SIGNAL PROCESSING APPARATUS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD

• US 20120065751A1
• Filed: 09/06/2011
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: OKUNO, Hidehiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,909,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/686 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, title or artist information, time, location or usage information, user ratings
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10537 Audio or video recording
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10546 specifically adapted for audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver

Abstract

A signal processing apparatus includes a connection section for being attachable to or detachable from an external device which reproduces content and attribute information of the content and a control section for controlling the external device which is mounted on the connection section. The control section acquires the attribute information from an external device, supplies a reproduction request for content to the external device, supplies content reproduced by the external device in response to the reproduction request to a reproduction device by streaming, and determines whether or not the content is completely reproduced using the acquired attribute information, and when it is determined that the reproduction of the content is completed, controlling the external device by stopping the reproduction of the content and notifying that the reproduction of the content is completed to the reproduction device.

Claims

1. A signal processing apparatus comprising:

a connection section for being attachable to or detachable from an external device which reproduces a plurality of content items and attribute information of each of the plurality of content items; and

a control section for controlling the external device which is mounted on the connection section,

wherein the control section

acquires the attribute information from an external device which is mounted on the connection section,

supplies a reproduction request for content to the external device which is mounted on the connection section,

supplies a content item which is reproduced by the external device in response to the reproduction request to a reproduction device by streaming, and

determines whether or not the content is completely reproduced using the acquired attribute information, and when it is determined that the reproduction of the content is completed, controls the external device by stopping the reproduction of the content and notifies that the reproduction of the content is completed to the reproduction device.

2. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attribute information is a reproduction time, and

wherein the control section determines whether or not the reproduction of the content is completed on the basis of the reproduction time being elapsed.

3. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control section determines that the reproduction of the content is completed before the point of time when the reproduction time is elapsed.

4. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction request is a reproduction request for designating content which starts reproduction, and

wherein when the reproduction request is made to the external device which is mounted on the connection section, the external device is configured to reproduce another content item after the designated content is completely reproduced.

5. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a network connection section for connecting to a network,

wherein the control section transmits content, which is reproduced by the external device via the network connection section, to the reproduction device.

6. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquired attribute information is displayed by the reproduction device or another device.

7. A signal processing method comprising:

connecting a connection section which is attachable to or detachable from an external device which reproduces a plurality of content items and attribute information of each of the plurality of content items; and

controlling the external device which is mounted on the connection section,

wherein the controlling of the external device includes

acquiring the attribute information from an external device which is mounted on the connection section,

supplying a reproduction request for content to the external device which is mounted on the connection section,

supplying content which is reproduced by the external device in response to the reproduction request to a reproduction device by streaming, and

determining whether or not the content is completely reproduced using the acquired attribute information, and when it is determined that the reproduction of the content is completed, controlling the external device by stopping the reproduction of the content and notifying that the reproduction of the content is completed to the reproduction device.