Information processing apparatus and information processing method

• US 6,714,920 B1
• Filed: 04/30/1999
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LINE Corporation (A Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Arai, Toshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, John W.
• Application Number:
  US09/297,448
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• Field of Search: 705/51, 705/52, 705/57, 705/14, 705/27, 709/217, 709/219, 707/3, 707/9, 707/10
• US Class Current: 705/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0071 involving a purchase action
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• 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

An efficient as well as rational information distribution system where retrieval can be carried out based on various kinds of retrieval information related to download information and particularly, at a time when the download information is specified from the retrieval information, if the retrieval information is outputted to a user as an advertisement, the amount of money to be billed for the download information is reduced by what the advertisement is worth.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an information storage unit for storing a plurality of information attached with respective information identifying data;

a retrieval information storage unit for storing a plurality of retrieval information attached with respective retrieval identifying data as well as correspondence information indicating that said retrieval identifying data and said information identifying data correspond to each other;

a manipulating unit for manipulation by a user;

a control unit for selecting retrieval information corresponding to an input from said manipulating unit from a plurality of retrieval information read out from said retrieval information storage unit as well as for reading out said information identifying data which corresponds to any one of the input from said manipulating unit and said retrieval information selected by said control unit based on the correspondence information stored in said retrieval information storage unit;

a retrieving unit for retrieving and outputting information corresponding to the information identifying data read out by said control unit from the plurality of information stored in said information storage unit based on the information identifying data read out by said control unit; and

a bill processing unit for carrying out a billing process based on history information showing one of whether said information identifying data is read out by said control unit by using retrieval information stored in said retrieval information storage unit and whether said information identifying data is read out based on an input from said manipulating unit.

2. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein secondary information related to the plurality of information stored in said information storage unit is stored as retrieval information in said retrieval information storage unit.

3. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a displaying unit controlled by said control unit wherein said control unit controls said displaying unit to display a display for selecting selected retrieval information from said plurality of retrieval information based on the secondary information read out from said retrieval information storage unit.

4. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said control unit controls said displaying unit to display a selecting screen for the user for selecting said selected retrieval information from said read out plurality of retrieval information based on said secondary information in response to the user using said manipulating unit.

5. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said control unit reproduces said secondary information of said selected retrieval information.

6. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said secondary information includes information related to an advertisement, a movie and a broadcast in which information stored in said information storage unit is used.

7. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bill processing unit carries out different billing processes based on history information supplied from said control unit when information identifying data is read out from said control unit by using retrieval information stored in said retrieval information storage unit and when said information identifying data is read out based on an input from said manipulating unit.

8. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said bill processing unit carries out a billing reducing process when said history information shows a case where information identifying data is read out by using retrieval information stored in said retrieval information storage unit.

9. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a storage unit for storing information corresponding to information identifying data which is read out by said control unit and outputted from said retrieving unit.

10. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

a main body unit in which said manipulating unit, said retrieval information storage unit, and said control unit are provided; and

a terminal unit having said storage unit removably provided in said main body.

11. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

selecting retrieval information corresponding to an input from a manipulating unit from a plurality of retrieval information read out from a retrieval information storage unit;

reading out information identifying data corresponding to any one of an input from said manipulation unit and said retrieval information selected based on correspondence information indicating that retrieval identifying data attached to said retrieval information stored in said retrieval information storage unit and information identifying data attached to a plurality of information stored in the information storage unit, correspond to each other;

retrieving and outputting information corresponding to said information identifying data from a plurality of information stored in said information storage unit; and

carrying out a billing process based on history information showing one of whether said information identifying data is read out by using retrieval information stored in said retrieval information storage unit and whether said information identifying data is read out based on an input from said manipulating unit.

12. The information processing method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said retrieval information is secondary information related to a plurality of information stored in said information storage unit.

13. The information processing method as claimed in claim 12, wherein a display is provided for selecting selected retrieval information from said plurality of retrieving information based on secondary information read out from said retrieval information memorizing unit.

14. The information processing method as claimed in claim 13, wherein a selecting screen for selecting said selected retrieval information from said plurality of retrieval information read out based on said secondary information by the user using said manipulating unit is displayed.

15. The information processing method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said secondary information of said selected retrieval information is reproduced to verify said selected retrieval information.

16. The information processing method as claimed in claim 15, wherein after said selected retrieval information is verified, said information identifying data corresponding to said selected retrieval information is read out and outputted.

17. The information processing method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said secondary information is information related to an advertisement, a movie and a broadcast in which information stored in said information storage unit is used.

18. The information processing method as claimed in claim 11, wherein different billing processes are carried out based on said history information when information identifying data is read out using retrieval information stored in said retrieval information storage unit, and when said information identifying data is read out based on an input from said manipulating unit.

19. The information processing method as claimed in claim 18, wherein said billing process is a billing reduction process when information identifying data is read out by using retrieval information stored in said retrieval information storage unit.

20. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

an information storage unit in which a plurality of information associated with information identifying data including at least audio data is stored;

a retrieval information storage unit for storing a plurality of retrieval information associated with retrieval identifying data and correspondence information indicating that said retrieval identifying data and said information identifying data correspond to each other;

a manipulating unit for manipulation by a user;

a control unit for selecting retrieval information corresponding to an input from said manipulating unit from among a plurality of retrieval information read out from said retrieval information storage unit as well as reading out said information identifying data corresponding to any one of an input from said manipulating unit and said selected retrieval information based on correspondence information stored in said retrieval information storage unit;

a retrieving unit for retrieving and outputting information corresponding to information identifying data read out by said control unit from among a plurality of information stored in said information storage unit based on information identifying data read out by said control unit; and

a billing processing unit for carrying out a billing process based on history information showing one of whether said information identifying data is read out by said control unit by using retrieval information stored in said retrieval information storage unit and whether said information identifying data is read out based on an input from said manipulating unit.

21. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein secondary information related to an advertisement, a movie and a broadcast, in which information stored in said information storage unit is used is stored in said retrieval information storage unit as retrieval information.

22. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 21, further comprising:

a displaying unit controlled by said control unit wherein said control unit controls said displaying unit to provide a display for selecting selected secondary information from said plurality of secondary information.

23. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein said control unit controls said displaying unit to display a selection screen for selecting selected retrieval information from said plurality of retrieval information read out based on said selected secondary information provided by the user manipulating said manipulating unit.

24. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein said control unit reproduces said secondary information of said selected retrieval information.

25. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein said billing processing unit carries out different billing processes based on history information supplied from said control unit when said information identifying data is read out from said control unit by using retrieval information stored in said retrieval information storage unit, and when said information identifying data is read out based on an input from said manipulating unit.

26. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said billing processing unit carries out a billing reduction process when said history information shows a case where information identifying data is read out by using retrieval information stored in said retrieval information storage unit.

27. The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 20, further comprising:

a storage unit for storing information corresponding to information identifying data read out by said control units as well as outputted from said retrieving unit;

a main body unit in which said manipulating unit, said retrieval information storage unit, and said control unit are provided; and

a terminal unit having said storage unit removably provided in said main body.