Communication apparatus, communication system and method of the same

• US 7,003,115 B1
• Filed: 02/07/2000
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sakoda, Kazuyuki, Suzuki, Mitsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrón, Jr., Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gurshman, Grigory
• Application Number:
  US09/499,562
• Time in Patent Office: 2,206 Days
• Field of Search: 380/270, 380/200, 380/210
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/24 Arrangements for distribution of identical information via broadcast system and non-broadcast system
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/12 wherein another information is substituted for the portion of broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A communication apparatus capable of reducing the amount of communication with other communication apparatuses is provided, wherein a content signal of a popular program is broadcasted in advance from a broadcast base station to terminals and stored in a memory of each. In a terminal, when a content signal specified by a play instruction signal is stored in the memory, the content signal is read from the memory. On the other hand, when it is not stored in the memory, the terminal requests the specified content signal from the cellular base station via a cellular network and receives the specified content signal.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus for receiving a content signal and storing the received content signal, comprising:

a reception means for receiving a broadcasted content signal;

a memory means for storing said broadcasted content signal received by said reception means;

a control means for judging whether or not a specified content signal is stored in said memory means and, when it is judged that it is not stored, generating a content request signal for requesting said specified content signal; and

a transmission means for transmitting said generated content request signal;

said reception means further receiving a content signal response to said transmitted content request signal.

2. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an output means for performing at least one of a video output and an audio output in accordance with the content signal;

wherein said control means reads said specified content signal from said memory means and outputs it to said output means when it is judged that said specified content signal is stored in said memory means.

3. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an output means for performing at least one of a video output and an audio output in accordance with a content signal;

wherein;

said control means outputs said specified content signal received by said reception means in accordance with said content request signal to said output means when it is judged that said specified content signal is not stored in said memory means.

4. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a decryption means for decrypting said content signal read from said memory means by using key data when said broadcasted content signal is encrypted;

wherein;

said control means generates a key data request signal for requesting said key data when it is judged that said specified content signal is stored in said memory means;

said transmission means transmits said key data request signal; and

said reception means outputs said key data received in accordance with said key data request signal to said decryption means.

5. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said control means judges whether or not an uncorrectable error exists in said broadcasted content signal received by said reception means and, when it is judged that an uncorrectable error exists, generates a re-transmit instruction signal for instructing to re-transmit the broadcasted content signal; and

said transmission means transmits said re-transmit instruction signal.

6. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reception means comprises:

a first reception means for receiving said broadcasted content signal; and

a second reception means for receiving a content signal in accordance with said transmitted content request signal via a different communication line from that in said first communication means.

7. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

said transmission means uses a communication line individually established with another party to transmit said content request signal to said another party; and

said second reception means uses a communication line individually established with said other party to receive a content signal from said other party in accordance with said content request signal.

8. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said transmission means receives said content request signal via a communication line capable of bidirectional communication the same as the communication line for transmitting said content signal transmitted by said second transmission means.

9. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

said transmission means and said second reception means perform communication relating to at least one of procedures of authentication and charging with said other party.

10. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said reception means receives said broadcasted content signal and a content signal in accordance with said transmitted content request signal from the same communication lines by time division.

11. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said first reception means receives said content signal via a communication medium having a larger communication capacity than a communication medium for transmitting said content signal received by said second reception means.

12. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reception means and said transmission means perform transmission of said content request signal and reception of a content signal in accordance with said content request signal by wireless communication capable of bi-directional communication by a cell mode.

13. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reception means receives said broadcasted content signal by using a ground wave or a satellite.

14. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said first reception means receives said broadcasted content signal by using a satellite, and said second reception means receives a content signal in accordance with said content request signal by using a ground wave.

15. A method of communication for receiving a content signal, comprising:

a broadcast reception process for receiving a broadcasted content signal;

a storing process for storing said broadcasted content signal received by said broadcast reception process;

a control process for judging whether or not a specified content signal is stored and generating a content request signal for requesting said specified content signal when it is judged that it is not stored;

a transmission process for transmitting said generated content request signal; and

an individual reception process for also receiving a content signal in accordance with said transmitted content request signal.

