CONTENT REPRODUCTION APPARATUS, CONTROL INFORMATION PROVIDING SERVER, AND CONTENT REPRODUCTON SYSTEM

• US 20130204919A1
• Filed: 04/21/2011
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kitazato, Naohisa
• Granted Patent: US 10,171,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 21/8541 involving branching, e.g. to different story endings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot

Abstract

Provided is a content reproduction apparatus including a reproduction control unit that controls reproduction of a link-type content including a plurality of scenarios that each include content data and control information regarding reproduction of the content data, and a control information acquisition unit that acquires the control information. The reproduction control unit controls the reproduction of the link-type content by reproducing the content data in accordance with the control information including event information used to transition from a current scenario to another scenario.

Claims

1. A content reproduction apparatus comprising:

a reproduction control unit that controls reproduction of a link-type content including a plurality of scenarios that each include content data and control information regarding reproduction of the content data; and

a control information acquisition unit that acquires the control information,

wherein the reproduction control unit controls the reproduction of the link-type content by reproducing the content data in accordance with the control information including event information used to transition from a current scenario to another scenario.

2. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the event information of the control information includes information used to acquire control information of a scenario of a transition destination,

wherein the control information acquisition unit acquires the control information of the scenario of the transition destination based on the information used to acquire the control information of the scenario of the transition destination, and

wherein the reproduction control unit controls the transition of the scenario by reproducing content data of the scenario of the transition destination in accordance with the control information of the scenario of the transition destination.

3. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control information acquisition unit takes over authentication information of a user between the scenarios by adding the authentication information of the user to an acquisition request message used to acquire the control information, transmitting the acquisition request message, and acquiring the control information to which the authentication information of the user is added.

4. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control information acquisition unit adds common user authentication information commonly used in the scenarios of the content and user authentication information of each provider given to each provider that provides the scenario to the acquisition request message used to acquire the control information.

5. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, when the control information acquisition unit determines that the current scenario and another scenario are provided by a same provider, the control information acquisition unit adds the user authentication information of each provider based on the control information to the acquisition request message used to acquire the control information of the another scenario.

6. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the event information includes bridge information that defines a user interface when the current scenario transitions to another scenario, and

wherein the reproduction control unit displays a bridge screen configured to transition to the another scenario based on the bridge information.

7. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a reproduction processing unit that performs a production process under control of the reproduction control unit,

wherein the bridge information includes information of a still image to be displayed during a setup period of the another scenario, and

wherein the reproduction processing unit includes a still image reproduction unit that reproduces the still image, a moving image reproduction unit that reproduces a moving image, and a selector that switches between an output image of the still image reproduction unit and an output image of the moving image reproduction unit.

8. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the control information includes media-type information of the content data, and

wherein the reproduction control unit performs control such that the reproduction processing unit performs a process of reproducing the content data in accordance with the media-type information.

9. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, when a media-type of the content data is a moving image, the control information includes information regarding at least one of two-dimensional video content data and three-dimensional video content data.

10. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the event information includes information indicating a range in which the current scenario transitions to another scenario, and

wherein the reproduction control unit displays the bridge screen when a user performs an operation of activating the event within the range.

11. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, when the scenario of the transition destination is a loop scenario that returns to a transition point of a scenario of a transition source, the reproduction control unit retains information regarding the transition point and the control information of the scenario of the transition source and reproduces the scenario of the transition destination.

12. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 11, wherein, when the loop scenario further transitions to still another scenario and the still another scenario is not a loop scenario, the reproduction control unit cancels the retention of the information regarding the transition point and the control information of the scenario of the transition source.

13. A control information providing server comprising:

a communication unit that receives an acquisition request for acquiring control information regarding reproduction of content data from a content reproduction apparatus reproducing the content data; and

an input/output control unit that provides the content production apparatus with the control information including event information used to transition from a current scenario to another scenario based on the acquisition request.

14. A content reproduction apparatus comprising:

a content reproduction apparatus that reproduces content data;

a content providing server that provides the content data; and

a control information providing server that provides control information regarding the reproduction of the content data, the control information being associated with the content data,

wherein the content reproduction apparatus includes

a reproduction control unit that controls reproduction of a link-type content including a plurality of scenarios that each include content data and control information regarding reproduction of the content data,

a control information acquisition unit that acquires the control information associated with the content data to be reproduced from the control information providing server, and

a reproduction control unit that controls the reproduction of the content data in accordance with the control information, and

wherein the reproduction control unit controls the reproduction of the link-type content by controlling transition between the scenarios by reproducing the content data in accordance with the control information.