Transfer apparatus, transfer system, program, and transfer method

• US 20080263240A1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Konno, Tatsuya, Yamada, Rui, Kori, Takayuki, Seki, Yasuharu
• Granted Patent: US 7,962,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/58
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a transfer apparatus including, a connection status detection block, a storage status detection block, a no-operation status detection block, and a transfer block.

Claims

1. A transfer apparatus to which a memory device capable of storing content data may be connected, comprising:

a connection status detection block configured to detect a connected status in which said memory device and said transfer apparatus are interconnected;

a storage status detection block configured to detect a transfer candidate stored status in which transfer candidate content data to be transferred to said memory device is stored in a storage media of said transfer apparatus;

a no-operation status detection block configured to detect a no-operation status in which said transfer apparatus has not been operated by a user thereof for longer than a predetermined setting period of time; and

a transfer block configured to automatically transfer said transfer candidate content data to said memory device when said connected status is detected by said connection status detection block, said transfer candidate stored status is detected by said storage status detection block, and said no-operation status is detected by said no-operation status detection block.

2. The transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said no-operation status detection block detects said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since a point of time at which said transfer apparatus was operated last by the user.

3. The transfer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said transfer block automatically transfers said transfer candidate content data to said memory device upon confirmation of the detection of said transfer candidate stored status by said storage status detection block and said no-operation status is detected by said no-operation status detection block when said memory device is connected to said transfer apparatus.

4. The transfer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said transfer block automatically transfers said transfer candidate content data to said memory device upon confirmation of the detection of said connected status by said connection status detection block and said no-operation status by said no-operation status detection block when said transfer candidate content data to be transferred to said memory device is stored in said storage media of said transfer apparatus.

5. The transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said no-operation status detection block detects said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since a point of time at which said connected status was detected by said connection status detection block.

6. The transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said no-operation status detection block detects said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since a point of time at which said transfer candidate stored status was detected by said storage status detection block.

7. The transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said no-operation status detection block detects said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since said connected status was detected by said connection status detection block and said transfer candidate stored status was detected by said storage status detection block.

8. The transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said no-operation status detection block has a timer for clocking a time from a predetermined origin and detects said no-operation status on the basis of clock information provided by said timer.

9. The transfer apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a display information generating block configured to generate count-down information indicative of the passing of said predetermined setting period of time on the basis of said clock information provided by said timer, said count-down information being for display on a display monitor.

10. The transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said no-operation status detection block detects said no-operation status when a time of said origin is recorded and a difference between a current time and the recorded time exceeds said predetermined setting period of time.

11. The transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said no-operation status detection block detects said no-operation status in which said transfer apparatus has not been operated by the user for longer than said predetermined setting period of time on the basis of startup of a screen saver.

12. The transfer apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a time setting block configured to set said predetermined setting period of time on the basis of a user operation.

13. The transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said time setting block sets different periods of time in accordance with an attribute of content data.

14. A transfer system comprising:

a transfer apparatus; and

a memory device capable of storing content data and being connected to said transfer apparatus;

wherein said transfer apparatus has

a connection status detection block configured to detect a connected status in which said memory device and said transfer apparatus are interconnected,

a storage status detection block configured to detect a transfer candidate stored status in which transfer candidate content data to be transferred to said memory device is stored in a storage media of said transfer apparatus,

a no-operation status detection block configured to detect a no-operation status in which said transfer apparatus has not been operated by a user thereof for longer than a predetermined setting period of time, and

a transfer block configured to automatically transfer said transfer candidate content data to said memory device when said connected status is detected by said connection status detection block, said transfer candidate stored status is detected by said storage status detection block, and said no-operation status is detected by said no-operation status detection block,

said memory device has

a receiver configured to receive content data automatically transferred from said transfer block, and

a storage configured to store said content data.

15. The transfer system according to claim 14, wherein said no-operation status detection block detects said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since a point of time at which said transfer apparatus was operated last by the user.

16. The transfer system according to claim 15, wherein said transfer block automatically transfers said transfer candidate content data to said memory device upon confirmation of the detection of said transfer candidate stored status by said storage status detection block and said no-operation status is detected by said no-operation status detection block when said memory device is connected to said transfer apparatus.

17. The transfer system according to claim 15, wherein said transfer block automatically transfers said transfer candidate content data to said memory device upon confirmation of the detection of said connected status by said connection status detection block and said no-operation status by said no-operation status detection block when said transfer candidate content data to be transferred to said memory device is stored in said storage media of said transfer apparatus.

