Multimedia information transfer via a wide area network

• US 7,054,921 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2001
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Douma, Peter, DeMartin, Frank, Miccoli, Denise
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C.
• Application Number:
  US09/770,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20010013061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709203-208, 709/231, 709/223, 709/202, 709/238, 709/246, 705/5, 705/10, 705/6, 725/39, 725/87, 725/61
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation

Abstract

Using a music oriented Web site, a “student” user requests a tutorial or tour of a musical artist or genre on the World Wide Web portion of the Internet. The “expert” user peruses the “student” personal music library and creates a playlist for that library to assist in further understanding of the music by the “student” user. The playlist is transferred to a server which generates a command file. This command file is sent to the “student” user to control various multimedia components according to the “expert” user'"'"'s selection. This tutorial may be accompanied by the “expert” user'"'"'s personal commentary on his/her selections.

Claims

1. A system for accessing, over a wide area network, multimedia equipment for reproducing multimedia information recorded on data storage media, comprising:

generating means for generating a list of contents of multimedia information recorded on data storage media of a first user at a first equipment location by processing contents data of each medium in the data storage media at the first equipment location, said generating means operating to transfer said list of contents via said wide area network to an expert at a second equipment location, said expert being knowledgeable about said multimedia information so that said expert can provide recommendations about said multimedia information, said expert modifying the generated list of contents by selecting items from said list of contents and rearranging the selected items to produce a rearranged list of contents;

converting means for converting the rearranged list of contents to at least one command script file for controlling the multimedia equipment at the first equipment location, said at least one command script file including a series of commands for controlling the multimedia equipment in compliance with a smart control protocol used in multimedia components; and

controlling means for controlling the multimedia equipment at the first equipment location based on said at least one command script file, wherein the multimedia information recorded on the first user'"'"'s storage media is reproduced on the multimedia equipment, located at the first equipment location, based on the rearranged list of contents.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising

a server for providing a user interface for requesting the list of contents to be modified, said server operating to transfer the list of contents over the wide area network to the expert at the second equipment location.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the multimedia equipment, located at the first equipment location, includes audio/video (A/V) system.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the A/V system includes a CD changer capable of accepting multiple compact disks (CDs).

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the contents data of each medium in the data storage media at the first equipment location includes a song list for a CD.

6. A method for accessing, over a wide area network, multimedia equipment for reproducing multimedia information recorded on data storage media, said method comprising the steps of:

generating a list of contents of multimedia information recorded on data storage media of a first user at a first equipment location by processing contents data of each medium in the data storage media at the first equipment location;

transferring said list of contents via said wide area network to an expert at a second equipment location, said expert being knowledgeable about said multimedia information so that said expert can provide recommendations about said multimedia information, said expert modifying the generated list of contents by selecting items from said list of contents and rearranging the selected items to produce a rearranged list of contents;

converting the rearranged list of contents to at least one command script file for controlling the multimedia equipment at the first equipment location, said at least one command script file including a series of commands for controlling the multimedia equipment in compliance with a smart control protocol used in multimedia components; and

controlling the multimedia equipment at the first equipment location based on said at least one command script file, wherein the multimedia information recorded on the first user'"'"'s storage media is reproduced on the multimedia equipment, located at the first equipment location, based on the rearranged list of contents.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of providing, by a server, a user interface for requesting the list of contents to be modified, and the server transferring the list of contents over the wide area network to the expert at the second equipment location.