Information Processing Device and Method, Recording Medium, and Program

• US 20080168505A1
• Filed: 07/20/2005
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Saito, Naoki, Sakai, Yusuke, Kamada, Mikio
• Application Number:
  US11/572,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20080168505A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43076 of the same content streams on multiple devices, e.g. when family members are watching the same movie on different devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program which make it possible for persons at remote places to view the same content in synchronism with each other. For example, if a user A performs an operation for playback starting of a content at time t1, then a line delay when operation information is transmitted is taken into consideration to determine reproduction starting scheduled time t2, and operation information representing that an operation for playback starting is performed and also representing reproduction starting scheduled time t2 and a playback position of the content at time t2 is produced and transmitted to an user X side. Then, the user A side starts playback of the content at time t2. Also on the user X side, when the reproduction starting scheduled time t2 represented by the received operation information comes, playback of the content is started from the playback position of the content represented by the received operation information. Accordingly, after time t2, a state wherein synchronous playback of the content is performed continues. The present invention can be applied, for example, to a communication apparatus between remote places.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus which communicates with a different information processing apparatus through a network, comprising:

a playback section configured to play back content data in response to an operation by a user;

a production section configured to produce operation information corresponding to the operation by the user and transmit the operation information to the different information processing apparatus through said network; and

a playback control section configured to synthesize playback of the content data by said playback section with play back of the content data by the different information processing apparatus based on operation information transmitted from the different information processing apparatus through said network.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the content data are data broadcast as a television program.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said production section produces, in response to an operation of changing over the channel of the television broadcast by the user, the operation information representative of a channel after the changeover.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said production section produces the operation information which includes at least one of the substance of the operation of the user, time at which the operation is performed and a playback position of the content data.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said production section produces the operation information which includes at least one of the substance of the operation of the user, starting scheduled time of a process corresponding to the operation and a playback position of the content data.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a detection section configured to detect communication time required for communication of the operation information through said network; and

wherein

said production section determines the starting scheduled time of the process corresponding to the operation based on the communication time.

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

a communication section configured to communicate sound and an image of the user with the different information processing apparatus through said network.

8. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus which communicates with a different information processing apparatus through a network, comprising the steps of:

playing back content data in response to an operation by a user;

producing operation information corresponding to the operation by the user and transmitting the operation information to the different information processing apparatus through the network; and

synthesizing playback of the content data by the process at the playback step with play back of the content data by the different information processing apparatus based on operation information transmitted from the different information processing apparatus through the network.

9. A recording medium on which a computer-readable program for allowing an information processing apparatus to communicate with a different information processing apparatus through a network is recorded, the program comprising the steps of:

playing back content data in response to an operation by a user;

producing operation information corresponding to the operation by the user and transmitting the operation information to the different information processing apparatus through the network; and

synthesizing playback of the content data by the process at the playback step with play back of the content data by the different information processing apparatus based on operation information transmitted from the different information processing apparatus through the network.

10. A program for allowing an information processing apparatus to communicate with a different information processing apparatus through a network, comprising the steps of:

playing back content data in response to an operation by a user;

producing operation information corresponding to the operation by the user and transmitting the operation information to the different information processing apparatus through the network; and

synthesizing playback of the content data by the process at the playback step with play back of the content data by the different information processing apparatus based on operation information transmitted from the different information processing apparatus through the network.