Playback device, contents selecting method, contents distribution system, information processing device, contents transfer method, and storing medium

• US 20070221045A1
• Filed: 02/13/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Makino, Kenichi, Takai, Motoyuki, Sano, Akane, Inoue, Makoto, Sako, Yoichiro, Komori, Akihiro, Terauchi, Toshiro, Takatsuka, Susumu, Tamori, Hirofumi, Sakai, Yuichi, Sasaki, Toru, Nakamura, Takatoshi, Shirai, Katsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,732,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/609
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2516 Hard disks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]

Abstract

A playback device includes a storing unit storing a contents database in which contents including at least music and tempo information indicating the tempo of the music are correlated with each other; a playback unit for performing playback of the contents; a tempo measuring unit for measuring an exercise tempo obtained along with the body movements of a user; a searching unit for searching contents from the contents database based on the information of the measured exercise tempo by the tempo measuring unit; and a contents selecting unit for selecting the contents searched by the searching unit as contents to be played by the playback unit.

Claims

1. A playback device comprising:

storing means for storing a first contents database in which contents comprising music and tempo information indicating a tempo of said music are correlated with each other;

playback means for performing playback of said contents;

tempo measuring means for measuring an exercise tempo obtained from body movements of a user;

searching means for searching contents from said first contents database based on the exercise tempo; and

contents selecting means for selecting the contents searched by said searching means as contents to be played by said playback means.

2. The playback device according to claim 1, wherein said searching means search contents based on the numerical value of the exercise tempo and a numerical value of said tempo information corresponding to each of contents in said first contents database.

3. The playback device according to claim 1, further comprising:

playback control means for controlling such that the contents selected by said contents selecting means are automatically played by said playback means.

4. The playback device according to claim 1, further comprising:

communication means for performing data communication with an external device storing a second contents database in which contents comprising second music and second tempo information indicating a second tempo of said second music are correlated with each other; and

distribution request control means for controlling said communication means to send a contents distribution request specifying the exercise tempo to said external device, in the event that there are no relevant contents in said first contents database as a result of search by said searching means.

5. The playback device according to claim 4, wherein said distribution request control means, in the event that the relevant contents could not have been obtained from said external device, perform control so as to send said distribution request again at predetermined timing following the relevant contents thereafter.

6. The playback device according to claim 4, wherein said distribution request control means, in the event that a number of times of playback by said playback means of the contents selected by said contents selecting means is not less than a predetermined number of times, perform control so as to send a contents distribution request specifying the exercise tempo to said external device.

7. The playback device according to claim 4, wherein said first and second contents databases are further correlated with attribute information representing the attributes of each of contents as well as said tempo information;

and

wherein said distribution request control means perform control so as to send a contents distribution request specifying the exercise tempo and predetermined attribute information to said external device.

8. A contents selecting method to be executed by a playback device comprising storing means for storing a first contents database in which contents comprising music and tempo information indicating a tempo of said music are correlated with each other, playback means for performing playback of said contents, and tempo measuring means for measuring an exercise tempo obtained from body movements of a user, said contents selecting method comprising the steps of:

searching contents from said first contents database based on the exercise tempo; and

selecting the contents searched in said searching as the contents to be

played by said playback means.

9. A contents distribution system comprising:

a playback device;

an information processing device; and

a server device;

wherein said playback device includes

playback-device-side communication means for performing data communication with said information processing device,

playback-device-side storing means storing a first contents database in which contents comprising music are correlated with tempo information indicating the tempo of said music,

playback means for performing playback of said contents,

tempo measuring means for measuring an exercise tempo obtained from body movements of a user,

playback-device-side searching means for searching contents from said first contents database based on the exercise tempo measured by said tempo measuring means,

contents selecting means for selecting the contents searched in said searching as the contents to be played by said playback means,

tempo information holding means for, in the event that it has been found that there are no relevant contents at least in said first contents database as a result of search by said searching means, holding the tempo information thereof as absent tempo information, and

