is the same as the second audio operation information.

14. The portable apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the character data and the audio data are stored separately in the storage unit.

15. The portable apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the character data and the audio date are stored in a composite state.

16. The portable apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the character data and the audio data are processed by a processing portion and are not stored by the storing unit.

17. The portable apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a detachable monitor configured to output animated data and character data.

18. The portable apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the detachable monitor is a CRT, a TFT LCD, or a plasma display.

19. The portable apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a keyboard.

20. The portable apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the received data includes character data and audio data of the character data being read aloud, and the portable apparatus further comprises:

a display configured to display the character data; and

an audio output configured to output the audio data;

wherein

the controller is configured to mute the audio output in response to first audio operation information generated by said operation portion such that the character data is displayed by the display unit and the audio data is not outputted.

21. A portable apparatus comprising:

an operation portion configured to generate operation information in response to inputs;

a display configured to display character data;

an audio output configured to output audio data of the character data being read aloud; and

a controller configured to mute the audio output in response to the operation information such that the character data is displayed by the display and the audio data is not outputted.

22. The portable apparatus according to claim 21,

wherein said controller is configured to control the audio output to output the audio data at a speed faster than standard reproduction speed.

23. The portable apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

an interface configured to receive character data or audio data from a server including a database;

wherein said controller is configured to control reception of the character data or the audio data from said server via said interface according to operation information in response to inputs to select the character data or the audio data from a menu associated with the database of the server.

24. The portable apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the controller is configured to control said display to display the character data associated with the audio data while said audio output outputs the audio data of the character data being read aloud.

25. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

detecting whether a portable apparatus is mounted on the information processing apparatus;

receiving request information from the portable apparatus;

transmitting the request information to a server apparatus in communication with the information processing apparatus when said detector detects that the portable apparatus is mounted; and

storing information retrieved from the server apparatus in response to the request information.

26. The information processing method of claim 25, further comprising the step of:

selecting stored information to be reproduced as an audio output, a visual output, or a composite output.