18. The transfer system according to claim 14, wherein said no-operation status detection block detects said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since a point of time at which said connected status was detected by said connection status detection block.

19. The transfer system according to claim 14, wherein said no-operation status detection block detects said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since a point of time at which said transfer candidate stored status was detected by said storage status detection block.

20. The transfer system according to claim 14, wherein said no-operation status detection block detects said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since said connected status was detected by said connection status detection block and said transfer candidate stored status was detected by said storage status detection block.

21. The transfer system according to claim 14, wherein said no-operation status detection block has a timer for clocking a time from a predetermined origin and detects said no-operation status on the basis of clock information provided by said timer.

22. The transfer system according to claim 21, further comprising:

a display information generating block configured to generate count-down information indicative of the passing of said predetermined setting period of time on the basis of said clock information provided by said timer, said count-down information being for display on a display monitor.

23. The transfer system according to claim 14, wherein said no-operation status detection block detects said no-operation status when a time of said origin is recorded and a difference between a current time and the recorded time exceeds said predetermined setting period of time.

24. The transfer system according to claim 14, wherein said no-operation status detection block detects said no-operation status in which said transfer apparatus has not been operated by the user for longer than said predetermined setting period of time on the basis of startup of a screen saver.

25. The transfer system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a time setting block configured to set said predetermined setting period of time on the basis of a user operation.

26. The transfer system according to claim 14, wherein said time setting block sets different periods of time in accordance with an attribute of content data.

27. A program configured to make a computer function as a transfer apparatus to which a memory device capable of storing content data may be connected, comprising:

a connection status detection block configured to detect a connected status in which said memory device and said transfer apparatus are interconnected;

a storage status detection block configured to detect a transfer candidate stored status in which transfer candidate content data to be transferred to said memory device is stored in a storage media of said transfer apparatus;

a no-operation status detection block configured to detect a no-operation status in which said transfer apparatus has not been operated by a user thereof for longer than a predetermined setting period of time; and

a transfer block configured to automatically transfer said transfer candidate content data to said memory device when said connected status is detected by said connection status detection block, said transfer candidate stored status is detected by said storage status detection block, and said no-operation status is detected by said no-operation status detection block.

28. The program according to claim 27, wherein said program makes said no-operation status detection block detect said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since a point of time at which said transfer apparatus was operated last by the user.

29. The program according to claim 28, wherein said program makes said transfer block automatically transfer said transfer candidate content data to said memory device upon confirmation of the detection of said transfer candidate stored status by said storage status detection block and said no-operation status is detected by said no-operation status detection block when said memory device is connected to said transfer apparatus.

30. The program according to claim 28, wherein said program makes said transfer block automatically transfer said transfer candidate content data to said memory device upon confirmation of the detection of said connected status by said connection status detection block and said no-operation status by said no-operation status detection block when said transfer candidate content data to be transferred to said memory device is stored in said storage media of said transfer apparatus.

31. The program according to claim 27, wherein said program makes no-operation status detection block detect said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since a point of time at which said connected status was detected by said connection status detection block.

32. The program according to claim 27, wherein said program makes said no-operation status detection block detect said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since a point of time at which said transfer candidate stored status was detected by said storage status detection block.

33. The program according to claim 27, wherein said program makes said no-operation status detection block detect said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since said connected status was detected by said connection status detection block and said transfer candidate stored status was detected by said storage status detection block.

34. The program according to claim 27, wherein said program makes said no-operation status detection block have a timer for clocking a time from a predetermined origin and detects said no-operation status on the basis of clock information provided by said timer.

35. The program according to claim 34, wherein said program makes the transfer apparatus further comprise:

a display information generating block configured to generate count-down information indicative of the passing of said predetermined setting period of time on the basis of said clock information provided by said timer, said count-down information being for display on a display monitor.

36. The program according to claim 27, wherein said program makes said no-operation status detection block detect said no-operation status when a time of said origin is recorded and a difference between a current time and the recorded time exceeds said predetermined setting period of time.

37. The program according to claim 27, wherein said program makes said no-operation status detection block detect said no-operation status in which said transfer apparatus has not been operated by the user for longer than said predetermined setting period of time on the basis of startup of a screen saver.

38. The program according to claim 27, wherein said program makes the transfer apparatus further comprise:

a time setting block configured to set said predetermined setting period of time on the basis of a user operation.

39. The program according to claim 27, wherein said program makes said time setting block set different periods of time in accordance with an attribute of content data.