16. A communication apparatus capable of communicating with a plurality of communication apparatuses, comprising:

a reception means for receiving a content request signal from one or more of said plurality of communication apparatuses;

a memory means for storing a content signal;

a transmission means for broadcasting a content signal to one or more of said plurality of communication apparatuses and transmitting the content signal to communication apparatuses which transmitted said content request signal; and

a control means for reading a predetermined content signal from said memory means, broadcasting the read content signal from said transmission means to one or more of said plurality of transmission apparatuses, reading a content signal requested by the content request signal from said memory means when said reception means receives said content request signal, and transmitting the read content signal to said communication apparatuses which transmitted said content request signal.

17. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 16, further comprising an encrypting means for encrypting a content signal;

wherein said control means encrypts said predetermined content signal read from said memory means and makes said first transmission means broadcasts the encrypted content signal to said communication apparatuses which transmitted said content request signal.

18. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein:

said reception means further receives a key data request signal for requesting key data via communication lines individually established with said communication apparatuses;

said memory means further stores the key data for decrypting a content signal encrypted by said encryption means; and

said control means reads the key data requested by said key data request signal received by said reception means from said memory means and transmits the read key data from said transmission means to said communication apparatuses which transmitted said key data request signal.

19. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein said transmission means comprises:

a first transmission means for broadcasting a content signal to said plurality of communication apparatuses; and

a second transmission means for transmitting a content signal to said communication apparatuses which transmitted the content request signal via a different communication line from that in said first communication means.

20. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein:

said reception means receives said content request signal from said content request signal from said communication apparatuses via communication lines individually established with said communication apparatuses; and

said second transmission means transmits said content signal by individually establishing communication lines with said communication apparatuses which transmitted said content request signal.

21. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein said reception means and said second transmission means perform communication relating to at least one procedure of authentication and charging with said communication apparatuses.

22. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said reception means receives said content request signal via a communication line capable of bi-directional communication, and wherein said communication line is the same as the communication line for transmitting said content signal transmitted by said second transmission means.

23. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein

said transmission means transmits a content signal to be broadcasted to said plurality of communication apparatuses and a content signal based on said content request signal via the same communication lines by time division.

24. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said first transmission means broadcasts said predetermined content signal via a communication medium having a larger communication capacity than a communication medium for transferring said content signal transmitted by said second transmission means.

25. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said second transmission means and said reception means perform transmission of said content signal and reception of said content request signal by wireless communication capable of bi-directional communication by a cell mode.

26. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said first transmission means broadcasts said predetermined content signal by using a ground wave or a satellite.

27. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein:

said first transmission means broadcasts said predetermined content signal by using a satellite; and

said second transmission means transmits a content signal in accordance with said content requests signal by using a ground wave.

28. A communication apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein

said transmission means transmits a content signal requested by a plurality of communication apparatuses by broadcasting based on said content request signal received by said reception means.

29. A method of communication for transmitting a content signal to communication apparatuses, comprising:

a reception process for receiving a content request signal from said communication apparatuses;

a broadcast process for broadcasting a predetermined content signal to said communication apparatuses; and

an individual transmission process for transmitting a content signal requested by a content request signal to said communication apparatuses which transmitted said content request signal when said reception process receives said content request signal.

30. A communication apparatus capable of communicating with a plurality of communication apparatuses, comprising:

a reception means for receiving a content request signal from said

communication apparatuses;

a transmission means for transmitting a content signal to said communication apparatuses which transmitted said content request signal; and

a control means for generating a control signal for broadcasting a requested content signal by a broadcast device based on said content request signal and transmitting to a broadcast device.

31. A method of communication for transmitting a content signal to a plurality of communication apparatuses, comprising:

a reception process for receiving a content request signal from said communication apparatus;

a transmission process for transmitting a content signal to said communication apparatuses which transmitted said content request signal; and

a control process for generating a control signal for broadcasting a requested content signal by a broadcast device based on said content request signal and transmitting to a broadcast device.