playback-device-side transmission control means for controlling said playback-device-side communication means to transmit the absent tempo information held by said tempo information holding means to said information processing device based on an instruction from said information processing device;

and wherein said information processing device includes

first information-processing-device-side communication means for performing data communication with said playback device,

second information-processing-device-side communication means adapted to perform data communication with said server device via a certain network,

information-processing-device-side storing means storing a second contents database in which second contents comprising second music are correlated with second tempo information indicating a second tempo of said second music,

transmission instruction control means for controlling said first information-processing-device-side communication means to perform a transmission instruction regarding said absent tempo information as to said playback device,

information-processing-device-side searching means for, in the event of receiving said absent tempo information transmitted from said playback device in accordance with a transmission instruction performed by said transmission instruction control means, searching second contents from said second contents database, based on said absent tempo information,

distribution request control means for controlling said second information-processing-device-side communication means to send a distribution request specifying said absent tempo information to said server device in the event that it has been found that there are no relevant contents as a result of search by said information-processing-device-side searching means, and

contents transfer control means for, in the event of receiving the contents transmitted from said server device in accordance with the distribution request from said distribution request control means, controlling said first information-processing-device-side communication means to transfer the received contents to said playback device;

and wherein said server device includes

server-side communication means for performing data communication with said information processing device via said network,

server-side storing means storing a third contents database in which third contents comprising third music are correlated with third tempo information indicating a third tempo of said third music,

server-side searching means for, in the event of said server-side communication means receiving a distribution request specifying said absent tempo information from said information processing device, searching third contents from said third contents database based on said absent tempo information, and

server-side transmission control means for controlling said server side communication means to transmit the third contents searched by said server-side searching means to said information processing device.

10. A playback device comprising:

playback-device-side communication means for performing data communication with an external information processing device;

storing means storing a contents database in which contents comprising music are correlated with tempo information indicating a tempo of said music;

playback means for performing playback of said contents;

tempo measuring means for measuring an exercise tempo obtained from body movements of a user;

searching means for searching contents from said contents database based on the exercise tempo;

contents selecting means for selecting the contents searched by said searching means as the content to be played by said playback means;

absent tempo information holding means for, in the event that it has been found that there are no relevant contents in said contents database as a result of search by said searching means, holding the tempo information thereof as absent tempo information; and

transmission control means for controlling said communication means to transmit the absent tempo information held by said absent tempo information holding means to said external information processing device based on an instruction from said external information processing device.

11. An information processing device comprising:

first communication means for performing data communication with an external playback device;

second communication means for performing data communication with an external server via a certain network;

storing means storing a contents database in which contents comprising music are correlated with tempo information indicating a tempo of said music;

transmission instruction control means for controlling said first communication means to perform a transmission instruction regarding absent tempo information as to said playback device;

searching means for, in the event of receiving said absent tempo information transmitted from said playback device in accordance with a transmission instruction performed by said transmission instruction control means, searching contents from said contents database, based on said absent tempo information;

distribution request control means for controlling said second communication means to send a distribution request specifying said absent tempo information to said server device in the event that it has been found that there are no relevant contents as a result of search by said searching means; and

contents transfer control means for, in the event of receiving the contents transmitted from said server device in accordance with the distribution request from said distribution request control means, controlling said first communication means to transfer the received contents to said playback device.

12. A contents transfer method of an information processing device including first communication means for performing data communication with an external playback device, second communication means for performing data communication with an external server via a certain network, and storing means storing a contents database in which contents including at least music are correlated with tempo information indicating the tempo of said music, said contents transfer method comprising the steps of:

controlling said first communication means to perform a transmission instruction regarding absent tempo information as to said playback device;

searching contents, in the event of receiving said absent tempo information transmitted from said playback device in accordance with the transmission instruction performed in said controlling, from said contents database based on said absent tempo information;

controlling said second communication means to send a distribution request specifying said absent tempo information to said external server in the event that it has been found that there are no relevant contents as a result of search in said searching; and

controlling said first communication means, in the event of receiving the contents transmitted from said server device in accordance with a distribution request in said distribution request controlling, to transfer the received contents to said playback device.

