Downloading compressed audio data from a server and detecting recording inhibiting information

• US 6,011,761 A
• Filed: 06/19/1998
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Solstice Neurosciences, LLC
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Inoue, Hiraku
• Primary Examiner(s): Neyzari, Ali
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHU, KIM KWOK
• Application Number:
  US09/099,870
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 369/32, 369/84, 369/47, 369/54, 369/83, 369/94, 386/94, 386/83, 386/93, 380/5, 380/6, 380/15, 380/20, 455/45, 455/66, 704/500, 395/200.49, 395/200.61
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 17/22 from random access magazine of disc records
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00724 wherein a prepaid credit balance is registered on the recording medium
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/216 Rewritable discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2529 Mini-discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/036 Insert-editing
• 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

Abstract

A transmission system for transmitting compressed audio data selected by a user from compressed audio data stored in a server to a client located remote from the server. If the state of the recording medium loaded on the client side is normal and/or the money deposited on the client side is sufficient to permit charging the user, the selected compressed audio data starts to be transmitted from the server. If the state of the recording medium loaded on the client side is not normal and/or the money deposited on the client side is insufficient to permit charging the user, transmission of the selected compressed audio data from the server is inhibited. This prevents incorrectly billing the client.

Claims

1. A transmitting/receiving system comprising:

a transmitter including;

memory means for storing compressed data, and

first transmitting means for transmitting selected compressed data selected by a user from said compressed data; and

a receiver including;

receiver means for receiving said selected compressed data transmitted by said transmitter,

recording means for recording said selected compressed data on a recording medium,

detection means for detecting recording inhibiting information of said recording medium before said selected compressed data is transmitted by said transmitter,

display means for displaying an error message for informing a user that recording is inhibited based on a detection output from said detection means, and

second transmitting means for transmitting a request for information to said transmitter if said recording medium is not inhibited based on said detection output from said detection means.

2. The transmitting/receiving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detection means includes comparison means for comparing a capacity of a recordable area of said recording medium with a capacity of said selected compressed data from said transmitter.

3. The transmitting/receiving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detection means detects erasure protection information of said recording medium.

4. The transmitting/receiving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detection means detects whether said recording medium is a read-only medium or a recordable medium.

5. The transmitting/receiving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recording medium has a program area and a management area, and said detection means detects whether said recording medium is recordable depending on management information reproduced from said management area.

6. The transmitting/receiving system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

account balance detection means for detecting a balance of money in an account deposited by said user, wherein said display means displays for said user said balance of said account based on an output of said account balance detection means.

7. A data transmitting/receiving method comprising the steps of:

detecting recording inhibiting information of a recording medium before compressed data is transmitted from a server;

displaying an error message for advising a user that recording is inhibited based on a result of said step of detecting;

transmitting means for transmitting a request for information to said server if said recording medium is not inhibited based on said result of said step of detecting;

receiving said compressed data transmitted from said server; and

recording said compressed data on said recording medium.

8. The data transmitting/receiving method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

comparing a capacity of a recordable area of said recording medium with a capacity of said compressed data from said server.

9. The data transmitting/receiving method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said step of detecting detects erasure protection information of said recording medium.

10. The data transmitting/receiving method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said step of detecting detects whether said recording medium is a read-only medium or a recordable medium.

11. The data transmitting/receiving method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said recording medium has a program area and a management area, and said step of detecting detects whether said recording medium is a read-only medium or a recordable medium depending on management information reproduced from said management area.

12. The data transmitting/receiving method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a balance of money in an account deposited by said user; and

displaying an insufficient funds error message for advising said user of a deficit of said account based on detection of said balance of said step of detecting.