40. A program configured to make a computer function as a transfer system, said transfer system comprising:

a transfer apparatus; and

a memory device capable of storing content data and being connected to said transfer apparatus;

wherein said transfer apparatus has

a connection status detection block configured to detect a connected status in which said memory device and said transfer apparatus are interconnected,

a storage status detection block configured to detect a transfer candidate stored status in which transfer candidate content data to be transferred to said memory device is stored in a storage media of said transfer apparatus,

a no-operation status detection block configured to detect a no-operation status in which said transfer apparatus has not been operated by a user thereof for longer than a predetermined setting period of time, and

a transfer block configured to automatically transfer said transfer candidate content data to said memory device when said connected status is detected by said connection status detection block, said transfer candidate stored status is detected by said storage status detection block, and said no-operation status is detected by said no-operation status detection block,

said memory device has

a receiver configured to receive content data automatically transferred from said transfer block, and

a storage configured to store said content data.

41. The program according to claim 40, wherein said program makes said no-operation status detection block detect said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since a point of time at which said transfer apparatus was operated last by the user.

42. The program according to claim 41, wherein said program makes said transfer block automatically transfer said transfer candidate content data to said memory device upon confirmation of the detection of said transfer candidate stored status by said storage status detection block and said no-operation status is detected by said no-operation status detection block when said memory device is connected to said transfer apparatus.

43. The program according to claim 41, wherein said program makes said transfer block automatically transfer said transfer candidate content data to said memory device upon confirmation of the detection of said connected status by said connection status detection block and said no-operation status by said no-operation status detection block when said transfer candidate content data to be transferred to said memory device is stored in said storage media of said transfer apparatus.

44. The program according to claim 40, wherein said program makes said no-operation status detection block detect said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since a point of time at which said connected status was detected by said connection status detection block.

45. The program according to claim 40, wherein said program makes said no-operation status detection block detect said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since a point of time at which said transfer candidate stored status was detected by said storage status detection block.

46. The program according to claim 40, wherein said program makes said no-operation status detection block detect said no-operation status on the basis of whether said predetermined setting period of time has passed without user'"'"'s operating said transfer apparatus since said connected status was detected by said connection status detection block and said transfer candidate stored status was detected by said storage status detection block.

47. The program according to claim 40, wherein said program makes said no-operation status detection block have a timer for clocking a time from a predetermined origin and detects said no-operation status on the basis of clock information provided by said timer.

48. The program according to claim 47, wherein said program makes said transfer system further comprise:

a display information generating block configured to generate count-down information indicative of the passing of said predetermined setting period of time on the basis of said clock information provided by said timer, said count-down information being for display on a display monitor.

49. The program according to claim 40, wherein said program makes said no-operation status detection block detect said no-operation status when a time of said origin is recorded and a difference between a current time and the recorded time exceeds said predetermined setting period of time.

50. The program according to claim 40, wherein said program makes said no-operation status detection block detect said no-operation status in which said transfer apparatus has not been operated by the user for longer than said predetermined setting period of time on the basis of startup of a screen saver.

51. The program according to claim 40, wherein said program makes said transfer system further comprise:

a time setting block configured to set said predetermined setting period of time on the basis of a user operation.

52. The program according to claim 40, wherein said program makes said time setting block set different periods of time in accordance with an attribute of content data.

53. A transfer method for a transfer apparatus to which a memory device capable of storing content data may be connected, comprising the steps of:

detecting a connected status in which said memory device and said transfer apparatus are interconnected;

detecting a transfer candidate stored status in which transfer candidate content data to be transferred to said memory device is stored in a storage media of said transfer apparatus;

detecting a no-operation status in which said transfer apparatus has not been operated by a user thereof for longer than a predetermined setting period of time; and

automatically transferring said transfer candidate content data to said memory device when said connected status is detected in the connection status detecting step, said transfer candidate stored status is detected in the storage status detecting step, and said no-operation status is detected in the no-operation status detecting step.

54. A transfer method for a memory device capable of storing content data and a transfer apparatus to which said memory device may be connected, comprising the steps of:

detecting a connected status in which said memory device and said transfer apparatus are interconnected;

detecting a transfer candidate stored status in which transfer candidate content data to be transferred to said memory device is stored in a storage media of said transfer apparatus;

detecting a no-operation status in which said transfer apparatus has not been operated by a user thereof for longer than a predetermined setting period of time;

automatically transferring said transfer candidate content data to said memory device when said connected status is detected in the connection status detecting step, said transfer candidate stored status is detected in the storage status detecting step, and said no-operation status is detected in the no-operation status detecting step;

receiving said automatically transferred content data by said memory device; and

storing said content data in said memory device.