32. A communication apparatus capable of communicating with a plurality of communication apparatuses, comprising:

a reception means for receiving from a communication station a broadcast request signal requesting the broadcasting of a a content signal requested by said communication apparatuses, said broadcast request signal being generated based on a content request signal requesting a content signal from said plurality of communication apparatuses to the communication station; and

a broadcast means for broadcasting a content signal based on said broadcast request signal to said plurality of communication apparatuses.

33. A method of communication for broadcasting a content signal to a plurality of communication apparatuses, comprising:

a reception process for receiving from a communication station a broadcast request signal requesting the broadcasting of a content signal requested by said communication apparatuses, said broadcast request signal being generated based on a content request signal requesting a content from said plurality of communication apparatuses to the communication station; and

a broadcast process for broadcasting a content signal based on said broadcast request signal to said plurality of other communication apparatuses.

34. A communication system having a first communication apparatus for providing a content signal and one or more second communication apparatuses for being provided with said content signal, wherein:

said first communication apparatus, comprising;

a first reception means for receiving a content request signal from said second communication apparatus;

a first memory means for storing a content signal;

a first transmission means for broadcasting a content signal to said plurality of second communication apparatuses and transmitting a content signal to said second communication apparatus which transmitted said content request signal;

a first control means for reading a predetermined content signal from said memory means, making the read predetermined content signal be broadcasted from said transmission means to said plurality of second communication apparatuses, reading a content signal requested by the content request signal from said memory means when said reception means receives said content request signal, and making the read content signal be transmitted from said transmission means to said second communication apparatus which transmitted said content request signal; and

said second communication apparatus comprises;

a second reception means for receiving a broadcasted content signal and also a content signal in accordance with said content request signal;

a second memory means for storing said broadcasted content signal received by said reception means;

a second control means for judging whether or not a specified content signal is stored in said memory means and, when it is judged that it is not stored, generating a content request signal for requesting said specified content signal; and

a second transmission means for transmitting said generated content request signal.

35. A communication system as set forth in claim 34, wherein:

said first transmission means of said first communication apparatus transmits said content signal to said second communication apparatus individually connected to communication lines among said plurality of second communication apparatuses.

36. A method of communication performed between a first communication apparatus for providing a content signal and one or more second communication apparatuses for being provided with said content signal, comprising the steps of:

broadcasting a predetermined content signal from said first communication apparatus to said one or more second communication apparatuses;

storing said broadcasted predetermined content signal in each of said second communication apparatus;

judging whether or not a specified content signal is stored in a said second communication apparatus and transmitting said content request signal requesting said specified content signal from a second communication apparatus to said first communication apparatus when it is judged that it is not stored; and

transmitting a content signal in accordance with said content request signal from said first communication apparatus to said second communication apparatus which transmitted said content request signal.

37. A method of communication as set forth in claim 36, further comprising the steps of:

encrypting and broadcasting said predetermined content signal from said first communication apparatus to each of said second communication apparatus and,

when it is judged that said specified content signal is stored in a second communication apparatus,

transmitting a key data request signal for requesting key data for decrypting said encrypted content signal from said second communication apparatus to said first communication apparatus;

transmitting key data in accordance with said key data request signal from said first communication apparatus to said second communication apparatus; and

decrypting a received encrypted content signal by using said received key data in said second communication apparatus.

38. A communication method as set forth in claim 37, wherein transmission of said key data request signal and said key data is performed via a communication line individually established between said first communication apparatus and a said second communication apparatus.

39. A communication apparatus, comprising:

a first reception means for receiving a broadcasted content signal;

a memory means for storing said broadcasted content signal received by said first reception means;

a control means for judging whether or not a specified content signal is stored in said memory means and, when it is judged that it is not stored, generating a content request signal for requesting said specified content signal;

a transmission means for transmitting said generated content request signal; and

a second reception means for receiving a content signal in accordance with said transmitted content request signal by a lower bit rate compared with that of said first reception means.