13. A storing medium storing a program to be executed at an information processing device including first communication means for performing data communication with an external playback device, second communication means for performing data communication with an external server via a certain network, and storing means storing a contents database in which contents including at least music are correlated with tempo information indicating the tempo of said music, said program causing said information processing device to execute the steps of:

controlling said first communication means to perform a transmission instruction regarding absent tempo information to said playback device;

searching contents, in the event of receiving said absent tempo information transmitted from said playback device in accordance with the transmission instruction performed in said controlling, from said contents database based on said absent tempo information;

controlling said second communication means to send a distribution request specifying said absent tempo information to said external server in the event that it has been found that there are no relevant contents as a result of search in said searching; and

controlling said first communication means, in the event of receiving contents transmitted from said server device in accordance with a distribution request in said distribution request controlling, to transfer the received contents to said playback device.

14. A playback device comprising:

a storing unit storing a first contents database in which contents comprising music and tempo information indicating a tempo of said music are correlated with each other;

a playback unit for performing playback of said contents;

a tempo measuring unit for measuring an exercise tempo obtained from body movements of a user;

a searching unit for searching contents from said first contents database based on the information of the exercise tempo; and

a contents selecting unit for selecting the contents searched by said searching unit as contents to be played by said playback unit.

15. A contents selecting method of a playback device including a storing unit storing a first contents database in which contents comprising music and tempo information indicating a tempo of said music are correlated with each other, a playback unit for performing playback of said contents, and a tempo measuring unit for measuring an exercise tempo obtained from body movements of a user, said contents selecting method comprising the steps of:

searching contents from said first contents database based on the information of the exercise tempo; and

selecting the contents searched in said searching as the contents to be played by said playback unit.

16. A contents distribution system comprising:

a playback device;

an information processing device; and

a server device;

wherein said playback device includes

a playback-device-side communication unit for performing data communication with said information processing device,

a playback-device-side storing unit storing a first contents database in which contents comprising music are correlated with tempo information indicating a tempo of said music,

a playback unit for performing playback of said contents,

a tempo measuring unit for measuring an exercise tempo obtained from body movements of a user,

a playback-device-side searching unit for searching contents from said first contents database based on the exercise tempo,

a contents selecting unit for selecting the contents searched in said searching as the contents to be played by said playback unit,

a tempo information holding unit for, in the event that it has been found that there are no relevant contents at least in said first contents database as a result of search by said searching unit, holding the tempo information thereof as absent tempo information, and

a playback-device-side transmission control unit for controlling said playback-device-side communication unit to transmit the absent tempo information held by said tempo information holding unit to said information processing device based on an instruction from said information processing device;

and wherein said information processing device includes

a first information-processing-device-side communication unit for performing data communication with said playback device,

a second information-processing-device-side communication unit adapted to perform data communication with said server device via a certain network,

an information-processing-device-side storing unit storing a second contents database in which second contents comprising second music are correlated with second tempo information indicating a second tempo of said second music,

a transmission instruction control unit for controlling said first information-processing-device-side communication unit to perform a transmission instruction regarding said absent tempo information as to said playback device,

an information-processing-device-side searching unit for, in the event of receiving said absent tempo information transmitted from said playback device in accordance with a transmission instruction performed by said transmission instruction control unit, searching contents from said second contents database,

a distribution request control unit for controlling said second information-processing-device-side communication unit to send a distribution request specifying said absent tempo information to said server device in the event that it has been found that there are no relevant contents as a result of search by said information-processing-device-side searching unit, and

a contents transfer control unit for, in the event of receiving the contents transmitted from said server device in accordance with the distribution request from said distribution request control unit, controlling said first information-processing-device-side communication unit to transfer the received contents to said playback device;

and wherein said server device includes

a server-side communication unit for performing data communication with said information processing device via said network,

a server-side storing unit storing a third contents database in which third contents comprising third music are correlated with third tempo information indicating a third tempo of said third music,

a server-side searching unit for, in the event of said server-side communication unit receiving a distribution request specifying said absent tempo information from said information processing device, searching contents from said third contents database based on said absent tempo information, and

a server-side transmission control unit for controlling said server side communication unit to transmit the contents searched by said server-side searching unit to said information processing device.

