SERVER DEVICE, CLIENT MACHINE, AND CONTENT PLAYBACK PROGRAM

• US 20150019626A1
• Filed: 07/02/2014
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: SENOO, Junya
• Application Number:
  US14/321,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20150019626A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast

Abstract

A server device includes a controller configured and programmed to register, when a playback-capable notice notifying that content can be played on a client machine is acquired from the client machine, the client machine that sent the playback-capable notice as a content transmission destination in a storage device and which transmits the content to the registered client machine, and a client machine which plays back the content sent from the server device.

Claims

1. A server device which plays back, on a client machine connected to a same local network, content stored in the server device, wherein the server device comprises:

an operation input unit configured to accept input from an operator; and

a controller configured and programmed to register, when a playback-capable notice notifying that content is capable of being played back on the client machine is acquired from the client machine, the client machine that sent the playback-capable notice as a content transmission destination in a storage unit and then transmit content to the registered client machine.

2. The server device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured and programmed to register the client machine that transmitted the playback-capable notice as a content transmission destination only when the operator has enabled the client machine that transmitted the playback-capable notice.

3. The server device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured and programmed to search for the client machine to which content is to be transmitted when the operator selects content through the operation input unit.

4. The server device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured and programmed to transmit content to the client machine when enabling operating input occurs at the operation input unit.

5. The server device according to claim 1, wherein a playback unit is provided and configured to play the content;

and

the controller is configured and programmed to pause the content being played if the playback-capable notice is acquired while the content is being played and also to transmit a portion after a paused portion of the content that was being played to the registered client machine only when there is the registered client machine.

6. The server device according to claim 1, wherein when halt information that halts playback of the content is acquired from the registered client machine, the controller is configured and programmed to erase the client machine registration and also stop content transmission.

7. The server device according to claim 5, wherein when halt information that halts playback of the content is acquired from the registered client machine, the controller is configured and programmed to erase the client machine registration and also stop content transmission.

8. The server device according to claim 7, wherein when the halt information is acquired, the controller is configured and programmed to play back continuation of the content on the playback unit from a stopped position.

9. The server device according to claim 6, wherein a halted state of content transmission is maintained until machine information from a client machine that can play the content is transmitted.

10. The server device according to claim 1, wherein the client machine is one of a computer and a television.

11. The server device according to claim 1, wherein the server device is a smart phone.

12. The server device according to claim 1, wherein the local network is a wireless network.

13. The server device according to claim 5, wherein the playback unit includes a display unit and an audio output unit.

14. The server device according to claim 1, wherein the controller includes a processing circuit configured to process signals and information, and including logic circuitry configured to control the server device.

15. The server device according to claim 1, wherein the playback-capable notice is sent from the client machine to the controller as soon as the power to the client machine is turned on.

16. The server device according to claim 1, wherein the content includes at least one of video, music, and photos.

17. A client machine connected to a local network and capable of playing content, the client machine comprising:

an information transmission unit configured to transmit the playback-capable notice to the server device according to claim 1.

18. The client machine according to claim 17, wherein the information transmission unit is configured to transmit the playback-capable notice as soon as the power to the client machine is turned on.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including a computer program for performing, when the computer program runs on a computer, a method comprising:

registering a client machine connected to a same local network when a playback-capable notice notifying that content stored on a server device is capable of being played back on the client machine is acquired from the client machine;

registering the client machine that sent the playback-capable notice as a content transmission destination; and

transmitting the content to the registered client machine so that the client machine plays back the content.