Video/sound player, video/sound reproducing method, computer readable recording medium, and computer data signal embodied in carrier wave

• US 20070263986A1
• Filed: 05/03/2007
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Casio Hitachi Mobile Communications Company Limited (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Hideo, Matsubara, Takashi
• Application Number:
  US11/800,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20070263986A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/18 Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/32 Arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations, e.g. malfunction or breakdown of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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

Abstract

A video/sound player monitors if the video/sound player is folded by using a sensor unit. When the video/sound player is folded while reproducing a digital content including a video image and a sound, the video/sound player stops reproducing the digital content including the video image and sound, and reproduces digital content data useful with a sound alone predesignated by a user using an input unit.

Claims

1. A video/sound player comprising:

a content reproduction unit that reproduces a content including at least one of a video image and a sound and outputs at least one of a video signal and a sound signal;

a discrimination unit that discriminates whether or not a user is viewing a video image of a content including a video image reproduced by the content reproduction unit; and

a content reproduction control unit that, while the content reproduction unit is reproducing a content including a video image, causes the content reproduction unit to reproduce predetermined sound data in place of the content which is being reproduced by the content reproduction unit, when the discrimination unit discriminates that the user is not viewing the video image of the content.

2. The video/sound player according to claim 1, further comprising:

an external output terminal to which a sound output device is connected; and

a sound signal supply unit that supplies a sound signal from the content reproduction unit to the sound output device connected to the external output terminal,

wherein when the discrimination unit discriminates that the user is not viewing a video image and the sound output device is connected to the external output terminal, the content reproduction control unit causes the content reproduction unit to reproduce the predetermined sound data.

3. The video/sound player according to claim 1, further comprising:

an external output terminal to which a sound output device is connected;

a speaker; and

a sound signal supply unit that supplies a sound signal from the content reproduction unit to the sound output device via the external output terminal when the sound output device is connected to the external output terminal, and supplies the sound signal to the speaker when the sound output device is not connected to the external output terminal.

4. The video/sound player according to claim 1, further comprising a display device having a display screen,

wherein the video/sound player is configured so as to be able to switch a state of the display screen of the display device between a state where the display screen is shielded and a state where the display screen is exposed, and

the discrimination unit discriminates that the user is not viewing a video image when the display screen of the display device is shielded.

5. The video/sound player according to claim 4, further comprising:

a casing; and

a mechanism that switches the state of the display screen of the display device between the state where the display screen is exposed and a state where the display screen is shielded by the casing, by changing the facing direction of the display screen of the display device with respect to the casing,

wherein the discrimination unit discriminates that the user is not viewing a video image when the display screen of the display device is shielded by the casing.

6. The video/sound player according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor that detects an ambient brightness,

wherein the discrimination unit discriminates that the user is not viewing a video image when the ambient brightness detected by the sensor is lower than a predetermined brightness.

7. The video/sound player according to claim 1, wherein the content reproduction unit has a reception unit that receives digital television broadcasting, and a digital broadcasting reproduction unit that reproduces the digital television broadcasting received by the reception unit and outputs a video signal and a sound signal thereof, and

the discrimination unit discriminates whether or not the user is viewing a video image of the digital television broadcasting reproduced by the digital broadcasting reproduction unit during reception of the digital television broadcasting by the reception unit.

8. The video/sound player according to claim 7, wherein the reception unit receives digital television broadcasting and at least one digital broadcasting of digital radio broadcasting, FM sound multiplex broadcasting and streaming sound broadcasting,

the digital broadcasting reproduction unit reproduces the digital broadcasting received by the reception unit and outputs a signal thereof,

the predetermined sound data is sound data of one digital broadcasting designated beforehand from digital radio broadcasting, FM sound multiplex broadcasting and streaming sound broadcasting by the user, and

the content reproduction control unit causes the content reproduction unit to reproduce the predetermined sound data in place of the digital television broadcasting when the discrimination unit discriminates that the user is not viewing a video image of the digital television broadcasting.

9. The video/sound player according to claim 1, further comprising a content storage unit,

wherein the content including a video image is a broadcasting content, and

the content reproduction control unit starts reproducing the predetermined sound data and starts recording a broadcasting content which has been reproduced so far into the content storage unit, when the discrimination unit discriminates that the user is not viewing a video image.

10. The video/sound player according to claim 9, wherein when the video/sound player returns to a state where the user can view a video image after reproduction of the predetermined sound data is started, the content reproduction control unit causes the content reproduction unit to reproduce the broadcasting content recorded in the content storage unit in place of the predetermined sound data which is being reproduced.

11. A video/sound reproducing method comprising:

a reproduction step of reproducing a first content including a video image;

a display step of displaying the video image of the first content reproduced in the reproduction step on a display unit;

a discrimination step of discriminating whether or not a state of the display unit is a visible state where a user can view the video image displayed in the display step; and

a reproduction switching step of switching the reproduction of the first content to reproduction of a second content including sound and different from the first content, when it is discriminated in the discrimination step that the display unit is not in the visible state.

12. The video/sound reproducing method according to claim 11, wherein the discrimination step discriminates whether or not the display unit is covered, and discriminates that the display unit is not in the visible state when the display unit is covered.

13. The video/sound reproducing method according to claim 11, wherein the discrimination step discriminates whether or not an illuminance near the display unit is lower than a predetermined illuminance, and discriminates that the display unit is not in the visible state when the illuminance near the display unit is lower than the predetermined illuminance.

14. A computer readable recording medium recording a program for allowing a computer to execute:

a reproduction step of reproducing a first content including a video image;

a display step of displaying the video image of the first content reproduced in the reproduction step on a display unit;

a discrimination step of discriminating whether or not a state of the display unit is a visible state where a user can view the video image displayed in the display step; and

a reproduction switching step of switching the reproduction of the first content to reproduction of a second content including sound and different from the first content, when it is discriminated in the discrimination step that the display unit is not in the visible state.

15. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave representing a program for allowing a computer to execute:

a reproduction step of reproducing a first content including a video image;

a display step of displaying the video image of the first content reproduced in the reproduction step on a display unit;

a discrimination step of discriminating whether or not a state of the display unit is a visible state where a user can view the video image displayed in the display step; and

a reproduction switching step of switching the reproduction of the first content to reproduction of a second content including sound and different from the first content, when it is discriminated in the discrimination step that the display unit is not in the visible state.