17. A playback device comprising:

a playback-device-side communication unit for performing data communication with an external information processing device;

a storing unit storing a contents database in which contents comprising music are correlated with tempo information indicating a tempo of said music;

a playback unit for performing playback of said contents;

a tempo measuring unit for measuring an exercise tempo obtained from body movements of a user;

a searching unit for searching contents from said contents database based on the information of the exercise tempo measured by said tempo measuring unit;

a contents selecting unit for selecting the contents searched by said searching unit as content to be played by said playback unit;

an absent tempo information holding unit for, in the event that it has been found that there are no relevant contents as a result of search by said searching unit, holding the tempo information thereof as absent tempo information; and

a transmission control unit for controlling said communication unit to transmit the absent tempo information held by said tempo information holding unit to said external information processing device based on an instruction from said external information processing device.

18. An information processing device comprising:

a first communication unit for performing data communication with an external playback device;

a second communication unit for performing data communication with an external server via a certain network;

a storing unit storing a contents database in which contents comprising music are correlated with tempo information indicating a tempo of said music;

a transmission instruction control unit for controlling said first communication unit to perform a transmission instruction regarding said absent tempo information as to said external playback device;

a searching unit for, in the event of receiving said absent tempo information transmitted from said playback device in accordance with a transmission instruction performed by said transmission instruction control unit, searching contents from said contents database;

a distribution request control unit for controlling said second communication unit to send a distribution request specifying said absent tempo information to said server device in the event that it has been found that there are no relevant contents as a result of search by said searching unit; and

a contents transfer control unit for, in the event of receiving the contents transmitted from said server device in accordance with the distribution request from said distribution request control unit, controlling said first communication unit to transfer the received contents to said playback device.

19. A contents transfer method of an information processing device including a first communication unit for performing data communication with an external playback device, a second communication unit for performing data communication with an external server via a certain network, and a storing unit storing a contents database in which contents comprising music are correlated with tempo information indicating a tempo of said music, said contents transfer method comprising the steps of:

controlling said first communication unit to perform a transmission instruction regarding said absent tempo information as to said external playback device;

searching contents, in the event of receiving said absent tempo information transmitted from said playback device in accordance with the transmission instruction performed in said controlling, from said contents database based on said absent tempo information;

controlling said second communication unit to send a distribution request specifying said absent tempo information to said server device in the event that it has been found that there are no relevant contents as a result of search in said searching; and

controlling said first communication unit, in the event of receiving the contents transmitted from said server device in accordance with a distribution request in said distribution request controlling, to transfer the received contents to said external playback device.

20. A storing medium storing a program to be executed at an information processing device including a first communication unit for performing data communication with an external playback device, a second communication unit for performing data communication with an external server via a certain network, and a storing unit storing a contents database in which contents comprising music are correlated with tempo information indicating a tempo of said music, said program causing said information processing device to execute the steps of:

controlling said first communication unit to perform a transmission instruction regarding said absent tempo information as to said external playback device;

searching contents, in the event of receiving said absent tempo information transmitted from said external playback device in accordance with the transmission instruction performed in said controlling, from said contents database based on said absent tempo information;

controlling said second communication unit to send a distribution request specifying said absent tempo information to said server device in the event that it has been found that there are no relevant contents as a result of search in said searching; and

controlling said first communication unit, in the event of receiving the contents transmitted from said external server in accordance with a distribution request in said distribution request controlling, to transfer the received contents to said playback device.